Friday, 02/03/12 Local Run, Shoveling and the Plow Guy

2 miles/80 vert.

The ~2 feet of new snow, combined with sick babies, combined with a wife who is working on all 3 of my days off, is really taking a bite out of my running.  By the time I was able to get out (around 7:45pm), it was snowing really hard again and I decided that I would just take the dog for a quick walk and just not worry about running.

As soon as I walked out the door though, I felt invigorated.  Even though I was wearing untied shoes, jeans/street clothes and not dressed for running, I just started to run.  Soon my glasses fogged and visibility went from poor to really poor and I was just running by feel/memory of the path or just let Sierra guide me.  Ended up getting 2 miles in, which was a far cry from my original plan to go break track up Bear Peak, but at least it was SOMETHING and I did feel pretty good afterwards.

I did however get in over 2 hours of shoveling for the day, so that was a good bit of exercise.  I would have shoveled for several more hours if possible, I really love it.

"We like to say what's up guy, it's the way we say hi.  In February, it's good to know a plow guy"

(Probably best appreciated if you happen to be from the 603)

This video from Lucho inspired me to post the plow guy vid.

Majorly fogged glasses after my run

Rockin the 80's jeans (as Allison likes to tease).  My response "80's jeans, I don't get it, they are just jeans".  I am in good company, as GZ and Dave M also rock the same 80's jeans.  80's guys at heart I guess.

I stomped out a trench in the back yard for Sierra to use to go to the bathroom, otherwise she was in it to her shoulders.

Thursday, 02/02/12 Local Run

3.09 miles/234 vert.

Was hoping to put in some quality miles with the baby jogger, but since the girls are sick, I was under strict orders to not take them outside (even though it was sunny and 50 most of the day).  Thus, I was not able to get out until 7:45pm or so, as the blizzard was really kicking into gear.  Started with the dog, but after doing her business, she was done and just wanted to head home.  After dropping her off, I continued on, taking it pretty easy, fighting a bit of vertigo as the wind driven snow zinging past my headlamp beam made things a little bit dizzying.

Goggles and a hooded hard shell were key

View from the deck late Thursday afternoon

View from the deck Friday morning (12-15 I am guessing, hard to tell with the drifting)

Wednesday, 02/01/12 Bear/Green

8.86 miles/4,005 vert./1:59:39/160 avg. HR  Garmin Data

Met up with Tony at Chautauqua at 6:45am.  Headed out Mesa, Fern, Bear, W. Ridge, Green/Bear then down 1st/2nd access to complete the loop.  Was a great morning, reasonable temperatures (low 30s to start and then warming), very little wind aside from a few gusts on upper Fern.  Went on the high side of moderate to low side of hard at times but never really dug in and encouraged Tony to just go his own pace on the steeper climbs, while I just plugged along at a more comfortable pace (he was nice enough to wait for me on the summits).

Was a pretty decent workout though given my conditioning level right now, coupled with the glacial trail conditions that slowed things down some.  Still a fair bit of ice on Mesa, much of Fern is just bulletproof bobsled run like conditions, especially above the saddle.  Bear to Green was ~85% snow and ice, but is less steep, so we could cruise that pretty well.  Took the descents pretty cautious, as it would just be too easy right to take a bad fall (OK, I am being a wimp, as Tony had little trouble with it and even gave me a "what's going on back there?" comment, which made me laugh and realize that I was really lagging).

Chautauqua to Bear:    59:17
Bear to Green:             35:05
Green to Chautauqua:  25:16

Tuesday, 01/31/12 Green Mountain

Up/Down Amphi/1st Saddle/Greenman

3.08 miles/2,293 vert./1:02:39 (38:25 up)/131 avg. HR  Garmin Data

Went very easy on the up and down, just taking my time and enjoying the lack of wind.  Made things feel a lot more peaceful and less hurried/urgent.

Also found a cool way to query weekly/monthly/yearly stats on the Garmin site which saves me a ton of time, as I do not have to keep up on my Excel spreadsheet or mess around with the calculator (both things that I have no time or desire to do anymore).

So, below are my stats for January.  I was able to get out for a run on every day of the month (certainly my longest streak ever), even if it was only for a few miles from the house or on my lunch break.  I am working on getting over my "if I can't run up a mountain I'll just do nothing" attitude, not even for "training" reasons, but more to just stay fit and healthy (physically and mentally).  Because of this new found attitude, I am finding that if I am determined to do so, there are really very few days (if any?) where I truly can't get out for at least a short run (though as things warm up and dry out, I hope to transition to the bike 2 days per week).  The hardest part is often times just getting the motivation to suit up and complete the first mile.  Even on my worst days, once I am out there and get a mile or two behind me, I want to just keep going.  Since it is only January, I have been keeping the intensity appropriately casual (hard for me to do typically).

Count:	33 Activities
Distance:	191.18 mi
Time:	38:21:46 h:m:s
Elevation Gain:	47,454 ft
Avg Speed:	5.0 mph
Avg HR:	141 bpm
Calories:	20,139 C
Avg Elevation Gain:	1,438 ft
Max Elevation Gain:	4,446 ft
Avg Distance:	5.79 mi
Max Distance:	12.31 mi

Green Summits:       12

Bear Summits:         5

SoBo Summits:        4

Monday, 01/30/12 LoBo Run

10.59 miles/185 vert./1:22:07/7:45 pace/135 avg. HR  Garmin Data

Brandon met me at work for a casual mid day run.  Headed out on the LoBo trail through Niwot and back at a conversational pace and was good to catch up, made the miles pass by quickly.  Was even better to snap up a $20 bill on the ground along the way.

Sunday, 01/29/12 Green Mountain

Up/Down NE Ridge(ish)

3.07 miles/2,283 vert./1:01:52 (36:40 up)/141 avg. HR  Garmin Data

Very easy up and down.  Was reasonably warm today, but the wind was hammering pretty good high on the mountain and made it feel a bit colder.

Saturday, 01/28/12 S. Boulder/Bear

From S. Mesa TH (via Homestead/Shadow)

7.22 miles/3,264 vert./1:43:53/avg. HR 139  Garmin Data

This was a bit of a surprise outing in the late afternoon, as Allison got called off of work, so I took advantage and was able to get out for a run.  Was headed for Green, but figured with the little extra time, I should do something a bit longer/different, so made the last minute decision for S. Boulder and Bear.  Took things pretty easy for the most part, going slow as to not get too far ahead of Sierra and then waiting occasionally for her to catch up.  Half way up Shadow, I bumped into Rex and crew (second time in a week), so I stopped and chatted with them for a while.

There was a LOT of ice on the trails, especially in Shadow Canyon, but intead of wearing Microspikes, I wore a pair of newly screwed shoes and that was definitely the better choice.  I got better grip on the ice and did not worry about dulling a new pair of Microspikes on all of the exposed rock.  I have several boxes of screws at home still, so I may screw a few pairs of shoes and default to this method for a while (at least until we get some fresh snow on the trails).  I wish we would just get a few feet of snow several times over, like the Winter of 06/07, where we had perfect trench conditions December through March (unfortunately that was during the pre Microspike era).

Made the summit of S. Boulder in 54, 9 minutes to Bear, then a real casual/cautious 40 back to the car.  Another awesome day out with Sierra.

Friday, 01/27/12 Green Mountain

Up/Down NE Ridge(ish)

3.12 miles/2,284 vert./1:11:30 RT(40:35 up)/137 avg. HR  Garmin Data

Just as I was leaving the house, it was starting to flurry, which was a bit of a surprise, as the morning had started off somewhat sunny.  By the time we (Sierra and I) got to Boulder and started up the trail, it was snowing quite hard and I was happy to know the conditions under the dusting of snow and was able to get by without spikes for most of the up (all but the final 6-7 minutes).

Went easy going up and even easier going down (wearing spikes for the entire descent), hiking the entire time except for just a few minutes of jogging near the summit.  Had a really good fall on a very steep section of the descent (even going really slow and cautious) but was fortunate to not get hurt at all.  This caused me to slow it down even more and really take no chances.

Sierra was just going batty in the fresh snow and it was great to spend quality time with her.  Another great day out despite the traction challenges.

Thursday, 01/26/12 Boulder Creek Path/Sanitas Valley Baby Jogger Run/Hike

9.02 miles/952 vert./9:49 pace/142 avg. HR  Garmin Data
(pace was skewed a bit by the two miles at 11:29 and 19:32, basically steep uphill running or hiking)

Today was nice and warm (high 50's, low 60's?), but better yet, it was absolutely calm while we were out, so this was quite the treat.

Parked at Scott Carpenter Park (thinking since the pool was closed, the lot would be empty, but was quite surprised that I got the last spot....  could not figure out why?), then ran an errand over near 28th and Canyon.  From there, we headed over to Folsom, to the creek path and then eventually worked our way over to Sanitas Valley.  Was able to maintain a run with the jogger to the top of the smooth dirt road portion of the trail (not steep when I run solo, but steep to run while pushing 75-80lbs).  At the end, even though the trail transitioned to semi technical single track, I decided to keep heading up and see how far I could get.  It was not easy, but I was able to heave the jogger up a ways and negotiate my way over the log steps and around rocks, but I soon was stopped by some larger rock steps and forward progress seemed futile.

Carefully headed back down (this is where I really appreciate having brakes) and then took a little side trail over toward the old quarry where we stopped to have a snack and enjoy the warm sunshine.

The trip back to the car was quick and enjoyable, it being pretty much all downhill helped a lot.  Once back to Scott Carpenter Park, I released the girls to run around on the grass and we had fun chasing each other around for a bit (they are getting faster by the day).

This was as high as we got, as the East Ridge Trail got a bit too rugged

Wednesday, 01/25/12 Green Mountain

Up/Down NE Ridge

3.09 miles/2,281 vert./57:23 (35:22 up)/avg. HR 158  Garmin Data

Decent run today and was a bit more efficient with my route choice than I was on Monday.  The first section of ice on lower Amphitheater is negotiable/avoidable for the most part, then it is pretty much dry ground and smooth sailing until the last 6 or 7 minutes of Greenman.

Pushed a little bit on the up, nothing too hard, just working.  Did not feel nearly as good as I did on Monday though, so I lost more time that day than I first thought.

Went quick at times on the descent, but slowed to a cautious walk/jog when necessary.  It was another very warm day and I was definitely a little over dressed, as I would have been fine in shorts and one long sleeve shirt (but it is January after all).

Tuesday, 01/24/12 LoBo Run

7.09 miles/98 vert./54:16/7:39 pace/138 avg. HR  Garmin Data

As is usual for this type of run (what I typically regard as flat and boring, or, anything that is not up a mountain or across a Grand Canyon), I spend the first .5-1.0 miles contemplating just bagging the whole thing.  The only thing that keeps me going is a good line up of podcasts and the fact that I went through the effort to get dressed into my running clothes (and it is good to get a little fresh air in the middle of the day).

I feel like I am laboring a bit, but look at my watch and I am hovering at a sluggish low 8:?? pace and feel like I am working, yet my HR is in the 120's.  As the minutes tick by, I slowly transition from "maybe I should turn back..." to "maybe 4 miles?" to "6 will be appropriate for an easy day that I would normally take off" to "maybe I could squeeze in 8 or 10?" to "would I be in trouble with the boss if I ran for 20?".  I compromise with 7 and imperceptibly ratchet the HR up 10-15 beats higher, but it all feels surprisingly easy.  The urge hits to rip a few miles at the fastest pace I can muster, but I refrain, as my intent now is just to stay active and maintain a decent base level of fitness.

These flat runs I find more and more interesting as I progress, as I see my economy improve a little bit each time, faster pace at lower HR and less perceived effort.  What I am doing seems to be what I imagine to be a loose (and mostly coincidental) form of MAF and I might be starting to think there is a little something to it.

Monday, 01/23/12 Green Mountain

Up Steep Snow/Down NE(ish)

3.07 miles/2,337 vert./1:09:57 (46:17 up)/149 avg HR  Garmin Data

Started off from the Gregory side of the Gregory lot and headed S/SW up the steep hillside in a stupid effort to avoid the ice.  I was moving fast and felt as though I would get to the top of Amphi at or ahead of a "normal" split for a comparable effort (6:30ish).  Gained a ridge above the actual Amphitheater and could see the trail about 75 vertical feet below, so I tried to contour toward it without losing elevation, but got cliffed out several times and was forced in directions I did not want to go and still had to do some scrambling and elevation loss to get back on track.  Finally made the junction at 11:05, having wasted nearly 5 minutes (all to avoid a minute or two worth of ice).  I was annoyed with myself at this poor decision and considered a do over, as I was feeling really strong and knew I had a good climb in me today, but much of the purpose of going "fast" today was because I was in a hurry to get home at a decent time.

Back on track, I pushed hard again to make up some time for my mistake, but once I got to the ice between the 1st Flatiron access trail and the spring, I started heading up the hillside again (yes to avoid the ice and having to take the 20 seconds to put on my spikes).  The path of least resistance only lasted for 20 seconds or so and then it was a very steep, slippery and brushy climb, forcing frequent stops to wrestle with branches and contemplate the least worst way.  That was the easy part.  Soon, the snow deepened on the North slopes to a very surprising depth, necessitating waist deep wallowing over deadfall, crawling and the occasional bush/tree hand belay.  Making good time was now a non issue and the only question now was if I would be able to make it up the in your face hillside.  That was a major mistake and when I got to familiar terrain, I was now 10-11 minutes behind where I should be for a comparable effort and not nearly as high on the NE Ridge Trail as I had predicted.

Back on track, again, it was an comparatively easy jaunt to the summit and got there in 46 (a bummer, knowing that I would have been at least 11 minutes quicker had I chosen better lines).  Headed back down the NE ridge and stuck to known paths and familiar (and clear) woods.  A bit of an oops in the ascent route and was frustrating at times, but looking back, it was cool to see a few new areas that I had not seen before.

Sunday, 01/22/12 Green Mountain

Up/Down Front/NE

3.12 miles/2,281 vert./1:05:39 RT (38:46 up)/143 avg. HR  Garmin Data

I have been a little discouraged with the current trail conditions as of late, but with a little extra work and good knowledge of the terrain, I was able to avoid the worst of the ice by getting off trail occasionally and taking the NE ridge.  Microspikes were mandatory for the uppermost section and the very bottom of the Amphitheater Trail.  Hiked for the most part (moderate pace) on the up and jogged very easy on the down.

Saturday, 01/21/12 SoBo/Bear

7.18 miles/3,209 vert./1:58/140 avg. HR  Garmin Data

Sierra and I met Homie at the S. Mesa TH and started up the Homestead Trail at 3:21pm.  Was in the low 60s today, but the wind was kicking up a little at the trailhead.  Only a minor nuisance at the start and on the summits, forgot about it though for most of the run/hike.

Homie started off Brandon style and had me sucking wind for the first 5 or 10 minutes.  Eventually I got warmed up and engaged him in conversation to slow him a bit.  Went pretty casual for the remainder of the time, super slow on the down, as it was either ice or rock and made for some awkward running (if you want to call it that), then we had to wait for Sierra a bit over the final 1.5 miles (where she always "dogs it").

Great afternoon to get out and enjoy catching up with a great friend and my favorite pooch.