tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90399756814015693402024-03-18T04:47:41.968-05:00Fit-InkFit Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09036471145090446803noreply@blogger.comBlogger982125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-18938503839696566002016-09-30T21:36:00.000-05:002016-11-06T22:40:07.436-06:00CitySTRONG Hits Chicago October 2<div>
I'll just leave this photo here and start with that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lRQeokKRHvBh4sLUJUUOJqOuDbLPPOydK_JnYWWTdF9lOM-Ia-4Jt-JZejxBFYKO6HsJjQxEMPzhaLkn11HADPAkMK_S_8ycGXWIbmXYHTqnU3gKVIB172tan7PRJ69HBnDgQX2K12M/s1600/IMG_4890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lRQeokKRHvBh4sLUJUUOJqOuDbLPPOydK_JnYWWTdF9lOM-Ia-4Jt-JZejxBFYKO6HsJjQxEMPzhaLkn11HADPAkMK_S_8ycGXWIbmXYHTqnU3gKVIB172tan7PRJ69HBnDgQX2K12M/s400/IMG_4890.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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But now you might be wondering why there are so many people tricep-dipping in the heart of a city (in this case, Nashville). They're breaking a sweat at <a href="http://www.citystrong.com/" target="_blank">CitySTRONG</a>, a fitness tour hosted by celebrity trainers <b>Shawn Booth</b> and <b>Erin Oprea</b>. </div>
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After a stop in Nashville in September, CitySTRONG comes to Chicago on Sunday, October 2. And instead of finding this workout at one of your more typical outdoor venues--Grant Park, Navy Pier, we're looking at you--you'll find CitySTRONG attendees working out on the rooftop at the 31st Street Harbor. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYaXS_fj_-oj3jck_SJ6Uc1MmOcxI5dw10GVihURUy09OptPVG0ZIJ3SiLB8yomD6gGlTwDXqxsGwP5Yfxh9jEaCdfZo8o3JWXRp7f73Z6DrtbshqTrwSt7DWz0a0V7BA1L0MnhRw45M/s1600/ZachHarrisonPhotography-302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYaXS_fj_-oj3jck_SJ6Uc1MmOcxI5dw10GVihURUy09OptPVG0ZIJ3SiLB8yomD6gGlTwDXqxsGwP5Yfxh9jEaCdfZo8o3JWXRp7f73Z6DrtbshqTrwSt7DWz0a0V7BA1L0MnhRw45M/s400/ZachHarrisonPhotography-302.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Many fitness fans might be drawn to the celeb power--after all, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shawn_booth18/?hl=en" target="_blank">Shawn</a> was <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynbristowe/?hl=en" target="_blank">Kaitlyn Bristowe</a>'s suitor on <i>The Bachelorette </i>(and in real life he's a personal trainer) and <a href="http://opreapersonalfitness.com/" target="_blank">Erin</a> trains Carrie Underwood, among others. But there's more just star gazing Sunday morning. Think killer views of Lake Michigan, killer tunes spun by none other than Bachelorette Kaitlyn, and one killer workout from Shawn and Erin. I'm envisioning squats, lunges and pushups among the mix of bodyweight moves, although I really have no clue what I'm in for come Sunday morning.</div>
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So the Chicago stop of CitySTRONG is already sold out (I know I'm not surprised based on the weather forecasting the first break in rain in days, the unique venue, the not-too-early 9:30 a.m. start, and the opportunity to sweat with Erin, Shawn and Kaitlyn), but read more about it <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citystrongofficial" target="_blank">here</a> or on CitySTRONG's <a href="http://www.citystrong.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. And if you need an excuse to head to San Diego when you really start missing summer, that might be CitySTRONG's next city--but the November stop has yet to be announced.</div>
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<i>Photos courtesy of CitySTRONG and Zach Harrison Photography.</i></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-21770931432202223522014-11-21T11:30:00.000-06:002014-11-22T10:15:37.456-06:00Skiing's Open Season: Where to Ski This Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtupEQmNos297ycM55atMTuP12UD2fzDvxwrBz6J-EcQoNdWahkyPL8BtNa61kzh-KBTBBb1QEdJwUcigrMna0YiVrzS8yiFK7lVJGNZ7xbToHb0BZXPSNkoXByL-UFQg2Ljx9bt3hGk/s1600/GogglesImage_08_20_12_2651_2546_low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtupEQmNos297ycM55atMTuP12UD2fzDvxwrBz6J-EcQoNdWahkyPL8BtNa61kzh-KBTBBb1QEdJwUcigrMna0YiVrzS8yiFK7lVJGNZ7xbToHb0BZXPSNkoXByL-UFQg2Ljx9bt3hGk/s1600/GogglesImage_08_20_12_2651_2546_low.jpg" height="193" width="320" /></a></div>
If there's one thing that makes cold weather and snow tolerable, it's skiing. You won't find me layered head to toe running on the Lakefront Path very often (I'm a mostly treadmill girl once it dips below 30), but I will bundle up--handwarmers, four shirts and all--to carve turns on the snow. The ski season may have started off slow with <a href="http://www.keystoneresort.com/" target="_blank">Keystone</a> and <a href="http://www.breckenridge.com/" target="_blank">Breckenridge</a> having to postpone their opening dates, but it's certainly getting into full swing now.<br />
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Skiers were treated to epic conditions at Breckenridge, Winter Park and Wolf Creek (we heard <a href="http://www.skibanff.com/" target="_blank">Sunshine Village</a> in Banff, Alberta, Canada, was pretty good too). You can thank the storm that blanketed ski country with much-needed snow in time for last weekend's resort openings. But lucky for you (and me since I think I'm hitting up one of Colorado's finest on Sunday), the colder weather that stuck around is making this weekend's openings equally as amazing.<br />
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Here's where you'll want to make some tracks before the family comes to town for Thanksgiving.<br />
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<li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.alta.com" href="http://www.alta.com/"><strong>Alta</strong></a>. Brighton may have been the first Utah ski resort to start spinning its lifts, but Alta is the first resort in the powder heavy Little Cottonwood Canyon </li>
<li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.brianhead.com" href="http://www.brianhead.com/"><strong>Brian Head</strong></a>. The Salt Lake City area isn't the only place to go skiing this weekend. Located roughly 240 miles south--and slightly west--of Salt Lake City, Brian Head has plenty of snow to get its season started. Thank you cold jet stream from Canada. </li>
<li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.skiheavenly.com" href="http://www.skiheavenly.com/"><strong>Heavenly</strong></a>. Remember how sad Tahoe skiing looked for much of last season? There might be a drought throughout California, but it doesn't seem to be affecting the state's skiing mecca. Heavenly has had its snow guns turned on and blasting to make it look like full on winter.</li>
<li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.northstarcalifornia.com" href="http://www.northstarcalifornia.com/"><strong>Northstar</strong></a>. The north side of Lake Tahoe has already seen some snowfalls, but Northstar has also been heavy-handed (no complaints here) with their snow guns. They've been busy all week making snow so that Big Springs Gondola, Arrow Express, Vista Express and The Big Easy could open today.</li>
<li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.parkcitymountain.com" href="http://www.parkcitymountain.com/"><strong>Park City Mountain Resort</strong></a>. Utah skiers can delight in a sampling of their state's skiing because this resort doesn't officially open until Saturday, November 22. But who says you can't ski Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon today and then head over to Park City tomorrow? You know you're curious about what changes you might notice, beyond the Epic Pass privileges, now that <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.examiner.com/article/vail-resorts-acquires-park-city-mountain-resort-pcmr-joins-epic-pass-family" href="http://www.examiner.com/article/vail-resorts-acquires-park-city-mountain-resort-pcmr-joins-epic-pass-family">PCMR is part of Vail Resorts</a>.</li>
<li><strong><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.skisilverstar.com" href="http://www.skisilverstar.com/">Su</a><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.sunpeaksresort.com" href="http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/">n Peaks</a></strong>. It might be a bit of a trek if you're coming from the states, but this ski resort is the first to open in British Columbia's Interior (<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.skisilverstar.com" href="http://www.skisilverstar.com/">Silver Star</a> is on track for a Nov. 27 opening). Resort officials might be saying its early season conditions, but do you really care when you get to ski instead of wonder how you're going to spend your weekend?</li>
<li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.snowbird.com" href="http://www.snowbird.com/"><strong>Snowbird</strong></a>. It only seems right that if Alta opens for the season so does Snowbird. After all, the two resorts share some common ground and with the right lift ticket you can ski between the two all day. Sugar Bowl lift to the Mineral Basin, anyone?</li>
<li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.skisolitude.com" href="http://www.skisolitude.com/"><strong>Solitude</strong></a>. Brighton may have been the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.examiner.com/article/brighton-opens-for-2014-2015-season-on-november-18" href="http://www.examiner.com/article/brighton-opens-for-2014-2015-season-on-november-18">first Utah ski resort to start</a> spinning its lifts, but with Solitude's opening, you can ski all Big Cottonwood Canyon has to offer.</li>
<li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.vail.com" href="http://www.vail.com/"><strong>Vail</strong></a>. Its sister Colorado resorts, Keystone and Breckenridge (plus Arapahoe Basin with its Epic Pass connection) have been providing plenty of turns and fresh powder, but now it's Vail's turn. With the amount of snow that's been falling in the Rockies lately, today's opening is bound to be a good one. Besides, Lindsey Vonn was there to kick things off this morning at first chair.</li>
<li><strong><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com" href="http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/">Whistler</a></strong>. Good news for skiers who love skiing this Canadian hotspot: you don't have to wait until Nov. 27 to ski part of the resort's terrain. Whistler and Backcomb initially had expected openings of next Thursday, but Whistler bumped up its opening day to Saturday, November 22. Hooray for that winter storm system in the Pacific Northwest!</li>
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Who said cold weather and snow were evil in November? Certainly not a skier. <b>Where are you planning to take turns this weekend?</b><br />
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<i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://news.vailresorts.com/" target="_blank">Vail Resorts.</a></i></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-19922319661149122002014-11-20T13:21:00.000-06:002014-11-20T19:22:38.663-06:00One Day, One Low Price: Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Offers Discount Today Only<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/npvphotography/3785754526" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Faces from the race - Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Chicago by NVitkus, on Flickr"><img alt="Faces from the race - Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Chicago" height="213" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3574/3785754526_461143eb5f_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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What's a common complaint among runners? That race registration fees can get expensive. Multiple 5Ks, 10-milers and half marathons that are creeping toward $100 (or more), marathons that are at least $100 (or more than $200 if you're running <a href="http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/" target="_blank">NYC</a>). When you run a lot of races, you start to feel like you're getting bled dry on the fees alone. So if you could save some dough and not pay top dollar for a race you think you'll run next year, wouldn't you take it? Of course! Here's your chance.<br />
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Today the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://runrocknroll.com" href="http://runrocknroll.com/">Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series</a> launched <a data-cke-saved-href="http://runrocknroll.com/myrnrtour" href="http://runrocknroll.com/myrnrtour">#MyRnRTour</a>, a new interactive race calendar planning tool for its 2015 races. To celebrate, the series is giving runners a hefty one-day discount on its race registrations where runners can register for Rock 'n' Roll series races for as low as $59 in select cities. Instead of costing upwards of $100 (if you drag your feet on registering, that is), the 2015 <a data-cke-saved-href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/chicago/register" href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/chicago/register">HumanaVitality Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon</a> costs $70 while its accompanying 5K costs $35--an offer good only on November 20. The 2015 race will be held the weekend of July 18-19 in downtown Chicago featuring local bands blasting tunes along the course and concluding with a headliner concert at the finish line.<br />
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The new #MyRnRTour calendar is designed for participants to plan out the races they want to run in 2015, register and then share what they're doing on social media. Think a customized calendar that's all about running and darting across the country, and world with international additions like <a href="http://ie.competitor.com/dublin" target="_blank">Dublin</a> and <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/mexico-city/register" target="_blank">Mexico City</a> in the line-up, to log miles in these signature Rock 'n' Roll races. With 29 races on the 2015 calendar, you have plenty to choose from, many of which have scenic routes that showcase the best the city has to offer like the Las Vegas Strip, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.<br />
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Ready to register? This deal is only good on Thursday, November 20--and some cities, like Vancouver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and St. Louis, are only open for registration today--so head over to <a data-cke-saved-href="http://runrocknroll.com" href="http://runrocknroll.com/">runrocknroll.com</a> to sign up.<br />
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<i>Photo grabbed from flickr user <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/npvphotography/3785754526/in/photolist-psUCQZ-9mcP48-aFztse-8oCPi3-ozMAUN-3KCxDa-amiNdS-amoJVf-amoJwj-osrsQZ-7Dyvwp-6Yckpv-6Ycksz-6Ygng9-6Ygnuh-6Ygnyy-6YgnhG-6Yckxe-6Yv6Mr-6Yz7Es-aFBVdH-6PnxXm-6Lx4e1-6LsUdT-6LsMDz-6LsQen-6LwY55-6LsLc4-6LwVo1-6LwYVL-6Lx1CU-6LsTDx-6Lx3nQ-6LwX9S-6LwXHd-6LwWFL-6LsLyV-6LsMNK-6LsNv2-6LsPrz-6Lx2Jj-6LsQ28-6LsN4X-6LsUqe-6Lx1cJ-6LwVwf-6LsRd2-6LsMVi-6LwYgw-6Lx5cf/" target="_blank">NVitkus</a> via creative commons.org.</i>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-32623587836335759752014-10-02T21:53:00.000-05:002014-11-11T16:43:56.250-06:00Fit-Pic: Winter is Coming!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Snow on the peaks of Crested Butte? Sure, it's only October (barely), but three inches of fresh snow this time of year is not an un-welcome sight in Colorado. When the rest of the country curses the snow, Colorado, its Rocky Mountain towns especially, embrace it.<br />
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And why? Because it means that winter--and skiing all that snow--is coming. Fall colors might be lovely to look at (this coming from the girl who wasn't even a fan of the rich yellow, orange and red hues until <a href="http://instagram.com/p/tiReswoQYM/?modal=true" target="_blank">a weekend in Aspen</a> changed that), but bare trees and snow piled as high as the rooftops signal a season that's more fun to play in. And knowing that <a href="http://www.skicb.com/" target="_blank">Crested Butte Mountain Resort</a>, and other Colorado resorts who shared pictures on social media, got some snow makes the cooler weather and switch from shorts to pants more tolerable for this girl. I might savor every last bit of summer, but skiing keeps me sane in winter.<br />
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Who else is ready to hit the slopes? Fifty-four days and counting if you're waiting for Crested Butte's free skiing when it opens on November 26, the day before Thanksgiving.<br />
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<i>Photo looking at Paradise Divide shot by Chris Segal and provided by Crested Butte Mountain Resort.</i><br />
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com112tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-78946884930748787552014-08-11T17:36:00.000-05:002014-08-12T22:37:45.701-05:00A New Kinda Girls' Night Out...with New Balance<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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There are a lot of things I could be doing on a Wednesday night...actually cooking dinner for once instead of tossing together a salad (or grabbing something at the store), watching the new <i>Top Chef Duels</i>, catching up on the ever-growing errand list, or putting in some QT in the pool, on the bike or out on the trail.<br />
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But what's unfortunate about these options is that they're all activities I'd be doing alone. And while sometimes we all like a little alone time, I get enough of that other times of the year--like nights when my husband's on call. Besides, it doesn't take much arm-twisting when a night out involves fitness. Maybe when I have to drive there, but not when it's only a short bike ride away.<br />
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So when I heard about <a href="http://stores.newbalance.com/chicago/map.aspx?sid=5" target="_blank">New Balance Chicago</a>'s new <a href="https://www.nbgirlsnightout.com/" target="_blank">Girls' Night Out</a>, I knew what I'd be doing on Wednesday, August 13. Question is: who wants to join me?<br />
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New Balance's Girls' Night Out is an evening designed to help active, social women connect and achieve personal fitness goals together. Other cities, like <a href="http://fitnessandfeta.com/2014/07/03/new-balance-girls-night-out/" target="_blank">Boston</a> (New Balance's hometown), have been lucky enough these evenings for months, but August marks the first time Chicago gets a taste of the fitness-focused evening. "Girls' Night Out will offer women the opportunity to redefine what a 'night out' with their girlfriends means to them," said Jeff Mach, co-owner of New Balance Chicago.<br />
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This night promises the appetizers, drinks and music you'd find at a typical happy hour, plus the workout you're usually passing up to enjoy that social time. Make that two workouts. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. with a run and ends back at the store with a bootcamp workout. For the first Girls' Night Out, the "train like a celebrity" bootcamp will be led by trainers from <a href="http://www.jimkaras.com/" target="_blank">Jim Karas Personal Training</a>, a training studio created by Jim Karas who's known for training stars like Hugh Jackman and Diane Sawyer.<br />
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Knowing how much my quads burned, my abs ached and my arms were on fire after a <a href="http://www.jimkaras.com/cardio_free_studio_workouts" target="_blank">cardio-free workout</a> I tried at Jim Karas' space a few years ago, I'm starting to think I'd be ready to collapse in a heap after this evening out--and how I'd be able to pedal home. But for this fitness fanatic, it only makes me more excited to go. 'Cause then I know I've earned all those post-workout treats I'm sure I'll be putting in my mouth after the sweat session.<br />
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The Short List:<br />
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<li>Where: <a href="http://stores.newbalance.com/chicago" target="_blank">New Balance Chicago</a> at 2369 N. Clark in Lincoln Park.</li>
<li>When: 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13.</li>
<li>RSVP and learn more about Girls' Night Out <a href="https://www.nbgirlsnightout.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li>Can't come this week? Check out the <a href="https://www.nbgirlsnightout.com/" target="_blank">GNO MeetUp app</a> for more events happening down the road.</li>
</ul>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-2070167929429748932014-08-03T08:30:00.000-05:002014-10-01T11:46:45.281-05:00Fit-Pic: The Green Miles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTz9vpgX-9kFJH39snbgaRMDaoa3wqYaMUBUveeLIK2MktJiuAvsbYMZE7x-yqLXz7hQG4rSg3Q5AJFiqmmDhXYezWJcoBBczgdJ-KeUJaFJkSYIwSkhQ-vrlWhEpxuvSvVQnhUfr5YY/s1600/IMG_1893.JPG+resized+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTz9vpgX-9kFJH39snbgaRMDaoa3wqYaMUBUveeLIK2MktJiuAvsbYMZE7x-yqLXz7hQG4rSg3Q5AJFiqmmDhXYezWJcoBBczgdJ-KeUJaFJkSYIwSkhQ-vrlWhEpxuvSvVQnhUfr5YY/s1600/IMG_1893.JPG+resized+2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I wish I could say that this trail blazer was me, but I can only dream of tackling this trail--a gem of one, if I might add--in <b>Crested Butte, Colorado</b>. You see, it was my husband who texted me this photo from the mountain town we fell in love with back in March during a ski weekend (as for the trail name, I'm drawing a complete blank on what he called it.) He was doing the <a href="http://www.cbmba.org/" target="_blank">mountain biking</a>, and he "kindly" wanted to show me what I was missing as I chugged along on the trainer logging those Ironman miles. Judging from the picture, CB is as awesome in the summer as it is in the winter.<br />
<br />
Jealous? Absolutely. Not only does the greenery stretch for miles, but the trail doesn't look too rugged for these terrible-at-mountain-biking legs. Even though the saddle on my mountain bike is about the most uncomfortable thing ever (that's what a bike upgrade complete with new Adamo saddle will teach you), I probably would have sucked it up just to avoid the hours I was pedaling...indoors. Not by choice on that trainer sesh, mind you, but it was the best option I had in southeast Michigan where I was spending the weekend. And I definitely could have taken a slice, or two or three, of pizza from <a href="http://www.stashpizza.com/" target="_blank">The Secret Stash</a> after my ride. There's always next year. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-38641461608188629112014-07-05T22:49:00.000-05:002014-07-10T09:18:15.103-05:00Take Me Out to the Ball Game--and Score an Entry to Strike Out ALS 5K<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixE0HupJe2dPpRJFiICloKdysikgLJcoGiBp8CMpuYSQtxTSsIx2UXoLPl9HHFmu5wBEcUd7NrwsaHbR3cHg70cLO-o4otYEnxElBFFZRx78GD-dmzmShSitpjqDw72FViXFpl1I2NhWs/s1600/IMG_2608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixE0HupJe2dPpRJFiICloKdysikgLJcoGiBp8CMpuYSQtxTSsIx2UXoLPl9HHFmu5wBEcUd7NrwsaHbR3cHg70cLO-o4otYEnxElBFFZRx78GD-dmzmShSitpjqDw72FViXFpl1I2NhWs/s1600/IMG_2608.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just me and my media team buds after last year's race.</td></tr>
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Baseball and beer? They go together: You’re most likely going to sip—or slam—a brew when you’re at the ballpark. Baseball and brats? Maybe it’s a brat or maybe it’s a hot dog, but it’s the meat in a bun that you’re ordering at the concession stand before the 7th inning stretch. But baseball and running? Sure, there’s plenty of running on the field between rounding the bases and sprinting for fly balls. But if you really want a connection between the two sports, or just run a 5K anywhere besides the lakefront or Lincoln Park, you’ll find it at the <a href="http://www.strikeoutals5k.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1105165&lis=1&kntae1105165=C3472FA18E4E4E8C97E1288E2BD0B196" target="_blank">Strike Out ALS 5K</a>, which does a riff on Take Me Out to the Ballgame that any runner can appreciate.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2012/06/strike-out-als-5k-where-baseball-and.html" target="_blank">Strike Out ALS 5K</a> trades the typical Chicago 5K backdrop—the lakefront, the park, the city streets—for one of the ballpark variety with a course that starts outside U.S. Cellular Field, home of the White Sox, and finishes inside with a loop around the warning track (or at least that's how the course flowed in 2012 and 2013, but more to come on that.) And as its name would imply, it’s a race that sticks with the baseball theme from its location to its beneficiary. The 5K serves as a fundraiser for the <a href="http://lesturnerals.org/" target="_blank">Les Turner ALS Foundation</a>, which is “Chicago’s leader in research, patient care, and education about ALS,” according to its website. ALS, short for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and Gehrig was one of the most iconic and respected players in baseball who unfortunately had to quit the game far too soon.<br />
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Maybe it’s because I can’t refuse a good 5K or maybe it’s because I’m a baseball fan (maybe not a Jimmy-Fallon-in-<i>Fever</i>-<i>Pitch</i> superfan, but I have enough books on the Cubs, Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers to probably seem crazy.) Either way, this race is hard for me to resist.
I think the only reason I missed it its first year—the race turns five in 2014—is because I had just completed Ironman No. 2 days before and running was the last thing on my mind. I plodded my way through it in 2011 as my first run post-stress fracture. I shuffled through it in 2012 when my leg cramped up. I accidentally cut about a quarter mile off the course last year—I swear I just followed who I saw in front of me—when I missed a straightaway and found myself hitting the warning track from center field. And I’m already signed up for this year’s event on Tuesday, July 15, which promises to be even better than it’s been in the past.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VjYYXN0CR5E8h9IuW1JSyCGZOYg4knFt5nueYYy2Jyqa-oY9oPe7WwtE_oS_b_0W81GMgUDSmKtOcSJXx8TZrbJkAmwbWJRvlM0FxgkDIBt7_1quwg5ft2WcVFRc8L1kQtEMmMaDkLU/s1600/IMG_2599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VjYYXN0CR5E8h9IuW1JSyCGZOYg4knFt5nueYYy2Jyqa-oY9oPe7WwtE_oS_b_0W81GMgUDSmKtOcSJXx8TZrbJkAmwbWJRvlM0FxgkDIBt7_1quwg5ft2WcVFRc8L1kQtEMmMaDkLU/s1600/IMG_2599.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Runners (aka ants since they're so small here) sprint around<br />
the warning track at U.S. Cellular Field.</td></tr>
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As Strike Out ALS turns five, the race will have new course with entertainment at each mile. Instead of hanging out in the stands to watch the All Star Game on the big center field screen after running, the post-race party will be at the ChiSox Bar & Grill where runners can feast on a special discounted menu and $3 beer while listening to the tunes of Daredevil Sunday. But one thing won't be changing when this race kicks off at 6:30 p.m.: It's helping those who are living with ALS and remembers those who have unfortunately lost their battle with the debilitating disease.<br />
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Now here's where it gets good if you a. want to run on Tuesday, July 15 b. live in the Chicago area (or plan to be in Chicago on the 15th) or c. want to see what the Strike Out ALS 5K is all about. Thanks to our friends at the Les Turner ALS Foundation, we have <b>a race entry that we're giving away</b>. Yep, that's right. If you haven't already signed up for this race, you could save yourself the $40 registration fee--though perhaps you might consider donating some of what you saved to the organization--and run what's a personal favorite, especially as far as 5Ks go (<a href="http://www.ravenswood5k.com/" target="_blank">Ravenswood</a> would be another.) <br />
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<b>To enter:</b><br />
Simply comment on this post, saying that you'd like to be entered in the giveaway by <b>11:59 p.m. CST on Thursday, July 10</b>. We'll draw one name and announce the winner--plus tell you offline how to get signed up.<br />
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Why so early for a Tuesday race? Because we want to make sure you don't miss the online registration period, which ends at noon on Friday, and have a chance to pick up your packet on Sunday, July 13, if you don't want to wait until race day.<br />
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For more details on the event or to make a donation, check out strikeoutals.org. And comment below if you want to run in 10 days!<br />
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-41790276863859348082014-06-14T21:23:00.000-05:002014-06-26T15:09:17.266-05:00Fit-Pic: The Calm Before the 70.3 Storm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOAbxVy6ZvH20xgGUUaMfN5mdqJtYjh-OiwSn8u5kqbnHCJmEv0PtOCjDBrv4m69LcMtkT3K5oh_rsNAXtmj2lShCP6dDEwC9gfAmYCU-s5gdjbaMVUifIe-ObBdc6FX1QvaGucA3ebw/s1600/photo-4+boulder+703+transition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOAbxVy6ZvH20xgGUUaMfN5mdqJtYjh-OiwSn8u5kqbnHCJmEv0PtOCjDBrv4m69LcMtkT3K5oh_rsNAXtmj2lShCP6dDEwC9gfAmYCU-s5gdjbaMVUifIe-ObBdc6FX1QvaGucA3ebw/s1600/photo-4+boulder+703+transition.jpg" /></a></div>
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Nothing like 1,500 or so bikes racked in transition at the Boulder Reservoir before tomorrow's <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman-70.3/boulder.aspx" target="_blank">Ironman 70.3 Boulder</a>. Also known as the Pro Town Showdown, it's the one race on the circuit where not only most of the pro triathletes who call Boulder home come to toe the line but also where they can sleep in their own beds the night before the race. If only I could be so lucky....<br />
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Who wants to guess how much that transition area is worth with so many primo rides parked there for the night?Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-26319776843741139762014-06-08T11:43:00.000-05:002014-06-12T19:29:18.225-05:00Fit-Pic: What Your Legs Look Like After a Trail Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzHZA4xpT1QWE1_pLLD2Ta8VJ2bbh-KLWVBLyaENSFUjs7EN54gicl45R3050eUjXSArEjDYB0FdCNGxi5pSIck4uuOi1awF2uD70zHqTBLcRsMk-hPnC5h7_OnK-50g8cOZhOifxLK8/s1600/IMG_1740+dirty+feet+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzHZA4xpT1QWE1_pLLD2Ta8VJ2bbh-KLWVBLyaENSFUjs7EN54gicl45R3050eUjXSArEjDYB0FdCNGxi5pSIck4uuOi1awF2uD70zHqTBLcRsMk-hPnC5h7_OnK-50g8cOZhOifxLK8/s1600/IMG_1740+dirty+feet+resized.jpg" /></a></div>
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It was a tough choice, but my dirty legs won over my Tyrannosaurus Rex-looking arms (apparently my arms don't look normal when I run trails) when it comes to the image I'd prefer to remember in conjunction with today's <a href="http://www.mountaingames.com/event-detail/10K-Spring-Runoff.aspx" target="_blank">10K Spring Runoff</a>. Not that I expected to be clean after running 6.8 miles across <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2013/06/a-run-on-vails-trails.html" target="_blank">Vail's trails</a>, but I never thought my legs would be covered with so much dirt. That was what <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2014/05/fit-pic-mudderellas-wheels-in-motion.html" target="_blank">last week's Mudderella</a> was for--when I still found mud all over my body after splashing into the Hat Trick obstacle's pool and after showering in the Rinse & Revive area.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2013/06/fit-pic-mountain-games-10k-spring-run.html" target="_blank">Runoff'</a>s course didn't even seem that muddy, dusty or dirty--plus I'm so slow when it comes to running <i>down</i> the trail that I couldn't have been kicking up that much dirt. But one glance at my lower half at the finish line and I was sorely mistaken. Instead of being sweaty, and caked in the white salty residue I'm accustomed to after most warm-day races, my legs had acquired a shade of brown that no summer tan could ever match.<br />
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<b>Do your legs look this dirty after you've been running on the trail?</b><br />
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As for my T-Rex arms, I'm the poster child for those <a href="http://www.amazon.com/T-Rex-Hates-Pushups-T-Shirt-Dinosaur/dp/B006FCNK4U" target="_blank">T-Rex Hates Pushups T-shirts</a>. You'll have to come back to see those because I'm too embarrassed to post them anywhere but a race report.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-56991972516346056912014-06-07T19:34:00.000-05:002014-06-12T13:08:37.178-05:00Fit-Pic: Vail Pass Here We Come<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfG44lJxsPFClzOXg-qb_ZVoD_CvzMcDQxZ7jLb-WA9U0aU9NJxfmWZODvKnDPZLRNQTAfCw_Yphz9hvoiuW0lE5wVKtWQYydrWME3nBG0OA-Z1MAE9P7tHWvc3z1UFhD6kuY5DLPThro/s1600/IMG_4823+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfG44lJxsPFClzOXg-qb_ZVoD_CvzMcDQxZ7jLb-WA9U0aU9NJxfmWZODvKnDPZLRNQTAfCw_Yphz9hvoiuW0lE5wVKtWQYydrWME3nBG0OA-Z1MAE9P7tHWvc3z1UFhD6kuY5DLPThro/s1600/IMG_4823+resized.jpg" height="450" width="570" /></a></div>
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Talk about some serious bragging rights these runners are attempting to earn. They're just steps into the Vail Pass Half Marathon, one of the three running-centered events--the Badass Dash and the Spring Run-off are the others--that takes place during the <a href="http://www.mountaingames.com/" target="_blank">GoPro Mountain Games</a>, held at Vail from June 5 to 8, 2014. With a name like the Vail Pass Half Marathon, you'd be correct if you guessed runners would be running (or walking, stumbling, dragging their legs, etc.) up Vail Pass, whose summit is roughly 13 miles east of the Golden Peak start line.<br />
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I wonder if all of these runners knew what they were getting into when they signed up? They must have. This isn't your average half marathon after all. After what feels like a flat start, according to my husband who ran it last year and admits he took it out way too fast as a result, you're running up up up to finish at the top of Vail Pass, gaining roughly 2,900 feet. Your finish line is 13.7 miles away, 0.6 miles more than you'd run in most other races labeled half marathons. That mileage isn't even guaranteed: Race organizers state that you could run more or less than that 13.7 if the route, a popular mixed-use paved trail that weaves past the Vail golf course, through East Vail, and under Interstate 70, still has snow on it (and with the above-average snowpack we've heard reported from this season, that's totally possible). And who knows? It even could be snowing at the summit depending on what Mother Nature has in store--though taking the gamble today was a winning decision because it's picture perfect.<br />
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Has it really been a year since we were up in Vail for the GoPro Mountain Games? Yep. But it sure doesn't feel like it. It's sunny, warm, still a little snowy in spots, and I'm adjusting to the elevation and keeping an aching back from flaring up, just like <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2013/06/fit-pic-vail-pass-half-marathon.html" target="_blank">last year</a>.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-25389657333561355382014-06-01T19:09:00.000-05:002014-06-11T14:10:33.598-05:00Fit-Pic: Udder Century 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTJmCFwuLMLrBKjLjrFCgFqe6t7mzT-dJcgUIkyjT5zEqZhStHQ8XbDl8d-fy7vXRrbilyd9rTB_eRmxYRy_KI4v_mnPo4ss3EAPKyusutK4CkbgrgwVHoQwM3dqV5ABqfBmq2-VOM78/s1600/IMG_4810+udder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTJmCFwuLMLrBKjLjrFCgFqe6t7mzT-dJcgUIkyjT5zEqZhStHQ8XbDl8d-fy7vXRrbilyd9rTB_eRmxYRy_KI4v_mnPo4ss3EAPKyusutK4CkbgrgwVHoQwM3dqV5ABqfBmq2-VOM78/s1600/IMG_4810+udder.jpg" height="251" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is far from a glamour shot of the annual <a href="http://www.mchenrybicycleclub.org/udder-century" target="_blank">Udder Century Ride</a> (<a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2009/06/cross-it-off-life-goal-list-100-miles.html" target="_blank">Liz's first 100-miler</a> way back when!) organized by the <a href="http://www.mchenrybicycleclub.org/" target="_blank">McHenry County Bicycle Club</a>. But it's pretty much all I have to offer from the Sunday ride given that I should have taken pictures of the bikes and cyclists en masse at the rest stops and I wish I were talented enough to snap photos while pedaling (<a href="http://gosonja.com/" target="_blank">GoSonja</a>: what's your trick?).<br />
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Had I done either of these, you'd get to see more bike traffic--the rest stop that does double-duty as stops 2 and 4 was hopping--and the craziest parade of tractors I've ever seen while traveling through farm country (the Ironman Wisconsin bike course in all its farm glory had nothing on this). There had to be at least 10 tractors in different colors, including hot pink, and sizes, from the petite to the monster truck variety, rolling down the road and even holding up some fellow riders. Apparently a course marshall for a time trial that was sharing part of our route thought it was a good idea to let the tractors roll through their stop sign and make the cyclists stop and wait.<br />
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One thing is always guaranteed at the Udder: It's a perennial favorite of Chicago-area cyclists. We come out in droves to ride, rain or shine (we had both today), and smooth sailing or holy headwind. These are just a small handful of the bikes scattered about <a href="http://www.wildwesttown.com/" target="_blank">Donley's Wild West Town</a>, where the ride starts and finishes. The rest were either still on the course battling those darn headwinds--they were rough--or already stored in the cars as we noshed on the endless pasta and salad each participant is treated to at the end of the ride. Texas toast-style garlic bread never tasted so good!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-16124772184647555512014-05-31T22:58:00.000-05:002014-06-12T13:09:53.435-05:00Fit-Pic: Mudderella's Wheels in Motion <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_Tc9TTq1dZh49WZdBvr8LagWqZbo7nwnLsKJl2Qa_5EPT-qoQvTyyXrFGjZNNxwAtqm48G3uc-5STwQLrQkJjVIcVGFVjCa6_4DFDthkypz7Gy67tjoZYiM28dVmZP9pzzA9BDQC-9k/s1600/IMG_4806+mudderella+tires.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_Tc9TTq1dZh49WZdBvr8LagWqZbo7nwnLsKJl2Qa_5EPT-qoQvTyyXrFGjZNNxwAtqm48G3uc-5STwQLrQkJjVIcVGFVjCa6_4DFDthkypz7Gy67tjoZYiM28dVmZP9pzzA9BDQC-9k/s1600/IMG_4806+mudderella+tires.jpg" height="392" width="570" /></a></div>
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If you ever want to test your balance and core strength, this obstacle, one of the 13 (or was it 14?) obstacles <a href="http://www.mudderella.com/" target="_blank">Mudderella</a> participants faced earlier today on the <a href="http://mudderella.com/events/chicago-2014/" target="_blank">Chicago course</a>, is where you can do it.<br />
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<b>Wheels in Motion</b> looks like something you'd find on a playground--and probably was a recess activity you'd leap at doing when you were eight. But maybe it's the added height and weight I've acquired since I was in elementary school (and the fear of falling I've gained as I've grown older and have more distance between my body and the ground): Crossing those tires is challenging. More than I thought it'd be.<br />
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Step too quickly and you're flipping the tire; step too slow and you're freaking about the line forming behind you while trying to grab the rope for your next move. Or at least that was what rolled through my brain on this obstacle that looked easier than it actually felt. Unless that was just my core telling me I ignored it all winter. Every time I thought I had the tire-crossing figured out, between engaging my core, getting my balance in check and finding the sweet spot on the tire, I'd be thrown for a loop. The tire would start to flip, I couldn't reach the rope, and I felt like the one fool up there who could make a seemingly less daunting challenge, compared to the mud pools we tackled earlier in the course anyway, that much more difficult. But hey, that was just part of the fun, challenge and skill of Mudderella--and I'd do all again. When's the next race?Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-8137175359782747932014-05-29T23:30:00.000-05:002014-06-12T00:29:43.765-05:00May's going out with a bang<br />
You know it’s summer when it’s not a question of how you can workout,
train or race without spending a Saturday and Sunday in the gym, but
how you can cram all of those outdoor activities into your already busy
weekend. Memorial Day Weekend has nothing on this coming weekend, which
signals the end of May and the beginning of June.<br />
<br />
Even with
last weekend’s arsenal of perennial favorites, the Soldier Field 10,
Bike the Drive and the Ridge Run, to get you outside, Saturday, May 31,
promises to be even more action packed. Check out these four events
that’ll get you running, sweating, stretching and putting all those
winter workouts to the test come the weekend. Just think: At least you
have Sunday to sleep them off!<br />
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<br />
<strong>Get Muddy: Mudderella</strong><br />
Tough
Mudder was a huge hit when it rolled through Chicago a few weeks ago.
Saturday brings another muddy challenge to the Illinois-Wisconsin border
when Mudderella debuts in Chicagoland. Some might think that the five-
to seven-mile challenge through the muddy grounds of Richmond Hunting
Club means that <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.mudderella.com" href="http://www.mudderella.com/">Mudderella</a>
is tamer for the female-focused crowd. So. Not. True. Mudderella looks
equally as challenging—and dirty—and its obstacles are designed to put
all those studio workouts you’ve been busting out to good use. Or it’s
your wake-up call to put in more quality training time (hopefully that’s
not the case!). And even if you’re feeling like you got the wind
kicked out of you by the time you cross the finish line—and take as much
time as you want because this event is about conquering it not speeding
through it—you’ve still earned all the post-event treats like the
shower to rinse off the mud, the revive space and the coveted finisher
tee.<br />
<br />
<strong>Get Retro: The Original 5K</strong><br />
What’s with
all the tube socks, short shorts and running shoes with next-to-nothing
support? No, you didn’t just hop a ride on Doc Brown’s time machine.
Running goes retro at the inaugural <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginal5K" href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginal5K">Original 5K</a>,
a Fleet Feet event that’s a bit of a trip down memory lane. The race
itself costs a mere $19.72 (when was the last time you paid less than
$20 for a race?), the race swag is a pair of tube socks, and there are
cold cans of Miller High Life at the finish line. Plus when else can you
run in your Chuck Taylors, vintage New Balance and Nike, Saucony Jazz,
and other classics?<br />
<br />
<strong>Get Generous: Dash for Detection 5K</strong><br />
If
one 5K in the morning isn’t enough for your endurance-minded legs, head
from Montrose Beach to Grant Park, where you can run the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.chicagoevents.com" href="http://www.chicagoevents.com/">Dash for Detecton</a>.
This 5K starts and ends in Grant Park and follows a route along the
lakefront. The race benefits the Michael Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer
Foundation and the Lustgarten Foundation, two organizations who have
goals of developing an early detection test for pancreatic cancer and
finding a cure. <br />
<br />
<strong>Get Bendy: Yoga in the City</strong><br />
There’s
nothing like a yoga session to stretch and work out all those kinks
after running. And on Saturday, you can do those stretches, sun
salutations and asanas in Grant Park at <a data-cke-saved-href="http://chicago.wanderlustfestival.com" href="http://chicago.wanderlustfestival.com/">Wanderlust's Yoga in the City</a>.
Wantderlust brings yoga festivals to unique locations across the
country from ski resorts to urban spots, and the Chicago event is sure
to pack a punch of music, yoga and more in its six hours. Besides, who
wouldn't want to say they've done yoga with the Chicago skyline as a
backdrop?<br />
<br />
Now if only there were two of me so I could participate in all of these events--and catch some extra zzz's!<br />
<br />
What events are on your calendar for the weekend?Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-52267380321238166632014-04-29T18:10:00.000-05:002014-06-12T23:10:54.194-05:00Lindsey Vonn supports Wings for Life World Run May 4<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi-YG426yZCBqSiBQr8Ow53SyPhpHNzjPJDguKQ8N_RJz56N8Xl6YxcoobZ15v4rSwXu_5XWrdTJy0UYE6CNnK3rksN9r2IDmhKE_jh4P9lHiZ5ewzAGOSKPJHlkWWzHWO8tAvnLfgAM/s1600/DC10554LOGO-b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi-YG426yZCBqSiBQr8Ow53SyPhpHNzjPJDguKQ8N_RJz56N8Xl6YxcoobZ15v4rSwXu_5XWrdTJy0UYE6CNnK3rksN9r2IDmhKE_jh4P9lHiZ5ewzAGOSKPJHlkWWzHWO8tAvnLfgAM/s1600/DC10554LOGO-b.jpeg" height="226" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wings for Life World Run logo,<br />PRNewsFoto/Wings for Life World Run</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
She didn't race most of the World Cup ski season. She <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/sochi/2014/01/07/lindsey-vonn-missing-2014-winter-olympics-sochi/4353191/" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/sochi/2014/01/07/lindsey-vonn-missing-2014-winter-olympics-sochi/4353191/">missed</a> the 2014 Sochi Olympics. <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.lindseyvonn.com" href="http://www.lindseyvonn.com/">Lindsey Vonn</a>
may have been absent from the skiing action we followed this winter as
she underwent knee surgery, again, and rehab, but she's not letting a
bum knee keep her from participating in the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com" href="http://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/">Wings for Life World Run</a> on May 4. In March, Vonn vowed her support of the first-time event even though she won't be able to run it because of her knee.<br />
<br />
"I'm
inspired by the Wings for Life World Run and what they are trying to
accomplish, which is finding a cure for spinal cord injuries," said
Vonn, a Wings for Life Ambassador. "This is an opportunity for everyone
to be part of a global race - and run for those who can't."<br />
<br />
The
Wings for Life World Run is a running race that was organized to raise
awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research. All of the
registration fees ($50 at the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/sports/2014/04/30/wings-life-world-run-sunday-denver-one-35-simultaneous-races-33-countries/26240/" href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/sports/2014/04/30/wings-life-world-run-sunday-denver-one-35-simultaneous-races-33-countries/26240/">Denver event</a>) go directly to the Wings for Life Foundation to fund research to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.<br />
<a name='more'></a> <br />
The Wings for Life World Run isn't exactly like your neighborhood 5K. The unique run has 35 locations in 33 countries
starting simultaneously on May 4. Participants aren't running until
they reach a finish line; they're running until a catcher car, which
will start chasing down runners 30 minutes after the start, reaches
them. Depending on how fast they run, or how fast they're feeling when
the Denver event starts at 4 a.m., participants could log anywhere from 2
miles to 60 miles. The format allows every participant to set their own
personal mileage goals.<br />
<br />
The U.S. has three locations for this
event that was created by energy-drink maker <a href="http://www.redbullusa.com/" target="_blank">Red Bull</a>: Santa Clarita,
Calif., Denver, Colo., and Sunrise, Fla. Each event has several notable
athletes who've pledged their support and participation on May 4. At the Denver event, participants could find themselves running alongside mountain biker <b>Rebecca Rusch</b>, ultrarunner <b>Karl Meltzer</b>, snowmobile star <b>Levi LaVallee</b>, ski jumper <b>Sarah Hendrickson</b>, and skiers <strong>Nick Goepper</strong>, <strong>Chris Davenport</strong> and <strong>Grete Eliassen</strong>. <br />
<br />
For more details about the event or to pledge support for someone you know who is running, check out the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com" href="http://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/">Wings for Life World Run website</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>Photo courtesy of PRNewsFoto/Wings for Life World Run</i><br />
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-91101705151601873342014-04-23T12:20:00.000-05:002014-06-18T12:21:47.730-05:00Crested Butte Reopens for the Weekend <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPEJHfcP1-b9pytCOc5djTs0vqy5ge-dwps-If4PGoYeapCgPbVURoMazvBrY2B_xw4fGj5t9Z_biGH4wW-g-owfgeOK76kbxQl9VVEHAt7PxlvyzCg2xGb6iM0EWf7cq67lrziaBpfQ/s1600/IMG_4191+crested+butte+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPEJHfcP1-b9pytCOc5djTs0vqy5ge-dwps-If4PGoYeapCgPbVURoMazvBrY2B_xw4fGj5t9Z_biGH4wW-g-owfgeOK76kbxQl9VVEHAt7PxlvyzCg2xGb6iM0EWf7cq67lrziaBpfQ/s1600/IMG_4191+crested+butte+resized.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a></div>
Bonus ski weekends are the best. OK, so maybe I've only skied one of them--<a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2013/04/still-more-snow-get-skiing-this-weekend.html" target="_blank">last year</a> when Vail had so much snow on its official closing day on April 14 that it reopened a good portion of the mountain the following weekend--but it was pretty amazing, and I'd do it again without thinking twice.<br />
<br />
So when I heard that <a href="http://www.skicb.com/" target="_blank">Crested Butte</a> was reopening for one final hoo-rah of the season, I was giddy. I <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2014/03/fit-pic-crested-butte.html" target="_blank">skied there</a> for the first time this season, and on a weekend where freshies were nowhere to be found, yet you wouldn't find me hesitating to go again, powder stashes or not. It also helps that we found some of the <a href="http://www.stashpizza.com/" target="_blank">best pizza</a> west of the Mississippi and the closest thing to <a href="http://www.joyyee.com/" target="_blank">Joy Yee's</a> Governor's Chicken <a href="http://www.ryceasianbistro.com/" target="_blank">outside Chicago</a>.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<a href="http://www.skicb.com/">Crested Butte
Mountain Resort</a> announced on Monday, April 21, that they'd be doing the
unthinkable. For the first time in resort history, Crested Butte is reopening its lifts and terrain for one more weekend of skiing
and riding. The resort has never reopened after its official end to the winter
season, but it will be back in business on Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27.<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
"We had an incredible season this year,” says Ethan Mueller, vice
president and general manager at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. “Looking at the
amount of snow we still have on the mountain and in the valley, we thought of
all years to reopen this would be a good one to give it a try."<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
When it reopens, Crested Butte's Silver Queen lift will be spinning to
service plenty of the resort's intermediate and advanced skiing and riding. At
last check, a snowstorm that had been blanketing portions of Lake Tahoe was
supposed to be heading Crested Butte's way with fresh pow to usher in this
momentous event. As if celebrating another weekend of skiing at an amazing
Colorado resort wasn't enough, the resort will also be announcing its 2014-2015
winter pass prices.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
"One more weekend of skiing will be a fun way to bring people to the
mountain and to get excited for next season with our season pass price
remaining flat to this year," Mueller said. "So is this the final
weekend of the 2013-2014 season or the first weekend of the 2014-2015 season?
We’ll let you decide. Just come ski on Saturday and Sunday!”<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
With the Silver Queen running, Crested Butte will have the terrain that
services the front side of the mountain and a total of 155 acres open. While
there won't be beginner or extreme terrain, like the Spellbound Bowl, available
to ski, there will still be plenty of reasons to hit the snow this weekend.
Silver Queen will be running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. Skiers and
riders holding Crested Butte Mountain Resort 2013-2014 season passes, the Peak
Pass and the Peak Pass+ can use those to access the mountain on this bonus
weekend. For others, lift tickets are heavily discounted, costing $20 for
guests 13 and older, $10 for kids ages 7 to 12, and free for kids ages 6 and
under. And for those who need a place to stay in town (you know, so you can get
in not one but two days on the mountain), the resort is offering a <a href="http://www.skicb.com/deals">lodging rate of $87 per night</a>. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Crested Butte skiers, or really any skiers who didn't make enough turns on the mountain before the CB season officially ended April 6, you must be getting psyched for Saturday to roll around. <b>Who's taking turns this weekend?</b><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-32778120736726835982014-04-06T17:28:00.000-05:002014-04-15T02:02:12.563-05:00Act Fast! Register Before the Chicago Marathon Lottery Closes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXyII9n70tFcLkigCjamXOqXMDwh9xeXbEsP-SUIFvtUCbC_E2S7QyyOCI0ULJ60YjUAtYI2HBle6c-xtWTO1s38TGQjCXwtvZyVhBPhBKgUP4KjVVtco5k0sXD1HhqoBBggroW26QDc/s1600/IMGP7249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXyII9n70tFcLkigCjamXOqXMDwh9xeXbEsP-SUIFvtUCbC_E2S7QyyOCI0ULJ60YjUAtYI2HBle6c-xtWTO1s38TGQjCXwtvZyVhBPhBKgUP4KjVVtco5k0sXD1HhqoBBggroW26QDc/s1600/IMGP7249.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Tomorrow's not tax day. Nor is it Marathon Monday where we'll all be watching the 118th running of the Boston Marathon. But Monday, April 7, is a special Monday if you are in the market for running a fall marathon, specifically the <a href="http://www.chicagomarathon.com/" target="_blank">Bank of America Chicago Marathon</a>. It's the Monday when registration closes for the October 12 race.<br />
<br />
Sure, it seems odd to be announcing that a race's registration is closing. Usually we're waiting in anticipation for registration's to open (hello Ironman) so we can grab one of the coveted spots before they're gone. But after last year's Chicago Marathon registration debacle where runners flooded the registration system and <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/chicago-marathon/behind-the-chicago-marathon-registration-crash" target="_blank">caused it to crash</a>, the race <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/chicago-marathon/chicago-marathon-switches-to-lottery-for-registration" target="_blank">turned to a lottery system</a> to randomly select entrants who weren't running with a charity partner, had completed the race multiple times in recent years, or were fast enough to use a qualifying time to enter. <br />
<br />
At noon central time tomorrow, the registration period will end for those runners who'd wish to enter the marathon's lottery system or register as a legacy finisher or time qualifier. Lottery entries are not guaranteed, but those entrants will be notified of their status on April 14. Time qualifiers need to have run verifiable races after Jan. 1, 2012, of sub 3:15:00 for men and sub 3:45:00 for women. Legacy finishers need to have finished the Chicago Marathon five or more times within the last 10 years (2004-2013).<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Still confused? Get your questions <a href="http://www.chicagomarathon.com/participant-information/registration/2014-bank-america-chicago-marathon-registration-faqs/" target="_blank">here</a> or read more about it on the marathon's <a href="http://www.chicagomarathon.com/participant-information/registration/" target="_blank">registration page</a>. One thing's for sure: You don't want to register at 12:01 p.m. because you could potentially be completely shut out of this year's race. While running with one of the charities in the <a href="https://register.chicagomarathon.com/charity/" target="_blank">Official Charity Program</a> is still an option after the lottery entrants are announced, the charity of your choice may have already filled its slots or raised its fundraising minimum (good for them, but harder on you if you risked the lottery over charity running in the first place and doubt your ability to raise the funds).<br />
<br />
Remember when registering for races was easy?<br />
<br />
<b>Who's already in for Chicago 2014, whether it's by charity, time or legacy?</b> Finally my silly obsession with running this race year in and year out has done more than empty my wallet and tear skin off certain body parts. It made me a legacy finisher who's just waiting for the next steps to finalize that registration.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-88339428769521233312014-04-05T20:41:00.000-05:002014-05-06T11:28:59.199-05:00Fit-Pic: My Happy Place...on Skis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj211Nx9PtyH-QQfeKd14AbXvAJ61sm-nb6wNc2Wi21DSw1Nk7g2KIgZz8Zu0EBliKfa4aQF9GpkR7YGQKxc0M78QXSEgPjx2jxPCfuWt5E_xOV0AX1diGZ9Qo88-1_X41aYzlbgJFTYdg/s1600/IMG_1358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj211Nx9PtyH-QQfeKd14AbXvAJ61sm-nb6wNc2Wi21DSw1Nk7g2KIgZz8Zu0EBliKfa4aQF9GpkR7YGQKxc0M78QXSEgPjx2jxPCfuWt5E_xOV0AX1diGZ9Qo88-1_X41aYzlbgJFTYdg/s1600/IMG_1358.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Everyone has their happy place. The fantasy land Happy Gilmore imagined. Cruising the Queen K on a bike. Scuba diving off the gulf of Thailand--or maybe in <a href="http://www.discoverlakelouise.com/banff-summer-activities/scuba-dive-banff-national-park.html" target="_blank">Banff</a>, which I didn't know was even an option until last fall. Running the trails outside your house. Swimming in the open water of an ocean or lake.<br />
<br />
It's the place that puts a smile on your face even when the conditions might not be optimum. It's the spot you want to go to again and again. It's where you plain and simple just feel happy.<br />
<br />
Here's mine: Bolshoi Ballroom (or at least what I think is Bolshoi Ballroom if I'm reading the trail signs correctly) at <a href="http://www.vail.com/" target="_blank">Vail</a>. Located in Siberia Bowl in Vail's Back Bowls, it's easily my go-to ski run.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I've lost count of how many times I've skied it. I ski it so many times a day the lifties at the poma lift recognize me. I don't think I've ever disliked a run I've taken back there--even when the wind is howling, the visibility is terrible and the pow is so chewed up I wonder why I ventured over in the first place. Unless the Back Bowls are closed, which luckily hasn't happened on a day I've skied Vail this season, I'm begging to go back there to check out the terrain.<br />
<br />
The weird part is I'm not necessarily heading to Bolshoi to search for powder (though I'm usually not disappointed), I'm going to experience some bit of solitude on a busy mountain. And maybe it's the solitude, or maybe it's the skiing, but something back there always manages to reignite my brain's creative juices--and I'll never turn that down.<br />
<br />
<i>To get there:</i> Ride the Orient Express lift (chair 21) to the top of China Bowl. Head right when getting off the lift and continue traversing across the ridge around the bend where you have the option to drop into the bowl or add some vertical by riding the Mongolia lift (chair 22 and a poma lift).<br />
<br />
<b>Where's your happy place? Where's that spot you just can't get enough of?</b><br />
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-607162313295323912014-04-01T09:34:00.000-05:002014-04-04T21:43:38.623-05:00I Want America's Best Summer Job in Vail!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfk4fWUUfOvK-Ll6p6-C1jPnrKuZgCB2BQ_E10gLRE36hvDDIOTfoVyF4zimyi_76Tl_uUZVoaVzQQvN84ui0iMW8V2NFYlC6ZLNHoQxyRVUzZOcvPfGXR0kEBIR88_6C_R06ilVfx4X8/s1600/photo(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfk4fWUUfOvK-Ll6p6-C1jPnrKuZgCB2BQ_E10gLRE36hvDDIOTfoVyF4zimyi_76Tl_uUZVoaVzQQvN84ui0iMW8V2NFYlC6ZLNHoQxyRVUzZOcvPfGXR0kEBIR88_6C_R06ilVfx4X8/s1600/photo(5).JPG" height="161" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging creekside at the 2013 GoPro Mountain Games</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It might be one of the most overused phrases about <a href="http://www.vail.com/" target="_blank">Vail</a>: "You come for the winters but stay for the summers." I've heard it, I've had it repeated to me at media events, I've read it, I've even experienced a weekend of it at last summer's <a href="http://www.mountaingames.com/summer" target="_blank">GoPro Mountain Games</a>. But what's so appealing about a place that was built specifically for skiing during the one season that's not for skiing?<br />
<br />
There must be something special about that mountain flora and fauna that makes those snow seekers stay. And Vail wants one person to find out this summer and share those experiences--and get paid for it--in 10 weeks at <a href="http://blog.vail.com/Americas-best-summer-job-vail-co/" target="_blank">America's Best Summer Job</a>.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The job application had me sold at first read. Adventure-minded mountain enthusiast. Biking. Hiking. Dining in great restaurants. Participate in events. Not only did these characteristics describe me (hello, I'm the girl who plays outdoors all day so she can eat at those restaurants--and not weigh 200 pounds), but selfishly, I wanted to win.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hdyEfcwiZob04hmC-1dpkajDUd4Dyzs6Ai8iW11MsmKaJ8d46-Zw92z3Ow7nKVl2FDNyLeQ56po9dAByfyKRVXCI3sl10yDl7X1DkVg8lFMHW5GoP2Y1sK6uQ3fMQrJ4-6fXHaBsaIY/s1600/_U4C3397_236_2449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hdyEfcwiZob04hmC-1dpkajDUd4Dyzs6Ai8iW11MsmKaJ8d46-Zw92z3Ow7nKVl2FDNyLeQ56po9dAByfyKRVXCI3sl10yDl7X1DkVg8lFMHW5GoP2Y1sK6uQ3fMQrJ4-6fXHaBsaIY/s1600/_U4C3397_236_2449.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe I can improve my mountain biking skills?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The only problem would be making a video to sell myself, which is my sister's forte (the film major), not mine. Well, that and selling myself to a bunch of strangers in what could be viewed as a popularity contest when it comes to the vote-getting--and never winning contests even when they're a complete luck of the draw.<br />
<br />
But sometimes when you want something so much, you'll do whatever you can to at least give yourself a chance. Even if it means memorizing lines, having great ideas while you're skiing but can't get them to sound right later, and barely giving yourself 48 hours to gather votes. I didn't go for it a few years ago when I never made a video to submit to the <a href="http://www.theskichannel.com/news/20101123/canyons-resort-offers-40000-the-ultimate-mountain-gig-job-competition/" target="_blank">Ultimate Mountain Gig</a> at Utah's <a href="http://www.canyonsresort.com/" target="_blank">Canyons Resort</a>, a similar contest but for winter. Lesson learned.<br />
<br />
It took a weekend off from skiing to finally get it done, but alas, I did make a <a href="http://bit.ly/1gDOmEx" target="_blank">video</a> to illustrate why I should be selected. You can view it on <a href="http://blog.vail.com/Americas-best-summer-job-vail-co/" target="_blank">Vail's blog</a> where you can also check out other submissions or upload your own.<br />
<br />
So here's where I need your help: I need your votes on that video, which you can view and vote on <a href="http://bit.ly/1gDOmEx" target="_blank">here</a> (once per device per day until April 7). Shameless self promotion, I know, but every vote gets me one step closer to 10 weeks of breathing mountain air in a place I know well in the winter but feel like I hardly know in the summer. And who better than a Vail visitor to discover a share all those summer experiences? Maybe I'll fall in love with that Vail summer and want to stay, too.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/1gDOmEx" target="_blank">Click this link to cast your vote,</a> and thanks for your support!<br />
<br />
<i>Photo (mountain biking) courtesy of Vail Summer Newsroom.</i>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-88681644798653041622014-03-31T14:06:00.000-05:002014-03-31T23:14:08.146-05:006 Chicago Races Whose Fees Go Up at Midnight<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIBmPX1vvTueCylsXW_h1a0J5MM0CO2aWWgn8Kq2c0xgMhABnRlDRWh0tSmxedr2r4ZrEsAvduFgkVOaRPNXqqiVD_yoiT0HZie_N6pxte8RdEMQFnVIVM9fGj2psUEQTLO77XeM-rew/s1600/IMG_2219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIBmPX1vvTueCylsXW_h1a0J5MM0CO2aWWgn8Kq2c0xgMhABnRlDRWh0tSmxedr2r4ZrEsAvduFgkVOaRPNXqqiVD_yoiT0HZie_N6pxte8RdEMQFnVIVM9fGj2psUEQTLO77XeM-rew/s1600/IMG_2219.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish on the 50-yard line at the Soldier Field 10<br />
on Saturday, May 24. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I hate (big bold hate here) paying full price for race registrations. And when you participate in a lot of runs and triathlons like I do, especially those half- and full-Ironmans, your wallet takes a huge hit.<br />
<br />
I'm still in the process of finishing my 2013 taxes, and itemizing everything that can't be written off, but I don't want to even think about how much money I spent on races in the last year. Or how much I could have saved if I didn't wait until the last-minute to sign-up for some races because I didn't know if my body would hold up to be able to cross the finish line.<br />
<br />
Surely, I'm not alone here. Who doesn't wait until the weather gets warmer or the first race of the season has been completed before plotting out the rest of your running and racing season? OK, so I have a friend who might sign up for everything and then bail on all those races that sounded pretty exciting in January but lost their luster come June and July. For the rest of us, we weren't ready to pull the trigger in the middle of winter, but we're ready to add some races to the calendar now before we're paying full price (or watching the race fill).<br />
<br />
Tomorrow might be April Fool's Day, but it's no joke that some race registrations will rise with the start of a new month. No fooling here: The clock's counting down to save on these six Chicago races.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<b>The Race:</b> <a href="http://soldierfield10.com/" target="_blank">Soldier Field 10 Mile</a><br />
<i>When it is:</i> Saturday, May 24<br />
<i>Fee increase: </i>$10; the price increases to $90 on April 1<br />
<i>Why run it:</i> There really isn't a better way to kick off your Memorial Day Weekend. Your run will be in the books before noon, you get to finish on the 50-yard line at Soldier Field, and the opening ceremony is so moving you'll remember why we have the three-day weekend in the first place.<br />
<br />
<b>The Race:</b> <a href="http://www.cararuns.org/Racing/FirstMerit%20Bank%20Lakefront%2010%20Miler.aspx" target="_blank">Lakefront 10-Miler</a><br />
<i>When it is:</i> Saturday, April 19<br />
<i>Fee increase:</i> $5; the race costs $50 for CARA members, $65 for non-members until midnight<br />
<i>Why run it:</i> You're feeling the runner's high from yesterday's Shamrock Shuffle, but you want to double the distance. Plus this is one of those races that every Chicago runner has to run at least once--it was my spring running ritual until that weekend became the one where I was readying to run the Boston Marathon or I was closing out the ski season.<br />
<br />
<b>The Race:</b> <a href="https://www.runningguru.com/EventInformation.asp?eID=fmc2014" target="_blank">USOLE 4 Mile Classic</a><br />
<i>When it is:</i> Thursday, May 8<br />
<i>Fee increase:</i> The registration fee is $40, but Universal Sole has a coupon code expiring at midnight that'll save you $8. Enter SHAM8 at checkout.<br />
<i>Why run it:</i> When was the last time--or the first time--you ran a four-mile race? Probably never, or not often enough, which means automatic PR.<br />
<br />
<b>The Race:</b> <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/chicago" target="_blank">Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon</a><br />
<i>When it is:</i> Sunday, July 20<br />
<i>Fee increase:</i> Registration is currently $90, but it increases $10 in April and <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/chicago/register" target="_blank">goes up from there</a>.<br />
<i>Why run it:</i> You'll get a great tour of the city without having to log the 26.2 miles of the <a href="http://www.chicagomarathon.com/" target="_blank">Bank of America Chicago Marathon</a>. And if you are deep in marathon training, this race couldn't come at a better time--you can use it toward training, or nabbing a time worthy of placing you into a seeded start corral. Plus last year <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2013/07/fit-pic-after-rock-n-roll-chicago-half.html" target="_blank">we spotted two <i>Biggest Loser</i> contestants</a> on the course.<br />
<br />
<b>The Race:</b> <a href="http://www.runningguru.com/EventInformation.asp?eID=bb2014" target="_blank">Burgers and Beer 5K</a><br />
<i>When it is:</i> Monday, July 14<br />
<i>Fee increase:</i> From now until May 31, registration costs $40. But the same code that works for the 4-Mile Classic applies here. Enter SHAM8 to save $8 at checkout.<br />
<i>Why run it:</i> For starters, this race just keeps getting bigger and better with more runners, more beer on tap and more burgers to nosh on after the race. Plus it's just one of the many races you can run during the city's busiest race weeks of the year (for starters, run Bastille Day July 10, Chinatown 5K July 12, Strike Out ALS July 15).<br />
<br />
<b>The Race:</b> <a href="http://www.womenshalfchicago.com/event-details/registration?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_content=email&utm_campaign=Save%20up%20to%20%2435.%20Only%203%20Days%20Left%21&utm_term=registration" target="_blank">The Magnificent Mile Chicago Women's Half Marathon and 5K</a><br />
<i>When it is:</i> Sunday, August 31<br />
<i>Fee increase:</i> Race registration is currently $80 but it'll increase to $90 on April 1--and keeps going up from there the more you drag your feet.<br />
<i>Why run it</i>: History is in the making at this women's half marathon and 5K that's turning three in 2014. No race has ever been run on Chicago's Magnificent Mile--until Labor Day Weekend when this race's course <a href="http://www.womenshalfchicago.com/event-details" target="_blank">includes it</a>.<br />
<br />
Admittedly, I'm a little clueless when it comes to race specifics outside the Windy City. I might run them, but I'm usually the one who has no concept of when the prices rise, or when I can register for the best price. So tell us: <b>When is the best time to register for your favorite races? When do the prices increases for races in your city? How do you save on race fees? </b>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-76313798576983445742014-03-29T19:43:00.000-05:002014-04-06T19:53:18.811-05:00Fit-Pic: Up Close with a Sochi Paralympics Medal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAlARxvgKh8BzeeOLAnllQqsvdiCYez6oOQZCNHnAan7mG7WIGPx2Vbtl7gtK9lR7inSx_4ezpFAAUJuCLfCv1jDkqKlt17PPaBhyphenhyphen2Cg5HCbIkuwWFa1bWJ0xjvejRuVgMzAMXr5Q1LY/s1600/photo+2+just+the+medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAlARxvgKh8BzeeOLAnllQqsvdiCYez6oOQZCNHnAan7mG7WIGPx2Vbtl7gtK9lR7inSx_4ezpFAAUJuCLfCv1jDkqKlt17PPaBhyphenhyphen2Cg5HCbIkuwWFa1bWJ0xjvejRuVgMzAMXr5Q1LY/s1600/photo+2+just+the+medal.jpg" height="320" width="305" /></a></div>
<br />
When the 2014 Olympians and Paralympians won medals in Sochi at the Winter Games, they really won some hardware. Not that I'd expect anything less, but let's just say that Keith Gabel's bronze medal, which he won in para-snowboard cross, was H-E-A-V-Y. According to <a href="http://www.sochi2014.com/en/paralympic/about-medals" target="_blank">details about the medals</a> presented in Sochi, it should be.<br />
<ul>
<li>Each medal is 10mm thick and has a diameter of 100mm.</li>
<li>While the Olympic medals weigh between 460 and 531 grams, the Paralympic medals weigh between 585 and 686 grams. </li>
<li>The metals used to make these medals come from Russia. </li>
<li>The bronze medal, which I got to check out in more detail courtesy of <a href="http://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/GA/Keith-Gabel" target="_blank">Keith Gabel</a>, is made of 585 grams of bronze. </li>
<li>The Paralympic medals are designed in the same style as the Olympic medals, but they also have inscriptions written in Braille. </li>
<li>It takes roughly 18 hours to make one medal--and 1,300 were produced for the Games!</li>
</ul>
I got up close and personal with the bronze medal Keith Gabel <a href="http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/14/paralympics-us-sweep-snowboarding-evan-strong-michael-shea-keith-gabel/" target="_blank">won in para snowboard cross</a> at an <a href="http://www.uchroadtohealth.org/events/sochi-reflections-with-bronze-medalist-u-s-paralympic-snowboarder-keith-gabel/" target="_blank">event Thursday night</a> in Colorado Springs (so glad I randomly found out about that one!). But I didn't dare wear it around my neck after he gave the OK to look at it. Gabel said the medal could get tarnished if it touched a zipper, so I kept it as far away from my jacket as I could.<br />
<br />
After listening to Gabel speak about how his road to the <a href="http://www.paralympic.org/sochi-2014" target="_blank">2014 Paralympic Games</a>, I still had one question: How did he wear this hardware around his neck for his hour-long presentation and not show any signs of it weighing him down? He must have gotten used to wearing it for long hours celebrating post-race in Sochi!<br />
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-37137291572564840022014-03-15T22:07:00.000-05:002014-03-16T02:09:25.432-05:00Fit-Pic: Crested Butte<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehDxo-4xx9steHzGW0QeZa6hlsvSmcV7jNZ8VlKnOWScuxIQBI8T6K2J5W9i7P2G1riQ-kQOrpvF4P6ozEwQSbsYTtEmR8JRjBYeKZ6A6d8Juq9pfsm2njm2EcWHsurdvHMzQA20-VlA/s1600/photo-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehDxo-4xx9steHzGW0QeZa6hlsvSmcV7jNZ8VlKnOWScuxIQBI8T6K2J5W9i7P2G1riQ-kQOrpvF4P6ozEwQSbsYTtEmR8JRjBYeKZ6A6d8Juq9pfsm2njm2EcWHsurdvHMzQA20-VlA/s1600/photo-4.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Skiing, anyone? There's always a first time for everything, and this weekend marked my first time skiing <a href="http://www.skicb.com/" target="_blank">Crested Butte</a> in Colorado. Going in, I admittedly only knew a few things about the resort.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>My dad skied there in 1986 and loved it.</li>
<li>I watch too much reality TV and still remember scenes from town when <i>The Hills</i>' Heidi, who was from Crested Butte, and Spencer Pratt would visit her family. Did I take note of where they dined for some post-ski eats? Nope. </li>
<li>While you'd find plenty of terrain for skiers of all abilities, Crested Butte primarily catered to the expert crowd. That might not be the reputation the mountain is going for, but it's what was pushing my husband and I to head west and check it out--him especially. </li>
<li>And that peak in the background? It's the resort's namesake, Mt. Crested Butte.</li>
</ul>
But what a place! Off the beaten--and heavily trafficked--Interstate 70, Crested Butte is a happy place for weekend ski warriors. That's code for minimal lines on a Saturday coupled with awesome terrain to tackle. Hopefully Sunday brings more of the same--and maybe even some freshies.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Disclaimer: lift tickets to <a href="http://www.skicb.com/" target="_blank">Crested Butte Mountain Resort</a> were provided by CBMR.</i>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-46502540227693612992014-03-13T14:50:00.000-05:002014-03-13T16:51:39.648-05:00Why You'll Want to Run With Nike Tonight<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3066/2988611394_144391cc28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3066/2988611394_144391cc28.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Run with Nike and meet Matt Forte, #22<br />for the Chicago Bears, March 13. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blueyeda73/2988611394/sizes/m/in/photolist-5y6q3E-5y6q37-6XA9Fc-5y6pZj-5y6pTE-6gXXGt-5y6pZU-6oMQZv-7fFoaj-7fKKcq-73WaQ1-73SeeZ-73S7a8-73W3Ss-73Cupp-73VFx5-73VDD9-8J5CtU-73S91H-duPVjK-c6ktJ1-6XAioF-6XDJHQ-6XDNTQ-6XDQQ9-6XA2H8-6XzNbg-6XDRAw-6XzY8a-6XDULS-6XDUeL-6XEucW-6XE169-6Xzank-6XDWmC-6XzXVK-6XzVs4/" target="_blank">Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Two Chicago Bears who are invested in the Chicago running community? And the opportunity to meet them in the same week? I'm more of a fair-weather Bears fan (I've never been to Soldier Field for a football game but I've been there countless times for running events), but even I know this is too good to be true. It's just too bad the weather can't seem to cooperate and throw us a bone with warmer temperatures and less of a wintry mix on the ground. Or as Charles Tillman said on Saturday at his <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2014/01/a-new-5k-in-town-charles-peanut-tillman.html" target="_blank">inaugural Peanut Tillman 5K</a>, "It's Bears weather!"<br />
<br />
One look outside your window--or one step outside--and you know that
spring is far from springing. It's snowy, it's cloudy, it's cold.
Daylight savings may have ended over the weekend, but the weather is
frightful more than it is delightful. <br />
<br />
We're still running in our winter layers and Yaktrax--or
abandoning the outdoors for the treadmill. But whether our running bodies like it or not, the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.shamrockshuffle.com" href="http://www.shamrockshuffle.com/">Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle</a>, the Chicago race that kicks off the unofficial start to the city's running season, is a little more than two weeks away on Sunday, March 30. Hard to believe the running season will be starting soon when winter seems so never-ending.<br />
<br />
Who doesn't need a little shove out the door when running conditions are far from ideal? <strong>Nike Running Bucktown</strong> has some of that running motivation...especially tonight. The store's Run Club, which meets every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at
1640 N. Damen, will host <strong>Matt Forte</strong>, a running back for the Chicago Bears, and <strong>Carey Pinkowski</strong>, executive race director for the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle and Bank of America Chicago Marathon. After runners return to the store, Forte will host a short Q&A and share an overview of his
foundation and the charity team that he's recruiting for the upcoming
Shamrock Shuffle. <br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
At this year's
Shamrock Shuffle, Forte will be hosting <i>A Run For Our Future!</i>, which
will be a race inside a race. This is the <a href="http://www.prlog.org/12271238-chicago-bears-all-pro-running-back-matt-forte-announces-2014-run-for-our-future-event.html" target="_blank">inaugural event</a> for The Matt
Forte Foundation and proceeds will benefit Bears Care to assist Forte's
recently established foundation in providing resources to Chicago high
school students. The A Run For Our Future! team will be comprised of
runners who are registered for the 40,000-participant race and have
elected to join the team. A Run For Our Future! teammates will support
Forte's efforts to encourage students to pursue their dreams of a higher
education. But to learn more, you'll have to run with Nike and let Forte explain it.<br />
<br />
For Run Club: Meet at Nike Running Bucktown, 1640 N. Damen, at 6:30 p.m. Distances vary.<br />
<br />
<i>Photo grabbed from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blueyeda73/2988611394/sizes/m/in/photolist-5y6q3E-5y6q37-6XA9Fc-5y6pZj-5y6pTE-6gXXGt-5y6pZU-6oMQZv-7fFoaj-7fKKcq-73WaQ1-73SeeZ-73S7a8-73W3Ss-73Cupp-73VFx5-73VDD9-8J5CtU-73S91H-duPVjK-c6ktJ1-6XAioF-6XDJHQ-6XDNTQ-6XDQQ9-6XA2H8-6XzNbg-6XDRAw-6XzY8a-6XDULS-6XDUeL-6XEucW-6XE169-6Xzank-6XDWmC-6XzXVK-6XzVs4/" target="_blank">BluEyedA73 </a>at flickr.</i><br />
<br />
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-79962968561889065202014-03-02T22:58:00.000-06:002014-03-30T14:05:01.595-05:00Fit-Pic: Snowshoe Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cUEHhLcWADIUND98zLQOBvvj1k2LaTIAS6xNtVw85ZDtkDyh4Hn9F6p-Br41MKjTlc6LuPtDicwvQ9BQNrYCFWbt_kAqjqbhnUNSVKjgkYseFiXfaGS4zmQdK0yIPHnlV-7bo3PfghU/s1600/IMG_4121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cUEHhLcWADIUND98zLQOBvvj1k2LaTIAS6xNtVw85ZDtkDyh4Hn9F6p-Br41MKjTlc6LuPtDicwvQ9BQNrYCFWbt_kAqjqbhnUNSVKjgkYseFiXfaGS4zmQdK0yIPHnlV-7bo3PfghU/s1600/IMG_4121.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Bluebird skies, spring-like temperatures, 12 inches of fresh powder. Sounds like a great day for skiing, right? But snowshoeing? Isn't that more for the days when you're not itching to make fresh tracks, tear up the powder, or ski until your legs practically fall off?<br />
<br />
Not today. Today was all about swapping the skis for the snowshoes. And racing--or at least crossing a finish line and having a time tacked onto the 5K you just logged.<br />
<br />
At <a href="http://www.beavercreek.com/" target="_blank">Beaver Creek Resort</a>, Sunday, March 2, was the day of the final race of the <a href="http://www.BeaverCreekRunningSeries.com/" target="_blank">2014 Beaver Creek Snowshoe Series</a>. I had already missed the first race of the series and skipped the second to ski, so the snowshoes were going to have to make an appearance whether I wished I was skiing or not. So snow or no snow, I'd be parting with my skis to strap on my snowshoes to tackle the cut trails and singletrack at <a href="http://www.beavercreek.com/ski-and-snowboard-school/nordic-center.aspx" target="_blank">McCoy Park</a>, the resort's nordic center that sits 10,000-plus feet above sea level at the top of the Strawberry Park lift.<br />
<br />
And I wasn't alone. Just look at these snowshoers snaking their way across the trail before getting to the singletrack. All people I wanted to catch up to as I got stalled at the start with a snowshoe that wouldn't stay on my foot. But more on that (and more pictures) after I've recovered from the weekend's active adventures. <a href="http://www.beavercreek.com/events-and-activities/talons-challenge.aspx" target="_blank">The Talons Challenge</a> and <a href="http://www.beavercreek.com/events-and-activities/snowshoe-series.aspx" target="_blank">Snowshoe Series</a> take a lot out of this girl!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-13279405640218361402014-02-26T19:16:00.000-06:002014-03-01T02:17:35.964-06:00Play Hooky and Ski!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzK0FDjcMbhTXxItpuWF9j9KAsvpciqwROEa8FXWaDqG39jTKK-zqsS6ijfh0kidwwXgvZh4VRlHlgTCKhqzHzmJCA26NNexTkzvPMlUDi20Cr_p6FOPLU5SbcYMXVJwjo0pLuffhrJBM/s1600/Play+Hooky+Seal.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzK0FDjcMbhTXxItpuWF9j9KAsvpciqwROEa8FXWaDqG39jTKK-zqsS6ijfh0kidwwXgvZh4VRlHlgTCKhqzHzmJCA26NNexTkzvPMlUDi20Cr_p6FOPLU5SbcYMXVJwjo0pLuffhrJBM/s1600/Play+Hooky+Seal.png" /></a></div>
Lift lines, crowded runs, hiked-up hotel rates, struggling to find a
place to sit at lunch, traffic delays (especially if you're an I-70
regular in Colorado). If you've skied your favorite resort or explored a
new one over the weekend (and who hasn't?), you know these are part of what comes with skiing on Saturday and Sunday when everyone
seemingly is off work. You've learned to accept it, but even the best of
the weekend warriors want to ski at least once in the middle of the
week when everyone else is at work.<br />
<br />
If you needed an excuse
for taking those mid-week runs--and holidays don't count--here's one:
the third annual National Play Hooky & Ski Week. Running from
Monday, March 3 to Friday, March 7, Play Hooky & Ski Week is your chance to ski when your buddies are still at work--unless you convince them to come too--and find corduroy at noon and make fresh tracks in the late afternoon because the crowds are thinner and less likely to hunt down every last powder stash on the mountain. I already snuck out once this season--so what if it was yesterday--and next week can't come soon enough.<br />
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And <a data-cke-saved-href="http://liftopia.com" href="http://liftopia.com/">Liftopia</a>,
the largest online and mobile marketplace for lift tickets and other
mountain activities, is only encouraging you to get out and ski to relieve
some of that stress that piles up this time of year in the workplace. <br />
<br />
“With
resorts in every part of the country getting serious snow the past few
weeks, the second half of the season is shaping up to be a great time to
embrace winter and get out on the hill,” said Evan Reece, co-founder
and CEO of Liftopia. “Our customers – but probably not their employers –
love our Play Hooky Sale due to fewer crowds and wide-open trails that
can be found when hitting the slopes mid-week.”<br />
<br />
It's easy to see why Liftopia's customers love the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://deal.liftopia.com/national-play-hooky-and-ski-week/" href="http://deal.liftopia.com/national-play-hooky-and-ski-week/">Play Hooky Sale</a>: the lift ticket savings are too good to pass up. Skiers and boarders shopping <a data-cke-saved-href="http://deal.liftopia.com/national-play-hooky-and-ski-week/" href="http://deal.liftopia.com/national-play-hooky-and-ski-week/">Liftopia's website</a>
or mobile app can find lift tickets starting at $7.50 and as much as 78
percent off walk-up window rates at ski resorts across the country. <br />
<br />
Here's a sampling of some of the deals to be had next week:<br />
<ul>
<li>Mt. Baldy in California: Save 76 percent with two-day lift tickets starting at $33.99.</li>
<li>Sunlight Mountain in Colorado: Save 35 percent with lift tickets starting at $35.99.</li>
<li>Crotched Mountain in New England: Save 60 percent with lift tickets starting at $19.99.</li>
<li>Sundance in Utah: Save 44 percent with lift tickets starting at $30.99.</li>
<li>Caberfae
Peaks in the Midwest: Save 78 percent with lift tickets starting at
$7.50 (crazy that a lunch on the mountain could easily cost more!).</li>
<li>Mt. Hood in Oregon: Save 53 percent with lift tickets starting at $37.</li>
<li>Or play hooky from work for the whole week and enjoy multi-day deals at resorts like Tremblant, Sun Valley, Blackjack, Park City, Snowbird, Whiteface, Copper Mountain, Diamond Peak and more.</li>
</ul>
Ready to start planning that getaway? Find more deals at <a data-cke-saved-href="http://deal.liftopia.com/national-play-hooky-and-ski-week/" href="http://deal.liftopia.com/national-play-hooky-and-ski-week/">Liftopia</a> before they're gone.
And maybe you'll get lucky enough to experience some of those epic
powder dumps you can only dream of skiing when you're scrolling Facebook
at your desk. A girl's gotta dream, right?<br />
<br />
<i>Photo courtesy of Liftopia.</i>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039975681401569340.post-21721665792628050262014-02-11T22:12:00.000-06:002014-02-28T11:48:48.970-06:00And the Fit-Kit Goes To...After being up in the mountains skiing for a week, it's rough getting back into the daily grind. It's even worse when the <a href="http://www.sochi2014.com/" target="_blank">Olympics</a>--and your favorite winter events like skiing--are airing and you become as obsessed, or more, with watching the two weeks worth of winter sports as you get with the summer edition (skiing is my winter swimming). Add in work and what feels like a lot of catching up, and well, announcing the <a href="http://www.fit-ink.com/2014/02/core-power-fit-kit-giveaway.html" target="_blank">winner of the Fit-Kit</a> was honestly the last thing on my mind.<br />
<br />
But enough whining about why I'm so late in hitting the publish button on this announcement. You'd think it'd be easy with a contest at hand, yet it took me all day (and a skipped workout) to wrap things up. Thanks for your patience!<br />
<br />
Without further ado, the winner of the <a href="http://www.corepower.com/" target="_blank">Core Power </a>Fit-Kit is...<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">
POPPY K.! </span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8bK5zK8AXubXkaDpMr-1fffbUV64me0CBqABPRD-2CgNqFtVnck-fbTk7RKlH0T7laNNnXvi01jxyaviRyzalBTR9XyeggoDb_0o7ypZQ7ymbHc28nclPuo2o6mHpmc5soCeH9lAf6A/s1600/random+picker+fit+kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8bK5zK8AXubXkaDpMr-1fffbUV64me0CBqABPRD-2CgNqFtVnck-fbTk7RKlH0T7laNNnXvi01jxyaviRyzalBTR9XyeggoDb_0o7ypZQ7ymbHc28nclPuo2o6mHpmc5soCeH9lAf6A/s1600/random+picker+fit+kit.jpg" height="223" width="320" /></a></div>
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Random picker selected your name from the bunch to be the Fit-Kit recipient! To claim your prize, please message <a href="mailto:contact@fit-ink.com">contact@fit-ink.com</a> with your mailing address so I can have the Fit-Kit sent to you. Oh and I was warned to tell the winner to allow up to four weeks for delivery. Hope you don't mind waiting for this bag full of goodies--it's worth it though!<br />
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Congratulations, Poppy K., and thanks to everyone who shared a comment, followed Fit-Ink on social media and entered to win! Seriously, I wish I had more than one of these to giveaway so there could be more Fit-Ink fans walking around with these Fit-Kits.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466705829765921785noreply@blogger.com4