SAR weekend

Big weekend on the SAR front.  Headed out on Saturday for an overnight training at Glen Cove, attempting to get four season certified for winter Peak missions and blizzard stuff out east.  My pack weighed in at a svelte 48 pounds.

On the drive up the highway, we received an actual call from a hiker who was lost around treeline.  So we headed up to the summit and started down to get him.  The caretaker at Barr Camp got to this guy first and started hiking down with him, so we were called back.  The weather at the summit was brutal, winds were probably gusting at 45 mph.  We headed back to 12,000 feet and set up camp.  This was my home for the night:

Got down into single digits and the wind was howling, but I managed to stay warm.

On Sunday we had a mock mission involving an injured skiier.  The snow up there is like sugar right now, really hard to move through.

Driving home from the mock mission on Sunday afternoon we got a call for an injured hiker at the incline bailout.  So I responded to that call.  I was pretty pooped after all that and once I got home I just sat at WestFax the rest of the day drinking beer.

For the week:

run - 42 miles, eight hours

ride - 23 miles, 2.5 hours

hike - 29 miles, eleven hours

spring?

Having a decent week, the weather is finally turning spring like.  Even got the single speed out on Thursday before the Fossil mug club party.

Currently up to 30 run commutes, ten bike commutes, and 27 trips to CityRock on the year.

Off to Glen Cove, located on the Pikes Peak Highway around 12,000 feet, all weekend for some winter SAR training.  Lot of snow up there.

the week

Little lower than I wanted but that Pikes all nighter really threw me off. 

run - 41 miles, nine hours

hike - 33 miles, 18 hours

ride - 29 miles, 3.5 hours

Spent quite a bit off time in Red Rock Canyon this week.  Mook and I usually hit a loop there once a week, but I don't run there much as it's a pain in the ass to get across 24.  But we had the SAR dogs over there on Saturday, I did a nice eleven miler there on Sunday, and then I took the Surly out for a hot lap before hitting Fossil on Sunday evening.  Been taking that park for granted due to the stupid highway, but I think I'll start heading back there more often.

Salida

Busy week.

Salida went alright.  I was in a good spot at the halfway point for a sub five, but I just couldn't get rolling on the downhill second half.  Felt like a damn newborn child trying to walk, could tell I haven't been running downhills much.  Crossed the line in 5:13.  Rest of the weekend was spent doing Salida things.

A while ago I read this article from Semi-Rad and it stuck in my brain.  I went and had a test, and my calcium score was zero!  No widowmaker heart attack for this guy!

On Wednesday I took part in a special Olympics fundraiser.  Local hoops team vs a SAR squad.  It did not go well for us.

On Thursday the SAR pager started chirping, and at 4pm the call went out.  Two stranded hikers up high on Pikes Peak.  I had to run home from work, grab my shit, and respond.  I got home at 5am.  Oof.  Did not get a lot done at work on Friday.

For the week:

run - 51 miles, 9.5 hours

ride - 40 miles, four hours

hike - 28 miles, 15.5 hours

rebirth

On Sunday I went down to Pueblo to run the Spring Runoff.  Love this low key race, especially the new course.  

Goal was to stay under eight minutes miles.  Here are the splits.

I was hurting that last mile but I held it together.  Solid race for me.  Great weather and it's the first day of the year I just ran in shorts and a t-shirt.  Hit mile five in 39 flat, finished in 1:16:01.

Sunday night was Rebirth Brass Band at Lulu's.  Great show.

For the week:

run - 54 miles, 9.5 hours

ride - 22 miles, two hours

hike - 33 miles, 13.5 hours

Feeling pretty decent going into Salida weekend, hoping for a sub five there if the weather and course conditions are decent.

29

Decent 'thon down in Jackson to get state number 29.  Ran a good first half, crossing in 1:50:01.  It was a pretty decent sized crowd and I had a good group to run with.  But everyone was only doing the first loop.  The marathon went back out and did the loop again, and it was basically a solo run for me.  Kept things up until mile 19 or so, then faded.  Finished in 3:47:28.

Highlight of the trip was getting to catch MarchFourth Marching Band at a local venue.  Those guys still kick ass. 

Rest of the trip was spent at Jackson's only brewery, Fertile Ground, or doing some recovery hiking on the Museum Trail.  Luckily both were close to the hotel.

For the week:

run - 57 miles, ten hours

hike - 25 miles, ten hours

Weather is finally starting to warm up!

Mississippi queen

Off to Jackson for the Mississippi Blues marathon.  Hopefully my 29th state marathon. I've already tagged Woodall Mountain, the state high point, so hopefully this will be the last time I ever have to go to Mississippi.  

Not sure how this will go.  I'd like to go faster than Huntsville, but with the brutally cold January and February I haven't done many long runs.  So I'll probably go out at 3:35 pace and see how the day plays out.

winter continues

Busy week.  Some more crappy winter weather, $100 off to Florida for a visit, dog sitting, and a heavy SAR week.

Did get to catch up with my old cadet on Saturday at Red Leg.  She's almost finished with flight school and will then be stationed in New Mexico.

Just before midnight on Sunday I got called out on a SAR mission to help a stranded motorist in the Rampart Range Road/Mt Herman Road area.  Didn't get back until 5AM.  Oof.

For the week:

run - 43 miles, eight houors

ride - eleven miles, one hour

hike - 26 miles, eleven hours

1500

Keeping busy.  Lunch with the cadet, some hard work at SAR, Too Many Zooz and Moon Hooch at the Black Sheep.  Good times.

Finally had a decent week of running.  Including a 1500m up at the UCCS indoor track.  5:25, converts to a 5:49 mile.  I feel I can go a little faster but I'm probably done running the mile until this time next year.

For the week:

run - 52 miles, 9.5 hours

ride - 39 miles, 3.5 hours

hike - 37 miles, 15 hours

bike commute one!

We've outlasted the arctic weather, and it even warmed up enough for me to get my bike out of the garage.  For the week:

run - 45 miles, eight hours

ride - 30 miles, three hours

hike - 30 miles, twelve hours

Caught two nights of Yonder Mountain String Band at Lulu's.  Both nights were fantastic.

hey, it's still cold!

Shitty drive home early Monday as it was too cold in Breck to do much.  Later on I headed to WestFax to start prepping the SAR plan for winter series 2.

Tues - coldest day yet here in COS.  Bundled up and took the bus to work.  Temp ended up shooting up to 40F, so I was able to get the dog out for a much needed run in the Garden.  Was supposed to see Collective Soul today, but for some reason they ended up cancelling the show.

Wed - temps were still balmy (26F) and the dog and I got in a good AM ruck in the Garden.  Coyotes were all over the place, but Mook ain't scared.  Run commute nine on the day.

Thurs/Fri - run commute 11 and 12.  More of the same with shitty weather.

Sat - shitty weather with snow.  I got to be the incident commander for Winter Series II, overseeing the SAR presence at that race.  Thought it went pretty well.

Got another SAR call on Saturday evening.  Lost 97 year old dementia patient, walked away from her house.  18F and snowy and windy when I got there.  We couldn't find her, probably not going to end well.

Got more snow than anticipated, probably five inches on the westside.  Still got out for a good Mook hike in the Garden in the AM on Sunday.

For the week:

run - 35 miles, 6.5 hours

hike - 22 miles, 8.5 hours

Hopefully this current arctic weather front will show itself the door this week.

still chilly

Getting a bit ridiculous with the cold weather.

Got up to Breck this weekend for the Summit County Rescue Group annual avalanche training.  Lots of good folks from all over the state.  Great training, but fucking christ was it cold.  On Sunday we went up to Fremont Pass around 11k in elevation, and it was -18F when I pulled into the parking lot at 7:30AM.  And it didn't get much warmer.  A few pics from the weekend:

Learned a lot about avalanches, found out my gear can keep me relatively warm in horrible conditions, and spent a lot of time at Broken Compass Brewing, which allows dogs and is heated.  Good weekend.

No mileage numbers to speak of this week, just too damn cold to spend any length of time outside.  Supposed to begin to thaw out later today (it's currently -1F as I type this at 6AM on Tuesday, but rumored to hit 40F later today) so hopefully I can get my lazy ass back on track soon.

still cold

Trudging through the shitty temps.  Still have not been on a bike this year.

Shut out once again for High Lonesome.  Not even on the wait list.  Might be it for me as I'm not motivated to do another hundo and that will DQ me from trying to get into this race next year.  Can't say I'm too bummed about that.

Caught Hot Buttered Rum on Saturday night, they never disappoint!

Decent week considering it was a busy SAR week and temps were terrible for going outside.

run - 51.5 miles, ten hours

hike - 25 miles, ten hours