It’s been way too long since I have checked in, so let me just fast forward to where I am now and what lies ahead for 2014!
The big news is that I have moved to New Paltz, NY as of February 1st! 🙂
Photo courtesy of capturemidhudsonvalley.com
Lancaster County is a wonderful place. I was lucky to have ridden through the beautiful countryside, run on some of the most amazing trails, and make many wonderful friends. So why leave? Sometimes you just feel stuck, and that is what I was experiencing. It was time to move on and create new amazing adventures. Most of you who know me well know that I can’t sit still for too long. So I followed my heart and it led me to where I am today! I have many fond memories of my time in Lancaster, and I will be returning often to revisit some of my favorite places (and people of course).
New Paltz – I had visited the area a few times in the past 6 months and it was not hard to fall in love with this place. Located near the Catskills, it is home to the Shawangunk Ridge which includes the Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park Preserve. This means bunches and bunches of trails to run on which makes me squeal like a little girl 🙂 With the 20+ inches of snow that landed over the past week I haven’t had the opportunity to get out on the bike and explore, but from driving the area I know that my bike and I will spend hours together – a big smile on my face the whole time. Hurry up Spring!! With a gym, a pool, and multiple vegan food stores and restaurants within walking distance, I’d say I hit the jackpot!
Beauty surrounds New Paltz
New Paltz is also home to the infamous SOS Triathlon and American Zofingen Duathlon. And it’s also not far from Escarpment. To any of my friends who are planning to do any of these races, want a weekend training somewhere new and exciting, or just want to visit me – you are more than welcome 🙂
A look ahead at my race plans – I am very excited about the progression of my 2014 race schedule. Here is a sneak preview:
1) I have a number of road races on the calendar where I will join my favorite crew – Strong Hearts Run Club. Every time we race together I meet new awesome people that I am honored to call my friends. We have created a community that is both full of positivity and motivation. Join us on Facebook to keep track of our events, and hopefully you can join us at one of them!
Strong Hearts to the Front!
2) Team Strong Hearts Vegan Power is coming back in 2014 – bigger and badder! We are currently fielding teams for Cape Cod Ragnar Relay and Adirondacks Ragnar Relay. We made quite the impact last year and it was our maiden voyage. In 2014 we plan to step it up a notch as we share our message: For the animals, for the earth, for your health. Go Vegan! If you are a vegan who loves to run, check out the video below to get a taste of our adventures. And get in touch if you want to join us in 2014!
3) Duathlon Worlds takes place early in the season this year. Although duathlon wasn’t my focus in 2013 and I did not attend the National Championship, I competed in 3 duathlons which placed me 1st in the national rankings for the 35-39 Age Group. This *should* qualify me to attend this year’s World Championship in Pontevedra, Spain. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to race for Team USA again this year!
4) Racing short course early in the year allows for a nice transition to longer course racing. I plan to compete at Ironman 70.3 Syracuse again this year. Last year’s heat got the best of me on this awesome course so I want to redeem myself in 2014. If all goes well I would like to earn a slot to the Ironman 70.3 World Championship – another race where I need to redeem myself 🙂 This year the Championship is in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec and I have heard nothing but great reviews of that location.
5) Next I will increase the volume steadily for my final phase. 2013 brought me much success in trail racing and I plan to continue that streak this year with various trail races scattered throughout my calendar. After tackling my first 50k without properly training for it, this year I plan to race Blues Cruise again to take a nice chunk off my time. The big goal for 2014 is to race the JFK 50 Mile Run in November to round out my season. I’m really looking forward not only to the training, but experiencing such a legendary event.
Wait…there’s more – I am very excited that I will be a part of Team Inov-8 again in 2014! My loyalty to the Inov-8 line is unwavering – since first trying their shoes in 2012 I knew they were the perfect match for me. And since then my love affair with the brand has been blossoming. Tri shoes, road shoes, trail shoes, off-trail shoes, fitness shoes – they have it all! Each and every pair I own has a distinct purpose in my arsenal, and each and every pair puts energy into my step as soon as I slip them on. On top of that they have an expanding line of apparel and packs which continue to impress me. Inov-8 knows what an athlete needs to perform at their best and they deliver an exceptional product that not only outperforms the competition, but also provides a level of comfort which is crucial. I can’t wait to try their newest addition to the family, the Tri-X-Treme 245.
Check out what Inov-8 has to offer – you may find your new true love. If you have questions about any of their products or about natural running in general don’t be afraid to ask 🙂
I couldn’t be more excited about what lies ahead this season. And I hope to cross paths with all of you during this year’s adventures. Until then, I better get to training!
Laura Kline - Multisport Athlete 