A Runner's Dream.....I think

Blue skies paint the horizon in Placer Valley

While everyone else in the nation is still experiencing summer like conditions, fall is slowly creeping its way into the Ten Mile Range of the Rocky Mountains. There has been no snow as of yet, but the tell tell signs of what is to come are all around. The air is becoming cooler and I have even spotted a few aspens turning their bright orange and yellow hues. Initially, I resisted these new signals of the changing of seasons, but today I could not have been more happy to welcome in a cool and refreshing day. After all, fall is my favorite time of year. After a few training sessions with some clients, I headed home to enjoy a beautiful afternoon. A wild breeze was blowing every direction and the temperature was only 53! However, with a sun that beats down upon this area relentlessly, it felt perfect. Perfect that is for a run.

Flowers along the way

So, I headed out the door with the dogs and prepared myself for one of my routes. Now, before I moved to Colorado, I would say that I considered myself a runner. Consistently for about 3 years while living in Oklahoma and Florida I was running on average 3-5 miles a day. But when I began living at 10,600 feet in elevation, I quickly realized that my running days were over. I remember our first few months living here, how frustrated I became at not being able to run more than a mile! Granted we do live in very mountainous and hilly terrain, but still.....it did some damage to my self esteem to say the least. My new doctor here told me that it would take a full year to become fully acclimated to the elevation; and even then I would still be able to do far less than I could at sea level. But I was determined. So, day after day I tried running up and down the hills that surround our house. And day after day I would find myself wheezing for air and wanting to just give up. But yet, I have continued with my efforts and I was not going to let the mountains win this one. At 10, 600 feet I am breathing in 27% less O2 than you folks at sea level. So, I am operating at 73% O2 versus 100% like I used to. To acclimate, the body must produce thousands of new red blood cells to feed and transport what little oxygen there is up here to the lungs and muscles. It is no fun.

Shiloh waiting for us to start our run

But things have turned around. About a month ago, I completed my first 3 mile loop on the hardest route around our house. Two miles of the run consists of gaining an average of 500 feet of elevation and the last mile is straight up with a wicked incline (my mom can verify this). But finally I have met the challenge of the mountains....it feels good to achieve something that seems so trivial, but it is an enormous testament to the human body's ability to adapt....So, today I took it all in once again. I set out on what is now my normal run, and I couldn't help but think as the cool breeze swept over me and my calves ached in pain as I trudged uphill, how the mountains have got to be a runner's dream.........or are they? =)

Sophia Louise on part of our route

Sunflowers along the way