January 2013 Summary

Runs - 23
Workouts - 4
Running Days - 23
Average Running Miles per Day - 10.7 Miles
Vertical Feet Climbed - roughly 25,000 Feet

There are certain time periods in the year when work for me becomes absolutely chaotic.  Roughly 10 days in December and the first 17ish days of January was one of them time periods.  You know it's going to be a long work week when it's 8am Monday morning and you've already logged in 10 hours of work on the week.  70 hour work weeks make juggling other aspects of life very interesting.

I am by no means complaining.  I actually don't mind it one bit as it allows me to enjoy the down time that much more.  It also forces me to manage my time personal time that much more effectively.

I hit my Running goal of 23 days for the month.  However I fell short of the miles per day simply because I didn't have enough hours (much less minutes) left in the day to do more.  Getting home at 11pm wired and maybe falling asleep by 2am leaves me sleeping in till 7am the next day.  Off to work and having an hour plus lunch window to sneak in 6 or so miles.  No ideal but better then nothing.

I took advantage of the weekends logging in some solid miles.  Highlight was the PPFA in the Springs area.  Graciously hosted by JT!  Well done my friend and thank you again!  It was my second year in a row to run the event.  I knew I was going to miss last years route due to the horrible fires of 2012, but little did I know that this year route was equally stunning.  I never felt great during the run but felt solid the whole time out.  Added on a tad more miles and vert from the planned course with my friend Hillary in preparation for Red Hot. Would have like a few more miles but couldn't pass up the temptations of cold beer.

Weightlifting has taken a back seat this month due to 1) a busy schedule and 2) the recovering right shoulder.  I ended up passing on a cortisone shot and opting for a time off.  At the end of the day it's a damn bursa sack that inflamed but thankfully recovering nicely.  While it's nothing I document on paper, I easily spent 3 to 4 days a week working on various body parts.  Core, Hips, Balance using only my body weight.

It's the focus on my hips that I am most proud of as I seem to pay little to no attention to that body part and it always results in the rest of my lower body breaking down.

Looking Forward

February 16th is the Moab Red Hot.  I'm still not excited about the huge increase to runners allowed in the race, but very excited about spending time around the Colorado Plateau!  Hopefully the weather is nice enough to drag the family out to the race and spend a nice long weekend around the area afterwards.

After one more weekend of solid running, I'll start my taper a good 12 days out.  This should leave me plenty of time to enter the race well rested.  After that, I'm taking the remaining 12 days of the month completely off.  February will be a light running month but hopefully I'll have a solid race effort to show for it.

I've also decided to add the Salida Marathon to the race list in early March.  I'll be treating this event as nothing more then an easy long run and more looking forward to hanging out with friends afterwards with some cold beer.    

December 2012 Summary

Runs - 20
Workouts - 7
Injured - 0
Running Days - 20
Average Miles per Running Day - 11.25 miles
Vertical Climbed - 25,000 feet

The Bad -

The Shoulder:  Continues to give me some serious fits even after extensive physical therapy.  Apparently the next step is a Cortisone Shot in a few weeks.  While I'm not thrilled with this, anything to assist with the healing would be greatly appreciated.

The Good -

Running:  There were numerous opportunities to go out for a run or to tack on a few extra miles to an already existing run.  Never once did I jump at the opportunity and for that I'm a better runner.  With only 20 runs this month, I still felt that I had a strong training month with a huge emphasis on quality.  I also feel that I'm in a great position (physically and mentally) as I enter the 6 week period leading to the Red Hot Moab 55K.

Weightlifting:  Similar to last month, I made the most out of what my body could handle.  Arms, core and legs all benefited.  Back...a little.  Chest and shoulders not at all.  Frustrating but I tried not to let that deter to much.  

Looking Back - 

I've done "a look back" type review in the past but didn't want to have a post focused on it this year.  In short, this past year was simply fantastic.

The results weren't there from a racing stand point, but the progress I made as a runner is extremely evident to me.  More importantly, the miles I was so fortunate to share with so many other runners this past year has made for the most fun I've ever had on the trails.

Looking Forward -

With the focus on the immediate future and running, I'm hoping mother nature and work play nice and allow me to build upon the strong month of December.  If so, Moab's race in February will be a lot of fun!  I also can't wait to tackle the new Fatty course in Colorado Springs in a few weeks.  

Up Next...2013

One item not listed below is my desire to give back in a small way to the running community.  Volunteering at races.  Something that I use to do on a rather frequent basis.  I hope to volunteer at least twice at ultra events this year.  For now, my plans:

February - Moab Red Hot 55K.  I recently found out that this race has expanded it's field from roughly 350 to 1,000 folks.  Huge disappointment!  It actually crossed my mind to pull out of the race.  However this trip is a good excuse to visit Moab and then swing over to Telluride and then Durango right after the race.

March - Salida to Turret Marathon.  I'm still on the fence with this one but would love to give it a go.

May - This was the month that gave me the most trouble figuring out what to race.  First I was hoping to jump into the Miwok 100K lottery, but we have a wedding to attend that weekend here in town.  Then I thought about heading back to Los Alamos, NM for Jemez.  However, after some discussion, a family vacation would be best and traveling to a part of the country we've never been to won out.

Sun Mountain 50K.  Situated along the eastern flanks of the North Cascades National Park in Washington.  I'll take a week off from work and we'll rent a tiny car and just drive back and forth over the Cascades of Washington with no real game plan other then running the race.   I still might consider the 50M but I don't want to waste a whole day running while on vacation.

June - San Juan Solstice 50M.  No way I'm missing out on my favorite race!

August - Telluride Mountain Run.  My hunch is if the RDs get the permits/permission they need, this race will be scary tough.  I am very eager to see what beautiful course is finally decided on.  However the reality of me attempting this race is up in the air.  Simply because it's 5 weeks before my next race....which actually might make sense.  Hmmmmm....

September - Run Rabbit Run 100M.

Here's to 2013 being just as awesome and exciting as 2012 was!

Thoughts On My Failed 100 Miler

There I was, some 28 plus miles and 7,500 feet of climbing into a run.  At the top of Tower's Road which marked the final big climb of the day of Fort Collin's 2012 Chubby Cheeks run.  I stopped for a brief moment and was a bit pissed off.

Not because of my current run.  On the contrary.  My run that day went great.  What I was pissed at was comparing my current run with what happened 3 1/2 months ago as I entered Mayqueen at roughly mile 13.

I have refrained from looking back at my failed 100 mile experience in fear of commenting on items shortly after they happened.  I felt it's been best to let the dust settle and then comment.  While there were numerous things that could have gone better (like not having to squat in the woods so much), two things have become clear as day to me:

1)  I had over trained.
2)  I really had no interest at being on the start line of Leadville.

Over trained - I'll be completely honest.  I never thought I had the possibility to over train   Especially for a race this distance.  However the signs were right there and I overlooked them.  The first sign was on my last real mountain run.  The Pawnee/Buchanan Loop.  I was tired from the get go.  I just assumed it was a lack of sleep over a long work week.  In hindsight, I should have started my taper there.  Some 26 days before race day.

Instead I hammered out a few more tempo runs up to 13 miles long in the following days and another 20 miler around Mt Falcon a week later.  The 20 miler was slow but required way to much effort from previous attempts at the same exact distance.  I was exhausted the rest of the day.  Instead of starting my taper, I continued on.

With yet another 20+ miler, in Leadville at night, two weeks before Leadville.  The quads were exhausted but I pretended that wasn't the case.  There I was some 3 miles away from BF's house and I'm running with folks I had no business running with.  NC, NMP, a former Olympian with his film crew and a few others who are much better runners then myself.   I justified my running being easy as I was drinking a beer by this point.

I started my taper the next day.  13 days before the race.  But it was apparently too late.  Every run after that was tough.  I was hoping it was nerves leading up to race day.  It wasn't.  It was simply exhaustion.

While my journey to Leadville exhausted me, my journey at Leadville simply put me over the top.  My body wanted no more, it was D.O.N.E.  I'm not sure anything could have been done differently on race day to get me to the finish line.

Funny to look back at how exhausted I truly was.  But at the time I simply didn't see it.  Or I didn't want to see it.  Following the race nothing hurt, nothing was injured, but running was just tough.  The smartest thing I did was simply allow the body to recover on it's own by letting it dictating what to do and what not to do.  It took roughly two whole months to fully recover.  

Not Leadville - I've been up to Leadville 100 4 of the last 6 years now.  I observed from afar, paced and tried running the amazing event.  I have nothing but absolute respect for the race and it's history.  But at the end of the day, it's not a race for me.

I choose Leadville mainly because I knew the course, I had friends who were running it, and because it made sense for a person with a wife, a daughter and a career that can consistently consume 60 hours of work a week.

In all honesty, I never saw the Leadville course as a good fit.  Not because it was 100 miles but because I saw a course that required way to much running and one that wasn't of the mountain element (yeah it's high in elevation but it's not a true mountain up and down run and far from scenic with the exception of Hope Pass).

What I disliked most about Leadville was what many love about the race.  It's popularity   It's crowds.  It's insanity.  None of this was my cup of tea.  

2013 - This past September, I caught myself really missing not being at Steamboat for the races even though I had no interest in running more then a few miles. Like the towns sprinkled in and around the San Juans, the Steamboat area is a place that I feel at home.  I can't say that about any other mountain town here in Colorado.  You can have Aspen, Breck, or Vail but give me Telluride, Durango and Steamboat any day.    

I posted a blog last year asking which 100 miler I should sign up for.  At the time Steamboat wasn't on the list as it wasn't officially announced.  Though I had a hunch it would be soon.  A day after the 2011 Steamboat 50, I was chatting with Fred.  He asked if I were coming back in 2012.  I said only if he was hosting a 100.  He said with a grin, I might, I might not.  Thanks Fred for the specific answer!

Had I known about Steamboat last year prior to signing up for Leadville, I would have choose Steamboat regardless of it being a first time event.  Now we are weeks away from various race registrations opening.  Decision time for many.

For 2013, I'm all in for the Steamboat 100.  Regardless of what issues might have occurred this year, I'm confident that Fred will host a fantastic race next year.  A race that fits my running style with lots of ups and downs.  A no frills race (for the slow folks at least).  A race that my family can be a part of without being mauled over by overzealous crew members.

Nothing is guaranteed with the 100 mile distance.  There are also so many variables one has to deal with.  What I can control is learning from my mistakes from training in the past and being at a start line of a race that I truly want to be a part of.

As for other start lines I want to be a part of next year, I'll follow up with that shortly.

A Fort Collins Chubby Cheecks

Now that was fun!

Awesome job by Mr Clark and his family for hosting such a great gathering.  I started with the 7am grouping not knowing how far I'd run or with who I'd run with.  Thankfully there were a handful of familiar faces at the start and I figured I'd go as far as they did.  Which was the whole distance.  Just a great day out  with some great folks and luckily got the run in before the horrible weather literally blew in later that afternoon.

Stats read 6 hours 5 mins of running (which sounds about right) and just over 8,000 feet of climbing (which might be overstated a tad).

While on the top of Horsetooth Rock, a conversation was had of how difficult it was to make it into work at 8am, yet here we were drinking a PBR on top of a mountain at 7:55am.

Down the hill and back up then down again and up once again and we're on top of Arthur's Rock splitting another PBR.

Another pit stop for pretzel's and beer at the Arthur's trail head and we were left with one last climb.  Overall I felt great on the day with the week coming in at 70 miles on 5 runs.  The most weekly miles since early August and easily the best I've felt since late July.        

November 2012 Summary

Runs - 19
Workouts - 4
Injured - 0
Running Days - 19
Average Miles per Running Day - 9.4
Vertical Climbed - 16,000

The Bad -

Right Shoulder: Badly strained shoulder ligament.  Finally got into the doctors to check out the right shoulder that has been giving me some issues over the past month.  What was concluded was I strained a muscle in my shoulder while moving way to much flagstone a few months back.  I also apparently strained a AC ligament that connects the clavicle to some other bone at the same time.

This injury has greatly limited my time in the gym as I simply can not do what I want due to the dull pain and limited range in motion.  Very frustrating as I was looking to focus in on weight lifting right now with a goal of putting on a good 10 pounds of muscle before the Moab race in Feb (putting me in around 190 and 13 pounds above my weight before Leadville).  Up next is rehab.

Flu Shot:  I've gotten 3 flu shots in my life.  Over the past 3 years.  I've gotten sick each time shortly after the shot.  What the hell gives!

Camera Down!:  After 3+ years of abuse, my camera finally gave out.  Fittingly while away on vacation with the family back home in San Francisco.

The Good -

Running:  The running has been good and over the last few weeks I can honestly say I'm almost training again.  Incorporating meaningful workouts rather then simply putting one foot in front of the other for miles at a time.  The workouts have been more of the speed variety rather then focusing in on distance or time. 

I probably should start to focus on the distance and time soon but come weekend, I'm pretty content with sticking to a basic 14 to 16 miles around something like Mt Falcon or White Ranch and spending the rest of the day with the family.  Not exactly easy terrain but not pushing my comfort level either. 

Weightlifting:  I've still been going to the gym once a week but I find this routine more difficult then say going twice a week. With that said, I'm still making the most of my one trip spending easily 90 minutes working what upper body I can and pushing hard on the core and lower body. 

I love the feeling of working the legs hard in the gym and the next day logging in a good 10 easy miles on some pretty stiff legs.  This was something I started to do late last winter/early spring, but this go around I'm making it a part of my training week as opposed to taking a rest day after the fact. 

Time off:  As noted earlier, the family and I took a week long vacation back home to San Francisco.  While we missed the 80 degree temps in the city by a day, we were lucky to have a one week long stretch of few clouds and no fog.  Most of the trip was spent driving up and down the coast near San Francisco covering a good 50 miles north and south along highway one.

 (North - Lunch at Point Reyes)

 (In the City)

(South - Half Moon Bay searching for Hermit Crabs)

The whole time was spent away from the gym and almost away from running.  Actually got in one day of running.  Made the most of it by logging in 14 miles along with 3,000 feet of climbing along the trails and fire roads on San Bruno Mountain.  A hidden gem just steps south of The City.  Most days, this small range is covered in fog.  On other days like the one I had you get views like this one. 

Looking Forward-

How it's already December is beyond me.  This past month has flown by way to fast with vacation time and a crazy work period.  Moab is some 2 1/2 months away and it's probably best I start to focus on that, but we'll see what I actually do.  For sure will be in Fort Collins this weekend for their yearly fun run.  

I'm also 99% set on my racing for next year, but I'll save that for another post in a week or so.

October 2012 Summary

Runs - 21
Workouts - 4
Injured - 0
Running Days - 21
Average Miles per Running Day - 8.2
Vertical Climbed - 14,000

The Bad -

Family Sickness:  Second time this year the family caught some type of cold/flu.  The little one was down for a few days.  The wife for about the same period.  I thought I avoided the nasty bug while experiencing a few days of fatigue.  A week later I was slapped silly!

Add up all the days I was wrecked by the bug and I lost a good 2 weeks of any type of productive training to start out the month. Only saving grace was I wasn't training for squat.

Shoulder:  Not sure what it is as I haven't gone to the docs yet, but my right shoulder is in some serious pain.  I thought I pulled a muscle while working in the backyard.  3 weeks later it hurts more.  Just hoping it's not a tear of something or a fracture of something else.

While it hasn't impacted my running one bit, my weight lifting has suffered.  Some workouts it's fine (biceps, triceps) but others are painful (chest, back).  Might be time to call the doc.

The Good -

Running:  While there wasn't much productive running to be had during the start of the month, I've ended the month with some positive momentum.    My body is feeling the best it's had in months.

A majority of my runs this month has been kept easy at a heart rate no higher then 140 (average wise).  Something that was tough to do early on but got easier and easier as time went on.  I'm sure part of this stemmed from the body recovering, but also from practicing the pace on a consistent basis.

A handful of runs were done a much higher tempo and heart rate.  One specifically stood out to me.  A 14.5 mile run with 1,000 feet of climbing to the office last Friday morning a day after lifting weights.  Started at 5am in the dark with temps around 25 degrees.  First few miles coming in at 8:00 min pace.  Hitting the 13.1 mile mark at roughly 1hr 35mins all while running what felt like a very sustainable pace.  Not sure what this type of run proves but it made me feel good about my current level of fitness.

Gym:  While regulated, my last 3 workouts were done within the past 10 days and highlighted were I'm weak and were I'm strong.  Really looking forward to getting my shoulder healed up so I can continue this push in the gym.

New Shoes:  I figured since I do most of my running on the road, I'd add another pair of road shoes to the mix.  A nice complement to my Kinvara 3's and Altra's.  And since I love trail shoes, I figure I'd add on another unnecessary pair to the already over stocked pile.

(How I usually find most of my shoes when I get home each day)

I have actually really enjoyed both shoes but can't imagine I'd ever race in the 1010's.  As for the Hagio's, I plan on running a shorter distance in them soon.

That's How I Roll:

(Game 1 of the World Series in the background.  Suck it Dodgers!)

Twice in Three Years:  World Champs!  A city I love.  A sport I love.  A team I've followed since I was 7.  Couldn't be more proud to be a San Francisco Giant fan right now.

So many great pics I could have posted.  But this one of Sergio Romo is awesome.  The shirt is priceless ( I need one by the way).  The Colorado connection - a year stint at Mesa State (Grand Junction) where he perfected his wicked slider.  Pretty sure Miguel Cabrera is still standing in the batters box with his bat on his shoulder. 

Looking Forward - 

With the body feeling the best it's had in months, I'm looking forward to pushing it a bit more and start some early preparing for the Red Hot Moab race next Feb.  I'll keep the long runs to nothing greater then 2-3 hours but I'll start adding in some type of speed work at least once a week.  

I've also pretty much put together my 2013 race schedule.  Need to confirm a date on one race but looking at races next year is getting me pretty pumped up.  Thankfully I still have plenty of cold and dark winter months to prevent me from doing to much to early.