Week ending 06JUL2025

57 mile week.  

Nothing particular incredible about this week from a running perspective but kept plugging.  Got in a 10 miler (+) on Sunday and did some work on the track on Tuesday with the early morning crew that meets out there.  I do not worry about splits or racing anyone in those sessions but rather just focus on effort and breathing hard.   57 is the biggest volume week I have had in a year and I can say - I am feeling it:  both the good and the bad.  The good being I can feel that fitness that comes following fatigue.  The bad being the fatigue.  

Got in another 15 miles of walking.  It is something. It definitely helps.  Clears the head, settles the body in the evening before heading to bed.  

Still alcohol free.  

Saw Phish at Folsom on Thursday.   I am not a Phish phan but man, those boys can play.  And their light show is sick.

Played a gig on Friday.  It was a marathon of four hours of playing, so another four on top of that with set up, break down, etc.  It was a tad warm.  I was knackered at the end of the day and nearly passed out by the time the fireworks went off. 

Otherwise, it is the nice buzz of summer.  Getting outside, working the yard, trying to stay cool. lots of vitamin D and naps whenever I can.

Week ending 27APR2025

I missed Friday - work day got away from me and then I was feeling lazy in the evening.  The cold mist of rain kept me uninspired to get out.  But I ended up with 44 on the week.  On Thursday I even managed a workout of 4 x 2, 4 x 4 and then 4 X 4.  I didn't really keep watch - just pushed the gas a bit.  I did notice afterwards a few 45 seconds on the 2s.

I have described the knee as being "novicaned."  By that I mean that I can feel it is still fucked up but that the pain is under ... under something, under water, under ... just numbed.  But 44 miles with a workout is probably too much a beating for it in a week right now.  

Caught another Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers show on Thursday night.

For the first time I thought ... "hmm ... that was not an A+ show."  They played a few less songs than typical.  They had some problems with their sound (a bit of the outcome of the feedback thing they do now).  They did some choruses a bit too many times in a song.  They leaned heavily on the Refreshments roots more than anything newer.  There was hardly any in-tween song banter.

That said, an RCPM show is still 100x better than most bands for me.  I always have a good time and I always learn something.  Was my criticism of them based on the fact that I was not drinking at the show?   Or was it that I got a slightly less than awesome night I have become accustomed to.  Arguably if this was the first time I had ever seen them I'd have been blown away.  Guess I have become a bit of that kind of fan.  

 

Love that Gretsch that Roger has with the ripped out pickups.  

Oh yeah, 13.3 miles of walking.  I think that was all dog walking.

Pineboxing

Plugging along with about 30 miles of sloooow running each week, 10 miles of walking.  Haven't done shite for other exercise.  122 days AF.

But I have been playing music.

3/4s of the group I am in, The Pinebox Sleepers played a short set at the Rails End open mic.  It was a blast.

Rails End is where I really started playing live music in May of 2019.   My first open mic was at Half Penny Brewing in Denver, but there were like 10 guys there then.  They were all other musicians wanting to play, so it was a different vibe.  Not bad - just more like a gym - everyone was there to lift.  

I played Rails a few weeks later after that and it was outdoors at a packed house.  Aaron and Jade decided to have the open mic be their wedding reception.  There were probably 200 people there.  I played "Maybe Its Time" as the first song, eyes closed, a bit terrified.  

And since then, I have played there probably over fifty times.  And played in other bars and back yards and venues another hundred.  Out of it, I have moved from the acoustic solo thing to playing with other musicians I met there and now in this project.  The music is a drug, a therapy, an outlet.  The community there is a church of people who love music, the sharing of it, are encouraging, laugh with you, cry with you and give you a hug.  The music is rock, folk, metal, pop, bands, solo acts, a mix of instruments.  It is never on schedule.  The sound system is chaotic.  But it is wrapped in a love for the craft and each other.  

Last night a guy got up after us and sang three songs acapella.  That is a set of balls.  

I am grateful I get to have this.  I can see how much my music has moved over the years ... in my abilities, capabilities, my mind, my confidence.  It has been a place of growth. I enjoy the place, the journey, the gift the people, the wood, the steel have given me.  

"Son of Dad"

Ok. Slightly different take on the series of posts related to my father.  

Stephen Wilson Jr released an album "Son of Dad" in 2023.  I have had it on "heavy rotation" for over a year.  Stephen Wilson Jr straight up goes at the relationship with his father in this album.  Oh yeah, 30 plus songs.  And it is straight up amazing.  

Check 'em out.  

Jason Isbell & 400 Unit at Misson Ballroom 02MAY2024

 My first time to the Ballroom.  Great show, cool venue.

When We Were Close
Save the World
King of Oklahoma
Strawberry Woman
Last of My Kind
24 Frames
Middle of the Morning
Alabama Pines
Elephant
Super 8
If You Insist
Overseas
If We Were Vampires
Death Wish
Miles
Cover Me Up
Decoration Day

Encore:
Cast Iron Skillet
Just Like Heaven

Roger Clyne - PH Naffah - The Rebel Lounge PHX AZ 21APR2024

Mexico
Hello New Day
Down Together
Horses
Wanted
¡Americano!
Marie
Your Name on a Grain of Rice
A Little Hungover You
Lemons
Counterclockwise
Maybe We Should Fall in Love
Tell Yer Momma
Green & Dumb
Banditos
Mekong
Noisy Head
Nada
Leaky Little Boat
Switchblade
Blue Collar Suicide

Week ending 17MAR2024

Not the greatest of weeks for training but got something in.  Coming off of Ireland, I was spinning a bit with living with a 6 hour time change for three weeks, catching up with a bunch of work, a big Colorado storm, band practices to catch up for a weekend gig, getting back to altitude ... I had all the excuses.  But managed through the week ...

Monday - of course I was up stupid early because of jet lag.  8.7 miles to start the day.   Slow.  Barely managed sub 9.

Tuesday - 6.1 around practice and it was a complete poop storm of a practice for me.  But a handful of miles with some strides in the middle.

Wednesday - 7 miles on the day, a few with the coaches before having to bail for band.  Easy running but getting back into the swing of the schedule in Mountain Time.

Thursday - a typical spring storm blew in.  March means heavy wet snow and usually a lot of it.  We'd finish Friday at close to 2 feet.  I got in a lot of shoveling and clearing of trees.  The stuff by the street is the best.  Greg and I slogged through the huge street puddles for some.   8 miles.

Friday - the snow stopped and it actually got nice out.  All the roads were still a mess but got out with Shad for a bit.  We did 7.  I did take a step where I slid on the snow for a few feet that sorta jacked my left knee for a bit (still so on Sunday when I write this).

Gig at Mother Tuckers on Friday night.  It went great,

Saturday - AM with GW, RP and RT as a part of team practice.  10 miles total.  Tired from last night's gig.

Sunday - JZ was home so we got out for 8, and then we came across Neeraj, so I tacked on another handful with him (13 on the morning).  All easy.   Inaugural trip in the Speedlands that Shad connected me up with.   

60 miles on the week.  Clicked through 600 on Saturday sometime.  

Saturday 20JAN2024

Thursday - afternoon and with the kids, out to the 36 bike path and back.  8 miles.  Felt pretty decent actually.

Second open mic of the year, first at Rails and did this one with Steve G and Rob B.  We did "What Have I Done to Help," "Stuck in the Middle," "Overkill," and "Nada."  

I mostly worked the board in prep for a Spare Change show coming up.  It was good to learn that and the back line.  Mostly figured out that amped guitars up there don't need a mic even if folks think they do,  

Friday - did hills with the kids.  50' up, back down, 25' back down, repeat.  5 Sets.  Did these on Main, getting my butt kicked by the varsity girls.  8.8 miles

Saturday - easy with GW and RT with the Eagles.   8.7 miles.

Poking back to a bit more miles on the daily again after a bit of a lull in the snap of cold days.  About 161 on the year as of today.  Will need to start to get to some longer runs as things warm up.  

Tuesday 16JAN2024

The cold snap finally broke, but some wind came with it.  I headed out towards Interlocken as that was mostly plowed.  On the way back I did 8x90' on a minute jog, and then I did four 30' surges on 2 minute jog.  7 miles.

A little recording from this AM.

Monday 15JAN2024

Saturday night was catching SP and his band Slyjax at the local watering hole.

Got this video from Tuesday night when I played with SP at Rickoli.

Sunday - still very cold.  Got out on the same route as yesterday but went a bit further into Interlocken.  7.1 miles.  

Monday - snowing and still sub zero in the AM but I got out a little later and found a places where I was making new tracks.  

Forgot to mention the other day I clicked through a 100 miles for 2024. 

Wednesday 10JAN2023

Monday AM - with the Eagles, 7.2 miles easy.

Tuesday PM - 8 miles, with 8 x 100m uphill strides.

Wednesday AM - 8 miles, windy with GW and the Eagles on the ditch (laps to avoid much of the wind).  Slow and easy, legs a bit tired.  

 I recall why I was not updating this log on the regular.  It is because training is often just boring.  You show up, you do it, that is it.  

Tuesday night was the first open mic for me for the year.  Went to Rickoli and played "Overkill," "King of Oklahoma," "Nada," "Green and Dumb" and "Feathered Indians."  "Green and Dumb" was with Sean playing on sax (it was the first time that TZ heard it that way).   I really enjoy the Rickoli  setting / room.  The sound is just great.  I almost feel you could record and album there raw.  It was a good set for me ... I tend to play with a greater confidence and thus ease ... so better performance overall.  And it is just great to sit in and watch / listen to other local musicians.  There will be more of this in the future.  

Week ending 26NOV2023

Ended the week in PHX, driving back on Saturday.  Did that round on the interstate route to avoid some of the mountain snow - just around 14 hours (we were under 13:30 on the way down).

Six days of running (missing on the travel day), some fartlek stuff, and even some gym work on my retirement community card (no really).  

Sunday was back in Colorado and got in 8 and change with Greg in the snow soup.  42 something miles on the week.  1882 on the year.  

Did this last week.

Labor Day Weekend 01-04SEP2023

Friday - 7 miles.  HAF.  Easily 95 this entire late afternoon run over at the Commons during the Legacy meet.  Slow.

Saturday = 8.4 miles.  Ran up Straight Creek road (which then becomes a path) for a bit.  I just had not explored up there.  Not bad but not wonderful (it parallels I70).

Sunday - decided I'd give Buffalo Mountain, the big one that overlooks Dillon a shot.  I knew it was 3000 feet, but I couldn't remember exactly how long it was to get up it.  That answer was 3 miles, meaning it was in excess of 15% grade on average, but the first mile hardly counts in any of that climb.  It was a great little day of hiking hard versus running (not sure anybody really runs the boulder talus there anyway).  

Anyway, I added 2 and some changes miles back down to the car pickup after getting back down for an 8 plus run ... was sort of happy that I could make those less than 8 minute miles.   Nice to have a day above 12k feet.

Monday - back down to Broomstock.  8 miles easy as the kids did some work.  A bit sore to start but this helped.  

The week was just over 53, with 7400 plus of vert.  So, a good one after the 30 feet I got in Mississippi.

Of course, the news in the music world over the weekend was the passing of Jimmy Buffet.

Thursday 31AUG2023

Long work day and then bolted to a concert in the evening, so a short one.  4 miles, with some 1 minute on, 1 minute off on the return back.  

JE invited me to catch Phish at Dick's Park.  I never considered myself a fan, and have found their singing to be a bit of a turn off to me, but I was not gonna miss a chance to catch some live music.

I was impressed.  The jams were cool, especially how the band transitions almost seamlessly with them - and Trey is an incredible guitarist.  And, as you can see, their light show was sick - even without lasers.  

The crowd brings an interesting game too.

Monday-Thursday 07-10AUG2023

Monday AM - first day of Eagle practice.
I am taking less of a role with coaching this season - it is just necessary from an overall balance perspective.  I will help out when and where I can but it will be a bit more back seat versus that last 7 years.  

7 miles, easy

Monday night was GOVT MULE.  Bonham opened for them so, between them playing Zep tunes and Warren ripping Floyd, it was like I was in 1973.  I left at 11 and they still weren't done, even though the whole thing started at 7.  It was a trip.

I was absolutely nackered on Tuesday.  I didn't get out until the afternoon, just five miles but I moved faster than I do most mornings. 5 miles on the Lac Amora, Ditch loop.

Wednesday - 8 miles as the Eagles did a threshold on the ditch.  Nice conversation with OO.  

Thursday - 7 easy miles.  Legs are pretty beat.  2 and change more miles later in the day on the ditch.

Got this coming up this weekend.

Weekend 04-06AUG2023

Friday AM - 8.3, managing the kids who didn't go to camp.

Saturday AM - 8.1 easy.

Sunday - 7.5 miles with 8 by 65-70 hills on the far end of Lake Link.  

Sunday night was Joe B. over at Red Rocks with CG from the Spare Change crew.

Not a bad week, but sort of in a spin a bit with beat legs.  That is okay.  54 something miles.  No big mountain run this week but a few quality sessions (3).