2014 stuff

… in no particular order … thoughts, principles, resolutions, considerations.  It sort of started with this list I was generating, and the quiet down time made it a much longer set of musings.  All this could change of course on a dime.

This was written (typed) over several sessions.  It is unedited and disconnected, disjointed, and probably contradictory in several places.  Whatever.  It comes down to, as Dbow calls it “live epic.”  I want to not just do the same stuff, but I recognize that I enjoy the same things.  I want to enjoy and not worry.  I want to focus on the ultimate outcomes of any one event, but not lose sight of the big picture.  I want to realize that I am not the young man I was physically, but also not become complacent in that and use it as an excuse.  I want to push boundaries and have people feel their boundaries pushed when with me in a positive way. 

I hesitate to write this because it comes across as a bit over drama like.  But the blog has helped me cycle through stuff, and I will continue to use it like that.  I recognize that my life is amazingly blessed and awesome.  I live a life a comfort and have means and freedom to pursue more than 99% of the people on the planet.  At the point of some great and amazing thing, I often fail to recognize how wonderful I have it.  But part of being human is a desire to grow and improve.  I recognize that these so called resolutions are not likely to be stuck

Person - family:

… my children are now 13 and 16.  In some regards, you could say they are done.  In other words, their basic personality and core values are set.  If I disappeared tomorrow, while it would be impactful, I have already had a my hand on a tiller a period of their life that is of greater impact than my remaining years with them.  While there is some truth in that, it is also true that I am here and that I do have a significant impact on their lives.  I need to support them by letting them increasingly feel the consequences of their choices (positive and negative) so that they can be adults that recognize they are in greater control of their destiny than not.

… an easy example of this:  my daughter has become a night owl to the point of staying up in what I think is way too late.  I think it adversely impacts her performance in the things that are important in her life, like school, arts, etc.  But heck, she is 16 now.  She does not need the PITA dad making her go to bed at 10.  She’ll figure it out. 

… I have raised my voice with my family members in the past.  Particularly with my children when I feel they have exceeded some level of entitlement, combined with their age typical emotional response (and usually some statements on their part that demonize me).  I get to a point where I feel my fuse is burnt, and I respond back – loudly, firmly, and then heavy with consequences that I feel are necessary to let them know my displeasure with their behavior.  In other words, whatever was the initial thing we were talking about has escalated to a point that is no longer the point but instead how we are communicating becomes the point.  It is true that I have expectations of them in these circumstances, and that I get frustrated with their inability in those moments to meet those – but it should not give me license to not meet expectations of myself.  I should not raise my voice in those circumstances.

… my wife is a much kinder person than myself.  I have said that if I was not married to her, I’d want her as a friend because I have seen the friend she is to people.  She is often more concerned about the plights and victories of those people over herself.  I am not certain that I can be that at the level she is.  But as her husband, she counts on me to provide for her in ways that often are not as natural for me.  She recently was discussing a concept of “love languages.”  I really have no idea what those are but I can guess that it describes we need to feel love in particular ways:  emotional support, physical connection, providing a home, etc.  She asked me what my love language was and I said, “English.”  Not the best answer (although she knows me well enough that she laughed).  I want to be more supportive of her and her pursuits and efforts.

Person – self:
… I have learned that the outside view of me is often much different than the view I hold of myself.  I hear that people see me as gruff, disciplined, often curt in my speech, and judgmental.  I don’t think any of those are words that I would use to describe myself. 

… I think I often speak in a way that I think is funny, or clever, or thoughtful.  When I reconsider these said things after the fact, I am often not.  I would benefit from being quiet more.  This is so backwards to my wiring of 40 plus years, it is a challenge to even consider how I would do it.

… further explore concepts of self awareness, mindfulness of thought and action (primarily through reading, podcasts and books on “tape”).

… I want to explore how effectively I am pursuing these by reviewing this list at least monthly and explicitly stating how I am progressing (or not) against these thoughts.  Or – how I need to change them.  This could be monthly (minimum) or event driven (hopefully not).

Person – work:
… I will look to pursue an LA credential and/or a RAC credential in my next year of work, assuming I am in the same role.  This will better help and support my team.  To that point,  I will continue to focus on the success of the team I am with versus prioritizing individual concerns.  Where ever possible, I will maximize, focusing on what I can influence and manage and ignore office noise.

Person – heath and diet: 

… abstain from alcohol as much as possible.  Okay, tough one.  I love me some beer but I often see myself as entitled to as much beer as I want because of my active lifestyle.  That is simply not a healthy mindset.  It would be analogous to me enjoying a whole half gallon of ice cream multiple times a week rather than a bowl once in a while.  Adults would look at that and say, “uh, probably not a good idea dude.”  But because it is beer and it is fun, we tend to look at it and say, “right on man!”  Really, I need to be less indulgent with it and keep it as a treat rather than an entitlement.  Which means for me probably swinging it more to abstention than moderation.

… floss more

… average 300 push ups a week for the year.

… I’d hate to have an open ended objective of “getting to the gym” more because it is so un”SMART” and whenever I have that sort of thing, it goes nowhere. 

-- I really don’t need “seconds” (or “thirds”) as many times as I eat them.  Such ventures are for the pleasure of the mouth, and less for fueling.  I got away with it in my 30s, but with the slowing metabolism of the 40s, it sets me up for carrying pounds that I don’t want for optimal performance. 

Running:

… I feel compelled to race again, but not to race.  There is no single race that jumps out at me that is “hey, you got to do that” but rather a bunch of things that I want to race.  I want to race the mile hard again and see if I can crack five.  I want to see if I can PR as a master in the 5k.  I want to do a 100 miler again.  I want to go back to Pikes.  But if I did none of those and just ran a lot, and ran some local trail that I timed myself against every week or every other Tuesday to see how it was going, I think I would find that equally as satisfying.

… I want to run, but I don’t want to train.  There is a distinction in my mind between training and exercise.  Training is with a specific goal in mind, and usually that goal being to perform some best on race day.  Exercise can look like training, but it is without the structure of training.  Given the schedule I face in 2014, the lack of specific goals, the flexibility I want to have across road, track and trail, I see it more as year of exercise and less of a year of training.

… so in light of that, I do see some commitment to doing some track miles, some road 5ks, Pikes (maybe the double) and an ultra in 2014.  Of course, there will be at least the Fairplay pack burro race.  With the mile, sub 5 would be the goal.  If I did a 100, the objective would be to either do one that was way nuttier than the Boulder 100, or if the Boulder 100, to beat my time from 2011 (just under 22 hours in an epic meltdown).

… with 3500 miles in 2013, close to 3400 in 2012, 3600 plus in 2011, and 4100 in 2010, I am not lacking a base.  In fact, that might be more of a problem.  I need to focus on speed and fast running regularly.  I tend to enjoy the routine of getting out for my hour to 90 minutes a day, which lends nicely to 10 miles a day.  That is fine, but I need to chose more often to get to the track and chase hard stuff.  I actually see it as something I can embody as fun and focus more than the getting out.

… that said, I benefit from the miles.  I tend to pack on weight quite easy, and particularly in the upper legs.  Getting out for the longer run (again skipping the 10 for the 20) is another thing I need to pursue more often.

Adventures:

… this ties a bit to my running considerations.  I want to have more adventures.  Here are some:
-- A backpacking trip with my son in the Colorado Rockies on the Colorado Trail with his Scout troop (this actually drives another adventure of me scoping out the section we are considering (Kenosha to Breck) on a run.  This drives a lot of other prep activities.
-- sleep in a snow cave (another Scout related exercise)
-- Run from Fairplay to Leadville and back
-- get introduced to yoga with my wife


These are a bit less likely to happen because the logistics seem weak at the moment:
-- another trip to the Grand Canyon to include an R2R2R.  I’d probably do this more as a long day taking pix, and working up the Bright Angel trail rather than sticking the Kaibab if I did it. 
-- when in Hawaii, that round trip on the Kalalau Trail.
-- backpack with my daughter and her friends for a week (dependent on her pulling together some initiative on this)
-- partly because Brownie has nudged me towards it, see if I can get 100 Boulder peaks in the year (Green, Bear SoBo)
-- run the Boreas Pass road

Other stuff. 
-- support my daughter in her attainment of a driver’s license.  This is an adventure unto itself.
-- extend into the next step of the college search and supporting activities with my daughter.
-- brew beer, but more as a way to share with people (both the brewing and the beer part)
-- consider how to extend my psuedo new hobby of photography.
--- make our Hawaii trip with our kids and their grandparents as magical as it can be – this might be the last time I have all these people in this place like this.
-- do something with that dang guitar.
-- continue to manage the family finances with my wife so that we focus on living within our means, eliminating debt, growing our portfolio, contributing to charitable causes we support with an eye on the future for us and our family.
-- go on another hunting trip
-- continue to support the community of Scouting
-- continue to support the running community – by volunteering at least one event in assistance.  I am also exploring how I can coach without coaching (if that makes sense).
-- my term with BOSTAC will come to an end in March.  I have no intention of reapplying.  I feel that it is good to let these sort of things roll through other citizens so that new perspectives can be brought to the committee.  There are definitely a small number of players that will be there for a long time to provide historical perspective.  It has been greatly educational for me, but I will look to shift my Broomfield open space and trails efforts to be managed through a different medium.  That might be just attending OSTAC meetings as a citizen (not a committee member) or attending Foundation meetings separately. 
-- we have had the ABC now for a few years, probably half a decade.  It has stood up well for not being regularly used and in the high country of Park County.  But it needs some maintenance beyond just chainsaw camp.  I need to dedicate some time to that.

Tuesday 123113

A good read on Finnish Olympic ski legend Eero Mantyranta.  Dude had naturally occurring crazy hemoglobin levels.

Great read from Magness on randomness of adaptation and how it ties into Crossfit.  I am definitely more of the “jogger syndrome” he describes.

Brownie posted this on FB, and it is worth cross posting here:  you can choose what to make your life one of maximum enthusiasm.

New building conversations kicking up again for Pikes Peak summit house.

Armstrong is apparently now a Biblical character.

Scott Jaime is rounding out his posts on his FKT on the CO trail.

Yes, the six day race is still going on.  Yes, the three day (72 hour) race is concluded by the time I have posted this but the back and forth between Fejes and Kourous in the six day has outpaced those guys by a 100 miles.  At the end of three days, those two guys have done more miles than I have done in the last four weeks.

I have a ridiculously long post chambered that is a list of disconnected unedited thoughts and goals that I am considering for 2014.  I don’t see them as resolutions for the purpose of the new year, but more an outcome from the extended time off I have had.  It is a bit more coincidental that I came to this at this point (unless you recognize that it is no coincidence that I have this time off like this towards the tail of each year).  I am debating if I post this or not, but I probably will … even though I am less inclined to keep those resolutions that are not really resolutions anyway.

10 miles in the mid day.  Windy but warm.

Year end stats:
54 Green summits
22 days off
51 days of business travel (hotel’d somewhere)
21 camping nights (ish)
3493.6 miles
272,300 feet vertical climbed
512.06 hours run
hence averaging:  67.18 miles a week or 9.57 miles a day, and 9.85 hours a week.
When taking out the 22 days off (365-22=343), I end up with 10.19 miles a day.
…and … zero treadmill runs.

The mileage is both impressive and inadequate, and also represents my strength and my weakness.

December is 254.7 miles, 35.87 hours and 21900 vertical feet, 2 days off and 5 Greens. 

Happy with how I was able to recoup on December a bit after a subpar November where things seemed to drive a required break.  This past week was nice in a combination of consistency in miles, but also getting in some turn over work (will look to extend on this between now and Feb XC Nats).  Altitude kicked my arse in the middle of the week for sure and my climbing gears have been ground up and lost some where. 

Set up a slack line for the crumbgrabbers in the backyard today. 

Monday 123013

Pretty interesting comparison of Europe and American running in the MUT space over on TU..

A solid 2013 wrap up list – the best FKTs.  I also kiked AJW’s list of failure posts.

I love watching what Aravaipa Running does with its races.  So simple, incredibly boring to watch, but I am compelled to watch.  Really – a six day race with tracking on the internet.  And a 57 year old Kouros kicking arse (he and Fejes in the 6 day race actually out paced the winner of the 48 hour race at my last check).  I almost want to go and see how these guys manage these races, it is that cool.

I love watching Chris B’s and Jeff M’s photo feeds.  I like Timko’s stuff too but that is different. 

Warmed up over to the track.  I intended to get my 4x(300-200-100) workout (last done on Christmas) in again.  As it turned out, Greg W was there with a few of the dedicated HS runners looking to bridge between XC and track (no real indoor program here like back east I guess).  I yapped with Greg a bit and learned that his kids were doing the same thing (but three sets).  I was welcomed to join in.  It was quickly established that I was probably a bit too slow for the boys and a bit too fast for the ladies.  The boys were not all that much faster than me, but they moved the recoveries a bit faster than I was ready to deal with. Generally, I ran with the ladies but giving them a few seconds to a second on each rep. 

I felt a bit like “that guy” but I also realized that nearly every one of these kids (boy or girl) could probably whip me in a mile right now.  Given that, it was good just to have someone there to do a workout with.  I hit the 300s in 55-56, the 200s in 36-37 and the 100s in 17.  Nuthin’ stellar (again) but just trying to get back into the habit of stuff.  Track had nice mix of clear and snow mixed on it.  I might have been the only guy with the full leg covering on as I think all the rest were in shorts.   The recoveries were 200 after each set, after the 300 and 100 after the 200 (a bit shorter than what I was doing on my own) and with it jogging (versus my typical walk).  Truth be told for these kids, it was really just strides, nuthing hard.  It was a bit harder for me than that I guess.  Oh yeah, wore the HR monitor for the first time in probably six weeks.

Sunday 122913

You worry about all sort of stuff, and then you read something like this and realize it is really not that important.

As is the time, there are a good number of end of year awards being announced.  Flotrack named Mark Wetmore Coach of the Year, and has a good article describing why (hint it is not just the NCAA win).

Good article on why the TSA needs to be looked at in a different light.  I have not checked the author’s credentials but if they are as advertised, I’d say it is solid (although because it goes a bit sideways at times it seems to detract from the article).

Someone shared this Ted talk video with me today (does money make you mean), clearly to challenge me.  Interesting.  I do find I am compelled to debate some of its points, but I guess that only further illustrates that I am mean, self entitled, and not cognizant of the randomness of how successful I have been.  Ugh.

A motivational video for training.  I realize these can come across as a bit over the top but there is a time and place for them.

Bart was going nuts at one of the wood piles at the ABC yesterday.  Actually he did that the day before as well, and drug out the decomposed (dried) body of a packrat.  On this occasion, he ripped the wood pile apart until he found the dried skull of another pack rat.

 

This guy (a Swainson hawk I think) camped in our backyard for a few hours today. 
I was really hopeful that he’d get this guy but that never played out.
The whole affair was driving the Norfolk terrorists nuts.  Clearly I am one step closer to being a retiree since I have come to actually bird watching.  I would really enjoy it if that squirrel was taken out by the hawk though.

9.3 miles in the afternoon, over to check on the burros.  Pace was easy both ways, and coming in around 7:45 on the flats.   57.1 on the week – a bit lower but expected with the holiday fanfare, altitude, etc.  Looks like I will come up a tad short of 3500 miles on the year.  I am not compelled to get 25 miles in the next two days just to force it. 

Someone is 16 today

Love you crunch and munch!

Saturday 122813

8.9 miles back in Broomstock in the late afternoon.  A bit cool and breezy as the sun set. Got rolling okay (low sevens) and hung with that as it was comfortable but steady.  Finished up with a few 200s over at the track to get some turn over (37, 37, 36, 36, 36).  I guess I missed the really warm stuff in the AM, but I beat the snow that came in the early evening.  Running down here after even a couple of days in the mountains made me appreciate what is flat and what is air. 

I expect to be camping with the boy when this goes down but if for any reason that falls through – the place to be is at Brownie’s that weekend.  I’d really be there as I’d look to collect my growler for getting more Green Mountain summits than he did Inclines (although we both fell woefully short of our goal for ‘13 of 100).

Friday 122713

Bizarre dreams last night and not even brew induced.  Altitude does odd things to a person.  

AM – six miles with the dogs  Towards the end, I did a bunch of up and down on a nearby hill.  Not really that steep or that long but it does not take much for me at this altitude at this point.

Afternoon goofing at the cabin.  The solar cell looks like it needs some work.  The dogs enjoyed chasing out pack rats in the area. 

Later I got out for another four miles.  Then got out for a walk.

Mostly relaxing …

This period of time with the family in the mountains has become a pattern over the last few years.  I step away on my runs and find that my thoughts start to wander, contemplating the past, considering the future, both short and long term.  As this coincides with the New Year, these musings can be interpreted as resolutions.  They really are not, but more an outcome of being here where my mind gets a bit more quiet than usual.  I wonder if I’d be more inclined to keep these “resolutions” if I could quiet my mind to get to this space more frequently.

More on what these resolutions are in another post.  Or not.

Thursday 122613

Checked in on the burros. 

Kid drove the whole way to the mountains.  Hoo boy. 


Later, 5 miles at altitude (Fairplay) in the snow so slow.  With the dogs.   This stuff is hard up here even when it is easy.

Wednesday 122513

7.3 miles.  2 miles and change over to the track, and then 4 x 300-200-100, with 100 walk jogs between except a 400 jog between sets.  2 miles home.  First turn over work in a bit and it was goofy.  Some of the niggles that I have been battling that I thought had subsided started to crop a touch as I hit the gas:  the psoas in the rear right, the back, meh.  Oh well. 

Lots of the typical stuff this AM – up before the dawn, paper everywhere and me in a coffee haze.

They got each other the same thing:
Okay, I will take gifts but only if I have my old man face on:
A letter jacket?!

He is almost always smiling …

Post gift crash …

An afternoon visit to the local boys:

Merry Christmas

Tuesday 122413

AM – 6.5 miles.  Ugh.  Wind is back.  Thought I’d get out and push on this but found myself unmotivated once hitting the wind.  Cut things short and headed home.

Looks like Joe Gray will be racing more in the Springs.

Tried “Bring Sally Up” with push ups, but you don’t come to the floor when you come down (just in the position above the floor).  Fail.  Dang hard for me.  I get to about the first chorus and done.  I imagine that dips would be really hard too.

I checked my 2012 stats today, as I noticed I had slipped over 500 hours of running on the year yesterday.  Last year I was 529 (so I don’t expect to surpass that) with 3367 miles, and 236110 of vert.  This year is 3434 of miles, and 269380 of vert. 

Apparently the McCandless bus is becoming a problem.

Monday 122313

Got the dog out for the first four and a half.  JZ joined us for the bit, showing me the mile he has to do at the middle school.  Seems to be fairly accurately measured.  Tacked on afterwards for 10.1.  Most of the craptastic feeling I had yesterday has slipped away.

Sunday 12213

Pretty tired from yesterday but I happened to be in Boulder so I got Green number 54.  Nearly all of the up was a walk, and the down was crazy slow.  The run yesterday, with the weight lifting the day before was clearly felt today.

Traction is probably not really necessary, but there are a few sections where the light powdering of snow does sit on top of some ice, so caution is necessary.  Gregory opened back up recently (but ASG still remains closed).  The trail below the closed cabin is pretty well gone, but folks are using the shoulder in the interim,

Finished the week with 76 and change miles – the largest in nearly two months (also in terms of time (almost 12 hours) and vertical (6800 feet)).  With the holidays next week and probably some mountain visits, that probably won’t be the standard but it was good to get back to some good habits.  Sitting at 3418 miles on the year, so I ought to get 3500, but maybe not.  I am really not worried about (but I guess that sounds stupid as I track it).  About time to start to get some speed back in if I am going to break and hour at USATF XC.

Other recent pix.: