With yesterday indicating most systems were go, I decided to give the Achilles a longer break and get out for something long and flat.
Time: 2:35
Distance: 20 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Fair
Weather: Chilly and sunny
Starting from the Goodson Rec Center at 7 a.m., ran the mostly-flat, crushed-gravel surfaced Highline Canal with Patrick G., Steve G., Lori, Kelly and one other woman whose name I forgot. We all ran together for the first few miles, then broke up into distance/pace groups with Patrick, Steve and I cruising on ahead.
Patrick turned back at about 8.5 miles since he had a 30 mile run planned for way-dark o'clock tonight. Steve and I toiled on to the 10-mile mark and turned around. I soon was dashing into the shrubs for a bio break and Steve, who's training for the Las Vegas Marathon, motored on. Once back on the path, I ran a few miles at around 6:20, but just didn't have it in me to run him down.
Finished about three minutes behind.
Achilles felt fine. Feeling the fatigue now, though.
Perfect running weather.
Showing posts with label Highline Canal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Highline Canal. Show all posts
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Saturday, December 19 -- HIghline Canal
Time: 5:35
Distance: 35 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Cool and sunny
Today's run was the longest run I've ever done...35 miles. Left the house around 5 a.m. to meet up with Steve G. for a long run on Denver's Highline Canal Trail. This mid-December run is an annual tradition with Steve and Kris L. Well, it's a budding tradition since this is the second annual Winter Highline Canal 50-mile Run. My plan was to run 30-35 miles, figuring biting off 50 miles at this stage of my training wouldn't be wise (and, I don't know that I could have made it another 15 miles, without entering the realm of pure agony).
Steve and I dropped my car at the 22-mile mark and headed over to the Highlands Ranch area where we hooked up with Kris, Phil K. and Thad, a friend of Steve's who was joining us for the first 13 miles. We set off together right around 6:30 a.m., with the morning light just beginning to kiss the eastern sky.
Our goal was to keep the pace easy, with a target pace of 9:20. Steve's wife, Kathi, was going to meet us at a couple of spots along the route for reprovisioning. The first 12 miles or so went quick and before I knew it we were at the Goodson Rec Center in Greenwood Village. We picked up some food, dropped some gear with Kathi and headed off. The sun now was up and the air was beginning to warm. It sure felt good to be running in shorts again.
Around the 20-mile mark, the dirt path along the canal turned to pavement. Kathi met us again around mile 23, near the location where I'd parked my car a few hours prior. My plan was to run a few more miles with the crew and turn around and run back to my car. Soon after setting off from rendezvous #2, I decided to aim for an even 35 miles. So, seven more miles on the pavement. When the Garmin clicked 29 miles, I said farewell to Steve, Kris and Phil and returned to my car. Those three were going the whole distance...50 miles. I managed to hold a low-to-mid 9 minute pace back to the car, but the last three miles were pretty damn uncomfortable. I was ready to be done.
Just over five and a half hours after we started, I was back at my car and pining for a burrito and the protein dosage it would provide.
I'm glad to know I can run for 35 miles, since the February Moab 50K is right about that distance (34 miles). The catch, of course, is that the Highline Canal is flat and the Moab course most certainly is not.
Can't wait to hear how the last 21 miles went for Steve, Kris and Phil.
Distance: 35 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Cool and sunny
Today's run was the longest run I've ever done...35 miles. Left the house around 5 a.m. to meet up with Steve G. for a long run on Denver's Highline Canal Trail. This mid-December run is an annual tradition with Steve and Kris L. Well, it's a budding tradition since this is the second annual Winter Highline Canal 50-mile Run. My plan was to run 30-35 miles, figuring biting off 50 miles at this stage of my training wouldn't be wise (and, I don't know that I could have made it another 15 miles, without entering the realm of pure agony).
Steve and I dropped my car at the 22-mile mark and headed over to the Highlands Ranch area where we hooked up with Kris, Phil K. and Thad, a friend of Steve's who was joining us for the first 13 miles. We set off together right around 6:30 a.m., with the morning light just beginning to kiss the eastern sky.
Our goal was to keep the pace easy, with a target pace of 9:20. Steve's wife, Kathi, was going to meet us at a couple of spots along the route for reprovisioning. The first 12 miles or so went quick and before I knew it we were at the Goodson Rec Center in Greenwood Village. We picked up some food, dropped some gear with Kathi and headed off. The sun now was up and the air was beginning to warm. It sure felt good to be running in shorts again.
Around the 20-mile mark, the dirt path along the canal turned to pavement. Kathi met us again around mile 23, near the location where I'd parked my car a few hours prior. My plan was to run a few more miles with the crew and turn around and run back to my car. Soon after setting off from rendezvous #2, I decided to aim for an even 35 miles. So, seven more miles on the pavement. When the Garmin clicked 29 miles, I said farewell to Steve, Kris and Phil and returned to my car. Those three were going the whole distance...50 miles. I managed to hold a low-to-mid 9 minute pace back to the car, but the last three miles were pretty damn uncomfortable. I was ready to be done.
Just over five and a half hours after we started, I was back at my car and pining for a burrito and the protein dosage it would provide.
I'm glad to know I can run for 35 miles, since the February Moab 50K is right about that distance (34 miles). The catch, of course, is that the Highline Canal is flat and the Moab course most certainly is not.
Can't wait to hear how the last 21 miles went for Steve, Kris and Phil.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Saturday, November 28 - Highline Canal
Time: 3:05
Distance: 22 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Chilly
Got up early and met Steve G. and Kathy G. at 6 a.m. for a run on Denver's Highline Canal, a 66-mile canal, constructed from 1880-3, that runs northeast from Waterton Canyon to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal near Denver International Airport.
We parked at the Goodson Recreation Center in Greenwood Village and ran northeast on the canal path for 10.75 miles before turning around and running back to the car.
I'd never before been on the canal trail, but will be back soon. The path, which drops in elevation only about 32 feet over its entire 66-mile length, is nearly flat (a few very short and gentle hills are on the path, but not the canal) and the surface is dirt and crushed gravel. Aside from a few bike tire ruts now frozen in what was mud, it's a perfect running surface. A nice change from the hilly routes I've been doing recently for my long runs.
Steve and I ran the 22 miles at an easy, conversational pace, ending with an 8:35 per mile average pace. And, since we started the run so early, we were done and home by 10:30 a.m. or so.
Many thanks, Steve, for introducing me to the Highline Canal trail.
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