Wanderings + Ponderings

Run-ventures

My version of running + #runabler'ing; on the trails, along the highways, up the mountains, through the cities.

Travel Thoughts

I have no check list for my travels; my only goal is to get out there, experience life and see what the world has to teach me!

TRAILS + TENTS

For all those times you hit the trails with a backpack, tent and that little tickle for adventure…rain, snow or shine!

Friends + Feelings

Life teaches you something. The only two things you’ll have with you every day; your friends + your feelings. Love them.

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Recent Stories

Thinking About Running

Thinking About Running. For Fun. Probably. Maybe. Or Not. We’ll See. It’s finally happening…I’m thinking about running. It’s not just the “hey, look at that person running, I used to do that!” type of thinking that has been floating around in my head since I discovered running shoes. Nope. It is more serious than that. […]

19 May 17 Heidi Kumm

Taking on Switzerland

Taking on Switzerland I’m back! Back in Switzerland + on my way back to the tiny mountain town I fell in love with a few years ago. I booked my flight to Switzerland as soon as I accepted that winter job in the Colorado Rockies last October. As ridiculous as it seems, I was legitimately […]

10 May 17 Heidi Kumm

Iceland; By the Dollars

We did minimal planning prior to hopping on a plane to Iceland. From time to time we’d talk about sitting down to plan. Every once in a while I’d scroll through a list of “5 must visit” or “8 best” list looking at photos + cocking an eyebrow at the Icelandic words. About a month before […]

09 May 17 Heidi Kumm

Iceland; One Stop at a Time

I spent a week in Iceland this spring, almost on accident. When I was searching for flights to Switzerland last fall I realized it was cheaper to fly through Iceland on Iceland Air than directly to mainland Europe. The airline’s website didn’t have to do much prompting to get me to book a “stayover” for the […]

08 May 17 Heidi Kumm

Closing Out the Season

The one place it is perfectly acceptable to sit on the floor near a trash can is in an airport. Or that’s what I tell myself. For some silly reason 90% of the available outlets are always on those pillars surrounded by trash + recycling bins. From an architectural stand point, I guess that makes […]

24 Apr 17 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

I’ve spent the last few months…not writing, not overworking + not running. Instead, I’ve been wandering, planning + spending time doing not-so-crazy things with people I really enjoy being around. I don’t want to jinx myself by saying “life is slowing down”, but my life choices seem to be a bit more purposeful. The “because, […]

01 Apr 17 Heidi Kumm

Trail Fail: How NOT To Yurt Trip

Trail Fail: How NOT To Yurt, Cabin or Hut Trip There are a bajillion + a half blog posts, articles + flashy insta-stories out there telling you how to properly, safely + comfortably go on a yurt trip. So, for the sake of trying something new, let’s talk about all the things you can do […]

28 Mar 17 Heidi Kumm

Girls’ Weekend; Colorado-Style

Girls’ Weekend; Colorado-Style at the Columbine Cabins I live a pretty cyclical life — my summers are spent roaming the country + world while my winters are spent working my leggings off in a resort town. This lifestyle isn’t exactly conducive to a small, close-knit group of friends due to constant movement + a crazy […]

02 Mar 17 Heidi Kumm

Snow Tubing at Loveland Pass

Snow Tubing at Loveland Pass The best life lessons are learned in the wilderness, right?! Such as “if it makes your heart flutter, do it” + “just huck yourself over the edge + hope for the best”. These are the life lessons you’ll come upon when you lug a snow tube along the ridge of […]

20 Feb 17 Heidi Kumm

Escaping to Columbine Cabins

Escaping Reality: A Weekend at the Columbine Cabins There are many ways to escape cell service. The most logical one is to just shut off your phone. But, what fun is that? A much more exciting way to escape cell service is to run off into the wilderness + pretend adult responsibilities don’t exist for […]

07 Feb 17 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

Life isn’t exactly slowing down, but I’m finding a way to work a little more fun into the crazy. Both jobs are still in full force + I’m roaming around Summit County without a car. This has me sinking a ton of time into work + bus-muting. However, my free time has been put to […]

01 Feb 17 Heidi Kumm

Finding Joy + Creating Hope

In today’s world there is a plethora of pain; in ways no one wants to admit or acknowledge. A quick scroll through the news headlines in your Facebook feed will offer up more proof then you’ll ever want. There are some seriously depressing + demoralizing things going on in today’s world. It sucks, there’s no way […]

25 Jan 17 Heidi Kumm

Forgetting How To Run

Forgetting How To Run + Learning to Love Snowy Trails A whole eight weeks ago I waxed poetically about running, just because. I talked about getting back into the running bit on my own terms. Running when I wanted to, hiking when I could + using Max as my excuse to get outside. Ha. Yea…no. […]

16 Jan 17 Heidi Kumm

Snowshoeing Lily Pad Lake

Snowshoeing Lily Pad Lake There is a first time for everything…the first big snow of the season, your first time snowshoeing, being the first to break trail, first time out to Lily Pad Lake. First times are fun, ask anyone who’s survived the rush of trying something new. However, there seems to be a tipping […]

14 Dec 16 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

And just like that, it’s December. We still grossly low on snow up here in the Rocky Mountains but the weather has taken a turn for the colder [much colder] so I guess we can officially say winter has arrived. Finally. The resorts opened 3+ weeks behind schedule which meant those of us lucky enough […]

01 Dec 16 Heidi Kumm

Buffalo’s Boulders

Buffalo’s Boulders; Finally Finding the Summit of Buffalo Mountain Oh me, oh my. It has been far too long since I’ve had an opportunity to wander off into the wilderness simply because it was out there + waiting for me. Winter is finally here + the time suck that is a job is finally in […]

29 Nov 16 Heidi Kumm

Back To Running. Sort of.

Getting Back to Running. Sort of. The last time I headed out on a non-injury-tester, non-race related run was…early September? Yea, that long ago. Since then I’ve run two time-based races with rather respectable finishes + wandered out onto mountain trails just for funsies, but nothing with any goal beyond “find happy” + survive. It feels […]

15 Nov 16 Heidi Kumm

Creating Change

Creating Change; On My Terms Life changes; always. It is these constant changes that keep us on our toes + hopefully loving the life we live. However, change is never easy. It doesn’t matter how much you claim to love change, it is never exceptionally easy. The essence of change itself brings a level of […]

04 Nov 16 Heidi Kumm

Until Next Time // Big Dog Backyard Ultra

Until Next Time // Big Dog Backyard Ultra Race Thoughts Not surprisingly, that last bit about the Big Dog Backyard Ultra ended with tears then somehow led “next time” talk. It’s crazy how quickly selective memories kicks in. After I called my race at 15 hours/62 miles I let my last caffeine pill’s affects soak out […]

25 Oct 16 Heidi Kumm

Every 60 Minutes // Big Dog Backyard Ultra

Every 60 Minutes // Big Dog Backyard Ultra Race Recap While dumping half a paycheck worth of diesel into Big Red, en route to Utah to volunteer at the Bear 100 [which was supposed to be my “A race” of the year], I impulsively tossed my name onto the waitlist for the Big Dog Backyard […]

21 Oct 16 Heidi Kumm

Growing Up. My Way.

If you had asked me 10 years ago what I anticipated my life to look like by the time I turned 30 my answer would have probably included words like “married”, “children”, “home” + “career”. Actually, they definitely did include those words because 10 years ago that is exactly the path my life was on. […]

12 Oct 16 Heidi Kumm

When Being Alone Gets Lonely

Maybe it’s just me and the network for nomadic friends I have acquired over the years but my social media platforms seems to be full of articles about “being alone isn’t lonely” or “being alone makes me feel powerful” + other stories about how being alone isn’t a bad thing. All of those things are […]

05 Oct 16 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

Oh, it’s been a while since I wrote one of these! Turns out I completely missed my “regularly scheduled” currently post in August. Whoops — I guess I got a little wrapped up in my version of van life + forgot all about it. That just means this little update will be all that more […]

01 Oct 16 Heidi Kumm

Bear 100: A Race That Wasn’t

It all started this past January at the Winter OR Show. As usual a conversation with Landon made its way from gear talk to trail talk + it become obvious this needed to be the year he ran his first 100 mile race. Obvious, I tell you…because I will always encourage people to do the […]

28 Sep 16 Heidi Kumm

Bigfoot 200 // Volunteering

I was digging through my “laundry bag” on the floor of a tiny hostel room trying to decide if I had enough dirty clothes to warrant the $5 wash/dry downstairs. My mind was telling me no…then I got to the bottom + discovered the running clothes I wore for nearly 3 days in the Washington […]

29 Aug 16 Heidi Kumm

The People of the Never Summer 100K

Technically, I could tell you all about the twists, turns, up + downs of the Never Summer 100K race, but what fun would that be? If you want to experience the crazy gorgeous course…go sign up for next year! Plus, my selective memory has already kicked in + I only remember the stunning views from […]

27 Jul 16 Heidi Kumm

The Mountain Loop Highway

I’m back in the van! After two weeks of hot showers, a full kitchen + easy access internet I have returned to my nomadic life in the TETON Sports #yourlead van. And…I was really excited to get back into the van. I was ready to move again. The van must have felt the urge to […]

20 Jul 16 Heidi Kumm

The Explosive Pacific Northwest

Did you know the pacific northwest is full of volcanoes + craters, courtesy of a very explosive history with Mother Nature? Yea, it is. I mean, I survived high school, I do have some smarts so I am aware of the fact there is a lot of tectonic activity on the west coast. I just […]

15 Jul 16 Heidi Kumm

Trails of Tahoe

A handful of weeks ago Tanya + I pointed the #yourlead van toward Lake Tahoe for a few days of trail roaming + wifi-poaching. I could explain all the little details, boring you to sleep…or I can toss a few numbers + handful of photos at you. I’m willing to be you prefer the latter […]

11 Jul 16 Heidi Kumm

From the Bottom to the Top

Life in the #yourlead van did not slow down after our trek into the Grand Canyon. Sure, we took the afternoon off to rest up [+ digest the massive burgers we inhaled] but we were back at it the next day. A quick stop by the Flagstaff airport had Robb running away from me + […]

07 Jul 16 Heidi Kumm

Grand Canyon’ing // Rim-to-River-to-Rim

It has been nearly three weeks since I made the trek down into the Grand Canyon with Robb + I think it’s a safe [but embarrassing] truth when I say at least 10 of those days were spent fighting with or avoiding the DSLR camera we used. Turns out shooting photos in RAW is fantastic […]

05 Jul 16 Heidi Kumm

Moving…Into the TETON Sports Van!

Life is a little crazy + has a way of taking you by surprise, even when you plan all of the chaos months in advance. In the past 24 hours I have traveled from Monterrey, Mexico to Guadalajara, Mexico to Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah to Silverthorne, Colorado. I am now as […]

13 Jun 16 Heidi Kumm

Monterrey’s Mountains: Cerro de la Silla

The city of Monterrey is surrounded by mountains, lots of them. They aren’t exceptionally high mountains so you won’t need to worry about elevation but they are steep. Really steep + the trails don’t exactly “switch back” so you’re often hiking straight up the mountainside. The biggest obstacle I’ve had while attempting to explore the mountains down […]

11 Jun 16 Heidi Kumm

Mexico’s Mountains: La Marta

When I came down to Mexico I have very few plans…but after my visit in February I knew there were mountains so they were definitely on my agenda. After two weeks of playing in the mountains surrounding the city of Monterrey I started chatting with Daniel, one of the Lycans Endurance Team founders. It was […]

08 Jun 16 Heidi Kumm

Beach Bummin’ [Sayulita, Mexico]

I might be showing off a little too much of my sheltered ways but hey, my horizons have been expanded so I’m fessing up! For the first 28 years of my life I had an assumption about Mexico. In my mind it was a desert with beaches along the coasts, maybe some jungle’y forest blending […]

06 Jun 16 Heidi Kumm

Mexico’s Mountains: La Malinche

Oooh…it only took three days, four attempts and a whole freaking case of blue Powerade but I finally snagged a mountain summit in Mexico! It wasn’t the one I had planned. Heck, it wasn’t even on our agenda until we started eyeballing the mountains that were kinda sorta “on the way” back to Mexico City. […]

03 Jun 16 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

Whoa. I almost forgot all about this post! I’ve been writing a “currently” post every two months for nearly two years. This is the first one I didn’t have planned out in my heads weeks in advance. Not kidding. Usually I’ll be dealing with some random part of my life and think “oh, that’s definitely […]

01 Jun 16 Heidi Kumm

Mexico’s Mountains: Pico de Orizaba

The day after our three failed attempts on Iztaccihuatl we headed further east to Pico de Orizaba, the highest peak in Mexico [and 3rd highest in North America], topping out at 18,491. This beauty was originally the only mountain I planned to summit while in Mexico. I had whittled down my packing list to make […]

27 May 16 Heidi Kumm

Mexico’s Mountains: Iztaccihualt Volcano

Some mountain adventures lend themselves to long, elaborate stories. Others…well, others are such an in-the-moment experience that I cannot wrangle the right words to truly explain what happened. My week in the mountains of Central Mexico is the latter. Just during the two days we frolicked along the trails leading up to Iztaccihuatl we survived three […]

25 May 16 Heidi Kumm

Mexico // A Little Bit of Everything

I’ve been in Mexico for…two weeks? In that nugget of time it feels like I’ve seen a tiny bit of everything Mexico has to offer, so far. I say “so far” because I still have a full month of wandering left to do. My Spanish isn’t getting much better but I am getting more confident […]

16 May 16 Heidi Kumm

Staying is easy; so I must go.

I was standing on the corner of a busy street in a foreign city. It was my first time venturing out into Monterrey, Mexico on my own and I wasn’t sure of where I was going, what people were saying or how the hell to cross this street where it looked like everyone was playing […]

06 May 16 Heidi Kumm

#GameOnPGH: The Recap

As I pinned my Pittsburgh Half Marathon bib on my Runner’s Roost singlet on Saturday night as I was tossing together my race day essentials I had a tingle of remorse. I was supposed to be proudly rocking a Pittsburgh Marathon bib that flaunted my name while stashing road race snacks in my SPIBelt. Instead, […]

05 May 16 Heidi Kumm

A Drive Down Accola Road

While I really could not careless about the Green Bay Packers or the Wisconsin Badgers I have always been a pretty proud Wisconsin-ite. I love me some deep fried cheese curds + shake my head at California’s claim to happy cows. I’m from that broken mitten next to Michigan + I’m proud of it. However, […]

02 May 16 Heidi Kumm

#GameOnPGH: Taking a Step Back

Okay. We’re about to let the #realtalk roll. Phew. Tomorrow afternoon I’m head to Pittsburgh for a few days of harassing Lynne…and partaking in the Pittsburgh Marathon races. Initially I had high hopes for a crazy successful marathon. When I signed up I imagined a strong training cycle with speed work, confident miles, a PR […]

29 Apr 16 Heidi Kumm

Epic Girls’ Weekend: Betty Bear Hut Trip

All good adventures have a healthy dose of “first time ever” and “happens every time”, right?! Yup, I think that’s a fact. If not a fact, then a solid correlation based upon last weekend’s events. On a bit of a whim a few weeks ago I snagged a bed at one of the 10th Mountain […]

26 Apr 16 Heidi Kumm

My Last Hurrah…

When my count down to the “Last Day At Vail Resorts!” stumbled to an end I jumped right into my two weeks of…freedom. I was finally down to just one job! I had a sliver of free time and I could spend it however I wanted; not just sleeping! And that’s exactly what I did. […]

22 Apr 16 Heidi Kumm

Alpine + Crevasse Rescue [WEMT Training]

I am one step closer to snagging the Wilderness upgrade for my EMT-Basic certification. While I don’t plan on officially upgrading for at least another year [far too nomadic to get true work experience] it’s empowering to add to my stash of rope tying, pulley rigging + snow traversing know-how. More importantly, I’ve learned a lot […]

15 Apr 16 Heidi Kumm

Summer Shenanigans: Mixing Work + Play

Spring showed up in February…but winter came back with vengeance in March. The mountains still aren’t sure what season it is, bouncing between fresh powder mornings and slushy afternoons. We might get another dumping of snow, in true Colorado fashion, but in my mind…summer is just around the corner. So close! Heck, my version of […]

05 Apr 16 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

Oh, life. It sure can be a messy pile of reality checks and ironic laughter. The past few months have been nothing shy of a roller coaster…but not the let’s-see-how-many-people-puke roller coaster you know you made while playing Roller Coaster Tycoon. No, it’s been a much better, controlled chaos sort of roller coaster with just […]

01 Apr 16 Heidi Kumm

#GameOnPGH: Still Running

Cross training is essential for a successful, injury-free race…right?! I sure hope so, because that is currently my game plan for this upcoming marathon. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still running! But I’m not running nearly as much as I thought I would be considering how many times I threatened myself + my lack of […]

30 Mar 16 Heidi Kumm

Sandy Bruises [Sport Climbing]

I have discovered something life changing; the perfect excuse to stay in college for…ever. They’re called “outdoor education classes” and they are basically classes that get you college credit while you’re out in the wilderness living life. It’s been decided — I’m going to be a college kid forever. Sorry, world. I put this whole […]

28 Mar 16 Heidi Kumm

Monterrey’s Mountains: Pico Norte of Cerro de la Silla

From the snow to the sunshine…in posting order + in real life! I’m in the process of repacking all that winter camping gear into my car for a weekend of car camping + trail running + rock climbing in Moab. It’s a sorta solo, sorta group trip. I’m headed that way to take on another […]

17 Mar 16 Heidi Kumm

Winter Camping; I Hate You.

I have been winter camping a handful of times and every. single. time. I hate it with every fiber of my body. People who love it will tell you it’s awesome and “not that cold” and so much better than summer camping because you can eat all the foods…okay, maybe. But, what they don’t tell […]

15 Mar 16 Heidi Kumm

Monterrey’s Mountains: La M in Chipinque

In mid-January I had a chat with my scheduling manager at the hotel, asking for 5 days in a row off…any 5 days. I had no idea what I was going to do with my time off but after weeks of working two nearly fully time jobs I needed a breather. She picked the dates […]

10 Mar 16 Heidi Kumm

Hello? Spring? Is that you?

Okay, so weather is weather is weather and whining about it isn’t going to change anything but…spring seems to think it has arrived here in Summit County, Colorado. Since early February we’ve had only a handful of days that didn’t get above freezing with most of our days hitting 40-50 degrees before noon rolled around. […]

07 Mar 16 Heidi Kumm

Are You Alone?

  “Are you alone?” It sounds like a really simple question, right? I’ve been asked “are you alone” a handful of times while out on the trails and I never know how to answer. I mean, the person asking me sees only me on a wide open trail or next to an empty mountain hut…obviously […]

28 Feb 16 Heidi Kumm

#GameOnPGH Update: Running…Uphill.

So, running + marathon training. I’ve actually been doing it, lately. With varying levels of success…but considering everything else going on in my day-to-day life I’m feeling pretty good at where I’m at with running. I’ve been getting #GameOnPGH 4+ days of running in each week, I’ve sprinkled in a few days of snowboarding/hiking to spice […]

19 Feb 16 Heidi Kumm

Moments in Time

We kind of live in a world of all the photos. Between Instagram, Snapchat and plain ol’ texted photos there are a lot of reasons to take photos. And, yes, I take photos for all of those reasons. I have tens of thousands of photos floating around Google Photos, Dropbox and other nooks of the […]

17 Feb 16 Heidi Kumm

The Four Mile Warm-up

I’ve spent the last few weeks in a mental rut of sorts, but I’m not about to start complaining about that. Instead, let’s ponder the cause/solution for my rut. Since I started training for the Pittsburgh Marathon I had not made it past 7 miles in a continuous run. Heck, that one 7 miler I […]

15 Feb 16 Heidi Kumm

Why I Customer Service

I think it’s a pretty safe assumption to say every “average” American out there has worked in customer service at some point. Whether it’s in a restaurant or call center or hospitality or retail…nearly everyone has worked in a “make them happy, even if they are being stupid” position at some point in their life. […]

09 Feb 16 Heidi Kumm

Running The Numbers: Zero.

My story-worthy runs are very rarely the picture perfect, everything-went-as-planned, no-misery-could-be-found events. Nope. Those runs are boring. Or at least I think they are — it’s been a very long time since I’ve had one of those runs! Instead my runs usually come with random bouts of drama, excitement or whining. Either I’m squishing a […]

05 Feb 16 Heidi Kumm

Getting Snowy

Welcome to the new version of my little snippet of the internet. Whatcha think? You best like it…because I kind of do so I won’t be changing much. BUT, if anything isn’t flowing/working for you let me know, I’ll whip it into shape! I’ve been living in Summit County — the home of 4 big […]

03 Feb 16 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

Life has been crazy…a different kind of crazy than I’m usually giddy about. The “adulting” kind of crazy where everything revolves around going to work, working, washing clothes for work, making lunches for work and sometimes sleeping. Not exactly glamorous but I’m surviving and finding a way to enjoy it. I’ve also found a little […]

01 Feb 16 Heidi Kumm

Balancing Life, Sort Of.

Some people seem to have that perfect balance of life — everything in order, everything at ease, everything balanced out. I am usually not that person. I prefer chaos. It’s harder to be upset about the outcome when you’re not really sure what to expect because you’re honestly not really sure what’s going on. All […]

28 Jan 16 Heidi Kumm

Missing City Life

Every time someone asks how I feel about cities I always say “oh, I’m a country girl” because I truly am. I love the space, the freedom, the silence and the ability to leave your blinds open because there are no neighbors nearby. The country is awesome, whether it’s a flat grassland or a lumpy […]

26 Jan 16 Heidi Kumm

Mountain Pavement

The title of being a “runner” is an interesting beast…and it usually comes with a qualitative adjective of some sort. In a way that makes sense, there are a lot of aspects to running. In other ways I find this silly. If you run, you’re a runner. Period. Of course, everyone has their own perception […]

22 Jan 16 Heidi Kumm

#GameOnPGH — My Marathon Game Plan

Soo…last week I went on a tangent about who I am as a runner vs who I sometimes pretend to be. I’m still sticking with that “running for fun” mentality but in the name surviving the Pittsburgh Marathon I’ve decided to pull together something that resembles a training plan. Since this past weekend was the […]

13 Jan 16 Heidi Kumm

Reality Czech: A Rural Workaway Experience

When I decided I needed to put my “tourist card” to use for the last few weeks I had in Europe I started looking into Workaway opportunities in a variety of countries. A few days after I started my search I had myself set up with a Workaway host in rural eastern Czech where I’d […]

08 Jan 16 Heidi Kumm

Vienna: City of Stone

On my flight into Vienna, Austria I mentally prepared myself for another tourist filled city, just in case. Of course I was seriously hoping Vienna would feel a lot more like Zurich than Zermatt but I figured if I kept my expectations in check I’d be able to avoid the crushing frustration that came with […]

06 Jan 16 Heidi Kumm

My Version of Running

When it comes to running I like to float around this lazy river of denial, pretending I have the burning desire to become a type of runner I have never been…a dedicated run-nerd who loves speed work and is motivated by the numbers Strava spits out at me. Eventually I come to my senses, but […]

04 Jan 16 Heidi Kumm

My 2015…

According to my Facebook wall the end of the year is nearing…it’s full of photo collages + links to everyone’s “Year in Review”. Just for funsies I dug through a bunch of weird ads to offer up my life to an app so I could see my year in review, according to Facebook. As the […]

31 Dec 15 Heidi Kumm

Mountain Life

I moved to Colorado nearly five years ago. When people as “why” I always respond with “for the mountains”. When we first discussed moving out to Colorado the plan was to live in the mountains…but that quickly became unrealistic thanks to the cost of living, lack of jobs and our personal expectations for our lives. […]

29 Dec 15 Heidi Kumm

The Uncertainty of New Roads

There are some really awesome stories about Austria, Czech and Switzerland that I really need + want to share but let’s take a quick second to bounce back to one of the main topics of this blog — running. As you may have picked up from my most recent “currently” post I’ve signed myself up […]

07 Dec 15 Heidi Kumm

Currently

Uh. So. Hi? Yup, still alive over here, just loving the internet-less life a bit more than I expected! I’m in the process of getting back into the flow of “real life” with real responsibilities, a steady schedule and a place to park my car for more than one night at a time. Having a […]

01 Dec 15 Heidi Kumm

Playing Tourist

I have spent the last seven weeks settling into life at Chalet Martin in a small town in the Swiss Alps. I’ve slept in the same bed, cooked in the same kitchen, stashed my shoes on the same shelf + shopped at the same market for almost two months. It’s like I’ve been legitimately living in […]

02 Nov 15 Heidi Kumm

Tour de l’Argentine

One of my questions for Merlin while coordinating my WorkAway plans in Gryon, Switzerland was “how’s the hiking + trail running in the area?”, turns out Merlin was not lying when he said the options are endless. From the day I arrived the Tour de l’Argentine has been mentioned by multiple people, yet it still […]

29 Oct 15 Heidi Kumm

Peaks + Valleys

What do you do when the clouds take over the mountain? The same thing you do when it’s a beautifully sunny day — you get your tush outside and find trails to explore! I’ve done a fairly good job of winning the fight against the snot factory that took over my sinuses but the weather […]

23 Oct 15 Heidi Kumm

Take It Easy

Every time the seasons change I get sick, without fail. Sometimes I blame it on airplane cooties [like that time I nearly died from a ferocious head cold + sketchy stomach flu the week I got home from South America] but really, I think my immune system is just a big wimp that sucks at […]

21 Oct 15 Heidi Kumm

Stories of a Hut Guardian

I think I have snagged my last two SAC hut stays of the season…snow has arrived and I am not prepared for legitimate winter mountaineering in the Swiss Alps. Sure, I’m a little bummed I won’t be huttin’ it anymore but I randomly picked some pretty amazing huts for my last trip! And I really […]

19 Oct 15 Heidi Kumm

Alone in the Mountains [Schonbielhutte]

There were only a few hours between my “I should go somewhere” thoughts and my “hop on a train” actions but I did do a little Google’ing to get a feel for the trails in the Zermatt area. The Schonbielhutte was on my radar but the hut’s website was very vague about when it closed […]

14 Oct 15 Heidi Kumm

Real Talk: People Make the World Go Round

Welp, I’m officially a year old than I was on this date 365 days ago! More notably, I am 29 years older than I was 10,585 days ago. Probably. In all my time on this earth I have never been that great at math. What I’m trying to say…in a lot if words, something I’ve […]

12 Oct 15 Heidi Kumm

Escaping Zermatt

Zermatt is a tourist city, there is no denying that. The moment you step off the train you feel the “tourist vibe” humming around you. The people behind the desk at the tourism office have a rehearsed spiel, the streets are teaming with selfie sticks and each little shop has its own carousel of beautiful […]

07 Oct 15 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

A lot has changed over the past two months, but at the same time life feels very normal. Weirdly normal. I’m living in Switzerland, working for a couple I’ve only known for a few weeks, living in a hostel with a revolving door of strangers and grocery shopping with Google Translator in hand.

01 Oct 15 Heidi Kumm

Sunshine + Rain: Cabana de Plan Neve

It turns out the Swiss Alps really are littered with Swiss Alpine Club huts and their privately owned lookalikes. At Chalet Martin I met Caroline, another WorkAway from the States, and after a few days of extra fridge cleaning and bed making we ran away from civilization for a night in a mountain hut. At Merlin’s […]

30 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

Chalet Martin: My New Home

About two weeks ago I lugged my over-sized duffle bag up a gravel trail to Chalet Martin, the hostel that would become my home for the next three weeks…or two months. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. I had “met” the owners via WorkAway and we’d both agreed to commit to at […]

28 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

The Chrinnenhorn Summit

I have done a terrible job of planning ahead for any part of my Switzerland wanderings. The actual events of my life are rarely planned beyond the upcoming 12 hours. Heck, prior to showing up at Chalet Martin I’d usual start my day with no real plan for where I’d lay my head that night. […]

25 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

A Night in Glecksteinhutte

My first day in Grindelwald was supposed to involve a long hike up to Steckhornhutte with a relaxing night surrounded by mountain views. Instead, the city welcomed me with rain and eventually storms that drove me right off the mountainside and into a “meh” hostel on the edge of town. The hostel’s kitchen was laughable […]

23 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

Schreckhornhutte: A Failed Attempt

One of the first things many people suggest when I ask for their “must see” parts of Switzerland is “Grindelwald”! With so many people - both city lovers and mountain explorers - telling me I had to visit this area I decided to make it a stopover on my way to my WorkAway in Gryon. […]

21 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

Heididorf: The Story of Heidi

There is a book called “Heidi”. For real. It was published in 1881 so it is not my story, but there are some pretty ironic tie-ins to my life so when I realized I was just an hour train ride away from Heididorf, the original setting of the book, I had to go! I threw […]

18 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

Exploring the City of Zurich

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the best person to go to for city exploration advice but…I did spend an entire week in the city of Zurich so I did find a few cool places worth checking out, even if you swear you’re not a city person. Plus, I took photos and am […]

16 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

The Trails Above Zurich

I’m always quick to say “I’m not a city girl”…and I think that is a true statement. Cities make me uncomfortable and I find them to be very overwhelming. They are complex with varied rules, confusing signs and hundreds of people to watch you flounder about. I get nervous and awkward in cities, there is […]

14 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

Off the Beaten Path [Cabana d’Orny]

When I left Champex, Switzerland on my day hike up to Glacier d’Orny I was really just hoping for some time away from tourist feel of the city. I wasn’t quite ready to commit myself to the extra bus ride that would be required if I stayed on the Tour du Mont Blanc trail, just to […]

10 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

Trails: More Than Just Dirt.

While I’m here in Switzerland I’ll be spending a lot of time on the trails. There will be plenty of day hikes and long runs, just because I can. Trails will become a huge part of this little adventure for a few reasons — they are cheap, they take you to amazing views, they make […]

09 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

Starting the Tour du Mont Blanc Trek

When the Columbia crew left Chamonix on Saturday afternoon I packed up my Ultimate Direction Fastpack, stowed away my big Columbia duffle and headed for the train station where I hopped on a train to Vallorcine and immediately hit the trail following the Tour du Mont Blanc trail. I spent my Saturday afternoon/evening hiking against […]

07 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

I’m Not Going Home, Yet.

As my Instagram feed suggests — I did not return to the States with the rest of the Columbia crew. When Columbia first threw out the possibility of running one of the UTMB trail races I was excited about a week in France, then I spent two weeks in Chile and realized that was nowhere […]

04 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

#OmniTen Adventures: The UTMB Experience

Earlier this year when I got an email from Columbia asking about my interest in running the UTMB race I got crazy excited. Of course I was interested! It was an ultra, in the Alps! Who wouldn’t be excited!? I said yes and asked questions later. When we got the confirmed details that we would be […]

03 Sep 15 Heidi Kumm

#OmniTen Adventures: The OCC Recap

The days leading up to the Thursday morning start of the OCC, a trail race that took us through the Alps from Switzerland to France, I was a bit of a sandbagging mess. The original plan called for the group of Columbia runners to stick together. I was cool with that, yay friends! Then I met […]

31 Aug 15 Heidi Kumm

#OmniTen Adventures: Running the OCC

Welp, let’s just chase this cat out of the bag! Columbia Sportswear has done it again — they have come up with a crazy idea, pulled all the details together, and made three trail runners feel very special! On Sunday morning I boarded a plane in Denver bound for Geneva, Switzerland. And that’s where I […]

25 Aug 15 Heidi Kumm

Get Outside, Now!

Remember when you and your brothers spent 20 minutes arguing over who go to use the red legos, simply because they were better than yellow legos at the moment? And remember Mom yelled “get outside, now!” just as her eyes were starting to cross? No? That only happened in our family? Yea…I doubt that! It […]

19 Aug 15 Heidi Kumm

#hikerchat hiking

**Disclaimer: at the bottom of this post there is a clothing review for product I received at no cost, all opinions are my own.** I finally made it to an OR Show! Yup, now that I’m not professionally working in the outdoor industry I got to make the trip to Salt Lake City to check […]

14 Aug 15 Heidi Kumm

Stunner Status [Wild West Relay Recap]

Last weekend [yea, yea, I’m still a week behind!] I took on the Wild West Relay with the #1 Stunners team, again. And just like my first time at WWR this was quite the experience, both as a runner and as a decision making adult. The night before the race I swapped out my mostly […]

11 Aug 15 Heidi Kumm

Pacing the Never Summer 100K

About two weeks ago I got an email from Gnar Runners announcing a few newly released spots in the Never Summer 100K. I was tempted. Very tempted. I may have sent an elaborate these-are-all-the-reasons-I-should-register texts to a very optimistic #runabler in my life. Thankfully I got smart and redacted all of that crazy before he […]

05 Aug 15 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

The stressful part of my summer is officially over! As of last Thursday I was officially done with my classroom EMT training! I am “practically certified”, if you will. I have passed all of my NREMT practical exams but still need to take the intense written exam later this month. Up next, more training and […]

01 Aug 15 Heidi Kumm

Decali…Done Right!

Last weekend [once again, a full week ago, not a few days ago…oops!] I finally got a chance to remedy my “I haven’t been up a 14er in sooooo long” whining. After 10 hours shadowing a firehouse ambulance crew I headed for the Fairplay/Alma area where I’d meet up with Robb + Kami for a […]

28 Jul 15 Heidi Kumm

Sunday Summits [Bear, South Boulder, Green]

#FunFact: weekends are way too short. In case you didn’t already know… And how do you make the most of “way too short” weekends? You pack in as much as you into the hours that you have. Last weekend [like, a week ago, not yesterday…being on top of oversharing is a lot of work!] I […]

23 Jul 15 Heidi Kumm

Wildflower Running

There is one thing you learn really quickly when you don’t have a lot of time to fit your runs in – you cannot wait for the weather to be “just right”. If it’s 80 degrees without a cloud in the sky…you’re going running. If it looks like rain…you’re still going running. If it is […]

16 Jul 15 Heidi Kumm

Camping at White Ranch

While I’m studying my eyeballs out with EMT training I have been working at Ibotta, an app startup in Denver, where I help out crazy rebate/coupon’ers and hunt down the fraud-sters. What I do isn’t exactly glamorous but it’s exactly what I need in my life right now and the entire Ibotta crew is kind […]

13 Jul 15 Heidi Kumm

Happy Trails

My running mojo has been a little lacking lately but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been taking advantage of the gorgeous Colorado summer weather. It’s been really hot lately so most trail explorations have been in the cooler early morning + late evening hours. And I don’t get out to the actual trails often but […]

09 Jul 15 Heidi Kumm

Treading Water [EMT Training]

I’ve kind of fallen off the face of the internet lately. And oddly enough it wasn’t a planned part of a “screw you internet!” over reaction…it was simply life being life and getting in the way of life. How inconsiderate of life! I have spent the last 6 weeks immersed in an accelerated 10 week […]

06 Jul 15 Heidi Kumm

Finding Fun in Misery [Steamboat Marathon]

Okay, this is getting a little bit ridiculous. It’s been nearly three weeks since I ran the Steamboat Marathon and, while I have a few failed attempts saved, I am yet to actually write about the race. In my defense I haven’t had time to write about anything but what’s really holding me back about […]

29 Jun 15 Heidi Kumm

Twenty Freaking Seconds [Colfax Half Marathon]

I’m about the recap my version of the 2015 Colfax Half Marathon approximately four [very long…] weeks after the fact. As a rather impromptu race it wasn’t necessarily a huge day for me but I learned a lot, got one heck of a confidence boost in my ability and finish just 20 freaking seconds shy […]

15 Jun 15 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

For the record I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth, just the tiny little that is the internet. There have been another round of major life changes going down here in the Land of Heidi and rather than try to put everything into words I’ve let all my social oversharing fall to the […]

01 Jun 15 Heidi Kumm

Just Go Get Dirty

Here in Colorado we have had a LOT of rainy days and many people have been very vocal about their dislike for this gloomier-than-usual weather. Sure, there is a very good chance that 2015 will fail to delivery the “300 days of sunshine” Coloradoans like to brag about but I’ve been kind of loving the […]

29 May 15 Heidi Kumm

Sweet + Sticky Goodness [GoodPop Giveaway]

Disclaimer: This post + the giveaway is sponsored by GoodPop as part of my Blend Retreat attendance. And just like that it’s the weekend again…or something like that! I worked a grand total of two days this week and am headed off to the Blend Retreat this afternoon for a weekend of food + trails […]

15 May 15 Heidi Kumm

Trail Running at Chautauqua Park [Blend 2015]

This coming Friday I’ll be leading a group trail run at the base of the Flatirons in Boulder, CO to kick off the Blend Retreat. I’m kind of excited about this…it’ll be the perfect setting to show off some of Boulder’s trails and get a big bunch of IRL friends + internet strangers together for […]

11 May 15 Heidi Kumm

It’s runnable! [Greenland 25K Recap]

This past weekend I learned the true reason I like trail running. I tell people it’s because of the softer surface and the scenery but during the Greenland 25K on Saturday I learned that my true love for trails lies along mountainsides on steep, technical climbs…NOT on smooth, rolling climbs that are completely runnable. The […]

05 May 15 Heidi Kumm

Go Get Muddy!

If you’ve had a rough day and need a little break from your own brain I’ve discovered the solution…go get muddy! Yes! Muddy! Stop pouting, pull on your big girl running shorts, lace up those shoes and get your tookus outside! If you’re a runner leave the GPS behind. If you’re a photographer leave the […]

29 Apr 15 Heidi Kumm

That Escalated Quickly…[Wilderness Roaming]

This past weekend I went on one helluva an adventure. I knew it would be an interesting trip for a multitude of reasons but I had no idea just how much I’d learn about myself and others when I started out on what was supposed to be an 10-ish hour wilderness trek around the frontcountry/slackcountry […]

22 Apr 15 Heidi Kumm

Taking the Long Way [Uncle Bud’s Hut Trip]

What do you do when your immune system gives into a weird bout of the stomach flu and cancels your weekend yurt trip? You watch a lot of movies in the comfort of your own home and reschedule that yurt trip with a hut trip a few weeks later. Or, at least, that’s what I […]

13 Apr 15 Heidi Kumm

The 31 Reasons You Can Achieve Your Dreams

If you’ve been on Facebook in the past two weeks and have a friend list anything like mine you’ve probably seen this post about The Only 31 Things Standing Between You and Your Dreams shared about 18 times. It’s a rather sarcastic, yet scarily accurate list of all the reasons you are where you are…rather […]

10 Apr 15 Heidi Kumm

Westminster Trail 10K [recap]

Alternate Title: Never Take Your Training Too Literally I ran a race on Sunday. As in, I actually raced a race with a time goal in mind and a PR staring at me. I knew going in I had slim-to-no chance of beating my PR but that doesn’t mean I didn’t look up my PR […]

07 Apr 15 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

Shabammy…it’s spring! There are flowers blooming in front of my bedroom window but still ice on my car windows in the morning. Yup, definitely spring here on the Colorado Front Range. It has been a crazy busy start to 2015 and it feels weird to think we’ve already hit April! I’ve had a full year’s […]

01 Apr 15 Heidi Kumm

Torres del Paine: The O Circuit [Part 2]

For the first few days of my experience on the O Circuit of the Torres del Paine National Park check out Torres del Paine: The O Circuit [Part 1]. Those were the rainy, cloudy, cold days of the trip…the days I spent wondering “why the heck did I fly half way around the world for […]

27 Mar 15 Heidi Kumm

Torres del Paine: The O Circuit [Part 1]

I did it – I survived a bajillion hours on airplanes, a few naps on busses and 6 days of trekking around the Torres del Paine O Circuit! It was awesome. It was wet. It was beautiful. It was something I’ve never done before…and will probably never get to do again. I learned a few […]

25 Mar 15 Heidi Kumm

Torres del Paine: Planning + Packing

I pinky promise I’ll have full-blown recaps of my time in Torres del Paine and exploring the cities of Chile but I’m holding out for Logan to get home so I can snag some of her photos! Turns out I’m that person that stops taking photos after a few days…oops. For now, these are all […]

23 Mar 15 Heidi Kumm

Chile Travel: Lessons Learned

And just like that…two weeks have flown by and I’ve flown back to the United States! Some days seemed to drag on forever while others just disappeared. Needless to say I am not all that excited to be back in a cubical during the week. It’s a good thing I have a yurt trip planned […]

20 Mar 15 Heidi Kumm

Checking Out: Chile Bound!

I’m about to fly off the grid, literally. Tomorrow I’m headed to South America for two weeks of exploring in the Patagonia region of Chile. This entire trip was a crazy idea thought up by Logan and it’s actually happening! I’m going to another country, to run/hike/explore…just because I can! I am semi-packed [do you […]

04 Mar 15 Heidi Kumm

Snowy Bribery

I’ve decided I like being one of those weird people who enjoy running in the snow. Sometimes it’s more like “running” but, who cares, snow is fun! If you throw on the right layers you will not freeze to death and gaiters were invented for haphazard veering into snow banks, right?! I fully understand that […]

02 Mar 15 Heidi Kumm

Trail Karma…is real!

I could go on and on about the things I don’t believe in…but I tend to be a bit cynical so I’d probably come off as a terrible person if I did that. Instead, I’m going to wax poetically about something I really do believe in. Trail Karma. She is real, I promise! First, what […]

27 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

Running the Whole Enchilada Trails

A few weeks [months?] ago there was a discussion about how much more fun training runs are if you make them fun…almost race-like, but without the pressure to perform, just in case things go awry while you’re out on the trail. I stand by this thought process, especially after my Presidents’ Day weekend of “destination […]

25 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

Snow Day Fun

We got snow! Northern Colorado FINALLY got a decent amount of snow! And I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one weirdly excited about it! We’ve gotten snow a few times this year, but no major accumulation [ie: 4+ inches] and I’ve missed nearly every snow day since before Christmas so I was pumped to […]

23 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

What does “bad headspace” mean?!

I feel like the word “headspace” is kicked around a lot with ultra running, especially when people are referring to a “bad headspace”. Over the last year I’ve heard a lot of advice along the lines of “don’t get in a bad headspace”. I got the gist of what they were saying – to me […]

20 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

Moab Miles

I spent my long weekend [thanks to PTO, not President’s Day] in Moab doing some very sandy car camping, roaming around the trails and re-inventing life with a little help from bacon. I made the trip with a few friends and we had quite the weekend filled with bacon, sand, snow and many, many miles. […]

18 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

Snowshoe Shenanigans!

In preparation for our trek around Torres del Paine in Chile I decided it was necessary for Logan and I to figure out how we deal with stress…you know, in case something goes wrong in a foreign country where neither of us speak the language. Besides, a little misery training always does a person good, […]

12 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

Ramping Up! [AZ200 Update #1]

Sooo…I’ve officially survived my first month of intentional AZ200 training! I am using the term “training” rather loosely as the last month has been a lot of testing my legs + body + brain to see how they’d hold up to higher miles without putting too much pressure on the mileage or terrain or…anything but […]

09 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

Keep Life Colorful

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Finish Line + Saucony but all opinions are my own. If you’re meeting me for the first time, especially if it’s for a run of some sort, I’ll probably send you a message that says “I’m here – the awkward girl in neon near the sign!” so you can […]

03 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

Well, hello there February. Some how we have already strutted our way into the second month of the year! It seems surreal, but probably because half of January, the proverbial “dead of winter”, has been sunny and warm here in Colorado. We have literally had summery temperatures with a week of highs hitting above 60 […]

01 Feb 15 Heidi Kumm

#runabler kick-off

When people wanted to track my progress during the RRR100 I decided to use the #runabler hashtag to pull all the updates together – it kept my mom in the loop and gave Heather quick access to comments from the internet that she shared with me while she was pacing me. Plus, it’s kind of […]

30 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

From Blonde to Bald

I’m a natural blonde and I’ve always had healthy, long hair. It lightens itself in the summer sunshine, I’ve perfected many variations of the French braid and can loop + tie my hair up with a few bobby pins. It gives my whole look versatility – I can be an unwashed hippy with a buff, […]

28 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

Happy Miles…Lots of Them!

On Saturday morning I was whiney pile of whines. It was bad. I knew that without a concert game plan for my Saturday I’d probably sleep in, even if I wasn’t truly sleep…which is exactly what I did. My excuse?! It was supposed to get up to 50 degrees and it was only 21 degrees […]

26 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

Being an Ultra Runner: I Don’t Get It

In the weeks before and after my 100 mile race people told me the race would change my life…that I’d walk way from the it a different person with a new perspective on life. I was warned that I’d see my own soul while out on the trail and that I’d have to deal with […]

23 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

When Running Isn’t Easy

When we sign up for races, no matter the distance, we think about the good things – the finish line pictures, the free beer/food/swag, the fun we have eating all the food while training, the time we spend with friends on the trails, the badassary confidence boost after nailing it on track day, the exhausted […]

19 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

Good Bye Resolutions

Welp, we’re just over two weeks into the New Year and my [very unofficial] resolutions are completely shot. Which is ironic because I made a legitimately fun resolution – eat a donut every day, aka #DonutADay. Turns out there really is such a thing as “too much of a good thing”. Donuts are awesome…but finding […]

16 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

Screw Your Shoes [DIY Traction]

Guess what?! Winter is here…and it’s here to stay for a while. Unless you live in the south [or some other mythical place, you poor thing] where winter doesn’t include snow and ice you’re waging a daily war with the weather. Are the trails snow packed? Are the sidewalks sheets of ice? Is it even […]

14 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

Snowy Summits [The Boulder Skyline]

After months of very inconsistent running and weeks of thinking “oh, crap…can I still run?” I finally got myself outside and onto the trails for a long run. I met up with a few friends – Cheryl and Sarah – at the Centennial Trailhead with big plans to run along the Boulder Skyline [check out this […]

12 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

Run-muting: Running to Work

Well, I guess I should probably start running on a more regular basis, maybe even start officially training. For me this is a special sort of world, a world where I use the term “training” very loosely. Over the years I’ve learned that I am not a very disciplined runner. While I do like keeping […]

09 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

22 Weeks to 220 Miles [Arizona 200M]

I’ve hinted to this race…there are links in my sidebar, it’s come up in online conversations, it’s on my calendar…but let’s make this officially internet official! Last month I registered for the Arizona 200M in June. I spent the months after RRR100 eyeballing races trying to figure out what I wanted to do with 2015. […]

05 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

A New Take on Backcountry…

Well then…it looks like we have tumbled our way right into a whole new year. Hopefully you were able to kick the year off in style with a big, cheesy grin on your face. If that didn’t happen…don’t worry, the first Monday of the year doesn’t arrive for a few more days so you have […]

02 Jan 15 Heidi Kumm

Fresh Legs

In the midst of documenting the process of screwing my trail shoes [for traction on ice, something like this…more details in the near future!] I had a “aw, crap…left that in the car” moment which lead to a quick scamper down the stairs and across the parking lot, sans jacket. As I was bouncing down […]

19 Dec 14 Heidi Kumm

Creating the Perfect Capri

I may have gone on a short tirade last night about brands refusing to make clothing that fit tall people. I was [a teeny tiny bit] irrationally upset that a pair of fantastically colorful capris fit so poorly I could not justify the purchase, but as my active clothing wardrobe has grown it’s become apparent […]

17 Dec 14 Heidi Kumm

Just a Plain Ol’ Runner

I like to call myself a trail runner and sometimes I even toy with the idea of claiming the title of ultra runner but in reality I’m just a plain ol’ runner. Someone who puts one foot in front of the other in a slightly faster, much bouncier fashion that of a walking human. It […]

15 Dec 14 Heidi Kumm

#Runabler Recap: Meaghan’s First Ultra

Note From Heidi: This is one of [hopefully] many race recaps I’ll be able to share for Meaghan…as well as other runners who don’t have a blog-like platform to share their recaps on. This recap is 1000% from the mouth of Meaghan, I just placed photos and added a few links. If you’re looking for […]

12 Dec 14 Heidi Kumm

Ultimate Comparison: UD Jenny vs UD Wink

Disclaimer: This post reviews the UD Jenny and UD Wink packs, both of which were given to me by Ultimate Direction [one through an unaffiliated giveaway, one for product testing]. While they did not require a blog post in exchange for the product I really love the packs [and the company!] so I want to […]

10 Dec 14 Heidi Kumm

Finally…a Snow Day!

I am headed into my fourth winter in Colorado and for the past three years I’ve kicked off the season by strapping on my snowboard before October 31st. This year has been a little different, to say the least, but I never expected for December to roll around before I had an opportunity to frolic […]

08 Dec 14 Heidi Kumm

#ExplOregon: We would have died. Literally.

I proudly pack ALL of my weekend adventuring gear and backpacking essentials into a 22L Columbia pack and wrangled tent poles through airport security with big plans for some backcountry backpacking in Oregon with Erin and Weez. After a day of wandering around Portland on my own it was time to explore the great outdoors. […]

05 Dec 14 Heidi Kumm

Currently.

And just like that, December is here! It feels weird to be closing in on the end of 2014. It’s been a long year with many life changes so I am more than ready for whatever 2015 has to offer…but at the same time it feels weird to close out such a massive year, to […]

01 Dec 14 Heidi Kumm

Defying Gravity on the AlterG Treadmill

This post comes with two disclaimers. First, I was given the opportunity to run on an AlterG Treadmill free of charge in exchange for an honest blog review/recap. I was not compensated and all thoughts and opinions are my very own. Second, I will never be the best at describing technical things or explaining the […]

30 Nov 14 Heidi Kumm

Oh, Portland!

This past weekend I did a little exploring on the west coast. Oregon was one of the many states that I hadn’t been to yet so a few weeks ago I booked a flight, sent Erin an email and made plans to harass the crew at the Columbia HQ. I flew into Portland late on […]

20 Nov 14 Heidi Kumm

Winter is here!

Well, winter finally showed up in Colorado. We had far more weeks of 65+ degree weather than we should in October/November but that all changed yesterday! On Monday I showed up at the office in Fort Collins at 8am…it was 62 degrees and sunny. By 10:15am it was 28 degrees and snowing sideways. Welcome to […]

11 Nov 14 Heidi Kumm

Escaping to the Mountains

After a long week with many, many moments of “gah, I wish I could just turn the internet off” I spent my weekend doing exactly that. Sure, I had my phone on me and yea, I double tapped posts on Instagram but in the grand scheme of things…the internet did not matter! It started with […]

10 Nov 14 Heidi Kumm

The Indian Creek Fifties [A Volunteer’s POV]

I unfolded my legs and wobbled a bit as I got out of my car at 9pm on Saturday night. It took a few steps before my hips felt normal again. My entire day was spent at the Indian Creek Fifties near Sedalia, CO and by my random whines you would think I had actually […]

05 Nov 14 Heidi Kumm

Six Weeks Waiting…

On this Monday, six weeks ago I got to sleep in and no one was allowed to judge me for it. I was also incredible proud of myself for walking down a flight of stairs without limping or whimpering and I was weirdly proud of my enormous cankles. It was the Monday after my Run, […]

27 Oct 14 Heidi Kumm

Motivation to Move

What motivates you to get outside and explore? Who is the one person that is always there to give you that extra push to move? If you’re feeling lazy where do you go for a little inspiration? Is there a certain group of people you depend on to keep you accountable day in + day […]

21 Oct 14 Heidi Kumm

Get Involved: Tommyknocker Ultras Volunteering

The past few months have revolved around running…but I haven’t always been the one with a bib pinned to my shorts! I have discovered that some of the best motivation and inspiration to get yourself outside for a run is to help others do the same. And the best way to do this?! Volunteer at […]

14 Oct 14 Heidi Kumm

Beyond the Filters

When the majority of your life is spent online it is EXTREMELY easy to topple over the event horizon and spiral down the black hole of “their life is SO much cooler than mine, why do I suck so much?!”. Trust me, I know this. I spend an insane amount of time online and since […]

06 Oct 14 Heidi Kumm
Subaru Commercial in Colorado

Currently.

Welcome to October. I kind of love this month. Partly because it’s my birthmonth and while I don’t actually celebrate all month long you better believe I pull out the “but it’s my birthmonth…” whine on occasion! And partly because October’s weather means leggings + boots + sweaters + scarves are back to being a staple in […]

01 Oct 14 Heidi Kumm

Chasing Fall Colors

Guess what?! Fall is here! The mornings are cold, the afternoons are toasty and the trees are getting yellow. Oh, the beauty of fall. Of course, the spiders are moving INTO my room and the tree out front is dropping it’s annoying pods all over the yard…but I’m going to go ahead and focus on […]

26 Sep 14 Heidi Kumm

The Nitty Gritty Details [#RRR100]

I pinky promise this is my last [really long] post about the Run, Rabbit, Run 100 miler…seriously, I promise! In my defense I’m in full blown sit-on-my-butt-and-eat-ice-cream recovery mode so there really isn’t anything more interesting going on in my life. I have already written the basic recap of the race, from the night before […]

24 Sep 14 Heidi Kumm

My First 100 Mile Ultra [#RRR100]

Full Disclosure: I went into this race rather under trained — my “peak weeks” of training were spent off my feet with a bowl of ice cream in hand and included many visits to the PT for work on my left Achilles/Soleus. Two weeks before the race I was cleared to run again but if […]

19 Sep 14 Heidi Kumm

I survived! With a smile! [#RRR100]

On Friday morning I started the longest run of my life – the Run, Rabbit, Run 100 in Steamboat Springs. On Saturday evening I finished the race still running with a big ol’ goofy grin on my face. Mission accomplished. I walked away from the race a smarter runner. I played it safe from the […]

15 Sep 14 Heidi Kumm

Ready As I’ll Ever Be… [#RRR100]

So, it’s here. Race week has arrived. The Run Rabbit Run 100 starts in less than 24 hours! And I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. You’d think that with the lack of actual training on the trails I’d have every other part of the race day prep mastered. Not true. Not even a little […]

11 Sep 14 Heidi Kumm

It’s Okay if it’s Scary…

Disclaimer: While this post does end with some chatter about communities and companies it is not a sponsored post. I’m sharing about Bold Betties because I think it’s a great community and about the Trail Running Camps + Conference because it’s a great opportunity to talk trails and get to know locals + athletes! Sometimes […]

08 Sep 14 Heidi Kumm

Recent Ramblings [+ FlipBelt Review]

Disclaimer: At the bottom of this post there is a review of the FlipBelt. I received the FlipBelt through a Sweat Pink campaign; however, all opinions are my own. It’s been a crazy busy week! Well, last week was crazy busy so this week is going to be spent playing catch up. And it’s the […]

02 Sep 14 Heidi Kumm

On The Trails Again…

Saturday marked exactly two weeks since my last [attempted] run. That two weeks was spent off my feet and on the couch. Rather than losing myself on single track I got lost in the long list of “recommended for you” movies offered up by Netflix. I ate ice cream everyday, I spent more time with […]

26 Aug 14 Heidi Kumm

Witnessing the Reality of 100 Miles [Leadville 100]

I know very little about running a 100 mile race. I might have one on the schedule in a month but I’ll be the first person to tell you I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve soaked up as much information as possible and have high hopes for my abilities to complete the distance […]

21 Aug 14 Heidi Kumm

My Kinda RICE!

If you have an injury (or even if you only have a niggle that might become an injury) one of the first things people will tell you to do is RICE. And if you don’t know what RICE means a quick LMGTFY search will give you this… (yay for smart Wisconsin colleges…where I paid lots […]

15 Aug 14 Heidi Kumm

Plans are Overrated, Apparently.

Exactly 0% of my weekend went as planned. Well, I guess I did make the drive to Steamboat and my car was momentarily parked in the Dry Lake Trailhead parking lot, so maybe 4% as planned? Everything else…was not at all what I had planned. Some of it was kind of expected, some of it […]

11 Aug 14 Heidi Kumm

We’re all “just runners”…

It’s an interesting challenge to write about running when you’re not exactly running. I’ve spent the last 10 days being extra nice to my body, avoiding sweaty miles and hanging out in weird stretchy positions. I’ve been a party pooper more often than I’d like over the past two weeks – first I ditched the […]

08 Aug 14 Heidi Kumm

Playing on Pawnee Pass

After the stellar success I had running the 4 Pass Loop in Aspen [click that link, then you’ll understand just how much sarcasm I’m using there] I decided to give this run-in-a-circle-and-up-mountain-passes thing another try. This time I headed to Indian Peaks Wilderness to run the Pawnee/Buchanan Pass loop with a group of runners and strict […]

31 Jul 14 Heidi Kumm

Finding Balance…and Strength! [HumanX Gear]

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by HumanX. They provided me with training equipment in exchange for my thoughts, opinions and social sharing. All opinions are my own. Well, it looks like my “I don’t like the gym” excuse to avoid strength training is now obsolete…a few boxes of Harbinger and HumanX Gear strength training aids showed […]

29 Jul 14 Heidi Kumm

Running the 4 Pass Loop [Maroon Bells]

This past weekend I wandered west on a bit of an adventure…to Aspen and the Maroon Bells with plans to run the 4 Pass Loop with Ann, Holly, Paula and Logan. I’ve spent the last few days recuperating and I think I’m finally ready to actually tell the story. The story of a beautifully ass […]

24 Jul 14 Heidi Kumm

The Count Down Begins… [RRR100]

In case anyone else is counting I am currently less than 9 weeks away from the Run, Rabbit, Run 100 miler. Yup, that’s something like 60 days left for 100 mile training. As in less time than the standard “probationary period” at your new job. Or the same amount of notice you need to give […]

17 Jul 14 Heidi Kumm

Wisconsin Wedding Weekend

I spent the last weekend back in Wisconsin. Yup, I voluntarily went to Wisconsin in July where the humidity usually has you sweat while taking a cold shower. I had a good excuse, one of my closest friends was getting married! I still hated her a little for thinking an outdoor wedding in July would […]

14 Jul 14 Heidi Kumm

Local Love: Auckland Outdoors

Disclaimer: I’m an ambassador for Auckland Outdoors, a Colorado company I am about to talk about, and while I am being reimbursed for my work with them all opinions and such are my own! I applied to be an ambassador because I love the gear sharing concept they’ve come up with and how they make […]

01 Jul 14 Heidi Kumm

Everything and Nothing [North Fork 50M Recap]

It has been four days since I finished my second 50 Mile race…my legs still work, my feet aren’t broken and the vivid memories of pain are fading away. As of this morning I have officially gone on two short shake out runs since the race and my body has not rebelled. My poor, abused […]

30 Jun 14 Heidi Kumm
Trail Running - North Table Mesa - Golden - North Fork 50 Training

The Game Plan [North Fork 50M]

Tomorrow morning I’m getting up early, slathering myself with sunscreen, pulling on a neon BRC singlet and pinning a bib to my shorts. I’ll start my second 50 mile race at 7am and by 9pm I’ll either be appropriately rehydrating with a pint glass or getting yanked off the course because I missed the 14 […]

27 Jun 14 Heidi Kumm
WIAW Dinner

What I Ate Wednesday [Literally]

We’ve all seen them, every Wednesday Feedly and BlogLovin’ streams are filled with What I Ate Wednesday or WIAW posts featuring all of the food the blogger ate…although not necessarily what they ate on Wednesday. Sometimes it’s their weekend eats. Sometimes it’s food from an event. Sometimes it’s…I honestly don’t know. I’m not entirely certain […]

25 Jun 14 Heidi Kumm

A New Mindset! [Mt Evans Ascent DNF]

This past weekend I toed another start line…this time for the Mt Evans Ascent, a 14.5 mile run up a “Colorado 14er” mountain with over 4,000 feet of elevation gain. You finish at 14,264 feet above sea level and last year I learned that the altitude is real and it can kick your butt. This year…the […]

19 Jun 14 Heidi Kumm

Playing in Park City [Blend 2014]

On Friday morning I set out on another road trip – the Forester is definitely earning it’s keep! This time Natalie and I were headed west to Park City for Blend, a weekend getaway for a bunch of healthy + active living bloggers. We opted for the scenic route through the Colorado mountains on a […]

12 Jun 14 Heidi Kumm

GoodPops for GoodPeople [Giveaway]

I am headed west…again. If the airlines got their act together you’re reading this as Natalie and I make the drive from Denver to Park City where the Blend Retreat waits for us! There is a very good chance we’re practicing our sing-a-long skills, very literally celebrating National Donut Day and oversharing about all the […]

06 Jun 14 Heidi Kumm

Fun…while it lasted. [Dirty 30 DNF]

Last Friday night I packed up my Jenny vest and a drop bag. I made a messy pile of “will wear tomorrow” clothes and pinned my bib to my shorts. On Saturday morning I showed up at the Dirty Thirty 50K start line with trail shoes tied to my feet. I chatted with people nearby […]

03 Jun 14 Heidi Kumm

A Weekend of Cliff Hangers!

I spent my long weekend roaming the wilderness of Utah, scouting out routes down canyons, chasing down a very sneaky river, camping on cliffs and experiencing a rainy night in the desert. When Heather sent out the “whatcha doing Memorial Day Weekend” email I got excited. We’re on the same page when it comes to […]

28 May 14 Heidi Kumm

I smiled, a lot! [Quad Rock 50M Recap]

Over a week ago I ran 50 miles… …it still seems surreal. Somehow I propelled my body forward, on foot, over 50 miles of steep climbs and rocky descents along the single track and fire roads of Horsetooth Reservoir and Lory State Park. It wasn’t easy but I never hated life, I never wanted to […]

21 May 14 Heidi Kumm

I survived! [Quad Rock 50M]

In case the internet was wondering…I survived the Quad Rock 50M race on Saturday! I was out there playing on the trails, trekking my butt up hills and running the very welcomed rain for just 15 minutes shy of 13 hours, which I am incredibly happy with! It was everything I expected, minus that endless […]

12 May 14 Heidi Kumm

Bring on 50 miles…

…because I either get excited about the adventure or curl up in the fetal position under my desk and tremble as fearful tears streak down my face. As entertaining as the latter option may be for my co-workers I’ve decided to go with option one and channel my inner crazy girl excitement at the prospect […]

07 May 14 Heidi Kumm

Finding Trail Love

Remember that one time I said I had a game plan for surviving the Quad Rock 50M? And then how I wrote about fitting runs in for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Then I had a really great long run at the Palmer Lake 24 Hour Race! How about that painful run that reminded me that […]

24 Apr 14 Heidi Kumm

Exploring Geneva Basin

Like everyone else on the planet I tend to overuse the “life gets in the way” excuse. Why didn’t I change the oil in my Forester before it hit the 9K-since-last-change mark? Life got in the way. Why do I have way too many flagged emails that need my attention? Life got in the way. […]

21 Apr 14 Heidi Kumm

A Miserable Reality Check

Just a heads up – this post is going to be whiny. I had a rough run this weekend and I want to talk about it. However, there is a pretty good chance you don’t actually care about the running part…so I’ll give you a little mountain eye candy. On Saturday morning we headed west […]

15 Apr 14 Heidi Kumm

Trying New Things [giveaway]

Disclaimer: At the end of this post I’m giving stuff away. The giveaway is paid for by fairlife and I am receiving no monetary compensation for hosting this giveaway or for doling out my opinions. The things I say about fairlife, yoga and milk snobbery are my opinions. While I probably wouldn’t have given this […]

10 Apr 14 Heidi Kumm
Palmer Lake 24 Hour Race

Palmer Lake 24 Hour Fun Run {PDR!}

Earlier last week I saw a post about the Palmer Lake 24 Hour Fun Run. On Friday morning Paula, Chris and I signed up for it. Saturday morning rolled around and we headed south with a few bags of food and many layers of running gear having no idea what to expect. We went in […]

31 Mar 14 Heidi Kumm

Improvising…to make it work!

After writing out my survival plan for Quad Rock 50 I dug up a legal pad and wrote out the dates of all the weeks leading up to the race. They all fit on one side of the paper. Uh oh. That is not very many weeks, for the record. I am well past the […]

28 Mar 14 Heidi Kumm

{Lesson Learned} Stormy Hikes Above Treeline

Sierra Trading Post is pulling together stories of “biggest mistakes” and “lessons learned” for an upcoming Twitter chat. I’ve done some stupid things while exploring Colorado but naively hiking in the afternoon during predictable summer storms has by far been the most dangerous. Re-reading the stories I posted about these “adventures” is actually painful! Hopefully […]

24 Mar 14 Heidi Kumm

It’s okay, I have a plan…

My first 50M race – Quad Rock – is less than 8 weeks away. Or, in a scarier sense, it is 50-something days away. My training plan is still non-existent and my running has been all over the place. But it’s okay…I have a plan. In the coming weeks I plan on running a few […]

19 Mar 14 Heidi Kumm

Double Races = Double PRs {Snowman Stampede Race Recap}

Lately my running has been very…sporadic, to say the least. Two weeks ago I had an extremely solid week with two-a-days, races and long runs. I hit a mileage high and was feeling pretty darn good about the Quad Rock 50M. If I jumped right into next week I’d probably be able to keep this […]

11 Mar 14 Heidi Kumm

Legit Backcountry Touring {Eiseman Hut}

Two weeks ago we packed up our gear with big plans for an early Saturday departure followed by a long weekend deep in the Colorado Rockies avoiding reality, cell signal and any adult responsibilities. Paula showed up at 5:30am, we loaded up the car, stopped for donuts and headed into the mountains. By 9:30am we […]

03 Mar 14 Heidi Kumm

The Financial Circle of Life

This week I started something new. It currently involves lots of driving, many new faces and many, many @’s and #’s…it’s a new job! This has been in the works for quite some time but I wanted it to be officially official before I told the internet. I’ve survived three days and haven’t cried yet […]

27 Feb 14 Heidi Kumm

The Mystery of the Backcountry

The backcountry is an interesting place. If you take a second to think about it you realize that a lot of the things about the backcountry are really quite miserable. What part of skinning uphill for miles with a 40lb pack sounds fun? None of it! It doesn’t matter how beautiful the scenery is…that kind […]

19 Feb 14 Heidi Kumm

Learning the Cold Way {Winter Camping}

Remember that one time when we went winter camping with Sierra Trading Post? Turns out it was more than just a weekend in the wilderness. For us it doubled as a bit of a learning experience. Of course we expected a learning curve of some sort but we weren’t prepared for one quite as cold… […]

14 Feb 14 Heidi Kumm

Keeping the Chaos Fun

Plans are great. They give you a purpose in life and expectations for your future. We all makes plans and usually have high hopes for things to go as planned. Some times they do. Other times…not so much. Reality happens, life gets in the way, roads ice over… When plans to awry things get interesting. […]

12 Feb 14 Heidi Kumm

Riding Solo-ish

Welp, all that “hey, look at me because I might be a runner” blabber clearly did not work as a long-term motivator. All that running I was supposed to do this weekend? Yea, I decided to take up cross-training instead. I’d blame all the snow that finally arrived in Denver but the trails/sidewalks got cleared […]

04 Feb 14 Heidi Kumm

Running? What’s that?

Fun Fact…I have not completely forgotten how to run! Which is good, because just recently I threw a fair amount of money at some seriously terrifying race entries! Funny how all motivation and dedication disappears the minute you lose your mind and commit to crazy things! The last 3 weeks have been busy, to say […]

31 Jan 14 Heidi Kumm

Camping. In the snow!

:: Fun Fact :: About 99.9% of the photos in this post are kidnapped from other people…because somehow I managed to factory reset my phone and lose every single photo because I’m too lazy to empty out my overflowing DropBox. Basically, I suck, so enjoy everyone else’s photography! A few months ago I jumped at […]

29 Jan 14 Heidi Kumm

Pure Genius

In today’s world nearly every company has a motto, a tagline…and a hashtag. It’s great for communicating with customers, especially when done with consistency and sincerity. Some companies fail miserably, other are a shining success. I’m pretty sure Columbia falls into the shining success category…and I’m not just saying that because I’m lucky enough to […]

17 Jan 14 Heidi Kumm

Lessons Learned

Columbia box on my door back in October, becoming part of the #OmniTen crew was kind of a big deal for me! As our January trip date approached another invite went out – to all past and present #OmniTen members - asking everyone to take on the #OmniGames. Columbia kept the details under wraps but […]

16 Jan 14 Heidi Kumm

The Greatness of #OmniTen S4

I am the kind of person who writes up packing lists like my life depends upon it. I may end up rewriting the list about eight times because I tend to “misplace” things but there is always a list. And it is usually color coordinated by day and activity. I’m weird like that. This explains […]

14 Jan 14 Heidi Kumm

The Jackets of Columbia

Remember when the popular kids in high school had the fancy jackets that split apart into two separate jackets? Or was that just the cool kids of Central Wisconsin? Either way, I distinctly recall being crazy jealous of those jackets! I definitely was not on the cutting edge of fashion in high school but I […]

13 Jan 14 Heidi Kumm

Run Rabbit Run 100 - its happening!

There is a really good chance you saw this coming. Its been in the works for months and I did my best to keep everything under wraps until it was officially official and now it is…

06 Jan 14 Heidi Kumm

Bring on the #OmniGames

It is finally time…for my OmniTen trip with Columbia Sportswear! My packing list is a jumbled mess in my head, the board bag arrived yesterday, airport carpooling is planned and I’m perfecting my “I’m as cool as I sound on Twitter” elevator pitch for when I actually meet everyone in the OmniTen and OmniGames crew.

03 Jan 14 Heidi Kumm