August 4th- August 10th

"Self-esteem comes from what you think of you, not what other people think of you." - Gloria Gayor

Monday:   

6 AM:  7.5miles w/ 400ft of vert averaging 8min pace.  Easy mid-morning jog from work. HR strap was being wonky the first 4ish miles then it started reading correctly. Legs are tired from the weekend but they do feel better after the run then they did before. Ready for another solid week!

4 PM: 40mins in the garage gym.

Warmup: Airbike, Crossover, Mobility

Seated DB Shoulder Press
3x10 w/ 40lbs

3 Rounds
10 DB Lateral Raises w/ 20lbs
10 DB Front Raises w/ 15lbs

3 Rounds
30sec Plate upright rows
30sec Plate steering wheels

3 Rounds
20 Single leg v-ups
20 Bicycles
20 Ball Russian Twist 10lbs
20 High Plank knee to elbow

3 rounds
20sec calf raises
10sec hold up
20sec calf raises
10sec hold up
30sec recovery

Tuesday:  

6 AM:  9.6miles averaging 7:20pace. Easy 3 laps of Davidson Mesa with a few strides thrown in after the first lap as I felt like doing them. Legs feel so much better than they have the past 3 days only for me to make them sore again tomorrow.

-- Was stuck at work much later today than normal in an all day meeting and did not get home until after 5pm.  Bailed on lifting and instead started making dinner so that it was ready when Paula got home from her run instead.  

Wednesday:

6 AM:  13.6 miles averaging 6:55pace.  Done over at Davidson Mesa again this morning before work. Warmup followed by 3x15mins at 6:30pace or faster w/ 5min jog recoveries between followed by a cooldown. Felt slow but the paces where right on usually hovering around the 6:15-6:20 pace. Last 5 mins of the third interval the HR got higher than all the other intervals at a little bit of a slower pace than the others, guessing cardiac drift was starting to happen.  

4 PM:  50mins in the Garage gym

Warmup: Airbike, Crossover, and mobility

Bench Press : 5-5-3-3-3-1-1-1-1 : 3500 lbs
Sets
5 Bench Press | 135 lbs
5 Bench Press | 145 lbs
3 Bench Press | 150 lbs
3 Bench Press | 155 lbs
3 Bench Press | 160 lbs
1 Bench Press | 165 lbs
1 Bench Press | 175 lbs
1 Bench Press | 180 lbs
1 Bench Press | 185 lbs


"Tabata" - 8 x 20 secs / 10 secs : 272 reps | 62 + 55 + 95 + 60
Tabata GHD Sit-up
Tabata Echo Bike Calorie
Tabata GHD Hip Extension
Tabata Echo Bike Calorie

--Went out to dinner this evening with a bunch of friends at Acreage to celebrate Arturo's 74th birthday.  Happy Birthday buddy!!!

Thursday:  

6 AM:  8.4 miles w/ 600ft of vert averaging 7:50pace.  Easy out and backs from the Coalton Trailhead on the Dirty Biz trails. Switched the with Friday's run because I was pressed for time this morning before work. Still was a little late for work, priorities, lol... Figured they were both at an easy effort so should not be an issue. I usually work "remote" on Fridays so a little easier to be out there longer and have time to drive to the Boulder hills tomorrow for the 1.5-2 hours easy run.

Friday:

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  173.4 lbs @ 8.2% bodyfat.... up a pound but think it is mostly water since I have upped my carb intake as the miles increase.  I say that because bodyfat went down a little bit.

6 AM:  9 miles w/ 2200ft of vert averaging 10:30pace.  Mount Sanitas and Anemone trails at an easy effort, well as easy as can be going up that steep ridge. Super chill especially on the downhills though. Great morning out there!

--  Got a surprise in the mail today as well... Thanks JT!  If you haven't been to the Mint Bar in Wy then you haven't lived yet.  Last time I was there when Donnie ran Bighorn 100 about 4 years ago we almost got into a fight.  Good times!

Saturday: 

6 AM:  10.75 miles w/ 1300ft of vert averaging 8min pace.  Switched Saturday and Sunday. The raffle and post run stuff at Dirt Circus took 1.5 hours and I stiffened up so just decided to switch them instead of running more today. Did win $250 gift card to Smartwool so that was cool! Super chill today and feeling good.

Sunday:  

7 AM:  23 miles w/ 700ft of vert averaging 7:20pace.  Mile and half or so before joining the Boulder Track Club for 14 miles at a faster clip then a few more afterwards. Tired on this run but did okay but was pretty wiped, actually cut the run short by an hour due to my right foot and hip starting to bother me. Did not think it was worth pushing through.  If I would have pushed through it I would have been around 30 miles on the day.

11 AM: Walk 2 miles with the dog.. much needed, helped loosen me up some.

Total Weekly Numbers

Solid week this week on the running front.  Did cut weights back a little bit due to energy and not to over do it but that did not seem to help.  After Sunday's run I am starting to deal with some plantar fasciitis in my right foot, my right groin also is bother me along with my left calf locking up now and again.  Falling apart a little bit over here but it is my biggest week in about 8-9 weeks and my second week in a row over 70 so I guess I should not be surprised.  Hopefully a few easy days will get rid of these niggles and we are back on track for the running camp this coming weekend in Granby.  

July 28th- August 3rd

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature.  It will never fail you." - Frank Lloyd Wright

Monday:   

-- Left camp outside of Creede about 6am to start heading home.

9 AM:  7.1 miles w/ 950ft of vert averaging 8min pace. Stopped in BV on the way home and did an out and back on the dirt roads just east of town from the overlook. Super chill effort but the HR was higher than normal at this pace but I was also at over 8,000ft and going on little sleep all weekend, so not surprised.

-- Also hit up the hot tub in the evening with Paula, time to get back to heat training for Cowboy.

Tuesday:  

6 AM:  9.7 miles averaging 7:15pace.  2 easy laps of Davidson Mesa plus 3 laps of Harper Lake to get my 1:10 of running. Threw in 5 strides throughout the run as well. Felt better than I was expecting too so there is that.

4 PM: 45min Garage gym session

Warmup: Airbike, Crossover, mobility

30mins EMOM
30sec jump rope
30sec hanging knee raises
30sec Devil press with 25lbs x2
30sec Russian KB swings w/ 44lbs
30sec Abmat sit-ups

Wednesday:

6AM:  12.5 miles averaging 7min pace.  4 laps of Davidson Mesa for this workout. 30mins easy/ 30mins @ Steady State/ 30mins easy. Funny how quick the pace is for the 30mins easy is right after an effort, easy pace becomes quicker than before the effort. Overall felt really solid today overall and think I paced this one just right for today.

4 PM:  40mins Garage gym session

Warmup: Airbike, Crossover, mobility

DB Reverse Lunges
5x20 w/ 15lbs each hand

Box Squats
4x10 w/ 125lbs

Barbell RDL
4x10 w/ 115lbs

Single leg calf raises
3x10 w/ 25lbs

Nordic Hamstring Curls
3x10

Thursday:  

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  172.2lbs @ 8.8% bodyfat.  Down 2 lbs from 2 weeks go so trending in the right direction.  Funny how cutting out some of the before bed snacks helps.

6 AM:  9.2miles w/ 750ft of vert averaging 7:50pace.  First half of the run as a slog which is also were all the uphill basically was in the run. Also due to yesterday's run workout and leg lifting in the afternoon. Overall felt great and just a long shakeout for the most part.

4 PM: 40 mins Garage Gym session

Warmup: Rowing, Crossover and mobility

3 Rounds
10 DB Incline Chest Press @ 45lbs
10 Bench Dips

3 Rounds
10 DB Flies @ 25lbs
10 Hand Release Push Ups

3 Rounds
10 DB Close Presses @ 35lbs
10 Ez-bar skull crushers @ 57lbs

3x10 Ab Wheel Roll Outs

Friday:

6 AM:  4.2 miles averaging 7:50pace. Easy lap of Davidson Mesa and Harper Lake. Just a Friday morning shakeout for the most part. Legs are trashed from the week this morning. Most likely from the Nordic Curls I was doing a few days ago, been to long since I have done those.

10 AM:  35mins At VASA

Warmup: Elliptical and mobility

35 pull-up broken up as needed

Seated Cable Rows
3x10 @ 105

3 rounds
10 Ez-bar cable straight arm pull down @ 42.5
10 Ez-bar cable reverse grip straight arm pull down @ 42.5

3 Rounds
10 weighted hyperextensions @ 25
10 hyperextensions
10 decline situps

3 rounds
10 DB bicep curls @ 25
20 cross-body curls @ 25
10 DB hammer curls @ 25

Saturday: 

7 AM:  10miles w/ 1400ft of vert averaging 9min pace.  Easy cruise from the Dowdy Draw trail head for 2 loops of Springbrook and one loop of Gashawk. Was supposed to do a longer faster flatter run but was not feeling up for it this morning so switched my Saturday and Sunday runs. Needed some easy trail time this morning. Legs and energy were shit this morning.

Sunday:  

8 AM: 18.5miles w/ 1800ft of vert averaging 7:45pace.  Joined the Boulder Track Club to run from Foothills park in north Boulder down to the canyon path for a lap of Chapman drive before turning around and heading back. Little quicker with these dudes verses going solo which was the point. Pretty trashed after this run, still not 100% but back into the larger overall volume weeks finally.

Total Weekly Numbers

Back to a larger overall week, at least for me.  Have not been over 70 miles in a week since 2 weeks before Western States so about 7 weeks ago.  Guess it is time to get a few more higher weeks in the coming 8 weeks.  Pretty wiped out come Sunday afternoon as you can see in the photo above but that is all just part of the process.  Should roll over 2000 miles covered by foot in 2025 on Monday.

July 21st - July 27th

"A day wasted on others is not wasted on one's self." - Charles Dickens, "A Tale of Two Cities"

-- Seemed like the right quote for this week considering I am pacing Don 25 miles at the Creede 100 this weekend.  

"Get up in the morning and live right." - Coach Joe Vigil

-- Had to include a quote from Coach Joe Vigil since he passed away this week at 95 years old.  He was a legend in the sport.  Look him up if you don't know who he is.

Monday:   

6 AM:  5.6miles averaging 7:35pace. Easy lap of the business center from work before the first meeting of the day. Super chill effort wise but felt pretty damn good today. Turn over was good but was a little sore in the joints afterwards. Need to get back to mobility more often.

4 PM: 44mins Garage gym session- lighter weight so I don't get to sore like last week.

Warmup: Rowing, Crossover and Mobility

3x30 DB Walking Lunges w/ 20lbs in each hand

3x10 Barbell Back Squats @ 115lbs

3x10 Barbell RDL @ 115lbs

3 Rounds
20 DB box step overs w/ 15lbs in each hand
10 box jumps

3 Rounds
20sec calf raises
10sec hold up
20sec calf raises
10sec hold up
30sec recovery

3x15 kb toe raises each leg

Tuesday:  

6 AM:  8.75 miles averaging 7min miles.  Zone 2 run around Davidson Mesa with 6x20-30sec strides in the second half of the run. Legs did not have the normal turn over today, guessing due to the lifting on the legs yesterday but not nearly as bad as last week. Seems to take a few weeks of lifting after time off for things to normalize.  Ran into Chris and Kunlong out there.  

--  Was planning on lifting this afternoon but Paula's surgery this afternoon took much longer than expected and she was in a lot more pain afterwards then expected.  By the time we got home and I got her feed and comfortable it was about bedtime so no lifting today.  All good.... 

Wednesday:

6 AM:  11 miles averaging 6:55pace.  Done over at Davidson Mesa again this morning.  Good place for a workout like this.  20 min warmup/ 4x5mins at marathon effort w/ 5min floats at 50K effort/ 20 min cooldown. Ran the marathon efforts between 5:55-6:15 pace (prob to fast) and the floats around 6:50-7:15 pace. Felt pretty good today. The first interval was a little rough like things were waking up and the last interval was rougher than the others due to the legs being worked some. Feel good about this workout.

2 PM:  38mins in the garage gym.  

Warmup: Rowing, Crossover and mobility

3 Rounds
10 DB Incline Chest Press @ 45lbs
10 Bench Dips

3 Rounds
10 DB Flies @ 25lbs
10 Hand Release Push Ups

3 Rounds
10 DB Close Presses @ 35lbs
10 Ez-bar skull crushers @ 57lbs

3x10 Ab Wheel Roll Outs

Thursday:  

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  forgot this week.

6 AM:  8.2miles w/ 700ft of vert averaging 7:45pace.  Easy out and back straight west from Coalton Trailhead. About 2.75 miles in where you go through the gate by HWY128 to the Highland trail if you take a left instead the new tunnel under HWY128 is now open and connects to Rocky Flats and goes up a good size hill on a new trail into Rocky Flats. This trail is not on the maps yet. Once the new bridge over Indiana is done I can almost connect all the way to Boulder on dirt from home. So cool..... Legs are super tired from yesterday but did loosen up the second half of the run.

1 PM: 35min Garage gym session

30 pullups

3 Rounds
10 DB shoulder press w/ 35lbs

3 Rounds
10 Weighted GHD Hip Extend w/ 10lbs
10 GHD Hip Extend
10 GHD Situps

3 Rounds
10 DB Bicep Curls w/ 20lbs
20 DB Crossbody curls w/ 20lbs
10 DB Hammer Curls w/ 20lbs

-- Taking off for Creede to pace Don at the Creede 100 late this afternoon.  Most likely will drive about halfway around BV or Salida then finish the drive first thing in the morning after running.  Going to be a fun weekend!!!!

Friday:

Missed my run today, just had no motivation once I got to Creede around lunch. Spent the rest of the day helping Don get ready for the race tomorrow.  All good, going to be along night tomorrow night.

Saturday: 

8 PM:  25miles w/ 5500ft of vert in 7:47.  Pacing Don at the Creede 100 from mile 55 to mile 80. Most of this route was over 12,000ft with about 4-5 miles around 13,000ft or higher. He was dealing with a lot trying to stay awake and just being tired overall from running all day, nothing new in a 100 miler.  Got through the night then he was a new man once the sun came up.  Such a neat section I got to pace.  Basically a section of the Colorado Trail that has the highest point on the Colorado Trail at 13,200ft. 

Sunday:  

--Got done pacing just before sunrise, spent the rest of the morning crewing until he finished about noon. So no sleep last night.  He finished in 1st by almost exactly an hour in front of second place.  Congrats buddy!!!!  Thanks for letting me be a part of this adventure!!

Total Weekly Numbers

Not a bad week overall getting back so some sort of "real" training again and not just jogging around a little bit here and there.  Actually got back to doing Workout Wednesday's again which I will keep doing for a bit in the build up.  Feeling pretty good about the week overall.  The next 6-7 weeks will be crucial to get ready for the next 100 at the end of Sept.  Time to grind........