Last month was busy! I spent the first week of May visiting family in the Upper Midwest. Then, soon after returning to Tahoe, I began my summer job. We opened the summer resort at which I work on May 22nd, which was nearly two weeks earlier than usual. This was the result of the preceding low-snow winter and the fact that Memorial Day Weekend began that weekend.

Although I love my time off between jobs, it was a relief to start working again. After all of my appointments, commitments, and random activities of the previous month(s), I’m grateful for a return to routine. That, and I definitely needed to start earning income again after having been off of work for so long!

Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve (Green Bay, WI) on April 30, 2026 © Jared Manninen

Right off the bat, I resumed my trail running commutes to work. This season, I plan to run to work three times per week rather than two, like last year. And, then, I’ll log a longer run day and hike during my “weekend.” My weekly goals are to run a total of at least 25 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation gain. I’ve also shifted my focus from heart rate range (maintaining 120-140 beats per minute using the run-walk-run method) to keeping a pace range (11-14 minutes per mile, on the flats and rolling terrain).

Between last year’s trail running cycle and cross-country skiing all winter, I feel strong. So I’m basically picking up where I left off last summer. However, I’m adding a little effort to the process. As much as I appreciated the heart rate approach for my re-introduction to running, it’s a slow process (literally and figuratively). There’s just a lot of walking involved, which means it’s difficult to log miles without spending countless hours on the trail.

Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve (Green Bay, WI) on April 30, 2026 © Jared Manninen

Interestingly enough, after trying this pace range approach for the past month, the data shows that my heart rate (on average) is still right within that 120-140 BPMs. Also, my heart rate doesn’t spike while going up steeper terrain nearly as much as last season. So, it appears that this process is appropriate for me right now.

For all of the exercise that I do, however, I’ve consistently been 10 lbs. over my target weight for the past few years. I’m not getting any younger, and I haven’t put much emphasis in my diet in recent years. So this year’s annual physical was a wake-up call as my bad cholesterol (LDL) was higher than usual. Not extreme, just higher than it should be. So in addition to trail running, I’ve been embracing more of a plant-based diet, as well as eating fish and less cheeseburgers and steaks.

As I’m now 51, I also have to consider the fact that my father and grandfather had heart attacks in their mid-50s. Now, their lifestyles weren’t nearly as healthy as mine. For example, they both smoked, drank, ate lots of red meat, and never actually exercised. However, genetics is a thing so I’m doing what I can.

So, for the most part, I’ve kept a low profile this past month in order to start implementing my summer run/work routine. That, and as much as I like making videos, sharing photos, and generally keeping in touch with everyone, I get burnt out as much as the next person from the constant contact.

Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve (Green Bay, WI) on May 1, 2026 © Jared Manninen

All of that said, please don’t think that I’m making these health-related changes out of fear. On the contrary, I’ve been looking for a reason to making some adjustments in my life that’ll yield more energy and better performance.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before, but I do struggle to consistently exercise just for the sake of staying healthy in general. I like to have goals for just about everything that I do. So working toward a lower cholesterol score and weight, while increasing my aerobic data is a great place to be right now. The bottom line is that the more that I can do to increase my freedom of movement outdoors is a worthwhile pursuit and I’m happy to be here 🙂

Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve (Green Bay, WI) on May 1, 2026 © Jared Manninen

It’s a little post-ski season, but this is my most recent Tahoe Trail Guide article.

What’s in a Name? Why I Stopped Worrying about What to Call My Style of Skiing

During the winter of 2025-26, one of my subscribers asked about my use of the term “backcountry cross-country skiing.” Since that phrase is fairly generic and not used regularly…

One of my best friends, Steve Baima, from my college days is participating in a charity fundraiser next month. Sounds like a fun and inspiring challenge! Here he is explaining the details to the event 🙂

I’m shifting focus to my next personal challenge. Check it out and appreciate any donations.

Pumped to officially share — I’ve been selected for Season 10 of Live to Give!

For those who aren’t familiar, Live to Give is a charity-driven competition where contestants raise money for causes they care about while competing in a weekend of challenges — all centered around impact, generosity, and community.

I’ll be competing while raising money for a cause that means a lot to me — Danny Caron and the Danny Boy Foundation, supporting families impacted by Cohen Syndrome.

I’ve set a big goal: $10,000.

This is about awareness, impact, and showing what’s possible when people come together. I can’t wait to meet the other contestants, hear their “why,” and be part of this incredible experience.

And if we’re being honest… I’m coming in to compete and would love to win Season 10 for Danny.

Let’s go.

– Steve Baima

Please click the link to check out the other contestants, read my bio, and click “Donate to Steve” to support the cause:

https://www.mightycause.com/story/SteveLTG10

https://www.livetogivemn.org/season10

My trip to Green Bay, WI, at the beginning of May was my first time back in the Upper Midwest as a “birder.” So, I decided to bring my good camera and document as many bird species as I could. The ten birds below are from that trip.

One of the things that I found interesting was that my identification skills from doing so much birding here at Lake Tahoe really helped. That base of knowledge enabled me to quickly determine that I was either looking at a familiar or new species (lifer) of bird. And that meant that I didn’t have to feel compelled to take a bazillion photos of every bird I saw – ha!

To know that there are so many birds that inhabit the entire US was cool to see. For example, Osprey, Belted Kingfisher, Sandhill Cranes, American Robins, and House Sparrows (and many others) are found across the states. So, in many respects, that made things manageable for me because I got to see some new stuff but not feel completely overwhelmed by everything!

I posted my entire bird species list on iNaturalist. Just follow the link below to see everything else I saw, as well as additional photos.

https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/jaredmanninen/130687-bird-list-from-family-visit-to-green-bay-wi-4-29-26-5-4-26