Buckhorn and Captain Jacks

New first for me:  back-to-back days of 2+ hours.  With yesterday's effort, today's run put me over 30 miles for the weekend.  Brooks and I agreed yesterday to go to Gold Camp for a good climbing run on trails, albeit at an easy effort.  This was the standard 'accountability trick' - with both of us committing to each other, we would be less likely to bail.

Captain Jack's/Buckhorn from Gold Camp Elem.

What a beautiful morning!  It took us a while to get into the flow.  Brooks, a lifetime COS resident who has been known to run a few trail miles, had never been on Chamberlain, The Chutes, or Captain Jack's.  We found ourselves grinding up from 6,300' to 8,300' during the first six miles, then ambled back down Gold Camp Rd.

Ran into mountain stud Tommy Manning high on Captain Jack's.  Kinda cool how the higher and deeper you get into the mountains, the Tommy Mannings are more and more likely to be the only types you run into.

Sneaked in another 6 miles on Sunday night with Brooks and Christoph.  Put me up over 70 for the first time in 13.

Week in review
Monday: Gold Camp Rd to Helen Hunt
Tuesday: Incline
Wednesday: 10 easy
Thursday: 8 x 1000'
Friday: off
Saturday:  Cheyenne Mtn State Park
Sunday:  AM Captain Jack's/Buckhorn, PM Brooks's house

Week Total:  72 miles, 9,400'
March total:  182 miles, 20,500'
2011 total:  618 miles, 44,500'

Definitely a strong week - the consistency and quality of training I've had this year are new.  Two challenges await for next week:  2 x 4 miles FAST (for me, anyway), and a run to Cripple Creek on Sunday.

Helen Hunt

Took yesterday off to spend some time with Cale.  After Saturday's race, it would have been a little better for my legs to have shaken them out, but it is what it is.

Saturday was just one race, but it does give me hope that I'm on the right track this season - that I've cleared a hurdle, maybe broken out of a plateau.  I would hope so, as I've prepared differently these past few months.  One of the biggest changes I've made has been in my diet.  More on that in the future, but I've got to think it's had a major impact in my performance.

Five miles uphill from school this afternoon - two miles through Chamberlain to Gold Camp Rd, then three more on the dirt till just past the Helen Hunt parking lot.  Definitely had some post-race legs - I was 93 minutes with a 139 HR this time around.  Last time I ran it back in late Feb, I was 3 minutes faster with the same HR.  Not a surprise there.  I'm hopeful that another day of recovery will get me ready for some hill work tomorrow.

"Ramshackle"