It's been almost 6 years since I've posted on this blog. Quite a lot has happened. . . to all of us. One constant for me has been continuing to love running in all its chaotic, turbulent, frustrating fullness. And as if running wasn't an irritating enough habit, I've added a significant preoccupation with cycling. …
8 Weeks Out!
So the handy countdown calendar on the Training Peaks app tells me it's 8 weeks until the Lean Horse 50k! That's both terrifying and a relief. Of course I'm concerned about putting the pieces together (long runs, tempo efforts, hills, heat!). On the other hand, it's calming to recognize that the training grind can only …
Altra Torin 3.0: Dad Shoes Done Right
Spring running brings less snowpack and ice, while also creating some sloppy trail conditions. In general, I stay off muddy trails out of respect for shared community use. If we're all considerate of transitional conditions, we'll all also be in a better place to enjoy getting off road in a few weeks. That means I …
Spring!
The first weekend in March has ushered in slightly warmer temperatures. It's been a long winter, and I've forgone writing repetitive posts about winter running. It's cold. I run. It's snowing. I run. While I've stayed engaged in the work, there just isn't much to say about it. But Spring? Spring brings the promise of …
Run Crazy Horse Marathon Report
My alarm went off at my typical 5:00 AM on Sunday morning, one of the perks of an 8:00 AM race start and staying less than an hour from Crazy Horse Memorial for the weekend. My dad had offered to drive me to the start line, so I had the added luxury of hanging out, …
The Day Before, Again
Over the last couple of months I've been too busy with running and the rest of life to sit down and write about it. This cycle started with supporting Kate as she completed her first ultra, the Lean Horse 50k. The thrill of chasing a loved one around a trail race is worth its own …
First Look: Altra Escalante
I've been casting around for a road shoe for some time. Over the last year or so, I've tried the Altra Torin 2.0/2.5, New Balance Zante, Mizuno Wave Hitogami, and Altra One 2.5. While each has been serviceable, none has really hit the mark. Enter the Altra Escalante. After a particularly disappointing experience with the …
Anatomy of a Workout
During my training for ultras, I gave myself permission not to do structured workouts. Trying to accumulate vertical and going longer meant I skipped time at the track, tempo runs, and really anything planned. Having a policy of "see hill, run up hill" and squeezing extra miles out of my busy schedule made for a …
Rebooting
Four weeks ago at just this moment, I was nervously pacing back at forth near the starting line of the Black Hills 50k. That turned out to be a longer than expected morning! Now a month after stumbling and bumbling my way to a 5:33 finish, I'm looking at ways to reboot and get back …
Altra Lone Peak 3.0 Review
I was a bit hesitant to write a review of the Altra Lone Peak 3.0 given that the 3.5 has been recently released. However, I've read that updates to the venerable Lone Peak appear to be pretty minor (thankfully!), and there are a lot of LP 3s still out there at reduced price. I figured …
Black Hills Run & Ride 