Sunday 17AUG2025

Back to Green.  It was a train wreck.  I went up the middle out of Gregory and managed to average under twenty minutes a mile for each of the miles except the last.  I was falling a lot though and cracked my knee pretty good on the way in the boulder field on Greenman.  

I got a call about 2 minutes from the summit by TZ that she was heading down so I flipped.  I thought I'd get down in about 40 minutes.  I was wrong.  I was moving at 2mph (27 min/mile) on the down.   Even on the runable sections, I was flopping at 15 minutes a mile.  I was a hurting dog.  

5.5 miles, with about 2200 feet of climbing.  

I was cooked for a bit post.  Afternoon nap helped.

50.5 miles on the week, with close to 5k of vert.  It started as a solid week but sorta came off the rails by the weekend.  1160 something on the year.

Two weeks ending 11MAY2025

This weekend represents a bit of a milestone for me.  It has been almost a year to the day since I left my consulting business as a partner and went back to the corporate world.  That alone has been a whirlwind of change.  

The past year has been a lot of change though.  Our youngest graduated from college.  Our oldest returned from Japan.  TZ's parents moved from the high mountains of Park County to the desert of Arizona.  My father passed.  I quit a band.  I joined a band.  I ended my involvement with Scouts, and high school coaching.  I went to China twice, Vietnam once.  I took two months off running after struggling with an achy knee for 8 months.  I read more books last year than I probably did in the prior three collectively.  I gave up alcohol.  

To an outsider, it probably looked the same - a middle aged privileged white blue eyed male doing all right.  I agree.  I am doing all right.  A fair amount of ups and downs, but I am doing pretty damn well.  

I was thinking as I was coming home from the Bay this past week that I have a place I can go where there are people who are going to be genuinely happy to see me, give me shit, spend time with me and care.  That is pretty flippin' awesome

Last week was 46 miles.  Probably a bit more than my knee likes and definitely makes me feel the limits of my fitness and current lifestyle.  This past week was 42 miles - and even had a quality session with LF while in Burlingame (hills at Coyote Point).  

The Pinebox Sleepers had a gig at Prost on Friday.  Four hours of a gig.  That is a lot of music.  49 songs - about 2/3rds originals.  It is challenging for sure.  It would be different if this was my full time thing but we only practice collectively like 3 or 4 times a month.  It is a big lift - and so inevitably, I see the errors we make when playing.  The audience rarely sees these - unless they are HUGE gaffs or someone is paying attention really well.   But we on the stage do.  And so like a race, afterwards I reflect on what could have been better or what went well.  

People have told me that I am too self critical but I don't see it that way.  It is definitely a both things are true - I have a blast playing this music.  But I want to be better.  

It has me thinking a bit as of late - the struggle is the necessary for the joy.  And with that, I have wondered if the struggle is the joy itself.  I am not saying that is true with actual trauma - but rather we must have some challenging force on us to grow and see the positive.  

Week ending 23OCT2022

Monday AM - 3 miles along the sidewalk that is a bit off the north shore.  Slow to rise, but decided rather than just dog the miles, threw in a few one minute pickups.

I forgot to mention that at the CSU race, my watch told me that I averaged 150bpm HR, with a short max at 166 mid race.  I am not sure that is right or if the watch is off in regards to how it measures these things.  It often has my resting HR in the 30s, but my upper HRs in runs has been shown in the 180s.  I dunno.  Not that it matters.  

Evening - 4.2 miles on the sand, well at least for part of it.  That is pretty tough.  Caught it before it got too dark.  And it is humid as anywhere I have been.  

Tuesday AM - as has become customary ... the day 2 is always a bit tougher to get rolling on the travel trip.  Contemplated staying in bed and not going, but managed to get out at it and listen to some of the new Coheed and Cambria release.  3 miles easy.  

PM - 3.5 miles.  Dark, hot, humid and headlights in the eyes.  Meh.  But movement.

Started think about how I used to handle this humidity shit better.  I recall some stupid runs in Israel and Dubuque.  Somehow I'd gut out 10 miles.  It was certainly better trails there than this but I must have been more stubborn about getting the miles.  

Wednesday - nada.  Slept in as I was bushed.  Did the engagement dinner thing in the evening (it was nice) so there was not gonna be any running after.  

Thursday night.  Got back to the hotel a little sooner so was able to get out for a bit of a longer jaunt but I paid for it.  Total soaked rat at the end of this one.  Squishy shoes and all.  

Friday - travel day - and a long one.  Another goose egg.

Saturday - back at it with AM practice for about a half dozen.  Buzzed up to TommyKnocker to play the Burro Banquet - which game me an adequate excuse to not have to lace up for Masters XC over in Boulder.

Sunday - decided it was time to try to get back on the horse after an ineffective week.  10 miles.

A poor training week, but it came with the travel and to a challenging climate for me.  

Week ending 07AUG2022

Monday - headed to Tahosa for what I think is my 7th XC camp with the Eagles.  Fifth year at Tahosa.  Probably missed a COVID year in there but I'd have to check.  

It felt like a great camp for me.  Good kids, good environment, some great goal setting and conversations.  All the things you want when involved in something like this.

I decided I was going to do some running.  I wasn't expecting much.  The biggest concern with it all was that I'd take a tumble and bruise something.  Being on a blood thinner then makes that a greater risk.  I promised to be more careful, but it is true that I am rather klutzy.

Monday night we headed up the St. Vrain trail.  5.5 miles.  It was clear that as soon I had to breathe significantly at all, I was gonna hurt.  The deeper lung pain was still there even though it has generally gotten better over the last week.  

Tuesday - 5.1 miles up towards the Beaver Res, and then jumped on the Sourdough for a bit.  Same sorta thing.  So just easy running.  Or barely jogging.

In the evening I tacked on another 3.2 miles up the Coney Flats out of Beaver Res.  Things seemed to loosen up a tad in the lungs on this one.

The couple days up there reaffirmed for me a couple of things: I am gonna run.  I am committed to getting past this crap so I can continue to do this stuff.  I do want to get back to being fit enough to do Pikes in 2023 and the Fairplay Burro Race as well.  I have had a variety of shit pitched to me in the last couple of years (this, the Achilles) that has screwed that up but I will get back to it.  

Great pic of Jack from last weekend.

And, it also affirmed that I was completely not going to be able to do the burro race this year.  No, that would have been a med evac situation possibility had I done it.  

Wednesday AM - I saw my local doc and it was surprisingly a good visit.  I'll be on the thinners for 3 months, but I am getting some tests to see if they a root cause to my clot issue can be determined.  For the moment, they are sorta stumped.  But it was clearly stated that my general health / vitals were a huge benefit for me getting through this pretty unscathed.  Apparently there may have been some permanent damage to one of my lungs, so I could expect to deal with that longer term.  

In the afternoon I got out for five on the ditch with JZ.  It was hot, and I think I was feeling the effects of all that blood being drawn, so this one was especially wonky.  5 miles.

Thursday AM - 6 miles easy with GW and JH around practice.  Pretty sure the thinners are screwing up my sweat.  I look like I am taking a bath at the end of every run.  And the sweat seems saltier than usual.  

Been running with the Garmin 35 watch I got.  I got it because I didn't expect to carry the phone for the entirety of the Fairplay or Pikes events.  So much for that.  It tells me a lot.  Maybe too much.  Like number of steps I have taken, my HR when I burp, etc.  

Friday AM - practice.  6.5 with strides.  No way would I call this a good run but it is the best one I have had all week.  The pain continues to drop a bit and I can breathe a little easier.  

Saturday AM - 8 miles around practice.  Continued progress.  Still can't and won't run hard yet but getting better.  Saw some owls.  

Sunday AM - 9.4 miles.  It was a bit of a cooler morning.  I felt fine for the first half dozen but then was sweating like I was in the midwest.  Really just slow but good to get in a few.  Still dealing with some deep breath challenges  but way better than a week ago of course.

About 45 on the week, but I can see that I am way behind where I was a few weeks ago.  Engine is just sputtering through some stuff.  

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.  

Week ending 03JUL2022

Monday AM - 10.2 miles.  Started early with GW and then did the run with the Eagles at practice.  Some weight room and back home.  Good to get it done.  

Tuesday - 7.3 miles with practice.  Some weight room work post.  I have been getting that in too but today I added box step ups with weights to hopefully get some hip climb power work.  

Played the Fort Collins Food Truck Rally last night.  There had to be close to 2000 people there.  It was a blast.  

Wednesday AM - 5 miles with Greg at practice.  Tired from the long evening last night.    

Thursday PM - this was a good one, unexpectedly.  Headed out on super ditch and climbed up into Interlocken for 5, slowing down as the climb steepened, and averaged 8:15 on the out, but then progressed nicely on the return - getting to about 7 flat towards the end.  Averaged 7:25 on the second half without going nuts.  10 miles.

229 miles on June.  Meh.

Friday AM - 6 miles at practice over at Single Tree.  

Afternoon - 3.7 on the ditch.  Hot again

Saturday - up in Fairplay.  Along the community ditch there and then up over Breckenridge Estates.  8.7 miles with a bit over 1000 of climbing at 10k feet.  Ass kicker.  

Bart passed away Saturday night.  He was nearly 14 so it was not completely unexpected but it was still a crushing punch in the gut.  More on him in a different post.

Sunday - 3.3 miles.  Just nothing.  I felt like I was moving well, but I had nothing.  I slept like crap, waking up with a soaked face.  I know we all hear about how stress is stress, regardless if it is physical or emotional, but it is at moments like this when I can really see it.  

Well, it was a week.  Some progress.  Some spinning.  That is life.  

Week ending 17APR2022

Monday - evening, took a bit of exploring and some state highway crossing but I found some decent paths to hit.  8.1 miles with a broken threshold.  It started as 5 x 3 minutes on, 2 minutes off but on the last one I sorta kept rolling.  Good run.  

Tuesday - evening.  8 miles.  Started at a local trail head and did an out and back over the Des Plaines river, and came up through a controlled burn.  That was sorta surreal.

 

Wednesday AM - 4 miles.  Navigated the State Highway shoulder - which was sorta dumb - but navigated to the open space again

Wednesday night - pouring rain and windy, and I just don't have the gear for that so I relegated myself to the treadmill.  5 miles.  

Thursday - 3 miles. Yeah.  That sucked.  Stupid winds out (like 60mph) so I stayed on the mill.   Left shoulder is angry about something today too - guessing I did something on it in my sleep.

Friday - told myself I'd run when I got home as I failed to overcome the gravitational pull of the hotel bed in the AM.  Yeah, I was getting where I could see a bit of the three weeks of travel picking at my brain in a way I didn't care for.

Some recent music forays from the palace of my hotel room.

I have been finding that I am needing to be a bit more attentive to pushing myself to do my own stuff and then to stay with it.  There are a few levels to that ... including practicing a tune after I actually get one down, and then moving its production past just a three chord hack.

Saturday - 7.7 miles on the BoCo break and there and back.  Played over at Luki with Spare Change.

Sunday 10.5 miles.  Tired.  Windy.  

Another 50 something week.  Made it through three weeks of travel somewhat unscathed/ 

Week ending 23AUG2021

Monday AM - up early which was sorta super early because of the travel to ET.  4 miles out of the hotel on an out and back as I explored the area a bit.  Slow start as typical but then opened up a bit.

Fried in the evening after a dozen on the day.  Hit the rack.

Tuesday AM - up at 5 but I didn't get my arse moving until just before six.  Sunrise is seven so for the most part it is in the dark.  70 degrees plus but plenty humid so a good sweat.  Sort of trapped between a few state highways without sidewalks so navigating around in some space that is a bit tighter.   Not bad but not some great trail network.   But I am too klutzy to chance stuff in the dark on road shoulders.   5.5 miles.  

Afternoon.  89 Ambient.  99 on the heat index with the humidity.  4.6 miles.  Indiana Fun.  

Wednesday AM - alarm went off at 5.  I looked out the window at the rain.  Reset the alarm for 6:45.  Appreciated the extra sleep but was still sorta tired.  It was nice out when I actually got up.  But then it was time to go to work.

Afternoon.  Stupid hot again.  Sorta Singapore hot.  Or Tel Aviv hot.  Not quite Dubuque hot but getting close.  Nonetheless I decided to double down on stupid and run.  And since I haven't done any quality, well, why not.  Set out to do 10 by a minute on and a minute off.  Lost count, and ended up doing a dozen.  No worries, they weren't too fast.  6.5 miles.  

Yeah, got some looks from the trucks that went by.  The short shorts may have been a bit much.  

Thursday AM - shoes are just increasingly getting soaked and not drying out.  I have wondered if I lived here if I'd run or find the conditions to be too oppressive for any sort of semblance of discipline I might have to hold.  A bit tired - 4 miles.  

PM - wow.  80 degrees ambient, and only 85 on the heat index, but without direct sun.  Felt like a cool spring day.  4 miles.  Even popped a sub seven.  

Corn and soy all this week I guess.  

Friday - AM - early start, and had to pack out of this hotel, etc so no morning run.  And then all day and a wrap up dinner with the team.  So nada.

Saturday PM - back to Colorado this AM after a bleary eyed early flight.  Hot but in a different way.  7.2 miles.  Felt stiff and heavy.  AQI was like 120 so that might have been part of it.  

Sunday AM - a couple before heading out to the airport.  
PM -Over a 100 degrees, but if there was anything that further proved to me that humidity is my Kryptonite, it was today's jog.  Yeah, it was hot, but somehow bearable with the Santa Ana winds and the drier air.  6.4 miles.  

A bit of a ugh week on the exercise front but given the travel constraints, and nothing on the competitive calendar, it was okay.