Getting to the Starting Line: A Postpartum 100-Miler
Nearly two years ago, I told a friend that I was hoping to get pregnant soon but that I was terrified about the impact that doing so might have on my ability to run long distances. This friend replied with…
A Candid Report on My Trip to Planet Postpartum
I think everyone who gives birth leaves Earth for awhile to visit another planet. Time does not exist there. The days bleed into one another, swathed in the relentless and bleary-eyed fog of new parenthood. That fog is everything the…
Delights for All, Please
In an essay I wrote for the latest issue of Trail Runner, I collected some of my thoughts on anxiety, running, motherhood, COVID-19 and the cultivation of small delights in our daily lives. I looked forward to sharing this essay…
In Praise of Running, In Praise of Not: My Longest Off Season Yet
My years living in the mountains in Colorado taught me the value of taking an annual off-season from running—and every fall since, I’ve tried to take a few months off from training and racing in order to give my body…
Finding Heart: 2019 Cascade Crest 100 Race Report
Sometimes it seems that the more I run, the less I write—both pursuits require muscle, and muscle requires consistent exercise to maintain; there are only so many hours in the day, and for the past three years, I’ve given running…
Issy Alps 100, Third Time’s a Charm: Thoughts on Fear, Fun (Type II) and Faith
Six years ago, when George asked me to help him scout out some connections between our local mountains, I don’t think he had any idea of the monster he was creating. I won’t go into the full history of the…
These Are Our Hearts: Plain 100+ Run Report
(Note: This is a fairly blow-by-blow personal account. Only read it if the detailed minutiae of ultrarunning race reports interest you. For less navel-gazing and more details/history about Plain itself, stay tuned for a future article in print-magazine land.) In…
The Merits of Obsession
After Fat Dog, I enjoyed getting interviewed by Eric Schranz on Ultrarunnerpodcast. It was fun to be on the other side of interview questions for a change. But, as is the case anytime I’ve shared something personal in a non-written,…
My 99-Mile DNF: Running the Issy Alps 100
Two weeks ago, on a total lark, I hopped on a plane to Seattle. Mission: visit friends, enjoy legit Thai food (sorely lacking in western Colorado), and take a stab at completing a relatively under-the-radar route through the Cascade Mountains…
Beautiful, Cruel Patagonia—My Ultra Fiord Race Experience
(Warning: This is a “long read.” Grab a cup of coffee and settle in.) Two months have passed since I traveled to Patagonia to run the Ultra Fiord 100. Until today, despite ample previous attempts, I haven’t felt able to sit…
