I was planning to take today off, but tomorrow will be a forced day off anyway, so I figured I would just get out this morning for an easy lap on Green before work. I don't know if I am having trouble making the adjustment to early morning runs, but I again felt lousy this morning. I did not push hard, but my HR always felt as though it were 15-20 bpm higher than what my monitor read, so I just resigned to walking when it was steep and jogging when it was less steep. Foot coordination was a bit lacking as well.
Up Amphi/Saddle/Greenman: 39:59 (avg HR 139)
Down: 26
Sierra
Sierra
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Saturday, 06/05/10 Green Mountain
Started up Gregory feeling great for the first 30 seconds, then realized that my legs were tired and my overall energy was low. I took it as a sign to not try and push and just plugged along enjoying the quiet and solitude. Headed down the front side easy. Did not see another person until I got to the very bottom.
Up: 39:25 (avg HR 153)
Down: 27:06 (avg HR 115)
Up: 39:25 (avg HR 153)
Down: 27:06 (avg HR 115)
Friday, June 4, 2010
Friday, 06/04/10 Grays/Torreys in the AM/Road Ride in the PM
Grays/Torreys
06/04/10
From Stevens Gulch TH
Sierra and I
2:21 RT
(59 to saddle/1:14 to Torreys/1:34 Grays/2:21 Finish)
avg HR 149 (max 173)
Evans plans for today fell through and I was not too excited about running the road by myself, so I went to the ol’ standby, Grays/Torreys. My legs felt good and I ran more than last week, but there is still enough snow to make things pretty slow, especially since what snow is left seems to be a bit softer and more prone to post holing. The wind was of course howling across the saddle and on the upper section of Torreys. It would not have been too bad in a better dressed hiking mode, but was really cold going as a runner (although I still had on a few layers on top, a wool beanie, gloves).
I felt great on the descent and was dying to rip it (I did go fast on the dry sections), but the ever softening snow required caution. Once back at the car, I spent a half hour eating and drying clothes, contemplating another lap. I set Sierra up in the shade with the windows open and plenty of water and began my second lap. About 5 minutes up the trail, I started feeling really guilty for leaving her. Though my legs and energy levels were as good or better than lap one, my head was just not in it, as I was not too keen to get back into the soft snow and howling wind, so I just headed back to the car. I let Sierra out (she was very happy that I returned), and we spent an hour walking up valley on the opposite side of the creek from the trail, exploring old mines and finding patches of snow for her play in. No hurry to get back to 90+ degree heat.
Once back at home, I ate a quick lunch and then took off on the road bike. Headed into Boulder, up the creek path, Canyon to 4-Mile and intended to go to Gold Hill. I made it to where the road turns to dirt and continued climbing, but it was super hot and I had had enough. I was also not stoked to negotiate dirt descents on skinny tires today as required to get home from Gold Hill. By the time I got home I was cooked. Once in the neighborhood, I tacked on a lap around the block to make an even 40 miles in 2:15ish hours. I was pretty happy to have gotten out for my first real road ride of the year.
06/04/10
From Stevens Gulch TH
Sierra and I
2:21 RT
(59 to saddle/1:14 to Torreys/1:34 Grays/2:21 Finish)
avg HR 149 (max 173)
Evans plans for today fell through and I was not too excited about running the road by myself, so I went to the ol’ standby, Grays/Torreys. My legs felt good and I ran more than last week, but there is still enough snow to make things pretty slow, especially since what snow is left seems to be a bit softer and more prone to post holing. The wind was of course howling across the saddle and on the upper section of Torreys. It would not have been too bad in a better dressed hiking mode, but was really cold going as a runner (although I still had on a few layers on top, a wool beanie, gloves).
I felt great on the descent and was dying to rip it (I did go fast on the dry sections), but the ever softening snow required caution. Once back at the car, I spent a half hour eating and drying clothes, contemplating another lap. I set Sierra up in the shade with the windows open and plenty of water and began my second lap. About 5 minutes up the trail, I started feeling really guilty for leaving her. Though my legs and energy levels were as good or better than lap one, my head was just not in it, as I was not too keen to get back into the soft snow and howling wind, so I just headed back to the car. I let Sierra out (she was very happy that I returned), and we spent an hour walking up valley on the opposite side of the creek from the trail, exploring old mines and finding patches of snow for her play in. No hurry to get back to 90+ degree heat.
Once back at home, I ate a quick lunch and then took off on the road bike. Headed into Boulder, up the creek path, Canyon to 4-Mile and intended to go to Gold Hill. I made it to where the road turns to dirt and continued climbing, but it was super hot and I had had enough. I was also not stoked to negotiate dirt descents on skinny tires today as required to get home from Gold Hill. By the time I got home I was cooked. Once in the neighborhood, I tacked on a lap around the block to make an even 40 miles in 2:15ish hours. I was pretty happy to have gotten out for my first real road ride of the year.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
06/03/10 Green Mountain
I hit the trail today with 3 gels and a full bottle, ready to just go as far/fast as I felt like. Started up the Amphitheater Trail going a fairly slow pace. Caught up to some college students who for the 3rd time in 3 days (different groups), saw me coming and decided to challenge (all on my easy days). I'll admit that at first, they put in a good effort and I contemplated upping my pace to play their game, but none of the challengers lasted for more than a minute or two so I never had to up my tempo, all followed by them blowing up catostrophically. Funny stuff.
Made the summit of Green in 37:39 with a HR of 159. Although my legs felt much better than in days past and my HR was moderate, the ascent still felt a bit more labored than it should have for some reason. I really wanted to head over to Bear/SoBo, as it was overcast and cool, but opted instead to run W. Ridge to SuperFlag/Long Canyon and back down Gregory. As much as I wanted to run for a few more hours, I figured it was prudent to save up a bit for a higher quality effort tomorrow. Long Canyon was awesome, so lush and green, perfect singletrack and wildflowers galore today, purple, pink, yellow and white. I only run this trail a few times per year, but every time I do, I question why I do not run it much more often. I stopped many times just to drink it all in and enjoyed just cruising along enjoying the day and the scenery.
Made the summit of Green in 37:39 with a HR of 159. Although my legs felt much better than in days past and my HR was moderate, the ascent still felt a bit more labored than it should have for some reason. I really wanted to head over to Bear/SoBo, as it was overcast and cool, but opted instead to run W. Ridge to SuperFlag/Long Canyon and back down Gregory. As much as I wanted to run for a few more hours, I figured it was prudent to save up a bit for a higher quality effort tomorrow. Long Canyon was awesome, so lush and green, perfect singletrack and wildflowers galore today, purple, pink, yellow and white. I only run this trail a few times per year, but every time I do, I question why I do not run it much more often. I stopped many times just to drink it all in and enjoyed just cruising along enjoying the day and the scenery.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wednesday, 06/02/10 Green Mountain
Went up/down Amphi/Saddle/Greenman. My legs felt better today, but my hamstrings are still a bit tight, so I resolved to just go easy to maximize recovery. Green is really living up to it's name, everything is so lush and fragrant and the wildflowers have just exploded within the last week or so. It even still seems like a bit of a novelty not having any snow to deal with. It just felt awesome to be out on such a nice summer evening.
Up: 37:38 (avg HR 154)
Down: 26:39 (avg HR 118)
Up: 37:38 (avg HR 154)
Down: 26:39 (avg HR 118)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Tuesday, 06/01/10 Green Mountain and May Stats
Ran Gregory/Ranger with Sierra. My hamstrings were killing me on the ascent (felt better though halfway up), so I just jogged easy and hiked much of it. The down full on sucked, hamstrings and quads were like rubber, again I just walked for the most part, jogging on occasion. Hoping to go easy the next few days and rebound for a good dig at Evans on Friday.
Up: 46:50 (avg HR 136)
Down (front): 32:08 (avg HR 98)
May Stats:
OK, my stats pale next to Tony, Brandon and George, but figured I would throw them out there FWIW.
Vertical: 74,500
Miles: 207
Green: 20
Bear: 3
SoBo: 2
Sanitas: 3
14ers: 5
Yearly:
Vertical: 283,970
Miles: 806
Green: 70
Bear: 8
SoBo: 7
Sanitas: 12
14ers: 6
13ers: 1
Sets of twins conceived: 1
Up: 46:50 (avg HR 136)
Down (front): 32:08 (avg HR 98)
May Stats:
OK, my stats pale next to Tony, Brandon and George, but figured I would throw them out there FWIW.
Vertical: 74,500
Miles: 207
Green: 20
Bear: 3
SoBo: 2
Sanitas: 3
14ers: 5
Yearly:
Vertical: 283,970
Miles: 806
Green: 70
Bear: 8
SoBo: 7
Sanitas: 12
14ers: 6
13ers: 1
Sets of twins conceived: 1
Monday, 05/31/10 Bolder Boulder/Green Mountain
Bolder Boulder 10k/Green Mountain
05/31/10
38:59 BB 10k (avg HR 171/max 182)
39:39 Up Green via Amphi/Saddle/Greenman (avg HR 160/max 178)
26:52 down Green (avg HR 137/max 152)
My work put together several corporate teams to compete in the Bolder Boulder as they had in years past and while heating my lunch in the microwave one day, a co-worker who I had never met suggested that I sign up to run. Though running on flat pavement is just not my thing (I generally REALLY hate it), I looked at this as a perfect opportunity for a little speed training, a free race and a to have a fun time.
After a ~1/4 mile warm-up from where I locked up my bike, I arrived at the start line 25 minutes or so before the start and immediately ran into Brandon who was also looking for me. Great timing in a sea of similar looking runners.
We wormed our way up through the waves to the AA sign and chatted while waiting for the gun. Some ESPN dude who I never heard of fired the gun at 7:01 and we were off. It took a minute or two to get into a groove and sort my way through the crowd. The pace seemed quick, but my HR was in the low 160’s and I was feeling pretty comfortable. I hit the first mile in 5:53 which I was happy with and was sure I could stay in that range for 5.2 more miles. The next mile had a small hill, but was barely a blip and I hit mile 2 at 12:10. I still felt good, but was a little concerned that I ran the second mile 17 seconds slower than the last. After that, much of it blends together, but there were a lot of turns in the course and I started to get a bit of a cramp in my abdomen. I soon forgot about that cramp though, as I started to notice my quads getting sore and cramped.
I still felt like I was going a decent pace, but my splits along the way were showing otherwise. My breathing felt controlled and even felt as though I could converse if I wanted to, but my legs were just not able to react as I had hoped. I pushed a bit over the last mile or so, trying to get to the finish with my watch reading 38 something and felt it awkward running on the surface of the stadium. My watch was ticking fast and I sprinted for the line, but was slowed by a runner or two in front of me who stopped on the finish line, forcing me to slow and dance around them. Not sure why anybody would stop ON the finish line, but it seemed to be not entirely uncommon I noticed as I got out of the way and waited for Brandon, who was only seconds’ back. I was sure that I got a bit of a gap on him in the first mile or so, but knew that he would be running smart and consistent splits and just had a feeling that he would be closing in toward the end and I dared not look back. I half expected/wanted him to catch me, so we could run together, but at the same time I wanted to finish ahead of him.
Brandon and I took our time walking out of the stadium, chatting with John T, Ricky G and then bumped into Kerrie and her husband Glenn and chatted with them for a few minutes. I was full of energy and wanted to go run Green, but unfortunately I could not talk Brandon into it (he had a big month). I walked/shuffled back to my car at BHS and then drove up to the Gregory TH. When I stepped out of the car, my legs were now ceasing up a bit, feeling the 1st run of the morning and I questioned whether or not it was the best thing to do, but it was such an AWESOME morning, clear, cool, calm and uncrowded. How could I resist?
Amphitheater trail hurt a bit, but I soon got into a bit of a groove, until I started to bonk a few minutes later. I was thankful I took a gel with me which I took at the Saddle/Greenman junction. I struggled a bit until the gel finally kicked in about five minutes from the top. I spent a few minutes enjoying the morning and could faintly hear/see the Bolder Boulder going on far below. The trip down was slow and messy, as my quads were now completely shot and it is the downhill that hurts the worst.
All in all I am happy with my time all things considered. Although I like to imagine myself going faster, I am not at all surprised, as my specific training for this was limited to 2 miles of quick running (on the treadmill as my qualifier) and never once felt the inclination to train specifically for this type of running.
I also think I was feeling residual pain from running Mt. Evans on Thursday, as that paved downhill beat my quads to the point where I was hobbling all weekend. In a nutshell, I am full of excuses, but ultimately, paved running is just not my thing. I did however have an awesome time, as the Bolder Boulder is such a spectacle and feel that this experience will benefit me in the long run as the summer progresses.
Below are my splits and at first glance, it appears as though I went out too fast (as I have a habit of doing). Oddly though, I still don't feel that is the case. The first mile felt very controlled and I think I probably would have run the same splits in the following miles, even if I had run a more conservative first mile (I say this due to the state of my legs going into this race). Maybe this just reflects my inexperience and naivete in regards to running a road 10k. I'm certainly open to critique though.
Bib Number: AA089
Overall Place: 407/50,421
M38 Division Place:10 out of 447
Gender Place: 386 out of 22554
Mile 1: 0: 05:53.28
Mile 2: 0: 06:17:02
Mile 3:0: 06:27.56
Mile 4:0: 06:19.24
Mile 5:0: 06:16.72
Mile 6:0: 06:25.52
Net Time: 0:38:59.73
Pace: 6:17 (based on net time)
05/31/10
38:59 BB 10k (avg HR 171/max 182)
39:39 Up Green via Amphi/Saddle/Greenman (avg HR 160/max 178)
26:52 down Green (avg HR 137/max 152)
My work put together several corporate teams to compete in the Bolder Boulder as they had in years past and while heating my lunch in the microwave one day, a co-worker who I had never met suggested that I sign up to run. Though running on flat pavement is just not my thing (I generally REALLY hate it), I looked at this as a perfect opportunity for a little speed training, a free race and a to have a fun time.
After a ~1/4 mile warm-up from where I locked up my bike, I arrived at the start line 25 minutes or so before the start and immediately ran into Brandon who was also looking for me. Great timing in a sea of similar looking runners.
We wormed our way up through the waves to the AA sign and chatted while waiting for the gun. Some ESPN dude who I never heard of fired the gun at 7:01 and we were off. It took a minute or two to get into a groove and sort my way through the crowd. The pace seemed quick, but my HR was in the low 160’s and I was feeling pretty comfortable. I hit the first mile in 5:53 which I was happy with and was sure I could stay in that range for 5.2 more miles. The next mile had a small hill, but was barely a blip and I hit mile 2 at 12:10. I still felt good, but was a little concerned that I ran the second mile 17 seconds slower than the last. After that, much of it blends together, but there were a lot of turns in the course and I started to get a bit of a cramp in my abdomen. I soon forgot about that cramp though, as I started to notice my quads getting sore and cramped.
I still felt like I was going a decent pace, but my splits along the way were showing otherwise. My breathing felt controlled and even felt as though I could converse if I wanted to, but my legs were just not able to react as I had hoped. I pushed a bit over the last mile or so, trying to get to the finish with my watch reading 38 something and felt it awkward running on the surface of the stadium. My watch was ticking fast and I sprinted for the line, but was slowed by a runner or two in front of me who stopped on the finish line, forcing me to slow and dance around them. Not sure why anybody would stop ON the finish line, but it seemed to be not entirely uncommon I noticed as I got out of the way and waited for Brandon, who was only seconds’ back. I was sure that I got a bit of a gap on him in the first mile or so, but knew that he would be running smart and consistent splits and just had a feeling that he would be closing in toward the end and I dared not look back. I half expected/wanted him to catch me, so we could run together, but at the same time I wanted to finish ahead of him.
Brandon and I took our time walking out of the stadium, chatting with John T, Ricky G and then bumped into Kerrie and her husband Glenn and chatted with them for a few minutes. I was full of energy and wanted to go run Green, but unfortunately I could not talk Brandon into it (he had a big month). I walked/shuffled back to my car at BHS and then drove up to the Gregory TH. When I stepped out of the car, my legs were now ceasing up a bit, feeling the 1st run of the morning and I questioned whether or not it was the best thing to do, but it was such an AWESOME morning, clear, cool, calm and uncrowded. How could I resist?
Amphitheater trail hurt a bit, but I soon got into a bit of a groove, until I started to bonk a few minutes later. I was thankful I took a gel with me which I took at the Saddle/Greenman junction. I struggled a bit until the gel finally kicked in about five minutes from the top. I spent a few minutes enjoying the morning and could faintly hear/see the Bolder Boulder going on far below. The trip down was slow and messy, as my quads were now completely shot and it is the downhill that hurts the worst.
All in all I am happy with my time all things considered. Although I like to imagine myself going faster, I am not at all surprised, as my specific training for this was limited to 2 miles of quick running (on the treadmill as my qualifier) and never once felt the inclination to train specifically for this type of running.
I also think I was feeling residual pain from running Mt. Evans on Thursday, as that paved downhill beat my quads to the point where I was hobbling all weekend. In a nutshell, I am full of excuses, but ultimately, paved running is just not my thing. I did however have an awesome time, as the Bolder Boulder is such a spectacle and feel that this experience will benefit me in the long run as the summer progresses.
Below are my splits and at first glance, it appears as though I went out too fast (as I have a habit of doing). Oddly though, I still don't feel that is the case. The first mile felt very controlled and I think I probably would have run the same splits in the following miles, even if I had run a more conservative first mile (I say this due to the state of my legs going into this race). Maybe this just reflects my inexperience and naivete in regards to running a road 10k. I'm certainly open to critique though.
Bib Number: AA089
Overall Place: 407/50,421
M38 Division Place:10 out of 447
Gender Place: 386 out of 22554
Mile 1: 0: 05:53.28
Mile 2: 0: 06:17:02
Mile 3:0: 06:27.56
Mile 4:0: 06:19.24
Mile 5:0: 06:16.72
Mile 6:0: 06:25.52
Net Time: 0:38:59.73
Pace: 6:17 (based on net time)
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday, 05/28/10 Grays/Torreys
Grays/Torreys
05/28/10
9 miles/3,600 vertical
Sierra and I
2:34:58 RT
Grays Ascent #20
Torreys Ascent #19
14er Ascent #220
Woke up before my alarm this morning and decided to get going early with the intention of avoiding getting seared by the sun and post-holing. The road to the Stevens Gulch TH is passable and in good condition for just about any car, aside from a few lingering patches within sight of the TH, the road is snow free and smooth (relatively).
We got to the TH a little after 6am and futzed around for a bit, not in too big of a hurry. Started from the bridge at 6:30am and I was amazed at how much snow had melted since last week. The trail was dry for the first few hundred feet, then was mostly snow, but was well frozen and easy to walk on. Last week, I followed the bulk of footprints lower through the valley, as not many, if any had stuck to the actual summer route. Today however, I tried this again and it was a big mistake and gave me a newfound appreciation for “trap door” snow.
After a slow start through the willows, I made it to the well tracked trail just below the sign under Kelso’s slopes. From here, the trail conditions improved dramatically and post-holing would generally not be an issue for the remainder of the day. I jogged a few sections, but mostly hiked, as I was a little sore from running Evans yesterday. I knew this going in and it was my intention to go somewhat casual no matter what and just get in a short altitude workout.
Since the trail to the saddle was well tracked, I decided to go up Torreys first while the snow was still frozen. I was wearing Microspikes which helped quite a bit, as well as the well formed footprints from those who had gone before me. The wind was a bit gusty through here, so I took it slow and careful, as I did not have my axe and a fall could potentially be a bit of a setback.
I plodded on what snow remained on Torreys, mostly staying on top and spent little time there, as the wind was a bit cold. The trip to Grays was a bit easier than last week and the trip back to the TH was a cruise on the still hard snow, finishing a few minutes after 9am.
Splits:
Stevens Gulch TH: 0:00
Saddle: 1:08
Torreys: 1:23
Grays: 1:43
Stevens Gulch TH: 2:34 (avg HR 139/max 161)
05/28/10
9 miles/3,600 vertical
Sierra and I
2:34:58 RT
Grays Ascent #20
Torreys Ascent #19
14er Ascent #220
Woke up before my alarm this morning and decided to get going early with the intention of avoiding getting seared by the sun and post-holing. The road to the Stevens Gulch TH is passable and in good condition for just about any car, aside from a few lingering patches within sight of the TH, the road is snow free and smooth (relatively).
We got to the TH a little after 6am and futzed around for a bit, not in too big of a hurry. Started from the bridge at 6:30am and I was amazed at how much snow had melted since last week. The trail was dry for the first few hundred feet, then was mostly snow, but was well frozen and easy to walk on. Last week, I followed the bulk of footprints lower through the valley, as not many, if any had stuck to the actual summer route. Today however, I tried this again and it was a big mistake and gave me a newfound appreciation for “trap door” snow.
After a slow start through the willows, I made it to the well tracked trail just below the sign under Kelso’s slopes. From here, the trail conditions improved dramatically and post-holing would generally not be an issue for the remainder of the day. I jogged a few sections, but mostly hiked, as I was a little sore from running Evans yesterday. I knew this going in and it was my intention to go somewhat casual no matter what and just get in a short altitude workout.
Since the trail to the saddle was well tracked, I decided to go up Torreys first while the snow was still frozen. I was wearing Microspikes which helped quite a bit, as well as the well formed footprints from those who had gone before me. The wind was a bit gusty through here, so I took it slow and careful, as I did not have my axe and a fall could potentially be a bit of a setback.
I plodded on what snow remained on Torreys, mostly staying on top and spent little time there, as the wind was a bit cold. The trip to Grays was a bit easier than last week and the trip back to the TH was a cruise on the still hard snow, finishing a few minutes after 9am.
Splits:
Stevens Gulch TH: 0:00
Saddle: 1:08
Torreys: 1:23
Grays: 1:43
Stevens Gulch TH: 2:34 (avg HR 139/max 161)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thursday, 05/27/10 Mt. Evans
Mt. Evans 14,264
05/27/10
Mt. Evans Road from Echo Lake gate/NE Face Route
Partners: Tony (his version), Brandon (his version)
~19 miles/3,700 vertical
2:11 up/26 on top/1:24 down
Evans Summit #26
14er Summit #218
We were all itching to get up high for some good altitude training and after throwing around ideas earlier in the week, Tony suggested Mt. Evans to avoid the snow that is still blanketing many of the usual high country trails in order to get in some actual running instead of post-holing. This sounded great to me, as the road is still closed (opens tomorrow) and I could use it as good practice for my upcoming race there on June 19th.
We met at Neptune in Boulder at 6am and Brandon was gracious enough to drive. We took our time at the “trailhead” (or roadhead?) and eventually got going a few minutes before 7:30. We jogged together at the start, trying our best to re-adjust to running at such an altitude and generally went conversational pace (albeit a bit labored at times). Just before the 2 mile marker, Tony pulled off to take care of some business in the woods and I just kept trotting along, knowing that he would catch up eventually.
Trying to keep my road running to a minimum, I jumped off the road just before the “bristlecone” switchback near tree-line and cut up the steep hillside. Running this road can be a bit monotonous, but it was an excellent altitude workout. At around the 4-5 mile mark, the wind started to pick up in earnest and was mostly a headwind to Summit Lake. I was very glad to have packed the extra shirt, hooded wind breaker and hat/gloves and soon pulled over to put it all on. Some gusts were strong enough to nearly stop me in my tracks and many threw me well off my intended line. I called upon my years of cycling experience and tried my best to get aero. Though it helped a bit, it really just resulted in a sore lower back.
Tony was planning to stick to the road and I was going to take my chances with the snow on the NE face. Tony was quickly catching up at this point and I paused a bit before heading up-slope to talk about maybe meeting on top depending (vague “plans”). I started up the snow and was glad to find that it held my weight, yet was soft enough for kicking perfect steps and I was completely sheltered from the wind. I was planning to piece together patches of bare ground the best I could, but the snow ended up being more efficient and preferable. This section only took 27 minutes to the parking lot going at a steady, but not too intense pace, then four more minutes to the true summit (2:11:29 @ 159 avg HR). It was now 9:38 and the wind was cranking, so I dropped off the true summit and found shelter from the wind in one of the old/roofless summit buildings.
Tony arrived ~18 minutes later (sticking to the road is MUCH longer and windier), where he tagged the top quickly (new 14er for him) and I then talked him into descending the snow with me. The snow descent went quick, 9 minutes to the road, then we fought wind for a few miles down the road until it finally subsided (1:24 descent time @ 157 bpm average….. you actually have to push a bit to get down this road).
Brandon was not planning to run to the summit, but opted to run to Summit Lake and back, so he was long finished and changed by the time we returned to the car. We hung out for a while recounting the day, re-fueling and having a good time, in no hurry to get back down to the heat.
An awesome day out with great company.
05/27/10
Mt. Evans Road from Echo Lake gate/NE Face Route
Partners: Tony (his version), Brandon (his version)
~19 miles/3,700 vertical
2:11 up/26 on top/1:24 down
Evans Summit #26
14er Summit #218
We were all itching to get up high for some good altitude training and after throwing around ideas earlier in the week, Tony suggested Mt. Evans to avoid the snow that is still blanketing many of the usual high country trails in order to get in some actual running instead of post-holing. This sounded great to me, as the road is still closed (opens tomorrow) and I could use it as good practice for my upcoming race there on June 19th.
We met at Neptune in Boulder at 6am and Brandon was gracious enough to drive. We took our time at the “trailhead” (or roadhead?) and eventually got going a few minutes before 7:30. We jogged together at the start, trying our best to re-adjust to running at such an altitude and generally went conversational pace (albeit a bit labored at times). Just before the 2 mile marker, Tony pulled off to take care of some business in the woods and I just kept trotting along, knowing that he would catch up eventually.
Trying to keep my road running to a minimum, I jumped off the road just before the “bristlecone” switchback near tree-line and cut up the steep hillside. Running this road can be a bit monotonous, but it was an excellent altitude workout. At around the 4-5 mile mark, the wind started to pick up in earnest and was mostly a headwind to Summit Lake. I was very glad to have packed the extra shirt, hooded wind breaker and hat/gloves and soon pulled over to put it all on. Some gusts were strong enough to nearly stop me in my tracks and many threw me well off my intended line. I called upon my years of cycling experience and tried my best to get aero. Though it helped a bit, it really just resulted in a sore lower back.
Tony was planning to stick to the road and I was going to take my chances with the snow on the NE face. Tony was quickly catching up at this point and I paused a bit before heading up-slope to talk about maybe meeting on top depending (vague “plans”). I started up the snow and was glad to find that it held my weight, yet was soft enough for kicking perfect steps and I was completely sheltered from the wind. I was planning to piece together patches of bare ground the best I could, but the snow ended up being more efficient and preferable. This section only took 27 minutes to the parking lot going at a steady, but not too intense pace, then four more minutes to the true summit (2:11:29 @ 159 avg HR). It was now 9:38 and the wind was cranking, so I dropped off the true summit and found shelter from the wind in one of the old/roofless summit buildings.
Tony arrived ~18 minutes later (sticking to the road is MUCH longer and windier), where he tagged the top quickly (new 14er for him) and I then talked him into descending the snow with me. The snow descent went quick, 9 minutes to the road, then we fought wind for a few miles down the road until it finally subsided (1:24 descent time @ 157 bpm average….. you actually have to push a bit to get down this road).
Brandon was not planning to run to the summit, but opted to run to Summit Lake and back, so he was long finished and changed by the time we returned to the car. We hung out for a while recounting the day, re-fueling and having a good time, in no hurry to get back down to the heat.
An awesome day out with great company.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday, 05/25/10 Green Mountain
Ran Green via Amphi/Saddle/Greenman today. After feeling a bit sluggish (crappy) the previous day, I was not sure which way things would go today. I had it in my head that I would go moderate at most, but start off easy and just feel it out. Started up Amphi really casual, but even going casual with a low HR, I arrived at the 1st jct. in 6:30 which was not too bad considering. My legs felt surprisingly good, so I upped the intensity a bit, but was still not at all committed or really pushing. Hit the Saddle/Greenman jct. in 18:37 and was buoyed by the time, so I continued to ratchet up the tempo. I was sure I would be in the 33 range, so I did not dig too deep, but as I got closer, I knew a sub 33 was in the cards. I cranked hard through the final steps and switchbacks, but again missed PR by seconds. I was not at all bummed by this though, as I was only 2 seconds off last trip, but was six beats per minute lower and my percieved effort was comparatively easier as well. Easy at the start, moderate in the middle, hard near the top, might have to play with this combo a bit soon and I am sure I can PR on the right day. I turned around to backtrack my ascent route and pushed somewhat hard on the down, feeling like everything was clicking well. Excellent day on Green.
Splits:
Gregory lot: 0:00
Amphi/Saddle: 6:30
1st jct.: 12:ish
Overlook: 14:14?
Greenman jct.: 18:37
Summit 32:41 (avg HR 168/max 183)
Descent: 20:34 (avg HR 157/max 171)
Splits:
Gregory lot: 0:00
Amphi/Saddle: 6:30
1st jct.: 12:ish
Overlook: 14:14?
Greenman jct.: 18:37
Summit 32:41 (avg HR 168/max 183)
Descent: 20:34 (avg HR 157/max 171)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, 05/24/10 Bear Peak
Woke up 20 minutes late this morning and was in a fog, just felt 1 step behind and out of sync all day. Dogless today, I had ambitions to do something a little more than the normal Green Mountain dog jog, but the cranking wind all afternoon did nothing to snap me out of my malaise. As I walked out the door of work, I contemplated just heading home and blowing the run off as I was getting tossed about in the wind, but figured I would head to Bear and see how it went.
Within a few steps up the Cragmoor connector trail, I knew I was not feeling it and almost bailed, but I was in a wind shadow and it was reasonably nice out, so I just plugged along at a steady pace. Just going up the peak was a bit of an effort, the steps seemed larger than normal, but I never put much into it, just kind of put my head down and focused on one step at a time. Made the saddle in 26:30ish, not great, but not terrible either. I normally love the steep upper section, but today both my mind and body balked at the gradient.
The wind picked up toward the top and it got a little cold, so I just used the cold as an excuse to skip heading over to SoBo. Coming down, it felt as though I had 2 left feet. Back at the car, I was glad I got out, but even more glad to be done. Just one of those days I guess. Heading to bed early hoping to recoup.
Up: 40:27 (avg HR 159/max 172)
Down: 27:18 (avg 130/max 156)
Within a few steps up the Cragmoor connector trail, I knew I was not feeling it and almost bailed, but I was in a wind shadow and it was reasonably nice out, so I just plugged along at a steady pace. Just going up the peak was a bit of an effort, the steps seemed larger than normal, but I never put much into it, just kind of put my head down and focused on one step at a time. Made the saddle in 26:30ish, not great, but not terrible either. I normally love the steep upper section, but today both my mind and body balked at the gradient.
The wind picked up toward the top and it got a little cold, so I just used the cold as an excuse to skip heading over to SoBo. Coming down, it felt as though I had 2 left feet. Back at the car, I was glad I got out, but even more glad to be done. Just one of those days I guess. Heading to bed early hoping to recoup.
Up: 40:27 (avg HR 159/max 172)
Down: 27:18 (avg 130/max 156)
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sunday, 05/23/10 Green
Easy day with Sierra up/down Gregory/Ranger. I think she was a bit tired still from Grays/Torreys and it is getting a little warm for her, especially without the snow, but fortunately, there were plenty of good water stops to be had.
Up: 38:54 (avg HR 140/max 160)
Down: 29:43
Up: 38:54 (avg HR 140/max 160)
Down: 29:43
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday, 05/21/10 Grays/Torreys/Grays
Grays/Torreys
05/21/10
13.4 miles
5,000 vertical
4:51 RT
Sierra and I
After running a PR on SuperFlag yesterday and a near PR on Green Monday, my primary intent for this trip was simply to enjoy the day with Sierra and get in a little acclimatizing before the Mt. Evans race on June 19th, as it has been over 2 months since my last foray to 14k.
I was up at 3am and anxious to go, but it was way too early to do anything. Not sure if I went back to sleep or not, but I was up for sure at 4:19am and took my time futzing around the house getting ready. Out the door by 5:15am, I took my time, stopping for food along the way and made it to Bakerville by ~6:30. I was not sure what to expect, but knew from recent reports that the normally too rough for my car road to Stevens Gulch had been graded and much of the snow along the way had melted, so I figured I would see how far I could drive and spare myself some boring road slogging.
I made it exactly 1.3 miles up the now very smooth road before my efforts were thwarted by a significant snow bank just beyond the Grizzly Gulch junction. There were some deep ruts, but also lots of sticks, branches and rocks, indicating previous toil, so I opted to call it good enough and park.
Sierra and I started up the road at exactly 7am and once past the initial short (frozen) piles of snow, the road was pretty much dry for the next mile or so. Eventually, the road became primarily snowpacked (still rock solid ice early in the morning), with deep ruts, more sticks, rocks, logs and the occasional car part. At the creek crossing just prior to the private cabins just before the summer TH, there were several SUVs parked on the side, a red VW Jetta with Missouri plates stuck in the creek, and a hopped up Jeep with chains also stuck in the creek next to the Jetta (tried and failed to get around).
I chatted with the Jeep guys for a few as they shoveled and strategized and we made mention of the nerve of the people in the Jetta (more to come on that). I made it to the TH in ~27 minutes and took a 3 minute break before continuing onward. The bridge that crosses the creek here is typically ~10 feet above the water, but is now acting as a dam, as the snow and ice has really piled up here over the Winter/Spring.
Within 5 or 10 minutes above the bridge, I was now in full sunlight and though it was still before 8am, the snow was quickly starting to soften. I did not posthole through the valley, but it was softening enough that I would break through the crust an inch or two and was a bit inefficient.
Above the Kelso cutoff at 12,300, the snowpack quickly transitioned into Winter like conditions which became increasingly slow and tedious. There were several people far ahead that I was gaining on and at times I was thankful that they had broken trail, but it soon became a choice between stepping in their knee to thigh deep postholes, or creating my own.
For the most part, I opted to step in their footprints to take the guesswork out of it and occasionally ventured off to see if I could stay on top. Sometimes this worked, as I am lighter than the guys ahead today, but either way, very slow going. Perhaps the snowiest I have ever experienced on these peaks in any season on the high slopes.
As I neared the summit of Grays, I spotted 2 college aged guys in gym shorts starting down (though it was windy and cold on the ridge). I was immediately sure that they were the owners of the red Jetta and expressed how impressed I was that he made it up the road as far as they did, but sympathized (I actually thought it was very funny) with the fact that they were now going to need to be towed out for a few hundred dollars as a consequence for their youthful bravado. They also admitted to hitting something in the road losing all their coolant and overheating just prior to getting stuck. Oops.
I made the summit in a casual 2:10 from the car (avg. HR 136/max 156) and took an 11 minute break, just as a guy on a snowboard dropped off the summit. The trip over to Torreys was a bit slower than normal due to the punchy/variable snow and I was really careful to not drop a leg in too deep. Once I neared the saddle, snow conditions improved marginally and I deliberately stayed well away from the monster cornices to my right. I spent a few minutes on Torreys chatting with the snowboarder who arrived there just after I and then made quick work of the descent back to the saddle. I debated what would be the best way out, ultimately opting for the longer, but safer re-ascent of Grays, as the descent from the saddle showed no signs of recent travel (I had an axe and Microspikes, but erred on the side of caution).
The re-ascent of Grays was a bit of a slog, but not as bad as I had envisioned. The wind died down and it quickly got warm a few hundred feet off the summit, forcing me to stop and shed some layers. The blazing sun reflecting off the snow was oven like and the snow was quickly beginning to soften, but Sierra and I made the most of it, as we played and chased one another, whooping, barking and having a great time in the fluffy snow. The lower we went though, postholing became increasingly frequent, typically only shin deep, but with the occasional trap door that would stop me in my tracks and require me to extricate myself. I debated if I would have been any better off had I opted to bring my snowshoes, but I am convinced they would have been troublesome in the wet snow. Such are the joys of Spring.
Back at the summer TH, my thoughts returned to the guys with the Jetta and started to feel a bit bad for the hours of mental entertainment their misfortune had bestowed upon me. Sure enough, the car was still there and I remembered that we all make stupid mistakes from time to time. I took pity and offered a ride into town, but one had already hitched a ride and there was nothing I could do. Oh well, my intentions were good (eventually).
All in all a great day. I was quite content going casual and was very happy to get up high after a long absence. Sierra and I had such a blast together; it was, as always so much fun to see her romping in the snow with a huge grin. It will be a while before this route is truly “runnable”, but I hope to check it out a few more times before the Mt. Evans race.
Splits:
Start 7:00am
Summer TH: 7:27-7:30
Grays: 9:10-9:21
(HR 133/max 154 Grays to Torreys)
Torreys: 9:49-9:52
(HR 134/max 151 Torreys to Grays)
Grays: 10:18-10:21
Summer TH: 11:22-11:25
(HR 116/max 135 Grays to car)
Finish: 11:51am
05/21/10
13.4 miles
5,000 vertical
4:51 RT
Sierra and I
After running a PR on SuperFlag yesterday and a near PR on Green Monday, my primary intent for this trip was simply to enjoy the day with Sierra and get in a little acclimatizing before the Mt. Evans race on June 19th, as it has been over 2 months since my last foray to 14k.
I was up at 3am and anxious to go, but it was way too early to do anything. Not sure if I went back to sleep or not, but I was up for sure at 4:19am and took my time futzing around the house getting ready. Out the door by 5:15am, I took my time, stopping for food along the way and made it to Bakerville by ~6:30. I was not sure what to expect, but knew from recent reports that the normally too rough for my car road to Stevens Gulch had been graded and much of the snow along the way had melted, so I figured I would see how far I could drive and spare myself some boring road slogging.
I made it exactly 1.3 miles up the now very smooth road before my efforts were thwarted by a significant snow bank just beyond the Grizzly Gulch junction. There were some deep ruts, but also lots of sticks, branches and rocks, indicating previous toil, so I opted to call it good enough and park.
Sierra and I started up the road at exactly 7am and once past the initial short (frozen) piles of snow, the road was pretty much dry for the next mile or so. Eventually, the road became primarily snowpacked (still rock solid ice early in the morning), with deep ruts, more sticks, rocks, logs and the occasional car part. At the creek crossing just prior to the private cabins just before the summer TH, there were several SUVs parked on the side, a red VW Jetta with Missouri plates stuck in the creek, and a hopped up Jeep with chains also stuck in the creek next to the Jetta (tried and failed to get around).
I chatted with the Jeep guys for a few as they shoveled and strategized and we made mention of the nerve of the people in the Jetta (more to come on that). I made it to the TH in ~27 minutes and took a 3 minute break before continuing onward. The bridge that crosses the creek here is typically ~10 feet above the water, but is now acting as a dam, as the snow and ice has really piled up here over the Winter/Spring.
Within 5 or 10 minutes above the bridge, I was now in full sunlight and though it was still before 8am, the snow was quickly starting to soften. I did not posthole through the valley, but it was softening enough that I would break through the crust an inch or two and was a bit inefficient.
Above the Kelso cutoff at 12,300, the snowpack quickly transitioned into Winter like conditions which became increasingly slow and tedious. There were several people far ahead that I was gaining on and at times I was thankful that they had broken trail, but it soon became a choice between stepping in their knee to thigh deep postholes, or creating my own.
For the most part, I opted to step in their footprints to take the guesswork out of it and occasionally ventured off to see if I could stay on top. Sometimes this worked, as I am lighter than the guys ahead today, but either way, very slow going. Perhaps the snowiest I have ever experienced on these peaks in any season on the high slopes.
As I neared the summit of Grays, I spotted 2 college aged guys in gym shorts starting down (though it was windy and cold on the ridge). I was immediately sure that they were the owners of the red Jetta and expressed how impressed I was that he made it up the road as far as they did, but sympathized (I actually thought it was very funny) with the fact that they were now going to need to be towed out for a few hundred dollars as a consequence for their youthful bravado. They also admitted to hitting something in the road losing all their coolant and overheating just prior to getting stuck. Oops.
I made the summit in a casual 2:10 from the car (avg. HR 136/max 156) and took an 11 minute break, just as a guy on a snowboard dropped off the summit. The trip over to Torreys was a bit slower than normal due to the punchy/variable snow and I was really careful to not drop a leg in too deep. Once I neared the saddle, snow conditions improved marginally and I deliberately stayed well away from the monster cornices to my right. I spent a few minutes on Torreys chatting with the snowboarder who arrived there just after I and then made quick work of the descent back to the saddle. I debated what would be the best way out, ultimately opting for the longer, but safer re-ascent of Grays, as the descent from the saddle showed no signs of recent travel (I had an axe and Microspikes, but erred on the side of caution).
The re-ascent of Grays was a bit of a slog, but not as bad as I had envisioned. The wind died down and it quickly got warm a few hundred feet off the summit, forcing me to stop and shed some layers. The blazing sun reflecting off the snow was oven like and the snow was quickly beginning to soften, but Sierra and I made the most of it, as we played and chased one another, whooping, barking and having a great time in the fluffy snow. The lower we went though, postholing became increasingly frequent, typically only shin deep, but with the occasional trap door that would stop me in my tracks and require me to extricate myself. I debated if I would have been any better off had I opted to bring my snowshoes, but I am convinced they would have been troublesome in the wet snow. Such are the joys of Spring.
Back at the summer TH, my thoughts returned to the guys with the Jetta and started to feel a bit bad for the hours of mental entertainment their misfortune had bestowed upon me. Sure enough, the car was still there and I remembered that we all make stupid mistakes from time to time. I took pity and offered a ride into town, but one had already hitched a ride and there was nothing I could do. Oh well, my intentions were good (eventually).
All in all a great day. I was quite content going casual and was very happy to get up high after a long absence. Sierra and I had such a blast together; it was, as always so much fun to see her romping in the snow with a huge grin. It will be a while before this route is truly “runnable”, but I hope to check it out a few more times before the Mt. Evans race.
Splits:
Start 7:00am
Summer TH: 7:27-7:30
Grays: 9:10-9:21
(HR 133/max 154 Grays to Torreys)
Torreys: 9:49-9:52
(HR 134/max 151 Torreys to Grays)
Grays: 10:18-10:21
Summer TH: 11:22-11:25
(HR 116/max 135 Grays to car)
Finish: 11:51am
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, 05/20/10 PR on SuperFlag/Green Mountain
Met up with Brandon at Chautauqua and we had a nice warm-up over to the base of Flag, catching up on things as it seems like a while since we have run together.
Started our watches at the bridge and within a few strides, I knew I was going to have a great run. I started off fairly hard, but never really felt as though as I was over-extending myself, just took a few minutes for everything to start to sync up. I focused on fast cadence and consistency and was doing my best to use the entire road as traffic dictated.
Around the halfway point, my quads were starting to feel the effort, but I think it was more to do with running on pavement and not having taken a down day for a while, but my cardiovascular system was feeling excellent, especially in the cool, overcast and somewhat humid conditions. I knew I would be close to PR, so I kept slowly upping the tempo, until I was hitting a full on sprint past the final swichback. I stopped my watch at the "Leaving Boulder Open Space" sign at 37:41, gasping for air, but feeling that absolute highest of runners highs.
I jogged back down to meet Brandon, who was not far back and accompanied him back up to the top. From there, we jogged at a moderate pace over to Green, down Greenman/NE Ridge/Saddle Rock (all the way skipping Amphi), then back to Chautauqua.
This was one of those runs where I just felt great and everything was just clicking.
Splits: SuperFlag 37:41 (avg HR 172/max 183)
Green from SuperFlag: 16:36 (avg HR 157/max 175)
Descent back to Chautauqua: 34:00 (avg HR 127/max 163)
Started our watches at the bridge and within a few strides, I knew I was going to have a great run. I started off fairly hard, but never really felt as though as I was over-extending myself, just took a few minutes for everything to start to sync up. I focused on fast cadence and consistency and was doing my best to use the entire road as traffic dictated.
Around the halfway point, my quads were starting to feel the effort, but I think it was more to do with running on pavement and not having taken a down day for a while, but my cardiovascular system was feeling excellent, especially in the cool, overcast and somewhat humid conditions. I knew I would be close to PR, so I kept slowly upping the tempo, until I was hitting a full on sprint past the final swichback. I stopped my watch at the "Leaving Boulder Open Space" sign at 37:41, gasping for air, but feeling that absolute highest of runners highs.
I jogged back down to meet Brandon, who was not far back and accompanied him back up to the top. From there, we jogged at a moderate pace over to Green, down Greenman/NE Ridge/Saddle Rock (all the way skipping Amphi), then back to Chautauqua.
This was one of those runs where I just felt great and everything was just clicking.
Splits: SuperFlag 37:41 (avg HR 172/max 183)
Green from SuperFlag: 16:36 (avg HR 157/max 175)
Descent back to Chautauqua: 34:00 (avg HR 127/max 163)
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