POV: You Came to Our Denver Retreat

 Joy > performance. This was our first retreat with zero race-day expectations — and it might just be our favorite one yet (let me tell you why!!)

If there’s one thing we know for sure: when runners come together with joy, play, and community as the focus... magic happens.

This May, we hosted our third-ever Strides for Strength retreat — and while the past ones have been centered around big races (hello marathons, relays, and finish lines), this one was different. No medals. No taper tantrums (you get it). No early start lines. Just fresh air, shared laughs, and movement for the fun of it!! As runners with big goals it is SO easy to get wrapped up in to outcomes, finish lines, miles and medals we knew we wanted to hold the space to step away from that, to show runners that you CAN have big goals on the run while not always being 'ON'

Here’s your peek behind the scenes at our weekend in Denver, CO ⬇️

Friday: We Came to Play (Literally)

We kicked things off with a low-key visit to the race expo (vibes: anticlimactic) and then got straight into what we really care about — whole-human health. Katy Saltsman joined us for a powerful workshop on optimizing performance through sleep, nutrition, hormones, and nervous system regulation. We rated different areas of our lives 1–10... and let’s just say sleep, fun, and stress management could all use a lil love.

After that? FIELD. DAY. It was equal parts competitive and hilarious — think three legged races, wheelbarrow races (strength training matters yo), sprints with the bat, and honeslty just chaos that was SO much fun.

Shoutout to Coach Mich and Laura for securing the win 🥇💪

Saturday: Party Pace Everything

We ran a chill 5K with the crew — no pressure on performance, no paces, just good weather and even better people. ALSO-- can we talk about how there was NO lines at the start line port-a-potties, PURE MAGIC!!!

The Colorado sun showed up and the elevation reminded us who’s boss (if you know, you know)

Post-run nap? Absolutely. Then came the great Uber Eats moment of 2025: when no one could agree on dinner… so we ordered 15 different things and watched Wicked in our PJs. Peak retreat behavior honestly!!!

Sunday: Stretch, Snow, and “This Hike is What?”

We rolled out sore hips and stiff hammies with morning yoga. And not to call anyone out… but many of us discovered we are officially Tin Men 🫠

Next up: a scenic hike recommended by your fearless coach (me, hi). What I didn't realize? That anything above 10K feet in May is still... very much snow-covered. Picture: the car climbing higher and higher while the group realizes this is not a drill, we are about to be knee deep in snow (literally)

We made it. The air was crisp, the views were unreal, and the vibes were a perfect mix of “wow I love this” and “I might fall and tear my ACL.” 10/10 recommend

This Retreat Wasn’t About Distance or Performance. It Was About Depth & Community.

No one came here to PR. We came to play. To reset. To remind ourselves that movement can be fun, community can be healing, and joy is performance in its own way.

Wanna be at the next one? You BETTTT we’re already dreaming it up

👉 Click here to join the 2026 Retreat Interest List https://calm-lab-435.myflodesk.com/ewk2esxy6n

Let this be your reminder that you don’t need another training cycle to earn rest or fun. You just need a weekend, your sneakers, and a crew like this.