Race Recap: Louisville Trail 10K (2015)

My alarm went off this morning before 6am. Most of you know what that likely means for a runner. Race day!

Woody and I ran the Louisville Trail 10k last year and very much enjoyed the small, and well run, race that's held about halfway between Denver and Boulder. We knew last year's course was changed due to lingering damage from the 2012 flood, and personally, I welcomed the changes this year which kept us running along the Coal Creek in the out and back course rather than two out and backs and a good bit of sidewalk running.

We met up with my friend who was running, along with her fiancé and their friend. The race is the last of the Endurance Race Series, which includes 9 races from April through October along the front range and mountain towns. The half marathon took off first, then then 10k followed by the 5k and a kids race.

Woody headed up to the front so as not to get caught up in the traffic, while we stayed back. The race isn't that big, several hundred people, but since the trail isn't that wide there's even more jockeying around at the start than a typical road race. My friend and I stuck together and got through the crowds till we had a bit of space. The course was mostly crushed gravel and rolling hills aside from one fairly steep and intense climb. And since it's an out and back, we hit that hill twice.

It was a pretty warm day for mid-October - well into the 60's. Thankfully a good bit of the course was shaded so it wasn't too intense. When I hit the finish line Woody was waiting for me. As per usual. Turns out he finished 8th overall and 2nd in his AG. And my friend's fiancé also finished 2nd in his AG. Yeah, pretty frickin' awesome!

The race organizers set up a pretty great festival with several vendors including Runners Roost, Hoka One One, Yucatan Guacamole, Boulder Organics, a few others, plus a pretty big spread of food. Since the guys were getting awards, we stuck around for the ceremony so they could get their pint glasses. There were also about 10 or so people who had finished the race series season pass, meaning they had run all 9 races; they received a stainless steel growler. The series offers two other pass options - one covering the 5 front range races, the other for the 4 mountain town races.

While my finish time wasn't as good as last year (since I'm not in the shape I was in then) and I could have paced myself a bit better, I'm fairly happy with my performance and feel that I'm on track with where I want to be and getting stronger every week.

Afterwards we walked over to our friend's house for coffee, mimosas, chocolate banana bread and biscuits (both vegan), fruit, some home brewed beer and great conversation. Overall, it was a pretty great morning.

There was a lot of racing happening around the country this weekend. Did you race? Take a minute to leave a #runbrag so we can celebrate your awesomeness!

Running to Save Lives

Now that we're a few years into our life in Colorado we're starting to find a few races we like, and doing them each year. This past Saturday was the Blue Shoe Run for Prostate Cancer which raises funds for the The Urology Center of Colorado. I'm not sure saying it's a run for prostate cancer, is quite the best description of the race - in both that it's a run and walk (I think more people likely walk than run, actually) and that the race raises money for cancer research in order to increase the number of men in the local community who are screened, and to support community programs and research.

I'm still working my way back from my injury so I didn't have any goals for this race beyond putting in a strong effort and to enjoy the experience. Woody, however, wanted to break 7 minute miles. While I sometimes struggle with the fact that running has come quite easy to him, much easier than it is for me, I do love to see him excited about running and setting running goals.

I wrote a good bit about this race last year, and since it wasn't all that different this time around I won't get into all the details here, but it is a very low key event that starts with a kids race before the 5k run start and then a 1.5 mile family walk. There are a ton of families at the event - kids in strollers to grandparents.

The race is for a good cause: prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in American men, about 1 in 7 will be diagnosed in their lifetime. These numbers are pretty staggering and while it's fantastic that this event had more than 1,200 participants, events raising funds to fight prostate cancer aren't nearly as popular as those for breast cancer. I'm glad we were able to participate and we plan to do so every year we're able to.

If you are thinking about running this race - and I hope you are - I'll warn you about a long hill towards the end that goes up a freeway onramp then turns left and keeps going up. If you want to hit a certain time, like Woody did, you have to keep this in mind and save energy for it.

For those who want to give back in a meaningful way, I met a man who is a participant and volunteer for Live by Living, a non-profit organization that provides cancer survivors and their caregivers with opportunities to connect with nature and each other. The organization leads walks, day hikes, snowshoe outings, and 2- and 3-day retreats, all at no cost to the participants. To do this, they rely on volunteers to lead and support the various events.

A lot of people stick around after the race to enjoy the food, music, silent auction, and hear the presentations. There's also a large "survivors oasis" which looks like a serious party from the outside.

As for Woody's goal - he clocked a 6:44 min/mile pace! So proud of him!

Do you participate in a fundraiser race that you'd like to let people know about? * Have you reached a goal in your running recently that you want to share?

A Red Rocks Workout for Beginners

If you know anything about Denver, you probably know that it is home to Red Rocks Amphitheater, the beautiful, mostly-natural, music venue that has hosted the best musicians to tour the United States for decades. It's a stunning venue with views that reach to downtown Denver and far out into the eastern plains of Colorado. I've seen a lot of shows in my life, and if you're a live music fan, a show at Red Rocks should be on your bucket list. 

What you might not know is that during the day, the amphitheater and the park that it sits in, attracts hundreds of people looking to get in a good workout. Aside from the amphitheater, the park boasts two trails - the Trading Post hiking trail is a 1.4mile loop showcases an up close and personal view of the red rock formations while the multi-use Red Rocks Trail which connects into Matthews-Winters Park and the Dakota Ridge Trail. 

While trails are great, the big draw here is the unique access to the amphitheater. Every summer there are a number of large organized fitness activities, such as Yoga on the Rocks, and several bootcamp classes meet regularly for instructor-led torture fun, but anyone can just show up any morning and put together their own workout. 

There are countless exercises you can do here, but I thought I'd share with you the workout we did that got our hearts racing and lungs burning. Your quads will not be happy the next day, so don't plan on a long run or speed work the day after. Also, since the park sits at 6,400 feet elevation so if you're visiting, try to give yourself a day or two to acclimate to Denver's elevation (5,280) and don't give yourself a hard time when you start breathing heavy just walking up the steps from the parking lot! It's normal!

Run the Stairs Start near the top and run across a row, down the steps along the outside, across one of the front rows, and back up the other side. According to my Garmin, one lap = approximately .2 miles. I recommend at least two laps, but go for as many as you can handle!

Tricep Dips

Planks & Push-Ups

Jump Rope

Crunches

Step Ups

And after all this, be sure to take time to stretch because your muscles will need it!

While this wasn't our typical workout and I didn't get in as many miles as I usually would on a Sunday morning, it was a tough workout and great to mix things up a bit.

A few tips if you do venture to Red Rocks to break a sweat:

• Go early - it gets busy and hot
• Wear sunblock (there's very little shade and the sun is potent)
• Take lots of water
• Everyone else is working hard too, so be mindful of others - don't block the row when others are coming through if you can at all help it, if you need music bring headphones, don't bring so much gear with you that you limit access, and watch out and move aside for people running the stairs
• Don't limit yourself to just the amphitheater, take advantage of the trails and the steep inclines throughout the park for hill workouts
• The visitors center has nice, large restrooms and there's also an onsite restaurant 
• Watch out for tourists taking pictures and oogling over the view - they might not see you coming down
• Rock climbing is not allowed in the park, be kind to our national landmark and don't leave a trace

Sweaty but smiling!

Do you make more time for workouts on holiday weekends? * Now that summer is "unofficially" over, what are you looking forward to most this fall?

Race Recap: Gothic to Crested Butte 1/3 Marathon

For two years co-workers and friends have told me about this mythical place in the mountains west of Denver. Incredible mountain views straight out of a movie, they said. Fields of stunning wildflowers that go on forever, they promised. After going on and on about its beauty and a one-of-a-kind race every 4th of July, I was convinced we needed to book a trip to Crested Butte.

It was a bit gloomy when we arrived, but it was stunning. They were right.

We arrived the afternoon of the 3rd after being on the road for close to five hours with only one quick pit stop. There was an unnecessarily long backup near Conifer but it was pretty smooth going the rest of the way. To be sure, with mountains and plains, the drive is not an easy or boring one. 

We headed straight to the visitors center to pick up our race bibs and then headed to the little cottage right off Elk Street (aka main street) where we had rented a room through airbnb. 

I struggled all evening long with whether or not I should do the race. I'd only "run" a total of 2 miles or so since the debacle in Vancouver, and it was all flat surface in Wash Park. The race we were signed up for was the Gothic to Crested Butte 1/3 Marathon - 3 miles of rolling uphill topping out above 9.700 feet, before 5+ miles of downhill. I had decided not to do it before I learned that a lot of people actually walk it and the race directors allow people to start early. I was still nervous about the distance but around 10pm I finally decided to do it. We may not be back for this race again, I knew the views were going to be incredible and if I started early and went out knowing I'd walk most of it, I could definitely get to the finish line. My plan: walk the vast majority with a few quarter mile "run" segments well spaced out.

Woody's not too happy I'm including this photo but it's the only one I have of us at the race so it's in. The Gothic to Crested Butte 1/3 Marathon is a fundraiser for the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab, located in Gothic, and a number of the researchers take part in the race each year. They also participate in the 4th of July parade later in the morning.

The race begins on a dirt/mud road, transitions to pavement - running downhill along Crested Butte Mountain resort area - then moves onto a multi-use rec path before getting into town. The roads are not closed to traffic, so it was important to keep an eye out for cars and bikers along the route. 

The finish line is on Elk Street where locals were staking out their spots for the parade as we were walking to the bus for our trip up to the start line so there was a great crowd.

A former co-worker who makes a trip out to CB every year, was in town camping with friends and also ran the race. She passed me around mile 2 and went on to finish 4th woman overall! 

I felt a lot better than I had expected to feel and of course, ended up running a lot more than I had planned to. It turns out that running downhill is a bit easier than walking quickly. I finished quite a bit earlier than Woody had expected. When all was said and done, I ran the 8.62miles in 1 hour 48 minutes and some change. Not bad. My knee didn't hurt but my quads paid the price. The next few days were rough!

The race was unlike any other I've run. Aside from the incredible views, like CB in general, it was really laid back. Runners and walkers packed busses that took us from downtown up to Gothic - sleepy eyed and seemingly more concerned about 4th of July celebrations later in the day than the 8.5 miles ahead of us, everyone just went with the flow and were glad the rain had passed and we had a beautiful morning. 

On our way to the start we probably passed about 50 people, maybe more, who were already on their way down. Most walking, a few jogging, all dodging mud puddles but having a great time. Once I was on my way I passed a few groups, including 4 people who were pushing a jogging stroller. As I came up on them I assumed they had a baby in the stroller, turned out their baby was a cooler filled with beer. Many were dressed up in patriotic gear, as to be expected. 

I missed the official start but Woody said it was basically a guy who said "ready, set, go!" and they were off. Also, the t-shirts. While great, identify the race is a quarter marathon, which isn't right. I'm guessing there's some inside joke there that those of us who haven't raced it all 47 years won't understand.

Final verdict, we'd both run it again. 

Injury Update: I started seeing a physical therapist last week and have several weekly sessions on the calendar. After doing a few tests and confirming that my knee is definitely better but still needs some work, she did some manual therapy (which hurt) and assisted with some stretches before giving me homework. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be back to running soon. I have more races on the calendar to get ready for!

There's so much more to Crested Butte so that'll come in another post. I'd love to hear from anyone who's run Gothic to Crested Butte! How did you celebrate the 4th? Are you proud of a recent race or run performance?

2015 in 2015 Challenge - Two Month Check-In

Back at the start of the year I wrote about the 2015 in 2015 Challenge, and how Woody, Grace, and I joined forces to take it on. Two months in, it's time for a check-in.

Woody did a little math (cause that's how he rolls) and found that we need approximately 1.84 miles per day over the course of the year. That's a lot of miles, and while I've been running a number of years now, I think the only year I may have run upwards of 650 miles in one year was 2009, when I ran the NYC Marathon. This all means I have to buckle down, tie up my laces, and get on the treadmill if that's what it takes to log the miles. 

Warm weather running in Florida - Dec. 2014

So, here are my stats so far:

• January - 63.19 miles
• February - 74.3 miles
• Total - 137.49

My highest mileage week was last week, tied with this week (including Mar. 1) at 18 miles. While this isn't much for some people, it's solid work for me and I'm really proud about it. After suffering from chronic stress fractures for several years, and being diagnosed with osteopenia, I have to be careful.

Running a few laps of Wash Park when Grace visited Denver - Jan. 2015!

As a team through February we've run 353.38 miles, ahead by 27.67 miles! While Mother Nature was shining on Denver during much of January, there's been a lot of snow and cold lately - less running outdoors - so we're off to a fantastic start.

Wash Park

To support the increase in mileage I've been focused on getting enough calcium (through a variety of dark leafy greens, tofu, supplements...) and protein (beans, vegan protein shakes, nuts, tofu, quinoa...) in my diet. A little planning and prep is all it takes!

Did you run this weekend? * Have you been logging more miles on the treadmill lately or are you an all-weather runner? * Are you participating in the challenge?

Running Against the Wind at the Boulder Reservoir

I wrote this post a few weeks ago, but haven't gotten around to sharing it until now. 

Over Martin Luther King, Jr weekend, Woody and I both had a three day weekend. On Monday we wanted to head up into the mountains for a snowshoeing trek, but when the temperature took a nose dive with high wind gusts up there and it was going to be the 50's in Denver, we changed our plans last minute and decided on an hour long warm but windy run around the Boulder Reservoir instead of a 3 hour plus cold and windy snowshoe trek in the mountains. 

We watched the weather reports before leaving home - there were occasional high wind gusts in Boulder, but the temperature was already in the mid-40's. It was our first time running around the reservoir so we did a little google searching and saw there'd be no protection from weather. Even knowing this, we figured it would be a close to home adventure; a chance to run on a different trail, and we could deal with some wind gusts.

The truth is, it wasn't so much gusts, but rather a consistent onslaught of really strong wind. For about five and a half miles. Even around 50 degrees, it didn't feel that warm and the wind howled across the open space and hit my ears like a freight train. The first uphill was a test of will, a woman jogging down with her dog looked at us and said "good strength training today!" That was exactly it. Strength training.

Perhaps due to our unfamiliarity with this particular trail we had a bit of trouble navigating it as there were very few directional signs past the trailhead and some parts of the trail seemed to be closed for wildlife nesting. After getting pushed out onto a dirt road from the trail and stopping for a few minutes to look at the map on my phone, we finally saw other runners coming down the road and decided we were probably in the right place. 

When not battling the wind, which actually reached comical levels a few times, we did enjoy the beautiful view of the mountains. The loop we took was just around 5.5 miles. Based on where we started, we traveled along some trail, some dirt road, some paved road, and finished off back on the trail. While it wasn't really the trail we had envisioned running and the wind was a formidable opponent, it turned out to be a great workout - physically and mentally. Another benefit: it can get pretty windy around here in general, so this was good practice in case it's really windy on a race day! And the change of scenery was much needed.

Even with the wind we saw a handful of other runners and some people out for a nice Sunday morning walk with their dogs and kids. It is not a stretch to say that I was surprised the kids and dogs didn't get blown over!

We had parked at Tom Watson Park which is across a road from Coot Lake (which I'd actually characterize as a pond), adjacent to the Boulder Reservoir. When we got back to the parking lot we found many more cars than when we had left. Turns out it's a popular meeting place for cyclists and cross country teams. Which isn't a surprise as there are endless roads, hills, and beautiful views to enjoy!

If You Go:

- Wear sunscreen (it's an absolute must without any shade - plus, we're in Colorado!)

- A generally good idea when heading out on a trail or driving somewhere to run: throw a few layers in the car so you can dress appropriately once you arrive and know the conditions.

- Park at either Tom Watson Park off 63rd Street or at the Boulder Reservoir Park off 51st Street (restrooms are available at both; looked like there's a fee to park at BRP though)

- When you're done, you're not far from the Celestial Seasonings factory and store - where you can stock up on Fast Lane to get you going before your morning workouts!

- For a great post-run brunch, head to Foolish Craig's on Pearl Street downtown. Good food and a great alternative to the perpetually long line outside Snooze.

What kind of weather do you love running in the most? * Have you gone on any running adventures lately?

A Look Back and A Look Ahead: Happy 2015!

Happy 2015! It's a wonderful thing, isn't it? We get to start a new year. 

Hope you all had a fabulous New Years Eve. It was pretty tame in our house, just the way we like it. 

January 1 brings a fresh start. The perfect opportunity to go after our goals with a renewed sense of optimism and energy, and reflect on what's happened during the year we're leaving behind. Enjoy the moment and take a deep breath because there are many great things ahead!

While not completely void of a few low points, 2014 was a pretty good year as I accomplished a few things that I'm quite proud of. Among them: I finally caught my breath and learned to run at altitude, I expanded my workout routine to include snow shoeing and trail running, I ran my way to 5k and 4Mile PR's, I challenged myself and visited yet another new (for me) place with Bird Camp in Bend, OR, we bought a house (!), I learned (or more accurately, am learning) Photoshop, and I got through another year without any major injuries!

I have much to be thankful for - far too many things to list here - but I will take a quick moment to thank you for stopping by throughout the year, taking time to read my ramblings. The blog has had it's ups and downs since we moved to Colorado, but it's not going anywhere. 

Looking ahead, there are a lot of things on my list that I'd like to accomplish in 2015. Realistically, I know that some of them may not get crossed off over the next 364 days, but hopefully I'll take a lot of steps forward.

There are some bigger goals (on the fitness, personal, and professional fronts) that I'll be focusing on and thankfully I got my hands on a copy of the Believe journal to help me stay on track throughout the year. On the fitness front, my goal is to build strength, endurance, and speed.

For me, this includes mastering the 3 minute+ plank, racing a new distance (10Mile or 15k) and hitting some PR's (5k, 4Mile, and 10k). I have a lot of work cut out for me!

While there are a lot of things I want to do in the coming year - beyond these running related goals - there are also a few things I think we all should leave behind in 2014, like:

- Filling silence with our social media feeds
- Letting our fears dictate our actions (or inactions)
- Spending more time sitting than on our feet
- Making decisions based on what others think/say instead of how we feel & what we believe
- Focusing too much on the future and not the here and now

For me, one of the little fears I need to let go of is running in the cold and snow, so to kick the year off right we went for a cold (8 degrees!) run on the snow packed trail around Washington Park! It was really cold but neither of us fell (success!) and eventually our core temps warmed up and it was a beautiful morning and the perfect way to start of 2015!

Alright, time to get this year going. Next up for us, time to watch the Cotton Bowl - Go Spartans!!! How are you kicking off 2015? What are some of your goals for the year?

The #Shoefie Phenomenon

The single most important thing we put on when we go out for a run is a pair of shoes. They say a lot about us – from the brand to the model to the color to how beaten up and dirty they are – or bright and shiny.

Whether a run is the best we’ve had in months or a struggle since the first mile, we put a lot of heart, sole, brain capacity and intention into each one. And if you’re like me, many of your runs are solo. That presents are particularly distinct challenge when you want to capture something to remember a run – for good or bad – since almost every aspect of our lives are now documented in some way.

Welcome… the shoefie. Go ahead, you can admit it. You’re in a safe place here. Like many runners and non-runners, you’ve taken a shoefie or have thought about it. Maybe you’ve posted it on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, or maybe you kept it for yourself along with 1000+ other photos in your phone’s photo gallery.

From a quick look at any one of my social media feeds, I know for a fact I’m not alone. And you know what? That’s okay. Actually, it’s pretty great. Because, at least for us runners, we’re getting out there. We’re pushing ourselves and wearing holes in our running shoes, and that’s a beautiful thing. And for those non-runners posting shoefies, well, they can be pretty great too when there are particularly awesome shoes involved.

From personal experience there are 3 basic reasons for the shoefies rise in popularity: 1) we love our shoes - the more colorful and crazy, the better; 2) it’s pretty easy to take a basic shoefie, and once that’s mastered, they can be fun and creative; and 3) I can take it myself (key since I run solo) but better than a selfie, I don’t have to show the world my sweaty, blushed and crazy-hair post-run self!

That all said, there is something a bit weird about the shoefie too. Growing up I loved looking through the old, black and white photos in boxes and glued in photo albums at my grandparent’s houses. I’ve always been intrigued by how people dressed and posed for photos, and I can’t help but wonder what life was like for them, what they were celebrating or where they were going all dressed up. I have a few of those cherished photos over my desk. Now that so many of our photos are self-portraits or only our legs and feet, and always filtered, what are future generations going to think of us? Just like with black and white photos, we can’t tell what color a dress was, or if a man was wearing a grey or black suit, colors were in the wedding bouquet our Grandma carried, they’ll have similar questions when they look at ours. A good reminder for me to keep some photos just as they are.

Alright, that’s enough for the deep thoughts. I’d love to know, do you share shoefies? Running only or do you prefer not to discriminate? Share a link to your favorite in the comments!

For good measure, one proving that I do wear shoes of the non-running variety. Sometimes!

NYC is for Runners

You may have noticed a few photos in my Instagram feed from New York City last week. Woody and I were there on vacation. To say it was odd being a visitor in NYC, the city I called home for more than nine years, would be an understatement. As much as it had changed, it had stayed the same. While Woody has been back several times for work, this was my first trip back since we moved to Denver last year.

Cashing in some hard-earned Starwood points, we stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton in Chelsea – 25th St and 7th Ave. – while not the most luxurious of accommodations it is in a fantastic location as we could walk or run just about anywhere we wanted to go – and that’s what was important! Downtown, not a problem. Uptown, easy. West Village, right down the street. Kips Bay, a nice crosstown walk. Of course, we love walking and the miles tick by much quicker when you’re walking along busy Manhattan streets than they do in many parts of Denver, but even for those few times we took the subway we had easy access to every line.

I’ve always been one of those people who loved to walk in the city. And I look up. Which is a rare thing among New Yorkers, but I am in love with the architecture and always have been. And have you ever wondered what it’s like to live, or work, in those beautiful buildings? I’m not ashamed to admit that I love walking around at night and catching a glimpse into townhomes, apartments or offices, you can’t help but wonder about its story. Not much different than people watching – another favorite hobby in the city.

Each morning but one (we were out way too late the night before) started with a run. One of the many great things about the city is the endless running opportunities. Sure, you might be dodging parents with double-wide strollers (why are these allowed in the city?), dogs, or tourists walking 4 across, but you can run for miles without crossing the same intersection more than once and see a lot of the city along the way.

Our first run was down the West Side Highway to the north cove in Battery Park City and back up to our hotel. Number 2 was one loop of Central Park with Grace, who went on to run another 10 miles in the park for her 16 mile long run ahead of the NYC Marathon. Our third was Woody’s least favorite as I insisted on running down 5th Ave, through Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, SoHo, and Tribeca during rush hour on our way to Battery Park, and up through Battery Park City to have breakfast at our favorite bagel place (Zucker’s in Tribeca if you’re wondering!). And our last morning was another jaunt down the West Side Highway (I had to make it up to Woody), with a turnaround at Chambers Street and back up, finishing at Hu Kitchen for breakfast. If we hadn’t slept in the first morning, and I had my druthers, we would have made another trip back up to Central Park. All in all though, we covered 25 miles in 4 days – a lot of miles for me.

I also had the opportunity to take a spinning class with Grace. Another favorite thing – the endless array of events to try something new, to explore what you’re passionate about. BFX Chelsea has been open for several months now, and offers a variety of classes including spinning, barre, yoga and pilates, performance training, martial arts, and combinations of those. Our spinning class with Juan was successful in getting my heart pumping and a good sweat going. The bikes didn’t require clip-in shoes, which in advance of the class I thought would be odd, but it actually worked out well and I’m glad the specific shoes weren’t required, since I don’t have a pair! This does make the class more accessible. Interestingly, we learned from Juan that BFX Studio, which is opening two more locations in the coming months – one in FiDi, the other in Boston – is owned by Town Sports International, which also owns the New York Sports Club chain. You won’t find a mention of TSI on the BFX website however.

There were so many fantastic things about our trip, besides just the running! Reconnecting with amazing friends over drinks, taking a break in Bryant Park, savoring lunch on the Highline, chatting with the doorman at our old building, seeing how downtown has come into its own, looking out over Central Park from the rooftop of the Met, laughing so hard I cried at Upright Citizens Brigade, and enjoying every meal, cup of coffee and piece of chocolate along the way.  

Until next time, NYC.

Sound Off: How many pairs of running shoes do you own? What’s your favorite brand & model?