Dec 25th- Dec 31st

“Unlike an external enemy, the inner enemy cannot regroup and launch a comeback once it has been destroyed from within.” - Dalai Lama

Monday:   

11 AM: 6.3 miles s/ 1200ft of vert averaging 10min miles. Easy loops over on Gashawk and Spring Brook.  Just super chill due to being icy and achillies.  NO PAIN!!!  First run in a while that things felt somewhat normal, little bit of pinching the first mile but that went away as it warmed up.  Maybe turning a corner?  Awesome morning out the hills.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Drove across the HWY to Marshall Mesa where I knew Paula and her best friend Erica where running with the dogs.  This is what I found.  LOL!!!  Guess they were trying to win a contest for a free race entry from Yeti Racing.  The photo of them jumping was the entry.  HAAA...

Tuesday:  

10 AM:  5.6 miles w/ 1300ft of vert averaging 10min miles.  Easy cruise from the South Mesa trailhead to the base of Shadow Canyon and back. Icy so slow going, especially coming back downhill. Time to dig out the shoes with the built in screws under foot.

Wednesday:

10 AM:  6.25 miles w/ 1400ft of vert averaging 10:30min pace.  2 laps of Anemone loop in Boulder. Forgot how much I LOVE this loop, so runnable yet you can get in some vert as well. Took a bit to get going, could feel the last 2 days but the achilles is holding up well so that is a huge win.  Really focused on keeping everything easy this week so not to blow up the achillies again.

4 PM:  1 hour at the gym.

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills.

5x 3 mins RemReps: 34 reps | 8, 7, 7, 6, and 6
5 rounds, 3 mins each, of:
18 Burpee Over Bars
18 Wall Balls, 20 lbs
max rep Clean & Jerks, 50% 1RM | 95 lbs | 8, 7, 7, 6, and 6
Rest 1 min

--This one was ROUGH!!!!  

5:30 PM: 2.1 miles averaging 9min pace.  Easy out and back from Runners Roost to Davidson Mesa trailhead. Started with the group but bailed early so I could get the raffle setup before everyone got back. Got to give away 2 pairs of Speedland shoes and 2 race entries at Run Club.

Thursday:  

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  Nope, starting in the new year.

9 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

Chipper: 13 mins 40 secs
45 Front Squats, 65 lbs
45 Pull-ups
30 Front Squats, 65 lbs
30 Chest-to-bar Pull-ups
15 Front Squats, 65 lbs
15 Burpee Chest-to-bar Pull-ups

then-

15 mins of core work that Dan (head coach at the gym) gave me to work on to get the back ready for next year. Hopefully between this and PT we will be good to go this summer.

2:30 PM:  7.8 miles w/ 1300ft of vert averaging 10min pace.  Easy loop from Bear Canyon Trailhead up to the Mesa trail then south to Blue Bell and back on the roads. Would have stayed on the trails back but was sort of sick of the ice. Super chill run with lots of photo stops.

4 PM: Walk 2.2 miles in 38mins.  Easy afternoon dog walk.  Stiff as hell from the zero to hero as far as adding mileage this week.  Achilles is holding up so far. 

Friday:

9 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Rowing and mobility

FT: 7 mins 36 secs
120 Push-ups
Every 1 min (starting at 0:00) complete:
Row, 120 m

--then---

Core work from Dan to finish out the hour- planks and banded marches.

1:30 PM:  6.75 miles averaging 8 min pace.  Easy loop of the Costco loop. Achilles was not happy after this one for some reason, been good all week. Wondering if it is from pace since most of the week has been slower on icy trails.

3 PM: Walk 2 miles in 31 mins.  Easy dog walk after my jog to try and loosen the achilles.

Saturday: 

9 AM:  1:15 at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

20 RFT: 31 mins 14 secs
20 rounds of:
Partner Wod
10 Assault Bike Calories
10 Box Step-ups, 24 in
Devil Press, 35% 1RM | 35 lbs
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

-- partner with Paula

--then a bunch of core work for 15mins after the WOD

1:30 PM:  Gravel bike 23 miles in 1:45.  Achilles was not happy today so Paula talked me into a gravel bike since I am skipping running today to rest the Achilles. We rode from Broomfield to Erie and back on the Coal Creek trail system.  I am soooo out of bike shape, legs were shot by the end of this but the weird part is that after the ride the Achilles no longer hurt and the limping went away. WTF?

Sunday:  

8:30 AM:  10 miles w/ 1100ft of vert averaging 8:50pace.  Easy out and back on CR64 in Bailey with Don. Super chill for a last run of 2023. This is the same road I was doing tempos on this summer getting ready for Hardrock, I call it Mini Mags...  Of course we hit the Cut Throat Cafe in Bailey for breakfast right after the run like usual.  Go there and get the breakfast burrito, one of the best out there.

Total Weekly Numbers

Solid week overall considering the achilles issues I have been battling through.  Only missed a one run this week to let it rest.  Hoping that I am now on the backside of this issue and can get back at it, got a lot of work to do this month to get my base back to a decent level.