Sat 2/23 - PM 45 minutes easy, Fenway/Brookline

Something of a glorified shakeout. Pace picked up just a bit toward the end but nothing to write home about. Yesterday's cough had me worried about getting ill but despite some congestion today, felt much better after a decent night's sleep.

Fri 2/22 - PM 45 minutes on the treadmill, 6.6 miles

7.5 to 9.9 mph, the faster speeds required some effort but relaxed throughout. Calf feels better than it did yesterday. Took a while to muster up the motivation, with the red eye flight last night spent much of the late morning sleeping it off. Bothered a bit by a scratchy throat and cough, exaverbated by being on the plane. Returned home to another snowstorm, conditions I didn't want any part of. Didn't stop all day.

Thu 2/21 - PM 65 minutes, just over 9 miles on Magnolia Drive

First and hopefully not last visit to Boulder, had to pick between "Mags" and the Creek Path. I was leaning towards the path due to calf feeling like garbage and not wanting to aggravate it running hilly terrain but at the last minute changed my mind. After a vertiginous drive up from Canyon road to near where the road (sort of) levels off, I did an out and back that can be seen here which started at around 7900' and topped off somewhere over 8300' elevation. Overall distance a bit more than expected, I thought it was closer to 8 miles. Feeling the hypoxia on the mostly uphill out portion, particularly the first 10 minutes which were brutal. Thankfully wind was mostly at my back on the way out, headwind less of an issue coming back down. At the turnaround point (forest road intersection) I saw some of these.

Calf hung in there despite not feeling so great on the downhill stretches, felt better after the run which was encouraging. The road deserves its reputation and respect, on top of the elevation the terrain rolls in such a way that requires focus, with excellent scenery the reward. I only wish I could have gone longer, but there wasn't time. Afterwards I enjoyed a well-deserved fruit snack.

Wed 2/20 - PM 65 minutes Platte River Path incl. timed pickups

Warmup 20+ minutes followed by 4x 2.5 minutes with equal recovery then 4x 1 minute with 90 second recoveries. Half the reps run into the wind, including the first one which made it harder than it needed to be. The effort was there, even if the speed maybe wasn't. I blame the altitude for that. Cooldown was short and slow, felt some twinges in the right heel that took me by surprise in their intensity and hopefully aren't the start of anything, but certainly another effect of the right leg being too tight.

Tue 2/19 - AM 75 minutes, Denver Creek Path

Out and back run on what appears to be the only desirable place for running in the entire sprawling metropolis. Felt the thin air as expected, also felt a lot more soreness than expected in the legs and esp. the calf. Likely due to travel yesterday and lugging a heavy bag around much of the day. Much warmer than I thought it would be, climate at altitude always hard to figure for a flatlander.

Mon 2/18 - AM 45 minutes very easy

Much warmer this morning than yesterday with driving pouring rain. Ran in t-shirt and shorts but not enjoying it especially. The treadmill was an option but not one I wanted to pursue today, rather get wet. Took it slow, plenty of stiff spots from yesterday.

Sun 2/17 - PM 1:35, to W. Concord and back

Powers Road to Powdermill and then up ORNAC to W. Concord center, back via Lawsbrook and the now-familiar Parker Street stretch of the TJs out-and-back. I've had better days quite frankly, still feeling a bit of the blahs. Overcast conditions with a persistent obnoxious wind didn't help any. Wind was the worst the last 2.5 miles to boot. Calf seems to be getting somewhat better but still not whole.