Chicago news gal with an addiction to pro-cycling, Ironman, running, travel and food. Always in search of a new adventure, way to torture myself.

  • Tour du Mont Blanc

    24 Hours in Luzern

    First impressions. This is exactly what I imagined a traditional Swiss city to be. When a conection change forced me to switch my arrival city from Genève to Zurich, my first question was, should I stay in Zurich for the night before moving on? I’m glad I didn’t. A direct train from the airport and an hour later I set foot in one of the most picturesque cities you could ever want to see. The best part was as I was arriving I could see the front entrance of my hotel from the train. Perfect. Exactly what I wanted for a quick layover here. Nice and easy entrance and exit.…

  • North Cascades National Park

    She Ventures Goes Backpacking

    So this is what it feels like to carry 35lbs of weight on your back. I have to say, it was that single idea that worried me the most when I signed up for this 5-day trip to the North Cascades in Washington State. Forget the fact that I pretty much have no experience with camping, it was the idea of carrying a heavy pack up and down mountain passes for miles on end that concerned me. Especially seeing as I signed up only four weeks in advance and pretty much had no training time. It would, I knew, come down to how good my base fitness level was. And…

  • The Everest Marathon

    Postscript.

    This is what seven days without a shower looks like. It’s also the face of true happiness and contentment. Two weeks ago today I was lining up alongside my fellow adventurers at Everest Base Camp for the start of the Everest Marathon. Little did I know the shape that was to about take. I’ve been asked if I underestimated the race. I’m not sure that I did. I think it’s more that you can’t even begin to fathom what the reality is until you’re actually living it. In much the same way I had no way to understand the profound impact the entire experience has had, and indeed is still…

  • The Everest Marathon

    The Everest Marathon…and then some

    Where to begin? I’ve been on this journey for three weeks now; three truly transformative and enlightening weeks in so many ways.  But even through it all, I’m not sure anything could have prepared me for the actual race.  It’s silly to even call it a race honestly. For some in our group, who have extensive trail running experience, sure. For me, the Everest Marathon was always going to be simply an exercise in physical survival and mental strength. It was both, in spades.  Organizers call it the World’s Highest Marathon. That’s underselling it. The Everest Marathon should be called the world’s toughest marathon. The elevation is part of the…

  • The Everest Marathon

    Everest Base Camp: Sleeping atop a Glacier

    Everest Base Camp. We arrived yesterday following a short, but strenuous hike from Gorak Shep. We now sit at 5,364 meters.  It’s been nearly two weeks since I landed in Kathmandu. Twelve days of hiking, each one harder and more beautiful than the next. But this was the goal. At least part 1: Getting to Everest Base Camp.  I have to admit, it’s a bit surreal being here. Waking up to a view of Mt. Everest is a privilege allowed only to a few. I’m told there were at least three avalanches overnight. I must be a heavier sleeper than I thought. Didn’t hear a thing. EBC for short, is…

  • The Everest Marathon

    The Hardest Day…So Far

    We are now less than three miles (5km) from Everest Base Camp. We even got a peek of it from afar during today’s hike to Gorak Shep. It was definitely the hardest day for all of us. We’ve been trekking for nine days now. We’re tired. The altitude is taking its toll, even on the strongest among our group.  Speaking of which, we had a bit of drama before the start of today’s hike. Actually the drama was last night, after one guy we all call Mr. Austria decided to go on a little unplanned run after our day’s trek. Not only did he not tell anyone where he was…

  • The Everest Marathon

    Up over 16,000 feet

    The altitude has finally caught up with me. I woke up yesterday a bit congested. During our hike it wasn’t much of a problem. But shortly after arriving in Lobuche, elevation 16,100 ft [4,900 meters] I felt like I was about to collapse with fatigue. Every little effort is a struggle now. It is why, even with our hike to Gorak Shep later today, we will spend the next couple of days nearly at the same altitude. Our bodies need to adjust.  But back to that hike to Lobuche. This was definitely a day to take it slow and just take it all in. The views were surreal, surrounded as…

  • The Everest Marathon

    Above the tree line…and into thin air

    It’s early Thursday morning in Dingboche. We arrived yesterday, after one of our longest hikes to date: 6.5 miles [10.5km]  covered in under four hours. Our snails pace dictated this time, not so much by the terrain, which for once, was not as severe, but by the decreasing amount of oxygen available for us to breathe in.  When we took off from Deboche we were at an elevation of just over 12,500 feet [3,800 meters]. When we arrived at our destination we had jumped to over 14,400 feet [4410 meters]. It is why we have to spend two nights in Dingboche. After every 3,300 feet [1,000 meters] climbed an acclimatization…

  • The Everest Marathon

    A Hot Shower

    I took a hot shower yesterday. And it was glorious.The water that came out from the shower head was such that back home I’d be calling a plumber. There was no way to regulate the temperature, and the shower itself was on a different floor from my room. But after five days relying on wipes to clean myself, it was sheer heaven. It’s the little things. When you’re trekking in Nepal things get quite rustic. Most creature comforts go out the window pretty quick. You begin to appreciate things you usually take for granted, like having a real toilet, and heat, not to mention high-speed internet. Though maybe that’s a…