Up Saddle Rock, down the Amphitheater. The trail is starting to dry out just a bit; enough that I only used microspikes for half of the descent. I'd like to start running from home more to consistently round off the vertical gain above 3,000' as well as get in some more flat miles where I can go faster than 8 min/mi.
1/12, Monday - AM: Streets, 4 miles, 200', 0:30 - PM: Green Mtn - 6 miles, 2,700', 1:39
Easy miles preceding the first day of classes for spring semester. Casually around campus on super icy sidewalks. In the evening I joined the Rocky Mountain Runners group for their weekly group ascent of Green. Meeting at 5:30, the sun was well set when we started off. The pace felt reasonable, I felt much more capable on the uphills than when I went with them in June.
1/13, Tuesday - Flagstaff Mtn + Green Mtn - 13 miles, 3,500', 2:42
Starting from home I took the creek path to some unconventional route up Flagstaff, by which point the snow was really picking up. Decided to take the Flagstaff road to back behind Green and take the West Ridge up. Amphitheater back down and through campus back home. Excluding some isolated sections of steep, this route was mostly in the 10-15% grade range, so I was able to run just about every step.
1/14, Wednesday - Green Mtn - 10 miles, 3,000', 2:10
From home, up the Gregory/Greenman/Saddle down Saddle/Amphitheater. Fairly lazy effort, but the new snow provided just enough traction to not have to wear spikes at all. Crossed paths with the Long Ranger coming down, cool to see him in the flesh even if it was brief.
1/15, Thursday - Green Mtn - 10 miles, 3,000', 1:41
With the sun out, the clouds absent and a surprising amount of energy today was a great day. I thought I was going to be on pace to break 40 minutes on the ascent of Green, but ended up with a 42:30, still a PR by 2 minutes though, so I'll take it. The descent was super well packed snow with plenty of traction until I got into the Amphitheater. No spikes again today. Thundered back down the streets through campus to clock in well under 2 hours for the trip. The improving fitness is getting me really excited!
 |
| Green Mountain summit #10 for 2015 |
I suppose I spent all my energy yesterday. Plans got sequentially demoted from Green to Flagstaff to Sanitas to Boulder Canyon, then I just turned around. Nice to have an easy day I guess.
1/17, Saturday - (95% of) 3rd Flatiron - 4 miles, 1,900', 3:29
Hiked up to the 3rd with Brian, hoping to tag the 3rd in this brief weather window. Trying to get some sun we traversed way south and ended up on a super exposed arete. Brian doesn't scramble much so between the cold wind and the dizzying exposure characteristic of the flatirons we elected to not bother with the final friction-y pitch so as to not have to downclimb it. Longer time than expected, but it was easy pace and fun.
 |
| First time making this move in climbing shoes. Waaaaay easier than with running shoes |
 |
| Brian coming down the back of the 3rd |
60 miles
17,100' gain/loss
14:30 on foot
Summits: 16
10 Green
2 Bear
2 South Boulder
2 Flagstaff
Nice week. How do those flat miles feel after all the vertical gain? Pretty easy I bet. Pictures are awesome.
ReplyDeleteThey really do add up with so much less effort. Even downhill trails (at least the ungodly rocky ones in Boulder) seem to require the same effort as jogging moderate inclines. Having the 1.5 miles to and from the trailhead have been a great warm-up/down. That is, besides just padding the mileage :D
Delete