How I introduced my friend to backpacking with incredible views and juuuuuuust a wee bit of snow
We had a few days off work on March 16 and 17 (rumor has it we got those days off because of the start of the NCAA tournament), so with the extra free time my friend Emily and I headed off to the mountains to hike a section of the Appalachian Trail.This was Emily's first backpacking trip and the pressure was on me to make sure she 1) didn't die, and 2) had a good time. (Spoiler: I delivered on #1, and hopefully on #2!)
Worried about not PRing? Here are a few other things about a race to look forward to.
I am trying so hard to psych myself up for this race.The Rock'n'Roll Raleigh marathon and half marathon is coming up on Sunday, and I'm racing the half. Racing? Running? One of those. I'll be trying to race my time to see if I can somehow get it under 2 hours and 10 minutes, but at the same time I'm worried.
Catching a glimpse of spring through photos
I'm pretty sure my body is in shock - it was freezing this weekend on the Appalachian Trail and yesterday in Durham it was in the 80s! What what what?! On my run yesterday my body was like, "what is wrongggggg with this world?! I was hot and then cold, yes and then no..." but hey, that's NC weather for you. (Yes, NC weather is a Katy Perry song.) Even so, I've managed to get a few sneak peek photos of spring. Enjoy!
Repurposed flood plain in Durham offers short hike adjacent to park
For hike #5 of my 52 Hike Challenge I was hoping for a nice, easy, local trail. I had just run 11 miles the day before and I had an indoor soccer game Sunday afternoon, so I wanted something easy to enjoy with Ryder and McCrae. I did my usual scouring of the internet, books, and Google maps, and I found New Hope Bottomlands Trail in Durham. New Hope Bottomlands Trail is tucked away: it's 2.2 miles in a lollipop loop through a floodplain with some views of New Hope Creek.
A true running injury and supporting the local nonprofit First Pages
On Saturday in the middle of a 12 mile long run I suffered my first pure running injury. Sure, I've had aches and pains and black toenails and soreness before, but a true running injury? 15 years of running and it finally happened: I tripped on a sidewalk, went sprawling, and tore up my knee. Seven blood-soaked miles later I finally limped back to Fleet Feet at the end of my run.And while I might have had the misfortune of tearing up my knee on a run that morning, local kids had the good fortune of getting a nice big box of books donated for First Pages!
Local restaurants and breweries offer taste of Durham
The 5th annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience this past Sunday at DPAC drew quite a crowd of local beer and food enthusiasts. Sponsored by Tyler's Restaurant and Taproom, Sam's Quik Shop, and Harris Beverages it featured 35 Durham restaurants and 35 breweries, most of them local to North Carolina.
My favorite sports bra for running and some thoughts on sports bra fit
I'm not one to be too picky about most things, but sports bras? Y'all. If I'm going to sprint down a soccer field or run a half marathon or hike for days and live in my sports clothes then heck yeah I'm going to be picky about my sports bras. Read more for some tips on what to look for in a sports bra and my recommended sports bra.
Putting off the dream of thru-hiking for at least another year
It's early March and the thru-hikers are flocking to the Appalachian Trail, and once again - for yet another spring - I can't help but be jealous of them. People post in Facebook groups and forum threads that I follow: some with trepidation before their journey, some with elation over some discovery, and some desperate for an ounce of encouragement after confronting setbacks or difficulty or fear.
