Western States 2010

Western States 2010
Snow Field at Squaw Vally

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Almost time to taper.

Well, hello again from the blog world!! Didn't get as much mileage in last week as I would have liked to. Planned on long back to back runs on the weekend but it just didn't happen. That is ok. My legs needed the rest. Where am I now....well I did 54 miles last week. That basically puts me in Golden Colorado on the west side of Denver...home of Coors Beer....I am not really a big fan of Coors. Tastes pretty watered down to me!! 517 + 54 = 571 miles from home and only 88 miles from Leadville. Wow, 88 more miles....Not far now. I need to go back and see what my weekly mileage average is since I started this...that way I can figure out a proper taper over the last 3 weeks. I am ready to rumble!!
My leg speed has been a lot better since I started running roads more than trails....it has helped to improve my trail speed by a lot....The proof is in my racing finishes of late. Last Saturday I did the Rock Creek 30k night run. It was a blast. I couldn't believe that I was in first place from around mile 10 thru mile 15. It was weird being in first place and having people chasing you down...I haven't had that happen to me in a while. The wheels started to come off at around 14 miles (maybe due to the 5 mile warm-up prior to the start). I held onto second place and I feel pretty good about that. So I got in a pretty hard 24 mile run in Saturday....Wanted to do the same on Sunday but just didn't get myself motivated enough to get out and do it again...I will try again this weekend I guess and see where it leads.
Leadville looms in the distance....only 3.5 weeks away....Lets do it!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Dog days of Summer

Down to less than 5 weeks!! Hard to believe. But the race can't come soon enough....I am ready now and want to get this thing started. I am getting tired of training. My legs are shot....I am tired....and mentally done!! Taper only 2 weeks away and it can't possibly get here fast enough. 65 miles last week. Not bad considering I took 2 days off after the 50k last week. Didn't feel like my legs got back under me until Friday. Did my first 2 a day on Saturday...10 miles on Saturday morning and then 16 miles on Saturday night. To top it off I did another 9 miles on Sunday morning. Was going to do more Sunday night but mentally wasn't in it so I didn't. Took Monday off (today for good measure). Back at it tommorrow....I promise!! So with 65 miles down that puts me at 517 miles from Lecompton and 142 miles from Leadville. This puts me at Byers, Colorado. Getting pretty darn close to Denver now. I am getting there. Time to get my mental focus in check!! Catch you next week!!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Another week down!!!

Back to the grind! Last week was a full one. Tried to get a semi taper in for Psycho Psummer but also wanted to keep the mileage up. Ended up with 73 miles for the week. Partly due to the 17 miler on the day after Wyco. As for the race....I was pretty happy with my results. (5th out of 50 finishers). The hard training in the heat paid off. People were suffering out there. Me....I felt pretty good for the most part. At the end I felt like I could have went another lap if I needed to. So just over 5 weeks to go now to Leadville. Time flies when you are having fun!! I have now ran to a small town called Arriba Colorado just east of Limon. This puts me 452 miles down the road from Lecompton. (207 miles from Leadville). Going to try to push the mileage thru the end of July and then it will be taper time.

Dig Deep!!!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Did I drop off the face of the earth?? No!!

Well, I am back.....back from vacation that is. You see I was gone for 3 weeks from work. First the Vegas trip. Then it was off to Beloit Kansas to work out there for a week at Mitchell County Hospital. I always enjoy my trips out there. Just a different pace. While I was out there I put in 50 miles for that week. Not bad considering the daily temps were in the 100's. Well as they say "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger!"

After the week in Beloit it was off to Belgium for a weeks vacation with Kristen and her daughter Bailey. We had a wonderful time there. Going in I knew I wouldn't get the mileage I normally get for the week but I needed a week to back off a little and get my legs back under me. I ended up with 34 miles for last week.

Ok, I know, I know, I should have more to write about since I haven't been on here for two weeks. But, hey...training calls!!!! I still have MILES TO GO!!!! With the 84 miles from the 2 weeks above that puts me at 280 miles to go to Leadville or 379 miles down the road from Lecompton. WOW, I reached a milestone!!! I am over half way!!!! And with just a little over 6 weeks to go until leadville. With 2 weeks of taper I have only 4.5 weeks of hard training left. I am going to do this!! Just need to keep putting the work in!!

Oh, before I forget---379 miles from my house is Kanorado KANSAS/COLORADO. I am actually 2 miles from crossing into COLORADO!! I better get myself out the door and into Colorado!!