Last summer kicked off my morning run series with 2 treks: a local 5-miler (my regular go-to) ’round Waneka Lake, then one of my Sis’ infamous haunts, Queeny Park in St. Louis.  Altitude vs high humidity.

Sis’ run ended with a fritos-n-chili breakfast burrito – yeh, got skunked first round.

2017: New Year, New Attitude.  Local this weekend (no travel), wanted to get in a long trail run.  Trail – that’s all I’m marathoning in August.  NCAR to Chautauqua: elevation plus vertical gain.  Quads could use the push.  Blue skies, absolutely no excuse.

Parked the Jeep outside George Reynolds (branch of Boulder Library) & added an extra 2 ½ miles of UP.  Slow gradual gain thru Boulder neighborhoods, then UP UP UP the last mile-half to NCAR.  Ran in the bike path, not a lotta runners tackle this asphalt climb.

NCAR to Mesa Trail, UP past the water tower, ‘cross the Flatirons — over red rock/thru Ponderosa pine — to Chautauqua.  BONUS: there’s a stair climb in there too 🙂  Made a loop out of it today; connected to Broadway, then retrieved my ride on Table Mesa.

AWESOME run, highly recommended.  EVERY DAY should be a run day ❤

morning run series: NCAR to Chautauqua