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...
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...
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| Defy the laws of gravity. (And don't neglect your core.) |
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| Into the abyss... |
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| Shadow warriors conquering canyons. |
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| Making Grandpa Proud... |
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| Guess who's going to start getting some runs in with me? |
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| A bunch from Bear Peak... |
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| That beard got a much-needed trim when I returned to the house. |
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| The trail leads West. |
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| Patagonia and New Belgium unite. Not bad... |
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| My main man, Gordo. Runnin' trails and eatin' turkey scraps... |
M83 - We Own The Sky
Bon Iver - Flume
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