I’m starting to think about MdS as a restful vacation with a bit running thrown in. I’m not underestimating the desert...
Immortality and UltrAspire
LizaYou know, looking back
I never thought I’d be considered an elite anything. (Yes, that’s a bandana I’m wearing — among other things. You’ll have to leave a comment for the full story.)
Yeah, no elite glimmers here either. (An oldie but a goodie.)
But more than that, I certainly had no inking I might ever be immortal. And yet, here I am, 40 years-old, living in South Texas, a mother of a four year-old, — both elite and immortal. Well, an Elite Immortal for UltrAspire this year anyway.
OK, so before you leave a comment about how I might try throwing myself off of something to test this immortality, I want to say that I’m really excited to be part of the UltrAspire gear testing team. The quality of their gear is exceptional. The attention to detail is exceptional. The choice of “elite immortal” as an appelation… Well, look
it’s not likely to go to my head. (Yes, that is a bottle of Sriracha. Yes, my pack is just shorter than I am. Yes, you will have to leave a comment for this one also.)
So anyway, I just want to let you all know that I’ll be doing my best to test the UltrAspire gear in the summer heat of Texas as I prep for Western States and Leadville and crewing a friend at Badwater. And I’ll take it along on a mountaineering course I’ll work for NOLS in September. And smaller ladies, your voice will be heard! 🙂
And now it’s time to celebrate Leap Day.
ScottR
Way to go Liza!!!
Hector Valdez
Way to go Coach!
Steph Coelho
🙂
WT
I definitely want the promised full stories (since you offered)…
Liza Howard
See above. 🙂
Ldenucci
Ok Liza, I am interested to hear more!
Liza
Larry, you don’t recognize young Outward Bound students dressed for dinner on the river?
Irish Murph
I’m in Liza,I want to know the story of the mountain please,since i’m climbing the Matterhorn this year.
Regards,
Murph.
Liza Howard
I’m working a NOLS mountaineering course in the Eastern Alaska Range. My co-instructor and I really liked sriracha and brought that bottle along for the two of us. (We were out for 50+ days.) We drew a face on it at some point in the course and took pictures of it whereever we went. The crevasse rescue pictures are particularly nice. We were planning on sending the pictures to the company in the hopes of getting a t-shirt or some free sriracha.
When do you go to the Matterhorn? I can’t wait to see those pictures.
Tlbspitzer
SOO many comments to make and yet such little space…
1. you MUST explain picture #1. Who is boy wonder? Who is the bored “I’m too cool to be hanging out with this bunch” girl? and Why… why… the bandana?2. Your pack: I had a great-aunt that would take her “bury me in this if I die while I’m gone” outfit with her when she would go abroad (yes, the same blue dress she wore to my wedding), so that she’s be properly dressed for the trip if in the event she were to die and need to be shipped back. However, I have to tell you- as a friend- taking luggage that they can fit you in is morbid and incredibly cheap.3. I love Sriracha and would carry it to the North pole too, so don’t you feel bad on that one my dear.
Loves, T
Tlbspitzer
I’m not even commenting on picture #2- that needs no words.
Liza Howard
The picture #1 story is above. I believe “boy wonder” was a Morehead Scholar from UNC. I spent the course having a crush on another guy who could sing a lot Grateful Dead songs. Sadly he liked a very busty girl who wore a low cut bathing suit to the dress up dinner. Bustiness trumps cute resourcefulness again!
The mountaineering course was a particularly long one and we were out for 50+ days, so the pack size isn’t from overpacking. At least if I got injured, it would’ve been easy to carry me out. Your aunt sounds wonderful. I need an all-purpose dress like that.
Liza Howard
Picture #1: This one’s from my Outward Bound course after I graduated high school. We’d spent two weeks in the Unitas and here we’re boating down the Green River in Utah. It was the end of the three week course and we’d been instructed to dress up for dinner. It’s my headband and t-shirt below the bandana. Tarp and whistle girl was more high fashion — but she also had more trouble moving around.
Gene Taylor
I, also, am a big fan of Sriracha hot sauce. (makes chicken fried rice heavenly).
Speaking of chickens, I found a mate for your metal rooster here in Madison. She is plastic, but I think they would still make a great couple. Unfortunately, the file is too big to upload in this blog. I could email it if I had your address.
Thanks for the memories. Your fashion sense is elite in my book!
GT
Liza Howard
Done.
Domingo
Lalo mentioned that gear. I will have to try it out. Hope you are doing well. Despite a foot injury I will be running Paesanos trail run on Sunday. Have fun at Nueces.
Liza Howard
Looking forward to hearing about Paesanos. 🙂
Doise Chew Miers
So glad a normal sized person is testing gear! Love the srirachi pic.
Liza Howard
Thanks Doise! See you this weekend?
Doise Chew Miers
I’m staying in Austin this weekend but have signed up Charlotte and I for Hell’s Hills so hope to see you there. The 25k will be her longest run yet! Thanks for showing her the San Antonio trails.
Liza
Will definitely see you there! We missed Charlotte this Thursday.
Paige
I love sriracha. In fact, I was just thinking about what to make for dinner tonight, using sriracha 🙂
Congrats! UltrAspire seems like a pretty cool little company.
Liza Howard
Ever put it on oatmeal? Savory oats?? I still want a t-shirt.
Paige
Whoa, that just blew my mind. I’ll have to try that out! I bet that is really tasty…
Liza
We ate a lot of oatmeal that trip — so the savory option was a nice change.
Anna W.
The mighty Sriracha Pass! (formerly Spud Pass). Oh man, I needed to see this picture today – I’m trying to finish my thesis by next week and there are many metaphors to that course I could make but I will spare you. Lots of trying, falling on my face, crying, grace, friends, hysterical laughter, memories, repeat. Crazy.
PS: I LOVE the yellow gingham shirt. I have one just like it. It looks great on us dark haired gals. The headgear almost looks like jewelry.
Liza Howard
Anna! I have another one of you and Hailey kissing Sririacha. What we really need is a recording of Alex doing his voice. Good luck on the thesis!!