Week in Review (June 5 -June 11)

Tuesday (16,136 steps) - Barre Express with Gabi. I've decided that at least one of my barre classes a week will be express. Same workout, but 20 minutes shorter. I can sleep a little later and still get in a workout. I don't know if that means I'm getting tired of the classes (I've been taking them for 2 years now), or if I'm just liking the faster pace of class? Sloan's Lake Tap & Burger run club! I was blah, and ran a solo loop. Just one. I was hot and tired. Pasta and then home.
Wednesday (20,484 steps) - Runners Roost Boulder run club!

Another challenging run this week, and hot AGAIN. Struggled with this one, was really happy to be done. Beer, pizza, and then a trip to Southern Sun after.

Thursday (17,446 steps) - Ran at Berkeley Park so that we could go to Lakeside after. It was so much fun!!!

Friday (11,385 steps) - Barre with Gabi.
Saturday (25,953 steps) - Up at 3:45 to go hiking! We got to Lisa's house just after 4:30 and drove up to Buena Vista/Leadville for our first hike/14er of the year. Lisa had picked Mt. Belford, mainly because the trail head would be accessible for her car (not a surprise that many of the 14ers require a high clearance vehicle, which neither of us has). This was one of the toughest ones we have climbed to date. Over 4500' of climbing, and not THAT long comparatively. For some reason both of us thought it was 3.5 miles each way, turns out it was almost 4.5. I think this was the best marked of any of the ones we have climbed, there were a lot of switchbacks (instead of just going straight up), and not a lot of scree.

A marmot!

It wasn't too cold and windy at the summit, so we had lunch/beer at the top (around 12:30, before coming down.

I think this was my favorite picture of the day - taken on the way down after leaving the switchbacks

We had expected the whole hike to take about 6 hours, imagine our surprise when it was closer to 8. When we realized Buena Vista was the opposite direction of home we decided to eat in Leadville at the brewery. Food selections were pretty dismal, but the beer was good.

Made a wrong turn on the way home, taking us out towards Minturn/Vail instead of Cooper Mountain, adding at least a half hour. We also had a scare with Lucky, who seemed to be struggling - so it was a stressful drive home. After we got our car, we stopped for FroYo, then in bed super early. What a long day!!
Sunday (28,985 steps) - The "best" part about training for your "A" race in the summer? Not having to get up early. I managed to sleep until 8:30, had a quick breakfast, then went out for my 10 mile run at the ungodly hour of 9:45. It was hot, but I've learned that once you're already hot, it really doesn't get "hotter" - (as long as you aren't starting in like 50 and ending up at 90. Start at 85 and 90 isn't that much different).

Hey, goats again!!

Pace was better than expected, and I got done with enough time to shower before going to Bear Creek for the trail running festival. Had a great time chatting with vendors (mainly the Brandons from Hoka) and having a burger/beer before we had to head out.

Yes, this was the only picture I took at the festival (and it's even my cooler!)

Next, we were going to Boulder to volunteer at Ironman, like we have every year since 2011. We were at the info tent with Jeannene again, and our volunteering was pretty limited, but we had a great time spectating! Headed home after 4 hours around 8:30. Long day (again).

Only picture (and I actually took it at home) - the backpack A got for being a super volunteer

Monday (18.093 steps) - New Terrain run club! Another hot day, and my legs were SO TIRED. I really felt incredibly out of shape on this one (more than usual, A wouldn't even stick with me on the climbs).

I'm in the back because I barely got there in time for the picture... can you spot my head? lol

Sean & A on the summit (I'm in the bottom right if you look hard enough!)

Once we were back at the brewery, I saw that A had taken her first fall of the season (I had warned her that she needed to move on to her newer trail shoes!) Stuck around for a drink and to clean up A's wounds before going home.

Phil & A

Battle wounds!

Stats:

• 138,482 steps
• 26.8 miles run
• 2 barre classes and one 8.7 mile hike!

Week in Review (July 12 - July 18)

Tuesday (17,074 steps) - Guess what? Another rest day. Bah. At the beer run on Saturday I actually won a raffle! I received two free tickets to a screening of the new Ghostbusters movie. After work I headed down to the theater and met up with the same guy that I went out with Saturday for the movie. I was pleasantly surprised! I did not have high expectations, but it was pretty entertaining.

The movie hadn't started until 7, so it was yet another late night for me. Reflecting on the evening, TOTALLY not into the guy at all. I almost felt violated when he tried to touch me, so needless to say, NO SPARK, and no third date. Ah well.

Wednesday (20,372 steps) - Busy morning. Went to barre class at 7:15, then headed back to Accelerate Health for another visit with Kendelle. The good news is that she said my hips looked a lot better and that although my muscles in my left quad/glut area are still incredibly tight, she thought they weren't as bad as Monday. So more ART (ouchie) and more needling (with longer and more needles). It's so difficult to not be frustrated with this. After work headed down to run club. Walked with Maureen over to the dirt track and tested out the leg/hip with a loop on the dirt. Not great. Not painful, but gait is still horrible and compensating. So, another day I'll try again. To make myself feel better and convince myself that my ultra dreams this summer aren't over, I upgraded my Garmin (25% off!) to the Fenix 3.

Ended up staying at the store until 9 chatting with everyone. So yes, another late night.

Thursday (18,074 steps) - Woke up almost an hour before my alarm went off, so I took that as a sign to take a hot epsom salt bath. I mean, it can't do any harm, right? Special run club (and by run club, of course it's "walk" club for me) at the Infinite Monkey Theorem, which is a wine bar in the newest "hip" part of town (RiNo). Stance was there was a vendor and did a cool "finders keepers" to earn free socks! Unfortunately, Maureen and I couldn't do most of the course since we were walking, and we didn't find anything. We did get in about 3.5 miles of walking, so that was nice. We stayed and had some wine, then home.

I did, however, win a pair of socks in a rock, paper, scissors game

Friday (16,954 steps) - Uneventful day, went to barre after work. Got home to find the response from my HOA. They are NOT approving my door and gave me less than a month to replace with an "approved" door (list of approved doors was not included). Spent the evening pissed off walking around the complex looking at all the other doors that are like mine. A called me (finally), and we chatted a bit.
Saturday (28,673 steps) - Up early for Runners Edge. The run was WAY DOWN in Highlands Ranch, so it took me an hour to get there. Supposedly a cut-back week for those people that are still running, so the run wasn't as early at least. Once again, started with the slowest pace group and did 6 miles.

Sat in a pair of recovery legs and then headed to Runners Roost to pick up some Body Glide before meeting Maureen at Former Future for the latest of the beer runs. This "run" went through Wash Park, and somehow we missed a turn and ended up doing 3.5 or so miles instead of 5k. This brewery is super tiny and we didn't have anywhere to sit for a while. Womp. 

Had a few beers and picked up some food from the restaurant next door. Unsure of what I might have done in the evening.
Sunday (43,013 steps) - Longmont Trail half marathon.

Rested and had lunch, then in the evening I met up with Maureen to carpool to the Trail Running Festival at Bear Creek. Again, no running, but it was a great evening with vendors, food and BEER. Another late night.

Laurie, Maureen & Colfax, Chris, me

Monday (17,090 steps) - Barre in the morning before work. The end.

Stats:

• 161,250 steps
• 19.1 miles run
• No cross training, but lots of walking
• 3 barre classes

Everything Else:

• Yep, reminded of why dating is the worst. I have just become too accustomed to being by myself. The guy was nice enough, but the idea of him touching me made me uncomfortable, almost to the point of feeling violated. #single4life !!
• Hip is... better, I say with hesitation. I did two runs over the weekend, both at a mid 13 pace. Which is MINUTES per mile slower than my slow pace.
• Another week of rest, I guess.