BTMR results

I LOVE the BTMR results.  One – they give you splits along the way (all without chip timing mind you).  Two – they have a database where you can sort results over the years.  Three – they are published pretty dang quick.  How sweet these are compared to age grouped results that are in a pdf that come out a week later.

And crap – Haefer ran 33:18 down!  After a sub 56 run up!

On a side note, I got a little interested in seeing who had comp entries for the Ascent and Marathon.  With the WMRA teams listed there – it is becoming VERY challenging to determine who will be top ten!

A date

I return to Santa Claus Lane tonight to get in another burro session.  Word is JM will also be there to commune with the asses.

Monday 071910

Powell has a good BTMR post race wrap up posted. 

I have been hit by a car while running.  I can confidently say that I am more sore after a race on Pikes than after being hit by a car. 

Easy five miles.  Max HR 142, AHR 129.

Jay was kind enough to take some shots from yesterday’s race and share them.

Anton laments about having to auto travel to high trails.  Timely as BoCo considers public transit to them.  … A related public survey.  My nickel here … I hope it is economically feasible.  We have considered sending our daughter to a friend’s house in Boulder (from Broomfield via the bus).  It is 4 bucks each way however.  I realize there is some “common good” cost but 8 dollars for 30 miles of driving seems steep.

Grumpy old man point … it cracks me up a bit when folks say “it is a mute point.”  But one that gets me a bit more than that is when folks say mature with the t pronounced as a t sound rather than ch.  Do we say nature like that?  It just ain’t natural.

Afternoon – six easy miles with TC from work.  Felt much looser than this AM.

Interview with Geoff Roes. (short)

Week in review, week ending 071810

Week was 77 miles, 11.5 hours.  144 miles on over 22.25 hours in July. 2268 miles over 358.5 hours on the year.

Good “get back” week with a wee taper because of BTMR.  Some track that hurt like hell on Tuesday (simply because I was not used to it after a week off – seriously), and a good hill workout on Thursday, and the race today.  11k vertical on the week.

Will look to make the most of the next three weeks before tapering down for PPM. 

Sunday 071810 Barr Trail Race

After being gifted with a stay at Brownie’s palace for the night I headed over to the line.  Got the number, and finished up a 2.5 mile warm up that was RIDICULOUSLY slow.  My purpose in these mountain race warm ups has become less about strides and pace familiarity, and more about just working out the AM kinks.

Enjoyed catching up and meeting with a variety of folks, including Nick, Jesse, Ryan C, Shad, Bernie, Daryn, others.

I had decided to get out carefully, and despite several nudges by folks to go for the prem money.  I think, at least for BTMR, I have finally figured out the front end of this race.  That remains to be proven in the PPA/PPM race, as it is a bit different with the 1.25 lead up.  The trick is simple – go easy (for a race), don’t red line and realize you are still going to feel like arse at some point.  I did cheat and check the HR monitor a few times to gauge effort. 

The start did get out quick, and I was almost instantly transported from my second row start to about 40th place.  On the steep road hill I settled behind Gerald Romero, realizing he’d finish faster than me, and that he runs this race as smart as anyone.

Once into the Ws themselves, I just got into that climb and grind gear.  Positions were exchanged, but for the most part I was picking folks up – and even here being careful in how I passed folks.  I did not want to over exert in getting a few strides ahead.  About 1/2 way up into the Ws I passed Ryan Cooper, but he then passed me pretty aggressively in the last long switch back before where they collect the split.  Just after this, we saw the Kenyan that everyone had been talking about pre race walking back down.

My split (and recorded splits will be posted later) for the Ws was 21:15. 

Coming out of the Ws I hit some of those continued switch backs up to the Rock Arch and I did not feel so great.  But I had good conditions.  I had a group to work with and I could see folks up ahead to work towards.  Laura H and I exchanged positions a couple of times here and there were a few others, as we nudged each other in a tentative unspoken agreement.  Laura passed Megan just before the Rock Arch.

Photo by Christian Alstrin:

I put my head down just before No Name Creek and nearly run over Laura who had stopped to pull a rock from her shoe.  It was no problem.  She swung up past me and put another 15 yards on me before the aide station.  Hit the No Name Creek in 36 flat (14:45).  I was told I was in 24th place (I think).

Our pack reformed as we headed up to Bob’s Road, but as soon as the terrain flattened a bit, I was able to open it up, and I could hear that I was gapping from the group.  I did not have a lot of pop here, but I felt good in being able to actually push more of the run here than I may have in the past.  7.8 sign in 51:37 (15:37) (for what it is worth, comparatively, my other BTMR splits have been better through to here, but this is my best run up to the 78 sign in the four times I have done this race).

I could see Ryan C and some other folks beginning to come back to me on this flatter section.  We hit the little wood bridge about 2/3rds of the way to Barr Camp from No Name, and I started my search for Carpenter.  I typically see him in this spot.  I was surprised to see, at just a few ticks under an hour, Ryan Haefer absolutely FLYING the down hill.  I found myself motivated and while this next section is typically pretty challenging for me, I was able to make a fair go of it.  Just past the half mile to Barr Camp sign, I caught Ryan, who gave me some words of encouragement.  Hit Barr Camp in 69:03.  Again, comparatively, not my best but a handful of seconds within it.

I took a running gulp of water and got on with the down.  I could feel the wobble of the legs, and began to work so that I could get it to pass – and passed two guys pretty quickly.  One came back almost immediately and quickly disappeared down the trail. 

I could tell immediately that I was running a bit carefully.  That is not to say I was not running hard.  But I was being careful while picking my way through the rocks and the uphill runners.  And definitely on any of the curves.  Soon I was in no man’s land – and not seeing any other down hill runners.  I felt like I was running the straights as nearly as fast as I have in the past, but in retrospect, with few folks to gun down – maybe not.  And I was certainly being careful through the turns – not wanting to turn my ankle or take a spill.  As a result, I came down in 39:19.

On the way down I caught the guy who blitzed past me just post Barr Camp.  He was just before Bob’s Road, and heaving.  Ack.  A little further, I saw a red shirt and thought I was going to catch someone else – but as it turned out – it was Tommy Manning who was just out jogging and catching the race action.  I cursed him a bit and he laughed me off.  In the W’s I caught Paul P, who was having shoe issues.  Really excited to see how this kid performs over the coming years.

Photo by Bethany Garner:

This put me in at 20th overall, 19th male (just behind Brandy E who won the women’s race in a course record), 4th masters and 2nd in the 40-44 age group.  My time was 1:48:23, which is my 3rd best out of four tries there.

Initial results.

That said, I am pretty happy with the outcome.  Coming in, with training as it had been and the river trip, I felt that a sub 1:50 would be a big challenge, and “off the charts.”  I was confident that I could get under two hours, but thought I’d run closer to a 75 up and a 40 down for a 1:55. 

The race was very deep this year, with nine guys going under 1:40, including Haefer who ran a new course record of 1:29:04 (breaking Carpenter’s record of 1:29:33.  There is chatter that he broke Bernie’s downhill best.  Gates was second, and Carpenter ended up in third.  There will certainly be some speculation on that in the coming days, I am sure.

The next set of spaces, 4-7 shifted at the finish from when I saw them coming down.  I know Bernie bombed the down hill.  Those guys finished 15 seconds or so within each other.  Damn!

Afterwards, I jogged back up to the first switch back of the Ws and watched the finishers with JT and Katie.  Quite a thing to watch.

Of course, the awards assembly was a blast – seeing people, chatting up the war stories, and just the general communion there.  Tons of pizza, lots of watermelon, lots of awards.

Photos by Bethany Garner Start and lower Ws
Photos by Chris Alstrin Upper Ws
Photos by John Garner Awards cremony

Nick taking the age group, 35-39 and 12th overall in 1:42 something.

Top three masters.  Guess who was out of the money and fourth?
Top three women. 

Top three men.  Notice Haefer’s socks.  I’d suggest that based on his perf, and Solinsky’s performance, socks are superior as a performance enhancement to beards.
 
Some of the top dogs exchange stories.

Sunday AM 071810

Heading out for the BTMR. 

I took up Brownie on his very kind offer to allow me to stay at his place in “old Colorado City.”  I’d show you pictures of his inner sanctum, but that would sort of be like showing shots of the Bruce Wayne’s Bat Cave. 

The Brownie-mobile with some stupid hill in the background.

Thanks again Brownie and Katie for putting me up!  Nick, I am disappointed that you dodged us.  You missed the best session of playing with Barbie and Ken dolls ever.

Oh yeah, apparently Roes is moving to Boulder.   I am pretty certain this means he will be doing Leadville.  Which leads me to believe that Tony will also be doing it, instead of PPM.  And maybe even Jurek?  Hmmm … still the story I will probably be following just as much if not more (over who wins the race) is the post Boston showdown between Brandon and Brownie.

Anyway, off to race.  Legs feel a bit heavy, but it will be what it will be!

Saturday 071710

I slept incredibly well last night – maybe the best I have all summer.

Mid morning, 5 miles.  I had meant to get out earlier before it got too hot.  I got wrapped up in the dilly dally of the morning and it was pretty warm when I got out.  The heat does not bug me so much for these runs though … I just need to back it down a bit to keep things in check.

Stumbled across this … this guy does cold water swims of a kilometer or more.  Real cold.  In 2007 he swam open water at the geographic North Pole. That swim froze the tissue in his hands and left his fingers without feeling for four months. It also produced a previously unknown condition involving a urine icicle. "You don't know pain until you've had a stalactite in your cock," Pugh told me, wincing.

God damn.

Omen?

Broomfield was ranked the 19th best place to live according to Money Magazine.

Whatever.

Fort Collins was ranked sixth.

Hmmm … 

… I ranked Clark as seventh coming into the BTMR. 

Does he get sixth and I get 19th?  Who come closer to or beats their city’s ranking?  I’d place another brew bet on this one for Sunday afternoon but I do need to be able to drive home.

Oh, and Overland Park as number seven?  Please.  I was there six weeks ago and any place where you need gills to breathe does not make my list.

Friday 071510

AM  - 7 miles easy. 

Apparently Tony is out of BTMR.  Ought to move Nick up into the top ten.  Putting my picks as: 
1.) Carpenter
2.) Gates
3.) Nichols
4.) Parker
5.) Haefer
6.) Cox
7.) Clark
8.) Selig
9.) Romero
10.) Boettcher
Next tier: Maksimow, Ricks
I think the top five are pretty solid, and unless something goes really awry, will be tough to crack. Next five to ten could be quite a shuffle.  I might have Maksimow too low, but that is to get the east coaster types worked up.  Top 8 break 1:40. Carpenter to Barr Camp again in 56, and hence has a two minute headstart on everyone on the descent.  Might be a touch cooler than in other years, as the weather is only supposed to be 77 at 9AM based on the extended forecast. High that day of 92.

Took a peek at my results at this race from prior years.  Whatever the reason (not as effective training, age, being soft, less focus, etc), my expectations for Sunday’s race don’t align particularly with those results.  Breaking 1:50 would be off the charts for me right now, and so I think a sub 2 is more in the cards.  There is a part of me that is not particularly content with that, but the broader brain recognizes what it is and what I can / cannot do about it.

Oh by the way, it is fun to geek out at cross comparing the results across different years here.

In any case, looking at those results, I can see I need to be careful in the Ws.  Frankly, I have proven multiple times that while I can run the W’s hard, I pay in spades for it up to No Name.  If I am running smart, however, I can really roll to the 7.8 sign, and the down.  Times might be different but tactics need to be the same.  The biggest mental challenge for me has always been that first damn road … it is just that you are with everyone so it is easy to get pulled into someone else’s race and the excitement of the race.  As the the course description states:  The hill that starts at Hydro Street is the steepest on the course and it is silly to take the chance of blowing your race on such a short section. Indeed, this one section has probably been the cause of more poor performances than any other on the course.

I was recently talking to someone about PPA who has an itch to run around 2:45.  The whole conversation reminds me about child management:  as a parent, you are an expert on how someone else should manage / lead / discipline their kid.  Conversely, you are a complete moron, idiot when trying to do the same to your own.  Same thing with races … it is easy for me to tell this person, “just to Barr Camp like you wanted to run a 2:50 Ascent.  Then when you get to Barr Camp, run like you want to run a 2:45.  And when you get to A frame, run as hard as you can.  When you start to walk, get back to the run.  Compete.  Catch people.  Push to the finish.  Everyone will be hurting, it is what you want to do in that hurt that makes a 10 minute difference.”  Easily said.  Kind of like what I say about how other should parent.

Just catching up on this and these race shots where Eric Blake encounters a bear are pretty cool.

I found this post by Nick Clark, particularly his tone in the video posts, regarding HR to be very insightful.  That insight is that HR is nuts.

New SP tune for dl.

PM – easy five

Thursday 071510

Last night as I was leaving Boulder, I swung through Band on the Bricks.  This is one of those typical outdoor concerts, in the summer – gets everyone out.  Hundreds of folks out enjoying a summer night, dancing, eating … good stuff.  I watched it for a moment from the street.  And then noticed Scott Jurek jogging by.  He is skinny.

Got my Barr Trail Mountain Race email today.  JT is calling me out to break 2:01 for a brew.  In any case, there appears to be a post award assembly get together at the Kinfolks down there.  Hope to meet some folks there and not have my tail too far between my legs.

Lots of chatter starting up about Pikes races of course.  Kenyans in the Ascent, Gates, Parr, etc, and rumor of other big guns.  Same thing on the Marathon side … honestly I have not done my typical studying of / pouring over the entry lists, BY DESIGN.  Specifically, I am trying not to be too excited over all of it, but with the smell of BTMR on the air, I can feel that it might be time.  Maybe some predictions next week. 

Mileage down a little bit this week (43 through today thus far versus say a more recent typical 60) … a bit by design as I don’t want to totally overdo it going into Barr next week.  But post that, I will make the remainder of July the 14hr a week, 100 mile week, 5-10k climb efforts (week).  Of course, still pretty minor compared to some.  3400 plus miles in the first side of the year … sheesh.

AM – headed out to Idaho Springs (more on why in a moment) and was running there by 7AM.  Many years ago, I did a race here from Central City called the “Oh My God” run, and decided to head back up that road.  Virginia Pass Road was pretty easily found out of town.  After a 20 minute warm up, I went into 7 x 3 minutes on, 2 minutes off, with all of that being gentle climbing (a consistent 6 percent grade) up to just under 9400 feet.

Was not ripping it, but getting good work in each rep (HR was +170 in each).  Coincidently, after the 7th rest, I topped out the road (or at least it started to descend again for a period of time).

Some shots from that …

12 miles with about 1900 feet of climbing (with all of the climbing in the first six of course).

After this I headed across the highway to Laughing Valley Ranch, met with Bill Lee and discussed burros.  We chatted for about an hour about burro racing and various details.  Then we got out for a run with a pair of burros.  I started with Mr. Ziffel, who, after I coaxed up a hill for half a mile (while he stopped several times to eat various weeds and flowers) decided it was time to go back to the barn.  He broke away and sprinted back down the hill at a pace I could not maintain, and so I had to let go of the tether rope (or risk serious injury).  Bill was convinced he was just testing me to see what he could get away with the new guy, but nonetheless, I switched to Jake.  I got the hang of how to drive the burro a bit, and keep him running up and down hill.  In any case, I am game for the Burro Days in a couple weeks and will look to get up for an other training session before then.  4 miles.  With a burro.  And another 1200 feet of climbing.

Some pix.

      

Wednesday 071410

Up Green Mountain via Long Canyon Trail, and down via Saddle with JV.  There is some chitter chatter that there are those interested in closing the top portion of Long Canyon Trail to protect its habitat so we decided to bask in it this AM.  Just under an hour up, and about 32 down.  Ran into Ryan Cooper at the summit of Green.  He is thinking he has a shot at 1:45 at Barr this year.  7 miles.

Regarding trail use, several meetings coming up on the often illegally used Incline.

Love this quote from this post:  ‘Try again. Fail again. Fail better.’ ~Samuel Beckett

Some links in this article to Finkel’s near win at HR100.  Scott Jaime’s report.  The comment from his kid is amazing.

Bib numbers for BTMR are up.  Some wondering out there if Kilian is going to show up as he seems to be hanging out in CO as of late.

Wardian set that indoor marathon record … 2:27:21.  That is a lot of 40 second something laps.

Watch this kid.

PM – got out for an easy five miles.  90 degrees warm.

Invasive species on the San Juan

So we came to a camp site one day and found this plant.
Found out the next day that the BLM rangers pulled it as an invasive species.  Wonder if they destroyed it via burning?

Tuesday 071310

AM – Achilles a little tight.  Not surprising.  It usually does that a bit when I bounce back from time off.  No worries on this, just validating previous insights.  10 miles, with 12 x 200 strides. 

Definitely need to get back on hydration.  I can still feel the effects of 110 degree days in the desert.  Simply, I felt like I could not drink enough (and given we brought all our drinking water with us, it was a challenge).  I expected my weight to go up on this trip a bit too, but it did not at all.  My feet are a bit trashed from a week of being in boat shoes and dealing with all the sand.   Also, found my TSS score stuff, given the down week interesting.  Apparently a week off brought me back to the same CTL (cumulative training load) as I was at the end of May.  I guess there are two (wrong) ways to look at that … one is that a week of rest gives me a month of recovery or a week of rest takes me back a month in fitness.

Will post a variety of things through the day as I pick through them.

Marathon Talk interview with Rich Castro of the Boulder Roadrunners.

Helluva finish at Boilermaker.

Got this video tip from Justin.

Gray and Erholtz win the NACAC Mountain Running titles.

Kilian, part 3 of Pyrenees.

Lots of posts regarding Hardrock that I need to work through.  Here is the Denver Post article.  Had no idea it was led by a woman for 90 miles.  Brownie report, great video post from Brett (with a JT cameo) – a video that ought to be pre race briefing as far as I am concerned … many more to drill through.

Monday night news

Tons of stuff to get through …

I have it on good authority that Kilian popped a 14:12 on Sanitas, which would surpass Gates’ 14:28 there.

Good Barr Trail run down by Justin.  Great race overall and one of my favorites.  Kind of Justin to mention me in the preview, but I am not expecting much here given how training has been going and the river trip this past week.  I will look to break 2 hours. 

Oh, speaking of Justin, he gets some press over here, diligent guy that he is.

Apparently, the Culpepper Store, Solepepper Sports in Louisville is getting picked up by Runner’s Roost.

I find this “West Neighborhood” blog about Boulder OSMP pretty informative.

Yes, that picture is what you think it is. We rowed 18 miles yesterday with a lot of headwind in the mix.  And it is the section of the San Juan that flooded up to Slickhorn in the 80s’ when Lake Powell filled back that far.  So it is heavily silted and sand barred.  We had several drag overs, and I will admit, my shoulders are pretty worked today. Course, it is stupid of me to bitch about my rowing when Andy Skurka is doing that Alaska thing. 

Thanks to JV for this tip.

Monday 071210

Evening – dark.  Bull frogs as big as my fist on the Lac Amora trail.  5 miles just to break out the stiffness from riding in the car all day (and not having run for a week).

… and we are back

Just back from a week of total disconnectedness on the San Juan.  It is going to take me a few days to sort through everything, and to get back into the “real world swing” to catch up. 

Some shots (maybe some more)

 

 

Week in review for week ending 071110

Did not run much.  Simply because I was rowing, playing, observing canyon walls, playing in a river, playing guitar, watching scorpions or bats or big horn sheep.  Or it was hot.  Or I was drinking a gin and tonic.  And there was not a lot of space to run.  Definitely not a big week in terms of running, but very good for the soul.  In any case, for the sake of statistica …

Week was 11 miles, 2.5 hours over 2 runs and over two days.  These were runs on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning on the Hanaker trail.  They were about 2 miles up, with 1400 feet of climbing on each up (so about an average grade of 11 percent, from the river to the rim – with great views of Monument Valley in the dustance).  Thursday morning, I enjoyed this run with 14 year old TM.  That kid is something else.  We started in the dark, with headlamps and enjoyed a sunrise at the rim.

67 miles on over 10.75 hours in July. 2191 miles over 347 hours on the year. 

On the road

… and we are off to the desert.

No longer an unknown

Nick Clark

Bag searches at OSMP

In addition to not allowing competition, parking at trailheads being closed today, apparently OSMP is doing legally questionable searches of bags.  Happy Fourth of July.