After running a portion of the ZOOMA Denver half marathon course last week, I am psyched to share the photos with you.  I know I am biased, but I really believe this course is a hidden jewel in Denver.  This course is flat, much of it is on crusher fine (which is awesome for runners - soft, but not too soft), and has fantastic views.  Miles ~8-11 are on the Sand Creek Greenway, incredibly beautiful and serene.  The whole course is basically flat (only a few small inclines).  In my opinion ZOOMA Denver has one of the best ZOOMA race courses from several different perspectives.

I took some pics so you can see for yourself.

The race starts and finishes in Central Park, off MLK Blvd in Stapleton.  Central Park is 80+ acres of manicured lawns, cool playgrounds, and fun fountains.  When I was there last week (and it was 95 degrees outside), there were tons of kids playing in the fountain in their bathing suits. 

This photo is where the start/finish lines will be.  The race will start heading in the direction of the photo, and will finish heading toward back towards the viewer.  The drama of the start/finish area isn’t captured well by this photo, but it is very, very cool and will look awesome with all the ZOOMA signage, etc.  I think finishers will feel like heroes coming through this finish area.

After the first few miles in Central Park, the course heads south on the Westerly Creek Trail.  This is a photo from the side of the road looking into the Westerly Creek area.  The course will actually run on the trails inside (which aren’t really visible from this view.)  But check out the wildflowers!

Next the course turns west onto this crusher-fine trail on 29th Ave. in Stapleton.  This area is managed by the Stapleton Master Community Association, and it sort of reminds me of a Parisian boulevard.  The houses along each side of the road are gorgeous, too, for those  of you who enjoy mooning over real estate like I do.

After briefly snaking through some Stapleton residential neighborhoods, the course ends up again on the Westerly Creek Trail headed north.  (On a different path from the trip south in the same area.)  The course crosses Westerly Creek on this cute little bridge. 

Around Mile 8, the course enters the Sand Creek Greenway, which is a crusher fine path through a nature area.  On my run last week, we saw too many prairie dogs and rabbits to count.  I felt like we were in the middle of a Colorado wilderness!  It’s serene and beautiful, with Sand Creek  peacefully flowing alongside and rustic fences lining the route.

This is around Mile 11… running west back towards Central Park for the finish.  Check out the mountain and city view!  The last ~4 miles are running west and this view is visible for much of it.  For an east-coast girl like me, this is pretty cool…

These are just a few views from the ZOOMA Denver course.  I wanted to share them with everyone because I think that, because Stapleton is such a new area in Denver, many people haven’t had the opportunity to run there and don’t realize how beautiful it is.  And flat, too!  Thanks a million to David Manthey, coach and founder of Runners’ Edge of the Rockies, for the design concept.  You rock!

As I sit and contemplate this blog post, part of me worries that I will come across as a bit of a fashionista… Rather than fight the facts, I am embracing that term in the title of this entry.  Don’t get me wrong, on any given day, you are many times more likely to find me in t-shirts snagged from Target than anywhere else, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have a real love and appreciation for clothes that make me look and feel good.

From pre-teen girls to white-haired octogenarians, most women appreciate how they feel in a fantastic outfit.  The whole raison d’être for the fashion industry is how clothes make women feel, right?  In many ways, good clothes serve the same purpose as running for me… I feel powerful, relaxed, healthy, glowing and confident when I am wearing clothes that fit me well, are comfortable, show my personality, and look really great.  I can be more “me” when I feel good about what I am wearing.  And the quality of the outfit decidedly does not correspond with the price I paid for it or where it was purchased.  For me, the same goes for running clothes.

I think women often overlook the importance of feeling good in what we wear to run. 

For me, it’s easier to motivate to work out when I am excited about the clothes I am wearing, they fit well and they feel good.  These days, as opposed to 2-3 decades ago, there are so many options that there is no excuse for ill-fitting or poorly-performing running gear. As the executive director of a women’s run series, I am exposed to lots of start-up brands (many of them founded and owned by women entrepreneurs), so I consider myself a bit of a running clothes connoisseur.  One of my favorite parts of my job is finding new brands or styles and adopting them into my personal running repertoire.  Here are a few summer-running finds that I swear by, none of which will break the bank and all of which you will find my dirty laundry as we speak:  (Does anyone else have that problem?  Your favorite clothes are always dirty???)  

Oiselle Running (www.oisellerunning.com)

Roga short – for the last several months, these have been my favorite shorts.  Super comfortable and great colors, too.  I wear them to yoga, biking, to do errands and around the house.  ($24 for sale colors; $39 regular price)

Lori short – Just bought these a couple weeks ago and they are quickly becoming favorites. I bought them in gold. The wide waistband eliminates a lot of the “muffin-top” issues (which can make anyone frown) and the cool fabric is perfect for warm days. ($39)

The founder, Sally, is a great runner and is passionate about her brand.  Go, Sally!

Gracie’s Gear (www.gracies-gear.com)

Long Tank in turquoise – The vertical lines are slimming and the blue color is dreamy.  I like wearing this top when I’m running with my iPod, and it pairs beautifully with black shorts.  My neighbor wore this top in her half marathon debut in the spring because it is functional and made her feel pretty.  ($42 – often on sale at ZOOMA expos!)

Capris pants – I admit I don’t usually run in capris, even in the winter.  GG’s capris pants are my favorite for yoga.  They are just fitted enough that they stay put without being uncomfortably tight – even during crazy contortion poses – and the light fabric keeps me cool when things start heating up.  Gracie thinks these make my backside look good … and that’s pretty good, too J ($60)

Gracie is the ZOOMA coach, even though she is having a baby any day now, she’ll be at the ZOOMA Denver expo in September.  Good luck, Gracie!

Headsweats (www.headsweats.com)

Race Hat – I was given this hat as a promo item by a local magazine in Austin, but I wear it EVERY time I run.  Before this hat, I was not a hat-wearer – I have enough internal heat without putting a lid on a key heat-release region, but it is incredibly lightweight and does not make me hot.  As far as I can tell, sun is the #1 cause of skin’s aging (aside from the inevitable passage of time), so for me the hat is well worth the effort. ($20)

On any given day, you will find me working out in one or another of these items.  What are your favorite work out clothes, that you swear by and couldn’t do without?  Comment to this post and share!  

Have a great weekend and happy 4th!

Brae