Category Archives: training

2012 Training Log – Week 22

Decent week. Another 70 miles with a few harder efforts and a bit more time on the trails than I am usually able to get. Feeling strong, but need to work out a few kinks that are holding me back.

Monday
8.2 miles

Boneyard workout. Laps are 1.2 miles. I did one easy, one hard, one easy, one hard, one easy. First hard effort was way too hot. Blew up at .93 and threw in the towel while on a 6:20 average pace. Ran steady on the second effort and completed my fastest lap there at a 6:55 average. Tough little course to run fast on (tight, twisty, lumpy, chunky, bumpy, hilly).

Tuesday
16 miles

Crazy wind in the afternoon, so I headed to Deer Creek Open Space thinking it would be somewhat sheltered and it was. Got in almost 3 hours of slow but steady climbing and descending on the trails. So-so run, I was 3 minutes off my best ascent time to the top of Red Mesa. During the climb, I passed a group of 4 guys hiking. Immediately afterwards the trail looped around a stand of scrub oak so I was out of sight (but not that far away). One of the hikers said, “Did you see that guy’s calves?? Daaaaamn!” That made me laugh because I was drenched in sweat and feeling fat and slow with calves that were about to explode.

On the drive home I went past a bad rollover accident on C-470. The Flight for Life helicopter was just lifting off when I got there. The sunset was beautiful, but the carnage below was a good reminder of how fast things can go bad.

Wednesday
7 miles

I felt more worked over than normal after last night’s run at Deer Creek, so I expected today to be a sucky grind. It actually turned out to be a pleasant outing on a beautiful morning. The calves felt better than they have in quite a while, and the pace (while not very fast) was decent and consistent the whole way. Nice run.

Got some pics of a balloon launch over Chatfield on the way to work.

Thursday
11.25 miles

2 mile warmup, 6 mile hilly tempo medium effort (157 avg) @ 7:29 pace, 3 mile cool down. Felt better than I thought I would, but not as good as I would like (common theme lately).

Went for an evening drive up to Roxborough State Park.

Can you spot the bear??

My ladies were glad to see me return from taking bear pictures still in one piece.

Friday
7.7 miles

Very easy laps at the Boneyard.

Saturday
21 miles

Decided at about 9pm last night to go up to Pine Valley Ranch and get in on the group training run being put on by the North Fork 50 RDs. There was a good turnout with around 25 people showing up.

We started at 8am and did the last 20 miles of the 50 mile course. It was a hot one, hitting 88 degrees by the time we finished. I had all kinds of drama with my calves getting so tight by 2 miles into it that both feet went entirely numb from the ankles down. I plodded through the discomfort, topping out on the first climb in about 7th place. Once the grade eased and we started hitting some descents, the calves relaxed a little and I started feeling really good. I passed all but one guy on the downhill (the guy in front had hit it pretty hard right from the start and was way out in front). We had to keep stopping and pulling off the trail for horses and riders coming in the opposite direction – there was some sort of equestrian event going on. Everyone was very cool about it, though.

Our little pack consolidated after the singletrack descent and rolled together on the dirt road into the aid station at mile 11. We caught the early leader just as we pulled in. I guess I’m making this sound like a race – it wasn’t, but it sort of felt somewhere between a training run and a race. Good practice, anyway.

I left the aid station first and headed up the final 1,000′ climb. It wasn’t that steep, but it was exposed and starting to get quite warm. One guy passed me and went on to run well to the finish. The early leader passed me also, but I passed him back just before the top and managed to come in as the second finisher for what that is worth (not much).

I was having excruciating foot pain during the final climb. I think maybe from the lack of circulation earlier? I was moaning in pain as I shuffled along – not fun. It wasn’t really impact related. Going up a smooth but shallow 1-2% grade was the worst. It seemed like my calves were stretching the plantar fascia to the limit and the balls of my feet were on fire. Once I hit the downhill, things got a little better.

The run was a mixed bag. My fitness seemed decent, but I keep having way too many mechanical issues.

Spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with my daughter and counting butterflies while my wife went on a hike.

Sunday

OFF

Total: 71 miles / 11:27

Posted in run, training

2012 Training Log – Week 21

Jun 3

Posted by chrisboyack

I wanted 70 this week and I got it, with two days off thrown in. I wrapped up May with 275 miles, most of which felt somewhat blah. I’m hoping to feel a little better and get some more spring in my step this month.

Monday
10 miles / 7.2 miles

Early morning run that went poorly.

Spent the day at The Denver Botanic Gardens with the family.

Photo album here.

Evening climb of Mt. Bierstadt.

Tuesday
8.1 miles

Easy 8. Still not feeling very good. Calves are constantly wrecked. Had to stop at mile 2 and wait about 5 min for them to settle down. Better after that. Tired from late hike last night, didn’t get to bed until almost midnight.

Wednesday
11.5 miles

Loop from home up through Roxborough Park.

Thursday
10.3 miles

Jogged over to the Boneyard, then put it in steady cruise mode for 8 miles, then jogged back.

Friday

OFF

Saturday
7.5 miles / 15.1 miles

Hiked Bierstadt again, then went for an evening run after getting home.

Sunday

OFF

Total: 70.3 miles / 17:10 run & hike

Posted in run, training

2012 Training Log – Week 20

May 27

Posted by chrisboyack

Rest week. It wasn’t really planned, but I could feel like I was really going to have to fight to get the miles in so I decided to back off. I hope it was the right call. My thinking was I should just take a few days off rather than trying to force runs where I didn’t feel like it and end up with a mediocre week – and still no rest.

This was my lowest mileage week of the year. I even had a higher total the week after my 100 miler in March. I’m using it as a mini-break to mark the change from the winter/spring season and get ready to ramp up for summer. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

Monday
0 miles

Graduation!

Tuesday
7.1 miles

Calves super tight. Even had to stop several times and shake them out. They were ridden hard and put away wet after Saturday’s race and I’m feeling every bit of that plus the two complete days off which allowed them to set up into concrete.

Wednesday
7 miles

Much better than yesterday, but still had to stop 3x to let the calves settle down. Up @ 3:45 this morning with our first bear visit of the year. Dogs barking up and down the street, trash cans getting ravaged, etc. I was too tired to get up, but couldn’t go back to sleep either.

Neighborhood coyote:

Thursday
11 miles

That’s more like it. Got a desperately needed good night’s rest (all 6:50 of it) and felt much better today. Ran easy for the first couple, then a hilly relaxed tempo, easy finish.

Did 31 on the mtb in the evening. Was supposed to be a group ride, but I ended up going solo due to some no-shows. Made the best of it – what an awesome time.

And my vote for Best Switchback on Planet Earth:

Friday
6.6 miles

Easy run at the Boneyard.

Saturday

OFF

Celebrated my daughter’s birthday, then headed out to try and get some shots of the sunset. The air quality was terrible due to smoke from a New Mexico fire.