One of my favorite things to do is explore abandoned places. I love seeing nature take back buildings, and other structures humans left behind. It reminds me that nothing in life is permanent, but we are strong enough to push through the garbage and become something beautiful. And that nature, no matter how hard we try to destroy it, will survive and turn trash into treasure. Whenever we head out to one of these abandoned Read more
Every August the heat gets to me. I stop running for most of August. It happened again. I ended with about 45 miles for the month. It’s low compared to July (almost 70) and June (85). I really wanted to get about 75 in August, but just couldn’t do it. I got out for one trail run. I did my Vertigo virtual race on a trail. It felt great to be back, but I had Read more
Finished reading The Brave Athlete for book club. 5 stars Still think all endurance athletes should read it. SO GOOD. Our last meeting is this weekend, so I finally finished it. Many of the comments and stories are for cycling/triathletes, but it is relatable across all endurance sports. I am a runner and definitely related to a lot of the info in the book. I’ve also caught myself falling into some mental traps presented in Read more
It’s always stressful to try a new restaurant or a different dish somewhere. You never know if it’s safe or if you’ll end up glutened. I’ve been missing pizza. Real pizza, not the frozen stuff I get at the store. I want to eat thick crust, greasy pizza. All the gluten free pizza I eat is thin crust. And never gooey and greasy. But pizza is always a risky thing for someone with celiac disease. Read more
Reflections are popular in photography. Reflections can add a fun twist on standard landscape photography. Many surfaces can create the reflection, but I am partial to water. Windows can work, but I feel like they make a more tough image to read or abstract, depending on the window. I also love a mirror reflection, but those are more for portraits than landscapes. There’s usually not a giant mirror hanging around when shooting landscapes! If there’s Read more
Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed and unsure of your training goals? That’s how I’m feeling lately. I keep changing my goals and can’t figure out the best training for me right now. I’m thinking about finding a coach. I’ve been using the adaptive Garmin Coaching, which is great for having everything planned and uploaded to your watch but isn’t the best for determining your goals. And since it’s a computer algorithm, it doesn’t help Read more
Locke and Key Volumes 5 & 6 by Joe Hill – 5 stars eachA great ending to the series. It wraps up everything nicely but keeps you engaged throughout. I think I finished both books in only a few hours (I wasn’t tracking). I was sad to see the series end, though. It was good. I can now start the Amazon show, so that’s a positive! I would recommend the entire series. You have to Read more
Oh man, it’s been so long since I’ve written more than a book corner blog. I should get better at this. I often feel that I don’t vary anything in training, and nothing happens in my life, and therefore I have no updates. I am pushing through another round of JG40 for strength. I have to say; this might be my favorite strength program ever. I liked Jessie’s Home Edition, but JG40 is so flexible Read more
We had driven for hours, stopping only to eat lunch. We got to our Air BnB, unloaded the car, and still had a few hours before sunset. Why not head into Yosemite and drive around a bit? Once inside the park, we drove the winding road surrounded by tall pines. We saw small waterfalls in the distance. But nothing, nothing compared to what we were about to see. Tunnel View. The name doesn’t give you Read more
Living in the desert means summers are hot. If you spend time outside or want to, you need to take steps to protect yourself and your gear. These six tips will help you beat the heat, whether you are working out, photographing, or whatever else you may be doing outside. General Tips: Stay hydrated. Don’t only drink when you are outside. Start before you are going out. Water is great, but if you are spending Read more