6/1 to 6/7

6/1, Sunday - Mt Bierstadt (14,060ft), 2:22, 7 miles, 2,800ft
Up at 4AM and on the "trail" at 6. Cool to bag another 14er, but this really wasn't anything too exciting; I had way more fun on Quandary yesterday. I forgot my watch and Strava (used the iPhone app) likes to shave off the time that you weren't moving, but I think I was up in ~1:20, chilled on the summit for ~10 minutes then down in ~50 minutes. Pretty bummed that the snow wasn't soft enough for another glissade, but it was nice to have the impenetrable surface going up. Able to maintain a run for probably 70% of the distance so that was a plus. If this place wasn't so crowded in the summer it would be an awesome one to try and push a hard run, and without snow you could run 100% of the way. I would probably wait till September on a weekday to do that, so as not to be the jerk barreling through everyone.

On a rare stretch of dry dirt looking up

Well the summit was nice as usual

6/2, Monday - South Boulder + CU XC Course, 1:40, 13 miles, 400ft
I could tell there wasn't much (or likely any) vertical capabilities left in my legs, but I felt like draining the tank tonight and I hadn't done a full South Boulder loop in almost a year. The South Boulder paths have got to be some of the most pleasant trails - ever. They're not comparable to a epic mountain singletrack, but they have an ambiance to them that is undeniably beautiful. Anyways, held 7:15 min/mile for the first 5 miles before my legs remembered the last two days and posed more resistance. Plodded along through about a mile of periodic ankle deep water (rivers are roaring with snow melt) before pushing again at 7:20 pace for another 3 miles and finally throwing in the towel with a light jog before walking the last half mile for warm down. Oh, and my Ambit couldn't find the GPS (first time its ever had trouble) for the first mile and half, so I'm estimating the first mile, but I felt pretty consisted in my pacing so I'm counting it as a 7:20. 13 miles is fun, I think I might try and enter a half marathon for sometime in early July.

I felt pretty depleted at home after this - weird digestion, headache, bodily systems etc. Probably a combination of being awake for 20 hours the day before, a 51 mile/13,000ft/11 hour last seven days and not eating enough calories. I like living somewhat (or very, depending on who you ask) cheaply and simply, but I'm coming to the realization that a single can of beans for lunch and bowl of cereal for breakfast isn't nearly enough nourishment for what I'm doing.

6/3 - Easy Barefoot, 30 minutes, 4 miles, 200ft
After having no appetite at all last night, I actually made a burger for breakfast. Debated even going tonight, but after sitting in a windowless room at work all day, I really just wanted to get some fresh air. Still noticeably recovering from last night, so I didn't push it at all.

6/4 - Pie, 25 minutes, 3 miles, 100ft
Didn't really feel like running, but its National Running Day or something stupid so I felt obligated. I ran to the farmers market grabbed a pie a sample and ran home.

6/5 - Freeway, 36:19, 3 miles, 1,200ft
Woke up early and felt like putting in a 100% effort up Freeway. PR'd on the initial approach 6:56 and was at the base of the 2nd Flatiron in 11 minutes - right on schedule.I could tell right away that I hadn't scrambled in a while, but my hands and feet moved almost with a mind of their own to familiar ledges and holds. Per usual to most any timed event, I began to lose focus at about the three fourths mark on the climb and finished with a downright terrible 13:33 for the climb (24:50). I accidentally paused my watch at the end of the climb instead of lapping it so from piecing together elapsed time and when I paused I got a "run-back-down" time of 11:29. From the last bit of data after I unpaused the watch, I had the last half mile at 5:10 pace (its a serious downhill though, so I basically just opened it up all the way). Happy with the effort - sub 40 is no small feat, but this can definitely be improved. Specifically the climb felt or rather was bad - I should be no where near 4:30 off of by PR, maybe 2 minutes given the hard approach. The running splits were where they needed to be, just need to dial in that climb. Fastest time still to my knowledge is a 32:50, I have a lot more respect for that time after today!

Went back after work for a more than lazy 2 hour jaunt playing choose my own adventure on the flatiron. Just enjoying the outdoors a bit.

Heading off to Italy this weekend so Friday will be busy with packing and preparations, no time for running. Pretty happy with where my health has progressed to right now, I'm feeling near 100% healthy right now. May finished with 105miles with 43,000ft of gain (400ft per mile), rising from April's 48miles/21,000ft (440ft per mile). Things are starting to come together for the summer I was hoping for (meaning not being injured on the couch). But I still need to be careful and hopefully a 2 week vacation with little running - and lots of Italian food - will resolve any potential problems and I can return to dry-ish trails at full power.

In closing here is short video of my raft trip from a week ago where things got interesting...