June 20th- June 26th

 

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s how you carry it.” Lou Holtz

Trying my best to carry the load through the month before the taper starts.  Been challenging for sure between work, travel and training.  Almost there.

Monday:  

7 AM:  Mayham lifting in the garage, Upper Body Anterior (Chest & Bicep)

Warmup:
3 rounds
10 Perfect Pushups (controlled form)
15 band pull-a-parts
5 PVC Around the Worlds (each way)
10 wall angels

Bench Press
7 Sets
Set 1: 9 reps
Set 2: 7 reps
Set 3: 5 reps
Set 4: 3 reps
Set 5: 5 reps
Set 6: 7 reps
Set 7: 9 reps

Barbell Incline Bench Press
4 sets: 10 reps

Double DB Bench Press
4 sets: 10 reps

Hex Press
4 sets: 12 reps

Seated Alternating DB Curl
4 sets: 10 reps (each side)

Seated Alternating DB Hammer Curl
4 sets: 10 reps

Tuesday:  

7 AM: 10.4 miles w/ 3100ft of vert in 2:20.  My Green Mountain loop.  From NCAR-Mesa-Amp-Bear Canyon- back to NCAR..  Love this loop.  Super chill today, could still feel the weekend, especially in the left quad but overall good!  Back to the grind for 2 more weeks!

3 PM: Mayham lifting in the garage Upper Body Posterior (Back & Triceps)

Warmup:
3 Rounds
15/12 cal row
10 scap pullups
15 bent over barbell rows (empty bar)
5 down dog/seal pose transitions

Strict Pull-Ups
7 Sets
Set 1: 9 reps
Set 2: 7 reps
Set 3: 5 reps
Set 4: 3 reps
Set 5: 5 reps
Set 6: 7 reps
Set 7: 9 reps

Bent Over Barbell Row – Underhand Grip
4 sets: 10 reps

Double DB Incline Row
4 sets: 10 reps

Single Arm Lat Pulldown
4 sets: 10 reps (each side)

Double DB Skull Crushers
4 sets: 10 reps

Standing Tricep DB French Press
4 sets: 10 reps

Wednesday:  

 

5 AM: Heading off to Reno to pace Donnie at Western States 100 this weekend.  So at DIA, C59 and C61 are close to each other, like less than 10 feet apart.  Scanned my boarding pass quickly for I was getting there just as boarding was ending and started walking down to wrong one until they came and got me.  Almost went to LA instead of Reno … needed more coffee.  Of course hanging out on the beach in LA does sound good too.   Hmmm...

 

 

3 PM: 4.3 miles w/ 2200ft of vert in just over an hour.  Treadhill at the hotel in Reno.... incline set at 10% and 4 mph just hiking away. Broke a huge sweat on this one.

 

 

 Thursday:

7 AM:  4.1 miles w/ 1700ft of gain in 35 mins.  Treadmill at the casino at 8% incline.  Just jogging and sweating fucking buckets.... at least the sweat flying everywhere makes you feel like you are gaining fitness even if you really aren't.  LOL.

2PM:  5.6 miles w/ 1200ft of gain in just over an hour.  Started up Granite Chief Trail with Dan and T.  Did not make it to far.  Dan and T turned around at mile 2 due to T wearing Nike Supershoes and was sliding all over.  Teenagers... sigh... I only made it less than a mile farther before I turned around as well due to lightening.  It was striking around me.  Scared the shit out of me.  Oh well, I tried to get more in today.  Soaked when I got back but had a blast!  Will try to maybe go farther tomorrow afternoon.

Friday: 

10 AM:  2.8 miles w/ 1900ft of vert in 33 mins.  Hoka High Camp Challenge.  Super chill the first mile to warm up then cranked it up to a moderate effort.  Finish 14th passing a shit ton of people the last mile or so.  Hell of a lot of fun!

 

11:30 AM: 5.8 miles w/ 800ft of vert in an hour or so.  Exploring around High Camp after the challenge going up to the high point of Western States then the run back down.  SO MUCH FUN...  Feeling good!

Saturday:

4:30 AM:  Hike up and jog down from the start line of Western States starting about a half a hour before the start to take photos.. So fun out watching the sun come up.  Probably another 5-6 miles walking and jogging around all the aid stations, ect...  Did not bother trying to capture all that.  Going to leave the story of the race up to Donnie to tell but here is a story in photos.  

Sunday:

3 AM:  22.5 miles w/ 4500ft of vert in 5:45.  Pacing Donnie at Western States from Rucky Chucky to the finish...  So many good stories to tell and don't know where to start.  We got him back from the brink of dropping to running the last 10 miles.  Even saw a mountain lion with her cubs around Green Gate at 5am or so.  Scary as fuck and that got the heartrate up super quick.  This weekend was just what I needed to get my head straight before Hardrock.

Total Weekly Numbers

Wish I was able to get in more vertical this week but I will take it.  Did remind my body what it felt like to be up for almost 2 days straight.  That is training right?

June 13th- June 19th

 

“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” - Henry David Thoreau

 

Little motivation from a Hardrock update email..... finishers print for this year.

 

 

 

Monday:  

7 AM: 4.9 miles w/ 1300ft of vertical averaging 13 min pace.  Super chill lap of Mount Sanitas this morning.  Hike up the ridge and a slow jog down Lions.... Legs are shot today from last week.

2 PM:  1:02 Mayham lifting in the garage- Upper Body Anterior (Chest & Bicep)

Warmup:
3 rounds
10 Perfect Pushups (controlled form)
15 band pull-a-parts
5 PVC Around the Worlds (each way)
10 wall angels

Bench Press7 Sets
Set 1: 10 reps
Set 2: 8 reps
Set 3: 6 reps
Set 4: 4 reps
Set 5: 6 reps
Set 6: 8 reps
Set 7: 10 reps

Alt. DB Incline Bench + Double DB Incline Bench
4 sets: 5 alt. reps (each side) + 5 double reps

Single DB Bench Press
4 sets: 10 reps (each side)

Incline Bench DB Chest Fly
4 sets: 12 reps.

Standing Alternating DB Curl
4 sets: 10 reps (each side)

Single Dumbbell Waiter Hold Curl
4 sets: 10 reps

--- went over to Vasa right after this for a 20 min sauna session to help get ready to pace Western States in 2 weeks.

Tuesday:  

9 AM:  Mayham lifting in the garage Upper Body Posterior (Back & Triceps)

Warmup:
3 Rounds
15 cal skierg
10 scap pullups
15 bent over barbell rows (empty bar)
5 down dog/seal pose transitions

Strict Pull-Ups
7 Sets
Set 1: 10 reps
Set 2: 8 reps
Set 3: 6 reps
Set 4: 4 reps
Set 5: 6 reps
Set 6: 8 reps
Set 7: 10 reps

Lat Pulldowns
4 sets: 10 reps

Seated Neutral Grip Cable Row
4 sets: 10 reps

Lying DB Pullover on Bench
4 sets: 12 reps

Barbell Skull Crushers
4 sets: 12 reps

Standing Tricep Extension w/ band
4 sets: 15 reps

3:30 PM: 7.5 miles w/ 2300ft of vert averaging 13min miles.  Easy run from South Mesa trailhead up Shadow Canyon a bit then back the same way.  On a time crunch so had to turn around a little bit sooner than I wanted too.  Did the intervals on the Mesa trail by where Homestead comes out on it.  Paula went along and did her own thing.  Was a great afternoon!

--- went over to Vasa right after this for a 20 min sauna session

Wednesday:  

 

6:30 AM:  7.5 miles w/ 2200ft of vert averaging 12min pace.  Workout was 3 miles easy, 5/4/3/2/1 min hills mod/hard with run down recovery, 3 miles easy

From NCAR slow jogged the Mesa trail over to Shannhan where I did the intervals.  Intervals were more controlled this week due to having tired legs and not to be gross but some diarrhea going on.  Had to jump into the woods a couple of times.  Easy jog back to NCAR but added the Fern connector to get a little bit more vert.  Wanted to see that number over 2K.  LOL...

- Right after the run went to the gym for 20mins in the sauna again.  

Plan on leaving after my last work call around 3pm and head to Leadville until Sunday.

 Thursday:

6 AM:  9.5 miles w/ 4500ft of vert in 3 hours and 20 mins.  Easy lap of Mount Elbert.  Mostly hiking up with some jogging and a slow jog down.  Been a few years since I have been up there, fucking love it.  Legs are good but a bit tired but expected.   Kind of cool that I got the 2 highest points in the lower US (Whitney and Elbert) in just over a week without planning it.  LOL.  Over 10,000ft of vert this week so far after this run/hike.

5 PM:  3.75 miles w/ 2000ft of vert in 1:50.  Evening hike up Mount Sheridan at 13,750ft. Super chill, forgot how loose the Leadville side of Sheridan and Sherman are.  I would not have been able to run it anyways.  Awesome way to spend the evening.

 

Friday: 

10 am:  5.5 miles with 1100ft of vert averaging 10 min miles.  Easy loop from Fish Hatchery using a trail I have not been on before.  Went up Kearney Park Trail (new to me) to the Colorado Trail across to Rock Creek back down to the truck.  Nice loop and felt good to run for a change today even if the legs are tired.  Weather is not looking very good for this weekend.  Was planning a huge vert day tomorrow and easy long on Sunday.  Guess I will see if the rain washes me out of my camp tonight or not.

Saturday:

5 AM: 27.75 miles w/ 10,500ft of vert in just over 9 hours.  Long ass day!  Up Elbert via the north side,  down the backside which put me about on the road about half way up Independence Pass.  Ran the road down to Twin Lakes where I jumped on the Colorado Trail to South Elbert then back up to the summit via the south side.  Back to the car via the north ridge.  Legs are totally shot.... had no downhill running left at the end, quads are trashed... Nothing a little sleep won't fix....  I hope.  Headed home this evening for the sky opened up and washed out my tent.  Will finish the week up on the hometown trails in Boulder tomorrow.

Sunday:

7 AM:  18.7 miles with 4000ft of vert in 4 hours.  Parked at Eben Fine, lap of Sanitas and Anemone Loop then back to the car to refuel and a huge lap of Flagstaff going up the front and down Chapman to the bike path back to the car.  Very slow today but not unexpected.  Pretty tired and sore from yesterday still but legs got better as the run went on.

Total Weekly Numbers

 Hell of a big week for me.  I really needed this week for my confidence more than anything.  Got 3 14er summits and a 13er summit in Leadville along with a bunch of Boulder hills summits. Properly tired this Sunday evening.... This week should be fun, not sure how much vert I will get in but will keep trying to do what I can.  Heading to Western States 100 in CA Wed through Sunday night. 

 

 

June 6th- June 12th

 

“Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed.” - Mark Twain

 

This week was just about trying to get a little bit better in my grieving of losing Gemma on Sunday morning and trying to feed what I need to do to get ready for Hardrock hence the quote above.  Been a challenging week for sure.   Shit, I just type Gemma's name on here and start tearing up... god damn it.

 

Monday:  

8:30 AM:  Scouting the first part of the Mt Whitney Mountaineers route hiking up to the ledges.  We wanted to see where the split in the trail from the standard route was so we can find it in the dark.

4 PM: 3.7 miles averaging about 9 min pace.  Mix of dirt road, paved road and sand.  Easy afternoon run with Bob going west from Lone Pine.  Of course it was about 100 degrees outside.

Tuesday:  

4 AM:  16.3 miles w/ 6700ft of gain in just over 13 hours.....  Tour de Mt Whitney. Up the mountaineers route and down the standard route. Long ass day... lots of stories and not sure what to put on here. Guess if you want to know you will have to buy me a coffee. ;o)  Did not want to write out a long report just so much to process.  I might do one in the future.  Anyways here is the link to Strava and a few photos. 

Wednesday:  

 

9 AM:  Spent half the day driving the 4 hour drive from Lone Pine, CA back to Las Vegas and the other half of the day working remotely from a Starbucks by the airport where I am updating yesterday and today's post.  Flight is not until 6 pm this evening.  Gas in CA was silly.... I saw it for over $9 a gallon in Furance Creek in the middle of Death Valley on the way to Vegas.

 Thursday:

10 AM:  1.6 mile walk.... Easy neighborhood walk to help wake myself up some.  Did not get home until 1:30 last night and up until after 2am.  Got up at 6:30 so dragging today.  Coffee is not working today.

 

2 PM:  6.7 miles w/ 1900ft of gain averaging 12 min pace.  Easy mileage around Mount Santias. Up the east ridge, down Lions to Sunshine then about .25 miles into Sunshine I turned right and bushwacked up the hill until I hit Anemone then took that back down. Felt really good today.

 

Friday: 

10 am:   8 miles with 2900ft of gain averaging 15min miles.  Easy loop from NCAR, up Fern to Bear Peak summit, down Bear Canyon back to NCAR.  So damn hot and felt the calf on the first 3 miles of this run before it loosened up.  Need to get back in for dry needling again.  Super hot, finished this run just after 12 so was sweating my ass off.

Saturday:

8 AM:  12.4 miles w/ 3900ft of vert averaging 14 min pace.  From Eben Fine Park over Flagstaff to the summit of Green via Amp. Down Ranger to Long Canyon, Long up to Flagstaff road to Realization Point then Flagstaff trail back down to Eben Fine Park. Only took one hand held bottle with me today and that was a mistake. It was 94 degrees when I finished, holy cow.... Thinking tomorrow I am going up higher somewhere to get out of the heat even though this is good to get ready for pacing Western States. Have yet to turn on the A/C in the house this year. LOL... only 85 degrees in here. HAAAA!

4 PM:  Heading up to Longmont with Paula to the D-Barn for what we thought was a co-workers 60th birthday party.   Well she used that as a cover (it really was her birthday) and turned it into a surprised wedding with who she has been with for 11 years.  SO MUCH FUN....  May be struggling to get moving some this Sunday morning as I type this.  LOL.

Sunday:

10 AM: 13.4 miles with 3000ft of vertical in 3 hours.  Lap of Green via Bear Canyon with Donnie, his wife and my girlfriend. Donnie and I jogged up slowly while the girls did their thing. We came down until we crossed paths with them then went back up again from that point. Went from 90 degrees to pouring rain to hail back to sunny. Perfect mountain weather. Just what I needed today, to run with friends.

 

Total Weekly Numbers

Solid week.... very happy how the week turned out.