More Updates

Had another nice hike last week, but unfortunately, I'm going to have to miss this week's hike because my knee needs a rest.  It's just not healing fast enough!  We hiked Wild Basin in Rocky Mountain National Park and were we surprised to find it had snowed the night before at the 8,500' level which is where the trail head starts.  In fact, we had some light snow off and on throughout the hike!


We had planned on doing a 5 mile hike up to Ouzel Lake and back again for a total of 10 miles and a 1,500' elevation gain to 10,000' (our highest training hike for Mark and me).  The trail was snowy, wet and difficult in some areas, particularly the last 1/2 mile or so.  (There was no path so it had to be broken in and it was on a downhill part of the trail.)  Because I'd slipped a little earlier in the day and hurt my knee again, I chose NOT to do the last 1/2 mile and instead had the rest of the group finish while Mark and I hiked back.  I wanted to take my time and be extra cautious and I didn't want to feel like I was holding anyone up.


We ended up getting back about 15 minutes before the rest of the group.  It was a very beautiful hike and this one has been my favorite so far.  I want to go back and do it again when there isn't any snow on the ground.  I'm sure it will look so different and be just as spectacular!  Plus, I want to make it down to the lake, too!  Click on Mark's photo on the right to get to other pictures during the hike.


So, with hiking aside for a week or so, I'm still working on on my spin bike and/or elliptical as best I can; I'm just not doing the intensity that I used to.  But whatever I'm doing is working as I've dropped more weight!  I made it to my first goal weight and want to lose about 2 more pounds.  (I need a little buffer, plus I need to figure out what I have to do to maintain the weight loss, which always seems to be the trickier part.)  I turned over my new leaf starting on Dec 14, 2011 and 24 weeks later, I've lost 26 pounds and dropped 3 sizes; and in certain clothes, 4 sizes!  Whew!  It's definitely been worth it.  


It's funny, but this is the first time in all my years of "dieting", that I haven't been concerned with the pounds coming off.  I think that's because I've finally realized that I'm going to always workout and always eat this way!  I still go out to dinner, I still have a glass or two of wine each week. And, if I want dessert, I'll have it!  The key for me is to track my calories and my workouts...it's as simple as that.  If I snack too much, I'm not afraid to include it...I track it...period!  And since I use the application "Myfitnesspal.com" it's accessible via computer and on my Android phone so I can always enter something.


My plan all along was to lose weight so that I could come off of my cholesterol medicine and so far, I've successfully been able to do that!  I go for a cholesterol check next month which will be 3 full months that I've been off the medicine and during that time, I have worked out 6 days a week, almost every week.  I'm hoping that I'll be able to stay off the medicine...I don't want to lose my memory!


One last thing I'd like to mention is:  hand, foot and mouth disease...yeah, what's up with this disease going around in children?  This isn't something that I remember as a common childhood disease when I was growing up or when our children were growing up.  But, it seems to be a fairly common occurrence these days.  Poor Sophia has it now and last year Zoe and Ezra had it!  Thankfully, Sophia seems to be getting better now!  (Glad she didn't get it on her birthday!)


Well, we are anxiously awaiting when we get to see Holly, Zoe and Ezra again!  They will be visiting in July!!!  (Wish Erich could be here, too!)  Hope to have lots of fun times while they are here!  We have several things planned...more on that later.  :)

Still Hiking and Sophia's 1st Birthday Party

Well, I've managed to accomplish another hike since my knee injury although it's still not healed. (Luckily, this particular hike, though rather steep, did not involve any high stepping or rock scrambles.)  I had xrays done yesterday to determine if I had any bone issues but everything looks fine there.  I have a sneaky suspicion that it's a tendon that's acting up.  I'll just continue to try and take it easy and to ice it regularly (even though there hasn't been any swelling that I can tell).


I'll put up a picture with a link to the last hike's pictures.  As always, the scenery is so beautiful along these trails and it's just breathtaking at the summits!  It's amazing to me that the only way to see these beautiful landscapes is to hike to them since there are no roads there!  I'm thankful and quite fortunate to be able to do that!  


Thursday's hike is supposed to be up to 10,020 feet but we may have some bad weather that day.  If so, the hike will be canceled for this week and we'll try again next week.


This past Sunday, Mark and I had the pleasure of going to Sophia's 1st birthday party at Sara and Zach's house!  (Sure wish we could go to all of Zoe's and Ezra's birthdays, too!)  I think she was on sensory overload with all the family, friends, and presents!  She seemed to enjoy the day!  Sara did a great job on the decorations especially with the birthday banner which chronicled Sophia's first year with monthly photos!  The cake lollipops were exceptionally tasty, too!  (I need that recipe!  Would like to experiment and see if we can get a vegan version so Zoe can enjoy them, too!)  Check out the birthday party pictures by clicking on the banner picture.


More updates later...need to research and write an article now for the New Horizons International Music Association.

Training Set Back

I have been doing really well on all my training hikes since returning from California but last Friday's hike of the Fern Canyon Trail down by the Boulder Flat Irons proved a bit disastrous for my left knee!  


It was a beautiful hike on all three trails (Bear Canyon, Fern Canyon, and Mesa)!  I wore my rain gear as showers were predicted for later in the afternoon.  At the start of the hike, we passed a runner coming down who told us there were two bears at the summit.  Pretty exciting, although I certainly didn't want to get close to them.


Once we got on Fern Canyon trail, there was a very steep rise (mostly on a rocks) all the way up to the 8,400' summit.  Each step of the way was about a 2 foot rise and required constant use of the leg and butt muscles.  No problem going up.  At about the 8,100' level, it started snowing--this wasn't predicted!  Mark and I were ready to continue as we probably only had about another 15 minutes to go to get to the summit; but, a couple of the ladies wanted to turn around.  The hike leader used caution and said we needed to turn around.


By now it's snowing harder and the trail is starting to get covered.  I managed to place my left foot on some slippery rocks and jerked my knee in my attempt to not fall.  I didn't fall, however the damage had already been done to my knee.  It was rather painful the rest of the way down but not excruciating or anything like that.  


I got home and iced it a lot.  That was Friday and I'm still icing it.  I canceled going on a high altitude hike tomorrow to Twin Sisters in the hopes of doing another high altitude hike to Croser Mountain this Friday.  Croser (the Glen Haven trail) is starts at 7,700' and is 9,250' at the summit.  It rises about 2,000' in 4 miles (shouldn't be as bad as last Friday's hike, but I don't really know since I haven't done that one yet).  I heard there is a rock scramble just before you get to the summit.  (That's what I'm worried about!  I think I'll do fine on straight walking, it's the lifting of my knee high that concerns me.)  The total hike mileage is 8.2 miles.   

So, I guess I'll just have to see how my knee feels when I get up on Thursday morning!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll be okay!