25 myles - 4.17:28

Pikes/Elk Park - 6:00 A.M.
50s, overcast - perfect running weather!
mind/body - tired
easy effort

Prescribed workout: 3 hour run with elevation

Actual workout: 25 myles - 4.17:28 - avg. 10:17 ~5600 ft elevation gain. Route: Incline - J pipe - Long's Ranch - Bob's - Barr - Mountain view loop - Barr - Elk Park - Barr - Bob's - Exp. forest - Barr

Legs were TI-ERD this morning! I met up with Rick H. and Paul S. this morning for what was to be my 6th day running this week and the back end of back to back 3 hour runs. I started real sluggish but seemed to warm up on the way out Elk's Park. Lately I've noticed I start to get into a groove about 3 hours into my longer runs, which obviously bodes well for HR.

As we headed up the Incline to start I heard grumbling about doing it... Sure it's jammed packed most of the time but it's one hell of a workout! Most locals make the excuse that it's a tourist attraction so they don't bother but in reality I think they just can't fathom a 25+ minute mile. Here's a challenge next time you do the incline, do the entire incline without double stepping.

In the end I felt like I could have gone longer as I was picking up steam but my family traveled down to the Springs last night with me so I had to get back. There is nothing better than getting a run in the early morning and then spending the day with the family. We had a great dinner last night, swam in the hotel pool, and then spent the day at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Jaxon was afraid of the Giraffe licking his hand and Myles was whacking a Wallaby on the head as hard as he could - good times all around!

I end this week with 6 days of running: 84 myles, 13 hrs 16 mins, and 24,900 ft of elevation gain. I was shooting for 25K of climbing but because of the snow up above 13,000 ft I couldn't get up to the top of Pikes and Torrey's. At any rate I think I'm ready for HR.