Monday, April 23, 2012

The Week That Was - 4/15 - 4/21. Decent.

A decent week.
  • Six runs; one day off
  • 72.58 miles
  • 9,982 feet o' elevation gain
  • 11:27 spent running
  • One yoga session
  • Daily foam rolling & hip mobility/strengthening exercise routines
Sunday:  A.M. - 1.5-hour yoga session.  P.M. - Bergen Peak Summit (2:04; 12 miles; 2,199 feet o' elevation gain) - Backyard route with Maya to the 9,800-foot summit of our local peak.  Even after not being on a long run in a while, Maya ran strong, leading up and down. Nice and quiet out with a light snow falling.

Maya. Dog tired. Post-run.
Monday:  Off.  Crazy schedule between work and family obligations.

Tuesday:  Bergen Peak Upper Loop (1:17; 7.96 miles; 1,681 feet o' elevation gain) - Neighborhood access route to Meadow View Trail, then climbed the southeastern flank of the mountain via a social trail. Great views of Mt. Evans.

Looking west toward Mt. Evans from southern side of Bergen Peak.
Wednesday:  Bergen Peak Upper Loop (1:31; 9 miles; 1,844 feet o' elevation gain) - From the lower lot at Elk Meadow Open Space.

Thursday:  Marshall Mesa Loop (2:19; 16.42 miles; 977 feet o' elevation gain) - Big loop starting early morning from Marshall Mesa parking lot across from convenience store on road to Eldorado Canyon. Ran most of this loop during the Southside 50K fun run back in January. I guessed it would be about 12 miles. I was about four miles wrong in that guess. Took the pace way easy, just jogging most of the time. Felt good on the run, but a bit bored now and then with the wide-open terrain.  Failed to bring any water or nutrition. Mistake.

The Flatirons from somewhere on Marshall Mesa
Friday:  Alderfer-Three Sisters (1:03; 6.16 miles; 857 feet o' elevation gain) - Easy run from the lower lot around the Sisters rock formation via the Secret Trail, down into Blair Ranch, then back up through the meadow at the base of Evergreen Mountain and back to the lower lot. Nice jog.


Old homestead barn on the Mountain Muhly Trail in Alderfer-Three Sisters
Saturday:  Troublesome Gulch - Soda Creek - Elk Meadow (3:11; 20.03 miles; 2,406 feet o' elevation gain). Easy paced long run around North Evergreen. Nice mix of trail, paved roads, dirt roads and bike paths. Ran with DW, who is training for his first ultra, the Greenland 50K. Pace was very easy.

I'm still taking it easy due to a twitchy right IT band. That means no speedwork and minimal intensity on my runs.  I toss in a few fartleks now and then on undulating trail, and have run a few sets of trail miles in the low 6s, but that's about it intensity-wise.

The week prior, I spent an hour on a "massage" table at In Motion Rehabilitation in Boulder enduring, literally, the most intense pain I have ever experienced as Shirley dug into my hips, glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves. The goal: to loosen up muscles that have been overly tight for years. I'm planning on similar sessions every two weeks in hopes that it will help break my streak of injuries. Additionally, I am making foam rolling and a variety of hip/glute/core strengthening/mobility exercises part of my daily routine.  Finally, I plan to continue twice-a-week yoga sessions, and add in at least one gym weight-lifting session.

The goal:  start August's Leadville 100 healthy.

3 comments:

  1. That's a great week of running Jim! Love seeing you get out on some adventures. Just under 4 months until Pb time...keep up the great work and you'll be on that start line 100% healthy and ready to leave me in the dust.

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  2. Been nice to get out. Eager to get out for harder runs, though. One step at a time... And, I don't see leaving you in any dust, man! You're running strong. Just look at Pb last year and Moab this year. Watch out!

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  3. Health is a good goal. As you say ... one step. at. a. time.

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