Happy Easter everyone! I hope that you all are enjoying some relaxing time with family and/or friends. I know that I am after a very tough week running. With only 10 weeks to go till the Big Juan (prior to this week), I started to get a little antsy with building my base. Week after week since the beginning of the year it has been mellow in terms of HR and climbing. And then BAM! Lucho smacks me with exactly what I was looking for - a week filled with volume, climbing, and speed! It was tough but I'm happy to say I was able to complete it. The reason I was able to complete, albeit tired, was my fitness. I have never been this fit in terms of endurance with Saturday at Mt Falcon for confirmation. I looked back at all my splits for doubles at Falcon over the past 4 years and I have never been able to put even splits on the board, usually 10+ minutes on the second. Either I go out too fast on the first loop and die on the second during the climbs, or I just simply didn't fuel right. Fueling, hydration, and the constant building of endurance has been the theme since January. I now realize I am being sharpened for the biggest race of my ultra running career - Western States. The work is not done but this week has shown me the direction I am going - the sharpening phase of this 25 week training schedule. 9 weeks and counting! Here is what the week looking like:
Monday - 6 myles Bluffs loop
Tuesday - AM 10 myles Casper
PM - 6 myles Lifetime Fitness TM
Wednesday - 12 myles Track (8x800 w/400s in between)
Thursday - AM 9 myles HR backcountry (3 mile progression)
Friday - 6 myles Grigs
Saturday - 28 myles Mt Falcon v2.0 (7877ft of climbing)
Sunday - 20 myles South Platte Pkwy (intervals w/ 3 mile progression)
Total - 103 myles, 14hrs 2mins, 11,900 ft of climbing
And a little secret streak I have been keeping will officially end tomorrow. I have run everyday since Christmas - 121 straight days. But just like records, streaks are meant to be broken. I had visions of running every day this year but for the betterment of my fitness it is time to take a day off. Lucho's guidance after this week - Monday: day off, no options. I got a little hitch in my lower back that is radiating all the way down to my calf so a day off will hopefully help. Talking to Ryan Burch (he had his own little streak), he made a good point that the longer you go, the more risk you take just for the sake of a streak. The goal is Western States and not the streak. Besides, I will never have a streak like Bill Finkbeiner - he has run every day since 1980!! Check out these other streaks. Wow!
Last, a couple of pictures of some cool Kats
Look Dad
Loves his picture taken
Boys doing eggs
7 comments:
Nice work this week old bean, and impressive weekend too. Starting to get exited about the Big Juan. Any idea what your taper is going to look like?
Now nothing is holding you back! Enjoy the day of rest... my current streak is at 13!
Nice week. Looks like you'll be peaking for Pocatello:)
AJW
So, was that a pair of 2:15s at Mt. Falcon? Damn solid, man!
Another cool picture. Are all the last few blog shots taken in the same area? Where? Can't wait to see how WS shakes out! Kevin
NIck - not sure on the taper. Just know that it's going to be a "proper" taper. Maybe 3 weeks??
Burch - I'm thinking about sneaking one in today... feel pretty good! Nah. Just let it go right?
Andy - Pokey isn't happening for me so I should be good to go for the Big Juan. Got your splits committed to memory...
JP - a pair of 2.15s that I am pretty happy about. It's never easy at Falcon but felt solid Saturday
Kevin - All these pictures are taken in the foothills of Boulder. Red Rocks in particular (between Sanitas and Flagstaff)
I'll second JPs comment, back to back 2:15s is damn freakin solid on that hill!
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