Did a trail running enchainment today! A really long run was required, but that's too tough right now. Instead, I'd link up a medium and a short run. I started at the Marshall-Mesa Trailhead and ran the Marshall-Mesa Lollipop (clockwise) until I hit the big wooden bridge. Then I ran down the Doudy Draw Trail, across the street and over the to the South Mesa Trailhead, where I ran the Brook Loop, or tried to. I had to take the lower bridge trail over to the Mesa Trail since rangers weren't allowing anyone further up Shadow Canyon due to a mountain lion up there. Now it's very cool that we have these lions around, but, dang, I don't want them messing up my runs. I figure I'm too big to be target for these lions and I won't be surprising them with all the huffing and puffing I do while plodding up the trails...

I completed the loop and then ran back up the Dowdy Draw trail to complete the Marshall-Mesa Lollipop. The MML is about 9 miles, the BL is about 5 miles. The connecting trail (both ways) is about 1.5 miles, so I did about 15.5 miles. It took me 2h20m and I was really hurting by the end, despite the slow pace. It was mainly my hips, knees, and ankles. I need to get these babies in better shape. The total climbing was around 1800 vertical feet.

- posted by Bill Wright @ Saturday, March 20, 2004

 
Friday night I got a bit sick and it was super windy here on Saturday. I didn't do anything. Sunday I ran with the big dogs - Buzz, Peter, Galen, etc. Everyone, except Galen who did the Pikes Peak Marathon in 4h27m (my best is 4h58m) has completed a 100-mile run, many have done several. Even without my cold, I would have been off the back and I was at the tail end the entire time.

We ran for 3.5 hours and I just about died. In the end I was walking for 5 minutes, running for 5 minutes - and this was downhill! When Galen put out his thumb for a ride back down the road, I joined him, thankful to be off my feet. It was super hilly as well: 5600 vertical feet. My ankles, knees, hips, and legs were just shot. I wasn't quite ready for that. Leadville will only last NINE TIMES as long. But the mileage is only about six times as long. I figure we did about 18 miles. Maybe more.

- posted by Bill Wright @ Sunday, March 07, 2004

 
Big surprise: a ran the Brook Loop this morning. I wanted to keep my sub-40 streak alive and therefore had an abort plan. If I wasn't in the mood to hurt or couldn't muster the speed, I'd do the extended Brook Loop instead of the Brook Loop. Ah, to have an easy out...

I started off very ambivalent to the effort, but a good song was playing and I went by my first split in 55 seconds - it's a must to be under a minute here, just as an attitude check. I made the extended-Brook-Loop-cross-over trail junction in 7:58 - a very good sign. I was wearing a pile sweater and way too hot, but with the Camelback carrying my MP3 player it was too difficult to switch. I thought about stopping the watch to switch, but that's cheating. I suffered on, figuring the heat training would be good. Yeah, heat training in 26 degree weather...

I hit the service road in 13:46. This is huge. Anything under 14 minutes is a really strong effort. The problem was that I was gassed. I struggled up to the Seal Rock trail junction in 6:04, under six is always the goal here, but hard to achieve. I crossed the creek at 21:34, about 30 seconds ahead of my 39:39 time of last week. I knew I had some cushion and the pain was, well, painful. I gave in to it and eased up. I hit the Mesa Trail at 34:47 and knew I had it. I lollygagged the final section in 4:51 (sub 5 here is working hard, but 4:30 is possible). I finished in 39:38, my fastest time, by one second, of the three sub-40's I've now done in a row.

I'll take things easier on a different loop on Friday morning, as I'll probably do the Rising Run XC Ski race on Saturday. It's a goofy, fun event.

Bill
- posted by Bill Wright @ Wednesday, March 03, 2004