Garden of the Gods

This morning I drove down to Colorado Springs (about 1 1/2 hours south of Denver) to do a trail run at Garden of the Gods. When I arrived in CoSp, it was foggy, grey, and 41 degrees. I had been expecting 70s and sunny, as the news told me! I got another cup of coffee and a paper and waited it out until the fog burned off. Then I got my 70s and sunny weather.

Garden of the Gods is a park with red, blue, purple, and white ancient sediments of sandstones, conglomerates and limestone that were deposited horizontally, but now tilt vertically after being faulted by the same forces that caused Pikes Peak mountain. You can see many fossils in the rock: marine forms, plant fossils, and some dinosaur fossils. Some of the strange rock formations are up to several hundred feet long and the tallest is 320 feet high. Check out them rocks:




The trail run I did ended up being 1 hour 20 minutes of running around the park, not including time stopped to snap some photos, read the map, and wait for horseback riders to pass. I had a great time! Running was a really fun way to see the park and to get on some trails that were fantastic and empty. It seemed like most people drove the road loop around the rock formations, getting out of their car at numerous parking lots. These photos are just the scenic trial. Enjoy!

Montrail Mountain Masochist Review

I participated in a focus group for Columbia Sportswear. They were looking to find out what women want in an outdoor shoe. I'm, of course, more than happy to gab about exercise gear forever. It was pretty fun and I ended up with some free stuff. Then, just last week, I got a free pair of shoes in the mail! How great is that!? What's more, I adore the shoes. I mean, once I had these nice trail shoes, I just had to test 'em out on the trail. I treated myself to a trail run yesterday and a hike this morning. No complaints. I may have found my favorite all-around run/trail/hike/backpack/sports/daily sneaker shoe.

Here's my review of the Montrail Mountain Masochist Women's Trail Running Shoes:

I love these shoes! The Montrail Mountain Masochist trail running shoes are super light for a trail shoe, but definitely not lacking good structure. They provide cushion, but don't suffocate your foot in a cloud of fabric. They are breathable and seem to dry fast. The heel lift is low and the bottom treading isn't too big, so I never feel like I'm tripping along on either trail or pavement. The bottom tread gives great control for uphill or downhill. No sliding around, even on steep sections or small pebbles. True to fit, they are comfortably fit around the heel and arch with plenty of room in the toes, so you don't feel the top of the shoe if you're running downhill. I especially like how the shoe is extra firm around the toes for extra protection against rocks. No problems with blisters anywhere and I felt like I could wear them forever. Finally, they look great! I can wear them on the trail and then throw them on with a pair of jeans. Besides, who doesn't want a pair of shoes called the "Mountain Masochist"? I may have found my favorite all-around run/trail/hike/backpack/sports/daily sneaker. I'm hooked and will buy these again.

Mustang Trail

I had such a great trail run yesterday! I wish I could show everyone just how beautiful this park is. I won't lie: the beginning is about 45 straight up. It's brutal, but so worth it! After about 20 minutes, you stop seeing other people (mainly mountain bikers). I was unprepared for such a long, hard trail, but it was just so pretty and I really wanted to try it, so I just did it. There was snow and ice in some parts. Pretty leaves in others. Lots of mountains! And, there was a beautiful sunset. Wait, sunset!? Oops. Poor timing on my part. It's a bad sign when you're still at least a half hour from the trail head, the sun is setting, and you're already exhausted! I swear, I heard animals come out and my heart started pounding as I sprinted down the mountain. Nothing like taking an unknown trail, by yourself, as the sun is setting to make you run further and fast than you've run in months. It all worked out in the end! :)

It was pretty much pitch dark when I got back to the car, and the temperature must have dropped something like 20-25 degrees during the run. I was freezing! I had to change my clothes - all of them - right there in the parking lot because I was going to freeze to death on the drive home, otherwise.... doo bee doo be dooo ... nothing to see here (which, let's be honest, there isn't much to see).

I did some serious stretching and took a long walk last night. I was tired of being on my feet, but I think it worked because I'm not even [that] sore today!

Success.