Best way to celebrate Colorado Day? Outdoors of course 🙂
On August 1, 1876, president Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado as a state. Colorado Day was celebrated as a state holiday on August 1 for many years, and then was moved to the first Monday in August. The day no longer became a public holiday, but rather an observance, when the state started observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a public holiday in 1985.
Started the day with an early hour-half drive to Estes Park. Rocky Mountain Half Marathon, my first Half in 18 months. 6am Gun time – something special about racing pre-dawn, settling into pace, then experience sunrise.
Circled Estes Lake. Mile 2 jammed up on the running path – lotta runners, maybe 2 across possible. Picked up pace & caught the 1:50 racers.
Mile 4 thru 8 – UP. Elevation AND incline – but no negativity this day. I dug in, held pace & picked off tens of runners walking the last mile up.
Miles 9, 10 & 11 – big smile. Ripped DOWN (rare for me, generally I pull up, hold back).
UP again at mile 12 to the Stanley, then finished flat to the Fairgrounds. (Kinda weird ending – passed a ‘3’ which we all assumed was mile 13…but that happened another half mile later, then the final tenth mile was actually .3 miles. Not a deal breaker but I went out fast, far too early.)
Good day. 13.1 miles, half the distance – nice to have some gas left in the tank.
Hills & altitude – my new favourite combo. Finding hills to be an age equalizer.
Bib Name City Chip Time Division Place
327 K R Haga Louisville CO 1:52:21 6
Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park – Planned to re-hike Black Lake, hadn’t been in 3 years (2012 challenge: 52 weeks, 52 hikes). 9am in the Park but couldn’t find parking, even RMNP’s Park N Ride advised to come back at 2pm. Seriously? (Easy to get frustrated with summer tourist season but learning to share the love. National Parks are OUR parks as Americans – all Americans, no discrimination.)
Snuck the Prius in Moraine Park campground & hiked the extra mile to Cub Lake trailhead. Not a lotta trees in the meadow (Fern Lake fire burned most in 2012). Temps soon soared near 90, warm day. Last mile forested, blanketed in wildflowers 🙂
Cub Lake – pulled off my shoes & soaked. Lily pads, 2 ducks, dragonflies, small blue fish. Nibble, nibble, BITE. Hey, that’s no fish – pulled off a blood-sucking leech attached to my foot. ‘Nough soaking, hiked back – 4.6 miles total.
½ marathon run followed by a Nat’l Park hike. Colorado Day done? Nope, not yet.
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- a well lived life
Othello
Colorado Shakespeare Festival (Boulder) – 8pm curtain time, biggest concern was sleep deprivation. Half-moon outdoor arena, center aisle seat, Flatirons sunset, temps in the low 70’s – yep, pretty much PERFECT.
From the opening dialogue, was hooked.
Iago couldn’t have been more sinister, nor Othello more tormented. Acting from these 2 overshadowed all other players. Othello a North African Moor, interracial marriage – and Iago’s sheer cunning to drive noble Othello mad.
NOT the Shakespeare of my youth. Far exceeded all expectations – I’ll be back next summer. FAANNN-frickin-TASTIC!
Colorado Day, day after? Sleep 🙂
Happy July 4th – Happy Birthday USA!
Woke early to chilly temps – not the summer norm for July but today’s 26.2 adventure started at 8800ft 🙂
Less than 100 runners lined up for the inaugural Angel Fire Adventure (full & half #s combined).
National Anthem, 3 wheelchair participants upfront – then we started running. No gun, no announcement, just running. 9 miles flat or downhill, surrounded by high peaks, alpine flowers & sage. Hard to imagine a prettier marathon start – breathtaking.
Outkicked by a runner near mile 13. I continued up the highway, he turned & finished the Half.
The number of runners now thinned considerably. Constant climb, miles 14 thru 18. Ran with two runners thru 18 – one picked up pace, one slipped behind – then I was on my own. 18 then 19, still climbing – zapped all energy.
Heat kicked up, became aware of sun blazing my neck & arms. Felt like a soft white marshmallow toasting in raging campfire. Car traffic increased along the highway; not sure the town was aware of this year’s inaugural event. Kept on the shoulder, no worries, but felt more isolated than I have in any previous race. Walked/jogged most of mile 23, then IT happened.
Older lady (70’s 80’s) pulled her truck directly in front of me on the highway shoulder. Heat delirious, lifted my head, looked her way.
“Have you been in any accident? Can I drive you into town?” (super nice I agree but…)
“I’m in a race.” Pointed to my race bib. All the time thinking: maybe I could hitch a ride to mile 25 & limp in from there. I wasn’t gonna win so who cares, right? Thankfully oxygen returned to my brain & I waved her away. How bad did I look? LOL>
My most embarrassing marathon moment.
Eventually I would finish – under 5 hours, but just barely. (Only a handful of finishers — heat & altitude bested most.) Grabbed an ice compress from the volunteer nurse; DJ still randomly pumping club music into the sparse high-altitude sky. Weird but true.
OVERALL PLACE OFFICIAL TIME BIB # NAME CITY STATE
13 4:58:35 104 K R HAGA Louisville CO
34th marathon Finish – post race celebration?
8am zip lining reservation (next day) with my friend Cliff. Had never previously zip lined. First pass was a head trip but after that – no worries. Super fun. Heck less scarier than skydiving, that’s for sure. HA!
Love New Mexico, love 3-day holiday weekends. Next up? Sis & family’s first Colorado vacation. When? 12 hours ago. Yikes!
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- 34th state, first high-altitude marathon, 8,800ft
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- wrapped in the American flag, running on the 4th — super proud moment!
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- zip lining at 12,000ft — SPECTACULAR views! LOVED LOVED LOVED it!
Flying home from Fargo, arrived in Denver to near white-out conditions. SNOW.
Woke Sunday – everything blanketed white, temps in the upper 30’s & SUNSHINE. Happy Mother’s Day 2015 🙂
Spring snow – especially precip received in mid-May – never hangs around long. Enjoyed a long walk with the dogs around Waneka, best way to start a day. Sno’ Ro couldn’t have been happier, burying his face multiple times, coming up bearded white. Amazing skyline – night’s storm cleared all sky clutter – local Flatirons spired majestically through the low hanging clouds. SPECTACULAR!
surprise snow, temps in the upper 30’s – pretty much perfect
Flatirons blanketed white over Waneka Lake
Royal Arch, Boulder (6,915ft) – Sunday May 10th
Generally I laze around after marathoning but with fresh snow wanted to get out & get my hike on. The Rockies have gotten socked with heavy Spring snow for the past two weeks (high avalanche danger), so settled on a local day hike in Boulder – one of my faves, Royal Arch. Gloves, boots, snow pants & a tee – typical Spring hiking attire in Colorado.
[Things can change fast in the mountains – although I hike light, always pack a jacket.]
NCAR to Chautauqua, Chautauqua UP to Royal Arch. Good to get some altitude. Hiked Royal Arch in 2012 & 2013. Missed last year – trail closed due to Flood Damage. No better way to celebrate 7 weekends marathoning.
“In God’s wildness lies the hope of the world – the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness. The galling harness of civilization drops off, and wounds heal ere we are aware.” – John Muir
gloves, boots & a tee – typical Spring hiking attire in Colorado
Bear Peak, Boulder (8,461ft) – Sunday May 17th
Week ago I arrived in North Dakota, mentally dragging – travel fatigued, burnt-out. 4-mile hike to Royal Arch, got some altitude & started the process of healing. Bouncing back, finding balance. In the gym Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Whenever not marathoning, I’ll be in the mountains – hiking, climbing, trail running, backpacking. Mind’s more alert, no ‘zone out’ option or risk injury falling over rocks/exposed roots. My quads ache, steadily climbing/pushing UP. The unevenness of bouldering & trail running is the antithesis of repetitious road running. Good for the soul.
Finished front porch Spring planting yesterday – first step in re-imagining my home after Ash & Tom’s move next month. Change.
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.” – John Muir
Drove to Boulder to hike Devils Thumb with my friend Cliff. Departed Shanahan Trailhead in South Boulder, hiked Mesa Trail to Shadow Canyon, then UP UP UP more than 2,000ft vertical. Popped up on the saddle between South Boulder & Bear Peaks. 15 minutes north thru charred forest (Flagstaff fire 2013), short boulder incline & a rock scramble, summitted Bear Peak – first time since Thanksgiving 2012.
Downed half a turkey-cheese sub & took in the scenery, Longs Peak shrouded heavy white. Crazy beautiful. Caught some rain AND some sunshine on the hike return – just short of 10 miles total, 2,900ft+ vertical 🙂
Hot shower & Chinese take-out (broccoli/garlic sauce). Good day. LOVE LOVE my Colorado life!
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- Shanahan trail
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- Shadow Canyon – over 2,000ft vertical
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- SUMMIT SUCCESS!
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- Longs Peak shrouded heavy white
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- when not marathoning, summit selfies
