Masochist

You are probably wondering, "Why on earth would Ruth let someone participate in SOLC who would title a blog entry like that???"
Well, truthfully speaking, you probably SHOULD wonder that about me. Or just wonder about me in general.
As far as I know, I am not a masochist. I do not experience gratification due to another person's physical pain or humiliation. (And that was the CLEANEST definition I found! Whew! Glad I didn't search for that definition at work. That would surely get flagged in one of our "Suspicious Search Queries Reports".) Unless it's the Florida Gators. I do like it when they experience intense humiliation in sporting events.
OK...so back to the point I haven't gotten to....
On my doorstep this evening was a box containing my new trail running shoes! It so happens that they are aptly called "Mountain Masochist". I am psyched. I have been wearing them all evening around the house.
Of course, there's a winter storm warning for tomorrow. It's like showing up to the public pool right after it is discovered someone has opted NOT to put their child in a swimmer diaper. So I don't get to go try them out tomorrow.
I am currently preparing for what will be a mentally, physically, and spiritually challenging (to say the least) accomplishment. I am running my first ultra marathon at the end of July. 100 miles. Most of it is trails. My dear friend and colleague, Nancy, and I are running it together, and this will be her second time. She ran this very race last year and is STOKED to do it again. In order to be "counted" and more importantly, to receive a shiny cool belt buckle, we must finish in under 30 hours.
I think about this every single day. Every. Single. Day. I have doubted myself a million times. I have second-guessed my ability to do it. I have competed in races since I was in my early 20s. I have been a runner for quite a while and it is definitely a passion of mine. Nothing gets me more excited and, at the same time horrified, than the thought of conquering a 100 miler. But I am dedicated. It's an accomplishment of epic proportion. I. CAN. DO. IT.
If any of you would like to join us, here is more info:

 http://www.burningriver100.org/

Which leads me back to the beginning of this post: Masochist.
I think my dear friend Nancy may be one. Why else would she have talked me into this? Oh wait...I agreed to it. (JUST KIDDING, NANCY!)
(Disclaimer: Nancy is the kindest and sweetest person on the planet.) :-)

In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first people on record to summit Mount Everest. When Hillary was asked WHY he wanted to climb that mountain, his answer was perfectly simple: Because it's there.