Author: Liz Derstine
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An AZT Amble
The only thing better than the excitement and anticipation of venturing into the wild is sharing it with a friend that feels the same way. Last summer during my cross country move to the east coast, my friend Katie (trail name Raven) and I stopped in Flagstaff to run and hike twenty miles or so…
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The “Out There” That Awaits
Photo by Adam Parshall for Tracksmith Winter is still going strong and ohhh am I feeling it! The snow keeps snowing, the chill keeps chilling, and my bit of outdoor time before and after school/work is encroached by darkness (though less and less so every day). I feel like a creature of the night and…
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Black Canyon 100K Today!
Photo circa 2019 on the Timberline Trail, my first time trying multiple 40+ runs in a week! Yesterday I hurtled through the sky in a metal cylindric capsule, after which I was whisked away in a glossy painted box on wheels and will soon be deposited into the high desert, where I’ll amble on my…
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Black Canyon Training Tales
2023 is full steam ahead, like a freight train chugging along faster and faster. My class and work schedule are micromanaged down to 30 minute chunks, performance dates are starting to line up, new music to learn is pouring in. Meanwhile, in the last six or so weeks I’ve attempted to eek out some semblance…
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Expand Your Comfort Bubble
It’s been two days and I’m still beaming after getting to present for Green Mountain Club’s 31st Annual James P. Taylor Outdoor Adventure Series. Public speaking: it’s a similar feeling to racing a 5K, climbing a gnarly mountain above treeline, or putting on a music performance. These are things I will get butterflies in my…
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January Blues Are Real
Hello darkness, my old friend… It happens every year, I shouldn’t be surprised, but wow is January tough. Maybe it’s the “back to the grind” mentality when physically and mentally I’m still in hibernation mode. To feel pressure to produce when I feel much more compelled to curl up in a ball. But–time doesn’t stop…
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Just One More Loop: ATY Recap
On the first afternoon of 2023 I took a little bow after dipping out of the Last Person Standing event at Across the Years, a long-distance running festival put on by Aravaipa Running. It was a happy exit with smiles and giggles. I went somewhere I’d never gone before… all on a singular loop, exactly…
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Across the Years We Go
I hope you’re having a joyful holiday season! I celebrated Christmas with my family in Philadelphia and feel grateful for every year we get to spend together. I can only begin to understand the bittersweetness or sadness that the holidays bring for some, if not many, that have experienced loss in some way. I have…
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To Take a Rest
Sometimes we choose to rest, sometimes that decision gets made for us. The body or mind gives, or perhaps you get unlucky and catch the bug that’s going around, or worse (the dreaded C-word)! I was one of the unlucky ones in recent weeks, but I suppose I should actually feel quite lucky, thanks to…
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In the Pursuit of Excellence
“I don’t know where the limits are, but I would like to go there” – Eliud Kipchoge I took the above photo in Philly on my first run post-JFK over Thanksgiving weekend. There’s no better time to reflect than in the days/weeks of rest and recovery following a big effort. I think we (when I…
Mercury on the Run 