Thanks.

Every once in a while, usually out of nowhere, I get the urge to say, "thanks."  Just a simple thanks.  Thanks for everything we take for granted.   Thanks for family, friends and good health.  Thanks for clean water, clean air and big chunks of public land. Thanks for the trails. Thanks for good books. Thanks for a great job and great colleagues. Just...thanks...for everything.

Today, that urge to say thanks came during a six-mile tempo run along the Platte River bike path from LoDo. No doubt, the feeling came as a result of the 65-degree, sunny day, combined with the energy surge that came as a result of the lunch run. Oh, and thanks for Illegal Pete's burritos.

Thanks for the Saturday run up the Manitou Incline (30:31).

 Thanks for the run from the top of the Incline to Barr Camp.  And a big thanks to the woman that stepped out to make sure I wasn't too cold in my running shorts.

Thanks to the batteries in my headlamp that lasted just long enough (barely) to see me safely down to the Cog Railway and my car.

Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs from the Ws on the Barr Trail

Thanks to City of Denver voters that early in the 20th Century voted to tax themselves in order to preserve mountain tops, ridge lines and riverways in the foothills. Today, those lands are Denver Mountain Parks.

Thanks to Denver Mountain Parks for buying and protecting Elephant Butte. The views from up there are unmatched in the foothills.

Mt. Evans Group from the top of Elephant Butte

Looking down on Evergreen Lake from Elephant Butte

Thanks to the Mountain Area Land Trust for doing what it can to make sure there's room for elk in the foothills and beyond, even as we squeeze more and more people into their habitat.

This modest sized bull and his harem of cows and yearlings were grazing in our 'hood Sunday.

Thanks for reading.

The Week That Was...November 14-20

Were it not for the schedule-induced (er...the "I hate running early during the week") gaps, this would have been a solid week.  If not solid from a mileage standpoint, the week was solid from a quality standpoint with some tempo and a good long run.

Monday - 7.1 miles; 50:56 - Worked from the LoDo office. Got out on the Cherry Creek bike path, pressed for time, just as it was getting dark. Was feeling a bit lackadaisical, but decided to get after it a wee bit. No warm-up. Just started going.  The miles went like this (7:16, 7:00; 7:09; 7:15; 6:33; 6:20).

Tuesday - 7.2 miles; 60:00(ish) - Long day at work, but managed a trip to the rec center around 7:30 p.m.  Hopped on the treadmill.  Did five miles at 8:06 pace at 1%, 4%, 1%, 5%, 1%, than a mile at 6:58 at 1% and a c/d mile at 9:5 at 1%.  Jumped into a lower body workout post-run (squats, abductor/adductor, dumbell lunges, etc...)

Wednesday - off


Thursday - 5.26 miles; 36:37 - Squeezed in a quick run from the LoDo office on the Cherry Creek and South Platte bike paths. Just aimed for getting in five miles (7:22, 6:59; 6:35; 6:42; 6:23; .26 c/d) before I had to leave to head back to Evergreen for a land trust board meeting.

Friday - Planned on running. Even had the shorts on for most of the afternoon. Just couldn't get away. Frustrating.

Saturday - 20.48 miles; 3:03; 1,455 feet o' elevation gain - Woody A. hosted a fabulous run at his place in Highlands Ranch. A great group of 16 area runners gathered for a jaunt in the Highlands Ranch Backcountry. True to word, there actually is some backcountry there. Tons of trails, too.  I was surprised at how much there is to run out beyond and within that vast subdivision. We were treated to a post-run feast at Woody's place.  Many, many thanks to Tanya and Woody for hosting us all. It was really great to re-connect with friends and make new ones. And, it was swell to put a few new faces to blog personas - Chris B., Wyatt H.

Most of crew pauses for a pic at the tail-end of Saturday's run.

Sunday - 8.39 miles; 1:44; 1,693 feet o' elevation gain - A.M. - JP and I went to a morning yoga class, my first-ever exercise class of any kind...ever.  Hell of a workout. Tons of stretching, sweating and core work. Very satisfying, and humbling.  P.M. - Early evening run up and around the upper loop on Bergen Peak. Took Maya with me. Got about 30 minutes in and had to break out the headlamp. Ran easy due to snow/ice in the trees and upper ridge. I was amazed at how well Maya navigated the dark trail (and surrounding environs) in the dark. Sure would be great to have eyes that functioned that well in the darkness.