Hi everyone! It’s Friday, and I feel like it’s been forever since I linked up with Courtney, Cynthia, and Mar for their Friday Five Linkup! This week I really wanted to participate because the theme is “Five Things I Did This Summer” and I couldn’t wait to look back on my summer as well as learn what everyone else was up to over the last few months! I’ve been busy asking my students what they did this summer so it’s only fair that I share what I did too.
1. Ran a marathon relay on the longest day of the year…on a trail! This race was a lot of firsts for me: first relay, first participation in a full marathon event, and first trail race! I ran an 8.6 mile portion of the Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon course, which was along a hilly tank trail near the army base. It was hard but I had a lot of fun running with my coworkers!
2. Spent some time out on the water. I had the chance to go kayaking twice this summer – last weekend I took a kayaking class to learn different paddling strokes, and way back over Memorial Day weekend we went kayaking down the Chena River in Fairbanks! That was a really fun trip that I totally look forward to doing again if I ever get back up there.
3. Ran half marathon #6. I ran the Her Tern Half in July and while I was initially going for a PR, I had to modify my goals mid-race due to some leg pain. I ended up having a blast running the last few miles with my blog buddy Kelsey and I have to say that it was my most fun half marathon yet!
4. Hiked some incredible trails. This is Alaska, so obviously there are going to be some epic trails on this list. Also, this list made me realize that I really like hiking next to lakes…
Eklutna Lake
Byron Glacier
Lost Lake
Rabbit Lake
5. Ran my very first Ragnar Relay! Running in crazy high elevation in Colorado with 11 strangers on little sleep and food was the most insane thing I’ve ever done…but also ended up being the most fun weekend of running that I’ve ever had! I want to do another one ASAP!
One other exciting thing that happened this summer is that I bought so many headbands from A Rose So Sweet that the shop owner even gave me my own discount code that I can share with all of you! If you’re looking for a new headband I would highly recommend that you check out her stuff. She’s got skinny headbands, wide headbands, and head wraps – and all of them are non-slip and adjustable so they even fit my weird head! The bad news is that she has a TON of prints that she’s releasing all the time, and I get sucked in and buy new ones every month. You can check out my review of them here, and if you want to save 10%, use the code KRISTENK10!
My favorite head wrap!
What were you up to this summer? I want to hear all about your epic races and gorgeous hikes!
Mom in the Mtns 
Wow, great stuff! I love it! So many fun, exciting adventures! Fabulous! I’ve enjoyed all my races this summer as well! Yay! Have a great Friday! XOXO
Thanks!
Ragnar is awesome! I love your pictures of Alaska – they really make me want to get up there. I’ll have to check out those headbands. I have a few I like but they always seem to be too big or too small.
You definitely need to visit Alaska! It’s gorgeous! And the headbands are awesome if you hate getting ones that don’t fit your head. I don’t know why everyone isn’t making adjustable ones, it’s such a good idea!
Sounds like a great summer. Those scenes from hiking look absolutely stunning!
Thanks! I have some really pretty trails nearby!
Um yes I will be going shopping now. I LOVE that wrap! And I love that you did a RAGNAR this summer!! One day I will do this. One day. 🙂
We should do one together! There’s a bunch on the east coast that I’m dying to do, but that I’m too far away from right now. If I sign up for another one I’ll let you know!
No epic races. 😦 No hikes. 😦
Hopefully there are epic races in the future.
I would be envious of all that gorgeous scenery but then I think about those short days you have in the winter — I wouldn’t like that. I’m not even sure I’d like the long days of summer.
Haha the long days are awesome, but they do make me tired because I just want to hike constantly! But now that it’s dark out I just end up staying up late looking for the northern lights. I can’t sleep in Alaska, there’s too much to do!
That’s what I call a summer success!
Haha so true!
Great Alaska pics! Alaska is one of my all-time favorite places I’ve visited.
It’s seriously the best place on earth! I don’t think I’ll ever adjust to how pretty it is 🙂
Beautiful pics! I wish I could see those views with the trails I run. I have always wanted to run Ragnar. Hopefully one of these years.
You should! There are so many all over the country and it’s really easy to find a team to run with, even if you don’t know anyone. Let me know if you do one!
Awesome, awesome, awesome!!! I wish I could have done Ragnar Colorado with you all but am looking forward to Ragnar DC!
Ahhh I’m so jealous! I can’t wait to read all about it – I really want to run that someday!
I just got an e-mail about Ragnar So Cal and I’m soooo tempted – definitely the MOST FUN race experience ever!
I want to do them all! I really want to do a trail one sometime, those look like a totally different (but equally awesome!) experience!
What a summer!!!! Love your 1/2 pic and I’m doing Ragnar Trail in November–super excited!
Ahhh no way! Which one? I really want to do a trail one soon! I’m trying to get into trail running and I think it would be so much fun to camp and trail run at the same time!
Your posts always make me want to move to Alaska! I still need to visit (we postponed our trip this summer) and keep wondering if the fall/winter is as bad as I’ve been lead to believe. I don’t think you guys got that much snow last winter… is that correct?
You should move here! We visited once and decided we had to live here 🙂 Last winter was the least snowy winter on record, and it only went below zero once. It was a super boring winter without snow and I’m hoping we get more this year! There are much colder and snowier places in the US (the midwest, places with lake effect snow) so it’s not too bad, but the really rough part is the darkness. It’s really hard because everyone gets Seasonal Affective Disorder and December just feels sooooo looooong. But the endless summer days make up for it!
Running, biking and hiking? Looks like loads of fun to me. That marathon relay sounds cool.
It was! I had so much fun running this summer!
as always, your epic pictures take my breath away. love it!
Haha thanks!