Week of August 15th through August 21st, 2022 - Florissant Fossil Beds; Garden of the Gods

Monday, August 15th:

Lying leg raises (straight-legged). I need do more core work. This was just a small start.

I made our usual pizzas from scratch for dinner. I've refined the recipe over the last few years to the way we prefer - less greasy and more like a cheesy bread. I put parmesan cheese stars on top for fun, to see if they'd still look like stars when it came out of the oven. They kind of worked out!

***

Tuesday, August 16th:

8.5 miles in the rain. I was soaked by the end. Right about then, the rain stopped. Never fails! Nonetheless, this was a good run for me. The rain must have kept me cool, since my average pace was quite a bit faster than my usual for a run of the same length.

Later, I did a few lightweight side lateral raises and front raises.

***

Friday, August 19th:

With the exception of a daily walk with my family, I took three days off from exercise. Although not totally planned, (I have just been too busy!) it was still nice rest my body a little. I did want to bank some energy for a long one tomorrow.

For Friday's walk, we checked out the Hornbek Homestead in Florissant (it is part of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument).

We got up there early to catch the sunrise and see if we could spot any of the Perseid meteor shower. (Although the Perseids are nearing their end for this year, I still spotted at least a half-dozen in the clear pre-dawn sky).

It was great to watch the twilight dawning in the east, and then we enjoyed our hike through the meadow in the morning dew.

All the recent moisture has made early mornings in the mountains unseasonably fresh, cool, and almost spring-like.

***

Saturday, August 20th:

I set out early this morning for a long in-town loop.

Initially I had planned to go to the mountains today, but Alex was hesitant because of early thunderstorms that were anticipated. I reluctantly agreed that he was correct, the high risk of storms meant the mountains would be safer on another day.

I opted to do a big loop through the Garden of the Gods. There's plenty of natural beauty right here in town, too!

I ran from the Rock Island Trail to Monument Valley Park, connecting to Sondermann Park.

The sunrise was beautiful in Mesa Open Space as I made my way over to the west side, by crossing Mesa Road and passing through Pioneer Park.

Top, Middle: Sunrise from Mesa Open Space. Bottom: The "Tolerance Trail" is a short-cut to Pioneer Park and the west side of Colorado Springs. 

I entered the Garden on Ridge Road and linked into the Old Colorado City Trail, which brought me directly into the very south end of the park.

The views along the red rock ridgeline were grand! I could see everything to the south, including all the formations of Red Rock Canyon.

It's been a while since I've entered the Garden on this particular trail, and I forgot what a gem it is.

Entering Garden of the Gods on the Old Colorado City Trail. 

On a prominent ridge, I took a mid-run break, about 10 miles in. I sat and took in the view of the mountains, watching distant clouds pass around the summit of Mt. Garfield.

All of the clouds were swirling around above 10,000 feet, so I was glad I didn't go up there today. Still, the view of the lower mountains from here was great.

I took out my mini binocs and checked out the Incline. I used to sit in this area and spot individual people on the Incline, the summer when I worked in the Garden. But my mini binocs aren't as powerful as the big ones I had with me during park safety duty.

Just as I looked at the Incline, a person in a white shirt appeared. I silently cheered him (or her) on. Go white shirt person! Thanks for wearing a white shirt which made you easy to spot!

After a rest, I decided to connect the Old Colorado City Trail to the Buckskin Charlie. This lovely trail was fresh and cool. I wound around many curves on this dirt path and eventually joined the Scotsman Loop.

Buckskin Charlie and Scotsman.

Scotsman Trail brought me right to the south end of the Central Garden.

A digitally generated "painting" of my photo, on the Scotsman Trail approaching the Central Garden. 

From here, I decided to hop onto the Palmer Trail, sticking to the theme of dirt trails in the Garden. Palmer Trail circles the northwest side of the park, and connects to the Dakota Trail. I then exited the very north side of the Garden and joined the Foothills Trail for my run towards home.

Top: Views from Palmer Trail. Bottom: A peek into lower Queens Canyon from the Foothills Trail.

All along the Foothills Trail, Sinton Trail, and Templeton Gap Trail on my way home, the wildflowers were popping!

All the recent moisture has enlivened the flowers. I couldn't stop taking photos!

My favorite wildflower photo of the day was actually a thistle flower. It was so colorful and symmetrical, it really caught my eye.

Around 14 or 15 miles in, I started to feel like my feet were very heavy and like I was dragging.

Somehow, even with all the rest days prior to this run, I still felt tired. But I was mentally in a good place, so I just resolved to go slowly and keep moving.

I've had runs where I was so tired that I just wanted to be done already. But over the years I've realized that embracing the moment is even more crucial when tired. If you're a runner, you're going to have days where you feel heavy, whether it's expected or not. You'll have to keep dragging on tired feet regardless. Focusing on the moment and enjoying your surroundings is just much more pleasant than wishing for a run to be over. 

This run ended up being a better mental exercise than physical exercise for me, since I was able to maintain a positive mindset the whole way, even though I wished my pace had been better.

When I neared Union on the Templeton Gap Trail, I decided to add one more park to my day. I connected from the trail into the west side of Palmer Park, climbing directly to the small overlook along Palmer Point.

As soon as I got onto the dirt trail in Palmer, I realized this was going to be a sloppy, slow mile. The trails all throughout the Garden had been solid - the rainwater had been soaked up by the red sand and made a packed surface that was solid - not muddy at all. However, in Palmer Park, the rain had saturated the trails so much that the silt had become clay. It was thick, sticky mud that accumulated on your feet.

I laughed that my last few miles would slow my average pace down even more. But I enjoyed the trail and the fresh mist in the air that wasn't quite rain yet.

Finally, I made it home. My total for the day was 21 miles! This loop was another great one, filled with so much beauty in our local Colorado Springs city parks. What an unbeatable place to live!

***

Sunday, August 21st:

We enjoyed our hike in Florissant so much that we decided to get up early and head up there again. We left early enough to look for meteors again, but just as we arrived, the clear skies clouded over within minutes.

No matter, as the sun came up, another gorgeous Colorado dawn greeted us.

This time, we walked on the Shootin' Star Trail.

As we headed back towards town, the back side of Pikes Peak had a huge thunderhead forming above.

Then, in the afternoon, Alex got us a fancy takeout lunch from Red Lobster in celebration of our wedding anniversary. 💑 We went on a drive out east and sat on the plains, eating and watching the clouds pass by on the other side of the mountains.

Top: The back side of Pikes Peak, near Divide. Bottom: The same clouds as viewed from the eastern plains, near Calhan.

It was a reflective and peaceful day 😌. 

Later on, I did some dumbbell press-outs and lightweight squats, just to keep a bit of strength training in the mix.

***

Wow, that was a long post for a regular weekly update. It was really a lovely week!

Week of August 7th through August 14th, 2022

Sunday, August 7th:

8 miles, in the hot afternoon.

***

Monday, August 8th:

8.5 miles, in the cool, yet somewhat humid, evening.

***

Tuesday, August 9th:

Dumbbell overhead presses (neutral grip), and dumbbell curls.

***

Wednesday, August 10th:

One hour on the elliptical.

Felt easy, but my knees were a bit wobbly afterwards. 

***

Thursday, August 11th:

8.5 miles. It felt super hot to me today, and the temperature said a high of 88. But everyone I talked to said "oh it isn't so hot." It felt so hot to me!

I delayed until late afternoon to get my run in, and still felt really parched by the end.

Later, I did a few inclined push-ups. Trying to get back to doing more bodyweight supplemental exercises. 

***

Friday, August 12th:

One hour on the elliptical. I have a bit of cumulative fatigue/ soreness today. I'll take it easy tomorrow. 

***

Saturday, August 13th:

A nice excursion to Woodland Park with the family for a short hike on the Lovell Gultch Trail.

The trail was lined with so many cool wildflowers and mushrooms! 🍄 

***

Sunday, August 14th:

8 miles at the park, 1000 feet elevation gain. I went after a little summer shower, so it wasn't as hot as it could have been at the outset. But the temperature returned to the 80s by the end of my run.

I'll try to do some light weights or bodyweight exercises this evening.

***

A nice summer week, although I had no major mountain trips or long runs this time around. Hopefully next week will be a big one!

My big Mays Peak loop - Week of July 29th to August 5th, 2022

***

Saturday, July 30th:

8 miles on the flats, followed by dips & pullups at home.

I'd like to do a little more weightlifting in coming weeks; I've been slacking a little on lifting as my summer mileage has ramped up.

***

Sunday, July 31st:

8 miles, at Palmer, in the evening.

***

Tuesday, August 2nd:

Yesterday was just a basic rest day/ walk, and same for today. We met my parents at Columbine Open Space! Now that they're back here in Colorado, it's nice to do some hiking with them.

We did about 1.5 miles total, an easy start for my folks who are still readjusting to the altitude here.

***

Wednesday, August 3rd:

7.6 miles, mostly flat (eastern Rock Island Trail). Very hot today!

***

Thursday, August 4th:

I set out early this morning from home, with the goal of at least 20 miles. I was a little tired from the 7.6 yesterday afternoon in the heat, but nothing too unmanageable.

I ran west along Rock Island Trail to Monument Valley Park, crossing the bridge and running along the west side of the park until the underpass at Fontanero, where I crossed under I-25 and connected to Sondermann Park and the Mesa Valley Trail.

From Mesa Valley, I joined the neighborhood trail that took me through Pioneer Park and dumped me out onto King St., the perfect connection to the west side. King Street brought me quickly to 30th, where I joined the bike path for a quick minute before crossing Hwy 24 at 31st.

Here, I entered Red Rock Canyon Open Space at the 31st Street trailhead.

The fun part of the day was just getting started!! I would now be on rocky, climby trails. Instead of joining the flatter and smoother Hogback Valley Trail in Red Rock Canyon, I immediately turned off onto the Codell Trail.

The Codell Trail is a rocky, narrow single-track that climbs along the very easternmost hogback uplift in the park. It is an exposed ridge that's really fun to run along, with big views of the city to the east.

White sandstone, rather than the rusty red, makes up the top of the ridgeline. This white sandstone is part of the Niobrara Formation, which was deposited during the time that Colorado was underneath the Western Interior Seaway during the late Cretaceous. It's cool to run along a ridge that contains prehistoric fossils of an ancient ocean!

By now, I was about 8 miles in and the mid-morning sun was beginning to get pretty toasty! Good heat training, I thought. My greatest concern was crossing paths with a rattlesnake, so I kept a careful eye on the trail and listened for any warning rattles.

I followed the Codell Trail all the way to where it tops out at an overlook. I could see all of Red Rock Canyon down below! What a beautiful day!

Top: Codell Trail in Red Rock Canyon follows the easternmost uplift, which is a white sandstone ridgeline. Bottom: The overlook of Red Rock Canyon, near where the Codell Trail tops out.

After a brief pause at the overlook, I continued on the trail labeled "to Section 16." Although the main Section 16 trail is closed due to a rock slide, the Red Rock Canyon-Section 16 connector trail is still open.

All the way along, I had amazing views of the Old Gods of the mountains - the Pikes Peak granite uplifts dotting the foothills, beyond the red rock sandstone formations of the canyon.

Section 16 connector trail with Pikes Peak granite uplifts decorating the foothills. 

I dropped down into the Section 16 parking area and quickly connected to the base of High Drive. This would be the longest, most sustained climb of the day. Fortunately, an occasional breeze helped me feel slightly less hot.

And the Colorado wildflowers are still in full bloom! I love watching the different types of flowers blossoming throughout the summer.

Some clouds began to form over the mountains to the west of me, partly shading Specimen Rock and the Tenney Crags.

After what felt like quite a long climb, I finally attained the High Drive saddle, and my high point for the day. From here, you can connect to the deep mountains by going west on the 667 trail - a way I often go. But for today, it was time to head downhill to the east, and back towards home.

I joined the 665 trail that encircles Mays Peak. This trail eventually joins Gold Camp Road, not far above the pavement.

I enjoyed the views to the north and east as I began the slow descent on the trail. The heat of the day really began to hit hard on this part of the trail, though!! Even the occasional wind was hot, like opening the door to an oven.

As the trail winds around the base of Mays Peak, it turns south and provides an excellent view of all of North Cheyenne Cañon. 

I could see many of my favorite distant mountains, including Almagre in the far background.

After winding around to the south, the 665 trail descends more rapidly towards Gold Camp Road. At the road, I got one last good view of the whole Cañon before cutting down through the neighborhood to Bear Creek Park.

Once I was on the east side of the Bear Creek Regional Trail, I turned around and looked back at the foothills which I'd just come from. They seemed so distant already!

Top: View of North Cheyenne Cañon, nearing Gold Camp Road on trail 665. Bottom: View back to the mountains from the eastern Bear Creek Regional trail. 

The remainder of my run was simple. Perhaps not easy, but definitely simple. I connected to the Pikes Peak Greenway at the trail underpass next to the 8th street Walmart, and took the Greenway home.

I landed on my doorstep with a total of exactly 26.21 miles!! A full marathon, with about 3400 feet of climbing. More than I'd expected when I set out, but I'd succeeded in getting this big Mays Peak loop route done. ✔ And my two-day total was more than 33 miles. 

What a lovely day for this run. ☺ Good heat training with some refreshing mountain views. The whole thing took around 7 hours, which is on par with my previous runs of this distance, at altitude and with elevation gain.

And I got my fill of views (for now)! I hope this run will fix the long-run itch for a little while. I am looking forward to hitting the ultra-distances as soon as I can, with maybe another long run as soon as next week.

***

Friday, August 4th:

I don't feel overly sore from yesterday's long one at all. My left hip is a little sore, and my shoulders are slightly achy from carrying the heavy pack, but these minor aches weren't even very bothersome. I'll take that as a win!

Today we visited the Paint Mines Interpretive Park, and did a walk which was around 2.5 miles.

What a great recovery day with my family.

***

A nice week since my return to town! I'm looking forward to more big adventures soon.

Vegas vacation photo album

This isn't a typical blog post from me! The last week has been busy with helping my folks move back to Colorado from Arizona.

But on the way down to Phoenix, Alex and I traveled to Las Vegas first, and took a couple days to visit the sights and sounds of the city. 

I had such a blast walking the strip at night and seeing all the lights, then visiting Fremont Street as well!

The story of our travels (in photos):

I ran a last chance 10k in Palmer Park the afternoon/ evening before we departed. (Wednesday the 20th)

We traveled west on I-70 through western Colorado and watched the landscape change from high mountains to mesas.

I-70 west travels from Colorado through Utah, where we picked up the I-15, which cuts through the corner of Arizona before entering Nevada. 

We still wore our masks when we walked the strip, since it was pretty crowded as it was a Saturday.

Sunset on the Las Vegas strip.

Some cool Vegas landmarks. 

Saturday night on the strip! Just about as many cars below as pedestrians above.

Our last stop on the Vegas tour was Fremont Street. Very colorful!

After our night in Vegas, we continued on to Phoenix and spent a couple days moving my parents back here. That was enough of a workout within itself!

I finally got back to my regularly scheduled running routine, getting 7 miles (flat) on Thursday the 28th.

Now that I'm home, and the weather has cooled off a bit, I've got my sights set on some upcoming ultramarathon adventures! More soon!

Week of July 11th to July 18th, 2022

Monday, July 11th:

A lovely rest day, with a family walk in the evening of a couple miles at Spruce Meadows Open Space.

Another amazing Colorado sunset at Spruce Meadows Open Space with the family. 

I love this open space, it's one of the better-kept local secrets. 🤫 It consists of open high prairies and views of the surrounding mesas.

I've run the 8-mile loop around this open space a number of times in the past. The rolling prairie is a gentler run than the mountains, but just as pretty.

***

Tuesday, July 12th:

Machine pull-downs and machine chest press in today's weight session. Even with the equipment, I always try to go slow and really contract the muscles involved.

I followed up with 45 minutes on the exercise bike, at a casual speed.

***

Wednesday, July 13th:

Wow, an amazing afternoon/evening run!

Over 1700 feet elevation gain.

It was very hot at the outset, 91.3 degrees as the photo shows. But the overcast skies kept the punishing sun away; it was a great heat-training day. I like to incorporate some hot-day training runs, to feel comfortable keeping a steady pace in 90-degree heat.

I ran up Palmer Point trail along the west side of Palmer Park, connecting to Marconi Heights, then Austin Bluffs Open Space.

Overcast skies made 91-degree weather tolerable, even pleasant. Palmer Point (top & middle), and Marconi Heights (bottom). 

From Austin Bluffs Open Space, I ran out to the overlook. Sitting atop for a few minutes, I looked out towards the mountains. 

I visually mapped the rest of my route for today, and looked beyond, for a future upcoming run. I have in the works a 45-mile route that will trace what I did today, then continue north-westward to connect to Ute Valley Park, South Blodgett Peak, and up to Rampart Range Road. Then I'd descend all the way down to Balanced Rock before connecting back home through the Garden.

Today, I wanted to try out the connection to Ute Valley Park, from a trailhead I'd never been to before.

So I climbed down from the overlook and connected to the primary trail through Austin Bluffs Open Space, jogging west and bypassing the Windmill Project on UCCS, with Pulpit Rock in the background.

I kept on the trail and went through the student tunnel at University Village, linking into the Pikes Peak Greenway for a moment. I soon switched to sidewalks until ProRodeo Drive, where I would latch into the eastern Ute Valley Park trailhead.

I didn't even realize this trailhead existed until recently. On the Google map, it doesn't show that this trail is even part of Ute Valley, unless you zoom way in and you notice a small waypoint called "Ute Valley Parking and Hiking Trailhead 2."

When I arrived, the trail was marked "Black and Blue Loop." I entered this part of the trail just ahead of a couple cyclists.

The trail rolled up and down, along pine tree-lined trail. There were a couple neat rock formations, and then Blodgett Peak came into view through the trees.

Views from the overlook at Austin Bluffs Open Space (top); the Windmill Project with Pulpit Rock  behind (bottom); and the Black & Blue Loop looking towards Blodgett Peak (right).

When I do the 45-mile day, I'll continue on this trail through the main Ute Valley, all the way to the northwest corner, when I'll cross Centennial Blvd and quickly connect to the S. Blodgett trailhead.

But for today, I stuck to the Black & Blue Loop. I could hear the cyclists behind me. I was instantly enthusiastic. This was a fun challenge! Even though cycling is generally faster on flats and downhills, this trail had a number of somewhat rocky, albeit short, climbs. I would quickly drop the cyclists on the climbs.

I after I popped out of the Black & Blue Loop, I turned southwest on the trail toward Piñon Valley Park.

Here, the cyclists had taken a pause, and I asked them if they had been the ones just behind me since the trailhead. They said "yes, we almost caught you, but you were too steady." This was the biggest compliment I could have gotten!! My pace was so consistent that I had bested the "challenge" I'd set for myself to stay in the lead of the cyclists.

I took a last look to the trail that continued to the northwest, the route that I'll be taking when I head toward the Blodgett Peak portion of my 45-mile planned escapade.

Instead, I climbed on a trail - I believe it was actually named "Winding Woods Trail" - through the woods to the Piñon Park trail entrance. Then, I ran through the neighborhood for a short time, crossing Garden of the Gods Blvd and linking into the Sinton Trail, which I took back to the Pikes Peak Greenway and home. These trails will also make up a portion of my future big loop route, too.

With the long daylight hours, I was even able to make it home during the nautical twilight this evening, with bright yellow light still beaming from behind the Rampart Range. The orange-glowing moon was just beginning to rise. 

I accomplished over 17 miles in town today, and saw some new trail connections for the loop that I have planned 😀. I practiced jogging at a pace that I'd be able to do the whole 45-mile loop at, and it was just under 14 minutes per mile. Based upon this data, allowing myself some extra time for stops and photos and the major climb through the National Forest towards Ormes Peak, I think I would be able to do the 45-mile loop in about 12 hours. This gives me an average pace of around 16 minutes per mile.

Here is the planned route:

It might be a couple weeks before I have time to complete this route, but it's nice to have all the plans worked out! 😊 

***

Thursday, July 14th:

I noticed only mild sorness from the 17 miles yesterday. So I did the elliptical for a little while at an easy pace, just to loosen up, and ended up doing 2 hours and 15 minutes total, (with a few breaks!)

***

Friday, July 15th:

11 miles total today, split between two runs. I don't usually do "doubles," but that's just how it worked out today. First was a walk/jog of 5 miles, with a more consistently-paced 10k later on. Mostly flat today!! Also a few front raises, with only 10 lb weights.

***

Saturday, July 16th:

7 miles, mostly flat. This is shaping up to be a good week!

***

Sunday, July 17th:

Rest day.

***

Monday, July 18th:

Back to the trails for another solid 12-miler.

I wanted to pad my run with some extra mileage at the outset, heading out-and-back to Grandview Overlook on the road.

Then, it was all trail for the rest of the miles, heading down through Greencrest, up Marconi Heights, and back down the dirt road to UCCS where I joined the Tava Trail. I finally returned to Palmer Point Trail to wrap up my day.

12-miler on July 18th.

It was mostly overcast, but still fairly hot. No rain or drizzle this evening. I didn't bring water and felt fine the whole way, even 12 miles in 80-degree heat, so I think I'm adjusting to the hotter summer temperatures pretty well.

I feel like my weight is in a good spot, too. Not too bulky for the trails, but muscular enough to power up extensive climbs. I was sitting right at 139 lbs after returning from this run. 

This was a good, solid week. I'm really feeling confident about my upcoming long runs!!

I hope to be approaching the 40-mile distance soon. But first, I have to head out west to Arizona for a week or so. I'll be pretty busy, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to fit any running in, but we will see!

Week of July 3rd to July 10th, 2022

Sunday, July 3rd:

Gym day! Side lateral raises and kettlebell toe squats. Those toe squats sure do feel helpful for lower leg and even plantar strengthening.

***

Monday, July 4th:

My first run since my big one on the 30th. A midday recovery run of 10k. It was hot out, but windy enough that I didn't feel too overheated. But when I got back and stopped running, I felt like I was covered in a sheet of water. Warm day!

Also, since they closed the park to vehicles for the 4th, I had the run of the roads, which was nice.

***

Tuesday, July 5th:

We went with the kids to Elevenmile Reservoir, and walked about 3 miles around the lake. It was overcast but not too cold.

It was another lovely day that made me so thankful for living in this amazing state. There's so much beauty to see!

***

Wednesday, July 6th:

Full sets of barbell bicep curls first. Then, rotating pushups into planks. Basically, when I'd start to feel fatigued from the pushups, I'd go into a high plank and hold it for as long as I could. I didn't time them this session, just trying to stick it out until my abdominals felt like they couldn't take anymore. Also a good workout for the transverse abdominus.

***

Thursday, July 7th:

80 minutes on the elliptical. A nice cross-training day.

***

Friday, July 8th:

10.7 miles, beginning with a run up to the small hill along Palmer Point.

This small hill is actually a superb overlook spot. I looked for a minute to take it all in.

Up on top, I could see my whole world. It was peaceful, with distant storms over the far back side of Pikes Peak. The clouds weren't threatening and the birds were singing.

I could see parts of all my recent long run routes. Almagre, Mt. Rosa, and landmarks like Garden of the Gods, where I spent a fun summer working as park safety.

It was just a gorgeous evening to reflect for a few moments on everywhere I've been and how far I've come in this life.

Then, I climbed the northern mesa to the top of the park. At the top, I was treated to the most gorgeous sunset! Wherever they were, people had stopped along the trail to take it in.

Then I ran out to Grandview and back twice, watching the distant storms over the Rampart Range. The lightning was impressive!! As I wrapped up my run, the storm seemed to be slowly encroaching on the town, but I was already home safe, showered and relaxing 😎. 

***

Sunday, July 10th:

Over 8 miles in Palmer at sunset.

I was fascinated that, at the start time of astronomical twilight, the sky was still exceptionally bright. Although astronomical twilight is often indistinguishable from night in many cities, this evening the setting sun illuminated the clouds above the mountains. Interestingly, my phone camera couldn't pick up how bright it really was to the eyes.

Every sunset is unique 😍! I wish I could experience them all while running, but I love to see them when I can.

***

All in all, a nice week. No upcoming big runs on the menu quite yet, as I've got a few busy weeks ahead. But I have a few ideas 💡 kicking around for later in the month!