There’s a special kind of magic in stacking adventures close together. Some weekends leave you sore, others leave you inspired, and a rare few manage to do both. Earlier this month, I managed to pull off two personal firsts in back-to-back weekends. On weekend one I set the female fastest known time on my favorite peak, Mt. Thielsen. And on weekend two, I tackled the Diamond Double- a 26-mile link up of Mt Bailey and Mt Thielsen with over 7,000 ft of climbing.
It’s a combination that tested not just my legs and lungs, but also how well I’ve learned to prioritize recovery and dial in my fueling.
Some mountains feel like home. For me, Mt. Thielsen is one of them. It’s jagged, dramatic, and somehow always manages to pull me back. It also helps that I have a cabin across from it! Below is a trip report of both of my FKTs along with what I do for recovery.
On a hot August morning, I woke up early with the intention to beat the high 90 temps. The sun starts to laser beam right into your eyes around 7: 30 am this time of year, so I pushed hard, running everything I could in order to get to the top before then. When I hit the summit ridge I didn’t know if I had time in the bank or not as the last mile can be a doozy depending on the trail conditions. Sure enough, it was super sandy. This slowed my pace considerably for a bit, but once I hit the first rocky scramble, I power hiked it all the way to the base of the class 4 rock climb. Once there, I looked down at my watch and knew I had time to take a breath before the rocky, exposed but fun top. At the top, I took a minute to take a picture and drink. On the first part of the way down, I went as fast as I could within reason as if I tripped, It would be a bad day. Once I was back on the main trail, I bombed down as fast as my legs would carry me. I didn’t look at my watch until I tagged the trailhead sign and stopped the time. I’d beaten the record by over 20 minutes.
The Diamond Double
Six days later I went bigger. The Diamond Double links Mt. Bailey and Mt. Thielsen — 26 ish miles (depending on your route) 7,145 feet of climbing, and a whole lot of grit.
Bailey is all about grinding climbs and soft volcanic dirt. Thielsen is rocky, technical, and sharp. Connecting them means pushing not just your body, but your headspace as well. My goal was to stay present the whole time - and to snag both the Diamond Double and the Mt Bailey FKT in the process.
I woke up to rain and hit snooze once thinking that I may have to bail. However curiosity got the better of me. I knew what it would feel like to not go, but I didn’t know how it would feel to get out in the drizzle and go for it.
I decided to start with Mt Bailey, as it would give Theilsen’s craggly, sharp top a chance to dry out. An hour later than expected I set off for Mt Bailey. I headed up it fast, but with a little gas left in the tank, as I didn’t want to bonk before or on Theilsen. The trail and temperature turned out to be perfect. There was absolutely NO views at the top, but I had seen it many times before. At an hour and ten minutes, I snagged the top, took a pic and headed down. At the bottom I was completely out of water, so I stopped by Silent Springs and both filled my bottles and my mouth with big gulps of the coldest and clearest water ever. On the way to Thielsen I chilled out a bit on the flat as I knew a big climb was coming. By the time I hit Theilsen my legs were talking to me, but my mind and lungs felt strong and sharp. I couldn’t run all of it, but I managed to run some which was a win. By the time I got to the top, the rocks were dry except small little pockets where the rain had accumulated. I had been out of water for a while, so I bent down and slurped up every rock puddle I could before heading down.
Once on the trail, I picked up speed to see how much time I could make up. By the time I got back to my starting point after a quickish bushwhack, I had beaten the previous female unsupported time by over an hour. I was both blasted and happy. Luckily I had planned to finish right by an ice cream shop. My kids and husband were there already with ice creams in hand. It was a big effort but I was so happy to have made the choice to still do it despite the rain. Back at the cabin, I also saw that no one had set a Mt Bailey FKT yet, so I submitted that one as well. In the end, I had set 3 total FKTs, now that is a good, fun training block!
My Recovery Hack
Honestly, the key to pulling this off wasn’t training volume. It was my recovery routine.
After every big push, I go straight to a ritual that’s as much mental as physical:
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A huge bowl of cereal and milk, with a scoop of Gnarly Whey Protein stirred in. It’s simple, but it checks every one of my bos ex: carbs, protein, and comfort.
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I stay consistent with Gnarly EAAs and creatine and take them everyday— they’re non-negotiables when I’m stacking training or chasing FKTs.
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Throughout the week I keep on my hydration, I eat well, do active recovery activities and I keep my stress as low as possible. With running a business and having kids, this can be hard, but with intention and focus, it is possible.
This protocol is simple, easy to stick to and gives me the confidence that when I follow it- my recovery is dialed, even when the adventures stack close together.
Why Recovery Mattered
Training builds strength, but recovery is what lets you show up again. Going from one all-out mountain effort straight into another just a week later could have left me flat. Instead, I felt ready — because I invested in fueling my body well after each push and throughout the week.
Whether you’re chasing FKTs, lining up for a race, or just stacking training weeks, recovery nutrition makes a huge difference between burnout and progress.
For me, Gnarly has become the bridge between the effort and the next adventure and for that I am so grateful.
