Weekly Summary - 1/30

Monday January 24th: 4.5 Miles in 36:01 - Treadmill (PM)
I wasn't feeling extremely spry this evening so opted for the treadmill workout after spending some time with Christine. I was actually thinking of taking the day off, but since I won't be running Saturday or Sunday, due to skiing at Silverton Mountain and Crested Butte, I decided against it.

I actually enjoy the consistency of running most every day. I remember having a conversation with my Father-in-law a couple years ago about some of his training techniques. He mentioned that he would typically run 14 out of 15 days, taking 2 days off each month. At the time, I was blown away. I felt that 5 days per week would be more than enough, but my mindset has slowly shifted. The more I run, the more I truly enjoy running. I also feel that the consistency helps me in many ways, other than just my fitness. I'm still not running every day, but I've been hitting 6 of 7 days a week pretty regularly, with the "day off" usually involving some other type of activity such as skiing. I'm finding that my body and mind can handle a lot more than I typically throw at it and I'm enjoying the journey of pushing myself further and harder.

Tuesday January 25th: 7.0 Miles in 58:40 - Treadmill (PM)
A little interval session tonight. I've been wanting to hit the track, but I haven't found a track nearby that has lights so I opted for a session on the mill. I warmed up slowly for 2 miles, then did 0.25 mil @ 6 min/mil with 1% grade followed by 0.25 mil @ 10 min/mil rest. I completed 8 rotations and then ended with a mile @ 8 min/mile cool down. I felt pretty strong during each interval, easily getting them in. I wish that the treadmill would go just a little faster, but I may just begin increasing the grade percentage. My plan is to complete another interval session next week with more of a pyramid, using each rotation to increase distance. I feel confident I can run steadily at a 6 min/mil pace, I just have to put in the work to get there. Right now, time is on my side.

Wednesday January 26th: 8.66 Total Miles
4.61 Miles in 48:37 @ 445 vert ft - Picture Rock with Christine (Lunch)
Christine met me for a lunchtime run at Picture Rock in Lyons. Today was a gorgeous day to be out and I was thankful Christine suggested it. I recently took another position with my company, which has brought on additional responsibility. Until we hire someone to take my previous position, I'm somewhat pulling double duty, so sneaking out for a quick 4 at lunch isn't as easy as it once was. Thankfully we're interviewing a candidate next week that seems promising. Hopefully my new position will have a positive overall affect on my life and help me to find a better balance.

4.05 Miles in 33:45 @ 233 vert ft - Neighborhood Loop (PM)
After I getting home, I decided to head out for a nice and easy shake out, considering today a bit of a recovery day from my interval session last night. I felt great the entire run. It's amazing how your body plays tricks on you. Granted I was maintaining a fairly slow pace, but my running seemed to be almost perfect. There was no pain, tension or discomfort in my ankles, my foot strike was as neutral as it gets, and I felt that each stride was effortless. I look forward to more runs like this in the future.

Thursday January 27th: 8.32 Total Miles
4.10 Miles in 33:44 @ 730 vert ft - Hall Ranch (Lunch)
Today was one of those days when I tell myself I'll never leave Colorado. The old explorer read 53F as I pulled into the Hall Ranch Trailhead for a quick lunchtime run. As I sped down the trail with the sun shining down on me, I felt great. The only disappointment today was wearing a long sleeve shirt when I should have left it in the car! I couldn't believe it was the end of January. To make things even better, I had another PR on the climb to the first bench. I also enjoyed passing and fending off 3 mountain bikers on the technical descent. Even though I'm a mountain biker as well, that always feels good!

4.22 Miles in 36:41 @ 215 vert ft - Lake McIntosh (PM)
I was actually able to get out of work before sunset today, so I made a quick change of the clothes and headed off for a quick lap at the lake. The sunset over the mountains was absolutely breathtaking, lighting a fire in the sky behind Long's Peak. It was a peaceful and easy run, one that I took full advantage of to delve into my innermost thoughts. I find that these runs allow me to almost be in a meditative state, one that's very beneficial to me.

Friday January 28th: Off
I was up late last night getting all my gear together for ski trip and work was busy busy.

Saturday: Off
Skiing Silverton Mountain

Sunday: Off
Skiing Crested Butte

This wasn't a big week for me as far as running is concerned, but there were a lot of other things that took its place.

First of all, I accepted a new position at work and Monday was my first day. This makes my 6th position with my company in a total of 8.5 years. I wouldn't say that I'm an expert in any of the areas in which I've worked, but I spent enough time to get a good grasp of what I was doing and what was going on around me. My hope is that each of those experiences have prepared me to take on the position I currently have.

Secondly, I took my third trip to ski Silverton Mountain. This was probably one of the most anxious of the three, as I haven't skied that much over the past couple of years. Couple that with the fact that the time I've spent on two planks has been of the telemark variety and it breeds anxiety. Regardless, I quickly remembered how to turn those fat alpine boards and enjoyed my time thoroughly. More on this to come.

So, as I look back on January in regard to running, here are the numbers:

186.27 Miles
35 Total Runs
25 hrs 48 min 17 sec
9272 vertical feet of climbing
968 Push-ups
917 Sit-ups