Training Week 20-26 Jan 2014

Pics of me in the ponderous posterior fatass last week

Credit: Tim Bergsten


 Credit: Tim Bergsten

 
Credit: Tim Bergsten


Credit: Tim Bergsten

Weekly Totals:

Miles: 69.4

Time: 11:12

Gain: 8,976'

Beers: 9 (and 4 glasses wine)

Monday 20 Jan: REST DAY! I overdid it on my second run yesterday and skipped my off day that was supposed to be friday due to lower miles earlier in the week. I figured I would save it for when I needed it and today was a great day to save it.
Running Stats:

• NA

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 2 Cups Black Coffee, Creamed Egg on Biscuits
• Morning Snack:
• Lunch: Leftover BBQ Chicken over a bed of lettuce with sunflower seeds and other veggies.
• Dinner: Burgers with Eggplant as buns and pinto beans
• Beers: 3 glasses wine

Tuesday 12 Nov: Easy effort 8 today. Legs were still tired from the weekend and I contemplated taking a second day off. I went out with no plans for a lot and after warming up stayed at close to warmup jog pace (9 min pace ish) pretty much the entire run. It felt good to not really sweat but it was rather windy despite being warm.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 8
• Time: 1:13:45
• Pace: 9:13
• Gain: 246'
• Surface: 1/2 rocks, 1/2 pavement
• Additional: na
• Feelings: good
• Weather: 50s with 20mph wind

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: coffee, 2 eggs and 2 slices ham, green tea with honey
• Morning Snack: plain yogurt with blue agave
• Lunch: snap peas, minneola, turkey kielbasa, raw almonds, brocco sprouts
• Afternoon Snack: chips n salsa
• Dinner: Smoked Succulent Pork Chops, Snapped Green Beans, pinto beans
• Beers: 0 (1 glass wine)

Wednesday 13 Nov: 2 a day today. I showed up to do the incline with a buddy before work this morning and he slept in so I decided to see what my jelly legs could handle. Ended up with a PR both on the incline first to last stair as well as a round trip PR from Memorial park. It was 15 deg when I finished rather than the forecasted 33. This afternoon was a regular MAF run. A little slow for the normal 155 heartrate afterwarmup and cooldown but not too off. It's starting to get cold out there and I got 2 a day planned tomorrow as well.

Running Stats Run 1:

• Miles: 6
• Time: 1:14
• Pace: 12:15
• Gain: 2,300'
• Surface: dirt and some road
• Additional: na
• Feelings: great. heartrate averaged around mid 160s although did hit 180 through the steep section.
• Weather: 15 deg. not too much wind.

Running Stats Run 2:

• Miles: 8
• Time: 1:11
• Pace: 8:52
• Gain: 246'
• Surface: dirt and some road
• Additional: na
• Feelings: not too offal. was going to run at 145 to 150 hr but felt good enough to run at 155 although slightly slow for the effort.
• Weather: 40's and getting colder fast with about 15 mph wind.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, kielbasa sausage, 2 slices cheddar cheese, straberry cereal bar post run, green tea with honey, 2 cups black coffee.
• Lunch: 1/3 red bell pepper, uncured ham, cheese and roasted red bell on a tortilla, 2 fried eggs, brocco sprouts, sugar snap peas, pistachios, a cutie.
• Afternoon Snack: spoonful of peanut butter, seaweed rice crackers
• Dinner:
• Beers: 0

Thursday 14 Nov: What? Another rest day? Yes my son did not sleep well last night and my body did not get the needed rest for the stress of a run today. I felt as though even a shorter run would cause injury and thus took the day off. Better one day now than weeks or even months for an injury later. It was also a cheater day in diet where I ate lots and lots of carbs and processed food.

Running Stats:

•             NA

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: forgot to log food for the day
• Morning Snack:
• Lunch:
• Afternoon Snack:
• Dinner:
• Beers: 2

Friday 15 Nov: Back at it! After a second rest day in the same week (rare), I went out and got 9 miles today on my normal lunch loop with some extras to scrap together the extra mile. I didn't do walking warmup or cooldown but did start slower and then ended faster although Maffetone does not recommend that. Anyhow, the final 6:47 mile was very fun! Hoping for another decent weekend for mileage and gain to really end the month on a good note.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 9
• Time: 1:11
• Pace: 7:52
• Gain: 275'
• Surface: All pavement, some wet
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: First half was a little sluggish with shin discomfort on left leg and left foot discomfort. Second half was completely fine.
• Weather: Woohoo TOPLESS! 50, sunny, and a nice breeze 5-7 MPH

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Gourmet Eggs 
• Morning Snack:
• Lunch: Can't remember
• Afternoon Snack:
• Dinner: Beef Rump Roast pot roast with potatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms
• Dessert: 2 Pieces sweet potato pie, green grapes, ice cream
• Beers: 1

Saturday 16 Nov: Longer run today. Wanted to get out early early but we stayed out too late so I got to enjoy the weather during nap time. Baz was just going to do 4 miles but then I drug him along the whole way.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 18.2
• Time: 2:36:09
• Pace: 8:36 with walking warmup and cooldown
• Gain: 155'
• Surface: Gravel
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Felt pretty good, Dog slowed down a lot on the way home.
• Weather: Mid 50s and like 5mph breeze picking up to 10 mph.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Fried eggs and ham, coffee with half and half, coconut oil and butter
• Morning Snack:
• Lunch: Beef Roast Wraps with cream cheese, lettuce, tortilla, beef, bell pepper
• Afternoon Snack:
• Dinner: Leftover beef stew
• Beers: 2

Sunday 17 Nov: Today was my long run elevation gain day but I had to squeeze it in before church so I went out early. Made it to A-Frame (Tree Line Shelter on Barr Trail) and made it to church on time.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 20.2
• Time: 3:46:20
• Pace: 11:12
• Gain: 5,765'
• Surface: Mostly snow and ice. Lots of rocks.
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Legs were a little sluggish after one longer run already and I hiked more than I would have liked but overall it turned out great.
• Weather: Around 32 to start. Got very cold before sun came up around French creek and then warmed rapidly.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 2 Hard Boiled eggs, Beef Kielbasa, Coffee with half and half, coconut oil and butter
• Morning Snack: Post run salmon pouch and recovery drink and breakfast bar with mountain dew
• Lunch: Amanda's Fonda- Shared Steak fajitas with the wife. Lots of chips and salsa too.  
• Dinner: Red Baron Pizza, Ice Cream
• Beers: 4

Training Week 13 to 19 Jan 2014

Weekly Totals:
-No diet stats other than beer this week. That whole school thing is eating up my time and I got too far behind and can't remember what I ate. Just look at last week and that's pretty close minus a full out Mexican Meal one night and Jimmy Johns another.  

Miles: 74.3

Time: 12:13

Gain: 9,705'

Beers: 6 (and 3 glasses of wine)

Monday 13 Jan: Didn't have time to run on a lunch break today so I hit the treadmill at the gym at night. It was one of those nice Woodbridge treadmills. I was going 8 miles but my body was showing signs that was not a good idea. I was about a minute per mile slower at my normal 155 MAF pace than normal and worsening so I cooled down and called it a day at 6 miles. I hate cutting it short but clearly my body needed it. I then went to bed by 8:30 and slept until 6 AM.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 6
• Time: 55:15
• Pace: 9:13
• Gain: 0
• Surface: woodbridge treadmill 
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: I listened to my heart and it said to stop so I did.
• Weather: Inside is hot!

Diet Stats:

• Beers: 0

Tuesday 14 Jan: Was worried from yesterday and strapped for time so I got in a quick 4 miles at work with no real warmup or cooldown but got some good circuits after.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 4
• Time: 30:31
• Pace: 7:37
• Gain: 89'
• Surface: Pavement
• Additional: 3 circuits of - 20 decline situps, 10 pullups, 20 hanging leg raises, and 20 pushups
• Feelings: Wish I could have had more. The MAF was fixed from yesterday but went for short mileage nonetheless.
• Weather: Brisk and breezy

Diet Stats:       

• Beers: 0

Wednesday 15 January: Kicked a hard 8 miles today. The first 4 was a little slower and I probably only had time for that if I warmed up and cooled down properly but I got greedy with the lower mileage the past few days and got my 8. This was all on the dirt and rocks.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 8
• Time: 57:49
• Pace: 7:13
• Gain: 191
• Surface: Pavement
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Felt very good and HR was much lower than when I did this last week.
• Weather: Can't remember

Diet Stats:

• Beers: 0

Thursday 16 Jan: Manitou Incline today before work. I think this may have been my fastest time car to car from Memorial park in Manitou despite the icy trails and complete darkness because I had to be at work at 7:30 vice the normal 8 AM. The plan was to get another 8 in the afternoon and then 8 same Friday before the fatass but my car got stolen while my dad was borrowing it and I had to deal with that. I think actual incline first to last step was around 31:30. Not bad after the hard 8 yesterday afternoon!

Running Stats:

• Miles: 6
• Time: 1:18:09
• Pace: 13:01
• Gain: 2,310'
• Surface: Dirt, Ice, Rocks, Trail, some street
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Great but HR was a bit high.
• Weather: 30ish and maybe 10mph wind.

Diet Stats:

• Beers: 0

Friday 17 Jan: Today was back to the routine daily lunch 8 mile with full warmup and cooldown. That's a half mile walk to begin and end and half a mile after/before those at a slow jog. I was supposed to do the incline this morning again too but woke up and it was 14 degrees (feels like neg 2 in Manitou). I didn't wanna go see how cold it was at the top.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 8
• Time: 1:10:35
• Pace: 8:49
• Gain: 250'
• Surface: All on the dirt!
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Great
• Weather: Warm for winter but slightly windy.

Diet Stats:

•    Beers: 0

Saturday 16 Nov: Ponderous Posterior Fatass today. Did the fatass run plus some bonuses such as kindergarten rock at the Garden and then around the north side of the Garden trails over to balanced rock and then up Manitou to the Incline, continuing on up Rocky Mtn. and Mt. Manitou which are both new summits for me. From Mt. Manitou back down through experimental forest to Barr trail and back down to Ruxton splitting off on Intemann and up and over to Red Mountain (both summits) which is also new for me and back down and across intemann getting lost in upper Manitou and making my way back down and around the high school on intemann again and down through the graveyard to Crystal Park Rd. and back up that to Intemann and over to Section 16 and the top of RRCOS and all of the way to the farthest east ridge back down to 31st street! Great times and met some new friends!

Running Stats:

• Miles: 27.8
• Time: 5:19:36
• Pace: 11:30
• Gain: 6,657
• Surface: Everything including a rock climb.
• Additional: Haha. Just 12 oz curls after.
• Feelings: Great. A little fatigued the last few miles obviously.
• Weather: 60 and sunny!

Diet Stats:

• Beers: 3

Sunday 17 Nov: Unexpected 2 a day today. Was lucky to get 1 run let alone 2. First run was 6.5 running out Rock Island Trail to Stapleton Rd. and back with the dog. For a recovery, I felt pretty good and still able to keep my Heartrate in the 145 to 150 zone as opposed to the normal 155. Got the full normal warmup and cooldown and Baz was hurting pretty bigtime. He needs to be getting out more and I am bad about that lately. Ran in the Merrell Trail Glove zero drop, zero cushion shoes both runs today. First run was great. Second I was regretting it, especially the second half on the pavement.

Running Stats for run 1:

• Miles: 6.5
• Time: 57:39
• Pace: 8:52
• Gain: 44'
• Surface: Dirt path
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Tired quads but able to have a  great pace despite.
• Weather: 60, sunny, and slight breeze.

Running Stats for run 2:

• Miles: 8
• Time: 1:03:30
• Pace: 7:56
• Gain: 170'
• Surface: Gravel/Pavement
• Additional: NA 
• Feelings: Last few miles got a little rough on the pavement.
• Weather: Started upper 50s and got darker and colder to 40 deg.

Diet Stats:  

• Beers: 3

Training week 6 to 12 January 2014

Weekly Totals:

Miles: 70.8

Time: 13:29

Gain: 11,506'

Beers: 7

Monday 6 Jan: Hips were a little sore today after the treadmill last night. Still had a pretty feel good standard 8 mile loop at work. Signed up for Villa Sport with the fam today so it will be fun to introduce some swimming and whatnot. So just have to say that Chocolate Lasagna (2 servings) is not the best idea 45 min before a run. I had so stop less than half a mile before the end to unload that, but man it was good.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 8
• Time: 1:10:22
• Pace: 8:47 (includes half mile jog and half mile walking cooldown)
• Gain: 250'
• Surface: 1/2 pavement, 1/2 gravel and snow
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Hips a bit sore from treadmill the day prior.
• Weather: Low 20s and breezy but sunny.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 2 Fried eggs and 2 slabs of ham, green tea with honey, and 2 cups black coffee
• Morning Snack: some chocolate candies at work
• Lunch: Early lunch gourmet salad with leftover bbq chicken and... CHOCOLATE LASAGNA
• Afternoon Snack: cup of snap peas, cup of almonds.
• Dinner: Lamb Chops with Mushroom, green onion, orange marmelade, and soy, cous cous, and brussel sprouts.
• Beers: 0

Tuesday 12 Jan: Started the day right with the incline again before work starting at about 5:35 AM. Ran from Manitou but actual just 1st to last step was about 33 or so minutes without giving an all out effort still. The packed snow got a bit slippy for the last 50 feet or so. Then the spur down to Barr was a bit slippy (especially without a headlamp) but the snow on Barr was much grippier than the ice on Sat. Overall a great run and looking forward to the standard lunch time 8 mile this afternoon.

Running Stats for run 1:

• Miles: 6.02
• Time: 1:23:47
• Pace: 13:55
• Gain: 2,300'
• Surface: Packed snow mostly on trail
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Legs a little sluggish for first 15-20 min (maybe cause I didn't really warmup) and then the light turned on and it was better from there.
• Weather: Low 30s and breezy but still dark.

Running Stats for run 2:

• Miles: 8
• Time: 1:07:50
• Pace: 8:28 (includes warmup and cooldown)
• Gain: 250'
• Surface: Pavement
• Additional: 3 circuits of the following- 25 decline situps, 10 pullups, 20 pushups
• Feelings: pretty spry. Didn't really feel this morning.
• Weather: Upper 40s to start with almost no wind, lower 40s with chilly breeze to finish.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 slabs of ham, and 2 slices of habanero pepper jack cheese, 2 cups black coffee
• Morning Snack:
• Lunch: Cantaloupe, Beef Kielbasa, String Cheese, Broccoli, Cottage Cheese, and egg, cheese, and rice burrito.
• Afternoon Snack: Chocolate lasagna (post run today) 
• Dinner: 2 servings of black bean and beef soup over rice and a side salad with ACV for dressing, and a large serving of ice cream for dessert.
• Beers: 0 (glass of Holy Cross Abbey wine)

Wednesday 13 Jan: Thought for a while that I wasn't going to get to squeeze in the run and today would be my rest day. Turned out I squeezed the normal lunch distance but at a tempo 7:30 pace. For the amount of miles stacked in the past 7 days, I'm surprised my body could handle it and could have gone faster. Anyhow, good day besides not warming up or cooling down. Did kind of bad on the food though. 

Running Stats:

• Miles: 8
• Time: 59:32
• Pace: 7:26
• Gain: 192'
• Surface: Pavement
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Great
• Weather: Upper 20s with a cool breeze but sort of sunny.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Green tea with honey, emergen-c with garlic, echinecia, vitamin c, and astaxanthan, 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 cups black coffee, 1 serving oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins
• Lunch: Among many little chocolates at work also had snap peas, cured ham, string cheese, walnuts
• Afternoon Snack: 3/8 of a cheese quesadilla
• Dinner: 5/8 of a Red Baron Frozen pizza, 1 serving ice cream, 1 piece habanero cheddar cheese, some cottage cheese, a few berries
• Beers: 0

Thursday 14 Jan: Was planning to finally run with CRUD this morning on the Thursday morning run up Cheyenne Canyon and even had all my stuff ready but decided to save the legs for the Fatass on Sat. Ended up doing the standard lunch double loop but did some extras to get the 9. Tried to keep the HR at 150 vs. the standard 155. Today made a 7 day mileage of 83 or so miles!

Running Stats:

• Miles: 9
• Time: 1:23:55
• Pace: 9:19
• Gain: 253'
• Surface: All Pavement
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Pretty good but legs a little tired.
• Weather: Sunny, 30s and breezy.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 2 Hard Boiled Eggs, Cheese, Ham, 2 cups black coffee, green tea with honey.
• Morning Snack: Chocolate candies at work.
• Lunch: Snap Peas, pistachios, turkey kielbasa, broccoli, cutie
• Afternoon Snack: Kneaders 1/2 turkey bacon sandwich and salad.
• Dinner: Lasagna, steamed broccoli, Ice Cream
• Beers: 0

Friday 15 Nov: Rest day. With 8 great days in a row and over 80 miles, my legs felt good but I decided to give them an all day rest for the fatass plus I believe rest is important at least 1 day a week anyhow. No walking in or out at work, no stairs! I felt lazy but the healing was nice.

Running Stats:

•            NA

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Fancy Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, 2 Cups Black Coffee, Green Tea with Honey, Chai Tea with Cream and Blue Agave
• Morning Snack: Chocolate Candies
• Lunch: Cous Cous, Turkey Kielbasa, Snap peas, cutie, apple
• Dinner: Texas Roadhouse- 11oz Rare Sirloin Steak, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Salad with oil and vinegar, 2 Rolls with honey butter and half an order of Snake Bites
• Beers: 1

Saturday 16 Jan: After dinner last night, I realized that I forgot my shoes of all things for the Fatass so I went to REI and got the new pair I needed but hadn't budgeted for this month. I got the Brooks Pure Grit 2 because I have tried those before and liked them although the New Balance Minimus did feel great. After sleeping in the truck bed in the Superior COSTCO parking lot, I did the Boulder Frozen Front Range Marathon Fatass which I may do a separate blog entry for later. 28 Miles and over 8,000' of elevation gain made for a fun day in the windiest wind of my life. Is and 8:23 pace good for a Marathon? No not per mile... Total time. I think it was given the deep snow, wind, and elevation gain considering maybe less than 10 out of almost 60 starters even finished. I felt good to stroll into the finish as the first ones with a new friend who has placed top 10 at Leadville and has several other 100s under his belt.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 27.8
• Time: 8:23
• Pace: Moving pace 14:41
• Gain: 8,268'
• Surface: Ice, Dirt, Mud, Slush, Rocks, Deep Snow
• Additional: Are you kidding?
• Feelings: Great throughout. Never pushed hardest and always waited for the group.
• Weather: Upper 40s with 80 MPH gusts!

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 2 Hard boiled Eggs, Turkey Kielbasa, Black Coffee, Vitamin Water
• Morning Snack: Bacon
• Lunch: Almonds, Clif Shot, Dried Cranberries, Hammer Perpetuem
• Afternoon Snack: Clif Shot Blocks 1/2 Pack, Chips, Mountain Dew, Hammer Perpetuem, Dried Mango
• Dinner: Chipotle Steak Burrito
• Beers: 4 (Mountain Sun Brewery, all Java Porter)

Sunday 17 Nov:

Running Stats: Actually feeling able to run many more, I choose today as a family day. Ran the treadmill at the gym with the wife. With the normal walking warmup and cooldown as prescribed by Dr. Maffetone, the middle 2 miles still went at an 8 minute per mile at the 155 Heart Rate MAF pace that I know so well.

• Miles: 4
• Time: 37:28
• Pace: 9:22
• Gain: 0
• Surface: Rubber 
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Good. A little dehydrated still.
• Weather: Indoors

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Mushroom, Asparagus, Basil, and Mozzarella Omelet
• Lunch: Turkey Kielbasa, String Cheese
• Afternoon Snack: Snap Peas, Cashews, Wasabi Peas
• Dinner: Refried bean and cheese dip with chips and hot salsa
• Beers: 2

Training Week 30 Dec 2013 to 5 Jan 2014

December Monthly Totals:

Miles: 226

Time: 43 Hours

Gain: 24,469'

Beers: 37 (plus half a dozen glasses of wine and several- at least 8 mixed drinks)

This Week Weekly Totals:

Miles: 60.8

Time: 9:14

Gain: 5,293

Beers: 5 (and 2 glasses wine and several mixed drinks on new years eve)

Monday 30 Dec: Off day today. The legs felt great despite the long fun run yesterday but I am trying to focus on spending time with the family and getting stuff down the house on my week of staycation. With more free time than normal and somehow I can't find the time to update this daily so today and tomorrow may not list all the food I ate because I can't remember what happened 2 days ago.

Running Stats:

•             NA
• Did squeeze in 3 sets of 20 pushups while bathing my son.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Black Coffee, Creamed Egg on Toast
• Lunch: Gourmet salad
• Dinner: Brined and Roasted chicken, and roasted vegetables (home grown potatoes, green and red bell, red onion, in olive oil and rosemary.
• Beers: 1

Tuesday 31 Dec: Snuck in an 8 miles today. Decided to set aside the Maffetone stuff and lay the hammer down. Besides the upset stomach and 2 pit stops to empty the guts, my actual moving time was like a 7:16 pace. The first 3 miles, were sub 7 min pace and then after the turnaround at 4 mi, I had a strong headwind and it was hard to hold pace. Despite that, this was my second fastest 8 mile ever. Got in some elevation gain at the Cheyenne mountain zoo hiking around with the family too but not counting it. Probably a couple miles and a few hundred feet.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 8 + .3 cooldown
• Time: 58:05 + 4:47
• Pace: 7:14
• Gain: 44
• Surface: Gravel
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: Well other than an upset stomach at 3.8 and 6.1 miles, pretty good. Haven't turned it up like that in months.
• Weather: Strong headwind on the return 10-12+ mph

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: coffee, Cheese Grits, 2 Fried Eggs, and 1.5 strips bacon
• Lunch: Bag full of mixed veggies and bag full of leftover meats, cheeses and water
• Afternoon Snack: Hot cocoa and coffee at the zoo.
• Dinner: Home made fondu
• Beers: 2 (and several mixed drinks)

Wednesday 1 Jan: Hmmmm. Another nice but unneeded rest day although I was a bit sore from laying down the hammer yesterday. I just did stuff around the house all day that has been piling up. When you run a lot, that kind of happens so a stacation is nice. Got out to my sister's house for dinner and a movie testing their new surround sound too.

Running Stats:

•             NA

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Leftover Creamed Egg on toast and black coffee, and OJ
• Lunch: Leftover grilled eggplant, Annie's Mac and Cheese with Beef Kielbasa, and leftover roasted vegetables.
• Dinner: Artichoke and Green Chili appetizer on french bread slices with lots of melted cheese, chicken wrapped in bacon and cheese, whole wheat spaghetti noodles soaked in butter, steamed broccoli with melted cheese on top, 2 biscuits and home made popcorn.
• Beers: 2 (and 1 glass wine)

Thursday 2 Jan: Wasn't planning on 2 faster days but I ran the first lap with Joe from work and after the first 4 miles of chatting it up, we average about a 7:20 pace. When he turned in to call it, I went for another lap and it felt easier because I wasn't chatting anymore. Man I need to stop this fast running stuff. It is addicting but it's gonna get me hurt. The 2 days off early in the week is too much rest apparently. Hoping for 2 a day tomorrow with the incline before work and the standard 8 during lunch break. This is because I realized my first race, the Salida Run through time trail marathon is in just 2 and a half months. I'm still in a base building period but need to probably start doing speed work once per week and keep getting elevation gain and mileage. Ideally I would like to build to at least 80 MPW before my taper for that but it has to all balance with family and work. I believe balance is healthy and important for sustainability including sleep and rest for the increased work not to mention I have school starting back soon as well. Getting up early is an option but I need my beauty rest, my long runs, and my elevation gain to make all this work.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 8.01 + .45 Cooldown
• Time: 58:55
• Pace: 7:22
• Gain:  249'
• Surface: All paved
• Additional: finally decided to go for more. 3 sets of decline (45 degree) situps alternated with 3 sets of 10 full dead hang Marine Corps style pullups.
• Feelings: Felt pretty awesome
• Weather: 42 and 10 mph wind

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 2 Fried Eggs and 2 Slices Canadian Bacon, 2 Cups Black Coffee, and Green Tea with honey
• Lunch: String Cheese and Gourmet Salad with Roasted Chicken and ACV with Olive Oil Dressing.
• Afternoon Snack: Cup of Almonds, Cutie, and an apple 
• Dinner: Ribeye Steak Fajitas, Black Refried Beans, and Cantaloupe
• Beers: 0

Friday 3 Jan: Started this morning with the incline with my friend Sean. It was nice to get out with him after a resting and healing period. Nice steady pace. Not too fast and averaged at or below MAF while ascending. Then a gentle trot down the icy Barr trail back to Memorial Park at the bottom of Manitou where we started for 6 miles and 2k feet of much needed ascent. Second run out was afternoon lunch run at work. Ran 8 miles (the standard work lunch double 4 mile loop) with the new small hill spur both laps. MAF was feeling good until a direct headwind and then I decided to maintain an 8:30 or so pace rather than slowing up more. 2 a day! Hoping for 18-20 flat miles tomorrow in the cold but really need the wind to blow east-west so I don't have nasty headwinds running on the plains to Peyton or I might freeze to death. Then with similar mileage Sunday with the incline club and maybe a climb of Cameron cone I can finally hit 70 MPW since I only have 71 days until my first race.  Oh and I NEED NEW SHOES. Bandaids over the toes after sewing them twice to keep my big toe from popping out. Thankfully I get my Merrells back next weekend but those aren't stack miles on shoes so I gotta come up with something quick.

Running Stats For run 1:

• Miles: 5.94
• Time: 1:32:14
• Pace: 15:31
• Gain: 2,296'
• Surface: Rocky, Icy, Road ties and steep 
• Feelings: Really great. The hammies started a little tight after 2 faster runs this week and my left arch was a little tender. Hoping to roll it on a tennis ball during the day today before the second workout and maintain MAF pace through today and stack on mileage with back to back long runs this weekend in the cold front that is coming in behind this unseasonably warm weather.
• Weather: Incline was strarting at over 40 degrees at 5:40 AM and was close to 45 when finishing. It was a little windy up high but not so bad as Falcon with the tree cover.

Running Stats For run 2:

• Miles: 8.0
• Time: 1:06:06
• Pace: 8:15
• Gain: 174'
• Surface: All paved
• Additional: just up 7 floors a few times at work today like normal
• Feelings: Pretty good. Maintained MAF until the wind got bad and then went a little over
• Weather: Mid 50s and sunny but 15-20mph wind.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: 2 Hard Boiled eggs with 2 slices canadian bacon.
• Morning Snack:
• Lunch: Gourmet salad with feta, beef kielbasa and acv with olive oil
• Afternoon Snack: sugar snap peas, banana, cutie, apple
• Dinner: Potluck- 2 Pieces Pepperoni Pizza, 2 Breaded Drumsticks, salad, 4 chocolate chip cookies, 2 glasses sweet tea, home made mashed potatoes, chips with salsa and guac
• Beers: 0

Saturday 4 Jan: After going to bed a couple hours later than planned, today's run was not as early as hoped for. Got in a solid 15 miles by going most of the way to Peyton and back. Wanted all the way but thought wife had to leave by a certain time. It was a strong headwind with blowing snow for the way out and tail wind with blowing snow coming back. Only drank water for the distance. Had to drink a swig per song to keep it from freezing in the tube. Hopefully despite the snow, I can grab some gain and distance tomorrow. Wanting 25 miles and at least 5k of gain but we will see if that happens in the 5 degree weather and lots of snow up high.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 15.1
• Time: 2:13:54
• Pace: 8:52
• Gain: 154'
• Surface: 3ish inches of fresh snow over gravel
• Additional: NA
• Feelings: other than cold hands, I felt pretty good given the effort.
• Weather: 18 Degrees and hard blowing snow.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Artichoke, Mushroom, and habanero cheese omelet with home made salsa and sour cream, 2 slices turkey bacon, cantaloupe, 2 cups black coffee
• Morning Snack: Hard Boiled Egg right after run
• Lunch: Gourmet salad with Ham and some cashews and cinnamon almonds
• Afternoon Snack: 3 Christmas cookies and hot cocoa
• Dinner: BBQ Chicken Thighs (2) and Butternut Squash, and Ice Cream
• Beers: 0 (glass of red wine)

Sunday 5 Jan: With temps in the single digits and strong winds, I didn't feel like getting blasted worse than yesterday. The roads were too bad to drive across to the good hills and my normal route would have had several brutal miles in head wind causing well below zero wind chill conditions. Ended up being on my feet almost all day doing house stuff and then hitting the dreadmill for 15 miles. Did 7.5 at 6% grade and 7.5 flat. On the flat miles, I was pleased to know that I could maintain my 155 MAF heartrate at about a 7:19 pace where when I started this MAF thing a couple months ago, my first MAF mile was 7:35 and I got slower from there to about 8:12. That's probably over a minute per mile improvement at aerobic pace in a couple months! I need to do another treadmill MAF test and someday when there is no wind and it is warm, a track MAF. So I wanted 70 for the week again and if the weather was good for it today, I would have. I ended up getting just over 60 and am happy with that. I need to be consistently at 60 or over until taper time and hopefully building closer to 80. The pace today included walking warmup and cooldown as always for my night time run between roughly 7 and 9 PM.

Running Stats:

• Miles: 15
• Time: 2:12:34
• Pace: 8:50
• Gain: 2,376'
• Surface: Rubber
• Additional: Just on my feet most of the day as well as lifting lots of stuff around the house.
• Feelings: Pretty good but hot and sweaty since it was indoors.
• Weather: below zero outside. 60 inside.

Diet Stats:

• Breakfast: Eggs with veggies and cured ham with plain yogurt mixed with honey and blueberries.
• Morning Snack: slice of habanero pepper jack cheese 
• Lunch: Was a later lunch but a subway foot long oven roasted chicken on honey grain oat and all the veggies. That new creamy Sriacha sauce is bomb diggity.
• Afternoon Snack: 4 Christmas cookies
• Dinner: Leftover bbq chicken thigh, chips and salsa, leftover butternut squash, and then a can of chicken and glass of strawberry milk post evening run.
• Beers: 0