December 16 - December 22

This week felt like I was settling into a solid training schedule after some fluctuations over the past 3-4 weeks. I think I'm finding a good balance in my training schedule. Though, it's been an interesting transition coming back to running as the focus of my weekly activity. I'm still trying to incorporate a fair amount of strength and core training, as I find it beneficial to my longer efforts - particularly when it comes to trail running. That said, I'm having to re-prioritize my schedule now that my running time is increasing each week. I feel like I could stand to cut some strength/weight-training in order to maintain my core strength alongside the increased mileage. I'm still toying with the routine though, which is an interesting experiment. Likewise, I really need to get at least one or two yoga sessions in each week. I'm missing the overall strength and flexibility it provides, not to mention the hip-opening and the general stress relief.

Not much else to say about the week, aside from the fact that everyone seemed to be gearing up for the holidays. The next week will be busy, but I've got three days off and am pretty eager to get a lot of time on the trail. I'll say in advance that I have zero photos from this week. I'm sure I'll have a few next week though. Until then, here are this week's numbers:

12/16/2013
1:10, 1,400' - Mesa Trail
Nice, comfortably paced run south on Mesa. Took the big hill to the top of Mesa and ran to Fern Canyon. Mid afternoon, decent weather, felt solid.

12/17/2013
:58, 1,600' - Mt. Sanitas
Bombed over to Pearl Street on my bike and ran to Sanitas from there. I've been digging this run. It's a nice way to warm up before hitting the trail-head and the myriad rock steps that make up the Trail to the summit. Likewise, this gives me enough daylight to still see my footing on trail when I want to do Mt. Sanitas after work. I think doing this run once or twice a week for the past month has provided me with some good power in the legs while keeping my heart rate up for the entire run. As a side note, myself and a couple running buddies form Milwaukee would always see how late we could push the shirtless runs every year. December 17th is as late as I can remember being comfortable running in shorts and no shirt. Fun stuff...

12/18/2013
1:27, 1,500' - Mesa Trail (+ Road)
Ran the big hill to Mesa Trail and took it south to the Fern Canyon TH before heading back home. I had some extra energy when i got to the house, so I continued down to Broadway and hammered out a fast mile on the road followed by a cool down mile on the return. Turnover felt good, and my lungs felt solid. Still have a lot of speed to gain if I start incorporating some road workouts though...

12/20/2013
:45, 200' - Road Run
Ran out and back on Broadway. Pretty standard run. Nothing too speedy, but definitely quicker than the trails as a result of the flat terrain. Still convinced that I need at least one flat/road day each week. I think its a good way to workout the legs and lungs without taxing my quads and calves the way I do on trail or mountain runs with significant elevation.

12/21/2013
2:22, 3,000-ish' - Mesa Trail
Had the day off of work so I went a little longer on Mesa. My legs felt a bit fatigued at the outset, but I settled into a good rhythm after 20-30 minutes. On the end of the "out" leg I spent some time checking out a few off-shoot trails connected to Mesa. I would estimate the elevation gain to be roughly 3,000-3,500'. It was a nice way to cap a solid week of running.

Oh yeah, I can't forget about the tunes. This first track is one that conjures memories of high school and Summerfest in Milwaukee. I'm not sure what sparked it, but the Big Wu, Minnesota's finest jam-band, was blasting through my speakers while editing this post. I bought this album with Paul Mueller during our freshman year - always the gentleman, he took the burned copy and let me keep the hard copy and liner notes. Thanks, Paulie! (Good tune - crappy video - enjoy.)

Last but not least, I leave you with the sweet soul sounds of the one and only Al Green. This track needs no further introduction or explanation. Classic...

Nightcall

A dark summit - The highlight of the week and perhaps my gutsiest run in the past month.

After bruising my knee on the summit of Green last Saturday I decided to play it safe, taking Sunday and Monday off from running. By Tuesday morning I was itching to get my feet under me. I had spent most of the day on the computer, staring out my window at the sunshine I should have been enjoying. Come 6:30 PM I had resigned myself to a third day off, but it was "motivated" by laziness rather than necessity. Around 7:00 I read a message from a good friend saying, "Just watched In The High Country - I can't believe that's where you live now." Neither can I most days - I literally have mountains in my back yard. I read the message twice, threw on my running gear, and was out the door by 7:30. Daylight be damned, I was going to get on the trails and salvage this one.

I was pretty conservative with my kit despite the fact that temps were well below freezing and winds were gusting between 45-60 mph. My key pieces of gear included my headlamp, a pair of YakTrax, some thick gloves, and a Patagonia windshield half-zip. Within five minutes of heading out I had shed the Patagonia and was feeling very comfortable. At this point, I was tucked into a small valley between Skunk Creek and Mesa Trail, shielding me from the winds whipping across the front range.

I set out to run until I felt satisfied, initially thinking that I would go for maybe 60 minutes. Fortunately, I was digging the solitude and mystique that comes with running alone in the mountains at night. I stopped several times along the trail in order to mute the crunch of snow under my strides and stare back at the groups of glowing eyes I could see just off trail. It's eerie not knowing what kind of wildlife is staring back at you from the darkness, but its exhilarating as well.

Once I reached the junction for Mesa Trail I was feeling warmed up and decided that I would continue south toward Fern Canyon. At that point, the idea of a night-time Bear Peak summit had crept into my mind, but I wasn't sure how icy the trails would be once I hit Fern and things got steeper. Likewise, I knew the intensity of the wind would rise dramatically as I climbed through the canyon and increased my exposure. I would make a game-time decision once I reached the trail junction for Fern Canyon...

In all fairness, it wasn't much of a decision. I reached Fern Canyon and continued making my way up without hesitation. Why? Why not? I was already moving, and the experience was there to be had. I wanted to see the Indian Peaks under the stars. I also wanted to look out over the rest of Boulder, knowing full well I was the only one up on top of the mountain at that moment.

My progress from Fern Canyon to Bear Peak was not particularly efficient, but I felt like I was making solid progress despite the snow and ice. The trail was definitely becoming less packed the higher I went, which required a greater effort. That said, the added heat from this output was welcome in the face of increasing winds and decreasing temperatures. As I scrambled carefully across the last few rocks and reached the USGS dial at the summit the winds were raging and I felt cold for the first time. I didn't linger terribly long, as the wind and lack of movement turned my hands into what felt like fingerless, icy stumps. I was on the peak less than five minutes and the 50 mph gusts cut through me with ease.

I pulled my jacket on for the return and began to feel my fingers again after 10 minutes of descending. I cruised down the majority of Fern Canyon save for a few icy spots, and was back to the long-sleeve by the time I hit Mesa. Entering Skunk Creek for the final stretch back to the house, I was feeling great and once again enjoying the glow of mysterious eyes. I had turned my sedentary Tuesday into a noteworthy day with the help of my legs, some hard work, and a good 3,500' of climbing. By 10:00 PM I was back in my room, stretching my legs and smiling silently. It was the Nightcall - mountains gently beckoning me, "Get off your ass."

Thanks for reminding me why I moved out here, Rev. I appreciate it...

The numbers game...

12/10/2013
2:27, 3,250' - Bear Peak
Night run described above. Great stuff. Frosty paws. Lots of critters.

12/11/2013
:47, 250' - Road Run
Ran north along Broadway. Decent turnover and some random loops here and there. I'm feeling good incorporating one faster/road run per week.

12/12/2013
:60, 1,600' - Mt. Sanitas
Biked to Pearl after work and ran a mile and change to warm-up en route to the Sanitas trail-head. Still icy on the mountain, as indicated by the slow descent. Had my feet come out a few times on the way down and nearly ate rocks for dinner. The trail conditions were in that 'grey area' where spikes and YakTrax would be great in some spots and complete overkill in others. Solid run either way. Mile and change to cool down on the way back to my bike.

12/13/2013
:45, 850' - Mesa Trail
A nice Friday afternoon run with Eric and Gordo. We went up 'the big hill' in back to reach the Mesa Trail. We took Mesa south for a bit before heading back on the relatively new sections of Skunk Canyon. Fun switch-backs on the way home, with all three of us opening up a fair amount. We were stopped by a sheriff about a half mile from the house for having Gordo off leash. Luckily, Mr. Rivera has no felonies on his record - so we were free to go...

After four in a row I was feeling a bit tired, but I can't remember if I got a run in on Saturday or Sunday. I definitely didn't write anything down, but the battery in my altimeter died resulting in me losing all data that was not recorded. To go along with the watch issues, I am very short on pictures this week. I just haven't wanted to bring my phone on the colder, snowy runs. Anyway, here are just a few worth posting.

'Tis the season... 

A beautiful Wisco sunrise - courtesy of my Pops.

This podcast has been killing me the last few weeks.
Worth checking out if you like funny.

Last but not least, its time for some ear-candy. I should apologize for getting this post up so late, but it has been a busy couple of weeks. I'll try to have this week's post and running-logs up within the next couple of days. In the meantime, the following tracks should make up for it. The former, a callback to the title of this post. The latter, a snippet from Red House Painters' Old Ramon - an awesome album from end to end...

Kavinsky - Nightcall

Red House Painters - Between Days

This Is Bliss...

Although I'm bruised and a bit tired as I sit here writing this, the last week was fantastic. I fully intended to post Sunday evening, but I got home from work pretty exhausted and did little more than eat and sleep. Nevertheless, the title of this post was already cemented into my mind...

"This is bliss."

Through 100 minutes of running and a very inefficient ascent of more than 2,500', our conversation had been spotty at times. But this rang clear, as it was my inner dialogue being verbalized by the gnarly Texan following closely in my tracks. My only response to the comment was a massive grin, which was no doubt impossible to see from his vantage point. In any case, he was spot on.

I hadn't been to the top of Green Mountain since early August - the unfortunate consequence of my post-TNF knee issues, as well as the "100-year-flood" that hit Boulder in mid-September. But the knee feels good and the trails have been reopened. Kurt, a friend and fellow ultra-enthusiast, escaped the warmer climate of Austin to visit Denver for the weekend. When he got in touch Thursday night about a possible run during the weekend, a trek up Green Mountain seemed like a no-brainer.

Arriving at the trail head on Saturday, we stepped out of the car into single-digit temperatures and snow flurries. Having both spent much our lives in Wisconsin winters, it was agreed that this was prime running weather. We clicked our watches and started for the top.

For access to the summit we took Ranger Trail via Gregory Canyon. The trip up was not a huge effort, but I felt very inefficient in my Pure Grit trail-runners. Although they are great for dry or muddy trails, the treads were almost useless in snow and powder. I felt like I was losing half of every step I took, as my foot slid back while trying to toe off. In any case, we made the summit in a shade over an hour, including a couple minutes of route finding after following some errant tracks. The only blemish on my day came while stepping off the summit boulder. I lost my footing on a careless step and slipped knee first into another boulder. Fortunately, things feel alright aside from some bruising/cuts. Never mind that - the subsequent descent of Green was the highlight of the day.

The first quarter mile coming back down Ranger trail required a good deal of caution due to slippery steps and exposed rocks. Once we got through that it was time to unleash the inner child. I knew we were speeding up as the time elapsed, but it was almost effortless. Romping through 6-10 inches of powder, we cruised switchbacks and single track at full speed. The only thing occasionally breaking my trance-like state was the need to clear frost from my eyes so I could see the trail in front of me. A smile, fresh powder, a frozen beard, and some quick miles - what more could I ask for on a Saturday afternoon? Those blissful runs are what this sport is all about. Whether you find it cheesy, inspiring, or hard to believe, blazing down the side of a snow-covered mountain on your own two feet is freeing. Its an experience that envelops you, completely consuming and clearing the mind at once. Its why I love running so much.

Post-run burgers and beers at Mountain Sun capped the afternoon, and Kurt was on his way back to Denver shortly after. That's how you visit Boulder, my friend. If only for a few hours...

As great as Saturday was, it was just half of an awesome two days. Having left work early on Friday, I had a lengthy afternoon to myself. After a quality training session at the gym, I went for my most satisfying outing on Mesa Trail since moving to Boulder. The run was highlighted by quick turnover, fresh snow-pack, zero-traffic, and some primal howling (I just couldn't help myself). A night of pizza, beer, and good company left me feeling like a million bucks.

Now, on to the numbers:

12/2/2013
:40, ?' - Road Run
Ran a pacey 40 minutes looping through South Boulder and parts of the CU campus. Felt a bit tight after, but the turnover was good.

12/3/2013
:60, 900' - Mesa Trail
Night run during snow fall. Trail was fairly packed in spots, but not completely buffed by the snow. Took a spill catching a toe on a snow-covered rock. Lots of fun and good to get some cold weather running in.

12/4/2013
:50, 500' - Boulder Valley Ranch
Drove out there with Eric to do a double-loop. Coldest day of the week, it was maybe 8 or 9 degrees at noon. I wore the MT110s and they were letting in tons of powder, which was then freezing into the toe-box of my shoe. A solid run overall, and Eric had a moment on trail. He's one with nature now...

12/6/2013
1:20, 1500' - Mesa Trail
One of my best runs in a long while, as I said above. The snow was pretty packed and I was getting good traction on the climbs. Likewise, I really cut loose coming home and got some speed in my legs. Saw only two people on trail during the entire run. It was amazing to get a good run in with the snow-dusted flatirons and front-range as my backdrop...

12/7/2013
1:40, 2600' - Green Mountain
Ran Green with Kurt. About 65 up and 35 coming down. Awesome stuff...

Views from Lunch

Cooling down a bit...

Keep those toes warm.

Ice Beard #1

#2

#3

Post Green Mountain shot. (Courtesy of Kurt)

Breakfast of Champions.

Gordo looking for attention.

Tea time...

I've had a lot of different music bouncing around my headphones and my brain over the past few weeks. I'm having trouble deciding what to include, so here are a couple tracks. No real explanation needed except to say that these two artists share a common theme - Soul and Groove.

Herman Astro - Tell Me (What I Gotta Do)

Raphael Saadiq - Staying In Love

Bonus Video - This is just a great ad and it inspires me.

Back In The Saddle...

Considering the 'DNF post' was actually written two months ago, this is my first legitimately new entry in quite a while. I've missed the weekly writing and creative output that this blog encouraged when I started it. Hopefully this post will reinvigorate my routine and keep me consistent.

To start, I have to say that Boulder is really feeling like home. Of course I miss my family and friends in Milwaukee (not to mention those scattered about the country), but I think Colorado is an excellent fit given my interests and personality. The bonds with my roommates and coworkers have really strengthened, particularly since returning from my trip to Milwaukee in September. Likewise, I've met some great people since moving out here, without it seeming like a major effort. I really think there's merit to the idea that many people move here based on similar interests and aspirations. As a result, I tend to have quite a bit in common with the the people I meet in and around Boulder. At the very least, there is an open-mindedness and willingness to accept others that seems widespread. Simply put, I am happy here and I feel great about my decision to move just five short months ago. Having said that, its time for some updates on my adventures and running, because that's really what this blog is about...

While I'm ecstatic to have resumed my running after nearly eight weeks off, there are several noteworthy events that took place during the interim. Despite being short on climbing experience compared to my roommates, this wasn't enough to stop me from joining a weekend trek to Utah in late October. We packed up a couple of cars and drove seven hours to North Wash for a taste of some late-season canyoneering. Warm days, brisk evenings, tight spaces, and sand-seasoned meals. What more do you need to know? Perhaps that the crux of the weekend involved stripping down and wading naked through two sandstone pits filled with 34-degree water in order to negotiate the final section of our second canyon. While that may sound like a miserable experience to some, its moments like these that foster an appreciation for life unobtainable from the confines of a couch cushion. I can't forget the guttural (and involuntary) howl I let out as I went from knee to chest-deep in frigid muddy water. Likewise, I'm already looking back fondly upon my first lengthy rappel into the picturesque sandstone canyons. The whole weekend went seamlessly, including our campfire surf-n-turf dinner, which we happily washed down with a case of PBR. It's hard to see in the picture below, but I paid homage to my badass grandpa by shredding the steak with my seemingly filthy camp-knife, as I remember him often doing at the dinner table when I was a kid. You know, man-stuff...

North Wash was certainly the adventuring highlight of the fall, but I also got my first taste of real outdoor climbing during the following month. A trip to Clear Creek Canyon with three others gave me some experience scaling cold rock and dangling from the end of a rope and harness. I have some catching up to do in order to 'hang' with the roommates, but I can definitely see myself getting into this sport. Just as I discovered after the canyoneering trip, the feeling of outdoor climbing can only be described so far in words. The reality is that one must experience it first hand to get the whole picture. I should probably be more hesitant to pick up another hobby that involves extensive gear acquisition, but I think Bill Murray said it best - Baby Steps...

Last but not least - on to the Running. It's only been about two weeks or so since I've started getting some quality runs in, but I feel decent so far. While there is occasional tightness in my knee, it has not been feeling painful or terribly uncomfortable. I've been doing some strength and flexibility exercises for the hips and glutes in hopes of preempting any muscle imbalances or IT band issues. Likewise, I was doing yoga every day for the first week and a half that I began running again. Yoga seemed to help immensely in terms of overall muscle balance, strength, and flexibility. While I won't be able to continue on a daily schedule at this point, I'd really like to make it a regular part of my routine. Even without the running-related benefits, I'm amazed by how mentally balanced I felt and how well I was sleeping as a result of my daily yoga sessions. I'm thinking this next week may require a couple classes, as I'm getting 'the itch' after a week away.

As for the running itself, I feel that my outings have been fairly balanced. I've done some significant elevation, some road running, and some flatter trail miles. While I absolutely love incorporating big climbs into my daily runs, I'm starting to think it would be more beneficial for me to maintain a varied schedule. When I first moved to Boulder I was doing regular trips up Bear, Green, and Sanitas without much regard for flatter miles and increased turnover. However, I think I could be a stronger and more efficient runner if I incorporate greater variety into my training. I also need to make ample time for yoga, as well as strength and core workouts. During the past few weeks I've felt very fit in an overall sense and I believe this is the result of mixing up running, yoga, climbing, and strength training. Not only does this add balance to my overall fitness; I think the variety keeps me feeling fresh and more excited about my running.

I unfortunately didn't have my altimeter with me for much of the last few weeks. As a result, the following run-log is largely an approximation from memory. My goal was to get out and run whenever I felt good doing so. As such, I didn't bother to write down when or where I went. In any case, this will give a general idea of my recent outings:

11/9/2013
4:30ish, 3,250' - Bear Peak
This was a nice day-hike with some of the roommates. While we weren't running any of the trail, we kept a solid pace for most of the day. Being a Saturday, the trails and peak were fairly crowded. Gordo came along and kept up with me for the whole thing. I let him drink half my water on the way up - plus he needed a little extra to wash down the avocado sandwich Eric fed him on the summit. My legs felt really good the next day, and this outing kicked off my running for the next couple of weeks.

11/?/2013
:50, 1,000' - Mesa Trail
Pretty standard stuff. Took Skunk Creek up to Mesa and ran it south until I felt like turning back. The elevation varies depending upon how far I run out, but an hour or so on the trail usually result in somewhere between 1,000' and 1,500' of gain. Again the legs felt solid, and I repeated similar runs several times throughout the next two weeks.

11/?/2013
1:10, 1,300' - Mesa Trail
Pretty standard run at a comfortable pace.

11/?/2013
:45ish, 1,400' - Mt. Sanitas
I biked to the trailhead for my first Sanitas loop in months. Felt pretty taxed by the summit, but I think I made it up in about 22:30 or 23 minutes. Felt solid on the way down and finished the whole loop in about 45 minutes before biking home.

11/?/2013
:40, 700' - Mesa > Chautauqua > Broadway
Went out for a quick 40 minutes or so with Eric. We took the trail out our back door up to Mesa where it flattens out and then bombs down through Chautauqua Park. From there we jumped onto the road and took Baseline east before cruising south on Broadway to get home. Good to feel that turnover, even though I don't care for road running.

11/?/2013
1:15, 1,300' - Mesa Trail
Took a slightly different route and wound up on what appeared to be a game trail, perhaps occasionally used by climbers. I was feeling good whichever day this was, so I scrambled an extra 50-75 feet up a nearby slab and enjoyed the solitude and beautiful views of the front range before making my way back home. I'm always refreshed after running, but I felt really connected to my surroundings during this outing. I wasn't running for time or distance or elevation - I was running to feel my feet on the ground and to lose myself for an hour. One of the many reasons I love it out here...

11/?/2013
2:20?, 3,250' - Bear Peak
Took my standard route to the summit via Skunk > Mesa > Fern. The trails are slightly altered since the floods that tore through Boulder in September. We had some snow a few days prior, which resulted in sloppy and slow conditions on the lower trails. Up high there was a fair bit of ice and snow remaining, but nothing that required much more than quality shoes and careful steps. I was pretty tired by the end, as I carried little in the way of gels and water. However, I did get the chance to test my Patagonia Houdini jacket on the peak. I was drenched in sweat by the time I topped out, but winds on the summit chilled me pretty quickly. I threw on my jacket, snapped some pictures, and made my way back down. The Houdini kept me toasty warm and insulated from the wind for the entire last hour of my run. It also packs down smaller than a pair of socks, which is handy. Overall, a good day on the trails and my longest outing since I started back.

11/?/2013
:50, 400'? - Left Hand Trail
Eric and I capped a day of indoor climbing with a glorious early winter run. The scenery was pretty serene. The trails we ran were relatively flat and very reminiscent of rural Midwest farmland. That is until I cocked my head to the west and saw front range dusted with fresh snow. Forty degree temps and hazy-grey skies made it feel like we were running inside of an old watercolor painting. This trail is definitely worth revisiting, as it is flatter than the trails next to our house without being boring. Likewise, it's a great place to go while trying to avoid the weekend crowds around Chautauqua.

11/?/2013
1:10, 1,300' - Mesa Trail
Standard, easy run.

11/27/2013
:45, ???'
Hiked up to the second Flat Iron in hopes of soloing it with Eric and Jesse. I went up the first 30' or so of the climb and decided it was outside of my comfort zone given my very limited outdoor climbing experience. After taking my time down-climbing, I laced up my trail-runners and followed a long route home with Gordo in tow. It took me a half mile or so to figure out how to command him to stay with me, but it wasn't long before we were cruising sections of Mesa Trail, both in full, galloping strides. I was grinning ear-to-ear when I finally got him to cut loose with me. I'll definitely be taking him along on more runs, as he seemed to enjoy the partnership as much as I did. Likewise, I'll be back to the Second Flat Iron for another solo attempt. Regardless of the difficulty of a climb, I just need a bit more time roped in before I'm comfortable scaling hundreds of feet without any protection. Smart I think...

:40, ???'
About an hour after running home with Gordo, Eric and Jesse returned. Eric and I hopped on our bikes and rode over to BRC for their wednesday night fun-run. After 5 or 6 miles of road, we were back at the store enjoying free beer and pizza. Not a bad way to cap the day and gear up for thanksgiving.

11/28/2013
1:25ish, 2,800' - Mt. Sanitas x 2
After a long morning of work, I decided to let my mind unwind before heading home to enjoy the turkey-day festivities. I biked over to Sanitas and decided to see how my legs would hold up. My first summit took a shade over 21 minutes, with the descent clocking in around 19 or so. As I made my way back to the start, I decided I had another round in me so I forked right at the trail head and went for the top again. Lap two was surprisingly consistent and I lost only a a minute or so, reaching the summit in 23 minutes. Again the descent was about 19 minutes, bringing the total time to 85 minutes for two laps.

11/29/2013
:55ish, 1,600' - Mt. Sanitas
In an attempt to get the thanksgiving gluttony out of my system, I went for another Sanitas run. This time I biked to Pearl Street and ran from there in order to warm up for a mile or so before hitting the Sanitas trail head. The approach took about 9 minutes, and my split from trail head to summit was 21 flat. I felt fast on the way down, and clocked in around 16:30. The last leg of the run back to Pearl Street took another 8 minutes. I felt strong on this run, but I unfortunately tweaked my leg a bit on the descent. I'm hoping a couple days is all I need to heal. In any case, a day or two off is probably justified after three in a row. Especially considering I am still easing back into a regular routine...

Defy the laws of gravity. (And don't neglect your core.)

Into the abyss...

Shadow warriors conquering canyons.

Making Grandpa Proud...

Guess who's going to start getting some runs in with me?

A bunch from Bear Peak...

That beard got a much-needed trim when I returned to the house.

The trail leads West.

Patagonia and New Belgium unite. Not bad...

My main man, Gordo. Runnin' trails and eatin' turkey scraps...

I wouldn't dare end a post without some music, so I've included a couple links. The M83 track has been a staple for the past few months, and the video is fantastic. The Bon Iver track is a tribute to the start of winter. I remember first getting into 'For Emma' and it always reminds me of serene snowfall and being pinned down in the Midwestern cold. Enjoy!

M83 - We Own The Sky

Bon Iver - Flume

DNF - Lessons in Failure and Patience...

That dreaded three letter acronym - DNF - Did Not Finish.

As an athlete, ultra runner, and all-around competitive person, those were three letters from the alphabet that I hoped to never see accompanying my name on a list of race results. But this is life, and things don't always go according to plans. As I limped into the aid station at mile 28 of the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 miler my plans had completely unraveled, grinding my race and mental state to a halt.

"I'm dropping," I said to a race coordinator at the 28.4 mile aid station, trying to maintain as much politeness as possible in spite of my frustrations.
"You need your drop-bag? What number is it?" she asked.
"No, I'm done. I need to drop from the race," I said, shaking my head in disappointment. "Fuck."

I'm a firm believer in learning from one's mistakes and trying to use failure as the springboard for future success. To accomplish the first step in this process, I've got to move beyond a disappointing race effort and evaluate both the failures and successes of my training in the months leading up to the race. At this point in my relatively short running career, I am very much a student. Luckily for me, the sport of ultra running is one that allows its participants to become masters late into life. As I sit here three days from my 28th birthday, I would be in my twilight for most major sports. For ultra distance running, though, this is not necessarily the case. Competitive ultra-runners range from early twenties well into their forties. Likewise, this sport is as much about personal successes as it is about podium finishes. In short, I've got plenty of time to hone my training and racing strategies so that I can consistently perform at a level that I consider satisfactory.

To be blunt, I went into this race on what most would consider an insufficient base of mileage. Since my move to Boulder at the beginning of July, I put together roughly 4 weeks of good, consistent training. I certainly felt fit, and my ability to climb over a distance was not in doubt. That said, I've been plagued with injuries, niggles, and hiccups in training since mid-December of 2012. I dealt with IT Band Friction Syndrome (ITBS) leading up to the Bandera 100K in January. I then took time off from running after that race due to knee issues. I put in some moderate mileage in late spring and very early summer, but my move to Boulder resulted in a major lack of training during the month or so leading to July 1st. Moreover, I didn't resume consistent training until the middle of July, as I focused on settling into my new home as quickly as possible. From mid-July to mid-August I felt my fitness increase with consistent running and power-hiking around Boulder's front range. That said, I had a few niggles and muscle strains to deal with along the way. My knee issues following the Longs Peak ascent should have been enough to rule out this weekend's TNF 50-mile in Kettle Moraine, but I put in a few decent 1-2 hour runs over the last few weeks without major problems. I felt confident about my ability to endure the race, but this hinged upon my knee issues staying dormant for 50 miles of racing. The bottom line is that I was (at least somewhat) under-trained, over-stressed, and far from 100% healthy coming into a distance that cannot be taken lightly.

In a text exchange following the conclusion of my race effort, a friend and fellow ultra-enthusiast mentioned an anecdote about distance racing that rings true. The idea is that you should never start an ultra (or any race for that matter) if you are in doubt of finishing, because you've already given up at that point. While I do not question my ability to cover 50 miles given a decent base of fitness, I certainly toed the line with doubts about the health of my knee. In hindsight, I spent the early miles of the race in a state of hyper-consciousness, waiting for something to go awry with my knee. When things did start to go south, I simply tried to ignore the knee for another 10 miles. The shooting pain with every stride eventually sobered me up enough to know that it was foolish to 'tough-out' an additional 25 miles in this state. Moreover, I had clearly been compensating for the knee pain by altering my stride, as is evident from the strain in my right calf muscle. The lesson seems simple enough - don't start a race with lingering injuries that have not been resolved. Unfortunately, stubborn and wise cannot always live together in harmony. Apparently, this was a lesson I had to learn the hard way - through experience.

My early effort in the race was encouraging. I was sitting comfortably within the top 15-20, putting forth a very calculated strategy. The climbs were hardly taxing me; my heart-rate was under control; and I felt like I was conserving plenty of gas to stay strong and move up through the last 10 miles - assuming my knee would get me there. As such, I cannot be completely disappointed in the segments of the race I did complete. The first third of the race made me realize that I am starting to see the benefits of several years of solid base training. Moreover, there is a mental confidence in my fitness that is becoming more apparent the longer I run. On the other hand, I need to be smarter. If I could feel this way on a shoddy knee and scattered training, I can only imagine the potential with a healthy body and consistent, focused training. This analysis segues nicely into my future training plans.

At this point I plan on taking at least a week or so to simply rest and recover. Twenty eight miles itself was not enough to require significant rest. Unfortunately, the knee problem and resulting calf-strain demand some TLC in order for the swelling and tension to subside. Once those symptoms are significantly reduced, I intend to discontinue my running indefinitely. As I have learned over the last 9 months, trying to resume training too early will only result in more setbacks. Instead, I'm going to put together a very specific and multifaceted rehabilitation plan. I realize that I have certain muscle imbalances and bio-mechanical issues that can be very easily addressed with the right plan and execution. It is my hope that I can address these issues over the next couple of months. Once I feel that I have sufficiently addressed and improved these issues, I am going to start a very conservative and methodical training plan. The ultimate goal is to be healthy and balanced with a modest base of running miles going into late winter and early spring. I expect to have a serious fire in my belly, at which point I can hopefully begin more specific and targeted training plans for the late spring and summer racing seasons. I believe most people call this approach "patience." I have not traditionally been accustomed to such an approach to running, but maybe my body has been trying to tell me something over the last year. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to listen...

Not quite...

Torn and Frayed...

Lost For a Few Weeks...

I'm not sure if anyone was checking this during the week awaiting a new posting. Whatever the case may be, there's a very good reason for the lack of new info. I went out for some easy miles last Tuesday, and felt some pretty significant pain in my knee. I'm not sure about the source of this pain, but I am quite accustomed to running with/through muscular issues. What I was feeling last week was different - I'm guessing a sprain/strain of the MCL or issues with the medial meniscus.

I effectively took two weeks off, and went out on a little walk/hike/run today for the first time since my Longs effort on the 10th. I did so knowing that I would be hyper-sensitive to any pain, twinges, or 'off' feelings in the knee as I test things out. That said, my knee seemed (just) okay this evening with a few instances where things felt a bit unusual. I'm going to slowly work into it this week, while spending lots of time with the foam-roller and trigger-point ball.

In the meantime, I've been doing my best to hit the gym and keep active. It's a total long-shot, but I am still being blindly optimistic with regard to my hopes of running the North Face 50 while I'm back in Milwaukee next month. That gives me three weeks to test the knee out, recover some fitness, and make a game time decision on whether or not I am capable of running the race. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I am fully aware of how incredibly stubborn I can be. I just need to use sound judgement over the following three weeks, and really pay attention to my body as things hopefully progress. If I do end up running this race, it will be with an outward appearance of calm and an inner tank full of anger...

"Why anger," you ask? There are several reasons for this, none of which I will dive into very extensively. In short, I tend to get depressed and pretty upset when I am unable to run for any extended period of time. Likewise, I think anger makes good running fuel if you know how to utilize it and control it during a race. I am a very positive person overall, but I am not without my fair share of piss-n-vinegar, to coin a phrase. To top things off, my recent Tool kick has added a musical-match to the fire. I'm just hoping that I have the opportunity to pour some of this out over the 50-miles of Wisconsin kettle-terrain. We shall see...

Anyway, I don't have many pictures to speak of. I'll edit this post later to expound upon some of my non-running exploits from the past week or so. Until then, you'll have to make due with a short post and these YouTube links.

August 5 - August 11

Another seven days in (and around) Boulder - another series of quality runs. While this week was not as consistent as the previous, I managed two very solid outings and caught up on some much needed sleep over the weekend. Having my first Saturday off since early July, I took full advantage in the form of a Saturday morning romp up Longs Peak. My quads had something to say about the 5,000' descent back to the trail-head, but overall I feel good about my time on trail these past seven days. And off we go...

8/6/2013
:50, ??? - Road Run
I started the week feeling pretty tired, and decided that I would ease into things. Went for a very easy nighttime run through the streets of Boulder. It was cool, relatively quiet, and I kept things pretty relaxed. I occasionally have to remind myself that part of training and running involves easy miles and recovery time. It was nice to shake things out and wake up with the legs feeling fresh the next morning.

8/7/2013
1:25, 2,000' - Mesa Trail
Headed out the back door and kept a steady pace using Skunk Canyon to connect with Mesa Trail. This was the farthest south I'd taken Mesa, as I typically use it as a link-up to Fern Canyon for a trip up Bear Peak. I think more time on Mesa would benefit me for racing and longer mileage. The undulation of the Mesa Trail strikes me as good practice for "typical" trail-racing terrain - at least compared to marching up a peak for the first half of a run and then storming back down it for the second half. That said...

8/8/2013
2:15, 3,400' - Green Mountain
Got out on trail relatively late, so this outing required a headlamp for the last 30-45 minutes. Felt a bit out of it when I hit the trail and missed one of the junctions that I usually take. As a result, my time getting to Gregory Canyon TH was longer than usual, but once I hit that section I found a good rhythm. Used Gregory Canyon and Ranger Trails to reach the summit. This has become my standard route, but I think I should start exploring some alternatives to keep things fresh. This was my fastest ascent clocking in somewhere between 41-42 minutes from TH to summit. I'm pretty confident I could go sub-40 on this line if I hit it completely fresh. Almost ate gravel once on the descent, so I decided to slow down a bit and turn the headlamp up to max capacity for the remaining miles.

8/10/2013
~5:00, 5,000' - Longs Peak
When I found out I had Saturday off and my roommate would lend me his van, I decided it would be a good opportunity to drive to RMNP for a run up Longs Peak. I was pretty confident in my ability to do the ascent in reasonable time, considering I've done a handful of outings in Boulder with 5,000' or so of gain. Despite this, I was not naive to the fact that my runs in Boulder have hit max elevation of 8,500' - a modest altitude compared to topping out above 14,000'. Nevertheless, I was excited to challenge my heart and lungs while taking in some incredible views.

Woke up around 4:00 AM to eat breakfast and start the drive. All told, I arrived at the Longs Peak TH around 6:00 AM and was on trail by 6:15. The 'standard' line utilizes the Longs Peak Trail and the Keyhole route to get from the parking lot to the 14,255' summit. August and September are apparently the prime months for most folks to hike Longs, and Saturday's trail-traffic was telling of this.

I kept a decent running cadence for the entire trip up to the Boulderfield (~6 miles/3,000'+ of gain), save for a couple quick sections of rock steps. Once the Boulderfield Trail dries up, a good deal of rock-hopping is involved before one reaches the real start of the climbing. This involves a 400' scramble to the Keyhole in a relatively short distance. Stepping through the Keyhole (as I also remember it from last summer) is like entering another dimension. The wind picks up, Glacier Gorge comes into view, and I personally get a nice shot of adrenaline.

Up to the Keyhole the run had taken me roughly 95 minutes. The next mile is not terribly difficult, but it is slower going given the 1,000' of gain to the summit. Likewise, there is enough exposure that it behooves one to exercise caution in several spots. This is also where the weekend traffic tends to make itself known. While I was more than happy to take in the views, I was often doing so while waiting for opportunities to quickly pass handfuls of people. This continued for the entire last mile from the ledges, through the Trough, across the Narrows, and up the Homestretch. I was cruising where I could on these sections, but I would love to take a crack at this ascent on a weekday when I don't have to contend with crowds in the hundreds. The Homestretch is probably the most exposed part of the route. I found a bit of ice in a few sections, but nothing too difficult to work around. Finally stopping my watch as I touched my hand to the USGS summit-dial, I had made the 7.5 mile ascent in 2 hours and 18 minutes.

I'm unsure as to exactly how long I spent on the summit, but I estimate it to be somewhere in the realm of 30 minutes. I took ample time to breathe in the fresh air, admire the views, snap some pictures, and take in some calories. When I finally started down again, the descent of the homestretch was brutally slow due to the amount of people making their way up. Likewise, the Trough had its fair share of traffic jams. Again, I took these opportunities to enjoy the scenery. When I passed back through the Keyhole and began making my way down to the Boulderfield I could feel some soreness creeping into one knee. I took the rock hopping pretty slowly to avoid over-stressing things. As I reached the descending switchbacks after the mouth of the Boulderfield I gave the knee a bit more attention. I stepped off trail for a few seconds to stretch the leg and put a knuckle into my quad. As I did this, two runners caught up to me and the second one stopped to ask if everything was alright. I felt good enough and was eager to keep moving, so I accepted their offer to tag along back to the trail-head. I spent the next hour or so running and chatting with my new found trail-caravan, Joe and George. We spent a bit of time bushwhacking in order to locate an apparent shortcut. This was a nice alternative back to the car, as it avoided the weekend hiking crowds for a few miles before linking back up with the main trail. We cruised the last few miles back to the TH and took some time to sit around and chat before heading to our respective cars.

Somewhere between bushwhacking and filling up at a stream I accidentally bumped the 'stop' button on my altimeter. As a result, I have no solid post-summit data. I know my car-to-car time was just under 5 hours, considering we got back around 11:00 or 11:05. An email from George estimated about 2:25 for the descent. Perhaps this means I spent less time on the summit than I initially thought. I'd be interested to see how much time we could knock of the downhill, now knowing the location of the route we spent some minutes searching for. In any case, I would call the day an overall success. All told, I was happy with my time on trail, I met some fellow Boulder trail-runners, and I was able to stand on the highest point in RMNP. Not a bad Saturday morning in my book!

While I didn't feel too shabby afterwards, this run definitely reminded me that it is important to be strong and fundamental both uphill AND downhill. My lower quads and knees were pretty trashed for the remainder of Saturday, but some quality sleep and a few rest days seems to have sped my recovery. I'm undecided as to whether I'll run tonight or wait until tomorrow's BRC outing to get the legs moving again. In any case, I can't complain about having had the opportunity to channel my inner mountain goat on my first 14'er since moving to Colorado.

As a final thought and side-note:
Friday night I took it pretty easy, knowing I would be waking up before sunrise in an attempt to get out to RMNP as early as possible. It turned out that my roommate's van, The Blue Meanie, was parked near Pearl Street three or four miles across town. I went to meet up with him and grab the keys, at which point he warned me that it was low on gas. I decided I would stop and fill up on my way home to save time in the morning. Sitting in a turn lane about a quarter mile from the gas station, I attempted to accelerate and heard nothing but the sound of a stalling engine. I hopped in the car next to mine and got a ride to the gas station. Returning to the intersection, hazards flashing and fuel-can in hand, I began searching for the fuel-cap release switch. Not being able to find it after a minute of searching, I began browsing the car manual only to see red and blue lights flashing in the rear-view mirror. The end result was a very friendly Boulder police officer using his patrol car to push the Blue Meanie into a nearby parking lot. I found the fuel cap release a short time after that and filled up the tank. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Boulder does not want me operating a vehicle within city limits. I can't say that I understand, as my driving record is clean. Seriously, it really is...

Preparation or chaos? It's all the same at 4 A.M.

Fuel.

Views from the top...

Believe it or not, I tried to crop out some of the crowds...

Beautiful...

Recovery elixir and a medieval torture device (aka - the foam roller)

The Blue Meanie

Now for a little parting music, here's a favorite track from Junip's first release, "Fields." Their new album is right on par in terms of quality. If Junip doesn't ring a bell, Jose Gonzalez might...

July 29 - August 4

This weeks run-log is not quite as dialed in as I'd like, due to the fact that I've started using a different watch to record things. I'll be using a barometric altimeter for now, because its more streamlined and compact. Likewise, I dig some of the features compared to those of my Garmin GPS. In any case, there was a bit of a learning curve this week as I transitioned to a different watch. Without further ado...

7/30/2013

1:32, 2,400' - Mt. Sanitas

I felt like mixing up the mileage a bit, so I opted to run out to the Mt. Sanitas trail-head from my place in South Boulder. The route gives me about 3 miles or so of flat-ish road running to warm up before I hit the TH. I wasn't sure if this approach would tire me out before the Sanitas climb or if it would, in fact, warm me up. I had to try it to find out and the latter was true. Felt solid on the way to the TH and really had a good rhythm the whole climb to the 6,866 ft summit. Sanitas seems quite popular/crowded on weekends, but this was the first of two times going up around sunset this week. To my delight, there was very little traffic on the trail so late in the day. As an aside, earlier in the afternoon I had sushi for the first time in probably 3 years. I'm not sure if my system wasn't used to the raw fish (or perhaps I was just a bit dehydrated), but the last mile or so on the return proved to be pretty rough on the guts. Walked the final mile home in hopes of avoiding any major stomach issues. Despite this, I will be returning to Hapa for their sushi happy-hour in the very near future. It was delicious...

7/31/2013

AM - 1:50, 3,400' - Green Mtn > Boulder Creek

A really nice late-morning effort. Ran Mesa to Bluebell to Gregory Canyon before starting a solid ascent up Green. I spent a few minutes on the summit, but it was hot and I didn't bring any water on the run. Made a speedy ascent back down Ranger Trail to the Gregory Canyon TH before taking 6th Street north to Boulder Creek. I was pretty parched by the time I reached the creek, but I found a bubbler (yeah, I'm hanging on to that Wisco-ism forever) and went for a dip in the creek to ice the legs before heading home.

PM - :36, ?? - BRC Fun Run

I was on the fence about whether or not to go out again just a few hours after a solid morning outing. Then I remembered that Boulder Running Company provides free pizza and beer for the Wednesday night group-runs. Why the hell not? My legs were tired but I still managed to keep the miles under 7-min pace, which felt pretty snappy. Two runs, pizza, beer, sunshine, and a swim in the creek? A good day by any standards...

8/2/2013

2:05, 3,250' - Bear Peak

Heading out the back door I took Skunk Canyon to Mesa Trail before heading up Fern Canyon to the summit of Bear Peak. Some days I feel a bit rough trying to warm up the legs on 800 feet of gain within the first 1.5 miles or so - it can make it difficult to loosen up the quads and calves. That said, I know its making me mentally and physically stronger the more I do it. I fell into a solid groove once I hit Fern Canyon, and tried to keep things consistent through the steeper sections close to the peak. On the decent I felt a bit stronger and more relaxed than I had on the way up. My first week in Boulder this run took me an extra 30 minutes or so and I was draining two 20 oz water bottles en route. It's encouraging to run this line significantly faster (and without water) after just a month. Feet were sore afterwards.

8/3/2013

1:38, 2,400' - Mt. Sanitas

Repeated my route from Tuesday evening. Again, the 3 mile warm-up was beneficial to my cadence on the Sanitas climb. This time, however, I took sushi out of the equation. Considering the fact that I could still feel the last two days lingering in my legs, things were flowing pretty well during the middle and late stages of the run. I was trying to get up and off the summit in between patches of thick storm clouds, which probably added some motivation as far as pace was concerned. Given the tired legs and running the last mile home, this was a nice improvement on Tuesdays effort. I think the shifty weather affected the barometric altimeter on my watch, because it read only 1,600' of gain for the route (compared to the Garmin's 2,400'). I'll have to do it again in more consistent weather to see how it varies. Opted for the Pure Grits rather than the MT110s for more cushion during the road miles...

8/4/2013

2:30ish, 5,000'ish - Bear Peak > S. Boulder Peak > Bear Peak

Similar to my outing from July 21st, but I spent less time route finding and more time actually running. I started in a pretty low gear for the first mile or so, but had a sense of drive the whole way up Fern Canyon to Bear Peak. I managed to carry that energy through the rest of the run. To be frank, I felt like a beast from about the 20 minute mark through the end of the run. While the stretch over to South Boulder Peak and back up to Bear Peak offered a bit more isolation, Fern Canyon and the Bear Peak summit were crowded. The final descent of Bear Peak was fantastic - this is why I love running. I was finding all of the right lines and just floating over rocks, talus, scree, you name it. I only interrupted 'auto-pilot' several times to make my way around others on the trail. A quick aside and admitted moment of pride - On my way back down Bear I was cruising pretty good and couldn't help but laugh at a sequence of comments that came within the span of 1 minute. "You must be completely out of your mind," followed by, "God, he's like a mountain goat!" I have a feeling the second woman had no idea how complimentary I found that. The lesson? Strive to become your power-animal. Great morning in the mountains. Wore the MT110s and brought nothing but a 12 oz handheld and 1 gel. I'm finding that the more minimal I go, the more free I feel on my runs...

To step outside of running for a minute, I had the wonderful opportunity to check out some local establishments this week. I went with some coworkers on Monday night to visit the Oskar Blues Restaurant in Longmont. I really dig the fact that they carry myriad taps beyond their own line of delicious brews. After all, good beer is good beer, even if its brewed by the competition. Their sweet potato fries were damn good too.

Likewise, I had the opportunity to utilize the handy Boulder/Denver bus-line on Thursday evening. I met up with a delightful group at Denver's Root Down for some happy hour drinks and a bit of food. I gave my stamp-of-approval to another batch of sweet potato fries, and had no problems devouring a veggie slider with jalapeno jam. Good atmosphere, stellar service, and oddly intriguing artwork...

As usual, I find myself a bit sore and quite tired as I wrap up another week. Thursday marked my first month in Boulder, and the experience has been nothing short of fantastic. I've been saying it for the last four weeks, but I still feel like I'm settling into my new home out here. That said, the end of July was less of a whirlwind compared to the first couple of weeks. Likewise, I've met some great, genuine people since moving out here, and I'm starting to feel very comfortable at home and at work. Once again, my goals for the next couple weeks include more running, more socializing, more food, and more sleep. Something's gotta give, right? Let's hope not. Now for some pictures...

I didn't bring my iphone on any runs this week, and money is too tight to invest in a new camera right away. As such, I've got nothing in the way of beautiful peak views. However, I do have some other decent photos and some tunes for you. Enjoy!

My back yard kicks serious ass...

Monday night in Longmont. Oh, the taps!

Bear Peak and a hearty breakfast - Good Friday.

The altimeter. More calibration = more accuracy.

Pretty excited about Guayaki and Garden of Life joining forces.

Eating storm-ridden trails for breakfast in the great Smoky Mountains (2011):
This trip was a major catalyst for my recent move to the foothills of Boulder.
Thanks, Smags...

Vulfpeck - My First Car

The last picture (and following video) is from "My First Car" - the third release from funk-masters, Vulfpeck. This bunch of young dudes has groove for days and soul for weeks. I highly recommend checking the video out and grabbing their tunes from bandcamp.com. Just released today!