Altitude training

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to spend time in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The family of one of my best friends from college has a place there so five of us took it over for the long weekend. It was a great few days of catching-up, laughter, dancing, food, drinks, pool-time relaxing and running. Yes. Running!

Since graduation from Denison all of my closest friends have taken up endurance sports to some degree. It is hard to count the number of 5ks, 10ks, marathons, half marathons, etc. that everyone has signed up for. It is fantastic as it always means that someone will be up for a run on rare weekend getaways.

LC and I had the ambitious plan to run Eighteen miles last Saturday in the heat and altitude. KL mapped out a great ten-mile loop and everyone signed on to run or bike at least a portion of it. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, as were the hills! A combination of heat, altitude and stomach cramping left me at just about eleven miles. Although disappointed I have to remember that ten miles is still no small feat. I even decided to AWARD myself extra points for the extreme conditions. I also decided to REWARD myself with a margarita, or three.