May 4th- May 10th

"I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate." - George Burns

Seemed like a good quote to remember as I put a bow around these last few weeks of this training block.  Just keep reminding myself that it does not matter what happens in Cape Town, it is just a race and I love to race/run, that is all that matters.  Have to quit letting external people's expectations effect my stress levels concerning the race, I know sounds dumb when I type it out but that pressure/stress is there for me even if it is self induced.

Monday:

11 AM:  8.6 miles w/ 450ft of vert averaging 7:20pace.  Easy mid-morning cruise from work over around Link Lake and back to get a little bit of a hill. Felt super chill but pace was solid. Planning on going in late this afternoon to get the legs needled and loosened up, they are tight as hell and need to do some maintenance so I don't end up hurt.

Tuesday:  

6:30 AM:  8.2 miles averaging 7:30pace. Super chill run from work before the work day begins. Started out in the rain (just a drizzle) but about 10mins into the run it turned to snow for the rest of the run. Cold and wet when I got done but it wasn't as bad as I was expected. Legs are sore as hell from the needling I had done yesterday afternoon but that was to be expected.

--  Had plans to go do another 5K this evening but got stuck with work shit.  We did not feel like rushing to the Boulder Rez to make the start in a snow storm so we skipped it. Plus the legs are sore has hell anyways.

Wednesday:

7 AM:  8.2 miles w/ 500ft of vert averaging 7:25pace.  Easy snowy jog from the house up to HWY 128 and back to get some hills. Stayed off any trails figuring they would be a mud fest with the 6-8  inches of wet snow we got overnight. Little bit of slogging going on with ankle deep snow in some places and dodging down tree limbs everywhere.  Legs felt better than yesterday but still tired, all good though.  Had to get this in early, busy work day today and would not be able to get out mid-morning or after lunch.

Something I came across today that I really need to start remembering because I am 100% guilty of this.   “Sometimes I have to remind myself that the point of a session is to gain fitness, not to prove fitness.” -Canadian Olympic marathoner Reid Coolsaet

5 PM:  50mins VASA Lift class with Paula- Upper body focus.

Thursday:  

10:30 AM:  12 miles w/ 500ft of vert averaging 7:15pace.  Easy medium long loop from work mid-morning between meetings. Tried really hard to keep this super chill but pace was quicker than expected, never looked at the watch. Legs feel a little worked still but once warmed up they just roll which is interesting feeling, like the body knows what to do.  

-- Had another job interview at 6:30am this morning... I keep trying for something new at Medtronic but don't think this one is going to pan out either.

Friday:

-NOTE:  Weight check in:  165.6lbs at 7.8% bodyfat... flat over last week, almost exactly the same.  Found the right amount of binging before bed not to gain or lose weight anymore.  LOL.

9 AM:  7.5 miles w/ 400ft of vert averaging 7:30pace.  Longer version of my Costco Loop. Think this will become the new Costco loop for me, about 2 miles longer than the loop I was doing before. Taylor joined me and we were super chill just bullshitting talking about possible races next year since some of them are already open and will sell out in the next few months already. He invited me to join him at TrailCon in June so really pondering that as well but doubt I can fit in a week in CA right before Hardrock.

-- 20mins in the hot tub when I got home.

-- Heading up to Fort Collins this afternoon to get my bib and check in for Quadrock 25 tomorrow.  Last longer easy run.  I originally signed up as a training race for Tahoe and just left it on the calendar but downgraded it from 50 to 25 which is more fun anyways.  Plan to park the van up at Horsetooth so super close to the start in the morning.

Saturday: 

7 AM:  Quadrock 25- 25.3miles w/ 5500ft of vert averaging 10min pace or 4:14:57 total time.  6th overall and 1st Grandmaster by over 40mins. I just can't figure this race out to break 4 hours. This was the 5th shot at it. Such a hard course. Body of course is a little beat up, I was good until about mile 20-21 then the cramps set in, mostly in my quads and groining to the point where I would have to walk like a tin man for about 100 yards for the cramps to let go then start running again, this happened like 4 times, not enough salt, I was covered bad at the end. I tried what I was thinking of doing in the marathon in 2 weeks and it basically was good until hour 3. I was doing gels with 200mg of sodium in each one and only drinking water. Did this instead of my normal Precision or Tailwind because the marathon has only water and Poweraid at aid stations so trying to find something that will work there that I can carry easily. Was a good experiment and I got my answer that the gels are not enough sodium for longer shit but considering I plan on being under 3 hours at the marathon it just might work. Anyone have any thoughts?

Sunday:  

9 AM: 9 miles averaging 8min pace.  Easy miles over at Davidson Mesa.. That was a slog, legs are trashed from yesterday. Especially the quads, probably good to get that stimulation 2 weeks out from the marathon so I can hopefully fly down any small hills with no quad issues. Run of course got better was I went along but when I stopped it felt like all the soreness was brought to the surface if that makes sense.

-- Hot tub and Theragun after the run today.

Total Weekly Numbers

April 27th- May 3rd

"First comes the shy wish.  Then you must have the heart to have the dream. Then, you work, and work." - Estee Lauder

Monday:

10 AM:  9.4 miles averaging 7min pace.  Easy laps of Davidson Mesa with 3x30sec fast since I knew it would not be muddy there due to the crushed gravel. Felt easy but average pace shows otherwise I guess. Feeling good today so there is that as well.

5 PM: 50mins lifting... VASA Lift class with Paula... Leg day, lots of deadlifts.

Tuesday:  

6:30 AM:  8.2 miles averaging 7:45pace.  Took all my will power to get out the door this morning in the rain, at least it was not coming down very much. Parked at work and ran out past Sterns Lake and back.  Super chill this morning, legs really did not have anything for me this morning, quads and hip flexors were tired and sore it seemed, most likely from lifting last night. All good, made me keep this chill.

6 PM: 8.2 miles averaging 6:55pace.  2 plus mile warmup- Dash-n-Dine 5K in 17:49 - 2 plus mile cooldown. Was not planning on racing, just jogging it because how crappy I have been feeling all day but once the gun went off I got sucked into racing. Started a few rows back and just worked my way up the field ending in 3rd place overall. Probably could have ended up 2nd if I would not have started so far back but oh well. About 15secs off my PR which I will take considering how windy it was tonight, in the middle of higher mileage training, and how I was feeling all day today. Call that a win in my book.  Great meal afterwards they served us.  Plan on going again next week.

Wednesday:

9 AM:  11.4 miles averaging 7:35pace.  Easy cruise with Michi and Taylor around Davidson Mesa. Let them pick the pace until they dropped off at mile 7 then just cruised along easy. Legs are really shot today, achy... Need to get in the airboots tonight.  Another Hans flyby.  He seems to be out there every Wednesday doing speedwork to get ready for Western States.  

5 PM:  50mins lifting... VASA Lift- upper body followed by 45mins in the airboots when I got home.

Thursday:  

9:30 AM:  8.7 miles w/ 400ft of vert averaging 7:35pace. Easy cruise by Sterns up the hill and back between meetings this morning. Legs feeling a little better today but still beat up some, can mostly feel it on the downhills in my quads. Hopefully they start feeling better before Saturday's big workout.

-- 20mins in the hot tub once I got home from work.  Heat training but mostly hoping it helps with the dead legs.

Friday:

 -NOTE:  Weight check in:  165.4 lbs at 7.6% bodyfat.  Mostly flat for the most part, up 1 pound from last week but I still consider that flat.  I did start snacking more since last week was such a huge drop from the week before so good to see the weight stabilize some.

7 AM:  9.4 miles w/ 800ft of vert averaging 7:25pace. Easy cruise from Coalton Trailhead west into Rocky Flats and back after dropping Paula off at DIA. She is off in Missouri racing the 24 Hour Mid-West Adventure Race Championships, if they do good enough then they get invited to Nationals.  This route is one of my favorite runs that is within 10 or so minutes from the house. Super chill just cruising. Ran into Bryan P on the way back and finished the last few miles with that youngster (he's 28), why the pace dropped down to 6:30-6:50 the last few miles.  20 minutes in the hot tub right when I got home before logging into work.

2 PM: 2 mile afternoon walk with Venus... have dog duty all weekend since she is gone of course.

Saturday: 

-- Finished book 13 of the year this morning before going out to run.  An ok read.. For Love of the Grind by Sara Hall.  Back to fiction books for one or two books.

8:30 AM:  22 miles w/ 500ft of vert averaging 6:40pace.  Last really marathon focused long run in the block. Legs came back today after being sore all week which was needed. Solo at Davidson Mesa putting my fluids and gels at the trailhead so I could hit them every 3 miles which is about how I will use the aid stations in the marathon. Workout was:

2.5 hrs with 10/8/6/4/2 min fast/ 2 min easy between each in the middle. want these no faster than a half-marathon effort. Keep it very controlled.

Went great, intervals were in the 5:40s-5:50s. Of course I was trashed the rest of the day and useless but that is just part of the process.

3 PM: 2 mile dog walk with Venus later in the afternoon once I was somewhat more functioning than I was after my run.

Sunday:  

8 AM: 9 miles averaging 8min pace.  Meet Don, Brandon, Ben, Michi, and Veronica down at Crown Hill Park for easy laps around the park bullshitting. Good way to keep me from pushing to hard and planned that on purpose after yesterday's run.

After getting brunch with the crew took off up north to meet JT, Katie, George, and Donnie to catch up as well since JT was in town for a race.  Always a good time and that was more socialization in one day today than I do in a month sometimes.  

-- Picked up Paula from the airport in the afternoon.  Next time you see her tell her congrats for winning the Midwest 24hour Adventure Racing Championships and being invited to Nationals.  I am still trying to talk her into going to Nationals in Bend.  I think she needs to do it, we aren't getting any younger.

-- 20mins in the hot tub this afternoon as well.

Total Weekly Numbers

Very solid week.... needed this week to help build a little bit more confidence.  Funny how after doing the intervals in the middle of my long run on Saturday my easy effort pace was much quicker around 6:40 after the intervals than before the intervals when it was around 7-7:15pace.  Funny how that works.  Anyways super pleased on the week.  Getting there fitness wise I think.... Quadrock this coming weekend which does not really help me with my build up for the marathon next month, I signed up for this when I thought I was still doing Tahoe 200 as part of the build up for that.  Thought about skipping it and just putting in another solid marathon long run in but 25 miles with 5500ft can help too I guess.  Still pondering so open to suggestions, should I still do Quadrock or stick to focusing only on marathon training this weekend instead?

April Recap

 "Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what." - Harper Lee from "To Kill a Mockinbird"

-- This quote hit home to me when I came across it last week, exactly how I feel heading into the Age Group World Championship in the marathon on May 24th in Cape Town.  I know I am going to get my ass kicked but I am going to go give it hell anyways and see where the cards fall.  LFG!!!!

Not a bad month at all.  Little less mileage than March by about 10 miles but I actually took a day off from running this month and did race a lot this month as well with two half marathons and one 5K.  Even got me a PR in the half marathon at Horsetooth Half at the age of 50.  Happy with that.  Just need to finish out this week and next week then it is taper time.  I am so ready for it.  Sitting at 1302 miles as of today for the year.  Not sure if I have ever run that many miles by the end of April before, that puts me on pace for 3900 miles if I keep it up which I know I most likely won't.  Will have to take some down time at some point.  

If interested I loaded the Cape Town GPS file into Strava at this link:  https://www.strava.com/routes/3438190584495477746 . Open to any suggestions or thoughts on how to pace this thing.  Looks to have a lot of rollers on it.  You can see all the photos in there from Cape Town as well, looks awesome!

April 20th- April 26th

"Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Half effort does not produce half results.  It produces no results.  Work, continuous work and hard work, is the only way to accomplish results that last." - Hamilton Holt

-- Back to the grind this week...... 2-3 weeks until the taper...

Monday:

6 AM: 8 miles averaging 7:35pace.  Easy cruise around Davidson Mesa this morning early so I can be home all morning to watch the Boston Marathon. Quads are a touch sore but otherwise everything else seems to check out fine.  

Don did great even though he did not have the day he wanted or that he trained for at Boston.  He has been through hell the past 6 months and I am proud of him for still putting up a 2:47 under all the stress he has been under.  Great job buddy!!

1 PM: Walk 2 miles with Venus... Paula is still out of town until Wednesday and I needed a break from work so walk with Venus it was.

5 PM: 50mins lifting at VASA Lift.  Today was lower body, lots of squats and lunges which of course I had to go light on due to still a little sore from Horsetooth Half on Sunday.

Tuesday:  

6 AM:  8.4 miles averaging 7:25pace.  Easy cruise from work early today since I am tied up in meetings all day. Doing the new normal easy hour route I came up with from work watching the sunrise about 20mins into the run. Still really tired and a little sore in the quads but all is manageable.

Came home around lunch to finish the day working at home since Paula is still gone.  Took Venus for another walk which we cut short because she was struggling a little bit in the sunny 80 degree day then jumped in the hot tub for another 20mins.  Going to get back to the hot tub routine since the altitude tent did not pan out for me.  Just was not sleeping well and after doing more research and talking to Dr. Teddy, you have to spend at least 10-12 hours a day in it for it work, I was averaging 7-8 hours.  If it is not going to work at 7-8 hours then I would rather have my restful sleep back.  That was a failed experiment.  Back to heat training instead.

Wednesday:

8 AM:  12.4 miles averaging 6:40pace.  Workout Wednesday done over at Davidson Mesa yet again. Took the morning off work to get this done and I had to go to DIA to pick up Paula right afterwards. Went much better than I thought it would to be honest with you, my legs still feel the weekend. First one was a little rough but they felt better as I went along. Most of the intervals were in the 5:50ish range after the first one.

20 min warm up

5/4/3/2/1/2/3/4/5 min fast/ 90 sec easy. Think threshold on the fast. No harder than 1 hour effort here. Want this to be pretty controlled.

20 min cool down

5 PM:  50mins lifting....  VASA Lift class with Paula.... upper body day.

--  JT is on a roll with post cards... the board is already half full.

Thursday:  

6 AM:  9 miles w/ 400ft of vert averaging 7:35pace.  Easy pre-work cruise from work doing the normal Monday work loop that I have been doing. Super chill this morning effort wise and the wind was cranking out of the west which affected pace at times. Just tired today but otherwise all is good.

--Spent the evening watching the 1st Round of the NFL draft with these Special Idiots.  Been too long since we have been able to catch up.

Friday:

10 AM:  9.4 miles averaging 7:15pace.  Easy cruise 3 times around Davidson Mesa with Taylor while Veronica was on the bike. Looks like Taylor is finally back from his injury but Veronica will still be a few months. or so before she is back. Effort seemed easy but the legs were heavy as hell, guessing due to late bed time last night and bad sleep after going out last night. Funny how much this affects me in the middle of a hard training cycle.  Thought I rolled over 1000 clockwise runs on Davidson according to Strava but I was off by 1, sitting at 999 laps after today on Strava.

5 PM: 50mins lifting.  Lift class at VASA with Paula this evening, lots of deadlifts and shoulder work.

-- another post card from JT again today.... funny thing is this one is from his Mexico trip he took 4 plus months ago.  He mailed it from Mexico in December but it just arrived today.  LOL.

Saturday: 

-- Woke up early this morning and finished out book number 12 on the year... Given to Fly, interesting story on Brain Morrison's collapse on the track right before the finish line of the Western States 100.  What to read next, back to fiction or Sara Hall's new book? 

8 AM:  15.1 miles w/ 1200ft of vert averaging 7:30pace.  Easy long run doing a big lap of the Dirty Bizmark from the Coalton trailhead, which means dropping down to Marshall Mesa trailhead to make it a little longer. Was going to run from Costco to NCAR in back on the roads but decided at the last minute that I wanted some trail time even though these are not really what I consider mountain trails, they are still trails. Legs are still shot today for some reason but even with that, I think this is either the fastest or second fastest doing this loop and I wasn't really trying today. Getting fit is weird, you feel slow in the process but the times keep coming down.

Sunday:  

8 AM: 9.6 miles averaging 7:30pace.  Easy 3 laps around Davidson Mesa yet again super chill. My legs are tight! I would not say they are sore, just everything is super tight. According to Strava I rolled over 1000 clock-wise loops of Davidson Mesa on this run and also grab back the Local Legend that I have been going back and forth with some random dude.

Noon: 6 miles averaging 13min pace.  Rocky Mountain Orienteering meet down at Chatfield State Park with Paula and Don. Rain and hailed on us but we had a blast. Don's first exposure to orienteering and he seemed to love it. Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

-- long hot tub session when we got home this afternoon in the rain.

Total Weekly Numbers

Happy with this week even though most of the week was just focused on easier paced runs to recover from back to back weekends of racing half marathons.  This next week should be a tough week but then we start winding down into the taper.  Getting there...

April 13th- April 19th

“People are always looking for the single magic bullet that will completely change everything. There is no single magic bullet. Progress is about bridging the gap between what we observe and what we can imagine—one careful step at a time.”

— Temple Grandin, animal behavior scientist, reminding us to show up and put in the unsexy but necessary work to move the needle a little bit every day.

Monday:

11:30 AM: 8.4 miles averaging 7:30pace.  Easy cruise from work heading out around Sterns Lake and back on Rock Creek and neighborhood paths, exact same as last Monday. This may become my normal Monday run. Super tired legs today from the race yesterday but got a little better after the first 3 miles. Guess I went harder yesterday than I thought I did.

5 PM: Lifting 50mins...  VASA Lift with Paula- Leg day, lots of heavy back squats

Tuesday:  

6 AM: 10.8 miles averaging 7:20pace.  Easy laps of Davidson Mesa w/ 4x20sec in the middle before work this morning. I do love running early but sometimes like today it can be hard to get out the door. Today my only time I had was before work or after work, had meetings all day today so choose to get it done early due to the rain in the forecast in the afternoon. Felt good after the first few miles that it seems to take anymore to get warmed up. Legs are dead but that was expected.  Sunrise was showing off this morning too.

Wednesday:

9 AM:  12.25 miles averaging 6:40pace.  Workout Wednesday at Davidson Mesa yet again. Tired and felt flat today but got through the workout better than I thought I would. The workout was:

20 min warm up

3x10 min at half marathon effort with 3 min jog between each

20 min cool down

Of course I was tired when I was done but was not wasted like I have been in the past, think I paced the workout better than I usual. With that said, I am counting down to the taper.   Saw Hans Troyer out there doing his intervals in the opposite direction, that kid can fly.

5 PM:  Lifting 50mins.  VASA Lift class solo- Upper body day with lots of strict pullups.

Thursday:  

 9 AM:  12 miles w/ 750ft of vert averaging 7:25pace.  Easy cruise from the house this morning doing a large lap of the hood. Running up to Hwy 128 then back down to the lake and around the hood back to the house. About the only way I can get really any vertical around here. Felt chill the whole time.

4 PM: 2 mile walk with Venus since Paula is in the Outerbanks until next Wednesday to help her mom get the house ready for rental season.  Wish I could have gone as well, love it there.

Friday:

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  164lbs @ 7.8% bodyfat.  Down over 3lbs in a week, little concerning, guess it is back to bed time snacking again.

7 AM:  8.1 miles w/ 750ft of vert averaging 7:35pace.  Easy cruise this morning before the snow from the Coalton Trailhead west into Rocky Flats and back. Kept it really chill for the most part and feeling okay today. Still struggling with sleeping well due to the Hypoxico unit I have been sleeping in. It is not that is is set to 9000ft that is the issue, I just get so damn hot in there and wake up around midnight sweating bullets every night.  I have to open it up and cool it down in there. This just may not work as I wanted it too but it has been a fun experiment so far.

9 AM: 2 mile walk with Venus getting done just as the snow started flying.

--  Another postcard for the board today from Don.

5 PM: 50mins full body lifting at VASA Lift class.  Lots of deadlifts and shoulder work tonight.

-- Decided not to use the Hypoxico through the half marathon this weekend.  I need to make sure I am getting good sleep to recover from the workouts I have been doing.

Saturday: 

7 AM:  8.3 miles averaging 7:15pace.  Easy cruise on some of the flatter trails east of Broadway in Boulder. Had to meet Donnie to give him some shoes I ordered for him then just went for my shakeout jog from the Runners Roost store heading east to Bobolink and back. Felt pretty good today.

-- Ran to Fort Collins mid-day with Venus to get my bib for tomorrow's half marathon just to make the morning a little less stressful tomorrow.  Finished book number 11 of the year when I got home this afternoon, Project Hail Mary* .  Damn good book and now I need to go be disappointed by watching the movie next week.  Yes I had a co-pilot on the drive today and she always gets a pup cup on our outings. 

Sunday:  

8 AM: RACE- Horsetooth Half Marathon- 13.1 miles w/ 900ft of vert in 1:17:25 or 5:54 pace.  I shocked myself to be totally honest. My goal going in was to get as close to 1:20 as I could which I knew would put me on the Masters podium, I have been training hard lately, have been very tired, and did not taper for this race so 1:20 seemed like a good goal, basically what I ran last weekend. I was not expecting to win the Masters by 4 plus minutes over people 8-10 years younger than me or also being 11th overall nor was I expecting a half marathon PR on such a tough course with shit ton of climbing. Chatting with Nick Clark who also is the race director, he told me that this course with the hills and altitude is about 3-4mins slower than flat at sea level, if that is truly the case than maybe 2:30-2:33 could be in the cards on a perfect day in South Africa... I just got back my mental mojo to finish out the last few weeks of this training block strong. 

Oh yeah, I did puke on myself at mile 13 just before the finish and after finishing in front of Dale (Hardrock race director) who was working the finish line. I left it all out there so there is that.

Total Weekly Numbers

Another solid week in the books for the build up ending with a half marathon PR.   I was on the brink of losing my so called mojo and getting burnt out in marathon training but nothing is more motivating than seeing some results from all the work one has been putting in.  I got my mojo back, at least for now.  Have 2-3 more hard weeks of training then the taper will begin.  Can't believe how quickly time is passing this Spring.  5 weeks until Cape Town.....

April 6th- April 12th

"Unfortunately, many people do not consider fun an important item on their daily agenda.  For me, that was always a high priority in whatever I was doing." -Chuck Yeager

"Trying to be happy is like trying to fall asleep. Forcing it prevents it." - Mark Manson

Seemed like a 2 quote week this week for no real reason... 

Monday:

11 AM: 8.4 miles averaging 7:20pace.  Easy cruise from work heading out around Sterns Lake and back on Rock Creek and neighborhood paths. Started out super chill as my right knee is grumpy today but naturally got quicker as things warmed and loosed up. Can tell that the miles are piling up over the past few weeks.

5 PM: 50mins VASA Lift with Paula-  Lower body

Tuesday:  

2:30 PM:  Got sucked into work a little to much today and just could not get out the door today.  Just did not have that mental toughness today I guess and honestly feeling a little beat up as well.  Been about 45 days or so since I took a day off running so figured this was my body telling me it was time for a day off.  Of course I felt super guilty about it.

Wednesday:

9 AM:  10.8 miles averaging 7:50pace.  Done over at Davidson Mesa. Was going to use my 1000m loop by work but needed a bathroom close by just in case, stomach was not happy this morning. Anyways, went well until the wind kicked up on the Mesa and the last few reps into the wind were much slower at a much higher HR and effort. All good though. I programmed the workout into my watch so the overall time includes all the standing around rest between intervals. Without the rest being counted the average pace was 6:24.  Workout was: 

20 min warm up

8x1k at half marathon effort with 90-120 sec rest between each

20 min cool down

3:30 PM:  7.1 miles w/ 650ft of vert averaging 7:15pace.  Second run of the day starting from the Louisville Community Park. Was supposed to run with Taylor but he forgot and left a little bit before I got there. Was not sure which way he went on Coal Creek so I choose a direction and was the wrong one. Oh well... 8x45sec hill strides in the middle of this run as well.

Spent 45mins in the airboots tonight as well to see if that helps with recovery from all the miles today.

--  Finished book number 10 on the year tonight..  14 to go for 2026...

Thursday:  

6 AM:  10.4 miles averaging 7:15pace.  Sunrise miles over at Davidson Mesa with 4x30sec strides in the middle of the run.  Had to get this done early so that I was not stressing out all day about when I can break away from a busy work meeting day.  I actually love running early before work, just haven't been lately due to the cold and wanting to run in the sun.

5 PM: Lifting 50mins- VASA Lift class- Upper body, lots and lots of strict pullups tonight.

Friday:

9 AM:  11 miles w/ 1800ft of vert averaging 8:45 pace.  Easy cruise around Springbrook via Dowdy Draw trailhead with Taylor then after dropping him off at the trailhead went across the road and did my favorite short loop over there of Mesa/Homestead/Shadow/Bluebell/Mesa... love this loop and it has been to long. What I get for doing 2 training blocks in a row for road marathons, not enough time for trails as well. Anyways felt good today and focused on just keeping it chill. To the point that I made myself walk a few of the steeper sections to keep it easy and the heart rate down.

Saturday: 

9 AM:  8.5 miles w/ 1600ft of vert averaging 9:30pace.  Cruise from Wonderland Lake in Boulder up the goat trail to the east ridge leading to Mount Sanitas summit. Then down Lions Lair and back to Wonderland Lake via 4th Street. Really like this loop I made up on the fly a lot. Ran from there today because I came with Paula to run while she was doing an orienteering meet at Wonderland Lake.  Ran into a lot of people I know, Eric, Kylo, Fred, Jon, and another Eric.  We had a great day goofing around today and eating all the treats from Lucky's Bakery.

-- Dog walk with Venus in the afternoon.- 2 miles.

Sunday:  

-- 2.3 mile warmup before the half marathon below and 2.7 mile cooldown afterwards. 5 miles.. 

8 AM: 13.2 miles w/ 600ft of vert averaging 6:03 pace for 1:19:52.  Prairie Dog Half Marathon in Arvada. Started out really strong the first 6 or so miles but then lost first when the course people sent me the wrong way for about 100ft at a 3 way intersection while they sent 2nd place the right direction and I just let it go after that. Had one mile of self pity and convinced myself I would just jog it in but then about a mile later I got over it and finished it out strong. Missed a PR by 30secs or so and would have had it without that mix up, my stupid mind games and if the course was not long. All good though, and a great training day.  2nd overall and 18 plus miles on the day.

Also got this in the mail on Saturday and finally set it up this afternoon.  I won a one month free rental at a Hardrock raffle last year and noticed it was about to expire so I pulled the trigger on it.  Figured more red blood cells for South Africa could not hurt.  More to come on this as I experiment with it.  Open to suggestions and tips if you have played around with one of these before as well.  I started out setting it 11,000ft  but after a few hours of reading in bed I turned it down to 8,000ft.   When it was set at 11,000ft my heartrate just laying there was 85 and I could not fall asleep, once I turned it down my heartrate dropped to 50ish.  CRAZY...  Of course as I type this on Monday morning I still have a little bit of a headache, wondering if it is from this or not the best sleep due to not being used to being in a head tent.   I usually don't have issues sleeping at 11,000ft so it also makes me wonder if in reality I was at a much higher elevation in there than 11,000, had the same thought for the 8,000ft setting.  Going to have to also watch how I am recovering from my training, I want this to help me and not hurt the recovery in this build.

Total Weekly Numbers

Not a bad training week considering I took Tuesday off completely.  That trail time on Friday and Saturday were much needed, getting tired of the marathon training blocks I have been putting myself through, only about 4 weeks left before the taper.  Have another half marathon this coming weekend in Fort Collins on the 19th called Horsetooth Half which I am really excited to run again.  Last time I ran the Horsetooth Half was in 2005 and it was my first half marathon ever and I finished in 1:51:25. I would have been 30 years old and just getting into running.  I think I can beat that now.  LOL...