Wednesday, 8/31

I was just itching for a long run 🏃‍♂️,  so I set out this afternoon with the plan to run as far as I felt like and then turn around and run back.

When I first left home, it was sunny and warm outside. Within the first couple miles, the wind kicked up quite a bit as I ran along the Templeton Gap floodway. It felt cool and refreshing, although I knew it was blowing with some force.

I connected the T. Gap Trail to the Pikes Peak Greenway and turned north.

The storm that was blowing in had formulated over the mountains, and it was coming my way.

Within the next two miles, the drizzle began, and it steadily increased into a downpour.

I had really no where to shelter, so I just kept running until I reached the I-25 underpass. I was pretty well soaked by this point.

I had to make a phone call, and if you know how erratically smartphones behave when they get wet, you know how I wanted to avoid that. So I stopped at the underpass and made the call. 

Within the few brief minutes it took to complete the call, the rain had ceased completely, the sun had come out, and the temperature had gotten hot again. You could feel the steam coming up off of the asphalt as the rain evaporated as quickly as it had fallen.

I continued running north and entered the Air Force Academy. The sun was still shining at first, but clouds surrounded me on all sides.

I could see a lightning 🌩 strike off to the north. Immediately after that, I heard the AFA's loudspeaker system issue an alert, "lightning has been spotted within 5 nautical miles! Take necessary precautions."

I was cautious, but examining my surroundings, the storm was still far enough away on all sides. Nonetheless, I decided I'd turn around just past the S. Gate Blvd underpass and head back, which would give me about a marathon for the day.

I begin to feel somewhat tired and heavy legs by mile 16, but pushed through and tried to keep my mind on other things.

My pace did slow in the second half of my run, but only by a few seconds per mile.

I didn't end up getting rained on again, and made it home just before it got too dark.

This "flat" marathon took me around 5 hours and 30 mins, which I'm happy with for a training run which I wasn't pushing the pace. 

***

Thursday, 9/1

Recovery day! Nice easy walk with the family at Spruce Mountain. A couple miles at sunset.

***

Friday, 9/2

Barbell curls.

Lightweight barbell deadlifts.

I didn't want to go too heavy on the deadlifts today as it is still only two days after the marathon effort.

***

Saturday, 9/3

My parents invited us over and grilled for us! So nice to be able to see them during this Labor Day weekend. It's nice to have them back in town.

It was nice to take today as a family day.

***

Sunday, 9/4

In the morning, we watched the Labor Day lift-off and had fun spotting all the different ballons. 🎈 

Later, I did an afternoon/ evening slow-paced recovery run. It was a nice day for it, even though it was still very hot at the outset. My phone indicated 84 degrees, but it felt warmer heading up the hill from my house on the asphalt.

I headed to Palmer Park and immediately onto the trail, ascending through the west valley. The shadows were already getting long, so the valley was much cooler.

I stuck with the trail all the way to the top of the mesa, then crossing over the road and ran down the cool valley on the northeast side of the park (Greencrest Trail.)

Then I connected to Marconi Heights, where the sandstone formations showed off their sandy-tan desert colors in the evening sun.

I topped out by the water tank, descended on the dirt road to UCCS, and then crossed Austin Bluffs and ran south. I joined the Templeton Gap Trail and ran home, making my total for the day 10.4 miles. 

Not bad for a recovery day, including climbing two mesas, for about 1300 feet of elevation gain.

An interesting tidbit: I weighed myself both before and after the run, and I had sweated out 4 lbs - and I even drank two big glasses of water before weighing myself after the run. I think I'm becoming better heat trained, because I felt fine and not thirsty the whole time, but definitely still lost a lot of water weight. 

***

Monday, 9/5

30 minutes on the row machine.

Later, inclined push-ups. 

***

Tuesday, 9/6

We loved visiting Rocky Mountain National Park last time we went, so we left earlier today and made a whole day of it.

The elk are beginning their rut, and we could see and hear them everywhere off the road!

We got amazing views down into Estes Park.

Then, we drove up Trail Ridge Road to the treeline. Even though the day was a little hazy, due to smoke blowing in from fires in other states, it was still gorgeous.

We drove down through Grand Lake rather than going back the same way, and saw the moon rising above the lake.

What a lovely drive!

***

Wednesday, 9/7

Rest.

***

Thursday, 9/8

I wanted a long mountain run last week, but had to stick to the flats. This week, I had the opportunity to go to the mountains, but I had to keep it a "little bit" shorter so I could be done early enough. 

My main goal was to get a decent amount of elevation gain in the time that I had. 

So I set out at sunrise from the bottom of High Drive.

I joined the Bear Creek Canyon Trail #666 and followed it until the connection to #776, which is the short trail that eventually joins #667 (Captain Jack's) at the junction behind Mt. Buckhorn.

Sunrise on High Drive and Trail #667.

When I came to the trail split that goes north towards Loud's Cabin ruins, I decided to go that way and get as much climbing in as I could.

An aspen forest near Loud's Cabin that was still very summer-green.

Loud's Cabin ruins and a tree that looked like it had an encounter with a bear. 

I passed by an aspen that looked like a bear had dug its claws right in. A little bit scary, but no bears in sight.

After passing the cabin ruins, the trail continues solidly for a bit, but soon becomes uncomfortably steep and washed away in places. At this point, I was nearing my time limit. I decided just to scramble up the nearest rock outcropping, get a good view, and head back down.

The rock I ended up climbing on the north slopes of Mt. Arthur had a fantastic view of the entire valley!

The view from the rock outcropping I climbed.

I sat at the edge, peering at the steep drop down to the valley below, feeling the sun on me, and enjoying every moment.

Then I began my descent, returning the same way I'd come up.

On my way down, I noticed a few signs of fall beginning to edge in. The aspens and the whole valley seemed to be vibrantly green still, but the low-ground foliage was yellowing slightly.

As I wrapped up my run, clouds began to build over the mountains and signal the cold front that would be coming in the next few days.

My total for today ended up being 16.5 miles with over 4100 feet of climbing. 

***

Friday, 9/9

75 minutes on the elliptical at a light to moderate effort.

A few front (single-arm) kettlebell raises - 15 lb.

***

Saturday, 9/10

First, side lateral raises with 10 lb (lightweight) dumbbells.

Then, I felt like I needed to do a few more front raises as yesterday's weren't quite enough, so I did these with the 10 lb weight as well.

***

Sunday, 9/11

6.5 miles jog, all roads this time. It was fast (for me) but not flat (up Palmer Park and out to the overlook.)

Then, an evening walk with my family while watching the Harvest Moon rise above Spruce Meadows.

My new phone takes pretty good photos of the moon. Neat!

***

Overall, I felt mostly good this last week and a half. I had a relatively fast marathon, coupled with a slow day in the mountains with more climbing than running (on tired-feeling legs).

I'm also overall pleased with the amount of weight training I was able to do. In the next week and a half cycle, I'd like to do a day of core and leg training, as that's been a little lacking recently.

I think I'm going to be ready for a truly long one soon, maybe my goal distance of the year. (I'll have to do it before my planned leg day, but after a few days rest)!

I have an approximately 45-mile route planned, and if I can complete it, I'll "count" that as my goal for the year, which was to do a 50-mile route 😉. It might end up going long on the actual GPS, so I could get close to 50 anyway.

After doing the long flat marathon in the heat and rain the other day, I am not sure I want to torture myself with a 50-mile "totally flat" route just to get the distance out of the way. I'd rather do it in the mountains, slower, and if I end up a little short, it's OK.

But we'll see 👀 what happens!!