Sept 18th- Sept 24th

“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” - Seth Godin

Paula when way out of her comfort zone this weekend attending the NorthFace Hardrock Women Camp.  So proud of her for putting herself out there!!!  We both had a blast.

Monday:   

7 AM:  1 hour at the gym. 

Warmup: Airbike and mobility

4 RFT: 14 mins 44 secs 

4 rounds of:

Walking Lunge, 100 m

50 AbMat Sit-ups

Cashout: 4 sets of 10 back extends

8 AM:  5.1 miles averaging 8:40pace.  Easy out and back on the Rock Creek Trail from the gym to just past Medtronic.  Legs were wobbling at first after all those lunges at the gym before hand but think the easy jog will make them less sore later.

--  5min cold plunge before heading off to get my tattoo sleeve finished up this afternoon.

Tuesday:  

6:45 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Jogging, mobility and drills

AMRAP 20 mins:  7 rounds 

20:00 AMRAP:

Run, 200 m

15 Pull-ups

10 Double Dumbbell Burpee Deadlifts, 35% 1RM | 55 lbs

8 AM:  5.6 miles averaging 8:15pace.  Easy cruise on the Rock Trail trail from the gym right after the workout. Little wiped so chill jog only.

Wednesday:

6:45 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Rowing, mobility and drills

FT: 11 mins 49 secs
5 Wall Walks
25 Kettlebell Swings, 70 lbs
25 Row Calories
4 Wall Walks
20 Kettlebell Swings, 70 lbs
20 Row Calories
3 Wall Walks
15 Kettlebell Swings, 70 lbs
15 Row Calories
2 Wall Walks
10 Kettlebell Swings, 70 lbs
10 Row Calories
1 Wall Walk
5 Kettlebell Swings, 70 lbs
5 Row Calories

10 AM:  6.1 miles averaging 8min pace.  Easy cruise from the house over into the trails in the Westminster Hills. Awesome morning out there with lots of sunshine.

2:30 PM:  Walk 2.8 miles in 47mins.  Easy afternoon walk around the neighborhood to get a sunshine break from work.  Followed this up with a 5min cold plunge afterwards.

Thursday:  

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  No weight check this week.

6:45 AM: 1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

FT:  17 mins 59 secs 

21 Dumbbell Front Squats, 50 lbs

21 Toes-to-bars

Farmer Carry, 50 lbs, 100 m

18 Dumbbell Front Squats, 50 lbs

18 Toes-to-bars

Farmer Carry, 50 lbs, 100 m

15 Dumbbell Front Squats, 50 lbs

15 Toes-to-bars

Farmer Carry, 50 lbs, 100 m

12 Dumbbell Front Squats, 50 lbs

12 Toes-to-bars

Farmer Carry, 50 lbs, 100 m

9 Dumbbell Front Squats, 50 lbs

9 Toes-to-bars

Farmer Carry, 50 lbs, 100 m

6 Dumbbell Front Squats, 50 lbs

6 Toes-to-bars

Farmer Carry, 50 lbs, 100 m

3 Dumbbell Front Squats, 50 lbs

3 Toes-to-bars

Farmer Carry, 50 lbs, 100 m

1 PM:  6.1 miles averaging 8:15pace.  Easy cruise from the house over to the Westminster Hills and back.  Super chill since the legs are shot from the week in the gym.

-- Finished book number 24 of the year today, Arisen: Raiders, Vol 5- The Last Raid.  24 was the goal for the year so everything else is a bonus.  

Friday:

5:30 AM:  1 hour in the garage gym

Warmup: Airbike and mobility

Bench Press 10x10
Sets
10 Bench Press | 95 lbs
10 Bench Press | 100 lbs
10 Bench Press | 100 lbs
10 Bench Press | 100 lbs
10 Bench Press | 100 lbs
10 Bench Press | 105 lbs
10 Bench Press | 105 lbs
10 Bench Press | 105 lbs
10 Bench Press | 110 lbs
10 Bench Press | 110 lbs

Barbell Curl 10-10-10-10 :
Sets
10 Barbell Curls | 52 lbs
10 Barbell Curls | 57 lbs
10 Barbell Curls | 57 lbs
10 Barbell Curls | 57 lbs

5 RFT:
5 rounds of:
20 GHD Sit-ups
Ski Erg, 400 m

3 Rounds
20sec calf raises
10sec hold up
20sec calf raises
10sec hold up
30sec recovery

6:30 AM: 4.1 miles averaging 8:20pace.  Easy cruise from Paula's house after the garage gym session and before heading to Silverton for a 4 day weekend. 

Paula signed up for the free Northface Women of Hardrock Camp.  She gets to go out on supported runs on the Hardrock Course.  Can't wait for her to see some of it!  I will be doing my own thing with Venus (the dog).  Really looking forward to this weekend!!  Leaving around 9am so we can get there for the first event around 5pm.

Saturday: 

9 AM:   Hike 6 miles w/ 2000ft of vert in 2 hours.  Easy hike up Kendall Mountain with Venus while Paula was out with the group doing Little Giant to Silverton on the Hardrock course. Awesome morning out there!!! Love early fall in the high country!

Sunday:  

9 AM:   Hike 7.6 miles w/ 2700ft of vert in 4.5 hours. Hike with Paula and Venus to Island and Ice Lakes outside of Silverton. Lots of stops for photos, ect.  First time seeing Ice Lake and holy shit is it bright blue! It was a sight to see for sure! Dog's longest and most vert that she has done at one time. She was wiped.

--  We spent the afternoon exploring the Silverton Cemetery looking at the gravestones.  I could spend hours  exploring here for it takes up the whole hillside on the edge of town.  It is huge... we only went through about a 1/4 of it.

Total Weekly Numbers

Solid week overall considering the travel.  Would have liked to run more but all good.

Sept 11th- Sept 17th

  “If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” - T.S. Eliot

Monday:   

7 AM: 1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Rowing, mobility

Bench Press : 3 Rep Max : 585 lbs | 195 lbs
Sets
3 Bench Press | 195 lbs

-then-

FT: 5 mins 23 secs | Rx'd
50 Row Calories
40 Push-ups
30 Burpees

9:30 AM:  Walk 2.3 miles in 39mins.   Paula has to go into the office the beginning of this week so I grabbed Venus from her house and let her hang out with me most of the day. Took her out a bit this morning before the forecasted rain this afternoon.

2:30 PM: 5.2 miles w/ 400ft of vert averaging 7:50pace. Easy miles from Coalton Trailhead up and over the mesa and back towards Superior on Dirty Bizmark. Super chill, rough start but loosened up nicely.

Tuesday:  

6:45 AM:  1.5 hours at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, jump rope, mobility and drills

10 RFT: 16 mins 23 secs
10 rounds of:
40 Double Unders
8 Toes-to-bars
1 Rope Climb, 15 ft

- then-

"Tabata" - Echo Bike Calories : 4 x 3:45 w/ 4 mins rest between: 267 cal.

Tabata Echo Bike Calorie | 72,63,65,67

9:30 AM:  Walk 2.1 miles in 34mins.  Morning walk around the hood with Venus before it gets hot outside.  She does not do well in anything over 70-75 degrees.

2 PM:  5.1 miles averaging 7:40pace.  Easy mileage over at Davidson Mesa keeping it flat today. Calves/ankles are a little wrecked from all the double unders this morning so did not want to pile on with hills.  Walked another 1 mile cooldown afterwards.

Wednesday:

7 AM:  4.6 miles w/ 1000ft of vert in an hour.  Easy run/hike with RBA catching up on life from NCAR along the Mesa Trail. Have not chatted in a long time so it was good to catch-up some. Such a great morning out there today!

4 PM:  Walk 2.2 miles in 37mins.  Easy afternoon walk around the neighborhood. Needed to get out some.  Followed this up with a 5 min cold plunge.

Thursday:  

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  173.6 at 10%... Down a touch but pretty much the same.

8:30 AM:  4.1 miles averaging 7:45pace.  Easy cruise on the trails around the gym to warmup for the running in the WOD.   Great morning out, perfect for running.

9:15 AM: Warmup: Running, mobility and drills (1.75 miles of running between warmup and WOD)

FT: 18 mins 13 secs 

Run, 1 mi

Row, 2000 m

Assault Bike, 3000 m

-- Really liked this one.  Might come up with one at home that has a Skierg instead of the rower.

2 PM:  Walk 2.2 miles in 36mins.  Neighborhood walk before the rain hits this afternoon.  Got done just as it started.  3min cold plunge right afterwards.

Friday:

7 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

10x 1 min : 64 reps

10 rounds, 1 min each, of:

20 Air Squats

max rep Clean & Jerks, 50% 1RM | 105 lbs | 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, and 10

Rest 2 mins

Moderate effort.. racing tomorrow. Capped it at 6 reps except the last round 

8 AM:  4 miles averaging 8:15pace.  Easy shakeout jog right after the gym on the Rock Creek trail which is right across the street from the gym.  Super chill.

Saturday: 

7 AM:  Pikes Peak Ascent.  13 miles w/ 7800ft of vert in 3:14:34.  Pikes Peak Ascent... Honestly was not expecting on having an awesome day on the hill but did not think I would get a personal worst either. Felt good until I got to AFrame around 2:10 into the race which is just over 3 miles to go. Was looking for liquid calories and all they had was water. Bonked hard after that walking almost every step of the last 3 miles to the finish. I should have had one of my Tailwind packets on me, that was totally on me. Outside of that I thought it went well for where I am right now which is not in this kind of racing shape. Time to get back to it.  Was surprised that even though I was 132nd out of 1800 people I still pulled off a 4th in my age group, lots of young fast guys this year.  

Thanks again JT for the bed to crash in the night before so I would not have to wake up quite as early for the 2 hour drive.  

Sunday:  

8 AM:  6.4 miles averaging 8:16 pace.  2 super chill laps around Davidson Mesa this morning.  Legs are smashed from yesterday of course so took about 2 miles before my pace dipped below 9 min pace.  Can totally tell I have not hardly run any hills since Hardrock.  

1 PM: Walk 2 miles in 35mins. Easy dog walk with Venus at halftime of a football game I was watching.  Most of the day was on the couch with the dog watching football and checking on friends running the Pikes Peak Marathon.

Total Weekly Numbers

Solid week for the most part even with a small mini taper in there.  This next week will be more hiking than running unless I can get in a bunch of miles before Friday.  We are leaving for a 4 day weekend in Silverton next weekend for a women of Hardrock camp that Paula signed up for.  I am just planning on hiking with the dog most of the time.

Sept 4th- Sept 10th

“You do not need to do what everybody else in class is doing. You do not need to impress anybody, including yourself. You need to show up and don’t complain, and then you need to come back again tomorrow.” - Ben Bergeron

- This kind of applies to all things in life.  Like I always say, "Just do you".

Monday:   

7 AM: 5.5 miles averaging 8min pace.  Easy out and back on the Rock Creek trail towards Erie from the gym parking lot before the workout. Felt really good this morning but kept it super chill.

9 AM: 1:10 at the gym

Warmup: Jogging, mobility and some drills

Bert : 44 mins 4 secs | Rx'd
50 Burpees
Run, 400 m
100 Push-ups
Run, 400 m
150 Walking Lunges
Run, 400 m
200 Air Squats
Run, 400 m
150 Walking Lunges
Run, 400 m
100 Push-ups
Run, 400 m
50 Burpees

-- this one was rough....

-- Happy Labor Day from Venus... 

Paula and I spent the afternoon cleaning through things at the house, moving a few things and making a Goodwill run.  Things are a brewing.

Tuesday:  

6:45 AM:  1:10 at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

5 RFT:  9 mins 45 secs 

5 rounds of:

20 Box Jumps, 24 in

25 Kettlebell Swings, 1.5 pood

-then-

3 rounds for quality

20 GHD Sit-ups

1min plank

20 Russian Twist 25lbs

2:30 PM:  6 miles w/ 500ft of vert averaging 8min pace.  Easy run from Coalton trailhead over the mesa to Superior and back.  Super chill this afternoon.  My legs, mostly my ass, is damn sore from yesterday's workout.  Followed this up with a cold plunge at home.

-- Got the cyclocross bike in and it is now ready to race.  Might jump in a few races to get my ass kicked this fall.  Always good to get a good humbling.

Wednesday:

7 AM:  6.1 miles w/ 500ft of vert averaging 8:30pace.  Easy lap of Marshall Mesa from the Greenbelt trailhead. Legs are sore to the touch today so super chill all around. No pushing at all.

1 PM:  Bike 2 miles followed by a 2 mile run averaging 8:30pace back home.  Rode a bike over to Paula's house to leave it and ran home.  

2 PM: Walked 2.2 miles in 36mins. Easy walk around the hood to get in the time moving that I wanted for the day. Was going to go to Crossfit but it is a leg day and mine are sore. I would have gone if I wasn't racing this weekend but need them to recover somewhat.  

Cold plunge before dinner for 5mins.  Felt colder today than normal for some reason.

Thursday:  

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  174.4lbs w/ 9.4% bodyfat.  Up one pound in the past 2 weeks with no change in the bodyfat.  That means that I gained a pound of muscle from all the lifting I have been doing.  Ok with it at times and other times a pound is a pound when running. Mixed feelings on this.

7 AM:  6.2 miles w/ 1300ft of vert averaging 9:30pace.  Easy out and back on the Mesa Trail from the South Mesa Trailhead.  Really need to get out here more.  Been to lazy to drive over here (only 15 mins) and need to knock that shit off.  Great morning!

9 AM: 1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Rowing, mobility and drills

FT: 16 mins 4 secs | Rx'd

55 Row Calories
-- then --
10 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
10 Toes-to-bars
9 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
9 Toes-to-bars
8 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
8 Toes-to-bars
7 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
7 Toes-to-bars
6 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
6 Toes-to-bars
5 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
5 Toes-to-bars
4 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
4 Toes-to-bars
3 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
3 Toes-to-bars
2 Power Snatches, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
2 Toes-to-bars
1 Power Snatch, 50% 1RM | 75 lbs
1 Toes-to-bar
-- then --
55 Row Calories

3 PM: Walk 2 miles in 31mins around the neighborhood followed by a 5min cold plunge.

--  Another nice surprise in the mail again today.  Thanks JT!!  

Friday:

7 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Rowing, mobility and drill

Work up to the deadlift weight for the workout.  Done over about 6 sets.

FT:  11 mins 36 secs | Rx'd

5 rounds of:

5 Pull-ups

10 Push-ups

15 Air Squats

-- then --

1 Deadlift, 5 mins | 345 lbs

-- then --

5 rounds of:

5 Pull-ups

10 Push-ups

15 Air Squats

9 AM: 4.2 miles w/ 500ft of vert averaging 8:45pace.  Easy cruise around the hills in Superior. Still bummed they removed the secret pullup bar. Racing burros tomorrow so super chill jog.

2 PM: Walked 2.2 miles in 37mins.  Easy afternoon walk aka break from work around the neighborhood followed by a cold plunge.

Saturday: 

Noon:  Victor Burro Race- 7.4 miles w/ 1600ft of vert in 1:13.  Victor Burro Race- 2nd place... Race went pretty much according to plan. Some hickups as we were coming into town with stray cows and dogs but that actually may have played in Bob and I favor because it also caused MM to slow as well on the uphill into town. MM is an awesome uphill donk so slowing her just before the finish gave Bob and I a chance to pass on the few blocks of downhill going into the finish.  Bob got me by one second today.  Some of the donks, including Sugar Ray who I was running, got themselves a treat afterwards, carrot cake.

Drove to Fairplay after the race and camped at GZ'z cabin.  

Sunday:   Hike 5.2 miles w/ 1600ft of vert in 1:42.  Easy hike up and down Pennsylvania Mountain outside of Fairplay to place a geocache for Paula. If you want to find it you can download "Geocaching" App and go find it, make sure you put it back for other people to find.

Total Weekly Numbers

Not a bad week at all considering there is a small little taper and recovery in there as well.  Will be about the same for this week for plan on doing Pike Peak Ascent on Saturday.  Pondering on getting a coach again to get my ass in gear.  Feel like I have been floundering in no man's land since Hardrock.

August Monthly Recap

“Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” - Pat Riley

An ok month overall.  Really need to get the bikes out more but struggle with it with all the gym time and running.  Only have so much time/energy and I get more enjoyment out of running/gym right now than biking for whatever reason.  

August 28th- September 3rd

“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” - Robert Frost

Monday:   

6:45 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Jogging, mobility and drills

3 RFT: 19 mins 10 secs
3 rounds of:
Run, 800 m
30 Overhead Squats, 40% 1RM | 45 lbs
15 Burpee Box Jump Overs, 20 in

Had to switch to front squats for a few reps at the end due to shoulder pinch. 

10 AM:  20min sauna followed by a 5min cold plunge.

--Spent the evening getting the half sleeve worked on.  One more session in 3 weeks and it will finally done.  Really loving how this is coming together.

Tuesday:  

6:45 AM:  1 hour at the gym.

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

Chipper:  16 mins 20 secs | Rx'd

10 Power Cleans, 75% 1RM | 140 lbs

20 Pull-ups

30 Toes-to-bars

80 Wall Balls, 20 lbs

30 Toes-to-bars

20 Pull-ups

10 Power Cleans, 75% 1RM | 140 lbs

3 PM:  Walk 3.3 miles.  Easy walk around the hood. No motivation to run but at least I got some sunshine.  Seems I have lost all mojo to run anymore.  I have been forcing it and kind of over it the past few days.  We will see what the rest of the week brings.  Pretty damn sure I am not doing the Grand Traverse Run/Bike this weekend.  Last thing I feel like doing is racing long.

Wednesday:

7 AM:  6.4 miles averaging 7:30 pace.  Two easy laps of Davidson Mesa.  Did not feel like I was moving this well.  Only goal was to keep the HR under 150.  Quicker than expected.

9 AM:  1:05 at the gym

Warmup: Rowing, mobility and drills

FT: 8 mins 42 secs
21 Deadlifts, 50% 1RM | 205 lbs
9 Wall Walks
15 Deadlifts, 50% 1RM | 205 lbs
7 Wall Walks
9 Deadlifts, 50% 1RM | 205 lbs
5 Wall Walks

-then-

50 med ball sit-ups
50 med ball superman
25 med ball russian twist right
25 med ball russian twist left

Thursday:  

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  No weight check in this week....

7 AM:  7 miles w/ 700ft of vert averaging 8:30pace.  Easy miles from Flatiron Vista for a loop around Springbrook and back.  Awesome morning out there!!  Kept it chill and did walk a little bit (50 yards or so) coming back up Dowdy Draw.

2 PM:  Walk 2.2 miles in 35mins.  Easy afternoon walk through the neighborhood.  

3 PM: 15mins doing core work in the garage before 20mins in the sauna and 5min cold plunge.

Side Bends : 5x15- 25lbs
Sets
15 Side Bends
15 Side Bends
15 Side Bends
15 Side Bends
15 Side Bends

L Sit : 6x 20 secs
Sets
L Sit, 20 secs
L Sit, 20 secs
L Sit, 20 secs
L Sit, 20 secs
L Sit, 20 secs
L Sit, 20 secs

Plank Hold : 3x 60 secs, rest 30 secs
Sets : rest 30 secs
Plank Hold, 1 min
Plank Hold, 1 min
Plank Hold, 1 min

Friday:

7 AM:  1 hour in the gym

Warmup: Rowing, mobility and drills

AMRAP 20 mins: 12 rounds + 5 Single Arm Dumbbell Push Jerks + 5 Single Arm Dumbbell Push Jerks + 7 Push-ups | 437 reps
20:00 AMRAP:
5 Single Arm Dumbbell Push Jerks, 20% 1RM | 35 lbs
5 Single Arm Dumbbell Push Jerks, 20% 1RM | 35 lbs
10 Push-ups
15 Row Calories

1 PM:  6.4 miles averaging 8min pace.  2 easy laps of Davidson Mesa in the 95 degree heat. Thought since the donk race next weekend does not start until noon that some heat training would do me some good for next weekend. I suffered today.  Will try to do this a few times next week plus some sauna time so next Saturday won't be so bad if it is hot.  Followed this up with a cold plunge.

Saturday: 

7 AM:  7 miles w/ 700ft of vert averaging 8:15pace.  Easy lap from Flatrion Vista- Dowdy Draw- loop of Springbrook and back.  Ran this 3mins faster than earlier in the week without really trying too.  Paula was out there too walk/jogging with Venus.  Awesome morning out there!

9 AM: 1:15 at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

30 RFT: Partner Wods,  34 mins 55 secs 

30 rounds of:

Partner Wod

1 Rope Climb

5 Box Jumps, 28 in

10 Assault Bike Calories

- with Jeff

Sunday:  

9 AM: 6.25 miles w/ 1400ft of vert in 1:12.  Easy jog from NCAR over to a lap of Bluebell trails and back. This was a go to this spring for some easy vert. Going to get back to this route more often.  Pretty wiped today.  Did not sleep well last night and it was hot out already this morning so super chill.

Spent the afternoon at 4 Noses catching up with Paula and her friends.  Great group of people!  Had to get me a beer slushie before the summer was over. 

Total Weekly Numbers

Not a bad week overall.  Could have done more but a shit ton in the gym which for some reason right now makes me happy so going to keep rolling with that right now.  Some good trail runs are starting to make their way back into the week as well.  I had plans to race Cyclocross on Wed night (first race of the year) but did not get my tires fixed in time.  Maybe this coming week.

I did bail on the run and bike of the Grand Traverse this weekend.  I could not justify the cost of $300 for a place in Crested Butte on Friday night and $700 for a place in Aspen on Saturday night.  Not only due to cost but also not confident enough in my fitness to do a 40 mile run and bike in back to back days right now too. I just get burned out by this time of year.  Think in the years going forward I will just stick to the ski in April.  I do really enjoying doing the 40 mile ski.