February

A whopping 161 miles on the month. Would consider it a disaster if it weren't for that one race in NOLA. Been taking a lot of rest days lately to try to get over this nagging PF thing going on with my foot. I ran four of the hardest mountain hundred milers in a single summer, but now I can't walk 10 feet from the bed to the bathroom in the morning without being in horrendous pain. Gonna head to the CRC today to pick up a Strassburg Sock, probably costing me more for one single sock then I've spent on socks in the past decade.

19

Saturday long run, 19 miles, three hours. Bear Creek Park, America the Beautiful, Santa Fe, Sinton, home. PF was yelling pretty good towards the end. Seemed like there was a strong headwind the entire run.

Dean K is at it again. But I'm much more excited to read about the trans USA run from this guy.

bike to work

The real reason Lance retired: he heard I was getting back on the bike...

Incline

Thursday night Incline happy hour. New PR for the dog as she went sub 35. Thought this would be the week where Thursday becomes busy again, but we pretty much had the hill to ourselves.

Rest day on Friday. Biking to work, hitting the rock gym, and maybe a little yoga. But no running. Gotta taper for the Platte Road Challenge.

Thurs

Fartleks with the Sunrise Striders. 2.5 mile warm up, 2 x 10 minutes hard on Santa Fe, 5 minutes RBI, 5 hill repeats up by the Fine Arts Center (yes, we actually have one of those here in the Springs), 1.5 mile cool down. 7.6 miles, 1:11:41.

Brooks told me that the Jemez 50 miler is now sold out. Looks like they still have spots in the 50K and 1/2 marathon for now.

Gotta skip the Black Forest double this year, as it would ruin my taper for the Platte Road Challenge.

The Pitt/WVU game is on ESPN tonight at 7PM mountain time. Go ahead and catch a glimpse of the next national champs!

Wed

Five miles easy with the dog on the Garden trails, 60 minutes.

167.7 pounds this morning, up seven pounds from the NOLA marathon. Might be time to jump back on the diet wagon.

Dog school and the PPRR newsletter stuffing tonight, so no PM run. Gonna hit the rock gym over lunch to get in a second workout.

Lots of chatter on steroids lately. Watched Bigger, Stronger, Faster last night (it's on netflix streaming if you're interested), really good flick. At one part, they point out that there are four ways to raise your red blood cell count: EPO, blood packing, sleeping in an altitude chamber, or, paraphrasing from the movie, "training at the Olympic Training Center at 6,000 feet." The shot of the OTC they use is about 200 feet from my office. Really backs up the general feeling I have that all professional athletes are doping, but ads "why should I care" to the equation. This guy is in the movie too (believe it or not, he's on the juice):

Leadville is full

Hope everyone who had planned on running Leadville already rego'd, check this out.

lunch

NOLA bathroom grafitti

Can't believe someone would do this to a McDavid athlete!

track

4 x 1000m on the CC track this morning. Felt good, though I took it pretty easy. Right around 3:54 for all of 'em. 7 miles total on the morning.

Red Rock Canyon

Easy night run in the Canyon, 7.2 miles, 1:18. Still a bit sore from the marathon, but getting better. Back to the track tomorrow morning...

I'm thinking of writing a book on post-marathon recovery...

The Rusty Nail

Chuck's

No Name Creek

Very easy run up to No Name Creek this morning. I can tell I haven't been running hills much, but that's gonna start to change as the weather warms up and all that snow melts. 8.6 miles, 2:07:31. 6 months 'till my next A race, so I figure I have no excuses not to shoot for sub 2:50 at the Ascent.

A whopping 22.2 miles on the week, including nada on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Here's me this morning about to jump the gate to get onto Barr Trail (thanks to Pikes Peak Sports for the pic).

post-marathon recovery

At this rate it's gonna take another 14 years to finish a marathon, let alone PR again...

Driskill Mountain

$100 and I after the epic mountaineering challenge of Driskill Mountain. State high point #7.

quote of the day

"Was that a joke or can JT really run that fast?"

-Judy D, after seeing my time from NOLA

NOLA race pics

back at it...

Three rest days following NOLA but I got back out there last night with a nice hike up the Incline, then took the dog out for a very easy three miles this morning. Legs are still shot but I should resume regular training by Sunday's Incline Club slog up to Barr Camp.

I told Nick at the finish line that I was going to get into fantastic shape for Salida, just so I could slack off down there and still win the beer bet.

NOLA marathon

Few quick words about the race itself before I start posting pics of the celebrating.

It was the stereotypical marathon for me. Felt really great for the first 20 miles. Felt really, really awful for the final 6.2.

I remember hitting mile 1 in 7:15. Little slow, but nothing to panic about. It would end up being the slowest mile of the day for me.

Took in all the sights of the city early on. Carried a plastic water bottle with me so I could skip the first few water stations. Very good call, as for the first few miles we were running with the half marathon peeps and things were pretty crowded.

At mile 3.5 I jumped into a port-o-shitter to take a leak, probably wasting a good 15 seconds. Luckily, that would be the only bathroom break on the day.

Came out and started running with a local at a nice clip. Turns out he knew the gal we were all staying with. He was only running 20 miles on the day but doing so at a sub three clip, so I ran with him until the halfway point. Was nice having a tour guide for that section of the race.

The splits for the first half:

5k - 21:20

10k - 42:42

13.1mi - 1:28:18

That was one of my fastest times ever for a half marathon, but I was feeling pretty good and thought I put myself into position for a solid sub three. I did not think I'd be able to pull out a negative split to go sub 2:55 though.

I left my pacer after the halfway point. I didn't think I was running that fast here, but I started to pass a ton of people. One of the e-mails I got said I averaged 6:18 per mile from the half to mile 20. That's some serious work for a guy who routinely struggles to break six minutes on his weekly mile repeats. 16.8 miles in 1:51:16, mile 20 at 2:12:14.

Started to struggle the next few miles. Saw JMock, who had thrown down a PR in the half, and shortly after that was the hash beer check. I was told I was the first runner of the day to stop and chug a beer!

Continued on, but mentally and physically I was done by mile 22. My form, which is horrible even on a perfect day for me, had come unglued. I was convinced I was now averaging 12 minute miles and would not break three hours. On top of that we were now running this awful out-and-back section of the course which included two 180 degree turns. Ugh. I was so engulfed in my pity party that I failed to notice I was still passing quite a few runners. I'd bet that I passed at least 10 runners over the final 10k, which I actually covered in 41:36 and not the 72 minutes I thought it would take.

About mile 24.7 I ran by the New Orleans Chuggers and was handed a can of Miller High Life, which is the PBR of New Orleans. Downed that to some thunderous applause, and it gave me one last spark. Saw a runner about 100 meters in front of me and I went after him. Finally caught him at the 26 mile mark. Looked at my watch here, and it read 2:52:xx and I thought, holy shit, I just might break three hours after all. Shows you how good my math skills are during the final miles of a marathon.

Gave it one last push over the final .2 miles, ended up just ahead of the guy I was chasing, and stopped the watch at 2:53:20. It's about the worst I've ever felt during the end of a race and definitely the hardest I've pushed myself since I last PR'd the marathon, running 2:55:54 back in 1997.

Chip time of 2:53:10, and I'm guessing that PR will be with me forever, as I'm not willing to push myself to those limits very often. Think I'll retire to chasing Boston qualifiers from now on (I LOVE the new standards, by the way!), which let me enjoy the last 10K a lot more.

Also a very good race from a tactical standpoint. I wasn't passed at all from the point where the marathoners and half-marathoners split. And I continued to pass lots of people throughout the entire race, right up through 26.15 miles when my Bolt-like finishing kick gave me one last victim. For as well as the first 20 went and for as horrific I felt the last 6.2, I averaged 6:36 per mile for that first part, and 6:42 per mile for the last part. So I slowed down a bit, but it wasn't the epic meltdown I thought I was going through at the time.

Second half of the race in 1:24:52, acutally giving me two PR's on the day. And it's very possible that I set a PR for drinking as well, and proof of that will follow in future posts.

quote of the day

"Grimes still has a faster marathon PR than you do."

-Fast Eddy

2:53:10

Finally back in the Springs. Going to take quite a while for my liver to recover from this trip.

Official time was 2:53:10. It's a PR that will stand forever, as I'm not willing to revisit the pain of the final six miles. I'll stick to hiking 45 minute miles up the Incline.

1:28:18 at the first half, probably my third fastest half ever. Came back with a 1:24:52, a PR at the 13.1 distance, which included two beers. The only other split I remember is hitting the first mile at 7:15. 26th place overall out of 3140 finishers.

Finally got my Bolder Boulder A wave qual. Also nabbed an automatic entry to the NYC marathon, so I may have to look into heading out east this November. But most importantly, I'm in a very good position to enjoy some free beer in Salida.

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. My phone got jacked up on the trip so I haven't been able to keep up with the online stuff.

I'll post a lot more tomorrow...

Hurricane

1058

NOLA!

Atlanta airport

last run before NOLA

3.4 miles around the neighborhood with the dog. 30 minutes.

Pass off the dog to my brother tonight, then catch an early flight to NOLA tomorrow.

The Bulldog

Some of us CO peeps will be going here on Saturday night, 7PM, to carb up for the big race. Feel free to join us.

4 x 1000m

Last decent workout before NOLA. 1.5 mile warm up to the CC track, 4 x 1000m with 200m RBI, 1.5 mile cool down. 4:04, 4:02, 3:59, 3:54. Easy effort, and the CC track was a mess - Lanes 1-3 were closed off and there was lots of snow on lanes 4-6.

If I tank NOLA like I did Boston, I'm gonna take a page from Bart Yasso's workout and start calling this one Brownie 1000s. The average of this workout predicts your current marathon fitness...

5

Five steps on the slackline at the rock gym today, effectively doubling my old PR. At this rate of improvement, in a few years I'll have to go from counting steps to measuring distance.

smart dog

Headed out with the dog this morning, despite the -7F temps. The dog got to the neighbor's yard, dropped a deuce, and suddenly developed an inability to put any weight on her front paw. No way we could go any further with her pathetic limp. But as soon as I turned around to take her the half block home, she miraculously recovered. Figured she was the smarter of us two this morning and canned my run.

Been tossing out some e-mails about a return to Imogene Pass this year. With a twist. Ouray to Smuggler's Brewery in Telluride, then back up over the hill to one of my favorite CO brewpubs, the Ourayle House...

run to work

AM - First non-truck commute of the year. 5.2 miles in 49 minutes, including a few minutes at Brugger's to get my free bagels (happy national bagel day!).

PM - Easy five miles home, 48 minutes.

Looks like I'll be going with a 50/40/30 taper. 50 miles two weeks ago, 40 miles last week, and I'll get 30 in this week before NOLA. Feeling really good, but of course that low mileage has me wondering if I'm now out of shape...

Incline happy hour

The only three to brave the snow last Thursday. The dog's first sub 40 effort up the Incline.

Hardrock no-go

Yeowza, not a good lottery day for front rangers (other than Sir Nick).

I can't complain, I have three finishes down there and knew sooner or later I'd piss off the lottery gods. Will probably go down to volunteer at an aid station, will be nice to sit around drinking beer while everyone else is suffering.

I can still come away with some minor victory from the race, as Brooks and I have a beer bet to see who will end up further down on the wait list...

Troy-a-saurus

Easy 9.3 in the Garden this morning, 1:23. Feeling good, and antsy, for NOLA. It's early, but the forecast is calling for partly cloudy and a high of 57F.

Hardrock lottery is on Sunday. 559 runners trying for 102 slots. Even with four tickets, I have a 34% chance of getting in. Keep your fingers crossed for me. If I don't get in, I doubt I'll run a hundred this year.

Did rego for five races today. 24 Hours of Moab. Cheyenne Mountain 50K. Collegiate Peaks. Jemez (there are only about 60 spots left for that one, FYI), and the San Francisco Marathon. Mac & cheese from now 'till next payday. SF was, by far, the most expensive at $140.

5 x 1000

CC track with the Sunrise Striders. 1.5 mile warm up, 5 x 1000m, 200m RBI, 1.5 mile cool down. I'd like to say the -5F felt warm compared to the temps on Tuesday, but it still sucked out there today. 3:54, :48, :45, :44, :44. Didn't push too hard, not trying to injure myself in this shitty weather.

Wonder how cold it will be for Incline happy hour tonight?

quote of the day

This was too good to leave buried in the comments section over at KKTV.

"Most runners have psychiatric issues that makes them run. Most are running away from family problems or work issues. Majority of runners are anorexic white middle aged females who are postmenopausal. Google it. "

-Ima Walker

KKTV

The story from channel 11 is over here.

it's a 'burgh thing...

Been following the Super Bowl media crap a little closer this year. My favorite article so far is from the Gazette's Dave Ramsey. If my comment on that article seems retarded, it's because Ramsey originally listed this as Pittsburgh going for their 6th super bowl win. It will actually be our 7th, which is many, many, many more than the Packers have.

There are Steeler fans EVERYWHERE! Love it, but why isn't that love shown for the Pirates or Panthers? Wonder if everyone is gonna jump on the Pitt bandwagon when we win the national championship this April?

Always amuses me, seeing the sort of peeps who just happen to root for the Steelers, the Lakers, the Yankees, and Duke.

cold

Two hour delay at work but I still went down for the Sunrise Strider workout. -5F with a wind chill of -20F. Channel 11 heard about us and put us on the morning news. I wore four layers on top, two pairs of pants, and even two hats. But my face was exposed, and it hurt like hell after just a few minutes. Four miles, 33 minutes.

Can't complain too much about the temps though. This was the report from Happy Trails' house, just a few miles north of me: