Tag: leadville

Posted on

Week 20 Recap

This is the second recovery week since I started training. What a strange week this has been.

As a recovery week, the mileage during this week was really low and I took a few more days off due to knee pain. I think I figured out what happened with my knee: the fall, over use, stress and putting on too many miles. I’m following a plan that has gradual mileage increases but it still wrecked my body. I think, too, that I stopped weight training and that didn’t help. I did everything right this week, well, maybe not everything right but I iced, rested, elevated and got my legs stronger. Since I had pain in the adductors weeks leading up to the knee injury, I think that part of the knee pain was coming from the weak adductors.

Now, I will get back to weight training and do my core exercises every day. I remember reading that the most important think about ultra running is arriving to the start healthy and injury free. The miles have been a struggle on my aging body and now I understand that I have to do everything I knew I had to do to stay healthy and injury free.

Lesson Learned.

I will do yoga a few times a week and weight training. I will hike and run at night.

Next week is Week 19 – the biggest week yet.

I’m excited for the week and to be strong and healthy.

132 days to Leadville.

Average Weight: [I don’t want to talk about it]

Average Resting Heart Rate: 44

Total Vert: 2,273

Miles: 23.9 (includes hiking)

Posted on

Week 21 Recap

This week was the hardest yet. Longer miles during the week and then 22/12 over the weekend.

My knees have been hurting from the fall last week, then on Saturday I fell, again, on the ice hurting my right knee. Geez. I’ve been icing my knees every day.

Saturday was the first long run that was done mainly on trails and a lot of vertical. The trails are muddy and still pretty icy in spots. I was toast after that run. Sunday morning was brutal; I woke up pretty sore. I delayed the run start to 10:00 which is the latest I’ve ever started a weekend run. At first it was slow and painful, but gradually got better. The run was around 80% on road and I tried as much as I could to find trails or run on the dirt next to the road.

I spent Sunday afternoon relaxing and icing my knees while catching up on Arrested Development.

Next week is a recovery week – thank goodness! I need it.

I need to pay special attention to core and get back to some weights this week. I also need to add night running and stair climbing. Saturday is a massage. Yeah recovery week!

The learning process continues.

Average Weight: 158

Average Resting Heart Rate: 56

Total Vert: 4,409 ft (most vertical this year!)

Miles: 57 (includes hiking)

Posted on

Week 22 Leadville Training Recap

Dimond Hill Farm – another big hill on Sunday

Sunday’s run culminated in another big hill – Dimond Hill. After yesterday’s hills I’m ready for a recovery day tomorrow.

But alas, let’s recap: Monday and Tuesday became recovery days although I started Personal Training at the Y on Monday. I did my 3-day-in-a-row running on Wed-Thur-Fri. Then on Friday when I hiked with Winnie on the icy trails with my spikes, the chain on the spikes locked and I fell on my knees – OUCH!

I iced my knees and worried about waking up the next day with knee pain.

Saturday I woke up and it wasn’t as bad as I thought. So I stretched and foam rolled and headed out for the 20 miler. It was a slog-fest for sure. I recovered well from the run except for eating too much butternut squash which is apparently a thing – it causes horrible stomach cramping from too much fiber and gas. By 8:00 the pain was gone thanks to Gas-X.

I woke up on Sunday totally recovered from knee pain and sore quads from the long run. My 10 mile run was hilly, and do-able; I felt pretty good. I tried to run as much as I could on the dirt but most of it was on the road.

I took a recovery hike with Winnie and now resting comfortably on my sofa for the rest of the night.

Trail junction on Sunday March 24 at Winant Trails

Training week 22 was a test of endurance and consistency. On the 20 miler I wanted to cut it short and make up the miles on Sunday but I knew I had to get used to long miles, tired legs and wanting to quit – I will not quit. I’m excited for the next BIG week. I’m actually looking forward to running 22 miles next Saturday and hoping that at least 50 percent of it will be on trails. I will also be adding back two-a-week weight training days.

This will happen:

The Goal – under 30 hours

Average Weight: 157

Average Resting Heart Rate: 55

Training Time: I recorded time in Dailymiles.com which ended on March 20 🙁

Total Vert: 4,048

Miles: 48.9 (includes hiking)

Posted on

Leadville Training Week 23 Recap

The week started off rough but got better after Tuesday. My calf injury is completely healed and I resumed my training plan. YEAH!

Wednesday and Thursday intervals were run OUTSIDE!

The ice and snow has gone from the roadways but the trails are another matter.

My Saturday and Sunday long runs were on the road. The trails are a mess after 60 degree temperatures on Friday.

Spikes are needed on the trails. So much ice!

After running 18 miles and 1,200 feet of elevation gain, I ran well on Sunday with a 10 mile run and very little elevation gain.

Saturday stats

Leadville is 14,000 feet of elevation gain so next week I’m going to beef up the elevation and head to the mountains on Sunday for a 4,000 footer hike/run.

I booked my flight and car for Leadville and Mark has booked his flight. So this is happening!

This Week:

Average Weight: 156

Average Resting Heart Rate: 51

Training Time: 9:30 (includes hiking) – no weights this week 🙁

Total Vert: 3,175

Miles: 47.9 (includes hiking)

Next Week:

Looking forward to Week 22!
Posted on

Leadville Week 24 Recap:

Ran on the treadmill for the week day runs and no weights. Saturday and Sunday were outside runs.

I had some weird adductor discomfort and decided to take a recovery week, so no weight workouts.

Saturday’s run was awesome on the trails. On Sunday I woke to a feeling that the snow was going to start earlier than the forecast suggested, with dark skies and clouds. I decided on go out on a three mile hike with Winnie to start the day, and that is when the snow started dumping. After the hike I got home and in 30 minutes was out on the run. The roads were slick and I ran slow to stay safe. I was going to do a road loop but decided with the slick roads it would be safer to run on the trails. After about two miles on the trail I started to feel some calf pain. I must’ve tweaked something on the downhill stretch. I thought I’d try running on pavement again so I changed course to run on Pleasant for a bit then jump back on the trail. Road running didn’t help.

Running up Fisk Road to get back on the Winant Trails. The roads were very slick.

I decided to head back home and see if I could somehow manage to finish my eight mile run. At 6.3 miles I slipped on the sidewalk and fell on my right side and slid a couple feet. I got up and my first thought “that’s going to make the pain in my left calf feel not so bad”. I then decided to call it a day and head home.

I got home after running only 6.6 and my calf was pretty sore. I stretched and iced the calf. I know I’m going to wake up tomorrow and my whole body is going to ache.

I hit all my miles except for Sunday and I’m going to need to heal my calf. I probably should’ve stuck to the treadmill today but thought I was tough running in the snow and wind. I need to play the long-game.

Average Weight: 158

Average Resting Heart Rate: 50

Training Time: 7:54 (includes hiking)

Total Vert: 3,231

Miles: 38.6 (includes hiking)