Beginner’s Guides

  • Beginner’s Gear Guide: Best beginner hydration vest for trail running

    Beginner’s Gear Guide: Best beginner hydration vest for trail running

    You may be thinking to yourself, “but Laura, you can’t even run a 10k. Why would you need a hydration vest?” Because running is really hard and I like snacks. For reference, when I bought my first vest, I was run-hiking longer than a 5k in the summertime before I felt like I needed to Read more

  • Nobody else notices that beginner habit you’re worried about

    Nobody else notices that beginner habit you’re worried about

    As I ran down the paved rec path in Breckenridge a few weeks ago, I found myself suddenly extremely self-conscious of the fact that I was wearing a hydration vest. Long-distance trail runners typically wear a little backpack/vest that they can store water and snacks in when they go do things like run 20 miles Read more

  • How to start biking to work

    How to start biking to work

    I already got up on my soapbox about why you should bike to work, so now let’s talk about what you actually need to start biking to work (besides a bike, of course). Honestly, the first thing may be kind of limiting: a safe route. Google is not always the most reliable when it comes to streets Read more

  • Beginner’s Trail Guide: Jud Wiebe in Telluride

    Beginner’s Trail Guide: Jud Wiebe in Telluride

    The Jud Wiebe Trail is one of Telluride’s most-loved, and it doesn’t take long to figure out why. A minute in, and you’re already getting some of the most spectacular panoramic views that Colorado can offer. And they somehow just keep getting better. How do I get there? One drawback about Telluride is that it Read more

  • Why I bike to work

    Why I bike to work

    When I signed up for the free women’s bike maintenance class at REI, I was surprised to see it was only half full just a few days out from the event. Once I got to class, I quickly realized I was the only woman there that biked primarily for commuting, not recreation. And the more Read more

  • Beginner’s Trail Guide: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

    Beginner’s Trail Guide: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

    Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (whew, that’s a mouthful) was the last stop on our 2016 road trip. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but this park has crazy cool scenery, a great campground, and no crowds.  When we went in June, we were en route from Durango, but if Read more