I’m currently training for my first marathon, and this week I finished a training run that was the longest run I have ever completed in my life  - 15.2 miles. 

My longest run prior to this was a half marathon (13.1 miles, which I ran many years ago). 

It feels amazing to do something really challenging that I have never done before.

For a long time, I never thought that I could run that far. Until I did.

Today, write down one goal for yourself that would push you beyond your perceived limits.

Then go out and try your best to achieve it.

If you feel certain in advance that you could reach this goal if you put in enough time and effort, then your goal isn’t big enough.

If people think you’re crazy, then you’re on the right track.

Now, let’s get into this week’s tips and resources…‍

1. How to not let snow ruin your spring hiking‍

If you are a planning a hike in the mountains this time of year (or anywhere else where the seasons are changing and the snow is starting to melt) it can be hard to know if you will need to bring your snow gear (e.g. microspikes or snowshoes) with you or not. 

Fortunately, there’s a tool you can use to get a pretty good idea of how much snow is on the ground in the area you intend to hike.‍

The Gaia GPS app - which is by far the best trip planning app - will allow you to check for snow depth and even forecasted snow depth using satellite imagery and NOAA data.‍

Here’s a video that will walk you through how to do this. 

2. How to use color combinations that make your photos stand out‍

Color harmony a subject within the field of color theory that has to do with color combinations that look good together. 

When certain colors combine and look pleasing to the eye (for example orange and blue), they are considered to be harmonious - kind of like musical notes in a harmonious chord.

While some colors look harmonious when displayed together in an image, others (like neon green and dark red) look terrible when combined.

Knowing which colors work well together can help you make your photos more aesthetically pleasing.

So, how do you know which colors are harmonious?‍

Here’s a video that explains how harmonious colors work in very simple, easy to understand way. (Note: the color harmony explanation starts about 3 minutes into the video).

In short, it comes down to 6 simple formulas, or color harmonies, that are derived from the color wheel.

The 6 main color harmonies include: 

1. Monochromatic colors 
2. Complimentary colors
3. Split-complimentary colors
4. Triadic colors
5. Tetradic colors
6. Analogous colors

While this video isn’t specific to photography, the concepts apply to pretty much all visual art forms.

I hope you find the basic concepts applicable to your work.

3. The easiest way to start composting‍

Composting one of the best ways to practice zero waste and keep food out of landfills.

When food goes into a landfill, it rots and releases methane gas - a greenhouse gas that is a major contributor to climate change.‍

Discarded food takes up 22% of Municipal Solid Waste, making it the single largest component of landfills. 

We can help reverse this problem by compositing our food rather than throwing it in the trash.

I have always wanted to start composting, but living in the city makes it very difficult…until now.

I recently discovered that Denver (where I live) offers a collection service that will pick up your food scraps and deliver it to a facility that will turn it into compost.

The city you live in might offer this service too. Just google “your city” + compost service.

I just signed up and it feels pretty good to know that most of my trash won’t be sent to rot in a landfill anymore.‍

4. How to recover from a hike‍

Last week I sent out a resource with exercises to help you get in shape for a backpacking trip.

The most overlooked part of training yourself for any type of physical challenge is the recovery strategies you incorporate into your training plan.

Post-exercise recovery is arguably just as important as (if not more important than) exercise itself because the recovery phase after a workout is when your body repairs itself and gets stronger.

One of the best ways to recover from a workout, including a long hike or backpacking trip, is to foam roll.

Foam rolling is a type of myofascial release technique that reduces muscle tightness and will help you improve your flexibility and mobility. ‍

This short video by fitness instructor Sydney Cummings is the perfect 10 minute foam rolling routine that covers all of the major muscle groups that you should roll after a hike.

Do this at least a few times a week. You will recover more quickly and your muscles will feel great.‍

5. The secret to a happy and meaningful life‍

There’s a secret to a happy and meaningful life that everybody knows but few actually acknowledge. 

Author and performance coach Brad Stulberg sums this up beautifully in a recent Twitter post:

Humans evolved for millions of years thriving off of these principles.

Then, in the last century or so, our society decided that these simple truths don’t apply anymore.

The result? Our society is arguably the most depressed and anxious in history.

It’s so easy to get sold on quick fixes, hacks, and new shiny objects that we are told will solve our problems and make us happy.

But those things are all just an attempt to distract us from the true secret to happiness.

The secret that there is no secret. 

I think it’s time for us all to start cutting out the distractions.

Talk to you next week, friends.

Meredith