60 days ago I challenged myself to get marathon ready again.
Despite our abnormal sub-zero temps in Boulder, stayed focused & on-track all week.
December 2
5am Monday morning swim class is kinda hard to stomach after the holidays — up to 1.7 miles (longest swim to date). Positive news — even after Thanksgiving dinner, told to up my daily calorie count to 2400. 4 more training days (2 swim, 2 run days), then off to Tucson.
December 3
12 mile training run today. Probably my last day outdoors before Tucson. Arctic blast settles in later this afternoon. Single digit highs, lows below zero thru Saturday. YIKES! That said – sunny & 45 this morning; it was a mighty good run.
December 4
7 degrees & snowing — surprised to have the pool all to my myself until 630 this morning. Slackers!
December 5
Woke this morning to -8 degrees, wind chill of -31F. BRRRRRR! Shipped Ro off to Camp Bow Wow for an all-day indoor play date. 6 miles on the treadmill at a quick 8.0 pace — last run before Marathon weekend.
Good news? Our Colorado sunshine is back! Bright & sunny – life is FAAANNNNTASTIC 🙂
December 8 – RACE DAY
Woke early, checked out of my hotel & drove to the local high school for bus pickup (hauling runners to the Start from 440am-520am – yep, mighty early). Super cold morning to be wearing shorts. Luckily our line of buses were blocked in by a large tour bus near the drop-off stage. Lucky? Yea, we got to stay on the bus & keep warm.
20 minutes before race time — lined up in the dark with 3,000 other runners & shivered in Tucson’s first snow in years. Just flurries but jeez, snow? & only an hour from Mexico?
Ran strong for 19 miles – great pace, felt really good.
Mile 21 – HIT THE WALL. A mile further than Alaska but same feeling of concrete blocks tied to my quads & calves. Frustrating but no shooting pain. Gutted out those last 5.2 miles. Walk, jogged, ran – whatever it took.
Half mile left & stopped again. An older runner comes up from behind & says ‘Come on, you’re almost there.’ Runner angel? Maybe. Started jogging, then running ‘til I crossed the finish at just over 4 hours.
Shaking from hypothermia, off to the medic tent after the orange lady repeatedly insisted I go. Embarrassing, sure but 15-20 minutes under blankets felt mighty good. Who knew it’d be windy, overcast & 30 in Tucson?
Each marathon is a learning experience – 2 down, 48 states to go. Next month – Louisiana.
Place Bib Athlete Name City State Finish Time
422 321 K R Haga Louisville CO 4:05:39
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- FINISHER!
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- Goodbye Tucson!
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- 5-hour layover in Phoenix
Friday night flight into Phoenix, rental car pickup – then southeast 2 hours to Tucson. Marathon weekend!
Breakfast, race packet pick-up, runner’s expo purchase (picked up KT Tape Strips & 6 packets of GU), scheduled an after-race massage at the Hilton – chores over. Headed 20 minutes west – today’s adventure destination: Saguaro National Park.
In Alaska, my pre-race destination: ice climbing; while in Arizona, gotta do a cactus hike.
My dad was a huge fan of Westerns. So whether I was actively paying attention or not, gotta say John Wayne, cowboys, Indians, cattle & cactus were forever imprinted on my young mind. Plus if I run out of water, these spiny plants are full of liquid (assuming I remembered my machete to hack thru their tree-like trunks 🙂 )
Instead of leaves, from which water escapes easily, this magnificent plant has spines, which greatly narrow down water evaporation.
The saguaro cactus can grow unto an astonishing 45ft. Probably the most amazing fact about this plant is that even in its harsh climate some cacti can survive over 200 years! These adaptations allow certain cacti to survive 3 years without water; a human can barely survive 4 days.
Stopped at the Visitors Center for a photo opp with Santa, then a quick mile further to Hugh Norris Trailhead.
Tucson temps were far warmer than the sub-zero front fixed over Boulder for the past week. That said, surprisingly needed a jacket – windy & 45 degrees this day.
Ridge hiked for an amazing view of the valley, peppered with columnar cacti. In addition to saguaro cactus (my new fave), spotted barrel, cholla & prickly pear varieties too! FAAANNNTASTIC day!
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- Saguaro National Park
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- Merry Christmas — it’s Santa Cactus!
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- time for a short hike? heck yeah!
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- prickly situation
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- cacti forest — like an old John Wayne Western
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- cactus camouflage
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- Teddybear Cholla
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- Fishhook Barrel Cactus
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- primed & ready for tomorrow’s run
3 day holiday weekend – rest & relaxation. Huh? I don’t think so.
Ran a 10 mile race Saturday 7am, back home showered at 9am, drove north to Longmont & dropped off Ro at Windstar Kennels by 10 – then hit I-25 South for a long weekend in Taos, New Mexico. The plan? Food, art and…hiking of course. In particular, New Mexico’s highest point – Wheeler Peak – a 13er approx 30 minutes from the Colorado border.
Woke early on Sunday & drove north to Taos Ski Valley for ‘hike day’. Added 30 minutes to my journey thanks to iPhone directions which pushed us on Indian Service Route 700 – a 3 mile dirt road stretch thru an Indian reservation. Scenic sage & yellow mustard dotted the native NM landscape. Nice diversion; sometimes best to take the road less traveled 🙂
Driving UP through Carson National Forest, was surprised by the lush New Mexico surroundings. I had pictured cactus & desert in NM – not so, this place overwhelmed with bursts of colour and earthy scents of spruce & pine.
Parked, geared up, then hiked 3 miles to Bull-of-the-Woods meadow before veering onto Wheeler Peak trail. Another mile past treeline was welcomed by stunning colour – yellows, greens, dull orange & vibrant patches of red wild flowers. Wildlife tally – marmots & bighorn sheep. What an amazing panorama!
Up the initial false summit, caught my first glimpse of Wheeler Peak. 3 or 4 more ‘false’ summits later, had climbed not one but 2 13ers (Mt Walter and Wheeler Peak). (unfortunately) Stopped no more than 20 minutes for pics & a food break before trekking down, darting from immense clouds carrying rain, thunder and streak lightning.
HAPPY MOMENT – Not far past Mt Walter on my hike return, the sun peeked out creating a double rainbow – literally we were hiking ‘over’ the rainbow 🙂 Finished the last mile bushwhacking in & between mountain roads before stumbling upon Taos Ski Resort (mighty fine luck – sometimes good things happen to good people).
Sunscreen, salt residue & a little dirt didn’t stop us for filling our stomachs soon after. Washed in a bathroom basin and ended the day with dinner at Sabroso – HIGHLY recommended!
SHORT DETOUR – Traveled home via San Luis – Colorado’s oldest town, established in 1851. Walked the Stations of the Cross to a small Catholic chapel built high above the local village.
Perfect end to an outstanding weekend! Big FAN of Labor Day!
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- Welcome to New Mexico!
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- scary road sign
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- Wheeler Peak, NM’s highest
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- more lush than Colorado – great hike start
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- followed horse trail to Bull-of-the-Woods meadow
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- whatta view – that’s Colorado in the distance!
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- lotta colour – beautiful hike
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- Hello, Marmot!
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- Bighorn sheep
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- HOORAY, I can see Wheeler Peak!
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- surprise 13er summit (wrong mountain)
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- Mt. Walter summit
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- Wheeler Peak straight ahead!
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- Wheeler Peak 13,159ft – highest in New Mexico
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- quick celebration (lotta clouds, thunder, then lightning – yikes!)
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- quick WOW shot – Wheeler Peak summit
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- lovin’ my Alaska rain jacket
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- literally hiked OVER the rainbow – AMAZING day!
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- Welcome to Taos, New Mexico!
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- rattlesnake-rabbit sausage in spicy cherry sauce
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- San Luis – oldest town in Colorado (established 1851)
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- Shrine of the Stations of the Cross
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- scenic depiction of the Saviour
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- sharing stories with a local – FAAANNNTASTIC weekend!
