Week Ending October 24

Monday - Noon: 6 miles (500') easy on valley trails.
PM: 4 miles @ Pineridge. Picked up the pace a bit coming back on the east side of the reservoir.

Tuesday - 10 miles track. 10x800 w/ 400 easy. Wanted to set a baseline for the so-called Yasso 800s. Figured I'd try to push out 2:45s to see if I can claim to be in similar marathon shape to last year's 2:43 in Dublin. First seven felt comfortable, but had to work for the last three: 2:46, 2:48, 2:43, 2:44, 2:44, 2:44, 2:44, 2:46, 2:45, 2:44 (lap easy at 1:45-2:10 between). Two mile w-u, 1 mile c-d. Encouraging to be able to comfortably knock these out early in the process. The legs are starting to respond to the faster stuff, but much work still to be done.

Wednesday - 6 miles (500') easy on valley trails.

Thurs - 8 miles (2,000'). Hard TT effort to top of Horsetooth with the FCTR group (25:34). Worked hard for a slower time than two weeks ago when I didn't really pick things up until the second half. Further evidence that an easier start and hard finish are the way to go on hill climbs. Reduced to a power hike on the really steep stuff near the top. Finished up by coming back on the Horsetooth 8-mile course.

Friday - 8 miles (1,700') easy. Falls, Spring Creek, Sawmill, Loggers, Herrington, Spring Creek, Soderberg - home.

Sat - 14 miles (3,600') easy. Out on Lookout/Signal trails scouting with Pete. Good amount of snow above 9,000'. Failed to find the 'secret trail' we were after that connects the Signal jeep road with Greer to get back down to Buckhorn/Monument Gulch. Will need to come in from Greer next time around, as I think it will be a bit more obvious from that end.

Lookout Mountain trail ~9,500'

Donner Pass ~10,200'

Signal-Lookout trail (right) with Signal jeep road off to the left ~10,300'

White Pine from high point on Signal-Lookout trail ~10,600'

Really digging the new Peaks, which I think are pretty close to being ready.

Sunday - 18 miles (2,500'). Bluesky marathon course without the Horsetooth section. Ran at a good, steady clip once warmed up. Tons of people on trail.

Total: 74 miles (10,800').

Good week. Was able to get some solid speed work in with a successful track session on Tuesday, a decent hill TT on Thursday and then a couple of enjoyable runs on the weekend.

Either going to run the Heart Center half marathon on Sunday next weekend or some fun hilly marathon type thing in Boulder on Saturday. Feel like I should be running the half marathon to get a read on current road form, but would rather run in Boulder to catch up with the trail running folk down there. May double the weekend if I can resist the urge to run hard at the Boulder shindig.