Busy Week

The last seven days have been pretty full (as I'm sure they were for many people, with the holiday and all).  I headed out of Boulder Saturday and stopped in Grand Junction to see my cousin, whom I haven't seen in 25 years or so.  He's an avid mountain biker, so we of course went for a two hour ride on some sweet local trails, then went out to dinner with his family.  I got up early the next day, went for a run, and hopped in my car for the next leg of the trip to St. George, UT to see my friend, Stephanie.  I was on the road the next morning for the longest day of the trip across the tip of AZ, through, Vegas, and on up into CA, arriving late in the afternoon in the Bay Area.  It was my first day off of training in 24 days.  I'm not much of a streaker but was still a bit down about missing a day.

Thanksgiving rolled around and we had a nice little party beginning with a run and mtb ride.  Tanford and I rode while the others ran in the Headlands.  We actually bumped into each other on the trails.

Me showing Kara and Liz where the ocean is located.

Afterwards we ate and drank and ate and drank.

Though I was truly looking forward to getting some shopping in at Walmart for Black Friday, James invited me to play 18 holes of golf.  I haven't swung a club in, well, a long time.  It was either going to be a relaxing and enjoyable day or random temper tantrums and several golf clubs being flung into the woods.  Aside from my short game (around the greens), things went well enough and we definitely had a great time.

James teeing off.  Notice we played from the Pro blue tees.   We're that good.

Looming over my head the last few weeks was the Quad Dipsea race, a sadistic 28.4 mile trail run with 9,300 ft of climb.  I did absolutely no specific training for it and was on the fence whether I'd even start the thing.  So, to further sabotage my run, I went for a stiff little mtb ride the night before the race.  My biggest fear wasn't the race itself but the sore shape the climbing and descending would leave me in just a week before pacing at the North Face 50 miler.

So, my plan was to hold the effort to a sub 130 heart rate for the first three sections (21 miles) and then push harder if I felt well enough.  The plan worked and left my legs feeling pretty fresh for the last 6-7 miles)  My four splits were: 1:10 1:20 1:25 1:16 for a 5:11 finish time and 14th place and ended up with an average heart rate of 131.  The legs feel worked this morning but generally not too bad.  It was super to see so many people I haven't seen in a while, including Errol "Rocket" Jones.  I hadn't seen him since April and briefly chatted with him at the 21 mile aid station.  Thanks, John Medinger, for putting on such a great event.

This will be another busy week; I have TEN athletes I coach running the North Face event, some in the marathon, most in the 50k, one in the 50 mi.  And another athlete is running the California International Marathon in Sacramento.  And yet another athlete running the Death Valley Marathon.  Gonna be a big weekend!  As for me, I'll be pacing Tina Lewis at the NF 50 miler.  I'll be happy just to keep up with her.