2012 Quad Rock 25M

Not sure what else I can say that already hasn't been said about the inaugural Quad Rock up in Fort Collins.  Simply a fantastic event on a tough course put on by Nick Clark and Pete Stevenson and a race everyone should consider in 2013. 

I had stated it in my last post that this race was going to be treated as a training run.  The only question was would this be an easy paced long run or one that could be ran at a higher level of exertion.  For the week leading to the race, I had already ran 4 days at just under 43 miles with roughly 2,500 feet of climbing.

Friday night was spent at the in-laws in Loveland some 30 minutes away from the start.  The spare bedroom was occupied by WA.  WA is a hell of a guy and hanging out with him before the race made race weekend that much more enjoyable. 

5am is an early start.  More so when the temps are around 40.  Thankfully the rain stayed away and the cold foggy/cloudy day was pretty damn comfortable for a day on the trails.

The course starts in the valley on some narrow single track.  Conditions were soft and far from muddy and those first few dark miles clicked by quickly.  The slow pace (9 minute/mile) was comfortable and just ensured a conservative start.  Before long we were on climb one up towards the Towers Aid Station (7.2).

On the climb up Towers Road I would just test out various paces to get a gauge on what my body could handle.  Thankfully for me my body was ready to handle a lot.  However in the back of my mind I wanted to save my energy for climbs 2 and 3 of the day.  The first descent of the day revealed that my downhill legs would be blah.  At least early on.  Just couldn't find a flow.

Horsetooth Aid Station (10.4) came and went and was the start of the second climb of my day.  I would say Climb 1 one was at a steady pace.  Climb 2 was much more aggressive.  I was really happy with how all went on this climb.  Before long I was back at Towers Aid Station (14.2).

On the descent into Arthurs Aid Station (17.6), I made my one and only mistake.  Forgetting to get anything into my system.  Up to this point (2 plus hours in), I had consumed some 50 ounces of water, 400+ calories and 2 salt caps.  The next 30 minutes I took in nothing and I felt it as I started the last climb of the day.  There was no fatigue or cramping, just a low fuel tank. 

It was frustrating to have to consume some calories 5 minutes into my last climb.  I say about half way up the climb things started to click again.  I was running most of the last climb but far from the pace I wanted.  I took in some more calories near the top and things were finally back to normal.  With over 4 miles left, I was feeling good and just ready to hammer down.  Those downhill legs that weren't working earlier found their flow and I was cruising low 6's when allowed too.

The only disruptions I had on my last descent was the constant pulling over during the last 2 miles to let the 50 milers by.  It was common courtesy and I had zero issues with giving them the right of way. 

Finish time was 4 hours 17 minutes and 14 seconds.  Good for 13 overall.  More importantly to me, I crossed the finish line feeling great and not exhausted from the effort.  Though a bit of me deep down inside did cry when I was told the beer hadn't arrived.  So much for my 9:18am morning beer. 

I hung around the finish line for another hour plus watching all the 50 milers come and go.  Observing what each was doing.  And this leads to a new pet peeve of mine. 

During those early congo line slow paced miles, there was that one dude who HAD to get ahead of you at any cost.  At one point, the guy was behind me.  Huffing and puffing 3 miles into the race.  Saw him leap frog a few more folks in front of me.  All out of control and damn near take someone out.  Second we hit the first climb, he's walking.  Saw him at the turn around.  5 hours 20 minutes after the start.  He was there for 20 plus minutes sitting doing who knows what.   

All that latter stuff is fine with me.  Do what you need to do to finish the race in whatever time you want.  But don't be that asshole early in the race and not having a clue on pace.  I got a feeling I'll be seeing a bunch of those a-holes on my way to Mayqueen in a few months. 

 6 more weeks till San Juan Solstice!!!!!!!!

April 2012 Summary

Runs - 27
Workouts - 0
Injured - 0
Running Days - 24
Average Miles Per Running Day - 8.8
Vert - 17,000 Feet

The Bad:

Work - Half the month was spent working extremely long hours.  Hours that could have been spent not so much running but rather with the family.  Work/Life Balance was nonexistent.  Thankfully that stretch is done.

The Good: 

Running - What can I say other then how absolutely excited I am to get back in the groove of things.  The month started extremely slow and conservative.  38 miles for week 1 of April.  The month ended extremely strong.  65 miles for week 4 of April. 

I'll admit though my fears of this month being tough was spot on.  Being conservative with my build up of miles was tough.  Accepting that my left calf was still healing even a month after treatment was tough.  Having dead legs after only 3 weeks of a training cycle (2nd week of Apr) was tough to deal with. 

It was also rewarding.  Building that tempo run back to 12 miles before the sun rises.  Those 18 miles and 4,000 feet of vert at White Ranch in just over 3 hours.  Entering the month of May feeling fantastic.  All rewarding.

Workouts - A big doughnut next to my workouts for the month.  First time that's happened since last August and something I'm totally fine with.  My days off were a must.  A must mentally and physically from the work grind and the running. 

However not accounted for were all those sit ups and push ups I did at the house.  All those hip exercises I worked on to help ensure my left calf doesn't go in the shitter again.  All those stretches and time spent on the roller.  It's the little things I'm hoping keep me strong thru the key stretch of summer training heading into August.

Look What Daddy Did -

Boulder Distance Classic - My wife wanted to run the 5K up in Boulder a week ago with a friend.  No way in hell I do anything other then support her for the race.  It was decided that I would run while pushing our little one in the B.O.B. 

What followed was my slowest 5K time ever.  30 minutes 2 seconds.  Those 30 minutes and 2 seconds were filled with laughter and yelling of excitement from the little one.  Never did I imagine she'd have that much fun.  Never did I imagine that a simple non competitive race would leave such a joyful memory.

Looking Forward:

The goal going forward is still pretty simple.  Continue to up the miles and effort all while listening to my calf.  The muscle is healing well but still requires heaps of stretching and ice.  My best guess is the muscle won't be fully healed for another month or so.  Which is fine with me as long as it progressively gets better. 

Quad Rock 25M is on the 12 of this month.  Earlier in the year, I had pegged this race as something I'd like to race, not just run.  With what has transpired over the past few months, I'm planning on entering the race with heavy legs and treating it as a long run.  My weekly mile build up has been running strong for 5 weeks now and I would love to see this continue thru May and into June.  I have no desire to rest or taper till a week or two before San Juan Solstice. 

March 2012 Summary

*forgot to hit Publish a few weeks back.  Oops.  

Runs -12
Workouts -7
Injured - Too Many To Count
Avg Miles per Running Day - 5.6
Vert - 2,300 feet

I can't tell you how tough it is to publicly post these number above.  Not that I'm embarrassed.  Far from that.  It just hurts.  Hurts cause of the high expectations I have for myself from a running perspective this year.  Hurts cause if I'm to have any success in my races, I need to be more productive on a consistent basis. 

The Bad:

Physically Low - From a pure running perspective, I haven't felt this low since I jacked my patella tendon back in 2008.  14 or so weeks before I was to run my first ultra.  The Bighorn 50K.  That injury prevented me from any type of running for almost 6 months.  This one only shelved me for a month but felt like an eternity. 

The Good:

Running - As I stated in my last post, there thankfully was no muscle issue with my injury.  The running may have been minimal for most of the month but I at least saw some productive steps during the last week of March.  6 runs, 40 miles and 1,500 feet of climbing.  Not much but a huge step mentally and physically going forward.


Weight Lifting - Thinking I had strained a muscle and would only be out a week, I decided to hit the gym hard one last time before focusing all on running.  Went old school for about 6 workouts. It felt great and then I got sick.  One more visit to the gym near the end of the month was all I could muster as running and resting were much more desirable. 


I've hit a plateau in my weight lifting.  I either do hell of a lot more and try to put on 20 pounds of muscle.  Or I back off and visit the gym from time to time as a nice diversion from running.  This is a good place for me to be at and thankful the running is coming around.   

Time Away From Running - While not running has sucked, having such an amazing family at home has made it easy.  My wife has kept me positive during this stretch always saying the right things and listening to me bitch about the injury.  My little one just crawls around smiling making me realize that my time not running and being with her makes me the luckiest dad around.

Looking Forward:

I realized this long ago but running consistently is easy.  Just takes a little focus and dedication.  What's damn hard is running consistently with a goal in mind.  That all the runs one is taking on has a reason.  And that is what I'm looking forward to in April.

However this wont' be easy.  Muscle memory will take a few weeks to come around.  All those stubborn tendons and ligaments will take even longer to respond.  It'll get a lot harder before it gets easier.  Both mentally and physically.  But to be honest, I'm so looking forward to the next month of consistently challenging myself to be a better runner each and every day.  I may have lost a month of training but I sure as hell haven't lost my desire to put myself in the best possible shape as Leadville comes near.  

It Was Just A Knot

I started out the month on the DL.  Self imposed.  With what I believed to be a pulled left soleus muscle.  8 days into the month I ran.  Then I ran again.  And again.  The running was easy and light and all felt good.  For the most part. 

But before I could push the effort on one of my runs, the family got nailed with some black plague of sickness.  My wife and daughter got hit hard but only for 5 or so days.  I on the other hand was sick for about 7 days then ass out for another 5 days.  Sinus infection, flu like symptoms, respiratory issues and a bit of allergies just for the hell of it.  I tried running a few times during this stretch.  One of the runs I made it 1 mile before almost passing out.  The other one I bagged after only 1/2 mile.   

It sucked not getting the chance to see if I were healed, but I figured the days off would only be beneficial in the healing process. 

I finally got back to running on the 18th and 19th.  By the 20th, I made it 10 steps before stopping.  You have to be f**king kidding me!  This time around the pain felt different.  I could pin point where my pain was. And it wasn't the pain that was getting me but the unresponsiveness of the muscle.  It was here I thought torn muscle.  I've torn a muscle before so I have an idea what it feels like.
On the 21st I was at the CU Sports Medicine facility getting checked out by a doc who's completed Leadville 2 times.  He asked a few questions, pulled my leg this way and that way for like 10 minutes.  Then smiled, patted me on the back and said he'd have me running within a day or two.  How the hell is that possible?  I've been laid out for a month now and you're saying I'll be back in a few days? 

On the 22nd I went into Accelerate Health  (highly recommended!!!) for some Active Release Therapy/ART.  45 minutes of some insane pain I was already feeling better.  That lack of responsiveness that existed in my left leg was gone.  Just like that.  The pin point pain?  Gone as well.  No clue what may have set it off, but some small scare tissue had accumulated and prevented some tiny muscles behind the soleus to act independently.  Once that tissue was broken apart, I was fine.  There was never any muscle damage, just a a knot. 

I ran 6+ on the 24th.  The 25th I ran 7 on trails around Matthew Winters.  The 27th, 8 more pain free miles before another session of ART.  4 easy yesterday and 6 consistent today.  The longest stretch of running since mid Feb. 
Kind of have mixed emotions about all this.  It's great to know there is no damage to my muscles.  It sucks to know it was just a knot.

Now I just gotta be careful with not doing to much to quickly.  Well thankfully that won't be an issue cause that cold that made it's way into my house a few weeks ago is still kicking my rear.  Here's to ending the month strong and hopefully rid myself of this cold. 

February 2012 Summary

# of Runs - 19
# of Running Days - 21
Avg Miles per Running Day - 8.4
Vert - 6,000'
Weight Lifting Sessions- 7
Days Completely Off - 0
Injured - 4
The Bad: 

If You're Injured, Then You're Not Training - One step is all it took.  As I planted my left foot and began the push off/follow thru, I simply lost traction.  Every muscle, tendon, ligament braced itself in a attempt to stabilize the left leg. 

I didn't fall.  Thankfully.  But my left leg was feeling it.  By days end my left leg was feeling fine.  Except for the Soleus muscle.  No doubt in my mind I strained it.  So instead of resting it I tried running thru it.  Till it got worse forcing me to take a few days off.  Then tried running on it again.  Running to much to quickly.

I'm fine with being injured.  It happens.  However I'm pissed that I didn't take immediate time off.  I've strained/pulled enough muscles over my years of baseball and running to know that a week off at the first signs of muscle strains is the best thing to do. 

Since I didn't do that, I enter March gimpy.
The Good:

Running - The first 12 days of the month were productive even though limited due to the huge snow storm at the start of the month.  Had it not been for the slip, I could tell the body was ready to step up the level of training. 

Sticking with the positive theme, I'm glad my injury had nothing to do with over-training or not training smart.  I'm also glad it's a muscle that's hurt.  Not something stubborn like a tendon or ligament. 

Weight Lifting - The goal for the month was 6 trips to the gym.  Number 7 came on one of my injured days.  I couldn't be more happier with the progress I've made since I refocused my attention and energy to weight lifting shortly after Steamboat 50 last year.  I've pushed much more weight in the past but never have I worked this hard while running this much at the same time.  It's always been either or but never both.

Not sure how this will benefit me going forward but it can't hurt.  I'm going to miss the weight lifting as I focus my energy more to running as spring approaches.    

Focusing on other items while injured - Injured at home over the weekend allowed me to watch the little one while the wife escaped.  Escape to hang out with friends.  Escape to knock out that month long project which completes her last class allowing her to earn a Masters in Education. 

Getting my taxes (on my own) done in a timely manner even though they seem to get more complicated every year.

Looking at getting inked.
Celebrating the wife's birthday and one week later celebrating the little ones birthday.

Looking Forward:

Getting back to 100% health.

Starting the month by hanging it up for a week or so.  Something I should have 2 weeks ago. This also means I'll be a DNS at Salida in a few days.  Tough pill to swallow but I don't see the benefit of taking a week off and then running 26 to start my recovery.  My wife is more bummed out about this as she was looking forward to the weekend in Salida.

Early March has been slated as the start of my Leadville training.  The fitness I may have lost has been minimal so I still have huge expectations of myself once I get back into the swing of things.   

Sunny and Warm in Moab

Two of my favorite places in the world are thankfully only hours away from the front range. One being the San Juan Mountains. The other being the Colorado Plateau. Specifically the stretch running between I-70 in Utah along Highway 191 all the way down to the Arizona stateline.

This past weekend the wife, daughter, dog and I got to hang out in Moab.  Moab's always been a great place to restock on food, beer and gas, but rarely has it been a spot to spend time in.  I've been thru the town hundreds of times while the wife and has never been. 

Friday the 3rd:
5am to 6am - Weight Lifting
6:15am to 7am - Shoveling heeps of snow
9am to 5pm - Driving to Moab
6pm - Moab Brewery enjoying beer at winter rates!

Saturday the 4th:
Stuffed myself with homemade burritos and coffee and waited for my chance to sneak out right before the little one's nap.  10 minutes to the trailhead to finally get the opportunity to run Jackson's Trail and Amasa Back Trail. 

1/4 of the mile into my run I came across this frozen section.  With disregard to a broken arm only one year ago, I slid myself across the sheet of ice and made a leap of faith for the sunny patch of dryness.  Stuck the landing and off I went to enjoy plenty of the following.

About 40 minutes into my run, my wife called and alerted me that housekeeping accidentally woke the little one up and that I needed to get back asap if we were to enjoy a mid day hike.  My slow run turned into a tempo run but was still slowing down to marvel at the landscape on my return trip via the Cliffhanger and Amasa Back. 

Once off Amasa, I was left with 1.2 miles back to the car along Kane Creek Rd.  Per my Garmin, I ran the stretch at a 5:35 pace.  Easy to do when you have a little one waiting on you and an absolute stunning backdrop which would make mile repeats spectacular.   

Back to pick up the family and exchanged the Nathan pack for Baby Bjorn.  Yup, putting the D into Team TURD. 

There has been more then a few occasions in which I thought I was about to witness someone die while exploring Utah's Wild Backcountry.  Well seeing folks jump / swinging off Corona Arch was added to that list. 

Another nap for the little one and off to Arches before dinner. 

Sunday the 5th:
One of the downsides of vacationing is the adjustment the little one has to go thru.  My girl was up at 9pm Friday night to party.  Then at 4am Sunday morning to party.  By Sunday morning the wife and I were toast and decided to head home.  Thankfully for me, not till after the little one's morning nap.  Giving me another chance for some more trail running just minutes outside our door.  With another belly full of homemade burritos and coffee. 

Each run averaged about 7 miles and 1,500 feet of climbing.  The only thing missing was more hours to run.  However, not running in exchange for sharing the beauty with the family was an easy call. 

January 2012 Summar

# of Runs - 23
# of Running Days - 22
Avg Miles per Running Day - 9.8
Vert - 13,000'
Weight Lifting Sessions- 9
Days Completely Off - 2
Injured - 0

(Adding in a few metrics for the hell of it)

The Bad:

The Beer Mile - Wow, I sucked at that. 4 laps around the track + 4 Champagne of Beers = a 30 minute-ish finish.

Over Doing It - While in the weight room this month, I've tried to push hard each time. Not a bad thing when focusing on the upper body. A bad thing when focusing on the legs. A snapshot of my last set early this month. 3 sets x 12 reps of Dumbbell Lunges. Starting with 35lbs in each hand, then 45 and finishing with 55. Not sure what I was thinking but I wrecked myself for the remainder of the weekend.

Bagged a long run after 13 miles. Struggling to get even 6 the next day. One thing to enter all my other weekend runs a tad tight. Another thing to enter my weekend runs toasted. Lesson learned.

The Good:

Weight Lifting - The end of the month marks 10 straight weeks of very focused lifting of 2 times a week. Outside of my blunder mentioned above, I couldn't be more happy with my recent streak. Each session has been focused with a goal on what I want accomplished for the morning. Attention is paid to form and a consistent recovery time between sets and reps.

Running - I stuck with my 5 days a week and 50-ish mile a week average. 2 weeks were just touched the 60s with one week in the mid 30s thanks to being a meathead in the gym. What I'm most excited about is my miles were never once forced and combined a nice mixture of long, tempo and recovery runs.

More miles could have easily been had but I just never saw a reason for it. I hate chasing miles and posting a 70 mile week right now just seems pointless. There will be plenty of time for that once the high country single track opens up for me to party on.

Family Time - Having my training not interfere with my family time is my #1 goal this year and so excited that it didn't this month. Just amazing how easily my body has adapted to early morning runs and weight lifting sessions regardless of how crappy the weather might be or how high the desire to sleep in is.

Looking Forward:

I'll start February a bit slow with a week break from the weight room and a family get away the first weekend. After that, it'll be back to the same routine with a slight change.

Squeezing in run #6 of the week into the mix. The run will be easy and short and sandwiched in between tough mid week runs. I feel it's an important move that will benefit me as I start to shift away from the gym and into more miles.

Speaking of shifting away from the gym, I'm really struggling with when to begin that process. Right now, I'm aiming for some time in March right before the Salida Marathon with a complete transition by early May during my focused training period for Leadville. I'll keep up with stuff like push/sit/pull ups and other backyard routines, but taking a complete brake from the gym will have to happen by then.