New Legs

Well, sorry for the delay. I have taken it easy since Mt. Falcon. Resting is nice sometimes (I have not rested much in all of my running career). I have been taking a crazy amount of accounting classes, and they take a lot of time. My legs just had some aches and pains, and I thought why not take a break. Now my legs feel brand new. I am sure it will all come back very qiuckly. I am going to start a slow build back up to the miles and keep the legs nice and healthy. With all the accounting and the CPA exam looming overhead, my coach and I thought, "let's just take it easy and pick out a couple races I can focus on." So, I am sure I will jump in a lot of the races on the schedule, but there will be a focus on some future race.

Anyway. More to come soon.

Mt. Falcon

So, I decided to do the Mt. Falcon race and see how it went. After a couple too many beers on Friday night, I woke up with the puppy at 5:45 on Saturday morning and said what the heck. I went and registered about an hour before the race and did a little warm-up. I was still a little bitter about the Teva Mt. Games and was looking to go out hard. So, that is what I did. I went out pretty hard, and had a nice little lead heading into the climb. There is about a quarter mile prior to starting the 2.5 mile steep climb. The race is 4 miles up and then back on down. So, I was a bit anaerobic heading into the climb after going out so hard. I settled into a nice pace and got ready for what was ahead of me. I hit the Turkey Trot junction in just under 13min and got to the top (gazebo) in just under 25min. I have run comparable times in training, but the race is non-stop, and there will be no recovery at the top. I reached the parking lot in just under 35min and it was time to prepare for the descent. I think the downhill in this race is more demanding than the uphill. It is steep and really takes a toll on the quads. I made the descent in about 22min and ran 57:12. They said it is a course record. That was a nice change from the previous week, but again I did not feel great. I will have to talk to Joe (my coach) and see what he thinks we should do. I have a nice base and obviously need some speed mixed into this whole thing. It is still very early in the season though.

On a different note, Adrienne and I tilled and planted our garden. Everyone out here plants on Mother's Day, but not us. We waited a month. I hope it all goes well. The garden in about 500 sq. ft. and has about 30 plants in it!!! I am very excited to see everything mature and eat from our own garden. We build a cute picket fence around it to keep the Guinness Monster out. I have been watering it everyday and there are already some peppers showing up. We planted some herbs in a half whiskey barrel, and those will be delicious as well. We are very excited!!! I am sure there will be more yard work this weekend, and some house cleaning. But the garden is delightful!

Kenya is Fast

I received a call from Andrea with Practical Coaching, an old triathlon sponsor, and she said that they had a Kenyan showing up to their track group on Tuesdays. She said he was fast and looking for someone to train with. So, with all my base work, no speed, and a good butt whoopin' behind me, I decided it was time to incorporate some speed. I went out to run on the track with Joseph Keino. The workout, 200, 400, 800, 1200, 800, 400, 200. 200 recovery for the 2 and 4, and 400 recovery for the 8's and 12. As it turns out, Keino has been training for the mile and 800. Great decision for a first track day:) So, off we go. 32 first 200 and my hamstrings felt like they were going to cramp immediately after I stopped. I have not done speed since somewhere around college. Next the 400 in the same pace, 64. Then I realized that not doing speed, and not working on the anaerobic threshold is not a good thing when it comes to hard 800's. The first came by in 2:25 and it was miserable (mostly because we came through the 400 in 65). I could not even make the 1200 because I was in so much oxygen debt and ran another 800 in 2:30. Finally, the last 800 in 2:28, and it hurt. I never knew that 5:00 pace could be so painful, but when you hit that anaerobic system, it can go quick. I feel great at 5:20 pace for a long time, but then just under 5:00 and it gets ugly quick. Well, we finished it up with a 400 in 65 and then a 200 in 28. That last one was a sprint right now, but I am sure that will come down quickly. Keino was a few seconds ahead from about half way on. I think that if I can focus on a little anaerobic, it will come back fast. It does make me miss the mile a lot.

It is a small world. Keino went to a college that was in my college's conference. He came in the year that I graduated and proceeded to break any records that I set. It was great to meet up with a guy that I wish came to school a couple years earlier. He is a strong runner and it will be fun to see how training with him progresses. Another crazy part about the workout is that the pain in my achilles and knee completely disappeared. I am not confident that it is going to stay that way, but it has been two days with no pain, and that is a nice thing right now. Hopefully I can stay pain free, and get some speed in my legs. That would be nice!

One Word...Humbling

That's right, humbling. I got my butt handed to me out there on Vail Mountain. I am not sure if I was just not feeling it, or if the altitude and hill actually killed me. I got off to a bad start, which is very rare. Coming from a mile background, starting has always been fast and easy. We hit the first hill and the whole field was slowed to a walk. OUCH! The walk hurt! Then down we go after about a mile climbing. A mile descending, and then almost 2 more miles up. I was just slow! I don't know why, but I could not get going. At the top of the hill I just said the heck with it and enjoyed the downhill and the remainder of the race. So, a bad race, but I did learn a lot. McGurk had a rough day as well, and he said they just happen in mountain racing. I am just not used to that happening running. I think it is time to add a bit of speed and some tempo runs. The flatness could be due to two easy weeks with no hills (due to the knee and achilles hurting). But, still.

So, back to training and I will see how I do over 14.5 miles up to 14,200'. That should be another interesting experience.

It is nice to have these humbling experiences, and I tend to embrace them a bit. They are a clear reminder of what is important and what needs to be done. So, until the next race. I am sure there are many better times to come.

Here Comes Teva

Well, Teva games are on there way and the race course has been released. I think all the runs up Mt. Falcon are going to pay off in a big way, but time will tell. I feel strong and I hope that is the way I feel on race day. I am confident and that is the greatest thing. I was never too confident in triathlons, always growing but never seeing great results. I do love to run, I love to run UP, and I love to suffer. There is $1000 to the winner and then $750, $500, and $250 down in the other positions. I think I will go out with the leaders and then hopefully push the long second hill. I am hoping I can be competitive on the downhills. They are steep! I am sure it is going to be a great time. I will update after the race. My fitness is good though. Ran to the track yesterdays and hit five laps as: 95, 90, 85, 80, 75. It was nice and easy, and then I ran home. The legs are still a bit sore in the knee and achilles, but they are definitely raceable. Looking forward to Teva!!!

I Love My Dog

Well, Adrienne and I took Guinness out to Lake Cobb with some of the other dogs from his litter. They had a great time! Mel and Aaron (hunt trainers) brought Chuckar and the pups got to find and point them out in the field. Our little man did such a great job! He caught the scent of the first one and turned and pointed. It was awesome to see and such a great experience. Here are some pics of our little hunter. He is going to be a great running partner next year!

Pretty Colorado

Although CO is not CA, and there is not an ocean, it is quite beautiful here right now. Everything is green and it is in the 70s-80s. The creeks are getting high from the runoff, and it is pretty much a training paradise (save the missing ocean). I was able to get in 13 on Saturday with Steve Cavalli. I hit the hills harder on the way back and then took the downs and flats easy. We ran on Mesa Trail up in Boulder, and that trail is beautiful. Nice ups and downs, and through all the trees. Sunday I went out with McGurk and we did 14 in Roxborough State Park. It is beautiful there as well. We did a big loop that took us to a peak on the Colorado Trail, and then came back and did a small loop where we saw a fox and a herd of deer. Just after starting the run we came across a coiled up rattle snake. We threw sticks at it and it slithered off into the bushes quite angry. An easy week is ahead of me since it ends with the Teva Mountain Games (10k). I hear it is hard and I hope that I am ready to run well there. I feel good climbing and I hope that means I can race up the hills well. We will see. I do feel confident though. The race goes up and down different parts of Vail Mountain.

Adrienne and I took Guinness out to Cobb Lake this weekend and he got to point some birds (chuckar). He was great and made us so proud! He has been wonderful and it is great to have him in the house. I can not wait for him to grow up and become a great running partner. I still have a good amount of time prior to that, but it will be fun!

An easy week is just what the doctor ordered. Still some pain in the lower left leg, so hopefully that disappears. The base behind me is good, and I think it is time to remind myself of what suffering really is. To the pain!!!!