Going Up Barr Trail to No Name Creek:

Heading down:

2006

2002

I ran by myself this morning. So I decided it was an “easy” week and “just” ran 7 miles in 93 minutes.

Treadmill run. This time I kept it at 10% the whole time and varied my speed on alternate minutes from walking (3.0) to running (5.0)

An easy run with Zevan in Monument Valley Park…

Today Zevan is 3 years old. Last night Doug and I stayed up late filling 5 very large inflatable insects with air and hanging them all over the living room. When I asked Zevan what kind of birthday he wanted, he specifically said, “Superman with giant bugs.” So that’s what he got.

When we woke up this morning, he was laying with us in bed, and I smooched him and said, “Happy Birthday, Zevan.” He got the biggest grin on his face. He actually went on the potty with a smile on his face. Then I led him downstairs, and he screamed with glee: “Giant bugs in the sky!”

It was so cute.

He was just grinning like he was going to burst from happiness the whole day.

We had a playdate birthday party with his friends from West Side Moms. It was so, so, so cute! He was so, so, so happy!

It was pretty much the perfect day for him. Pepperoni pizza, presents, Superman cupcake cake, pinata and even some trampoline time with his friends.

He loved his presents. He even got live ladybugs and praying mantis eggs. Wow!

Another Barr Trail run

We checked the trail map and decide to try and out and back run for 2 hours.

From the Visitors Center, we take Gateway to Bretag to Palmer to Siamese Twins to Cabin Canyon to Balance Rock, then up Rampart Road until the halfway point and then head back the same way we came.

While we were checking the map at the Bretag Trailhead, I paused my workout on the iPod. I *thought* I turned it back on, but when I checked it again, after 10 minutes of running (May was clocking us), it was still paused So I lost about 10 minutes, maybe 0.75 miles, in the beginning of my workout. So, it should be closer to 9.14 miles and 1:58. YIKES!

Should be 20/20/20 but it’s more like 15/22/15 because I get bored on the treadmill, particularly during cool down and warm up

For the 1 minute on, 1 minute off part (22), I alternated 1 minute at 10% incline at 1 minute at 3-4% incline at the same pace.

We were on our way for our weekly Wednesday workout and May just casually mentions, “Should we do the Incline today?”

*gulp*

“Oh, sure.” I casually reply.

“It’s a quick workout to the top. Should be about a 45 minute workout.”

“Oh, okay.” *yikes*

Right. I’ve never even seen the Incline before. It’s like a urban legend or something. So, we park in the usual lot and walk up to the bottom of the Incline.

You know those people you see doing pilgrimages up lots of steps to pyramids and so forth?

That’s what the incline is like. You can almost hear the angelic choir as you look up the trail. When you get to the top, you expect the voice of God to come booming down on you.

May gave me some warnings - “There is a false summit. You’ll think you are at the top, but you won’t be.” “At the steepest part up there (she points), the footing is not great.” “Use your hands to get up.”

And then we began. And May blazed on ahead with her iron lungs and amazing quads.

“Just keep moving,” I tell myself. And it’s tough, even at the bottom. I pass a couple of gals, and we exchange pleasantries, breathlessly. “See that person up there in the blue and pink?” I say, pointing upwards. “That’s my friend I’m here with.” Suitable words of amazement follow. I’m awed by May’s abilities myself.

So, I move on. And on. And it’s steep. And it’s hard. And my legs are feeling the burn. And I start calculating in my head. “So, May says it’s a 40 minute workout. Her race pace is about 8 min/mi and mine is about 10 min/mi. So, she’s 20% faster than me. It’s my first time, so I should be done in about 55 minutes. 55 minutes of this sheer uphill? Damn it, May.”

Have I mentioned I have a fear of heights? It’s not nearly as bad as it has been in the past, but its still there, despite years of rock climbing and living on a mesa. My legs are tiring, and I step up on a tie, and lose my balance. I literally flap my arms so I don’t fall backwards. Man, it would totally suck to fall from up here. I press on.

At this point, I’m just trying to get from one self conceived landmark to the next. At one point, I stop for a minute and sit down on a tie. And I look out in front of me. The view is incredible. And I see a guy coming up the incline pretty quickly. I tell myself (internally), “Get up! What are you doing? Get up!”

So I do. And I keep moving. Slowly. Then this guy blows by me like I’m standing still. Holy crap.

And now I’m filled with doubt. I don’t think I can make it to the top today. I’m going to have to sit down and call May (we always carry cell phones) and tell her I’ll get to the top next time. After a while, I see her at the top. Is that the top? Or is that the false summit? Crap. If that’s the false summit, I’m definitely not making it to the top. Then I see the guy that blew by me BREAK INTO A RUN up there. Is he kidding me? That must be the top. Surely May wouldn’t wait for me at the false summit? Surely that guy wouldn’t break into a run for the false summit?

“C’mon, you can do it.” I hear May’s encouraging voice as I get closer. JUST. A. FEW. MORE. STEPS…

Made it! “You did it!” she says. “What’s your time?” I look at my iPod (51:14 minus the 3:51 from the parking lot - 47:23).

“47 minutes,” I say, surprising myself. She tells me it’s great. I can’t think straight, I’m just glad it’s over. Thrilled even.

I did the Incline!!

Long GOG “run” - it was killer, and my pace was slow. The hills were a BITCH and I kept getting lost on the trails.

Looking back, I haven’t run over 6 miles since December. And I’m not supposed to increase my mileage/time by more than 10% in a week. Whoops. I totally over did it.

Luckily, I had an appt with Jessica, my physical therapist at Great Moves. She worked on my piriformis (still have some sciatic issues) and loosened things up there.

She’s the one who cured my plantar fasciitis with stretching and manual therapy, so I’m indebted to her for that!

Tomorrow I’m going to do a nice, slow easy short 30 minute run with Zevan in the jogger…

This is adapted from Matt Carpenter and Jim Freim’s Training for the Ascent and Marathon on Pikes Peak

Ideally, I should have started the program in October, and I’m halfway through the 2nd trimester of training already, but what can you do

Got my Nike+ iPod working again. Apparently it was a bad receiver, because when I replaced it with my other receiver, it picked up the sensor right away.

Freezing cold rain today, so I figured I would just run on the treadmill. I did that at varying inclines 3%, 6%, 9%, 10% and back down. After 45 minutes I was so bored that I decided to finish my run outside. From my parents house I ran down Uintah to 30th, up to King, partway up/down King and back. It was FREEZING and it was WET.

When I took a shower my belly and quads were red from the cold, like frostbite. The things I do to train!

Monday, I ran a quick 20 minute run on the treadmill at 10% incline. Yikes!

Wednesday, I trained on Barr Trail with May and her neighbor Jeannie, who has done the Ascent twice before, and the person who convinced May to run the Ascent this year.

May was going to do her 20/20/20 workout. The first 20 is a warm up. May’s warm up pace is basically my tempo pace. Our goal was to head up for an hour, and then come back down. After the first 20 minutes, May and Jeannie (with her long, long legs) took off ahead of me while I tried to maintain a steady pace for myself.

I tried counting switchbacks again, but I am still never sure where to start, really. Training on the Barr Trail is amazing. I didn’t bring my iPod because it hasn’t been working (the sensor is not being detected). But I didn’t need it. It’s all you can do to keep focused on the trail in front of you and then get distracted by breathtaking views around nearly every turn.

I totally got that feeling of me vs. the mountain heading up there.

I could see them ahead of me on the trail for the next 15-20 minutes, then lost sight of them after the Top of the Ws. After a while, I started to worry. Surely it’s been an hour, why haven’t I run into them on their way down yet? Did I miss a turn? I ran into some older women hiking the trail, and mentioned that I was looking for my friends. They said that my friends had passed a while ago, so that was reassuring. Although, really, there’s no way to get lost - the trail is clearly marked.

So, up, up, up I went, even jogged a little in some places, finally.

Then it appeared.

:cue angelic music here:

The rock arch! I finally made it to that coveted milestone! I felt like skipping for joy…

About 10 minutes later, I finally caught up with May and Jeannie on their way down. At that time it was 1:10 since we started. Not too bad.

Downhill is easier on the lungs, harder on the shins. Plus there is the fear of falling factor.

As we headed down, May asked if my dad was picking up Zander from school.

Why? What time is it?

10:29.

Crap. So I borrowed a cell phone and called my dad. He said he could pick up Zander.

Whew!

All in all, a good run. After a quick shower, we headed for lunch and to playdate…

Tiffany had her baby!

I’m recovering from some horrible bug that I caught from the boys.  Thursday night, I was bouldering at the climbing gym, feeling very strong and healthy.  Afterwards, had a great dinner with the girls. 

I woke up Friday morning feeling more tired than usual.  Tired enough not to run.  By 11 AM, I was nauseated and starting to feel weak.  I had a Popsicle for lunch because I was afraid if I ate anything else I would lose it.  By 1 PM, I was in bed.  I couldn’t sit at the computer anymore.  I was supposed to meet with Tiffany, and I thought I would feel better after a nap.  I felt worse when I woke up.  My legs were shaky.  Instead, I did business calls from bed, propped up, so I didn’t sound like I was as tired or as nauseated as I was.  Vikki (my sitter) left at 4 PM.  I moved down to the sofa to be around the boys.  By 5:00 PM, I was barely able to sit up.  My muscles felt like jello, like they were wasted away.  Putting weight on them was a struggle.  I called my dad and asked him to bring me chicken rice soup from Wild Ginger (comfort food).  He brought it over and helped feed the boys dinner.  Doug had to work late at the store, so he didn’t come home until after 7:30 PM.  I was still on the sofa.  We canceled our plans to watch the season finale of Battlestar Galactica.  Doug rented some movies that I was only partially interested in.  I actually managed to stay awake for it - Hollywoodland.  Around 10:30 PM, I was able to sit up comfortable.  It wasn’t until almost 1 AM when I felt close to normal.  When I woke up the next day, I was completely fine.  If I didn’t have to work to make up for all the time lost the day before, I would have probably gone for a run.

I rarely get sick.  I can’t believe how weak this bug rendered me.  I have a high pain threshold and usually just tough it out through everything, but I simply couldn’t get up.  I couldn’t believe an illness could render me so helpless.  Anyway, today I feel even better. Strong enough to hike or walk or run even.

I haven’t t-tapped since March 21.  I haven’t run since Wednesday.  I did get some good climbing in on Thursday.  We went to the zoo today, so that’s something, but mostly I stood/sat around while they climbed on rocks and played in the playground.  I ran into Annie and her family while we were there 

Now I’m home, and I need to tackle some laundry and some website work. 

I need to get my ass in gear if I want to survive the Ascent!