A lot of easy running with a dastardly long run on the Mesa Trail to end the week. I've started to trim down my runs per week to four rather than five, giving me more time for recovery. My left knee didn't hurt all week, which I think is a result of fewer run days.
Tuesday - 6 mi (51:18) - Easy run around Twin Lakes loop. Started running this counter clockwise to mix it up a bit and seemed to help.
Thursday - 6 mi (47:05) - Speed work (3 x 1600m @7:30's) around Celestial. Ended strong and felt like a could throw another one in.
Saturday - 6 mi (52:57) - Easy run around Twin Lakes loop. Ok, starting to get bored with this run - even counter clockwise.
Sunday - 14 mi (2:42, 3,250 ft) - Long run on Mesa Trail. This being the second time running the full trail and with last week's haunting experience, I entered with trepidation. Kept a conservative pace up the first ascent, which helped reserve some juice for the SOB ascent on the way back. Ran the whole thing without hiking, pretty jazz. The cool weather helped.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Weekly Update: 5/16 – 5/22
This week has been an arduous one in that I’ve been dealing with a continued left knee problem. For the past couple of weeks, it seemed to be fine with the right amount of stretching. Though, this week’s pain is somewhat different. It feels like a crunchy joint issue and I can’t really tell if it’s still an iliotibial band problem or a patellofemoral-type deal. In any case, I regretfully abandoned my long run toward the end of the week to give my knee a chance to rehabilitate. In all, this week was weak in mileage, but strong in recovery. So, with any luck, I’ll be able to jump back into my normal routine next week.
Monday – 3 mi (23:15) – Easy run around Celestial - Though, it became rather spirited toward the last half. It was fun to let the feet fly.
Wednesday – 5.3 mi (49:00) Easy run on Twin Lakes loop – Took this one really easy. I haven’t been running my easy runs at a truly easy/slow pace, so this was a nice departure.
Thursday – 7 mi tempo run (52:32) Celestial Loop – Out of the gate, I felt strong so I made my warm-up mile quicker than usual (8:16) followed by rather silly increases (7:30s on avg). I ended this run feeling strong, which for speed/tempo runs, this hasn’t been the modus operandi.
Saturday – 2 mil (18:24) Easy run Twin Lakes loop – This was meant to be a 6 miler, but my left knee was feeling terrible. The outer side was truly painful, sadly reducing me to a walk. The day prior, my knee was somewhat achy, but I felt confident in being able to put mileage on it. That notion was obviously an over-confident one.
I may not skate as much as I once did, but I’ll always be a skateboarder. Let me leave you with arguably one of the most endearing skateboarders of all time, Rudy Johnson….”Dude, like, dude, like, like, bro….”
Monday – 3 mi (23:15) – Easy run around Celestial - Though, it became rather spirited toward the last half. It was fun to let the feet fly.
Wednesday – 5.3 mi (49:00) Easy run on Twin Lakes loop – Took this one really easy. I haven’t been running my easy runs at a truly easy/slow pace, so this was a nice departure.
Thursday – 7 mi tempo run (52:32) Celestial Loop – Out of the gate, I felt strong so I made my warm-up mile quicker than usual (8:16) followed by rather silly increases (7:30s on avg). I ended this run feeling strong, which for speed/tempo runs, this hasn’t been the modus operandi.
Saturday – 2 mil (18:24) Easy run Twin Lakes loop – This was meant to be a 6 miler, but my left knee was feeling terrible. The outer side was truly painful, sadly reducing me to a walk. The day prior, my knee was somewhat achy, but I felt confident in being able to put mileage on it. That notion was obviously an over-confident one.
I may not skate as much as I once did, but I’ll always be a skateboarder. Let me leave you with arguably one of the most endearing skateboarders of all time, Rudy Johnson….”Dude, like, dude, like, like, bro….”
Monday, May 16, 2011
Weekly Update: 5/9 – 5/15
This week was my first easy week I’ve had in a couple months, which I desperately needed. My legs have been quite tired and the rest of my body in general has felt a tad lethargic. A trip to Moab prevented me from committing to my usual weekly running schedule.
On Thursday, my sister and I headed out to mountain bike around the White Rim with her group of cycling friends. Upon our arrival, a surging river washed a section of the trail out, preventing us to safely ride the full trail. So, we succumbed to finding a cozy place to camp in Bartlett Wash and from that point forward the commitment to ride 100 miles was officially off the table. In the end, I rode various trails, some of which were beyond me, but nonetheless I had a great time. I brought my running gear in hopes of sneaking in at least one run during the trip. I did just that.
Tuesday – 7.3 mi (1:00:50)
A.M. – 5.3 mi (44:00) – Easy run on Twin Lakes loop
P.M. – 2 mi (16:50) – Easy run around Celestial in my new Adidas Mana 5s
Wednesday – 4.1 mi (34:40) Easy run on Twin Lakes loop
Sunday – 14.6 mi long run (2:23) Mill Canyon, Moab – On the last day of my trip, I got up early and left Bartlett Wash up Mill Canyon Road to the Monitor and Merrimack trail just outside Moab. I had ridden this trail with my sister the day before, so I was relatively familiar with the route. It was a great departure from the Boulder area trails I’ve been running lately. With the crisp morning air and the shade from the tall canyon walls, it made for a refreshing long run. I took it slow because Moab is a relatively foreign landscape to me (running wise) and it was, well, my easy week.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Weekly Update: 5/2-5/8
Yet again, this was another high-mileage week @ 35 miles and 3,250’. I forwent the tempo run that I should have done in order to tack on some extra miles. So, I took it easy for most of the week with longer mellow runs. Sunday was a biggie.
Tuesday – 5.3 mi (46:43) Easy run on Twin Lakes loop – Sort of felt a little funky for most of the run.
Wednesday – 5.3 mi (43:51) Easy run on Twin Lakes loop - Happened upon a bald eagle sitting high up in a tree over the west lake. It was pretty much amazing.
Friday – 3.5 mi (29:33) Easy run on Twin Lakes loop
Saturday - 7 mi (1:03) Easy run on Bobolink Trail – I tagged along with Mehri for her long run, which turned out to be an all-out race toward the last half-mile. That girl sure can cruise. Once again, the cows were out in full force and I will not be getting sick of them any time soon, that is unless they continue to procreate in such close proximity to the trail.
Sunday – 14.2 mi long run (2:50, 3,250’) Mesa Trail – This was my first time running the full Mesa Trail and it was awesome. During the past three weeks, I’ve been running a loop comprising of the Mesa Trail, South Shanahan Fork, and Big Bluestem. This got me well acclimated to the climbs and terrain, but it was all within a 6.5-mile loop. Feeling confident to run the entirety of the trail, I set out to do just that this time around. I have familiarized myself with the first half (starting from Eldorado Springs) of the Mesa Trail, but I had no idea what to expect from the second half. There were hills…..big hills. Plus, the weather is certainly heating up as it was about 50°F at 7:30 a.m. when I left the trailhead. Had it not been for the water bottle, I surely would have experienced a calamitous series of events halfway through the run.
With that, I leave you with another Ween tune (excuse the fact there aren’t better visuals).
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