Week Ending - Aug 26

Monday, 8/20/12

w/ Flynn & Otis @ Coors Field Parking Lot, 18 mins

Legs were pretty sore and feet a bit swollen the day after completing the Leadville 100, but it was nice to shake things out and get in a short run with the boys after being away last week. This also keeps the running streak going - 234 days in a row. We jogged an easy 18 minutes in the empty Coors Field overflow lots.

Tuesday, 8/21/12

w/ Petchuli @ Cheesman Park, 28 mins + walking

Petchuli is the dog I've been volunteering to run since June from the MaxFund shelter here in Denver. She is a Rottweiler mix who is really nice and affectionate once you gain her trust, but definitely has some issues - dog aggession, jumping up, nipping people, pulling, lunging etc. She's working with a behaviorist and her getting out on runs definitely helps take the edge off all allows her to release pent up anxiety. After running a mile or two she will cruise right by another dog with only a curious glance. At the shelter she is sectioned off from the other dogs and has her own room by the laundry. After taking her to the park once and doing a run, I'm pretty sure I have a friend for life. Legs feel better today, feet less swollen and just a slight pain left in the right knee.

w/ Auggie @ Great Lawn Park, 39 mins + walking

Auggie is a really friendly dog who just loves to run. He jumped in the truck and we drove east of Quebec and parked on 6th. I grabbed a water bottle, mesh water bowl and we ran a few blocks down to the Great Lawn Park, a nice open park on the east side of Denver. About a mile into the run I noticed my legs felt actually better on this second run and the knee pain was pretty much gone - I'll take it. Auggie is one of those dogs who will just run and run in warm weather and not slow down if he's getting overheated or dehydrated. So I made him stop and drink in the shade from the mesh bowl at 16 minutes into the run and then twice more before finishing up. We mixed in some walking during the run and then another 5 mins at the end. 

Petchuli

Auggie post run

Wednesday, 8/22/12

Solo run @ Rocky Mountain Lake park, 34 mins

One more day of easy, baby recovery runs - I feel 80% recovered from the weekend's slogathon. First time running in this city park just next to I-70 on the NW side. It does have a nice lake with a run/bike path around the perimeter.

Thursday, 8/23/12

w/ Griffin @ Wash Park, 45 mins; then Solo run 21 mins

This was my first official run with Mr. Griffin, a friendly and energetic Wire Haired Pointing Griffon. I've never run this breed before and with him being 70lbs wasn't sure what to expect. It was 8am and fairly cool so I wasn't much worried about the heat. We ran from his house east of Wash Park and made the 10 min trip over to the park, which has a nice track around the outside of about 2.4 miles. Griff and I became fast friends. He did really well on the run, stayed by my left side for the most part and was enthusiastic the whole way. He will be able to go farther, but I don't like to push a first run too far while still assessing a dog's fitness/capacity - so we kept it a bit short. After dropping him off I had to drive back by the park and since the legs were feeling back to normal, I hopped out and took another lap around solo. 

Griffin at Wash Park

Friday, 8/24/12

w/ Griffin @ Wash Park, 54 mins

Another solid outing with Griff. I tried putting him in the truck for the ride over to the park but he wasn't quite too sure about that move. So we trotted west and were soon on the running track for another nice morning at Wash. After yesterday I was glad to see he had excellent energy and even after 40+ mins kept a strong pace. He's funny in that he'll run right by a goose next to the path but is fairly obsessed with trying to tree squirrels.

Solo @ Mt. Falcon, 1:08 and 1,500' of vertical gain

Really nice to be back on the local trails. I took a super casual pace on the climb up Castle trail to the picnic table at the top. After taking in the views of downtown Denver, ran back down and took the longer Turkey Trot trail on the decent. It was good to see the knee withstood some downhill pounding without issue.

Saturday, 8/25/12

Solo @ city streets & Platte River trail, 1 hour

Flynn & Otis got good exercise on a straight hike in the mountains this morning so I just took an easy run in the afternoon. Urban streets are pretty boring but it was fun to take off the shoes along the smooth pavement of the Platte River bike trail and get in 17 mins of barefoot running.

Sunday, 8/26/12
Solo @ White Ranch park, 1:29 and 1,700 of vertical
Perfect weather this morning on the trails just north of Golden. Started from lower lot and took Belcher Hill trail to Longhorn where I ran the steep climb up to Rawhide and got there in a PR time of 48:23. Then jogged to the upper lot, cruised Sawmill trail back over to the rocky Belcher and back down. Now that's it's "off season" with no immediate race to train for, it was nice to just bop along enjoying the sights, sounds, and feel of the trail. So to hit a PR up to Rawhide was surprising but I guess the 9 days spent above 10,000' before and during Leadville paid off with extra oxygen back down here at 7,000'.

Total: 7hr 36mins


To be able to run this much the week after a 100 miler, along with hitting a PR this morning, it quite encouraging. Some of the credit for a speedy recovery has to go to eating Chia seeds and consuming Udo's Oil everyday. Also encouraging was the performance of the dogs this week in still warm conditions, especially new pack member Griffin. I personally can't wait for the temps to start dropping and seeing what the dogs can do in cooler fall conditions.

Leadville hardware