1/17/08
~3miles/~1,000 vertical
Had high hopes for a trip up Green today, but with the bitter cold and wind, coupled with all the things we need to get done to prepare for our trip, Mallory was all we could muster. There was quite a bit of ice on the trail. I was well equipped with freshly studded shoes, but Allison's shoes are getting pretty dull and was forced to go off trail as much as she could. It was bitter today, and the entire time, all we could think about was getting back for a warm lunch.
Sierra
Sierra
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Sanitas
1/16/08
3 miles/1,300vert.
Had a great time on Sanitas today. Took it pretty conservative due to the ice, cold, knee etc..., but went up in 20:12 despite the easy pace. Felt buoyed by the fact that my treatment for patellar tendonitis is starting show results in that my knee felt the strongest it has in a year. I plan on taking it quite easy for a while yet until I am confident I am on the right track once and for all. No need to be cranking yet, just need to maintain some base fitness at this point.
3 miles/1,300vert.
Had a great time on Sanitas today. Took it pretty conservative due to the ice, cold, knee etc..., but went up in 20:12 despite the easy pace. Felt buoyed by the fact that my treatment for patellar tendonitis is starting show results in that my knee felt the strongest it has in a year. I plan on taking it quite easy for a while yet until I am confident I am on the right track once and for all. No need to be cranking yet, just need to maintain some base fitness at this point.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Mt. Morrison
4 miles RT
1,800 vertical
2hrs RT
Had a great time on Mt. Morrison today with Kevin and Allison. Today is Allison's b-day and to celebrate, we got out for a nice casual stroll up Mt. Morrison. The weather was warmish and sunny with not a breath of wind. The trail was muddy in spots, a few patches of snow, but hardly any ice. I wore studded shoes, but it was a bit of overkill, could have easily got by without, but it was fine with. The pace was quite casual, as Allison is sick, Kevin and I are both getting over being sick, and we of course had to stop and yell for Sierra while she was 1/2 mile away and 1,000 feet below chasing deer. Dang dog, she of course got the leash and a bit of scolding. If it weren't for this flaw, she would be the perfect dog.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
A casual jaunt up Green (Secretly wishing I was racing).
Homie and I met today for a casual jaunt up Green Mountain. We met at Chautauqua at 10:30am and had a really nice jog up Gregory/Ranger. The sun was out and shining bright and warm and we discussed his new baby Anya who is just over a week old (congrats to the Homie family!!!). It took us 55:42 up (from the Gregory TH) and a good bit quicker than that to get back down.
It was my idea to take it casual on the way down, as to not pound on my knee, but also because the trail is a skating rink in places today and I was using my shoes with old worn studs that were not hooking up well at all. Ultimately, Sierra determined the pace, as she was dogging it on the downhill for some reason.
I was a bit fired up over the fact that I had just gone to watch my great friend and training partner George Zack run in the Oatmeal 5k in Lafayette. I could tell he was a bit down on his performance, but he did great in my opinion. It is only January after all. Way to go George for getting out there and tearing it up!
I was kind of wishing that I had run too (and I came very close to jumping in at the last minute), but I have to be patient and let this cold fully run it's course. Watching the race just had me amped to get out and go fast, but I am also trying to not do anything too crazy while I am in treatment for my lingering knee problem. Just added fuel to the simmering fire.
My goal is to do everything it takes right now to get this healed COMPLETELY, then I plan on opening it up a bit more. Patience, patience, patience I have to keep reminding myself, there will be plenty of time to go fast as the year progresses.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Suffering on Sanitas
Sanitas (South Ridge)
1/11/08
3 miles/1,300 vertical
22:08 up/16 down
Man I have a ways to go in my training, although today I have a laundry list of excuses.
1st, man it was dark, I had forgotten that despite the fact that we are weeks past the solstice, the mornings have gotten progressively darker until the end of December, then stalled out until today. Now the mornings will slowly get longer, although we have been adding daylight in the afternoon since early December.
Most people going about their daily routines hardly notice these minute details, but when you are trying to squeak in runs in the winter, or climbing mountains it becomes quite evident.
It was barely light enough to see and detail was very minimal for the first 10 minutes or so. I have not exercised once since the 1st and have had a bad head cold, maybe even a touch of the flu (at least I felt that weak last weekend, not even being able to open a new bottle of juice). I thought I was pretty much over it yesterday, but this morning I was reminded that it is still there lingering, as my energy level was low and my breathing somewhat not up to par (the cold wind was not doing any favors).
Because of all this, I went pretty easy for the first half and then was feeling a bit tired on the second half and still went slow. Despite this, I was still expecting a minute or so faster, but whatever. Regardless, it was still great to finally get out again.
1/11/08
3 miles/1,300 vertical
22:08 up/16 down
Man I have a ways to go in my training, although today I have a laundry list of excuses.
1st, man it was dark, I had forgotten that despite the fact that we are weeks past the solstice, the mornings have gotten progressively darker until the end of December, then stalled out until today. Now the mornings will slowly get longer, although we have been adding daylight in the afternoon since early December.
Most people going about their daily routines hardly notice these minute details, but when you are trying to squeak in runs in the winter, or climbing mountains it becomes quite evident.
It was barely light enough to see and detail was very minimal for the first 10 minutes or so. I have not exercised once since the 1st and have had a bad head cold, maybe even a touch of the flu (at least I felt that weak last weekend, not even being able to open a new bottle of juice). I thought I was pretty much over it yesterday, but this morning I was reminded that it is still there lingering, as my energy level was low and my breathing somewhat not up to par (the cold wind was not doing any favors).
Because of all this, I went pretty easy for the first half and then was feeling a bit tired on the second half and still went slow. Despite this, I was still expecting a minute or so faster, but whatever. Regardless, it was still great to finally get out again.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Ringing in the New Year on Rosedale
Rosedale Peak (11,825)
01/01/08
~10miles RT/~3,000 Vertical
From the “Not Camp Rosalie or Elk Creek” TH
Partners: Jeff and Jean Kunkle, Dave Hale, Dave “Hoot” Gibson, Sierra, Denali, Scooby, Shep
Indecision, combined with commonplace high wind weather reports, once again had me waffling on my plans for New Years day. After weighing my options, Jeff’s offer to join he and Jean for Rosedale quickly became the frontrunner on the Eve of the New Year. I of course invited Dave, and he invited Hoot. I had never even heard of Rosedale, but what the heck, sounds like fun. The day was set.We arrive at the trailhead under perfectly clear skies, no wind and a -9 temperature reading. It felt cold , but we were grateful that the wind has finally taken a break. We start off wandering a bit through the woods, but a few quick glances of the map and GPS gets us on the correct track. Speaking of tracks, we are fortunate to have a nice packed track all the way to the summit, compliments of the Bershaders, Dawson et al. Thanks again, your efforts made our day much easier .We follow the well packed trail along the hillside parallel to Elk Creek, up into a nice willowy valley. Soon the handiwork of the previous day’s winds becomes evident and the trail instantly vanishes. We wander a bit, trying to find it again or decide which of the many route options would be best. We ultimately decide to get out of the willows and do a bit of an ascending traverse.The snow becomes steep and deep and we are missing the nice track we had been following. Secretly, I was enjoying the added workout of wallowing, but fortunately/unfortunately, that quickly ended as we re-discovered the nice packed trail.From here on, it was an auto-pilot cruise to the ridge above tree line. From the ridge, the views finally opened up and we were treated to a picture perfect winter scene. The wind scoured ridge prompted some of us to remove our snowshoes for easier walking. Without the hinderance of the snowshoes, it was only a few minutes of the most enjoyable and easy cruising to the summit.This was a great vantage for viewing Rosalie, Evans and the surrounding area. It was surprisingly calm and relatively warm compared to the recent spell of challenging weather and we were all reveling in the scene. We lingered here for a bit, eating, laughing and taking pictures.The trip out was especially easy and took about half of our ascent time. It got quite warm as the day progressed and I was now itching for something cold to drink, as opposed to my scalding hot chocolate.What a great way to welcome the New Year. Great friends, great weather, great outing. The day could not have been better (OK, it would have been better if Allison were not working and had joined). If this trip was a harbinger of things to come, 2008 is going to be a great year!Pictures:http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r...iere/Rosedale/
01/01/08
~10miles RT/~3,000 Vertical
From the “Not Camp Rosalie or Elk Creek” TH
Partners: Jeff and Jean Kunkle, Dave Hale, Dave “Hoot” Gibson, Sierra, Denali, Scooby, Shep
Indecision, combined with commonplace high wind weather reports, once again had me waffling on my plans for New Years day. After weighing my options, Jeff’s offer to join he and Jean for Rosedale quickly became the frontrunner on the Eve of the New Year. I of course invited Dave, and he invited Hoot. I had never even heard of Rosedale, but what the heck, sounds like fun. The day was set.We arrive at the trailhead under perfectly clear skies, no wind and a -9 temperature reading. It felt cold , but we were grateful that the wind has finally taken a break. We start off wandering a bit through the woods, but a few quick glances of the map and GPS gets us on the correct track. Speaking of tracks, we are fortunate to have a nice packed track all the way to the summit, compliments of the Bershaders, Dawson et al. Thanks again, your efforts made our day much easier .We follow the well packed trail along the hillside parallel to Elk Creek, up into a nice willowy valley. Soon the handiwork of the previous day’s winds becomes evident and the trail instantly vanishes. We wander a bit, trying to find it again or decide which of the many route options would be best. We ultimately decide to get out of the willows and do a bit of an ascending traverse.The snow becomes steep and deep and we are missing the nice track we had been following. Secretly, I was enjoying the added workout of wallowing, but fortunately/unfortunately, that quickly ended as we re-discovered the nice packed trail.From here on, it was an auto-pilot cruise to the ridge above tree line. From the ridge, the views finally opened up and we were treated to a picture perfect winter scene. The wind scoured ridge prompted some of us to remove our snowshoes for easier walking. Without the hinderance of the snowshoes, it was only a few minutes of the most enjoyable and easy cruising to the summit.This was a great vantage for viewing Rosalie, Evans and the surrounding area. It was surprisingly calm and relatively warm compared to the recent spell of challenging weather and we were all reveling in the scene. We lingered here for a bit, eating, laughing and taking pictures.The trip out was especially easy and took about half of our ascent time. It got quite warm as the day progressed and I was now itching for something cold to drink, as opposed to my scalding hot chocolate.What a great way to welcome the New Year. Great friends, great weather, great outing. The day could not have been better (OK, it would have been better if Allison were not working and had joined). If this trip was a harbinger of things to come, 2008 is going to be a great year!Pictures:http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r...iere/Rosedale/
S. Boulder Peak Run, what a great way to end the year!
South Boulder Peak (8,549)
12/30/2007
~8 miles RT
~3,000 vertical
Solo
59:38up
1:30:38 RT
Having been up S. Boulder Peak twice in the past few days (Wednesday and Saturday), I took careful note of how nicely the trail has been setting up and is now absolutely perfect for going fast if you have some sort of shoe traction. It is just a perfect packed trench except for the last 2 switchbacksbelow the saddle, the stretch to and across the saddle, and thenfrom saddle to the summit where the wind is constantly replenishing the snow drifts.My primary goal was to beat my ascent time of 1:22 from last Weds and my RT time of 2:14. I knew that I would for sure beat that without waiting for the dog to sniff things etc.... as I left her home for this outing, so my real goal was under 2 hours. Within about 5 minutes after starting, I wasthinking I may have a shot at sub 1:45, as I was feeling surprisingly good and was enjoying the warm sunshine on my face.My first time check (where the Towee trail ends at the dirt road), was a reassuring 14:07, more than 5 minutes faster than Wednesday, but 3 minutes slower than PR. I plug along and cross the creek at the mouth of Shadow just as I see my watch nudge past 22 minutes. From here to the saddle, I mostly run, but revert to short stretches of power hiking when necessary as it is steep and the studs in the shoes are not quite enough to provide a completely sure grip. Time goes by quick, and my watch seems to take off at a seemingly much quicker pace than the numbers I am mentallyshuffling in my head.I make the saddle in 51:36 and am not entirely pleased with the post holing, but I was fully expecting it. The wind is picking up and I fumble a bit to swap to my wool beanie in place of my ball cap . I ditch the sunglasses too, as the are fogging immensely. I really put my head down and giving it all I have to break an hour for the ascent. Much to my surprise, I succeed with 22 seconds to spare and am amped by this fact. I do an immediate u-turn and make quick work descending the summit boulders. Last Wednesday I broke trail on this stretch in fresh, powdery snow and it took about 4 minutes to negotiate the final boulder section (each way!). Today, I do the RT of this stretch in under 2 minutes.Now I am starting to think about breaking 1:30 for the RT. That is still 13 or 14 minutes slower than my best lap on this course, but I just have it in my head that 1:30 would be a solid winter accomplishment. Descending is my weakness, so I know I really have my work cut out. I take the upper section fast but cautious and still manage to perform a great imitation of superman while high speed post holing below the saddle . The snow is soft and I bounce out of it with style, but still do a quick look around to make sure nobody witnessed it. I ripped down Shadow Canyon (for me), it was really a controlled slide for the most part (studded shoes worked well), using trees and boulders when convenient to aid in turning or checking my speed (somewhat like high speed pinballing). Made it back to the creek crossing at the mouth of Shadow in 1:16 and knew it would take all I have to get back in 14 minutes. I kept my cadence up on the flatter sections and just let my feet fly the best I could. Made the Towee turn at 1:21:?? and was sure I could get down in less than 9. I was going hard, but started to rest on my laurels a bit, as I thought I had it in the bag (OK, I was hurting). In the final 1/4 mile, my watch was really turning up the heat and I was sprinting for all I was worth, zig zaggingaround people on the now crowded area near the trailhead. They must have thought I was nuts as I huffed and puffed my way past as though I were running for my life. I hit the final cement bridge nearest the lot and stop my watch at 1:30:38 and stagger gasping for air.I am very happy with my run, but am just ever so slightly peeved not to have gone under 1:30, but I don't really care that much, it was just a completely arbitrary goal. So close, maybe next time..... All in all an awesome way to finish off another great year!
12/30/2007
~8 miles RT
~3,000 vertical
Solo
59:38up
1:30:38 RT
Having been up S. Boulder Peak twice in the past few days (Wednesday and Saturday), I took careful note of how nicely the trail has been setting up and is now absolutely perfect for going fast if you have some sort of shoe traction. It is just a perfect packed trench except for the last 2 switchbacksbelow the saddle, the stretch to and across the saddle, and thenfrom saddle to the summit where the wind is constantly replenishing the snow drifts.My primary goal was to beat my ascent time of 1:22 from last Weds and my RT time of 2:14. I knew that I would for sure beat that without waiting for the dog to sniff things etc.... as I left her home for this outing, so my real goal was under 2 hours. Within about 5 minutes after starting, I wasthinking I may have a shot at sub 1:45, as I was feeling surprisingly good and was enjoying the warm sunshine on my face.My first time check (where the Towee trail ends at the dirt road), was a reassuring 14:07, more than 5 minutes faster than Wednesday, but 3 minutes slower than PR. I plug along and cross the creek at the mouth of Shadow just as I see my watch nudge past 22 minutes. From here to the saddle, I mostly run, but revert to short stretches of power hiking when necessary as it is steep and the studs in the shoes are not quite enough to provide a completely sure grip. Time goes by quick, and my watch seems to take off at a seemingly much quicker pace than the numbers I am mentallyshuffling in my head.I make the saddle in 51:36 and am not entirely pleased with the post holing, but I was fully expecting it. The wind is picking up and I fumble a bit to swap to my wool beanie in place of my ball cap . I ditch the sunglasses too, as the are fogging immensely. I really put my head down and giving it all I have to break an hour for the ascent. Much to my surprise, I succeed with 22 seconds to spare and am amped by this fact. I do an immediate u-turn and make quick work descending the summit boulders. Last Wednesday I broke trail on this stretch in fresh, powdery snow and it took about 4 minutes to negotiate the final boulder section (each way!). Today, I do the RT of this stretch in under 2 minutes.Now I am starting to think about breaking 1:30 for the RT. That is still 13 or 14 minutes slower than my best lap on this course, but I just have it in my head that 1:30 would be a solid winter accomplishment. Descending is my weakness, so I know I really have my work cut out. I take the upper section fast but cautious and still manage to perform a great imitation of superman while high speed post holing below the saddle . The snow is soft and I bounce out of it with style, but still do a quick look around to make sure nobody witnessed it. I ripped down Shadow Canyon (for me), it was really a controlled slide for the most part (studded shoes worked well), using trees and boulders when convenient to aid in turning or checking my speed (somewhat like high speed pinballing). Made it back to the creek crossing at the mouth of Shadow in 1:16 and knew it would take all I have to get back in 14 minutes. I kept my cadence up on the flatter sections and just let my feet fly the best I could. Made the Towee turn at 1:21:?? and was sure I could get down in less than 9. I was going hard, but started to rest on my laurels a bit, as I thought I had it in the bag (OK, I was hurting). In the final 1/4 mile, my watch was really turning up the heat and I was sprinting for all I was worth, zig zaggingaround people on the now crowded area near the trailhead. They must have thought I was nuts as I huffed and puffed my way past as though I were running for my life. I hit the final cement bridge nearest the lot and stop my watch at 1:30:38 and stagger gasping for air.I am very happy with my run, but am just ever so slightly peeved not to have gone under 1:30, but I don't really care that much, it was just a completely arbitrary goal. So close, maybe next time..... All in all an awesome way to finish off another great year!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Trudging Up South Boulder 12/26/2007
Sierra and I had a great "run" up S. Boulder Peak today. The freshly fallen snow from the previous day was a bit slick to negotiate, as there has been very little traffic to pack the snow down. Entering Shadow Canyon, I was pleased to see two sets of tracks heading up the trail, so I put my head down and cranked it out (committed effort, but not too hard). I slipped and slid my way to the summit in 1:22 which was 37 minutes off PR! Amazing what a foot of fresh can do to slow you down! (along with slacking off and eating too much).
The descent was a bit tricky, as the powdery snow and hidden rocks made it a bit tricky and took a full 52 minutes to make it back to the S. Mesa TH for a RT of 2:14:07.
I was soaked and cold by the time I was done, but all in all a great day out!
The descent was a bit tricky, as the powdery snow and hidden rocks made it a bit tricky and took a full 52 minutes to make it back to the S. Mesa TH for a RT of 2:14:07.
I was soaked and cold by the time I was done, but all in all a great day out!
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