Saturday 121512

Yesterday’s dozen let me know I was still dealing with something in my glute or piriformis or something.  It seemed to have subsided with the prior two days off but there are still some issues there.   I sort of don’t care.  This feels like an injury that I could run through and it will eventually subside.  I guess that is what some would call an ache or a pain versus a full blown injury.   Would I advise anyone else to do that?  Nope.  Do I know cases where this has worked for me and other people?  Yup.  

But bigger than just the butt thing, I have suddenly hit a lull.  I am a little tired, sleeping long and hard.  And for the first time in a long time I have a slight wane in motivation.   After a full day with family stuff,  I have not had the typical desire to lace them up and head out into the darkness and cold.  Having the issue with my rear does not help. 

Watched on and off through the day the nuttiness down on the track in AZ.  Sub 12:30 for a 100?  Whoa.

Evening – 10 miles.  Easy and checking out Christmas lights.

Friday 121412

Just caught this video over on Tony’s blog.  It is pretty bad ass.

Another cut … (thanks Amy P … NSFW)

I have taken a general thought that I am going to look to avoid the mill this winter, unless it is truly for some climbing work.  There are good reasons for this.

Late afternoon … got out and just wanted to unwind.  12 miles … slow and unraveling the last couple of days.  And today’s news.

Thursday 121312

So there are 35 spots for “never started” HR entrants.  And close to 700 entrants (with about 1800 tickets in the mix)?  Damn.  Got to wonder if Frost’s essay that landed her a ticket is gonna get her in.   More on the odds.

So given a lot of folks won’t get into that, and it has been getting more play in the blogosphere with Lee and Campbell and Hart getting it done last year … wonder how many attempts there will be at Nolans next summer (thanks for that link JV).  I can see it becoming its own little rite of nuttiness … sort of like the R2R2R thing, making people’s bucket list.

It is going to take me a bit to read this but this piece on Gary Robbins looks decent.

Another rich work day.  Off.  Well, I guess the benefit is giving the arse a rest.  Probably could of made it happen but I was fried enough from the back to back days, a bit less sleep than usual that lacing em up for a later night run was not in my heart.

Wednesday 121212

Apparently my posts where I grump on some topic are more interesting than anything about my training.  Imagine that. 

Zero mile yesterday.  Just too long of a work day and then KZ had a concert in the evening.  Thought about getting out at 9PM but I was fairly fried at that point as I had been at it since 5:30AM. 

No biggie.  I was not looking to streak but this was my first off day since October 25, so 46 days in a row there.  A quick check has me at 38 days off this year, and that this last run of days was probably the longest stretch I went without an off day (over six weeks).

FWIW, I will probably land around 3200-3300 miles on the year.  That is the lowest I have had for the last few years, but that is probably because the number of days off is higher than past years as well as not chasing miles as much.

Butt, deep in hip still hurts a bit so something got nicely tweaked in there but it is getting better every day – particularly if I don’t sit for long periods.  Stretching it, or pigeon posing it, etc seems to be just as aggravating as running on it.

Tuesday night blah blah blawgh

Some middle aged man grumps for the day …

Remember when you used to call someone on the phone and you’d let the phone ring like 10 times before hanging up and assuming they were not home?  In fact, I remember there were times I’d zone out and let the phone ring like 50 times or something.  But basically, we had this idea that it might take someone a bit more than 3 seconds to get to the phone.  So why in the name of Loki do cell phone go to GD Voicemail after three rings?  Or maybe five?  How many times does a person call you and you get to the phone for it only to read “missed call” and you call them like a whole seven seconds later.  Really?  Yes, yes, I know there is some setting where I can probably make my phone ring infinitely, but why is the default like three rings?

Okay, frankly I am glad that all this repetitive calendar date stuff is over tomorrow.  It is sort of boring to me the folks that find great joy in bringing it up.  Actually I am sure that this means at least one of the three people who read this blog will search for some crazy number sequence thing in the calendar that means absolutely nothing.

If you are a blogger who approves comments why do you also have the “prove your not a robot” dialogue?  I mean pick one or the other.  Either have me enter the increasingly hard to read google blog junk or approve my comment WITHOUT that.  Are you really getting so many comments from spam that you need to do both?

If your kid is selling popcorn or cookies or candy bars, don’t get pissed if I say I won’t buy them from you but I’d be happy to buy them from your kid when your kid sells them.  Your assuming that I MUST support your kid because you hang the order form outside your cube is pure bollocks on your part.  If your kid is selling something, let them learn the lesson of selling versus the lesson that you are their lackey to do everything for them. 

Ultra lotteries suck but apparently there are over 100 hundred milers out there.  And some on the cheap (comparatively … and frankly some much cheaper by the mile than even your local 5k or 10k).   Take your show there.

Now you kids get off my lawn.

Tuesday 121112

Them:  “Okay, that gives us an hour for lunch.”

Me:  “Is this a working lunch?”

Them:  “No, let’s be back here by 1:15 though so we are ready to go for the next session.”

Me:  “Okay.”

Me:  quickly disappear to locker room, change into winter clothes for running from corporate weenie outfit in something less than 10 minutes.  Hit the door, turn on the GPS, start running before it is synched.  Bang out five at just over 7 minute pace, hit the locker room for a quick shower and change back to acting outfit. 

Walk back into conference room at 1:13.

I might be able to get this drill to six miles.  I need to work the transitions though.

Monday 121012

AM - 7 miles, predawn.  Single digits cold with a good wind coming out of the west.  Easy running but challenging coming back up into the wind.  Even though it was cold I was soaked with sweat when I got in the door.

Sunday 120912

Been pouring over the XC Club Nat results today.  Simon G took second.  I guess that puts to bed my theory that he only gets second at XC races when he rooms with me (as he did the last time we were there in Kentucky).  Team results are nearly impossible to read since they have it organized alphabetically by team.

Thinking about that run I did a few years ago in Kentucky (2009) … it totally brought to the forefront the mindset that keeps me racing closer to home than traveling to get there.  In that case I was running poorly around a field (2k loops for the 10k).  I was asking myself “really, I traveled all this way from my family, cost of hotel, airline, etc to run like crap around a field in 2 kilometer loops?  What the hell?”  Basically I decided if I am going to run like crap, I can do it on the cheap.

That is not to say I won’t travel for a race.  I just don’t think I’d do it to lay an egg.

Got out this AM and it was surprisingly cold.  Okay, not really cold.  It was like 15, but there was this wind out of the northwest that had a good bite to it.  Being a bit unaccustomed to it, I felt it.  6 miles (pressed for time), with a few sub sevens in there.

My family has been cracking up over this video for the better part of a week.  Probably have already seen it but we keep smiling every time we see it.  Might be because of a chorus refrain we hear at home often.

I find the Angry Jogger’s posts to be humorous and refreshing.

Checked in with Jack and pals over in Arvada in the afternoon.

   

Afternoon … or maybe evening since the sun sets in the afternoon, another 5.

71 on the week.  Not a bad week, but certainly not a great one.  This week was mostly maintaining some level of consistency while trying to work through a psuedo injury.  In retrospect, I probably could or should have done things differently … like hitting the gym rather than running.  Gave me something to think about in terms of my habits, my approach and if I am serious in getting after it.  Played around a bit this week with Strava stuff … sort of fun, but I can see both the good and bad to that.

Recent family shot.

Next week, the last week I work before cutting out for the remainder of the year will be a bit of a push … and so running will take a bit of a hit.   Rather than traveling for my work, it will be local but as if I traveled to a site, so it sets up for an interesting set of additional things to deal with.  All part of the game though.

Saturday 120812

“It took me 17 minutes to complete my one mile running loop.  4 months ago I ran a one mile race in 4 minutes and 37 seconds.”  I think I would be hard pressed to find anyone that I know more positive than Aaron.

Decalibron in the winter via Sage.  Brrr.  Still pretty amazing as to how little of the white stuff there is up there.

135 miler in CO eh?

WS100 lottery results up …

On the topic of that distance, rumor is that NMP bet someone (can’t disclose who) that he’d either run 130 miles in his 24 hour attempt next week or he’d have a Facebook page that he’d actually friend people with.

Got to agree with GT that the turning off of electronic devices at take off and landing is craptastic.

How does marijuana effect MAF if ingested?

Brett put up this video in the comments yesterday.  Yeah, consider that “nutty” training another type of event I would never do.

More seriously, Lucho has a good question, back and forth on altitude acclimatization.

10 miles.  Meh.  I thought that maybe I felt good enough to do a workout today, but as I ran I felt like a slug today.  No benefit to the run today except sort of slogging through miles to think about training, what I ought to be doing, race schedule.  Did some jump rope (including single leg) post and was fairly beat.

Friday 120712

Alberto Salazar interview, good stuff.  Love how Alberto basically dismisses his critics regarding anything considered a gimmick in his training regimens.  Not much yip yap about Rupp wearing breathing masks anymore now that he wears the 10k silver.

I met AlSal once, and the guy EXUDES intensity.  I find this particularly interesting because the “everyday” people I often interact with say I am intense.  I try to explain to them that I am hardly intense.  Meet AlSal, Scott Elliott, Matt Carpenter … those dudes are intense.  Me, not so intense.  Loud maybe but not really intense.

Various other tidbits …

… had a BOSTAC meeting last night.  The topic of public art in the Ruth Roberts open space is still up in the air and being discussed.  There are differing opinions.  Generally speaking I am not in favor of the art being proposed in this open space.  Admitted, I am probably more leaning to the idea that art ought to not be in open spaces, but I can see that there would be situations where it could be a good fit.  For me, many of those are areas that are more in what is defined as open lands (parks, bordering greenways, etc).

… supposed to snow this weekend or at least spit some moisture.  We sure need it.  In any case, there is a slight possibility that I will get out for a run with Jack on Sunday. 

… starting the application process for “pre clearance” for TSA.  Until I get cleared on it I have nothing but nice things to say about it.

… this is clearly BAD ASS.  Particularly the part about what his wife had to say at the end.

Mid day – got together with Bob S over in his mesa for an easy 10.  We were guessing what the fastest strava was on the Davidson Loop.  We were fairly convinced someone would have posted a sub 18 on it.  We were wrong.

Apparently faster folks go to Harper Lake.

In my view, this move that Ben Bruce pulls is totally a DQ maneuver.

Thursday 120612

Apparently we are at the earliest sunset of the year (thanks to the reminder from DD).  It will be good to start going in the other direction.  DD also has outlined the USATF MUT races for the 13 year (and a bit beyond).

10 miles.  Still working out the butt.  I think I will just be jogging easy until I get through this.

Okay, I think I want to see this ... probably because I have been on that trail. 

200 bodies on Everest.  Yeah.  Not interested.

More interested in this crazy ass stuff through Middle Earth. 

Wednesday 120512

I made the NOT Top 12 Colorado Running Performances of 2012 list.  Awesome.  Yeah, that 3 seconds still stings.

So while Amendment 64 legalizes recreational marijuana, Broomstock is looking to put up to ballot an initiative to ban businesses that would sell it here in town.

Will the BRC win Club Cross?

Some recent pix …
JZ completed Second Class about a month ago, and then turned around quickly to complete his First Class.  He was awarded that badge last night.  Crappy iphone photo (I think I am trashing the lens via use).

   Guess who’s birthday we recently celebrated and guess whose birthday it was not.

This kid loves dogs.
 
I sort of like underground train stations. 

I need to take a pic now when I park at DIA.  I try to park in the same place pretty much every time, but I do this in case I do something stupid, park elsewhere and have a middle aged moment when I get home.

PM – Windy.  Dry and warm.  Got sort of parched.  Felt a little decent so I decided to check things out a bit, while also not making the mistake of trying to crush it after coming off more travel.  Went sub sevens for a few and then cut it back (fast enough to get back a strava segment that someone took from me).  Can still feel the piriformis a bit but a lot better than it was over the weekend.

Tuesday 120412

AM – 7 miles easy around the Mall.  Amazing how many people were out there running before 7AM.  Even the Army guys were out. 

Nutrition 101.

Jack Daniels has a new calculator up.

“Life’s a bitch, but keep on truckin’”

“You've got to live your life and do what you enjoy.  If you get 30 or 40 years of joy out of running, and that means you need to get a hip replacement or have heart trouble when your 85, than that probably isn't too  bad of a trade.” 

Competitor sold.  No surprise there.

Monday 120312

It is pretty dry back in CO.  And warm.  Hence, fire bans.

“It was the most difficult 2 months of physical and mental preparation I've ever subjected myself to.  I was often doing hill repeats for hours, twice-a-day, with 5-10 hour back-to-back weekend runs.  By my "peak" week, I was up to almost 100 miles with over 30,000 feet of gain.”

More on how aerobic exercise is going to kill you.  Except when it makes you live longer.

Crossed over Key Bridge tonight, got a little turned around but then got onto the Capital Crescent Trail.   So I ran in Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland tonight.  Nice.  13 miles.  But seriously, that trail goes like … forever.   Pace was a little all over the place as I connected with various folks during the run and ran at their pace.

Wyatt asked if I thought if I was dealing with a priformis issue.  I was not sure, but while on a break from today’s session where my mind was getting overly filled with risk evaluation management systems for oncology – I decided to check it out.  Looks like it could be my issue. 

… DC this week compared to Buckhead/Atlanta last week.  While I would not want to live in a BIG city like either, this area is 1000x more to my liking.  Friendly for peds.  Running trails.  People running.  Biking (the trail at times tonight looked like a mini highway with folks on their bikes with their headlamps … and off in their own bike lane separate from the tow path).  A subway.  Parks bigger than a postage stamp.

DC evening run pix

Got into Reagan Airport, took the Metro over to Rosslyn, walked a few blocks to my hotel and was out running about 45 minutes after wheels down from the bird.  55 degrees, dark, humid.  Butt on right side is jacked – something pulled or torn or broken or something.  Not too bad but not good. 

Went over the Key Bridge, through Georgetown and then down to the Mall.  Ran around, taking in sights, stopped for a few NPS Ranger presentations, and called the family a few times on Skype to show them stuff.  A lot of things were blocked way off (like the Washington Monument).

Korean War Memorial

Jefferson Memorial

WWII Memorial
 

Lots of these critters around if you have the eye for them.
  
Washington Monument (second shot from the Lincoln Memorial)

Eisenhower Executive Building

White House

The paths along the Mall.
   
Lincoln Memorial
        

13 miles.  Sloooow.