The last week of the year is here and with that it is time to wrap up the mileage totals. As mentioned, a goal of 2900 miles for the year has been set and honestly, the specific number just came to mind when I realized the mileage of this year was going to exceed the mileage of last year; 2784.0 an all time high in one year. Analyzing the time frame of when I crossed the 2784 mile, the goal of 3000 miles for the year was just too much given work, winter, and other commitments. So, 2900 it is! This will be the most mileage I have ever run in one year. Will there be a goal of 3000 miles in one year? Only time will tell.
So, starting this week there are 38 miles to go to complete the mission.
Monday; Dec. 26th: A short night in Cincinnati and then one very long leg to Seattle produced a lazy bum today. Plus it was time for a day off. A very relaxing afternoon in the rainy northwest was a much welcome relief.
Tuesday; Dec. 27th: UP n at 'em early in Seattle. To the treadmill for a nice 8 miler, some abs and a some wall squats. Then a full day of flying and ending the night in Salt Lake. Nothing special about this effort; just some nice miles at 9:00/ mile pace with some hill repeats. Those wall squats are kicking my butt!!! Literally!
Wednesday; Dec. 28th: Given a fairly early start to the work day, it was off to the treadmill at the La Quinta in Salt Lake. While not a favorite location (meaning the treadmill at this particular hotel), the cramped room does allow the window to be opened to allow the cold outside air in. Most likely hotel management would not understand my efforts to heat the outside of the Salt Lake basin?!
A nice 8 miler was the order of the day while listening to AC/DC, Tone Loc, Motley Crue and even a George Winston or two!
Thursday; Dec. 29th: Here we go with the first day back from 6 days of being on the road. Lazin' around til 645am, Traysen and I made it out for a slog fest of 7 miles. Great to be back in the hills and altitude of home.
Friday; Dec. 30th: Well, you would think almost 12 hours of sleep would produce a nice run, but unfortunately, it was a bit of a slog fest. Just slow to get going and never really picked up speed! It was an 8 miler with Traysen and the course is set to accomplish the 2900 mile goal.
Saturday; Dec. 31st: Here it is ....the goal of 2900 miles is looming and it is time to git 'er done! With a commute to LAX today, it was out the door very early, in the dark, at 540am. After much prodding, Traysen the doberman reluctantly plodded along for the 7 miles. And a wonderful run it was; cool, dark, slowly becoming daylight, and no other creatures except me and Traysen.
Sunday; Jan. 1, 2012: What seemed to be an easy trip on paper turned into a bit of work! Getting to Denver slightly late on the 31st, waiting on a crew van, etc at the airport and a long drive to downtown, it was a very late night. Crawled into bed only to be shattered back to life with the hotel fire alarm! In the 24 year airline pilot career, this was a first! Luckily, it was a false alarm except for the drunken idiot who pulled the handle and woke the entire neighborhood up!!!! (Yep, I'll remain a lady and not voice my real thoughts of the drunken idiot!!!)
Nevertheless, after some sleep, it was down to the hotel gym to start the year right. A weight lifting session of biceps, shoulders, abs, and wall squats was a solid start and then a nice 8 miler on the treadmill. Hill repeats were the order of the day: 6 x .25 mile at 3% incline at 6.6mph pace.
Summary: Well, it happened...the 2900 miles for 2011 is complete and the body is healthy and ready for more miles. A return to focused training has come to mind and the start of a new year is a perfect time to renew the training. More on that later.
Weekly Total: 45.0 miles
Yearly total for 2011: 2901.0
Yearly Total for 2012: 8.0
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Dec. 19 to Dec. 25
Christmas Week is here and with that work will be in full gear. Most folks take the two weeks around the holidays off; however, I usually choose the other routing and fly quite a bit. The mood at the airports is often "interesting" with many people hustling to get to their flights, carrying way too many bags. Kids are all over the place with way too much sugar ingested (always fun to bring them into the cockpit). As pilots we are able to steal ourselves away in the cockpit and avoid much of the confusion that sometimes ensues.
As for running, it will be a high mileage week with the 2900 goal looming.
Monday; Dec. 19th: Well, so much for the mileage today; it was an early departure out of Orange County and then a full day of flying with the ending commute.
Tuesday; Dec. 20th: An odd and short day of running with only 3 miles! It happens sometimes due to time restraints.
Wednesday; Dec. 21st: Down to the gym for abs, chest, and triceps; an added bonus is wall squats. Three sets of 2 minutes each. These are very effective at tightening up the quads and glutes. Out the door for a great 12 miler. Traysen was being a lazy boy so it was a solo outing starting at 615am, not quite daylight, not quite dark.
Thursday; Dec. 22nd: It's going to be a white Christmas at this house! Woke up to a few inches of fresh powder and it was still coming down nicely. After enough coffee, Traysen and I were out the door for a perfectly snowy 9 miler. With the looming holidays and the snow, we encountered only two cars along the dirt roads, several deer (aka: squirrels with antlers), and an assortment of birds and cotton tail squirrels.
It seems as though the running has renewed energy lately. Not sure of the full reasoning, but it is a welcome component. Could be the goal of 2900 miles looming; could be the idea of the 100k in the Spring;could be a slight shift in diet (over the last few months, I have reduced the sugar intake as much as possible; amazing where that little white powder hangs out!!) could be the running Gods are shining on little Missy Sarah....?
Friday; Dec. 23rd: With a commute ahead, it was down to the basement quite early for legs and abs. Then out the door...slowly out the door...it was about -12 degrees! Traysen opted to hang out with the wiener dogs so it was a solo run. A nice 9 miler was the order of the day. It is amazing how much energy it takes to run in the extreme cold!
Saturday; Dec 24th: Being Christmas Eve, where else would I be except working? Actually, it's by choice because I could easily bid the time off but choose to fly. Hopefully by me flying it allows another pilot with young kids to be at home; plus it is usually a fun and pleasant atmosphere around the airports during the holidays...Waking up in Salt Lake, it was to the treadmill for a quick 6 miler and then off to work. The treadmill was actually a welcome relief to the cold, hills, and altitude of home!
Sunday; Dec. 25th: Merry Christmas!!! Waking up in Atlanta at the folks house, I was out the door early for a drizzly 6 miler. Running in the southeast in December is a nice relief from the already cold temps of Colorado; shorts and long sleeve t shirt are the order of the day.
A full day of flying will yield a tired runner girl tonight. Working the holidays goes with working for the airlines and I honestly don't mind.
Summary: Wrapping up the week with 46 miles. I am now 38 miles away from the goal of 2900 miles for the year and there is one week to go! Barring any issues, getting the mileage in this week should be almost a no brainer.
As for running, it will be a high mileage week with the 2900 goal looming.
Monday; Dec. 19th: Well, so much for the mileage today; it was an early departure out of Orange County and then a full day of flying with the ending commute.
Tuesday; Dec. 20th: An odd and short day of running with only 3 miles! It happens sometimes due to time restraints.
Wednesday; Dec. 21st: Down to the gym for abs, chest, and triceps; an added bonus is wall squats. Three sets of 2 minutes each. These are very effective at tightening up the quads and glutes. Out the door for a great 12 miler. Traysen was being a lazy boy so it was a solo outing starting at 615am, not quite daylight, not quite dark.
Thursday; Dec. 22nd: It's going to be a white Christmas at this house! Woke up to a few inches of fresh powder and it was still coming down nicely. After enough coffee, Traysen and I were out the door for a perfectly snowy 9 miler. With the looming holidays and the snow, we encountered only two cars along the dirt roads, several deer (aka: squirrels with antlers), and an assortment of birds and cotton tail squirrels.
It seems as though the running has renewed energy lately. Not sure of the full reasoning, but it is a welcome component. Could be the goal of 2900 miles looming; could be the idea of the 100k in the Spring;could be a slight shift in diet (over the last few months, I have reduced the sugar intake as much as possible; amazing where that little white powder hangs out!!) could be the running Gods are shining on little Missy Sarah....?
Flying Pie Ranch with a fresh layer of snow.
Saturday; Dec 24th: Being Christmas Eve, where else would I be except working? Actually, it's by choice because I could easily bid the time off but choose to fly. Hopefully by me flying it allows another pilot with young kids to be at home; plus it is usually a fun and pleasant atmosphere around the airports during the holidays...Waking up in Salt Lake, it was to the treadmill for a quick 6 miler and then off to work. The treadmill was actually a welcome relief to the cold, hills, and altitude of home!
Sunday; Dec. 25th: Merry Christmas!!! Waking up in Atlanta at the folks house, I was out the door early for a drizzly 6 miler. Running in the southeast in December is a nice relief from the already cold temps of Colorado; shorts and long sleeve t shirt are the order of the day.
A full day of flying will yield a tired runner girl tonight. Working the holidays goes with working for the airlines and I honestly don't mind.
Mom and Dad's in Atlanta. My childhood home.
Summary: Wrapping up the week with 46 miles. I am now 38 miles away from the goal of 2900 miles for the year and there is one week to go! Barring any issues, getting the mileage in this week should be almost a no brainer.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Three Month Update
After becoming a bit bored myself with my own blog, I decided it was time for a break from posting. So, now a few months after the last post and after much prompting from a few different sources, gon4run will be resurrected from the dead!
As for the running in the last few months, not much has changed....which is a good thing...The miles have continued, the weight lifting has continued, the desire to run has actually increased, and life on the trails and road has been good. There have been no injuries to speak of and no real health issues that have caused any concerns. As of this writing, the yearly mileage stands at 2820.5. With another 11 days to run in the year, getting another 80 miles in should be a piece of cake. This will round the year out with an even 2900 miles and will be the most miles run in one year. And now that I have made it public knowledge where all of the mileage stands, one of the overall purposes of this blog has come full circle. I am now held accountable to outside sources to complete the mileage for the year.
And so, without further procrastination, another post from gon4run hits the Internet and I will continue informing all of you who have been so wonderful in your support. I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life who care and hold our connections close. thank you...
As for the running in the last few months, not much has changed....which is a good thing...The miles have continued, the weight lifting has continued, the desire to run has actually increased, and life on the trails and road has been good. There have been no injuries to speak of and no real health issues that have caused any concerns. As of this writing, the yearly mileage stands at 2820.5. With another 11 days to run in the year, getting another 80 miles in should be a piece of cake. This will round the year out with an even 2900 miles and will be the most miles run in one year. And now that I have made it public knowledge where all of the mileage stands, one of the overall purposes of this blog has come full circle. I am now held accountable to outside sources to complete the mileage for the year.
Traysen and Mom hiking Barr Trail this past fall. To say that it was warm was an understatement.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sept 18 to Oct 2
Well, I haven't posted in the blog for two weeks now. Work, running, dogs, etc have kept me quite busy and I thought it was time for a break from writing. Hopefully, the blog can start taking on new content and inspiring others to run, walk, or exercise in some form.
As for running: It has been awesome! With the fall in full swing in Colorado, I have logged quite a few miles and have a few highlights on running adventures while working.
Summary of the last two weeks of running:
Sept 18 to Sept 25: Ran 55.0 miles with only one weight lifting session and one speed training session with the Sunrise Striders. Highlights: a great run in Spokane, WA, around the Gonzaga University campus; a great 10 miler along the Mississippi River in St. Paul, MN with about 7 turkeys along the route.
Sept 26 to Oct 2: Ran 60.0 miles with two weight lifting sessions and one session with the Sunrise Striders. Highlights: a Barr Trail/Barr Camp outing with Jim; an awesome run in Mueller SP with the aspens in full color.
Total mileage for the year: 2323.0
As for upcoming plans: Very simple actually: Run at least 2800 miles for the year and go to the Sunrise Stride's workouts when able.
Speaking of the Sunrise Strider group, I did a quick research on the benefits of running with a group. Of course, the Internet had much to say but most of it came down to basics. When you are committed to group running, the following often provides for better running:
*Safety in numbers
*Motivation
*Improved performance
*Socialization
*Consistency
Expanding a bit, perhaps the one concept I noticed in the websites I reviewed was that group running provides consistency and this in turn leads to the other concepts being realized. If you are consistent in meeting with your group, your running performances will improve and you will become a stronger runner.
Here are a few of the links I checked out:
http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/benefits-of-running-in-a-group-16376676
http://www.seriousrunning.com/blog/running-clubs/benefits-of-running-in-a-group-or-running-club/
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/the-benefits-of-group-running/
So, if your running/walking is lacking "ummppffff", try running with a group!
As for running: It has been awesome! With the fall in full swing in Colorado, I have logged quite a few miles and have a few highlights on running adventures while working.
Summary of the last two weeks of running:
Sept 18 to Sept 25: Ran 55.0 miles with only one weight lifting session and one speed training session with the Sunrise Striders. Highlights: a great run in Spokane, WA, around the Gonzaga University campus; a great 10 miler along the Mississippi River in St. Paul, MN with about 7 turkeys along the route.
Sept 26 to Oct 2: Ran 60.0 miles with two weight lifting sessions and one session with the Sunrise Striders. Highlights: a Barr Trail/Barr Camp outing with Jim; an awesome run in Mueller SP with the aspens in full color.
Total mileage for the year: 2323.0
As for upcoming plans: Very simple actually: Run at least 2800 miles for the year and go to the Sunrise Stride's workouts when able.
Speaking of the Sunrise Strider group, I did a quick research on the benefits of running with a group. Of course, the Internet had much to say but most of it came down to basics. When you are committed to group running, the following often provides for better running:
*Safety in numbers
*Motivation
*Improved performance
*Socialization
*Consistency
Expanding a bit, perhaps the one concept I noticed in the websites I reviewed was that group running provides consistency and this in turn leads to the other concepts being realized. If you are consistent in meeting with your group, your running performances will improve and you will become a stronger runner.
Here are a few of the links I checked out:
http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/benefits-of-running-in-a-group-16376676
http://www.seriousrunning.com/blog/running-clubs/benefits-of-running-in-a-group-or-running-club/
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/the-benefits-of-group-running/
So, if your running/walking is lacking "ummppffff", try running with a group!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Sept 12 to Sept 18
Another week of vacation! It would just awful to have to work for a living! Even with a busy week, many miles are planned for the early fall season.
Monday; Sept 12: Down to the gym early for abs, chest, and triceps and then out the door for a basic, easy, no brainer 6 miles.
Fellow blogger, Wyatt Hornsby, recently published a post on his blog about consistency in running. As he pointed out, one would think that after running Leadville 100 Aug. 27/28, some time off from running or at least a greatly reduced running schedule would be in order. However, as Wyatt explains, this is not always the case. In the 3 three weeks or so since Leadville, he has returned to a couple of nice 60 mile weeks and has no plans to pull the running down yet. Is he leading up to injury or burnout? No, not at all because he is tuned into his body and mind and will know when it is time to back off. He also describes how ultra runners in particular continue to run consistently over the course of several years, not just consistently on a day to day or week to week basis. An example; If someone is training for a race from 5K to marathon distance, he/she can most likely start with a basic fitness level and build up to the race. Given the correct 12 to 15 week program, most folks can complete the race and live to tell about it. On the other hand, most folks will not be able to start from a basic fitness level, train for 12 to 15 weeks and then complete a 50K or longer race. Oh, they may finish, but it most likely be with resulting problems. Most ultra runners are very experienced in running and did not take up the sport of ultras without first logging years of consistent running. Running for ultra athletes is a way of life and pushing ourselves beyond a comfort level is a more normal existence than running for fitness or for a specific race that is marathon distance or shorter.
Tuesday; Sept 13: Down to Colorado Springs early for a run with the Sunrise Striders and a tempo run of a warm up, then 4x8 minute repeats. These went well and then it was a few more miles to round out the day at 11.0.
Wednesday; Sept 14: Being an at home day, it all started with a weight lifting session of abs, back , and shoulders. Out the door with Traysen with first light for a nice and very cool 10 miler. We are really enjoying these cool morning temps along with the slowly changing aspen leaves.
Thursday; Sept 15: Welcome to Seattle!!!! Or at least it feels that way with all the rain we have had in the last day or two. This morning was a beautiful cool drizzle for what was supposed to be a track workout with the Sunrise Strider group. Unfortunately, at the last minute the location was changed(due to a flooded track) and with such a short notice, I opted to run 12 miles in Garden of the Gods. While the track workout would have been very effective, this run in the cool misty morning could not be surpassed.
Friday; Sept 16: Meeting with a good friend for a craft show outing at 830am, it was out the door in the dark at 5am for a brisk 6 miler with Traysen. Always interesting running in the dark at home since Traysen can see or sense varmits long before I can. Not sure, but hoping, it was a deer that tweaked his interest a few times.
Saturday; Sept 17: Off to Mueller State Park very early for a nice 15 miler. The aspens are starting to turn as well as the scrub oaks and willows. Fall is by far the most beautiful time of year. Being able to run in such a pretty area makes me appreciate all that is in my life.
That is what running in the woods can do for a person. In what other activity can you get back to nature in a pure and natural form? A good pair of running shoes, some water, some basic clothing and off you go!
Always a welcome sight!! The aspens are turning nicely.
An odd black and white pic that shows one of the many aspen groves.
Sunday; Sept 18: An early start to the day with a drive to Rampart Res. and the running of the Pony Express race. This 15 mile jaunt circles the reservoir, covering dirt trail littered with roots, rocks and small hills. The last few years (with a few exceptions) I have volunteered for this event and have enjoyed the quiet atmosphere, low key morning, hanging out with good friends like Pat Lockhart (cancer survivor) and Larry.
It was then time for Traysen and I to log out a nice 12 miler to wrap up the week.
The east side of the lake and the direction of the race.
The race start/finish and our hangout for the morning. Can it get any better than this?
Summary: A nice week of running with no work!! These cool temps has many runners out on the trails and many folks are thinking of fall races. Several fellow runners are going to the Devil Mountain 50 in Pagosa Springs on Oct. 1 while Lynne, Lori, and a few other gal pals ran Lead King Loop 25K this past weekend.
total miles for the week: 72. 0 Miles for the year: 2208.0
Monday; Sept 12: Down to the gym early for abs, chest, and triceps and then out the door for a basic, easy, no brainer 6 miles.
Fellow blogger, Wyatt Hornsby, recently published a post on his blog about consistency in running. As he pointed out, one would think that after running Leadville 100 Aug. 27/28, some time off from running or at least a greatly reduced running schedule would be in order. However, as Wyatt explains, this is not always the case. In the 3 three weeks or so since Leadville, he has returned to a couple of nice 60 mile weeks and has no plans to pull the running down yet. Is he leading up to injury or burnout? No, not at all because he is tuned into his body and mind and will know when it is time to back off. He also describes how ultra runners in particular continue to run consistently over the course of several years, not just consistently on a day to day or week to week basis. An example; If someone is training for a race from 5K to marathon distance, he/she can most likely start with a basic fitness level and build up to the race. Given the correct 12 to 15 week program, most folks can complete the race and live to tell about it. On the other hand, most folks will not be able to start from a basic fitness level, train for 12 to 15 weeks and then complete a 50K or longer race. Oh, they may finish, but it most likely be with resulting problems. Most ultra runners are very experienced in running and did not take up the sport of ultras without first logging years of consistent running. Running for ultra athletes is a way of life and pushing ourselves beyond a comfort level is a more normal existence than running for fitness or for a specific race that is marathon distance or shorter.
Tuesday; Sept 13: Down to Colorado Springs early for a run with the Sunrise Striders and a tempo run of a warm up, then 4x8 minute repeats. These went well and then it was a few more miles to round out the day at 11.0.
Wednesday; Sept 14: Being an at home day, it all started with a weight lifting session of abs, back , and shoulders. Out the door with Traysen with first light for a nice and very cool 10 miler. We are really enjoying these cool morning temps along with the slowly changing aspen leaves.
Thursday; Sept 15: Welcome to Seattle!!!! Or at least it feels that way with all the rain we have had in the last day or two. This morning was a beautiful cool drizzle for what was supposed to be a track workout with the Sunrise Strider group. Unfortunately, at the last minute the location was changed(due to a flooded track) and with such a short notice, I opted to run 12 miles in Garden of the Gods. While the track workout would have been very effective, this run in the cool misty morning could not be surpassed.
Friday; Sept 16: Meeting with a good friend for a craft show outing at 830am, it was out the door in the dark at 5am for a brisk 6 miler with Traysen. Always interesting running in the dark at home since Traysen can see or sense varmits long before I can. Not sure, but hoping, it was a deer that tweaked his interest a few times.
Saturday; Sept 17: Off to Mueller State Park very early for a nice 15 miler. The aspens are starting to turn as well as the scrub oaks and willows. Fall is by far the most beautiful time of year. Being able to run in such a pretty area makes me appreciate all that is in my life.
That is what running in the woods can do for a person. In what other activity can you get back to nature in a pure and natural form? A good pair of running shoes, some water, some basic clothing and off you go!
Always a welcome sight!! The aspens are turning nicely.
An odd black and white pic that shows one of the many aspen groves.
Sunday; Sept 18: An early start to the day with a drive to Rampart Res. and the running of the Pony Express race. This 15 mile jaunt circles the reservoir, covering dirt trail littered with roots, rocks and small hills. The last few years (with a few exceptions) I have volunteered for this event and have enjoyed the quiet atmosphere, low key morning, hanging out with good friends like Pat Lockhart (cancer survivor) and Larry.
It was then time for Traysen and I to log out a nice 12 miler to wrap up the week.
The east side of the lake and the direction of the race.
The race start/finish and our hangout for the morning. Can it get any better than this?
Summary: A nice week of running with no work!! These cool temps has many runners out on the trails and many folks are thinking of fall races. Several fellow runners are going to the Devil Mountain 50 in Pagosa Springs on Oct. 1 while Lynne, Lori, and a few other gal pals ran Lead King Loop 25K this past weekend.
total miles for the week: 72. 0 Miles for the year: 2208.0
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sept 5th to Sept 11th
With a very busy week, running will most likely not be the mileage filled event it usually is each week. During these types of weeks, we just have to do what we can, realize we have other priorities in life and know that an unplanned slack week is not going to do our running life in!
Monday; Sept 5th: It was out the door at 430am this morning! No, not for a run but to travel to the Springs to head up Aid Station 13 for the ADT Marathon...and then to work! We had an awesome crew this year with about 6 individuals who cheered the runners with nonstop enthusiasm, "magic water," and "gogo gu." Thanks to all those who came out to support this annual event and make the day for many who were attempting that first marathon or half marathon or were just attempting to get the finish line!
What a great setting to cheer the runners on with water, Gatorade, and much hootin n hollarin!
Tuesday; Sept 6th: After yesterday's long day with the race, the commute, and a short workday (ending in Jackson Hole, WY), one would think of sleeping in....well, that did not work out! Out the door by 6am for a nice run through town and then out onto the elk refuge for a total of 7 miles. Then, a quick change of clothes and it was back out onto the trails near the lodge for some easy hiking. This was a rare opportunity of time with nothing else on the agenda and it was a nice outing to just enjoy the woods.
Wednesday; Sept 7th: In bed at 1am last night produced the usual slow day. A brief 6 miles was all I could muster, although the extra cool temps and quite a bit of rain made for a nice outing.
Thursday; Sept 8th: With a rainy night behind us, it was down to the gym for what is most likely to be the only weight lifting session this week. Abs, back and shoulders were the order of the day and then out the door with Traysen for a nice and very cool 10 miler.
Friday; Sept 9th: In Atlanta this weekend for a three day eventing horseshow with my Mom and Dad. (No, just as a spectator, not as a competitor....the ole wallet could never afford this sport!!!) Today was the dressage portion and what a beautiful event with the horses performing a set pattern of specific foot placements and pace changes.
As for running today, it was a 7 mile outing in the very early dark morning. The hot 90 degree temps have left the southeast and I was treated to a nice 55 degrees and not much humidity.
Saturday; Sept 10th: Day two of the horseshow lead us to the cross country portion, which consists of about a two mile course with various jumps and one interesting water feature for the riders/horses to navigate. Except for the spills of horse and rider (luckily neither were ever hurt), a very relaxing day sittin' on the grassy lawn in a comfy chair..
As for the run of the day: Wow....did I have fun!!!! Even though I didn't start til about 830am (and that was a bit late and warm), the area around the show grounds is amazingly beautiful with plenty of lakes, trails, woods, and some very small hills (small by Colorado standards). It was quite easy to put a great 10 miler while enjoying the serenity of Chattahoocee Hills.
This link below is the area where the horseshow took place....
http://www.chatthillseventing.com/about.html
And a pic or two:
These types of trails went on for quite a ways and usually wrapped around a lake.
The horse says, "Hang On!!!! We're goin' in!!!"
Sunday; Sept 11th: The last day of the horseshow consisted of the stadium portion, which is the show jumping competition. Very beautiful to watch as horse and rider blaze through a tight course of 5 foot high jumps.
The run today was much like Saturday; a wonderful 10 miler through the woods and trails at the show grounds. What a nice treat to run in such a beautiful area!
A couple more pics:
The stadium jumping matches horse/rider with 3-5 foot high jumps; all jumps must be completed and in done so in a certain time.
Sunrise at Chattahochee Hills.
Summary: Despite a very busy week, it was still a good week of running with 51 miles. The highlight of course was spending the days with my folks, watching the horseshow and exploring a new area of running!
Monday; Sept 5th: It was out the door at 430am this morning! No, not for a run but to travel to the Springs to head up Aid Station 13 for the ADT Marathon...and then to work! We had an awesome crew this year with about 6 individuals who cheered the runners with nonstop enthusiasm, "magic water," and "gogo gu." Thanks to all those who came out to support this annual event and make the day for many who were attempting that first marathon or half marathon or were just attempting to get the finish line!
What a great setting to cheer the runners on with water, Gatorade, and much hootin n hollarin!
Tuesday; Sept 6th: After yesterday's long day with the race, the commute, and a short workday (ending in Jackson Hole, WY), one would think of sleeping in....well, that did not work out! Out the door by 6am for a nice run through town and then out onto the elk refuge for a total of 7 miles. Then, a quick change of clothes and it was back out onto the trails near the lodge for some easy hiking. This was a rare opportunity of time with nothing else on the agenda and it was a nice outing to just enjoy the woods.
Wednesday; Sept 7th: In bed at 1am last night produced the usual slow day. A brief 6 miles was all I could muster, although the extra cool temps and quite a bit of rain made for a nice outing.
Thursday; Sept 8th: With a rainy night behind us, it was down to the gym for what is most likely to be the only weight lifting session this week. Abs, back and shoulders were the order of the day and then out the door with Traysen for a nice and very cool 10 miler.
Friday; Sept 9th: In Atlanta this weekend for a three day eventing horseshow with my Mom and Dad. (No, just as a spectator, not as a competitor....the ole wallet could never afford this sport!!!) Today was the dressage portion and what a beautiful event with the horses performing a set pattern of specific foot placements and pace changes.
As for running today, it was a 7 mile outing in the very early dark morning. The hot 90 degree temps have left the southeast and I was treated to a nice 55 degrees and not much humidity.
Saturday; Sept 10th: Day two of the horseshow lead us to the cross country portion, which consists of about a two mile course with various jumps and one interesting water feature for the riders/horses to navigate. Except for the spills of horse and rider (luckily neither were ever hurt), a very relaxing day sittin' on the grassy lawn in a comfy chair..
As for the run of the day: Wow....did I have fun!!!! Even though I didn't start til about 830am (and that was a bit late and warm), the area around the show grounds is amazingly beautiful with plenty of lakes, trails, woods, and some very small hills (small by Colorado standards). It was quite easy to put a great 10 miler while enjoying the serenity of Chattahoocee Hills.
This link below is the area where the horseshow took place....
http://www.chatthillseventing.com/about.html
And a pic or two:
These types of trails went on for quite a ways and usually wrapped around a lake.
The horse says, "Hang On!!!! We're goin' in!!!"
Sunday; Sept 11th: The last day of the horseshow consisted of the stadium portion, which is the show jumping competition. Very beautiful to watch as horse and rider blaze through a tight course of 5 foot high jumps.
The run today was much like Saturday; a wonderful 10 miler through the woods and trails at the show grounds. What a nice treat to run in such a beautiful area!
A couple more pics:
The stadium jumping matches horse/rider with 3-5 foot high jumps; all jumps must be completed and in done so in a certain time.
Sunrise at Chattahochee Hills.
Summary: Despite a very busy week, it was still a good week of running with 51 miles. The highlight of course was spending the days with my folks, watching the horseshow and exploring a new area of running!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Aug 29 to Sept 4
Fall is just around the corner and that means many miles of wonderful trails to run with golden aspens rustling in the wind. With a vacation week from work, this week has plenty of running in the plan.
Monday; Aug 29: After the busy weekend, Traysen and I didn't make it out the door til 7am. By our return at 9am the temps had risen to about 65 and it was toasty!!! (Yes, that is warm for us!!! Plus the sun was blaring down....) A nice 10 miler started the week; the highlight was the twin fawns bounding through the woods. Traysen was sure he had found some new playmates.
Tuesday; Aug 30: With Mom catching a 630am flight, the timing was perfect to run with the Sunrise Striders. When I say "run with," I mean that very loosely. The run for today was to warm up for about 15 minutes and then do 4 x 7minutes tempo run with 3:30 recovery between. Well, for little Miss I am not so Fast Here, the warm up was almost like a tempo run! I hung with the group for a few minutes but they slowly pulled away and left only dust and Sarah in their wake. At the 15 minute mark, my speed increased to a good tempo pace and the 7 minutes was easily covered with no slowing down except on a few slight inclines. The 3:30 recovery was most welcome and I tried to keep it a steady slow trot so as to be able to hit the next repeat with full speed. The next three 7 minute repeats went well and the group caught me on the return as we were finishing our last repeat.
One key concept in this run was this: For all of this year I have been doing hill repeats and intervals; however, the intensity and the quantity have not been what they should have or could have been. All of this speed work has been done on my own with real exterior incentive to push myself. And even though I have enough inner drive to push myself, it is not enough to produce an excellent speed work session.
Wednesday; Aug 31: It is way past time to get back to the gym; took all of last week off. So, it was to the pumping iron bright and early for abs, shoulders and triceps. Then, out the door, without lazy boy, Traysen. A nice 11 miler was the order of the day and it was your basic trot around the neighborhood, watching early morning activities of the deer, squirrels, and rabbits.
Thursday; Sept 1: Today was a Sunrise Strider workout day, so Traysen and I jumped in the truck and off we went to find Eagle View Middle School. While he hung out in the truck I met up with the group for the interval portion of the run. We started with a warm up and it was here that the day took on a painful twist. In the first half mile, ole Clumsy here took a nice digger. The comments went something like this: "Ohhhhh, nice one." "Dang, that sounded bad." "Are you ok; you can't breath!!!" Instead of flipping them off, I managed a couple of "IIII'mmmmmm ok...jussttt neeeeddd aiiirrrr." With renewed air in the lungs, the warm up resumed, bloody hang and knee to boot.
The group's plan for the day was 8x800m with a 2: 00 recovery. Sarah's plan was to do as many of the 800s as possible, remain alive, and not go over head teakettle....again. The first 4x800m went very well. The time was respectable, the energy was good, the form was good,the fun was good, and so I did two more 800s. Again, all went well.....so, I did two more 800s!! At the end, I had completed all 8x800s and the time was within a consistent 15 second range for each interval. As I was gathering Traysen from the truck, Kenneth Chlouber's (Leadville 100 founder) comment came to mind: "You are better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can."
As with Tuesday's run, this session proved it is easier, more effective, actually more fun to run these hard intervals with others. During this session I was able to latch onto a few folks and push myself harder than in the past and it felt good to mix up the running with a very challenging effort.
Traysen enjoyed his 3 mile trot through Ute Valley Park to round out the day with 8 miles.
Thanks to Harsha Nagaraj's photos!!! Yes, I am smiling..guess I wasn't working hard enough on this particular interval!
Really...I am having fun!!!!
Friday; Sept 2: Today was a solo effort (since lazy boy, Traysen, decided to sleep in with the wiener dogs) of 12 miles. A nice run with plenty of "squirrels" to keep my company.
Saturday; Sept 3: It's Fall!!!!! Finally, it's Fall!!!! Meeting Lynne and Michele at the Rainbow Gulch Trailhead, we ran the 15 mile loop around Rampart Reservoir, complete with long sleeve t shirt temps, aspens rustling in the breeze and a nip to the wind. It is mornings like this that make running all the better...cool temps, good friends, beautiful trails.....and lots of miles. Michele is training for a 100 miler in November so it was good to spend some time catching up on her training efforts and progress. She should be in great shape for a fine showing at the Ozark 100.
Sunday; Sept 4: Down to the basement gym for abs, legs, and biceps and then out the door at just barely daylight. Traysen and I wrapped up the week with an easy 5 miler; the highlight being the very cool temp of 42 degrees!
Summary: A great week of running with 70 miles, including two workouts with the Sunrise Strider group and two medium long, back to back runs of 12 and 15 miles. Also , with two weight lifting sessions were tossed into the mix.
The weeks where I am not working at all gives a brief taste of what retirement could be like in terms of quality rest and evenly spaced, consistent workouts. The two speed sessions on Tuesday and Thursday are perfectly timed during the week and then the body is recouped from those by Saturday for back to back long runs on the weekends......so now, this how everybody else does it? Well, only 9 more years til I join all of you with a normal schedule!
OH...Why 70 miles this week? Because I can!!!!
Monday; Aug 29: After the busy weekend, Traysen and I didn't make it out the door til 7am. By our return at 9am the temps had risen to about 65 and it was toasty!!! (Yes, that is warm for us!!! Plus the sun was blaring down....) A nice 10 miler started the week; the highlight was the twin fawns bounding through the woods. Traysen was sure he had found some new playmates.
Tuesday; Aug 30: With Mom catching a 630am flight, the timing was perfect to run with the Sunrise Striders. When I say "run with," I mean that very loosely. The run for today was to warm up for about 15 minutes and then do 4 x 7minutes tempo run with 3:30 recovery between. Well, for little Miss I am not so Fast Here, the warm up was almost like a tempo run! I hung with the group for a few minutes but they slowly pulled away and left only dust and Sarah in their wake. At the 15 minute mark, my speed increased to a good tempo pace and the 7 minutes was easily covered with no slowing down except on a few slight inclines. The 3:30 recovery was most welcome and I tried to keep it a steady slow trot so as to be able to hit the next repeat with full speed. The next three 7 minute repeats went well and the group caught me on the return as we were finishing our last repeat.
One key concept in this run was this: For all of this year I have been doing hill repeats and intervals; however, the intensity and the quantity have not been what they should have or could have been. All of this speed work has been done on my own with real exterior incentive to push myself. And even though I have enough inner drive to push myself, it is not enough to produce an excellent speed work session.
Wednesday; Aug 31: It is way past time to get back to the gym; took all of last week off. So, it was to the pumping iron bright and early for abs, shoulders and triceps. Then, out the door, without lazy boy, Traysen. A nice 11 miler was the order of the day and it was your basic trot around the neighborhood, watching early morning activities of the deer, squirrels, and rabbits.
Thursday; Sept 1: Today was a Sunrise Strider workout day, so Traysen and I jumped in the truck and off we went to find Eagle View Middle School. While he hung out in the truck I met up with the group for the interval portion of the run. We started with a warm up and it was here that the day took on a painful twist. In the first half mile, ole Clumsy here took a nice digger. The comments went something like this: "Ohhhhh, nice one." "Dang, that sounded bad." "Are you ok; you can't breath!!!" Instead of flipping them off, I managed a couple of "IIII'mmmmmm ok...jussttt neeeeddd aiiirrrr." With renewed air in the lungs, the warm up resumed, bloody hang and knee to boot.
The group's plan for the day was 8x800m with a 2: 00 recovery. Sarah's plan was to do as many of the 800s as possible, remain alive, and not go over head teakettle....again. The first 4x800m went very well. The time was respectable, the energy was good, the form was good,the fun was good, and so I did two more 800s. Again, all went well.....so, I did two more 800s!! At the end, I had completed all 8x800s and the time was within a consistent 15 second range for each interval. As I was gathering Traysen from the truck, Kenneth Chlouber's (Leadville 100 founder) comment came to mind: "You are better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can."
As with Tuesday's run, this session proved it is easier, more effective, actually more fun to run these hard intervals with others. During this session I was able to latch onto a few folks and push myself harder than in the past and it felt good to mix up the running with a very challenging effort.
Traysen enjoyed his 3 mile trot through Ute Valley Park to round out the day with 8 miles.
Thanks to Harsha Nagaraj's photos!!! Yes, I am smiling..guess I wasn't working hard enough on this particular interval!
Really...I am having fun!!!!
Friday; Sept 2: Today was a solo effort (since lazy boy, Traysen, decided to sleep in with the wiener dogs) of 12 miles. A nice run with plenty of "squirrels" to keep my company.
Saturday; Sept 3: It's Fall!!!!! Finally, it's Fall!!!! Meeting Lynne and Michele at the Rainbow Gulch Trailhead, we ran the 15 mile loop around Rampart Reservoir, complete with long sleeve t shirt temps, aspens rustling in the breeze and a nip to the wind. It is mornings like this that make running all the better...cool temps, good friends, beautiful trails.....and lots of miles. Michele is training for a 100 miler in November so it was good to spend some time catching up on her training efforts and progress. She should be in great shape for a fine showing at the Ozark 100.
Sunday; Sept 4: Down to the basement gym for abs, legs, and biceps and then out the door at just barely daylight. Traysen and I wrapped up the week with an easy 5 miler; the highlight being the very cool temp of 42 degrees!
Summary: A great week of running with 70 miles, including two workouts with the Sunrise Strider group and two medium long, back to back runs of 12 and 15 miles. Also , with two weight lifting sessions were tossed into the mix.
The weeks where I am not working at all gives a brief taste of what retirement could be like in terms of quality rest and evenly spaced, consistent workouts. The two speed sessions on Tuesday and Thursday are perfectly timed during the week and then the body is recouped from those by Saturday for back to back long runs on the weekends......so now, this how everybody else does it? Well, only 9 more years til I join all of you with a normal schedule!
OH...Why 70 miles this week? Because I can!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)