And Now, For Something Completely Different: Snorkeling in Looe Key

Despite what the recent trends of this blog may suggest, I do actually venture outside of the state of Colorado. I used to spend my winters working in Florida (less glamorous than it sounds, believe me) and I’m willing to try almost anything once (unless it involves jumping out of anything or close encounters with carnivorous animals). My boyfriend and I headed down to Key West for a weekend getaway, and had an absolute blast snorkeling in Looe Key.

The Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center is reasonably priced and highly recommended by yours truly (and our resident Key West expert/friend who lives in the Keys). For $39 per person, you get a half day of snorkeling plus all the equipment that comes with. If you’re stupid and forget sunscreen (totally NOT me and Billy), they also sell biodegradable, reef-friendly sunscreen for only a few bucks (I was 100% convinced I would shell out $20 for an 8 ounce container. Not so!).

The dive center is actually located on Ramrod Key, about a 35 minute drive from Key West proper. We were staying on Summerland Key, so it was a bit shorter from there. It’s super easy to find and is literally right off the highway, so you can’t miss it.

Fitting In

An article last week from 5280 (magazine in Denver) caught my eye. Unfit: Being Overweight in America's Slimmest State chronicled Rebecca Palcso's struggle with being very unathletic in the sporty person's paradise that is Colorado. Rebecca moved to Colorado in an effort to motivate herself into being fit, which you may assume went like this: I moved to Colorado, all the healthy people made me want to be healthy, now I'm running an ultramarathon! Spoiler alert, but it didn't.

Sweaty, happy, and out of breath after my very first hike in the Rockies

Trail Review: El Dorado Canyon State Park

In the spirit of working off the countless amounts of carbs I (happily) took down on Thanksgiving, I spent my Black Friday hiking with my better half in El Dorado Canyon. Despite the less than encouraging name, the Rattlesnake Gulch trail was a perfect post-Thanksgiving day hike.

The best part about El Dorado Canyon State Park was that (like Staunton State Park) its less than an hour from Denver. The drive is super easy, except for the fact that the last mile of road isn't paved. As long as it's not super muddy or bad weather (why would you be hiking in that situation anyways?) you should be fine, even if you don't have four wheel drive. There was a Camry parked next to us that presumably survived the drive up and back.

Surviving Winter: Gear Up For Cold Weather Running

I got the urge to begin running in mid-October, which was a pretty poor choice on my part. Within weeks of starting Project Become A Runner, winter arrived in Colorado. Here's my guide to not freezing your ass off (completely) as a winter runner.

Under Armour ColdGear compression layer and Big Logo Storm hoodie. Hat from my first race, the Ugly Sweater Run. Run the race and get one too!

Hydration Basics: How To Make Sure You Won't Be Hating Life On The Trail

I realized I may have jumped the gun by diving into finding the right reservoir before going over basic hydration tips. Staying hydrated (no matter how you actually take in the liquid) is one of the most important ways to make sure you enjoy yourself outdoors. 

You may be wondering, "It's 5 degrees in Denver right now, so I don't think I'll be breaking a sweat any time soon. Do I really need to worry about staying hydrated during a polar vortex?"

The answer is a resounding yes. Colorado is dry, and gets even drier in the winter. Even if you don't live in Colorado, your body uses up a lot of water to heat up the freezing cold air that you breathe in all winter long, making hydration a year round priority.

Worth Your Time: REI's Snowshoeing Basics Class

2015 will mark the first time I don't migrate to Florida for the winter in several years, so I'm super excited to spend this winter trying out snow sports. I tried both downhill and cross-country skiing once last year, so not only am I excited to learn more about those sports, I'm pumped to try out snowshoeing so I can hit the winter sports trifecta.

Step one of my foray into snowshoeing was REI's Snowshoeing Basics class at my local store. The class was free and definitely worth my time. I highly recommend it to any fellow beginner as a great complement to your outdoor education journey (that sounds very Colorado-ey of me, doesn't it?). 

Since hitting the trail myself, this blog has become a mash-up of the REI class plus my own experience as a first-time snowshoer. The REI class gave me a really solid foundation of knowledge, so I definitely encourage you to check it out for yourself - classes run throughout the winter. Worst case scenario, you get a 20% off coupon to use and you found out you don't want to attempt snowshoeing. 

Hiking the Eastern Side of Rocky Mountain National Park

Now that I've finally gotten around to writing this blog, there may be limited time for you to take advantage of the trails in Rocky Mountain National Park. There were snow flurries in the mountains today, so get out there while you still can!

The entrance to the eastern side of RMNP is right outside of downtown Estes Park. Now that Highway 36 is completely restored after last year’s flooding, the drive is an easy and scenic hour and a half from Denver.

Staunton State Park, How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways...

I’ve been to Staunton Stake Park twice, and I’m already in love. When my parents visited from Maryland a few weeks ago, I needed an option for hiking that wasn’t too far from Denver. It also had to offer doable trails for people living essentially at sea level. Staunton has all of this (and you don’t have to sacrifice views!). Not only did my parents survive the trip, but our friend Leah who legitimately lives AT sea level (the Florida Keys…lucky lady!) also enjoyed an excursion at Staunton.

Staunton is one of Colorado’s newest parks (like really new – it just opened in May 2013) and it does not disappoint. It's less than an hour from Denver, and the drive is not only gorgeous but easy. Totally manageable for tentative mountain drivers and the park is easy to find.

Campground Review: Platte River Campground in Pike National Forest

I’ve had this idea in my head for a while about camping on the river. I was envisioning a very zen experience with riverfront camping – waking up and opening up the tent to be right on the water. The fact that I learned it’s actually a horrible idea to pitch a tent that close to water (flooding, etc.) is irrelevant, but in my quest to camp on the water, my boyfriend and I decided to try out a weekend at the Platte River campground in the Pike National Forest.

Campground Review - Big Meadows at Shenandoah National Park

Big Meadows is as close to an ideal first campground as you can get. With real bathrooms and a host of other amenities, it's a great introduction to camping without sacrificing scenery. Here's what you need to know before you go.

Directions
At just over two hours from DC, Big Meadows (and Shenandoah in general) is convenient to the entire metro area. You do have to take 66, meaning you will want to gouge out your eyeballs if you leave anywhere close to rush hour. This shouldn't be an issue if you're camping on the weekend, or if you can manage to leave by lunch on Friday. 

How To Pick The Perfect First 5k

Honestly, I could sum up this blog in one sentence. Make sure your first race is going to be FUN!

If you're looking to sign up for your very first 5k, you're most likely just beginning to run. I started trolling for the Perfect First 5k almost immediately after deciding to try out running. I wanted a concrete deadline of when I needed to be able to run 3.1 miles to keep myself from slacking off. I'm cheap enough that shelling out $35 to run around my own city is plenty of motivation to stay on track.

My only goal (and yours should be too) for my first race was to not walk. I am not in the elite athlete category, so I passed over any races that even mentioned qualifying for anything, course records, age group finishers, etc. And I found the perfect one: The Ugly Sweater Run.

That is a child's skirt. Billy is sporting a women's plus size turtleneck. Gotta love K-Mart.

Beginner's Guide To Choosing Your First Campsite

Camping is supposed to be a simple way to connect with nature, but if you've never done it before, choosing a campsite can seem much more complicated. Fortunately, you can book a campsite online in most parks at www.Recreation.gov. Even if you can't book your campsite online, playing around on the website will help you learn more about potential campgrounds.

Beginner's Guide To Whitewater Rafting - It's Not As Scary As It Looks

When my boyfriend first proposed (I just realized I got a LOT of family member's hopes up with those first five words) the idea of going whitewater rafting, I thought he was insane. I envisioned the experience being something like this:

Uhh no thanks I think I'll pass on drowning today.
Photo by Colorado Adventure Center

Much to my surprise, you can actually go whitewater rafting on completely newbie-friendly rapids. 80% of the ride you barely even see any white water. The rapids you do go through are totally non-threatening and are actually super fun! After witnessing other beginner rafters making their way down Clear Creek while driving on I-70, I began to think this was something I could definitely do. 

Your New BFF Flipbelt

Even for beginner runners, the issue of where to put your stuff while you run is an important one - especially for women. If you've shopped for any women’s pants/shorts/anything that goes on your bottom half recently, you've probably noticed that they are severely lacking in the pockets department. 

This is most true with women’s running clothes. They either have no pockets or a ludicrously small pocket that you can fit all of one house key in. Some brands are better about this, but then you've got your phone bouncing around in your pocket, which is equally useless.

Photo snipped from the Flipbelt website

Enter Flipbelt. 

The Perfect Beginner Running Shoes Are Probably Waiting At Payless

My running shoes are starting to fall apart. There is a hole in the mesh over my pinky toe joint that is ever-increasing with each run I go on, stubbornly hanging on to my first pair of running shoes. They've been a great pair, carrying me to some of my most exciting running milestones - first time running a mile without stopping, first time making it around the block in Denver without feeling like my lungs were going to explode from lack of oxygen, my first 5k, the first time I realized I was breezing up a hill that had previously made me gasp for air and question my sanity. 

Campground Lighting - How To Not Stumble Blindly In The Dark

Not to state the obvious, but it gets pretty freaking dark when you’re out in the wilderness (or at the campground not actually that far from civilization). Having a good lantern and/or headlamp is essential to not breaking your ankle on your way to the bathroom at night, or for any activity you plan on doing once the sun goes down.

I mean, how can you properly make s’mores if you can’t even see the ingredients on your lap? Or, if you’re a really good bunny and are planning on reading before going to bed (instead of collapsing in a sugar-induced coma after eating your body weight in s’mores), a headlamp is the ultimate hands-free reading solution.

Also doubles as a headband...and makes you look like a master of the outdoors.

Campground Review - Green Ridge Campground at Shadow Mountain Reservoir

Campground descriptions usually read like a foreign language to the beginner camper, so without further ado here is my first campground breakdown for my fellow newbies. More to come...including campgrounds outside Colorado! Yes, I did go camping a few times before moving here. And by that I mean three times. One was really more of an RV park. Anyways...here's what you need to know before you go to Green Ridge Campground!

There is a 100% chance that red spot is at the tunnel before Idaho Springs.

It's Getting Hot In Here - So Try These Running Clothes

With the recent heat wave in Denver, I thought now was as good of a time as any to address hot weather running gear. By the way – I was not expecting to be battling 100 degree heat in Denver! And a “dry” heat doesn’t count when you’re getting cooked alive by the sun that you’re now a mile closer to.

If you’ve recently decided to start running, congratulations and welcome to the beginner runner club! If you’re really starting to get rolling, or are already miserable in your regular t-shirt/old gym shorts, you're going to want to take your wardrobe up a notch in the heat of late summer (is this considered the dog days yet?). Why? Chafing. Lack of moisture-wicking. No built-in underwear. Yes, that is a thing you will come to desire as a runner.

Praying no one is walking up to the car next to you bc you're half naked changing into running shorts after work. #runnerproblems #runchat
— Outdoor Beginner (@OutdoorBeginner) July 11, 2014

I am all for using whatever you have sitting in your closet already when you’re first starting out. But once you start, you won’t want to stop, so just go ahead and get sucked into the black hole that is purchasing running/outdoors gear. It’s an affliction that can’t be stopped (“Oh look at these shorts on sale…yeah I have six pairs but I really need seven”). Plus, when it's this hot, you're just going to be miserable in regular cotton.

The Definitive Guide To A Concert At Red Rocks

While an outdoors concert venue may not traditionally fall under "experiencing the great outdoors," the lack of information about going to a concert at Red Rocks led me to write this after my first concert last night. Hope this helps, future concert-goers!

Step 1 – Get There Early

Head down to the town of Morrison to wine and dine yourself (or in my case, margarita and queso myself) before the show. The concert started at 6:00 p.m., and we left the Capitol Hill area of Denver at 2:00. We drove into Morrison and hit our favorite Mexican restaurant, Morrison Inn (so Mexican sounding!), to enjoy some margaritas and things covered with queso.

Photo courtesy of Yelp

Beginner's Guide to Hiking Snacks

Snacking is one of my favorite pastimes, so I was super excited to write this post (and equally surprised it took me this long to get to it). Outdoors activities open up a glorious new world of snacking. What other reason could possibly justify the purchase of Sports Beans? Yes, those are a thing. And yes, they’re just as awesome as they sound. 

As a self-proclaimed snack connoisseur, getting outside has not only provided me the opportunity to see and do amazing things, but also to eat amazing things. Here are my favorite snacks to get me through a few hours of hiking (let’s be real, a hike of any length justifies bringing along any of these items). Some are outdoors specific, some are "real world" food, all are delicious.