More than a walk in the park

I spent the weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and had the chance to participate in two snowshoe events as a guest of Tubbs Snowshoes and Atlas Snow-Shoe Company. First, on Saturday, was the final event in the Tubbs Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer series. Started in 2003, the series now has 6 events in the U.S. and one in Canada, and has raised over $1 million for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. There were over 2,000 participants yesterday, many of whom had never snowshoed before. That's one of the best things about snowshoeing: It's super-easy to learn.

It's not always super-easy to DO, though. Sunday, I participated in the Jeremy Wright North American Snowshoe Championships at Fort McCoy in Beaver Creek (Atlas is a sponsor). Unlike the Nordic (cross-country) skiing centers at most ski resorts, this one is at the top of the mountain. It features amazing views and some pretty challenging terrain--especially for this Midwesterner who isn't used to working out at an altitude of over 9,000 feet! I walked the 5K route, but many of the 400+ participants ran the same course, or a very hilly 10K course.

The reward, aside from a scorching calorie burn, was the gorgeous scenery. I posted several pictures on About Family Fitness's Facebook page; more to come on this site soon.

_{Photo: Catherine Holecko}