Mary Baldwin's Posts - Pikes Peak Sports2024-03-29T01:21:58ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwinhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2797457523?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://pikespeaksports.us/profiles/blog/feed?user=20ablklgtnl9v&xn_auth=noMt. Yaletag:pikespeaksports.us,2015-09-28:5021591:BlogPost:6769882015-09-28T21:59:43.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>When it's still 80 degrees and sunny in late September, it's as if the world is presenting you with an invitation to explore. By "explore," I really mean run up mountains. After the sense of accomplishment mixed with humbling quad pain and 10 days of slow running that I experienced after my last adventure above 14,000', I was eager to do it again. When a friend decided to go run Mt. Yale yesterday, I obviously jumped at the idea, like any normal person would when presented with the notion…</p>
<p>When it's still 80 degrees and sunny in late September, it's as if the world is presenting you with an invitation to explore. By "explore," I really mean run up mountains. After the sense of accomplishment mixed with humbling quad pain and 10 days of slow running that I experienced after my last adventure above 14,000', I was eager to do it again. When a friend decided to go run Mt. Yale yesterday, I obviously jumped at the idea, like any normal person would when presented with the notion of running up a mountain.</p>
<p>At 5:45 yesterday morning we were on our way - the best adventures seem to begin before the sun is up, with hot coffee and Powerbars and a drive up Highway 24. The trail leading to Browns Pass and Mt. Yale begins in the San Isabel National Forest just past Buena Vista at almost 10,000'. The drive there was beautiful - sun reflecting off the Collegiate Peaks, bright gold aspens, and a sky that turned pink and purple before settling on a cloudless, bright blue.</p>
<p>We started at 8:15, in shorts, with gloves, a beanie, and a few layers on top - it was crisp, but not cold. Over 4.5 miles you gain about 4,200', so it's a good 1,000' per mile climb. The first section of the run takes you through rocky, rooty, aspen forests - everything in sight glows gold and the trail is dappled with sunlight, which makes it pretty, but also sort of hard to see. The climb is pretty constant with a few steep descents and creek crossing. Really, I didn't realize just how much vertical distance we covered until I was stumbling downhill at what can only be described as a slow and klutzy trot.</p>
<p>Once you get above treeline the view is picturesque - patches of snow, peaks beyond peaks in the distance, and the glowing aspens in every direction. When I ran Mt. Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, and Bross, I realized midway through the run that wasn't looking anywhere except for at the trail ahead of me. This time I tried to atleast get a glimpse now and then. The ascent is runnable, except for a few stairs which with better planning I could have run, until you're within sight of the summit whereupon you are essentially staring at a rickety pile of large rocks. I lost the trail here for a few minutes and just stood there staring up the side of a cliff before I decided to backtrack and find something that looked like I could scramble up. Scramble, not run, not walk, I'm not sure how else I could have gone about it, so I really climbed up the last few hundred feet like a gorilla for a total time of 1:43. Having run the trail once and knowing where I could push harder, I think it'd be fun to go back next summer and try to run closer to 1:30. </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806517144?profile=original" target="_self"><br/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806517144?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806517144?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>We turned around and started the ever-so-daunting descent at a speedy 48 minute/mile pace as we scrambled down the highest switchback. We did speed up to a cautious trot and eventually a run, but did have to walk the occasionally very steep section. It took about an hour and half to get back down, better slow than sorry and broken, if you ask me :-) </p>
<p>It was another wonderful day in the mountains! Perfect weather, great friends, awesome scenery, steep ascents, and a successful summit of my 7th 14er...I can't think of a better way to spend the first weekend of fall! <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806521129?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806521129?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>The Kite Lake Tripletag:pikespeaksports.us,2015-09-19:5021591:BlogPost:6742402015-09-19T02:00:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>Last Thursday I was first introduced to the notion of the Kite Lake Triple, which calls itself "a race amongst friends" and takes runners up four 14ers in the span of 8 miles. On Saturday morning at 4:55am I was on my way to the race start in Alma with friends. Today, the following Friday, I can walk downhill and only wince a little as quads remember what last weekend put them through.</p>
<p>The moment you get out of the car on the rocky road that leads to the trail head you can feel the…</p>
<p>Last Thursday I was first introduced to the notion of the Kite Lake Triple, which calls itself "a race amongst friends" and takes runners up four 14ers in the span of 8 miles. On Saturday morning at 4:55am I was on my way to the race start in Alma with friends. Today, the following Friday, I can walk downhill and only wince a little as quads remember what last weekend put them through.</p>
<p>The moment you get out of the car on the rocky road that leads to the trail head you can feel the altitude. You're already at 12,000ft and you're only going higher the farther you run - it's not an entirely comforting thought as you shiver so hard your knees knock together. We wait until a few minutes after 8:00 for a group of runners to assemble and sign in (maybe 35 people total). We hear a quick description of the course, and off we go up Mt. Democrat. No bibs, no chips, no shirts, medals, advertising, or registration forms. Just a gathering of runners who want an adventure and bring with them a sense of camaraderie and yes, competition.</p>
<p>If you've never seen this terrain, it's almost hard to describe. Loose rocks so big they make Pikes Peak's 16 Golden Stairs seem inviting are followed by steep climbs that make uphill lovers unnaturally giddy. Personally, I like the focus of an uphill, the anticipation of that first step on the flat which feels almost like floating in its effortlessness. It's total concentration punctuated by a flicker of joy with each person you pass (hiker or racer, it hardly mattered), and the realization that your teeth are chattering and cold because you're smiling as run way above treeline. It just feels so free and joyful! </p>
<p>I got to the summit of Mt. Democrat in just under 49:00, which is apparently a new course record, and turned around to head for the next peak, Mt. Cameron. The smile dissolved quickly as I picked my way through rock fields and my quads started to question my sanity.</p>
<p>After almost an hour of that torture, I found myself at the split to either go back to the start or head up Mt. Cameron. My friends decided to turn around and call it good after one descent. I was making an effort here to protect their identity, but instead, Simon would like it to be known that he is wise and experienced and was perfectly happy to call it "one and done!" I made the, perhaps less wise, decision to carry on. Mt. Cameron, Mt. Lincoln, and Mr. Bross came quickly, one after the other, and were largely runnable the whole way. Here's the disheartening thing about being a stronger uphill runner - I would catch most of the guys on the uphill, just to be dropped as soon as the descents began. Nonetheless, I was the first female to the top of all four peaks which was quite a happy surprise - I'm still smiling about it :-) </p>
<p>When the course turned down the side of Mt. Bross, I was toast and I knew it. I actually came to stop, swore, and stood there trying to envision a path that would let me escape with all four limbs still attached. During this few minutes, the eventual winner of the women's race bombed past me without a trace of fear - it was pretty impressive! Picture for a moment, a slide covered in sharp rocks, gravel, and sand, and you are pretty much looking at Mt. Bross. This slide drops 1,250ft in just over a mile. So, down I went: falling, skidding, sliding,flailing, and, occasionally, swearing. By the time I hit the final half mile or so on a bit more gentle trail my legs were shot, but the smile was back by the time I returned to the start/finish line in 2:37.</p>
<p>Gratitude is what my mind kept going back to while I ran and as we drove back to Springs - gratitude for the friends who challenge me to train smarter, gratitude for the friends who have been so patient with me through injuries (...and stubbornness), and gratitude for the sport that takes us to such awesome, challenging, and breath-taking places. Even when my calves, glutes, quads, "gorilla arms," abs, and back were all exhausted and sore, there was an underlying bliss, awe, and general appreciation for the experience.</p>
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<p></p>Mt. Evans Ascenttag:pikespeaksports.us,2015-06-15:5021591:BlogPost:6581012015-06-15T21:47:06.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>In the many moons since I last dramatized my running adventures, I've been doing the hard work that makes for entertaining blogs. So, here's a rundown of the most recent adventure. </p>
<p>December through May really weren't anything to write home - or a blog- about; mostly just a lot of low mileage weeks and cross training and crossing my finger that I'd still be healthy once the weather warmed up. With some help from the great-mountain-running-guru/PT, Simon, I made it to the Mt. Evans…</p>
<p>In the many moons since I last dramatized my running adventures, I've been doing the hard work that makes for entertaining blogs. So, here's a rundown of the most recent adventure. </p>
<p>December through May really weren't anything to write home - or a blog- about; mostly just a lot of low mileage weeks and cross training and crossing my finger that I'd still be healthy once the weather warmed up. With some help from the great-mountain-running-guru/PT, Simon, I made it to the Mt. Evans Ascent on Saturday in one piece and ready to run.</p>
<p>I had some loose ideas of goal times and what pace I'd need to maintain to finish in 2:45, 3:00, etc and I stood at the starting line, at 10,600', with only a few butterflies in my stomach and a decent night's sleep behind me. Being super-anxiety-runner-girl, this is unusual for me. So, off I went, a little off put by my lack of over-the-top-jitters.</p>
<p>The miles started to tick by and I managed to choke down a Skratch fruit drop every mile, knowing that if I don't start taking in calories early I won't bother at all and things will go south really fast. I passed three aid stations and took whatever they handed me - Gatorade - and kept moving because I was on a roll. I checked my watch occasionally, not obsessively, and at mile 9 was still on pace for just under 2:45, which was pretty much beyond my wildest dreams.</p>
<p>I tried not to get distracted by the fact that things were going well, that I was passing dudes, that runners commented on the fact that I was smiling well above timber line, I tried to stop thinking and just run, because there wasn't enough oxygen to do both. I just ran Mile 10 and it was amazing! Like, 9:38-pace-for-a-girl-who-has-only-run-above-treeline-twice-before-amazing! </p>
<p>It felt like flying until I turned the corner one switchback below the final aid station and was caught by surprise as the Gatorade that I had mindlessly grabbed at that each aid station made a rather surprising reappearance. Not once, not twice, but three times. That's right, I barfed bright green, Gatorade (along with those precious Skratch drops) off the side of Mt. Evans with 3 miles to go. That glorious 9:38, turned into a suddenly cold, shaky, and dizzy 14:50, followed by a mid-17 and a 16-something. Abysmal by comparison, but I'm proud of, and rather amused, by it all. I crossed the finish line in 3:05:42, good enough for 2nd place in my age group, 32nd woman (I was somewhere between 15 and 20 prior to blowing chunks/Gatorade off the side of a 14er) and a pretty good story about high-altitude-upchucking to boot. </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806510114?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="480" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806510114?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="480" class="align-center" style="padding: 5px;"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Had a great weekend with friends at Mt. Evans. It was super to run healthy and #runhappy for Boulder Running Company an Skratch Labs.</p>
<p></p>A Fable from Runner-landtag:pikespeaksports.us,2015-01-20:5021591:BlogPost:6290012015-01-20T04:16:44.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>Dear reader, this post is a fable about cross-training. Like all good fables, it involves animals and morals, so let's get started.</p>
<p>When a gazelle walks up to the edge of a pool it stops and stares at the water. The thought process is something like this: <em>Wow, that's deep, and dark, and...ahhhhh I just touched it and it's super cold!</em> The pool is already full of splashy fish who don't even notice that 82 degrees is sort of bone-chilling. The gazelle is so obviously out of…</p>
<p>Dear reader, this post is a fable about cross-training. Like all good fables, it involves animals and morals, so let's get started.</p>
<p>When a gazelle walks up to the edge of a pool it stops and stares at the water. The thought process is something like this: <em>Wow, that's deep, and dark, and...ahhhhh I just touched it and it's super cold!</em> The pool is already full of splashy fish who don't even notice that 82 degrees is sort of bone-chilling. The gazelle is so obviously out of place - it still has tan lines from a summer of running in the sun and it's sort of uncomfortable in a swimsuit. The fish, on the other hand, seem perfectly at home in their swimsuits. Occasionally a fish will stop by the wall an peer awkwardly out of the pool at the gazelle who is still contemplating getting into the deep, dark, cold pool. </p>
<p>Finally, the mammal inches its way into the pool. <em>Oh, yep, just as frigid as I was expecting,</em> it thinks. Now it starts running, more so keep warm than to actually move from Point A to Point B. It feels awkward - its feet never hit the ground, it's not sure what to do with its arms (oh, wait gazelles don't have arms), and children-fish are staring at it like it came from a different planet.</p>
<p>It should be noted that gazelles like to be part of a herd, so if there is only a single gazelle in the pool it feels uber self-conscious and awkward, after all it sort looks like it's gracefully drowning. If there are other gazelles around to chat with though the hands on the clock move quickly (shout out to Nancy Hobbs, pool runner extraordinaire, and Shannon Payne, fellow downing gazelle, for helping me pass lots of hours in the pool). If a gazelle is alone in the water the clock basically stops, funny how that works.</p>
<p>To complicate matters, occasionally a little child fish will hop out of the pool and proceed to jump back in as close to the gazelle and with as much water displacement as humanly imaginable. The gazelle then spends a great deal of time wondering if a physics equation even exists to describe that huge splash. Yet, the gazelle keeps going - intervals, stride drills, more intervals, etc. The gazelle keeps running its heart out underwater and pretending its on a trail instead, because gazelles understand the value of perseverance (this is the moral in case you needed a hint). Gazelles do have their flaws though - they are seriously impatient creatures, always looking for the next opportunity to actually run because despite the hours of pooltime each week, the gazelles still haven't grown fins in place of their awkwardly long legs, I guess evolution really doesn't happen overnight. The gazelles are told there's time to run - years in fact, and that the mountains will still be there waiting for them when their injuries have healed. The gazelles are young though, and aren't so sure if this is true, only time will tell. Until our friends the gazelles grow up to be older and wiser gazelles, they at least have a like-minded heard to complain to (in the form of Haikus...yes gazelles are poetic animals) about the cold reality of cross-training.</p>Here's to starting 2015 as a good leg ownertag:pikespeaksports.us,2015-01-01:5021591:BlogPost:6251852015-01-01T02:10:28.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>Just a few more hours of 2014 and I couldn't be a happier runner. After the femur-calamity, closely followed by the tibia-tragedy I a more than ready to turn the page and start a new year. I'm starting 2015 with some nicely regrown bones, courtesy of Simon Guiterrez at Select PT, more commonly know as Simon the Great. I plan on being a good leg owner this year - you know, giving them days off, having nice conversations with them, taking them for a pool run at least once a week, etc. Not…</p>
<p>Just a few more hours of 2014 and I couldn't be a happier runner. After the femur-calamity, closely followed by the tibia-tragedy I a more than ready to turn the page and start a new year. I'm starting 2015 with some nicely regrown bones, courtesy of Simon Guiterrez at Select PT, more commonly know as Simon the Great. I plan on being a good leg owner this year - you know, giving them days off, having nice conversations with them, taking them for a pool run at least once a week, etc. Not everyone has the grace and horrible downhill running skills to stress fracture both legs in the same season. Since I am among the lucky few who have proven myself more than capable of such a feat, I plan to run 2015 smart - and hope that running fast, and running hard will come eventually if I first commit myself to training smart. </p>
<p>Now, like the average 23 year old runner, I'm always up for a challenge, or a bet, or a long run, so being a good leg owner is going to be a challenge. But,I also realize that even though I'm starting off the new year with sort of new legs, I still have 204 other bones that I am not willing to sacrifice to the trail gods. Just in case you loyal readers have forgotten, the trail gods have received plenty of sacrifices from me this year - like two perfectly nice bones and a lot of skin.</p>
<p><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/p417x417/10369744_10152367902150589_8869184682417251711_n.jpg?oh=184b1f1f0ff10b6246d24f74b13ad77f&oe=55260F8B&__gda__=1429542514_9c86426c70e89eca91ec40b90588589e" target="_blank"><img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/p417x417/10369744_10152367902150589_8869184682417251711_n.jpg?oh=184b1f1f0ff10b6246d24f74b13ad77f&oe=55260F8B&__gda__=1429542514_9c86426c70e89eca91ec40b90588589e" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Major injuries and minor bloodshed aside, 2014 was a pretty exciting year - I moved up in the world...just over 6,000 feet in fact from Illinois, ran my first Triple Crown, fell in love with running uphill, and fell in with an amazing, talented, and fun group of runners. 2015 has the potential to be even better if I am a smart runner who prioritizes staying healthy.</p>
<p>Here's to a happy, healthy 2015 full of long runs made longer by getting lost in the woods, the promise of good beer after a good run, and new adventures with running friends - of the two-legged and four-legged variety. It's been fun running with you in 2014, see you bright, cold,and early at the tomorrow's Rescue Run!</p>Cross training: crushing immediate hopes and dreams to build a better runner.tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-11-29:5021591:BlogPost:6221872014-11-29T23:30:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>For all of you who have not been sentenced to endless weeks of pool running, let me tell you a secret: an 83 degree pool is not warm. An 82 degree pool is toe-numbing, And an 81 degree pool pretty much falls into the category of "cruel and unusual." The moment I finally convinced myself to get into the pool today - after staring at the water for an inordinate amount of time as my cold-induced anxiety continued to build - I was once again reminded of why most mammals without large stores of…</p>
<p>For all of you who have not been sentenced to endless weeks of pool running, let me tell you a secret: an 83 degree pool is not warm. An 82 degree pool is toe-numbing, And an 81 degree pool pretty much falls into the category of "cruel and unusual." The moment I finally convinced myself to get into the pool today - after staring at the water for an inordinate amount of time as my cold-induced anxiety continued to build - I was once again reminded of why most mammals without large stores of blubber live on land. Here's my rationale for being a land dweller - the minute I submerge myself in water below about that glorious 90 degree mark my skin turns into a sheet of goosebumps and I start to shiver in such a way that the hardy, adaptable swimmers in other lanes probably laugh at me. Intervals help the issue to an extent, but don't quite warm me up, no matter how hard I "run" them. Case and point: I got out of the pool over two hours ago now and I'm still a human icicle. I'm wearing a hat and a fleece jacket and am curled up under a blanket, I'd wear mittens if I could type in them. Maybe worse than not running in the unseasonably beautiful weather we've been having is dealing with the much dreaded cold. I should really be grateful and appreciate what I can do and the fitness I can maintain, but alas I'm a runner not a fish.</p>
<p>In other news from "Injuryland," I did go for a pretty awesome bike ride yesterday. I biked from my house to Garden of the Gods, back through downtown and then up to North Cheyenne Canyon for total of just over 50 km. It was chilly starting out, but riding up the canyon warms a person up (just to refreeze them once they turn around to head downhill).</p>
<p>Now, a note on how entertaining it is to bike with a Garmin. I should say that my Garmin is not particularly bright to begin with, but biking really confuses the poor dear - it makes these occasional "ding" noises and then says something like "New Mile Record 1:58," yes, Garmin feel free to believe that I just ran a mile in 1:58. </p>
<p>I have a love-hate relationship with biking - I love biking up hills because it at least feels like it will translate into running; I am not so fond of the temperamental nature of road bikes though. You hit an invisible piece of gravel, for example, and it's time to patch a tire. Ice or water, even little patches, present their own challenges on tires no wider than my thumb. Lastly, you're obviously confined to roads, which generally have traffic which is a bit scary. I have, however, come to sort of (very begrudgingly) like biking (at least, unlike pool running, hypothermia is not an immediate threat), so I think it's time to sell the road bike and buy a mountain bike in the spring so I can ride more places and essentially go on better biking adventures than roads alone allow.</p>
<p> I am - slowing and reluctantly, of course - coming to see the value of cross training, so biking is probably here to stay. That said, cross training is only the crusher of hopes, dreams, and souls if you let it be - it just takes some creativity and determination to get through the monotony of not running (trust me, the boredom of the pool will not actually be the end of you). It's devastating in that you have to re-prioritize and change your immediate goals. I'm a goal oriented person, I don't give up easily and taking time away from running, even for an injury, feels in so many ways like giving up. This really isn't the case - so much of the sport is mental, learning to deal with normal human setbacks like injuries is only making a better athlete in the long term. After all, every hour spent in the pool or on a bike is building a smarter, stronger runner who is more dedicated to the sport. </p>Tales from Injurylandtag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-11-17:5021591:BlogPost:6193762014-11-17T02:37:21.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>That month of training sure was nice! But for now it’s back to that place that every runner dreads: Injuryland. It was a femur over the summer and now it’s a tibia. While I’m convinced that tibias are tiny and insignificant in comparison to femurs so this should take no time to heal, I’ve been told otherwise. All I can say is: at least winter is on its way and there’s no Ascent to prepare for at the moment. I should add that you may think a femur would hurt more than a tibia – yeah,…</p>
<p>That month of training sure was nice! But for now it’s back to that place that every runner dreads: Injuryland. It was a femur over the summer and now it’s a tibia. While I’m convinced that tibias are tiny and insignificant in comparison to femurs so this should take no time to heal, I’ve been told otherwise. All I can say is: at least winter is on its way and there’s no Ascent to prepare for at the moment. I should add that you may think a femur would hurt more than a tibia – yeah, you’d be wrong. It’s gotten much better in the past day or two, it pretty much only hurts at the end of the day, but in the middle of last week I was about ready to cut my lower leg off with the scissors sitting on my desk. </p>
<p>That said, I watched as my Fall Series team, the fearfully named “Lady Marmots,” secured our second place series standings this morning in Palmer Park. Watching (aka not running) was honestly not as bad as I thought it would be. Yes, I would have liked to run with them, but cheering and writing an article for PikesPeakSports wasn’t a bad alternative. It’s a sign of maturity, I’d say, to realize that one missed raced is better than hurting myself further and missing a lifetime of races. Also, receiving text messages with devil emoticons from your PT generally serves as a reminder that running would be exceedingly stupid.</p>
<p>The less eventful part of my day was the Sunday Long Run in the pool. In the time it would take to run a half marathon, I instead managed to “run” back and forth across the deep end of the rather cold YMCA pool a near infinite number of times. Intervals do break up the monotony of it all, so do fellow runners stuck in “Injuryland” that uneventful place where pool running is as good as it gets. So, thank you Shannon Payne for “running” with me, we all know I would have been miles behind on land despite my 45 minute head start :-)</p>
<p>So, back to the fact that my legs apparently hate me. Well, to clarify, the second injury was probably a result of over-compensating for the first once I started training again, so it’s still all the fault of that damn femur! Here’s a little story about how shocking this really is: I spent nearly a decade in Wisconsin growing up. It is a cold and icy landscape much of the year punctuated by deer stands (translation: wooden structures from which people shoot deer, I don’t understand the appeal either), Packers flags, ice fishing huts (I fail to see anything redeeming about ice fishing – you are literally sitting on a frozen lake for hours, usually in sub-zero temperatures just waiting for fish that will taste like lake water) and dairy farms. The people are hearty, they consume copious amounts of dairy products (and beer) so they when they inevitably fall on all that ice, they bounce right back up and if they’ve had enough beer they won’t remember it anyway. Add to my calcium intake the fact that I wear Hokas. Hokas are essentially God’s gift to runner kind (especially the Cliftons). With that glorious foam, I thought it was pretty much impossible to get hurt. Turns out I was wrong…come on Hoka, how could you do this to me? </p>A Random Thursday on the Trailstag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-10-24:5021591:BlogPost:6096272014-10-24T17:00:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>Not that anyone really cares about a totally mediocre runner's Thursday night training run, but I'm going to tell you about it anyway. Last night, my little dog and I ventured to Bear Creek Park - yes, that same Bear Creek Park that I generally despise. Well, yesterday's run was the fastest I've ever run out at Bear Creek, so I came away with a new found appreciation for the rocky, hilly monster. My loop was almost a mile longer than the Fall Series II race, but, alas, I still manged to…</p>
<p>Not that anyone really cares about a totally mediocre runner's Thursday night training run, but I'm going to tell you about it anyway. Last night, my little dog and I ventured to Bear Creek Park - yes, that same Bear Creek Park that I generally despise. Well, yesterday's run was the fastest I've ever run out at Bear Creek, so I came away with a new found appreciation for the rocky, hilly monster. My loop was almost a mile longer than the Fall Series II race, but, alas, I still manged to finish it faster than what I ran on Sunday. Now, that is a way to feel like myself again. Not only was it fast (for me, at least), it felt sort of effortless. I just went and ran. If this is glimpse of what's to come in 2015, then I guess 12 weeks off and what I fondly refer to as the "femur-calamity" may have worth it.</p>Fall Series II and The Ghost of Summer Rounduptag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-10-19:5021591:BlogPost:6054932014-10-19T22:33:19.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>This morning the mighty Lady Marmots ran the second race in the infamously soggy and bizarre Fall Series. This 5-mile race was held at Bear Creek Park and took us over the hills and through the woods (and creek) a few times before finishing with a slippery rope climb and mad dash to the finish line (and dry socks). </p>
<p>It was a fun race and a beautiful morning. But, the moment I pulled into the parking lot at Bear Creek Park I began to think back to the last race I ran there - the…</p>
<p>This morning the mighty Lady Marmots ran the second race in the infamously soggy and bizarre Fall Series. This 5-mile race was held at Bear Creek Park and took us over the hills and through the woods (and creek) a few times before finishing with a slippery rope climb and mad dash to the finish line (and dry socks). </p>
<p>It was a fun race and a beautiful morning. But, the moment I pulled into the parking lot at Bear Creek Park I began to think back to the last race I ran there - the Summer Roundup. It was miserable, it was the race that finally convinced me that something might, just might, be wrong with the leg that I essentially dragged through that race. Well as it turns out, Summer Roundup was the last time I ran on hills until last week, Three months off and a stress fracture have a way of diminishing your fitness and really messing with your head. And I let it, for the first mile or so before realizing that everyone has injuries and totally crappy races but that's no reason to dread the very trail on which they took place. And yes, the fact that hills make my legs whine and beg for mercy was disconcerting; but it's getting easier and faster every week.</p>
<p>Once I put Summer Roundup in the mental closet of "races-I'd-rather-forget," alphabetized somewhere after the cringe-worthy Classic 10K, and really focused on the task at hand the race started to feel fun. The single-track and more technical stuff is always where I gain ground, so I concentrated, looked where I was putting my feet, and felt almost like the runner I was last summer. No, it's better to look forward: I didn't feel like the runner I was last summer, because last summer I was a road runner in the Midwest who had never even seen a "real hill." Instead, I think I got glimpse of the runner I can be in 2015 if I continue to run smart, work hard, recover well, listen to my body, and let the past be just that, the past.</p>Canya Canon 6K _ November 9, 2014tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-09-25:5021591:BlogPost:5976272014-09-25T20:20:22.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511594?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511594?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511987?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511987?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> Questions?…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511594?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511594?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511987?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511987?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a>Questions? friendsofcheyennecanon@gmail.com</p>
<p></p>To My Teammates, some of the most dedicated Marmots on the Mountaintag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-08-19:5021591:BlogPost:5878822014-08-19T02:30:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>Thanks to my fellow wearers of Purple and Gold for blazing the trails with me this summer. We may not be the very fastest Marmots on the Mountain, but we may well be having the most fun. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks to Brianne “Tough as Nails” Pierson for the saying: “If the bone ain’t showin’ just keep goin’” This girl is determination incarnate, who else even thinks of doing the Incline after racing a 10-Miler? Or running the Crags after the Ascent?</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks to Beagle for a one of…</p>
<p>Thanks to my fellow wearers of Purple and Gold for blazing the trails with me this summer. We may not be the very fastest Marmots on the Mountain, but we may well be having the most fun. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks to Brianne “Tough as Nails” Pierson for the saying: “If the bone ain’t showin’ just keep goin’” This girl is determination incarnate, who else even thinks of doing the Incline after racing a 10-Miler? Or running the Crags after the Ascent?</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks to Beagle for a one of the best senses of humor I’ve ever encountered! I promise, I’ll never call you Gramps, even if it’s tempting.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks to Sean for demonstrating that there is almost no distance too great to cover with your own two feet. When he shows up to a 10-Mile race by bike, he means business, or at least means to beat JT. Oh wait, he always means to beat JT.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks to Shelley for sharing her sense of calm with all of us, no matter how great the challenge this girl stands at the starting looking cool, calm, and collected.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks to Jill for showing me that sometimes we only get faster with age, it’s a lesson I need to heed. I sincerely hope I can run like you one day! You killed it out there this weekend!</p>
<p></p>
<p>Bubba, you’re the fellow Marmot I’ve run with the most – thanks for everything: the hugs, the fact that you painted your nail purple and gold, the endless encouragement even when the brutal truth would have been to say “Mary, you ran like sh*t!,” thanks for sharing your wisdom and humor and beer, and finally, thanks for naming me an honorary Chavez.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Finally, this blog would be incomplete without a huge thank you to Tim Bergsten, the Head Marmot at PikesPeakSports.us, for making this team a reality. Thank you to our sponsors at Mountain Equipment Recyclers, Orange Theory Fitness, and the Pikes Peak Marathon for your help in supporting the team this summer! </p>
<p></p>
<p>It’s been a pleasure and an honor to run with each of you!</p>
<p>Sending lots of purple and gold love and appreciation to each of you,</p>
<p>Mary</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2750065573?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2750065573?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>The Ascent: A little frustration and a lot of gratitudetag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-08-17:5021591:BlogPost:5865072014-08-17T23:30:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806520419?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806520419?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Tired, grateful, and feeling accomplished at the end of Ascent Day 2014!</em></p>
<p>Restraint was the name of the game for me as I ran my first Pikes Peak Ascent yesterday. In an effort not to add injury to injury I had to seriously adjust the goals I had for the Ascent when the season began. Anything under 5 hours meant…</p>
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<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Tired, grateful, and feeling accomplished at the end of Ascent Day 2014!</em></p>
<p>Restraint was the name of the game for me as I ran my first Pikes Peak Ascent yesterday. In an effort not to add injury to injury I had to seriously adjust the goals I had for the Ascent when the season began. Anything under 5 hours meant there would be a lot of running, aka impact on an injury that’s still healing. Knowing that once I hit the trail it needed to be a steady march to the Summit, I started the race at a run, deciding that going uphill on perfectly even pavement was about as safe as it was going to get. Once I hit the W’s it was time to power hike for one mile, then another, and another, but I was in good company among the run-where-you-can-walk-where-you-can’t pack.</p>
<p>What was most frustrating? Not the time that greeted me at the finish, even for this girl who is diehard about meeting her goals even if it feels like death on a mountain. The most frustrating part of the Ascent was that I really felt the fact that I haven’t put in any training runs for almost two months. My left leg reached the Summit and felt like it could go for a few mores miles. My right leg reached the W’s and felt like it has been replaced with lead; it felt like dragging one dang heavy appendage to the top of a mountain. Thankfully, it didn’t hurt; it was just sort of weak and unwilling to contribute to the effort no matter how often I looked at it and said “come on, right leg, you got this buddy!” Generally, my quads are very responsive when included in conversations, yesterday, as was sort of expected, it pretty much gave me the finger, shook like crazy, and said “figure it out, hon!”</p>
<p>What was the most exhilarating part of the whole Ascent experience? I met so many amazing, talented, funny, supportive people over the course of the Triple Crown Series. It was truly awesome to share the mountain with this incredible group of runners! To get back to Memorial Park yesterday - after an entertaining car ride with Brianne, Bubba, Karin, and Nadine - and just hang out with sweaty friends who has run great races, hard races, surprising races, and disappointing races really made the day. Time spent with this group of running friends - many members of the infamous BRT or the Purple and Gold Nation - has a way of putting things into perspective. With your wisdom, I ended the day thinking: I just completed my first training run for the 2015 Ascent. Without you I would have likely been left thinking something like: "Mary, you suck, please never call yourself a runner again."</p>
<p>Twenty four hours later, I feel nothing but gratitude for all the runners who have crossed my path or shared the trail this summer. Thank you for reminding me that there is next year, and the next year, and the twenty years after that to focus on faster Ascents. Thanks for the beer, the laughter, the hugs, the encouragement, the shared agony and triumph on training runs, and that sense of community that is unique among runners! </p>There's No Stopping Saturday From Comingtag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-08-13:5021591:BlogPost:5843632014-08-13T05:01:55.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>The Magnificent 7, to use teammate Bill Beagle's name, take to The Mountain, America's Mountain, Zebulon's Peak, whatever you want to call it, in three short days. Since there's no stopping Saturday from coming, here's what I'm doing to prepare:</p>
<ul>
<li>Having my usual existential pre-race shoe crisis...Hokas? Peregrine 2? Peregrine 3? Nike Kiger? I had planned on training in the Hokas and racing in something a bit flatter. I'm such a klutz, I'm not sure I want to deal with the…</li>
</ul>
<p>The Magnificent 7, to use teammate Bill Beagle's name, take to The Mountain, America's Mountain, Zebulon's Peak, whatever you want to call it, in three short days. Since there's no stopping Saturday from coming, here's what I'm doing to prepare:</p>
<ul>
<li>Having my usual existential pre-race shoe crisis...Hokas? Peregrine 2? Peregrine 3? Nike Kiger? I had planned on training in the Hokas and racing in something a bit flatter. I'm such a klutz, I'm not sure I want to deal with the tripping hazard that accompanies that extra 2 inches of Hoka comfiness. </li>
<li>Eating. I've probably never been such a stickler about what and how often I eat. These past few weeks I've been super cognizant of eating enough despite being busy.</li>
<li>Drinking. I can guarantee that no matter how much water I drink this week, I will find myself at 13,300' wishing I had hydrated better.</li>
<li>Tapering. Seeing as I haven't been running, there's not much to taper from. Nonetheless, after another ride to the Peak and a power hike/run from one mile down back to the summit on Saturday I'm not putting a ton of miles in on the bike this week. </li>
<li>Volunteering. So, for all you eager beavers out there who want to pick up your race packet the second the Expo begins (9:00am on Friday), I will be volunteering at packet pick up waiting to help you!</li>
<li>Getting pumped! I'm that nerd that reads and rereads every e-mail I get from the good people at the Pikes Peak Marathon because with each word the excitement builds. According to the countdown on <a href="http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org">www.pikespeakmarathon.org</a> at this precise moment there are 3d 8h 12m 20s until the fun all begins with the Expo on Friday.</li>
</ul>
<p>Last, but not least, I'm reassessing my goals and continually reminding myself that getting through the Ascent in one piece, with both legs still securely attached, is far more important than running the 4:00 race that my heart was set on when the training cycle began. I don't have a time goal at this moment - there's next year, and the 40 years after that to see how fast I can climb that dang mountain. This year, I have to accept that I'm running on an injury and finishing the race is accomplishment enough. We'll see how that thought process holds up on race day, after all, I'm not a patient person. I'm also a runner through and through, even as I write this I'm thinking: Why walk if you can run?</p>Jello-legs, made up songs, and the smell of burning brakes.tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-08-05:5021591:BlogPost:5824782014-08-05T03:36:41.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
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<p>Yesterday morning brought us under the two weeks till Ascent day marker. At 13 days away (less than 312 hours for anyone who's interested), I decided to spend some time pushing hard at altitude. With running still out of the equation this left me with only one option - biking to the summit. Sounds like misery, right? Not really. There were some seriously steep…</p>
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<p>Yesterday morning brought us under the two weeks till Ascent day marker. At 13 days away (less than 312 hours for anyone who's interested), I decided to spend some time pushing hard at altitude. With running still out of the equation this left me with only one option - biking to the summit. Sounds like misery, right? Not really. There were some seriously steep and intimidating stretches that play mind games with the pretty much untrained cyclists that we are, but it was altogether more rideable than I anticipated. Setting out I felt pretty guilty that I had convinced a friend/my boss to come with me. You know you've got a friend when someone agrees to pedal uphill for seven miles starting around 12,000'. This ride was so much more enjoyable than last week's, what a difference it makes to have someone to sing/swear/complain/succeed with!</p>
<p>For me, the biggest challenge was the cold and the marked change in muscle response and recovery time that comes into play at 13,300'. The temperature is something I just need to toughen up about and be prepared for. As for the altitude, everyone feels it at some point. I'm grateful that I feel pretty normal until I'm within 1,000' of the summit. I may ride from Glen Cove to the top again next weekend to spend a little more time in the thin air.</p>
<p>Having not been able to run for the past few weeks I've felt like I was missing out on the camaraderie that comes with training for such a challenge. Luckily for us, yesterday's adventure landed us at the summit at the right time to connect with a group of runners, including my PPS Triple Crown teammates, Beagle and Bubba (and other members of the infamous BRT running/beer-drinking clan). You're always in good company on Pikes Peak.</p>
<p>The way down was a glorious - albeit knuckle numbingly cold - coast until I reached Crystal Reservoir. My quads were not having anything to do with that little hill! The only drawback to the thrilling descent is what I refer to as the "Pikes Peak Protein Shake" a fancy name for swallowing lots o' bugs. </p>
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<p>I can't close this post without mentioning the amazing and inspiring cyclist who passed us a few hundreds yards from the summit. Somewhere around 14,000' a young double amputee zoomed passed us, leaving me in awe and utterly grateful. Talk about putting things into perspective. </p>
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<p> </p>Unlike sharks, runners can stand still...or so we're told.tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-07-30:5021591:BlogPost:5811512014-07-30T02:37:01.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>I've dealt with the past week and a half of this whole "not-running-on-an-injury" thing pretty well. Now, my resolve is wearing thin. I know, I know, runners are not like sharks - we don't die if we stop moving. That may be true in the most literal sense, but the similarities ends there. There is a emotional and social death that occurs when a runner is not running for more than a few consecutive days. Dramatic? Yes, but hear me out. When you run, you have lots of friends who run.…</p>
<p>I've dealt with the past week and a half of this whole "not-running-on-an-injury" thing pretty well. Now, my resolve is wearing thin. I know, I know, runners are not like sharks - we don't die if we stop moving. That may be true in the most literal sense, but the similarities ends there. There is a emotional and social death that occurs when a runner is not running for more than a few consecutive days. Dramatic? Yes, but hear me out. When you run, you have lots of friends who run. When you can't run, you have to say "no" to doing things with friends (e.g. running and consuming beer post-run). You have to say "no" to running intervals on the Ws, to running 3-2-1s from the top of the Peak, and to running bottom to top. A "normal" person may think there's no loss there; a non-runner may even mock our misery with a flippant "ooh, you can't spend 4 hours running up a mountain." When your first Ascent is 2 weeks and 4 days away, the only thing on your mind is running up a mountain. I've wanted to run the Ascent since I first read about years ago, and I've been training and strategizing for months. I've read the official book on the history of the Pikes Peak Marathon for goodness sake!</p>
<p>Just to make my present agony clear, here's my current thought process: Ascent...work...Ascent...I am so not a biker...Ascent...my dog...Ascent...can I still call myself a runner if I haven't run in weeks...Ascent...Ascent...Ascent. I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm not having the season I'm capable of and I likely will not run the Ascent time I was aiming for. I'll have to settle for just getting through it and train smarter next year. It's hard to keep everything in perspective and remember that there is a next year and then forty years after that if I'm lucky. As someone told me last week, the mountain was here before any of us and will be here long after we're gone. </p>
<p>Usually in the face of disappointment and uncertainty runners go for a run, come home tired and everything is magically less overwhelming. This is the emotional death I mentioned. I actually have to deal with the fact that I've run far from my best this year and I can't train harder to make up for it. I have to sit here and think about my disappointment instead of just run it away. </p>
<p>Enough complaining - now it's time to plan my next bike adventure. Mt Evans this Sunday, anyone? If we start in Idaho Springs it's something like 27 miles to the top. Should be fun, and I hear it's easier than Pikes!</p>Biking Pikestag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-07-28:5021591:BlogPost:5808702014-07-28T02:31:41.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>You know that smell that accompanies overheating engines on the Pikes Peaks Highway? If that's how an engine reacts to the grade and the altitude, just imagine how human quads feel. I no long need to use my imagination in this situation, because I experienced the real thing this morning.</p>
<p>I parked just before the gate onto the Pikes Peak Highway around 7:45am and got started with my ride around 8. I had no idea what to expect of this challenge; no idea how long I should expect to…</p>
<p>You know that smell that accompanies overheating engines on the Pikes Peaks Highway? If that's how an engine reacts to the grade and the altitude, just imagine how human quads feel. I no long need to use my imagination in this situation, because I experienced the real thing this morning.</p>
<p>I parked just before the gate onto the Pikes Peak Highway around 7:45am and got started with my ride around 8. I had no idea what to expect of this challenge; no idea how long I should expect to spend on the endeavor, what the endless climb would feel like, how drivers would react to cyclists, etc.</p>
<p>Now, I know that it takes a good two hours to reach Glen Cove Lodge (where they check brakes coming down). That 12 miles climb only takes 35 minutes to undo as you coast downhill losing thousands of feet of hard-won elevation. </p>
<p>I also know that I am made of tougher tuff than I often give myself credit for. The endless climb feels like nothing I've ever experienced on a run. It sears your legs and plays a repeating track of curse words in your mind. There is no reprieve, because if you stop there is no guarantee that you'll get started again on that damn hill. It's an exhausting ride, my legs were jittery with relief whenever there was a slight decrease in grade , let alone the 12 miles spent flying downhill. I'm proud of myself though - this is not my sport, but I pushed myself as far as I could go today and came out of it a better athlete. It's true: I don't give up on endurance sports. There is always another gear hiding in there somewhere that can be accessed if you want it badly enough.</p>
<p>As far as motorists go: I had a better experience on this ride than I do on shorter more inviting routes. It helps that speed limit is 20 to 25 miles per hour on the mountain. Beyond that though, there is a different mindset among the drivers heading to the Peak. People actually yelled encouragement out their windows, No one honked or made me feel like I was on the verge of being pushed off the road, instead people shouted that they were impressed that people bike that road.</p>
<p>No, I didn't make it to the summit and that's ok with me. So many positive training experiences came out of today: I turned up my mental game proving to myself that I can deal with discomfort; I spent some time working hard at altitude - my ride ended at tree line; and I spent another few hours on America's Mountain. </p>
<p>When I wasn't swearing to myself about the climb, I was assuring myself that my body will remember this ride on Ascent day and be grateful. </p>Classic 10K: How Slow Can You Go?tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-07-23:5021591:BlogPost:5804082014-07-23T03:58:52.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>Saturday's Classic 10K, part of the Grand Prix Series, was more like a shuffle that landed me at least 10 minutes from my PR. This is a downhill course on pavement, it should have been an opportunity to set a new PR. Instead it was an opportunity to dwell on the merits of listening to your body. When a handful of Advil doesn't make a dent in the nearly nauseating jolt that shoots through your right leg with every step, your body is no longer politely requesting that you reconsider your…</p>
<p>Saturday's Classic 10K, part of the Grand Prix Series, was more like a shuffle that landed me at least 10 minutes from my PR. This is a downhill course on pavement, it should have been an opportunity to set a new PR. Instead it was an opportunity to dwell on the merits of listening to your body. When a handful of Advil doesn't make a dent in the nearly nauseating jolt that shoots through your right leg with every step, your body is no longer politely requesting that you reconsider your weekly mileage. No, this was my body screaming: "Stop running, you moron!" Turns out the mysterious jolt may actually be a stress-fractured femur.</p>
<p>Here's a word to the wise - when your race times get slower and slower as the season goes on, or your turn-over is pathetic, or a dull ache just doesn't go away, take it as a sign. It's a little warning that maybe something isn't quite right. Don't respond like me - don't tell yourself that you need to train harder, longer, higher, faster, and steeper to solve the problem. Now, as I plan my third "Tour de Zoo" bike ride this week, I realize that backing off from sub 8-minute miles to almost 10 minute miles on my long runs in a matter of two months or less is so obviously not a sign that I wasn't working hard enough. See, biking and swimming are boring sports that allow me plenty of time to think about this conundrum. I never gave myself the benefit of the doubt, never stopped to think that maybe something really hurt. Instead, I called myself a wuss and tried to make up for it in mileage. Dear readers: don't take this path. You don't want to find yourself 3 weeks and 4 days out from the Ascent wondering if you'll finish it at all, let alone touch your 4:00 goal. Like many of you, I've been dreaming about the Ascent for years and training seriously since I moved to the Springs in February - that's a lot of hours and miles and blisters and scraped knees dedicated to one race. Trust me, it's pretty jarring to know the experience you've worked this hard for is in jeopardy. </p>
<p>If you read this blog regularly you know how lucky I feel to get out on the trails and do what I love. Nonethless, I also take it for granted. Waking up in the morning knowing I can't run makes the day seem so long and uneventful. An uphill bike ride is monotony, an uphill run is, well...an adventure.</p>Just Say "No"tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-07-13:5021591:BlogPost:5768552014-07-13T20:04:21.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>It's so easy to sign up for races. All that's required is a runner's high that erases all hesitation and a willingness to pay $40 for a few hours of torture. This familiarity with the phrase: "Yes, of course I'll run that!" made me think twice this morning. It was still dark outside when my alarm woke me up at 4:30am. That would have allowed me 2:30 to prepare for the Barr Trail Mountain Race. I rolled out of bed, pulled out my Purple and Gold singlet and was about to down a handful of…</p>
<p>It's so easy to sign up for races. All that's required is a runner's high that erases all hesitation and a willingness to pay $40 for a few hours of torture. This familiarity with the phrase: "Yes, of course I'll run that!" made me think twice this morning. It was still dark outside when my alarm woke me up at 4:30am. That would have allowed me 2:30 to prepare for the Barr Trail Mountain Race. I rolled out of bed, pulled out my Purple and Gold singlet and was about to down a handful of Advil to temporarily rid my hip of the nagging pain that's kept my mileage low for the last few weeks. That's when I decided to test the hip, run around, see how it felt - thankfully my roommates were out of town so there was no one, aside from our huge rabbit population, to see me running around outside the house at 4:36 am.</p>
<p>Rest has its merits, my hip feels better than it did last week - no stabbing pain, just a stiff ache. But did I really want to throw that progress down the side of Barr Trail this morning? No. I love this sport; I love the friends, the competition, the gear, the technical talk, and the war stories after a hard run. I want to be on the trails in 30, 40, 50, even 60 years if I'm lucky. At 23 a handful of Advil shouldn't be an option. I'm young enough to fix my form, strengthen my core, cross train more effectively, essentially do whatever it takes to solve the underlying problem. The Barr Trail Mountain Race will be around next year, still waiting to be tackled. This year, I have other goals that are requiring me to take a step back and realize I can only run so much.</p>
<p>I feel like a lazy bum as I plot out a short, flat afternoon run. I also feel a little proud of myself - I'm not usually one to pass up a challenge,so saying "no" was no easy feat. I'm banking on the fact that this uncharacteristic weekend off will make my upcoming races - the Classic 10K and then...the Ascent, that much more enjoyable.</p>2 Crowns Down and 1 to Go in the Purple and Gold Nationtag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-07-07:5021591:BlogPost:5747882014-07-07T00:32:01.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>The hip was appreciative of yesterday's ice bath and that's about all that mattered during this morning's Summer Roundup 12K. It didn't particularly like the stairs in the middle of the course, but if that was the only complaint, I'll take it.</p>
<p>Now, to get a better idea of the racing conditions this morning (beginning at 7am) feel free to turn your oven to broil and climb in. Now, once you're in the oven start running. It's a bit cramped in there? Ah well, do your best. You may…</p>
<p>The hip was appreciative of yesterday's ice bath and that's about all that mattered during this morning's Summer Roundup 12K. It didn't particularly like the stairs in the middle of the course, but if that was the only complaint, I'll take it.</p>
<p>Now, to get a better idea of the racing conditions this morning (beginning at 7am) feel free to turn your oven to broil and climb in. Now, once you're in the oven start running. It's a bit cramped in there? Ah well, do your best. You may occasionally take a drink of water and dump the rest on your very hot, very sweaty head. </p>
<p>I sincerely hope no one tried that, I love my readers and would rather they not fry themselves. Nonetheless, I was incredibly thankful for the occasional stretch of shade this morning.</p>
<p>The Roundup caps its field at 750 runners, so it's considerably smaller than the bookends to the Triple Crown Series, the Garden of the Gods 10-Miler in June and the Ascent or Marathon in August. It didn't feel this way for the first half mile or so. In fact, the cramped quarters and heat of your oven would be quite an accurate simulation of that first stretch. I started toward the back of the line up to give my hip some time to warm up into the run. Even when my body is totally cooperative, I tend to prefer longer distances because I'm slow to warm up so I appreciate the time and space endurance events allow for that. While the start was definitely congested, it was probably to the benefit of my body - I couldn't go out too hard and end up achy and regretful midway through. Instead it was a really controlled start on single-track trail that then opened up a bit. </p>
<p>While the unexpected stairs in the middle of the course weren't pleasant I was able to make up some time on the downhills. This is new for me, but it was fun! Usually I'm a cautious klutz on downhills, today I was pissed off at myself for walking the steps so I pounded it out. Hopefully this downhill experiment will give me some confidence as I look toward next weekend's Barr Trail Mountain Race.</p>
<p>Next stop in the Triple Crown Series is the Ascent; just 40 days until we get to tackle that big bad monster!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511636?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511636?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a>Bubba, Me, Beagle, Jill, Brianne, Shelley, and Sean after the race. </p>
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<p></p>Race Prep in Picturestag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-07-06:5021591:BlogPost:5736642014-07-06T03:07:26.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>I know, when you think of "sponsored" runners you think of the Olympics, Meb, Shalane, Kara, and the Nike Oregon Project. The first group that pops into your head is likely not the PikesPeakSports.us Triple Crown Runners. We are however, much thanks to Orange Theory Fitness, Mountain Equipment Recyclers, and the Pikes Peak Marathon, sponsored athletes. While I can't speak for all seven of us here, I am also a mere mortal. In addition to my awesome summer running gig, I work full-time and…</p>
<p>I know, when you think of "sponsored" runners you think of the Olympics, Meb, Shalane, Kara, and the Nike Oregon Project. The first group that pops into your head is likely not the PikesPeakSports.us Triple Crown Runners. We are however, much thanks to Orange Theory Fitness, Mountain Equipment Recyclers, and the Pikes Peak Marathon, sponsored athletes. While I can't speak for all seven of us here, I am also a mere mortal. In addition to my awesome summer running gig, I work full-time and buy my own shoes. So, what does race preparation look like for those of us who put in a lot of miles and take the sport seriously but at the end of the day are just normal people who have really defined tan lines and a running shoe to heels ratio of something like 8:0?</p>
<p>To answer that most pressing question, enjoy a photographic look at what I've done to prepare for the Summer Roundup.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806508206?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806508206?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lots of water and NUUN, my favorite electrolyte supplement. </strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511648?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806511648?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Get ready to show my Purple and Gold pride.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806512612?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806512612?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Get my race day clothes ready...compression socks, favorite sports bra, most comfortable shorts, and of course, my Purple and Gold singlet (You sound like you know what you're doing when you have a singlet with sponsors on the back. Don't let this deceive you, I'm the girl who forgets to pick her feet up and bites the dust on a weekly basis).</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806513709?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806513709?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Ice bath. Brrrr...even when it's 90 degrees outside the initial plunge is miserable. My problem hip feels a little better afterward though, so I'm hopeful about tomorrow.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806517835?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806517835?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Choose the shoes...I'm thinking the green and pink Saucony Peregrines or the Nike Zoom Kigers.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806518217?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806518217?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Spend some time with the trusty foam roller.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806520609?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806520609?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>No day would be complete nor race prep proper, without spending some quality time with my pup before going to bed.</strong></p>
<p></p>More Miles on the Mountaintag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-06-30:5021591:BlogPost:5714722014-06-30T04:23:11.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
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<p>I spent some more quality time on Barr Trail yesterday. Since I had already done intervals on the Ws earlier in the week, the sensical thing to do was to climb the Incline before cutting over to Barr Trail. From there - whilst my quads threw a tantrum - I continued onwards and upwards to Barr Camp. Oh, Barr Camp, the beautiful beacon on a hill that allows you pee somewhere that is not in the middle of the woods. The Barr Trail section took exactly an hour, which…</p>
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<p>I spent some more quality time on Barr Trail yesterday. Since I had already done intervals on the Ws earlier in the week, the sensical thing to do was to climb the Incline before cutting over to Barr Trail. From there - whilst my quads threw a tantrum - I continued onwards and upwards to Barr Camp. Oh, Barr Camp, the beautiful beacon on a hill that allows you pee somewhere that is not in the middle of the woods. The Barr Trail section took exactly an hour, which is a drastic improvement over my first trip to Barr Camp. The Incline, however, slows things down in a major way - nowhere else on Earth can you actually spend 40:00-50:00 plodding away while only covering one mile.</p>
<p>Most importantly is not that I put in another solid training run on Zebulon Pike's dastardly mountain. Most importantly is that this week when I fell coming down Barr Trail I managed to catch myself before hitting the ground. Take that single track, I made it down with all my skin attached! That is not to say I made it up and back comfortably. Barr Trail takes everything I have to give and sends me home with a stack of IOUs. Between the sun, the rocks, the altitude, the distance, and the time commitment I was so spent last night that I fell asleep while foam rolling.</p>
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<p>Yes, I said I was going to put in another 10-12 miles today. No, that didn't happen. I slept until 10am by which time it was well on its way to a sunny 94 degrees. Upon finally rolling out of bed I walked like the tin man - my right hip has been bugging me lately and yesterday didn't help the cause. It gets better as I warm up, but it's really slow going until then. Instead I ran 5.5 miles in the sweltering heat and them spent my evening playing Ultimate Frisbee, which is probably the most fun way to get a sprint workout in.</p>
<p>In the past week I've covered every mile of Barr Trail - from Ws to the summit, at least once. Next week brings the Summer Round Up and the following week the Barr Trail Mountain Race. Until then, I think I'll give Barr Trail a nice wide berth and get some cross training in. </p>
<p>Since I'm really into videos lately, here's an amazing, inspiring video for all of us who "run like girls"...</p>
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<p></p>The Highway to Hell is Paved with Intervalstag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-06-25:5021591:BlogPost:5698512014-06-25T03:47:45.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>It's just 15 minutes of your life. Yet, the feeling that you're having a heart attack, about to barf, and pass out all at the same time makes it seem more like a calf-exploding eternity. The relief that pulses through every muscle when Barr Trail Intervals are over is second to none.</p>
<p>Because I like to include you all in the pain and sweat of training, here's a breakdown - by interval - of the blog-appropriate things that came to mind while running.</p>
<p>1. Let's do this…</p>
<p>It's just 15 minutes of your life. Yet, the feeling that you're having a heart attack, about to barf, and pass out all at the same time makes it seem more like a calf-exploding eternity. The relief that pulses through every muscle when Barr Trail Intervals are over is second to none.</p>
<p>Because I like to include you all in the pain and sweat of training, here's a breakdown - by interval - of the blog-appropriate things that came to mind while running.</p>
<p>1. Let's do this thing...how fast can I run?</p>
<p>2. I'm going to be super embarrassed if I can only manage two of these...</p>
<p>3. A quarter of the way done.</p>
<p>4. Some guy just yelled "You go girl!" Keep pushing, you can't look like a wuss now.</p>
<p>5. Only 7 more to go...just 7 more minutes of your life.</p>
<p>6. Half way there.</p>
<p>7. Intervals with rock climbing thrown in. </p>
<p>8. Pick up your big old feet.</p>
<p>9. Three quarters down!</p>
<p>10. I don't think I'm pushing hard enough...maybe I should go for 15 instead.</p>
<p>11. Maybe 15 is a really terrible idea.</p>
<p>12. I should be done now.</p>
<p>13. Dear Incliners coming down Barr Trail...the right of way belongs to those of us going up. Intervals stop for no one.</p>
<p>14. You've got this, only one more.</p>
<p>15. I guess it wasn't that bad.</p>
<p>By the time I was done I had logged 4.2 miles. That includes the intervals plus running up Ruxton to get to the dreaded Ws and down Ruxton to get back to my car once this exercise in nausea-tolerance was done.</p>
<p>It was hard, but it felt good, as most hard runs do. I'll try to make intervals a weekly habit - anything that miserable must be good for you.</p>14,115'tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-06-23:5021591:BlogPost:5692742014-06-23T04:30:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
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</p>
<p></p>
<p>Since I went it alone to the summit yesterday, I made a video to share my relief and excitement about my first journey to the peak. I had never eve hiked a 14er before, yesterday I ran one. So, next time I question whether the Ascent may actually kill me, feel free to comment as a reminder that I've made it to 14,115' before and lived to tell the tale.</p>
<p>So here's how the great Saturday adventure went down:</p>
<p>I started with two of the coolest…</p>
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</p>
<p></p>
<p>Since I went it alone to the summit yesterday, I made a video to share my relief and excitement about my first journey to the peak. I had never eve hiked a 14er before, yesterday I ran one. So, next time I question whether the Ascent may actually kill me, feel free to comment as a reminder that I've made it to 14,115' before and lived to tell the tale.</p>
<p>So here's how the great Saturday adventure went down:</p>
<p>I started with two of the coolest runners in town (three if you count the best four legged runner in the state) at Elk Park Trail. That first six miles, plus a detour to see some cool rocks, took just over an hour. I've heard from so many people this trail is a favorite - personally, I can't see why, it's not likes there's a breathtaking view or something. Just kidding, Elk Park Trail is not only beautiful, but also really runnable which is nice when it's the warm-up before Barr Trail.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806502051?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806502051?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a>An awesome trail with friends flies right by, so we got to Barr Camp in what felt like no time. Here we stopped, snacked, and went our separate ways. I headed to the summit while the others ran back on Elk Park Trail. There were certainly hikers and a few other runners heading up Barr, but the next 6 or so miles were long, lonely, rocky, and steep. I felt like a fairly capable runner until I hit the marker two miles below the summit which also marks 13,300'. It was there that I found the melting point for human lungs and in my state of oxygen-deprivation also coined the term "Pikes Peak Protein Shake" which refers to the hundreds of gnats and other tiny bugs waiting to be inhaled. </p>
<p>Walk, run, stop, run, wobble, run to the next rock, stall and drink more water, walk, run, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. There came a point where it felt like my brain and my legs just disconnected. Apparently my nervous system realized that acknowledging pain/discomfort was futile because I had no intention of stopping. </p>
<p> It was definitely harsh - like tear your soul out, pound it with a sharp rock and then return it sort of harsh, or like undergoing a lung transplant while wide awake sort of harsh - but it wasn't as bad as I had made it out to be in my mind. Thankfully I'm a very goal-oriented person and way too full of myself to give up.</p>
<p>Luckily, perseverance pays off on the mountain, when around every switchback there's view more stunning than the last. Here's the view from A-Frame. </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806503135?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806503135?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>There's a point at which you can see Garden of the Gods and the Catamount Resevoirs stretching out below you that is actually beyond words. It made me feel so small and so lucky to be out there doing what I love.</p>
<p>So, how does one celebrate one's first 14er? That's easy, in the Purple and Gold Nation you rehydrate with alcohol...</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806504769?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806504769?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>A Tale of Two 10Kstag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-06-15:5021591:BlogPost:5668542014-06-15T19:30:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>Weekends have two purposes: homework and races. Ok, fine, three purposes: Netflix (granted this comes after completing purposes one and two). Saturday was the 36th Annual Sailin' Shoes 5/10K. Per usual I stressed myself out and didn't push as hard as I could have, at the same time I ran a well calculated race which involved keeping my eyes peeled for possible age group competition. It was strategy that proved effective - I won my age group by something like 6 minutes. I started the race…</p>
<p>Weekends have two purposes: homework and races. Ok, fine, three purposes: Netflix (granted this comes after completing purposes one and two). Saturday was the 36th Annual Sailin' Shoes 5/10K. Per usual I stressed myself out and didn't push as hard as I could have, at the same time I ran a well calculated race which involved keeping my eyes peeled for possible age group competition. It was strategy that proved effective - I won my age group by something like 6 minutes. I started the race sore after directing a science camp on Friday which included bottle rockets and dodgeball (which is more intense than you'd think). That said, I took my time settling into the race, but upon hitting the four mile mark I was good to go. Unfortunately in a 10K the four mile mark is ⅔ of the way done. For that reason I actually preferred the Garden 10-miler; I simply had more time to run which is just how I like it. Exhausted yesterday afternoon I spent the rest of the day with my dog, textbooks, foam roller, and Netflix (and a delicious burger from the Skirted Heifer).</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806505378?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806505378?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>To finish off my weekend of speed work, I ran the Spring Spree 10K this morning with an average pace of 8:00/mile, which is fast for me. There was a chilly wind, which may have helped my cause for no other reason than that I wanted to get out of said wind. This event has potential, but it only drew 50 runners or so and was not chip timed. I was the second woman to finish overall, but that's debatable. From the anecdotes flying around Memorial Park after the race it seems that everyone ran a slightly different course - two laps around the lake of three, three laps around a field or four? I just followed the directions of the course marshals and kept running, if I was misdirected, sorry - I promise it was unintentional! Yet, I feel like a horrible person not quite knowing if I went astray - this is where good signage and volunteers make a difference. If you just want to put in some miles, this is a fine way to do it. It you want a more serious race with reliable results, I'd skip this particular race.</p>
<p>Next stop: Summer Roundup on July 6th. In the meantime, I have some miles to put in on the mountain and some cross training to do so I can continue this awesome injury-free streak (knock on wood).</p>1 Crown Down, 2 To Go: The race, the recovery, the purple and gold pride.tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-06-09:5021591:BlogPost:5632922014-06-09T01:00:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p><strong>The Race: 1 crown down, 2 crowns to go</strong></p>
<p>I went into the Garden 10-Miler this morning with only one expectation: to run like it was any other Sunday morning long run. It paid off. I ran 1:40:00, exactly 10:00 miles. While my uncharacteristically relaxed mindset did not transform me into a crazy speed demon over night, it did allow me to run one of my most consistent races ever. </p>
<p>As I've said before, I'm a distance girl, there's not a speedy muscle in this…</p>
<p><strong>The Race: 1 crown down, 2 crowns to go</strong></p>
<p>I went into the Garden 10-Miler this morning with only one expectation: to run like it was any other Sunday morning long run. It paid off. I ran 1:40:00, exactly 10:00 miles. While my uncharacteristically relaxed mindset did not transform me into a crazy speed demon over night, it did allow me to run one of my most consistent races ever. </p>
<p>As I've said before, I'm a distance girl, there's not a speedy muscle in this body. That said, I spent miles 1 and 2 settling into the course. Miles 3 and 4 started to feel familiar and more comfortable, despite a burning left IT band. Between miles 4 and 8 I was in runner-girl-paradise. Even with the IT discomfort, the miles seemed to fly by. At about mile 9 I was ready to be done; that's where you're leaving the park (and scenery) and heading into the final mile which always feels ridiculously long to me, even in shorter races the last mile feels like it drags on into eternity.</p>
<p>I finished feeling good, nothing really hurt even after 10 miles of pavement. I am also confident that after more time on hills and at altitude I'll be able to slash some digits off my time. For now, however, I am perfectly satisfied with today's race.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806503760?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806503760?profile=original" width="720" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><strong>The Recovery</strong></p>
<p><b><br/></b> After the race I did what any sane and loving dog owner would do: took my darling for a 5 mile hike at the Crags. This hike was complete with funnel clouds, thunder, and hail.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806504404?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806504404?profile=original" width="720" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806504508?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806504508?profile=original" width="480" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Then, because the only time I can really sit still and enjoy a movie is after racing, I went to see the <em>Fault in Our Stars</em> with my friend/running buddy/boss. This was a great idea because it allowed me to cry out all the water I had consumed while simultaneously providing an opportunity for me to reach a level of emotional exhaustion on par with my post-race-and-hike physical exhaustion. Aside: seriously, it was a great movie - such a good portrayal of the book :-) If you do not spend much of it crying, you likely do not have a heart and therefore cannot run for lack of circulation.</p>
<p>Sitting still turned my hip flexers into cement, so the next step was to take a really hot epsom salt bath followed by a cold shower...weird, yes, but oddly satisfying. The logical next step was alcohol, known in the Purple and Gold Nation as "the recovery drink of champions."</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806504836?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806504836?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>Now, I'm off to torture myself with my beloved foam roller.</p>
<p>To all of you who killed those hills this morning: WAY TO GO!</p>Happy National Running Day!tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-06-07:5021591:BlogPost:5632662014-06-07T03:30:00.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p><em>I wrote this post a few days ago - when it was actually National Running Day, but life got in the way and I forgot to press "Publish"</em></p>
<p>As the Garden of the Gods 10-Miler gets closer my pre-race anxiety only increases. That said, National Running Day crossed my calendar (and Facebook feed) at an ideal time. I run for so many reasons, only one of them is to compete. That's exactly what I need to bare in mind as Sunday gets closer...and closer...and the butterflies in my…</p>
<p><em>I wrote this post a few days ago - when it was actually National Running Day, but life got in the way and I forgot to press "Publish"</em></p>
<p>As the Garden of the Gods 10-Miler gets closer my pre-race anxiety only increases. That said, National Running Day crossed my calendar (and Facebook feed) at an ideal time. I run for so many reasons, only one of them is to compete. That's exactly what I need to bare in mind as Sunday gets closer...and closer...and the butterflies in my stomach get increasingly crazy.</p>
<p>Here are a few of the many reasons I run: </p>
<ul>
<li>What’s not to love?</li>
<li>It’s free (which is important when you’re a young government employee).</li>
<li>It’s freeing. Just me, a trail, and maybe a running buddy.</li>
<li>It allows me to eat a lot…like enough to feed a small rhino.</li>
<li>Brutal hill repeats are a great way to make friends.</li>
<li>I love the sense of exploration.</li>
<li>I’m a super competitive person and running allows me to let it loose.</li>
<li>No matter how big a problem seems when I leave the house, after a run everything seems manageable.</li>
<li>To achieve that amazing feeling of accomplishment and exhaustion.</li>
<li>Neon gear is pretty swell.</li>
<li>I have really big feet, might as well put them to good use.</li>
<li>We are fortunate enough to live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth - running puts me in the mindset to take it all in.</li>
<li>Even if every single step is uncomfortable, or even downright hurts, I go to bed looking forward to my next run.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>St. Mary's Falls, Stratton, Sunshine, and Blisterstag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-06-01:5021591:BlogPost:5615252014-06-01T15:21:03.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>This week's Saturday Morning Long Run took me - and my awesome running buddies - to St. Mary's Falls and Stratton Open Space for a total of 9.5 miles and 2 blisters. </p>
<p>This was my first adventure to St. Mary's Falls but it certainly will not be my last. That trail is amazing! It has everything: hills, steps, shade, prickly-desert-plants, water, invisible rocks waiting to trip you, and views that make every uphill feel like a gift.</p>
<p>Round trip from parking lot to waterfall the…</p>
<p>This week's Saturday Morning Long Run took me - and my awesome running buddies - to St. Mary's Falls and Stratton Open Space for a total of 9.5 miles and 2 blisters. </p>
<p>This was my first adventure to St. Mary's Falls but it certainly will not be my last. That trail is amazing! It has everything: hills, steps, shade, prickly-desert-plants, water, invisible rocks waiting to trip you, and views that make every uphill feel like a gift.</p>
<p>Round trip from parking lot to waterfall the route is just over 6 miles, granted we added a bit to that with an off-trail detour into the bush (more commonly known as "getting lost"). In order to feel prepared for next weekend's Garden of the Gods 10-Miler we decided to add another few miles at Stratton, taking us to 9.5 miles in all. With a blister under each foot - thanks to the amazing Hoka's whose one and only flaw is that they eat socks for lunch - I was more than happy to call it a day. Even so, the whole run felt doable which gives me some confidence going into next week's race. Blisters are temporary battle wounds and the fitness gained is well worth it!</p>
<p>Stratton was the first place I ran after moving out here, I ran in the mud in road flats (needless to say, I felt like an idiot). Every time I go back there I look at it as a way to measure progress. Even when the hills are uncomfortable they are infinitely easier than that first run, when I swore over and over again to myself that I hated running and would for no reason take up trail running (yeah, that hatred lasted for less than a week).</p>
<p>With another long run under my shoes, I'm feeling ready to tackle the first leg of the Triple Crown next week. it may not be fast or pretty, but I can trust myself to get it done. </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806507117?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="446" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806507117?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="359" class="align-center" height="478"/></a></p>
<p>At the top of the falls yesterday - pretty lucky to have this just a few minutes from my front door!</p>Bolder Bouldertag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-05-28:5021591:BlogPost:5605892014-05-28T03:21:02.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p>I Bolder Bouldered yesterday with 50,000 of my besties. As a first-timer I was in awe much of the time. It was an awesome event to behold - from the costumes (including a dude wearing nothing but shorts depicting Michelangelo's David and a girl dressed like a gnome) to the skydivers to the elite runners (I saw freaking Shalane Flanagan run!) to the Slip n Slide.</p>
<p>As you dear and loyal blog-readers know I'm pretty hard on myself. I say this honestly though - yesterday I ran like…</p>
<p>I Bolder Bouldered yesterday with 50,000 of my besties. As a first-timer I was in awe much of the time. It was an awesome event to behold - from the costumes (including a dude wearing nothing but shorts depicting Michelangelo's David and a girl dressed like a gnome) to the skydivers to the elite runners (I saw freaking Shalane Flanagan run!) to the Slip n Slide.</p>
<p>As you dear and loyal blog-readers know I'm pretty hard on myself. I say this honestly though - yesterday I ran like crap. I crossed the finish line feeling like I could have run it again - an obvious sign that I could have pushed myself harder. Even so, I had a blast. I spent the weekend in Boulder with friends, ate delicious food, laughed a lot, had great conversations, got to partake in one of the best organized events on the planet, and, have I mentioned, I saw Shalane run?!?</p>
<p>After a few hours of self-hatred, disappointment, and soul-searching yesterday, here's what I know now: more than anything I need to work on my mental game. Why can't I trust myself to compete? I need to relax and remember that I train hard so I can race confidently and run smart when it counts. I don't need to stand at the starting line thinking of all the things that could wrong; after all, I put my time and miles in during the week, so that I'm prepared when the starting gun goes off. I need to remember that I train hard so I can fight my way through a race and cross the finish line feeling proud that I have nothing left to give. I need to remember that I am capable of blocking out distractions, cramps, and insecurities because I've done it before. </p>
<p>I'm trying to insert more fun runs and speed work into my routine to give myself more confidence and to just relax about the sport. Tonight my roommates and I ran Jack Quinn's (they would like to be referred to in this blog as "my cool new roommates"...anyone willing to go out and run is pretty cool in my book). Then while they drank beer after our run, I went out and did the route again as a speed workout. Even after racing yesterday morning and heading to the Incline in the evening, I ran my second Jack Quinn's loop at a much more Mary-like pace than I ran Boulder. It was a good reminder of what can happen when I just go out and run.</p>
<p>Even if I ran like shit, I looked the part - purple and gold pride all the way!</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806507099?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806507099?profile=original" width="122" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>A Blood Offering to the Trail Godstag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-05-23:5021591:BlogPost:5605112014-05-23T20:03:59.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806505863?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="445" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806505863?profile=original" width="591"></img></a> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806505863?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806508816?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806508816?profile=original" width="467"></img></a> Like any rational first-time-Triple-Crowner, I'm a wee bit nervous about the upcoming Garden of the Gods 10-Miler. So, I thought I'd make a sacrifice…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806505863?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806505863?profile=original" width="591" height="445"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806505863?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806508816?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806508816?profile=original" width="467"/></a>Like any rational first-time-Triple-Crowner, I'm a wee bit nervous about the upcoming Garden of the Gods 10-Miler. So, I thought I'd make a sacrifice to appease the running gods while out in the Garden last night.</p>
<p>Luckily for me, this took place right in front of Tim Bergsten's camera at our PikesPeakSports.us Triple Crown Runners photo night. Not every epic flesh sacrifice (more commonly know as a klutz-induced fall) gets high quality photographic documentation and publication. There is no hiding it, I'm a klutz, now the whole running community has proof.</p>
<p>Yesterday's shindig was (literally) a pain in the rear, but this crazy bunch made it well worth the loss of blood.</p>
<p><img style="width: 607px; height: 409px;" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806508750?profile=original" width="686" height="448"/></p>
<p>One more big "thank you" to Tim Bergstem, Ron Ilgen, Mountain Equipment Recyclers, and Orange Theory Fitness for making this team possible. Jill, Bubba, Shelley, Beagle, Sean, and Brianne, it was awesome meeting you all last night - and lucky for you, you saw me in my natural state (dirty, scratched, and laughing).<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806509224?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2806509224?profile=original" width="597" height="495"/></a></p>There's a Bra in my Glove Compartment (and Other Indicators that You May be a Runner)tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-05-22:5021591:BlogPost:5598862014-05-22T03:50:43.000ZMary Baldwinhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/MaryBaldwin
<p> ...your car serves as both a mode of transportation and a locker room.</p>
<p>... your car also serves as a sort of lost and found - shoes here, winter gear there, water bottles under the seats, bras in the glove compartment, etc.</p>
<p>...you have actually discussed peeing in the woods with your boss.</p>
<p>...entire seasons are planned around races.</p>
<p>...weekends are not meant for sleeping in, they're meant for long runs.</p>
<p>..."splits" have very little to do with…</p>
<p> ...your car serves as both a mode of transportation and a locker room.</p>
<p>... your car also serves as a sort of lost and found - shoes here, winter gear there, water bottles under the seats, bras in the glove compartment, etc.</p>
<p>...you have actually discussed peeing in the woods with your boss.</p>
<p>...entire seasons are planned around races.</p>
<p>...weekends are not meant for sleeping in, they're meant for long runs.</p>
<p>..."splits" have very little to do with flexibility.</p>
<p>...your entire day is ruined by uncomfortable socks.</p>
<p>...you often run 6 miles before having you morning coffee.</p>
<p>...you have strong feelings about products with names like GU and nuun. </p>
<p>... you have a sock tan and it's not yet summer.</p>
<p>... you know that sweat is an excellent adhesive - it can glue red dust to your calves or serve as natural hairspray.</p>
<p>...you're more exhausted at the end of the weekend than at the end of the workweek.</p>
<p>...you understand that spitting is both an art (you must ensure a proper arc so as to miss your own body or your fellow runners) and a science (hydration is key here, otherwise spit gets too thick to be propelled easily and gracefully).</p>
<p>...it's difficult to use Facebook on your days off, because reading about other people's runs makes you jealous.</p>
<p>...you know exactly what and when to eat in the days leading up to a race.</p>
<p>...some people can name every car on the road, you can name every running shoe on the street.</p>
<p>...you feel energized even after your longest, hardest runs.</p>
<p>...you smile just thinking about running, because even when it's tough you know it's an amazing privilege, not a burden.</p>