--- Monday - 07/30/12 ---
OFF
work-work-work...busy, busy!
--- Tuesday - 07/31/12 ---
Pineridge + Foothills Trail (Short Loop) - 62 minutes
Started and ended at Maxwell TH. One lap of Pineridge then up the hill and back down.
--- Wednesday - 08/01/12 ---
Hosetooth Mtn Park - 2 hrs 7 minutes
Workout Went like this:
Horsetooth Liquor store > Inlet Bay > Soderberg TH > Swan Johnson > up Towers > Westridge > Rock Trail > South Ridge > Main TH > Falls > Stout > down Towers > Swan Johnson > Soderberg TH > Inlet Bay > back to truck
Was originally planning to run 90 minutes to 2 hours of hills repeats today. But work this week has been insane and stressful at times. I thought running up and down...up and down.....up and down....etc didnt sound quite appealing today. And so I switched things up and decided to get in a solid 2 hr+ run in instead.
I was able to relax and not think about work, deadlines and other things that have been consuming my thoughts during the past few days or so. I handed in a few hours of time at work so that I can get this run today -- and it was worth it!
Felt good and took the pace easy.
I think everyday at work needs a few hours of trail time to break up the day! (I wish!)
--- Thursday - 08/02/12 ---
Foothills Trail (Medium Loop) - 41:20
Started from Maxwell TH.
--- Friday - 08/03/12 ---
Pineridge - 33:25
Started from Maxwell TH. An easy run in light of tomorrows 3-2-1 workout up on Mount Evans.
--- Saturday - 08/04/12 ---
Mount Evans - 3-2-1's workout
Woke up early this morning to the tune of my phone buzzing letting me know that I got a text message. It read something like "Just checking to see if you are up?" -- it was from Steve, and I was supposed to be at his house 5 minutes ago......5am!
I Jumped out of bed , sent a quick "on my way..." reply ....threw on some clothes, grabbed my GU's and water bottles, gave Andrea a kiss goodbye.... and I was at Steves door in 10 minutes!
Unfortunately, in the scatter brained rush I made to get out the door, I forgot my watch on my dresser. Ohh well....I guess I will just bum my splits and time from Steve for the day. I also forgot my hat and gloves -- which were sitting under my watch...argh!
For those that are not familiar with the concept of a 3-2-1 workout, it is perhaps one of the best overall high altitude workouts that you can do without the pounding of high mileage (as the total miles of the run is only 12 miles), however, all 12 miles are run at an up and down continuous pace on a mountain between 13,500ft and 14,200ft. Where there is a serious lack of oxygen!
It starts out with us driving up to the summit of Mount Evans (roughly 90 minutes or so from town). We then proceed to jog down 3 miles, then turn around and run back up 3 miles to the summit -- then turn around and run back down 2 miles, then back up 2 miles again to the summit -- then finish with 1 mile back down, and then 1 final mile back up to the summit! Wheeeww! Its pretty exhausting -- but its one heck of a workout!
The hardest part isnt the continuous uphill and downhill pounding (which can be rough enough on the quads) but it is the lack of oxygen throughout the entire run that makes this one special! It is a workout that you really cannot simulate (unless you own your own personal hyperbaric chamber) -- without stepping onto the mountainside.
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| Echo Lake -- the base of Mount Evans |
The temperature at the summit was hovering around 30'ish degrees, with strong whipping winds! I wore shorts, with 3 layers on top (2 long sleeves and a short sleeve). I forgot my hat and gloves -- but thankfully Steve had an extra pair that I could borrow (a life saver!)
Temps back home were in the mid 90's --- 2 hours away and at 14,000+ ft...they were at least 60 degrees cooler! Gotta love Colorado!
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| Overlooking a sea of clouds at 14,200 ft |
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| Looking down on Summit Lake |
The first mile of the 3 mile up section we hit in just about 8 min flat --- leaving me sucking wind the rest of the workout! Since I didnt have a watch with me, I had to estimate my splits based on Steves watch. All the rest of the mile splits for workout were between 9-10 min/pace. We probably should have started out a little more conservative right off the gun....but we didnt, and I spent the next couple of hours trying to catch my breathe. This is one of my top favorite workouts to do. I dont do it very often, as it is generally a pain to try to find the time for it and trying to find a day that has decent weather to match. If I could, this would be a weekly staple of my training!
I did have some digestive issues on the recovery jogs back down where I had to find a bush and relieve my situation. But other than that --- and trying to make up for the first hard mile push --- I felt pretty good.
The only other place, besides Mount Evans, that I have done 3-2-1's, is on Pikes Peak. Which allows you to drive to the summit (14,100+ ft) and do the workout via the Barr trail.
I live for days like this! A fantastic all-around workout and literally breathtaking views!
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| Add caption |
--- Sunday - 08/05/12 ---
Horsetooth Mtn Park - 1hr 15 minutes
Workout went like this:
Horsetooth Liquor store > Main TH > South Ridge > Rock Trail > down Wathan > Spring Creek > Falls > Main TH > back down to truck
After yesterdays 3-2-1's --- 12 miles all between 13,000 and 14,200 ft --- the legs felt surprisingly solid today. Felt great to be back at a lower 5,000 ft elevation here and town where I can fill my lungs up with air!
Todays effort was easy, but felt strong on the ups and downs.
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--- Monday - 08/06/12 ---
OFF
Busy day at work. Also felt good to throw in a recovery day from the fun weekend of high altitude running.
--- Tuesday - 08/07/12 ---
Speed Workout - 40 x 200m (100m recovery)
Workout Went like this:
1 lap warmup (was running late so cut it short)
-37
-35
-36
-36
-35
-35
-36
-35
-35
-36
-35
-35
-35
-35
-34
-34
-33
-33
-34
-35
-34
-35
-34
-34
-35
-33
-34
-34
-35
-33
-33
-33
-35
-36
-34
-34
-35
-35
-34
-34
Was running late in the morning and didnt have time for the warm up that I would have liked. Got to the track just after 6am (I was hoping to start running somewhere around 5:40am).
For some reason I was having some digestive issues during the workout and had to use the porto-potty after repeat #17 and then again after #24. I was hoping to get in 50 repeats, but with getting a late start and a couple unplanned bathroom stops --- I had to cut it short at 40. A quick shower and a walk across the street and I was back in the office ready to start work at 8am.
Legs felt good overall. I took the pace conservative at the start and fell into a nice rhythm after the first 10 or so. I wanted to keep the pace around 35 seconds, and keep the recovery short with a 100m easy jog. Which I was able to do, except for the two short bathroom stops. Other than that...it was a fantastic way to start out the day!
Really enjoyed the cooler morning temps for a change!
--- Wednesday - 08/08/12 ---
Foothills Trail (Short Loop) - 34:03
Easy effort after yesterdays speed session. Legs a little stiff in places.
--- Thursday - 08/09/12 ---
OFF
Busy day at work. Plus having an off day to fully recover sounded like a great idea.
--- Friday - 08/10/12 ---
Foothills Trail (long loop to North dam) - 62 minutes
Starting from Maxwell TH. Ran up the hill, then ran along the shoreline - North - to the North dam. turned around and back the same way.
Legs felt much better today. Fairly easy effort, ran the ups and downs with ease.
--- Saturday - 08/11/12 ---
Horsetooth Mtn Park - 2 hrs 3 minutes
Workout went like this:
Horsetooth Liquor Store > Main TH > Falls > Spring Creek > Herrington > Towers to Carey Springs > Loggers > up Mill Creek > down Towers > Herrington > Spring Creek > Falls > Main TH > back to truck
Started this run late morning and so the sun was already making things toasty towards the end of the workout. I ran without a water bottle, sipping on some water from the fountain at the main TH at the start....and then sucked down what felt like a few pints of water at the end of the run at the main TH again.
It felt good to get out there this morning. For me, some runs are more planned and structured, while others are made up on the fly to allow a sense of just running and enjoying everything around me -- a time to clear my head and really just focus on having a pleasant run in the mountains. And todays run was just that!
All I knew was that I wanted to run for a couple of hours, but I didnt plan the route beforehand....I just took whatever trail sounded good at the moment without thinking too much of it. And getting in a climb up Mill Creek felt really good. I took the pace relatively easy for the most part.
Got back to my truck and sucked down some more water --- getting hot out!
--- Sunday - 08/12/12 ---
Pineridge + Foothills Trail (Short Loop) - 1 hr 12 minutes
Started and ended at Spring Canyon Park. Ran through Pineridge then through Maxwell TH, up the hill to centennial, turned around and back same way.
Felt good today. Ran mid-day so temps were in the upper 80's / low 90's.....and with zero shade, it was toasty. I didnt drink enough water in the morning and so I was parched at the halfway turn-around point.
Drank water when I got back to the truck...and cranked up the AC!
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Wow -- its been a super busy week. Unfortunately...work related.
I havent had the time until now to update and post my last 2 weeks worth of trail running goodness.
- Two things that stand out to me are my bi-monthly "Ultra" long speed sessions and the 3-2-1 workout on Evans. Both workouts really leave me feeling pretty spent, but in a good way. I feel stronger and more confident after completing workouts like those.
- Getting the chance to get in some runs up in Horsetooth Mtn park have also been nice. I really enjoy running up there when I have the time.
- As mentioned...work has been brutal the past couple of weeks. I hope this comes to an end fairly soon.
- This weekend I think we will be staying down in Manitou to watch Steve take on the Pikes Peak Ascent on Saturday and then watch the start (and maybe the finish ) of the Pikes Peak Marathon. Or simply put : Killian vs Krupicka :-) It should be a fantastic race! Matt Carpenter holds a ridiculously fast course record (3:16:39 (set in 1993--- 2:01:06 Ascent split, 1:15:33 Descent split ---- one word...Insane!) on that course. Not sure if the record is going down, but if anyone has a shot in his lifetime....it would be Killian.
- *** Update - realized after this post that Krupicka is running Leadville 100 this year, not the Pikes Marathon.
- The Leadville 100 is also this upcoming weekend. A race that I was planning on registering for back in November but never materialized. And so I will be keeping tabs and getting updates throughout the weekend on that. Rooting for Nick to make the podium!
