Run route!

So I've finally got a few photos of the gorgeous area that I run through on my 20k loop. It's actually the marsh and hot springs that the Banff National Park originated around in 1885. And it's flippin beautiful. I'll just show you!

This boardwalk runs all the way around the marsh and the basin, it's wooden and lovely and I love to run on it!!

Taking a meditiative moment up by the basin

See, it's gorgeous!!

This bird blind is a neat little building that juts out from the boardwalk

The Bow River

This is where I live these days. In a park. It's just lovely!!

hmmmm

So I had a lovely 18km run today, I really think I want to buy a new ipod nano so I can use the nike+ system with it, I'm already a nike+ member but I need the hardware. And that system tracks your runs, and here it's difficult to gauge exactly how far i've run. Also, I'm adjusting my summer goals. I'm having some difficulties with the 20km distance, and I think it's overly ambitious for me to be going up to a 30km run once a week. I think that it's more important for me to be comfortable at 20km than it is for me to push the distance thing. So I'm focusing on this distance for right now. We'll see how that goes. Altitude training has definitely been really good for me, I feel a lot faster and stronger. Even my lungs feel better. I've only had a few incidents with them closing up since I got here. Very pleased!!

long time

goodness gracious me. it's been a while. It's because I'm working so much and training and when I blog I've been focused on my school blog, so I'm sorry for neglecting you, dear adventure blog! I've been going steadily on my marathon training. Loving the altitude training out here. So much hiking and running and mountains!! I'm up to a 20k and 3 10k runs a week. Getting ready to crank out a few 30k's in august. Definitely not going to be racing triathlon this year, I think I'm getting my parents to take my bike home when they come to visit. Just not ready and really, I'm enjoying the mountain life. In the winter I can focus more on tri training but for now I'm enjoying hiking and running and such. Obviously this will help my tri times anyway because I needed to work on my running. I did a sweet workout today with jump rope intervals, which, lets face it, might be my fave thing ever! hearts!!

20k revisited

I totally forgot to talk about the 20k. It went really well, the last k is straight uphill, as I have to get back up to the resort, so I ended up walking that part, but this was my first long run of the year so I'm cutting myself a little slack. I think the mountain air has been really good for me. My lungs hurt quite a bit after the run but recovered quickly and I didn't cough up any blood or anything. So exciting. I got a letter from my doctor the other day saying that I have an apt with a pulmonary specialist when I get home in october, which is super exciting because maybe they'll figure out what's wrong with my lungs. Till then I'll keep pushing it because it seems to be working for me!!

20 k

So I ran my first 20k of the summer yesterday. Well, it was almost 20 k, I have to perfect the route but it was close. I ran down to sundance canyon and back. So gorgeous. Also did the hike up Sulphur Mountain with some friends. It's SO beautiful. I just love it up there. And the gondola ride down is also super awesome. Here's a few photos just so you get the idea.

Yup, that's right. I live in a national park now. How awesome is my life!!!

That's us up on this crazy little stone hut that's on the top of the mountain where this guy lived for like 20 years studying cosmic rays and fixing broken power lines and being a hermit. So cool.