Monday: clement park test (2.16 miles 0:19). started out just wanting to get out and stretch my legs after yesterdays blow up. since i was feeling pretty good after about a mile, i wanted to try running hard for a bit. I ended up throwing a good effort towards the end. the run was more of an exploration of some paths and memorials with speed work thrown in to get from one to the next. a fun day.
Tuesday: mountain view 4 loop (7 miles 0:55). relaxed run. i intended to do a shorter run, but was feeling good, and the weather was nice, so i stretched it out a bit. the roads were pretty icy in some sections. I felt pretty good coming up mountain view (500' over 3 miles, a very runnable grade) and was able to keep things moving pretty well.
Wednesday: nothing
Thursday: quick loop (3.1 miles 0:24). it's a bit chilly and tough to get out, so i opted for a quick run, which proved a bit tougher than i expected. i think it's a combination of cold and altitude, but i had some trouble getting my breathing under control. my legs felt pretty good, i just never felt like i was able to breath comfortably.
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Retrospective: a combination of a busy and cold week proved to be a very slow one in the world of running. no retrospective except to re-evaluate my priorities.
Summary:
Total Time: 1:39
Running Time: 1:39
Distance: 12.4
TSS: 159
Climbing: 212'
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
20140216 - week in review
Mon - rio grande gorge rim tempo (4 miles 0:28). another quick turnover day just felt good to get out and run a harder effort, though my stamina is a bit off, so it was a short one with good turnover.
Tues - mineral belt trail loop (11.9 miles 2:01). nice comfortable run, started out feeling pretty blah an considered turning back after the 1st quarter mile, then opted to continue on and just see what happened. turned out to be a good day in decent conditions. legs felt good, overall very relaxed and just enjoying being outside.
Wed - westpark (3.3 miles 0:29). just a quick jaunt around the neighborhood, happy to be outside
Thurs - westpark (2.5 miles 0:23). took a bit of effort to get outside, and never really felt good, so i cut it short and called it a day.
Fri - 7th st out and back (6.2 miles 0:54). legs felt pretty good going up, and very relaxed coming back down.
Sat - garden of the gods explorations (6.2 miles 1:15). lots of climbing, though my legs doth protest. the descents and flats felt pretty good, nothing was fast by any means, but a nice day outside, especially once i was able to get away from the crowds.
Sun - red rock openspace explorations (16.5 miles 3:15). felt pretty good on much of the climbing (even negotiating the mud and ice), had a fun time on the wiggly descents. wound up turned around and doing the last 5 miles or so on roads (no fun, then again neither is wandering around trying ot find your way back to the car:) i really struggled with the final 2 or 3 miles of this one. guess i should pay more attention to my eating habits.
Retrospective - still not able to put in consistent long days (not even medium days). my legs were pretty beat throughout the weekend, had a decent week of mileage and perhaps time, it's becoming a bit of a struggle to get out in the cold and snowy conditions.
Summary:
Total Time: 9:17
Run Time: 9:17
Distance: 50.7 miles
TSS: 541
Climbing: 6,091'
Tues - mineral belt trail loop (11.9 miles 2:01). nice comfortable run, started out feeling pretty blah an considered turning back after the 1st quarter mile, then opted to continue on and just see what happened. turned out to be a good day in decent conditions. legs felt good, overall very relaxed and just enjoying being outside.
Wed - westpark (3.3 miles 0:29). just a quick jaunt around the neighborhood, happy to be outside
Thurs - westpark (2.5 miles 0:23). took a bit of effort to get outside, and never really felt good, so i cut it short and called it a day.
Fri - 7th st out and back (6.2 miles 0:54). legs felt pretty good going up, and very relaxed coming back down.
Sat - garden of the gods explorations (6.2 miles 1:15). lots of climbing, though my legs doth protest. the descents and flats felt pretty good, nothing was fast by any means, but a nice day outside, especially once i was able to get away from the crowds.
Sun - red rock openspace explorations (16.5 miles 3:15). felt pretty good on much of the climbing (even negotiating the mud and ice), had a fun time on the wiggly descents. wound up turned around and doing the last 5 miles or so on roads (no fun, then again neither is wandering around trying ot find your way back to the car:) i really struggled with the final 2 or 3 miles of this one. guess i should pay more attention to my eating habits.
Retrospective - still not able to put in consistent long days (not even medium days). my legs were pretty beat throughout the weekend, had a decent week of mileage and perhaps time, it's becoming a bit of a struggle to get out in the cold and snowy conditions.
Summary:
Total Time: 9:17
Run Time: 9:17
Distance: 50.7 miles
TSS: 541
Climbing: 6,091'
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
20140209 - week in review
Monday - 7th st lollipop (8 miles 1:15). i took some time during the middle of the day, as it would be warmer. the first 4 miles are a pretty steady and very runnable climb. everything felt pretty solid (though slow) on the climb. around mile 4 i stepped off the plowed roads and into the groomed trail, which was fairly well packed and somewhat runnable. i proceeded to gingerly work my way down the groomed trail, enjoying the warmth of the sun to just past mile 5, when i found myself back on the plowed road and descending into town. I took this opportunity to embrace the leg turnover and try to maintain a good pace for the final 3 miles. I did not press too hard, as i wanted it to be a good effort, but not to bury myself. I was able to hold a pretty solid pace (downhill of course) on the upper edge of comfort for the final 3 miles. a fun day out enjoying the sun. Now it's time to prepare for several days of snow.
Tuesday - day off
Wednesday - tempo run (3.3 miles 0:24). a good opportunity to get out and stretch my legs and play with some better turnover. it started out pretty mellow, and since i was feeling good, i opted to press the climbs a little (not a lot of climbing, but a little which i decided to press).
Thursday - college trails (2 miles 0:27). the trails behind the college are not packed in very well, so i spent a bit of time trying to run in some punchy conditions. not my idea of fun, so i turned around early than i was expecting to.
Friday - breckenridge ski slope + american loop (8 miles 1:10). nice little run, felt good on the climbs, and strong all the way through.
Saturday - south boundary trail (6 miles 1:13). a good bit of climbing, some snow towards the top of the climb, it was fun to be out in some warmer weather and explore new trails. i'm sure there are lots of fun trails in the area, and look forward to exploring them in the future.
Sunday - north boundary trail (5.8 miles 1:10). a fun little loop with some good climbing early. i feel pretty good on the climbs considering
Retrospective: a fun week, though a little shorter on distance than i was hoping for, the weather was a bit of a bear, and since i'm feeling pretty soft these days, i opted to escape the winter weekend and head south. i really enjoyed exploring the few trails i found around Taos, and particularly enjoyed the warmer weather (highs in the 40s and 50s). it's the first time i remember sweating on a run in a long time. i feel a bit of the competitive spark glimmering every once in a while, and found myself pressing several of the climbs and smiling like a little kid on the wiggly technical descents. perhaps a little bit of winter is what i needed to reset things. time will show, for now, i'm continuing the playground approach.
Summary:
Total Time: 5:39
Run Time: 5:39
Distance: 33.5 miles
TSS: 359
Climbing: 5,145'
Tuesday - day off
Wednesday - tempo run (3.3 miles 0:24). a good opportunity to get out and stretch my legs and play with some better turnover. it started out pretty mellow, and since i was feeling good, i opted to press the climbs a little (not a lot of climbing, but a little which i decided to press).
Thursday - college trails (2 miles 0:27). the trails behind the college are not packed in very well, so i spent a bit of time trying to run in some punchy conditions. not my idea of fun, so i turned around early than i was expecting to.
Friday - breckenridge ski slope + american loop (8 miles 1:10). nice little run, felt good on the climbs, and strong all the way through.
Saturday - south boundary trail (6 miles 1:13). a good bit of climbing, some snow towards the top of the climb, it was fun to be out in some warmer weather and explore new trails. i'm sure there are lots of fun trails in the area, and look forward to exploring them in the future.
Sunday - north boundary trail (5.8 miles 1:10). a fun little loop with some good climbing early. i feel pretty good on the climbs considering
Retrospective: a fun week, though a little shorter on distance than i was hoping for, the weather was a bit of a bear, and since i'm feeling pretty soft these days, i opted to escape the winter weekend and head south. i really enjoyed exploring the few trails i found around Taos, and particularly enjoyed the warmer weather (highs in the 40s and 50s). it's the first time i remember sweating on a run in a long time. i feel a bit of the competitive spark glimmering every once in a while, and found myself pressing several of the climbs and smiling like a little kid on the wiggly technical descents. perhaps a little bit of winter is what i needed to reset things. time will show, for now, i'm continuing the playground approach.
Summary:
Total Time: 5:39
Run Time: 5:39
Distance: 33.5 miles
TSS: 359
Climbing: 5,145'
Sunday, February 2, 2014
20140202 - week in review
monday - nothing
tuesday - htfu run (6 miles 0:48) with a couple siu pills to help along the way. this was supposed to be a quick jaunt around the roads of leadville to make sure i got outside today. when i did finally open the door (for my run, sirius and i took a walk earlier, but apparently i forgot how cold it was- the thermometer read -8 and there was some wind. the good news is i remembered gloves and a jacket. shorts are not the best choice for cooler temperatures (read below 0). It was supposed to be a quick jaunt, but as my legs were feeling good (thanks to lacy putting the hurt to me on friday and saturday:) i opted to stretch out a bit, and make it a tempo effort. about 20 minutes into it (at the low point of the run, literally and figuratively), my hands were cold, my feet hurt, even my head was tingly. the good news, i had roughly 2.5 miles with 400' of climbing, not steep, but enough to slow me down. i put my head down and tried to hold a steady effort. the wind subsided, as did the cold, though my head would continue to tingle even after i was back inside, and it took a bit for my hands and feet to thaw.
wednesday - leadville explorations (5.8 miles 0:56). a balmy 14 degrees and i found myself wandering along some plowed and packed dirt roads on the eastside of town, no ambition just wandering. i threw in some drills as a first attempt at finding some leg speed. i stumbled on a fun little loop, just need to find a better way of linking it back into town (other than running up 91 - the highway).
dillon trials (8 miles 1:30). a pleasant surprise, 2 on the day, and a run with 2 of my favorite running buddies (lacy and joula). lacy always seems to find a way to put it to me, and today wasn't any different. she is an incredible little ball of non stop energy. the more time i spend with her, the more i grow as a person and stretch in new ways (i like to believe it's like looking in a mirror, but in reality she is probably a far better person than i am. i hope to glean some of the simpleness and goodness with which she approaches life). in addition to having an interminable amount of energy, she has a very simple and interesting outlook on life. today she introduced me to some fun trails just outside of dillon. the trials were a mix of ice, snow, and even some dirt. in my infinite ignorance, i opted to run downhill through the center of an ice sheet (the best way to get me to do something is to prohibit it). not 3 steps onto the ice, me feet out accelerated the rest of me, i went horizontal, landed flat on my back and proceeded to slide down the patch of ice. add it to the list of the days lumps and move on. i got back up, dusted myself off and we carried on with our run and conversations. as we were finishing up, the beginnings of our winter storm began rolling in.
thursday - warm weather reprieve (4 miles 0:34). sirius and i had an appointment in denver today, so i figured why not enjoy warmer weather (temps in the 30's at 6am when i started), i wandered around some paved pedestrian ways, and threw in a 1/4 mile effort between 1 mile and 5k race pace (it felt close to 1 mile race pace, but in the past i am pretty sure i've held close to that for 5k, i'm embracing living in the past:) just to try and breath some turnover back into my legs.
friday - snowboarding, lots of fresh powder and a bit of re-learning how to ride in the soft stuff, and some tree runs. i've got a long way to go to be back where i remember being years ago.
saturday - boulder run (15.8 miles 4:11). what was supposed to be a nice long day on dirt turned into a really long day, Lacy, Jamie, and i set out early morning heading for boulder. unfortunately Jamie wasn't feeling well and opted out of the run. Lacy and I met up with Geoff and his buddy Phil and were joining Human Potential Running. Lacy and i would start with the group while Geoff and Phil went to drop a car so they could bail earlier due to prior engagements. Due to the previous days storms, this turned into a run much like we would have done by home, lots of trudging through snow with sections of runnable packed trail, and a bit of road just because. nothing terribly exciting to report on the run, a nice easy effort (more walking than running, though the snow forced new muscle recruitment and soreness). all in all a good day with good people topped of with dinner at Geoff's place.
sunday - turquoise lake groomer (3.1 miles 0:43). after a very late night and early morning, i woke late to blue skies and the warmth of the sun, a great day for a run. i headed over to check out the supposed groomed trails around turquoise lake. They were in fact groomed, though not packed down so well, after about 20 minutes of breaking through the semi packed trail, i opted to turn around and try to defrost my hands and feet. it felt great soaking up the sun, and likely would have been a great day for the run down in boulder, perhaps next week.
retrospective: i was hoping to keep the build of the last few weeks, based on numbers, it didn't happen, based on soreness, there was a good bit of reaching going on this week. it's been a little while since i have been sore, and i'm enjoying it. took the day easy, and look forward to a good week coming.
summary:
total time: 8:43
run time: 8:43
distance: 42.8 mile
TSS: 390
climbing: 3,684'
tuesday - htfu run (6 miles 0:48) with a couple siu pills to help along the way. this was supposed to be a quick jaunt around the roads of leadville to make sure i got outside today. when i did finally open the door (for my run, sirius and i took a walk earlier, but apparently i forgot how cold it was- the thermometer read -8 and there was some wind. the good news is i remembered gloves and a jacket. shorts are not the best choice for cooler temperatures (read below 0). It was supposed to be a quick jaunt, but as my legs were feeling good (thanks to lacy putting the hurt to me on friday and saturday:) i opted to stretch out a bit, and make it a tempo effort. about 20 minutes into it (at the low point of the run, literally and figuratively), my hands were cold, my feet hurt, even my head was tingly. the good news, i had roughly 2.5 miles with 400' of climbing, not steep, but enough to slow me down. i put my head down and tried to hold a steady effort. the wind subsided, as did the cold, though my head would continue to tingle even after i was back inside, and it took a bit for my hands and feet to thaw.
wednesday - leadville explorations (5.8 miles 0:56). a balmy 14 degrees and i found myself wandering along some plowed and packed dirt roads on the eastside of town, no ambition just wandering. i threw in some drills as a first attempt at finding some leg speed. i stumbled on a fun little loop, just need to find a better way of linking it back into town (other than running up 91 - the highway).
dillon trials (8 miles 1:30). a pleasant surprise, 2 on the day, and a run with 2 of my favorite running buddies (lacy and joula). lacy always seems to find a way to put it to me, and today wasn't any different. she is an incredible little ball of non stop energy. the more time i spend with her, the more i grow as a person and stretch in new ways (i like to believe it's like looking in a mirror, but in reality she is probably a far better person than i am. i hope to glean some of the simpleness and goodness with which she approaches life). in addition to having an interminable amount of energy, she has a very simple and interesting outlook on life. today she introduced me to some fun trails just outside of dillon. the trials were a mix of ice, snow, and even some dirt. in my infinite ignorance, i opted to run downhill through the center of an ice sheet (the best way to get me to do something is to prohibit it). not 3 steps onto the ice, me feet out accelerated the rest of me, i went horizontal, landed flat on my back and proceeded to slide down the patch of ice. add it to the list of the days lumps and move on. i got back up, dusted myself off and we carried on with our run and conversations. as we were finishing up, the beginnings of our winter storm began rolling in.
thursday - warm weather reprieve (4 miles 0:34). sirius and i had an appointment in denver today, so i figured why not enjoy warmer weather (temps in the 30's at 6am when i started), i wandered around some paved pedestrian ways, and threw in a 1/4 mile effort between 1 mile and 5k race pace (it felt close to 1 mile race pace, but in the past i am pretty sure i've held close to that for 5k, i'm embracing living in the past:) just to try and breath some turnover back into my legs.
friday - snowboarding, lots of fresh powder and a bit of re-learning how to ride in the soft stuff, and some tree runs. i've got a long way to go to be back where i remember being years ago.
saturday - boulder run (15.8 miles 4:11). what was supposed to be a nice long day on dirt turned into a really long day, Lacy, Jamie, and i set out early morning heading for boulder. unfortunately Jamie wasn't feeling well and opted out of the run. Lacy and I met up with Geoff and his buddy Phil and were joining Human Potential Running. Lacy and i would start with the group while Geoff and Phil went to drop a car so they could bail earlier due to prior engagements. Due to the previous days storms, this turned into a run much like we would have done by home, lots of trudging through snow with sections of runnable packed trail, and a bit of road just because. nothing terribly exciting to report on the run, a nice easy effort (more walking than running, though the snow forced new muscle recruitment and soreness). all in all a good day with good people topped of with dinner at Geoff's place.
sunday - turquoise lake groomer (3.1 miles 0:43). after a very late night and early morning, i woke late to blue skies and the warmth of the sun, a great day for a run. i headed over to check out the supposed groomed trails around turquoise lake. They were in fact groomed, though not packed down so well, after about 20 minutes of breaking through the semi packed trail, i opted to turn around and try to defrost my hands and feet. it felt great soaking up the sun, and likely would have been a great day for the run down in boulder, perhaps next week.
retrospective: i was hoping to keep the build of the last few weeks, based on numbers, it didn't happen, based on soreness, there was a good bit of reaching going on this week. it's been a little while since i have been sore, and i'm enjoying it. took the day easy, and look forward to a good week coming.
summary:
total time: 8:43
run time: 8:43
distance: 42.8 mile
TSS: 390
climbing: 3,684'
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
20140126 - week in review
monday - strand bike ride (22 miles 1:12) in the am, moderate effort around coronado and down the strand. felt good to be out and riding.
north fortuna run (5.5 miles 0:57) from mast parking lot up to north fortuna summit. calves were really tight on the long climbs on the way out. i definitely notice a decline in my turn over and pace on the descents. a fun run with victor.
tuesday - trail run (3.6 miles 0:36) exploring the trails behind intuit. fun little excursion.
wednesday - trail run (6.1 miles 0:56) more explorations behind intuit, the climbs felt a bit sluggish, including calf tightness.
thursday - modified black mountain camino del sur loop run (8.1 miles 0:59). 5th fastest time, and fastest pace (slightly longer than the usual loop due to some trails at the end). felt very strong throughout the run, enjoyed the climbs (all moderate grades). again i found myself lacking turn-over and pace on the descents.
mission trails run (3.1 miles 0:28) easy shake out run at mission trails with randy. started at kumeyaay parking area, ran towards equestrian center under 52, turned back to road and towards the dam then back to the parking lot. legs were definitely a little sluggish after this mornings effort. still really enjoying being out and trying to get in some faster efforts
friday - b2b trail head run (4.6 miles 0:48) with lacy. my lungs and legs aren't liking the return to elevation. i was breathing hard and struggling on the climbs. felt good to be out for a fun jaunt in the not so cold snow.
saturday - VRB group run (11.5 miles 2:20). another venture on many of the same trails as yesterday with some fun additions. again my legs and lungs do protest the altitude. feeling a little sluggish on the climbs in addition to the effects of altitude and cold weather. a fun run with a good group of people, it's good to be back on the group runs after missing a number of them
sunday - slick rock run (10.1 miles 2:11) fun little jaunt in moab. my legs were definitely feeling the weeks efforts and welcomed a leisurely (read a good amount of walking and enjoying the views:) jaunt in somewhat warmer weather.
retrospective: i definitely notice a decline in my turn over and pace on the descents, perhaps it's time to start throwing in some higher effort 1/2 mile and mile repeats. my first big week in some time, lets see if i can keep the trend going. I'm going for consistency in 2014, and feel as though i might want to have some faster efforts.
summary:
run time: 9:18
total time: 10:30
distance: 74.82 miles
TSS: 621
climbing: 5,391'
north fortuna run (5.5 miles 0:57) from mast parking lot up to north fortuna summit. calves were really tight on the long climbs on the way out. i definitely notice a decline in my turn over and pace on the descents. a fun run with victor.
tuesday - trail run (3.6 miles 0:36) exploring the trails behind intuit. fun little excursion.
wednesday - trail run (6.1 miles 0:56) more explorations behind intuit, the climbs felt a bit sluggish, including calf tightness.
thursday - modified black mountain camino del sur loop run (8.1 miles 0:59). 5th fastest time, and fastest pace (slightly longer than the usual loop due to some trails at the end). felt very strong throughout the run, enjoyed the climbs (all moderate grades). again i found myself lacking turn-over and pace on the descents.
mission trails run (3.1 miles 0:28) easy shake out run at mission trails with randy. started at kumeyaay parking area, ran towards equestrian center under 52, turned back to road and towards the dam then back to the parking lot. legs were definitely a little sluggish after this mornings effort. still really enjoying being out and trying to get in some faster efforts
friday - b2b trail head run (4.6 miles 0:48) with lacy. my lungs and legs aren't liking the return to elevation. i was breathing hard and struggling on the climbs. felt good to be out for a fun jaunt in the not so cold snow.
saturday - VRB group run (11.5 miles 2:20). another venture on many of the same trails as yesterday with some fun additions. again my legs and lungs do protest the altitude. feeling a little sluggish on the climbs in addition to the effects of altitude and cold weather. a fun run with a good group of people, it's good to be back on the group runs after missing a number of them
sunday - slick rock run (10.1 miles 2:11) fun little jaunt in moab. my legs were definitely feeling the weeks efforts and welcomed a leisurely (read a good amount of walking and enjoying the views:) jaunt in somewhat warmer weather.
retrospective: i definitely notice a decline in my turn over and pace on the descents, perhaps it's time to start throwing in some higher effort 1/2 mile and mile repeats. my first big week in some time, lets see if i can keep the trend going. I'm going for consistency in 2014, and feel as though i might want to have some faster efforts.
summary:
run time: 9:18
total time: 10:30
distance: 74.82 miles
TSS: 621
climbing: 5,391'
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
20140119 - week in review
Monday: nothing
Tueaday: nothing
Wednesday:
Easy shake out run (3.2 miles 0:24) in the am around streets of leadville
Easy shake out run along dillon lake (4.7 miles 0:45) in the pm. Joined Lacy for a quick jaunt around lake dillon prior to my departure for san diego. a fun little run, a little cold as i'm still not very good at judging the appropriate amount of clothing.
Thursday: Black Mountain Carmel Mountain loop (5.7 miles 0:40) a little throwback to one of my usual loops. I started out pre-dawn and was enjoying the moderately cool weather instead of the cold i've been running in up in the mountains of colorado. everything was feeling pretty good, so i pressed the effort a bit and turned the day into a solid tempo run. coming in with my second fastest time on the loop since i've started tracking it (33 seconds short of my fastest time). I definitely didn't feel like i had any more speed in my legs, but had some pretty solid muscular endurance. perhaps all that slogging around in the upper elevations may be doing something.
Friday: Black Mountain Carmel Mountain loop (5.5 miles 0:46) a leisurely effort this morning it just feels good to be out in shorts and a t-shirt enjoying the relative warmth, even in the pre-dawn hours.
with about 1.5 miles left, the lure of trails was too great, so i opted to finish in the dirt today. it felt good to cruise along the dirt, away from people falling into an additional layer of quite before heading into the office. I actually slid and fell on some loose rocks during one of the descents, smiled dusted myself off and got back up and continued on my way.
Saturday:
Julia's Pie ride (30.5 miles 2:10) with Victor, Julia, Stacia, Dave, and some new faces. a good little jaunt, perhaps a bit too fun. it's been a long time since i've been on a bike, and this was an excellent reminder of how much i truly enjoy riding, though not as simple as running, it offers an opportunity to see so much more.
we stopped for some apple pie in Julien before heading back over sunrise (31.4 miles 2:18) and down to the car. my legs didn't appreciate the bit of climbing to be done on the back end, and fully succumbed to the suffering with about 2 miles of rolling climbs before the final descent.
all in all a good day and great people
I was interested in testing out some fast packing gear and seeing how my legs would hold up to some simpler miles, as well as an opportunity to get away from all the people and city, so opted to head back into the mountains after lunch.
I did a short 2.5 - 3 miles hike/run with a nice little fast pack assembly: Mountain Hardwear Fluid 18 pack, Mountain Hardwear mtn speed 32 bag, Mountain Hardwear Bivy sack, Montrail Fliud feel shoes, Merrel RFE shorts, Merrell Jacket, Merrell fleece, Patagonia Houdini windshell, , Patagonia 3/4 tights, and an Asics Thermopolis 1/2 zip top.
I picked out a nice little clearing a bit off the trial and settled in for the night. The bag and bivy proved sufficiently warm with the temperatures dipping into the 40s, i woke several times and needed to vent the bag and bivy to cool down a bit.
Sunday: lagunas fast packing (6.1 miles 1:11) I worked my way back up the trail and opted to loop back to the car the longer way to get a bit more distance and see how the loaded pack felt on a bit longer outing, the pack was super comfy and stayed put during the run, no extraneous jostling our bouncing, I am going to enjoy some longer days and outings with this gear.
Retrospective
It's been a roller coaster of a ride these last 2 weeks, lots of super high points and a handful of pretty low points, i'm glad to be back out in nature enjoying some solitude and the company of very good friends, while working through another one of life's twists and the associated learnings. suffice it to say i've been smiling more and thinking less.
for more photos check out smugmug.com
Summary:
Total Time: 8:26
Run Time: 26.4 miles
Distance: 88.3 miles
TSS: 577
Climbing: 7,698'
Tueaday: nothing
Wednesday:
Easy shake out run (3.2 miles 0:24) in the am around streets of leadville
Easy shake out run along dillon lake (4.7 miles 0:45) in the pm. Joined Lacy for a quick jaunt around lake dillon prior to my departure for san diego. a fun little run, a little cold as i'm still not very good at judging the appropriate amount of clothing.
Thursday: Black Mountain Carmel Mountain loop (5.7 miles 0:40) a little throwback to one of my usual loops. I started out pre-dawn and was enjoying the moderately cool weather instead of the cold i've been running in up in the mountains of colorado. everything was feeling pretty good, so i pressed the effort a bit and turned the day into a solid tempo run. coming in with my second fastest time on the loop since i've started tracking it (33 seconds short of my fastest time). I definitely didn't feel like i had any more speed in my legs, but had some pretty solid muscular endurance. perhaps all that slogging around in the upper elevations may be doing something.
Friday: Black Mountain Carmel Mountain loop (5.5 miles 0:46) a leisurely effort this morning it just feels good to be out in shorts and a t-shirt enjoying the relative warmth, even in the pre-dawn hours.
with about 1.5 miles left, the lure of trails was too great, so i opted to finish in the dirt today. it felt good to cruise along the dirt, away from people falling into an additional layer of quite before heading into the office. I actually slid and fell on some loose rocks during one of the descents, smiled dusted myself off and got back up and continued on my way.
Saturday:
Julia's Pie ride (30.5 miles 2:10) with Victor, Julia, Stacia, Dave, and some new faces. a good little jaunt, perhaps a bit too fun. it's been a long time since i've been on a bike, and this was an excellent reminder of how much i truly enjoy riding, though not as simple as running, it offers an opportunity to see so much more.
we stopped for some apple pie in Julien before heading back over sunrise (31.4 miles 2:18) and down to the car. my legs didn't appreciate the bit of climbing to be done on the back end, and fully succumbed to the suffering with about 2 miles of rolling climbs before the final descent.
all in all a good day and great people
I was interested in testing out some fast packing gear and seeing how my legs would hold up to some simpler miles, as well as an opportunity to get away from all the people and city, so opted to head back into the mountains after lunch.
I did a short 2.5 - 3 miles hike/run with a nice little fast pack assembly: Mountain Hardwear Fluid 18 pack, Mountain Hardwear mtn speed 32 bag, Mountain Hardwear Bivy sack, Montrail Fliud feel shoes, Merrel RFE shorts, Merrell Jacket, Merrell fleece, Patagonia Houdini windshell, , Patagonia 3/4 tights, and an Asics Thermopolis 1/2 zip top.
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| all my gear laid out |
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| most all my gear rolled and crammed ready to pack up |
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| my multi day fastpack |
Sunday: lagunas fast packing (6.1 miles 1:11) I worked my way back up the trail and opted to loop back to the car the longer way to get a bit more distance and see how the loaded pack felt on a bit longer outing, the pack was super comfy and stayed put during the run, no extraneous jostling our bouncing, I am going to enjoy some longer days and outings with this gear.
Retrospective
It's been a roller coaster of a ride these last 2 weeks, lots of super high points and a handful of pretty low points, i'm glad to be back out in nature enjoying some solitude and the company of very good friends, while working through another one of life's twists and the associated learnings. suffice it to say i've been smiling more and thinking less.
for more photos check out smugmug.com
Summary:
Total Time: 8:26
Run Time: 26.4 miles
Distance: 88.3 miles
TSS: 577
Climbing: 7,698'
Sunday, January 12, 2014
20140112 - week in review
Friday: Boulder Multi-use paths
after a very lax start to the new year, i think i'm ready to start running again, though i'm finding it a bit of a chore when the running doesn't involve trails. The good news is i have 3 great running buddies, 1 of whom is recovering from a bit of an injury, so I'm not sure how long before he's back to running. The other two are super fun to run with, and seem to be motivated to get out and enjoy some long runs.
Combine their ambition with their good looks and great personalities, and it's really hard to find any reason not to join them for a run.
Friday was my first run in nearly 2 weeks, and 2 of my 3 running buddies invited me to join them in boulder, how could i resist:
The last couple miles were a combination of trying to hold on to Jamie and enjoying the fatigue as it built up within me. Then out of seemingly nowhere Lacy decides it's time to be done with the jaunt, and a ridiculous quickening of the pace. I start to smile, and do what i can to keep up, and before long we are done.
after a very lax start to the new year, i think i'm ready to start running again, though i'm finding it a bit of a chore when the running doesn't involve trails. The good news is i have 3 great running buddies, 1 of whom is recovering from a bit of an injury, so I'm not sure how long before he's back to running. The other two are super fun to run with, and seem to be motivated to get out and enjoy some long runs.
Combine their ambition with their good looks and great personalities, and it's really hard to find any reason not to join them for a run.
Friday was my first run in nearly 2 weeks, and 2 of my 3 running buddies invited me to join them in boulder, how could i resist:
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| Lacy and Jamie soaking in the sun and the days run |
I met up with Lacy in frisco, and then Jamie in dillon before proceeding down to boulder. It was extremely windy with temps very comfortable for running. We wound up doing an out and back on several of the multi-use paths around boulder. It was good to be back out and running, after the past week, i was ready to get back out and do some running.
Things started out pretty comfortable, and i found myself chomping at the bit again: I was reminded of running on the roads around san diego, all the runs in those days had a purpose other than exploration and enjoyment. After a little while i was able to let go of that mentality and settle in and enjoy being outside and moving. We continued choosing multi-use trails until slightly over 8 miles.
At that point we stopped for a bit of sustenance and to enjoy the view ahead of us before turning around and making our way back to the cars. About half way back, my legs began to protest. I had to focus on moving forward and trying to keep pace with Lacy and Jamie.
Jamie seemed to be maintaining extremely well, Lacy looked like she was in my boat, and had slowed a bit too. Despite the fatigue, i found myself looking at the surrounding mountains longing to be there instead of pounding out the miles on paved multi-use paths. Then I'd look over to either Jamie or Lacy and smile, good people is top priority, these surroundings are just temporary.
With a couple miles left we stopped to regroup and take some photos
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| Jamie hamming it up, making me laugh |
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| Lacy forcing a smile:) |
The last couple miles were a combination of trying to hold on to Jamie and enjoying the fatigue as it built up within me. Then out of seemingly nowhere Lacy decides it's time to be done with the jaunt, and a ridiculous quickening of the pace. I start to smile, and do what i can to keep up, and before long we are done.
Jamie is off to catch a flight, Lacy and i grab some food at whole foods, and make a quick stop at home depot (thanks for being patient Lacy). Thanks to both Lacy and Jamie for dragging me down to boulder for a fun little jaunt.
Saturday: Sally Barber mine
saturday's are usually my social day, i head down to breckenridge and join the VRB (vertical Runner Breckenridge) group and explore some relatively clear trails and good people.
this saturday's vertical runner run is supposed to be a snowshoe run, in my hurry to get out the door, i left my snowshoes by the door. I manage to arrive a couple minutes before 10 to a group of 5 or 6 cars, and am excited for the group run.
The cars turn out to be a group of skiers, I ask if this is Sally Barber mine parking lot, they confirm, so back to the truck to wait for Lacy and whomever else will be joining today. A bit after 10 nobody is there, so i, in my infinite lack of patience, decide to see if there is another parking lot nearby that i'm supposed to be at.
After driving around for a bit and not finding anybody, i return to the original spot and wait another couple minutes before deciding to venture out on my own. The early sections of trail are packed fairly well from the skiers and i'm able to fake a jog (boy are my legs feeling yesterday).
There's a bit of an internal discussion about heading back now or carrying on another 1 - 2 miles before turning around. I continue forward hoping to come across the VRB run and a familiar face. as the trail turns up, my jog slows and turns to a walk. I continue climbing for a bit before turning onto a lightly used section of trail.
As i work my way down this section, i periodically stop of tracks and sink almost to my waist. After a bit of this, i decide to start making my way back to the truck as this trail doesn't look like it will loop back around anytime soon.
On the way back, i find an even less used trail which points pretty much straight down, towards where i believe the original trail and Sally Barber mine should be, so i begin the descent. After a little while, i pop out at the Sally Barber mine, and turn to head back to the car. This section of trail is packed pretty solid and is very runnable.
Retrospective:
2 days hardly makes a week of running, but it was enough for my legs, today is a bit of a reprieve and housework, then back on the trails come monday.
SUMMARY:
Total Time: 3:45
Run Time: 3:45
Distance: 20.47
TSS: 213
Climbing: 1,447'
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