Adventure is Everywhere

What happens when you genuinely don't think you can finish...and you keep going anyway?

This week, I'm sharing the full story of my third 29029 Everesting event, this time in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

29029 challenges participants to climb 29,029 vertical feet, the equivalent height of Mount Everest, in 36 hours. At Steamboat, that meant 14 ascents, more than 35 miles, and one absolutely brutal hill with sections approaching a 55% grade.

And this one really had my number.

I came into the event tired from moving, got almost no sleep the night before, struggled with stomach issues and altitude, and by the end of day one, I was behind Red Hat pace and genuinely didn't believe I could finish.

Then my daughter sent me a text: "Don't you dare give up."

So at 1 a.m., after barely sleeping, I got back up and told myself I only had to do one more lap.

That lap changed everything.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why Steamboat was the hardest 29029 course I've done
• The night I walked back to my hotel sobbing, convinced I'd blown it
• Accidentally hiking within about 15 feet of a mountain lion
• The moment I realized, I may not finish, but there is no way I'm stopping
• The mantra that carried me through day two: I'm willing to go before I feel ready
• What changed when I stopped fighting my circumstances and started accepting them
• Feeling unexpectedly lonely on the mountain and intentionally reaching for connection
• Clawing my way from behind Red Hat pace back into finishing range
• Getting caught in a hail and lightning storm on ascent 13
• Why I still wanted to beat the original 36-hour cutoff after the weather delay gave us an extra hour
• Crossing the finish line at 5:55 p.m. and earning my third Red Hat
• And, naturally, the emotional-support McDonald's cheeseburger I woke up clutching in the middle of the night

I wish I could tell you there was a moment when I suddenly knew I was going to finish.

There wasn't.

What changed was that I stopped requiring certainty before I was willing to keep going.

Sometimes you don't know if it's going to work. You don't know if you're capable. You don't know how the story ends.

You just take the next 30 steps.

And I want to be the person who finds out.

Learn more about 29029 Everesting.

Listen to my previous 29029 episodes:

29029 Sun Valley: My Honest Experience, Training Plan, and What It’s Really Like

29029 Mont Tremblant: Training, Storms, and the Mental Game of Everesting

Follow Adventure Is Everywhere on Instagram: @adventureiseverywhere.pod

A few years ago, I made a decision that completely changed the way I celebrate my kids' birthdays. Instead of buying tons of gifts, I started taking each of my kids on a one-on-one adventure.

In this episode, I'm sharing the story of my latest trip with my 14-year-old daughter to Boston and Brooklyn—from navigating Boston's T for the first time and taking the Amtrak through New England to letting her dress me for a Tame Impala concert, finding incredible local coffee shops, and ending the day with room service in bathrobes.

But this episode isn't really about Boston.

It's about creating space for connection, letting your kids help shape the adventure, embracing the unexpected, and realizing that the moments you never planned are often the ones you'll remember most.

Whether you're a parent, love to travel, or simply want to bring more intention and curiosity into your everyday life, I hope this conversation inspires you to think differently about what makes an experience unforgettable.

In this episode, we'll talk about:

• Why I traded traditional birthday gifts for one-on-one adventures
• Letting kids lead (and what happened when I let my daughter dress me for a concert)
• Why getting on the wrong train ended up being one of my favorite memories
• Taking the Amtrak from Boston to New York instead of flying
• Our mission to skip chain coffee shops and discover local favorites
• The unexpected joy of spontaneous decisions, from matching constellation piercings to room service in bathrobes
• Why I think walkable cities create some of the best conversations
• The real reason these trips have become my favorite parenting tradition

Connect with me on Instagram!

Ever notice how some people seem to find adventure everywhere...while you're just trying to remember where you parked?

This week, I'm sharing a realization I had after two long drives to Iowa. Somewhere over the last seven months of making this podcast, I think I accidentally trained my brain to notice more opportunities for novelty, curiosity, and little side quests.

We'll talk about the brain's reticular activating system (don't worry, I promise to keep the science part fun), why the same workout can feel completely different with a change of scenery, and how a week that I would've dreaded in a past life ended up becoming one of my favorite weeks of the summer.

If you've ever felt like life has gotten a little too predictable or you've been stuck in autopilot, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we'll chat about:

• Why I drove to Iowa...twice.

• The workout that turned into an unexpected adventure.

• Why I think my brain is starting to spot "side quests" automatically.

• The surprising psychology behind noticing more opportunities for joy.

• A simple challenge to help make your own week feel a little bigger.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear about one of your recent micro-adventures. Send me a DM on Instagram @adventureiseverywhere.pod or share the episode with someone who could use a little more adventure in their everyday life.

Have you ever seen a photo of yourself that sent you spiraling?

This happened to me earlier this week, as I was looking through pictures from our recent trip to Montenegro. And it got me thinking long and hard about a topic very near and dear to me as a gym owner and dietitian...body image.

In this week's episode, I talk about how I've had to reframe my perception of the ideal summer body. I used to chase a size four every summer, and now I try to appreciate my body as the ultimate adventure vehicle.

I talk about:

• how fitness professionals have hang-ups too.
• how endurance hiking changed my body...and my priorities.
• what the book The Gap and the Gain taught me about appreciating my body.
• why I'm trying to focus on all my body does for me, rather than its flaws.

Links:

Dog-Eared Books (Ames, Iowa)

Key Takeaways:

• We all have moments when body image gets the best of us.
• Living in "the gap" keeps us focused on flaws instead of progress.
• A body that lets you live a full life is worth celebrating.
• Don't let body insecurity keep you out of the photos—or out of the adventure.

If this episode hits home for you, please share it with a friend or leave a comment. I'd also be SO THRILLED if you'd follow the show and follow me on Instagram!

Montenegro wasn't the trip I expected—and that's exactly why I'll never forget it.

Some of the experiences I spent months researching turned out to be complete flops. Meanwhile, a handful of spontaneous detours became the memories my family can't stop talking about.

In this episode, I'm sharing our 9-day Montenegro itinerary, what I'd absolutely do again, what I'd skip, and why leaving a little room for the unexpected might be my favorite travel hack.

In this episode:

• Why Montenegro deserves a spot on your travel bucket list
• Perast, Kotor, Budva, Podgorica, and Tara Canyon
• Our favorite hotel stays
• The hike that didn't go according to plan
• The adventure excursion I'd skip
• Why Tara River rafting was the highlight of our trip
• What I'd change if I planned this vacation again

Resources & Links

📖 The Travel Book by Lonely Planet (only $21!)

🏨 Hotel Conte (Perast)

🏨 Dukley Hotel (Budva)

🚤 Private boat tour with Captain Montenegro

🍽️ Citadela Restaurant (Budva)

💦 Niagara Falls (Podgorica)

🛶 Waterfall Rafting Center (Tara River)

Come say hi (and view my Montenegro highlight) on Instagram: @adventureiseverywhere.pod

This week, I'm getting honest about something I've been feeling lately: burnout.

After a particularly difficult season a few years ago, I promised myself I'd never end up in that place again. But lately I've been noticing some familiar warning signs—exhaustion, low motivation, negative self-talk, and the feeling that life is happening faster than I can keep up.

The thing is, nothing is actually wrong.

In fact, life is full of exciting things right now: training for my third 29029 Everesting event, running a business, parenting three kids through summer break, planning a wedding, buying a house, getting ready to list my current one, and preparing for a family trip to Montenegro.

It's all good stuff.

It's also a lot.

In this episode, I'm sharing how burnout shows up for me, why I've stopped expecting myself to avoid it entirely, and the practical things I'm doing right now to keep it from spiraling into something bigger.

If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, unmotivated, or just a little crispy around the edges, this one's for you.

Have you ever noticed how excited adults get about the smallest things?

A new coffee shop. A package on the porch. Dinner reservations. A weekend away that's still months from now.

In this episode, we explore the idea of a "novelty deficit" and why so many of us feel stuck, restless, or emotionally flat despite having lives we're genuinely grateful for.

We also talk about why our brains are wired to crave novelty, how the loss of novelty can contribute to overeating, overdrinking, doom scrolling, and other coping behaviors, and why those habits might have less to do with willpower than we think.

Drawing from her experiences as a registered dietitian, mom of three, gym owner, and self-proclaimed microadventure enthusiast, Kim makes the case that many of us aren't actually looking for a different life—we're looking for a life that feels a little more vivid.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why novelty plays an important role in motivation, memory, and happiness
• How COVID highlighted our need for novelty and stimulation
• The surprising connection between repetitive routines and behaviors like overeating, overdrinking, and doom scrolling
• Why food, alcohol, shopping, and social media often become stand-ins for excitement and anticipation
• How tiny moments of curiosity and adventure can help break the cycle of autopilot

Whether you're feeling stuck, burned out, or just a little bored with your routine, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the opposite of feeling stuck isn't motivation—it's curiosity.

Let's connect!
Instagram: @adventure.iseverywhere

Follow Adventure Is Everywhere on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode.

A couple years ago, after my separation, I decided to stop filling Christmas with more stuff and start giving my kids experiences instead. Since then, I’ve taken each of my three kids on a yearly one-on-one adventure—usually a quick 36-hour trip built around something they love.

This week on the podcast, I’m sharing stories from my latest adventure with my son Calvin: a whirlwind weekend in Chicago for Bruno Mars at Soldier Field that included Korean food, terrifying pedicab rides, sushi push pops, a near-death-feeling experience at the Hancock building, and some surprisingly meaningful conversations.

But this episode is really about something bigger:
How intentional one-on-one time can completely change your relationship with your kids.

We talk about:

• Why I shifted from buying more Christmas presents to gifting experiences

• The unexpected magic of short solo trips with your kids

• Why the misadventures become the memories

• Watching your kids grow into their own people

• Rebuilding meaningful family traditions after divorce

• Why uninterrupted time together matters more than elaborate vacations

And if solo travel with your kids feels financially or logistically impossible right now, I promise this episode is not about expensive trips. Sometimes the most meaningful adventures are the smallest ones.

As always, thanks for being here. And if this episode resonates with you, I’d love if you shared it with another parent who might need the reminder that connection doesn’t have to be complicated.

Follow me: @adventureiseverywhere.pod

What happens when someone who once thought “roughing it” meant a hotel without room service becomes the kind of person who casually hikes rim-to-rim-to-rim in the Grand Canyon and signs up for open-water swim relays across the Catalina Channel?

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Jeanette Davey — endurance athlete, national park lover, 29029 red hat finisher, and one of the most adventurous women I know. We talk about how adventure doesn’t have to start with some massive life overhaul. Sometimes it starts with saying yes to one thing that scares you a little.

Jeanette shares:

• How she went from figure skating judge to endurance athlete
• Why she accidentally started triathlon with a half Ironman
• What 29029 taught her about mindset, resilience, and community
• Our Grand Canyon rim-to-river adventure together
• Her favorite U.S. national parks (including a few underrated ones)
• Why the people you surround yourself with matter so much
• Her advice for anyone who wants to feel more adventurous in midlife

We also talk about endurance sports, hiking, national parks, aging, friendship, and why the best adventures are often the ones you almost talked yourself out of.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not adventurous,” this episode is for you.

Follow Jeanette: @ramvanvanna

Follow along with the podcast: @adventureiseverywhere.pod

This week, with Mother’s Day around the corner, I wanted to talk about something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: motherhood as adventure.

Not because it’s always magical or picture-perfect…but because it constantly asks us to evolve.

In this episode, I’m sharing why the teen years have surprisingly become my favorite phase of motherhood, the strange and beautiful transition from being constantly needed to slowly learning to let go, and the moments that have made me realize my kids are becoming fully formed humans right in front of me.

We talk about:

• why I was terrified of the teen years (and why I ended up loving them)
• teaching my oldest to drive as an anxious mom
• the bittersweet reality of raising increasingly independent kids
• the tiny personality traits that showed up early and never really changed
• how my kids have shaped me as much as I’ve shaped them
• why motherhood feels both heartbreaking and hopeful at the exact same time
• learning to trust your kids enough to let them make their own mistakes

Whether you’re in the toddler trenches, navigating the teen years, or somewhere in between, I hope this episode reminds you that it’s okay for motherhood to feel joyful, exhausting, beautiful, scary, and meaningful all at once.

Because maybe that’s the whole adventure.

Follow along on Instagram: @adventureiseverywhere.pod