When I first started running, Duane would take me over to Palmer Park to run the Templeton Gap trail. You might be familiar with the trail. It's death in the form of some dirt and rocks. The terrain involves intense, short climbs that will leave you hating running, and your partner, at least it did for me. Duane is also very fast, and I'm pretty sure he could've hiked the 3.8 mile route faster than my beginner legs could run it.



I had a lot of special stops along this run "The…

Often times when I am preparing to race I will have non cyclist friends that wish me luck and ask me something to the effect if I am really pumped up for the race. What they picture is the athletes with Beats headphones on listening to music and getting amped to explode into action. Although that would be great if it was part of the program the facts are that for racing bikes it is counter productive to be on the start line seeing red and psyched to sprint off in a daze of adrenalin. In…

It is time for race #2 already! Wow time does fly when you are having fun, and summer time in Colorado Springs is about as fun as it gets. The added daylight hours and warm temperatures mean big weeks of riding for me. In the winter time it takes 30 minutes just to plan my riding clothes to match the route and temperature and then actually crawl into all those layers. I create a load of laundry every ride at some points in the Winter. Summer time and you throw on shorts and a jersey and…

There comes a moment in any race when it comes down to the mental battle. It doesn't matter if the race is an hour slug fest at Bear Creek Terrace or a 24 hour endurance test. The demons are always there, lurking - whispering in your ears that its okay to stop - everyone else is hurting just as bad. The sign of a great athlete is knowing when the demons need to be silenced, ignored and when they rightfully demand attention. It's a hard task to stay mentally on top throughout an entire race.…

While it's still pretty early in the season for 14'er climbing due to all of the snow, I have recently bagged a few. The snow adds an interesting element that I haven't experienced before. I am not, by any means, an expert mountaineer. I was very grateful to have my friend, Anna, an EPCSAR volunteer, on the Mt. Harvard hike as it became a longer day than…

Whether you are winning your age group or simply finishing a race, I believe it is important to celebrate your accomplishments.  

Lately I've been thinking about this as we have an entire fireplace mantle FULL of my husband's running awards.  He is a gifted runner and works hard.  I am very proud of all he has accomplished.

I did…

Well, it's been a week since my crushing defeat by J.T. at the Garden 10 Miler.  I've assumed a new name, nationality, and residence.  Hopefully the shame won't haunt my descendants for centuries.

Hut Trip

We went on our annual Cheyenne Mountain HS cross-country summer trip earlier this week.  32 kids and 4 coaches marched up to the Shrine Mountain Inn huts just off of Vail Pass and planned for the season for three days and two nights.  If you're a…

Last Monday I had treatment number 17. Of course, we had to run first. We have not missed a single pre chemo run. My husband has been with me every single Monday for my treatments. It was a priority for him to be with my for each treatment, and luckily he was able to make it work. He is a pretty awesome guy.

Weekends have two purposes: homework and races.  Ok, fine, three purposes: Netflix (granted this comes after completing purposes one and two).  Saturday was the 36th Annual Sailin' Shoes 5/10K.  Per usual I stressed myself out and didn't push as hard as I could have, at the same time I ran a well calculated race which involved keeping my eyes peeled for possible age group competition.  It was strategy that proved effective - I won my age group by something like 6 minutes.  I started the race…

So I made it through the Garden of the Gods 10-miler with virtually no damage to the old machine. The distance doesn’t bother me, the hills don’t bother me. It’s the pavement. About 3 weeks before this run I came down with some painful achilles tendinitis (self-diagnosis) after running 7 miles of this course so I assiduously stayed away from it until the day of the run. It is a beautiful run to be sure but the surface is brutal for a bod with as many miles on it as…

Thank you Garden of the Gods for letting me finish injury free.  People say the views in this race are awesome.  I was looking to catch my breath and didn’t see any views.  Here is a recap of race day.

I am sleeping so well on a Sunday morning when out of the darkness my alarm rings.  It is time to get up for the race.  I wipe the sleep from my eye and stumble to the bathroom.  A shower, a shave, some coffee and some stretching and I am ready to go.

I drive into Manitou looking…

"Mountains are enormous but they all have a top, set your dreams to reach them and be strong enough to keep them."

-Zug Izland (stolen from a friend's Facebook post)

Hills, hills, hills, and the Incline. This year marked my 7th straight 10 mile jaunt through Garden of the Gods. I managed to run 11 minutes faster than the first time I ran this course. It…

This week, after going for my Monday morning run, I started cycle six of chemotherapy. I did not have a whole lot of time to rest and recover this week. Tuesday marked the end of the school year for both kids. Any parent or teacher knows that this is a particularly busy time of year, filled with final exams and then celebrations. My oldest daughter is now a Junior in high school. My younger daughter is finished fifth grade and now moves on to middle school. While I feel joy for my…

The Race: 1 crown down, 2 crowns to go

I went into the Garden 10-Miler this morning with only one expectation: to run like it was any other Sunday morning long run.  It paid off.  I ran 1:40:00, exactly 10:00 miles.  While my uncharacteristically relaxed mindset did not transform me into a crazy speed demon over night, it did allow me to run one of my most consistent races ever.  

As I've said before, I'm a distance girl, there's not a speedy muscle in this…

First and foremost, I need to give a shout-out to Leanne O. for driving down from Denver before dawn on a Sunday morning to support - can't thank you enough! Secondly, I was NOT letting Anton Krupicka beat me in this race, held him off by about 45 seconds. Hey, a win is a win, no matter what regard it's in!

Garden of the Gods 10-Miler...a race that, every year, makes me want to walk at multiple points throughout the race, but…

What is the #1 key to running faster and reaching new PR's?

I recently asked my running friends this question and here were the replies I received...

• "Above all else, consistency is king." - Dan Angeles
• "Milage cures all." - Andy Rinne
• "Don't get injured. And what Dan said." - Shannon Payne
• "Consistent speed work." - Korina Nalbach
• "Two Little Debbie snack cakes right before the workout!! Sorry...couldn't help…

Every year, I say I can’t run the Garden Ten Miler race any worse – and then I do. Now, mind you, I have probably had slower times than I did today. However, I just didn’t run WELL. I was mostly an angry runner with short bursts of elation only when encountering some friendly faces along the way. I simply woke up with no motivation, possibly due to the dreary weather, but mostly due to a lack of any real training, my usual poor hydration efforts, and pure…

If you're the type that likes to boil everything down to its bare essence, then yesterday was a pretty darn good day for you.  After all, in a head-to-head match with death, you won 1 to 0.  Heck, you and I both have quite the streak going vs. that guy.  I believe I'm winning the battle, 14,277 to 0.  

Problem is, the game is over when death wins once.  Kind of unfair the way that works, but whaddyagonnado?

Death isn't the only one that works this way.  So does…