#givingback
Maybe it’s just our early season SNOW but I caught the bug – HOLIDAY season is HERE!
Humbug Christmas, this year I’m Thanksgifting. No timing stress, no expectations, even REGIFTING is OK – there are no rules. Give ‘cause you wanna gift now. Gift early, gift unexpectedly. Not just one monster day of toys. Spread the love – a full season of giving 🦃 🎁
4 FEET of chocolate & cheeses to my Connecticut family. Regifted snowshoes to Ash & Tom (bought myself new Dions). Picked up the tab/restaurant last week with friends. Give, give, give. Be selfish – give because it makes you feel good. Thanksgifting, it’s super fun.
And…get out outside.
Don’t let ‘the holidays’ trap you indoors with ‘tradition’.
It’ll all get done, lil’ bit every day 😊
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- Connecticut gifting
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- Arkansas gifting
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- Colorado gifting
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- ‘Giving Tuesday’ pitch
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- wobble Gobble 🦃
From: Ashton
To: allboulder <allboulder@psaudio.com>
Subject: Pet Food Drive
Thank you for listening to my little pitch earlier 🙂 Here are some more details of the pet food drive AND the virtual pet food drive PawsCo is collecting donations for via Facebook (if that’s easier/preferred for anyone). I will take all physical donations to the food bank on the first week of December. THANK YOU!
PawsCo Annual Pet Food Drive
I invite you to participate in our annual pet food drive by donating pet food in the physical donation bin in the kitchen, or money through our virtual food drive. All monetary donations will go towards the direct purchase of pet food (which PawsCo can purchase at a discounted price to help further). All pet food will be delivered to the Food Bank of the Rockies and distributed across Colorado. Our Pet Food Drive is a way to make sure the pets in our community stay fed and in their homes despite a family’s temporary struggles. Food Bank of the Rockies estimates it needs 10,000 pounds of pet food every month to meet the needs of struggling families in our community.
We heard the following from one of our families last year and it warmed our hearts:
“Thank you again for caring for my canine, Evie. She is the center of my world without kids or a hubby. Your organization has afforded me the ability to provide for her.”
We thank you all so much for your donation and for being committed to keeping families and pets together!
Chapter close, new door opened. Finished 8 consecutive weeks of marathoning yesterday in Mississippi. Today at 10,300ft, ANTARCTICA training begins. YES! #luckyinlife
Post-midnite arrival in a rare Colorado ice storm. Sleeping in; can’t pick up Ro before 10am from his Fall kennel home. Surprise awaits when Papa shows – HIKE day! ‘though Denver suffered a quarter-inch ice, heavy SNOW high-elevation & SUNSHINE forecast’d Sunday. FAAANNNNTASTIC!
Sunday pup pick-up, day destination: Brainard Lake.
Local altitude, short 45 minute drive. Boulder Canyon to Nederland, chose Peak-to-Peak highway. Better to avoid Ward in winter season. Only one road climbs thru town – UP.
No drama arrival. Road plowed, parking secured. Lot FULL with shoers & Nordic lovers. Lodgepole pine. Precip base thigh-deep. Thin air. Welcome home soldier, marathon season over.
5 miles roundtrip today. Ever see a dog SMILE? Off-leash heaven. Heavy snow kept Pup trail-contained. Sunk to his neck early on chipmunk patrol, stayed close day remainder. LOL>
Backpack light, training day ONE. Need to manage 75lbs comfortably by mid-January. Paced slower than goal too – but my head, out there/up there SOULFUL.
LOVE LOVE my Colorado life. Heart SOAR ❤️
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- shoers & Nordic skis
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- off-leash HEAVEN
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- heart SOAR
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- wind whipping COLD
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- ANTARCTICA training
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- FROZEN ❄️
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- Sno Ro
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- 10,000ft SMILE
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- happy PUP
Brainard Lake 2018
Biggest concern eight weeks ago was summer heat, now my training miles regularly see snow. Fall foliage, FAMILY & a lotta East Coast push-pin additions. HUGE life adventure. Anne of Green Gables, Washington Crossing, the Grand Ole Opry, night-toured our nation’s Capitol. Always more than just running.
Rooted deep in America’s Old South, took most of Friday as travel. Nothing direct to Mississippi. Denver to Chicago, Chicago to Birmingham, rental car 2 ½ hours west to Meridian. Welcome Y’all greeted at bib pickup. Heavy Scarlett O’ Hara lilt. Only 20 miles inside the M-I-S-S border, but distinctly Mississippi. Reminiscent of my own childhood home, old industrial town fighting itself relevant in the 21st century.
Quick trip, under 24 hours. Flight return check-in before my head hit the pillow.
7am Saturday Start. Gathered around City Hall, hat offs, EVERYONE stopped. Anthem voiced LIVE, hand-over-heart/eyes-on-the-flag. Patriotic, well sung. Common thread – Colorado, Maine or Mississippi – same Stars-n-Strips LOVE. RED or BLUE, Americans always come together when it matters.
Combined FULL/Half Start, double loop course, 13-mile trek done twice. Sunshine & 40. Digged the cool morning start, not a Mississippi norm. MUCH appreciated by the visiting Team.
Hilly course. Rolling hills played to strengths. Day’s mantra: Get ‘er done.
Maintained a steady 9 min/pace first loop. Tunes blaring, back-n-forth’d with 4 marathon tees. Cheyenne (Wyoming) grey, husband-wife in Milwaukee tangerine & an orange Lost Dutchman Finisher. Sub-2 Half.
Followed Arizona into Lap 2. Plugged in, head forward, eyes focused, alert to increased motor traffic. No stopping ‘til a planned med break at 17 – lactic lead in my quads but kept pushing. PUSH, PUSH, PUSH – 20. Brief walk marker 21. Steady, consistent 10 min/pace to 24. New PLAN: hotel shower before my room boot @ high NOON. AWESOME motivator 😊
Sunshine & finish line support. Locals draped in blankets, BIG smile/running shorts in my camp. STRONG finish – 3rd place Masters. 50 State countdown now 7. Hot hotel shower/fresh clothes before highway’ng back to Alabama. Got ‘er done.
Friendly folk in Meridian. Thanks y’all. Good push-pin memory added to my map back home.
2018 Magnolia Marathon
Place Name Hometown Type Bib # Time Pace Speed
17 K R HAGA LOUISVILLE, CO RUNNER 30 04:15:05.85 09:43 6.2mph
Split 1 01:56:35.709 08:53 6.7mph 01:56:35.709
Split 2 02:18:30.145 10:33 5.7mph 04:15:05.854
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- Welcome Y’all
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- City Hall Start
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- plugged in & focused
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- STRONG finish
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- 3rd place Masters
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- signed by the Artist
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- icy return HOME ❄️
