Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame
Someone’s bound to get burned
But just because it burns
Doesn’t mean you’re gonna die
You’ve gotta get up and try, and try, and try
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try
— “Try”, Pink (2012)
I’m an endurance runner not a skier. BUT first-and-foremost I’m a Coloradan – it snows, we ski.
LOVE the concept of skiing, LOVE snow, high mountains, thin air. Fear the pain of hitting hard, long-term injury. That said — life’s meant to be lived. No excuses, no wish I would’va – just LIVE & live BIG.
K* decree: at least once a year, every year…he will ski. AND he will enjoy it 🙂
Post-work Friday travelled to Vail with my neighbor Larry. Drive-share, room-share, skied on a buddy pass – Larry’s the guy to know when planning a Colorado ski vacation. Airbnb’d in a mountain home, block or 2 from the local shuttle system – easiest/quickest way to reach the slopes (and it’s FREE vs $40 to park your car).
Saturday a.m. snow run (‘cause every day’s a run day), change of clothes, shuttle pick-up, Vail Village by 10:30. Gondola ride UP to a choice of ski lifts. Super cool. Not my experience at A-Basin or our local Eldora…but I guess this is ‘Vail’.
Bad skier guide: GREEN, yes. Black DIAMOND, heck no. Life’s meant to be lived – but ya gotta know your limits. 4 runs from Mid-Vail before lunch, rode UP to Wildwood for lunch. Nothing like a warm bowl of chili.
Afternoon-skied 2 runs from Wildwood, then Gitalong trail down to Vail Village. Heavy snowfall. LONG LONG ski on Gitalong — expected to see the Pacific at the end of my ride. Hit hard more than a few times. After one tumble, unlatched my binding on the attached ski, recovered its missing mate, steadied myself/rattled, struggled to stand, breathed long & deep. ENOUGH!!! Not a super proud moment. Friend encouraged [me] back into skis & continue the journey home. Next time: take the Gondola – HA!
Bruised but undeterred, I’ll be baaack 🙂 Skied the biggest, baddest mountain in Colorado, came home unbroken PLUS logged a few run miles at altitude — achieving life balance…baby steps. #noregretlife
Next weekend: the inaugural Pueblo Marathon (short 2 ½ hours from home)
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- Vail ‘sticker shock’ — luckily, I scored a buddy pass
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- ski ‘parking’
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- “The Edge”
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- diggin’ the goggles #hippiemagic
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- UP UP UP
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- bad skier guide: GREEN, go — black DIAMOND, no go
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- lunch REWARD: warm bowl of chili (extra sour cream) – YUM!
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- words to live by 🙂
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- afternoon white-out
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- mountain traffic: Interstate 70 EVERY weekend
Vail Ski Day
Felt a bit chained to my work desk this week – month’s first week is always a busy one.
Needed to get in an outdoors fix…but couldn’t imagine another 4am alarm buzz. Settled on a nearby glacier hike – snow, thin air, just over an hour away…yep, that’d do.
Would be my 4th trip to St. Mary’s Glacier, 20 minutes off I-70: Idaho Springs exit 238. 10am start – still early enough to secure a spot in overflow parking. Warm, sunshiny day…MUCH better weather than the trek last summer with my Sis & family. Cold rain fell all week that July (rare summer precip in arid Colorado)…luck of the Grecos 🙁
Seven-tenths mile UP. UP boulders, ‘cross thin dirt trails thru evergreen cover, more boulders…then clear, pristine St. Mary’s Lake, edges iced – lake located just below the glacier, ringed by bristlecone pine & thick willow. Snapped Colorado landscape, then started the next trek UP…thru a long willow thicket, glacier loomed LARGE ahead. Scaled loose rock & scree ‘round the lip of St. Mary’s.
Hiked another half-mile, peered down at decades old ice, thinly covered by the previous day’s snowfall. Early season snowboarders skimmed the glacier’s rough surface.
Air breezed cool. Kicked back & lunch snacked. Napped 20 minutes..little piece of heaven.
Glissaded a short stretch & made snow angels on the hike return. FAAANNNTASTIC!
Short 15-minute drive away, mineral soaked in nearby Indian Hot Springs. Dated enclosure but the springs’ hot water muscle-soothes whatever ails ya. Great day end. Head back in the game, tomorrow a.m. marathoning local at the Rez.
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- edges iced on St Mary’s Lake
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- glacier snow angel #noregretlife
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- chilly sip: glacier melt-off
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- hot soak before tomorrow’s run
SUNDAY – early start…but the closest commute of my marathon journey to date. 20 short minutes away, running the Boulder Reservoir today (the Rez). 4 laps ‘round, home before noon.
Unfortunately wasn’t feeling it this day. Good first 10K, started puking between miles 11 & 12. Finished the first Half; took a prolonged sit-down in nearby port-a-john. Felt dizzy/unsteady, morning sun & nausea zapped. Walked, jogged, started lap 3. Struggled mentally, tough time. Called it a day before mile marker 15. DNF (did not finish). Returned my timing chip. Dejected, headed home.
Quick shower, hunkered down with Ro, slept the afternoon away. LOVE LOVE my pup. Would reset & regroup the ego tomorrow. Whole ton of excuses – but at the end of the day, I didn’t finish. Failing is a tough pill to swallow.
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- all smiles Start
St Mary’s Glacier (melt-off sip)
running LOCAL ROCKS – new Coal Creek PR, 34th overall
Hooray for Labor Day! Kicked off the 3-day holiday weekend with my favourite 10 miler, Louisville’s Coal Creek Crossing. Running LOCAL ROCKS! (Glad to be back — last year’s event was cancelled due to extensive trail damage from the 2013 Boulder Flood.)
7am start, near perfect weather. Lined at Community Park – ok, go.
Louisville, like most Front Range communities, hosts a highly competitive field. I came out slow – but well remember Aquarius Hill (mile 4 & 9)…I’d catch folks either out or back, it’s a steep climb.
Used today’s local run to fix my mental before Fall marathon season. Tagged a runner at mile 6, closed the gap on Aquarius Hill. Lost him again on the downhill. A mile from the Finish I generally fade (mental lapse)…but not this day. Half-mile upgrade, stuck close & pushed past. Hitting pavement tenth-mile to go, sprinted to the Finish.
Improved my Coal Creek PR by 5 minutes, 34th overall. Good day 🙂
1428 K R Haga Louisville CO 1:24:07
Quick shower, change of clothes, packed the Prius. Tomorrow’s 14er goal: Mount Massive (3rd highest in the continental U.S.)
Whole lotta traffic on I-70 (holiday weekend parking lot). Arrived in Leadville at 3pm, two hours to see the National Mining Museum. I’m a FAN of minerals & big rocks – add history to the mix & I’m well entertained ‘til closing time. LOL>
Quick walk downtown, grocery store provisions, then 11 miles over dirt road, past Halfmoon Campground to Mount Massive Trailhead.
Pulled out the sleeping bag, downed a tub of hummus, kicked back & counted stars. Goodnight Moon.
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- I-70 holiday parking lot
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- tucked off Highway 24 in Leadville CO
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- dedicated to the three Argall women in mining
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- mining claim, issued when Colorado was still a Territory
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- quartz crystal wall removed from Idarado Mine near Telluride
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- iron pyrite from Colorado’s oldest mine, the Eagle Mine at Gilman
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- built in 1879 by Horace Tabor (Leadville’s Silver King)
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- sleeping bag, hummus & stars
