Red and Green

Red and Green?  The question a waiter asks when you order enchiladas?  Nope.  Shorthand for the last two days of running.


Wednesday - Red


Distance:  6 miles
Time:  54 minutes
Effort:  Hard(ish)
Body: Average
Weather: Sunny and warm

Afternoon run squeezed in between work and family stuff.  I was pressed for time and figured I could squeeze in a run right off I-70. So, I pulled off and parked in the park-and-ride just west of the hogback.

I headed up a steep trail to the ridge line of the hogback and started heading south on the rugged, very-rocky trail.  I figured I had enough time to loop over to Red Rocks, pick up the Red Rocks Trail and cruise back to the car via Matthew Winters Open Space.

I dropped down off the hogback on a now-closed paved road and ran over to Red Rocks.  I forgot I had about another mile of road running to get to the trail that would lead me back north. Now I was going to be late.

What was supposed to be an easy-paced effort quickly morphed into a tempo effort run up around the Fountain Formation rock outcropping and up to the Red Rocks Trail.  Once on the trail, the real cruising began as the trail flattens out with some easy undulation.

Made it back to the car about 10 minutes behind schedule.  Nothing some creative driving couldn't cure.

879 feet o' elevation gain.

Thursday - Green


Distance:  6.02 miles
Time:  1:19
Effort: Easy
Body: Fair
Weather:  Sunny and warm

Looked at the day's calendar on the way into Boulder and realized the only chance I'd have to run was first thing in the morning (gotta remember that for the future...who knew?).  So, I hung a left at Baseline and soon was parking at Chautauqua and gazing up at Green Mountain.

I had hoped to run the loop up Bear Canyon to the top of Green and down the backside, but there wasn't time.  Instead, I opted to head up the frontside and down the back.

I took it easy on the ascent, knowing there was no point in punishing myself after the last two days of fairly hard running.  Hiked a lot, ran the flattish stuff.  Tagged the summit marker in about 41 and change.

Had a really nice time on the descent. Weather/temps were perfect.  Surprisingly, I came across a lot of uncommunicative, grumpy hikers.  Decided it must have been Dour Day on Green today.

Great way to start the day.

2,506 feet o' elevation gain.