Tuesday 26JAN2015

I had a bit of a day yesterday.  Nothing major, but curve ball after curve ball … at one point TZ and I looked at each other and said, “what the heck is going on here today?”  I got a bit unmindful with my eating and I felt it as I lumbered around this AM.

I got out with Shad and Neeraj this AM … Shad had 5 x 3 minutes on tap for a workout as he is 12 weeks out of Boston.  Oh yeah, hills.  We debate-discussed what hill to do and I talked them into starting at the bottom of the draw on the new connector trail and heading up to my place.  Trails were muddy messy. 

Conversation included how clocks work on GPS units, sweat rate, how Phil is nuts on certain topics, corporate downsizing, parents dying, the Pikes course, the Boston course, running form and economy, what podcasts to listen to (we all listen to ATC religiously but probably not much else on EP) and if Paula Radcliffe took PEDs.  I love this stuff. 

I felt like crap because of my gluttony, but I waddled through the first three minutes and found my mark on the trail.  I was able to get a little more past this on each rep.  This reminded me of the old Linden workout I used to with JV and Scott E and Galen B.  That hill is a killer workout … but more than anything it would teach me pacing.  I could easily cruise the first one but then I would find to reach that time on subsequent reps was much harder.  I learned over time that I needed to be exact my effort a bit more carefully over such hills.  

The structure of that workout was simple:  three minutes or half a mile up a hill, each one the same in time or a little faster (or farther).  5 or 6 does the trick.  About the same in terms of rest.  The rest can be a bit long, but that forces you to up the ante a bit on the rep.  JV and I also used to do this on Green on the back side, on the top of the trail from what used to be the four way junction (it is now three) to the Summit in what I called the Elliott Stairs.  I called them that because Scott used to do those to prep for the Golden Stairs on Pikes.  That guy knows a thing or two about that race.  While that workout was geared towards working up big steps, it was the same sort of structure – about 3 minutes up and an equal down.

11.1 miles.

I was (am) considering the Winter 4 miler race this weekend over in Harlow Potts park near Fairview.  It would be nice to see how I have progressed on that since my run there last month.  I’d expect that I have improved.  But, I might skip it as life priorities might take the front seat. 

On a lighter note, KZ as a total goof decided to apply to be a mermaid at the aquarium in Denver – thinking they would not take it seriously.  Well, they called her back for an interview so now she is fretting as to how to get out of that.

Yapped a bit with Hal W yesterday.  He is pretty sure that only five guy have ever won the Pack Burro Racing Triple Crown.  He won it once in 2013, and I won it in 2015.  He thinks that Bobby Lewis won it in 2008 or 9.  The only other guys to have won it are Ardel (Oscar) Boes and Tom Sobal – but the years are not clear.  I got some contact info though on some folks that can hit up to see if they can give the info.  Tom and Ardel are around but it is not exactly clear from them as to when they won it.  I want to get a plaque on the side of the TC trophy that indicates who (man and burro) won the TC in what years. 

Friday, Lindens #2

I confess, I got a bit worried yesterday. I felt like absolutely crud. Not like sick but deeply tired. I started thinking maybe I had pushed it a bit too far on Wednesday. My legs were lead and that made my head start to play some games with me. I had to do some self talk and tell myself, "all cool brother GZ, this is what you are supposed to feel like on a recovery day after a hard workout."

And I felt better today. Well mostly. Still a bit in the hole but much much better. So, it was back to work. Lindens.

Last time I averaged 4:13, and started way too fast so I wanted to improve on that. After the typical warmup (although that was about 2 min quicker, I guess it was about 5-10 degrees cooler this week) ... 4:12, 4;07, 4:06, 4:05, 4:02. Rests were about 5-6 minutes and I took them really casually, focusing on the repeat piece. So the average of the repeat came along nicely (about a six second improvement) and I ran these much smarter. Being cooler helped (although it was still high 80s), and these just felt better. Yeah, I was still blubbery at the end, and I threw up the water I took in the middle, but I felt better doing it. Figure that out. Not bad for not feeling super zippy.

Finished off with four of the uphill strides, 72 mins on the day. Probably will hit the high country this weekend. Next time I go at this workout, I am going to look to do a bring the rest down a bit, keep it more active. I got the idea that this loop would make for a dang good up down tempo run, with each loop looking to be progressively faster than that last. Put that one in the books for a future date.

Friday 071108

Lindens ... a workout I first heard about via SE. (that first link describes it pretty well). Yeah, Scott has done okay at Pikes to say the least.

I had planned to get out early, before it got hot but the plans changed: we needed to prep our daughter this AM for a weeklong river raft trip. By the time I hit the door out of the office to go see my PT, Dr, Linden, it was already above 95. Oh well. I decide to embrace the heat rather than make it an excuse.

This is a hill of about a half mile in length, with a back side of about the same. And it is pretty steep. I have not figured out the elevation change from the bottom to the top via mapmyrun, but I will. Just not now. I am too tired. I don't know. It looks to be 300 feet? So I guess in a half mile (2640 feet) that is about 11 percent grade or so. So about perfect. Even thinking about this workout makes me quiver a bit. And because of that, I know this workout is a dang good one when I can tag it.

Workout is simple ... five repeats up. Keep them at near the same time. Survive and limp home. My problem is on this, as it has been, is I start out real slow ... and then I slow down more. Seriously, my first time out on this every year is a total blow up. I start off what feels easy, I then realize it is too fast and then I try to survive the workout. Benefits are tough workout, pacing is retaught on hills. Usually by the second time in a season, I can dig in more effectively.

The area is quiet. It is a mountain paved road. Footing is perfect. It is hot. Cicadas buzz. Humming birds buzz. The occasion car slips by and I get the "holy shit that guy is a freak" look. I warm up for about 20+ minutes, see some deer and then get to business. I look forward to this workout levelling me, giving me feedback as to where I am compared to last year and I fear the way it is about to humble me. Because I know it will.

First one: 4:06. Uh oh. Way too fast. It felt easy. But then there is that bitter taste in my mouth. I have officially gone in the hole. Ah well, I need to pay the price now. Damn it is hot.

Second one ... (oh yeah, I pay no attention today to the rest, as it is crazy hot, I am sucking back water, pouring it on my head). Okay Zack ... relax a bit here. 4:20. Damn. That hurt. I definitely started too hard.

Third one ... 4:15. A knee grab here at the end. HR is 182. Part of me would be content to go home now but the rest of me would be REALLY pissed at that.

Fourth one ... 4:15. My mouth is going dry despite the L of water I have gulped between the intervals. I take the rest really easy (six minutes?) and suck back a full L of water. I throw some of it back up.

Fifth one. 4:10. I walk to the car change out of my trainers into some flats to do some strides on the last section. Four stride outs on the last section (from the pine cone post to the finish). These are 35-37 versus being closer to 50-60 when I am rigging up at the end of the 4 minute stretches.

I get in the car and my head is buzzing. But in a good way. My legs sigh in relief. On the way home, I down nearly another 50 oz of Gatorade. 75 minutes on the day.

Coincidently, I did these on July 11 last year too. I did not finish them though as I only did three rather than five. I did this workout two other times last year as well (also below) with averages much faster (4:09, and 4:06) than today which is not surprising considering how I am still building up.

Good workout. I will be back. I do think I need to be careful with this one. It has the ability to drive me to the edge more than other workouts. That has a benefit but I don't want to leave my race on Linden Ave.

Wednesday July 11, 2007 modified Lindens …warmed up for about 2 miles (18 minutes). 4:08, 4:51R 4:05, 5:35R 4:02 … jogged out the next loop and did strides …(4) (30 minutes). Warmed down for 2 miles (17 minutes). 75 minutes … 8 miles

Tuesday June 5, 2007 – about a half an hour warm up (3.5 miles) and then did Lindens with JV. I screwed up this workout by going out too fast even though it felt relaxed. . 3:55, 5:34R, 4:16, 5:26R 4:08, 6:00R 4:04, 6:10R, 4:04. I was tired the entire time but was able to recover a bit with a slower second one and force the workout. I felt like I was jogging the middle but just tired. Workout was 43:37. Average: 4:06. That is a bit of an improvement, particularly in light of what I did on the first. Warmed down for 20. Calling it 11 over 93.

Sunday May 20, 2007 Lindens. Warmed up with Scott for about 20 minutes (let’s call it 2.5 miles) and then did 5 x Linden. I took the first three as easy but building and then bit into the 4th and 5th. Scott was a bit spent from a long run yesterday so he helped out on the by stepping out on the 4th and 5th and bringing me up post the first third. 4:17, 6:00R 4:14, 6:12R 4:10, 5:52R 4:03, 5:40R 3:54. The last two were pretty tough but I still had an other gear (except for the last 100 of the last one). Scott’s help was huge. Average is: 4:09. More to come as I dig into this. Warmed down for 20 minutes. Workout was 44:21 … calling this 10 over 84.