incline 33

It's back!

Was planning to do my usual turkey evening incline hike whether or not it was legal, but word broke on Wednesday that the steps would be officially open for business.  The top third is much easier now but overall it's still a great workout.  Had some friends from Austin in for the holiday weekend and $100 and I drug one of them up.

The rest of the weekend was mostly spent on the mountain bike.  And at bars.  Or at the house drinking.  Bit too much booze but at least I got some solid riding in, including the Buckhorn loop, and a ride through Red Rocks/Intemann over to Manitou Brewing to see JP and Vanessa.

I watched the last few minutes of the big Pitt upset from the top of Buckhorn.  We celebrated with some PA beers.

The Incline Club started up the new season and I was able to drag myself out of bed for that.  Did the incline and went up a bit higher to Rocky Mountain.  8.5 miles total.

18:43

Rough race but the goal was to break 19 and I got that done.  Our local turkey trot is a tough course if you're trying to run fast.  Out and back, the first half is all uphill so nailing a specific pace is rough.  I was in the hurt locker at the halfway point but I managed to hold things together to the finish.  Splits were 6:21, 6:14, 5:45.  Gerald wasn't too far ahead at the turn around but he crushed me on the downhill.  Luckily I had something left in the tank over the last .1 miles as I had to unleash a kick just to beat an eleven year old female.

Bike Commute 77

Monday - Run commute 59.  6.7 miles to work via Sonderman Park, 5.1 miles home along the Midland Trail.  CityRock 75 at lunch.

Tuesday - AM track.  4 x 400, 2 x 800.  Love this workout in the offseason, as it's hard and works on some speed, but it's not the kind of soul crushing workout that scares me.  After that I walked the dog, then rode ten miles to work.  CityRock 76 at lunch.  Had to drop by Colorado Running Company to pick up turkey trot bibs after work, got in 18 miles on the bike.

update

Had a blast last weekend seeing shows on back to back nights, a rare feet for an old fart like me. 

On Friday we went to the Black Sheep for the Perpetual Groove show.  Loved it, even though they didn't play my favorite Three Weeks.

On Saturday we headed over to Manitou to catch the Trout Steak Revival show at city hall.  Not exactly Red Rocks, but it was pretty cool and I hope they start bringing more bands there.

A few days later, on Friday, I biked home in short sleeves and headed up to Lone Tree where it was snowing.  Nat Geo talk about the Grand Canyon with Pete McBride and Kevin Fedarko. 

I had been itching to get back to the GC since I saw Fedarko speak a month or so ago, and the wheeles are really turning now.   $100 and I might go do this hike sometime around easter.

In other important news, there's a new, really good pizza joint by my house.

Still getting the dog out, usually twice a day.  This shot is from Red Rock Canyon.  As the crow flies it's probably less than a mile from my house.

track

Monday - run commute 57.  Eleven miles total to/from work.

Tuesday - had to drive to work today, so I got up early for a track workout.  4 x 400m, 2 x 800m.  I usually do this while running to work as 4 x 90 seconds, 2 x 3 minutes.  But it hurts a lot more on the track.  93, 88, 87, 87, 3:06, 3:03.  Also got in some climbing over lunch.

first to worst

Ran the Celebrate Our Vets 5k on Saturday.  19:09, with mile splits of 6:16, 6:02, and 6:10.  But you don't have to be good when you choose races like I do, and I actually ended up winning this thing.  By a lot.  Basically the field was me and a bunch of blind people (And Brandon Staponowhich, who I crushed).

The American Distance Project, which now apparently serves to place Kenyan born folks into the Army, was out there doing speedwork.  They were probably running close to two minutes per mile faster than I was going, but I'm sure I impressed them with my win.

After celebrating my victory at the brand spankin' new Trails End Taproom, I went over to Cheyenne Mountain High School for the open two mile race.  I need to kick O'Day in the balls because he told me there would be some slow people there.  But only one slow person showed up - me.  Bunch of young college dudes in short shorts and sponsored runner singlets, and me out in lane eight rocking NBA style shorts and a Grateful Dead cotton t-shirt.  I ran my first lap in 82 and I was very, very much in last place already.  Only two guys in the ten person field didn't lap me, and those two were pretty close.  Finished in 11:49 after running a solo lap of shame the final quarter mile, about a minute behind the next guy.

I've been running a long time, but I've never finished first and last in the same day.

bike commute 74

Mon - return trip from the Pittsburgh/Titusville area.  Joyful three hour layover at DIA waiting on my 18 minute flight to the Springs.  Did get back early enough to take the dog for a loop of Section 16.

Tues - bike commute 73.  5.5 miles to work, eleven back home.  Went over 2500 miles on the year.  First really shitty cold weather commute, complete with a snow/rain mix.  As an added bonus, our hot water heater blew up, so no shower.  Though that forced me to visit Accolade (22).

Wed - run commute 56.  5.5 miles to work, five flat home.  $100 and I then went to the local showing of Reel Rock, which was awesome this year.  Hopefully "Safety Third" and "Stumped" are put on youtube or vimeo at some point, those were great whether or not you're into climbing.

Thurs - 2.6 mile hike with the dog around Old Colorado City, followed by bike commute 74 and CityRock 70.

Survived a trip home to see mom, which I always assume will be the last time I see her, and having the hot water heater kaput out five months after the warranty expired.  Just what I need for what is always the most depressing week of the year - when it's now dark leaving work at 5PM.  Not everything is depressing this week though, I have an awesome new hat to rock at Red Leg tonight for the Pitt/Carolina game: