Noticed I had not really updated this all week. Between work, XC, band, and some running, I just haven't made it a priority to blog "well, I ran a slow half dozen miles, blah blah." I am running pretty much every day. Just not much, and not particularly hard. And the Achilles is in the same state. So, not much to consider here for a bit.
Thursday, October 1, 2020
Monday, September 21, 2020
Week ending 20SEP2020
Monday mid day - four on the ditch between calls.
PM - practice, 6 miles with the coaches.
Tuesday AM - 3.7 miles with GW on the Ditch (half hour wake up thing).
PM - 5.2 around practice. Finished with a couple handfuls of strides. Not great.
Wednesday - 7 with practice
Thursday - 7 with practice
Friday - see above
Saturday AM - 7.5 with practice. 3.2 in the afternoon.
Really struggling lately.
Sunday - in the AM, 7.2. 3.6 in the afternoon
Sunday, September 13, 2020
Week ending 13SEP2020
Monday late - ran over to the gym, got in a lift with GW - this felt good to get a bit of that work. Ran for another bit post. 5 miles. Achilles feels like garbage. Smokey - but the temps were dropping from the 90s as the weather was blowing in
Tuesday AM - rain/snow mix. Yes - a mix of that given it was in the 90s yesterday. Good news is that it knocked the smoke down. 4 miles with GW along the paved sides of the Ditch.
Tuesday PM - 5.1 miles during practice. Lots of snow.
Wednesday PM - 5 miles during practice. I need to get back to some good habits.
Thursday AM - trying to reboot the brain to get past the concern about the Achilles. 5 miles with GW and a few of the athletes. Felt nice actually. The Achilles was crap but it felt good to start the day this way.
Friday - 10 miles around practice.
Saturday - 10 miles in the afternoon - post meet.
Sunday AM - 10 miles out of Commons, Braun joined for a little over the first half.
Meh.
Sunday, September 6, 2020
Week ending 06SEP2020
Monday AM - 5.1 miles with Greg on Ridgeview.
Interestingly with this run, I hit 750 miles for the period of time from June 1 to August 31. That is a throw back to the 750 club from high school (that I never achieved, or even seriously pursued). It has been a pretty common occurrence over the last few years, but it apparently was not a given this year with the gracilas injury (sliding in head first on the last day of the period). It also means I have averaged just over 8 miles a day over the last three months ... which ain't great but also reflective of the injury and coming back from it.
Monday PM - kids had a workout - I got five getting there and back, flagging, etc.
Tuesday mid day - 7.1 miles. Achilles a little better but sleeping poorly lately so the legs feel like crapola.
Wednesday afternoon - 8 miles, built around the practice. Bunch ahead of it and then helping some kids on their repeats (so I got some 6:20 work).
Thursday AM - 7.2 miles on the Ridgeview Commons Ditch loop
Thursday PM - 3 miles at practice.
Friday PM - hot again. A slow 8 miles. Got into the gym and did some lifting too.
Saturday AM - some miles while at the Niwot Invite at Lyons course. 3 miles
Sunday PM - climbed out of Hoosier Pass to the east and towards Silverheels. Didn't get to the peak but a ridge to the north of it as I explored around. 6 miles.
Sort of just flaying a bit these days with the Achilles, practice, etc.
Monday, August 31, 2020
Week ending 30AUG2020
Monday AM - four miles while the kiddos did hills.
The best breakfast...
Monday evening - late with GW on the Ridgeview Trail. 5 miles. Still stupid hot and smokey.
Tuesday AM - 5 miles between calls
Tuesday PM - 3 miles super slow
Wednesday AM - met up with Greg and E and did 7.2 miles with 10 by a minute in there. First time rolling in a couple of weeks and it felt good (and that it didn't feel good but it felt good to not feel good sort of way).
Thursday AM - 5.1 on Ditch Ridgeview. In the afternoon, marked the course for the Broomfield Battle meet (our home course), and then biked it 5 times (at least) for the races - a bit of work in the grass.
Friday afternoon - a half dozen at the Mountain Vista Meet. Hill. Achilles was a piece of crap post this. Rainy - which was nice to knock the smoke and temps down.
Saturday AM - 8.3 miles including a dozen or so 100 strides and 3 of the 500s (of a larger set) that Eryn was doing (5:30 pace). Achilles sucks but I will continue to ignore it. I was fine for the most part on the 500s (a bit faster than 1:45 per) and felt I could roll that for a mile (just under 5:30) but it was probably equally as likely that I'd fall apart after a kilo, or that a rubber band would snap.
Sunday AM - more running drudgery with the Achilles. 5.2 miles. Lake Link and Ditch. Need to obviously shift something up.
Sunday PM - an easy four before some guitar dueling with CG.
Low week ... I guess I got some quality in and that is good. The meets threw me a bit more than I expected.
Sunday, August 23, 2020
Week ending 24AUG2020
Monday PM - ass kicker of a work day (if I can have such a thing) and never felt great. 9.1 miles. TZ biked most of it with me.
Tuesday PM - Greg popped by and we did half an hour on the ditch (mid to upper 90s) and then I tacked on another round out there and bit to get 9 miles. I still feel like garbage. Achilles is a piece of crap. Ah well. 2100 miles on the year as of this run.
Wednesday evening - loooong day on Zoom. That is the nature of it these days: don't travel but on it on the intertubes. Jogged over to the HS and scoped out a 5K XC course of sorts. 5.2 miles.
Thursday AM - attempting to get back on a little bit of the morning train to avoid the afternoon heat. 3.7 miles on the ditch.
Thursday PM - holy crap a spit of rain. 7 mile loop. Still feel like hell baby.
Friday PM - hot again. 9 miles. Didn't wear socks. That was dumb. Achilles is a worn out steel belted radial gator raider.
Saturday AM - back to practice. 9.7 miles, including wheeling off the XC course. Achilles bleh.
Sunday AM dragging ... 9 miles. Out along the ditch up into East and Central Park. Slow.
Body was just beat this week. I ought to take the cue. But whatever.
Sunday, August 16, 2020
Week ending 16AUG2020
Monday AM - good news: the gracilas feels fine. Bad news: the Achilles is still shit. 6.6 miles with a couple of handfuls of hills with the kids.
PM - hot - 3.7 ditchin'
Tuesday AM - 4 miles and this was all I got. Booked all day and was fried at the end of it.
Wednesday AM - first official day of practice. Clearly practice impacts my ability to get my true stuff done. 5.7 miles. Achilles felt a little better. Gracilas seemed fined.
Wednesday PM - smokey. I ran to the car shop to pick up the car and then added on. 5.3 miles
Thursday AM. Still really smokey. 10 miles. Was definitely feeling beat today, in the gracilas, the Achilles, and just ... tired. Days like today make me realize that Pikes is a stupid idea for me right now.
Friday AM - 6.4 miles. Not feeling it.
Friday PM - HOT. Smoke has subsided a bit. 3.9 miles ditchin'
Saturday AM - back down for the TT from Tahosa (early baby, early). Post the TT I did 8 miles. Slow
Sunday PM - hot as Hades. Stopped at Rails for mid run beverage and to listen to Shawn for a bit. 7.5 miles.
Yeah, I am too broken to do Pikes. Any thought of that pretty much evaporated this week. True bummer.
=
Sunday, August 9, 2020
Week ending 09AUG2020
Monday AM - 5.6 miles out towards Sterns Lake, super easy and with the team. Things certainly on the mend but not doing anything to aggravate.
Monday PM - taking a risk, rolled out again and felt good. Did the ditch loop and started at 8 minute pace but nudged down comfortably to 7:20. Got me thinking about if I could get my crap together for PPM, but still not gonna gamble on that.
Tuesday AM - easy seven with the team.
Tuesday PM - easy 3.3 on the ditch.
Wednesday late AM - easy 5.1 on the ditch / Lake Link loop solo. Legs still don't feel zippy but I am increasingly moving past the hammy issue. Easy averaged to 7:50 today. Someday that will be an unattainable mile.
Wednesday PM - easy, same route as t-storm blew in.
Monday PM - taking a risk, rolled out again and felt good. Did the ditch loop and started at 8 minute pace but nudged down comfortably to 7:20. Got me thinking about if I could get my crap together for PPM, but still not gonna gamble on that.
Tuesday AM - easy seven with the team.
Tuesday PM - easy 3.3 on the ditch.
Wednesday late AM - easy 5.1 on the ditch / Lake Link loop solo. Legs still don't feel zippy but I am increasingly moving past the hammy issue. Easy averaged to 7:50 today. Someday that will be an unattainable mile.
Wednesday PM - easy, same route as t-storm blew in.
Thursday AM - 4.3 miles with the team.
Thursday PM - 5 miles, mostly floating around the HS trying to imagine a course on the confines of that property.
Friday AM - ugh. Late night with music and such last night. 4 miles at practice. Getting hot.
Friday PM - HOT. 5.1 miles.
Saturday AM - 7.5 miles, some part of practice, some post solo.
Mid day Saturday I saw Mark again and he worked on the gracilas manually, with microneedles and e-stim. Much better than last week but he can still light me up pretty easily.
Saturday PM - hot. 3.7 on the ditch.
Sunday AM - 7.1 miles solo, out through the Commons
All very basic easy miles this week - just keeping it basically glued together. Lot of contemplation over the last few days if I could pull off Pikes. The hammy seems to be coming around and so I have been considering it. But outside of that, I am suddenly aware that I am pretty tired, unfocused, and fighting the Achilles bark on the other side. It might be a blessing to miss Pikes but I am also wondering if I should just jump on it anyway.
I have also tended away from most social media platforms for a bit now. I have not taken a complete sabbatical. There are enough work related items or even items related to the HS XC that I am still gonna have my nose in my phone, but I have look to reduce what I do with it because it suddenly feels pretty unnecessary (that said, I still feel compelled to post some music on the H9 page on FB periodically).
Sunday, August 2, 2020
Week ending 02AUG2020
The wheels came off this week for the most part. The hammie was too jacked to do any running through the most of the week. On Monday I jogged four strides and knew I had no chance of getting anything in. I tried on Wednesday jogging for about a mile and it was really aggravated after that.
I was on the bike everyday, guessing from about 7 to 20 miles, sometimes twice in a day, but it is just not my jam. It was good to get out an breathe, but it is clearly not running.
As expected the soreness and pain got a bit better throughout the week, but slowly. On Saturday I went and saw Mark P. He lit me up good. He determined I had a torn gracilas muscle, could see significant remnant bruising underneath it by the back of the knee. He played with the collagen like a guitar string and that made for some significant squirming. I got some microneedling and then electrostim on it. Microneedles to the inner thigh was certainly a new experience.
I managed on Saturday to get in two short jogs though - both an easy 25 minutes on the track, lane 8, opposite direction. A touch of stiffness but in that space that is on the mend side. Sunday was more of the same - two short runs, easy and flat.
It would seem with this injury that Pikes is out. I can't imagine getting back to where I can handle a marathon on a rocky trail like that in twenty something days. It is a bummer, but these things happen. I am pretty disappointed, but I can see this was something that "just happened." Perhaps I could have seen it coming if I was hyper attuned to that body part, or perhaps I could have avoided it with some other strength training or better care of self (Mark thought I probably was lacking electrolytes). I don't know. But I am old enough and have done the race enough times that I don't ascribe the same level of self worth to it as I used. I am disappointed, but I can "see" it with a perspective that I certainly did not used to have.
Of course not running always does a reboot for me regarding perspective. When I can't run I am sort of befuddled as to what to do. I can easily see a life without that wonderful habit, and seem to lose motivation to do other things (say like core) but I also yearn for the ability to just easily jog and not care about performance. I can realize again how running is a cornerstone for my mental well being more than my physical one.
July ended on a skid of course ... 8 days off, with 6 being in the last week. 219 miles and about 1940 on the year. August will be focused on getting back on the horse, versus vying for an AG placing at PPM.
Some recent tunes
Biking with JZ
Kids getting strides in.
Hair is getting a bit long in these COVID times.
Sunday, July 26, 2020
Week ending 26JUL2020
Monday AM - super easy five miles as a part of practice.
Tuesday AM - 8.6, some warming up with Syd kid for her workout, some with Greg as we warmed the kids up for their workout at Stonehenge. Strides. Felt better at the end than the start.
Wednesday AM - 20 minute warm up (Syd joined me), strides. 15 minutes at 6:24 pace (was targeting 6:30) then 3 min. recovery, then 8 x 400 at 6:00 pace (so 90s) on 90" rest. Started too fast and came on at 86, back it off to 87 for the next three, then a couple of 86s, an 85 and an 84. Humid but not too hot - all at the middle school track. Long cool down getting over to the team. 12.1 miles.
Thursday AM - 9.1 miles with the team. Explored the new bridge over the railroad at the end of Hoyt Street. Love it.
Friday AM - warming up for a light tempo and out of nowhere - boom right hammie yelled pretty loud and I was done. 5.1 miles. Damn it.
Throughout the day, I tried to baby it, but it was clear that it was pretty heavily strained. It will require a few days off (at least). Not ideal at this time for a variety of reasons. I am certainly not happy about it but I can see it with a bit of a different perspective than I could a couple of decades ago, and even different than a handful of years ago.
I am hopeful that this mends over the next couple of days, and that a few days of rest actually gets me back on track on feeling on top of my training when I get back to it - and just in time for a solid Pikes performance. I have taken bigger periods of time off and done fine, so I can get over the falsehood that if I am not running everyday I am falling apart.
Saturday AM - OFF. First day off I think since February 29. I guess I needed it. While I hoped for a better feeling wheel this AM, I knew it was not gonna magically clear up over night. There were some intentions to run the Fat Ass Ass Race in Fairplay (which is 34 plus miles this year) but I notified folks that is not an option for me (not even the short course).
Biked with the kids at practice.
Sunday - OFF. Headed to Fairplay and worked as a volunteer for the "race." Completely different vibe as the official race was cancelled. Different course, no spectators, and only FOUR runners did the long course. I definitely had a woulda, coulda, should set of thoughts as Bob and Marvin stepped away early and went 31 miles plus with Marvin eeking a win by a tenth.
PS - it drives me crazy when someone loses like that and then someone comes up to them and says "YOU LOST BY A TENTH OF A SECOND." This is usually followed by "WHAT HAPPENED?" Having been on the receiving end of that ... well, I guess it is a test of patience.
Hammy is a bit better but it was certainly not gonna handle 15 miles or 50k.
Screwed week but we will press on.
Tuesday AM - 8.6, some warming up with Syd kid for her workout, some with Greg as we warmed the kids up for their workout at Stonehenge. Strides. Felt better at the end than the start.
Wednesday AM - 20 minute warm up (Syd joined me), strides. 15 minutes at 6:24 pace (was targeting 6:30) then 3 min. recovery, then 8 x 400 at 6:00 pace (so 90s) on 90" rest. Started too fast and came on at 86, back it off to 87 for the next three, then a couple of 86s, an 85 and an 84. Humid but not too hot - all at the middle school track. Long cool down getting over to the team. 12.1 miles.
Thursday AM - 9.1 miles with the team. Explored the new bridge over the railroad at the end of Hoyt Street. Love it.
Friday AM - warming up for a light tempo and out of nowhere - boom right hammie yelled pretty loud and I was done. 5.1 miles. Damn it.
Throughout the day, I tried to baby it, but it was clear that it was pretty heavily strained. It will require a few days off (at least). Not ideal at this time for a variety of reasons. I am certainly not happy about it but I can see it with a bit of a different perspective than I could a couple of decades ago, and even different than a handful of years ago.
I am hopeful that this mends over the next couple of days, and that a few days of rest actually gets me back on track on feeling on top of my training when I get back to it - and just in time for a solid Pikes performance. I have taken bigger periods of time off and done fine, so I can get over the falsehood that if I am not running everyday I am falling apart.
Saturday AM - OFF. First day off I think since February 29. I guess I needed it. While I hoped for a better feeling wheel this AM, I knew it was not gonna magically clear up over night. There were some intentions to run the Fat Ass Ass Race in Fairplay (which is 34 plus miles this year) but I notified folks that is not an option for me (not even the short course).
Biked with the kids at practice.
Sunday - OFF. Headed to Fairplay and worked as a volunteer for the "race." Completely different vibe as the official race was cancelled. Different course, no spectators, and only FOUR runners did the long course. I definitely had a woulda, coulda, should set of thoughts as Bob and Marvin stepped away early and went 31 miles plus with Marvin eeking a win by a tenth.
PS - it drives me crazy when someone loses like that and then someone comes up to them and says "YOU LOST BY A TENTH OF A SECOND." This is usually followed by "WHAT HAPPENED?" Having been on the receiving end of that ... well, I guess it is a test of patience.
Hammy is a bit better but it was certainly not gonna handle 15 miles or 50k.
Screwed week but we will press on.
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Week ending 19JUL2020
Monday AM - tired, definitely feeling yesterday's effort. Kept it super easy - 6.3 miles with the team. Achilles was fairly hot last night but none too bad this AM.
Monday ending up being a rather unproductive day. I mean, I went through the motions, but I was generally not on par for the game.
I also broke my right pinky toe. I walloped it against the exercise bike accidentally while walking around barefoot.
Tuesday AM - 9.5 miles, strides at the end. Joined up with SB, GW for some work before practice. Slipped on the Hokas to get a bit more protection around that broken toe. Easy and slow.
Wednesday AM - 12.2 miles. 6 x 5' on 2 to 3' active recovery on Ridgeview. Not bad, not great. Got work in, just didn't crush it - the hills were a good kick in the mouth. Jogged over to practice afterwards and did a longish cool down. Legs were fairly toasted post this.
Thursday AM - 9 miles easy.
Friday AM - out of Founders Park in Superior. Met the team over there for a trail run. Headed up over the mesa towards Coalton and back. 8 miles with strides.
Saturday AM - 20 minute warm up over to practice, got the kids going then the preliminary strides. 10 x 150m on 250m rest. 28 low to start and then most 27 low, a few 26s and finished with a 25. Jogged around a bit while JZ finished a workout. 8.3 miles.
Sunday afternoon - paddled at Dillon in the AM, then back down to the Front Range. Headed out of the lot on 93 up into Springbrook, etc. Achilles was lousy and I was worked. 12.5 miles. Some vertical but not as much as I liked or as long as I hoped for.
Fair week. Felt more under the training this week versus on top of it. 1900 miles on the year as of this week over 230 runs (and just through 200th day of the year).
Monday ending up being a rather unproductive day. I mean, I went through the motions, but I was generally not on par for the game.
I also broke my right pinky toe. I walloped it against the exercise bike accidentally while walking around barefoot.
Tuesday AM - 9.5 miles, strides at the end. Joined up with SB, GW for some work before practice. Slipped on the Hokas to get a bit more protection around that broken toe. Easy and slow.
Wednesday AM - 12.2 miles. 6 x 5' on 2 to 3' active recovery on Ridgeview. Not bad, not great. Got work in, just didn't crush it - the hills were a good kick in the mouth. Jogged over to practice afterwards and did a longish cool down. Legs were fairly toasted post this.
Thursday AM - 9 miles easy.
Friday AM - out of Founders Park in Superior. Met the team over there for a trail run. Headed up over the mesa towards Coalton and back. 8 miles with strides.
Saturday AM - 20 minute warm up over to practice, got the kids going then the preliminary strides. 10 x 150m on 250m rest. 28 low to start and then most 27 low, a few 26s and finished with a 25. Jogged around a bit while JZ finished a workout. 8.3 miles.
Sunday afternoon - paddled at Dillon in the AM, then back down to the Front Range. Headed out of the lot on 93 up into Springbrook, etc. Achilles was lousy and I was worked. 12.5 miles. Some vertical but not as much as I liked or as long as I hoped for.
Fair week. Felt more under the training this week versus on top of it. 1900 miles on the year as of this week over 230 runs (and just through 200th day of the year).
Sunday, July 12, 2020
Week ending 12JUL2020
Monday AM - 8.1 miles easy and some strides around practice.
Tuesday AM - 11.5 miles. 10 x 500 on about equal time rest. Was going about 1:46, 1:47 (with the thought that is what 600 v 500 repeats used to be none too long ago). After six I had to high tail it to practice and so did the last four as a 1:50 repeat on the roads, trying to get to the same effort.
Wednesday AM - 10 miles easy. About half of it with the team.
Thursday AM - really tired and the Achilles was irked. 8.5 miles with a pickup and some strides at the end.
Friday AM - 5 mile tempo on the roads. Never felt so great. Effort was there but the pace was lacking today. Ended up averaging about 6:40. 11.5 miles.
Saturday AM - up at Tahosa. 7 miles up the road towards Beaver Res, and then up the Cony Flats 4WD road for a bit.
Sunday evening - back from Tahosa and bit fried. Biked a dozen or so with TZ. Headed over Green via the back route, then down the always redone Bear Canyon.
Fair week - nothing great. 66 miles, a good climb, a fair workout on Friday, a better one on Tuesday, and some time up high (with two nights in a tent too).
Did about an hour an half last week as a Live Stream.
Tuesday AM - 11.5 miles. 10 x 500 on about equal time rest. Was going about 1:46, 1:47 (with the thought that is what 600 v 500 repeats used to be none too long ago). After six I had to high tail it to practice and so did the last four as a 1:50 repeat on the roads, trying to get to the same effort.
Wednesday AM - 10 miles easy. About half of it with the team.
Thursday AM - really tired and the Achilles was irked. 8.5 miles with a pickup and some strides at the end.
Friday AM - 5 mile tempo on the roads. Never felt so great. Effort was there but the pace was lacking today. Ended up averaging about 6:40. 11.5 miles.
Saturday AM - up at Tahosa. 7 miles up the road towards Beaver Res, and then up the Cony Flats 4WD road for a bit.
Sunday evening - back from Tahosa and bit fried. Biked a dozen or so with TZ. Headed over Green via the back route, then down the always redone Bear Canyon.
Fair week - nothing great. 66 miles, a good climb, a fair workout on Friday, a better one on Tuesday, and some time up high (with two nights in a tent too).
Did about an hour an half last week as a Live Stream.
Really diggin' Soul's Core Revival this week. Loved the original back in the 90s, and enjoying reconnecting with it now.
Sunday, July 5, 2020
Week ending 05JUL2020
Monday AM - some jogging with GW before practice and then practice. 8 miles easy total.
Tuesday AM - 9 miles, with strides and a bit of a pick up at the end. Joined SB and GW for the second half.
June ends with 267.3 miles, 37.55 hours, 18,500 feet. On the year sitting at 1,722.7 miles, 233.87 hours and 78,800 feet. 221 runs on the year (so an average run is about 7.8 miles), averaging 66+ miles / 9 hours a week. 2 days off on the year. Still no change on travel since March of course.
Wednesday AM - short hills on Eagle Hill W-20:00 warm-up, 4x100 strides and then 2 sets of 6x:45 up-and-overs. Up for 30, down for 15. Jog back recovery, and 2:30 between sets Float up and run down hard. It was good. I managed the float about right and then punched the gas over the top. Did practice post and ended up with 10.7 on the day.
Thursday AM - easy seven miles, some with the team. Achilles is still pissed on the lawn mower foot but it has been that way for about six months now.
Friday AM - on short sleep (band work last night) got out for "cruise intervals" on the track before practice. 8 x kilo on 200m rest, starting at 3:53 for the first couple and then ~3:51 for the next three, 3:49, 3:47, 3:43. Good workout with effort slowly building over it. Ended up with about 12.5 miles all told.
Saturday AM - a couple of hours in the hills and a couple thousand ish of vertical.
Sunday AM - 90 minutes in the hills.
Good week - 60 plus miles, 6k plus vertical feet, and 2 solid workouts. Achilles may be a bit of an issue but tending to it as necessary.
Tuesday AM - 9 miles, with strides and a bit of a pick up at the end. Joined SB and GW for the second half.
June ends with 267.3 miles, 37.55 hours, 18,500 feet. On the year sitting at 1,722.7 miles, 233.87 hours and 78,800 feet. 221 runs on the year (so an average run is about 7.8 miles), averaging 66+ miles / 9 hours a week. 2 days off on the year. Still no change on travel since March of course.
Wednesday AM - short hills on Eagle Hill W-20:00 warm-up, 4x100 strides and then 2 sets of 6x:45 up-and-overs. Up for 30, down for 15. Jog back recovery, and 2:30 between sets Float up and run down hard. It was good. I managed the float about right and then punched the gas over the top. Did practice post and ended up with 10.7 on the day.
Thursday AM - easy seven miles, some with the team. Achilles is still pissed on the lawn mower foot but it has been that way for about six months now.
Friday AM - on short sleep (band work last night) got out for "cruise intervals" on the track before practice. 8 x kilo on 200m rest, starting at 3:53 for the first couple and then ~3:51 for the next three, 3:49, 3:47, 3:43. Good workout with effort slowly building over it. Ended up with about 12.5 miles all told.
Saturday AM - a couple of hours in the hills and a couple thousand ish of vertical.
Sunday AM - 90 minutes in the hills.
Good week - 60 plus miles, 6k plus vertical feet, and 2 solid workouts. Achilles may be a bit of an issue but tending to it as necessary.
Monday, June 29, 2020
Week ending 28JUN2020
Monday AM - week 2 of practice has started ... I did 30 minutes with GW prior and then another 30 as the kids rolled out. Easy easy. Felt pretty good though. Achilles is a bit of a whiner but I get over it.
Tuesday AM - 1/2 an hour with GW and SB. She had some fartlek in there but I floated back on the ups. Easy day for me. Another half an hour with the team as they started and then some strides. 8 miles.
Wednesday AM - 10 by 1 minute on Eagle Hill. Was certainly in the box for the last 3. Ran over to the school afterwards to get practice rolling. 10.3 miles.
Thursday AM - easy 8 with SB, GW.
Friday AM - easy 5 with SB, GW for part of it. Strides.
Saturday AM - warm up then four miles at 6:30, 6:27, 6:26, 6:27. Never felt great - sort of one of those runs that felt like 15-20 seconds faster than it actually was. But got it done. Finished with four 200s, 38-40. Longish warm down as a part of practice. 11.6 miles.
Sunday afternoon - paddled up at Horsetooth with TZ in the AM. Late in the afternoon I made it over to Green and went up the front. Most of it was a hike. Came back down via Greenman, cut over to Flagstaff and then came back via Crown Rock. 7.3 miles. Saw a flock of wild turkeys. So wonderfully quiet up in the OSMP when you go at the right time.
A slightly shorter week on whole but fair quality.
Tuesday AM - 1/2 an hour with GW and SB. She had some fartlek in there but I floated back on the ups. Easy day for me. Another half an hour with the team as they started and then some strides. 8 miles.
Wednesday AM - 10 by 1 minute on Eagle Hill. Was certainly in the box for the last 3. Ran over to the school afterwards to get practice rolling. 10.3 miles.
Thursday AM - easy 8 with SB, GW.
Friday AM - easy 5 with SB, GW for part of it. Strides.
Saturday AM - warm up then four miles at 6:30, 6:27, 6:26, 6:27. Never felt great - sort of one of those runs that felt like 15-20 seconds faster than it actually was. But got it done. Finished with four 200s, 38-40. Longish warm down as a part of practice. 11.6 miles.
Sunday afternoon - paddled up at Horsetooth with TZ in the AM. Late in the afternoon I made it over to Green and went up the front. Most of it was a hike. Came back down via Greenman, cut over to Flagstaff and then came back via Crown Rock. 7.3 miles. Saw a flock of wild turkeys. So wonderfully quiet up in the OSMP when you go at the right time.
A slightly shorter week on whole but fair quality.
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Week ending 21JUN2020
Monday AM - first day of practice. Limited size groups, face masks, screening questions and temperature taking. Fun stuff. Easy easy ... 6.1 miles.
Tuesday AM - jogged over to high school and ran with Braun on her warm up. Continued jog with Greg and AG as the kids headed out. Strides at the end. 9.1 miles.
Wednesday AM - 50 second repeats on Eagle Hill. Maybe a C+ or a B-. Meh. Got it done but never felt on it. Jogged over to HS after to run with the team. 11.4 miles.
Thursday AM - 8.2 miles, made up of jogging over to the school, getting in some with Braun, Parker and Greg before practice, some with the squad, and then a jog home. Easy.
Friday AM - cooler morning with some raining spitting at the start. Met up with Greg and Syd and agreed to run with Braun on her tempo for 15 minutes. Then jumped into practice. 8.5 miles.
Got word Friday morning that the Pikes Peak Marathon was gonna happen with some modifications (wave starts, no awards assembly post, etc). Time to get a bit more aggressive with the hills and the altitude.
Saturday AM - JZ and I took a jaunt up to Mosquito Pass and then pushed on to Kuss Peak. 7.3 miles with over 2k of climbing - just some exposure to 11.5 to 13.5k of altitude.
Sunday - another run up at altitude (10.2-10.5k). 10.5 miles, with about 1100 feet - so a bit more of proper running (v. the slog/hike yesterday). First four with JZ.
Good week on whole - 60 plus miles, 6k feet of climbing, with most of it coming on the weekend. Gonna need to shift a bit more to hills and altitude while also trying to keep in touch with the basics now that Pikes Marathon is a go (until it is not a go, right?).
Tuesday AM - jogged over to high school and ran with Braun on her warm up. Continued jog with Greg and AG as the kids headed out. Strides at the end. 9.1 miles.
Wednesday AM - 50 second repeats on Eagle Hill. Maybe a C+ or a B-. Meh. Got it done but never felt on it. Jogged over to HS after to run with the team. 11.4 miles.
Thursday AM - 8.2 miles, made up of jogging over to the school, getting in some with Braun, Parker and Greg before practice, some with the squad, and then a jog home. Easy.
Friday AM - cooler morning with some raining spitting at the start. Met up with Greg and Syd and agreed to run with Braun on her tempo for 15 minutes. Then jumped into practice. 8.5 miles.
Got word Friday morning that the Pikes Peak Marathon was gonna happen with some modifications (wave starts, no awards assembly post, etc). Time to get a bit more aggressive with the hills and the altitude.
Saturday AM - JZ and I took a jaunt up to Mosquito Pass and then pushed on to Kuss Peak. 7.3 miles with over 2k of climbing - just some exposure to 11.5 to 13.5k of altitude.
Sunday - another run up at altitude (10.2-10.5k). 10.5 miles, with about 1100 feet - so a bit more of proper running (v. the slog/hike yesterday). First four with JZ.
Good week on whole - 60 plus miles, 6k feet of climbing, with most of it coming on the weekend. Gonna need to shift a bit more to hills and altitude while also trying to keep in touch with the basics now that Pikes Marathon is a go (until it is not a go, right?).
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Week ending 14JUN2020
Monday AM - tired. With GW. 7.5 over an hour easy.
Afternoon ditchin ... 3 miles super easy.
Tuesday AM - 6 miles with strides, easy with GW. Raining which was nice.
Wednesday AM - Eagle Hill. This time 35" up at a 7 effort (mark the spot on rep 1 to have a reference), jog down, turn around 20" up at a 8-9 effort, jog down, take 30" and repeat. Six reps. Started at the trash can. Was moving up pretty well on these - doing the 35"s at 5:40 to start and carving those down to near 5' flat pace. The 20"s were probably a bit rich but I was having fun. Those started at 5' pace and got down to 4:40. 6.5 miles all told. GW in it the whole time.
Afternoon ditchin ... 3.9 miles.
Thursday AM - Ridgeview LaAmora loop with GW and SB. Added on a bit afterwards. 7.7 miles easy.
Friday PM - nicely warm (upper 80s). 8.2 miles. Strides at the end.
Saturday AM - 8 x 1/2 mile (or whatever Stonehenge loop is). 2:55. 2:51, 2:53, 2:53, 2:53, 2:54, 2:55, 2:53. Definitely was working that up hill half on the last couple. Rest was 2:30 to 3. 10 miles. Glad to get it done early before the heat cranked up. Braun was out there doing a different workout and having the company helped. Coyotes all around on this one.
Sunday afternoon - 13 miles in Dillon and Frisco along the bike path. Went up there to get in some kayaking in. I was a bit tired but I was moving well for 9k feet (averaging sub 7:50s).
Fun week. Still trying to play the basic fitness cards across the board thinking PPM could happen.
This week's Friday night live stream. Work to do.
Afternoon ditchin ... 3 miles super easy.
Tuesday AM - 6 miles with strides, easy with GW. Raining which was nice.
Wednesday AM - Eagle Hill. This time 35" up at a 7 effort (mark the spot on rep 1 to have a reference), jog down, turn around 20" up at a 8-9 effort, jog down, take 30" and repeat. Six reps. Started at the trash can. Was moving up pretty well on these - doing the 35"s at 5:40 to start and carving those down to near 5' flat pace. The 20"s were probably a bit rich but I was having fun. Those started at 5' pace and got down to 4:40. 6.5 miles all told. GW in it the whole time.
Afternoon ditchin ... 3.9 miles.
Thursday AM - Ridgeview LaAmora loop with GW and SB. Added on a bit afterwards. 7.7 miles easy.
Friday PM - nicely warm (upper 80s). 8.2 miles. Strides at the end.
Saturday AM - 8 x 1/2 mile (or whatever Stonehenge loop is). 2:55. 2:51, 2:53, 2:53, 2:53, 2:54, 2:55, 2:53. Definitely was working that up hill half on the last couple. Rest was 2:30 to 3. 10 miles. Glad to get it done early before the heat cranked up. Braun was out there doing a different workout and having the company helped. Coyotes all around on this one.
Sunday afternoon - 13 miles in Dillon and Frisco along the bike path. Went up there to get in some kayaking in. I was a bit tired but I was moving well for 9k feet (averaging sub 7:50s).
Fun week. Still trying to play the basic fitness cards across the board thinking PPM could happen.
This week's Friday night live stream. Work to do.
Sunday, June 7, 2020
Week ending 07JUN2020
Monday - already could feel the heat starting to build a bit at 7:30. 5.7 very easy with G and IW. Strides
Tuesday AM - with GW and SB (she had her own workout). I did Eagle Hill again, same as last week but this time on the stretch from the bottom pipe to the top. Coincidentally, this is almost a quarter mile exactly, and about a 100 meters longer than from the trash can to the top. The additional section actually adds on a little downhill at the start to roll it, and then some additional uphill, Seven reps, hitting 86.x to 90.x - which is about the same pace as last week, and I guess around six minute pace going up hill. It was typical - a bit of work for the last 15 seconds on the first and more like the last minute towards the end. 7.5 miles. Glad to beat the heat again.
Wednesday AM - 8.5 miles easy. Ran into NE and jogged with him a bit.
PM - ditchin', 3.7 miles. Warm but sort of like saying cold in January.
Thursday mid day - legs felt horrible. Started run as a front blew in and so I was fighting the wind for a bit. Never felt great but managed 7.5 with strides.
Friday - had intentions of doing 5 x mile at Stonehenge (so two laps on that is a mile) but knew I had enough after 4 today. I was working even after the first. Really - just no legs today. 6:07, 6:14 (starting at the bottom) , 6:12, 6:08. GW popped in with me for a few sections. Obviously a bit tougher than the track. Was glad to get it done in the AM, and to beat the heat. 10 miles. Tough one today.
Saturday - not too bad for wear. EZ 7.3 on the Ridgeview Commons loop.
Sunday AM - 12.3 over at the Rocky Flats NWR with GW and SB. Started super slow (near nine minute pace) but eventually warmed up and ended up averaging about 8:06 pace for the run.
Another week in the books. Not a great week - sort of felt a bit tired all week, so it might be time to shift some things up. Life is gonna do that anyway as we are kicking around traveling to work again and opening things up for XC coaching.
Still no word on PPM, but I am wondering what the heck it would be anyway if they had it.
Music has been a bit on a back burner. I forced myself into doing a stream on Friday night. Need to get back on the horse a bit as the lack of regular practice is showing.
Tuesday AM - with GW and SB (she had her own workout). I did Eagle Hill again, same as last week but this time on the stretch from the bottom pipe to the top. Coincidentally, this is almost a quarter mile exactly, and about a 100 meters longer than from the trash can to the top. The additional section actually adds on a little downhill at the start to roll it, and then some additional uphill, Seven reps, hitting 86.x to 90.x - which is about the same pace as last week, and I guess around six minute pace going up hill. It was typical - a bit of work for the last 15 seconds on the first and more like the last minute towards the end. 7.5 miles. Glad to beat the heat again.
Wednesday AM - 8.5 miles easy. Ran into NE and jogged with him a bit.
PM - ditchin', 3.7 miles. Warm but sort of like saying cold in January.
Thursday mid day - legs felt horrible. Started run as a front blew in and so I was fighting the wind for a bit. Never felt great but managed 7.5 with strides.
Friday - had intentions of doing 5 x mile at Stonehenge (so two laps on that is a mile) but knew I had enough after 4 today. I was working even after the first. Really - just no legs today. 6:07, 6:14 (starting at the bottom) , 6:12, 6:08. GW popped in with me for a few sections. Obviously a bit tougher than the track. Was glad to get it done in the AM, and to beat the heat. 10 miles. Tough one today.
Saturday - not too bad for wear. EZ 7.3 on the Ridgeview Commons loop.
Sunday AM - 12.3 over at the Rocky Flats NWR with GW and SB. Started super slow (near nine minute pace) but eventually warmed up and ended up averaging about 8:06 pace for the run.
Another week in the books. Not a great week - sort of felt a bit tired all week, so it might be time to shift some things up. Life is gonna do that anyway as we are kicking around traveling to work again and opening things up for XC coaching.
Still no word on PPM, but I am wondering what the heck it would be anyway if they had it.
Music has been a bit on a back burner. I forced myself into doing a stream on Friday night. Need to get back on the horse a bit as the lack of regular practice is showing.
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Week ending 31MAY2020
Monday AM - easy 6.8 with strides around Broomstock with GW.
PM - with KZ, chatting on her training, goals, etc. Very nice. 4.6 miles. Will pretty much always say yes to these mi
Pics of recent bee swarm in back yard.
Tuesday PM - warm - in the 80s. 8 x on Eagle Hill from the trash can to the top (so a bit longer than the last couple of weeks). 69 to start and down to 67 at the end. Probably an 8 effort, but one of those ones where I went steady on number one knowing that by number 4 it would be work. 7.7 miles.
Wednesday AM - an easy 8.1 that was surprisingly at 7:30 pace even though my legs felt a bit heavy from yesterday. Middle part was with GW and EC as they warmed up for their workout.
Thursday - well, the PPA cancelled. There is still a chance that PPM will happen but it seems pretty unlikely in my opinion. Could be a summer of trying to get 5k fit.
Vid from this week's virtual open mic night
PM - with KZ, chatting on her training, goals, etc. Very nice. 4.6 miles. Will pretty much always say yes to these mi
Pics of recent bee swarm in back yard.
Tuesday PM - warm - in the 80s. 8 x on Eagle Hill from the trash can to the top (so a bit longer than the last couple of weeks). 69 to start and down to 67 at the end. Probably an 8 effort, but one of those ones where I went steady on number one knowing that by number 4 it would be work. 7.7 miles.
Wednesday AM - an easy 8.1 that was surprisingly at 7:30 pace even though my legs felt a bit heavy from yesterday. Middle part was with GW and EC as they warmed up for their workout.
Thursday - well, the PPA cancelled. There is still a chance that PPM will happen but it seems pretty unlikely in my opinion. Could be a summer of trying to get 5k fit.
Vid from this week's virtual open mic night
Still working on the sound. It is rough. I'm gonna see if I can punch it right into the computer the next go around.
PM - 8.5 miles - strides at the end. Oh yeah it is snake season.
Friday PM - a bit rough. Wanted to progress over 30 minutes from 6:30 to 6:10 pace but sort of got stuck at 6:20 pace in the second half. Still better than 2 months ago though. Hot, I'm probably gonna need to shift to mornings soon. 10.1 miles.
New addition to the fam. Meet Sage.
Saturday AM - 8.2 with GW round Lac Amora through the hospital. Pretty tired.
Sunday - contemplated the hills but the legs were pretty beat so I did 13.2 from the house. Got moving pretty well once I woke up a bit. Glad to get it done before 10:30 as the heat was starting to crank up.
Good week on whole. Month ends with 290.7 miles, almost 40 hours, and almost 19k feet. On the year I sit at 1455 miles, 60k feet and 196 plus hours. 187 runs on the year, 2 off days. Still on 28 travel nights because of the shut down, but I am clearly enjoying some benefits from that in terms of fitness.
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Week ending 24MAY2020
Monday - long work day, as long as if I was actually on site. 7.2 miles after I pushed back from the desk. Easy. Ran into NE out there and we jogged most of the La Amora loop together. Good to catch up. Good dude.
Tuesday AM - early, again almost as if I were on a road trip. 6.2 miles with 8 x 50' on Eagle Hill. I stopped looking at the watch after number two, and just ran from the trash can on the bottom to the line I drew about four telephone poles up. Solid.
Tuesday PM - an easy 30 minutes with GW. 3.8 miles. Tired.
Wednesday AM - pretty tired in the legs so just an easy hour early. It is good that I have full days this week as it forces the run/motivation to be performed early. I sort of like that. 7.6 miles.
Thursday PM - feeling pretty good and might have rolled a bit quick for an easy day. 7 miles, with last 2 minutes a bit uptempo and 4 strides.
Friday PM - ugh. A workout that sort of came unraveled and in retrospect, I should have punted a day out. Wanted to do three miles in 19, take rest and then do a mile in 6. I came through the first mile in 6:15 (after starting at 3:05), and was a bit of a mess. It was hot (80, which ain't really hot but I also ain't summer acclimated yet) and windy and I was feeling it. I peeled off for 15 seconds, and considered bagging it. I got my crap together and got back on it but I was already in the hole. 6:23, 6:22 for the next two. I guess I could rationalize it with the wind and heat but whatever. Walked a lap and then did the mile in 6:01 (also started dumb, 87) but I looked like I was running with a fridge on my back. 8.9 miles.
Saturday AM - pretty worked. 6.3 on the Lac Amora loop with GW.
Sunday - up the Mosquito Pass road to the split and back. 13 miles. Hoo boy, long time since I have been to runs at high altitude. And it was snowing too. No - it really was - but that is what things do in the Rockies in May at 11000 feet. Fun though.
Just over 60 miles - so the lowest I have had in a while but that goes with the work schedule this week. Glad I got in three key efforts (the altitude longish run and the two workouts0>
Tuesday AM - early, again almost as if I were on a road trip. 6.2 miles with 8 x 50' on Eagle Hill. I stopped looking at the watch after number two, and just ran from the trash can on the bottom to the line I drew about four telephone poles up. Solid.
Tuesday PM - an easy 30 minutes with GW. 3.8 miles. Tired.
Wednesday AM - pretty tired in the legs so just an easy hour early. It is good that I have full days this week as it forces the run/motivation to be performed early. I sort of like that. 7.6 miles.
Thursday PM - feeling pretty good and might have rolled a bit quick for an easy day. 7 miles, with last 2 minutes a bit uptempo and 4 strides.
Friday PM - ugh. A workout that sort of came unraveled and in retrospect, I should have punted a day out. Wanted to do three miles in 19, take rest and then do a mile in 6. I came through the first mile in 6:15 (after starting at 3:05), and was a bit of a mess. It was hot (80, which ain't really hot but I also ain't summer acclimated yet) and windy and I was feeling it. I peeled off for 15 seconds, and considered bagging it. I got my crap together and got back on it but I was already in the hole. 6:23, 6:22 for the next two. I guess I could rationalize it with the wind and heat but whatever. Walked a lap and then did the mile in 6:01 (also started dumb, 87) but I looked like I was running with a fridge on my back. 8.9 miles.
Saturday AM - pretty worked. 6.3 on the Lac Amora loop with GW.
Sunday - up the Mosquito Pass road to the split and back. 13 miles. Hoo boy, long time since I have been to runs at high altitude. And it was snowing too. No - it really was - but that is what things do in the Rockies in May at 11000 feet. Fun though.
Just over 60 miles - so the lowest I have had in a while but that goes with the work schedule this week. Glad I got in three key efforts (the altitude longish run and the two workouts0>
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Week ending 18MAY2020
Monday afternoon - cooler day, but a bit tired today. An hour and some strides. 7.7 miles.
Tuesday AM - misty chilly ... 6.1 miles with 10 x 40' hills (Eagle Hill).
Tuesday PM - easy four along the ditch.
Wednesday mid morning. 8.5 miles easy. Felt better as the run went on.
Thursday afternoon - 8.2 miles. Tired. Easy and it felt like a slog but it was actually marginally quicker than yesterday. A few strides at the end.
Friday PM - longer work today. 4 x a mile on the track on a lap rest. Goal was 6:10-15. Actual was 6:05, 6:05, 6:03, 5:55 with most that 55 coming on the last lap (and sort of looking silly, breaking down doing it). Good workout. 10.2 miles on the day.
Saturday - easy miles. 5 with JZ in the old neighborhood as we waited on an tire repair. I got a few more post.
Sunday - 3 peaks - Bear via Fern out of Cragmoor, then over to SoBo, then over to Green and then back down Bear Canyon back to Cragmoor. 13.6 miles with about 4500 feet of gain. So a long run and finally some mountain vert. I had JV and Homie for escorts this AM. The run was a bit more than I was planning but it was a beautiful enough morning and the effort was in check enough that it was manageable (although I had to slurp some water at Bear Creek). I am certainly not in "mountain" shape but I managed ok given the length of this effort.
Showing how little I get to the big hills anymore - it is the first time I had been to Green since going there with GW and Gabby last July. Bear? Got to go back to 2018 for that. SoBo? Yeah - 2015. For me it is mostly the "time tax" that I have been less than willing to pay over the last few years. I might need to be more willing to eat that if I want success in a hill race.
Solid week - 2 quality workouts, a climb/long run and overall good miles (67.3) and the biggest vertical run on the year yet (although it is hardly enough). Actually on a gig remotely on a different time zone next week so it might be a bit more challenged that has been the last couple of months.
Apparently the rumor is that Pikes will make a call as to what they are doing June 1. I'm fine with whatever that call is. I sort of feel I can take a crack at some so-called 50yo PRs (as I am still pretty freshly minted in that decade) for the mile and 5k if Pikes pulls the plug, and I sort of think I could possibly take a long shot crack at a sub 5 effort at Pikes if that plays out. It is all good either way. I am thinking with Leadville canceled for that same weekend, Pikes will likely do the same but that is just a guess
Tuesday AM - misty chilly ... 6.1 miles with 10 x 40' hills (Eagle Hill).
Tuesday PM - easy four along the ditch.
Wednesday mid morning. 8.5 miles easy. Felt better as the run went on.
Thursday afternoon - 8.2 miles. Tired. Easy and it felt like a slog but it was actually marginally quicker than yesterday. A few strides at the end.
Friday PM - longer work today. 4 x a mile on the track on a lap rest. Goal was 6:10-15. Actual was 6:05, 6:05, 6:03, 5:55 with most that 55 coming on the last lap (and sort of looking silly, breaking down doing it). Good workout. 10.2 miles on the day.
Saturday - easy miles. 5 with JZ in the old neighborhood as we waited on an tire repair. I got a few more post.
Sunday - 3 peaks - Bear via Fern out of Cragmoor, then over to SoBo, then over to Green and then back down Bear Canyon back to Cragmoor. 13.6 miles with about 4500 feet of gain. So a long run and finally some mountain vert. I had JV and Homie for escorts this AM. The run was a bit more than I was planning but it was a beautiful enough morning and the effort was in check enough that it was manageable (although I had to slurp some water at Bear Creek). I am certainly not in "mountain" shape but I managed ok given the length of this effort.
Showing how little I get to the big hills anymore - it is the first time I had been to Green since going there with GW and Gabby last July. Bear? Got to go back to 2018 for that. SoBo? Yeah - 2015. For me it is mostly the "time tax" that I have been less than willing to pay over the last few years. I might need to be more willing to eat that if I want success in a hill race.
Solid week - 2 quality workouts, a climb/long run and overall good miles (67.3) and the biggest vertical run on the year yet (although it is hardly enough). Actually on a gig remotely on a different time zone next week so it might be a bit more challenged that has been the last couple of months.
Apparently the rumor is that Pikes will make a call as to what they are doing June 1. I'm fine with whatever that call is. I sort of feel I can take a crack at some so-called 50yo PRs (as I am still pretty freshly minted in that decade) for the mile and 5k if Pikes pulls the plug, and I sort of think I could possibly take a long shot crack at a sub 5 effort at Pikes if that plays out. It is all good either way. I am thinking with Leadville canceled for that same weekend, Pikes will likely do the same but that is just a guess
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Week ending 10MAY2020
Monday AM - gorgeous morning. Rained on the overnight and it is that time of the year where everything is greening up nicely. Cool and beautiful sunrise along the Bobolink trail. 8.3 miles with strides.
Tuesday afternoon - one of those days best not to compare myself to my past self. 12 x a quarter. The track was pretty well buttoned up so I did these on the quarter mile stretch of Main in front of the high school. The southbound ones were a bit quicker as it might be slightly downhill that way (and slight uphill northbound). I figured mile pace so these went (starting southbound) 84, 83, 81, 84, 81, 82, 81, 84, 79, 81, 80, 81. Rest was equal, mostly inactive around the corner. This one felt a bit more on the edge than other recent workouts - which means it was good in that it tagged me a bit. I was definitely flayling a bit on the last couple. 10.2 miles total.
Got to be honest ... upper end of speed these days is just under five pace. I might be able to nudge that a bit but it ain't like the sub 30 200s are around the corner.
Wednesday AM - legs pretty spent, expectedly so. 8.3 miles easy.
Wednesday PM - sat in the office way too much this today. Got out at the tail of the day just to shake it off a bit. 3.2 miles along the ditch.
Thursday - afternoon, just as the winds wound up. 8.3 miles with some strides at the end.
Friday PM - 10.1 miles. Tempo work - 4 miles averaging 6:33 on the roads. I have run the tempos a bit quicker on the track as of late of course, but this fair for me. Legs still felt a bit heavy but once ya get rolling, you go with it.
Saturday AM - 7.3 miles. That does not include the two miles I went around and around trying to get Cheeto. It was a pretty tame run but we did do the last click under six pace.
Sunday - didn't get out until the afternoon. I didn't feel up for paying the "go-to-Boulder" time tax and I figured I could get some hills out in the 'stock without having to deal with crowds and hence the mask issues (they are now required on Boulder OSMP). 11.6 miles, with about 900 feet. Not quite a Flagstaff but the pace made up for it anyway.
66 something miles on the week, a couple of quality workouts, etc, etc. Solid week of running for me these days.
Official word that Burro Days is cancelled this summer. This comes a few weeks after the announcement that Leadville also cancelled Boom Days.
There is some scuttlebutt that there will be some other race of course. I am not sure how that will play out at this point.
Last two Rails Open Mics.
Tuesday afternoon - one of those days best not to compare myself to my past self. 12 x a quarter. The track was pretty well buttoned up so I did these on the quarter mile stretch of Main in front of the high school. The southbound ones were a bit quicker as it might be slightly downhill that way (and slight uphill northbound). I figured mile pace so these went (starting southbound) 84, 83, 81, 84, 81, 82, 81, 84, 79, 81, 80, 81. Rest was equal, mostly inactive around the corner. This one felt a bit more on the edge than other recent workouts - which means it was good in that it tagged me a bit. I was definitely flayling a bit on the last couple. 10.2 miles total.
Got to be honest ... upper end of speed these days is just under five pace. I might be able to nudge that a bit but it ain't like the sub 30 200s are around the corner.
Wednesday AM - legs pretty spent, expectedly so. 8.3 miles easy.
Wednesday PM - sat in the office way too much this today. Got out at the tail of the day just to shake it off a bit. 3.2 miles along the ditch.
Thursday - afternoon, just as the winds wound up. 8.3 miles with some strides at the end.
Friday PM - 10.1 miles. Tempo work - 4 miles averaging 6:33 on the roads. I have run the tempos a bit quicker on the track as of late of course, but this fair for me. Legs still felt a bit heavy but once ya get rolling, you go with it.
Saturday AM - 7.3 miles. That does not include the two miles I went around and around trying to get Cheeto. It was a pretty tame run but we did do the last click under six pace.
Sunday - didn't get out until the afternoon. I didn't feel up for paying the "go-to-Boulder" time tax and I figured I could get some hills out in the 'stock without having to deal with crowds and hence the mask issues (they are now required on Boulder OSMP). 11.6 miles, with about 900 feet. Not quite a Flagstaff but the pace made up for it anyway.
66 something miles on the week, a couple of quality workouts, etc, etc. Solid week of running for me these days.
Official word that Burro Days is cancelled this summer. This comes a few weeks after the announcement that Leadville also cancelled Boom Days.
There is some scuttlebutt that there will be some other race of course. I am not sure how that will play out at this point.
Last two Rails Open Mics.
Everytime I do one of these mics, I feel a bit of mixed feelings - a bit disappointed with my level of performance, a bit satisfied with the fact that I did it, a bit overwhelmed by the quality of the other musicians that participate, a bit motivated to dial up my game and my equipment mix more effectively, a bit thinking I'll never do it again, and a bit recommitted to get better.
I did my first open mic just over a year ago when Charles took me to a bar in Centennial. Shortly after that I did what I think was my first real one - a post wedding party at Rails. I call it the first real one because the one in Centennial was like five other musicians. I didn't know the open mic at Rails was going to be a post wedding party affair, and there were something like a 100 people. Since then I think I have done four or five live ones there and then four of these "virtual" ones. It has clearly been a significant factor in my music education - a lot has changed over that year (a couple of new guitars, the number of songs I can go to, the wiring in my head on what I hear, and even a tune or two of my own) but I have a lot more to learn and do.
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Week ending 03MAY2020
Monday AM - 7.5 with strides out at Bobolink. Started at near 9 minute pace and finished feeling "opened up" at near seven minute pace. Beautiful morning.
Tuesday PM - 8 x "broken quarters" or 250 on/150 off/150 on 300 off. The 250 on was supposed to be at 5:20 pace and the 150s on were supposed to be at 5:10 pace but I ended up getting ahead of that. 250s started 49 high but cut down to 46 and the 150s were at 28 and moved down to 26. 10.5 miles total.
Wednesday AM - 10 miles super easy.
Thursday AM - 5.6 with Cheeto. Took about 40 minutes to cover that with the last mile and a half at 6:40 or better. He hit sub 4:50 for a bit in the middle of it which was a bit of a wake up at 7:30 in the morning.
It only took 45 minutes to actually get him out though - the early morning back and forth creek crossings were perhaps as much of a wake up as the rich pace a little later.
Thursday PM - easy 3.7 miles. A bit sore actually.
April wraps up with a hair under 280 miles, 37 and a half hours, and 12k of climbing (which about a fifth of that came in one run). No days off. It was a good month in terms of getting after some quality (8 sessions), but other things lapsed (long runs, vertical). I just am not sure I can juggle all of those in there at this point. On the year 1164.x miles, 156 and 2/3rds hours, and 41k+ of vert. 2 days off. No travel in April for obvious reasons, but 28 travel nights on the year.
Friday - PM. Warm (80). 5 x 800 on 400 jog. Been a long time since I did these and was a bit concerned my mind was in the wrong place (thinking about how my legs felt like crap) coming into them but was fine once I got going. Goal was to be right at six minute pace for these and that worked out: 2:59, 2:58, 2:59, 2:56, 2:53. In the game of woulda coulda shoulda I almost sort of feel that had I had to do 10 of these at 2:59 at equal rest I woulda been able to manage that. 10.2 miles.
Saturday PM - cloudy, humid but a bit cooler. 8.1 miles easy. A bit fatigued in the legs but not bad.
Sunday AM - Flagstaff. I'll flip these over to actual trail runs soon, but I do enjoy the grind of Flagstaff at this point. 10.5 miles, 90 minutes. Overall I climbed it a bit better than a couple weeks ago, with what felt to be about the same effort (just a consistent run, not hard to start but it then feels pretty effin' hard in that last mile up). I really struggled with "the wall of pain" segment this go though - that 16% average grade seemed to kick me a bit harder than typical. Even with that, I got up about 40 seconds quicker than a couple weeks ago - and my best climb on it in 5 years (where I was about a minute faster than today). Not great, but given the
66.2 miles on the week over 8 runs (155 runs on the year now), in just under 9 hours, and 3600 vertical feet. Happy with the two quality sessions this week as well. And a hill. And a donkey run.
Tuesday PM - 8 x "broken quarters" or 250 on/150 off/150 on 300 off. The 250 on was supposed to be at 5:20 pace and the 150s on were supposed to be at 5:10 pace but I ended up getting ahead of that. 250s started 49 high but cut down to 46 and the 150s were at 28 and moved down to 26. 10.5 miles total.
Wednesday AM - 10 miles super easy.
Thursday AM - 5.6 with Cheeto. Took about 40 minutes to cover that with the last mile and a half at 6:40 or better. He hit sub 4:50 for a bit in the middle of it which was a bit of a wake up at 7:30 in the morning.
It only took 45 minutes to actually get him out though - the early morning back and forth creek crossings were perhaps as much of a wake up as the rich pace a little later.
Thursday PM - easy 3.7 miles. A bit sore actually.
April wraps up with a hair under 280 miles, 37 and a half hours, and 12k of climbing (which about a fifth of that came in one run). No days off. It was a good month in terms of getting after some quality (8 sessions), but other things lapsed (long runs, vertical). I just am not sure I can juggle all of those in there at this point. On the year 1164.x miles, 156 and 2/3rds hours, and 41k+ of vert. 2 days off. No travel in April for obvious reasons, but 28 travel nights on the year.
Friday - PM. Warm (80). 5 x 800 on 400 jog. Been a long time since I did these and was a bit concerned my mind was in the wrong place (thinking about how my legs felt like crap) coming into them but was fine once I got going. Goal was to be right at six minute pace for these and that worked out: 2:59, 2:58, 2:59, 2:56, 2:53. In the game of woulda coulda shoulda I almost sort of feel that had I had to do 10 of these at 2:59 at equal rest I woulda been able to manage that. 10.2 miles.
Saturday PM - cloudy, humid but a bit cooler. 8.1 miles easy. A bit fatigued in the legs but not bad.
Sunday AM - Flagstaff. I'll flip these over to actual trail runs soon, but I do enjoy the grind of Flagstaff at this point. 10.5 miles, 90 minutes. Overall I climbed it a bit better than a couple weeks ago, with what felt to be about the same effort (just a consistent run, not hard to start but it then feels pretty effin' hard in that last mile up). I really struggled with "the wall of pain" segment this go though - that 16% average grade seemed to kick me a bit harder than typical. Even with that, I got up about 40 seconds quicker than a couple weeks ago - and my best climb on it in 5 years (where I was about a minute faster than today). Not great, but given the
66.2 miles on the week over 8 runs (155 runs on the year now), in just under 9 hours, and 3600 vertical feet. Happy with the two quality sessions this week as well. And a hill. And a donkey run.
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Week ending 26APR2020
Monday AM - 8 miles with strides.
Tuesday afternoon - perfect day and was feeling good about getting after it a bit on the track. 20+ minute warm up easy, 4 strides. 12 x 300 on 200 jog. Goal was 63s, and was sitting around 60-63, most being 61. Got the itch a bit on the last few - 60, 59, 56. Nothing crazy just was having some fun with the buzz. 10.1 miles.
Wednesday afternoon - 10 miles, easy ... sort of rolling at the end.
Thursday mid day - 8.5 miles, last two minutes a bit up tempo and then 4 strides.
Friday - 8.2 miles, with 3.5 at tempo effort (that section covered in 22:16). Wasn't feeling so hot and considered shifting this until Saturday ... for about a quarter second. I was fine once I was going, but I could tell it was not an A game day. It was fine though.
Saturday - 7.2 miles total, including 5 with Cheeto all over the place pace-wise. Yes - that means some sub 4:45 stuff and some 9:30 stuff. We finished just the five just under 36.
Sunday - 11.6 miles. Had to pause to get this bull off the trail. He was right in the middle of it and was setting up to get whacked by a biker.
Good week. Just over 63. I had contemplated waking up early on Sunday and heading to Flag but I slept in (7:30) and felt a bit tired still. So I stay out in the eastern flats. Keeping things to seven runs, and a little less overall volume with the 60s but feeling good about getting two quality efforts a week right now.
Tuesday afternoon - perfect day and was feeling good about getting after it a bit on the track. 20+ minute warm up easy, 4 strides. 12 x 300 on 200 jog. Goal was 63s, and was sitting around 60-63, most being 61. Got the itch a bit on the last few - 60, 59, 56. Nothing crazy just was having some fun with the buzz. 10.1 miles.
Wednesday afternoon - 10 miles, easy ... sort of rolling at the end.
Thursday mid day - 8.5 miles, last two minutes a bit up tempo and then 4 strides.
Friday - 8.2 miles, with 3.5 at tempo effort (that section covered in 22:16). Wasn't feeling so hot and considered shifting this until Saturday ... for about a quarter second. I was fine once I was going, but I could tell it was not an A game day. It was fine though.
Saturday - 7.2 miles total, including 5 with Cheeto all over the place pace-wise. Yes - that means some sub 4:45 stuff and some 9:30 stuff. We finished just the five just under 36.
Sunday - 11.6 miles. Had to pause to get this bull off the trail. He was right in the middle of it and was setting up to get whacked by a biker.
Good week. Just over 63. I had contemplated waking up early on Sunday and heading to Flag but I slept in (7:30) and felt a bit tired still. So I stay out in the eastern flats. Keeping things to seven runs, and a little less overall volume with the 60s but feeling good about getting two quality efforts a week right now.
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Week ending 19APR2020
Monday - still snowing, but a nice light fluffy snow. 8.3 miles when done including the strides. Chilly - humid.
And like that most of the snow was gone on the open stretches on Tuesday. Afternoon - 20 minute plus easy jog warm up, 4 strides and then 2 x 8 x 200 on 200 rest with 400 rest between the sets. Hit 39 high/40 low on the first few and then they were all 39, cutting down to 38 on the last couple. Felt good, and tried to be tall and work on basic form mechanics. On the last handful I could feel the last 40-60 yards the effort. 10 minute or so cool down - 8.7 miles. I contemplated how I used to do 50 x 200 at that pace with no rest.
Wednesday afternoon - it seemed to be getting nice but then there was a bite to the air. 10 miles, easy out to Mayhoffer and back.
Thursday - really really snowing again. Like the heavy spring stuff. Not sure that shoveling for 2 hours goes into the log but it counts for something. At least for catching up on some podcasts. Got out in the afternoon for may or may not be one of the last winter slogs of 8.4 miles with some strides at the end. Heavy legged.
Friday afternoon - tracks were socked in snow so this was on the roads. But it was nicely sunny. As it is a perfect mile around the high school, with it being a quarter on each side, I went there for 2 x 2 miles with a half mile jog in between. Goal was 6:30's for the first, and 6:25 for the second - so more threshold sort of work. Of course I jacked it by going 6:21 and then 6:25 for the first set. Second set was 6:09 and 6:11. I was definitely not threshold for the last half mile - but I was having fun as I was wanting to hurt a bit. 10 miles all told with the warm up, cool down, strides.
Saturday - recovery day. 6.4 miles - super easy. Checked in on the donks. Cheeto pretty much still wants nothing to do with me. I have some work to do there.
Sunday - best I can tell, I have not been up and down Flagstaff Road in almost FIVE years. Itching for some vertical, or maybe itching to not post yet again that I need it ... I decided I'd go and hit the road this AM. I was not gonna fight the trails up Green with the ice, or the entire current circumstances there with current events. I might have bumped into the Mayor out there, and if we did I can confirm we stayed on opposite sides of the road. I am definitely a bit off my climbing game - and most certainly felt it in that wall you hit just past the mile 4 marker - but I held up okay for an "easy" run. 10 miles all told. It was good to feel that burn in the quads when running 13 minute pace again.
A "neat" week for me. 61 miles, a climb, 2 quality workouts and a balance of rest and harder days. I'd like a long run too but I can only get in so many legit efforts in 7 days.
No live or recorded videos of music this week, but have been "wood shedding" nicely. The live streams definitely served a purpose in learning for me and nudging me but it feels like it is time to do something different for a bit. I'll get back to that. Been plucking at some new tunes, and working on a couple of my own.
And like that most of the snow was gone on the open stretches on Tuesday. Afternoon - 20 minute plus easy jog warm up, 4 strides and then 2 x 8 x 200 on 200 rest with 400 rest between the sets. Hit 39 high/40 low on the first few and then they were all 39, cutting down to 38 on the last couple. Felt good, and tried to be tall and work on basic form mechanics. On the last handful I could feel the last 40-60 yards the effort. 10 minute or so cool down - 8.7 miles. I contemplated how I used to do 50 x 200 at that pace with no rest.
Wednesday afternoon - it seemed to be getting nice but then there was a bite to the air. 10 miles, easy out to Mayhoffer and back.
Thursday - really really snowing again. Like the heavy spring stuff. Not sure that shoveling for 2 hours goes into the log but it counts for something. At least for catching up on some podcasts. Got out in the afternoon for may or may not be one of the last winter slogs of 8.4 miles with some strides at the end. Heavy legged.
Friday afternoon - tracks were socked in snow so this was on the roads. But it was nicely sunny. As it is a perfect mile around the high school, with it being a quarter on each side, I went there for 2 x 2 miles with a half mile jog in between. Goal was 6:30's for the first, and 6:25 for the second - so more threshold sort of work. Of course I jacked it by going 6:21 and then 6:25 for the first set. Second set was 6:09 and 6:11. I was definitely not threshold for the last half mile - but I was having fun as I was wanting to hurt a bit. 10 miles all told with the warm up, cool down, strides.
Saturday - recovery day. 6.4 miles - super easy. Checked in on the donks. Cheeto pretty much still wants nothing to do with me. I have some work to do there.
Sunday - best I can tell, I have not been up and down Flagstaff Road in almost FIVE years. Itching for some vertical, or maybe itching to not post yet again that I need it ... I decided I'd go and hit the road this AM. I was not gonna fight the trails up Green with the ice, or the entire current circumstances there with current events. I might have bumped into the Mayor out there, and if we did I can confirm we stayed on opposite sides of the road. I am definitely a bit off my climbing game - and most certainly felt it in that wall you hit just past the mile 4 marker - but I held up okay for an "easy" run. 10 miles all told. It was good to feel that burn in the quads when running 13 minute pace again.
A "neat" week for me. 61 miles, a climb, 2 quality workouts and a balance of rest and harder days. I'd like a long run too but I can only get in so many legit efforts in 7 days.
No live or recorded videos of music this week, but have been "wood shedding" nicely. The live streams definitely served a purpose in learning for me and nudging me but it feels like it is time to do something different for a bit. I'll get back to that. Been plucking at some new tunes, and working on a couple of my own.
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