Sat 6/26 - AM 1:55 mountain run

Trial run on this course, an enjoyable and challenging experience. Very glad to have done it ahead of the actual event. Felt some trepidation when I saw the dozens of runners and hikers trudging up the road to the trailhead, all of them carrying water when I wasn't. As it turns out there was no water to be had at the turnaround point which was something of a disappointment but able to manage nonetheless. Started out conservatively, when it became clear I wasn't going to keel over from hypoxia the effort increased. Last 15 minutes to the turnaround were a bit of a chore. The trip down was predictably jarring given the nature of the course, steepest near the bottom with lots of switchbacks. Stopped on the way down for a few minutes to get a look at the Incline from the top, one of the more ridiculous things I've ever seen. Didn't seem quite as steep or quad-punishing as the South Kaibab trail descent which remains the gold standard for such things, as it left my legs shredded for a month. Remains to be seen what this descent will do. I was unpleasantly surprised to find an abrasion welt on my right instep, didn't feel anything there while running.

Fri 6/25 - AM 85 minutes

Magnolia Road, went longer and felt better than I had any hope to beforehand. The string of late late bedtimes conintued unabated after spending last evening at the laser show, all 5 hours of it. Got a bit of a late start in getting to Boulder, by the time I started it was already 10 AM. Surroundings were as ever spectacular, worked into it and started to feel pretty good although the ascents were of course a bitch at 8,000'+. Still, went a bit further than originally planned, stopping 45 minutes out at the 606 trailhead. By this point it felt like the sun was boring a hole into my skull and I could feel myself getting dehydrated. Took a longish break to check out the trail a bit despite the climbing sun and headed back in just over 40 minutes, net downhill on the return trip. Legs rubbery on the return trip ascents, which were mercifully short except for the last long pull which was exhausting. Finished tired and thirsty of course, but much better focus overall than what I was expecting.

Thu 6/24 - double, 80 minutes total

AM - 30 minutes, Cheeseman Park in high and dry Denver. Still feeling strung-out and tired of course. Kept it fairly low-key, although the effort was a little more than usual due to altitude.

PM - 50 minutes easy, round trip from 1050 Corona to the creek path. Dry heat firmly in place. Stopped halfway to sit in the creek which was a highlight of the day. Planned on going a little longer but ran out of time. Thought I'd be able to take a nap in the afternoon but that didn't happen, extremely tired on the run and went slower than the morning as a result.

Wed 6/23 - off

off off off. Worst travel day ever, thanks to weather in Chicago that delayed both legs of my journey to Denver. Spent 7 hours in airports that I'll never get back. If I was exhausted before hard to say where I'm at after this crapburger of a day.

Tue 6/22 - PM 75 minutes plus 25 minutes in Walden

More easy running, all that I can do at the moment as the exhausted feeling persists due to difficulty getting to bed at a reasonable hour. Humidity returned today, but with the overcast it was also cooler.

Mon 6/21 - PM 85 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

To Farrar Pond and back. To my chagrin the llamas weren't out and their enclosure looks like it hasn't been in use for weeks. Still tired but feeling more energetic than yesterday nevertheless, had to check the pace a few times. Weather befitting the longest day, sunny and hot. Not oppressively humid though. Getting in the pond was welcome relief.

Sun 6/20 - double, 85 minutes total plus 25 minutes in Walden

AM - 45 minutes including one Longfellow loop at 6:10 pace. I had delusions of doing 3 or even 4 loops this morning but should have known better. Still flat and tired, currently squeezed on both ends of bedtime thanks to going to bed too late while still waking up early by force of habit. Feeling like garbage as a result. To top it off the conditions were terrible, hot and sticky and getting worse as the morning went along. Cutting the run short was a no-brainer, easy running only for the time being.

PM - 40 minutes easy plus 25 minutes in Walden. Eagerly awaited dip in the cooling waters after a day spent in disgusting humidity. The run part was a shakeout to get to and from the pond. Cold front passing through by the end of things, getting drier thankfully.

Sat 6/19 - PM 70 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

Slept away most of the day, exhausted from the past few days of too-late bedtimes. Felt fairly decent for much of the run which was something of a surprise. Warm and sunny all day but the dew point stayed down thankfully.