Week Ending April 7

Mon - AM: 8 miles (1,900') easy. Horsetooth north summit via north gap. Tired.

Tues - AM: 10.5 miles intervals. Workout was: mile, 800, 800, mile, 800, 800, 2 mile fartlek (all cemetery, except the two mile, which was City Park route) with 2 - 3 min standing rest between. Mike, Brian and Garcia to work with this morning. Ran pretty much as a pack for the first half and then I tagged onto Garcia's coattails for the rest. This seemed like the first really good morning for running we've had at Jane's all fall/winter/spring, and for whatever reason the running felt really good. First mile as always served as a warm-up, and felt pretty casual, so I was pleased to see a 5:25, then went 2:36, 2:37, 5:15, 2:38, 2:38, 11:13 (5k/marathon effort on the hard/easy). For as comfortable as these reps felt, I was super stoked with this workout. I've kind of been slogging through these intervals all winter a little frustrated with the effort/result, so today felt like a mini breakthrough. I didn't feel like I was overexerting and the numbers came in a little better than they have been. I'm going to call that progress.

In other news, Jane Welzel - who organizes these workouts and the Tuesday Night Track workouts in the summer - was recently inducted into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame. I can't think of a more deserving person in the Fort Collins Running community for this honor. Not only is Jane a five-time Olympic Trials Qualifier ('84-'00) with a 2:33 PR and a former U.S. national champ in the marathon, but she is also a tireless supporter of the local running scene with an enduring passion for the sport that many a former elite would find hard to match. I think it would be fair to say that Jane serves as a huge inspiration to many a runner in Fort Collins, myself included. Very well deserved, Jane. Congrats!

Jane crushing it at the CSU track on a Tuesday Night. Photo pilfered from The Coloradoan. See the Q&A here.

PM: 5 miles (1,100') easy. Falls loop. Tired, but had to push a bit as I was under the gun to get the kids off to activities.

Weds - AM: 8 miles (1,900') easy. Horsetooth north summit via north gap. Killer inversion morning, with Milner's summit just poking up above the clouds and Longs basking in full morning sun high above the cloud base. Lingered on top for a good 10 minutes soaking it in.

Thurs - AM: 10 miles (1,400') hill tempo. Centennial out and back with Mary, Celeste and Ziggy. Back in 31:30 at a good steady effort. Feeling a little tired, though.
PM: 7 miles (1,700') steady. First time back on Towers in a while. Good turnout for the first spring session of the year - probably 25-30 on the hill. Feeling kinda sluggish from the morning session, I started out jogging and eased into a tempo kind of effort by halfway. Ended up running 32:30, which ain't too shabby given the relative effort and heavy legs.

Fri - Noon: 8.5 miles (2,200') easy. Horsetooth north summit (South/Audra/Gap/Wathan) with an out of shape Stefanovic. Good to get back on the hill with Bryan.

Sat - AM: 19.5 miles (5,200') easy. Quad Rock training run. We got a great day for running and a decent one for hanging out; we did both in great style. Had a good 50 - 60 runners show up for the run, with an impressively big group on the Horsetooth north summit on the first lap. I ran a loop and a half, then tended to all things barbecue. Fun times.

A group heading up in the early stages of the first Horsetooth climb

First Endurance and Pearl Izumi supported the run.

Mary Boyts, an integral part of the Quad Rock team, tries on a pair of PURPLE Trail N1s! All above pics, Shannon Price.

Summit pics. Pilfered from Silke Koester's excellent webpage

Sun - 15 miles easy/steady. Up early to mark the Tortoise and Hare 12k course, then another 8 miles between 6:30 and 7:00 pace on the bike paths. Last race of the 2012/13 season - been a good one with record attendance. First and second today (actual time) were Karen and Sarah: showing the boys how to get it done. 

Total: 91.5 miles (15,400')

Another week in the books, and it was good one. Despite feeling a little tired and lackluster, the running came easily enough. A good workout on Tuesday, a strong double hill tempo on Thursday (AM/PM), and a fun hilly Saturday morning in Horsetooth has me feeling decently confident that I can post a PR over in California this weekend at the Lake Sonoma 50. Anything faster than last year (6:49) will be considered a success, and overall placement will take care of itself. I'm guessing a 6:50 or better will be needed for a top 10 spot.

If anyone is looking for a place on the Quad Rock 50 start line, we have a couple of people looking to transfer slots, so sign up for the waitlist and you'll get transferred over to the entrant list. In other news, registration for the Bluesky Marathon opens April 15. Pete and I have taken over the management of the event and in celebration of all things Fort Collins trail running, we have decided to DROP the entry fee. We still can't compete with Salida for the state's cheapest marathon, but we're close. A paltry $65 gets you entry if you sign up early. And get this ... we're offering entry into the inaugural Black Squirrel Half Marathon (yes, you read that right) for an additional $34 if you sign up for both at the same time. If my math is correct, that means you get to run the half and full (Black and Blue Double) for under $100. Blimey. We're working on the webpage right now, but Double registration details are available on the Bluesky Website. The date for the BS HM is August 31st and the course is a full outer loop of Lory, heading up Timber and down Howard. Should be a pretty fast course. 

Week Ending February 10

Mon - Noon: 7 miles (1,900') easy. Horsetooth north summit. Audra/Southridge/north gap up and down.
PM: 5 miles (1,100') easy. Falls loop. Bumped into Elijah in the parking lot and circled with him.

Tues - Noon: 11 miles (2,900') easy. Horsetooth north summit. South/Audra/north gap, then Westridge - Spring Creek - Herrington - Stout - Spring Creek - Falls. Slept through my alarm clock this morning, thus missed my regular Tuesday morning workout. Figured I'd head down to Redstone and knock out a tempo run as a replacement effort, but as it was such a gorgeous day I chose to spend some time rolling around in the park instead.
PM: 5 miles (1,100') easy. Falls loop.

Weds - Noon: 7 miles (1,900') easy. Horsetooth north summit. Up/down South/Audra. Tired legs: slogging.

Thurs - AM: 10 miles (1,400') hill tempo. The usual 5 mile out and back on Centennial. As always, we went out at a casual and social effort (this morning w/ Celeste, Ziggy, Slush, Mike, Sarah, Mary and Jen) followed by a hammer drop on the way back. I've been trying to keep these workouts at a true tempo effort over the past few weeks, but got a bit carried away this morning after a more aggressive start up North Dam hill put me at - or close to - PR pace. The North Dam hill mile went in 7:10 (I take the split at a downed reflective T-post right before the turn onto Soldier Canyon Dam, which is actually 1.1 miles), then 6:04 (cattle grate, right on a mile), 6:22 (sign past outhouse, 1.03 miles), 5:18 (right before turn off Spring Canyon Dam, .96 of a mile), 4:49 (Maxwell, .93 of a mile). 29:45 back, 45:00 out. Run is right on 10 miles, but the split distances are a bit random and pace is obviously impacted by grade (although I typically try to keep the effort even). One of the best workouts in town.
PM: 7 miles (1,700') easy. Towers in 36:30. Jogged up with Little Nick on a calm and beautiful evening. Huffing and puffin a bit for the effort; definitely tired from the morning session.

Fri - PM: 7 miles (1,900') easy. Horsetooth north summit. Up/down South/Audra. Felt  pretty good given Thursday's exertions.

Sat - AM: 18.5 miles miles (5,500') hills. Horsetooth Trifecta: south summit (up/down) via Southridge/Audra/Slush's Slit, middle summit (up/down) via Rock Trail/Middle Chimney (caked in bird crap), north summit (up/down) via Falls/Spring Creek/Wathan/North Gap, home via the Grim Reaper. Kept the effort easy but consistent on this one and felt great the whole way around. From the upper lot, total run is a bit under 17 miles with 5,200' climbing. My in-the-park time was 3:09; with a good effort this one could probably be done in the 2:45 range. Might be fun to get a group together one of these days and push the effort a bit to register a time worth shooting for. Made it home just as the snow was starting to fly: perfect timing.  

Sun - AM: 11.5 miles (1,900') easy. From home to Indian Summer junction on Bluesky and back. Legs were tired from yesterday's Horsetooth trifecta, but loosened up a bit as the run progressed. Cold headwind coming home made things a touch unpleasant, but the final 650 foot climb on 38e/Grim Reaper felt good and smooth, which was a nice way to finish out the week.

Total: 89 miles (21,300')

Got in the hills a little bit more this week, with seven Horsetooth summits and various other bits and pieces. I'll reverse that next week with next to no vertical and just a limited amount of running as I get ready for the Fuego Y Agua 100k, which includes at least two decent climbs up and down the two volcanoes that essentially form the island of Ometepe.

I found some time yesterday to look at a couple of race reports from previous years, and by all accounts the climb/descent of the first volcano, Maderas, will be pretty wild, while the second volcano - the active one - should be a bit more tame. According to race director Josue, 11 hours is the standard to beat, and while this trip is really not about setting things on fire (bada-bing), the goal - on paper - seems doable, but you never know until you get into the thick of the terrain. Really though, I'm just super geeked to be heading to a country I've never been to before in a part of the world I really don't know that well. Fly out Wednesday.

Not your average Colorado trail.

Week Ending Jan 6

Mon - AM: 7.5 miles easy. Giles Lane - Tyler Hill - C&W - Park Wood - Station West.
PM: 3 miles easy. 2 x uni loop. Wet and windy (what a surprise).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2012 BY THE NUMBERS

January: 330 miles (45,200')
February: 445 miles (58,500')
March: 501.5 (79,600')
April: 430 (66,800')
May: 387.5 (70,700')
June: 297.5 (48,500')
July: 369 (71,100')
August: 330.5 (67,100')
September: 344 (65,000')
October: 211.5 (48,400')
November: 227 (55,400')
December: 245 (38,300')

2012 Total: 4,118.5 (714,600')

2011 Total: 4,264 (729,400')
2010 Total: 4,100 (655,850')
2009 Total: 3,451 (486,600')

2012 Avg: 343 miles (59,550')
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 Summits (241):
.......................................
Horsetooth (7,255') (105)
.......................................
Mount Elbert (14,443')
Longs Peak (2) (14,259')
Mount Belford (2) (14,197')
Mount Oxford (14,153')
Missouri Mountain (14,067')
---------------
7 x 14ers
---------------
Pacific Peak (13,950')
Emerald Peak (13,904')
Crystal Peak (13,852')
Atlantic Peak (13,841')
Iowa Peak (13,831')
Hagues Peak (2) (13,571')
Ypsilon Mountain (13,514')
Fairchild Mountain (13,502')
Mummy Mountain (13,425')
McHenrys Peak (13,327')
Pecks Peak (13,277')
Whitney Peak (13,271')
Powell Peak (13,208')
Taylor Peak (13,153')
Mount Chiquita (13,069')
----------------
16 x 13ers
----------------
West Mount Sheridan (12,952')
East Desolation Peak (12,949')
Julian (12,928')
Stones Peak (12,922')
West Desolation Peak (12,918')
Mount Ida (12,880')
Point 12,820' (Chorier Point)
Chief Cheley (12,804')
Cracktop (12,766')
Terra Tomah (12,718')
Hallet Peak (12,713')
Otis Peak (12,486')
Mount Chapin (12,454')
Flattop Mtn (12,324')
Marmot Point W(12,005')
-----------------
15 x 12ers
-----------------
Marmot Point E (11,909')
Twin Sisters (11,420')
Mount Baldy (11,068')
Estes Cone (11,006')
-----------------
4 x 11ers
-----------------
Hidden Peak (10,992') (2)
Dark Mountain (10,859')
Lookout Mountain (10,626')
McGregor Mtn (10,486')
Needles (10,086')
10,008'
-----------------
7 x 10ers
-----------------
Storm Mountain (9,918')
Pierson Mtn (9,803')
Lily Mountain (9,786')
Lion Head (9,740')
Rams Horn (9,556')
9,540'
9,495'
9,475'
Kruger Rock (9,355')
9,342'
Panorama (9,284')
Crosier Mountain (9,250') (4)
Emerald Mtn (9,237')
Gem Peak (9,140')
Giantrack (9,091')
--------------------
18 x 9ers
--------------------
Sugarloaf Mtn (8,980')
Eagle Cliff (8,906')
Prospect Mountain (8,900')
Castle (8,834')
Pilot Hill (8,829')
8,820'
Mount Olympus (8,808')
Pole Hill (8,603')
Mount Ethel (8,471')
8,415' (Leila Peak)
Triangle Mountain (8,415')
8,380'
8,380'
Buckhorn Mountain (8,341')
8,310'
Round Mountain (8,250') (4)
Palisade Mountain (8,225')
8,194' (Giant Boulder Point)
Alexander Mountain (8,144')
8,092'
-----------------------
23 x 8ers
-----------------------
Blue Mountain (7,888')
Spruce Mountain (7,781')
7,814'
Sullivan Stump (7,778')
Turkey Roost (7,734')
7,725'
7,660'
7,655'
7,620'
7,567'
7,509'
7,500'
7,470'
Green Ridge (7,402')
7,383'
Green Mountain (7,335')
7,260' (Ziggy Point)
7,220'
7,178'
7,135'
Red Mountain (7,105')
7,098' (Poll Mtn range)
Table Mountain (7,074')
------------------------
128 x 7ers (incl 105 Horsetooth summits)
------------------------
6,930'
Arthurs Rock (6,780') (6)
Milner Mountain (6,893')
6,674'
6,300'
6,227'
6,100'
------------------------
12 x 6ers
------------------------
Morril Benchmark (5,791')
5,773' or 'Aggie Peak'
5,740' (Hwy 34 B4 Narrows) (1)
5,740' (Off Masonville Rd) (2)
Reservoir Ridge (5,735')
Goat Hill (5,604')
------------------------
6 x 5ers
------------------------
Aitxuri (1,551 meters)
Aizkorri (1,528 meters)
Aratz (1,443 meters)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tues - AM: 10.5 miles (500')  w/5k race (17:09, 1st). My fourth and final parkrun race of the UK visit in the company of 7 other Clarks, no less. Ran over to Whitstable from Canterbury, picked up my old mate Jim along the way and then learned that we were going to be running an all pavement version of the course this time around due to the super soggy underfoot conditions on the Tankerton Slopes. From the off, I slotted in behind the same young lad who'd led out the run on Christmas Day and let him set the pace for much of the first lap (8:25). I led the second lap and felt myself fading up the hill and into the wind on the final kilometer and a half. Thought I might sneak under 17, but came up a bit short. Doubled back once I was done to catch up with Alistair. He ran in for a six minute PR (29:37).

Karen

Matt

Alistair

Me

Maddie

William

Thomas

Dana

Weds - AM: 6.5 miles easy. Giles Lane - Tyler Hill - C&W Park Wood.

PM: 3.5 miles easy. 2 x uni loop w/around the block add on.

Thurs - AM: 10 miles (500') easy. To Chestfield and back on the Crab and Winkle with Anthony, a local runner who'll be running his first 100 miler this summer. Anthony has been following the ultra scene for a few years now and it was interesting to hear his take on UK ultrarunning. By all accounts, the sport is currently exploding in popularity much the same way as it has been in the U.S. over the last decade. I was excited to hear that Anthony will be running the North Downs 100 this summer, which is about as local a 100-miler as there is in the UK to my home town of Canterbury. It runs point to point from Farnham in Surrey to Wye in Kent on the North Downs Way, a long distance hiking trail, stopping just short of Canterbury. The route passes through bucolically scenic terrain over gradually rolling hills, and I would highly recommend the route to anyone considering an ultra in the UK. I was actually planning on doing the Canterbury loop of the North Downs Way on my visit, but given the current ground saturation, the 45 mile route through farmers' fields and the like would have been more misery than fun, unfortunately.

Me and Anthony outside my parents house. 

Fri - Off. Flying back to Colorado.

Sat - AM: 20 miles (1,800') easy w/ Mike, Slush and Sarah. It was good to reconnect with friends on my first run back in Colorado. We ran from my house down to Redstone Canyon, which we out-and-backed before finishing up with a loop of Milner Mtn and a few tack-ons at the end to hit the magical 20 mile mark. Toe-numbingly cold before the sun hit the canyon, but just a beautiful morning once it warmed up.

Sun - 9 miles easy on the bike paths setting up the Edora Park 8k T&H course, among other things. Still jetlagged, I was up at 4:00 am and ready to go, so I headed out the door and got a run in. It was incredibly cold in the dark (my car said 2 degrees), but with no wind and minimal humidity it was fine once the internal furnace kicked in. Standing around registering runners for the race was a different story, however. Brrr.

Total: 70 miles (2,800')  

Looking at the 2012 numbers, it is (vaguely) interesting to see that I posted essentially the same yearly mileage and vertical total as in 2011 and 2010, despite the low 200-mile months through the last three months of the year. I'm a big believer in consistency over the long haul and those numbers state just that. With a mellow October through December, I feel like I'm ready to harness that three-year base and really get after it in 2013; maybe my last serious year of running and racing before looking at different ways of utilizing my energy in future years.

In other news, I'm going to be running on the island of Ometepe in Nicaragua next month for the Fuego Y Agua 100 km race. I'm excited to say the least. Ometepe is a volcanic island in Lake Nicaragua, an inland freshwater lake, with not one but two volcanoes, the higher of which - Concepcion - is still active. The course - which takes in both summits - looks incredibly challenging and fantastically scenic. I'm counting my blessings.

Ometepe Island

Volcan Concepcion 

Volcan Madera

Week Ending September 16

Mon - Noon: 7 miles (1,800') easy. Horsetooth south summit. Slow.
PM: 2 miles easy on the bike paths pushing the stroller while Alistair was at x-country practice.

Tues - Noon: 5 miles (1,000') easy. Falls loop.
PM: 11.5 miles track. Workout was 800, 400, 400, mile, 800, 400, 400 w/lap jog after 800s, 200 jog after 4s and mile. Started with a mile open to warm up (5:41), then: 2:37, 76, 74, 5:25, 2:42, 76, 74. Died a death on the back half of the mile with the short rest, and the 800 wasn't much better but rallied a bit for the final 400s with the extra rest after the 800. Really looking forward to cutting mileage and working on some speed this fall/winter. I feel pretty slow right now. 4 mile up, 2.5 mile down.

Weds - Noon: 7 miles (1,600') easy. Horsetooth north summit in a heavy fog. Finally a break in the weather. Excited for the cooler weather ahead.
PM: 6.5 miles pushing the stroller on the bike paths while Alistair was at x-country practice. Easy, easy.

Thurs - AM: 10 miles (1,500') tempo. Finally managed to get out and run some asphalt this morning with a return to Centennial Road and the HTH5MO@B (Horsetooth Half 5 Mile Out & Back), a winter staple. Basically the route goes from the Maxwell parking area up onto the rolling dam roads on the east side of the reservoir. We go out five miles at a social pace, then drill the return five at varying intensities depending on desire and motivation. Anything sub 31 minutes is a good workout for me coming back. First mile includes a 300 foot climb up the north dam in the first half mile with a slight downgrade over the last quarter, then the next two miles are a rolling, net uphill, grind that require frequent reminders to double down on the effort, and then the last two miles have a couple of ripping descents, a quarter mile of flat and two short speed bumps. Definitely one of the best test pieces in town, and I only wish I'd gotten out for a few more sessions in the last month before UROC. Oh well. Scott, Celeste and Ziggy ran out three with me on a perfectly foggy morning, and on the remaining two miles to the turnaround, I decided that given the lack of company and a somewhat sore lower right calf, I would take things easy for the first session back. The out was a slower than usual 44:50, and the return a pretty mediocre 33:36 (7:52, 13:31 (mile 2 & 3), 6:17, 5:56), more than four minutes off my PR at what felt like a harder effort than it should have been. 
PM: 9.5 miles (1,900') steady on Towers. 31:45. Tired legs and a still gimpy right calf, but after a 2.5 mile warm up and an easy first mile, I picked things up a touch and felt good at a tempo-type effort. Perfect evening for running.

Fri - Noon: 6.5 miles (1,600') easy. Horsetooth north summit from north gap. Felt good, but kept the effort easy to give my calf/achilles a break.

Sat - AM: 10 miles (1,100') steady. Bluesky trail to Devils Backbone. Dana and the kids picked me up on the south end and then we took off to Brighton for Alistair's first cross country meet (fun times). Climbed up the Keyhole rock, but pretty sure a rib to the north is the highest point. Some private property issues there, but will get it another time, as I can always use an excuse to run Bluesky, which I tend to neglect. Getting on the Keyhole was straightforward from the back (north to northwest side). The actual Devils Backbone high point is ranked a 5.1 climb, and this wasn't that. Ran hard this morning to make up for being lazy and not getting up early enough to jam in 20 miles. 
PM: 6.5 miles (2,100') hike/run. Estes Cone (11,006'). After heading west to Lyons for lunch (Oskar Blues) from Alistair's cross country meet, we headed north up to Estes, detouring off for a stop at the East Longs trailhead and a go at Estes Cone with the kids. I guess Alistair wasn't really into it, so we stopped halfway at the old mine site on the way to Storm Pass and played for a bit. Dana was happy to hang out with the kids, who all of a sudden were having a great time, so I finished things up by running up to Storm Pass and Estes Cone. Tagged the top after a good steep climb, took in the killer (like, uber killer) views of the Divide (from the Mummies all the way to Longs), and then hoot-footed it back. The kids were still cool and the gang, so it was quick work on the return leg back to the trailhead. Dana and Alistair played tag pretty much the whole way, while I brought up the rear with Stella on my back. Ice cream in Estes, then home. Fun day.

Sun - AM: 21 miles (2,200') long run. 2:45. Ran a loop of the reservoir counterclockwise via 38e, South Dam, Centennial, Lodgepole to Lory, Valley trails to Bluesky, 38e. I wasn't too excited for this run, so procrastinated for an hour two before getting going. This meant I had to suffer through the heat of the morning on a totally exposed route, which is never much fun. I was feeling tired, so just plugged into a comfortable 8:00 average and got around. Chased one road biker up Monster Hill on Centennial after giving away about 100 meters on Spring Canyon dam and almost caught her by the top, but other than that this was a total one-gear run. 

Total: 102.5 miles (14,800')

Good week on balance. Wanted to run 20 on Saturday, but just couldn't get going and so gave up an hour of running time, but other than that, I got done what I think I wanted to get done this week, including a good number of road/flatter miles. I really don't think I can or should cram any more volume before UROC, as I've been feeling a bit tired and flat this week. The wise thing from here will be to cut the volume aggressively, and just do the workouts to see if I can inject a bit of zip into my stride.

The field at UROC looks to be road-background heavy, so I'm expecting a different kind of race than I'm used to. I'm 100% prepared to let a lead pack develop ahead of me if I feel the pace is unreasonable for me and the distance. My strengths versus the faster road guys should manifest themselves in the second half of the race, and if Steamboat is any example then hopefully there should be some significant gains to be made as people start to get tired. Despite the impending and guaranteed suffering, I'm looking forward to participating on a good mix of terrain against some talented runners that I've either never run against or who I haven't raced over a longer distance.

In other news, Pete and I are finalizing permitting details for the Quad Rock 25/50 mile trail races for May 11 next year, so get that one on the calendar. As race directors, we were extremely fortunate that the High Park blaze (which torched approximately 200,000 acres north and west of town earlier this summer) did not impact the race course at all. In fact, the Timber trail in Lory State park acted as a fire line on the southeast perimeter of the fire. So, same great course, same great volunteers and same great giveaways and prizes. We're both super excited to build on the successes and lessons from 2012 with an eye towards three things: impeccable course marking, great value, and a post-race experience to match the running and racing itself. I've already ordered up a sunny forecast for 2013. Registration will be going live in December.

Also, if you're looking for a little autumn racing, then think about signing up for the Bluesky Marathon here in town. The race takes place October 7, and I believe there are still spots available. This is a great race with trail mileage in Horsetooth and on the fast Bluesky Trail. Proceeds benefit the Larimer County trail network, Larimer County Search and Rescue, and local youth running programs.

Oh, and one other thing. I just saw Karl's post-bunny-race interview over at iRunFar, and it sounds like he's going to take a shot at the Grand Slam record next year. I've been mulling that one for a couple of years now, and was kinda thinking that 2013 might be a good year to give it a go. Now that Karl's taking a run at it, I almost feel obliged to do it; nothing like a bit of competition to add some extra motivation, but that ain't set in stone just yet.  I also think Pedatella should get on board for the GS now that he has a WS spot. He knows how to stack 'em up back to back. And while we're at, Neal, you should come on out and defend! Anyone else?

Regardless of who takes a stab at it next year, I think there's still a good three to five hours of play in Neal's (stout) record, but it would take a stellar and injury-free summer of racing to get it done.

Week Ending April 8

Mon - 5 miles (1,000') easy. Falls loop. Tired.

Tues - AM: 9.5 miles intervals. Small group again, but overjoyed to be running in the snow (for what it was worth). Workout was 5 x City Park mile (1.04), with 1st and last steady and middle three fartlek - quarter mile jog between + 1-2 min standing rest. Ran with Chris M for all five and felt horribly sluggish: 5:35 (5:22), 5:34 (:21), 5:41 (:27), 5:38 (:25), 5:37 (:24).
PM: 5 miles (1,000') easy. Falls loop.

Weds - Noon: 6 miles (600') easy. Valley trails, Soderberg to Arthurs and back.
PM: 4 miles easy on the bike paths before FCRC board meeting. Mileage padding.

Thurs - AM: 10.5 miles (1,200') easy. Early morning jaunt on Bluesky/Indian Summer with Slush, Celeste, Ziggy, Sarah and AlWesir. Nice crisp morning with another beautiful sunrise over Coyote Ridge. Notched things a touch over the last couple. Some good banter as always.
PM: 10 miles (2,100') Towers. 29:37. Eased into this one, hitting the road (.45) 20 seconds slower than last time, and taking it relatively easy on the grunts with the intention of gassing the shallower grades. The Stout split was 8:50 and Herrington 16:45, which means I made up about 20 seconds over the last 13 minutes versus two weeks ago. I ended up 4 seconds slower on what felt like a much more controlled effort with significantly less discomfort. One of these days I'll solve the riddle and put all the pieces together.

Fri - Noon: 5 miles (1,000') easy. Falls loop.
PM: 6 miles (600') easy. O&B Soderberg to Arthurs on Valley Trails.

Sat - AM: 21 miles (7,000'). Round Mountain ladder. This was the second outing of the Fort Collins Trail Runners' Spring Vertical Series and a repeat of last year's inaugural version, dubbed the Round Up. Total workout calls for an out and back from each of the four mile markers on the way up to the Round Mtn summit, followed by a final summit push (4.75 miles, 3,000') for a total of 29 miles & 9,500 feet. I decided to eschew the mile 4 O & B as I didn't want to overdo things with Lake Sonoma coming up next weekend. I also decided to take things super easy for the first three out and backs, before taking a harder run at the summit to finish things off. Ended up wavering between hard and 'can't be bothered' for the summit run, which ended up being surprisingly quick, just a couple minutes off my PR (50:24) at 52:23. I think we had an impressive 13 runners show up for the 5:30 pre-dawn push-off and then lots more as the morning progressed. Great sunrise over Alexander Mtn coming down from mile two. Total outing was 4:11, or 3:59 not including TH pit stops. 
 
The up splits: Mile 1 <+580'> (13:47, 12:40, 11:21, 10:22); mile 2 <+780'> (13:46, 12:25, 11:42); mile 3 <+460'> (11:54, 10:21); mile 4 <+580'> (10:51); final .75 <+480'> (9:05).

The down splits: Mile 1 (11:36, 9:15, 8:47, 9:56); mile 2 (9:03, 8:38, 9:36); mile 3 (10:29, 11:04); mile 4 (11:04); final .75 (6:45)

Sun - AM: 8 miles (900') easy on Bluesky. Been a while since I've been on a run and thinking about snakes, but with as warm as it's been I found myself scanning this morning.

Total: 90 miles (15,400') 

Took things a little easier this week on the running front, with a short run Sunday and an abbreviated Round Mountain ladder on Saturday. This disciplined behavior is an attempt to freshen the legs up a bit for the Lake Sonoma 50 next weekend, which will be my only 50 miler before Western States in June. It comes about halfway into my training block so an easier seven or eight days leading up to it seems reasonable enough. I feel pretty good right now, so I'd like to think I've got as a good a shot as anyone toeing the line.

Speaking of deep fields, Pete and I are pretty excited about the crew that will be assembling May 12 right here in Fort Collins for the Quad Rock 50. In the men's race we've got the JFK 50 record holder coming out to test his chops on a mountain 50 as he gets ready for Western States in June. He'll be up against last year's top U.S. finisher at UTMB, the third place finisher from this year's Way Too Cool and American River, and a host of Front Range speedsters who know the trails well. My money's on Burch, but I've been wrong before.

We've got a strong women's race too, with PI teammate Becky Wheeler perhaps the favorite on paper, but I'm betting she'll be pushed hard by Steamboat 50 winner Jenny Pierce, recent Salida winner Leila DeGrave, and some local Fort Collins women who are probably too modest to want to be named. My money's on Steph Lynn - pretty sure I've got that one right.

But it's not all about the front of the pack. Hell no, it's about the personal challenge. We've put together a tough course with a challenging cut-off, but we're betting that anyone with the requisite determination and mental fortitude will be able to get it done if they really want to. Pete went out and ran the full monty a couple of weekends ago (in the midst of 700-mile month). Based on his experience, he put together a 14-hour pacing plan. Check it out. And then come out next Saturday and run the loop for yourselves on the 'official course preview.' We'll have lots of local runners on hand (who may or may not know where they're going), which means good company at a range of different paces.

Wish I could be there for that one, but I'll be out getting my hide whooped in wine country USA

Bob Graham Round

I always thought Engand was a bit bigger, but it was ony six and haf hours from the southeast corner in Kent to the nothwest corner in Cumbria, where I am currenty learning what I've gotten mysef in for: Wastach 100 elevation gain in 2/3rds the distance, with 42 'tops' over lots of rocks, snow and bogs. This one could get a little crazy. The weather foreast looks relatively benign, so that's something to be thankful for, but there will udoubtedly be wind to deal with. Kick off is at 2am tomorrow morning (T-11 hours).

The view from Wickersgil, where we are staying.

Crew vehicles

Do you like to run hills?

Then come on out to Fort Collins on May 12 and run a whole bunch of them.

Registration opens Dec 7.

UTMB

Fever pitch over here in Chamonix. Check-in: done; drug test: passed; logistics: just about figured out. Time to run!

Switzerland and some Sierre-Zinal Interviews

The last (and only) time I was in Switzerland was during my year abroad in France (many moons ago) as a third-year undergraduate student. And what a waste. We drove straight through without stopping, bee-lining it straight for Germany's Black Forest and the steins that awaited us there. This time around we're doing it up proper.

Scott Jaime and I flew out together on Wednesday, arriving to Geneva early Thursday morning. From the plane we had a stunning view of the Geneva valley with snow-capped Alpine peaks and the mighty Mont Blanc standing out in glorious Technicolor against the bluebird skies to the south. The two hour train ride east up the Rhone Valley was even more remarkable. I thought I had it good in Colorado, but wow, these here Alps are pretty spectacular. Jagged angles, burly ridges, huge glaciers, and dreamy amounts of vertical relief. Hog heaven.

And then we hit Sierre, transferred to a bus, and then another bus as we made our way up the tight and Colorado-esque Valais through immaculate Alpine Swiss villages to Zinal. And wow again. The skyline here is just phenomenal.

Before we had time to close our agape jaws we were being whisked off by our incredibly gracious hosts to a Raclette feast with a jazz ensemble, wine, cold cuts and oozing amounts of deliciously runny cheese from cows that had been feeding off the wildflowers 1,000 feet above us. And there was Young Money Dakota Jones putting away a glass of wine and his fair share of the local produce. That afternoon we were off up into the hills for an entirely too-long run, but what can you do when surrounded by such beauty. Another feeding and then we crashed hard for 13 hours.

Friday has been much the same - savoring views, running gorgeous and incredibly steep trails, eating delicious food and just generally having a wonderful time. I don't want to draw unnecessary comparisons between the US and Europe when it comes to putting on races, but let's just say that Scott, Dakota and I have been feeling astoundingly spoiled and incredibly thankful for the honest and gracious hospitality we have received here. Our Swiss hosts are from a different cut.

Anyway, in the two days that we've been here I've also been able to catch up with some of the other members of 'Equipe USA' on behalf of RunColo.com, including Max King, Joe Gray (coming), Glen Randall, Megan Lund, and Brandy Erholtz. Oh, and Ultra Boys Dakota Jones and Scott Jaime, in addition to a ditto with me.

We race tomorrow and then we'll drink and be merry, before we head south into France to assume residence in Chamonix in search of a couple more weeks of Alpine adventures.

One more thing. Here's a recent interview I did with the guys over at InsideTrail, a new site dedicated to trail racing.

Week Ending June 26 - Hardrock Thoughts/Prognostications

Mon - Noon: 7 miles (1,600') easy. Falls - Spring Creek - Stout - Herrington - Spring Creek - Soderberg - home long.

Tues - 0 miles.

Weds - 5 miles (1,000'). Up and into the snow on the Five Lakes trail from Alpine Meadows. With Scott and AJW.

Thurs - 5 miles (1,000'). As Weds, with Scott.

Fri - 3 miles (500'). To the Five Lakes TH and back with Scott, Nick, Timmy and Jake.

Sat - 102 miles (18,000'). Western States.

Sun - 0 miles.

Total: 122 miles (22,000')

Well Western States has come and gone, and quite honestly I'm glad to be moving on. I feel like I had a good race, but can't quite shake the feeling that I might have missed an opportunity out there. Oh well.

Right now, I have absolutely no idea if I'll be back next year. For me, there is only one reason to run Western States and that is to run against competition. The event is fun and the surroundings beautiful, but the course - despite its history - just doesn't do much for me.

Anyway, the recovery is moving along. The swelling has largely subsided in my ankles and elsewhere, meaning that I am able to get a decent read on what it is I've got going on and what I'll likely be dealing with at Hardrock. I think my feet are going to be just fine, with the exception of a bruised left big toe, which I guess was butting up against my shoe last weekend. Looks like I'll wind up with my first ever black toenail there, but hopefully the actual bruising and pain will be minimal come race day. Elsewhere in the foot region, I have an inflamed extensor tendon, which is a bit of a concern, but it's getting better by the day so should be good to go in seven days. In addition, there is some deep muscle soreness in my quads, but again that should be okay in a week.

So clearly I'm going to be a bit dinged up for Hardrock, but I still plan on giving it a go. I know I won't be winning the race, but I'm hoping that I can still put up a respectable sub-30 hour time. Quite honestly, however, I'll be over the moon with any kind of finish. To beat Andy's 46:56 (Western States: 18:46:51, Hardrock: 28:09:09) double from 2009, I would need to go under 31:05, so I guess that is a goal too.

Goals in order: podium, sub-30, sub-31:05, finish.

I haven't run a step since Saturday, and have actually hiked no further than a half mile with the kids. I'm going to try and get up something high this weekend - maybe Mt Massive from Leadville - but it's going to be a very leisurely hike with lots of stops along the way to check out views, wildflowers and other high-alpine beauty.

Of course I wish that I was primed for Hardrock, but things didn't pan out that way this year. If I can get in again next year, then I'm definitely going to forgo WS and take a stab at doing something fast at HR. So my self-pity aside, I'm really looking forward to Hardrock as a fan of the sport. A quick look at the pointy end of the field, which looks quite intriguing this year:

Podium contenders:

Karl Meltzer - He's won it multiple times and should be rested. I'm picking the Speedgoat as the favorite
Joe Grant - Joe is ready. He's great in the mountains and just a solid runner. Definite contender.
Julien Chorier - I had a brief chat with Kilian about Julien as we were making our way down to the Poppy trail at WS last weekend. Kilian says he's the real deal. Obviously he's an unknown quantity stateside, but the Kilian nod is good enough for me to put him up there as a contender.
Duncan Callahan - Two time Leadville champ. He's a bit hit or miss, but I expect DC to have a solid run.
Dakota Jones - Still unproven at anything over 50 miles, but these are DJ's mountains. We'll see.
Jared Campbell - Jared is the defending champ, so has to be respected. That said, he tends to be a high-20-hour guy, and I think we'll be looking at something 25 hours or better for the win.

Others that should run well:

John Anderson - John knows the course. He had a disappointing run last year, but he's a strong runner, so don't discount him.
Ryan Cooper - Ryan is ready. I have no idea what his goal is, but I'd expect him to go under 30 hours.
Nick Coury - Nick has finished here before and knows what 100-mile running is all about. Sub-30?
Matt Hart - Matt is solid in the mountains, but lacks a bit of speed. Sub-30 should be easy on a good day, but how much faster can he go?
Garrett Graubins - Another solid runner who should go under 30 with a good run.
Christian Johnson - He claims to be running for a finish and a finish only, but I've learned over the years how to sniff out a sandbagger.
Glenn Mackie - Hardrock veteran, look for Glenn to go under 30 with a good run.
Michael Popov - A respected and accomplished fastpacker, I believe. If there was ever a course that was built for strong hikers, this is it.
Pete Stevenson - Pete is a training partner of mine, and he's ready. I'm calling 28 hours and biggest beard of the field.
Kevin Shilling - Kevin is another strong guy in the mountains, but I don't think 100 miles is his best distance.
Nathan Yanko - All the guys above are Colorado or Utah residents, so have altitude options out their front doors. I believe Nathan is from the Bay Area, so the altitude is a wild card. Nonetheless, he's had some strong finishes at West Coast races, so could go well at HR.

Women

Looks like a two-horse race between Darcy Africa and Diana Finkel. I'm calling it for teammate Darcy. Betsy Kalmeyer and Betsy Nye are always strong and very experienced at HR, so maybe they race for third or mop up any Diana or Darcy carnage for second or even the win.

Week Ending June 19

Mon - Off. Arrived in New York in the wee hours of Monday morning, so no run before work. No chance during the day.

Tues - 5 miles. A quick couple of laps around Central Park Reservoir, which was packed at 6:00 AM.

Weds - 5 miles. As yesterday. Ho hum.

Thurs - Noon: 9 miles (1,900') easy. Falls - Spring Creek - Stout - Loggers - Carey Springs - Towers - Herrington - Spring Creek - Soderberg - home long. Not sure my legs could have felt any flatter. This is typical for me in the second week of the taper...but still. I almost turned around and went home after a half mile.

Fri - Noon: 9 miles (1,900') easy. Falls - Spring Creek - Stout - Loggers - Carey Springs - Towers - Herrington - Spring Creek - Soderberg - home long. Legs better, but still not where I want them to be.

Sat - AM: 14 miles (1,900') easy. Bluesky/Indian Summer o&b from home with Ryan. Getting better. Still not fresh, but definitely better.

Sun - AM: 7 miles (1,700') easy. From Soderberg - Valley - Sawmill - Loggers - Herrington - Towers - Herrington - Sprig Creek - Soderberg - home long. Couple of layers. Good sweat. Tight hamstrings from weeding yesterday, otherwise legs feel like they're coming around nicely.

Total: 49 miles (7,400')

Well that essentially caps my training for the year. From here on in it will be: race (WS); recover; race (HR); recover; play in the high country on some sweet routes (Glacier Gorge traverse, Rawah traverse, Pingree five peak speed attempt, Mummy Mania speed attempt); race (Sierre-Zinal); recover; race (UTMB); recover; hibernate.

My Dad asked me on the phone this morning what my strategy for next weekend was. After giving his question a bit of thought I realized that I don't really have a strategy. I mean one can plan all they want for these things but in my experience, as long as you have the basic essentials of fueling and hydration figured out, there really shouldn't be too much else to think about. The rest tends to be unnecessary noise and stress. There are a couple of logistical issues to figure out with Nick & Jake, my two pacers, but that can wait for Thursday.

The race will unfold however it unfolds and unless I'm completely out of touch with the reality of my fitness, I'll run the race the day gives me. If the pace is too hot off the front, then I'm not going to kill myself trying to stay in touch. That's how it played out last year, and I'm generally happy with the way I ran. There were guys running way over their head on the re-route around French Meadows (we're talking sub-6 pace), and all I could do was sit back and shake my head while they destroyed their races before it was even one-fifth done. If that kind of silliness transpires again this year, then I'll just have to let it go. Obviously, I hope to be in the mix throughout, but I'd rather finish in fifth with a time and effort that I'm happy with than implode at 80 miles after chasing the lead all day and digging myself a Rucky-Chucky grave. The Western States course is 100 miles long; not 50, not 80, not 90, but 100.

We'll find out on course details in the next couple of days. I'm guessing that we'll run the same course as last year, but have to deal with significantly more snow. Meanwhile, at Red Mountain Pass (11,200') in the San Juans there's a snowpack of just 14 inches left. That should mostly be gone by next weekend. So mega snow in the Sierra Nevadas and primo conditions in the San Juans.

On a side note, the ride from my house to the cabin we're staying at in Squaw Valley is 1,020 miles. If I average 65 mph (including stops), then we're looking at a travel time of 15:42. I wonder if it will take longer to cover 1,000 miles in the car or 100 miles on foot?

Western States/Hardrock Double

When asked pre-lottery by friends if I would run Hardrock should my name be drawn, I was pretty emphatic in stating that I would absolutely turn down the spot. The reasoning behind this fairly logical answer was not one of charity for others who might be better prepared for the immense undertaking, but simply because running such a beast two weeks after (hopefully) running full bore at Western States sounded incredibly painful and potentially dangerous, not to mention stupid in terms of UTMB preparation.

Then my name was drawn. And all bets were off.

I quickly rationalized that this would be a great chance to test my mettle in a way I have yet to test it. And besides, the chances of being drawn in the lottery are so slim that I may never get another chance at it. Then I saw the list of starters and felt further compelled to send a check for $250 to race director Dale Garland.

The event has never really been about the racing, but more about the experience. However, as regular readers of this blog might have gathered by now, I like to race (regardless of my chances of winning), and clearly the 2011 event has the potential to be one of the more competitive ones in the race’s history.

A taste of the competition:

Karl Meltzer (5-time winner)
Scott Jurek (‘07 winner, 7-time WS winner, US 24-hour record holder, and on and on)
Jared Campbell (defending champ)
Duncan Callahan (2-time Leadville winner)
Diana Finkel (3-time winner, 2nd overall last year)
Darcy Africa (2nd last year (4th overall) and winner of multiple 100 mile mountain races)
Nathan Yanko
Pete Stevenson
John Anderson
Matt Hart
Dakota Jones
Kevin Shilling
Glenn Mackie
Christian Johnson
Garrett Graubins
Nick Coury
Ryan Cooper
Jeff Browning (31st on the wait list - would be a great addition to the start list)

Up until about a week ago, I really hadn’t given the race much thought. Western States is absolutely my goal race for the summer -- no ifs, ands, or buts about it -- but now that I’ve started getting up into the mountains a bit more in my training, and the prospect of some high-alpine running starts to open up with the changing of the seasons, my mind begins to wander towards July and the San Juans.

I paced Nick Pedatella over the last 30 miles of the course last year just two weeks after racing Western States and, quite frankly, it was a slog. I got altitude headaches, we got lost for an extended period of time in the middle of the night, and Nick fell in an ice-cold stream at 4 in the morning and was borderline hypothermic for hours. I was ready to hand over the pacing baton to Ryan at mile 90 but he didn’t show, so I had to slog up the last huge climb (they’re all huge) to 13,000 feet over Little Giant without expressing my desire to sit down and stop (which is not good pacing etiquette).

Not so little, but definitely a giant.

My immediate post-pace thoughts are documented here, and as you might deduce from the prose and video commentary, I was far from enthusiastic about the event at the time of writing. But time has a way of romancing the pain and frustration. And I’m now fully excited at the prospect of covering the 100.5 miles, 34,000 feet of climbing, and 13 major passes of the Hardrock course…I think.

Of course I have goals for the summer, who doesn’t? As far as the WS/Hardrock double is concerned, there is but one goal (well there are multiple goals, but for fear of being ridiculed I’ll just mention the following): beat AJW’s impressive double from 2009, which I assume is a record:

Western States: 18:46:51
Hardrock: 28:09:09
Combined: 46:56:00

And then there’s UTMB, but I’m putting those thoughts off until July 9.

This summer promises to be epic.

American River 50 Thoughts

Headed out to Sacramento, CA tomorrow to go run on a bike path for 30 miles. This will essentially be my first ultra of the year. I know that 50ks are considered ultras, but I really don't think the 50k distance is long enough to truly dig yourself a hole or a trench the way you can in a 50 miler or a 100 miler. And the potential for hole digging looks particularly good at American River.

Just about any advice I have received on running American River begins with the words 'don't go out too fast.' Given this race is in its 32nd year, I'll assume that there is enough combined wisdom to believe those words are probably sage advice. It looks like the front of the pack covered the bike path miles in 6:18-6:25 pace last year, which is 2:45 to 2:50 marathon pace. I think I would be more comfortable in the 6:30 range, but this is a race so we'll see.

Once off the bike path for good, at about mile 30, the race proper begins. For some, the last 20 miles will be about hanging on, but for others it will be about reeling in overzealous marathoners. While the prospect of running hard on the bike path for so many miles is unappealing, to say the least, I am intrigued by the tactical aspect of this race. For the most part in 50 milers, you tend to slot into a rhythm, an effort and try not to die too badly over the last 5 to ten miles. Nearly always, the terrain involves big climbs and big descents but a fairly consistent effort level. At American River, you essentially have a road race followed by a rolling trail race, requiring two different skill sets and two different effort levels.

I feel like I am in decent road shape (for me), so hope to be in contact as we hit the trail, but really have no idea how those last 20 miles are going to play out. I haven't run beyond 35 miles since Wasatch last year, and I have certainly never run 20 miles hard after laying down a 2:45 marathon, so I guess anything could happen - from the sublime to the disastrous. Six hours is a definite time goal, but this one for me is more about the race, so whatever that dictates pace-wise (within reason) is where I'll likely be.

Competition looks good, with some familiar names mixed in with less familiar names. As is typically the case in ultras, a few guys won't be making it to the start line but of those that are fit, the front of the pack will probably look something like this: Jason Loutitt (low-2:20 marathon guy); Dave Mackey (who claims to be undertrained: you've been warned); the Sharminator (who has similar/slightly faster marathon legs than me and the ability to run 100 miles fast on the flats); Jacob Rydman (who is local and just starting to make his mark); Joe Uhan (who ran well at Chuckanut); Erik Skaden (a former winner); Ryan Burch (the 50 mile specialist); AJW (too fast/short for him?); Michael Buchannan (ran with Andy Henshaw in first on the bike path last year, then seemingly bonked hard over the last 20); Senior Jaime (who is secretly a road runner); Matt Hart (might be lost without a pair of skis and skins), Graham Cooper (former WS winner), and others I am sure. Ellie Greenwood and Kami Semick will be mopping up bonking male egos from mile 30 onwards, so watch your backs gentlemen.

See you in Sacramento!

el Chubbo Grande

Hmmm, this route looks to be about 50 kilometers long with enough climbing to trim up your holiday-inflated Chubby Cheeks (~8000').

Red = out
Green = back
Blue = short cuts

Short cut from Arthurs Rock = Marathon(ish) (~7,000')
Short cut down Mill Creek = 22-23 miles (~5,500')

Ummm, feel free to print and use for future reference:

Chubby Cheeks 50k

Map splicing, dicing and arrowing by the multi-talented Mary Boyts.

Pikes Peak Thoughts

I couldn't resist getting out for a harder effort to the top of Horsetooth yesterday. It's only 2.5 miles (with ~ 1,800' of climb), and I was in the mood to run a little harder than usual, so I threw caution to the taper winds and pushed out what would probably be considered a lactate threshold effort. I was definitely careful to keep the run under control, never getting into that gunk-building zone, so was exceptionally happy to record a summit of 27 minutes, less than a minute off my PR.

This was a nice little confidence builder just days before I take on the Big Hill. Prior to this run, I was in a pretty negative frame of mind with regards to Pikes, thinking I would be lucky to summit in the 2:35 I managed last year, and almost certain that a sub-4-hour run was not going to happen. With the return to mental positivity, I am once again confident that with a good run I can dip under 4:00.

What will it take? An absolute minimum of 2:35 on the up, which would leave 1:24:59 for the down - a number that may or may not be realistic. Having never raced the down, I just don't know. Given that Mock has gone down in 1:28 (a time that included two stops for shoe adjustments), I have to think 1:25 is doable, but I doubt there's much more room to be made on the down. However, I honestly believe that with a stronger run above treeline than last year I can run a 2:30 ascent or better. If I hit that number on the climb and fail to break 4 hours I think I'll come away disappointed.

So anyway, I have a couple of races within the race going on as well. While I have already taken the five-race series against Senor Burch this year, there is still some talk (on Burch's part) of lifetime cumulative head-to head times, a number he apparently owns due primarily to a very poor run I had a couple of years ago at the Blue Sky Marathon. I'm not exactly sure what the cumulative time differential is, but I think it's in the 5-10 minute range. If I do finish ahead of Ryan, I doubt it will erase my deficit, but it will at least be another little dent in the right direction.

Ryan and I on Crosier last year.

The second match-up is the direct head-to-head with Top American/Last Ass. This one is a classic match-up between someone with significantly more road speed (2:29 vs 2:43) and someone who thinks he has significantly more trail and mountain chops than his adversary. Quite frankly, I think I'll have the race sewn up somewhere between A-frame and the summit, but I know Justin will be charging the down once the air gets a little thicker and the trail a little less technical - so there'll be no give up from either of us, a fact that will hopefully spur us both to our shared sub-four-hour goal.

Justin and I at the Western States finish. We won't be working together this time around.

Any which way it shakes out, this weekend promises to be a lot of fun. I'll be heading down with Dana and Alistair on Friday night - staying chez PitBrownie - and then taking the family up to the peak on Saturday morning to watch the Ascent play out, before hanging out in Manitou for the rest of the day to soak up some atmosphere and hopefully eat some good food.

And as a last note, good luck to everyone else running this weekend at Pikes, Leadville or in the Transrockies race, on what is - without a doubt - the biggest trail racing weekend on the Colorado calendar. And the amazing thing about this weekend of racing is that all three events were sold out weeks or months ago. August is simply a great month to be running high mountain trails in this gorgeous state we are lucky enough to call home.

Week Ending July 11 - Barr Trail Thoughts

Mon - 5 miles (1,000'). Horsetooth/Falls.

Tues - 6 miles (1,200'). Reservoir Ridge with FCTR.

Weds - 8.5 miles (2,200'). Horsetooth/Audra.

Thurs - 5 miles (1,000'). Horsetooth/Falls.

Fri/Sat - 30 miles (10,000'). Pace Hardrock.

Sun - Off.

Total: 54.5 (15,400').

Hardrock seemed to take a little more out of me than planned, or I should probably say that I was a little less recovered from Western States than I thought, especially on the downs, and now the hip flexors seem a little tight.

Anyway, onwards to Pikes from here. First test comes this Sunday at the Barr Trail race which goes half way up the mountain to Barr Camp and then straight back down for close to 12.5 miles and 3,600' of climbing. I'm not expecting anything too earth shattering, but I am of course hoping to get a good workout in. This is probably the most competitive short-course mountain race in Colorado, which makes it one of the most competitive short-course races in the country, so a top 10 finish will definitely be a result. According to Justin's RunColo preview, I will not be a factor, but I'm imagining that at least a couple of the guys he's picked for top 10 spots won't get to the start line, and even if they all do I still think I'll be in the mix for the 10 spot. We'll see.

I pushed a few of the climbs this week in training, and generally felt pretty decent. I'll definitely need time to warm up at Barr Trail, so plan to go out easy and work up to race pace and then chew up the down.

Towers Road Handicap TT this Thursday at 6:00pm from the Horsetooth lower lot (Soderberg) if any out-of-towners (or in-towners for that matter) feel like putting in an appearance. Details here.

Moving Right Along: Hardrock 100

Just as I finally feel like I've caught up with work, family, and life in general post-Western States, the train is getting ready to pull back out of the station.

I'm heading out to Gunnison after work on Thursday to stay with my good buddy Ryan Burch, and then Friday morning we'll be heading down to Telluride to access the first crew point (28 miles) on the grueling Hardrock 100 course, which kicks off at 6:00am Friday.

The plan is to catch the early action in Telluride and help out our runner Nick Pedatella with anything he might need, and then head over to Ouray (mile 42) where Ryan will assume pacing duties for the next 28 miles. I'll then head over to Grouse Gulch aid station (50 something miles) to check in on the action there, before driving out to the Sherman aid station (70 miles) from where I'll be pacing Nick into the finish through the night. Gonna be a long day/night.

I'm not really into the Twitter thing, i.e. I don't have an account, but I'll be taking some pics and video from the early aid stations, so be sure to check the blog Saturday (early and late afternoon) for some (almost) live footage, which I should be uploading from Telluride and Ouray once we've helped Nick through those aid stations.

So who's gonna' win? Tough to call really. Meltzer seems to like his chances despite the various injuries he's currently carrying, but I don't see it myself. I'm picking teammate Scott Jaime for the win with a time in the 26-hour range. I'm also pulling for Nick P of course, and hoping that Ryan and I can help pull him through to a podium finish. Last year's runner up Troy Howard is also running, but he had a rough time at Western States two weeks ago, and I just don't see how you come back from that within two weeks to be competitive at Hardrock. I prefer John Anderson for the podium this year. He's a tough Boulder-based mountain runner and I'm sure he'll be ready. I'm also pulling for buddies Brooks Williams and PittBrownie to have great races too.

Top five men: Scott Jaime, Karl Meltzer, Nick Pedatella, John Anderson, Jared Campbell.

In the women's race, I like the head-to-head between Darcy Africa and last year's winner (and course record holder) Diana Finkel. Both are great endurance mountain runners, but I'm definitely pulling for teammate Darcy. Former winner, Betsy Nye should round out the top three.

Stay tuned Saturday afternoon for some footage and commentary from the early stages of the race.