3 x Centennial Hill Repeats (Monster Mountain)- 3:31, 3:33, 3:32 + easy 20 minutes
For today's hill repeats I decided to run up, ever so intimidatingly named, Monster Mountain! Which starts at just over 1 mile into the Horsetooth Half Marathon course. A brutal, yet humbling, way to start a half marathon in my opinion.
This hill has an average grade of 9.2%
Horsetooth Half Marathon course profile
Centennial Road is a great option for running hills as an alternative workout to trails or treadmill climbs, and as you can see from the profile on this stretch of road there are several options of hills to choose for repeats.
Legs felt good today. After the 3rd repeat I was sucking wind pretty good and had a solid burn going in the lungs. I was trying to keep these at or under 7 min pace, and although I was slightly slower than that, I was close enough.
After the 3rd repeat, instead of jogging back down, I continued running on Centennial. Ran to the back side of the "A" and then dropped down on the foothills trail. Ran down the hill, past the stadium, through Maxwell TH and up the short hill to my truck. easy 20 minutes.
Once again, come late spring/early summer the volume of these hill repeat workouts will substantially increase once the racing season (more focused training) begins.
--- Tuesday - 01/17/12 ---
Well todays workout was supposed to be 2-fold. An easy 30 minutes of "straights and curves" on the track during lunch break, followed by 3-5 x 1,000m repeats at the track after work.
I was able to get in the easy 30 minutes of striders, which was intended to loosen up and get in some easy up-tempo leg turnover to prep for the harder track stuff later in the day.
However, after changing and heading out the office after work sporting my tights and track gear I realized, by the herd of green and gold runners already on the track...that school was back in session from winter break and that the CSU track team was wasting no time in getting in a speed session of their own. The track team has dibs on the track, for obvious reasons, over the public. So I had no choice but to postpone the 1,000m repeat session I had planned until next Tuesday.
At least I was able to get in that 30 minutes during lunch, so not all was lost.
Now that the track team is back in full swing, it looks like I might have to be more creative on getting in my Tuesday track workout. I'll probably have to find time before work, or during lunch break.
Next Tuesday I will hopefully be able to get in this workout. 3-5 x 1,000m @ 5:00 min pace.
--- Wednesday - 01/18/12 ---
Todays workout wasnt exactly planned from the get-go. After getting ready in the morning I headed out the door with Eliana on the way to day care, before heading to work. Andrea has decided to ride her bike to and from work on certain days of the week to get in some extra calorie burning exercise throughout the week. And on this day she rode her bike to work. As I was pulling into daycare I got call from Andrea explaining that her bike tire fell off! (she was ok...just not a fun way to start out the day) And that she was about 3/4 mile from my work, and that she would walk her bike to my work and meet me there.
So I dropped off Eliana, headed to work, and pulled up right as Andrea was locking up her bike on the rack outside my office. Since she needed a way to work, she took the truck.
Which meant that I had no mode of transportation the rest of the day to head to the trails.
So, my workout this afternoon was sorta planned on a whim.
kinda went like this:
Starting at my office (East end of campus), I hopped on Prospect and ran West to Banyan. (past shields, past taft, past overland). took about 25 minutes flat to reach the trail. From Banyan I ran up the hill and headed towards Maxwell TH. Ran into Pineridge, where I took the East most trail. Ran up to the ridge and dropped down to Spring Canyon Park. Ran through the park, hopped onto Horsetooth (east) past taft, past Shields....back home.
71 minutes.
I basically ran with my phone in one hand and our house key in the other. I wasnt planning on needing my pack in the morning, and so I left it home.
Overall, it was actually a pretty nice run. Sometimes changing things up, whether planned or not...is a good thing.
Temps were warmer than I thought and I slightly over dressed. There was a wicked wind coming through town during lunch time, but it apparently eased off and I was left running....with a full on sweat going wearing long tights!
Glad Andrea is ok. Now we just gotta fix that bike of hers and get it back fully functional again.
--- Thursday - 01/19/12 ---
Generally speaking, Thursdays and Mondays are my hill repeat/climb days. However today I was swamped at work and had no time to squeeze in either. So I decided to swap todays workout with tomorrows. Which means a short run today and a solid up hill grunt tomorrow.
Workout went like this:
Starting out at the Maxwell TH, I ran up the hill crossing Centennial. Ran a short loop up there and headed back down the same way I ran up. Since I never really got around to the track workout this week, I decided to make this short run slightly up tempo the whole way.
I hit the sign at the top of the hill in 11 min flat. (I usually get here in about 12 - 12:30 minutes or so).
Felt great on the way down as well. It felt pretty good to run some uptempo stuff on the trails. I will definitely be running more uptempo stuff starting later this spring, but for now....this one felt good.
Total Time : 28:29
--- Friday - 01/20/12 ---
Towers Road. 1hr 45 minutes
I probably should have just gone to the Rec today for a solid hill climb, but instead I chose to head out to Towers and run up the hill in what appeared to be a hurricane outside!
Well not really a hurricane, but it was WINDY! Winds on this day were sustained at 31 mph with gusts up to 60 mph!! Not to mention, parts of the trail were a mix of either a muddy slop fest or a slippery ice rink.
Workout went like this:
Starting at the Horsetooth liquor store (I know... I havent yet purchased a parks permit yet so I have to jog the mile or so to the TH). Ran the easy rolling section of Inlet Bay to Soderberg TH. I then proceeded to run the 3 miles (1,700' vert) up Towers road into a solid 31 mph head wind....just brutal.
I was hoping that some of the trees and mountain side would shelter me from the winds, but Towers road is pretty open and doesnt allow for much protection from knarly winds.
There were still a handful of icy sections that brought me to a hike, at best....tippy toe walk, more like. And then once I hit the "ridge" up top for the second half of the climb, the most exposed section, the winds forced me to turn my back into the wind as I could barely lift up my head as dirt and debris was flying around everywhere. But when mother nature dishes out her best, you just gotta lower your shoulders and forge ahead!
Since the weather conditions were not quite optimal for any sort of time trial or hard push, I had ample time to snap some photos on the way up.
On top of the wind and mud and ice, my right IT band was super tight today. (not sure why...but it was annoying). The wind, which felt like semi's driving by me on the interstate, was blowing me around pretty good up top. And the sound of the wind across the mountain top resembled that of a helicopter. The last mile of the climb I thought a helicopter was gonna pop up from over the trees and land on the trail. Seriously...I did. :-)
The last 1/4 mile or so was nothing but an ice rink. I basically power hiked this entire section, both on the way up and the way down.
Well you know what they say, what goes up must come down. And running down Towers, with a 31 mph tail wind...is well, comical to say the least!
Its funny how one minute natures elements are your worst enemy, and then the next they are literally carrying you down the mountain. funny stuff.
Anyway, ran down at a pace somewhere between that of a full on sprint and ...skydiving. :-)
Got back to my truck and was glad to get out of the wind. This was one hard push up the mountain today. Still cant believe how strong that wind was...just brutal.
Total Time : 1hr 45 minutes
--- Saturday - 01-21-12 ---
After yesterdays uphill climb into a wall of wind, I was feeling pretty worked over today.
After a nap in the morning, Andreas folks and family members came up for a few hours to visit us for a bit. We went out to lunch and afterwards came back to our place and hung out for awhile.
After everyone left I decided to head out from our house for an easy 30 minute cement scamper around the neighborhood at an easy pace, in the dark. My right IT band was even more tight today than it was yesterday, and for the better part of the day it hurt to fully extend my knee and was hobbling around all day.
There was some good friction within the lateral side of my knee, as it was warm to the touch. It sorta felt like the outside of my knee had a fever...burning up! Gives a new meaning to the phrase..."feel the burn!"
Anyway, got back from an easy 30 minute jog and stretched. IT band still tight..and wind still blowing like crazy in town. 20mph to be exact.
--- Sunday - 01-22-12 ---
Another windy day in the Fort. Not as windy as the other day...but still frustratingly annoying. About 20 mph with gusts reaching almost 30mph.
Despite the wind,I headed out for an easy run on Foothills Trail.
Workout went like this:
Starting at Maxwell TH I ran up the hill behind the stadium crossed over Centennial Road and dropped down the backside of Centennial and ran along the shoreline of Horsetooth Res. At the first small parking lot that intersects the trail, I turned off the shoreline trail and headed back south along the West most trail that runs along Centennial. Up and down a few rollers and then crossed back over Centennial and headed back down the hill towards Maxwell TH.
Total Time : 49:20
Had a nice tail wind on the way back. Felt a little lag in the legs...just tired I think.
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There were several days last week in which the wind was holding steady at 20mph+ all day long. And on Friday it was hovering around 30mph with gusts at about 60!
I heard that in other parts of Colorado the wind was recorded at 85mph with gusts over 100! Sorry, but that's ridiculous.
Wednesdays workout was basically made up on the fly, and I had to switch Thursdays and Fridays runs because of time commitments. The weekend runs were super easy, however I felt a little slower than normal. Perhaps I am just tired, and need to get in more sleep at night.
Unfortunately I didnt get in the track workout on Tuesday, but if the wind isnt blowing trees down this upcoming Tuesday, then hopefully I will get in the 3-5 x 1,000m.
Fridays run was epic. And thats all I want to say about that. ;-)
on a side note, it looks like I will be pursuing a new pair of running shoes this week.
As you can see in the above photos, the stitching on the inside of my right shoe is literally busting at the seams. Thats ok though, as I easily have over 1,000 miles on these bad boys!
Next week I will post photos of whatever shoes I decide to buy.....decisions, decisions.
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