Outdoor Colorado

A rainy day in St. George

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:49:53 -0700

Rain was falling as I stepped off the bus into predawn darkness stabbed by generator-driven floodlights. I hadn't brought a rain jacket, so I quickly groped through the crowd to the volunteer handing out black garbage bags. After tearing out holes for my arms and head and wriggling into the makeshift poncho, I surveyed the scene.

Colorado runner reaches home state on cross-country run

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:38:13 -0700

Marshall Ulrich is in Colorado. And I don't mean he's lounging at his home near Idaho Springs. He's running through Colorado on his way to the East Coast - after starting on the West Coast.

Alliances build for trail-building

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:49:01 -0700

I learned a few things during National Public Lands Day on Saturday. Among them: I've been missing some beautiful trail hikes on Monarch Pass as I speed by in my vehicle year in and year out on the way to someplace else.

A day for giving back

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:12:54 -0700

This weekend marks the 15th annual observance of National Public Lands Day, and volunteers are wanted on about 40 projects in Colorado to work on trails, fences, tree planting, archaeological restoration, weed removal, brush clearing - you get the idea.

Tying up some loose ends

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:28:18 -0700

I'm happy to report that the loop-lacing lock method of shoelace tying that I mentioned a couple of blogs back worked perfectly in the Imogene Pass Run - which has the most brutal toe-mashing descent of any race I've done outside of the Pikes Peak Marathon. If the loop-lacing lock works there it will work anywhere.

Running Imogene Pass

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:38:06 -0700

I had been running hard for close to an hour in the Imogene Pass Run on Saturday before a splash of sunshine on the cliffs high above caught my eye and prompted me to lift my gaze and drink in the surrounding beauty.

Learning how to tie my shoes and other little things

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:14:30 -0700

I was reminded the other day of how little things can make a big difference to a runner.
I had developed a very sore big toe, complete with a purple toenail, and figured I must need a shoe bigger than the size 10.5 I had purchased about three months ago. But when I tried on a size 11 in the Boulder Running Co. store in Littleton, it had more than an inch of extra room. Too big.

Snow adds to challenge of Leadville 100, Pikes Peak

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:12:28 -0700

With daytime highs back in the mid-80s, it's easy to forget that snow was blanketing the high country just a few days ago. But you can bet runners in the Leadville Trail 100 won't soon forget.

Leadville's tough little race

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:58:50 -0700

In Leadville on Sunday, mountain bike riders done with their 100-mile race mingled with runners preparing for theirs. A few of each toed the starting line for a little in-between race called the Leadville Trail 100 10K.

Working, fishing and 'booming' on the Continental Divide

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:51:18 -0700

Mount Elbert is rated as one of the easiest of Colorado's Fourteeners to climb, even if it is the highest of them all. But take it from me: Building a new trail section for ascending the peak is hard work.

Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon turning 30

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:34:15 -0700

The Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon turns 30 with its running on Aug. 9. I can't make the party, so I'll say happy birthday now.

Littleton runner triumphant in return to Badwater

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:40:27 -0700

I'm sure there are myriad angles to Littleton schoolteacher Jamie Donaldson's victory a week ago at the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley. Redemption is one good angle, and it's the one presented in the race updates posted by race sponsor AdventureCORPS.

A slow return to running

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:09:06 -0700

About a month ago, I began running again. The first run was a mere quarter mile on my street, and I had to walk the last half of it. That should give you an idea of the shape I was in after a six-month layoff that included two surgeries.

Floating the San Juan River

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:08:01 -0700

Eight days of rafting on the San Juan River provided a great escape from work and civilization. The river was almost an escape even from rafting, with a flow strong enough to move our group's various craft downstream with little effort from us but gentle enough to smooth out the few rapids we encountered.

Rob Bean and his Big Moo Canoe

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:13:21 -0700

If you've been trying to think of a good excuse to chuck the domestic duties and go paddling, check out Rob Bean and his Big Moo Canoe Challenge. The Fort Collins resident came up with a perfect paddling excuse: to raise money for charity.