July 22 - 28

7/22/2013

1:38, 3,250' - 1st Flatiron Trail

Monday morning I took the pace very easy and went out for pure enjoyment. I haven't spent much time exploring the Flatirons, so I decided to check out the first. Despite the 5,000+ feet of gain from Sunday, I felt pretty loose on the run. I had my faster and slower sections during the day, and I spent a good 15-20 minutes enjoying the westward views from the top of the trail. The summit of the 1st Flatiron requires some climbing experience - which I now have an itch to start acquiring. As I said in my last post, I took a bad couple of steps on a loose section of trail coming home, and strained my left calf as a result...bummer.

7/25/2013

2:25, 4,650' - Green Mountain

After two days off my calf felt much better, so I put it to the test. Decided to go up Green early in the day. I took Mesa and Bluebell over to Gregory Canyon, and the running felt fluid and comfortable the whole way. Once I hit the Gregory Canyon TH I made a solid effort to keep the pace steady and consistent trough the summit. Making my way up via Ranger, I spotted some gnarly looking cloud-cover to the west, and it was slowly heading toward the front range. I spent a few minutes chatting with someone at the top before coming back via Greenman Trail. The descent felt great and I was rolling the whole way. Took a wrong turn on the way home, extending my morning a bit. Overall, a really good day on the trails. Great weather, responsive legs, and some downhill cruising...

7/26/2013

1:20, 2,300' - Mesa Trail

The legs felt pretty tired when I woke up, and a day on my feet didn't do much to salvage them. Got myself out the door for some easier miles toward sunset. I'm finding that the sections of Mesa out my back door seem easy compared to the prospect of trips up Green, Bear, or S Boulder. That said, there is still some decent elevation concealed in the multitude of rollers that make up this winding, north-south trail. Kept the pace relaxed and the HR in control for the entirety. Sore feet and just felt a bit lethargic at points, but it was nice to blow off some steam.

7/27/2013

:55, ??' - Road Run

After getting home from work, I wanted to squeeze in some quick miles before heading to a show at Chautaqua Auditorium. It was a nice night for some flatter miles, but it felt more labored than I would like at points. Got home, stuffed my face with pasta, and then biked over to the park in the pouring rain. Well worth the effort to see one of my favorite artists - the man, the myth, the legend: John Hiatt!

As Sunday draws to a close, so do my eyes - which feel as tired and heavy as my legs. While I'm feeling a bit more settled here in Boulder after nearly a month, my energy is up and down. I know that my sleep is lacking since I've moved out here, and part of that is due to being on-the-go at all times. Likewise, I'm relying heavily on caffeine to get through the days. This week was lighter on runs than I would ideally like, but I need to take care of my legs and make sure I'm getting quality time on trail.

I'm looking to establish more consistency and get some energy back in my legs over the next two weeks. If I can get things rolling, I should be fit enough to run the NF 50K or 50M when I head back to Milwaukee in September. It's been a busy couple of weeks and a whirlwind month, but I'm really excited to be here in Boulder. It's hard to complain about being tired when that fatigue is a direct result of running the mountain trails that now comprise my back yard.

From Ranger Trail...

Three from the summit of Green. And some feet...

The Bold...

The Bitter...

The Sweet...

John Hiatt & The Combo at Chautaqua

Last but certainly not least (and a few hours early) - Happy Birthday, Pops.

A Cruel Joke...

As I said in yesterday's post, an unfortunate calf-strain has left me in need of a couple days off from running. Of course, I came home from work today to find these bad-mama-jamas waiting for me on the front porch:

New Balance - MT110

All I can do is sit here and stare at my shiny new trail-treads - completely unable to take them for a spin. Hopefully the anticipation will make their maiden-voyage that much more enjoyable. I'll have to find some other way to blow off steam for the next few days. In the meantime, I'll take advantage of this opportunity to share some tunes. Mason Jennings' album, "Use Your Voice" has been in heavy rotation since the end of last week. The whole album is worthwhile, but my standout track right now is the closer, "Ulysses."

July 15 - 21

This will be the last week with spotty data for runs, as I just started using the Garmin on my outings. The week went very well in terms of running. Felt strong on climbs and I'm starting to feel more fleet-footed on the downhills. A couple night runs in the 50-80 minute range felt tiring, but I know it was beneficial to my turnover. As I build my weeks up, I'm thinking I'll start to throw in a few two-a-days for the sake of acclimating my legs to the fatigue of longer races. I don't particularly enjoy road running, but I'm okay with doing it a couple nights per week following morning trail-outings with lots of vertical. The two runs I recorded with the GPS on this week are as follows:

(To clarify the format, the first number under each date will be the hours:minutes on trail, while the second will be the amount of vertical gain during a given outing. Time and Climb for short...)

7/16/2013
1:33, 2,800' - Mt. Sanitas x 2
Biked to the Mount Sanitas trail head and did two laps. Ascended to summit via Mt. Sanitas Trail and descended via East Ridge and Dakota Ridge Trail. Strong on the first lap, if not a bit thirsty and labored on the second.

7/21/2013
2:58, 5,250' - Bear Peak > S. Boulder Peak > Bear Peak
From the back door took Skunk Canyon to the Mesa Trail heading South before linking up on Fern Canyon Trail for the first ascent of Bear. Then continued south to ascend S Boulder Peak - took a couple minutes to eat some breakfast and enjoy the view. Doubled back north to hit Bear Peak again before descending the long way via Bear Peak West Ridge and Bear Canyon trails - felt like things were on cruise control coming down. Snappy, confident, solid footing the whole way. Good way to kick off Sunday.

A bit disappointed right now. As I sit here posting this on Monday night (7/22) I'm all too conscious of a calf strain that I acquired trying to recover my footing on some loose rock/dirt during my run this morning. Had been feeling good and was planning on doubling up for some road miles tonight, but I think I need to rest the calf for at least a day. We'll see how knotted up it feels tomorrow. Hopefully it doesn't set me back too much over the next week or so. Potentially signing up for NF 50K or 50M while I'm visiting Milwaukee in the beginning of September, but I can't afford to lose much progress if that's going to stay on my radar...

A few shots from breakfast on S Boulder Peak...

July 1 - 14

Having arrived in Colorado a mere 6 hours prior to starting my new job, I spent most of the first week unpacking, settling in, running errands, etc. Despite this, I managed to squeeze in a couple efforts - one of those good enough for a Bear Peak summit via Fern Canyon.

Fairly common scenery in Boulder Canyon.

A bit pricey at $4.00, but it was brewed in a beaker.

South Boulder Peak as seen from Bear Peak.

Loking N/NE towards Green Mountain and Boulder down below.

From Bear Peak - as well as the next two...

Be resourceful with the p-cord.

Never forget to refuel post-run...

_________________________________________________________________________________

My second week in Boulder allowed me a bit more trail time. Of note was a decent effort up Green as well as a midday outing that took me up Green and Bear in a larger loop. I completely underestimated the power of the sun for the latter 'dual effort' and paid for it with dehydration and sunburn. Live and learn I suppose. I also threw in a few efforts on the road to improve my turnover and give my quads a break on the climbing. Felt good but tired by the week's end. The combination of settling in, exploring the area, and trying to track down a bike left me with little in the tank most days. Not many photos to speak of this week.

The Heat.

A half mile out the back door will dump me here - not too shabby...

Gordo. 

Earning It - The Boulder Hurdles...

Apparently, according to myself and another recent Boulder-transplant, there is some phenomenon wherein one must pass a test or series of tests in order to move to a desired destination. In our respective cases, this came in the form of car troubles, among other things. In my particular case  the "Boulder Hurdle" involved a timing belt breaking while driving along I-80 near Davenport, Iowa. With most of my worldly possessions neatly stuffed into my Mitsubishi Galant, I found myself unexpectedly saying farewell to the now-totaled hunk of metal. I guess that lengthy trip from Wisconsin to Colorado was just too much to ask. Rest in peace, Blue. You were a fine machine and wise beyond your years (2002). "The Mitz" must have sensed that I was looking for a reason to fully immerse myself in Boulder's flourishing bicycle community. I made it out here anyway, but not without some massive help and good deeds. It may not have gone as initially planned, but things rarely do...

Oh, the irony...

Dash lights of doom.

A proper sendoff from Herman Astro - Milwaukee's Best.

Someone's got to hold down the fort now that I'm gone...

Hitting The Ground Running - An introduction...

I initially registered this blog last November in hopes of tracking my training and runs leading up to the Bandera 100K trail race, which I ran in January of 2013 in Texas. Despite my best intentions, I completely failed to record anything beyond my opening post. As such, I've decided to wipe the slate clean and start anew.

Since my initial attempt to start this blog last November things have changed quite drastically. For starters, I completed the Bandera 100K in January. Unfortunately, I had some knee problems develop later in January, which kept me out of running until mid-late April. I slowly worked my way into running a few miles a few days per week. I still feel as though I am rebuilding my legs since the injury, but things are feeling markedly better than they did at the beginning of the year. What's more, I moved out to Boulder Colorado in the beginning of July. My reasons for moving here largely fall in line with my purposes for starting this blog. That is, my love for trail-running, my desire to be in and near the mountains, and my general desire for constant adventure and grand scenery. Boulder seems like a fine place to pursue these things, and I'm already experiencing a feeling of contentment and 'home' in this place. At least as much as one can expect after just three weeks...

Generally speaking, this blog will serve a few purposes. First and foremost, it is a convenient way for me to track my weekly outings in and around the Boulder front range. At this point, I have been focused on enjoyment, exploration, and "vert" more so than distance or mileage. I intend to bring my GPS-device on most runs, so I will probably be tracking my weeks based purely on trail-time and amount of vertical gain. Because I want to get back into ultra racing, I will also log my non trail runs which mostly serve the purpose of increasing/maintaining turnover for longer runs and races. I will probably toy with the format a bit as the weeks progress and I figure out what is and isn't working.

Secondly, this blog will be a way to share my experiences and adventures in Colorado (and elsewhere). Having moved out to Boulder with no connections or family in the area, I think this could be a great way to share some photos and experience with those who care to pay attention. Rather than sending emails or letters, this gives friends and family the ability to check in at their leisure and see what I've been up to from week to week. This leads nicely into the third purpose of the blog...

Beauty. I find the terrain of the Rocky Mountains to be breathtaking, captivating, and awe-inspiring. I have not historically been one to take photos, but I feel the need to do so out here. I think it is only fitting to share these photos, since most will be taken from very scenic places. I am currently bringing my iphone 4 on longer outings, during which I have the space/means to carry it. Unfortunately, the camera on this phone is not ideally setup for the types of photos I want to take. So, I'll be researching the market for compact digital cameras over the next month so that I have something more appropriate for my 'needs'.

The fourth reason for this blog is an amalgamation of forgetfulness and enjoyment. If I don't write or record things, I tend to forget them - especially the little details. I started carrying backpacking journals and it ended up being a great way to recount my trips. I also enjoy the writing process quite a bit. Not only does it help me sort my thoughts (much like running does); it also keeps me sharp and mentally engaged with the things happening around me.

Finally, this blog will be a place to record bits and pieces of other random information that is floating around in my head. I'm not terribly active or consistent on facebook, but I think the format of this blog may be a bit more conducive to my style. Basically, this will be an online bulletin board to spew random thoughts, articles, and probably a fair amount of music-related content. Speaking of which, I tend to go through phases where I listen to music during lots of my runs, and then I will go without for extended periods. When I do get into those 'musical phases', the songs often bind themselves to the experiences and scenery as they become the aural backdrop. So it seems fitting to share some of the standout tracks as they become part of my adventures.

This seems like a fitting place to wrap things up after a lengthy introductory post. If anyone actually begins to follow along, feel free to post comments, questions, or pictorial-requests. I'm more than happy to make this a relatively interactive forum to the extent that I am afforded the time to do so. Whoever "you" are, I hope you enjoy following along. Feel free to share with others. I'll do my best to be consistent with my posting...

-Graham "GPR" Rausch