Being in Colorado and trying to breathe, may have been what it was like to take my very first breath the day I was born, 41 years ago today so, it’s appropriate that I spent the last five days a mile or more above sea level trying to just breathe.
It doesn’t help that the views there are absolutely breathtaking. It’s like the entire town of Breckenridge was daring me not focus on my breath and was forcing me to slow down and take it all in. When I finally stopped fighting it, I did just that, and enjoyed every last breath.
The trip deserves a post all it’s own because it was just that good so, I will touch on it here and then bring you more later on. After all, we’re slowing down and just trying to breathe.
WEEK OF MARCH 14, 2016
RUNNING
I started the week running upwards of a 6:00 min/mile pace and was humbled like a bitch by the altitude out west and, literally thought I would faint on the treadmill if I tried to keep an 9:00 min/mile the first day.
Altitude ass kicker!
Of course I knew that being at altitude would be difficult on my breathing and running. What I did not anticipate were the headaches, dizziness and nausea in addition to not being able to climb three flights of stairs without gasping for air. Good times.
Tuesday: Ladder at 10K pace effort (7:00/min mile) after 45 min ride on the bike trainer
Wednesday: 10 mile easy run (7:56 min/mile) after 2,800 yard swim < – – this was SO much better/easier this week because a good friend joined me for the run!
Friday: I was supposed to do a 30 minute run with 10 x 20 second pick-ups but it was all I could do to stay conscious on the treadmill and run 30 min at 9:11 min/mile OMG!
Sunday: 30 min on treadmill where I was able to hold an 8:27 pace, before a very long day of travel. Progress.
Total miles = 24 miles/almost 8 at altitude #IFeelLikeAnElite
SWIMMING
I actually brought my swimsuit and goggles for the trip to Colorado. There was a heated outdoor pool at our hotel and I thought it would be amazing to do laps in it! Well, since I could barely breathe on the treadmill I figured I wouldn’t try to drown myself in the pool! Instead, my husband and I sat in the outdoor hot tub after our sad, air-sucking workout on Friday.
When I was at sea level, I did this:
Monday: 2,100 yards of speed/endurance after 1 hour cycle
Wednesday: 2,800 yards, ladder 100-300 before 10 mile run
Total yards = 4,900 or 2.8 miles
CYCLING
Another great thing about going on a little vacation this time of year is that I was able to bring my bike to the shop for a tune-up and not miss it while I was away. Multitasking.
Saying good-bye to my bike… Clearly before I had my hair done for the trip. #Thisis41
Monday: 1 hour ride before swim
Tuesday: 30 minute warm-up before run
Wednesday: Drop-off at the bike shop for some TLC
Total ride time = 1 hour 30 minutes
SNOWBOARDING
I.just.can’t.even.
The only other time I have had the pleasure of riding west coast powder was about 17 years ago when I lived in California and my brother and I took a trip to Mammoth.
The only way this trip could have been better is if my brother was with me and if my husband hadn’t pulled a muscle in his back literally 10 minutes before we headed to the lift. More on that later. Right now, let’s focus on me and how amazing it was to ride Peak 9 at Breck.
Trust me, I’m smiling.
Weather perfection.
My favorite trails!
FUEL
My husband and I literally ate our way though the town, one bite at a time. My top three:
Ember! Voted the best restaurant in Breck by me and my husband.
Coffee and a big breakfast at the Blue Moose, pre-snowboarding.
The most incredible dessert on the planet at Relish.
So much more on all the food and favorites later on…
GEAR
Each time I think I cannot love Amazon more, they make another delivery, just in time with exactly what I need. Why can’t everything in life run like Amazon?
I decided I needed a shoe pod for my Garmin vivoactive the day before leaving for Colorado. I had all these grand plans of running on the treadmill overlooking the mountain range, that I would have to track super accurately. Little did I know just how badly the altitude would impact me and I was secretly praying the shoe pod wouldn’t work so I wouldn’t have to relive my paltry paces!
Obviously this was BEFORE I started running on the treadmill. You can see the AFTER picture under “Running” above…
But, as all things Garmin do, the shoe pod worked like a charm and I was able to get both air-gasping treadmill runs on the record.
THINGS I LOVE
My birthday.
Oxygen.
My husband.
Traveling.
Coming home.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
Flying.
Missing my kids.
Attitudes at altitude.
March madness.
READING
I’m in the middle of Pretty Baby and it’s excellent so far! I’m supposed to be reading All the Light We Cannot See for book club but it’s very slow going.
Mostly this past week I was reading this:
We were at Peak 9 which is not the scary all black diamond map on the far left but the peak just to the right of it with plenty of blue trails!
RANDOM QUOTE OF THE WEEK
The shopping in Breckenridge was like everything else – amazing. The jewelry and art was breathtaking and the vibe was all hippy love Colorado:
The sign reads: Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes: large, small, thin crust, deep dish, extra toppings…
Now that I can breathe, I cannot wait to see how my workouts go this week! But today, I will be celebrating 41 amazing years on this planet!
How was your week?
Have you ever run (or walked or just tried to breathe) at altitude?
What goodness have you been eating?
happy happy happy 41 years!!!!
and I commandeth you to write a book/memoir based around your line of WHY CANT ALL THINGS ON EARTH RUN WORK EXIST 😉 LIKE AMAZON.
Timely.
True.
Best seller.
<3
I love it!!!…plus, I really want to live in that world. Thanks Carla!
The first weekend that I have been boarding and I was ok with the season being over. But now you have me I need to plan a belated trip west for one last go around. Happy Birhday to you!!!!!
It was so amazing and now we’re like “maybe we should go to VT this weekend…” it’s a sickness.
Oh man, I remember fitbloggin Denver and how I had the mildest headache and dizziness the entire time, it’s such a weird feeling!! Glad you got to get away from it all with hubby! That dessert looks amazing. I haven’t be eating anything super great lately but I had curly fries after yesterday’s half and it was pretty great 🙂
Very weird and uncomfortable and, just as I was acclimating, it was time to go! Oh well, great time and so great to be alone with the hubs.
CONGRATS on yet another race finish…and it sounded like this one was hard fought. Good for you!!!! And curly fries post-race sounds so, so good.
Happy, happy birthday, Allie! Here’s to a new year of adventure, love, and laughter. And I completely agree about the slow start of All the Light and Amazon! Huzzah!
Thank you!! So glad you said that about All the Light…everyone seems to absolutely love it!?
What a great way to celebrate your birthday…..the closest I’ve come to running at higher altitude was running in Big Bear, California….. I basically did a run/walk because I just couldn’t run continuously….that was a couple years ago and I wonder if I’d do better this year.
What I love best about skiing is of course the apres-ski.
Looking forward to all your adventures in the coming year…. happy birthday.
I’m sure you would now that you have a marathon under your belt 🙂
And YES to après-ski of course!!!
Thanks Paria.
Happiest of birthdays friend! Love the post today….
Thanks so much Shannon!
Happiest birthday to you!! That trip sounds like an amazing way to celebrate. Working out (hell, even walking) at altitude is so ridiculously humbling. Every time I go somewhere with a high altitude, I get angry that I don’t live there because I feel like I would be so much better as an athlete if I did! BRB, off to convince AJ to move.
Thank you Danielle!
I couldn’t agree more with the altitude thing. I was finally getting the hang of it and then had to leave. I started running though the airport in Hartford when we landed, just because I could and it was amazing. I heart oxygen.
Good luck with the move and let me know when I can visit 🙂
Happy birthday!! I remember being in Colorado many years ago and attempting one or two runs- I have no idea how you covered all those miles and biking, swimming at altitude, plus snow boarding!!
I only did two runs at altitude and they both were very, very humbling. Most of the workouts were at sea level!! Interestingly enough, I wasn’t bothered on my board. I was breathing so well down the mountain – go figure??
Happy Birthday!! I hope you continue to have amazing celebrations!
I read an article a few weeks ago about people doing training wearing mask that simulate high altitude oxygen. Sounded intense!
All The Light We Cannot See is a very slow moving book, but a very good book!
Thank you!!!
I definitely know why athletes do that and why they even live at altitude in the off season, etc. I’ve heard of people sleeping in altitude “tents” but it’s too crazy for me. I just wish there was a better way to acclimate since my body was hating me!!
Thanks for the tip on All the Light… I’m making my way though it…
Sorry for the play on words, but Colorado is truly breathtaking! Next time pack an extra can of oxygen. I think they’re on sale at Walmart. ((winks))
You jest but there were a few “oxygen bars” and they even sold little canisters of it. I was tempted.
Happy birthday!! Those mountains and those views are just gorgeous and it sounds like you had an amazing trip, even with the altitude. I once spent a week in Salt Lake City and wheezed my way through short treadmill runs convinced I was dying. Sometimes even hiking in the Cascades when we get above 5000 feet breathing is hard for me, but I blame living at sea level for that. But Colorado looks so worth it!
It’s so worth it but OMG the adjustment is something else!! Just walking up the stairs with my board was overwhelming for my lungs so I cannot imagine hiking!!
Thanks Laura 🙂
Happy birthday!! Those are some gorgeous views! Altitude can definitely make you suck wind, but maybe you’ll see some benefits from it!
I hope so! I’m doing my first run tomorrow and I cannot wait!!
Thanks Susan 🙂
Amazing birthday celebration!!! The mountains out west are just beautiful. I lucked out that I went there every year growing up.
And oh altitude. I spent a month in Santa Fe which is 7K I think? lol to not being able to run. I had run a half marathon the week before I got there and huffed through a couple miles.
It was truly gorgeous and so, so much fun!!
And yes, Santa Fe is up there. It’s so crazy when your legs are raring to go but your lungs are shot. I’m just happy to be back at sea level 🙂
Happy Birthday!
I’ve never run at altitude, but I’ve been to Copper Mtn twice. I was a teenager but I don’t remember being affected much by the altitude. Who knows?
Enjoy your trip!
It’s funny because I took several trips to Colorado when I was in my 20s and I don’t ever recall having this much of an issue. Maybe it’s my age Wendy!! I’ll keep fighting it though 🙂
Happy happy happy birthday!!!!!!! It looks like you had such a fun time! I have never run at altitude, but if am going to be doing a lot of running in Florida heat and humidity! We spent the last few days moving to South Florida and we are here!!! I am hoping to find a few races quickly before racing season is totally over here!
Did I seriously just read that you don’t like March Maddness??? Really! I kind of love it and it has been keeping me up way too late the last few nights!
I read that you were moving but I wasn’t sure when exactly. I guess congratulations on the move but boy is that weather going to be a tough transition for you!! At least you have another month or so of sub-90 degrees, right?
And yes, I kind of loathe March madness but my husband loves it. I have to say, I do get into some of the games when they are very close and there’s only seconds on the clock. And, of course I love a good Cinderella story – go SFA 🙂
Hope everything went smoothly for you and that you will write all about it soon. Good luck finding a race!!
I am so freaking jealous!! We usually always make a trip out west to ski in Tahoe but haven’t been in the last two years or so because they didn’t have snow. And then they got dumped on this year and I missed it! Le sigh. Altitude is a killer! It’s hit or miss for me but every time it humbles me. I’m so glad that you had a chance to go to Colorado to celebrate. And stick with All the Light. I really really loved that book.
We got incredibly lucky. Everyone told us it was the best weekend of snow all winter! The only reason we picked it is because my husband was already in Las Vegas and it was a quick flight. So insane and so great!!
I KNOW you really loved that book and it’s getting better but it took a while…
Oh yay! I’m 38, and I feel like I’m surrounded by all of these 20-something blogging athletes. Happy 41st birthday! You look like you’re 20-something though… HOLY SMOKES! I love that green hoodie you have on. Okay, whoa random comments. I’ve never trained at altitude before. I had no idea it was that tough. It’s going to feel amazing when you come back down!
Hooray for over 35 blogger/athletes! I totally understand how you feel and thank you for the compliment!!
And yes, coming back down to run at sea level felt amazingly good 🙂
Thanks Suzy!
When I visited Pete in Mexico City when he was working there a lot, I remember being so tired because of the altitude. It wasn’t super drastic so that I had trouble breathing but I definitely felt the change!
I really liked All the Light We Cannot See. Stick with it! I think it’s a good book.
Those views are ahhhhhmazing! Love love love!
Everyone keeps telling me that about the book so yes, I’m sticking with it. Not sure I will be done in time for book club but oh well…
Thanks Britt! Colorado was even more gorgeous then those pictures can show!
Happy Birthday Allie!!! You look like you’re 28!! I mean seriously…
What a beautiful place to spend your birthday!! I am looking forward to a detailed post about it! 🙂
Altitude sneaks up on you, doesn’t it?
So glad you had a great trip with your hubby – without kids! As much as we love them, it’s so nice to just have time together!
I have had All The Light We Cannot See on my Kindle for so long and I haven’t read it yet. I hear it is so good!
As always you are killing it on the workouts!!
Hope you are enjoying your birthday all week!!! xoxo
Thanks so much Natalie! It was an amazing getaway but also so great to come home 🙂
Caution with All the Light…it takes a while to settle into it. I would save it for after Boston! LOL!!