Checking in...

I have been pretty consistent in running and have found a love for the treadmill. I run 4 miles on it 2-3 times a week on the week (work) days. I think consistency on the treadmill has helped my fitness as well. Since my job is so unpredictable on what might happen at the end of the day I love that I am getting my workout in early. Then I run outside on the weekends and include hills.

I signed up for a 5k in November and then a 10k in December to kick-off my winter/spring training and to end 2012 on a good running note.

The 5k was this past Saturday in Arvada,CO. The weather was great and this was a low key race. 44 people ran the 5k. There was also a10k that more people ran. The course was all on bike path and was an easy out and back. The first mile was flat and then a nice downhill....hence my first mile split was 6:55. I was thinking to myself that might hurt me later but kept on. Mile 2 was 7:36. The last mile was very tough with the uphill. My mental strength was trying hard but I was hurting bad. I was sucking wind and I tried really hard to push it, but I know I could have done better. My last mile was 7:50. I obviously need to work on more even splits. I was wearing my heart rate monitor and my average HR was 184. This is almost 95% of  my maximum heart rate so that means I was running hard. I am happy with my fitness level and know there is still room for improvement. My final time was 22:34. I was 4th overall and 2nd female.

The course was gorgeous with great views of the mountains. Organized race overall.

Next race is a10k in Denver in 5 weeks. This one will be huge so I am grateful for this fun local 5k. I even got to stand on a podium!!!!

The Gang

Decisions

In the back of my mind I am always thinking of what marathon I would like to run next. I think about the course, location, what time of year, traveling, cost and who I could get to come with me. I am on marathonguide.com at least once a week. You would think that I have run more marathons for as much as my brain thinks about it. It's so fun to dream about, plan, organize and come up with a training plan. I also enjoy modifying the plan again and again (and again). To actually commit can be a bit scary. To put in that time and energy and give up late Saturday night entertainment is tough. It's not like I am a big partier but to know that I have my Saturday nights wide open to do whatever is nice.  I don't usually have big plans but wouldn't you know my luck all of a sudden super fun things come up on Saturday nights once I sign up for a race. It's so hard to refuse. I don't like having to give up a fun event to go to bed early and run the next day. I try to organize accordingly as much as I can obviously but that is tough. My latest goal is to run one marathon a year. I think that is about what my body can handle. So I can check off 2012 since I ran Houston in January and start thinking about 2013. So for fun these are the races I am thinking of now...

Oh yeah and the best news ever! As I re-read the NYC marathon eligibility rules
Applicants denied entry for the three years 2011−2013 will be eligible for guaranteed entry in 2014.
THIS IS ME!!

I found out that I will be able to run it in either 2013 or 2014. If I don't get in on the lottery for 2013 I will automatically get in for 2014 since I had applied 2011 and 2012. So I guess I need to be looking at a marathon in fall 2013 in case I don't get into NYCM...then in 2014 I can run one earlier in the year!


OK so marathons that interest me in 2013 after June (Since I find out end of April if I get in or not to NYC  I would need to choose a marathon a few months out) are:


http://www.utahvalleymarathon.com/
I like that the marathon is on a Saturday
This girl ran it fast
Easy traveling from Denver
good cost


http://www.stgeorgemarathon.com/
FAST course
I have always thought this one sounded fun to do.


http://www.prairiefiremarathon.com/
Easy to travel to
Never have been to Wichita
My friend ran this course fast

http://www.tucsonmarathon.com/
Revenge from Tucson 2004
Fun town to travel to


Maybe for 2014...
http://thearizonamarathon.com/
This one looks perfect for me...
President's weekend etc


http://www.ftcollinsmarathon.com/
In my state
My current half marathon PR was here

http://www.leadingladiesmarathon.com/
Looks like a cool even ain a cool part of the county yeah yeah South Dakota but this section is gorgeous!

http://www.whistlestopmarathon.com/
A good Midwest race!
Could see my family

http://www.eauclairemarathon.org/
Where I went to college! Great town!
Could visit great friends

Someday...

Why not get the BIG 5? I already have Chicago, Boston and a guaranteed NY....


The only thing about international is that I want to be able to travel and enjoy the new lands not have to worry about what I eat and race day. However, if I planned the trip with the race first that would be cool.

http://www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com/
Expensive

http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/
Expensive

Do you constantly think about running marathons?

How often are you on marathonguide.com?

Any other great marathons that you recommend?

Have you run an international marathon?

Does anyone want to run on of these with me?

Houston 2012

Houston 2012

Houston 2012

Core and More

In 2007 or so David introduced me to a friend and old co-worker of his. Her name is Amanda and she had just opened her business called Core and More. Core and More is a gym. She found a great location in the basement of a business building. Her machines were brand new and purple! Her rates were decent. In fact, one of her old clients was a co-worker of mine at the time so we ended up working out together.

How it worked was she had hour long sessions in the afternoon, which was perfect for my schedule as a high school counselor. My coworker and I would change after school into our workout clothes and head straight to core and more. Amanda would then lead us through a lifting session. Amanda is amazing. Some days we would lift upper body, sometimes legs, sometimes mixed with cardio. It was different every time and I was always sore, in a good way, after every session.

The beauty of core and more was it was on my way home so it wasn't a big deal. I went for over a year and she got me in great shape for my wedding. We still joke about when she asked what we wanted to lift for that day and I said back and arms please! My back and arms were in great condition for the wedding :)


Then in 2010 we moved. It wasn't convenient for me to work out there anymore with a thirty minute drive one way. I lifted in my high school gym, where I worked out with the same co-worker, but it wasn't the same. We didn't push ourselves as much as we did than with Amanda.


I also and still am a member of 24 hour so I do lift there occasionally and I love the Body Pump classes but Core and more has always been my favorite.


So when I got my new job at Warren Tech I was sooo happy and excited as core and more is right next store! This school year I have gone back and LOVE it! I am only going once a week but enjoy it so much. there are some nice ladies that I work out with and we push each other. I hope to get toned up again in the next few months!

Do you lift regulary?

Do you go to a private gym or a "big box" like 24 hr?



Steamboat Springs

The next road trip we took after this one was to Steamboat Springs. I haven't been to SB in years. It is about three hours away and we just haven't explored that part of Colorado. Well, when one of my great friends moved there and we really wanted to visit them and check out the area.

It is the neatest town! We had a blast. My friend and her husband work at CMC, Colorado Mountain College, and we toured the campus. What a great school. Then we headed to 501, what the CMC staff members call happy hour..get it like 5:01pm. We bar hopped and then had a nice dinner.

Saturday we woke up and headed to the Flat Tops Wilderness area. We did a pretty cool hike up to the "Devil's Causeway" It was hyped up and we thought it was going to be scary but it wasn't that scary.

Then we lounged and watched college football and had great food and a great time catching up. When friends move you realize how you take advantage of having them around. We hope to head back in the winter and CC ski and snow shoe!

Great Colors!



Leslee, David and Fred



CMC campus

Les and I on the Yampa river

Devil's causeway

Not scary

Fred and Les



Pretending to be explorers!

We saw a moose on the way home!

Are you scared of heights?

Have you had a friend move away recently?

Highway of Legends...in pictures

A few weekends ago we decided to do a road trip. We drove the highway of legends. We drove to Trinidad, CO and then drove along on a scenic byway up to Walsenberg. Earlier in the summer we saw this byway but we were always on our way to hike a 14er or coming home from hiking. We decided to have an enjoyable tourist weekend without hiking.

Day 2 of the trip we did the Gold Belt Tour basically Pueblo to Cripple Creek on an old railroad track turned road route. Gorgeous!



We first stopped in Ludlow at the massacre site. Very sad and historical landmark



The coke ovens.

Stonewall

Apishapa Arch

The only pic with both of us in it.

Hi Cow

Bishop's Castle...coolest tourist site to see!!!

Old ghost town

Ghost town but now a gambling town.

A great weekend to see a beautiful section of Colordo. When you are driving on I-25 you think this section is so barren but omnce you drive in a little it really is amazing and so much history!

Mt. Massive

Well I "bagged" Mt. Massive! We didn't take the standard route but instead hiked 4 miles starting at 10,500 feet in elevation. The first mile was nice...just a teaser... then the last 3 were basically straight up! We summitted at 14,421! Second highest 14er in Colorado. Number 38 for me! I was sore more than normal due to the steepness but better than a 13 mile round trip route. It took three hours to summit and 2 to get back to the car.

I hope to get in one more this season...

Running is going good. I am seriously just running for fun! When I feel good I push it so not necessarily a "speed" workout but good. I also started going back to my trainer so have been lifting heavy once a week and easy another day. I am learning to enjoy my treadmill. I have been getting up early before work and trying to get in as much as I can in 30-35 minutes. After that though I get bored I have tried movies but the most I can get in is 5 miles and then I am DONE...I am a little ADD so not sure... I would like to run more and read about others running tons of miles on their TM's....someday I will :)




Summit of Mt. Massive



OMG I have about 6 of these pictures now to get a free sandwich at WICH WICH...I better start going HA!



Mt. Massive

 Any suggestions for running longer than 5 miles on a treadmill?

Hiking history and a month of updates...

I am not the best blogger but I normally am pretty consistent with a post once a week and I feel pretty comfortable with that. However, this past month I have just been too busy I guess! It's already been one month! I did start a new job August 6th so I am pretty sure that is what did it.

Nothing new just lots of hiking and a fun trip to Folly Beach, NC for my step sister's wedding!

I am very proud of my husband and I as we have hiked the most 14er's this summer. We started back in 2007 and only hiked 2. 

2008 -none (we got married that summer and traveled a ton)

2009- 9 Shavano, Tabeguache, Antero, Princeton, Yale, La Plata, Blanca, Ellingwood and Huron

2010-8 Lincoln, Bross, Democrat and (Cameron this one doesn't count on some lists) Pikes Peak, Red Cloud, San Luis Peak,Sunshine, Mt. Holy Cross

2011 -7 Uncompahgre, Missouri,Bierstadt, Handies, Sherman, Wilson Peak and Wetterhorn

2012 -12!!Grays, Torreys, Belford, Oxford, Quandary, Sunlight, Windom, Eolus, Humbolt and Lindsey
Massive this weekend and Elbert the next...

We are going to try to do all of them our number being 55, even though there are more, but they "don't count."

Last weekend we flew to Charleston, NC for my step sister's wedding. It was so nice! They rented a house on the beach and had everything there.

Where can you attend a wedding and an hour before be swimming in the ocean!

Running has been decent. Not getting a ton of miles in but figuring out a nice schedule that coordinates with my new job. One perk is that right outside my door I can run Green Mountain. This is an awesome trail so I really have no excuses once fall hits to run. So far it's just been too hot to run at 4pm. I have not been running with my running club, but I just haven't been around so hopefully I will get back into that!

Life is good!!

On my way up to my first 14er in 2007. My husband took me on a double!!! Harvard and Colombia. Look at my running gear. I had nothing for hiking :)

Me and my sis in 2011 with hiking gear at the summit of Mt. Sherman.

David and I Folly Beach, NC

Crazy Colorado Adventure...

Last year at the end of hiking season David and I had a goal to summit Sunlight, Windom and Eolus combo for this upcoming season. These are three really tough (class 3 and 4) 14er's and they are far away.  There are a few ways to get to the trailhead. One is to get to Durango...6 hours from where I live, and pay $100 per person including your pack and get dropped off 6 miles from a campsite by train OR park 27 miles outside of Durango and hike in 14.5 miles to camp. Then from camp you hike a few miles to Twin Lakes and start to hike one of the three tough 14er's. Well, we decided we didn't want to pay and we heard from others that those first 8 miles are a gorgeous part of Colorado. 

We left Thursday and drove to Durango. We stayed in a great, yet cheap motel. Friday we headed to the trailhead. 

We were hiking by 8:15am on Friday. It was gorgeous!! Although with a pack it sucks a little. I wish I just had a camel-back. That is my only complaint :)

It rained a little but it actually was nice hiking in 14.5 miles with the cloud coverage. The last mile was tough. David was beat since his pack was heavier and by now it was pouring. We hooked up with a group of three guys also camping and they had room at their campsite. So we set up camp. Those last 5 miles were tough. If we took the train that is all we would have seen. I loved the 9 miles before along the Animas and we saw the train a few times and waved :)

Saturday we woke up to clouds. We left camp at 6:15 am and hiked all three! Sunlight, which at the top was cloudy and it was thundering. The rocks were buzzing.

Almost to Sunlight

A gorgeous rainbow came out afterwards!

 Then we waited it out and went over to Windom. Windom was OK I didn't like all those rocks. Headed back to Twin Lakes and up to Eolus. That was the hardest one for me but the most fun! Got back to camp about 6pm so a LONG day!

On the sidewalk in the sky heading toward Eolus.

I climbed up that!

At the summit of Eolus.

Sunday left camp at 8:30 am and got to car by 4pm. I was BEAT but it was awesome!
42 miles with everything in 3 days! I am sore but it was worth it!

Our campsite

Hike back to the car!

This was really tough for me. I am very happy that I completed it as well as I did. It is amazing what the body can do!