I started 2014 with a huge goal – Ironman Boulder. 30-40 hours/week training – lotta time away from friends AND a lotta time away from the mountains (but still managed to bag five 14ers this year 🙂 ). Quite the life journey. Looking back – don’t think I’ll attempt another Ironman for a loooooong while. HUGE time commitment.
Up 4am every weekday swimming laps. Work, then back to the gym spinning or running the treadmill. In May, attempted my first Century ride in Santa Fe (finished 80 miles). In June, my first half-Ironman in Steamboat (time cut after the bike). Ran a FULL marathon – 26.2 miles – every month of 2014. SUCCESS!
August 3rd, finished my Ironman swim in under 2 hours. Crashed during the Ironman cycle. Haven’t been in water or back on a bike since. Done, no mas. (completely burnt out)
Marathoning, however – for whatever reason, stuck.
Not only did I run a marathon a month, but once Autumn hit, I doubled then tripled my goal. Qualified for/joined 2 running groups – 50 States Marathon Club & Marathon Maniacs – and ended 2014 at 17 states, in a quest to run all 50 by 2016 year-end.
Just kickin’ back in 2015? Heck no – 26 more marathons & a HUGE life adventure. Just wait 🙂
In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years – Abraham Lincoln
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- awesome Christmas gift – thanks Ash!
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- Alaska
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- Arizona
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- Delaware
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- Georgia
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- Idaho
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- Indiana
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- Iowa
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- Louisiana
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- Maine
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- Minnesota
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- Montana
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- Nebraska
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- Nevada
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- Oklahoma
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- Rhode Island
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- Texas
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- Utah
Travelled to Centennial after work on Tuesday & met up with 2 Colorado-based Maniacs, Stacy & Dave – and their Denver running posse at Run Colorado. Always good to expand one’s friend base – thanks for the invite Stacy!
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- Dave, Stacy & their Denver running posse
During off-season (5 weeks between past Saturday’s Rehoboth Beach marathon & next January’s Mississippi Blues full), decided to focus on one BIG weakness – endurance. Not beating myself up – I completed 17 marathons in 17 different states…that’s a great accomplishment – but I gutted out the last 3, hovering at 4:30 finish times. I can do better.
Gonna make peace with the beast – HILLS. Will not only improve marathon results but also increase lung capacity & quad strength for my BIG August 2015 life adventure. 3 days in – breathing like a rookie, sweating hard, struggling.
Day 4: signed up for a 5am meetup at Manitou Incline, 2 hours away – you do the math, mighty early Saturday wake.
Manitou Incline is a popular hiking trail rising above Manitou Springs, Colorado. The trail is the remains of a former 3 ft narrow gauge funicular railway whose tracks washed out during a rock slide in 1990. The Incline is famous for its sweeping views and steep grade, as steep as 68% in places, making it a fitness challenge for locals in the Colorado Springs area. The Incline gains over 2,000 feet of elevation in less than one mile.
2 years ago I hiked Barr Trail (28 miles – crazy long day) but missed the Incline – no dogs allowed. That day Ro & I salmoned 3 miles up the return trail, dodging runners ‘til we passed the Incline junction.
Arrived first & inadvertently introduced myself to spooked hikers ‘til my new running group arrived.
Tough meeting new folks – not sure of pace or even what folks look like plus this would be my first high altitude run in months (perfect match for my off-season hill challenge, huh 🙂 )
Manitou Incline is only one-mile UP – but with a 2,000ft elevation gain.
Was forewarned to go out slow, advised there is a bail-out point two-thirds up, and that the last third was straight UP. Picked up pace ½ in, then waited for our group near the Christmas tree summit. No altitude adjustments needed here 🙂
20 minutes later – MAGIC. Sunrise pinks & oranges coloured the horizon.
Chatted it up with Jim, a local runner who hits this trail regularly. Good guy.
Amazing start to the weekend – thin air, cool temps & a mountain sunrise. FAAAANNNNTASTIC!
Took a spill on the trail run return – mostly superficial scrapes, no muscle damage but busted a toe…will lose the nail in a few weeks. Ouch. Never considered I could fall, didn’t try to catch myself – hit hard. Life lesson.
Big fan of the Springs – beautiful place to run. I’ll be back; highly recommended.
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- colour starting to burst over Colorado Springs below
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- #inclinechristmastree
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- thin air, cool temps & a mountain sunrise – FAAAANNNTASTIC!
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- blue to purple, now black
