News Editor 1229 posts 0 comments

Durango is a trail runner's paradise. Located in the high mountain desert in the Four Corners Region near the common corner boundary of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona, Durango residents see the sun shine about 330 days a year. On the few days when running might be problematic, there is probably fresh snow on the trails that would also make for great snowshoeing.

If you want to feel like Superwoman this race season, fueling up with nutrient-powered foods and smart supplementing has positive payoffs. Quality eating provides nutrients that boost your immune system, and supercharge your performance. Supplements build upon your best food choices and provide an edge on the race course. All the food and supplement strategies outlined below work for the guys as well, so eat up!

It’s getting warmer! Heat, sometimes combined with humidity depending on where you live, can throw you a good curve ball during these summer months of training and competition. We have all heard stories about athletes being taken to the hospital during a race for dehydration, or collapsing before the finish line or seeing white spots with a tongue feeling like sandpaper. I will say that those are extreme cases and ones that can be easily prevented with a little know-how nutrition for the heat know-how.

Deer Creek Canyon Park had its beginnings as a campground for wandering bands of Ute and Arapahoe. The 1,881-acre Open Space park was first homesteaded in 1872 by a man from Plymouth, England, John Williamson. Back then, Deer Creek's rolling hills and fertile fields attracted both farmers and miners. John Williamson's famed Glen Plym Ranch, as well as the Couch and Clark Homesteads, all sat within the current park boundaries.

When you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Summit County is the perfect escape. There are dozens of breathtaking trails to choose from, but I've chosen one easy and accessible trail to tell you about. The trail begins near downtown Breckenridge and has incredible views of the ski runs and the town. The course also has a fairly easy running surface, although watch for rocks and tree roots.

Melody Fairchild is arguably the best American high school female distance runner of all time. She was born September 10, 1973 in Boulder and began running in the city’s foothills at age nine. Melody won eight Colorado track and cross country state championship titles for Boulder High School and still holds the state records for cross country (16:45.1 in 1989), 1,600 meters (4:49.86 in 1991), and 3,200 meters (10:34.09 in 1990).

As you pull in to Crested Butte, the sign reads 8,885 feet. This should be your first indication that this won't be a terribly easy trail run. The birthplace of "extreme," Crested Butte is home to some of the toughest athletes around - harsh adventures are the norm. Nestled in a valley at the road's end, surrounded by towering peaks, Crested Butte's natural backyard provides a whirlwind of activities for the outdoor enthusiast.