Marathon’d one-third of America in 2014 & never flew a red-eye. This year already have 4 scheduled thru March. Price a guy pays to reach East Coast races (& use minimal vacation days) 🙂
Left Denver at 1:20am, arriving in Miami just after 7am EST. Shared costs with fellow Maniac Stacy this trip, who met me at the airport in a rental (Stacy flew red-eye into nearby Fort Lauderdale). Super fun sharing my 48-hour tropical get-away with another marathoner – generally lotta solo travel in my 50 State Quest.
Grabbed juice & water, then headed Downtown for an early lunch at Havana 1957 – in Miami, a Cubano is the must-eat.
A Cubano is a variation of a ham and cheese originally created in cafes catering to Cuban workers in the early Cuban immigrant communities of Florida. The sandwich is made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread.
Checked into a downtown apartment near tomorrow’s race Start (used Airbnb, cheaper than a traditional hotel), then trekked a mile to meet our scheduled afternoon tour. Kayaking in Biscayne Nat’l Park was Plan A (cancelled – big waves & strong ocean undertow), Airboat Tour was Plan B (unfortunately tour bus never showed – argh).
Easy to suffer a letdown when plans go awry (& operating on little sleep). This is where travelling double really ROCKS. Only 4 miles from the nearest public beach so ‘beach day’ it is. Thanks Stacy.
Caught a few winks on the sand – re-centered & re-energized, now ready to explore. Stacy spotted a market-size crab hiding in rocks near the marina shoreline. HUGE! Ventured further south thru Key Biscayne to Cape Florida State Park – more white-powder sand, pelicans AND a lighthouse. FAAANNNTASTIC! Ya’ll know I LOVE lighthouses.
Sometimes the best plans are travelling with no plans at all 🙂
Early to bed, early to rise – tomorrow is run day…but not before downing a plate of squid. I AM a fan of the ocean. YUM!
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- 2nd red-eye of 2015 — 1:20am comes mighty early, just saying
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- Cuban food, best eats in Miami
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- Cubano sandwich – highly recommended 🙂
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- afternoon nap
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- 48-hour tropical race weekend (in January)
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- market-size, grab me a pot!
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- crab eyes – kinda spooky
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- Cape Florida State Park
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- pelicans
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- sunset over Cape Florida Lighthouse
Free weekend between Mississippi & Miami marathons – kick back & rest? That would be a NO. Winter time in Colorado is prime time for outdoor activities. Purchased a Groupon for Ash & Tom at Christmas for ice climbing, couldn’t help but tag along.
Was told it’s harder to climb in Colorado because our ice is river water, not glacier ice like in Alaska. Axe & crampons stick easier in glacier ice – river ice chips so important to stay on belay (rope) should you pop off.
2 hour drive to Colorado Springs (love the Springs), then a short quarter mile hike to Cheyenne Canyon with our guide Andrew (a scrawny rock climber – weighed maybe a buck ten). Had to compete for wall space with a local climbing group – so actually started off on the intermediate wall. Roped up, kicked in my crampons & struck a few blows before I found rhythm (muscle memory – hadn’t climbed since Matanuska, day before my Alaska marathon).
Forgot how much I LOVE ice climbing – it’s a thinking man’s sport. Yeah, there’s physical involved but LOVE picking my route – it’s unique to each climber. Do I use an existing hit (to place my axe)? Go right, go left – where is the better/thicker ice? How far can I reach? Strike high, using that arm (& forward motion) to propel the body UP, kick in again with your crampon.
Struggled up the ice lip but ultimately, SUCCESS! LOVE LOVE LOVE ice climbing!
Ash & Tom took their try at the wall. Not fair their first climb would be on an intermediate wall – no training, little instruction. Luckily, an easier tie soon opened – more ice, less vertical. Lot more fun – both summited, good memories 🙂
We paid for a half day so I took in 2 more verticals before Ash & Tom worked belay and let Andrew climb.
Felt good to be in the mountains. Perfect conditions – sunshine, no wind. Crazy addictive sport. Can see myself hitting it regularly once my running schedule frees next year. So much competition for time – cross country skiing, snow shoeing, another 14er winter summit, ice climbing…& only December to April to get it all in. LOVE LOVE my Colorado life!
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- short hike with Andrew, our guide
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- intermediate wall climb
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- SUCCESS!
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- far right on the wall – more ice, less vertical
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- speed climbing
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- high in the Rockies – awesome view!
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- roped up & ready
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- Killin’ it!
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- “This is really hard. My arms are so tired.”
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- Ash on top of the world
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- Tom rocking his sexy look
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- 3rd to Summit – FAAAANNNTASTIC day!
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- belaying Andrew, our guide
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- fearless ice woman: “every girl should have a pair of spiky shoes”
I’ll save you a seat!
My marathoner pal Stacy is the best – thanks! I’m not a huge fan of driving into Denver – especially during rush hour – but the chance to watch Polar Explorer (& Everest summiter), Eric Larsen LIVE was worth leaving the Boulder bubble.
Intention was to educate myself on everything Everest, I left with polar exploration on the brain.
Someday, maybe…you never know 🙂
Denver REI — Colder: Adventure and Inspiration from Everest & the Poles
- Date: 1/12/2015
- Time: 6:30 – 8:00 PM MST
- Presenter: Eric Larsen
- Group Size: 120
Polar adventurer, Eric Larsen, shares stories from two decades of extreme expeditions. Hear stories about months on the Arctic Ocean, perilous conditions, Polar Bears, avalanches, and much more. Eric will also share anecdotes from his recent unsupported speed record expedition to the Geographic North Pole called Last North.
To date, Eric has completed more polar expeditions than any other American in history. Included in that list are the first ever summer expedition to the North Pole as well as a world record expedition to the South Pole, North Pole and top of Mt. Everest all within a 365-day period.
https://www.ericlarsenexplore.com/
