“Pain is temporary but victory is forever.”  I’ve read this on a contestant’s shirt at the San Diego Rock’n Roll Marathon.  This has been my mantra when time came for me to run the Disneyland Half Marathon.  I sprained my foot.  I might have landed on the wrong spot, but I pushed hard if only to meet my time goal in the disneyland half marathon.   And I did.  Everyone did.  I finished at 2:30, Val and Shashanna my two other teammates finished at 3:01, and Muj Drahousek finished his current personal best at 1:43.  It was a victorious day for us and all the effort we put into our training were paid off. 

sunset at Mojave National Preserve

sunset at Mojave National Preserve

 

To celebrate our victory, Muj Drahousek and I went on a camping/hiking trip to Mojave Desert.  I didn’t expect much about the place but I was astounded by the beauty of it.  I don’t particularly like dry, arid conditions but this one is remarkable.  With this trip I have realized that I am evolving.  I have completely traded my mall-going, spa-visiting self for nature girl.  Somehow all the luxuries that I used to like seem too shallow.  There is much more out there that needs to be explored and experienced. 

Kelso Dunes    We camped at the Hole in the Wall campground, where coyotes hovered around us and the desert wind relentlessly tried to blow off our tent.  We went to Kelso Dunes where the sun seemed to be biting off our skin.  We visited Amboy Crater where traces of the volcanic eruption that happened a century ago can still be seen.  My foot was hurting through it all due to the 13.1 miles I just ran.  My old self would’ve told me to lay in bed, take it easy or go to the spa.  But I didn’t.  I trudged the hard terrain of the desert and survived its unforgiving climate.  And guess what, it was all worth it.