In October of 2022, a coworker of mine experienced the loss of her 15-year-old son, Harlan Gasque.  He went out on a run one day and never came home, passing away from undiagnosed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Harlan had so much life to live and was an adventurous spirit that loved the outdoors. To honor him, I took his mother out on a hike because it was one of the things that he enjoyed doing, and from that point forward, I decided that I would #LiveLikeHarlan. 

I was overweight and out of shape, and hikes like the Arizona Hot Springs were a challenge! I kept returning to VegasHikers for progressively more challenging hikes, and I completed the Cowboy Fitness and Charleston Series. Jim Billetdeaux, Liz Hyatt and Paul Thomas surrounded me with a positive and uplifting energy that kept me coming back even during moments of self-doubt, and there were many.

The Charleston and Cowboy Fitness Series has opened so many opportunities for new adventures. Over the last two years, I have completed Great Range Traverse, Cactus to Clouds, and Rim to Rim from the top 10 hardest day hikes in America list. I love to spend time in the snow, and I have attended alpine mountaineering school and summited Shasta. This year I successfully summited Mt. Rainier by taking the  Emmons Glacier Route after not making the standard route last year due to the route conditions. The Emmons Glacier has the largest surface area of any glacier in the contiguous United States. I have progressed into ultra-running, century bike rides, and you guessed it- now swimming! I recently completed my first Iron Man in Rockford, Illinois. I spend time training and the gym and eating healthy to stay strong for all of my adventures. I continue to do hard things and make hard choices to show my two boys that we can do it and thrive! I was once a person that lived in my comfort zone, and now, I seek out opportunities that push me to keep growing physically and mentally. You never know where your next adventure will take you, or what life events will make you change directions, but some of the best stories can be the most unpredictable.