All in, and all good...

Week Summary 5/26/2013

Tuesday

Goni Hill Repeats: 8.1 mi (+1,812 ft); 11:10 pace
Thursday
Carson River Flats: 9.6 mi (+52 ft); 9:14 pace
Friday
Carson River Flats: 6.0 mi (+39 ft); 9:48 pace
Saturday
Grosh Loop: 11.9 mi (+1,803 ft); 11:05 pace
Sunday
Longview - Kings Canyon OB: 21.6 mi (+3,058 ft); 11:15 pace

Weekly Totals: 57.4 mi (+6,764 ft); 10:13:08 on trail

The routine got back in the groove this week, and I have to say the joy of long-distance running wrapped itself around me. I'd been a little worried, but this week brought it all back into focus. It's about time.

The week included some strong hill repeats on the dirt road (Goni) on the south side of McClellan Peak. I didn't mess around with turning back downhill after each five-minute interval, but focused on good walks for the brief recovery period. Then cruised the descent on some of my favorite downhills -- the tracks behind the cinder mines. It was the first time since Buffalo that my ankle didn't bark at me at any time during the run, up or down.

I missed my run on Wednesday but did some good walking out on a project near the Humboldt River. Dune hikes have to do some good. Tried to do some easy base runs along the river, but I probably ended up going a little fast. It was simply the joy of having a break in the day to get out, and that was motivation enough.

Footfeathers had mixed things up a bit, shifting the long run to Sunday and calling for a bit of hills on Saturday. I like how the "hilly" days (Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday) this week all have about the same pace, regardless of the mileage. Nice and steady.

Lower Kings Canyon, toward Carson City

Sunday's cruise up and down Kings Canyon was fantastic, such a nice way to end a great week. I'd never been up that road, but I'm sure I'll now be hitting it pretty often. I tried to get to the Spooner Trail-head on the TRT, but didn't quite make it. My target was a 2:15 climb and that got me to 11 miles, but it seems I was about a mile short of Spooner. I starated at the Longview trail. So I knowingly added mileage that I would not have covered if I had started at the Kings Canyon "Trail-head" (end of the pavement). I would have made Spooner handily if I had started there. But worth every step.

The "halfway" valley

Climbing the eastern front; upper Kings Canyon

I got signed up for the Grand Mesa 60K outside of Grand Junction, Colorado, where I'll join Dennis and Mary for their first ultra. Made some travel arrangements for that weekend in July. I'll be using it as a high-altitude long run; all trails lead to Leadville 100, starting now. 

Darren got his house sold, and the transition continues. Ophir Trail to Mt. Rose will be at his doorstep soon. 

Keep going...

Getting it back...

Dennis and Mary finished their first marathon of the 70/50 year at the Huff2Bluff Marathon in southern Utah. They got a little surprised that the "downhill" marathon had so much uphill! But they kept to their plan and scored a nice 5:28, finishing together as is their long-distance tradition. Ryan Heck (Race Director) presented them a 50th anniversary plaque in honor of their 70/50 year. They enjoyed the event so much they were basically the last to leave the venue on Saturday afternoon.

I'm feeling good by getting back into the regime. It wasn't perfect or as planned, but it sets the stage for what's to come. The highlight was a comfortable Tempo run on Thursday, keeping at 170 bpm for 45 minutes and covering about 5.5 miles. That's a nice 8-minute pace.

My weekend planned run was pre-empted as I helped Darren with course marking for the Silver State 50/50. We covered some trail, but the logistics of trail marking don't really create any training conditions, though Darren did get about 60 miles in four days. We marked until dark on Friday night and then cruised Evans Canyon at 4:30 AM, in the pre-dawn, setting and checking markers. Lon Monroe, Darren, and a few volunteers spent several weeks getting the course ready, and John Trent and many others handled the start/finish area at San Rafeal Park. There were also some great crews out at aid-stations all along the course. Unfortunately Darren and I were rather haggard after only a couple hours sleep on Friday night
, so I didn't get to get out on the course above the Ridgeview aid station.

Congrats to Sarah Rice of Far Western for completing her first ultra at Silver State. Her hard work paid off with a 7:31:07 finish in the 50K. Nice.

Des and I wrapped up the weekend with me running from VC to Washoe Lake State Park. She and Strider met up with Tephra and I on the Scripps Switchback. We then dropped into the park for a lap. I did the 3-hour run over the mountain in a fasted state, no fuel for 18 hours, so it was great to hit the Postal Cafe at the end of the run.


Week Summary 5/18/2013

Monday

Nimbus Walk: 3.2 mi (+39 ft); 14:16 pace

Tuesday
Ash Tracks: 4.5 mi (+646 ft); 10:39 pace
Thursday
Carson River Flats: 6.9 mi (+40 ft); 8:33 pace
Friday
SS 50 Marking: 6.0 mi (+500 ft); 25:00 pace
Saturday
SS 50 Marking: 12.0 mi (+1,000 ft); 22:13 pace
Sunday
VC to Washoe SP: 14.3 mi (+1,442 ft); 11:49 pace

Weekly Totals: 46.9 mi (+3,668 ft); 12:21:27 on trail

Fits and (re-) Starts...

I've been fortunate over the duration of my relatively short running career and I've rarely had to give it up for anything more than a day or two here or there, plus a few limited injury rests and some planned post-race recovery. After posting last time about the enjoyment I get out of keeping a routine and following my well-coached regime, I basically set the shoes aside for about 10 days. My workload, yes, at work, got the best of me and it required focus. The daily running regime usually helps keep the work-a-day focus, but this went beyond the normal and I had to hunker down.

I was only a couple weeks into the first cycle of the Leadville training schedule, so I simply did a hard re-boot and started over.  Felt pretty good too! It was a great relief to get the miles going again.

Down Emma Canyon

Took it easy for the most part, sticking to my standard trails until I went on a local exploration for the Long Saturday. It didn't turn out to be very long, but I did find some steep. An old trail on the back of Flowery Peak, behind the Sugarloaf just east of town, climbs 1,200 feet in a little over a mile. A bit hardier than I'd planned for in the "restart," but I liked the look of it on the map. And everyone loves power-hiking at a 26-minute pace up gravelly bedrock. I eventually strolled through Cougar Flat, keeping the pace low, before climbing to Larry's place for an afternoon on his deck far above Redneck Disneyland (chili cook-off weekend, yahoo). We avoided all that as Larry grilled up some tri-tip and Des joined us in the quiet of his little mountain top.

Up from the bottom - On south side of Flowery Peak

Warming up nicely. Tephra staying at home some days as the water sources dry up and the rattlers come out. May think about some early mornings until more of the TRT and above opens up.

Week Summary 5/11/2013

Tuesday

Carson River Flats: 4.8 mi (+9 ft); 9:40 pace

Wednesday
Centennial West Ridge: 5.4 mi (+879 ft); 11:30 pace
Thursday 
V&T Grade OB: 3.9 mi (+180 ft); 10:26 pace
Saturday
Emma Canyon - Flower Peak: 11.9 mi (+2,618 ft); 14:18 pace
Sunday
Ophir Grade OB: 9.2 mi (+840 ft); 11:04 pace

Weekly Totals: 35.2 mi (+4,525 ft); 7:00:38 on trail

Looking for the routine...

We all go about our daily and weekly routines a bit (or maybe, very) differently. I simply have to have a schedule. I can't always stick to it, but it tends to help keep everything from happening at the same time. Since the Buffalo 100 I'd been working in some recovery runs without much structure or planning. It was actually kind of nice. You know, turn on the Garmin but not check it at all during the run. No worry about time, distance, or pace. 

But then my work schedule went nuts and I lost my daily rhythm. Log jams seemed unbreakable and my running bouts were the only place I felt productive, and that's when I'm not working. 

So I was relieved this week to get back into my training charts, thanks to Footfeathers, and it's no surprise that  the other parts of the day started to work themselves out. Some might consider following a schedule, training or otherwise, restrictive. But not me. The runs are planned and scheduled out, and I stick to them 99% of the time, but I let my choice of trail with its particular setting and challenges (or lack of) provide the daily freedom.

I got my first run on the TRT this week. Just a few patches of snow in the first three miles west of Brockway summit. Felt great. However, I felt rather stagnant on Friday and into Saturday. It seemed like I was still feeling the last four miles of Buffalo. I was going pretty good, but it seemed I couldn't give it any more or it might not last much longer. I rebounded Sunday with a good morning up on Ophir Grade, go-to good dirt I can count on.

Happy Birthday to Mom. Mary now breaks into the 70 age-group. As Tim mentioned to me this morning, she'll likely go undefeated in her age-group for the next 30 years.  It's what she does...

Week Summary 4/28/2013

Tuesday

Carson River Flats: 4.8 mi (+15 ft); 9:55 pace

Thursday
TRT Brockway OB: 6.1 mi (+1,075 ft); 10:40 pace
Friday
Spring Valley Loop: 4.4 mi (+207 ft); 10:22 pace
Saturday
Centennial Circuits: 16.2 mi (+2,484 ft); 12:12 pace
Sunday
Ophir Grade OB: 9.0 mi (+840 ft); 10:37 pace

Weekly Totals: 40.6 mi (+4,621 ft); 7:32:10 on trail

The "We" in IWWD...

It's What We Do. 

I've always hoped, just a bit, that our little motivational motto, IWWD, with it's mountainous ups-and-downs, has carried the Young Mountain Runners, our friends, and maybe one or two of my four readers to some new trail-running goals -- be it a 10K, a half-marathon, a marathon, or one of the ultra distances. On a few days when I thought it too cold, too busy, or too whatever, to get out and run, these four words have led me to the trail. Usually to find a bit of solace, rejuvenation, or some new-found speed, things I otherwise might have missed.

But this week IWWD took on a much bigger meaning, as the WE expanded to the universe of runners, supporters, and everyone affected by the tragic events that unfolded in Boston. I don't do road events. I've never done a marathon. But WE run, and we will continue to run. It means all of us now.

On that very Monday, on the opposite coast, I left a friend at the Stanford Hospital; a friend I would not see again. As he lived with his cancer, Jim had long been within the WE. He motivated me daily to seek out new trails. He crewed for me and marveled at the efforts of Darren and Tim (and all the others) at the Pine-to-Palm 100. On Thursday, Jim made one last trip over the Sierra and, I imagine, finding peace in his home, passed away a few hours later.

It was a week where running seemed ludicrous. But as the citizens of Boston sought a bit of closure, Tim hit the trail at the Zion 100, thinking of Jim though he'd only spent a couple days with him seven months ago. Dennis and Mary found success at the Desert Rats Half in Fruita, CO. I volunteered at the Prison Hill Half in Carson City, NV. 

As the week progressed, amongst the deafening news-noise, motivating stories emerged from Boston, and Jim came home. Meanwhile, I surrounded myself, over and over, with the words of Frank Shorter, marathon winner at the tragic 1972 Olympics, "This is as scared as I get. Now let's go run."

It's What We Do.

Jim Carter - On the way to Game 1 of the 2012 World Series.

Week Summary 4/21/2013

Wednesday

Goni Trails East: 6.9 mi (+1,020 ft); 11:33 pace

Thursday
V&T OB: 4.6 mi (+230 ft); 9:52 pace
Sunday
Sun Mtn Loop: 15.8 mi (+2,460 ft); 11:53 pace

Weekly Totals: 27.2 mi (+3,710 ft); 5:11:45 on trail

Priorities

Although I had some nice easy runs mid-week, I took some time this weekend to be with a good friend fighting cancer. Jim crewed for me at the Pine to Palm 100 last fall only a few days after learning his cancer had relapsed and that he had new battles ahead.

We'll run for Jim, and all those like him.

Keep going...

Mild Echoes

Well, the post-Buffalo break is over as I easily let the recovery work its magic. I picked up again on Tuesday after about a 10-day break from the trail. The echoes from Buffalo consisted of some high-ankle soreness, and this was actually worse when simply sitting still. Once I got back on the trail and let things shake out a bit, it all felt surprisingly good.

I cruised the trails this week without an agenda, enjoying the springtime and happy to be warm again! Ash Tracks on Thursday was especially nice, the single-track is in great shape and I felt pretty strong on the climbs. After a couple hundred miles in the Hokas it felt good to be back in the La Sportivas; I may have to think about some long distances in the CLites to see how the ankles respond.

The Trail Option  race report from the American Canyon 50K was published in the April issue of Ultrarunning Magazine. Thanks to Harlan Reymont the American Canyon RD for submitting it. 


Week Summary 4/7/2013

Tuesday

Carson River Flats: 4.8 mi (+4 ft); 9:42 pace

Thursday
Ash Tracks: 5.8 mi (+1,095 ft); 10:45 pace
Saturday
Emma Quarry OB: 5.6 mi (+452 ft); 9:07 pace

 

Weekly Totals: 17.3 mi (+1,550 ft); 2:51:24 on trail