3:34 A.M. the alarm goes off. I've had maybe six hours of sleep. My goal is to be out of the house by four to do a 20 mile run. All I want to do is go back to sleep.
I get up, get dressed, mix my bottles, fill my vest with fresh water, and grab a handful of gels. Put on shoes, get my headlamp and let Melissa know that I am leaving. (Gels fall out of vest on bed in the dark. Discover this about 20 minutes later, anyway...)
There isn't any light yet. 4:00 a.m. to me is still pretty much night time. It is warm out. There isn't any coolness in the air. It just didn't cool off last night.
I trudge on. One mile, two miles, three... all uphill. I can't get my brain around the scope of the run this morning nor can I reconcile with myself why in the hell am I out running while most people are sleeping. I realize that I could have slept another 3.5 hours more, easily.
As the sun comes up the sky is blood red to the northeast. I wonder if we will get rain or a storm today. That would be nice. Starting up my second big hill of the run, Flying W road... Still not going too fast but still moving forward.
I crest the hill and start the long run down on the other side. Still can't get much going on the downhill. I figure it will come in time. I'm about 8 miles into the run and the rest of it is mostly downhill/flat.
I hit the trail at Woodman and start going south. I'm feeling tired and I have about nine miles to go. I negotiate with myself to just keep going and make it to the next major road/milestone. Miles 11, 12, and 13 all float past. Between miles 14 and 17 I start to feel a soreness in my left quad, deep. Not sure if is a cramp or what but it is starting to hurt.
Two miles to go. Having to walk a little here and there to keep the leg from hurting too bad. Run a little, walk a little... less than a mile to go and I know that I am going to make it home.
I finish before it gets too hot out. My evening is going to be free to just hang out at home. I am happy. I realize that these long runs are impacting me a little bit emotionally/psychologically... I'm away from home a lot on these runs and am alone so I think that in a strange way I am developing a weird case of homesickness. Crazy, huh?
Just 5.5 weeks to go now. 1.5 more weeks of hard running then after that take it easy until the race. I only have to keep it together for a few more weeks... stay healthy, don't get hurt and take care of myself. I need a nap. :)
To all of my friends who are running the Leadville Silver Rush 50 this weekend I wish you the best. Hope the weather and conditions are great for you. Can't wait to see the results.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The San Juan Solstice 50 #2
One of the better parts of running a course that you have run before is that you at least have some idea of what you are getting yourself into. Last year I went into the San Juan Solstice run blind for the most part, my only knowledge of the course coming from maps and elevation profiles and second hand knowledge. I should also that add that much of the course was actually ran blind last year in blizzard conditions for many hours along the continental divide.
Things were much different this year.
This would be my first race since the Salida Marathon in March where I tweaked my leg and had to spend a few weeks getting that back in order and to be able to run again. Even though my training has been going really well it is hard staring down a 50 mile run and even more so a 50 mile run of this intensity. This race is purported to be the toughest 50 mile course in the United States boasting over 12,000 foot elevation gain and loss.
Each day before the race I became more and more restless with my last good day of sleep being the Wednesday night before. I fretted over drop bags, checking and double checking and inventorying the contents to make sure I had at least the basics of what I would need when I would need it on the course.
Going into the race things were looking very promising. The weather forecast was optimal, clear with no storms like last year. With good weather on the horizon, and a great crew/support system set up, the race seemed even more simple than last year leaving me to only worry about running.
The drive down was fun and relaxing and just a treat to get out of town. Our cabin in Lake City was easier to find than we thought it would be and thankfully is was a very nice cabin. A huge upgrade from the one from last year.
Friday night of course I struggled to go to sleep. All of my gear was set out for the morning to make it easy to get ready and out to the start. The last thing I remember Friday night is the moon setting behind the mountains and how visible the stars were. I didn't sleep too long but I did sleep soundly.
Melissa woke me up on Saturday morning at 3:50 and told me that I had ten more minutes to sleep. That was nice as it brought me back to reality but allowed me to rest and relax deliberately for a few more minutes. Finally I got up, showered, got dressed and off to the armory we went for me to sign in and start the race.
Just like last year, right before 5 am, all of the runners migrate from the armory out to the street for the start. It is still dark and I can feel the tension building in my chest and radiating through my body... I am on edge and ready to go. I kiss Melissa and tell her I will see her in few hours, the gun goes off and we are off heading towards Alpine Gulch. Now it gets real.
The run up the road goes smoothly. I feel that I am in or getting to the right part of the pack, the part of the pack where nobody is talking. I crave the silence on the trail and people talking in a race just irritates me. It tells me that I am in the wrong place and I need to push ahead. I catch up with my friend Ray (can't miss the Hawaiian shirt) that I haven't seen since Salida and exchange pleasantries. He is having an awesome running year and soon pulls ahead of me.
The climb up Alpine Gulch is quiet and uneventful except for the lady stuck straddling a log across one of the creek crossings. Don't know what happened and I really didn't care. I decide to go around the six or seven people waiting to cross on the log and plunge into the creek to go around. The first "deep" creek crossing of the morning and it really wasn't that bad. Still climbing, getting higher and I can tell we are approaching 11K, the trail seems a lot steeper than last year. I just conclude that Alpine Gulch is just a serious climb and leave it at that. About a half a mile below the Alpine Aid Station a guy looks at me and says, "hey, you're the dude from the video! I've watched it hundreds of times!" I laugh and say yeah yeah that was me, thank him for watching it and we keep moving on.
I zip through the Alpine Aid Station and keep on climbing until we are on the top ridge and begin the long and steep descent into Williams Creek. I'm trying my hardest to keep of a strong A+ level of effort and it feels as if I succeeding. A few people passed me after the aid station but I pass them again and a few others in the five miles down to the next aid station.
I see Melissa and the Colorado College umbrella as I come flying into the Williams Creek Aid Station/Campground. She has a little table set up with everything I could need and has two fresh (and very cold) bottles of Perpetuem waiting for me. We exchange things out, I put on a fresh coat of Sports Shield and take off having only stopped for 2 minutes at that aid station...
Last year the climb up to Carson seemed to be the killer for me with the climb up Alpine being understated. This year was the opposite. The climb up to Carson seem much more smooth this year for some reason maybe because I knew what to expect. I made it to Carson in about an hour and forty minutes which is what I was hoping for. At Carson I top off the bladder in my vest, mix fresh Perp, and cleaned out my shoes and wrung out my socks which were still damp from all of the creek crossings earlier in the morning. (Fresh socks would have been great but I neglected to put them in the drop bag for some damned reason.)
I was only at the Carson Aid Station for maybe five minutes. I'm out, going up the road. Still a bit of climbing ahead as I have to summit Coney Peak up on the continental divide. As I plod up the road I am amazed at how different it is than last year. I also marvel that even though it was SO nasty at that point last year, just how comfortable I was heading up the road, bundled up in that storm.
The wind climbing Coney was brutal. I had to hold my hat on a few times and even lost it once. I summitted Coney and continued along the divide. I couldn't run quite yet so I decided to cruise and wait till I was closer to 12K and on smoother trail to start pushing it again. The closer I got to mile 31, the Divide Aid Station the faster I went.
Another quick stop at the Divide Aid Station and I was out of there. I was going so fast and not paying attention that I tripped and rolled right in front of the lady on the ATV who kept track of the runners coming in and out. It was really sorta funny. On to Slumgullion....
This is probably my least favorite part of the course. The open space on top before you head down the ridiculously steep road towards Slumgullion is just mind numbing. It goes on and on and though it is runnable it just is not fun. It is about as exciting as running on treadmill. At one point I just say screw it... step off the road and vent before heading on down the road.
I arrive at Slum Aid Station and there is Melissa who is right on the spot handing me cold bottles of Perp, putting more sunscreen on me and handing me a cold Mountain Dew to sip on. I blast out of there after only a four minute stop and am on my way to Vicker's Ranch and "the hill."
The last big climb on Vicker's Ranch is a killer climb of 1700 feet in just a couple of miles. I budgeted an hour for this hill alone. When I started going up it was 4:04 in the afternoon so I just figured I would top out at 5:04. Actually I topped it at 4:59... close.
Just a few more miles to go. I hit the Vicker's Aid Station, top off my bottles and head out. I'm losing time at this point I can tell. The steep sections the last couple of miles before town take their toll on me. I curse the trail but celebrate when I hit the smooth maintained road at the trail head. I smile as I pass four other runners on my way into town. I see Melissa unexpectedly and she runs with me the last 1/2 mile to the finish. I was tired, it had been a long day and I just wanted it over. With about 200 yards to go I tell her that I just need to get this over with and I take off on a dead run feeling somewhat "strong" as I cross the finish, my time being 13:53:57.
Finished we head back to the cabin and I get cleaned up, have a great dinner and finally fall asleep after I get comfortable later. It was a good race, everything went well, I had the best crew person and pacer ever, but most importantly it was just a nice weekend away from home.
Things were much different this year.
This would be my first race since the Salida Marathon in March where I tweaked my leg and had to spend a few weeks getting that back in order and to be able to run again. Even though my training has been going really well it is hard staring down a 50 mile run and even more so a 50 mile run of this intensity. This race is purported to be the toughest 50 mile course in the United States boasting over 12,000 foot elevation gain and loss.
Each day before the race I became more and more restless with my last good day of sleep being the Wednesday night before. I fretted over drop bags, checking and double checking and inventorying the contents to make sure I had at least the basics of what I would need when I would need it on the course.
Going into the race things were looking very promising. The weather forecast was optimal, clear with no storms like last year. With good weather on the horizon, and a great crew/support system set up, the race seemed even more simple than last year leaving me to only worry about running.
The drive down was fun and relaxing and just a treat to get out of town. Our cabin in Lake City was easier to find than we thought it would be and thankfully is was a very nice cabin. A huge upgrade from the one from last year.
Friday night of course I struggled to go to sleep. All of my gear was set out for the morning to make it easy to get ready and out to the start. The last thing I remember Friday night is the moon setting behind the mountains and how visible the stars were. I didn't sleep too long but I did sleep soundly.
Melissa woke me up on Saturday morning at 3:50 and told me that I had ten more minutes to sleep. That was nice as it brought me back to reality but allowed me to rest and relax deliberately for a few more minutes. Finally I got up, showered, got dressed and off to the armory we went for me to sign in and start the race.
Just like last year, right before 5 am, all of the runners migrate from the armory out to the street for the start. It is still dark and I can feel the tension building in my chest and radiating through my body... I am on edge and ready to go. I kiss Melissa and tell her I will see her in few hours, the gun goes off and we are off heading towards Alpine Gulch. Now it gets real.
The run up the road goes smoothly. I feel that I am in or getting to the right part of the pack, the part of the pack where nobody is talking. I crave the silence on the trail and people talking in a race just irritates me. It tells me that I am in the wrong place and I need to push ahead. I catch up with my friend Ray (can't miss the Hawaiian shirt) that I haven't seen since Salida and exchange pleasantries. He is having an awesome running year and soon pulls ahead of me.
The climb up Alpine Gulch is quiet and uneventful except for the lady stuck straddling a log across one of the creek crossings. Don't know what happened and I really didn't care. I decide to go around the six or seven people waiting to cross on the log and plunge into the creek to go around. The first "deep" creek crossing of the morning and it really wasn't that bad. Still climbing, getting higher and I can tell we are approaching 11K, the trail seems a lot steeper than last year. I just conclude that Alpine Gulch is just a serious climb and leave it at that. About a half a mile below the Alpine Aid Station a guy looks at me and says, "hey, you're the dude from the video! I've watched it hundreds of times!" I laugh and say yeah yeah that was me, thank him for watching it and we keep moving on.
I zip through the Alpine Aid Station and keep on climbing until we are on the top ridge and begin the long and steep descent into Williams Creek. I'm trying my hardest to keep of a strong A+ level of effort and it feels as if I succeeding. A few people passed me after the aid station but I pass them again and a few others in the five miles down to the next aid station.
I see Melissa and the Colorado College umbrella as I come flying into the Williams Creek Aid Station/Campground. She has a little table set up with everything I could need and has two fresh (and very cold) bottles of Perpetuem waiting for me. We exchange things out, I put on a fresh coat of Sports Shield and take off having only stopped for 2 minutes at that aid station...
Last year the climb up to Carson seemed to be the killer for me with the climb up Alpine being understated. This year was the opposite. The climb up to Carson seem much more smooth this year for some reason maybe because I knew what to expect. I made it to Carson in about an hour and forty minutes which is what I was hoping for. At Carson I top off the bladder in my vest, mix fresh Perp, and cleaned out my shoes and wrung out my socks which were still damp from all of the creek crossings earlier in the morning. (Fresh socks would have been great but I neglected to put them in the drop bag for some damned reason.)
I was only at the Carson Aid Station for maybe five minutes. I'm out, going up the road. Still a bit of climbing ahead as I have to summit Coney Peak up on the continental divide. As I plod up the road I am amazed at how different it is than last year. I also marvel that even though it was SO nasty at that point last year, just how comfortable I was heading up the road, bundled up in that storm.
The wind climbing Coney was brutal. I had to hold my hat on a few times and even lost it once. I summitted Coney and continued along the divide. I couldn't run quite yet so I decided to cruise and wait till I was closer to 12K and on smoother trail to start pushing it again. The closer I got to mile 31, the Divide Aid Station the faster I went.
Another quick stop at the Divide Aid Station and I was out of there. I was going so fast and not paying attention that I tripped and rolled right in front of the lady on the ATV who kept track of the runners coming in and out. It was really sorta funny. On to Slumgullion....
This is probably my least favorite part of the course. The open space on top before you head down the ridiculously steep road towards Slumgullion is just mind numbing. It goes on and on and though it is runnable it just is not fun. It is about as exciting as running on treadmill. At one point I just say screw it... step off the road and vent before heading on down the road.
I arrive at Slum Aid Station and there is Melissa who is right on the spot handing me cold bottles of Perp, putting more sunscreen on me and handing me a cold Mountain Dew to sip on. I blast out of there after only a four minute stop and am on my way to Vicker's Ranch and "the hill."
The last big climb on Vicker's Ranch is a killer climb of 1700 feet in just a couple of miles. I budgeted an hour for this hill alone. When I started going up it was 4:04 in the afternoon so I just figured I would top out at 5:04. Actually I topped it at 4:59... close.
Just a few more miles to go. I hit the Vicker's Aid Station, top off my bottles and head out. I'm losing time at this point I can tell. The steep sections the last couple of miles before town take their toll on me. I curse the trail but celebrate when I hit the smooth maintained road at the trail head. I smile as I pass four other runners on my way into town. I see Melissa unexpectedly and she runs with me the last 1/2 mile to the finish. I was tired, it had been a long day and I just wanted it over. With about 200 yards to go I tell her that I just need to get this over with and I take off on a dead run feeling somewhat "strong" as I cross the finish, my time being 13:53:57.
Finished we head back to the cabin and I get cleaned up, have a great dinner and finally fall asleep after I get comfortable later. It was a good race, everything went well, I had the best crew person and pacer ever, but most importantly it was just a nice weekend away from home.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Six Days Till Lake City and the San Jual Solstice 50 Miler
I haven't been writing much lately for probably two reasons. The first reason would be that a lot of my time has been spent running so I haven't had much time to write. The second reason would be that I haven't been having too many issues injury wise to slow me down and or complain about either. All in all things have been going well, so I've been quiet.
The miles have been stacking up. According to my Garmin and how it logs a week, this past week I did 86.4 miles. I had a great 31 mile run last weekend and this weekend I did two 20 milers back to back. I've been feeling yesterday's run all day today though especially in my quads which just feel thrashed.
On the bright side I have a nice light week this week leading into the race at Lake City. I've been bouncing back and recovering fairly well these past few weeks so I think that I will be in good shape. My time last year in the race was 15:44:46 and that was in that nasty storm. Originally this year I was shooting for 13:45 to finish, feeling that would be a respectable improvement over last year and also very doable if the weather cooperates. Well... I have a new target now. My coach wants to see me pull that one in at 12:30, what he considers and A+ effort.
12:30... That means I need to drop well, about three hours from last years time. Okay... Melissa will be crewing for me and I do not intend to take any long breaks at the aid stations so I am planning to get back an hour there. So if the weather cooperates AND I push it hard I think that I can do the 12:30 as directed. I spent part of the night doing some fancy math to compute the splits I will need to make and I think it is doable.
For me this race is important as it is my first race since getting injured in Salida in March. This is also a race that I just like so I am looking forward to doing it for that reason alone. It will be worth running the 50 miles hard just for a break out of town and away from all of my normal runs, routes, etc. I really can't wait to go.
Anyway, my new splits as I have computed them to fish in 12:30 are as follows.
Mile 7.5 Alpine Gulch Aid Station 2:05
Mile 15.7 Williams Creek Campground 3:46
Mile 21.8 Carson Aid Station 5:23
Mile 31 Divide/Yurt Aid Station 8:12
Mile 40 Slumgullion Aid Station 9:54
Mile 46.5 Vickers Aid Station 11:32
Mile 50 Finish 12:30
Before you think the times sound off or slow or what not... take a look at this elevation profile of the race. Then you can see why it might take two hours or more to go the first 7.5 miles. :)
http://www.swarpa.net/~danforth/photos/sjs50/profile_sjs50.gif
Again, I can't wait till next weekend, I think this is going to be a blast!
The miles have been stacking up. According to my Garmin and how it logs a week, this past week I did 86.4 miles. I had a great 31 mile run last weekend and this weekend I did two 20 milers back to back. I've been feeling yesterday's run all day today though especially in my quads which just feel thrashed.
On the bright side I have a nice light week this week leading into the race at Lake City. I've been bouncing back and recovering fairly well these past few weeks so I think that I will be in good shape. My time last year in the race was 15:44:46 and that was in that nasty storm. Originally this year I was shooting for 13:45 to finish, feeling that would be a respectable improvement over last year and also very doable if the weather cooperates. Well... I have a new target now. My coach wants to see me pull that one in at 12:30, what he considers and A+ effort.
12:30... That means I need to drop well, about three hours from last years time. Okay... Melissa will be crewing for me and I do not intend to take any long breaks at the aid stations so I am planning to get back an hour there. So if the weather cooperates AND I push it hard I think that I can do the 12:30 as directed. I spent part of the night doing some fancy math to compute the splits I will need to make and I think it is doable.
For me this race is important as it is my first race since getting injured in Salida in March. This is also a race that I just like so I am looking forward to doing it for that reason alone. It will be worth running the 50 miles hard just for a break out of town and away from all of my normal runs, routes, etc. I really can't wait to go.
Anyway, my new splits as I have computed them to fish in 12:30 are as follows.
Mile 7.5 Alpine Gulch Aid Station 2:05
Mile 15.7 Williams Creek Campground 3:46
Mile 21.8 Carson Aid Station 5:23
Mile 31 Divide/Yurt Aid Station 8:12
Mile 40 Slumgullion Aid Station 9:54
Mile 46.5 Vickers Aid Station 11:32
Mile 50 Finish 12:30
Before you think the times sound off or slow or what not... take a look at this elevation profile of the race. Then you can see why it might take two hours or more to go the first 7.5 miles. :)
http://www.swarpa.net/~danforth/photos/sjs50/profile_sjs50.gif
Again, I can't wait till next weekend, I think this is going to be a blast!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Just a Great Day
Today turned out much better than expected or even hoped for. Yesterday was to be my big run of the week with a 20 mile run. I did that, in the heat and came home and recovered nicely through the afternoon and evening.
I woke up early this morning for the most part feeling pretty good. I had decided to stay put in town instead of venturing out and do a local run. The idea came to me in yesterdays run to do the Gold Camp Road run up N. Cheyenne Canyon and go as far I could and do and out and back for a minimum of ten miles. BUT I also was leaving the option to go further and do a big loop that at best I figured was 20 miles at a minimum but probably no more than 30 miles.
When I took of this morning things felt pretty. I was not feeling too much from the day before to be honest. About 7 miles in as I ran through the 3rd tunnel I just figured I'd go ahead and commit to the full loop. I've biked this 2x but that was 16 years ago and while I was confident I knew how to catch the trail further up, I still had some concerns. I did pack a map to be safe.
The weather was perfect. Cool starting out but even when it warmed up it wasn't that bad. Everything felt great the entire distance. Okay towards the end I was getting a little tired but more so just tired of running that being tired from running.
My goal for the day was 10 miles minimum as I said. I had to clock 12 miles to meet my goal of 250 miles for the month of May. I ended up doing 26.
I can not explain just how good I feel right now. Physically not too much discomfort... but mentally and emotionally I am on cloud nine. My confidence which really has been in the crapper for weeks is soaring for a change. I needed this run and I am just so thankful that it worked out as well as it did.
Came home had a great dinner, watered the lawn and all of the plants too. The great thing is that I still have a day off tomorrow!
I woke up early this morning for the most part feeling pretty good. I had decided to stay put in town instead of venturing out and do a local run. The idea came to me in yesterdays run to do the Gold Camp Road run up N. Cheyenne Canyon and go as far I could and do and out and back for a minimum of ten miles. BUT I also was leaving the option to go further and do a big loop that at best I figured was 20 miles at a minimum but probably no more than 30 miles.
When I took of this morning things felt pretty. I was not feeling too much from the day before to be honest. About 7 miles in as I ran through the 3rd tunnel I just figured I'd go ahead and commit to the full loop. I've biked this 2x but that was 16 years ago and while I was confident I knew how to catch the trail further up, I still had some concerns. I did pack a map to be safe.
The weather was perfect. Cool starting out but even when it warmed up it wasn't that bad. Everything felt great the entire distance. Okay towards the end I was getting a little tired but more so just tired of running that being tired from running.
My goal for the day was 10 miles minimum as I said. I had to clock 12 miles to meet my goal of 250 miles for the month of May. I ended up doing 26.
I can not explain just how good I feel right now. Physically not too much discomfort... but mentally and emotionally I am on cloud nine. My confidence which really has been in the crapper for weeks is soaring for a change. I needed this run and I am just so thankful that it worked out as well as it did.
Came home had a great dinner, watered the lawn and all of the plants too. The great thing is that I still have a day off tomorrow!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Just a Quickie
Had a decent 20 mile run today. It was hot and a little windy but other than that tolerable. Towards the end, last five miles or so I could tell the heat was starting to get to me. I'll have to rethink the whole idea of Badwater I believe. Haha. Seriously it was 88 when I got home so this has to be the warmest run of the year for me so far.
Everything is holding up well. Left knee and hamstring are good. Right shin is cooperating. Just have to get rid of this little blister on my right foot but I think that I have solved that one too. I think I am not tying my shoes tight enough. Maybe... or it could be heat related. Either way I have to have it solved in the next few days. With everything else going so well I don't want to be jacked up by a blister.
Tomorrow is going to be cooler. I am going to run Gold Camp Road from N. Cheyenne Canyon to Old Stage Road and see how far I get before turning back. It could be an out and back or I could come back down some trails and make more of a loop. My goal is 20 miles again tomorrow and that will put me way over my monthly goal of 250 miles for the month of May. Tomorrows run will also have some moderate elevation to it which is a bonus.
Everything is holding up well. Left knee and hamstring are good. Right shin is cooperating. Just have to get rid of this little blister on my right foot but I think that I have solved that one too. I think I am not tying my shoes tight enough. Maybe... or it could be heat related. Either way I have to have it solved in the next few days. With everything else going so well I don't want to be jacked up by a blister.
Tomorrow is going to be cooler. I am going to run Gold Camp Road from N. Cheyenne Canyon to Old Stage Road and see how far I get before turning back. It could be an out and back or I could come back down some trails and make more of a loop. My goal is 20 miles again tomorrow and that will put me way over my monthly goal of 250 miles for the month of May. Tomorrows run will also have some moderate elevation to it which is a bonus.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Catching Up
I haven't written in a while and really there is not a lot to say. Things have been progressing well over the past few weeks with my long runs increasing from 12 miles to 15, to 20, to 31.1 and being able to handle the distances and recover after the run.
The left leg is doing great still so that issue is gone. Overall some tweaks and pings here and there but at these mileages it is to be expected. I ran five miles this morning and it felt no different than the mid week runs from last week.
Going to Lake City to run the San Juan Solstice in three weeks or so and I can not wait. I am super excited. This will be my first race since Salida. This race will be a great confidence booster. I have a rather solid pace/plan in place and if the weather cooperates I intend to drop an hour from last years time. That won't be hard as long as I don't screw around at the aid stations too long. Haha.
Just over 12 weeks to go until Leadville. Had dinner and discussions about the race with my friend Ray who is running it for the first time this year. I think if things keep going the way they are for both of us, we are both going to have a great run up there come August.
Things are going well... Let's keep it that way!
The left leg is doing great still so that issue is gone. Overall some tweaks and pings here and there but at these mileages it is to be expected. I ran five miles this morning and it felt no different than the mid week runs from last week.
Going to Lake City to run the San Juan Solstice in three weeks or so and I can not wait. I am super excited. This will be my first race since Salida. This race will be a great confidence booster. I have a rather solid pace/plan in place and if the weather cooperates I intend to drop an hour from last years time. That won't be hard as long as I don't screw around at the aid stations too long. Haha.
Just over 12 weeks to go until Leadville. Had dinner and discussions about the race with my friend Ray who is running it for the first time this year. I think if things keep going the way they are for both of us, we are both going to have a great run up there come August.
Things are going well... Let's keep it that way!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Getting There
Had a 52 mile week last week and that went really well. A 15 mile run on Saturday which was my best run in WEEKS was a very nice treat. The greater treat was waking up on Sunday morning and realizing how much pain, discomfort and general soreness I was not feeling at all. Woohoo!
Melissa was heading out of town for a few days so we hung out on Sunday so I didn't run until after she left later in the afternoon. It all worked out as I did 10 miles up in N. and S. Cheyenne canyons in the evening when the wind had died down some.
My right shin is a little sore and has been since last week. It goes away once I start running. Shinsplints I am sure and also pretty positive it is from the miles from last week. It is manageable.
Tonight's ten mile run... three trips around the Palmer Park Rim Trail. Zero pain in my left leg. Not my fastest time but it is a trail you have to be careful on and since I was going to run it 3x, I figured I'd better take it easy. What cracked me up all night was that I used to think that running once was a big deal.. nah.... that was just my warm-up tonight. No wind tonight too and I finished just as the rain began... not a bad deal. :)
I came home and went to check my work PC to check on something and it was sounding like a jet engine trying to take off as the vent fan was going full bore. The screen was blank and the cursor was flashing. My guess is that a bearing seized in the hard drive, causing the temp in the case to go up causing the fan to go nuts. Regardless, work laptop no workee anymore. I tried to see it after booting from CD ROM and no luck. Had a friend e-mail my manager and we will figure it out in the morning. So far I am not TOO freaked out by what I have lost as I had very little personal stuff on there. There will be some work stuff and procedures I will have to find or recreate. It will be fine though hell, this has happened to so many of my team mates, I am surprised it has taken this long to happen to me.
That is really all I have. I am still feeling better day by day, and adding more miles. 53 more to go for this week and I am pretty confident that it is all going to work out just fine!
Melissa was heading out of town for a few days so we hung out on Sunday so I didn't run until after she left later in the afternoon. It all worked out as I did 10 miles up in N. and S. Cheyenne canyons in the evening when the wind had died down some.
My right shin is a little sore and has been since last week. It goes away once I start running. Shinsplints I am sure and also pretty positive it is from the miles from last week. It is manageable.
Tonight's ten mile run... three trips around the Palmer Park Rim Trail. Zero pain in my left leg. Not my fastest time but it is a trail you have to be careful on and since I was going to run it 3x, I figured I'd better take it easy. What cracked me up all night was that I used to think that running once was a big deal.. nah.... that was just my warm-up tonight. No wind tonight too and I finished just as the rain began... not a bad deal. :)
I came home and went to check my work PC to check on something and it was sounding like a jet engine trying to take off as the vent fan was going full bore. The screen was blank and the cursor was flashing. My guess is that a bearing seized in the hard drive, causing the temp in the case to go up causing the fan to go nuts. Regardless, work laptop no workee anymore. I tried to see it after booting from CD ROM and no luck. Had a friend e-mail my manager and we will figure it out in the morning. So far I am not TOO freaked out by what I have lost as I had very little personal stuff on there. There will be some work stuff and procedures I will have to find or recreate. It will be fine though hell, this has happened to so many of my team mates, I am surprised it has taken this long to happen to me.
That is really all I have. I am still feeling better day by day, and adding more miles. 53 more to go for this week and I am pretty confident that it is all going to work out just fine!
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