Monthly Archives: December 2012
2012 Year End Stats
I missed my training goals by a long way this year (stated I was shooting for 3,333 running miles and 999 bike in last year’s post).
The actuals:
It is tempting to consider this some sort of failure, but I need to reconsider that feeling. The past 2.5 months post a broken rib have been a struggle and I can’t let that skew my take on the entire year. I had some great highlights with two 100 mile finishes (including one where my nephew ran his first ultra, and my brother did his first trail race), a 50K PR, a half marathon PR, running a 50K with my 18 year old son, hiking many 14er’s (11 I think), taking my wife up her first 14er on our anniversary, and shooting around 25,000 photos. A kid graduated high school and started college. Another started high school. My youngest spent a chunk of time in the hospital. I took on some new responsibilities at work. It was a busy year!
Running took a back seat at times, at least more so than previous years. That part is fine, I made up for that in many other areas. I am disappointed with my non-existent bike miles, though. That used to be my primary activity and I miss it. I think I have had better overall running years when I have spent time on the bike as well.
2013??
I want to fly like an eagle to the sea.
Fly like an eagle, let my spirit carry me.
I want to fly like an eagle till I’m free.
See you on the trails!
2012 Training Log – Week 52
Got 42 in a little under 7 hours, and I’m starting to feel a hint of mojo returning. I had two unexpectedly good runs this week, and a long run that was sweet – even if I did make it home totally running on fumes.
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For the 3rd Saturday in a row I got up before sunrise and ran from my house up Waterton Canyon. This time I went up the Colorado Trail a bit before turning around.
The sunrise was epic!
Pretty cool to get into some views like this after an hour of running.
The wind was blowing hard on my trip down the canyon and making some cool effects on the ice.
I packed the DSLR the whole 17 miles in hopes of getting some more bighorn shots, but came home empty handed.
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I scratched the camera itch by spending Sunday afternoon hanging out in Chatfield State Park.
I haven’t identified this guy yet, but he was a photogenic little subject for a while.
Geese. Lots and lots of geese.
Then I finally got what I was after. A bald eagle came swooping by flying in a tight circular pattern as it made its way down the shoreline. It was a little far for my lens, but I did the best I could and waited for it to bank into the late afternoon light.
The Agile Fox Friday Foto – 12.21.2012
After a year and a half of including a ‘pic of the week’ at the end of my weekly training summary, I’ve decided to let it stand as a post of its own. I’m also implementing a rule that the Friday Foto needs to have been taken sometime in the last week. No recycling. I am doing this to keep me engaged in building my photography skills, and to make me work harder to get fresh shots. Click here to see my previous Friday Foto posts.
The annual Canada Goose invasion is on in full force right now. They reach a near pest-like status here on the Colorado Front Range, because they are so common. Taking pictures of them is usually about as exciting as photographing a blank wall.
While my kids were playing at a park on Saturday, I decided to get the camera out and do some ‘target practice’ on the very active flock of geese that was in the nearby pond. Everything pointed towards lame shots. The sky was overcast and the lighting was bad, the subject was blah, etc. That all changed when small groups started coming in one after the other and landing in the water.
I used a high shutter speed along with a moderately-high ISO setting to freeze this guy. Then I was able to obliterate the sky in post-processing and give the shot a cool high key look that I think works really well.
Despite the fact that it’s ‘just a goose’, I like it a lot!
High Key Canada Goose
1/1250, f/5.6, 220mm @ ISO 640
The Scene Begins 