Tuesday 093008

AM  - 17 minutes with dog.  Creaky.  Cold.  Tired.  Dog was happy.  I love getting the dog out in the AM.  I don't love the slobber from the frisbee she gets all over my left leg. 2 miles.  Hardly a run worth mentioning ...

Mid day, mile warm up.  Then Westminster Hills ... 6:30s out for three miles, mile to catch my breath and then three back in 6:10, 6:05, 5:45.  I did not feel real zippy.  My legs were heavy ... but the thought is here that I need to do this work consistently to expect some degree of improvement over time.  2 mile warm down, for a total of 10 in 68 minutes.

Evening ... KZ had soccer practice so I jogged the fields for 40+ minutes to get five miles.  So 2:05 on the day and 17 miles.  400 miles on the month.  Whatever ... it is only one month ... it was not like I did 400 a month for a year.  Or 5000 miles on a year.  That said, I do think it is my highest month ever.  I do take some pride in the fact that it means I did an average of 13 or so a day for 30 days.  But in the grand scheme of things ... whatever. 

Considering doing the RM shootout this weekend.  If I do, I wholly expect to get my arse handed to me, for me to be humiliated and pissed off after the run.  The course is not easy.  I once projected it to be about a minute slower than a "regular" five mile course in Boulder (like the high five).  I think I'd am going to have a hard time keeping this bugger under 30.  That is a bit sad, but the course really does not give a damn.

I was noticing some weird crap with my stride mechanics over the last couple of days ... nothing huge but I am becoming aware of the difference between how my left foot strikes and powers off versus my left.  I think this is ultimately because of the lawn mower injury ... I have compensated with a different foot strike on my left side simply because, well that foot is different.  Again, this is not a giant deal but it seems the left side is touch weaker.  No surprise there.  All I can say is ... never ever put your foot in a lawnmower.

On to October.

092908 Monday 14 miles

Mesa Trail. Headed south on the Mesa Trail (starting up the longer Enchanted Mesa after looping large around Chautauqua). Got to about the entry of Bear Canyon when I realized my car key was missing. It had fallen out of that little pocket in my shorts. I ran back and about a mile back I found it there on the trail. I headed south again, skipping the direct route to "sound of music" and instead wandered up towards Shadow Canyon. Did the loop back around and came back north. Kept the effort "moderate" but did not have a lot of legs today. 1:52. This was one of those runs where I started and I did not want to. I felt horrible but I knew I just had to get out there and go. I knew that would crack, and I'd feel better for running - and then feel better running.

383 on the month. There is a slight temptation to go and get 17 tomorrow for a 400 mile month but ... well, there are 31 day months occasionally too.

I don't speak German, but somehow I understand this

Sunday 092808

Took it slow this AM. The kids had a packed day yesterday so I let them chill this AM ... reading the comics, sleeping in, easy going breakfast. Later in the day, I got the kids out for a hike to the Woodland Quarry. We took the infrequently used "Tomato Rock" trail. They enjoyed the "chair" at the quarry , along with the cold pizza (home-made, from last night) that I had packed up.

TZ got home in the late evening and allowed me to sneak back to Chautauqua (thanks!). I ran a a bit "direction-less" with mixed routes around and spurring off the meadow, until I started heading up Flagstaff at the base of Gregory. My legs were heavy so I was easy, enjoying the evening air. Off the back side of Flag, I headed up Green. It was quiet, cool and windy. On days like this ... I seem to forget competition, the allure of faster times and just get lost in the drug of the mountain and enjoy being out there. At the top of Green, I decided to head down the NE ridge, and then took the cut over to the 1st Flatiron.

Running the ridge, with the sunsetting, the breeze blowing and me shirtless ... I felt like I was in my own movie. It was wonderful and I enjoyed the rocks filling my shoes as on the steep descent off the ridge. Once I got pass the notch b/w the 2nd and the 1st Flatiron, I knew I had miscalculated daylight. I was running in not enough light. It was not too bad but by the time I had got to the true Chautauqua trail, I was glad to be able to not worry about rocks and roots anymore. I had thought about taking a head lamp but at the last minute canned the thought ... 96 minutes of running, 9 miles (I guess). This was an easy run. Some of the uphills were a bit challenging but I just geared back.

Week in review ... not a bad week. Given the cold I had at the front end of the week, and then being the solo parent at the end of the week, I feel like I managed this pretty well. I needed a slight down week and so this played well into that.

M - 12 miles (4 miles, 31 minutes and 9 miles, 71 minutes)
T - 13 miles, easy building to moderate on Marshall Mesa, 1:37
W - 8 miles, 61 minutes with 10 x 30 second p/u
Th - 13 miles with 8 in the middle at about 6:15 pace, 88 min tot
F - 14 miles (10 miles in 76, 4 miles in 31)
Sa - 12 miles, 82 minutes, 15 x 20 second p/u
Su - 9 miles, 96 minutes, Flag, Green, etc

Total of 0f 9 runs, 81 miles, 629 minutes. 81 this week brings me to 369 on the month.

Generally, this targets me back around the 10 hour area (a little less than the 12s over the last couple of weeks) and mid 80 miles (a little less than 90s the last couple of weeks). I'd like to continue to get the mid 80 to mid 90 volume for the most part, but continue to slowly continue to increase the pace / velocity of this running as I become able to absorb that volume. Additionally, I'd love to get like 90 percent of the volume in six days so that I can get a seventh day of rest somewhere ... but this might be a logisitical challenge for me. Finally, I'd like to keep upping the ante on the weekend long run ... 20+.

Various ...

• Congrats to Brett W for his 100k completion. Freaking amazing.
• New marathon world record ... almost unimaginable. This guy runs 26 miles plus faster than most people on the planet could run a quarter mile in (72 pace all day)
• I caught this very interesting show on Bill Moyers the other night. I might even buy this guy's book. A lot of what he said reflects a lot of I also feel ...
• MC popped one of her beers last night. It has been eight or so days since capping so ... head has formed enough to make this drinkable. Good brew. Darker, richer flavor than an IPA ... you can see where my face is falling off in the end of this video where I have some second head growing out of my cheek. This beer reminds me of George's Sweet Brown Ale (from the Dam Brewery in Dillon ... I am easily reminded of this flavor as my kind wife just brought me back some this weekend).

Saturday 092708 12 miles

After a soccer game for KZ (tie, 3 up), we got home.  JZ headed over to hang out with his buddy next door.  KZ kicked back in bed and decided to read a bit.

I determined that 34 laps around my block would a.) equal twelve miles (or slightly more) b.) keep me close enough to my kids in the case they needed me c.) was a helluva lot more appealing than a treadmill.

Neighbors gawked after a while but that was fine.  I switched directions after 11 laps (laps would take as much as 2:30 in the start, and were later as quick as 2:05) (each lap is .36 miles) and then did 15 with a 20-25 second uphill (slight) stride out acceleration.  These were each followed with a lap of rest and so full recovery.  I finished the effort going back the other way.

Good run.  Powered by Green Day and Guns n Roses.  I was a little nervous in the warm up as my left hip felt tight but it loosened.  Once I got into it, the whole run just rolled on by.  82 minutes.  12 miles.

Friday 092608 14 miles (2 runs, 1:47)

Mid day - 76 minutes.  10 miles.  AHR 146.  HR drifted up over the run because it was hot.  Started at the low 130s and it moved up to 160 over the course of the run.  When I would turn into the breeze coming out of the east, it would drop five beats or so.  Ran out to Westminster and back to pay JZ's scout pack dues.  Ran with the Camelbak.  Listened to TenaciousD on the Live Music Podcast.  So I was fully geared out.  HR monitor, IPOD, Camelbak, short shorts, no shirt, hat and sunglasses.  My children fear I will pick them up at school in this get up.  A little fear is good.

Had a ridiculous burrito for lunch.  Over easy eggs, with some left over steak chopped up, avocado and some my homemade salsa all wrapped up.  Messy.  Tasty.

Evening - 31 minutes, easy, four miles.  I ran.  KZ biked.  And we just yapped.  This was wonderful.

I need to focus on getting a race goal.  Right now I am training but without a goal.  Running is just going out there and running.  No care about miles, time, HR, or anything.  That can occur within training but it when it becomes the primary medium, then you are not training ... you are just running.

Training has an objective of improvement.  In order to define a path to improvement, I need to define a couple of goal races and objectives.  Right now, I'd like to see that 10K improve back into the 35s (a drop of 50 seconds from last month), and see if I can drop that 5K under 17 minutes. 

I am putting up some weird boundaries in my head as to how I am allowed to achieve these objectives though ... like ... I don't want to go to the track and be ripping speed work.  I may need to muddle on that a bit as to why I feel that way.  In any case, I will need to look for some races starting mid to late next month to see if I can round myself back into that sort of shape.  Snow usually begins to fly around Halloween around here so I will need to keep that in mind too.

Some thoughts on training, Hudson's book

I got some good feedback from Lucho yesterday regarding the strides I did on Wednesday.  Nearly since the moment I met Lucho (almost a year ago), we have been discussing the concept of MAF training.  I had not really heard about it before meeting Tim and I am still learning about it.  My initial basic understanding of this training approach was that it a.) required significant (moderately high) volume b.) required heart rate was not to exceed a prescribed number (typically 145-150) ever  in this period c.) required the period to last until gains (as measured as increases at velocity at the same HR in equivalent tests) began to diminish. 

I had issue with the "exclusivity" of low HR training in the entire period but based on the comments of Lucho from yesterday, that exclusivity may have been a misinterpretation on my part.

In any case, I do agree with Tim, and what I am reading from Hudson's text that a strong aerobic base is required for success in endurance events (5K to marathon) and a key principle to achieving that success is via consistent moderate volume of training of easy running.

That said, I was hearing 25 years ago this tenant of training as well ... "long slow distance makes you a long slow runner."  Now, I understand that this is not an absolute-ism.  Running long and slow can make you the fastest runner on certain days.  Probably most of us could run 25 miles in 4 hours ... which most of us would consider pretty slow ... but how many of us could do a 100 miles in 16 hours?  And so a balance is needed in training.

And this is where I have been enjoying Hudson's text.  His approach seems as common-sense based to me as understanding of current science.  He advocates moderately high miles to support aerobic development, nonlinear periodization (meaning there are no exclusive phases or periods as there were in some traditional programs ... TG used to call this "multi-phasic development") while considering a three phase approach over a progression of training (from general to increasingly more race specific), lots of hills, making your hard days really really hard but your easy days easy, workouts at a variety of paces including various threshold paces and consistent variation and a rest day a week.

Underlying this is not only the thought that race specific endurance is dependent on aerobic development but neuromuscular development.  It is the right mix of the aerobic development (obtained with long runs, easy runs, miles making champions, trial of miles, miles of trials, aerobic support runs, progression runs, ) but also faster paced work (I hesitate to use the word speed work because that seems to fire folks up into thinking that means pure sprints) consisting of intervals, hills, strides, drills, explosive work to increase stride power.

Ineffective development of either end of the spectrum and you are screwed.  We have all seen the kid who starts the 5K race at 65 second quarter pace and then blows up.  They have wheels (neuromuscular strength) but no aerobic engine.  They become victim to this weakness.  We are less likely to see it, but we have all heard the stories of folks who just could not go any faster in a race.  "I couldn't really dig."  I suspect they are victims of a weakness where they have developed an aerobic engine that is then held hostage to a weaker neuromuscular system.

Effective development of both ... driving towards race specific endurance is key to success.  The right mix is dependent on the race, your strengths, weaknesses, what training you are in, your history, etc.

Personally, I see the need to develop both for myself right now.   I am looking to further develop my aerobic system with additional long runs, and a general increase in mileage.  But a focus on hill running almost to the exclusion of other "faster" running has had come at a cost.  I can run up hills more effectively than I could three years ago, but overall I have lost general speed strength. 

This is a tough thing to describe.  I am asked - "why do you need 4:40 mile speed if you are running the last three miles of Pikes in 45 -50 minutes?"  A simple answer is I don't.  A more thoughtful answer is that my ability to run 45 minutes for the last three miles (instead of 57 minutes) comes with a combination of aerobic running (miles), hill running, runs at altitude (after all, that section is above 12000 feet!), and neuromuscular power.  If my best mile I can muster is only a 5:30, then my ability to run 15 minutes a mile is more compromised than if I can run a 4:40.

For what it is worth, Hudson's principles of aerobic development and nueromuscular development seem to match well with Carpenter's suggested triangle of quantity and quality (and rest).  More on that model later.

More to come on this.  And ... I openly welcome challenges to this thinking because it is an organic process for me. 

Oh yeah ... another principle Hudson mentions is that training, while general for all humans needs to be individualized for each human.

Thursday 092508 13 miles

Again, slept in ... trying to get good sleep these days to help get over this sickness and also hoping that it is just good in absorbing training.  Plus it is easy to do this at 6AM when it is dark and 45 degrees out.  The penalty of course is then you have to get your run in when it is 80 degrees out.  Choice ... consequence.

I decided to do an 8 mile progression run again, similar to what I had done last week.  While South Boulder Creek is ideal for this with its soft trail and relatively flat nature it is a drive into Boulder for me.  I measured out a local course instead on the Lake Link Trail.  This trail is significantly more hilly, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

I believe runs like this fall into the arena of what Hudson calls aerobic support.  Hudson describes aerobic support runs as +10 percent or -10 percent race specific pace.  As I am in 36:50 10K pace this would mean that my race pace for a 10K is just under 6 minutes a mile (or 360 seconds).  Aerobic support runs for a 10K would be runs about 6:36 to 5:24 at this point in my training.

2 mile (15 min) warm-up and then got to business. 

I felt good getting out, maybe a bit tight in the calves.  As I dropped down the hill into the lake area, I tried to hold back a bit because I knew I was going a bit fast for the course, the heat and how I was feeling (I did not feel that good). 

By the time I had got to mile four, I knew it would be tough to hold the same pace-effort on the way back, particularly up the big hill.  I was getting hot and starting to feel a bit dry.  I did struggle up the big hill, and saw my HR go to 180.  A side benefit to all this was I kept blowing this nasty gooey crap out my nose.  I think it was sticky enough to serve as super glue.  I was dragging a bit towards the end but managed to keep the effort relatively solid.

On whole, I ran these 8 about the same as I ran 10 days ago but a.) on a harder course, b.) on a hotter day but it felt harder.  I'd say it was an 8 on PE.  Ave HR was 169.  My mile markers might be a bit off on this because of the mapmyrun tweaks (below) but ... it does not really matter.  I will use the land marks I used today for standard mile markers on this course ... and use it as a standard for me for a bit.

Mile 1 6:26
Mile 2 6:19 (11:45)
Mile 3 6:11 (19:56)
Mile 4 6:11 (25:07)
Mile 5 6:05 (31:12)
Mile 6 6:08 (37:20)
mile 7 6:36 (43:56)
mile 8 6:07 (50:04)

Afterwards, I warmed down for 3 miles, and threw in 5 x 20 second stride outs to get a bit of movement in the mix when my legs were tapped.  88 minutes, 13 miles.

It was hot.

46 miles on the week and 342 on the month.

Wednesday 092408 8 miles

Still feeling this cold-fever-sickness thing.  I slept pretty hard last night and still woke up with a thick head.  I don't think this has come about from my training (as my family has had this crud), but I don't think my training is allowing the fastest recoup either.  I feel ... gooey.

PM -   Hour.  8 miles.  Did 10 x 30 second strides on grass with about 55 seconds off (jogging).  Looked to go a bit faster than 5K pace in these strides.  This is not real fast right now as I am ... well, I am not fast!  I used to have a bit of speed but I have focused on on aerobic training and hill strength to a point where I have a good deal of that speed.  I can't get it back overnight ... so I need to pick at it.  Including these strides regularly will be a way that I begin to get back after that game.  They are just a starter of course ... but it is a safe way to start.  I am looking to generate more power in my stride.  The short nature of these, the grass, and the lack of power I currently have, I managed only to get my HR up to 171 with these.

I am going to try ... try ... to talk a bit (more) about why I am approaching my training the way I am.  I do this to openly so that I can a.) better learn b.)  be questioned c.) have a record of what the heck I was thinking when I was doing whatever I was doing.

From what I gather from reading Hudson's book (and I agree), your best fitness comes with a strong combination of aerobic strength and neurological strength in the right mix to form race specific endurance.  The right mix is dependent on your event, your strengths, etc. 

Sooo .... do enough hills so that you keep your hill strength but not at the loss of speed and do enough speed to keep that but not at the loss of hill strength.  Hudson actually says do quantity but not to a point where you compromise quality and do quality but not to a point where you compromise quantity.

My mileage will take a slight dip this weekend.  TZ will be away at a conference so it will be a bit harder for me to sneak away.  This is not a bad thing as I could use a "down week" and I am ahead of my month goal anyway.

I contemplated some late night miles but passed to get to bed early.

Various ...

• JV had a great run up and down Green yesterday.  I think there are few people who could have kept up with him on that route ...
• Any nominations for mountain or ultra trail runners of the year?
• Got about 40 pages into Hudson book ... very readable and enjoyable.  Lots I can blog about here on that, and I will ... as I think it will help cement some of the concepts in my head.  Whether this all translates into a change in how I approach my training ("auto-pilot" versus a more scientific approach) remains to be seen (and is my choice).
• Two guys walking up my street this AM ... conversation goes like this:  Guy 1:  "Yeah ... I am a meat guy."  Guy 2:  "Yeah, me too."  Guy 1:  "Yup, sausage, pepperoni ... kielbasa,  can't beat it."  Guy 2:  "Mmmm.  Yeah, me too."

Tuesday 092308 13 miles

I still felt like I was dragging today physically.  Mentally, I was charged.  I woke up thinking about running.  I had been dreaming about running.  Running fast.  Running up.  Running in the woods.  Running down steep trails.  Running. 

But ...  physically, my head felt like I had a bender last night (I did not) ... simply because I was carrying around a full skull of snot.  In this state I decided to get out to the Greenbelt / Marshall Mesa for my run (7 miles from my office).  A quick drive over and I was banging away.  I started quicker than normal, not wanting to settle into the drudgery of a run.  I headed out counter clockwise on the loop but then found the Dowdy Draw Trail was closed (work, being rerouted).  I cut back down to Eldorado (Marshall Road) and ran up the road some. RT 1:37, 13 miles.  Felt good except I was beginning to tank - dehydrate a bit towards the end.

I got the Hudson book, "Run Faster" in the mail today ... more to read!

Monday 092208 12 miles (2 runs, 1:42)

Still dealing with this damn head cold.  Was creaky this AM - no surprise.  Out with Lucy early, listening to the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast, 31 minutes ... 4 miles.

PM ... easy with PM.  71 minutes, 9 miles. Tired and kept it easy.

Retrospect ... I am changing my second run to 8 miles.  I was going really  slow ... I think I might also be fighting a bit of a fever.  I feel pretty crappy in the head and it made run real slow.

JZ quote of the weekend on what he thought church ought to be:  "a little singin', a little prayin' and then you do a craft."

Sunday 092108 17 miles, week in review

Ran some with Lucho this AM.  Paced was varied as he was doing a progression run.  Finished off the run with 200m "strides" at the track.  I was pretty well worked towards the end, but it was good to push a little turnover.  2:08

M - 12 miles (80 minutes, w/ tempo of 8 miles in 50+)
T - AM- 60 minutes, 8 miles, PM - 45 minutes, 6 miles (1:45 and 14 on day)
W - AM - 45 minutes, 6 miles, PM 65 minutes and 9 miles (1:50 and 15 on day)
Th - 90 minutes for 12, then 31 for four more (16 and 2:01)
Fr - 50 mins on trails, 4.5 miles and then 90 minutes on trails with JV over 2nd Flatiron and Green for an other 6.5; total on day is 11 with 2:10
Sa AM - "5k" race, 17:52, embedded in 9 miles, 70 mins of running (warm up and cool down untimed), 4 miles over 31 minutes, to be safe calling it a dozen on the day over 1:40.
Su - 128 minutes, 17 miles

Totals ... 98 miles, 774 minutes (or 12.9 hours)

Month is 96, 92, 98 for a September of 286 miles.  I was happy with the fact that I managed to maintain mileage this week but begin to edge in quality.  On whole, I think this represents some of the longest I have upped mileage (if I count the 85.5 in the last week of August too).  I feel like I am absorbing it well, but I can feel the edge a touch. 

Again, I am going to look to back it off a bit so that I can maintain some quality, but if I get the miles ... great.

Spent the afternoon with the family hiking up to Mallory Cave.  We did this on a whim and so I was not sure the cave would be open.  Lo and behold - it was not!  Closed for bat mating until October 1.  I was feeling the fatigue on the edges a bit on the hike but the kids took it easy on me. 

Finished the day off with some steaks on the grill, some home made salsa.  TZ wanted a marg so I blended one of those up ... there were some extra raspberries from a recent picking that were getting a bit over ripe.  I threw these into the blender and holy crap was that good.  Too good.

Pix from Weekend ... Fall is coming

Looking up at the Royal Arch.

She still wonders about me ... :)

The chairs at Woodland Quarry.

Heading off to Mallory Cave.

JZ and KZ head west.  That is Bear in the background.

A closed cave ...

Chillaxin' on the trail ...

Saturday 092008, Broomfield Days ... A day in the life.

0638 - wake up.  Make coffee.  Get on running clothes.  Talk to TZ briefly to discuss plans for the AM

0720 - head down the street to Broomfield Days.  There is a local 5K.  It is small, will be very light on competition but it is my local 5K.  Any race in your town that is called "the Mayor's Cup," you have to run.

0725 - register.  I now have an hour before the race.  I jog very lightly, check out a few parts of the course, hit the port-a-potties 25 times, wonder about how I feel, think about what my race plan is ...

SIDE NOTE ... Mentally, I had my excuses lined up.  I am on target for another 90 mile week (not super high but higher than usual for me), I ran two hours and ten minutes yesterday, I have not done any 5K work, I have a cold (my nose is dripping good), I had two beers last night (not a big deal but definitely a pre race no-no).  I knew the course was not fast and probably not accurate (any course that ends and finishes in the same exact spot when running all on roads and sidewalks should be presumed to be incorrect in total measurement).

I knew all this but I did not give a crap.  I wanted to race to get some feedback, be pushed a bit by the mental force of just toeing the line, to hurt some ... and ...

Okay, ego got in the way ... I wanted to win this thing because I thought I should.  Yeah, there are 217 guys and gals in Boulder who could have shown up and kicked my ass but I did not think they would.  When I told TZ I was going to do this race, I made an atypical declaration ... "and you should come see it because I am going to win it."  She of course rolled her eyes, laughed and said, "you are mean." 

0820 - TZ and the kids show up.  I get kisses and hugs.

0825 - Race starts.  Holy crap.  This is fast.  And those guys are out there.  What am in 10th place?  And those guys are pulling away already and we are not even 200 yards in.  Zack - settle.  It is early.  Don't worry.  Remember ... you did not want to lead to start.  Get into your groove and run your race.

Still it feels fast.  About a half mile in I am in fourth place and there is a group of three ahead of me about 15 yards.  I don't surge but I put a little gas in the engine to catch them.  I plan to run with them to feel them out but as I catch them, I just float on by. 

Oh shit.  That was smart.  Here we are just past a half mile and now you are taking the lead.  Dude - there is a lot of racing to do.  What are you going to do now?  I am going to win. Yeah, that guy behind you does not seem to agree with that. 

So I surge a touch.  I push it just a notch to see who will hold and who will shake.  They all shake.  I pass the mile in 5:30.  I don't look back but I don't need to.  I can hear feet.  I keep the pace, trying to focus on the bike ahead.  I am not all out, but I am not dicking around for me either.  We hit a 90 degree turn at about a mile and a half and I have built about a 10 second lead.  At the turn, there is an uphill so I force it a bit more.  2 miles in 11:05. 

Well.  That ain't too bad.  Sure ain't 10:30 but faster than you thought it would be.  Now, just don't fall apart. 

We hit a little uphill about 600 yards out from the finish and I can feel the hum of the strain.  Yeah, yeah, this is why you are doing this.  I get a glance back and realize that unless I fall in a whole I am going to get this.  I have extended the lead to twenty or so seconds.  I keep the pace solid through the finish, not really kicking.

It is nice to get a win, even if it is in a cheesy local 5K.  It is really nice that my family gets to see this.  I get fist bumps from my kids in the finish area.  17:52, but I am guessing it is long.  I did not fall off significantly in the last mile, and even pressed to assure a solid finish.  Even if it was 5:40, that would have put me at 3 in 16:45.  I am pretty sure I would not have taken another 67 for the last 200.  Whatever.

0900 - Warming down ...I spy these huge trophies that are butt ugly green.  I hope that these are the Mayor's Cup.  I want the ugliest ass trophy ever to bug TZ.  No luck.  Those buggers are trophies for the parade that will be a part of Broomfield Days later in the AM.  TZ and the kids get some pancake breakfast.  I eat the leftovers and jog with Lucy ... no watch.  All told, I probably do 2.5 of warm up, 3+ in the race, 3.5 warm down.  9 miles over 70 minutes.

near 1000.  I get my two non-descriptive medals for my efforts (age group and overall).  Buzz home.

1015 - head over to soccer with KZ for a U11 game.  Girls lose in the last two minutes.  TZ heads to the parade at Broomfield days with JZ and a friend.

1155 - back to the house.  Grab lunch with the fam.  I make smoothies for everyone.  TZ takes KZ to a birthday party swim gig sleep over thing.  I prep JZ for a soccer game. 

1220 - get JZ to the soccer game.  It is hot.  The kids are all wilting in the sun.  It is a  u8 game. The little buggers normally run their tails off but they are just kicking the ball and going nowhere.  They watch the ball.  The coaches and the parents are going nuts.   JZ's team gets wrecked.

1355 - back to the house.  TZ and I take JZ to a birthday party.  Drop him off.  Kids are all going to play laser tag.  TZ and I are free until 7.  We head back to the house, get some gear and head to Chautauqua.

1500 - up to the Royal Arch.  TZ's knee holds up well but is tender.  We come back the non marked trail that cuts back down to the Woodland Quarry.  I will post pix tomorrow.  Great hike.  Great afternoon.  Great conversation with my best friend and the woman I love.

1730 - grab dinner at a local rice bowl place.  The whole afternoon with TZ is great.  We have time to yap on everything ... which is often a challenge for us when we are living life with the kids, school, scouts, music, running, etc, etc.  It is a great afternoon. 

1830 - back at the house, TZ heads off to get JZ.  I get Lucy to the park and throw her the frisbee.

1900 - I get in another half hour of running, four miles. (calling it 12 miles and 1:40 on the day).

2000 - shower, catch up on blogs, bs with TZ and JZ, catch a couple of Long Hammer IPA's, IM with JW some ... write this post.

2100 - hit the rack.

JJ Video

Tonight's homework ...good read and listening

Interview with Mark Allen

Interview with Jay Johnson.  Last US guy to win the WMRT.  Yeah - that is right.  He was the WORLD CHAMPION.  And by the way, he is co-owner of Fleet Feet, my team sponsor.  You'd never guess that Jay was number one in the world in mountain running when you'd meet him.

Friday 091908 (11 miles, 2 runs, 2:10)

Got over to Chautauqua and did some light jogging.  Messed around on some of the off trails, ended up eventually at the Royal Arch and then headed back down.  50 minutes.  Thinking about 4.5 miles

I was doing some work over at the Park (wireless is beautiful), waiting for JV when a guy came up to me (Alex).  Recognized me from this blog.  Nice guy.  Chatted Pikes a bit. Hope we can hook up for some miles soon.

JV and then met and we did the 2nd Flatiron Trail.  We kept it super easy, but I was needing that.   I knew I was nearly done for the day by the time we reached the top of the Flatiron.  JV showed me the back route over valley of the backside, then up to the NE Ridge and then over to Green.   Great route, and right up JV's alley ... off the beaten path, steep.  He is absolutely fluid on this steep stuff.  The steeper the better.  

My watch stopped enroute so I am guessing we got in about 80 minutes of running / hiking (I was COOKED).  6.5 miles.  Seriously ... I was thrashed at the end ... just out of fuel, out of legs ... thrashing along.

It was good to see JV as I have not run with him in a bit. 

JV looking down the 2nd.

JV with the Pullman behind him

Looking down the second.  The picture does not do it justice.  If you look carefully in the 2nd shot you can see the Bluebell shelter.

Back over Boulder.

Green forests turning yellow near the top of Green Mountain.

WTF is up with all these lady bugs?!  Billions of them jammin' on top of Green Mountain.

258 on month, 68 on week.

==================================================

JW asked me this:  GZ... you said your weight hasn't changed... not really surprise considering you keeping the volume pretty high. Did you get down to a "race weight" for pikes? If so how much does it differ from your everyday/training weight?

Okay ... so this is pretty unscientific.  I will open with that confession.

My weight has been between 137-143 for the last several weeks.  I am 5'8".  I am way more likely to see numbers in the middle of that range than the 137 or the 143.

I can easily put on weight.  Last year after a ONE week and enjoying Hawaii, I was 158.  You probably not guess that I had gained eleven pounds in a week by looking at me - but scales don't lie.

For me, focus on "race" weight is as much about curbing portions as it is assuring I am getting good fuel.   I was 139 going into race weekend this year.  Admittedly, I took a slightly different approach and did not look to cut back on food - I was thinking I would need it as I was doing 39 miles in 2 days with over 15000 feet of climbing. 

Basically, I recognize that there are some things that are food, and there are some things that are not.  When I am more focused on diet, I try to eat more items of the food variety ... more than five ingredients lists on the back ... probably not good.  I don't get too worked up about fats, carbs, protiens ... even when getting focused.  I just try to keep a mix.

When trying to get into race weight, it is really realizing that a.) when tapering for a race, I am tending to do a bit less on the miles and b.) I need to adjust my caloric feedback accordingly.

Now that said, I think dropping things like beer and ice cream for me, while they reduce the intake of empty calories - those sacrifices are much more mental for me.  They force me to reflect discipline and commitment ...

JW - not sure I answered your question.  I know it is an open topic for me.  I feel that if I dialed in diet a few more degrees I'd see gains.  I am just not at that crossroads to do so yet.

Things I should have already talked about

First, I should be shouting this ... the US world mountain running team took the FRAKIN bronze medal.  How cool is that?  Pix ... Articles with vids.  Simon, Rickey - NICE JOB GUYS.  Nobody can ever take that away from you!

Added Dave Dunham, Kevin Tilton, Jim Johnson to the blogroll on the lower right.  I need to clean that up.  Lots of weird feeds in there.

I have never come back and talked about the actual results of the PPM versus my predictions.  I had predicted ...

1.) Carpenter
2.) Parker
3.) Mackey 
4.) Boettcher 
5.) Dayton
6.) Booth  
7.) Feucht 
8.)  Hutchinson
9.)  Smiley 
10.) Mock

Actual ...

1.) Carpenter (duh!)
2.) Mackey
3.) Boettcher 
4.) Dayton
5.) Parker (so I picked Daryn high, and hence missed the top slots)
6.) Voekel (I had him in my to watch list ... did very well!)
7.) Mock (exceeded my expectations on the down, ran about what I thought he could on the up)
8.) Hutchinson
9.) Booth
10.) Heller

Flame away

Carpenter throw down ...

As Stan Lee used to say ..."'nuff said"

Good reads

Richard Bolt article.

Skaggs brothers.

Good Chuckie V read on the back and forth of fast versus far and vice versa

Bottling

Long time family friend MC bottled her brew tonight. Some description follows ...

First you take the wort (now a flat alcoholic beverage ... so beer without any bubbles) out of the primary fermenter to get it away from the dead yeast and consumed sugar on the bottom (also called trube ... nasty stuff ... good on gardens though). If you leave your beer in here too long after fermentation has completed, you can begin to get off flavors from this stuff. We were about 12 days post pitching so we were fine ... we probably would be fine for another couple of days actually. But fermentation was done. Some measure this via a hydrometer but I just eye-balled it by the fact that a.) it had been 12 days, b.) there was no activity (bubbling) at the vapor lock.

In any case, we pull the beer off into a secondary vessel (in some cases some folks will start a secondary fermentation here ... not necessary for this ale). We then added a water - malto-dextrose mix. Yup ... sugar water. This reactivates the yeast enough to produce C02. That CO2 gets trapped in the bottle and then dissolves in the beer (and hence is called bottle conditioning) to produce a nice bubbly beer ... and head!.

Of course, you can drink this stuff now and actually get buzzed. Its alcohol content is about what it is going to be (which, again if you are interested you can figure out via hydrometer measurements at the start of fermentation and at the end of fermentation). But it is flat. So ... if you like so called British Style Ales ... have at it. I like to get a taste of it at this point even though it is flat just to get an idea of what the beer will be like. Its feel will change when carbonated, but you get a nice preview.

Bottling is important. If you don't get your caps on right ... you will end up with a flat beer. There is a special wand you pick up at a beer store that allows you to fill bottles easily (cheap, and so a must have). Once you see this, you'll see why it is important.

Thursday 091808 16 miles (2 runs, 2:01)

I woke up feeling a bit of a rattle in my throat.  This is not surprising since everyone in my family has recently suffered through some back to school cold.  I thought this would make for a lousy run this afternoon ...

But I actually had a great one.  12 miles, 90 minutes.  Perfectly overcast.  Yeah that ain't fast but it was trails around the Marshall Mesa so with some climbs in there.  I did the loop from the Greenbelt, adding on various sections to explore a bit on social trails, cow paths ... I felt light and zippy.  I did not feel like I was pushing but I definitely was floating along at a good clip. 

Various ...

• When I was parking at the trail head the Boulder County Sheriff was there taking prints on a car.  Two folks were looking at it, and its broken driver side window sadly.  Victims of a break in.  Apparently a purse was snatched.  I was a bit surprised because this is a very visible highly traveled trail head.
• Last week while on a run (did I mention this already?), I saw a hearse parked ... loaded with all sorts of trophies.  There were flames painted over the front of the car.
• Saw several buses pulling up rte 93 as I finished my run today with several state troopers as escort.  Who is coming to Boulder?  Do they do this for football teams or something?
• I have not been paying any significant attention to my diet.  Meaning I eat.  And eat.  And drink a good deal of beer (1 or 2 a night 4 or 5 days a week).  No weight change though.
• Good podcast ... "The Acoustic Lounge on KSFS."  Powered today's run.  Thanks for the tip TWK.
• 245 on the month, 57 on the week.
• I have had, via Facebook, all sorts of re-connections from folks from 10-15-20 years ago in my life.  A bit nice, a bit off setting ... I have not figured out how much I have changed or not changed since I really knew them.
• When I see people on my runs, or evidence of people ... I get this feeling of how much we are the same.  For example, when running through neighborhoods, we all seem to have crap piled in our garages, our kitchens all seem to have that same table with the same chairs around it under that same hanging lamp, we all seem to want to be able to spend time with those we love, be loved and laugh.  I feel that we have so much in common.  Then I watch a show on TV like National Geographic's coverage on Skinheads and I wonder how we can be so absolutely different.  I mean these people are not even different in just the "I vote for Obama, you vote for McCain" (or vice versa) sense ... these people want to kill people because of their skin color.  WTF?  Then I go on a run and I see people like you and me.
• Running can be like someone who I love.  When all is good, the highs are really high.  When not so good, the lows really low.  It is almost like when not so good, just stick with it for better, for worse and not tie your self worth to it.

Wednesday 091708 (15 miles, 2 runs, 1:50)

AM - 45 minutes, 6 miles.  No HR monitor.  I am both a fan of the early AM run and I hate it.  I like it because I get some of it done and it does make me feel more alive for the remainder of the morning.  I just hate the feeling of it when I first start doing it.  Maybe my body is still asleep or something but I am very aware of my creaks, tweaks, nicks ... I don't feel this nearly as much when I run in the afternoon or evenings.

Mid day - 15 minute warm up, then out and back a "progressive pace."  In other words trying to roll a bit, pick it up, run at a velocity that is not racing or blasting but above my comfort level ... to start and then pushing a bit more on the back portion of the run.  Scientific, eh?  AHR = 166, with a high of 179 (hills).  Lot of this was sub seven but I have no mile markers.  10 minute warm down.  65 minutes, 9 miles.

229 miles on September thus far.

Most of my runs have been juiced by Smashing Pumpkins.  I recently borrowed their "Machina" CD from the local library.  Part of my run today, however, I listened to the latest episode of "This American Life."  I love this show.  A couple of weeks ago, they had an episode where they interviewed these people who were in this contest to win a car.  Each contestant had their hand on the car.  As you took your hand off the car ... you were eliminated.  Last one with their hand on the car, won the car.  The competition went on for THREE DAYS. 

Today I was listening to these "Internet vigilantes.  " They took one of those guys who do the classic "I have money for you in a Nigerian bank" phishing scams for a total ride.  I mean a WICKED ride.  Awesome show.  You should listen to the first 35 minutes.  There is some hilarious stuff these guys have this scam-artist doing.

Legs were a bit heavy today but I am dealing.

Tuesday 09162008 14 miles (2 runs, 1:45)

Mid day - 60 minutes, 8 miles, ave HR 146.

Late afternoon - 45 minutes, 6 miles, no HR monitor

Monday 09152008 12 miles

I was reminded last night that it has been a month since Pikes.  Not a full calendar month, but a lunar month.  I know this because there was a full moon the night before the marathon, and last night as JZ and I tossed a football, the full moon was rising at the west end of our street.

Coincidentally, I have felt a slight shift in my thinking in how a train.  I have been running with the goal of getting in a bit more miles, a bit more time on my feet than I typically do.  This has been an increase of about 20 percent.

I have done this but it has certainly, on more days than not, impacted the quality of my running.  In other words, I am running slower because I am running more.

I want to shift this slightly.  In other words, I will back the miles down a touch and begin to include some runs that are more ... moderate.  How unscientific is that?  Additionally, I am recognizing a need to structure some of these runs a bit more to be standard courses ... and with other people.  Several years ago, I ran the same course every Sunday with the Boulder Road Runners.  These runs started easy but progressed into full on wars in the middle (if you so desired).  The outcome:  I was a faster runner.

My running has progressed or digressed into running where ever, how ever, when ever ... and often by myself.  MOST of the time this is fine ... but a re-injection of running on some measured courses (where I can chart progress over weeks and months) and with people (where I am forced to run at paces that push me) are simple principles that I have overlooked for a bit.

Again ... not big changes right now ... just slight ones.

I am thinking that some of my measured courses will be the run on South Boulder Creek (trail, well groomed and flat) and up the 2nd Flatiron (very steep).

In any case, I slept in this AM:  6:45! 

Out this afternoon on South Boulder Creek Trail at Bobolink.  2 mile warm up (15 minutes) and then 8 mile "progression" run.  I know this course, the mile markers ... a slight climb out, a slight downhill back, but mostly flat, good footing.  I did a lot of runs back on this years ago as a measured course that I would try to get to every couple of weeks to measure progress.  Objective was to go out moderate "minus" and then look to build on it in the run.

6:23, 6:24, 6:25, 6:11, 6:08, 6:01, 6:00, 5:55 (50:xx)  HR started at mile one at 163 and built over the course of the run to 173.  PE was maybe a 7 (?).  I felt not taxed aerobically but my legs were not used to the pace.  Hence, the workout.  Hence the need to do this workout more often.

I think about 4 or 5 years ago (which really means it was probably 7 or 9 years ago) I was doing this workout in 46, with run out of 34 and a run back of 22.  I have some work to do.

It felt good to be out there working in this regard.  It is different than mountain running.  I got some of this stuff in over the summer but I need to get a little bit more of it in.

2 mile warm down.  12 on the day, 80 minutes.

Sunday 09142008 13 miles, week in review

Intention:  wake up early and get in 2 hours.  Be home by 8AMish.

Actual: lousy night sleep (ridiculous dreams ... put myself out on the couch to not bug TZ).  Woke up with this cheek / eye zit mutant head thing coming out of my face swelling significantly.  Looks like I have been stung by a bee or something.  Left the house at 0830 to join the Fleet Feet crew for the 9AM run at the Greenbelt trailhead.  Got there in the rain, and could tell that the start of the run was not 9AM but had been 8AM.  Headed west and explored trails off the primary loop (including some new ones under construction). 

Significant mud.  In fact, huge mud.  Shoes became quite mud laden and heavy at times.  I can't describe this to anyone who has not experienced it.  The build up of archaic sea mud on the bottom of your running shoes makes them a.) weigh about 8 pounds each b.) puts you up about 3 inches higher and c.) makes you slip on the other mud.  Plus you end up with rocks in your shoes.  Rough run.  I cut it short (a touch).  1:40.  13 miles. 

Week ... 92 miles, 760 minutes (12 and 2/3 hours).  11 runs.

M 6 miles, 44 minutes and 10 miles, 89 minutes (Green)
T  8 miles, 60 minutes & 6 miles, 4 miles, 48 minutes
W, 10 miles, 96 minutes (2nd Flat, Green) & 4 miles, 31 miles
Th - 10 miles, 76 minutes & 4 miles, 31 minutes
F - 12 miles, 100 minutes, Mesa Trail
Sa - 11 miles, 85 minutes
Su - 13 miles, 100 minutes

Not a bad week.  A bit more mileage than I had expected (although I did not have anything really planned.  I think I need to mod this up a touch and a.)  drop the mileage a touch (say 10%) so that I can b.) see if I can begin to get in a quality run in like c.) a tempo run or a progression run or some harder strides or both and d.)  get these miles (sans the 10 percent) but with more singles.

Okay, okay, okay ... I get it.  Pictures of my feet are not appreciated.  Believe it or not, it is only the third ugliest part of my body.

Ick

My toenail that I whacked at Pikes fell off today at JZ's soccer game.  It does not hurt at all and it did not hurt for it to fall off.  It is just ... weird and gross looking.   No toe nail paint for a while I guess.

Maybe I can get my toe to grow back with this old nail the way a new nail is growing on the old toe bed?

JZ wanted me to post this because he was showing me what fast running really is.

Saturday 091308, 11 miles

Sluggish this AM but got out with Lucy for a bit. 85 minutes. 11 miles. Not sure if I will get out for more later today because of kids soccer, weekend chores.

Friday 091308, 12 miles, Mesa Trail

I got out on the Mesa today for a run out to "Sound of Music" and back. It had rained most of the morning so the trails were often quite wet, muddy. The clouds were heavy to start, but were clearing over the course of the run.

The trail was beautiful today. Wet, cool, muddy ... fun. Sumac are starting to turn.

I had a bit of a "Ground Hog Day" incident. At the start of the run, the Billy Banjo's Bus Tours came up into the Chautauqua lot. This bus seems to come through whenever I am there. It has a bunch of folks (presumably from out of town) listening to the tour bus driver. I can't ever quite hear the driver but I can, from my car as I get ready, make out a few of the words. "blah, blah, blah, Flatirons, blah, blah, blah, geology, blah, blah, blah, that trash can, blah, blah, blah, to the third Flatiron and back, blah, blah, blah, the fastest known time is by Dave Mackey who did it under 35 minutes." And this last point gets "oohs and ahhs" from the crowd on the bus. Today I had the privilege of hearing this tribute to this Dave Mackey guy, whoever the hell that is not just at the start of my run but at the end. Just as I came back into the lot, past that trash can, the bus pulled in again and gave this speech. It might be my personal destiny to hear this speech everytime I run from Chautauqua. "blah, blah, blah. Dave Mackey. blah, blah, blah."

In any case, with the thoughts of this Dave Mackey guy, I headed south out on the rolling trail to the old Mesa connector (the one that drops down into Eldo), climbed that hill that looks to the east from it (out 51) and then came back (49). I was ready to be done at the end ... my feet hurt from the pounding (unusual, but occasionally happens). I bet Dave Mackey's feet don't hurt.

Kidding aside on Dave ... it is kind of funny that he gets this sort of "press" since I find him so damn humble. Of course, he has served me a fair dish of humble pie quite a few times now.

Sound of Music was as beautiful as ever.

Saturday ... I need to get this beast out or she might just eat me.

Thursday 091108 14 miles (2 runs, 1:47)

AM - met up with JP at Sterns Lake.  I was feeling rather beat and he noted the pace was easier.  76 minutes, 10 miles.  JP ... I am listening to Enya today to help facilitate being in my happy place!

Someone asked me today if they ought to spend more time in one sport (and hence get better at that sport) or spend time across many sports, but realize they'd "suck" at all of them.  It is not easy to answer this because it a.)  depends on what you want to do b.) depends on how much time you want to spend on a single sport and c.)  what it means not to suck. 

On a personal front, I put a lot of time in running but am more and more enamored with a multi-activity approach.  I guess I have also explored some (shallow) boundaries of what my limits are against what sacrifices I am willing to make in order to be "self respectable" (or in other words not suck too much). 

But that said, I totally recommend getting into a thing and doing it ... and exploring your own personal limits ... find your scope, capacity, schedule (to reference the PM Iron Triangle).  You don't know you limits until you reach them.  Part of the reason why I endeavor (note - part, not all) in this sport is because it forces me to consider choices that I have made, am making and that I will make.  It forces me to see that balance, lack of balance, sacrifice and outcomes and sometimes a lack of outcomes.  This is beautifully human.

Beard got shaved to a goatee (actually, a VanDyke).  I thought I'd grow my hair out too but I couldn't take it anymore so I buzzed that back with the clippers.

PM - easy jogging ... 31 minutes, 4 miles.  Run powered by Tenacious D (now added to playlist)

It is endurance damn it

I love this quote:  From 37 kilometers on, I was running while telling myself to 'gaman [endure]' in Japanese."

I have found myself in runs, races, saying ..."Damn it Zack, this is an endurance event ... ENDURE."

Then again, Sam takes it to a whole another level.  Seriously.

Wednesday 091008 14 miles (2 runs, 2:07)

10 miles, 1:36+.  Second Flatiron (damn this thing is a kick in the teeth right out of the car) (22 min, then about 1:50 over to the back saddle), cut down that real shitty connector over to SaddleRock (3:50), then back up Green (just under 27 ... ugh) (54:39). 

There was a guy on the top who asked the best way to get down.  This question is always a bit concerning for obvious reasons.  I asked him where he was parked and he said he was on Baseline, at that parking lot at 8000 feet.  Uh-oh.  I was not sure if he had the road name wrong or the elevation wrong, but that was just wrong.

We chatted it through a bit, I determined he was from out of town (way out of town)  I convinced him to come with me over to the Flagstaff road and then down Long Canyon.  His car was off the backside of Green on West Green.  He joined me back down Long Canyon a bit and then headed back up.  Nice guy.  42 minutes down.  All fairly easy paced ... I was not up for more than that.

JZ had soccer, so again I jogged the fields.  I was pretty worked and so I was slow.  31 minutes.  4 miles.

More fermentation

Tuesday 090908 14 miles (2 runs, 1:48)

Okay ... not sure what caused it ... could of been something I ate or drank, a 24 hour bug, my training, alignment of Jupiter in the constellation of Orion, or something else but I woke up shortly after going to bed with my stomach arguing with me.  15 minutes later it had won the debate as I puked it to emptiness.    In any case, it seems to have passed, but has left me a bit more tired than usual.

Mid day - 60 minutes.  8 (-) miles.  Got out with some co-workers to keep the miles super easy.  They peeled off at 45 minutes and I tacked a little extra on.  Tired.

I have checked myself on the scale a bit recently and my weight is fairly much the same.  Meaning 139-144.  But TZ thinks I have lost weight ... and says I look and feel more "ribsy."

PM - dropped KZ at soccer and jogged around the fields.  I did 3 miles around the fields barefoot in the grass and then "shoe-d up."  Did another 3.  6 (+) miles, 48 minutes.

MC's brew starting to ferment

Monday 090608 14 miles (2 runs, Flag and Green, 2:13)

My morning training is coming unraveled ...  

See, in the summer I have no worries in the first of the AM.  The days are long so I have sunlight, and acceptable temps.  The kids sleep in and there are (typically) no schedule pressures. 

With autumn, school starts.  The crumb grabbers need a variety of motivation to get going for school including getting them out of bed, getting them dressed, getting them fed, getting them packed for school, getting them lunches, getting them out the door ... all part of the game and it takes time. 

And with autumn, it is darker and cooler in the morning.  Sometimes this makes for nicer running, but the temptation to pull up the covers and stay in the rack for 30 more minutes is greater.  Somehow the turning of the leaves causes a greater gravitational force around the bed.

And so it was this morning.  I thought I'd get up a little earlier for some miles but I did not get up until 6.  Yeah.  Six.  So that is sleeping in.  And then when I was ready to run, it was really more appropriate for me to be a Dad rather than hit the roads.  So no running this AM.

I mentally reconcile this to thoughts like "ah, I will get it in later."  Or "I needed a little less miles today."  Or "running is not who you are ... it is part of who you are but if you don't do these other things you won't be running anyway."  Or "what diff does five miles in the AM make?"  Or "you think too much about thinking about how to think about how to run.  Shut up you big lame ass." 

Mid day ... 44 minutes, 6 miles on the Westminster Hills.  I think this is my first run out here since seeing that snake last week with Ken P.  Needless to say, I was looking for snakes everywhere.  I felt good, even wanting roll but held back knowing I had a hill session in the afternoon.

In the PM I was able to hook up with JV, Dave Mackey, Charlie N,   and Mr. Clegg (who is heading  to Antartica for six months come the end of October) for a session up Green Mountain.  Up via Flag and then over to Green, coming down the east face.  1:29 RT.  We all kept it pretty mellow as we climbed through the clouds.  Claude took Long Canyon because he wanted to roll the longer distance.  The east face is not one of my favorite ways to come down Green, as it is steeper and rocky (nice to go up!).  We were challenged to keep Mackey and Charlie from coming to a complete crawl on the down while JV and I ran it.  Dave is master downhill runner and Charlie has the record for the down from Green to Chautauqua.  A ridiculous 16 minutes.  We came down today in 32!

Various tidbidts.

• Can this report that Lance is coming out of retirement be true?
• Apparently they had freezing temps up in Fairplay on the overnight.
• Definitely a top ten pet peeve of mine ... folks who throw their cigarette butts out their car window when they are done with them.  WTF? 
• Trying to get my son to eat asparagus last night  ... "Do need to eat all of it?"  "Yes.  If you are a real man, yes."  This pissed TZ off to no end.  I never play the real man card with him but I figured the asparagus play was as good a time as any.  Anyway, I switched approaches and said, "Okay, if you eat it all it will make your pee purple."  "REALLY?"  He still did not eat it.  Our daughter wondered why we'd be so interested in the color of our urine.  My son and I wondered why she did not check ...
• A co-worker informed me that Honda targeted marketing of the Element to males, outdoorsy types and ... the unemployed.  He seemed to enjoy telling me this.  I wondered if I should tell him that his car (whatever it was) was marketed towards ... ah, never mind.
• I got a video taste test of my brew!
• Got feedback from Bernie on why he races so much.  In short, his take was that he races better without a taper. His best marathons came with practically no tapering ... anyone else experience this?
• Yet another awesome post by Alan Couzens.

Add the beasts

Sunday night pix

This ain't VO2Maxxed or JP's blog   ... but ...

We have a good number of tomatoes so I made some salsa.  This is really just a mix of salsa, variety of peppers, onion, lime, carrot, cilantro.  I like to add tomatillo too but they were too expensive at the local grocery (4 bucks each).  Chop it all up, mix, blend a bit.  JZ loves this stuff so it is a great way for him to get vegetables (which he otherwise seems to have a religious non belief in).

Our neighbors have a peach tree so I will be making peach salsa next.   These smell so sweet!  Never have done a fruit salsa so this will be fun.

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner was salmon.  I grilled up some asparagus, and tried grilling the romaine lettuce.  The asparagus was good.  I liked the lettuce but TZ and KZ thought I had sweetened it too much with balsamic vinegar.

 

 

Earlier in the day a friend of ours wanted to try brewing beer.  I offered to let her cook it up at our  place so that she could use my equipment.   I screwed up when she added the malt after cooking the grains.  The malt sunk immediately to the bottom of the pan and began to burn.  We were able to quickly recoup by using some other pots but I am working on getting (via baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice this one nasty burn off the bottom of my 30q pot.  The wort seemed unharmed however and it made for a nice smell in the house (yes, it smells like a brewery in here!)  Wort is now cooling and will add the yeastie beasties shortly.  This is an "alt" ale (not really sure what that means but ...) ... so it is a bit darker, less hoppier than the IPA I typically brew.  Looks / smells great however.  I look forward to collecting the "equipment use tax" when this stuff is ready.

Week one of the beard ... with a G&T  while chilla near the grilla in my villa.  Showing the man-sweater but left the magnum chains off today.

Cheers!  Happy training to all.