Week ending 06APR2025

More pix over on IG.

Started the week in Weifang.  I found a nice little set of inner city trails to run, and was not alone in the wee hours of the morning.  The early jogs did establish a good cadence for the day for me.   The runs were slow, meandering with stops for pictures, and with little concern for anything other than checking out where I was at.  

There is a lot to these trips.  Visiting the groups I work with over there, connecting with people I otherwise only interact with electronically, seeing how product is actually manufactured, and coming away with a feeling of gratefulness ... of the opportunity to be a part of it and to have the life I have there and at home.  It is basic but hard to explain ... seeing the broader world in this regard is eye and heart opening for me.  I learn a lot technically, but that is often washed over by a wave of recognition that there are a lot of people on this planet ... and most of us go home and want to just share a good laugh with friends and family at the end of the day.  

After a couple of days in Weifang (that was DEN-LAX-HKG-TAO to get there) we headed to Hanoi (that was TAO-ICN-HAN).  Weifang was huge city, but Hanoi was massive - or at least where I was.  

Similar running.  

And then the trip back home.  That was HAN-NRT-SFO-DEN.

Got some jogging back when I got home to shake the cobwebs and fight the jet lag.  And to recognize the insanity of world travel and the basic joy of your own place.  

I jogged with GW Sunday morning to get caught up.

39 miles on the week.  Probably another 9 of measured walking.  

Week ending 10MAR2024

A bit of a blur of a week as it was a vacation in Ireland.  

Monday night - we made it to Dublin on the train and it was just pouring nearly sideways.  I debated going out, but managed to rally and head to Phoenix Park from the Gresham.  The trip out wasn't bad.  Back, I was face into it and so I was fully drenched by the end.  7.1 miles.

Tuesday afternoon - a sunny day (for Ireland standards) and headed to Phoenix Park again.  After a bit of a warm up, I took advantage of the nicer conditions and did minute on minute off reps.  I really didn't tag these.  I just didn't have any pop in my legs, but I ended up moving well on whole on the run.  8.2 miles.

Wednesday afternoon - we headed up to Malahide.  Last time I was here was 8 plus years ago.  I ran the coast trail, and it was good biting wind.  6.4 miles.

Thursday afternoon - 7 miles.  Last run in Ireland after a 3 week tour.  I hit the castle park and did a few loops up tempo.  Legs didn't feel great but I ended up moving ok.   Did a few hill repeats on the hill near the Grand to finish.

Friday was an all day travel day.  I had a twinkle of a thought I'd run when we got home but I was just too beat.

Saturday AM - got in some miles back in CO with GW.  It was good to catch up.  8.9 miles.  Most of the day was then at the Monarch / Centaurus track meet.  

Sunday AM - 12.6, with about 5 with GW.  Legs still beat, dealing with some low hydration from the travel and being the sun yesterday.  Easy paced.  

On whole, not a bad week, especially with it being a travel week.  Missed the second day for the year on Friday because of travel.  Got a couple of up tempo sessions during the week vs. slogging at 8:30 pace.  

Week ending 03MAR2024

A blur of a week in Westport, then Galway for a couple of days.  Lower miles than typical but some quality.  

Monday AM - explored Westport for 4 dark miles.  Felt pretty good even with the long run in the legs.

Evening - 4.2 miles, headed out on the Greenway trail up to Newport but that got dark real quick.  The trails in town are well lit, but that one had no lighting.

Tuesday - similar exploring.  4 miles.

Evening - 4.1 miles, including exploring the Col. Woods area.

Wednesday - got in seven, very slow on a rainy afternoon before getting TZ at the train station.  I was a soaked rat at the end of it.  Headed out to Clew Bay and back on the rail line.

Thursday - got in 6.3 in the afternoon.  Managed to do some of this a bit up tempo.  

Friday - very easy six

Saturday - jumped in the local Parkrun at Willie K's urging.  It was on the rail line.  It was a colder and nearly wet start but the real stuff held off.  I had pretty low expectations - as I have not really done anything in a bit.  The first mile drops 70 feet and so was quicker - 6:30.  I actually didn't start too fast, and synched up off of what Willie was doing (although I think we was just relaxing).  Once we got to the bay (maybe 1.3 out?) we flipped around started the climb back.  Willie gapped me here but only by about 10 yards.  The second mile was a 6:48.  I could definitely feel that lack of this sort of work in the last mile and the gap grew to 20 seconds.  6:58 - breaking 7 was a chore for me on that one.  20:52 for the finish - better than I expected and got me thinking about the work to break 20.

We took to Galway on Saturday, and then did Cliffs of Moher, etc on Sunday.  I managed 5.2 mile in Galway on Sunday, picking it up here and there - feeling pretty good.  And then I tripped on my shoe lace and cut open my left knee.  Just a scrape. 

Went through 500 miles sometime on this week.  

Ton of pix to post, but I will do that in a separate one.  

Week ending 25FEB2024

Finished up in Tullamore on Friday, headed over to Westport via train on Sunday.

Wrapped up mid day at the site on Tullamore and so was able to get out for a nice run.  It was pretty windy.  I did the same loop as yesterday, but in reverse, and hit the head wind going out on the canal.  

8.9 miles.  

As I passed by Lynally this time I got a different approach and perspective.  I decided to explore the local graveyard a bit too.

Saturday was a short 4.2, before taking a couple hour train up to Westport.  It is a pretty fun looking town.  

I met up with one of the folks I have been connected with at the site Sunday morning and he brought me out along the bay, out to the Croagh Patrick lot and back.  It ended up being a wonderful 14 miles.  The longest one I have done in a bit as well, so I could feel that some.  It was good.

The big day at the end of the week bumped up to 60 plus on the week which was a nice number to hit.  Good week with the mileage, some work in there too.  

Thursday 22FEB2024

Monday AM - 3 miles super slow as a wake up
PM - up the hill to the Tullamore Harriers track.  It is about 500m around.  5,4 miles, picking it up.

Tuesday AM - dragging with the time zone diff.  7.2 in the AM.  As I look back on this, I am sort of surprised I got this done.  It was fine when I did but I was stupid tired for the rest of the day.

Wednesday AM - slow AM run - 4.1

Got moving in the PM good though.  Out on the canal I did 10 x 60", 5.4 miles

Thursday afternoon - Did a loop around Lynally.  I hadn't done that before, connecting from the south side back up to the canal on the north side.  It was fun

   

In this shot, you can see the Ballycotton Castle in the distance from the Lynally Ruins.  

The loop ended up being 8.3 miles.  Easy, nice with a lot of picture stops.  

Thursday 01FEB2024

Finished January with 260 ish miles.  I have had a couple of months in the 240 range in 2023, but this was my biggest month since July of 2021.  I am not professing that this means something huge - like I am suddenly fit again or re-committed to running in a way that is particularly grand, but I do recognize the accomplishment as a stepping stone.

I started the week in SFO (M-W).  I got out Monday night with LF and we ran around the Bay.  I got 7 miles.  I had eaten entirely too much Mexican at lunch and thought that was going to be a problem (yes, that kind of problem) but I managed. LF is simply fitter and faster than me and I was dragged into a 7:30ish paced run.  I realized how I need to simply do more of this stuff and stop making excuses into the 8:30 runs.

I got out Tuesday AM for a gorgeous sunrise run to Coyote Point.  Wow.  5.2.

Tuesday afternoon - joined LF for the afternoon run club at the company I was working with.  5.3 miles.

 

Wednesday AM - got out for an easy 6.3 out to Seal Point on a very windy AM.  Traveled back home in the afternoon.

Thursday AM - back with the Broomstock crew.  8.2.  Syd was in town!

Week ending 17DEC2023

A little less than I would have liked to have got this week, but that seems to come a bit with some travel trips.  The long work days, combined with the short light days, being in a tech park with highways around me ... it made for less of a running week.  I even did some stuff this week on the treadmill.  It has been a minute since I have done that.  

So, Deerfield for a good part of the week with runs of 3-5 in the AM and/or evening. 

Got back Friday and hit Rails to catch some Slyjax.  

Then bolted over to the HS to participate in the basketball game half time recognition of the 2016 XC girl team getting into the Broomfield HS Sports Hall of Fame.  They get inducted on Sunday.

Saturday was more music - Off the Rail at Rails End, the Jons as the opener at the Gothic - and then of course another Roger Clyne show.  

Sunday included a 7 miler, part of Donnie B's 30 over at McKay Lake for his birthday (48k for 48 years).  Great to shoot the shit with the boys and clip off a few laps.  Need to do more of this.  

Sunday evening was the Broomfield High School Athletic Hall of Fame.  Fun to catch up with folks at this event.