Week ending 10JUL2022

Back at it.  Started the week in a bit of a mental funk with the events at the tail of the week, but recognized I need to keep grinding for the good.

Monday - 4th of July.  We went up and buried Bart at the ABC.  I still had the ashes from Lucy's cremation so I put those in with him  Won't lie - I was a blubbery mess with all of it and still am as it hits me.  It is not the thought of him as gone that gets you but the unexpected things that catch you because they have been habit for 14 years.  Going to feed the dogs and realize it is just feeding a dog and you only need to do one dish.  Stuff like that.  

So it was an day off with the up and down on the mountain.

Tuesday AM - with GW and RT at practice (over there and back too).  Gets hot early nowadays but expected.  8.1 miles.  

Didn't stay up for the fireworks last night.  I was just beat.  But saw the better show up on the hill before hitting the rack.

Forgot to mention we did a gig Saturday night over in Vista Ridge.  Ir was good fun.  Fireworks, rocking ten year olds, etc.  Was sorta nutty with rain coming in and then blowing back out and then coming back in over a few times but a blast in any case.  

Was up way too late on that day.  

Tuesday afternoon - cooled off with it being overcast.  JZ got me out on the ditch.  3.7 miles.

Tuesday night went over to Red Rocks and caught Lyle Lovett and Chris Issak. Just captivating entertainers at probably the best outdoor music venue on the planet.

Wednesday.  Beat.  Long work day.  Took the day off from running.  

Thursday - up early and went over to Lion's Lair with JV.  Been too long since I have run with that guy.  

It has been so long since I have been on Sanitas, they completely redid the back side trail (Lions Lair).  It is a nice grade but was still an ass kicker for me.  Need to get back,

Friday AM - over to Bobolink for a run with the Eagles.  8 miles.  A bit tired from yesterday but it worked out a bit.  

Saturday - 6.1 miles with GW outta Aquarius.  Did a gig at Front Range last night and then one on Saturday night at Mother Tuckers.

I had a pretty amazing moment at Front Range.  While playing a woman walked up to me and pointed to her ear.  I thought she was saying the music was too loud but then I somehow understood she was saying she was deaf and couldn't hear the music.  But she wanted to feel it.  She put her hands on the guitar and we enjoyed the music together.  

Sunday.  Hooboy.  Tired.  Hot.  And busy.  Had intentions of getting up early and going to do Green but a 1AM finish with the gig put the kibosh on that.  Life chores, etc. Ended up with near hour nap in the afternoon and so a goose egg to cap the most inconsistent running week I have had in a bit.  I guess I could rationalize and say I needed the nap.  

Will keep on plugging.  

Wednesday 24FEB2016

Crazy read on an Olympic hurdler turned body builder.  The diet stuff is nuts.

PM  - I got in a jog with Hans and Lucy and was bit beat up still from yesterday.  I then headed over to the Coal Creek trail and met JV.  We headed north as he pretty much has not been out on that part of the trail near the Erie airport (afaik).  He had some sweet shoes for his girls.
And a cool hat.


Got out with TZ for a walk after that … with Bart.

Nice treat when I got back:

 

In the evening went to JZ’s band concert where they do the thing with the middle school.  There were like 90 trumpets on stage.

JV mentioned it so I figured I ought to look.  I checked out Pikes registration.  No comp entry this year … as I did not do it last year!  It is pretty hard for me to imagine tackling the mountain right now, but I guess I ought to give it some thought.  Okay, thought given.  I did find this funny on the site: Doublers will be charged an additional $50 (payable with your Ascent registration). This fee is intended to discourage runners from signing up for the double.

Tuesday 23FEB2016

Around the 22 mile marker I realized it wasn’t going to happen.

I really enjoyed this race report from Dave D, particularly the back and forth in the race between him and Nate J.  His splits are impressive too.  Has me wondering if I ought to do a variation of the Pre-30-45 workout to 41-60.

Scary stuff.

Hans is not buying in.

This is fascinating.

Mid AM – got out with the constantly improving Shad, Neeraj, Bob and Kendrick for some repeats around Harper Lake.  I knew this was going to be less than stellar for me because the muscle between my ears has not been focused well, but I figured I needed to jump into this … because it was yet again a start, because it would force me to stay on top of my Tuesday commitment, because it would be good to see the guys and all that makes the muscle between the ears … well, get better focus.

On tap was 4-6 laps around the lake on 2-3 minutes rest.  A lap is about 1500 meters.  We figured we better keep it just to a lap because we’d all get into some sort of gripe fest if we had to land on what a mile was (our GPS units would all come up with something slightly different).  And when we tried to land on running for time two weeks ago we still screwed that up.  So a lap it was.  There was the typical warm up and yammering at the start and knowing I was going to be the arse dragger on the day, I got on it.  I was quickly passed by the rest of the crew.  I figured if I was not going to go fast, I could accomodate to some degree by shortening the rest some, and so I kept them all to 2 minutes or less (I think as short as 80 seconds).  I was struggling through all of them, but at the same time I could sort of tell my ability to get in and do the work and the get to the level of hurt that Shad was reaching was … was well, not really there or desired.  Hmm.  But it was good work.  I managed through six even though I had told myself five would be enough when I was at four.

Admittedly, one of my favorite aspects of these runs is where we start debating some topic – and amazingly it is usually a scientific topic.  Recent topics have included what mechanical advantage is gained, if any, by a bike; if the salinity of sweat is constant (and sweat rates), what is a normal diet, and if time is collected on GPS watches from satellites or managed locally on the watch.  There is no lack of opinions, cursing, and emotion in these otherwise very well thought out and articulated conversations.

JV was in the ‘hood in the afternoon, so I got out for an hour with him.  It was easy but that ended up being 7:50 pace (as opposed to if I he had not been around I would not have gone out at all or if I did it would have been 8:50 pace).  Another great set of conversation:  siblings that have passed, kids (long days, short years), and how we tend to get worked up about things that are really not that important.  It has been too long since I have run with that guy.  Screwed up and did not bring a camera for a pic.

I am a pretty lucky dude to get to run with so many cool dudes.

Tuesday 24NOV2015

Bear with JV (out of Cragmoor).  Always awesome with this guy, not always fast.  Today was not fast.  Because of me.

These shots by JV.

6 miles.

Burros and #GOMs make for a great Labor Day

The AM we spent over in Louisville at the Labor Day Parade with member of the WPBA.  TZ was a saint and played the poop fairy.  Pix by Jeff Valliere.

Afterwards, we headed out to the Mayerhoff property and checked on the new recruit, Boog.

In the evening there was a chapter gathering of the #GOM club.  Discussions included asterisks to particular performances, and a traditional round of the game of “My problem with that is …”

Somewhere in there I got in an easy four miles.

Thursday 060415

AM – 5.7 miles with JV, Skurka and Roche.  I had been trying to get together with Dave for sometime and it worked out that I was able to connect this up with Jeff and Andrew as well.  Just an awesome crew – good conversation on running, life … well, if you can get a word in while heading up Green.  Just incredibly passionate and positive people …
A little debate on the trail on poles … some say they work wonders.  Others say they keep you from running and encourage you to hike.  And some say they make you a hiker anyway.  I got them in an Amazon order today and intend to start test driving them soon.  I do expect to use them. 

I had intended to do a dental cleaning and then swing back to Chautauqua after a bit of office work for a  longer effort.  But I got word from Dave Mackey that he had a window for visitation and I headed down to Denver Health to see him.

Dave talked me through the accident, the rescue, his current situation and what is projected to come up next with surgeries, rehab, etc.  It will be a tough road.  I will admit it: it is hard to see Dave like this.  Every other time I have seen him he has been a powerful athlete moving through a race, with determination and focus.  He is powerful, determined and focused still but fighting a very different battle of endurance, and probably easily argued the toughest one he has ever faced.   Still, you (and he) see that and you realize how lucky he was/is.  I don’t think you can really think about that and not be moved emotionally.  I certainly was.

So a day of inspiring people … I mean really inspiring people.  The universe speaks.

I am heading up to Laughing Valley Ranch tomorrow night for a burro run with Jack.  If interested in joining, give me a shout.

Late afternoon – 7.3 miles.  Hot. 

Evening – the Pumpkin took a nice tag.  As far as car accidents go, this is about as take as you can get.  I was at a light, making a right on red, signal on.  Someone tried to slip up around me in the bike lane (in their car) and when I made the turn … crunch.  Basically there is no turn lane for them, they tried to make one.  Bummer is that it looks to be three panels that will need to be dealt with.

Friday 052215

Nice write up on Sonia O’Sullivan.  I will probably end up running on the track named after her next week.

A cold wet AM.  Met up with Bob and started up the Flagstaff Road.  Just before the 3 mile mark, JV popped out on the trail ahead of us.  We took to the Summit from West Green.  JV headed down the front and Bob and I retraced our steps for the most part – we took the spur road up to Flagstaff to spread things out a bit.  14.3 miles. 

EP’s latest ATC and I get some play with a question I asked.  Coincidentally Bob and I ended up talking about walking and hiking today.  I think I am getting some of it (even this week with Fern) but it is one of those things I probably get a little more practice with.  Lucho and Tawnee really cover the question in the podcast.  If I have not made it clear to folks who are looking for ultra advice ought to listen to that podcast, let me be clear:  go listen to that podcast.

And later today, I walked 2.6 with TZ.  That lady does not stroll.  It is a WALK.  She was more gentle on the post dinner fooseganer, 1.7 miles.

Weekend 0516-1715

Saturday – I think I am nearly through this pretty nasty cold.  Still hacking up crap but it feels as if the worst of it has passed.  That was not a fun two weeks on the health front.  A busy day and an eye on a larger Sunday had me decide to keep this day light:  5 very easy miles.

Sunday – 2 laps of Green, all on the front side.  I thought I might do three if I felt good and the timing was working well.  I was not feeling particularly strong, and had ate up a fair chunk of the AM off two laps and called it at that.  I saw the hiker guy Skurka out there and had the pleasure of JV joining me for the second half of the climb and descent on lap 2.  Slow moving out there today, but the second lap ended up being faster than the first (call that the JV effect).  10.4 miles.

81.7 miles, 12+ hours and 7900 feet on the week; 1552 miles, 212 hours and 78k feet on the year.  May is about 190 miles, 26 and 3/4 hours and 10k feet (yes, over half my vertical this month came from today … that is what you get for running in Tel Aviv for a week).  Not a great week, not a horrible week, but less than the week I imagined in regards to running.  I struggled with this cold this week more than I care to admit.  I was catching on a variety things post international travel as well.  .

Saturday 112914

AM – 15 miles.  Easy easy.  Tired. 

Got out to the farm to check out the burros, including some of the new residents.  JV brought along his charming daughters, and I met Kim – a new burro owner.

We had brought some apples.  I had brought them in an old IPA box.  Once the apples were done, Elroy decided he wanted the box.  Or maybe he thought he’d get an IPA out it.
       

These images from Jeff.