August 18th- August 24th

"To live is to choose.  But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there." -Kofi Annan

"Without goals, training has no direction."- Natalie Coughlin

Monday:   

6 AM:  8.2 miles averaging 7:45pace.  Back on the Front Range to the morning grind.  Monday shakeout with 2 laps of Davidson Mesa and 2 laps of Harper. Super chill but was really surprised on how good the legs felt this morning. Yes they were a little tired but not really sore at all. Seem to be absorbing this training cycle well so far.

4 PM:  37mins in the garage gym

Warmup: airbike, crossover and mobility

30 pull-up broken up as needed

DB bent over Rows
3x10 @ 45

3 rounds
10 band pull downs green band
10 DB pull overs @ 45lbs

3 Rounds
10 weighted GHD hyperextensions @ 10
10 GHD hyperextensions
10 GHD situps

3 rounds
10 DB bicep curls @ 20
20 cross-body curls @ 20
10 DB hammer curls @ 20

Tuesday:  

6 AM:  11.8 miles averaging 6:45pace.  Workout Tuesday does not quite have the same ring to it as Workout Wednesday but a day sooner this week due to a race on Saturday. Today was 20min warmup - 30min Tempo (around 6:30pace +/- 15secs) - 3min recovery - 5x1min hard/ 1min floats- then 20mins easy. Hell of a workout this morning and it went super well overall. Energy and legs were good for the most part. Did take a gel right before hitting the 30min tempo to get me through the workout without a bonk this morning.

4 PM:  30mins lifting.  Easy leg day over at VASA doing all the leg machines while Paula was on the treadmill. Decided I needed to get out of the garage gym this afternoon.  Followed this up with 20mins in the sauna there as well.

Wednesday:

6 AM:  10.2 miles w/ 1200ft of vert averaging 8:35 pace.  Easy lap of Springbrook and Gashawk from Dowdy Draw Trailhead. Did add an extra 2 miles doing an out and back on Community Ditch as well to round it up to 10 miles. Super chill for the most part but did speed up the second half of the run as I loosened up and of course there was more downhill instead of uphill.

4 PM:  35mins Garage gym session

Warmup: Rowing, mobility, and Crossover

4 Rounds
500 Row
5 Strict Pull-ups
20 Push-ups
20 Air Squats
20 GHD Sit-ups

This was a grinder.. loved it.

Thursday:  

6 AM:  9.25 miles w/ 600ft of vert averaging 7:30 pace.  Easy cruise on the Dirty Biz from the Coalton Trailhead heading west up the big hill then back and then up the hill to the north towards Superior. Calling this The Gate to Gate Run since there is a gate and the end of both of these sections. First half super mellow then started to feel good so cranked it up just a little bit the last 3-4 miles.

Friday:

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  Nope... 

10 AM:  7.5 miles w/ 400ft of vert averaging 7:40pace.  Costco Loop plus some extra with 4x20sec hill strides. Ran with Taylor and Veronica. All three of us are racing tomorrow night, they are doing the 35K and I am doing the 50K so the conversation was all about strategy for tomorrow. Good times!!

Saturday: 

6:30PM:  31 miles w/ 2000ft of vert in 4:05.  Westminster Night Trail 50K put on at Standley Lake just a few miles from the house. The race started at 6:30pm so of course was not feeling all that great at the start with all the food from the day in the belly. Decided to go out somewhat harder for at least the first 10k to see who would go with me. Of course one dude did, and we pushed the pace for the first half marathon. As we were coming into the turn around at mile 13 he as me if I was playing mind games with him by going out so hard, LOL... Told him my plan as to do a tempo half marathon then cruise it in which I sorta did but I did push the pace for another 2-3 miles to keep the pressure on him after he left the turn around before me and he broke, started walking and cramping around mile 17 grabbing his hamstrings. I knew he would, he was only using aid stations, no handhelds or anything, and he was only drinking like a cup at a time since I was not giving him time to refuel by pushing the pace. I was carrying a handheld and my gels in my waist belt so I did not stop at most aid stations, just once per lap at the start/finish to refill the bottle. Needless to say I put 30 plus minutes on him by the finish and I just cruised it in after mile 17ish or so. I did break somewhat around mile 27 where I thought I was going to puke but was good, just slowed it down and jogged it in. PR for me in the 50K tonight.. 1st place... and Taylor won the 35K and Veronica won the women's 35K and Melisa got 2nd woman in the 35K.  Deathmarch crew had a good night.

Sunday:  

2PM: 4.2miles averaging 8:10pace.  Easy lap of Davidson Mesa and Harper Lake. Super chill, first 2 miles were rough but okay after that. Sure it is all due to the lack of sleep this weekend.

Total Weekly Numbers

Another solid week of over 80 miles, 3rd week in a row over 80 and 4th week over 70, capped off with a fun race that I was able to pull out the win and course record.  Looking forward to the coming down week, need it I think even though I am feeling pretty good this Monday morning as I am typing this.  Should be in the 60-70 mile range this week, then 2 more bigger weeks before the taper for Cowboy.  

Still looking for a pacer for Cowboy 100 on Sept 27 if interested!!  Just need to be able to do 9-10 min or so miles for 20ish miles.