Colorado!

February race: Snowman Stampede 10M

Published February 16, 2013

Sunny day & 40 degrees in Littleton Colorado – sooooo much warmer than my first race in January.

Had been running 10 miles+ all week; took Friday off. When Saturday morning arrived, still found myself with stomach butterflies before the actual event. Training solo & running with a crowd – totally different energy.

Arrived almost an hour early, picked up my racing bib & snapped a shot by the giant Start Line snowman.

Today’s race was also the RRC’s 10 mile championship race (Road Runners Club of America). What that means was fewer of us weekend warriors and more lean athletes all jockeying for a place near the front.

After the initial shock of wow – we’re now running, it’s finally happening – I settled into my training pace, approx 8 minute miles. Not super fast but the plan was to finish strong – and stay consistent with pace.

Started targeting other runners ahead of me for motivation after 7.5 miles – but didn’t chump out until mile 9. Kept it at a run but my pace dropped off significantly. That said, looked strong crossing the Finish Line – and no paramedics were called 🙂

Overall finished top 30% and 12^th in my age group.

At this rate if I can just stay alive, expect to win my age group by the time I turn 80. Moab in 30 days!

167 12/27 220 K R Haga 1:27:27

Snowman Stampede 10M race

x-country skiing: Ouzel Falls (RMNP)

Published February 2, 2013

Happy Groundhog Day 2013!

Depending on which varmint you follow, winter is either coming or going. Punxsutawney Phil saw no shadow this year (early Spring) but our local marmot, Flatiron Freddy saw his shadow (which means 6 more weeks of winter). That said, Farmer’s Almanac (sadly) has been bang-on this year – go Ben Franklin!

…winter will return with a vengeance for many East Coast states. But states west of the Continental Divide will see mild temperatures and below average precipitation.

Editor Peter Geiger writes: It will be a ‘winter of contraries’. It’s like Old Man Winter is cutting the country in half. The eastern half of the country will see plenty of cold and snow. The western half will experience relatively warm and dry condition. As in the political arena, the climate this winter will render us a nation divided.

How best to celebrate Groundhog Day than x-country skiing in Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park! FAAAANNNNTASTIC!

Met up with Annmarie, John & their meet-up friend Chip at the Stone Cup in Lyons – for breakfast before our ski day. Picked up rental skis in Estes for only $12 (thanks Annmarie for bargain shipping!), then trekked to Wild Basin Trailhead in Allenspark.

Argh…not much snow – but kept positive thoughts [that] conditions would improve as we climbed higher. Sunny weather, temps in the 30’s – BEAUTIFUL day! AND lucky for us, Chip was a skilled x-country skier – and navigated our way. Hiked a half mile to the trailhead (road closed this time of year) and SUCCESS – just enough snow…which only got deeper as we increased elevation 🙂

At the trailhead, met a guy who works at McMurdo station in Antarctica. WOW – what a dream job! Antarctica has been a bucket list destination since I was eight (4.21.2012 post: still on my adventure ‘wish list’). Someday…but today – lovin’ my life in Colorado! CLICK HERE for McMurdo Station Webcam.

Passed the (closed) warming hut (no hot chocolate for us 🙁 ), then ahead 2 more miles thru towering lodgepole pines. X-country skiing is in my blood – LOVE this sport! Our $12 skis were slightly wider than those rented at Eldora AND had metal edges – talk about a ROCKSTAR bargain. Edges make all the difference in controlling turns & allowing ya to skate ski (vs classic x-country).

3 miles in, saw a sign for Ouzel Falls – only 0.9 miles away. But because it was 1pm, made a group decision – turn-back here or forge ahead. Ouzel Falls, YES! Think all 4 of us are like-minded & addicted to Colorado summit destinations.

OF COURSE this last 0.9 miles was the best of the entire day – isn’t that the way it always is? Snow deepened (whole lot more powder), trail opened to several amazing views and our destination Ouzel Falls was SOLID ICE – WOW! Spectacular!

Raced back in under 2 hours as my body started to fatigue. Had run 10 miles BEFORE x-country skiing 10 miles (true marathon training). Refueled at Smokin’ Dave’s before picking up Ro from his play-date. What a crazy FUN day!

Ro play-date (short clip w/ baby Clara)

: Chip, Annmarie & John – ROCKSTAR ski pals!

: for the record – Annmarie was the first down…LOL!

: met snowshoer who works at McMurdo station – SUPER JEALOUS! (bucket list destination)

: typical — Annmarie leading the boys!

: proof that John can smile

: …and make snow angels

: frozen Ouzel Falls – WOW shot!

: ski hike SUCCESS!

Posted in RMNP | Tagged skiing, waterfalls | 2 Comments

SnowDash Xtreme 5K (Winter Park, CO)

Published January 26, 2013

2 ski weekends, 2 race weekends – no couch potato-ing for me in 2013. HA!

Dropped Ro off for another play-date with pal Molly, then hit the open road – destination: Winter Park, Colorado.

Had already banged out my January race 2 weeks earlier but this adventure race was calling my name. Similar to a Tough Mudder, SnowDash Xtreme is an obstacle riddled 5K – but in knee-deep snow. Not a lotta mud here in January.

The music & participants lining up at today’s Start were an estimated 10 years younger than me (& I’m not super old). Physically no worries, I’m strong…but felt like I was crashing a post-grad, twenty-something only event.

Just feet from the Start, we cleared our first obstacle – jumped a concrete barrier into a pit of fresh powder. Next obstacle: the altitude. Guess I haven’t hiked high in 2 months so found myself short of breath running at 10,000 ft.

Ladder obstacle, a hill climb, then…the log challenge. Argh, this one was tough. Selected a log and started up the hill, happy to return my oblong obstacle after completing the required loop. Two more mini-mountain obstacles, another ladder, then belly crawled under a rope trap before running the final half mile.

The music was back & a guy asked if I was ready before giving my plastic sled runner a push down the icy snow bank – sliding across the FINISH line. SUPER AWESOME FINISH!

Enjoyed a limeade sports drink (no beer for me) & warmed up by a fire pit with other Finishers.

3 weeks until my February challenge – the Snowman Stampede, a 10 miler in Littleton. Consider today’s race cross-training 🙂

SnowDash Xtreme (bib pick-up clip)