Week in Review (June 12 - June 18)

Tuesday (12,789 steps) - Barre Express with Gabi. Outside of running, have been reading a book I picked up at the library when I dropped off my ballot. Yay for being inspired to get rid of STUFF.

Wednesday (20,367 steps) - Runners Roost Boulder!

New-to-me route. It was stupid hot (like 90 degrees when we started), I had the tight calves again, and I just overall struggled. A was also going a little slower than normal because she said her knees were hurting a bit on the downhills (after her fall on Monday).

Photo cred: Todd Straka

Photo cred: Todd Straka

Went to Under the Sun after for a drink.
Thursday (16,710 steps) - Runners Roost Lakewood! A and I coordinated with Ang and Maureen to wear our unicorn skirts for Pride Day/Month.

Thankfully we had some relief from the heat with cloud-cover and even a handful of raindrops. After I worked out the tight calves I had a fairly decent run, followed by rainbow cake! After we got home we tackled more decluttering. I can't wait until this is done forever! (We have actually done a really great job with not buying things we don't need and accumulating clutter. It helps immensely that we don't shop, other than for groceries).
Friday (11,247 steps) - Barre with Gabi. More decluttering (finally). Had lost momentum, but we got rid of another carload of stuff (ugh, it's pretty sick how much crap we have that were a complete waste of money).

Saturday (30,704 steps) - Summer session kick off with Runners Edge! I had 20 miles on schedule, but obviously that wasn't going to happen. The longest I'd run since getting back from Europe was 10 miles. Optimistically, I thought that I could maybe do 16.

Once we started, I talked myself into doing 12. The run itself wasn't too bad, although I tired the early miles. We were set up on a 10 mile loop, and then I ran my old run club route for another 2 miles. After we picked up our aid station we headed home to shower before driving to LoDo to meet up with everyone at Linger for Lisa's engagement party. It was a long day of eating and drinking, we didn't get home for dinner until after 9 (I think).

Sunday (28,028 steps) - Father's Day half marathon (recap separate).

We had nothing else to do the rest of the day. However, part of the afternoon was spent disassembling the Keurig because it wasn't working (AGAIN). Pretty impressed I was able to take it apart and put it back together.

Also, we watched a decent amount of TV, then we had Tokyo Joe's BOGO and were in bed by sunset (really).
Monday (16,645 steps) - New Terrain run club! Another night where I felt like crap, my calves were hot and tight. I had decided to demo the Altras even though I have never liked a pair I tried. I did not like them again (shocker). The pace was actually not as bad as I thought, but I was not happy during this one, I was the slowest by far.

Wore my Desert RATS shirt to "celebrate" race week. Thankfully, MUCH cooler here in eastern Colorado 

Stuck around for a beer, then headed home in dinner. Thankfully we missed the most recent hail storm, I would be so mad to have another car damaged.

Stats:

• 136,490 steps
• 40.7 miles run
• 2 barre classes

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 (May 29 - June 4)

Tuesday (15,193 steps) - My first time at RUNBARRE! An "easy" 3 mile run, then Barre Express, all before 8 am!
Wednesday (18,646 steps) - Dentist appointment before work. Runners Roost Boulder run club! It started raining (pretty heavily) on our drive up. We delayed the start of the run by just a couple minutes and it was barely sprinkling by the time we started.

Huge temperature drop, but lots of humidity. Probably the most challenging run we've done, up NCAR twice, nearly 1300' of vertical. Eeep.

Thursday (13,663 steps) - Skipped barre, was feeling very sore after the Boulder run. Belmar run club. Ran with Mo & Colfax.

Friday (10,415 steps) - Barre with Gabi! After work I met up with Denise & A at the Roost in Denver to help with packet pick up for Palmer Lake half marathon.
Saturday (24,383 steps) - Up at 4 am to volunteer at the Palmer Lake half marathon! First we helped out with bib pick up, then just kind of helped out wherever I was needed.

We were there until almost noon. The drive home was horrendous - so much traffic south of the city! We stopped by to visit with Phil. I still had to do my "long" run, so I headed out around 4:00 for 8 miles. So hot, and having beer/food before that probably didn't help. Ick. I did, however, get to see baby goats, and I consider that a win!

Sunday (15,103 steps) - Up early AGAIN, this time to volunteer at the mile 6/19 aid station at Revel! We met up with Ted and Mo, and spent 4 hours handing out water.

Quick trip to the finish line, then lunch at Mill Street/Holiday.

WARM 3 mile run with Mo & A in Bear Creek park before going over to Lisa's for a BBQ. Ended up staying way too late for a work night. First Sunday afternoon in ages that we weren't home and missed the big excitement of a FIRE in the building next to us :o
Monday (16,452 steps) - Felt pretty icky all day. New Terrain run club in the fiery hot heat. I hate summer.

Stats:

• 113,855 steps
• 27.9 miles run
• 2 barre classes