Wednesday 112713

JT is up for a growler of beer/six pack against me:  He has 45 inclines and I have 48 Greens.  Whoever has the most of their mountain by the tail of the year gets the reward from the loser.  I like my odds as I have a 3 count lead and JT does not run when it gets below 20 degrees.  Plus if he wins, and I have to serve up a six of PBR, Old Colorado City will have to prepare for a night of this.

I circled back and managed to listen to this podcast.  Holy crap.  Short, 20 minute one on Kenyan circumcision rituals and how it might have bearing on Kalejin’s dominance in distance running.  Worth the listen.  As fascinating or disturbing as the circumcision ritual is, the discussion of the possibility of the Kajelin having a genetic advantage is of greater interest to me.  David Epstein reveals that in his authoring of “The Sports Gene” (which I am slowly picking my way through when I am on flights and not reading the latest installment of “A Song of Fire and Ice”) he encountered scientists who were reluctant to share data that would support a hypothesis that there was such an advantage – because of the social implications and that it could impact their tenure.

Recently, I was discussing some of the things I was reading with a business colleague and I brought up Epstein’s book, how it brought some contrast to Gladwell’s now popular 10000 hour thoughts and the consideration of genetic dominance.  This colleague, an African American, was pretty dead set against such a consideration, and was quick to bring up the social environment considerations.  Of course, I don’t discount the social environment impact (e.g. look at the top VK performance list from the ISF and you can’t help but notice the European flare), but I prefer to also not ignore the genetic possibilities.

While on podcasts, checked out the recent ET.  Good show. 

Freil wraps up his aging athlete posts.  Speaking of aging, 80s “music” fans might find this post of how the icons of that decade look now.

Not all of the UK is stoked about the Salazar coaching arrangement.

Back is still tight when I breathe deeply.  Just to keep me in a panic a friend dropped on me that it is probably pleurisy.  Awesome. 

Afternoon was more of this:

Ellroy and Farnsworth ran great today.  Way better than last time.  They had a lot more confidence on the road, trotted quite a bit and even went to a gallop occasionally. 

10 on the day.  2.5 with the donks and then into the evening SUPER easy – like 8:30 pace.

Sunday 032512 Waterton Canyon, Week in Review

As planned, I headed down to Waterton Canyon for a meet up run.  Between the Denver and CoS contingents, there were easily 30 folks including some familiar faces with Ryan K, Wes T, Brownie, Sean, Jim P, and Wyatt.

A few pix …

The early going.  Apparently the first 6.5 miles of the Colorado Trail is a road!  I did not know this as I had never been on this section.

A break just below the Waterton Dam where wait for Brownie
 
The trail start, Wyatt in the background.
 
Typical views … single track, sometimes nice and clear, sometimes socked in with snow and predetermined foot placings

Brownie
 

I felt pretty good, even in light of yesterday’s effort.  Once we hit the snow, I could feel the ankle that I rolled yesterday protesting a bit.  I decided I’d make a go for 11.5 miles out or 2 hours, whichever came first.  The miles came and I turned around.  Several folks were doing a the full section – and so measured at 34 miles.

I was not moving fast on the snow or the steeper downs on the trail, but I was fine with that – enjoying the trail.  Once I got back to the dam and hence the road, I was less than stoked to stare at road for six more miles, and I thought I was starting to feel a little less than great.  So I did what you are supposed to do when that happens: I pushed it a bit to keep things interesting and to mix things up a bit.  I was able to progress each of the six miles to be faster than the prior.  A bit of work, but good. 

The 23 miles (+) was my longest run of the year, both in terms of miles, time.  This week ends up the same with 80 on the week, and over 8.4k feet of vertical – largest yet this year – coming from the effort over this week (37 miles with 7.1k of vert).  I can feel it in the legs a bit, but that is good training right now. 

I am pretty happy with how things have been progressing on whole.  I have been doing pretty well this year with getting in 2 long runs a month (I have logged six now, 5 20 milers or longer, 1 18 miler but in the hills).  I am beginning to get a bit more vertical so that is good.  On the downside, the Achilles still is not 100 percent (but obviously not completely debilitating), and I still think I am losing a speed step or two.

Good to see the broader MUT/CRUD croo today and to check out some new places.