Wednesday 073013

This is my kind of taper workout.

Modified 3-2-1 up on the Gross Dam Road with Lucho biking near me.  The road varies in grade (from slight down to some brief sections at 15 percent grade).  All super runable though.  Each segment ended up averaging about 6-7%.

Lucho’s beard is getting to a point where it will become sentient soon.

Actually I am not running there and he is not biking, we are both doing interpretive dance.

Good workout.  A slight bit soggy in the legs still from Sunday but not largely impactful.  Stomach was a bit sour throughout the run.  Got a bit more rest before the 2 up because the train was coming down (which is just amazing to see).  Great to have Lucho out there, as it kept me a bit more on task (in the second one in particular), and his company is just enjoyable.  Happy that I was able to progress the work through the run to slightly faster paces.  12.2 miles with 2120 of climb.

Strava does not seem to have a segment for that 3 mile section of road.  My 26:13 up is certainly no record, as Lucho was saying he has held sub sixes on it.  Jeez. Maybe that kid studying for the bar can break out of his cabin and do it more quickly.

End of July stats:  July finishes out with 342.2 miles (highest mile for the year yet, a whole mile and change over June!), 52.5 hours (also slightly more than the previous highest in June … burro runs help I guess), and 34865 feet (again, a touch over June, second highest month on the year only superseded by a 12 Green January.  The year sits at 2209.1 miles, 321.2 hours, and 196905 feet.  Current annual averages are 10.56 hours a week and 72.6 miles a week.  Sitting at 44 Greens on the year.

Tuesday 073013

Some Pikes picks as we are now within 3 weeks. 

Men’s marathon  …

1.  Delaney
2.  Nichols
3.  Marshall
4.  Burrell

Delaney makes things interesting by showing up now on the men’s list.  His best Ascent is some six minutes faster than Nichols (which interestingly, Nichol second best climb was last year in the marathon).  Not saying Jason is going to crush a 2:13 on the up but that is a lot of spare room to work with.  I am clearly leaning towards experience here over new talent – although you could argue that Delaney does not have down experience in this race.  I’d say the top four break 4 hours.  Anton is doing UTMB so I am assuming he is a no go here.  I reserve the right to change my mind.  I am really not sure about Mackey – as he is listed as a Doubler, so he could be pretty tanked after day 1.  It gets sticky after that with guys like Malmberg, Dobson, Maksimow, Folts, Mir, Tilton and probably some newcomer fighting it out the top 10.  If a guy like Dickey can break 4:30, he might break into the top 10 as well (rather than win the masters). 

On the women’s side, I will scratch it like this …

1. Enman
2.  Kimmel
3.  Yates

I don’t know how to mix it beyond that.  I know Lewis is on the start list but she is coming off a long injury layoff.  Ortiz is always solid of course.  Shay – newcomer and hard to not pick a 10k champ, but this is a different track race.  Walter is a local and so should get some home field advantage, but she also appears to be a doubler.  Fulton has some strong credentials as well.

Men’s Ascent …

1. Randall
2.  Gutierrez
3.  Siemers

Blake is no new comer, as he was here in 2010, had a less than par day (for him) at 2:34.  I imagine with he is capable of a lot more than that given he has broken an hour at MW.  Justin thinks Cody Moat is a guy to watch. 

Women’s ascent

1.  Dobson.

If there is one race that has ridiculously horrible odds, it is the women’s Ascent.  Unless Dobson falls into a hole, she is the class of the field.  Arguably, she could make the top ten of the Ascent OVERALL again.    Beyond Kim, the rest of the women are fighting to break 3 hours.   It is no slight against the rest of the field, it is just a statement that Kim is that good.

Of course, a handful of those folks above won’t make it to the line for some reason or another.  So everything can change.  That’s why the race is run. 

On a more personal note, now that I have predicted how various folks will perform, I will look to put myself under the microscope.  I started playing with Matt C’s pace calculator last night.  I started thinking about how well I stayed to the calculator, knowing that I have never negative split the race (running from the camp up to the summit faster than from the start to the camp).  I was also wondering how well my BTMR time to the camp predicted how fast I would run that section in the race.  Here’s the data (and some probably error filled math).

Year	Start to BC	Summit	BC to Summit	Diff	BTMR trip
7	78.3	2:51:58	84.28	5.98	68.56
8	89.37	3:07:48	98.11	8.74
9	81.47	2:57:41	96.14	14.67	69.26
10	79.47	2:46:43	86.56	7.09	69
11	87.35	3:06:41	99.06	11.71	74.3
12	87.25	3:01:08	93.43	6.18

Some conclusions …

1.)  When the race is going well for me, I will split around 6 minutes slower from Camp to the top.  When it is going poorly, I will split in excess of 10 minutes.  (note, 08 is a Double year, and it looks like I played it pretty smart to the Camp that year).
2.)  generally speaking I run the Cog to Barr Camp section about equal to 3 minutes slower (with about 10 minutes from the Start to Ruxton) than I do at BTMR. 

So, if I play with Matt’s calculator and go off what I did at BTMR, and add 2 and half minutes, I get about an 87 minute climb to BC.

Assuming a good day, if I add 7 minutes to that, I finish the rest in 94 minutes.  Or summit up in 3:01.  I’d love to think I am fitter than that.  I am just going off my historical numbers and what I did at Barr to play a bit though. 

If I come down like I typically have (1:41-:1:42), I finish in 4:42-3.  Not bad, but certainly not a PR and only about what I did last year.  But again, that is why they run the race. 

Recovery day.  5.2 miles in the afternoon.  90 degrees maybe? 

MHR 150, AHR 146, 7:47 ave pace (7:34, 7:35, 7:45, 7:49, 7:54).  Curious as to how that would play out in the cool.

Monday 072913

We drove back last night.  I was a touch sore this AM, but not bad.  Mostly just a general fatigue.  But all good – the unwinding starts today in an effort wind up for Pikes.

6.1 miles, half of that with the dog.

Today’s listening.

So Mackey appears to be a Doubler now.  I think it is safe to say that with Anton announcing his UTMB plans, he probably is not on for Pikes (but maybe he is).   MW ace Blake is showing up for the Ascent as well.  The women’s ascent looks to be the Dobson show again – you have to wonder if any other woman will be with 10 minutes of her.

Evening, easy 4.6 miles.  Can’t complain … (the Steve Earle listening led me down to the Todd Snider path)

Randomly ordered post Burro Days 2013 thoughts

… in no particular order, a bunch of the thoughts I have had about Burro Days this year.

… I’d like to say that I had no expectations coming into this race, but that is only partially true.  I’d swing between thinking I had no shot at winning and would be lucky if I finished before dark to musing that I’d might be able to sneak in another win.  I really had no business considering the win as my work-life schedule and other choices I made meant I had not trained with Jack at all this year.  My one burro run this year up at Bill’s place was a frustrating run with Bullwinkle (where I later switch to Smokey).  Otherwise nada.  Most of the field owns their own burros, and trains with them regularly.  Even in burro racing, the law of specificity applies…

… and on that front, the winner, Hal and his burro (actually Curtis’ from what I understand) have been getting in a lot of burro miles all year.  They trained for this (and the upcoming) event(s) and got what they came for.  A win would have been nice, but I am immensely glad to see that Hal won it. 

… I think I have shared more miles with Hal in the month of July than anyone else in my life.

… I have become vaguely aware that there are those in the burro racing community that don’t dig my involvement.  I don’t think it is personal against me, but in the minds of some, they don’t like seeing the growth of the sport (sound familiar), particularly with “fast” runners who don’t own their own burros.  Admittedly, I both understand that and get a bit pissed by it.  So I am just gonna let it go.

… and how could I not?  There are so many great welcoming people in this sport.  Brad/Amber, Bill, Curtis,Hal, the Pedretti bros, Diane, Shelly, David, Tim, etc (and I am sure I am forgetting someone).  It is very fun to see the family of burro racers.

… huge thanks to my family (TZ, KZ, JZ and CDPeaks (TZ’s ‘rents) for laughing it up out there and supporting me for another day.  They take good care of me and keep me well grounded.  I am hugely blessed and in their debt.

… this course is no joke.  It is never crazy technical but it gives an odd mix of single track, double track, actual road, dirt road, mining road, mountain meadow, all above 10k feet, up to 13k feet with 3600 something feet of climbing.  I have some musings of taking a crack at it outright without a burro sometime just see what I could do on it.  But it is tough.

… the director of the Leadville Boom Days race asked if I was coming, and said he hoped to see me there.  I don’t know about that.  Part of me is interested, part of me is not.  Part of me would like to see if I could pull a victory off, thinking that long run down California Gulch would suit Jack and me, part of me does not want to upset Hal’s TC bid.  Part of me thinks another 22 miler would be stupid in prep for Pikes and part of me thinks hell I might be up there for Brandon’s night run anyway.  So I don’t know.

… 9 News has a video of the start, with a few interviews, up.  KZ appears 1:45 in, in the blue on the left of the video.  I want to say I can’t believe the announcer mixed the term mule in there, but I believe it.

… there were points where I was admittedly a bit frustrated yesterday.  Not like blow your top frustrated but I could see it welling up in me a touch.  When Karen came blowing by Hal and I on American Flats, and then I could not get Jack to rally to the pass first, I was a bit frustrated.  Each time I tried to get Jack to push a bit on the down, and he’d not hold the pace for more than a couple of minutes – instead stopping and letting Hal and Boogie pass, it was frustrating.  Staying in the mix was good, but in its own way was frustrating.  I thought we’d be out of it, but then we were back in it.  I kept telling myself, “you got to take what the burro gives you, you can ask but it is all up to what the burro will give you – don’t sweat it” – to keep at ease.  Jack just didn’t want to roll yesterday and was way more interested in eating (most I have seen him eat in any race).  Even Hal mentioned to me, “he just doesn’t seem interested today George.”  In light of that, coming from a master like Hal, I am glad we did as well as we did.

… we started the race a bit different this year.  Rather than dropping down out of South Park City into the fork of the Platte, we stayed up on Highway 9 until Sacramento Creek Drive, and then dropped onto the trail.  With 55 (or close) racers, and very soft trail conditions (plus that section of trail dropping to the river is always a mess with bocce ball sized river stone), this was determined to be the safer route.  It was amazing to see a cop have 9 stopped just before the Sacramento though and some 75 cars waiting behind it – while we had the run of the road with burros in full trot.   I suspect this made the course a touch shorter, and certainly a bit faster … but I am not sure by how much. 

… it was a cool year for sure.  It never got hot.  I was asked about the weather up high and we were basically in a cloud.  It was probably 40, windy and a bit wet, but we were all just fine up there in jackets or long shirts and coats.  Not a big deal really.  I think last year was a bit scarier as the clouds looked a lot more angry.

… Burro Days is different.  You got guys smoking cigs at the finish.  No twitter feed of the results.  Makes old school look like the new university.

… I am really interested seeing if a burro would run American Flats.  I have yet to see one do it.  Some move more quickly (as evidenced by Karen Thorpe blowing by Hal/Boogie and Jack/me yesterday) but I don’t see any of them really run.  Also, Jack is not a sprinter.  I knew this post Buena Vista last year.  He is not going to win an outright kick down in town with all those distractions.  His strength is in the steady running he does – and when he wants (not yesterday) a solid push on the down hills. 

I did not hang around too long after the race / awards yesterday.  It was a bit of a bummer, as I’d like to see guys like Bill finish but we had to get home for work, other obligations.  Not super fun to sit in a car for 2 hours post all that, but it was not that bad. 

… Lot of Hokas out there.  Hal had em, I had em and there many many more.  No doubt, they are a popular shoe on those crashing through the Colorado hills.

… I only took a thing of shot blocks (I think made by Powerbar), and maybe 4 20 oz Gatorades.

… Curtis has done this race 41 times out of its 65 year history.  That means he has been doing this race since Nixon was president.  Not just any 5 miler year after year but a 29 mountain run with a burro.  Dayum.  This video highlights Full Tilt Boogie … Curtis’  burro who won yesterday.

I can’t say that I am gonna do this race 41 times (I have done it 3 times now), but I do see wanting to do it for a long time.  It is so ridiculous, so challenging, so beautiful, so levied in history that it is in my heart.  It forces me to see things in a light that I often know is there, but refuse to see.   Burro racing trumps that refusal every time.

Quick Burro Days 2013 report

The World Champion Pack Burro Racing Team this year is Hal Walter and jenny Full Tilt Boogie. 

Like the other times I have run Fairplay, Hal and I seemed to find each other shortly above Park City (the point where short course racers turn back for the 15 mile edition of the race rather than the 29 mile run to Mosquito Pass).  We ran together up to American Flats, where again like past years, our burros slowed to a walk along the meadow.  Karen Thorpe came from way back, blasted past us and despite my attempts at a charge, she was “First Ass to the Pass” (with Hal shortly behind).

Karen, a former champion herself, and her burro Kokomo took a large early lead down the Mosquito Pass Road, but Hal / Full Tilt and I/Jack were able to make the ground up and pass her by the lower bridge.  Here I tried to employ the same tactic I used last year:  a longer sustained pushed on the down on the road that would give me a lead I could sustain over Hal through the flatter single track trail back to Fairplay.  But unlike last year, where we pushed the road for 30-40 minutes, I could only motivate Jack to hold the pace for a couple of minutes before he’d come to a halt.  I’d turn around to find that any lead I had built over Hal and Boogie would vanish. 

Over the last ten miles Hal and I exchanged the lead dozens of times.  That is no exaggeration.  In 30 years of racing, I don’t think I have ever exchanged the lead in a race so many times.  Many times I thought that Jack and I were done, as Hal would get a 100 yard lead, but Jack would slowly rally back to catch up.  We’d sometimes pull ahead as much, but only to stop and defer to Hal and Boogie.

We came up the final climb, and I had a slight edge, and with the downhill through old South Park City I was able to motivate Jack to one last push.  We changed the lead there probably twice, much to the delight of the crowd that had collected on Front Street, but with 30 yards to go Hal and Boogie hit a stride and gear (and a more straight line) to the finish that Jack and I could not match.  Hal collected his 7th name on the board (in a time near what was posted last year, 5:25) and Jack and I were about a length behind.  Karen came in about 10 minutes later with Kokomo for third.

While a touch disappointed with second, it was a wonderful day in the mountains, shared with many wonderful people, including my incredibly supportive and loving family.  I finished the day with a warm feeling inside (and not just from having fried my legs on 29 miles above 10k feet).  It would have been fun to win another title, but losing to Hal, who has been training with Boogie hard since January and focused on this race is no dishonor.  The guy is such a gentleman, with a great heart … it was beautiful to run with such a legend in the sport all day and see him put it away – and then share that moment with Boogie the finish.

I have a lot more to post (and will), including pix and some other observations, but I figured I better get this out there as I have already received a couple of notes that people are irked at not knowing the results of this World Championship event since Irunfar does not cover it.

Sunday 072813

28.6 miles in Burro Days – I will cover that in another post. 

Largest mileage week of the year:  93.5 over 15 hours and 10k plus feet of elevation (most elevation in a week since April when I did four Greens in that week going for a 50k vertical month).  At this point annually, I am at 2181 miles on the year, 194k of vertical, 44 Greens,  316 hours.  It averages to 10.5 hours a week, 72.7 miles a week. 

Those numbers are nuthin’ compared to some.  I only write them down because I suspect someday I will look at them and shake my head wondering both how I did that and why I did that.

Saturday 072713

Drove back down to Peaceful Valley to make up a day of missed summer Scout Camp with JZ.  He got some merit badges (Nuc. Sci, Woodcarving) done, and made a dent in some others (shotgun shooting).   In the middle I got some very easy and slow running.  6.4 miles.

We headed back up to Fairplay for Burro Days in the evening (125 miles by way of Rte 24).   It was cool to barrel up 9 into Fairplay out of Hartsel as we got to see the fireworks for Burro Days about 15 miles out.  We got to Prathers about 10 minutes before the finale of the show and pulled into the lot.  They were shooting em off just across the street so JZ was enjoying feeling the booms in his chest.

… and now time for some fun …

Burro Racing from Curtis Imrie on Vimeo.

Friday 072613

Local trail closure  … not a big deal to me as I can’t park anywhere near there anyway … in fact if I was a paranoid middle aged suburan professional male, I’d think that there is a plot to keep me away from all areas south and west from my home given the massive construction projects on 287, 36, 128, and now 93 … all in attempting to keep me from getting to mountains or trails …

16.2 miles on the Mesa.  Mixed paces, including easy, steady, some hard strides, some hard up hill work, some hard down hill work.  All in all, good work.

Looks like I am setting up for one of my bigger weeks of the year … the burro race in Fairplay might be the factor that nudges that along actually (assuming I finish).

Competitive entries 2013

Well, competitive entries are up.

Couple of quick observations …

Mackey is listed as in the Ascent – not the marathon. 

While there are a lot of interesting stories with the first timers in the Ascent, and it is not unprecedented in recent years for rookies to do well in that race, it is Siemers who gets my eye – mostly because of his MW win (although that was 3 years ago).

Tina Lewis won Leadville last year and now has a bib for PPM.  She is coming back from injury however.

Alisha Shay, widow of the Olympic NY marathon trials runner Ryan Shay who died during the race (heart defect) is also in the marathon.

Anton has a bib number for Pikes, but also got into UTMB.  Probably a choice to be made there I guess.

bI need to eye ball this stuff over the next couple of days … but that is a start.

Thursday 072413

Competitive entries are up.

Wow.  Cool vid.

Bib number 37.  I had 38 last year. 
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People legitimately use these?
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Boom Days, the Leadville event in two weeks, got some press.  Burro racing however is a harsh sport.  If you don’t win all the races, you suck.  From page 12 …

Not sure if I will do the Leadville race.  It sort of depends on how Fairplay plays out.  If I win there, I will feel obliged to go to Leadville.  If not, I am free of any sort of obligation, but arguably the Leadville race is a fun time.  Plus they have cool buckles this year.

New GPS today.  The old Forerunner is “partially” dead, meaning that it won’t hold a charge for longer than 2 hours and often won’t even power up.  I have offered it to KZ if she is interested in tracking her runs with it.  She is non committal (no worries).  Today was the first run with the Forerunner 310 XT.  Already playing with it, I can see that it has several more screen options than the 305 (including what appears to be total ascent and descent screens – a nice feature).

It took a touch to get the drivers for the USB ANT connection tweaked right, but once I got that it seemed to work okay.  The descent / ascent screens put the climbing around 1100 feet.   Sportstracks and GarminConnect had about 500 more than that and Strava had 650 more.
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Headed up to see Lucho.  I need to check on him occasionally to make sure he is not getting too busy with his typewriter up there.  Caught up with him for a bit – which was great to talk training and just shoot the breeze.  Easy 8.8 miles.  It is hilly where that guy lives.

Started pouring on me while I was out there and that was pretty awesome.  His podcast with Tawnee today was one of their better ones.  Solid ‘cast from ET as well today.
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The discussion as to what art should be in Broomfield Open Space continues.  I serve on the City and County’s Open Space and Trail Advisory Committee (BOSTAC).  We have been engaged with the Public Art Committee (PAC) in a discussion as to what art, if any, should go into Broomfield Open Space.  Neither committee has a binding decision, as ultimately it is the decision of the City Council.  We simply advise on these matters.  Typically OSTAC is discussion open space acquisition, or trail connection and we don’t intersect with the PAC.  In this case, as the matter is impact to both committees, and because there is not clear agreement – we are having a fairly lengthy public conversation.

Initially the conversation started last year when a proposed piece of art was pitched for the Ridgeview Open Space.  This is a fairly large space east of 287 on the north boundary of the county.  The piece was a fairly large rock like arch and was to be put towards the middle of the space.  Several of the OSTAC members, including myself, were concerned with the proposed spot, and the proposed selected art.  That broke the ice open for the cross conversation.

As a matter of definition:  the terms open space and open lands have different meanings in Broomfield.  Open land include open space, but also include other lands like parks, ball fields, playgrounds, golf courses, trails, and the like.  Broomfield has a goal of 40% open lands (I think the current total sits around 37% ish). 

Open space in Broomfield are the areas like the RidgeView open space, the south part of the Commons, and portions of “The Field.”  While these spaces are clearly very different than say the space in Boulder’s Mountain Parks, they represent a commitment by the community to keep some of its space as open and serene.

I think all the above are facts.  Here are the related OSTAC meeting minutes if interested.   I will now delve more into opinion. 

I was opposed to the proposed art in the Ridgeview space because I feel it is a space that should not have art.  There are clearly those on the PAC that feel otherwise.  I see some open spaces as pristine and that the addition of art would only be a detriment to that.  There are clearly those on the PAC that feel otherwise.  When I asked “are there any open space in Broomfield, or even anywhere in the US that you think should not have art in them because it would detract from them?” – a member replied they could not think of any because they thought art always enhanced the experience.  I clearly don’t share this view.

Now, that probably means I come across as anti-art.  That is not the case, but as you may imagine, the conversation can become a bit tenuous at this point.  Admittedly, some of that comes from me – particularly  when told “you are not an art expert, these folks are” and that “it is not my place to dictate to the artist what art they should put in a spot because that limits their creativity.”  There is some truth in both of those statements, but I have caught myself reacting to the emotion in those statements more than the logic.

In any case, I am not against all art in all open space all of the time.  Which is to say in a different way, I am in favor of some art in some open space some of the time.  What gets challenging then is the where, what and when.  That comes down to a set of criteria that may or may not be applicable at the end of the game. 

I know in Broomfield, I see the Ridgeview Space as a bit of a crown jewel of open space. My wife thinks this is hilarious as parts of it were a landfill 30 years ago.  But now I don’t want any art in it. 

The OSTAC is being asked to provide a list of open space areas that we would think art would be acceptable.  I am generally inclined towards those open spaces that already border parks or other open lands, although I have mixed feelings on this compromise.  I’d be interest in your take, particularly if you are a Broomfield resident.
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Not every one’s cup of Joe, but another KZ music shove on me as of late and was listening for the hills yesterday.

Wednesday 072413

Well … as Craig notes, the competitive entries are not posted, but you can see some hints in the predicted times.

Tony has a couple runs on the mountain from a decade ago, but he has to be considered in the hunt now.  You can’t ignore Burrell either.  While he has not had his best results in the last few goes at the hill, the guy is a former champ.

But Tony’s entry really hurts my chances in the no shirt division.
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This guy’s streak is a good story.

Nuthin’ like chugging 8 beers and then swimming across the Detroit River from Canada.

Apparently headphones when you run mean you are not a real runner (thanks for the tip JT)

OSMP under pass work (Rte 93) for the Marshall Mesa-Community Ditch is about to start.

Developing a kick.

Keith Wood article from a couple of weeks ago.  Keith is the 80 year old plus guy who looks to Double at Pikes.

There are 10 wins at Pikes lining up at the SpeedGoat 50k on the women’s side of the race (across 4 finishers).  Pretty amazing.

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Caught up on a podcast last night on the jog.  Rich Roll interviews Tim Van Orden.  Interesting stuff in there on a lot of fronts, but Tim said something that caught my ear.  When discussing the Empire State Building run up, he mentioned one of his competitors said that in the race there will be “The Voice of Quit.”

“The Voice of Quit.”  The third lap of a 1500.  20 miles into a marathon. 70 miles into a 100.   It can be a pretty loud voice.

For me it gets really quite clear above Barr Camp (that switchback above the Bottomless Pit to A Frame seems to go forever) and then really screams above treeline and the A-Frame.  It comes again during the descent -- below Barr Camp and into No Name Creek as the heat turns up and your skeleton asks what in the name of Odin you are doing to it.

It comes in training too of course.   It is too hot.  Too windy.  Too cold.  Too humid.  Too whatever.  You don’t want to get up. There a lot of reasons to quit. 
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I am pretty sure one of the reasons I train and race is to facethe Voice and figure out how I am going to respond.  My track record with response it is mixed.  There are days it has broken me and there are days I have been able to ignore it.  There are the very rare days where it never seems to even show up – and I think we all look for those days to come again, but when they do it is a unexpected surprise.  In facing the Voice, we face ourselves and our limits.

Simms Hill today.  No HR monitor (I am supposed to get an Amazon delivery today!). 

Damn this is a hard workout for me.  Typically I do it in classic fashion of running the ups hard, and jogging the downs.  I first created this workout because it was an obvious hill:  I look out at it from my desk at work.  I was also looking for some alternative to Linden as that took me 45 minutes to get to even though it was in Boulder.  It is a half mile, has some grade but is also run-able enough that you can push some pace into it. 

Lucho switched it up a touch and gave me an inactive rest of a minute at the top but then I ran the down (usually just over six minute pace).  This meant my rest was about the same of what it typically was in terms of time, but it sure the heck felt different.    2.1 warm up (got some cloud cover this afternoon so not too hot), then to work. 
3:26 up, :57 rest, 3:03 down (to which I was wondering wtf on the down, or the up)
3:25 up, :59 rest, 2:56 down
3:23 up, :61 rest, 2:56 down
3:26 up, :62 rest, 2:57 down
3:25 up, 1 minute rest, 2:55 down
90 second bio break (stomach fell out the back)
3:23 up, :59 rest and 2:50 down.
… there were a few second between the down and the start of the up as I circled back around at the base of the hill.  It was pretty damn hard for me.  Average was around 3:25 or just under – which is not bad to where I have been historically.  Not great, but not bad.  2.2 for the warm down (6 miles on the work out) for 10.3 on the day.  Good work – left me buzzing.

Tuesday 072313

I am going to be at Burro Days this Sunday (and on Saturday at BSA facility Peaceful Valley overseeing Scouts making up summer camp work they missed due to our Black Forest fire evacuation) but if I was not there, I’d probably be seriously considering this local XC race (also a related Sandrock article).  While clearly my focus is that little hill to the south for the next month, my mind has wandered to what is next after that.  As is always the case, I contemplate the 100 (particularly the Boulder one).   RRR comes to mind as well, but I might be in Ireland at that time (aww).  But I also know how damaging 100s are (based on my one go at it)(and because “One hundred miles is a long-ass way to run”), and so I am more interested (for now) in taking some down time, then prepping for USATF cross in Boulder February.  It could be fun (actually probably painful) to get a group of grumpy old men to run in the masters race.  I might have half a chance against Sweeney in the mud.  The down side of this is of course having to up USATF membership fees in addition to race fees.

Pretty awesome vacation by Schlarb.

BTMR has its results database updated to include the 2013 results.

Interesting conversations with KZ about a car.  She sort of does not want a car because she does not think she needs a car.  I can see that perspective, particularly since her parents have cabbed her around for the last decade and a half.  She sees the cost of a car as a problem that she does not want to deal with.  It is certainly a different mindset than what I had as a kid.  I wanted a car because I needed to get places … because I wanted to be there.  There was cost with that, but I saw it as worth it.  Should be fun to see how this plays out.

Mid day – 8 miles.  Started easy, rolled it up a touch and then threw in some 1 minute strides towards the end.  Hot again.  Hit the best pull up bar in the world for 10.

 

Monday 072213

KZ started driver’s ed today.  She could have started quite some time ago – maybe a year? – but she has not been as interested in driving as I was at her age.  Apparently this is not unusual for kids these days (despite the auto industry trying to address it). 

She got to watch that video classic today and was quite amused. 

USMRT results from Cranmore (thanks Freebird) and a coverage story.  The men’s team looks solid with three of the guys on it having great historical results at Pikes (Hafer a former Ascent winner, Randall as well in a sub 2:10 debut, Nichols being second and King being third in the marathon last year).

In regard to a GS record,I know Clarke was down 36 minutes after Western to Sharman.  He got 3 back after Vermont.  I got to figure now with the more mountainous runs coming now he will get the rest of the half hour and then some over Sharman.  Both of those guys are some two hours ahead of Gorman’s pace post the first two runs.  You never know what happens with hundreds – particularly multiples but assuming these guys press on through at what they are capable of it looks like that record falls.

Mock has a good recap on the weekend races.

Canova talks about how to beat Mo Farrah at the 5k.  Take up another sport until the man gets old.

Regarding Pikes, Jeff was asking me yesterday who I thought was in contention for the Masters win.  I’d lean towards Gunnison Times owner and editor Dickey to take it again, but you have some unknown quantities coming with Gellin and Dunlap.  Mopping up behind will be guys like Wilson, Vega, Zuniga, Poppele, JV and me.  But really – what makes this difficult is trying to figure which masters crack the top ten and hence get pulled from the top masters results (which is a bit goofy to me, even though I benefit).  That is guys like Mackey.  And I am sure there is at least one other person out there that I am forgetting.  Dickey for example was a guy that I did not see coming last year as his prior two Ascent runs were in the 2:58, 59 range.  In the marathon he improved to a 2:50, and put together a solid down (1:41) for the master’s win.  That could be a guy like Oseland this year.

I have started to wonder if the PR I put out there as the goal at Pikes is within range.  It is certainly a possibility, but I can’t say that I have emerged this summer in shape 20 minutes faster than in prior years and that a PR is just a given.  It is not.  And so it is good goal:  challenging, not easy.  I feel confident in my training, but I am also practical. 

BTMR gave me a good insight as to where I stand (or run I guess) and that is not quite the same as to where I was in 2010 when I ran my best there.  I got up to Barr Camp in 2010 PPM and at the BTMR in 69 minutes (from the Cog).  This year at the BTMR, I got there in 73 minutes, and I was pretty thankful that I did not need to press on for the remaining six miles above 10000 feet.  I tend to go a bit positive on the splits above and below camp with it being around five minutes if it is a good run and 20 minutes if things really come unraveled.

And I think that is the key – it  will come down to what kind of day I am having.  This is a little magical part of the sport that I have not figured out.  There are some days I am out there and I feel like I being gently pushed forward by the laws of nature.  And other days, it feels like gravity has increased.  I know I am not the only one to have this issue – as I see runners struggle with it all the time (and am befuddled by those that never seem to have it and look at the rest of us like we have some sort of basic problem with something obvious).

Between now and race day I am going to look to focus on preparing via workouts, recovery – but also to look to dial in how I can be best prepared to execute with a good day come race day. 

Anyway … This weekend is Burro Days however.  I have not got out for nearly the burro training that I would like or should to be well prepared for a long day in the mountains with a donk, but I hope to have a good go and fun session with Jack.  Given the number of days Hal has had out with Full Tilt Boogie, and his familiarity with the course, I’d put him as the favorite.  But, as I learn with burros time and time again, any thing can happen.

Mid day.  Hot.  It is that time of year where it is hot, but you don’t seem to notice anymore.  Or maybe you notice but for short runs like this, it is really not bothersome.  6.1 miles easy.

A bear in Broomfield?!

PM – still hot.  5 miles easy.  No HR monitor on either run today.  Just easy.

Today’s run listening

Sunday 072113

All my GPS devices are acting wonky today so I had to figure out today’s run length and vert off a combination of things I have done before, and mapmyrun.  Not a big deal, but I was both amused and annoyed at how reliant I am on these toys and my reaction of the world not being right in having them not working wonderfully like they typically do. 

Of course, the body doesn’t care.  A hamstring has no knowledge that I ran 18.2 miles, Green twice up and down via the middle route, and then up and down the Enchanted Mesa.  My brain cares because I want to have the numbers to crunch, but even if they are not there, the run was.

I was feeling particularly “left footed” today.  I use this term when I am feeling less than sure footed, tired, and just off.  As a result, I am much more likely to take a spill … I lift my feet less, take odd steps and generally go about like I have two left feet.  After getting through the first lap unscathed from any falls – but realizing how slow I had been, I contemplated just running down into Boulder.  But I had committed to meet JV for my second lap.  I warned him that I’d be dragging him but he seemed okay with it.

It has been a bit since I have seen Jeff so it was great to catch up with him (it always is) … parenting, work, Pikes, running, cycling, getting older, shoes, Hardrock, Homie, and machines that turn sweat into drinking water.  The hill just flies by.  Well, I took two minor spills but it still went quick.

I tacked on a bit to round out the miles and time, but the whole run I felt a bit wonky.  Was it a hangover from being at sea level?  The steak I had last night? The skipping of a beer with dinner?  A basic bonk?   A bit too much yesterday?  The early start?  I dunno. 

Green’s 43 and 44 on the year.  72 miles on the week, 6100 + feet (ah, Vancouver), and about 11 hours.

This is pretty awesome looking:

I am sure it would crush me.  Honestly it is the only time I have seen KJ pressed, and kicking at the finish (versus his typical turn around finish).

The wonders of photoshop in our media. (hat tip to LL)

I recognize Gray, Randall, and Nichols on the USMRT, but I can't find results yet.

Saturday 072013

Got in late (0130?) and then did not get to sleep for a bit.  So I was up late (real late for me, 2030).  Then puttered around the house catching up with everyone and various chores.

The family made a trek to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse this week while I was up in Vancouver.

 

JZ recently worked on his horsemanship merit badge.  I crack up at the horse labeling.

Digging some recent posts on HR, including JTs (and his pacer Shad) and FastEddy’s (and a nice subsequent tribute post).

Best watch commercial ever?  Or jeans or whatever.  Honnold is a freak.  I’d be freaked just walking some of the edges that are not even edges.

Two very good 1500 meter races.  Pretty wild for Cram to call the race that his national record gets broken in.

The Garmin 305 might be officially done.  I can’t get it to even power up today despite a variety of attempts to reset it.  Ah well.

Steady in the afternoon.  Tried to go a little later so that I got some of the afternoon clouds.  I got some clouds but I also got hailed on a bit … when it was sunny (which was sort of cool).  11.2 miles according to Strava on the phone but I can’t get that gd file to upload.  Took me a bit to shake off the travel cobwebs, so I went a bit longer than I had planned but then progressed up a bit for 5 miles. 

About a month ago I start “Game of Thrones” (the book, not the movie).  I have had a tough go with a lot of fiction in the last few years, and my mother in law brought it by.  She was not too keen on it, saying she stopped on it after a bit.  I figured I’d give it a shot, just as some brain candy and something to flip through before going to bed.  Initially I also was not so big on it:  somewhat more fantasy than I was in the mood for and a crap ton of characters.  But I have warmed up to it a lot and have to say Martin does some good stuff in there (of course, maybe that is bound to happen over 800 pages somewhere?).

I heard about this but JT pointed it out to me:  The National Scout Jambo put a limit on BMI because of the physical nature of that trip.  Basically if you were obese, you either had to get a doc note or if really obese you could not go.  I have no issue with this.  And I’d be willing to bet that while this did keep some Scouts from going, it blocked more adult leaders.

Friday 072013

AM – a very slow and easy 5.3.  Tired from a late night at work more than the workout yesterday.  Travelled back after the work day to CO.

Thursday 071813

Okay … having had a few days to recover, it was time to get in a workout in.  After dinner and a jog (that combo is a paradox of “not a good idea” and “good idea”) I was exploring Strava a bit.  I was wondering what other routes locals had tagged up there.  I have pretty much been on the same route here every time.  It is a great path along the water and very pretty but I was curious about anything else I could be missing.  As I was scouting around, I saw something very nearby that is almost always as beautiful to me:  a track

There is always a question with tracks if they are open to the public.  Google Maps Street View was actually available for this track, and it seemed to confirm it was very accessible.

Hooray!  I know that some folks abhor the track, and frankly the honesty of tracks sometimes weigh on me but I at the same time I enjoy “bagging” a track while on the road in a manner probably similar to some getting a county high point.

A short jog through a park and I was there.  There were about 30 people on the track, mostly walking in the outer lanes.  Nearly all of the people using the track were a.) older (as in over 60), and b.) Asian in appearance.  I sort of stuck out racing around a bit more quickly.  Up in the corner of the track there were a half dozen people doing what I think was Tai Chi. 

Great track though – in good shape, with stands to the side, open clean rest rooms, and a clock giving the time at the start / finish point on the track (I needed to ignore this though).  There were these very large black rabbits with white feet running around the edge of the track as well.  They were pretty damn cute, but almost ridiculously tame.  The field was bounded with several other turf fields, some that had some weird line markings that I could not quite figure out.

Per instruction of Lucho, today’s workout was to be a set “blind” miles – meaning that I would perform this efforts on that:  effort versus eyeballing my watch every 200 meters so that I could adjust.  They were meant to be fast but relaxed, never straining. 

I did a few 200s (41, 41, 40, 38) to open up a bit and then got to business.  6:01, 6:01, 5:57, 5:59, 5:49.  with about a minute rest on each. On the last one, I did push a bit more on the last 600.  All of these were track miles – meaning I started back at the waterfall line 9 meters back of the traditional start.  Interestingly, the GPS has all of what I did a touch long.  I’d like to think that I did these at the split paces rather than the split time, but that ain’t the way it works.



I had the option of a sixth, but my stomach was ready for a bio break post the fifth.  After that I closed out with a few 200s (36, 35, 35, 35) to wrap it up and jogged back to the hotel.  10.3 on the day.  Good workout.  Not zippy, but the efforts came relatively easily.   My legs never felt great so again I was sort of in that middle spot but I know I have some basic fitness I can call on to work through these sessions.  Happy that I can just roll through this and get some good stimulus without having to go to deep to the well.

I might have to start a tag – segment on tracks visited with a review criteria (accuracy of track, bathrooms, access to track, surface, lane markings, whether it has a steeple pit, clock, stands, overall setting, etc.

Sort of pathetic but this morning’s workout was supplemented by Pandora’s “Night Ranger” station.  It included classics like this one (that I enjoyed):

This is a cool game that our Scouts have been playing.

Anyone read “The Bluest Eye?”