Real.Sore.Leg.

Not a good story being all of 9 days out from a 50 miler. I will take this next week as a very serious taper, we are talking no running except every other day with the kids, between 1.5 and 3 miles. Might try a few days on the bike just to keep breathing and get the heart rate up. Otherwise need to heal.

Jen came through her surgery today with flying colors, she is just resting and re-cooperating, and I am playing dad to the troop. She should be getting around fairly normal by Monday.

Later all...

Long Run

I have thoroughly enjoyed my 3 day weekend over this holiday. Saturday started with Jen running the Cheyenne Canyon 25 k, which turned out to be closer to 26 or 27k. It was a cold morning, and the kids were total troopers as we hung out watching the race. It was a good course for spectating, as it was a figure 8 loop with the center being right at the start / finish, which allowed for a consistent flow of runners coming through. Jen finished well, but was pretty smoked after the race. We grabbed a quick lunch at the race, then were straight off to Paige's Double header soccer games. I stayed for the first, then headed out for my long run following before the second.

I was able to run from the soccer complex on the south end of town further south about 3 miles before coming back north on the Sante Fe trail through town all the way to Woodmen Road, then working my way home. All together about 24 miles, very slow but steady. The run gave me the confidence to know I can finish my 50, but it will not be a real fast race. I just hope to get through in one piece.

We had a great Easter, low key with nothing to do. Just finished a nice dinner, now some TV and will be putting the kids down in an hour or so.

As much as we need the moisture we are getting right now, I need some sunshine. With the changes we are going through right now (by choice) I could use a few bright, sunny days!!

Later... and Happy Easter

Ch Ch Ch Changes

Change is in the air. Exciting, scary change. One week ago I submitted 3 weeks notice to my company that I would be leaving. Where to, they asked? I do not know for sure, I responded. It was an honest answer.

I have always wanted to be independent. Maybe I will take a few short term consulting / contract opportunities and see if I can make a career of that? Or maybe I will pursue with a vengeance the handful of companies that I really would like to work for? Time will tell. My last day is May 6th.

I did get out for a 6.6 mile run this morning. Beautiful weather but windy, still a great run. 2 weeks to Collegiate Peaks!!

Three Weeks

I will be running Buena Vista (Collegiate Peaks 50) in 3 weeks, and I am struggling with the fact I am not as prepared as I thought I would be at this point. I am definitely shape to finish the race, just not to the level I had hoped.

I also have had a slight pain in my left ankle, which is very new. Will be keeping a close eye on that over the next week or so.

Good luck to everyone running Boston today.

Work!! A four letter word.

Missed the Trinity run tonight and will be up half the night finishing a presentation for our CEO that will be given Wednesday. Mileage might be sparse the next couple days, I really hate stretches like this. Seems like when you need to run the most they are hardest to come by.


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Last Minute Mileage

Well, at about 7:45 am while I was still in pajamas, Paige decides she was fine and could go to church with Mom. The good news, I can run. The bad news, I have 15 minutes to get dressed, ready and get to Manitou. Actually, since that is an impossible task, I just go as fast as I can. Believe it or not, I was running by 8:07 am out from Memorial Park in Manitou.

I ran from the Park in town, to Ruxton, up Ruxton the the Ute Pass Trail, up the UPT to Waldo Canyon, looped Waldo and back up to Long's Ranch Road, to Barr Trail and back to the car. Round trip was right at 19.4 miles with ridiculous elevation, finished with 0.6 barefoot just to round it out to a nice 20 miles.

For anyone that has not been there, Long's Ranch Road is as relentless a trail as I have been on. I have not downloaded the GPS data yet, but my guess is that is climbs about 3000 feet in three miles. My splits for these three miles were 14 minutes, 15 minutes and 23 minutes. Yeah that last mile is fairly brutal. The good news is once you crest the summit, it is pretty much downhill for the 5.5 miles back to the car.

This run really worked as a confidence boost as I make the last ditch effort for Collegiate Peaks. Everything went well, unless you count the portion on Waldo where a guy ran me down, and as we trotted along together he told me about his knee surgery from 8 weeks prior. Nice... I was the unwilling rabbit for his rehab run.

Tentative Plans

When you have 4 kids, you learn that ALL plans you make are tentative. Jen got out for a long run yesterday, and this morning was my turn. I was planning to run with the incline club for a 20 mile jaunt across the Ute Pass Trail, Waldo Canyon and Long's Ranch Road, finishing down the Barr Trail. However, this morning Paige is complaining of stomach ill's, so I am not sure it is going to happen.

Oh well, I really think preparation is overrated when it comes to running Ultras.

Office Do-over

Did not get out tonight even though it is perfect outside as we have been moving furniture back into the newly painted office. Still need a printer table and a desk for the kids but I think we know what we want so just need to go get it. Hope to run in the am but will more likely be in the office by 6 am or soon after, so the morning might also be at risk. I need a job that is much more in the vein of under-worked and over-paid, anyone know of anything? Maybe $100/hour to be a lift operator? That would be just up my alley.




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Soulrunners

Skipped out of work in time to run tonight with the Soulrunners at Trinity. Started out thinking I would run the 8 mile loop, but soon enough I realized if I ran that loop I would not have time to grab a beer afterwards.... so suffice it to say I ran the 5.5 mile loop. Not much for social interaction tonight, after the first 1/2 mile or so I was pretty much running solo.

Turns out a group had left about 10 minutes early to run the scar. I was bummed I missed them but really would not have had time to finish anyways, so all is good. After running morning and evening, still got about 10 miles in today, so good day.

Snow

After getting in a slow 5 last night I figured it would be good to get out for another short run this morning before running with the Trinity group later today. I went and did another easy run, 4 miles on an out and back in the snow.
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Starting out this morning it was about 5:30 am, and as I came out of the neighborhood a saw a car that looked like it had a head light burned out going VERY slow down Wilson road (which is a big downhill). As I got closer I saw it was a motorcycle riding in about an inch of seriously crunchy, icy snow. I actually diverted my run to follow the direction of the bike down Flying W Ranch road thinking I might see him laying along the road. No further sightings so he must have made it alright, but I cannot imagine what would have made anyone think that was a good idea.

Ski Weekend

Had to take a break this weekend to get in some skiing with the family and friends at Monarch. We had 8 adults and 11 kids taking over the Monarch Mountain lodge and has a great weekend. Technically, I think I should be able to count skiing with the kids as a workout. If you have ever held a wedge for 7 hours while helping pick up and holdling 50 pound kids you would understand this really is a workout. Still, it is a blast to watch them get better and better every time we go out. Even Paige was skiing independently and making some turns by the end of the day.

On Sunday we headed to Salida and hung out for the day. We did some exploring in the area north of town, and I was amazed by the amount of singletrack. There are beautiful trails everywhere you look. I can see myself getting back there sometime in the summer to get some running and riding in.

I did get out tonight for an easy 5 miles in the blistering wind and sleet (fun?). As always, once I got out everything felt great. Still going to try to get out in the am and again tomorrow night with Trinity.