Mental Marathon: Preliminary Examination

I have prelims this week, which is 2 days of 9 hour tests, followed by a week-long programming assignment/paper, so I'm only able to catch up and post in the evening. Just finished Day 1, happy to be done and mentally exhausted.

Less running lately, but coincidentally (and somewhat planned), getting ready for the Taste of Louisville Half Marathon on Saturday. J's been getting ready for it, and I'm cautiously optimistic and encouraged about my hastily added speed and tempo workouts the last couple weeks. It's a good diversion to get out on Saturday for a few hours without taking too much time, yet keeping the fitness up (hopefully) with less miles.

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Meanwhile, found this video on my camera from the top of Bison Peak last week in the wind. Since I know humans drastically overestimate wind speeds, I'll just say 25-30mph, but the dork in me thinks about how to write an image processing algorithm to automatically calculate this based on the speed of the moving snow (wavelets) and other known information (FOV of camera and Caleb's height).

I'll save that as an exercise for the reader, though.

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Also, hope to have pics up soon from last weekend, which was some good times near Dinosaur NM on the Colorado/Utah border.

Copper Kettle Brewing Co

Copper Kettle Brewing Co.
338 S. Valentia St, #100, Denver, CO









The Doctor is in.
Apparently, Jeremy Gobien decided before he finished his Ph.D. in engineering that he wanted to open a brewery with his wife. East Denver/Aurora is glad he did!

Copper Kettle has been open for a few weeks now, and I finally had a chance to check it out. Although it's in a strip-mall wasteland off of Parker Rd. in East Denver, it's only 2.4 miles from our apartment -- by foot or bike -- though it would be a longer drive. That's because it's only a short distance off of the Highline Canal Trail, south on Valentia, just south of Mississippi. So, even if you live closer to downtown, I'd recommend saving the aggravation of driving and enjoy a leisurely ride on the HCT. On Sunday (yes, open on Sundays -- closed Mon and Tues), J, Neil, DJ, and I had a nice walk out there.

To get there, follow the signs....of Denver graffiti!



Moe's Tavern?

The brewery is cozy, and well-appointed with dark wood and leather. It's a great place to hang out, with games and a flat-screen TV. They have pretzels but no food, although they've had occasional food trucks (opening weekend, and last weekend, according to Ben)...hopefully that becomes a more regular occurrence.

They have a great selection of beer already, with rotating seasonals and experimentals, with a solid base of reliable brews. Some of the limited releases have different prices (taster, pint, or growler), but they also have different price specials during the week. Their growler fill prices (~$5 new growler, $9-$10 fill) is more reasonable than Dry Dock in Aurora, and they already have t-shirts and logo glasses ($4).

On to the beer itself. First up was the Mexican Chocolate Stout. I was pleasantly surprised by the spicy cinnamon, in addition to the expected chocolate flavour. I could imagine enjoying this more by the fireplace in the winter, apres-ski -- or, more likely, apres-eating and apres-drinking -- so I hope it sticks around all year.

More appropriate to the sunshine is the Summer Ale, which is brewed with wheat and similar to (but maybe smoother) than Blue Moon. I don't do wheat, so I'll pass, but it's another solid option. Instead, for a reliable all-year beer, the Bavarian Hells Helles seemed similar to NBB Blue Paddle, which is a good thing in my book.



The Copper Ale was a little disappointing (I'm making stuff up here to sound like I know what I'm talking about) in its colour, which was more of a cloudy orangish-yellow than I expected. But quite tasty and fruity otherwise. There's a Saison, Altbier, and Rye beer that aren't usually my favourites, but again may be good options for the sophisticated crowd.

My favourite, though, was the Biergarten Dunkel. I liked everything about this beer, from the dark colour and smooth pour, to the malty aroma and taste. I look forward to seeing what the reception of this beer is in the future, and the future success of what looks to be a solid new brewery.

Bison Peak Hike: Southwest Ridge in a Lingering Winter

Bison Peak Hike
with Caleb
Southwest Ridge from Ute Creek TH
12.2 Miles RT (plus scrambling)
3671' gain (8760' to 12431')
Class 1 / Class 2-3 (snow/scrambling)

With deep, unstable snow -- and equally unstable weather -- hitting many of the higher mountains, Caleb and I decided to check out the Taryall Mountains in the Lost Creek Wilderness (LCW). We've read great reviews (online and in the Roach's famous Colorado's Lost Creek Wilderness: Classic Summit Hikes guide) and been enticed by pictures of the otherworldly rock formations on the summit plateaus of Bison Peak, which also promised great views and less snow than higher peaks to the west, while still offering sublime views but no significant avalanche risk. Although the same wind that scours snow from the summit hit us above treeline, this hike ended up being a fabulous one.

We made the left turn off of 285 onto Park County 77 toward Taryall Reservoir, which was a new road for both of us. The road heads 20 miles East to the trailhead, and other than some construction, it was snow-free and in excellent condition. We drove past the Ute Creek TH and looked for camping off of the side of the road, not really finding anything until we found an excellent spot near the Twin Eagles TH.

After rain and clouds in the Front Range for most of the week, we were fortunate to enjoy hundreds of stars in a mostly-clear night, made even brighter when the waning moon rose over the mountains just after midnight.

At sunrise the next morning, we broke camp and headed back up to the Ute Creek trailhead.



We started getting ready around 7:15, and although nobody else was stirring in the parking lot or along the short drive to the trailhead, a pickup truck pulled up as we were getting ready. We exchanged friendly greetings with the solo female hiker. She commented on how conditions in the Sawatch and Front Range didn't look appealing, but that it should be a nicer day here. We asked if she had been up to Bison before, and she replied that she had done so numerous times.

She asked if we had the LCW guidebook. When we responded, she said, casually and humbly, "My husband wrote that book."

I also noticed the Hard Rock 100 stickers on the truck.

"You're Jennifer!" I exclaimed. "What do you mean, you're husband wrote it?" I asked, shaking her hand. "You wrote it too!"

Caleb and I counted ourselves very lucky to meet Jennifer Roach, a Colorado mountaineering legend.



We asked her more about Bison Peak, as well as Hard Rock, which both her and Gerry are doing this year. Again, the entire time she was incredibly friendly and modest. We have a strong appreciation for folks like the Roach's, and their contributions to safe and interesting hiking and climbing challenges, as well as enjoyment of the state of Colorado. I wish them the best at Hard Rock, and the presence of people like them also make me very excited about the history, tradition, and ethos of the Hard Rock 100.

After chatting, we headed up to the drainage on the well-defined trail. The trail rises gently through the trees, along a stream and occasional boulders, well-protected from the elements. Caleb and I kept a steady pace and we were encouraged by the lack of wind above the trees, yet were almost startled about 1.5 hours into our hike when we came across a hiker coming down.

"How is it up there?" we asked.
"Full-on winter conditions!" he told us. He left before sunrise, but told us of an unrelenting wind up on the ridge that reduced visibility to zero and made him turn back. He wished he had goggles, warmer gloves, and a 3rd layer of wind-proof pants (none of which we had), but said it was still enjoyable views before the summit. We were a bit dismayed by this forecast, but optimistic that the previous front moving east and the morning sunshine might make things more tolerable.

Soon after that, we started hitting snow, and the terrain became more interesting out of the trees:


We also now had a view of the summit ridge, and saw some spindrift and evidence of stronger winds up high, but hoped we could stay along formations on the summit to help block the wind as much as possible. We hit McBison Pass (between Bison and McCurdy) and the wind was still tolerable, so we knew we could safely head to the summit. The boot-deep snow on the summit was manageable without snowshoes, although Microspikes and/or poles were helpful.




Mesmerized by the summit rocks, we got a little sloppy and started scrambling up the tallest pile of boulders in front of us. We knew that route-finding would yield an easy scramble to the summit peak, but decided to play around instead. ("After all, hotshots climb the face!") We stuck to problems within our modest abilities, but still enjoyed a few challenges. When we couldn't get higher, Caleb found a nifty passage to the other side:



And then, we saw a completely separate, but clearly higher, jumble of rocks in front of us. So, we downclimbed and headed over to the true summit. This was significantly easier, but we still enjoyed practice on some challenging mixed snow and rock.

The summit itself afforded great views:



We were entirely surprised at how prominent the view of the West side of Pikes was. But, it was incredibly windy, so we descended to a sunnier, sheltered spot below, where we ate lunch. Shortly after, we saw Jennifer again, and chatted. She pointed out the trail to McCurdy, including the loss and subsequent gain of elevation on the "Bison Arm" ridge, as we had mentioned a possible hike to McCurdy as well earlier in the day.

By now, however, we were content with our exploration of the Bison summit, and some more unhurried scrambling:


We made our way back down to the pass, and then decided to head back into the trees:


...after one last view of Pikes:


Our feet warmed up quickly once we headed back into the trees, out of the wind.
Some of the snow on the upper parts of the trail was already melting. Did I mention: the Class-1 trail through the trees is excellent for running? I think Caleb started it first, and we ran the steeper sections. I certainly loved doing this, and was encouraged as Caleb was keeping up. He's already good at real sports, like basketball and softball, so who knows if he'd want to pick up a made-up sport like slowrunningthroughthemountainsallday?

By the bottom of the trail, the temperature was absolutely glorious, and the windy creek came into view:



In fact, it looked good enough to fish in!


In all, this was a great hike with great company. Shoulder-season, winter conditions make it a great option before the high peaks open up, yet without as much avalanche concerns. Scrambling on the rocks can be as easy or as hard as you make it. The LCW is definitely and uncrowded area worth exploring!

Godson Max, 2nd place in X-Country Race!

Here's my Godson, Max, killin' it in a cross-country fun run at school in Wisconsin!

He led off of the gun (yellow shirt) and put in a great effort all along. Awesome to hear that he's out there running as hard as he can!

Tomato Soup Recipe

Tomato Soup
1. Take Tomatoes
2. Blend tomatoes to make soup
3. Heat









When the weather is cold and wet, my fancy turns to soups.
So I wanted to share my tomato soup recipe. It's easy -- you take some tomatoes and make soup! Seriously. I used to love tomato soup as a kid and teenager, but the thin red salty crap from Campbell's didn't cut it for me anymore. So I didn't really make it at home again until recently -- I just never thought about taking the extra 100 seconds or so (including cleanup) to make my own soup!

Bonus if you have fresh tomatoes, but one good option is a big can of organic tomatoes, which are usually around $2.50 at Sunflower (which is big enough for 2 or 3 servings). Sure, condensed soup is like a buck, but so are candy bars and the McDonald's value menu!
And, I like having these canned tomatoes around because it's they're versatile (sauce, salsas, burritos, stir fry, etc.). To make soup, I just use my trusty hand blender. I'll add basil, garlic, even carrots today; and you can make it creamy with milk or plain yogurt; but it's good enough as-is. Restaurant quality!

Irish Snug Pub Run

If I want to run faster, I figured maybe I should train more like Brownie....

I've been running the Irish Snug run most Thursdays the last few months with Ben (who definitely needs to update his blog), and occasionally some of Ben's coworkers and his dog Molly. We just earned our first shirts from our 10th run with the Irish Snug runners.

It's a popular, large group run starting from the Irish Snug on Capitol Hill in Denver. The Snug puts on a great event, with a 5k lap around Cheeseman park and surrounding neighborhoods. We've added an extra loop for 5 miles, or run an extra 4 miles from his house or work, or from my school, or various other combinations.
The run is followed by beer specials ($3 Guiness and a couple Tommyknocker microbrews) and free food. Cafeteria-style and cafeteria-quality, I pass on the spaghetti meat sauce, but the salad is OK and the breadsticks are worthwhile, and it's free. (The other food they have on the menu is tasty and legit). And, like I said, 10 runs nets a free technical shirt, and the wait-staff is awesome.

Ben and I are both moving, so won't be able to join the group regularly, but it was fun while it lasted. This run is most certainly open to everyone of all abilities. Definitely worth checking out the run itself, and the Snug itself for a great Irish pub.

California Avocados Have Arrived -- LOOK BUSY!

Sunset view off balcony before tonight's storm:


The colour of the sky looks ominous: is the California avocado a harbinger of doom?

Spanish (and Money), the Universal Language

2 stories, of running and español:

1. Just before getting home from Collegiate Peaks, I decided I really wanted Wendy's, so as to get a Spicy Chicken sandwich, fries, and Frosty for $3. I didn't even know where a Wendy's was, and we drove about 40 minutes past the time that I decided I really wanted it, until we reached one that I didn't know existed about a mile from our apartment. The cashier shouted in Spanish to the manager that the register screen was locked, then explained it to me while we were waiting. Si, entiendo, I told her, and then she continued talking to me in Spanish, saying how she didn't know how other places were, but she liked working there because everyone spoke Spanish.

2. In a hurry to get to class today, I stuffed my keys and phone in my running shorts back pocket. This pocket is small and nearly useless, except it has a zipper on it, which I zipped maybe a mile or so past the apartment. Desafortunadamente, even though I heard the jangle of my keys the whole time, I didn't feel my cell phone slip out.

I didn't notice it until class was done, and then I wasn't sure if maybe I dropped it at school or left it at home, etc. Didn't find it there, so I tried
wheresmycellphone.com to make it ring for free -- still no encontré.

J came home, so I called my phone (no answer) and checked messages (nothing new), then I texted: "Anybody find this phone?" I got a reply:
Ay ablas espanol el telefono me le encontre tirado en la calle

We went back-and-forth (texting was way more easy for me than talking would have been, although some words were abbreviated or misspelled) and met at a Burger King down the road. (Yes, I am surrounded by fast food). It ended up being a teenager that found it, and he didn't ask for anything or hesitate to meet me but I gave him $20.

The net result is the exact same as if I had dropped $20 instead but at least the story is better.

CPTR 2011

Collegiate Peaks Trail
50 Mile
Buena Vista, CO

8:17











Happy to get my first race of the year in, and spend a beautiful day out on the trails with some great folks. I gambled by going for sub-8 when I probably didn't have business doing so, but how else do you find out? Dropped off a bit after mile 38 or so when I realized it wasn't going to happen, but still happy with the results. It's almost 45 minutes faster than last year, which is a nice improvement to see, and is my fastest mountain 50M (only other comparison is the Silver Rush 47M).

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Rolled into town Friday afternoon, grabbed some food at Eddyline (even knowing that we'd be back on Saturday), and then headed up to Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. This trip was even more fun because our family joined us as well. We ended up having a great Cliffside room, and the concrete was still warm from the afternoon sun. I've been short on sleep lately with school, so I snuck a nap with a great waking view:


(That's J's pink sleeping bag, I swear!)

Once they arrived, we headed down for a nice soak in the hot springs. Since last year, they have some new, smaller natural-looking pools on the other side of the creek, in a "guests-only" area (no day-tripping riff-raff allowed, I guess). Those pools were nice and relaxing, so we pretty much hung out there until they closed at 10.

Tried to get some decent sleep, but never really seem to do so when traveling for a race. J & Debby got up to drive to the race, where we made a quick stop for coffee at the BV Roastery. I've found everything about their shop to be most excellent, from the prompt service and delicious fresh coffee, which is both reasonably priced and socially-conscious. And, they're open and ready at 6am, unlike Bongo Billy's. But, I've since learned they're -both- the same company, so it's all good in the BV.

We parked on the road and headed towards the start line. It was clearly warm enough already not to need an extra layer. I put my self drop-bag in the grass by the building -- that's a nice perk of the 2-loop course. I headed over the start and saw Chris from South Dakota, we've known each other from online and then in-person from a few years ago when we were both into road marathons, and then after Boston decided that long trail runs seemed like even more fun. Along with him were friends Nathan, Paul, and Ryan Phillips, who along with Chris helps out as part of the Lean Horse Racing team, soon to present the inaugural Black Hills 100 race next month. They put up great races in South Dakota and it's definitely worth a road trip.

Saw unmistakably-hatted-and-cotton-shirted JT at the front and wished him luck. Soon enough, without much warning, we were off like a herd of turtles. Last year, I was unsure of the last few sections on the road, so I paid some attention to that. Mostly, just cruised what felt comfortable. JT took off and moved well through the crowd on the road. I didn't think I'd see him again, but I saw him on the trails and ran a bit together, then passed on a double-track downhill. Somewhere after that, I saw tall white socks and a cleanly-shaven head: I hadn't previously GZ in person yet, but have enjoyed his blog observations like many. I was glad to settle in and chat with him for a bit, and very happy to hear he had decided on the 50. We hit the first aid station ~51 or 52 minutes, and it was time to do math, they said they were at "Mile 5" but GZ told me it was 5.8, which was much more favorable to the pace. Pretty well settled in now and just cruised to the next aid stations. Also met Jaime here (I'll look up his last name when results are up) and had a nice chat with him. Mostly stayed near GZ through the next couple of aid stations, and then eventually Darcy Africa. These clues that I was going out too fast should not have been subtle -- it should have been a big f'ing neon SIGN saying I was going out too fast. But it was nice out and I was having too much fun. GZ pulled ahead with a consistent, steady pace, while I was still ahead of Darcy, who I figured was definitely good for sub-8.

My plan was to go for a 3:45/4:15 split. With the heat coming in the afternoon, an even split didn't seem to make physiological sense, as it would clearly be a harder effort to maintain pace in the 2nd half. I was really enjoying the short stretches of semi-technical downhill. This is something I've been consciously working on lately. Unfortunately, that is about 3% of this course, so the long rollers ultimately drained me in the end. But the first half went well. On the long Midland hill section, JT caught up again and blew by me with a head of steam. I was OK with that as I was just trying to get done with that flat section, and happy to see Burch come around in the lead. But as soon as we hit the singletrack down I knew we were getting close, so I let it fly and caught up to JT again.

I hit the turnaround and tried to follow the rules nicely, where you go to your drop bag *before* the official turnaround so they have a way to keep track of traffic on the course.
Me (puts hand up): "285, pulling off to get drop bag."
Man:"285, are you dropping?"
Me:"No, I'm getting my drop bag."
Man to woman with clipboard: "285 is dropping out."
Me: "No, I am not dropping! I am getting my drop bag."
Man: "Are you dropping?"
Me (realizes I need to use different words): "I am going to continue to run 50 Miles today!"

They laughed and figured it out. I left the turnaround at 3:45, ditching my shirt and grabbing a fistful of gels.

Now the big slog back up the hill. The technical part is fun going up, but the gradual flat part isn't, it's just manageable because of all the folks coming down still, it's nice to look for friends and keep your mind off things. Saw Chris coming in looking good, saw Harsha. I caught up to GZ again who also ditched his shirt, but kept it family-friendly by wearing a thin black nipple strap around the mid-line of his chest. He was kind enough to give some words of encouragement when I felt strong...and then push me up a hill (literally) later when I didn't...and then I didn't see him again, as he kept a smart and steady pace, while I started fading a bit.

Anyway, that's how it went, the rolling hills in sand and the exposed sun between miles 30 and 40 started getting me, and started getting other people too. I got passed here a lot last year, and a few guys passed me here this year, but I generally kept them in sight this time so as not to fall too far back. But in the late 30's, I was at least a minute/mile off of any pace for 8hrs, so I just wanted to get this section done.

I heard JT getting closer between mile 38 and 39, and he passed me and a couple other guys on an uphill, mocking us for walking. (For the record, I watched him walk a few sections once he was past us...but also for the record, he was walking faster than I was, so there's that). I would've thought I could hang with him on a good day (for me) since I thought his other finishes were in the mid-8's, but he picked today to pull of a hell of a race. I would have been happy to see him pull of sub-8 but it was too close. Well done, though.

So the 2 guys within visual were Harry Harcrow and Tim Long, though I didn't know it was Tim at the time. They gradually pulled ahead through the sandy river washes and hills and I lost sight. I was OK settling in here but didn't want to get passed -- it turns out there wasn't really anyone behind me, but that cluster of guys ahead.

Once we hit some semblance of technical downhill, I enjoyed speeding up again, and focused on making it to the road. I was surprised to see Harry on the road, stopped briefly, and Tim up ahead. I gained a little ground on an uphill but couldn't close the gap, though I'm not even sure what I would have done if I had closed the gap. But it was nice to have people up ahead though so I could see how far the last left turn was. It was briefly comical when Harry left the road for the last smooth trail section near the river -- he walked briefly, turned around for the first time and saw me, and started running right away! Sorry dude. I know those guys just in front of me are solid and experienced ultra guys so I was happy to be around that group.

Cruised in at 8:17:


Glad to see the family there and glad they didn't have to wait too long, given an hour spread (8-9 hours if everything went *well*). Happy to see Meg and Ryan Burch, who won, and friends Carly and Jeremy; Ryan from South Dakota finished solidly sub-8. Found it JT missed it but put down a great run. Late saw that Victoria had a good run and saw Pete Stevenson's name as a nearby result(though I don't remember him on the entrant list) -- was that someone who said "Hi" at the turnaround that I didn't process in time? Unfortunately, Chris was still out getting baked in the sun after a solid first half, so I didn't get a chance to catch up with him, but glad he pulled it in and finished it up. Caught up with Tim and GZ, who ended up mapping his own route but was in remarkably good spirits. After hobbling around, headed over to Eddyline and enjoyed more great food, beer, and company. Nate Willson from Laramie recognized my Pilot Hill t-shirt and we had a good chat about the Laramie race series.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Still some things to work on to perform better but I'll take the improvement and a fun day in the hills, legs held up well without any injuries. Definitely still learning things that will come in handy in Leadville.

"Television Households" Going Down!

For the first time in 20 years, according to Nielsen, the number of "television households" went down. "Television households" are households which have at least one TV that can tune into at least one channel.

Screw you, TV! You're irrelevant.

Back to the Fort

Movin' back to the Fort next month, officially. Couldn't handle living above 5400 feet.






























With my classes mainly done, I'll be commuting to school for research, in Denver and/or Boulder.
Need to buy another car to do that, I haven't had to drive for a commute for 5 years, and drove half the week or less for a couple years before that. I hope to figure out a good alternative schedule and carpool when possible. But this was the best option given all the factors.

Other than the drive, excited to be coming back. More later when I finish the semester, June 8th!

Taper Strategy, One week to CPTR

Don't fall off your bike in a taper!




The CPTR 50 is the first repeat race I've ever signed up for, I think, other than our work-sponsored 5k fun runs. Last year at this time, I had raced at least once every month and had some good feedback. At the same time, I felt kind of worn down by May, and only really started feeling good in the summer. This year, I have no idea what to expect. I feel slower in general, as I've mostly been plodding along week after week; but also better at recovering day-to-day. I feel like I'll do better mentally and energy-wise, but I'll have to see how the legs hold up. If it makes any sense, though, I feel more prepared for a 100M in August at this time of year than I did at this time last year; and really, the goal has been getting ready to get ready for Leadville.

One drawback of not keeping track of weekly mileage is trying to remember what the hell I did exactly before previous races at that distance. I know I tapered more, but kept the miles up this time, mostly just because I felt like it and didn't feel like stopping running (~30-40% of of my weekly miles are just commuting to school anyway). My groin injury thing that was plaguing me since October has really gotten better in the last month -- I won't celebrate that until I can run 50M on it. But, somehow I tweaked my hamstring on Friday and it's still a little sore, that was on a 4-hour run, which might have been a bad idea on paper but otherwise felt good. Plenty of time for it to get better.

Mentally, just excited to get out into the hills next weekend.

I decided to stretch out the hamstring and avoid running with a mellow ride at Green Mountain in Lakewood today. Hit all the trails, enjoying the Rooney Valley trail for the first time, and then repeated back up to hit the other side. Specifically picked these easy trails so I didn't risk an endo on one of the waterbar-laden trails pretty much everywhere else around Denver, but somehow managed to do a rookie rear-brake stop through a gravelly corner (my front brake was loose so I overcompensated with the rear, again just because I was lackadaisical about keeping my brakes adjusted) and hit the ground.

Just a little rash and blood on the white cotton Target socks (from experience, good for soaking up blood, creek water, everything). Didn't have camera so picture is less dramatic, later, after I washed off and picked out little ingrained pebbles. It'll all be good by Saturday though. More bummed at putting a hole in my favourite (only) mt. bike shorts, and a small hole in my wool jersey and rain jacket. Didn't ruin anything, it just means I'll be wearing clothes with holes in them until I change them into clothes with patches on them.

Anyway, excited to see everybody else getting the races in this time of year, from competitive 5k showdowns to marathons to repeat treks up local mountains. If you're racing again soon, stay safe and don't do anything stupid!

And
If you're / go-ing / to Byoo-na, Vis-ta...
See you on the trail, or at Eddyline Saturday afternoon, and/or Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Fri night and maybe Saturday.