Two down, two to go in the Triple Crown. The Summer Roundup on Sunday morning kicked off the week with such a great start. After returning just two days before the race from Alaska and a whooping 22 feet for three weeks, the Roundup was at the back of my mind. Going to bed, I was stressing about getting into medical school (somehow not the race the next morning, for whatever reason).

Piling the family in the car to drive to Bear Creek Park, I was getting more excited…

After two races, we've all had to deal with it - passing. Whether doing the passing or being passed, there's a few things to think about while out on the trail. Any time we're out on the trails, we need to remember there are other users. The interaction you have with that hiker, trail runner or fellow rider can color perspectives. We need all the good publicity we can get, especially on the busy and popular trails all along the front range. So here's some good tips to follow when out on the…

They’re done. Over. Finished.

The second leg of the Triple Crown of Running and my (likely only) practice summit of the Peak are in the 2013 history books.

Both were surprisingly nice. While I put forth a very respectable effort, I didn't exactly “smack down” either the Peak or High Drive, but I had more fun doing both than I thought possible.

They…

     Like Isaac Brock sang, "one hundred miles is a long drive inside a car." Indeed, a hundred miles in a long way, no matter how you cover it. Leadville certainly taught me a lot about ultrarunning but I was eager to learn more about the distance and more importantly, more about myself. How would I stave off dehydration and the nasty sequelae in 100+ degree temperatures?  How would I fare surrounded by the best ultrarunners in the country? And why exactly do I feel compelled to offer…

While most locals are currently worrying about the upcoming Summer Roundup, I've had longer things on my mind.  On July 12th I'll have the pleasure of shooting for my 5th finish at Hardrock.  The pressure is on, as Brandon Stapanowich just crushed it at Western States and I need something to bring up when he starts droning on and on about his stupid cougar belt buckle.

It's a long journey but I won't be making it alone.  A good friend from Boulder, Shad, will be pacing me.  Shad paced…

Well, I finally broke down and revisited the Manitou Incline – the approximate 2,000 foot climb in just under a mile of hellacious wooden steps.  It wasn’t pretty or quick, but it got done. Several people from my civilian workplace have been hiking there every Tuesday morning for a couple of months, but my contracting job doesn’t allow me enough hours off in order to take part in the endeavor.  Since I am on military orders this week at the Air Force Academy, I…

The Summer Roundup is probably the lesser known of the three races that comprise the Triple Crown of Running.  As indicated on my profile for the 2013 PikesPeakSports.us Triple Crown Runners Team page, I consider the Summer Roundup a bonus race sandwiched in between the Garden of the Gods 10-Miler and Pikes Peak.  Although I have run the Summer Roundup course a few times over…

How does one prepare for such race? After hearing so many different stories good and bad about the Triple Crown of Running Series race number two, I have to admit I didn't know what to think. Someone even asked me for advice on how to approach it which I found amusing because I’ve never done it....hahahaha. We all have have different training methodologies, "secrets", approaches, philosophies, lessons learned and even some pet peeves. I try not to get myself too worked up but that is what is…

I found myself looking through the website for the Western States 100 race last week, thinking "how on Earth can someone put their body through that?"  Reflecting on my own "long runs" of 15-20 miles, and how much those take out of me, it boggles my mind…

Almost every runner I know, whether they’re training for the Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon or not, has already been on the incline or Barr trail this year.  Challenging trail runs, it seems, are a quintessential part of any runner’s routine.  Any runner, perhaps, other than me.

I haven’t seen the top of Pikes Peak for three years. I probably haven’t seen the top of the incline for just as long.

I could blame my inertia on the emotional toll of the fires in our…

1. On your flight to Anchorage from San Francisco, boarding at 5pm, the sun never sets.
2. You arrive in the Anchorage airport at 12:30pm and it’s so busy it looks like DIA in the holiday season.
3. Light is always entering your hotel room, even though the sun has technically set. (Have I mentioned it’s light forever here?!)
4. You can’t help but think…

You better be tough! At least that's what Nick says all the time. Well, racing yesterday wasn't smart - but the way I raced was certainty dumb! Note to self. Despite what the mind thinks, the legs really dictate how well recovery is going. Yep. And when a seasoned and multi time national champion in 24 hour racing laughs at you while asking if the legs have bounced back…

It's been two weeks since the Sailin' Shoes 10K race and with a raging wildfire, evacuation drama and my 41st birthday party in between, I just now got around to checking the official results. I was already aware that my 9-year-old son placed third in his age group due to his obsession and diligence in poring over the fresh, white sheets posted on the wall near the finish line. However, what I didn't expect was that my 11-year-old daughter, Ali, with whom I had run and encouraged along the…

     Race week is here and the final preparations are now drawing to a close. The excitement crescendos. The experience becomes more tangible. In just a few days, I'll be taking embarking on Western States journey, suffering with friends in the heat, and in spending all day (and some of the night) doing what I love!…

It's been the typical Colorado this year. Winter hung around until one day, it was time for heat. Since then, the sun has been blazing and it's been plenty warm.

Up into the 90's warm.

I think the last chilly day was the June 5th Ascent Cycling race at Bear Creek. Looking at the forecast for this week, it's gonna be a hot one for the second race of the series at…

The first weekend after the devastating Black Forest Fire, my husband and I decided to drive into the heart of the trees to visit a local favorite, the R&R Coffee Café.  We already knew they have great coffee and food, but some of the recent proceeds would go to benefit some of the residents who had lost their homes, so it was the first neighborhood visit on our list.

As we drove into the trees, we tried to brace ourselves for the destruction, but seeing the damage firsthand was a…

One of my favorite quotes is the one by Fred Rogers, who said “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping.’”

This was widely circulated during the Boston bombings, but I’ve found also entirely appropriate for the Black Forest Fire. I’ve always known I have some pretty amazing friends and a great support system, but experiencing the massive tidal wave of affection and concern…

In elementary and middle school, my family would often drive along Roller Coaster Road in Black Forest on our way to Fox Run Park. I remember that drive as a happy one, a peaceful one. Towards Fox Run from home - one of excitement - and from the park, one of satisfaction, peace, exhaustion, and occasional sunburn from a great day playing and running. Looking back at that drive now, going over what has been burned thus far in the beautiful forest that raised me, I can’t imagine the…

Doing some homework on ways to donate and contribute to the Black Forest Fire victims, first responders and volunteers.

First a quick digression: Did you ever slide cash into somebody's birthday card and mail it to them? It never felt right to me, as if I didn't take the time to consider the person, or shop for the perfect gift. But I can tell you that I'm always happy…