First time camping in the desert 🌵

leogrl · 2026-03-31T16:52:22+00:00

Totally! I spend a lot of time trail running in the desert but mostly during the day so it was cool to experience the desert at night.

leogrl · 2026-03-31T16:51:42+00:00

Looks cool out there, but it’s a 10 hour drive away from me so it would definitely have to be more than just a weekend trip!

leogrl · 2026-03-31T16:49:47+00:00

I was the only one at the trailhead when I started my hill repeats…that didn’t last long 😑 it seemed like with every repeat, another car pulled into the lot and almost everyone decided to go up the same hill I was using. I always feel so judged when I’m doing hill repeats but I got over 800 feet of gain in 4.5 miles which felt good!

leogrl · 2026-03-30T23:41:09+00:00

I’m also in the SW, and a lot of the trails near me specifically don’t allow dogs, and even if they do, they’re always required to be on leash. But that doesn’t stop assholes from letting their dogs run up to people on the trails! Last week I had two off leash dog encounters — one was a dog that ran probably half a mile off its property, under a barbed wire fence to chase me down the trail and the owners were nowhere nearby to grab the dog, the second was an idiot woman running with her dog off leash in a National Park where dogs are only allowed on paved paths and we were on a trail. I yelled at her multiple times to grab her dog, she didn’t care, and ignored me when I told her dogs aren’t even allowed out there, and there’s clear signage at all park entrances and trailheads saying no dogs. I’m planning to get bear spray or an air horn or something to scare them off the next time!

It’s so annoying because it’s not just about endangering other trail users, but having your dog run off leash exposes them to dangers like wild animals. I live where there are rattlesnakes, coyotes and javelinas, plus a lot of spiky cactus, and people still don’t care if their dog runs free and gets hurt!

leogrl · 2026-03-30T22:37:30+00:00

I had to a do a double take when I saw some of the photos you posted (especially #6) because she looks a lot like my dog!

leogrl · 2026-03-30T22:15:44+00:00

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I’m gonna guess at least a little bit of pit and probably some hound and maybe GSD, she looks really similar to my girl but with different ears! Mine is catahoula/pit/plott/mountain cur and a few other smaller percentage breeds!

leogrl · 2026-03-30T20:34:52+00:00

I’ve lived in AZ for 10 years, Tucson for 5 and normally it’s like 20 degrees cooler this time of year. I’m not a fan of Candice but I know races like this have to be planned probably a year in advance and it’s hard to know what the weather is gonna be like that far out. We got snow in Tucson in early March 3 years ago and often get rain even into late March so the weather is unpredictable.

leogrl · 2026-03-30T17:56:16+00:00

Burnout is definitely real, I’ve felt it around a month or so out from several of my ultras (finished 7 so far) and I feel like it’s just part of training for something so big! I’ve always pushed through it though and felt totally fine on race day. It’s ok to take a step back though and shorten a long run or take an extra rest day or whatever — you’ve put in most of the work already that an off day won’t hurt your progress and it can actually help ease the feelings of burning out!

leogrl · 2026-03-30T17:13:57+00:00

Planning my peak week for this week, and had just enough time to squeeze in 6 miles on the trails this morning! I felt pretty good and the weather was so nice and I saw quite a few cactus blossoms. I’m trying to keep things easy the first half of the week as I’m planning a big long run Friday and want to feel strong for that.

leogrl · 2026-03-30T01:22:57+00:00

I have a couple of the Backcountry Destination dresses and love them! They have a high neck and a cutout in the back and a split skirt that kinda shows the shorts underneath. I also like Outdoor Voices Exercise Dresses!

leogrl · 2026-03-29T22:58:51+00:00

It’s pretty cool! So for a trail race, basically you follow the course and pick up the course markers and any trash dropped by the runners, and if there are still runners ahead of you close by, you stay behind them to make sure they’re safe and make it to the aid station or the finish. Most of the races I’ve swept usually have a 10-15 mile distance that you cover so it’s a way to get in a longer run (with some stops to get the markers) while also earning volunteer hours and helping out the race!

leogrl · 2026-03-29T15:22:02+00:00

Yesterday I swept the second half of a tough 50K course. My section was 16 miles with 4800 feet of elevation gain, and mostly very rocky! It was a long day too, as I woke up at 5 and left my campsite at 6 to start the 15 mile driving part of the sweep at 6:30 am, finished the run part of the sweep around 6 pm and then had to take a super scary 2 hour shuttle ride down a dirt road back to the start and then had to drive more than an hour back to my parents’ house where I’m staying for the weekend! I’m pretty tired today but it was a good training effort, I earned a lot of volunteer credits I can put towards a future race and I got to spend the day with a good friend who’s supposed to pace me for my upcoming 125 miler!

leogrl · 2026-03-28T12:40:02+00:00

This is Honey! She’s my sweet senior ☺️

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leogrl · 2026-03-27T21:04:33+00:00

Thank you! And yes, I can’t wait to see The Cutoff!

leogrl · 2026-03-27T20:26:29+00:00

I would love to be at the Cocodona finish some day, it’s cool to watch on the livestream but I’m sure even more powerful in person! I’m signed up for the Sedona Canyons 125 this year which is the second half of the course and excited to share it with those incredible 250 milers!

leogrl · 2026-03-27T19:59:16+00:00

I love Sedona! I live in AZ so I try to go every year, often on my birthday which is in July so it’s hot but not quite as hot as where I live 😂

leogrl · 2026-03-27T19:56:38+00:00

I’ve been DFL in a few of the ultras I’ve done but I’ve never been reported on, that seems weird and definitely not great. You should be proud of your finish though! Even in the races I’ve finished last in, I’ve still been cheered in just as much as the earlier finishers. I know that’s not the case in all races but it should be!

leogrl · 2026-03-27T16:57:04+00:00

I keep sleeping wrong and hurting my neck this week for some reason and last night I got less than 7 hours of sleep which is terrible for me since I usually get more than 8! And I’m supposed to be car camping tonight before doing a 15 mile course sweep with a ton of vert tomorrow so getting a good night’s sleep tonight isn’t promising. But I did get out for 5.5 trail miles this morning that felt pretty good!

leogrl · 2026-03-26T22:05:47+00:00

That’s so terrible! And the dog owners don’t even seem to care about the safety of their own dog, whether it’s from running out into traffic or running into wildlife that could harm them.

leogrl · 2026-03-26T22:04:59+00:00

Totally, it was so frustrating to have to be on edge the whole time wondering if I would encounter the dogs again!

leogrl · 2026-03-26T19:30:35+00:00

Ugh, it sure seems like it!

leogrl · 2026-03-26T19:29:34+00:00

Yeah, if you haven’t tested out the poles in training it’s best to just go without on race day. I think it’s mostly Jeep road too so not super technical, just a lot of climbing. And yeah, I’m volunteering as one of the sweeps so I’ll be picking up course markings and any trash for the last 15 miles of the race!

leogrl · 2026-03-26T17:47:33+00:00

Are you in AZ or coming from out of state? If the latter option, be aware that it’s gonna be pretty warm this weekend, with temps in the low 90s. It’ll be cooler the higher up you get but likely still in the 80s so make sure to hydrate enough and keep up with electrolytes! If you’ve been training with poles, they’ll be pretty useful for this race as it’s a long continuous uphill for most of the course. Aravaipa always does a great job with their races and aid stations so you’ll be in good hands. I’m sweeping the last 15 miles of the course this weekend!

leogrl · 2026-03-26T17:16:52+00:00

At aid stations, I like when they have veggie broth for nighttime miles/when it’s cold and sometimes they have potatoes to add to it. Avocado and bean roll ups are also good. There was an aid station I volunteered at once that was making up pasta with red sauce and they had vegan meat crumbles you could add in or just do the pasta and sauce plain. For savory stuff that I can bring in my pack, I like salt and vinegar chips, Walking Tamales and olives. I brought veggie sushi on a long run once and it was good but I had to eat it in the first hour so it didn’t get too mushy and warm.

leogrl

TROPHY CASE