Run the Year Motto: EVERY day’s a run day, 2017 miles in 2017
July 2017 update: Back on track, another 200+ mile month (6 of 7 months in 2017), keeping me safely ahead of goal. Smack in the middle of HEAT SEASON, but continued my marathoning streak – adding 2 more to the tally, closing in on #100.
All ’bout adjusting summer-month expectations. Pace, attitude, hydration AND gotta finish – preferably, with a smile 🙂
August focus: TRAIL
Ended July, running & (video-tagging) one of my favourite local trail runs – NCAR to Chautauqua in Boulder. This 7.2 mile trek has everything: rolling hills, switchbacks, elevation, red rock, Ponderosa pine AND a stair climb.
Next month I’m only marathoning trail. 2 tough runs, 8 days apart – each sporting 4,000ft vertical gain.
Race ReCap: 2 waterside marathons on hot July days – U of Okoboji Marathon ‘round Northern Iowa’s West Okoboji Lake & the Nova Scotia Marathon ‘round Cape Sable Island in Barrington Passage, NS.
Streaks: ‘Every day’ run streak ended at 212 days, July 24th in Toronto-Pearson airport. FULL day delay after Air Canada oversold my flight. $400 compensation/long Monday. words of South Park: Blame Canada – that said, really good to have rest days back 🙂
Marathoning Streak: 44 months
Mileage ReCap: back on track, my sixth 200+ mile month, ended July at 1,412 miles (235 miles ahead of goal)
-
- ended July at 1,412 miles
-
- Boulder HIKE surprise
-
- Milestone 1300
-
- Milestone 1400
Thirsty?
by Paul McGowan
No problem, turn on the tap and quench that thirst. In my home, the water tastes a little funny so I installed a filter that is said to remove 99.9% of impurities. Water tastes better.
Stay hydrated. It’s important to your health.
We don’t think much about clean water. At least I don’t. I take it for granted. It’s always been there. That’s not the case for much of the world and that brings me to the point of this post.
I want to ask you for a favor. Go here and donate a few bucks. Doesn’t have to be a lot. The price of a CD or two. And, if you’re like me, sign up for a monthly contribution. $60 a month provides fresh, clean water for 24 people a year.
Donate something if you can. Anything. You’ll feel good.
Thanks for caring.
In modern times, this prearranged meeting known as the “First Look” has become a special moment in weddings. This is usually coordinated with the photographer to find a somewhat secluded, private space that the couple can meet. Often the groom has his back turned towards the bride as she walks up to greet him. Once the two meet they share an intimate moment that can be beautifully captured by photo + video.
One of the added benefits of having the First Look before the ceremony is that you now have the opportunity to take photos together. Many times the couple will choose to also take family and formal photos in this time period so after the ceremony they can go straight to the reception or cocktail hour.
Another benefit of having the First Look is that it’s highly unlikely you will be late to your ceremony as you’ve already been dressed and ready well before the start time.
Always good to have a Plan B.
Because Ash selected a Connecticut-based photographer (she schooled East Coast), two months ago I travelled to Silverthorne & scoped out potential wedding shot locations. Sapphire Point: snow-capped peaks, frozen Lake Dillon, short hike, ample trailhead parking.
Fast forward to yesterday. Quick ride UP to Sapphire Point to check out snow conditions (bride would be hiking in a dress). Same trail, same ample parking but with 30 folding chairs in our spot. Appears on THIS hiking trail, at THIS particular spot, May thru October, one can pay $110 & reserve OUR spot for a 2-hour window thru recreation.org. Trail is not restricted from hiking but the overlook – key for pictures – no longer available. Are you kidding me?!
2 hours to secure a new spot – and tell the bride, day before her wedding. BIG father-of-the-bride moment. No worries, I’ve got this.
Private dirt road on the drive to Wilp Manor (the Wilpiszeski’s home rental), found my Plan B. Rustic farm equipment, wooden fence posts against a HUGE mountain backdrop – mountain pics, #1 criteria of the bride.
Plan A – my Sis & family would drive to Sapphire Point while the photographer is doing ‘First Look’ pics at the wedding venue. She’d physically hold our spot assuming there is not a 2nd wedding conflict. Plan B – rustic farm & mountain.
Wedding Day. Morning jog along the Blue River, running high from snow melt. Spent the day in nearby Frisco with family. But most important: no rain, no snow, no clouds – only SUNSHINE on Ashton’s BIG day, her WEDDING day.
- 3pm: stayed tucked inside the venue, while bride & groom had their ‘First Look’ moment.
- 3:15pm: got the call from Sis, going with Plan B.
- 3:45pm: Bride, Groom, Maid-of-Honor & Best Man – all piled into my Prius. Photographer to follow.
Everything happens for a reason.
What I didn’t know (because of yesterday’s inclement weather) – Plan B’s wood posts fenced in a horse farm. Sunshine bounced off snow-capped peaks. Springtime Aspen hued multiple shades of green. Breathtaking, absolutely perfect.
More perfect?
Add 2 dozen elk. Just WOW.
-
- ‘First Look’
-
- sunshine, Colorado Aspen & MOUNTAINS
-
- amazing PLAN B location, right?
-
- wedding party fave
-
- check out the Bride’s boots — double LOVE!
-
- more perfect? Add 2 dozen ELK!
-
- must be official, been posted on social media 🙂
Wedding Day ELK!
4 weekends marathoning – this Saturday: kick around, do laundry? Heck no – road trippin’ SD: “Great Places, Great Faces”.
Ended Friday work week with my final father-daughter dance lesson. Too far/too late to reach South Dakota – but how ‘bout Lusk? [Wyoming of course 🙂 ] Small but clean digs, free buffet breakfast. Short hour-half drive to Custer State Park, car-dodging buffalo by 9am. FAAANNNTASTIC! Native to the U.S.A, our American bison – BIG, STRONG, MASSIVE. Personal fave of the animal kingdom.
20 minutes west thru Custer, 20 minutes north to Crazy Horse Memorial. Had heard mixed reviews ‘bout the Monument. Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear commissioned the project in 1939 – Crazy Horse’s massive 87ft face wasn’t completed ’til 1998. Current work is focused on Crazy Horse’s hand, finger & his horse’s mane. Timeline? Long after my life span.
Paid an extra $10 to school bus-ride near the base of the Mountain. Felt a bit nickel-n-dimed but WOW – gotta say, being so close to something so massive, was well worth the $$. Wrong time to be short-sighted with cash. Once completed Crazy Horse will rival nearby Mt. Rushmore. Sculpted to ‘honor the culture & heritage of all North American Indians’. Just WOW.
Didn’t leave the Memorial Museum for almost 2 hours. LOVE LOVE LOVED! Native American artifacts, photographs, sculptures, paintings. Completely unexpected. WELL WORTH GOING!
Wait, wait – the day’s not over. Next up: Mount Rushmore. Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt & Lincoln – literally carved IN the Black Hills of South Dakota. Short-hiked up-n-down the Presidential Walk. Fave spot? Rushmore’s ‘Walk of Flags’ entrance. Every state, every U.S. territory represented. Left beaming USA pride. Bought an ice cream recipe’d by Pres. Thomas Jefferson himself ❤
Sleeps in historic Deadwood. Dinner above the saloon where Wild Bill Hickok was killed, tomorrow visiting his marker.
-
- TATANKA!
-
- BIG, STRONG, MASSIVE
-
- Pronghorn antelope
-
- commissioned in 1939, Crazy Horse’s face wasn’t completed ’til 1998
-
- ‘completed’ (left), ‘in-progress’ (right)
-
- Native American artifacts, photographs, sculptures & paintings
-
- ‘Walk of Flags’ entry
-
- U-S-A pride
-
- short-hiked the Presidential Walk
-
- Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt & Lincoln
