January numbers

Miserable weather month, and the only break from Colorado was going to Wisconsin where the weather was even worse.  Still, some positive movement in the fitness realm from November and December.

Did pull off 75+ daily push-ups and at least 45 minutes (most days were over 90 minutes) of rucking per day, which Mookie loved.  Started with a 40 pound ruck, then towards mid-month I realized I was whining to myself about the weight so I upped it to 45 pounds as punishment.

For the month:

run - 31 runs, 154 miles, 39.5 hours, 27795 feet climbed, seven run commutes

ride - 18 rides, 127 miles, 15 hours, 6839 feet climbed, eight bike commutes

hike - 45 hikes, 137 miles, 58.5 hours, 17021 feet climbed

51,654 total feet of vert.  Last January I had 39,186 so some improvement there.

Seven inclines.  Eleven trips up Iron Mountain.

17 trips to CityRock.  Yearly renewal is coming up so I gotta pad those numbers so the wife lets me pay for another year.

I got into the San Juan Solstice and will be going for my ninth finish there.  Guess I should probably start increasing the long runs.  Want to get ten finishes there before I get too old for this shit.

Andy Frasco & The UN

Mon - easy four mile run on the Garden trails with the Mook

Tues - bike commute six.  Ten there, eleven back.  Took Mook over to Iron Mountain in the evening for two summits.

Wed - incline four.

Thurs - bike commute seven.  Then incline five in the evening.

Fri - we got a ton of snow overnight, five or six inches at the house.  And it was a wet snow, so no quick sweep of the sidewalks.  But by 3PM or so everything had cleared up enough to head up to Denver for the Frasco show.  Met Kircher over at Cerebral Brewing and then tried out Don's Mixed Drinks before the concert.  Another incredible Frasco show at the Ogden.  Forgot to take many pics but here's one of him crowd surfing.

Sat - hungover, but still got in an hour ruck along Colfax Ave.  Then a 15 mile bike ride back in the Springs that evening.

Sun - Barr Camp.  It was warm out but sheesh there's a lot of snow above No Name Creek.  Incline number six on the way up.  

For the week:

run - 33 miles, 11.5 hours

ride - 53 miles, six hours

hike - 28 miles, 12.5 hours

5:43.01

Survived the polar vortex.

Caught the Hairball show on Friday night.  80s hair metal is always a good time.  Seven's Gate, then the show, then Benny's to finish the night.

So I might have been a bit hungover for the annual Raptor Resolution Run.  Still got in a decent effort though, running 38:22 for the flat, dirt five miler along the Arkansas River.  I really enjoy this race, I've done six of the twelve editions, and I hope this isn't the last one.  Of course I saw my boy Lurch, who turned 40 this year (they can live to 55 in captivity).

You know who wasn't hungover on Saturday?  My beloved Pitt hoops team, taking it to Duke down in Cameron!

Another track meet up at USAFA in the books.  I was hoping for a sub 5:40 but it just wasn't in the cards.  I was with a guy the first half mile, hit in 2:46, but then he dropped out and I found myself running alone in no man's land and I struggled the rest of the way.  

I only have one more meet left here in COS.  The USATF mid-America region masters indoor championships over at UCCS.  Sounds impressive but anyone can sign up.  After that I'm planning on two meets up in Niwot - a track 5k on April 28 and the mile at the Frank Shorter Classic on May 12.

Decent week given the terrible weather and a travel day back from Milwaukee.

run - 31 miles, 6.5 hours, 3490 feet of climbing

ride - 8.5 miles, one hour, 297 feet of climbing

hike - 28.5 miles, 11.5 hours, 2889 feet of climbing

Put up my Wolski's sticker at Fossil.  Mission accomplished.

I CLOSED WOLSKI'S

Sometimes dreams do come true.

Despite a shitshow of a travel day due to weather issues at various airports, $100 and I arrived in Milwaukee in time to close Wolski's on Saturday.  Such a great place!  And yes I made it until the bouncer asked us to leave at 2:30AM.  Earned that damn sticker!

On Sunday we did some quality day drinking, including a tour of Lakefront Brewing, before heading over to catch the G Love & Special Sauce show.  More good times.  30th anniversary of their self-titled debut album.  Sure made me feel old but I still tried my best to party like a 21 year old.

After the show?  Back to Wolski's, where I closed things down for a second straight day.

I don't think temps got above 5F the entire time we were there, and things were significantly colder at night.  Plus we were nestled in between a huge lake and a river.  Plus it was windy.  Oof.

polar vortex

Mon - we started a cold spell today and things will be rough.  Mook and I got out for a three mile hike in Ute Valley in the AM, and I headed up the Incline in the evening.

Tues - bike commute three.  Straight there and straight back.  

Wed - run commute three.  Sondermann both ways for 12 miles on the day.

Thurs - run commute four.  Another 12 miles.  Had a get together happy hour with the new group of SAR recruits over at Voodoo Brewing in the evening.  Good group of people.

Fri - bike commute four.  We are entering into the Polar Vortex and biking today sucked.

My boy Mook, behaving as usual.

I can't complain too much about the weather here in COS, as we're off to Milwaukee this weekend where it is going to be significantly colder.  Wolski's or bust!

5:48

Thurs - Run commute 2.  Still exploring Sonderman, seeing where I can do any climbing.  5.76 there, 6.2 back home.  

Fri - good snow overnight, got up early to shovel walks.  Bike commute two, straight there and straight back.  Cold all day.  After work Mook and I got over for two summits of Iron Mountain.

Sat - hung out with the SAR dogs all morning, then hit the Incline.  When I started vs when I got to the top:

Sun - had dogsitting duty so I took two of the mutts up Iron Mountain twice.  Fourth and fifth summits of that mountain for me and Mook this year.

After that I headed up to the Air Force Academy to run an indoor mile.  I wasn't ready for this due to all the rucking and climbing I've been doing this year, but I gave it the 'ol college try.  Ran 5:48 off a 2:51 half, so not horrible.  That track is six laps to the mile, I was in last place for the first five plus laps but ended up getting a guy over that last lap.

For the week:

run - nine runs, 41 miles, 9.5 hours, 5829 feet of climbing

ride - four rides, 23 miles, three hours, 1476 feet of climbing

hike - 14 hikes, 45 miles, 19.5 hours, 6046 feet of climbing

Totaled 11518 feet of climbing on the week.

Lots of winter weather lately, leaving cold temps and ice covered trails.  Yuk. 

'23 final numbers

Another year down the tubes.  Solid year for me, aside from the abysmal failure of the Divide attempt.  Got in another state 'thon and a few more high points though.

run - 1699 miles, 338 hours.  Yes, had I checked this on the 31st I would have gone out and ran another mile.

ride - 3660 miles, 376 hours.

hike - 1315 miles, 536 hours.

50 run commutes.  103 bike commutes.  98 trips to CityRock.

Finally got around to figuring out how to track elevation gain on garmin.  Never been into that but it's something I'll follow going forward.  I gained 522,660 feet last year between running (189,052 feet), biking (184,673 feet) and hiking (148,936 feet).

I've been tossing around a few ideas besides Mt. Hood for '24 but I haven't nailed anything down yet.  Kind of in a holding pattern until I figure out what kind of change the schedule for search and rescue will bring.

Started the year off right at the Rescue Run 10k.  Despite quite a few beers on Sunday evening I ran pretty well, pushing hard to the end and finishing in just under 45 minutes.  Good day for me on that course.  Followed that up with lunch at King's Chef.  Later on Mookie and I hiked up High Drive, a five mile dirt road round trip with 1200 feet gain.  I've committed to a GoRuck challenge of having a 40+ pound pack on for my dog hikes this month.

Tuesday - bike commute 1.  They are doing construction on a small section of my normal ten mile route to work, and it is going to severely affect my bike commuting for the time being.  

Wednesday - run commute 1.  Through Sondermann both ways.