Saturday 19JAN2019

Got around to bottling KZ’s Kolsch.

TZ mentioned that I might have walking pneumonia.  I dunno.  AM – 3 miles with Greg.  It was like a skating rink out there.  PM -

Monday 07JAN2018

AM – 5.1, recovery with Greg.  I felt pretty good for doing a workout yesterday.
Fermentation looks like it peaked last night.  Small clean up job. 

This is not ideal, but probably reflecting that I should have left the water add to sum to 4.5 gallons versus five.  I don’t see it as an issue in creating a problem with the brew as when pushing this much gas, the whole system is under positive pressure and I think it is unlikely that stray anything gets in there.

I started plugging through Roche’s The Happy Runner again yesterday but then have switched over to catching up on Jay Johnson’s Coaching Runners podcast.  As part of that catching up, and “HS Coaching Learning” I want to do, I’ll also drill through a select set of Ben Rosario’s podcast.

Afternoon – I had considered a short jog with some strides in the afternoon but the winds were rather ridiculous and I opted for the weight room instead.  I effectively trashed myself in about 30 minutes of work with front squats, split squats, leg presses, various lunges and pull ups.

Sunday 06JAN2019 Week wrap up

I got out with Greg this AM.  We agreed when jogging yesterday that we wanted to do some quality today and that it was certainly preferred over getting out and just banging out 90 minutes.  Over the course of Saturday, we landed on 4 x a mile (1600 actually), starting at 6:15 ish and cutting down.

I thought it’d be a good one for me.  I have been averaging about 6:20 for my 5ks, and while “predictor” workouts are debatable, I do think that this workout sort of lines you up for what you can do for 5k. 

More important, I knew that I had not done a track workout like this in … well, years.  I knew I’d get some physical challenge out of it, but I’d be challenged a lot more in the muscle from the neck up in just getting through it.  And having the opportunity to do it with Greg was a great boost – it is highly unlikely that I’d rattle myself up for this sort of workout on my own.

Anyway, we met at 7AM, and did the typical 20 minute warm up, and then four 100 meter strides (20 sec).  I felt pretty good but I was aware of a few aches and pains that I had picked up the night before.  I got into a good natured grappling match with JZ in the yard and he gave me a shove.  I toppled backwards and landed right on a rock on the edge of the garden.  I was suddenly that old guy as JZ went from laughing with the wrestling to “whoa, Dad, I am sorry are you okay?” and helping me up.  Dang kids.  I was fine but I could feel the bruised butt check and and a slightly torqued ankle.  As I expected, once we started rolling, I was fine.

I took pacing on the first one and it was relaxed, and we even calmed it down a touch on lap 3.  6:16.  We took a lap recovery between each rep and this was about 3 minutes on the nose.  Greg took the second and we brought it down to 6:10.  He led the third and I was with him through 600 and then he stepped it up a bit.  He went under six and I was 6:06. 

I agreed to take the start of the fourth in 91, 92.  It was clear to me that I was doing okay from a leg perspective but I was clearly dealing with a “gee whiz this is different” sort of thing on laps 2 and 3 on these.  It was just overcoming some mental softness.  Once I got through 3 I knew we were having a solid workout (certainly not what it was years ago, but given what I expected, it was going well) but I was not sure if the last was going to be 6:10 or 6 minutes.  Greg separated from me at 400, and I hit the half in 3:03 and then finished in 6:02. 

We jogged 600 and then did 4 x 200 with 200 recovery and I did those starting 37 and then got the last down to 35.  It was a great way to start the day.  Great fun with a great friend. Something to be said about starting the day this way …

It is a bit hard not to compare, but then at the same time – it is fine.  I am where I am.  I can’t make shit up and be what I was.  This is probably (outside of racing) is one of the best track workouts I had in years – not because of stellar times or anything – but because I got out and did something.

Day one of fermentation:

Day 2.(I changed the vapor lock because the croissen had overflowed into it):

When you find this in the kid’s car with a trashed sled what do you conclude? 

Oh – another thing … yesterday I got in another four miles or jogging and walking with TZ and then another mile and a half of walking the dogs.  In the past I have counted the jogging with TZ as part of my miles (never the walking).  I don’t think I will this year.  Her jogging is just around 10-11 minute pace, and with the walks it averages to 12-13.  It might be couple hundred miles on the year, but as it is a non-significant stressor, I don’t think I ought to count it.

It was a good week of training for me.  I am not going to even post weekly mileage here (even though I know it) because it is not what I am striving for right now.  Being that I am training for Pikes, CIM etc – there will be weeks where mileage is a goal unto itself but this week was about getting in some solid running with weight work  I feel good about that with two good gym days, and two solid quality days with a fair amount of miles around it.  This was a very much a “move the ball forward” sort of week for me. 

If I am missing anything now – it is vertical.  But I am okay with that.  I feel that I can add that in later when trails open a bit more and I am not fighting the snow and slop conditions.  That is arguable of course. 

KZ’s Kolsch

KZ turned 21 last week and as part of that, she and I decided to do a homebrew for her.  I let her pick what she wanted – with the caveat that it could not be a Belgian brew (as those taste like dirty socks strained with water).  Not surprisingly, she leaned to her affections for Germany and selected a Kolsch.  It was fun walking her through the science and the art of the brew process. 

This is the first brew I have done at home in probably five years, so it was fun to break out the equipment (although it needed a lot of cleaning).  We even found some IPAs I had not cracked since the last go around and surprisingly they were fine and had stood the test of time.  I have never done a Kolsch … this one seems to be stacking up at 1.042 SG so is likely to come in at a 5-5.5%ABV.  It is bubbling nicely already this AM.

Oh yeah there was a little cake too.

Thursday 012215

- Wardian. 
- Calmness
- Latest “Track After Dark” has an interview with Ritz.  I was talking smack with someone regarding who makes the US Oly Marathon team.  Honestly, it was not fair for me to have this conversation given that the playing field is not level for them – I mean they went to Pitt Community College and all.  Anyway, I was pitching that I’d take the field over Ritz / Hall to make the team.  In other words, I don’t think either of those guys make the squad.  It is a coin flip if Ritz makes it to the line (I’d love to be wrong on this).  And Hall has not had a solid marathon in a handful of years (unless you buy into the scheme that he was holding the field back at Boston last year). Fire away.
- I would not be surprised if the marathon WR goes down this week (although I am not expecting it).  But if it goes that quick I would not think it is Bekele to do it but probably some 21 year old we have not heard of.

KZ makes some pretty pizzas.
This was left on my front step last night.  What am I supposed to do?


Afternoon – got in a few with one of the old timers from the blogosphere …

Oh yeah, we ran too.  13.3.  Brett – simply a guy who I feel just gets it.  Our stories parallel each so much that it almost like we could switch roles in this world.  Except he only speaks French and I think my family might struggle with that.  Hoping to share a few more miles with this guy in the near future. 

I felt like crap the whole run.  But it is amazing how that goes away or at least you don’t think about it as much when running with good company. 

Caught this guy at the library tonight in a location presentation on Pike

Next brew

Just bottled up the Decemberfest but I am back on the burner with the next IPA.  “Black Friday IPA?”  “I-PED-A?” “IPArmstrong?”  Leaning towards a total reference to the performance enhancing thing as I am purposely trying to up the %ABV of this batch.    After chatting with Scott Mason (New Englander, dude who ran pretty fast in the day, even better photographer, and top notch home brewer), I added some additional corn sugar at the boil to spike things up a bit.  I am thinking of adding more at the end of primary fermentation to string things along a bit but I have some time to think on that.

Pitched at a SG of 1.044 and 73F.

Tuesday 112012

Bottled the Decemberfest today.

It is actually an Octoberfest – which I have never made but given it will be ready in December, well … there you go.  Not sure it will be my favorite … seems fairly malt heavy compared to the hop head nature I have had.  Eh, it was time to branch.  IPA up next for sure.

Ran easy with JZ and dogs in the mid day.  The dogs are always a sure ticket for me to run easy, but they were really slow today (the heat?).  JZ agreed to run with the HR monitor for a mile (he hated how it felt).  He had a HR of 216 at the end.  Kidz …

JT and I have bet a beer straight up on our respective 5ks on T-day.  We are both sandbagging at breaking 18 – although I would say it is only 20 seconds off of what I ran yesterday and sub 18 is only 23 seconds off of what I ran as a Masters PR three years ago.

Yeah, I have the tree up and a good amount of the lights.  I asked the kids what they wanted to do on Saturday and they called for that.  I have been pretty much a “not until after Thanksgiving” kind of guy all my life, but I have been extra grumpy lately so I figured it was worth a shot.  JZ has a tunnel in the works for the train that is going through the village so it is pretty cool.

Ice baths are supposedly bunk.  Unless of course they work for you.  I have wondered about this a bit.  I mean, dudes were running 2:10 in the 70 and 80s eating a ton of carbs (bad for you now), wearing thick soled shoes (also bad for you now), not doing core work, etc.  I ain’t saying there is no benefit to those things, but all the extras seem to often get more attention then the basics.

Officially out for the FoCoFA … I’d say sadly but it is the day that my son is having his b-day party.  His plan is a Nerf Gun version of Capture the Flag with the local water ditch as the boundary between teams.  Ummm, all in.

Saturday 111012

11 miles, super easy – with the dogs.  No soreness in the legs, but after 5 miles I could certainly sense the fatigue in them from yesterday’s effort.  Weather got progressively cooler through the run, as winter decided to show up.  Even was spittin’ some snow as I finished.  Just under 9 minute pace … if I want to be assured of having an easy run, the dogs are the ticket.  AHR 140.

Couple of shots from last week’s TDO.  JZ working in the kitchen “green monster” tent.
Me getting ready to toss a caber.  I could not get this bugger to flip on the toss.  Neither could some other guys who were a lot bigger than me.  I also tried it backwards, which was a mistake as it came back and clocked me.   Rung my bell pretty well, but was one of those things you laugh off so you don’t show the tears.

Got home last night and TZ said she had invited some friends over for a beer, some home made chili, corn bread – and I needed to start brewing a batch of beer because it had been too long.  Perfect Friday night.  I decided not to go with an IPA but a darker Movemberfest ale (don’t ask the seeecret ingredient).  Fermentation has started. 

 

Got an IPA on deck to go right after this.
We headed down to the opening of the Metzger Farm open space.  This space is bordering Broomfield and Westminster, and will be a great connection to the Big Dry Creek Open Space.  It was a bit chilly out there, but it was great to hear the dedication, a bit of the history of this spot, and see this long term project (10+ years) reach this milestone.

 

I got this note recently:

George- It's great to see you put a tough 2013 goal out there.  No one can call you a sandbagger anymore.  And I think it's a good choice of
venue.  I Is 2:49 up, 1:40 down the plan?  So, I am curious.  How 'serious' do you have to be to get there?  You have a bigger base, but you are three years older. ie can you
A) Do more or better designed quantity/quality in 2013 vs.2010 for April-August?
B) Weigh less than you did on race day 2010?
C) Do anything tactically better in the race vs. 2010?
And can you fit this into your life?

My reply …

Great questions and ones I have been pondering quite a bit, and so you will see some form of this response coming up in a post.

First, at the risk of sandbagging, I am putting it that goal out there, and I realize I might come short even if I do everything right between now and then.  Heck, it could be like 2008 all over.  Or crazy hot or something.  I don't know, but those are choices I will deal with race day, and there are a lot choices between now and then that I can make to position me to PR'ing at Pikes.

First, I am pretty certain I need to get back some element of speed.  When I went 2:37 there in 06, I had just come off a 4:45 mile on the track.  I did not break 5 minutes in  the mile this year, and well, I did not break 3 for the Ascent portion.  Yeah, I know they are different races, but I can see how there is a clear correlation between speed and performance on that course. 

I love that race because of what it is.  It is not some ho-hum 5k where you know you will finish.  It is something that you might not finish.  But it is not so long that just finishing it is some sort of accomplishment (for me) - like a 100.  There is room to execute and execute well between climbing, descending, basic speed, altitude, and being tough after 3 hours of work. 

So - between now and the early spring, I will see me working on trying to get some speed back.  I think I have had some short stints of this in the past, but nothing in recent years that is particularly focused for a length of time.  You could argue it has taken me 5 years to lose 20 seconds on my mile, and 25 minutes on my Ascent.  I will try to get some of those seconds back on the mile because I think it will have benefit in future phases of training AND it gives me an alternative focus between now and more focused training.

I'd love to say that I PR'd at Pikes, got a sub 5 mile, a sub 17 5k for the season.

Of course I will start to sprinkle longer stuff in there as the calendar turns.  I am pretty sure I will go back to the Grand Canyon this year and see if I can break 9 there, and  jump in the burro racing circuit.

My base is large - it is not my weakness.  My weakness is declining VO2, and hence vV02, and the ability to execute well past 3 hours.  I will work on this first part as I said for a bit, and then look to include the longer challenging runs in the spring (as in 4, 5 hours).  I hope that those longer runs will help me address some of the cramping issues I have faced below Barr Camp that really keep me from closing well.

Okay - so in regards to A, it is not more volume (but that will come in to some extent in March, April - again like 2010), but the speed now and longer long runs.

B - yes.  We hate to discuss this but my weight is currently 145, but it has even recently been 155!  I am not looking to drop that too much now but I'd like to get to the Pikes line under 140.  I came to Pikes in 2010 at 141.  The biggest issue with my weight is that I lack a certain discipline at the business travel dinner table.  I think if I can get a handle on that, the training will bring me to the desired race weight.  All that said - I am not going to pound on that topic too much now ... getting to that weight now and holding it is not something I think I can and should do.

But yes, I think weight ... to some appropriate and intelligent end has a good deal of bearing on this race.  Pulling up 5 extra lbs on a climb up a 14er when you are trying to fly makes a difference ... as long as it is an unnecessary 5lbs and not strength.

C - I executed pretty well in 2010, and so to assume that I can do better than that is a pretty large assumption.  In fact, if I am more fit, I tend to be poorer in my execution.  If I can get up in under 2:50, and I have executed smartly, and I have trained well for the long run (see above) with the speed (see above), then my execution will be on getting that finish under 1:40.  I think I could have done that this year, but I screwed around on top for a bit. 

I am confident on the life part unless there is a life changing event.  It means not getting out and just running as I have on many occasions but having a focus to my training.  FWIW, I am happy with how I have been getting to that point more and more over the last 5 weeks.  And I am just getting started.

Was reminded of this great rerelease recently …

Mount Evans Road Race

Lucho’s report.

8th overall, 7th male, 1st master.  2:15:25 I think.  Was seriously windy.  On the upper switchbacks, you could fly on the east side running but then be brought to a near complete stop when heading west.

Got what I came for, good competitive run at elevation, good workout.   Landing the masters win was a nice umm … windfall.  I think these days are going to be pretty infrequent.

A screen shot for the elevation debate and to hopefully bring to rest as to how much downhill there is in this run (+3600, –150).

This next screen shot gives you a little idea how windy it was.  Specifically, take a peek at the pace variance from ten miles on where the switchbacks go from east (down wind) to west (up wind).  I am guessing it was 50 mph out there but I really have no clue. 

Other than that, the race report is simply this:  it was a good grind. 

I got out okay, maybe a touch quick but felt like I was able to quickly correct.  Adam Feerst went by me at about 2 miles and so I thought any sort of masters win went with that.  Right near five miles, he stopped though to correct a shoe issue he was having.   He seemed to be in the mix right behind me for a bit.  Near Summit Lake, the winning woman caught me.  We mixed back and forth for a bit in the climb out of the lake, but I was losing a lot of ground in the wind sections.  With about 2 miles to go I caught up to two guys, and noticed one certainly looked older.  I was definitely feeling the “I DON’T GIVE A CRAP AT THIS POINT WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE!  I WANT TO GO HOME!  THIS IS STUPID” attitude that seems to come on to me at 13k feet.  The older guy and the younger guy encouraged me to work with them in a pack, switching positions as to who would lead in the wind – but I would fall off when on the tail.  But then at about a mile to go, the older guy came back.  I was able to muster a bit of a push (or maybe it was more that he didn’t) on one of the headwind sections and get some more daylight between us.  That was enough to make the break, although all this happens in crazy slow motion at that altitude. 

As I finished, Lucho (4th, right at 2 hours) was there to congratulate me.  I had contemplated running down prior to the run and he asked if I was still interested in that.  “ABSOLUTELY NOT.”  But my lips and teeth felt frozen from the cold wind, so it came out “AFOLUPBE OT.”  Within 2 minutes we were in his car and heading down.  That was very very very sweet.

Post race I got to hang with Lucho and his family, Wyatt H, Adam F (by the way, that dude is bad ass being he is 50), Shad M and other kindred spirits – always a big bonus to these races is trading the war stories with everyone – along with the well intentioned jabs.  I had estimated that the wind took out about 35 minutes of my time, but the general consensus seemed to be that it slowed folks in the 2 hour ish range by 10 minutes or so.  Sooo … I ran what I predicted … I win the beer. 

Definitely need to get to altitude a bit if I intend to be able to run well later this summer.  There is still time to do that, and today helped.  I learned that while I am not deep into hill training, I ain’t too bad at this point.  Wind … well, that is a different story.

The Mount Evans race is surely a classic.  Darrin and his group do a good job, and this is an epic course. 

Results will probably be up soon but Mario won in 1:50 on the men’s side and I did not catch the woman’s name but she went like 2:12 I think.

Fermentation is rocking hard.

 

Friday 061711

In Tabernash (ish) ran an easy 3 miles before picking up the crumb grabbers from camp.  And yes, summer camp in Colorado means you can still see snow, and the kids said they woke up on their outdoor overnight with frost on their sleeping bags. 

 

This run was all at 8500 feet or higher (super easy … 9 minute pace).  Should be interesting to see what happens when I get up real high … something I have not done this calendar year (outside of maybe some skiing way back at the front of the year).

We grabbed dinner at a pizza sub Italian place in Winter Park.  It was called “Hernando’s” if I recall correctly.  Anyway … they have some 20000 dollars of singles all over the walls, the ceilings, under glass at the tables … that people have decorated and given over the years.

Oh yeah, fermentation is at full tilt.

Thursday night various

Started a batch of the EPOIPA tonight.  This means it ought to be ready by … ummm August.  But that means my bride and I are both cooking in the kitchen tonight (she is baking cookies in anticipation of our kids returning from camp tomorrow).  Given it was a 90 degree day … it is hot as Atlanta in here.

Pikes Road Race info.  Still not drawn to this but I can see it taking hold.

Good stuff on a 2:02 marathon at SOS.

Things re: WS100 are getting busy over at Irunfar.  I still can’t bring myself to predict this.

WLDMRC this weekend.  (Pikes has had this distinction in the past)

Noticing that Hafer, Carpenter are not on the BTMR entry list.  Yes, I know they have comp entries if so desired.  Looks like registration and management is via someone else given the overhaul of many of the sub pages of the site.  I will confess, I am not sure if this is a good thing.  It remains to be seen.

Enjoyable:  what not to say at a job interview.

Loads of SD100 reports to go through still:  Footfeathers, Rod Bien, Yassine, and Dylan.

Not sure who gets the “best blog post about an injury” award but Tony and Gary have to be the front runners.

Hop Czar

JP recently waxed about his love for Maharaja brew.  Given he was having a tough time finding it, I offered to grab him a few bottles from my local packey (yeah, the old east term there).  I was, however, a bit blown away to see it was running 9 bucks a bomber.  Good beer, but not quite that good (sorry JP).  

I think a better buy is Hop Czar from Bridgeport Brewing.  A fine Imperial IPA at 8 bucks a six.     

Alternatively, I’d be compelled to grab the Flying Dog IPA.

Thank you very much.  Bury my heart at the trailer park.  Oh, the Zack Rabbit Ale from the Spring has aged nicely and finally has a decent head.  I may zap up another batch for some late summer loving.  And yes, I will probably go dry come July … simply as an act of self discipline to myself to show that I can.  The trick this year will be the river trip (as I expect there may be sipping cactus ferment in the mix)

Friday 030510

Interesting list of fast 100 mile times.  Cross link from Derrick.

’Nother free tune from SP.

On the ‘bent for 2 hours today.  30 minute warm up, then an hour of 3 minutes on a higher resistance, 2 minutes at low resistance (so this is set sets).  30 minute warm down.  Got the HR over 150 a few times.  Oww.  Stairs afterwards were tough.  Dances with Wolves, one of my favorites got me through a chunk of this.

Calf feels a lot better, but I am going to try to be conservative and not test it out yet.  Worked it quite a bit with TZ’s foam roller.

Found this video re: Tabata interesting.  TiVO does pretty well with climbs.  Definitely going into the hurt locker in those last few. 

Favorite brew as of late has been the Flying Dog ale called Snake Dog IPA.  Decent hops, decent ABV (7.1), and usually one of the cheaper six packs I can pick up.  Tonight however, I stumbled across their anniversary brew – Raging Bitch, and at the same cheaper price.  A Belgian IPA, and 8.3 ABV.   Might be a nice treat this weekend.  Also grabbed the Odell’s IPA – another fave.  Found this at 2 bucks cheaper per six as well.  Score. 

Been getting better at also getting core in.  Was supposed to go to Ignite with JM, BF, and JV tonight, but TZ had a girls night out.  Per request, KZ and I checked out Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  Love that she has that sense of humor.

Getting some taper downloads of the Hickman Dalton Clyne action from early February (I can let you know where if interested).  This is good fun music.