Week Ending June 7

Mon - Nada.

Tues - 8 miles easy (1,650 ft). Horse/Audra.

Weds - 8 miles easy (1,650 ft). As yesterday.

Thurs am - 7.5 miles easy (1,600 ft). Horsetooth trail race loop. Woke up 15 minutes before I was scheduled to meet a group from FCTR group. Got to the TH right on time, but had to drive, which I think is a first (TH is half mile from my house). Was still thinking about bed and a lack of coffee when we got going. Felt worryingly sluggish on this run to the point where I could barely keep up with Dan T's easy pace. I'm putting this one down to poor preparation, but will be headed out again this afternoon to see if things feel any better. Taper psychosis is in full effect.

pm - 8 miles easy (1,650 ft). Audra/Horsetooth. Felt like a different man from this morning, although legs still not fresh.

Fri am - 11 miles (2,000 feet). 2.5 mile warm up to Soderberg TH from home, followed by 3.5 mile TT up Towers with group from FCTR, and five-miles home on Westridge & Horsetooth.

pm - Biked 10k with Felix, measuring T&H course.

Sat am - 20 miles (4,500 feet). Lumpy Ridge loop at RMNP w/Bridal Veil & Balanced Rock spurs plus extra trip up to Gem Lake from parking lot. Out with group from FCTR. Did not feel as easy as I wanted this run to. In fact it was a bit of a struggle and I was tripping and stumbling all over the place. Putting this one down to altitude and body adapting to reduced mileage load. Taper madness continues.

Pete, Karen, Marie-Helene and Wendy C (Zach C's mom) from FCTR

Chilling with a baby pine between Gem Lake and Balanced Rock

Bridal Veil Falls

Gem Lake

Flowers in a meadow on back side of Lumpy

The rock that is balanced

Sun am - Biked a few miles setting up T&H 10k course. Never found the time to run, but in the back of my head didn't really want to anyway.

Total: 62.5 miles (12,000 feet).

This was a much bigger cut-back week than planned. Going in I was hoping to hit 85-90 miles, but the week never really got going for me, and I struggled through many of the runs. I'm hoping that my legs will start to freshen up this week. I'll probably shoot for similar mileage and then just jog around a bit the week of Bighorn.

As much as I've been looking forward to the taper and getting my life back, the mind games and second guessing are in full effect. I've also lost a lot of motivation with regards to grinding out miles. Got to keep reminding myself that the work is banked and ready for withdrawal starting 11:00am, June 19.