Chasing My Joy

My journey to becoming an Ultra Runner and Ironman

  • Home
  • About
  • Current Gear
  • Race Reports
  • Pregnancy//Baby
  • Travel
  • Bucket List
  • Hikes

Archives for June 2019

June 30, 2019

Adventures in Hiking + We’ve come a long way in a year.

My day started off with a HOT 10 mile run. After a few days in the 90s even 5am is warm.

After running we decided we wanted to hike but it was way too hot to stay close to town. We decided on Lily lake near Estes Park. The weather was supposed to be good and we love getting out in the mountains.

On the way up it started to rain, we hoped it would pass quickly and stuck to our plan. We had a picnic lunch then headed out for a hike around the lake.

The trail around the lake is very accessible and just under a mile long. Cannon is a great little hiker now and Emerald loved to ride in the pack.

We made it around the lake right before it really started to poor down rain and hail.

Being up at Lily lake really took me back to last year when we made this same trip just a few days before Cory had surgery to have his achilles repaired.

Cory using his scoter as a bench

It was much more challenging then but we knew we wanted to get the kids up for one adventure before surgery and recovery.

Look at these sweet babies!

Even with a boot and a scooter we were able to make it around the lake.

It was a good day and fun to reflect on how far we have come and how much easier it is now that Emmy isn’t a newborn and Cory isn’t broken =)

The way home was pretty crazy with some intense hail, I was happy to get through it safely and not see any crashes!

Please note the temperature on the dash reads 37 degrees, it was forecasted in the 80s. Summer weather here is never dull.

Posted by bethcurtis 1 Comment
Filed Under: Uncategorized

June 29, 2019

It Was Almost a Camping Trip

We have been looking forward to taking our kids camping for such a long time. For one reason or another we hadn’t pulled the trigger to take them until this year. We decided to head up for just one night to keep things simple and not overwhelm ourselves.

Cory had Friday off so we spent the morning packing up, trying to think of all the things we might need. Then we drove up to Leadville with high hopes.

It took awhile driving around but we finally found a campsite at Turquoise Lake and set up camp.

We were surprised by how much the kids loved the camping. They were so happy to just explore the campsite and play in the dirt.

Humphry even got a little extra love from Emmy.

Ignore his face, he really does love her.

We roasted hotdogs over the campfire and waited out some rain in the tent

Camping Face

We were excited about the next day, running the trail the boarders the lake, hiking, playing at the beach. But it was not to be. As we tried to settle in for the night Emerald would not stop crying. She normally is a pretty easy going child so we were surprised when we could soothe her and get her to sleep. After a couple hours we decided to call it and head home at 10:30. We packed up camp in the dark and drove our sad selves home.

It was still a fun adventure but we have some work to do before we have expert campers on our hands. Any suggestions on helping kids to sleep in tents?

Posted by bethcurtis Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Uncategorized

June 28, 2019

Friday Favorites – Summer 2019

Happy Friday!!! It is now officially summer and it is actually starting to feel like it here in Boulder. We have had a very cool wet June, I love how green it is and how much snow the mountains have been getting but we are ready for some summer weather now.

It’s shorts, t-shirts and snacks in the backyard as often as possible.

I celebration of the official start of summer I though we would talk about summer of our summer favorites.

One of my favorite things to give my kids are popsicles in the backyard (WAY to messy to have in the house). We really like the Outshine fruit bars. My favorites are the lime ones, almost like having a margarita. Cannon and Emmy approve of all of the flavors.

Also in the summer I find that I really need to up my electrolyte intake. With running more miles the heat and running around with the kids in the sun I really feel like I need it.

My go to for years is has been Nuun hydration tabs. It’s so convenient to carry with me and just drop one in a bottle of water. My favorites are Strawberry Lemonade and Cherry Limeade with caffeine.

The Mother Runner on Instagram always has great posts but I really loved this one. I love my kids to be dirty and wild haired it makes my heart feel full when they explore and run and hunt bugs.

This post also made me like they got me:

Lastly we are LOVING our summer shoes:

Cannon has been wearing Natives since he was one and now Emmy is loving hers! These shoes are light, durable and easy to get on and off. The style we like are the Jefferson but there are plenty of styles to choose from. They have held up well to Cannon being really rough on them and now Emmy is wearing his hand-me-downs. We didn’t have a pair of size 5s for Cannon when he was one (it was winter when he was wearing size 5s) so I bought them both the next size up. I know it’s terribly lame to buy them matching shoes but I love it so much and one day soon they will have strong opinions and I probably won’t be able to anymore.

What are some of your summer favorites?

Posted by bethcurtis Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Uncategorized

June 27, 2019

Western States Week

Is anyone else feeling very excited that it is Western States week?

Emmy and I are pretty dang excited. It’s pretty much Christmas week for ultra runners.

Source

If you haven’t heard of Western States Endurance Run, it’s the worlds oldest 100 mile trail. The history of the race is super interesting, you can read about it here .

Billy Yang made a beautiful film about four pro women, it’s sooooooo good!

If you want to follow along:

  • i run far has great coverage
  • WSER website has a live webcast
  • Trail Runner Nation is having a live podcast

All the fun starts on Saturday at 5 am PDT. While I won’t be able to follow it all live because who’s got time for that?!? I will be sure to check in throughout the day.

Will you follow along?

Posted by bethcurtis Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: Run, Ultra, Ultramarathon

June 26, 2019

80 Days Until Race Day + Trail Shoes?

Just 80 days until race day, I am getting really excited about Run Rabbit Run

[Source]

But also a little scared from the website: “These are not beginner’s runs. The uphills and downhills are fairly steep. You’ll spend a lot of time at an altitude of nearly two miles. There may be snow, rain, sleet, wind, or then again, it may be hot. Please do not try to run this course if you’re not completely prepared.”

Can you ever be “completely prepared” for a 50 or 100 miler? Maybe, I just want to show up ready to give it my best.

Given that the race is so technical I have been thinking a lot about trail shoes. I ran a giant hole in my last pair of trail shoes so I have just been running on the trails in my road shoes (Hoka Clifton 5)

I have stepped on a rock a couple times and wished for more protection so I have began to wonder if I should get into a new pair of trail shoes.

Do you have a favorite? Anything good for long distances?

Posted by bethcurtis Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: Run, trail running

June 25, 2019

Runners and Antibiotics + Wildlife

This morning started out with a beautiful sunrise and trail for 5 miles.

Along the way I ran into this little guy.

Zoom in!

I love running into wildlife on my run (well most wildlife, last week there was a bear in our neighborhood , no thanks on that visit).

If you have been following my training at all you may remember that I have had to take antibiotics a few times this year. It’s not my favorite to have to take these medications but when I clearly do have a bacterial infection then I am glad that we have them and the infection clears right up. I bring up this issue because back in 2014 I had a scare with running while taking antibiotics. I got an infection about a week before what should have been my first 50k. I went to see the doctor and was prescribed (needed) antibiotics for the infection after I made it clear that I was planning on running a 50k that weekend.

I didn’t think much of it, and had taken much of my course of antibiotics when I googled my medication and one of the first things that popped up was that this type of antibiotic can cause tendons to rupture. The antibiotic I was taking was Cipro from the fluoroquinolones class [Source]. It was a scary proposition, on race day I wasn’t feeling well in general so I decided to cut the race short and not risk any permanent damage.

Runner’s World has published an interesting article here about the effects of antibiotics on running.

I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of this before and that the doctor would prescribe them to me knowing I was running a 50k that weekend. I guess the lesson is to always research what you take before you start taking it. Since then I have been sure to ask to not be prescribed fluoroquinolones, but it’s also good to know that most antibiotics will make you feel lethargic which doesn’t jive with ultra races.

Be safe out there, Happy Running!

Posted by bethcurtis Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: Run

June 24, 2019

Weekly Rundown – 50 Mile Training Weeks 11 and 12

The last two week have been a whirlwind! How is it that we are approaching the end of June!?! For week 11 I was focused on getting all my runs in and made acceptable progress. Last week was a scheduled recovery week. I don’t know that I have ever welcomed a recovery week more than this last week! It was Cannon’s third birthday on Monday and we had lots of activities planned, it was nice to focus on work and family and just let running take a backseat for a week. I feel so refreshed and ready to get back at it after taking the week EASY. I did run everyday to keep the streak alive but somedays it was just a mile or two =)

This is how the last two weeks went down:

———–

WEEK 11

Monday:  Late night treadmill run of just over a mile. This was one of those runs that was not that fun but just to keep the streak alive.

Tuesday: Up early to run 4 miles around the lake, I love the early sunrise of these summer days. Added some strides into the last mile to get the legs moving.

Wednesday: Four miles again in the morning, this time searching for hills.

Thursday: 6 miles on the treadmill to fit in miles before Cory headed to work. It is possible I will need to start getting up earlier to get longer mid-week runs in.

Friday:  Cory had the day off of work and could spend the morning with the kids so I drove to Boulder to run on the trails. The views are INCREDIBLE!

16 miles on the trails felt great, excited about what lies ahead as the miles increase. Also I am going to have to figure out how to refill my pack mid-run. About 16 miles in the heat is my limit so trips back to the car or something will have to be worked out.

Saturday: Out early for a quick 10 miles around the neighborhood.

Can you see all of the hot air balloons?

Sunday: Since it was Father’s Day I didn’t want to be away from family. We had the best day planned doing some of our favorite things:

Hiking/jogging around turquoise lake in Leadville

We then spent the rest of the day eating pizza, and hanging out with family

Totals: 44 miles running – I was hoping for a few more miles but it was worth it to get some quality family time in for Father’s Day.

_________________________________________

Week 11 

Monday: It was Cannon’s birthday, and I was so happy to get to spend the day with him! I piled the kids into the double for a quick run.

I didn’t get very far before a friend let me know that there was A BEAR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD! This photo was taken less than a mile from where we were so we cut it short and headed home for a total of 1.7 miles.

We do live in Colorado so it’s not at all surprising to see owls, rabbits, coyotes and prairie dogs but bears are pretty crazy!

Tuesday: I wanted to get some strength training in so I did a quick 1.25 miles on the treadmill as warm up then did some strength work.

Wednesday: 4 miles around the lake.

Thursday: 3 early morning miles with the sunrise. I am enjoying these shorter miles this week but also looking forward to ramping it back up.

Friday:  Quick 1.5 mile warm up on the treadmill before strength training.

Saturday: Late night treadmill run, I am not a great evening runner, once the kids are down I am ready to crash but I didn’t get up early so 9pm was my only time to run – the streak continues.

Sunday:  Last easy day so we went with a hilly 1.72 hike/run

______________________________________

Totals: 14.3 miles this week plus a couple strength training sessions. I don’t know if it is advisable to cut it back THAT much when training for an ultra but with Cannon’s birthday on Monday and prepping for his party on Saturday it was nice to put running on the back burner and focus on other things. I feel refreshed and ready to go after it for the next big block!

How is your training going? Happy Running!

Posted by bethcurtis Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: Run, Weekly Rundown

June 11, 2019

WEEKLY RUNDOWN – 50 MILE BASE TRAINING WEEKS 8, 9 and 10

It’s been a few weeks since I have posted about my training but I am still here, pushing on trying to get my milage up. I have been frustrated by how I am still fighting a bug I caught back at the begining of on May, turns out a bad cold turned into bronchitis that has now been diagnosed as a sinus infection. Sometimes it feels like I am trying to claw my way up a hill but I will keep showing up, doing my best to complete what I set out to do. Finish a 50 mile race.

In happier news I am LOVING how early it’s getting light out. I can run out the door at 5am without a headlamp and that is an amazing feeling! Also it’s so much warmer so I don’t have to put on 10 layers as to not freeze.

This is how the last three weeks went down:

———–

WEEK 8

Monday:  After being gone in the mornings over the previous weekend I really wanted to be sure I was home for the kids when they woke up. Just 2 miles on the treadmill to shake out the weekend before mom duty started.

Tuesday: Woke up to a late May snow so I put off my run until after Cory got home from work. We did our best to save our trees but some of them still have a distinct droop. By the afternoon most of the snow was gone and I was able to get just over 3 miles in before dinner time.

Wednesday: Up early for 5.3 miles on the treadmill with some strides in the last mile to keep things interesting.

Thursday: Normally I like to get my run done in the morning but I was feeling particularly bad. Unknowingly I was suffering from the sinus infection and I felt worst in the morning. By the afternoon I felt good enough to go to the gym. Emmy is doing better at being left at the child center so I got in just over 6 miles on the treadmill.

Friday:  Finally back outside for a beautiful hilly 4 mile loop.

Saturday: Out early for 8 miles around the neighborhood.

Sunday: On Sunday drove out to one of my favorite trails for a beautiful morning run.

I forgot to check the trail closures before going out and got stumped a couple times.

The trail closure had me running in a new direction on part of the trail I hadn’t been on before so it wasn’t all bad news. I got in 13.2 miles and some great time on the trails.

Totals: 41.5 miles running – slow and steady progress!

_________________________________________

Week 9 

Monday: Memorial day! So nice to have a long weekend and time to be grateful for all those who sacrificed for us. We met our cousins to take the kids for a hike and have a picnic. 2 miles on the trails with some of my favorite people.

Tuesday: 4.2 progression miles on the treadmill before the kiddos woke up. Even with the longer days and warmer weather, the treadmill is still a great tool to get my miles in.

Wednesday: 6 miles around the ‘hood in the morning, searching for hills.

Thursday: Out for 4 miles in the morning.

I wanted a little bit more for the day so I ran the kids to and from the park to add another 1.5ish miles.

Friday:  I wasn’t feeling great in the morning again so I put off my run until nap time and was able to get 6.5 miles in on the treadmill.

Saturday: Saturday was meant to be my long run day of at least 14 miles but we had a birthday party to get to mid morning so I only made it 10 miles before having to race home. I know as the kids get older the busier we will be and the better I will have to get at fitting the miles in!

Sunday: Second “Longish” run for the week of 10 miles

______________________________________

Totals: 44.2 miles running. I am excited that I am finally getting some miles out on the trails but after writing this all out I am surprised at how much time I am still spending on the treadmill. Now to figure out when strength training can be fit in (always the case).

_________________________________________

Week 10 

Monday: Progression run on the rec center treadmill, started out very easy and sped up. 3 miles total.

Tuesday: Early morning 4 mile run, feeling grateful for early morning sunrises.

Wednesday: Another 4 mile run, was intended to be longer but I got up too late and fit in what I could.

Thursday: Another afternoon 3 mile treadmill run at the rec.

Friday:  Got up early and enjoyed a beautiful 6 mile easy run.

Saturday: Drove to Boulder to get some more time on the trails. 12.6 miles enjoyed in the sunshine.

Sunday: Second long run of the week of 13.2 miles enjoying all the green around, it likely won’t last so I will enjoy it while I can! I was tired and heavy on this run, not surprising as I have been increasing my milage and adding to my back-to-back long runs. I was tired but pretty proud of myself when I got home.

______________________________________

Totals: 50.1 miles, WooooHooooo, I have been working towards a total of 50 miles for a while now and I am so happy yo finally crack it. Now to just keep moving forward. =)

Happy Running!

Posted by bethcurtis Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: Run, Weekly Rundown

Meet Beth

Follow

Search

Instagram

runwithbeth

We are having so much fun learning to ski as a fam We are having so much fun learning to ski as a family! Ski traffic I could do without 🫠
✨2022✨ I can honestly say this was the best ✨2022✨ 

I can honestly say this was the best year of my life. So many adventures. I am loving the ages of these kiddos and cherish our time together. 

Very unsure if we can top this in 2023 but we are sure going to try!
We hope you had a merry little Christmas 🎄 We hope you had a merry little Christmas 🎄
Winter hiking is just so magical. Definitely not h Winter hiking is just so magical. Definitely not hating winter this year! ❄️
We kicked off the holiday season by visiting the N We kicked off the holiday season by visiting the North Pole and seeing Santa! 

The kids had so much fun and it was way cuter than I was expecting. They said it was better than Disneyland 😂 @northpolecolorado
Happy Halloween!!! Cannon really wanted to be To Happy Halloween!!! 

Cannon really wanted to be Toad from Super Mario this year so we tagged along. 

Scroll to see 2021-> 2020 -> 2019 -> 2018 -> 2017 -> 2016 🎃
We finished up our tour of France with a couple da We finished up our tour of France with a couple days in Disneyland Paris. I love Disney Parks and visiting Disneyland Paris was a dream come true. We had such an amazing time on our entire trip. 

We are trying to plan our next trip. Where is the best place you have ever been? Do you have a favorite trip? I would love to hear about it. My parents say that Ireland was their favorite so UK tops the list currently but Italy or Costa Rica are on the list too.
In our last couple of days in Paris we took a bus In our last couple of days in Paris we took a bus tour to see the major sights. Our favorites included walking the entire Champs-Élysées and climbing to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. We missed out on seeing the Catacombs because we didn’t get tickets early enough. c’est la vie, I guess we will have to go back 😉
A cousin reminded me that I never finished sharing A cousin reminded me that I never finished sharing our trip to France 🫠 better late than never! 

We spent our first day back in Paris with a trip to Versailles. We loved the gardens so much and particularly enjoyed Marie Antoinette’s little farm. The history here is incredible and the opulence overwhelming. We walked over 10 miles on our visit!
Before our long drive back to Paris we did the thr Before our long drive back to Paris we did the three castle hike in Ribeauvillé, France. We climbed up the side of a hill to three castle ruins from the 14th century. It was really fun to explore and a great way to burn some energy before a long drive.
While we were in the Alsace region of France we vi While we were in the Alsace region of France we visited the sweet little village of Riquewihr. Rumor says this was the inspiration for Belle’s village in Disney’s Beaty and the Beast. Can you see it? We could and kept singing Bonjour while walking through town.
After leaving Switzerland we made our way to Colma After leaving Switzerland we made our way to Colmar. This sweet little town in the Alsace region of France near the German border. We loved all the half timber buildings and winding streets. We had some great local food and wine. Colmar was a lovely place to get lost for an afternoon.
It was so exciting to see the Matterhorn in person It was so exciting to see the Matterhorn in person. The peak was never fully clear of clouds while we were there which was a little disappointing but it was still majestic . We took a cog train and gondola up then hiked about five miles down on the five lakes trail. It was a beautiful day and we got to enjoy lunch mid hike. We loved the little (car free) town of Zermatt. We enjoyed some fun Swiss playgrounds in town before dinner. I love Switzerland and it’s mountains!
With the last of our time in Chamonix we took a go With the last of our time in Chamonix we took a gondola and cable car up Le Brévent. We enjoyed hot chocolates and crepes at the top with views of Mont Blanc. 

Next it was time to drive on to Switzerland 🇨🇭
We took a cute cogwheel train up the valley in Cha We took a cute cogwheel train up the valley in Chamonix to Montenvers to visit the Mer de Glace  glacier. At the top you can take a gondola a little way down then MANY stairs to the glacier. It was sad to see the markers of where the glacier was in years past and how much it has shrunk. We did love exploring an ice cave that they dig out each year. We had to try twice to get into the ice caves as the first time it closed right as we arrived due to a storm. It was worth taking the train twice.
After riding to the top of Aiguille du Midi we sto After riding to the top of Aiguille du Midi we stopped half way down for a couple mile hike and a stop at a mountain hut for lunch. This might have been my favorite lunch ever. The views were amazing and the weather was nice. The mountains here are STUNNING!!! #aiguilledumidi #chamonix
We decided to spend a few day in Chamonix to explo We decided to spend a few day in Chamonix to explore the French Alps. The experience we were most excited about was taking the gondola up the 
Aiguille du Midi (highest cable car in France). You switch cable cars half way up so you can enjoy the views. The top outpost is incredible perching on top of the mountain. I’ve never seen anything like it! 

The day wasn’t completely clear but the views were still incredible. #aiguilledumidi #chamonix
After a long drive across the French countryside w After a long drive across the French countryside we landed in Annecy at the foot of the Alps. 

Annecy was such a pretty little town on the bank of a gorgeous turquoise lake.  We got to enjoy lunch at a canal side cafe, wander the streets, enjoy ice cream and playground hop our way through town. 

Very excited about our next few days in mountains of France + Switzerland.
We drove into the heart of France to visit the Go We drove into the heart of France to visit the  Gouffre de Padirac. A large cave system including an underground river. I don’t have many good pictures given the lighting and lack of patience. We loved climbing down into the cave and riding a boat along the river. Probably my favorite cave that I have visited. Kids loved all of it too and are so good about us dragging them along with us across France.
After leaving Mont Saint-Michele we drove to Loire After leaving Mont Saint-Michele we drove to Loire to visit Château de Chenonceau. It was stunning and the gardens were fun to explore. The history here is so rich!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Tag Cloud

Baby Baby Update Book Nook Bucket List Camping Cannon Colorado Colorado Travel Emerald Europe Family Favorites France + Switzerland Travel Log Friday Favorites Goals Hike Hikes Holidays Homeschool International Travel Ironman Ironman Canada Kids Hikes Marathon Marathon Training Mexico Monthly Update National Park pregnancy Project 366 race report Races Run run streak trail running training Travel Ultra Ultra Training Ultramarathon Update updates Utah Weekly Recap Weekly Rundown

Monthly Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • August 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • May 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010

Easy Instagram

Loading...

Instagram Slider

Theme by 17th Avenue · Powered by WordPress & Genesis