Saturday 013115 Winter Classic 4 (ish) miler

AM – 3 mile warm up with Bob.  The field was pretty light at the Winter Classic 4 miler, or at least in comparison to the other races I have run there, it seemed a bit smaller.  Bob and I noted that it was a pretty split field:  young and fast guys, and everyone else.  We were in the everyone else category, but decided to line up next to the young and fast. 

Like all races, it got out pretty quick, but I tried to hold back and steady myself.  I did okay with that, but not particularly great (my first lap was still my fastest).  At one kilo in, my patience to hang with the little group I was with began to falter and I put a little gap on them.  And that was pretty much it for the race.  I passed no one else and no one passed me.  4.2 miles (4.18) at 6:10 pace.  Not that it matters much in XC but the first lap was 8:18, the second 8:35 and the last (not counting the last finish leg) and 8:29.  So a bit of a fade off there but a fairly evenly paced effort for me.  Not sure what this translates to for next week, as that course is longer (another mile-ish) but a lot less hilly.  In fact, I’d say there are no hills next week.  Oh yeah, felt like I couldn’t really dig … just sort of numbly uncomfortable (versus comfortably numb) … probably the outcome of not racing much (which makes me thing I ought to race a bit more)

Did five with Bob to cool down afterwards.  He was well ahead of me … over a minute.  You can use this site to see how that played out.  Good news – faster on this course (although it was run in the other direction) than last time.  Results are up (they have me as closer to 6:17 pace though).  4th old guy but that ain’t saying much given the thin field. 

Queued up for listening:  interview with Duncan C.  And an interview with Wetmore.

Reading:  periodized blocks, or generally periods of high intensity versus periods of not.  Not something I really do. 

Related to that, I have been kicking around an idea of how parts of my mind have embraced some level of mediocrity, because of societal messages that such mediocrity is great.  In running, I hear at work of how amazing a runner I am.  People see me running in the neighborhood and that I have run a 100 or that I that I did some nutty race in Fairplay with a burro and I am an amazing runner.  It can leave me thinking that – I am good.  And good can be the enemy of great.  Now by great I don’t mean that I will be some Olympic athlete, but that I become settled and comfortable with where I am.  I based what I am off the signals I get from the world … and in this case, I am good enough, smart enough, and gosh dang it I am special. 

This is actually applicable in arenas outside of running.  I have worked at the same company for 16 years and gosh darn it that is special.  Gee, I hung out with my son on the Colorado Trail and so I am an amazing Dad.  And my wife and I are married for nearly 20 years and geez that is amazing. 

Yes, running a 18 minute 5k is something most can’t do.  And having a job with the same company where you both get a benefit out of it for that long is not something most of us enjoy.  And my family relationships are a blessed thing.  I don’t discount any of that.  I am grateful and thankful for that.  But I can see how it can lead to a mentality that I am good enough.  And that is poison.  I need to look in the mirror and ask if I have accomplished all I can.  Be grateful.  Be thankful.  Be humble.  But strive for more from yourself and what you do with what you have and what you can do for those you love and who love you. 

Namby pamby shit, right?  Yes, to some extent.  But I do see how I embrace mediocrity in quiet ways.  I deserve that beer because I ran this much.  I can buy these toys because I worked for it.  I don’t have take the time to spend with others who need me because I should get me time.  I am good enough with my job so I don’t need to push harder there.  Single cases of these are probably fine, excusable and healthy.  But a pattern of these can represent a loss of discipline that leaves me … mediocre.

This is not a new concept … what got you here won’t get you there.  Your strength becomes your weakness.

Good ATC (sans the crap on EMF).  I really enjoyed the questions on low carb diets and MAF.  The debate on low carb high fat and whatever other diet seems unnecessary to me.  I think (but don’t always practice) that most adults should eat less, move more, get the stuff that is towards the edges of the grocery store (meaning the stuff in the aisles is usually more likely to be laden with crap you probably don’t want or need), think about what you put in your mouth and find what works for you.  If you that means to you that you only eat fruit – okay.  Or some bacon diet, okay.  Or if you are an Eskimo just seal and fish, okay.  That might be different for Joe Everyone versus the guy or gal training for a marathon.  And that might be different for a person training for a 5k.  Think in the general rules … and then refine it to the individual.  But the rules for the individual don’t mean those are the rules for everyone. 

Always good to revisit the Daniels calculator occasionally.

Pikes has redone their website.  Reg opens up in March. The big changes according to John G via the Incline Newsletter:

Here are the highlights:
1) The wave 1 vs 2 distinction is gone. Runners will be assigned a starting wave based on their qualifying time.
2) Peak Veterans can use a peak time up to 3 years old.
3) Peak Rookies need a 1/2 or full marathon qualifier run in the past 2 years (Jan 1st, 2013 or newer).
4) The 1/2 marathon qualifying time remains the same at 2:25:00.
5) The full marathon qualifying time is now 5:45:00 (up from 5:30:00).
6) The option to use the GoG race as your qualifier remains the same.
Notice to Doublers: This year, there is an additional $50 fee for everybody who registers for both races in order to cover the cost of the Doubler jacket (you know you want one...).
About that starting time thing... In the past, there was Wave 1 and Wave 2 for the PPA, and one big happy group for the PPM. This year, in an effort to try and reduce the mass congestion that occurs when the race hits the dirt, runners will be assigned to X number of starting waves based on their qualification times. The actual number of starting waves will be announced later.
Registration opens March 18th.

Interesting read from Skurka on his MET.

Friel has a book coming out.

Solid ET.  Seriously laughed out loud a few times.

January finishes with 300.9 miles, 39.6 hours, 3 days off, and 9665 vertical feet. 

Friday 013015

Wrapped up a busy week at work.  Good week, but busy.  Didn’t get out for a run until late.  I am expecting to race tomorrow and so to force it to keep it easy and cuz’ she was itchin’ for it, I jogged with Lucy.  5.2 miles under the quarter moon. 

Race in the AM … contemplating two completely opposite strategies:  either going with Bob from the gun as I know that will mean I will likely crack at some point or holding back hard so I can roll in the later laps.  The second is probably more fun.  The first will probably what I end up doing. 

In any case, it will serve a pretty good predictor to next week (nice write up by Justin).

Thursday 012915

AM – slept hard so I woke up a bit refreshed.  Hit the typical five mile route.  It is one of those routes that I have done so many times, I know that spot where the air is a little cooler in the mornings, have wondered how long that old Chevy pickup has been parked there because the weeds around are starting to grow into it, know what houses are lit up early, and maybe if any pebble is out of place.

Wednesday 012815

I thought I would get home last night and run.  But after Scouts, I actually started doing some work.  And then it was late and I was tired.  So I thought I would go in the morning.  But then I slept in, and as I started to slowly awake, I could hear the winds whipping and my princess arse decided to catch another 30 minutes of shut eye.

Full day at work.   It is not anything out of the ordinary of course.  It comes and goes.  This week it is coming.  It is good from a work perspective but it beats me down in a different way.  Got home from the work day around 9:30, and it was off to the rack.

“Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth.” 
“As your plans get more detailed, it's also more and more likely that they won't work exactly as you described them.”

You should check out Peter’s book.

it is incumbent upon the individual to go out into the world full of curiosity, searching for experiences and emotions and knowledge and in the process inevitably happening upon instances of beauty and joy, and maybe even moments that feel disturbingly close to something like truth.

Tuesday 012715

Jenkins continues his solid posts regarding marathon training.

AM – 5 miles, easy predawn.  These are easy but they take me a bit to wake up in the cold and dark because I am a wimp like that.

Full work day, Scouts in the evening.

Monday 012615

Interview with recent Nolans 14 finisher Gavin M.

A read re: LCHF for the evening.

AM – predawn, a couple of miles with TZ walk jog.

I have been fortunate enough to have no less than four conversations in the last few days regarding Leadville.  Bob, Wyatt, Brett and Andy have all taken some time to give me some advice (there have been some others, like Nick and JT (“my advice is that you not be such a p*ssy” but this is just the stuff I have been kicking around in the last couple of days).  Some keys …

1.)  There is training this, training that.  There is not consensus on the best way to train.  There is agreement that this race comes down to your ability and willingness to run in the latter stages of the race.   There is apparently a general rule of thumb out there:  Run 40 and walk 60 and you will finish under 30 hours.  Run 60 and walk 40 and you will finish under 25.  Whether that is true or not does not matter – it is the principle of the thing that does.  Run.
2.)  If you have to know a part of the course, the sections from Twin Lakes to Fish Hatchery, the Powerline and the Timberline all the way back are probably the most important.  The climb from Twin is one that puts the fork in many, the Powerline climb has many false summits that can break you, and the long section back from the CO Trail is good to dial in.
3.)  There is not consensus if back to back training runs work.  There is consensus that I need to do whatever I can to ready my legs for the descent on Pikes.  So – lots of downhill hard running to prep for that.  Crush the quads to crush it later
4.)  Recovery is the key the week in between.  I don’t intend to run a step but I will be active to help recovery.  Eat and hydrate well. 

I have also kicked some of this in the comments previously but I will put it out here now:  if I ascend really well in PPM, as in well enough to possibly PR at Pikes – I am going to go for that.  I realize that will probably set up for less than ideal conditions at Leadville, but I am willing to take that.  My chances to PR at Pikes are limited and if that knocking on the door is happening, I will answer that call and take my chances the next week.  The threshold for that is around a 2:50 ascent.  I have not gone that fast but 3 times and it has been a number of years since I have, so that will be tough call … but at the same time, I feel it is within the realm of possibility.  At the other end, if I am completely tanking the climb (let’s say greater than 3:20), I will look to cut my losses and ride the descent in a fashion that gets me out of there with the least amount of damage. 

And so, I am sure that means I will get up in like 2:54.  And that I will have to make a choice.  I am pretty sure that choice will be that I will compete. 

Afternoon – over in the Westminster Hills and the dog park.  11.4 miles, progressing as I woke up.  Crazy warm out and even no wind. 

Evening festivities.

Sunday 012515

AM – met up with Bob over at MoHi to do some work on the track.  It has been a while but it is still an oval of 400 meters. 

Landed on doing five by a mile on a quarter rest.  I didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself going into this.  The excuses were lined up:  felt the workout from Friday a bit, it has been a while since I have been on the track, there is a miniscule breeze, I have a hang nail and this running affair might actually hurt.  I figured I’d ease my way into it, maybe starting at 6:20 and hoping not to slow down from there.

Of course Bob jumped us out a bit faster than that and the first was 5:54 for me.  So much for easing into it.  Relaxed it a bit on the second and came at 6:01.  I thought that it would start to go backwards from there but I was able to turn the brain off a bit on the third and came in at 5:57.  Bob gave me the obligatory reminder that it was all about the 4th one and I got that one in 5:53.  And then the last finished at 5:49. 

Better than expected and so happy about that but with a time to let it breathe – not that great of a workout.  I was not straining or kicking down on any of them, but 90 second quarters (or 400m, but we did start back at the mile start mark), was probably a bit more work in the head than the body at this point.  So in that regard, busting this up was a good workout.  I’d like to think that now that I have done it, I’d be good for at least 5 seconds better on each rep.  I need to pick it up so I don’t get beat by Tim G’s daughter.  At least for a little while longer.

Bob was easily up on me on all the repeats by anywhere to 3 to 10 seconds.  Always fun to jog with Bob as we review a variety of #GOM topics.  Today we bitched in particular about … ah, never mind.  You will have to come out to find out. 

Finished out the run to get a dozen and change.  Finished the week with 74.5 miles. 

This covers the breakdown of the USATF Grand Prix for Masters if you are interested in that sort of thing.

Saturday 012415

AM – a couple with the Lucy dog, then a couple with JZ (who was doggin’ it until he saw the HS XC team go by on a cross street and so then he tried to pick it up to catch them and then after he did and made a turn was really doggin’ it), then back down towards the HS and caught up with Greg some, and then a couple with TZ.  So an easy jog around for 8.5 miles (ish).

Afternoon – windy.  Feeling the efforts from yesterday a bit in the legs.  6.1 miles.  Right knee is still a bit grumpy about that spill I took on the ice a few weeks ago.

Just posting this for memory sake at some point.  Although it is pretty common, so it is not like I will forget anytime soon.


”Look people think I am a douche bag because I only eat fruit.”  Arnstien.  Love him or hate him, it is an interesting if not entertaining interview with him.

Some video from Cork … a few shots give you an idea how busy the track there is.  When I was there, I ended up talking with Donnie Walsh, asking if he would mind if I ran on the track.  He was completely cool with it. … he appears about 90 seconds into the video.  If I researching the right guy, he was 2nd to pre in the 1970 NCAA XC championships.  Lot of familiar sites in that vid … love me some Cork.

Today’s listening, might be my fav Refreshments/RCPM song.

Friday 012315

Latest HOR, latest ATUC.  HOR, ATUC, ET, the Scoutmaster podcast, and the Adam and Dr Drew show are my regular ‘casts.  I stray into a few others like URP, TalkUltra, Trail Runner Nation and Adam’s regular cast to name a few, but not like those first five.  In putting that list up, I noticed that the format in those first five is really nearly always 2 people just talking about something, and there is rarely the interview.  The second set is more the interview … … in this latest ATUC, there is some conversation about dancin’ Kenyans … and that even though the Kenyans are fast they probably can’t dance.  Now, now Lucho – we all know that ain’t true.

I also learned in this ‘cast that I need to account for #GOW rants as well as #GOM ones. 

Late afternoon – 10 miles.  Good weather and a beautiful sunset.  Fartlek but with some sections a bit more measured.  A 5:35 mile in there and a segment of two and a half at 6:20 pace.  Saw Ray out there.  I see him a couple of times a week.  We are typically going opposite directions but give each other the fly by high five (except when he is on the bike).

More on vaccinations.

Brownie clued me in the dude who shart himself (see prior post down there a ways) actually ended up running some pretty “solid” times.

Thursday 012215

- Wardian. 
- Calmness
- Latest “Track After Dark” has an interview with Ritz.  I was talking smack with someone regarding who makes the US Oly Marathon team.  Honestly, it was not fair for me to have this conversation given that the playing field is not level for them – I mean they went to Pitt Community College and all.  Anyway, I was pitching that I’d take the field over Ritz / Hall to make the team.  In other words, I don’t think either of those guys make the squad.  It is a coin flip if Ritz makes it to the line (I’d love to be wrong on this).  And Hall has not had a solid marathon in a handful of years (unless you buy into the scheme that he was holding the field back at Boston last year). Fire away.
- I would not be surprised if the marathon WR goes down this week (although I am not expecting it).  But if it goes that quick I would not think it is Bekele to do it but probably some 21 year old we have not heard of.

KZ makes some pretty pizzas.
This was left on my front step last night.  What am I supposed to do?


Afternoon – got in a few with one of the old timers from the blogosphere …

Oh yeah, we ran too.  13.3.  Brett – simply a guy who I feel just gets it.  Our stories parallel each so much that it almost like we could switch roles in this world.  Except he only speaks French and I think my family might struggle with that.  Hoping to share a few more miles with this guy in the near future. 

I felt like crap the whole run.  But it is amazing how that goes away or at least you don’t think about it as much when running with good company. 

Caught this guy at the library tonight in a location presentation on Pike

The start of the plan … well sort of

Okay, so I am in for Leadville and I am expecting to register with an age group win (half off the reg price) for the Pikes Peak Marathon.  These two races are a week apart, and jamming 7800 feet of descent into your legs a week before a hundred miler probably ain’t the best thing to assure the best success.  But this choice clearly falls into the category of “I don't want to regret what I didn't do; I want to regret what I did do.” So, what is the plan to get there?  Honest answer: I don’t completely know.  I have principles in training that I will look to embrace, but I don’t have the plan like I used to construct – a week by week detail of what I was looking to do to get a desired result.  There is a flaw in taking this principled approach – for me it can allow me to slip and get loose with my training.  Nowhere is this more clear to me than my recent approach to the Boulder XC race.  I had an idea-principle that I would get in 2 hard workouts a week.  That didn’t happen.  Work – both travel and local, other obligations, and less than ideal weather gave me a variety of excuses to opt out of that.  I look at the upcoming 8k XC race and realize that the open ended approach meant exactly that – a lack of focus and that means less than the razor’s edge come race day. In an 8K XC race that might mean the difference of a couple of minutes.  In a 125 plus miles of races over a week, it could be the difference between finishing or not.  In light of that, I have had a few folks ask me:  “so what is the plan man?”  And I realize that I don’t have one that is highly prescriptive.  But this is what I know now in terms of big picture principles and problems to work through … and realize I need to tweak in the coming days, weeks and months.  None of this is hard … after all, this is just running.  But it is an initial grocery list of sorts.  In no particular order …

1.)  Consistency.  Yeah, I need to be consistent.  That does mean getting out nearly every day.  Running on tired legs and all that.  Getting up in the mornings and getting the additive running in.  But consistency can be a enemy of good.  10 miles a day for a week on the flats is not gonna kill me, but if that is all I do between not and August, that could kill me.  I need to vary it up with longer runs, mountain runs, back to backs.
2.)  I need to figure out the pacer crew thing.
3.)  I need to figure out the gear thing.  I am not a huge gear junkie and I need to get all the bags, slack pack, headlamp stuff  … and heck what shorts to wear all figured out.
4.)  Know the Course:  I want to get on the course at least 10 times.  I guess I have done one to some extent already.  I want to have hit every part of the course at least once before race day.  I am not sure how practical this is, but I gotta put it out there.  Yes, this is specific to Leadville.  I know the Pikes course pretty well.
5.)  Take it where you can get it.   My passport is getting a workout this year.  Even without international travel, I am moving around quite a bit.
Feb:  2 visits to NC, a visit to Vancouver.
Mar:  a visit to ATL
Apr:  a visit to Vancouver
May:  a visit to Tel Aviv and a visit to Cork
Jun:  a week on a boat with the boy in the Bahamas, possibly a trip to TN
Jul: two weeks on a cruise ship in the Baltics
All that accounts for about 2 months of being on the road in the next two sixty something days.  There are some days I am just not going to get training in.  There are some days I am going to have to be disciplined and creative (and as much as I am done with treadmills, it looks like I am doing that in Jul).  When I have a period where I can get after it, get to altitude – I need to do that and almost use these other periods as recoveries and breaks. 
6.)  Back to backs, long runs, mountains, altitude.  Nuff said. 
7.)  Everything else:  diet, sleep, stretching, hydration, focus, listening to the body, recovery, shifting workouts, weight work, keeping it in balance, having fun.

So that is the start as to where I am at.  Pretty simple. 

Wednesday 012115

Full day, and thus one that slipped by.  5.4 miles easy and in the dark on the tail of the snow that blew in today. 

Tuesday 012015

Recovery day.  6.2 miles.

When do the elites start to hurt?

Kimetto looks like a kid in middle school detention.  For holding the world record.  And that he is about to sucker punch Kipsang.

I put my head in the sand and try to think about PEDs in the pro ranks, because I enjoy the Monday Morning Run (an article wrapping up the pro race circuit).

I thought the depth of the London field was going to make things easier on the Americans at Boston, but Boston is still pretty loaded.  13 dudes with a faster PR than defending champ Meb. 

This Tony video is pretty cool (even if you don’t know French).

The Salomon vids are pretty amazing.  Heck, they got Dooper.

Is pot a PED?  I guess it is technically listed as such but many don’t think it is.  I suspect that for some in the ultra space, it very much could be:  calms you down, increases appetite, removes focus from pain … rumor out there is at least one pretty successful ultra guy benefited as such. 

#GOM Rant:  a measles outbreak.  Seriously W.T.F.

Monday 011915

This is exactly what I was talking about with Strava yesterday.

Tired in the legs, but tempo’d anyway.  10.1 miles. 

In the afternoon, I took the kids over to Flatirons Running.  The Boston contingent of the NBR team was over there, including Abby Dagostino and Cory McGee and their coach Mark Coogan.  Jogged with the kids for another couple of miles and change.  KZ had a great chat with Cory.

I love my Element.  But I am glad I don’t need to live in it.

This wrap of maps – perspective – scale … pretty cool.

High school indoor track in Colorado … certainly not the scene we had in CT when I was growing up.  We had a regular season for it, meets at a variety of schools, including HS that had their own indoor tracks.  That ain’t the case here in the mountain west.

Justin wraps up a variety of results and apparently that the Fruit guy is back.

Sunday 011815

Not quite beaming technology from Star Trek but getting closer … how awesome is that?  The 3D print space is amazing … already a ton of chatter on in it in so many markets, including the medical device world.

12 miles in the afternoon.  Warm again, but windy and it sort beat me down a bit.  I thought I might go long, but after two five mile laps in the wind, I finished it off with some hard hill strides and felt fairly worked. 

On a few of the efforts I tied my PR from last year on the hill, which I guess is good after 10 … but it still does not match what Neeraj did here last summer.  This one bugs me, probably because it is the closest to my house, it is significantly faster than what I have done, and I make it a mission to crush Neeraj on any of the local courses on Strava ever since my wife said she thought he had a good looking stride.

A friend of mine recently called the Strava 2015 CR thing “participation awards.”  I am inclined to agree.

Mixed week – nothing really ultra or 8k specific other than basic consistency.  With work tagging me at the beginning, the ice in the middle and the wind at the end – I was beating on the excuses drum.  On the flip side, I did get some work in there, just nuthin’ great or something that makes me feel like I moved forward more than a couple of inches. 

Partly setting me back is I can feel the edge of the other work I am doing.  And the knee I banged on the fall a bit ago is still complaining a touch.  Nuthin’ critical but all niggles.

Generally I feel I have got to a place where I can move pretty steady most days, but then there are some days I feel like absolute crap (and usually first thing in the AM too).  I need to exploit this two ways if I want to advance – make those move well days be longer, or go harder in there for shorter periods. 

70.8 on the week, over six days, but 9 runs – bring some of the AM in the mix. 

Today’s listening.  Hard to run easy to this stuff.

Kudos to Tony (who just nailed his 1000th Green)  for this gem.

We are all shoveling something …

Saturday 011715

AM – 3.3 with the Lucy dog.  She is coming back great from the surgery she had (she torn a tendon on some metal edging while chasing a squirrel).  I am not sure she will have the flying frisbee catch career she once had (although she has done well with that with some limited testing) but she is good on the jog.

Eyeballing some of the local results to figure where folks are likely to line up in a few weeks.    Worth thinking about in terms of last years results.   And it seems that nearly everyone went out way too fast for XC last year.

Afternoon – 10 miles.  Wind just beat the crap out me and I think I am a bit down on my hydration.

I have been throwing in some light stretching (it is hardly worth calling yoga) and leg work this week (like go down to the office gym, and do some squats with some weights for like 3 minutes and then go back to work).  While it may be light, I am feeling its effects in terms of being a stress on the edges.

Crappy light, but JZ picked out this horned owl on a roof line.  It was so close I thought it was a fake decoy to ward off other birds, but it was clearly moving around and looking at us. 

… not a bad wild life day as a fox crossed my path on the afternoon run too.  He was too quick for me and escaped before I got the camera out.

Friday 011615

Okay, so it is stuff like this that gets the #GOM rants going. 

Latest ATUC.  I listen to every show but I never ask questions of it.  Mostly because I know how they would answer.  “Lucho, Tawnee, how should I train to PR at PPM and then big buckle at Pb when I have a week on a small boat in the Bahamas in June for a week, two weeks on the Baltic on a cruise ship in July, two trips to North Carolina in February, a trip to Atlanta in March, a trip to Vancouver in April, a trip to Ireland and then Tel Aviv in May?”

Answer:

Also started the ET podcast latest.  I am about half way through it.  I have a bunch of not politically correct questions on the topic. 

Afternoon – no legs today, and so it was easy but still one of those where I had to fight to back off the effort.  10.1 miles.  While the weather was more mild in terms of temperature, that came with the cost of … wind.

Thought I might make it to the Springs FA tomorrow but that ain’t gonna happen.  Doing some Scout work with the number one son.  Plus I feel like 10 in a 5 tonight.

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.  - John Wooden

Thursday 011515

As previously posted … got this in an email today:
Anyone got an entrants list link?

While I have respect and healthy dose of fear for a 100 miler, I also have a fair confidence that I could finish this thing.  Sure, stuff can happen, at any distance in fact, and maybe you don’t even make it to the line.  But as I sit here 219 days a way, realizing that I have a bunch of business trips, vacations to sea level on the SEA, and a crap ton of excuses in that time, I also feel pretty good about my chances of finishing this bugger.  It might play out otherwise, but I will look to do what I can between now and then to minimize that.

But it ain’t just about finishing it.  Running races has almost never been that for me – at least at the start (I say that because there are those occasions where all hell has broken loose in the race and it has become a “just finish this damn thing” death march).  I didn’t line up at the middle school gym mile to see if I could run the mile, it was to see how fast I could run it.  And it has been pretty much like that since, be it the mile, the marathon, or a 100 miler.  My first PPM, I was really not even sure if I could finish the thing when I looked at the top from the start line and truly realized I had to go up and down that dang mountain.  But I didn’t walk from the start gun to better ensure I could finish. 

And yeah, I know I am not setting myself up to do it in the smartest fashion by plugging Pikes the week before.  I can fully see myself making decisions in that race that could really stack the deck against me for the week afterwards.  Yup, I am going to go for it because there will come a time when I won’t be able to, and I rather get kicked trying then setting some low bar goal and left wondering. 

I am looking forward to this journey with the whole community that is in it. 

Post script – admittedly, I have gone into burro races thinking about just completing the thing.  When I have gone in wanting to race it, it has never gone well.  Jack has other plans at those times it seems.  As a result he and I need to work through some mental trickery to get around it.
=====
A holy crap workout described.

If you can’t go fast, go far.

Fellow burro racer, and a Sweeney from a different weenie.

Good interview with a very real guy – David R.

A week from today, I am going to go for a run with this guy as he is in town.  Let me know if you want in.

Screw Paypal.  I tried to buy Hal’s book through it a few weeks ago and it wanted me to do all sorts of verifications of billing address, etc.  I appreciate the fraud checking of course.  I have a pretty high tolerance for that sort of stuff as I wade through a website but it got so nutty I ended up mailing Hal a check snail mail instead.  I went to contribute to Elevation Trail, HOR, or Endurance Planet today and I could not do it because PayPal did not like something about my credit card.  Had no problem contributing to the Scout Master pod, but they don’t use flipping PayPal.

AM – 5 miles with Hans.  Always a challenge when he wants to chase the rabbits. 

PM – mild weather.  Fartlek effort, cruising easy to steady to a couple of hard efforts.  10.1 miles.  I have come to love the brown of these fields I run through.
She likes to SnapChat.

Well that is decided.

Wednesday 011415

AM – I have been getting a bit less than disciplined in the AM routine when home.  It is easier to stay in bed longer, enjoy the cup of coffee or three a bit longer and cruise the interwebs.  I tend to force myself out when on the road, but when I am at home I sloth in its comforts.  So, in the dark, cold, snow covered stuff this AM, an easy five.

It’s amazing how many people I know who can slam a beer in five or six seconds, and then when they get to the fourth, it takes a full minute or more.

… 2:01, 4:19 by a 55 year old.  DAYUM.

Afternoon – started out with good intentions and got a couple of miles at race pace / effort (for an 8k).  At the close of the second I ended up nearly breaking down the door at the Common can for a bio break.  Stomach was sour after that and I even brought some lunch back the other way.  Great stuff.  Took me a few miles to get my legs back underneath me but I was past the hard effort then, and just rolled it steady.  10 miles.

Tuesday 011315

More on 2014 USATF LDR results but this is for individuals.  Want to know who the best 60-64 year old woman was across a set of events according to the USATF?

Flotrack does an interview with William Leer.

Top 25 who influence more:  I thought I'd crank on it on the holiday break, but I really didn't make the time and prioritized other stuff.  Hoping to catch up on that in the next couple of weeks.

Suck up that winter training from The Man:

That is pretty effin’ awesome.

And on that note – I took a big goose egg on the day.  I was on the all day call at work today and then had the quick turn around with the boy and his Scouts in the evening.  Big topic of the night was getting some of the newbies ready for the snow cave fun.  By the 9PM done time, I was on my own mission to hit the rack rather than lace them up to go out in the latest snow squall and ice.

Monday 011215

Justin gets going with IRF, and TWIR

Beardology.

A life time ago … (side note, being able to connect and laugh with the guys that I worked with on those aircraft is one of the few reasons why I do anything on FB).  

5.3 miles.  Stupid out there.  Dark, cold and freezing fog.  Just fall on your ass slick nearly where ever you went.  Slow and easy after an ass buster of a day at work.

Sunday 011115

AM – 15.1 miles, easy building into steady and solid.  Nice run, and felt pretty good even with the score in yesterday.  Just cruisy stuff for the first hour or so and then just making sure I was maintaining i it well after that.  Not challenged really aerobically, just a bit of work on the legs.

TZ jogged with me a bit yesterday and she brought up the topic of walking – particularly if I get into Leadville.  She suggested that I work on walking with her after longer runs, where we work on walking fast.  Yes, please.  Absolutely and awesome.

Heath and Garrett defended their XC titles in Edinburgh yesterday.  The short run of solid performances that Ritz has put up in recent XC races has me thinking he could be an interesting contender at Boston.

70.2 on the week.  Not the greatest amount of work specific to a XC 8k next month, but a fair week given the travel, finishing nicely on the weekend.  Happy that a 20 miler didn’t leave me pining for a down day today and I actually ran well today.

Seb Coe thinks XC should be in the Winter Olympics.

It would be fun to see XC in the Olympics but I am not sure I wholly agree with Coe that success in XC is a key in other running events.  I think to some degree, athletes at the international stage have specialized to some degree – e.g. just because you can run a 3:35 1500 does not mean you will go 8:05 in the steeple or 2:05 in the marathon. 

Bunch of fun predictions on HOR 246.

Saturday 011015

Got home last night and this was waiting for me in the mail.

Damnit.  Yeah, I bet him a beer.  I should have known better to bet on UCONN hockey.  Leave it to JT to send the love. 

This AM, as I started the jog, I saw the gimpy coyote that hangs in the ditch.  He was pretty close, and that is not reflected well as it took me a bit to get the camera out. 

Broomstock got in the listing for one of the fitter towns in America.  I have lived in a few other places noted on this list.

Tim Geldean, once my training partner, and my long time friend, has written a great article on Norris Penrose location for the state cross country course that I agree with.  If you are curious as to what the flap is about regarding the state XC course, that is covered here.  There are a wide array of opinions and feelings on the topic, including how a XC course ought to look, how it should be arranged for spectators, where in the state it should be held, if it ought to be a single location over the years, and the management of the selection process.

I did not realized until reading this that there is Grand Prix scoring across various masters USATF events.

Ran over to BHS for a bit and ran with Greg W, the distance coach as the kids bolted off into the distance.  Great catching up with him on a variety of topics.  Ran with him for a bit, then the dogs for a bit, then TZ for a bit and some on my own.  20.1 miles, pretty easy.

Got word that the XC team I will run with this Boulder Nats will be sponsored by Flatirons Running.

Stoked to run for these guys.  They have become my go to shop, not just because they are a solid shoe shop but they are trying to do stuff like breathe life back into the Boulder Backroads Marathon.

Nice set of opinions collected by Justin regarding the women’s OT qualification standard for the marathon.

Latest ATUC.  Love the groove that Tawnee and Lucho have.  I think I have heard every question every asked on this show.  Probably four times because there are only so many questions you can ask on MAF.  I enjoy hearing their responses anyway, and when Lucho reveals he wants a bunker.

Friday 010915

Second day craptastic travel feeling (sluggish, tired, wanting to sleep in but need to get up and get to work).  3.1 before heading in.

Travel back to CO today.

Thursday 010815

AM – pretty cold, particularly for Atlanta area.  Single digits and a strong wind, and so the locals are wigging out.  5.2 miles, easy in the dark.

The HOR interview with Alex Hutchinson is excellent:  PEDs, current marathon trends.  Worth the listen.

Next listening is the next ET.

Evening - 5.3 miles after work and before heading out to dinner with team.

Got this from Brett.

Wednesday 010715

AM – before heading out to Atlanta for a couple of days, got out in the snowing conditions with Lucy.  Halfway in the jog with her, the retractable just broke in the mid leash.  This is the second one that has just crapped out on me in about six weeks, and this one did not even have any tension on it.  I couldn’t tie it off because the little bit that was left on the retractable just disappeared into the handle.  On a good note, she was awesome in just jogging on my heels all the way home (thankfully we were not tested by a squirrel or anything). 

I headed back out and as I was limited on time, I upped the pace into a tempo, but it is a bit compromised in these conditions.  About a mile and a half in, as I transitioned from trail to the road, I hit an unseen (snow covered) patch of of ice and bit it pretty hard.  The right knee was a bit irked (and still is) but I was able to get going again.  7.4 miles. 

Pouring through this stuff … rich on stats, Carpenter, and Pikes (including that it is a race for washed up marathoners).  That is pretty good stuff.

Again – the Nate posts, I am lovin’ it.

Evening – chilly in ATL (the teens), and just a few miles under the moon. 

Tuesday 010615

News stuff -Flotrack “podcast” (I can’t call it a podcast without an RSS feed).  You have to be a bit of a track junkie to enjoy it.
-Shad had a good post of training tips.  Don't do a low carb diet. Don't do a low fat diet. Do a low shit-food diet.
-I have been loving Nate J’s training posts.
-An interview with Scooter.  Had no idea the guy had been in the Army. 
-USATF … for all its faults, they know they can throw out a race for old people and they will show up.  Seriously – the USATF holds 30 National Championships a year.  20% of those are specifically geared towards masters – and even those that are not (like XC Nats in Boulder next month),  have a huge masters turn out.  That folks is a machine. 

Afternoon – 11 miles.  Felt flat.  Wanted to get after it a bit but just not up for that today.  Kept it easy. 

Got this from my son’s Scoutmaster. Probably the only time I will ever share a cover with Rob Krar.  I did note that the runners look to either be taking a crap (me) or a piss (Rob). 

Monday 010515

Ritz is going for his 4th Olympic team next year (yes, it is now next year).  That is pretty amazing and rare air if he does it (although Merlene Ottey has SEVEN in athletics). 

As one who watched Ritz, Hall and Webb kick it around over the high school and college years and then pro, I like to ask which career of those three would you want if you could hypothetically have one?  These guys came out of the same HS class, but then their careers followed very different arcs.  Webb has the AR in the mile but no appearances at the Olympics (yet, but I think it is safe to say he is unlikely to appear in the tri world).  Arguably, Webb got the most attention out of all the guys when he broke the US HS record (3:53).   Hall ran that crazy sub 60 half (AR) and the 2:04 at Boston and killed the trials in 08 in New York.  I’d probably personally go Ritz as he had the 5k AR, a Footlocker win, a NCAA win and 3 Olympics.

So has Mike Morton decided to disappear for another decade?

Goose egg.  Didn’t feel up for fighting the winds during the day (even though they meant warmer temps, they were strong enough to roll a truck in Boulder), and then the emotionally entitled teenagers took any energy and time I had for brunt of the evening.  The universe sent the message to give and I did.

Sunday 010415

10 miles, all over the place.  Some easy, some steady, some faster and some slower (in the snow trails).  Not super cold but the humidity made it feel chillier than usual.  When I finished, I was soaked.   73 and change on the week.  Back to a bit more of a routine with back to work next week. 

Nice write up by Justin on some moments that coaches found inspirational in 2014.  Crosses my world in a few places.

Quite the conversation between Reavis and Rodgers on marathoning.  I had no idea that close to 50% of the top marathon times ever came in the last three years – but I guess that makes sense. 

Today’s listening.

Saturday 010315

Late afternoon.  8.1 miles.  3 miles with the Lucy dog (she is ready for more, particularly in these cooler temps).  Then a little more in transition and got to some hard strides.  Decent snow and wind coming in during these so the footing was a bit slick but it is not a huge diff for a plodder like me anyway.  20 x probably 110 or so on relatively short rest (maybe a 20-40 yard walk turn around), where I was just trying to accelerate into near top speed for a bit and keep some form. 

Friday 010215

A friend of mine pointed out that I failed on almost all my objectives that I outlined for 2014.  I actually accomplished a small few.  Those tended to be the things that were an event or a destination (e.g. backpacking trip with the boy and his Scout troop).  All the items that were some sort of choice / discipline (e.g. daily push ups) pretty much skidded out to failure by February.  There are some in the list where some progress was made but probably were challenged in that the declaration of the what objective was not really measurable (it is a path versus a destination).  It remains a good list and one I will reference periodically.

Afternoon – 10.6 miles.  5 x 6 minute plus efforts in there.  Hard to get rolling in some sections because of snow-slush but work nonetheless. 

News stuff – Peter puts up a good list of CO ultra performances that stand out from 2014.
- Lot of good myths in here.

Did some annual planning with the family the other day for the year.  Looking at least five trips to sea level in April through July.  Not the best prep for an altitude hundred miler but we will make the best of it.  The passport is gonna get a workout this year.

Thursday 010115

More footage being leaked from the grog slog.  We either need to make these classified or eliminate video recording devices if we hold this in the future.

UROY voting … sigh.  So Zach Miller is not in the top ten eh?  And neither is Dave Johnston?  This is why that sort of does not matter.

No resolutions really today.  At least nothing new.

Afternoon – 3 miles with the Lucy dog (she is doing great, no gimping or anything), then a 1.4 segment with JZ and then on my own fartleking it in the snow and slush and cold for 10.8.  Annual total is now 10.8.  Some light yoga, core and stretching in the afternoon.

JZ felt good.  He went faster, farther than yesterday and he said it felt easier.  He asked what that meant and I said he could be getting fitter.  He rolled his eyes at me and said, “come on, you don’t get fit in a day!”  So we have at least that figured out.

Strava set up 2015 FKTs now.

sort of smart I guess.  Particularly as everyone gets an 2015 FKT today.

Bunch of folks have edged their way into the Leadville 100 today via the Leadman gig.  Of folks I know, it so far includes Shad, Ray, and JP.

I have been catching up on some of the Highschoolrunningcoach podcasts ($). Recently I was listening to the one with Timo Mostert.  It is pretty solid.  One of the things Jay does in these interviews is he tries to ask the coaches similar questions so that you can see the similarities in the programs and the differences.  So – for example, he asks what does your program do that is probably the same as all successful programs.  No surprise, a common answer falls back to summer training for the kids and looking to build that aerobic volume (Greg W says similar in that he tries to achieve a consistency that kids train 40 weeks of the year – which is probably not much different than what kids dedicate to other sports).   A good number of young men can rip a sub 30 200 but probably can’t hold 45s for 200 for 3 miles.  Focusing on building that aerobic base with consistency, aerobic running addresses that issue. 

For what it is worth – this is probably NOT what most masters runners need MOST.  We naturally have built a base with consistency over the years (assuming the guy that has been doing it for some time rather than the new to the sport person).  Focus there can and probably ought to shift to what they are lacking or losing and that is speed, V02 and lactate running.  Of course, one cannot ignore the consistency piece because without that you are unable to do those other sorts of workouts without breaking something.

Timo does call anaerobic threshold runs, “power runs.”  He does this so that his kids don’t need to worry about something in the terminology they may not understand.  A power run is about 1 minute slower for 2 miles than their best at that distance (so if you run 11 for the 2 mile, you’d do your power run at 6 minute pace).  The focus is running strong, powerfully, upright, and getting that AeT stimulus without being left thrashed.  Timo also thinks for high schoolers most kids don’t get much out of this beyond a 2 mile effort.

Caught Unbroken in the evening with JZ.  Decent and hits the high points, but there was a lot left on the table compared to the text (yes, I know, that is the norm).