Rolled out of bed on a few hours of sleep and a little hungover to make my way over to Palmer Park for the Rescue Run.  The weather was decent, although a little breezy, but comfortable enough for shorts and a light shirt.  Once on scene, I got registered, filled out my shirt raincheck form and headed off for a quick warmup lap of the park.

A couple minutes prior to the gun, I took my spot towards the back half of the pack and waited for the herd to start moving.  I think I went out too fast as I was picking off scores of people up until the top half of the first climb.  My heart was racing and I was reduced to a walk to finish the first big climb.  Once it leveled out on the road to the overlook, I slowed the pace and continued on to the turnaround.  I got a quick swig of water and headed back.  I had visions of running sub 30 but knew it wasn’t to be when I made the turn at 17:30.  Not wanting to let the dream fade, I made decent time to the hill and then went flying down the big incline that had kicked me in the ass a few minutes earlier.  About halfway down the hill, I glanced down at my watch to see I was moving at a decent 6:46 pace.  However, once gravity was no longer on my side, I realized the tank was empty and coasted in for a 31:33 (31:15 watch time) finish.  Not terribly impressive but it was nice to sweat out the beer from the night before at least.

Looking forward to doing nothing tomorrow and resting up for some big mileage this weekend.  Looks like the weather could be nasty on Sunday so that one might be on the ‘mill.

Pretty good time for my first real half marathon.  We headed down to Pueblo early Saturday morning.  I got there about a half hour later than I wanted to but still had plenty of time to get checked in and run a few hundred yards.  I took my place in the back of the pack and we were off a little after 9am.  The temps were pretty cold when we got started, but the sky was clear and the sun warmed things up.  We ran two laps around City Park before heading out to the Arkansas River trail.  I really had to focus on keeping a slow pace those first couple laps.  I ran those first two in around 10:15-10:20 without much effort.

Once we got out to the river, we found ourselves on a concrete bike path which I wasn’t terribly thrilled about.  Luckily there was some single track off the the side that I ran on.  We neared a little nature center and restaurant on the river where an aid station was set up.  I grabbed a couple swallows of Gatorade and pulled a Gu out.  After the aid station it was a pretty flat run up next to a little bluff.  It opened up into the “canyon” and followed the river almost all the way to the dam.  About 5 or 6 miles into the race, I started thinking how easy the race had been so far.  I wasn’t exactly setting any speed records, but I felt I had maintained a comfortable pace and ran a smart race.  I quickly told myself not to get too carried away with those thoughts; I was sure it wouldn’t be that easy for the entire distance.

As we neared the dam, more and more return runners were coming towards me.  I thought I was getting close to the turnaround, but it was still a ways off.  Once I hit the final outbound aid station, I started feeling a little sluggish and noticed a twinge in my left achilles.  It started to get difficult to maintain a solid pace.  I would feel myself slow way down and then have to talk myself into picking it up until a certain landmark or spot on the course.  This cycle repeated for the next couple miles.  When I approached 10 miles in, the head games started.  I really wanted to walk for a bit, but at the same time, I knew that it would be that much harder to start running again if I did.  I pushed on through mile 10.  I kept looking for short stretches where I would tell myself I could take a quick walk break only to keep running through them.  This pattern repeated itself until I got to the bottom of the hill leading back into City Park with about .2 miles remaining.

Like most hills, it didn’t seem bad going down, but it was brutal looking back up.  I took a few strides on the way up and my calves quickly knotted up.  Even walking I could feel my hamstrings started to lock up as I made my way up the hill.  Once I got to the top, I managed to find a real slow run and jogged it in until the final turn for home.

I was pretty sore immediately after the race.  I grabbed some Gatorade and then laid on the ground for a few minutes and had my wife stretch my legs.  That did wonders to at least make me mobile, but it didn’t take long for the outside edge of my right foot to start hurting so much that I was convinced I broke it.  Between the achilles on my left leg and the right foot, I hobbled around for a couple days but both of those issues seem to have taken care of themselves.  Looking forward to running this weekend between snowboarding and studying for finals.

Planning on running the PPRR Rescue Run on New Years Day, the PPRR Winter Series (long?), and then start focusing on full marathon training for Colfax I think. (yes, I’m crazy!)

So sometimes life gets in the way of blog posting, but fortunately, not in the way of actually running.  After the miserable performance at the Ascent (hey, I showed up and started and actually made a 15ish mile roundtrip), I took a little time off from running to relax.  I said just a little.  Within a couple weeks, I was back on the incline and getting in short runs around the neighborhood and Palmer Park.

I toyed with the idea of running the PPRR Pony Express 15 miler but just didn’t feel I was quite ready to run/hike that.  I’ve continued to battle the same shin issues that plagued me last spring on and off but not anywhere near as severe.  I think I’ve finally built up a base over a sustained period of time that the soft tissue on the posterior of my shins has gotten used to the abuse.

In October, the PPRR Fall Series kicked off and I ran the first two of those races.  I missed the next two for weekend trips, but felt pretty good about the way those races went.  Later in the month, Josh talked me into showing up for Jack Quinn’s Running Club on Tuesday nights and I’ve been running down there every week since.

About the same time, the mention of the Rock Canyon Half Marathon in Pueblo came up and I started training for that as well.  With about two more weekends left to train for that, I’ve got a couple of decent long runs planned to hopefully get me ready for the half on Dec 6.

After the first of the year, I’m pretty stoked about running the Rescue Run on New Year’s Day and then the PPRR Winter Series.  With the Incline Club starting up workouts pretty quick too, I’ll probably be joining those crazies for some cold weather Sunday runs as well.

PS - hi bucky.

Woke up early on Saturday, had some breakfast, and started getting my head right for the 5K on St. Patrick’s Day in downtown Colorado Springs.  I changed clothes a few times because every time I looked out the window the weather was doing something different.  Finally decided I would wear shorts and a tech shirt.  I had a windbreaker with me to stay a little warm before the race and ended up tying it around my waist just before the start.

Once we got the gun we headed off down Tejon St.  About a block in my legs felt already felt weak like I needed food.  Too late now… I kept on.  Once the crowds thinned out a bit, I settled into a comfortable but faster than normal pace.  I caught up with a few people that I was running with after a couple blocks and ran with them for a bit.  The race as a whole was pretty uneventful.  I found myself behind a couple dudes who were juggling the entire time and still holding a pace that was a little quicker than my own.  Badasses!

I was pretty disappointed that there wasn’t so much as one water stop or a mile marker anywhere on the course and when I rolled into the finish line all jazzed to see my time, there was no clock to be found.  My stopwatch/hrm has been inop for about 4 months since the dog ate it and nobody else around me seemed to have a watch on.  I was left to wait until the sheets were posted at Runner’s Roost later in the day.

I quickly found my parents (how cool of them to come out and cheer me on) and told them that I was going to find my fiance and bring her in.  I made it another two blocks north on Tejon and found her.  I ran with her down to the final turn and stopped and waited for her to cross the line and meet up with my parents and all of our friends.

We decided to head over to Old Chicago to claim seats for the parade and start swilling celebratory beers.  Not long after we were there, Jill came back from Runner’s Roost with times for everyone.  My goal was a 32:00 but I would have been pleased with a 33:00 still being well into PR territory for me.  When I saw her sheet, I read my time and threw my hands in the air.  30:34!  I was completely surprised by that and also very pleased.  Granted, it was hardly a maintainable pace for me over any distance more than what we had done, it felt really good destroying an old PR and getting so close to a new milestone.  Hopefully, I can crack out a sub 30 min 5K before the season is out.  Time to update the goals!

Unlike others, I can’t just train for one race until August.  I need some intermediate events to keep me motivated and set benchmarks. Here is what I’ve got planned between now and the end of the summer:

- 5K on St. Patrick’s Day - A fun and fast 5K in downtown COS.  This will mark the one year anniversary of entering a race.  Looking forward to setting a new 5K PR.

- UCCS Bash the Bluffs (27 April)- Finally found some info on active.com.  They are offering a 5K, 10K and children’s fun run this year.  New loop course this year.  Leaning towards the 10k.

- Take 5 in the Garden (3 May) - 5 miler in Garden of the Gods

-Garden of the Gods 10 Mile (8 Jun) - First leg of the TCR

- Summer Roundup Trail 12K (6 July) OR Barr Trail Mountain Race (13 July) - Will asses this as it gets closer.

After the early July races, I’ll spend the rest of the weekends on the mountain, hopefully above tree line.

Last race to close out the PPRR Winter Series and I was not excited about it. I just got back from England late Thursday night and still felt a little jetlagged before the race. The course was icy thanks to a little snow that fell early Saturday morning and a few people managed to hit the ground in the first couple miles before it started thawing out. Also unwelcome were all the hills on this couse. I haven’t really done much in the way of extended hill training thus far while building a base. I charged up the first hill and had to walk at the top as my calves were on fire and felt like they were close to locking up. This was just after the one mile mark and I knew this wouldn’t end good.

I walked a couple more hills and ran the flats and downhills before getting out into the northern end of the forest where we lost tree cover. It was extremely windy up there and I didn’t feel like I was moving at all. I just kept moving and thankfully the last quarter mile or so was downhill. I cruised in with a dismal 1:18:07.

Cliff notes: jetlag sucks and it makes me run slower than my normal slow self.

Got up Saturday morning and headed up to the Monument area for the 3rd race of the Pikes Peak Road Runners Winter Series.  The course went from Baptist Rd into Monument just past the Hwy 105 exit and back to Baptist Rd on the Santa Fe trail.  The course was on a packed dirt trail and gained 200 or so feet in elevation on the way out.  It was pretty flat and there was little in the way of snow or water on the trail so it made for a comfortable run.

I went snowboarding on Friday and was still a little sore in my left hip area and both of my calves were feeling tight.  I wasn’t sure how they would hold up to 5 miles of running.  I got a number and ran up the trail about a quarter mile and back to warm up.  I went out pretty slow and felt ok.  I carried a water bottle so I wouldn’t have to stop to take a drink at the turnaround and could take a sip as needed on the course.  I had completely forgotten about any nagging pain in my calves or shins by the time I hit the turnaround and decided to pick it up for the way home.  I was picking off runners at a pretty good clip on the way back.  For some reason (mental mostly), that last mile seems to take forever and I never feel like I have gas in the tank when I pass that final marker.  I felt like I slowed down a little during the last mile but found a kick for the finish as some of the runners I had passed earlier were making a push at the line.

I finished at 54:28.  I was pretty pleased with that time.  Still under 11 minute miles and I was able to run the entire distance.  I fought back a side stitch a couple of times but it never got so bad that some controlled breathing for a few minutes couldn’t put it in check.  Next up is a 10K on Feb 23.  I’ll have to make some kind of effort to run during the week leading up to the race while I’m touring around London for work.

Another weekend, another race. Luckily, the weather was much better than the previous two winter races. At the start, the temp was probably upwards of 40 degrees. The course was down on the south end of town and snow usually doesn’t last long down there. The second race in the series was a 4 miler.

I had planned on wearing shorts during the race and threw some wind pants over them on my way out the door. When we got to the start, the wind was whipping across the sports fields pretty good and it wasn’t pleasant. I thought I might just leave the pants on. However, once I made my way to the line, the huddled mass of runners provided a nice wind block and I shed my pants. The course was fairly flat headed north on the Pikes Peak Greenway trail. There were a few sections with some icy patches but the majority of the course was a nicely groomed dirt or concrete trail. I felt pretty good as I made the turn and walked a few steps to get some water down. I was able to run the entire course, save for a few steps trying to drink water at the turn. At the 3 mile mark, I started to feel some tightness in my knee and generally worn down. However, I kept moving. As I came off the creek and back into the sports fields, I wasn’t sure what my time was. The girl who had paced me during mile 3 had blown by me in mile 4 and was no longer in sight.

I made it to the line in 42:49. It took me a few minutes to realize that it was faster than I had ran a 5K two weeks before. It then dawned on me that had I just run a 5K I probably would have beat my best time by at least two minutes. I was pretty stoked with my performance and I am definitely looking forward to the 5 mile race two weeks from now.

After running a race up in the Denver Winter Series, we learned that the Pikes Peak Roadrunners would also be hosting a winter series of their own. It was a no-brainer to sign up for it. It was a) cheaper, b) closer to home, and c) 4 races instead of 3. The first race was a 5K in Fox Run Park in the trees just south of Monument. Monument gets more snow than the Springs and because it is up in the trees, it stays on the ground much longer. I grabbed my new Yaktrax and headed out the door a couple Saturdays ago.

Josh and I arrived at the park about an hour before race time but we still needed to sign up. They parked us on the edge of the forest and it was nice out in the sun. The starting line, however, was about a quarter mile away in the trees. We made our way up to the start and got signed up. I hung out in the small area where there were no trees to block the sun and tried to warm up. I think somebody said it was 18 degrees at the start.

There wasn’t much room to manage the crowd that had showed up for the race and I think there were still a few people signing up when they started us. We ran the quarter mile back towards the parking lot before turning into the trees. Once in the trees, the snow was pretty deep and the hills were difficult to climb. It was also hard to pass since there was a narrow track of packed snow and attempts to pass would result in post-holing in the fresh snow to the side of the trail.

I finally made it around the course in 44:08. I was pretty disappointed in the time but with the conditions out on the course, I didn’t take it too hard. Two weeks until the next race so I was looking forward to a little redemption.

Part of the Denver Winter Distance Series, we headed up to Chatfield Reservoir on December 15 to run the first of the jaunts through the snow. There was a pretty nasty winter storm that had blown through the front range the week of the first race so that made for some chilly and slick conditions. At the start of the race the temperature was somewhere around 12 degrees. The sky was clear and the sun felt awesome beating down on the course. Luckily, there was no wind blowing so it wasn’t terribly uncomfortable.

Once the race began, it didn’t take long for me to get a side stictch breathing in the crisp cold air. I was able to run through it but it wasn’t fun. The first half of the race was on a road that had been plowed to leave a thin layer of icy snow. It wasn’t too slick and made for a pretty easy run. At the turn around, where they forgot to put out water, we moved onto a bike trail. The bike trail wasn’t exactly groomed and also featured a lot more hills than the road out did. Up the hills proved difficult trying to propel yourself forward at the same time sinking in a few inches of snow. The last stretch moved back on to the road and I crossed the finish line at 37:33. Nothing to write home about but it was the first race I had run since the Ascent.