Bad Run, Good Run, Random, Rant, Challenge

Skipped the Sunday Church of the holy trail run in Boulder and decided to run from the house to Bergen Peak(24 miles round trip). Made it to the Safeway(5 miles) and turned around. My left hamstring was tight and Ive been dealing with a nagging cough for a week, add that I felt unmotivated to hack my way up a mountain. This equals a (BAD RUN)

Got up early Monday morning and knocked out the same run as the day before but this time in its entirety. I find motivation in the craziest things. Slipped once on the ice, sunburn on my head and neck and wore shorts and a short sleeve shirt for almost all the run, except on top of the peak as it was a tad bit windy. Used Taco bell as my aid station at mile 18. Crunchy beef burrito and pink lemonade YES. (GOOD RUN)

Prime rib sandwiches are really good, especially with extra horseradish (RANDOM)

I'm about to be the bad man who punted Baxter's owner, watch Anchorman if you don't get that reference. Two trail runs, three dogs molested and raped me. One tried to eat my face off, the other jumped up on me to play and almost tackled me and today the little yapping sheep herder dog, who got away from its owner covered me in mud. The lady thanked me for catching her runaway dog and told me to be careful, that part of the trail was muddy. NO, you don't say. Look at my legs and shorts lady, I'm covered in mud from your dog. Some humans are idiots. I like dogs, some owners, not so much. BTW, Those big signs that read "Dogs must be leashed" are present for a reason. Every owner thinks that his/her dog is the cutest and most well behaved dog EVER so I will now add this to the MY kids are not bad and I am really interested in hearing about the dream you had last night that will make no sense to me folder.(RANT)

pics are worth a thousand words. Has anyone taken a picture and then tried to describe it in a thousand words? (CHALLENGE)

Nice Rack

Run, snowboard, run, run and snowboard, that was my week.
March weigh in 164lbs. Winter pounds are coming off.
Hey Johnny, This is what I saw on my mid day run. They are dumb, I had to throw snowballs at them to get them off the trail.
Don't they look delicious, steaks, chops and burgers running through the woods.

The Sabbath

Sunday Church run Boulder
Started at Sunny Saddle and ran to Jamestown, stopped at the Merc and got a bagel and coffee and ran back. The bigger, real breakfast platters looked so so good but being short on time, we opted to make it a simple turn around. The initial plan was for a 30 mile day but with the snow conditions and the amount of time it takes to break trail in knee deep powder, plans are subject to change and ended with 16 miles. I fell on some ice, jammed my middle, ring and pinky finger on the left hand. The ring finger is about as big as my thumb with limited range of motion, landed on my back and cracked my cranium, what came from all this is the question should I wear a helmet while running? After the run, I headed to Denver as I had dinner plans. Duck Condit and cassoulet at ROAM, which is a newer restaurant where Wild Catch use to be, everything was delicious and looking forward to dining there again. Food was excellent, service was great in a modern stylish place with great people. Monday I was feeling under the weather and opted to take a three hour nap. Wonderful. Sleeping is great. After snapping a few pics during the run, I looked at the mountain lion sign. Do Not run or jog in this area. Running may stimulate a lion's instinct to chase and attack. This I believe answers my above question. Why wear a helmet if I am not going to use what is in my head. Looking forward to running those trails when the snow melts a little.










pretty deep

wifi and white stuff

Finally got my desktop computer up and working with wifi. The directions for my wireless adapter stated an approximate 10 minute installation. Eight hours later and three different phone calls to an IT help desk, I fixed it myself. This means I can enter the 20th century and upload photos and videos to this blog. yeah.
Got up early Thursday morning to seven inches of snow and headed out for my morning run up Evergreen Mountain. Got to see an Elk herd and made fresh tracks all the way up and all the way down.





This is a trail. POW

After my run, I headed to Keystone which was windy, icy and whiteout conditions.
Friday was more of the same but ran roads since my legs were a little tired from the deep powder and then spent the day at Breck. I plan on staying away from the major resorts on the weekends to avoid the mass of people and long lift lines, unless it is a crazy powder day.

Vail week

Picked up the crew at DIA on Friday night, packed up my car and their rental car and headed to Frisco for the night.   Saturday met up with Bob and Shames and the 9 of us stayed in Vail,  we disbanded into smaller groups as it is hard for that many people to stay together all day on a mountain.  Sunday was beaver creek and into a routine Monday through Thursday was Vail.  Up at 8ish, big breakfast, shuttle to the mountain, board all day, hot tub and pool, dinner, game time and bed.   Repeat. We found powder everyday.  Friday we headed back to Beaver Creek to avoid the long lines that Vail will get on a holiday week.   With my daily change in hair and beard styles, they nicknamed me snowflake, since no two are the same.  
Best quote from an 8 year old that got on a lift with me was " to be honest sir, ski school is way better than real school". True that little boy except for the part of me being a sir.  
It is a small world after all.  
Hung out in the pool and hot tub with four homeboys from THE Ohio state university.  Two med students, two MBA students who majored in finance, fun group.  
The boys were dropped off at the airport and I'm back in evergreen, back to some serious running on some tired legs but it is supposed to snow Sunday night and Monday morning.  This probably puts me on a mountain as I chase the powder.  

You are in Boulder, run like it

Bob Combs and i Met up with Mike Keller in Boulder to run up and down Green mountain.  It was a fun, snowy day on the trails.  Went off piste a few times to find waist deep snow.  Bombing the downhills, slightly out of control, hootin and hollerin like a bunch of pre adolescent children.  Micro spikes are the way to go as I was slipping and sliding all over, in a lunatic fringe kind of way.  Afterwards, a stop at backcountry pizza and tap house seemed fitting.  Awesome choice, great selection.  
Picking the cincy boys up at the airport and off to Vail for a week.  Powder, bowls, tree runs, jumps, hot tub and pool time. My life is a struggle.  Get out and play.  

paradoxical sleep

Finally back into a normal sleep pattern.  The vivid, wake you up out of REM,dead sleep dreams continue.  Not nightmares just very real dreams and  continue as  I get back to being  acclimatized.   they always occur after leaving high elevations for periods of a time when i return to my oxygen deprived living. My encephalic  states of excitement is off the chart, for me at least.  They normally only last a few days but this time it is taking longer.   The dreams are pretty amazing and I wish I could record and watch them.    I need to drink more water.