Better Doesn't Mean Good

Well at least I got two runs in this week. Ran Wednesday during Veronica's practice for 4.2 miles. It was nice running somewhere sorta flat and my times were pretty good. All in all I was happy with this run, not to mention the fact that I finally got in a midweek run. Friday I was responsible knowing that I wouldn't get in a PM run after football and soccer so I ran at...dum dum dum daaa... 4:30 in the morning. Well I ran about 2 miles, went back home, and crawled back into bed.

So all things said and done I really only got in one run this week. I'm doing 8 tomorrow with the boy in the jogging stroller, so we'll see how that goes. I ate OK for part of the week and bad as usual for the rest.

NM, I'll be in QQ next week so save a long run for me after all the balloons go up. BTW, my legs feel like sheet.

Back on (the) track

That's right, beeotches. Got all three of those pinche training runs done this week. Even put in a little extra work yesterday, going for about 45 minutes last night...after I'd logged 10 miles on the bike at the gym for lunch. Four hour run on Saturday, should be a disaster, but gotta get it done. The Duke City Half awaits.

This plateau shite ends NOW.

And so it goes

That about sums it up from here. After last week's debacle, wanted to get out and get an early start on today's 12-miler. With all the rain the last couple of days, didn't want to be anywhere near warms temps and humidity. Ended up running it faster than any previous 12-miler, but that just proves I probably had no business doing the full marathon last fall.

That will not be the case for the MCM next fall. As one can see from the right margin, there are a number of upcoming events that I (and maybe CS) would like to aim for next year. The coming season will the winter of my discontent.

More to come...

One word says it all...

Sunday was one of the most disheartening days I've had out on the road. Group was supposed to do a total of 18 that morning; 5 on our own, then the half event with everyone else. Took the pooch out with me early and did the 5 with no real problem; had to make myself slow down some because I always run faster with him, but felt pretty good when it was done. But when it was done, I didn't eat anything, didn't really have much to drink, just stretched a little, grabbed my timing chip and lined up for the long march. I'm an idiot.

Got about 6 miles into the 1/2 when I started thinking, "You know, you didn't eat anything, didn't drink anything, basically didn't act like the first 5 happened at all before you started this 1/2 today. WTF!!!" Sure enough, I hit the wall somewhere around the 10 mile marker of the 1/2 and struggled to finish. Final time was about as bad as my very first 1/2 last year in Denver, and at least then I had the excuse of not having run consistently in about 10 years. This time, I just plain failed...to the point that I don't think I'm going to be able to run a full marathon this fall. Think I may just sign up for the 1/2, try to knock some real time off of my PR and set myself up to keep going strong and prepare for the Marine Corps in '10.

Making matters worse, however, was that CS texted Sunday night to find out how I'd done. When I responded and mentioned that I didn't think I was going to do the full this fall, I didn't hear anything back. And still haven't.

I think I let him down.

Life on the 'mill

(Not an actual picture.)

So that's about the sum of it so far this week. I've only gotten in two of the weeks training runs, but both were fairly strong 50 minute efforts (an hour on a treadmill is kinda boring, but air conditioning is sure nice). Got to admit that I'm still having trouble with motivation, and I think I kind of hit the wall at this point last year, too. All of the runs are long, training and long Saturday runs both, so it's a little daunting each day. It feels like being on a treadmill.

But I'm still after it, and it still feels good to have done it.

Odometer: 2x 50 min runs/4.1+ miles each time/800+ Cal each time

Hey, remember me?

Yeah, yeah, I hear you. "Where you been, tubby?" "How fat have you gotten?" "You even been outside since we last heard from you?" "And WTF with the two pictures of that pinche Incline?"

Well, been here in NM plodding along through the summer. May have gained a pound or two because I haven't been religious about running, but haven't completely slagged off, either, and have been getting most everything done that I'm supposed to be doing. And the double exposure of the Incline? Well, that's because this last Saturday, I was in CO and hit the Incline again. Twice.

I had planned all along on going up to see CS do the Pike's Peak Ascent for the 4th time, but I was also supposed to do 16 miles with the group back here in NM. Talking with CS, decided that what I should do is drop him off for his race and then do a double on the Incline (and yes, still illegal). So, at about 6:45 Saturday morning, we parked just up Main from the bottom of Ruxton, CS went to the Ascent starting line (I'll let him talk about that event), and I headed up Ruxton to revisit my nemesis.

The first climb went slower than I'd hoped, but I still did it in about the same time that I had before. My hope was to get back down the Incline to a spot where CS's racecourse brushes up against it, but I couldn't make it back down the roughly 1/3 of a mile in time. CS had already passed by the time I got there. And let me say this: going down the Incline is far less enjoyable than going up? Lookit that picture above. That's the view from the top looking down. Those are parking lots and rooftops you're seeing. Almost all of the ties from the old railway lean downhill so they're more precarious than regular stairs, plus many of them have a nice layer of dirt/small gravel on them making them extra slick. Add to that that yours truly is sporting size 13 sneaks, which means I have to side-step most of the way down. Wow, did that suck.

Anyway, once I realized I'd missed CS, hopped on to the Barr Trail, hiked back down the 2+ miles to the bottom and then did it all over again. Got back up the Incline to where Barr Trail meets it and had a crisis of confidence about doing the rest, but I fought through it and finally, after wayyyy too much time had passed, made it to the top of the Incline, where my left quad immediately locked tight in a cramp to the point I couldn't bend the leg. Since there ain't no elevator down the mountain, though, I hobbled down the shortcut back to the Barr Trail and to the car.

It was not pretty, it definitely wasn't fast, and even today, 3 days later, my legs are still sore, but I did it dammit. A double Incline. Not even CS can claim that.

(What he can claim, however, is a wicked good Ascent time this year. Hopefully he'll come in to talk about it soon.)

Now, on to the big race...

A week up High

Last Friday while we were in keystone I ran - then hiked - then stared in disbelief - then ran again. Headed up under the chairlift on the mountain bike trails, followed what seemed like a nice one into the trees only to realize that this little "trail" turned into a corkscrew boardwalk 13' above the ground. On my way back down I then had to backtrack as the "trail" simply ended about 15' in the air. I was scared walking this dam thing...people ride bikes down it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBI-v1f0VMo

Sunday, I spent about 2 hours above treeline hiking and doing sprints above Loveland Pass. Great views, nice hike, and no people once you get passed the first little summit (the tourist all stop there).

Tuesday we went for a nice 19.4 mile bike round from Keystone into Dillon and back. In addition to the ride, I did mine pulling two kids in a trailer. we were also on the bikes daily so that surely countered the beer i drank doesn't it?

Thursday did my first Pikes Peak summit of the season. I stepped in snow 100 times, almost all of it during the last half mile. I also got to play with my new Garmin. According to the calories tracker, i burned 2100 calories during my 5:37 hike. I think I simply need to do this hike daily. I was pleased with my time. As is my custom I take the first ascent very easy, walk the whole thing, never push the pace. I was planning on a 6:00 ascent so this was nice. I'll try to shave off 15 min. during next week's trip up.

All said and done, I spent seven of the past nine days above 9000' and got in some good climbs. We'll see if it pays off.

BTW where are you NM?

My Littl Recap

June 18: Hydro to No Name Creek - 3 hard miles up (and of course three more down) - 1:03 up

June 20: Race start to Barr Camp - 7 miles up (and unfortunately I have to get back down so that means 7 miles down) - 2:36 up/ 1:39 down

June 22: Incline with the kid - :59 up

June 23: Ruxton to top of the W's, about 3 miles up and 3 more down - 49:55 up

June 27: Elks Park - 12 mile round trip with a start at 12,000 feet (timberline) and a low of 10,200 (Barr Camp) and back - 3:30 rt - see pic, whci is from the start
Great trip and not having 6 miles of down hill saved me from the beat up. A low point of 10k didn't help much, but I need the altitude.

What's that Smell?

Check out the link by clicking on the title.

Gel + Water + Nose = Disgusting

What do you get when you try to swallow a mouthful of gel and a drink water at the same time? Water down the wrong pipe and gel up the wrong pipe(s). Needless to say it was disgusting. My nostrils were sticking together until I found a stream to wash off in. Not one of my best running experiences.

59:25

What time is this? My time up the switchbacks? My time on a 6 mile run? The total time I've run this week. None of the above. It would be Veronica's inaugural time up the (soon to be legal) Manitou Incline. She did awesome; if i'm not careful she'll beat me up it by my 38th birthday. Can you believe she was evn a little upset with her time????

He's Back!

Happy to see that CS is back among the living. At least I think he is. Note that he mentioned he was headed up to Barr Camp on Saturday, but hasn't posted anything since. And if the weather up there has been anything like it has down here, he may have gotten snowed in. Here's hoping the mountain man made it up and down without a hitch.

Pretty good week here, at least I think so; tomorrow's numbers will tell the story. Got in two bike rides, all three training run, and have started using the calorie-counter at Livestrong.com to keep track of the food stuffing. And though the scale surely won't show what I want it to tomorrow, the clock doesn't lie either. Ran our 9 mile Saturday run yesterday without any of last week's discomfort, and did it 15 minutes faster than the same run last year, and about 12 minutes faster than the 9 mile training run I did early this year. Sure, it means that I was probably dogging it a bit in those earlier runs, but it also means there's some improvement. Gotta keep the momentum going.

Get it on.

u da man

What else can i say.. nice little inspirations. I of course would post something, but I have to run in order to do that. Barr Camp tomorow morning. hopefully I beat my last time, though not sure what makes me think that I will??? My heel feels pretty good, we'll see how it holds up tomorrow.

Happy Anniversary!

So it's been a year since we Fat Boys started this little project to accompany our running. Haven't been as faithful about as perhaps we should have been, but it's still kind of fun to look back and see some of the things we wrote about. Some highlights:

- CS, his wife and I did our first race together at last years Colfax; he did his first full and I did my first half, and contrary to my predictions, it did not kill me

- CS attempted his 3rd Pike's Peak Ascent, but got turned around because of the weather and ended up covering nearly twice as much distance as he should have

- CS, his wife, my running mate and I all ran in the inaugural RnR in San Antone, my first full (!), and again contrary to my predictions, it did not kill me...though it sure as hell hobbled me for a few days

- I lost my running buddy

- I got to run in Manitou Springs, Denver, Albuquerque, San Antonio, Dallas, Roswell, Vegas and Oklahoma City

- CS finally got my fat culo up the Incline...or at least would have if it wasn't illegal

- over the past year I've dropped 20 pounds, kept it off for most part, and I'm not putting it back on again

- I'm running faster, further, and more often than I did at this point last year and am going to shave at least an hour off my marathon time this fall

I've gotten to be pretty consistent about getting the workouts done. This year, I need to get the eating under control.

Get it on.

Putting right along

Here's a tip: Do not eat a bowl of black beans and rice the night before a big run. Couldn't 'trust' what could happen, so had a very uncomfortable run this weekend. All 8 miles of it.

Good news was CS was in town this weekend and came out and joined us. Good egg that he is, when he finished, he came back and dragged me in for the last 1/2 mile or so. A true friend, even if he was/is trying to kill by getting me out to run these stupid distances.

The digits: 8.17mi/1h51m/1,263C/82%avgHR

Hit the Wall...

For the SECOND week in a row, this is what I'm looking at. Even after the stomach punch of last week's weigh in and the deflating feeling that it came with, I was able to get in all three training runs and the 3 mile trail run on Saturday. Also got in at least one, maybe two, 18 milers on the bike.

And I have bupkus to show for it.

On the bright side, I ran the trail run on Saturday a good two minutes per mile faster than pretty much the same trail run this time last year. Bad news is that my HRM said my ticker was about to pop (averaged in the 90%+ range)

This is not going well...

...but I'm going to hit back this week.

Kinda p---ing me off...

I know it's been quiet for awhile, but for the better part of the last two weeks, I've been getting in some serious work. I've gotten in a 6.6-mile training run around the Albuquerque Academy a week ago Saturday and a 7-mile training run this past Saturday. I've gotten in all of my assigned training runs each week, including a couple with the dog in tow and another one that included an additional Academy appearance, and I'm noticing that my times are coming down, albeit slowly and in small amounts. I've gotten in roughly four separate 18+ mile bike rides, usually on days when I also got a training run in, during the same span. Hell, even got a good 20 minutes in on a rowing machine and another 30 in on a stationary bike. The eating's not always been great, but it's definitely been better overall, and you know what I've got to show for it? Look at the right-hand column. Yeah, that's right.

Pinche working out...

Yeah. That's right.

So, where were you Sunday morning at 7? In bed sleeping, or maybe reading the paper with a cup of coffee? Really? That's nice...for you, anyway.

For the first time in what seems like an eternity, I got up to spend at least part of a weekend with CS and his family. Reminded me how much I miss all of them and how much more often I need to get back up there. And part of the plan for the weekend was to tackle the Incline in Manitou Springs (which we wouldn't really do because it's illegal). The Incline is an abandoned cog railway track that goes up one of the lower hills at the foot of Pike's Peak. It's basically a mile-long staircase of railroad ties, some with a 2-3 foot rise between steps/ties. The track is actually a little treacherous in spots and since lawyers can ruin any and everything, it's posted as private property and illegal to hike up, down, or maybe even look at. Hence, neither I, nor CS, nor any of the other 50ish people we didn't see not on the trail were there on Sunday. Because that would be illegal.

I can't believe it was that long ago, but a little over 2 1/2 years ago, CS and I went up and hit the trail (which we wouldn't really do because it's illegal) before going to one of the li'l CSer's soccer games. Now, this trail is almost exactly a mile long, it starts at 6,574 feet above sea level and finishes up at 8,585 feet. A gain of 2,011 in altitude. In just over a mile. And I'm already breathing heavy just from walking from the car to the start of the trail. Anyway, first time out, I made it up maybe 2/3 of it before we had to bail off of it onto a nearby trail and get to the game. Never felt good about not being able to finish it, and have wanted to go back and beat it ever since. Which, of course, I wouldn't ever do because it's illegal.

Fast forward to Sunday morning. CS and I were out of the house at 6:15 and started up the trail before 7. Like last time, which never happened, I was already breathing heavy by the time we got to the trail head. Started off at a slow but steady pace, which I was able to keep up for about the first 1/3 of a mile. Then the slope really kicked in (as much as a 68% grade), and I slowed waaaaay down. But dammit if I didn't get to the top and finish that bastard. Except I didn't, because that would be illegal. CS, of course, bounded up the thing, then came back down a little less than 1/4 of the way, and pep talked me the rest of the way up. Some day I'm going to be able to run like that guy.

Just not up the Incline, because, you see, that would be illegal.

Where's Waldo

It's been awhile and I'll get to el foto in a bit. Last week I went up the Barr trail to No Name Creek - first time since the DNF 20 miler (of a 13 mile race). Took it easy, walked the whole way, and was only a few minutes off my PR. Total roundtrip is only about 7 miles and about 1:38. Felt good to get up there again.

Thursday I did the running group 1 min hard/easy for 30 minutes workout. Pushed it hard, and was satisfied with my effort. My 4 hill repeats at the end were a bit slower than previously, all four times were over :40.

Sunday went for a long run hoping to get in 2:30 of total time, with the goal being to run most of that. Went to Waldo Canyon (does the picture make sense now?). This is a lollipop trail with a 1.7 m hike in, a 3.5 mi loop and then of course the 1.7 back. I haven't done this in awhile and had no idea what kind of time I was looking at, so I was trying to plan some extra time in the event I finished well before my 2:30 goal. Got to the loop in :28 min. HR high the entire time. Completed the loop in :58 min which then put the whole workout at 1:26. I was pondering what to do: a) down to the trail head and back and then back (the problem being when i got to the car i was probably going to stop b) another loop (though that may put me well past 2:30) c) past the car and continue on another trail for a bit and return. I was favoring option C until I got to the beginning/end of the loop and BAM, i decided to go for it again! My thought this time was to walk more of the first part, as it climbs quite a bit, and then really push the rest of it. My thought was that the time would be a little over an hour for the 2nd loop, then the 20 ,inutes back down for a total closer to2:50-3:00, with sub 3:00 being my goal.

So I ended up finishing the second loop in :50 min - 8 minutes faster, despite walking more of it! This is a perfect example of why there are plenty of PPA Wave 1 "runner" who walk the entire race. Total time 2:40.

Quiet = Not Always a Bad Thing

OK, so usually me going quiet is a bad thing, but this week it's just that I haven't found/made the time to get in here and keep things up to date. Doesn't mean I wasn't thinking of y'all.

Got in all three of my training runs this week. Not terribly impressive when you realize that, per the program, we're only supposed to be running for 20 minutes each run, but been trying to run them a bit faster than usual and see if that'll make a difference in the long run. If I can keep that up for awhile, especially while the training runs are still relatively short, I'm hoping to see some results.

Also got in a nice ride after work last night, riding from my house to the kickball game and back. You never think about how far uphill a place is when you're in a car, but boy does it become apparent when you're on a bike. Didn't wear the HR monitor, but you can tell from the time/avg. speed how much a hill it was to get up:

To: 7.04mi/43:51/714C/9.6mph-avg
From: 6.65mi(started the clock a bit late)/27:48/368C/14.4mph-avg

Needless to say, the ride home was sweet. May not have had to pedal the bike for about 5 minutes at one point. Still, looking at my effort and then looking at Lance's down in the Tour de la Gila, well...



suffice to say I ain't sipping champagne on the bike on the Champs Elysees anytime too soon.