Two Summer Adventure Trips for Running and Rafting

Destinations, Travel & Gear

Two Summer Adventure Trips for Running and Rafting

2 Comments 07 April 2013

I'm sharing the details of two group trips that my husband and I booked because both still have space available and sound amazing—so sign up to join us running the Tahoe Rim Trail or rafting the Grand Canyon if you can!

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Way Too Cool 2013 Race Report: A Few Crappy Miles, But Overall Just Right

Destinations, Training & Racing

Way Too Cool 2013 Race Report: A Few Crappy Miles, But Overall Just Right

7 Comments 15 March 2013

I decided it was finally time to run Cool, which is widely viewed as the spring kickoff to the year's ultra racing season. Could I make it a PR?

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Running the Ridge in Ojai: A Long Trail Takes Me Above and Beyond the Familiar

Destinations, Training & Racing

Running the Ridge in Ojai: A Long Trail Takes Me Above and Beyond the Familiar

9 Comments 07 February 2013

From my perspective as a child growing up in Ojai, the mountains that make up the Nordhoff Ridge always looked so big and far away. I could only reach them on horseback. On my last visit, I decided to step out of my comfort zone of running familiar streets and go up and along the ridge. It gave me a whole new perspective on my hometown.

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Merry Christmas from Kauai and Hello 2013

Destinations, Training & Racing, Travel & Gear

Merry Christmas from Kauai and Hello 2013

6 Comments 25 December 2012

Taking a break this week from regular life—from work, chores and even running—gives me a chance to reflect on the past year and set some goals for 2013.

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My Running and Travel Dreams Are Clouding Reality

Destinations, Training & Racing, Travel & Gear

My Running and Travel Dreams Are Clouding Reality

12 Comments 17 November 2012

Researching and fantasizing about ultra runs made me moody and distracted. This post describes being in a funk and snapping out of it. Also included: a list and links to 17 self-supported stage races around the globe.

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Tour of Beauty: An Alaska Family Adventure Trip Exceeds Expectations

Destinations, Travel & Gear

Tour of Beauty: An Alaska Family Adventure Trip Exceeds Expectations

5 Comments 31 October 2012

We had never traveled with a tour before. Thankfully, we found a group that gave us a superlative experience around the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.

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Final Prep for the Grand to Grand, When Just Getting Ready for the Start Feels Like an Ultra

Destinations, Training & Racing, Travel & Gear

Final Prep for the Grand to Grand, When Just Getting Ready for the Start Feels Like an Ultra

4 Comments 17 September 2012

Over these past four weeks, I kept asking myself how the heck could I find time and energy to train at a peak level and get ready to run across the back country between Arizona and Utah. Then my mind sharpened its focus on the task of getting every detail of food and gear figured out.

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Getting Ready for the Grand to Grand: I Need to Be Committed

Destinations, Training & Racing, Travel & Gear

Getting Ready for the Grand to Grand: I Need to Be Committed

7 Comments 17 August 2012

I'm getting serious about this training. With only about 37 days left, I'd better if I'm going to do it. I still say "if." My hesitancy stems from three things: fear, guilt and injury.

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What I Learned at Geoff Roes’s Alaska Mountain Ultrarunning Camp

Destinations, Training & Racing

What I Learned at Geoff Roes’s Alaska Mountain Ultrarunning Camp

12 Comments 28 July 2012

What's it like to spend several days in the mountains around Juneau at a champion ultrarunner's camp, and how can it change you? It's hard to describe how amazing it is, but I try.

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Trying to Break the Busy Trap Through Summer Training and Travel

Destinations, Training & Racing, Travel & Gear

Trying to Break the Busy Trap Through Summer Training and Travel

3 Comments 03 July 2012

What happened to my running and state of mind the past two months? In this post, I take a deep breath and reflect. Also included: "Training for a Self-Supported Stage Race," a reprint of a recent article on preparing for the Grand to Grand Ultra.

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My 2013 Race & Family Travel Calendar

mid-February: Telluride
Way Too Cool 50K Mar. 9. Race report.
Oakland Marathon, not racing but volunteering as leader for the 3:40 pace group, Mar. 24
Lake Sonoma 50M Apr. 13. Race report.
mid-April: exploring Vancouver for Spring Break
East Bay Triple Crown Series: Tilden Tough 10M May 19, Lake Chabot Half June 2, Woodminster 9M June 16.
mid-summer: 6-day Maine biking trip and 8-day Colorado River rafting trip! Details.
Aug. 11: Skyline 50K in the Oakland hills
Pine to Palm 100M Sept. 14

My 2012 Race Calendar

Brooks Falls Trail Run 30K, Jan. 22, report & commentary
Oakland Marathon, Mar. 25, race report
Miwok 100K, May 5, Race report (it's a doozy!)
Marin Ultra Challenge 50K, June 30
Geoff Roes Alaskan training camp, July 24 - 28. Read about it.
Skyline 50K, Aug. 12. Pack training run.
The Grand to Grand Ultra, Sept. 23 - 29. Amazing.
Save Mount Diablo Half Marathon, Nov. 4.
Piedmont Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 3-mile (1st age group, 4th F).
North Face Endurance Challenge Championship 50M, Dec. 1. Race report.

My 2011 Race Calendar

Epiphany Ultra, Jan. 2. Did it! Here's the writeup.
European XC 10K in Ventura Jan. 30. Here's the writeup.
San Francisco Half Marathon, Feb. 6. Ugh, a hard one! Race report became "How to Recover from a Race that Sucked".
Montaña de Oro 50K, Feb. 13. Did it! Here's the writeup.
Oakland Marathon, March 27. So fun! My race report became a haiku.
American River 50M, April 9, race report
Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon, May 7, race report
Tilden Tough Ten 10M, May 15, and the two other races in the Triple Crown trail series, too: Lake Chabot Half and Woodminster 9M. I ended up winning the women's 2011 East Bay Triple Crown trophy for the fastest cumulative time in the three events! (news blurb & pic)
Ohlone 50K, May 22, Unforgettable!
Pacing the last 25 mi of Hardrock 100 in Telluride! Here's the pace report.
Skyline 50K in Oakland Aug. 7. Bummer, no go because I'm injured.
Piedmont Fall Fest 5K Sept. 24: Placed 2nd
North Face Endurance Challenge 50M, Dec. 3. Race report.
PCTR Rodeo Beach 50K, New Year's Eve. Nice to end the year with a win! Race report.

Proud to race on the team of Inside Trail Racing. Check out their calendar of great trail races.

Shop Sage to Summit for trail running and outdoor gear!

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