The sky was painted was painted in pastels and the rock walls were glowing in the sunlight creeping over the horizon. Wow, I thought, this is absolutely incredible. The second morning of our Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim adventure was already a complete 180 from our first day filled with rain and thunderstorms.…
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Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim – Part 1
Read moreA flash of light above us, and I instinctively started counting under my breath, “One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four-” BOOM! Thunder reverberated off the canyon walls. I dug in with my poles and tried to hike faster up the trail that had become a river of water. Who would have thought the first…
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Running Around Mt. Hood on the Timberline Trail
Read moreRunning around a volcano was not something I ever expected to do – the explode-y kind or not. But here in the Pacific Northwest we have some majestic volcanoes that happen to have trails circumambulating them. The trails all feature breathtaking views, a variety of wildlife, and all the wildflowers you could possibly want. None…
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Highland Fling Race Report 2019 (53 miles)
Read moreStanding at an aid station, completely drenched and cold, and with many miles still ahead of us on the trail, I apologized to Adam. “I’m really sorry. This… kinda sucks right now.” He laughed, “For what? The rain isn’t your fault.” Three years ago we ran the Highland Fling for the first time, and I…
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5 Strategies to Keep Wanderlust (and Instagram) from Ruining Your Life
Read moreDo you ever have that moment when you compare your own seemingly mundane existence to the perfect photos on Instagram, and ask yourself what the hell you’re doing with your life? Me too. It’s hard to remember those photos are often staged and edited, and not a true representation of what actually happened. How can we…
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Aspire Adventure Running: North Cascades Trail Running Festival and Symposium
Read moreDelicious blueberries. Enjoyable company. Foggy trails. Fascinating speakers. That was my fantastic weekend in the North Cascades with Aspire Adventure Running! I attended their North Cascades Trail Running Festival and Symposium, which is a celebration of fall with like-minded trail enthusiasts. The event description states “we hope that these few days spent together will deepen…
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Desert Runcation Part 2: PCT & the Kelso Dunes
Read moreLet the sun-seeking continue! The first part of our desert runcation was at Joshua Tree National Park (read about it here.) The second part was all about visiting areas relatively nearby in order to see new landscapes and explore new trails. The Pacific Crest Trail displayed a beautiful valley as well as stunning ridgeline views…
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Desert Runcation Part 1: Joshua Tree National Park
Read moreWe have a tradition (does two times make a tradition?) of taking a desert runcation in late winter/spring to combat the dark and rainy Seattle days. Last year we spent time in Zion National Park (part 1 and part 2.) This year we went to Southern California with the goal of exploring Joshua Tree National…
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Grand Teton and Yellowstone Half Marathon (Grizzly Double) Race Reports
Read moreWhat’s the Grizzly Double? Great question! It’s a pair of half marathons held by Vacation Races within a week of each other – Grand Teton Half Marathon and Yellowstone Half Marathon. I heard about these races from some of my friends in the High Heel Running Group (a fantastic trail running group for women in…
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Zion National Park Runcation – Part 2
Read moreLast week we were lucky enough to be in Zion National Park for two days! (Read about our first day of adventures here.) Our first day included a 20 mile run that was great, but took up a large portion of the day. Elevation, heat, and lots of photo-taking were all contributors to our slowness. I…
