2018

The final numbers:

run - 1569 miles, 292.5 hours
bike - 1777 miles, 207.5 hours
hike -  1204 miles, 495 hours
climb - 140 trips to CityRock and a few trips outdoors

66 run commutes, 61 bike commutes.

17 trips up the Incline.

The year was highlighted by the Colorado Trail thru hike.   Had the JFK finish and a sub 18 5k, but the rest of the racing year was pretty mediocre.

resolution run

Made the annual trek down to the Pueblo Nature & Raptor Center for the Resolution Run five miler.  They had some birds there.

We asked about Lurch, the resident turkey vulture, who was not in attendance.  The handler said he doesn't go outside when it is below 40F.  That guy is my spirit animal.  He is 35 years old, and they say birds of that type can reach 50 years in captivity.

Freezing cold in Pueblo, so my 34:19 five miler wasn't my best, but it was good enough to pick up another cheap win.  There was a female leading the race for the first mile, and she ended up second overall in just over 36 minutes.  That's two wins in December.  I should probably switch my focus on beating GZ at Pikes and instead worry about taking down Killian.  Not sure why this race doesn't get any fast runners.  A few weeks earlier their is a half marathon in this same location and guys always run sub 80 minutes, with the course record being sub 70.  Here I was able to crush the field running seven minute miles. 

Here's $100 approaching the finish.  She has started training for the New Orleans half marathon, hoping to finally crack two hours for that distance.

dunes

$100 and I utilized the long x-mas weekend to get the van out one last time in '18.  Made the trek down to Sand Dunes.  Ended the year with a PR of 36 nights spent outside.

Of course we dropped by Salida on the way there.

Pop tarts get a pretty bad rap from the nutrition community, and probably rightfully so, but they are a staple of our van life.  And now in an incredible flavor!  I actually heard a guy say that you would be better off just eating the box than you would the actual pop tart due to the sugar content.  He might be right, but it wouldn't taste so damn good.

There will be no post cards sent from our trip as the visitor center at the Dunes was closed.  Thanks Obama/Trump/Chuck & Nancy!

Awesome nine mile hike on Saturday.  Lots of trails that aren't part of the actual dunes in this park.

Relive 'Sand Dunes Hike'

       
After our big hike we made a side trip to Crestone Brewing.  Surprisingly good beer and food there.

Then back to the Dunes.  We stayed at the Zapata Falls campground.  There was one other person there.  On Sunday when I woke up I checked the weather, and it was 5F in Hooper, CO.  And we were about 1000 feet above Hooper.

Hiked back to Zapata Falls, which is currently frozen solid, and spent some time on the dunes.  The dog absolutely loves this place.

Here is my entire surfing career in two pictures:

We left on Monday for Canon City.  Along the way we got to catch up with Shad for a few brews.

We also stopped by Florence Brewing on the way to Canon.  Camped at Shelf Road.  Terrific place.  I imagine I'll climb there once it warms up.  Phone was dead so no pics.

bike commute 60

Rode the fat bike for commute number 60 today.  It was 25F, and it's supposed to be 60F for the ride home.

We are pub crawling through OCC tonight, then tomorrow morning taking the van for a long weekend trip.  Chaffee County, Sand Dunes, and Canon City.  This will be our first time sleeping outside since the hike.

X-mas beers four and five.  I've been lucky up 'till now but two straight beers that weren't a good fit for me.  I even knew I shouldn't have taken the Hulk hand.  But I was drunk at the time and shit man, it was a damn Hulk hand!

bike commute 59

Sun - 3.5 mile hike in Frick Park through the rain.  Then a trip to D's dogs.  Then a nightmare trying to get home as we went PIT - IAH - DFW - COS and landed at 11:30PM.

Mon - CityRock at lunch and a 1.3 mile hike with the dog after work.  Exhausted from the long travel weekend.

Tues - 6.5 mile run on the Garden roads, 4.5 miles of dog hike split in two, CityRock 136, and an hour of hot yoga at CorePower.

Wed - 1.4 mile dog hike, bike commute 59, and CityRock 137.  Even did a half hour of yoga at the house.

Thurs - 2.5 mile dog hike, run commute 65, CityRock 138.  Trying to figure out a 5.9 climb at the Rock, but the last move at the top always gets me.  Then I fall all the way down on the autobelay and have to climb all the way back up to try, and fail, again.  Good stuff.

Beer number tres.  Been very lucky with my picks so far.

12 beers of x-mas

Wasn't late to the party, but I'm a bit behind due to the PGH trip.  Anywho, once again Marc & Amanda held their annual party, where everyone gets twelve random and unknown beers.  It's always a blast, and the beers are always interesting - most folks either look for the shittiest brews or the best brews.  I've finally quit facebook, so I'll have to post my beers here.

Number one:

Winter Warlock from Bristol Brewing just down the street.  I'm a homer for Bristol, but I always say they're the Dave Matthews Band of local breweries - everyone seems to think they're super cool if they throw some hate.  But, like DMB, I am an unapologetic lover of that place.  I even think the unofficial beer of Colorado Springs, if you had to pick just one, would be Laughing Lab.  A good start.

Beer numbero two:

Class V IPA from Good River Beer.  Never heard of Good River, never knew Colorado IPAs were a thing, but this was good and if I saw it at Coaltrain I'd buy a sixer for sure.

bike commute 58

I've accepted that the rest of this year will be a wash in terms of working out.  Way lower than normal temps, too much junk food and booze, and not enough willpower and dedication.  Realizing I won't really have any goal races in '19 isn't encouraging me to stop this slide.

I have been working hard at the rock gym, which is saving me from becoming a total slob.

Mon - 1.7 mile hike with the dog and CityRock 133.

Tues - 5k AM hike with the dog, then run commute 64.  3.5 miles to work and four miles back home.  CityRock 134.

Wed - 5k hike with the dog followed by bike commute 58.

Will do nothing on Thursday as it's a travel day to western PA.  I'll be in Titusville until Saturday and hope to get some running in at Oil Creek State Park.  Then it's Pittsburgh for Sat and Sun where I'll attempt to drink all the Iron City and eat all the O fries.

Estes Park

$100's family came to visit over the weekend and we headed up to Estes Park.  Had a nice place just outside of town and I'd spend my early mornings drinking coffee and watching Elk.

F-ing cold so I didn't get out much.  The dog and I hiked around Lake Estes on a four mile paved bike path.  Also got an hour run in on some dirt roads on Saturday.  Took a drive through RMNP on Trail Ridge Road, which is only open seven or so miles into the park.  We also got to hit up the climbing gym in EP, followed by trips to two breweries, so it was a pretty good weekend despite the lack of trails.

fat and lazy and cold

Lots of things accumulated to let this week get away from me.  Super cold weather, a lack of motivation, a shitty cold I'm trying to shake, a visit from the in-laws.

Mon - 2.5 miles of dog walking and CityRock 131.

Tues - 1.2 mile dog hike, CityRock 132. 

Wed - 2.3 mile AM dog hike, then took the dog over to Iron Mountain for an evening run.  2.7 miles.

Thurs - home sick today, but I got the dog over to Red Rock Canyon for a very easy four miler.

I assume I'm sick because I spent Wednesday helping to clear out a big homeless camp.  I'm guessing our city is going to start coming down on the homeless a lot harder.  I was there trying to get these guys to visit a shelter and/or access other local services.

And instead of resting after that day I stayed up too late and drank too much beer at the Black Sheep for the Pink Talking Fish show.  Great gig and I hope to check those guys out again.  

The Sheep has some good shows coming up, but for some reason I'm super excited to check out Okilly Dokilly.  A death metal band where the guys all dress as Ned Flanders.  

My friend Lauren ran really well at JFK recently, so I got her a mug as a gift for a job well done.

1:40:19 and the NF fleece

1:40:19 at the Rock Canyon half down in Pueblo on Sunday.  Almost bailed since it was 16F when I got up, and was 20F at the race start in Pueblo.  Adjusted my goals from go hard to run sub 1:45 due to the cold.  I could have easily gone sub 1:40 but I just didn't feel like pushing things today.  At all.  I hate the cold.  From the race photographer:

Katie Schwing took this pic at the start line.

The fleece I was wearing.  I have mentioned on this blog in the past how I found this over in the Garden and it is one of my go-to pieces of gear.  And yes, my dog has an Air Force water bowl.

Katie's husband, Lance, is a buddy of mine and we have recently been trying to figure out some good times for early morning, pre-work mountain bike rides in Red Rock Canyon.  He has a kid and a wife who runs in the morning, and I don't ride if it's below 30F, so that makes things somewhat difficult.  He saw that selfie and texted me this:

Apparently Lance had texted Katie about the fleece before he texted me, and she called me homeless.

I offered the fleece back to him, but he politely declined.

November

Highlighted by the JFK finish.  Not much else going on in November for me.

Run - 161 miles
Bike - 27 miles
Hike - 84 miles

DC

A few non JFK pics from the recent trip.  Got to meet up with Bob for a few breweries.  Smoketown Brewing, Harpers Ferry Brewing, and Abolitionist Ale Works.  Good times!

And no, you haven't accidentally stumbled onto GZ's blog, but $100 and I got to visit the DC mall on our way back to the airport.  Super cool place.  My first time there.

CityRock 127

Starting to get back into climbing and some upper body stuff, which I neglected for a few weeks leading up to JFK.  $100 and I have also started the bodyweight foundation program.  Ended Tuesday with an hour of yoga and a beer at Red Leg.

Nearing the halfway point of the Turkey Trot.  As much as I hate the eastside, they do have a fairly decent view of the mountains there.

Annual pic from the first Incline Club run.  Yes, that guy who always wears vibram five fingers and never wears a shirt is still at it.