A sudden and unexpected snowstorm hit Boulder on Tuesday, dumping nearly a foot of snow on the city, mucking up traffic and prompting school closures across the county.
The city of Boulder officially recorded 11.3 inches of snow for the duration of the storm…and brings the total snowfall in Boulder during December this year to 14 inches.
Running season over, marathon count holiday-stalled at 49: 2013 (2), 2014 (15), 2015 (32). Long year, lotta travel.
Plans for my first weekend off? Snowshoe hike, nothing like a snow day 🙂 BIG SNOW four days prior – good reason for my first trailhead adventure with the Jeep. Whole lotta sunshine, gonna be a great day for a December shoe-hike.
Loaded up Ro & headed west thru Boulder Canyon to Nederland, center-town right, 5 minutes+ past Eldora Ski Resort – kicked into 4WD & plowed UP County Road 130 to Hessie Trailhead. No stopping ‘til we reached the ranger road closure 2 miles down.
Today’s hike destination: Lost Lake, a 3.6-mile out & back trail.
Super easy summer hike, ridiculously crowded camping. Add a couple feet of snow? Just ‘bout perfect. My shoes are older…probably due for a new pair – but Ro doesn’t care. Off leash & snow, combo my dog lives for.
Surrounded by pine & heavy snow – slight elevation climb 9,000 to 9,800ft – reached Lost Lake in just over an hour. Highlight: listening to the popping, cracking ice – water moving under the lake surface, heating/shifting in the high altitude sun. Twice Ro spooked, barked, charged his invisible predator. LAKE MONSTER!! LOL>
Tick, tick, tick…only 6 days ’til Christmas. Nothing like a snow hike to get ya in the mood 🙂
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- first shoe-hike of the season
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- off leash & snow – LOVIN’ the start of winter!
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- pine & heavy snow…just ’bout perfect
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- 3.6-mile out & back trail
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- day highlight: listening to popping, cracking ice — water shifting under the surface
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- snowshoe hike, nothing like a snow day 🙂
Who doesn’t remember the big 4-0! Marathoning in New Hampshire would be just that – my 40th marathon, 40th state. Same time last year had just finished #10 in western Nebraska. Whole lotta marathoning in 2015 – it’s become a 50 State Quest addiction!
Friday afternoon touchdown in Manchester, then jetted an hour north to Bristol for bib pick-up & a quick drive-through of Saturday’s scenic course ‘round Newfound Lake. Fall foliage in New England – WOW, nothing like it. LOVE our Colorado Aspens but the intense bursts of orange, reds & yellows in New England, mighty magical.
Dinner with Stephen & his family in Concord – then straight to bed, marathoning in the a.m.
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- Old Country Store, Bristol NH
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- town green, village of Hebron
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- lake lighthouse
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- autumn foliage in New England — nothing like it, anywhere
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- dinner in Concord w/ Stephen & family
Woke Saturday to grey skies & cool temps – but no rain. Met up with several Maniacs before race start (pre-race pics) & a new marathoner, Rachel from nearby Mass (congrats! all that training & you’re now a marathoner 🙂 ) Today’s elevation map: rollercoaster-liken, continual barrage of rolling hills but nothing crazy steep – ‘though the pitch at mile 18 came a bit late in the game.
Quick blast thru town, then lakeside sunshine at mile 3. Large leafy trees canopied overhead – so much colour 🙂 Held pace thru Hebron center, didn’t slow ‘til the turnaround at Sculptured Rocks, mile 14.
Sun disappeared & wind breezed for the run remainder, flip-side of Newfound.
Tagged Houston-based Andy just past mile 25 & journeyed together to the Finish. Always remember those races where I’ve had friend/family support – thanks Stephen & Sheila! Pretty special, much appreciated.
Celebrated this day at Bristol House of Pizza – ya’ll know how I love my post-race lasagna – FAAANNNTASTIC!
- Next Saturday — Hartford CT (5th consecutive weekend marathoning)
New Hampshire Marathon
#11: K R Haga
Guntime: 4:29:43
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- 26.2 ’round scenic Newfound Lake
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- all smiles near mile 15
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- the big 4-0, only 10 to go!
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- friends at the Finish: mighty special & much appreciated (thanks Stephen & Sheila!)
Lotta strategic planning to complete 50 state marathons in 2 years. A handful of states (RI DE NM & WV in particular) only offer one or 2 races annually. 2 times lucky – signed up for new ‘inaugural’ runs: Angel Fire NM in July & this weekend, Morgantown WV.
Running 11 consecutive weekends – have also become strategic with flights & travel costs. In-n-out of Pittsburgh – Southwest incoming, United outgoing. Met up with fellow Maniac, Stacy & shared car rental, then hotel with another Maniac, Joe from Ohio.
Lotta new friendships in my Quest – LOVE it!
East Coast time change. Jetted south to Morgantown, stopping at my first Harley dealership just over the WV border (minutes before their 5pm close). While I’m mountaineering off-season; Stacy’s a biker – and has collected Harley poker chips as far away as Alaska.
Met up with Mike, a Maniac from Austin, at bib pick-up. Now we were 3 – driving downtown, sharing a brick-oven pizza at Mountain State Brewing & a scenic walk along Morgantown’s Monongahela River before bunking up for the night – another early a.m. marathon.
5am alarm, school bussed to WVU Coliseum, group Maniac pic, National Anthem – tag, we’re off.
Cool morning temps, sunshine, little to no wind – pretty much perfect…and for whatever reason, everything was just clicking today. Slept well, ate well, enjoyed sharing time with other marathoners – head was in the right place.
Hung with the 3:40 pace group thru mile 14 – actually stayed ahead of these pacers up the largest of today’s hills, mile 7 & 8.
holy Mountain Mama – more hills today than any previous race (not the elevation of Oregon’s Crater Lake but a whole lotta hills). Small hills, short extreme climbs, mile-long grinders, rolling hills – every mile, every turn, a new hill.
Last year I chose runs on flat courses – this year I eat hills for breakfast 🙂
4 hour pacers caught me at mile 24. Suppose sub-4 would have been insane after throwing 4 ½s all summer.
Mile Marker 25. Passed by a walker. Assume I must have been running in place or side-to-side….either way, was not moving fast the mile UP to WVU Coliseum. 15 minutes UGLY – but finished #38 with a smile, just over 4 hours. FAAANNNTASTIC!
K R HAGA LOUISVILLE CO 4:14:38.76 9:43/M
Not a lotta tourist time this weekend – but whatta positive experience. Enjoyed the camaraderie of my marathoner community – sharing laughs & a stinky flight home (airport sink bath & a change of clothes was the best we could do this trip). LOL>
Next weekend: Adams County, Ohio – running with the Amish.
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- ‘Wild n Wonderful’ West Virginia – expecting a hilly run tomorrow
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- poker-chip envy: my first Harley dealership
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- scenic walk along Morgantown’s Monongahela River
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- carbo-loading: brick-oven pizza at Mountain State Brewing, YUM!
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- Marathon Maniacs
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- holy Mountain Mama, WV kicked butt!
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- See that guy behind us? He’s 22E. He gets to sit between two marathoners who just had an airport bathroom baby wipe shower!
