Thanks so much for sharing Rosemary Trommer — I followed your link to her site to sign up and ended up staying to read 3 week’s worth of poems. It’s one of the nicest things I’ve come across in a long time.
Thank you, Sarah, for sharing your thoughts and worries with us. If the statistics are right, I will be about halfway through my life this year. Day by day, I find more inspiration and more meaning in the stories of the older generation than in the stories of the younger. Thank you for letting me know about Junko this way. What an impressive human being. 💛
You might also draw inspiration from this woman, who at 70 years old finished Western States just six seconds under the thirty hour cutoff. I happened to meet her a few years later on a trail run in the Cascades outside Seattle. She’s amazing.
This was such a great post! I’m glad to hear about your optimism, and Junko is so inspiring! I especially liked how she shared that, even with all of her incredible accomplishments, she still struggles every time with nausea and nighttime sleepiness. I’ve started having a lot of problems with nausea since menopause, and it’s easy to get self-defeating and think “well, my body is saying I’m too old for this now.” But Junko proves that is really just a cop out. Soldier on, solve the problems. So inspiring. Also really loved the Rosemary Trommer poem. Thank you for sharing it.
Whoa, Junko is so inspiring. Really rooting for you and her at Hardrock! Here's to patience with the healing process. I do know how hard that is. And sending good vibes to your daughter. She's lucky to have such an awesome mama bear. And finally, thank you for the shoutout and to be included with such stellar ladies over 60!! And I am even more honored and glad to be called a friend. Same to you Sarah!
I don’t know Junko personally, but she did kick my butt once at Behind the Rocks 50M. It was in the last 5-10 miles of the race where you are still gradually ascending. I was going through some rough miles and doing my best to power hike it. When out of no where I see this lady on the opposite side of the rough slick rock Jeep rode from me, grinding away. Neither of us said a word to each other. I was in the hurt locker and she was too, but she at least was actually turning her legs over. I’ll be honest, it was a bit of an inspiring moment to see her grinding away like that. She went on to put about 20 minutes on me by the finish, and grabbed third place female. Rock on Junko!
I was going to mention her annual tradition of doing Behind the Rocks 50M in March (in Moab UT) but my piece was getting too long so I didn't. She runs it as a season-opener to test her fitness. She said about Behind the Rocks: "Either I’m trained and in shape or not, but I just go kill myself in that race. If I really suffer, then I know I need to suck it up and train." What a way to kick off a season! Thanks for reading.
Whoa. Junko is amazing. I am filled with amazement, respect and wonder. I am so glad you wrote about her achievements because they are legendary-whether you are over 50 or not. But I also love her attitude.
This was a great post. The poem is a wonderful into to 2025. Sending healing thoughts to you and your daughter!!!
What a beautiful beginning to my 2025, reading your post about optimism and being introduced to two very inspiring women—an age defying and age-embracing mountain runner and a wise poet. Thank you Sarah! You have given me such a gift going into this new year. Happy New Year!
Wow, loved reading about Junko. What an absolute legend!
Thanks for reading, and happy new year!
Thanks so much for sharing Rosemary Trommer — I followed your link to her site to sign up and ended up staying to read 3 week’s worth of poems. It’s one of the nicest things I’ve come across in a long time.
That’s so great to hear! Happy new year.
Great newsletter--and I'm sending optimistic healing thoughts to your daughter and to you!
Thank you, I really appreciate that. I have an update at the top of today's (Jan. 8) post. Coping with a lot but trying to stay optimistic.
Wow, thanks for sharing Junkos running story, she is truly a badass! Definitely inspiring to this 57 year old.
Thank you, Sarah, for sharing your thoughts and worries with us. If the statistics are right, I will be about halfway through my life this year. Day by day, I find more inspiration and more meaning in the stories of the older generation than in the stories of the younger. Thank you for letting me know about Junko this way. What an impressive human being. 💛
Thank you for that and for reading!
You might also draw inspiration from this woman, who at 70 years old finished Western States just six seconds under the thirty hour cutoff. I happened to meet her a few years later on a trail run in the Cascades outside Seattle. She’s amazing.
https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/qas-people/gunhild-swanson-oldest-woman-finisher-returns-to-western-states/?scope=initial
I'm very familiar with Gunhild's story, thanks.
This was such a great post! I’m glad to hear about your optimism, and Junko is so inspiring! I especially liked how she shared that, even with all of her incredible accomplishments, she still struggles every time with nausea and nighttime sleepiness. I’ve started having a lot of problems with nausea since menopause, and it’s easy to get self-defeating and think “well, my body is saying I’m too old for this now.” But Junko proves that is really just a cop out. Soldier on, solve the problems. So inspiring. Also really loved the Rosemary Trommer poem. Thank you for sharing it.
Whoa, Junko is so inspiring. Really rooting for you and her at Hardrock! Here's to patience with the healing process. I do know how hard that is. And sending good vibes to your daughter. She's lucky to have such an awesome mama bear. And finally, thank you for the shoutout and to be included with such stellar ladies over 60!! And I am even more honored and glad to be called a friend. Same to you Sarah!
❤️
Very good read! What a cool lady Junko is! So accomplished. We have similar timelines as to when we ran first marathons and 100's.
Here's to good healing and recovery in 2025.
Thanks and happy new year! Hope to see you on the next zoom.
cheering you on! and wishing your daughter an easy recovery!
Thank you. Can’t wait to reconnect with you & your group this month.
❤️🫶🏽❤️
I don’t know Junko personally, but she did kick my butt once at Behind the Rocks 50M. It was in the last 5-10 miles of the race where you are still gradually ascending. I was going through some rough miles and doing my best to power hike it. When out of no where I see this lady on the opposite side of the rough slick rock Jeep rode from me, grinding away. Neither of us said a word to each other. I was in the hurt locker and she was too, but she at least was actually turning her legs over. I’ll be honest, it was a bit of an inspiring moment to see her grinding away like that. She went on to put about 20 minutes on me by the finish, and grabbed third place female. Rock on Junko!
I was going to mention her annual tradition of doing Behind the Rocks 50M in March (in Moab UT) but my piece was getting too long so I didn't. She runs it as a season-opener to test her fitness. She said about Behind the Rocks: "Either I’m trained and in shape or not, but I just go kill myself in that race. If I really suffer, then I know I need to suck it up and train." What a way to kick off a season! Thanks for reading.
That’s a lovely poem 🙂 happy new year!
Whoa. Junko is amazing. I am filled with amazement, respect and wonder. I am so glad you wrote about her achievements because they are legendary-whether you are over 50 or not. But I also love her attitude.
This was a great post. The poem is a wonderful into to 2025. Sending healing thoughts to you and your daughter!!!
Thank you for continuing to support my newsletter, and best wishes to you for the new year! Glad you liked this post. I love her example also.
Junko is amazing! Nice to hear her story. Good luck at Hardrock.
What a beautiful beginning to my 2025, reading your post about optimism and being introduced to two very inspiring women—an age defying and age-embracing mountain runner and a wise poet. Thank you Sarah! You have given me such a gift going into this new year. Happy New Year!
Thank you! Hope to see you in real life as well as on Zoom this year. ❤️