Category: Place

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Born Free – Long Run Playlist

For my Saturday long run I always create a new playlist. This Saturday I added some new songs I haven’t heard in a long time from the Dixie Chicks to Trisha Yearwood.

The one song I added but didn’t really know was Born Free from Kid Rock. I have some of his songs on other playlists like Cowboy and Wasting Time but I added Born Free not really remembering what the song was about but curiously remembered when the new CD came out – oh so many years ago.

As I’m running up the big Carter Hill Born Free plays and now, a few days later, I remember every word as my heart is pounding and the wind is whipping in my face.

Calm facing danger
Lost, like an unknown stranger
Grateful for my time with no regrets.

Close to my destination
Tired, frail and aching
Waitin’ patiently for the sun to set

And when its done believe that
I will yell it from that mountain high

Kid Rock, Born Free

I think a lot about my life while I’m running for hours in my home state of New Hampshire. So many songs remind me of my time out west, chasing dreams and living the life west of the Continental Divide in the high peaks of Colorado and the deserts of Arizona. I lived out west for almost 15 years and it was my dream. Now, as I get older and I’m back east, I’m trying to find out new dreams and figuring out how to make my life extraordinary. Songs like this remind me to not give up, and make me feel so lucky that I can still go find my dreams because we are born free. We are free – don’t take it for granted. Seriously, there is still so much to do, achieve, dream and be. Songs like this remind me of that.

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Week 25 Recap

Week 25 went much like Week 26. All three weekday runs were on the treadmill with all the snow and ice. The treadmill sessions were tough but I got it done. Two weight room workouts where I added a few more things: hip abductor exercises specifically.

I reversed last week’s 16 mile course. It was just as hard with the hills. As I got to the top of the hill I took a photo of the alpacas. So cute. How appropriate that I will see them during the Leadville race.

When I was at mile 12 a small dog got loose and wanted to run out to greet me on a busy Route 12. I had to stop and try to get him to his owner. So scary! One interesting nutrition note: I had a big breakfast with eggs, potato, peppers and onions (no toast) and it was the perfect amount of food. I only ate one gel for the 16 miles – the Muir Energy Cashew Vanilla gel. It was pretty good; a different consistency that I’m not used to.

My knee isn’t causing problems and no more neuroma pain in my left foot. YEAH!

Sunday Plan – 10 miles. I wasn’t as worried about the 10 miles leading up to the weekend since last week went so well. While I was tired, I still ran well. This Sunday started with a gorgeous hike with Winnie at Marjorie Swope trails. We encountered a few people and their dogs who were so happy to be out on such a glorious day.

Hiking in Marjory Swope Trail Park on March 3, 2019

Then, got home and headed to Winant Park to run 10.1 miles on the trails with 1,393 elevation gain. The first five miles went well, I felt great. After 5 miles I still felt strong but my legs were fatigued. I got home stretched and foam rolled. I so glad to see my heart rate normalize as I get stronger.


Average Weight: 157

Average Resting Heart Rate: 50

Training Time: 11:37 (includes hiking and weight training)

Total Vert: 4,169

Miles: 50.0 (includes hiking)

Getting ready for Week 24:

A glorious, glorious day! Penacook Lake.
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Mary Oliver

Rest in Peace Mary Oliver. You inspired me and made your readers slow down and be in each moment. From poems about the joys of dogs off leash to the sadness of every day life, you taught me to live in each moment.

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2019 Leadville Trail 100 Run

In June 2008 – I entered a lottery for my first Ironman. I miraculously got into a very competitive lottery for Ironman Coeur d’Alene but it was all about logging into several browsers at exactly the right time. Once I clicked submit and paid the entry fee, I knew my life was going to change. I knew that I just entered a race that I wasn’t quite sure I could finish. But I was going to train for a year and just keep moving forward. On race day, June 2009 I had a great support team (Mom and Dad) and met Mark and Than, and truly my life has never been the same since crossing that finish line.

Just over 10 years later I entered another lottery. It was another very competitive lottery and no one knows how people are chosen; apparently it is a trademarked secret. I found out yesterday I got into Leadville Trail 100 Run.

I wanted to run Leadville since 2012, the year I moved to Tucson from Colorado. It appeared on goals lists and blog posts – I wanted to train and run Leadville. Back then, I was too afraid to enter the lottery; I was just going to prepare, just put in the miles.

In 2016 after moving back to Colorado I ran the 10K in Leadville. Even while living at 8,000 going to 10,000 for a 10K kicked my butt. My plan was to progress through the distances, in a practical way, but life has a way of sidetracking even those with good intentions. I ended up leaving Colorado and moved back to New Hampshire the next year.

It’s been a wacky couple of years and I haven’t really been able to find my stride in training and racing. But the last six months something has changed and I’m more focused on mountain and trail running. I’m returning to my roots – running and hiking the mountains of New Hampshire. I’m getting stronger and more comfortable spending hours alone in the mountains. I was brave and entered the Leadville Lottery know that my life would change instantly if I got in.

I seriously don’t know how my name got picked. From reading comments from athletes on social media, many have been trying for years.

Maybe the organizers liked all the stuff I bought from their online store: shirts, maps and beanies. I’ve been wearing my Leadville shirt a lot lately to stay motivated to train. Or, maybe it was the license plate magnet I bought when I was in Leadville in 2016 that is on my refrigerator that states the elevation 10,152. Or maybe it’s the Leadville travel mug I use daily. It could be due to the hashtag I’ve been using on social #dreamingofleadville. Maybe it was hanging the map on my wall with the 100 mile race showing and not the side with the 50 mile course, which was my backup plan.

I don’t know why they picked me over the others or if it really was a random drawing. But I’m in. I’m all in. And I’m ready for a transformation. #dreamingofleadville