my makeup may be flaking

In Estes Park for a conference. Staying at 7600ft. Ran to Gem Lake (8830 ft) in the morning. It's really more of a pond. Very tough trail run.

AM 6.3 miles around Estes Lake (7522ft). It was snowing.

PM 10.5 miles along the Estes Park Half Marathon course. Not particularly hilly route, but combined with the altitude it was rough for me.

Two loops of Estes Lake.

Allie Scott and I ran the Genie Pyramid Loop as we have every second Saturday and every fourth Friday for the last two years. The  mischievous genie and angular pyramid always gives us pause to reflect upon our wishes for the upcoming fortnight and sparks a lively debate about our favourite grades for the second half of the run, respectively. Today we were horrified to find that the pyramid is gone replaced, by windchimes producing a clanging cacophony reminiscent of the dirty locomotive that once encircled this city like an octopus encircling a polychaete - but with trains. Decreased pyramid density may destabilize the earth's orbit and cause a 20% increase in day length. I for one will vote with my feet, as it's been shown to increase balance and derease the chances of falls in the elderly. In conclusions, polychaetes, vertical integration, polychaetes.

15.8 mile long run. Nice day, so I decided to finish with 3 miles hard going up the beltline/freedom trail. I've done this fast finish many times over the last three years and a good day is sub 19, with my best aroud 18:40.

Today I ran 17:24! I was cruising from the start, running 6:27(5:43,5:14 adj) from the North End of the beltline to the Ralph McGill bridge, 14 seconds faster than I've done that stretch going all out.

Reached the top of the rhinohill in 8:48 (5:52 pace), which would be a decent split for running downhill, but I did it uphill and felt fully in control.

Then I split 5:30 running uphill the freedom trail (5:59,5:30adj), meaning that I reached the boulevard columns in 14:18 (previous best of 14:52). Again, this would be a decent split running downhill, but I was going uphill and kept going for another .6 miles.

Impromptu workout trying to make it home as fast as I could. 4.5 miles in 27:13

(8:56,15:10,18:23,20:34,26:24)

My goal initially was 83, and I figured that I would finish around 17:30. I stuck with a group for a bit but at around lap 4 they sped up (80) and I backed off the pace. Then I kind of drifted in no-man's land for a bit (85,85,84,84). Then Brandon Davis passed me with about 800meters to go and encouraged me to pick it up (he was just tempoing after running a fast mile). That helped me finish strong as I picked off a couple of fading Berry College runners.

82,83,83,80,83,82,85,85,84,84,83,80,35

Last kilometer in just under 3:18 (i.e 16:30 pace)

kilometer splits 3:24,3:27,3:30,3:30,3:18

I really believe that I can break 17 now, but probably not by much. Next week I will run the 3K.

4 by mile in 5:33, 5:42, 5:27, 5:38. The uphill miles were the best I've ever done. After I was done I felt like I probably could have run harder/done more reps.

Then I did 4 by rhino hill in 36.2, 34.7, 34.8, 33.2.

4 by 800 w/ 90 seconds rest (2:39.7, 2:45.0, 2:37.6, 2:43.4)

5 mins rest

4 by 400 w/90 seconds rest (70.8, 76.7, 69.3, 73.2)

4 by rhino hill 38.4, 39.1, 36.3, 35.2

splits: 79,79,81,81,80,81,80,35

I was very determined to break 10:00, and I knew if I just kept it close I could get under with a kick. Ran most of the race chasing a pack of four but never managed to gain on them. Feeling even more confident about sub 17 now.

AM 8 on beltline

PM 7.5 running from aiport to downtown richmond

All in Richmond, VA along the James River. They must have heard that I was coming and marked out a special route for me because there were signs everywhere

AM 7.5

PM 10.5

Some things I noticed in Richmond, VA:

Atlanta has a 'photo bridge' where everyone has the photo taken with the city as a backdrop. I've seen newscasters use it fot B-roll footage, political ads shot there, modeling photo shoots, and even music videos. Somtimes people just set up an easel on the sidewalk and paint. Richmond has a 'fishing bridge', it's a two lane road going over the james river, but people are fishing over all along the sidewalk. I saw at least 50 people out there fishing.

Like Utah, Richmond has a pipeline trail. The richmond pipeline trail is literally on top of pipeline (carrying ???) about 5 feet wide next to the river.

There's a big mural that says "Is that James I smell?"

I crossed the James river on four different bridges, including two which are pedestrian only. There are also the ruins of old bridges visible in the river. In the middle of the river are small islands with dense trees that envelop you on all sides. Probably the coolest example of this was a very narrow bridge with train tracks on it. I wanted to run on it but I thought I might die, however I saw a local guy running on it so maybe it's safe. Something to do next time.

14 second post apocalypse PR. Fastest 5k since Flat as a Pancake 2011 (when I ran 16:23 in the freaking snow).

Goal was just to break 17. My plan was to be very agressive and then just hang on. There was a group of people who went through 200 in 39 and I just tried to hang with them: 79.85 at 400m. The group that I was with then sped up. In the past I might have let them go but I consciously surged to stay with themL 77.94 (2:37.79). On the third lap my legs started to burn and I knew I couldn't keep up the pace but I didn't let myself lose contact 78.87 (3:56.66).

On the one hand, I knew that I had gone out too fast, but on the other hand I was confident that I could hang on for a sub 17. Lap 4 was the first over 80 (80.22) to come through at 5:16.88, and then an 80.56 got me to 6:37.44 through 2k. Here the pack that I had been running with fell apart and I started to struggle. After an 83.76 (8:01.2 through 2400), I got passed by a couple guys and just tried to hang on. Managed an 82.68 (9:23.88) to stay only a few seconds behind my 3k pace from last week. 10:46.83 through 3200 after an 82.95. Here I relaxed a little because I felt confident in the sub 17. I missed my split at 3600 but 4k was 13:34.97, meaning that I was 1 second ahead of pace with 1k to go. Ran 83.00 then 81.17 then 36.12. Felt totally spent afterwards.

I was totally spent afterwards. Aerobically this felt ok, but my legs were tired the whole time. I still feel there's more in there but I may not have another shot on the track this year.

Next week = 1500

These meets have a crazy amount of competition in them compared to a typical road race. There were 5 or 6 guys sub 16 in this race, I believe. Also there was an elite mile won in 3:59 (2nd place 4:00.01).

AM 5.9

I was talking to someone about my heart problems today and it reminded me that I haven't taken my resting heart rate in ages: 49 sitting at my desk, nothing remarkable but for years I was in the 60-70s even in the morning.

...

PM 5.9

AM 9.1

PM 5.9

AM 12.5 including 2.43 down beltline in 13:33 (5:35 pace), 1.93 up beltline in 11:23(5:54 pace) and then 1 mile down in 5:10. Then 4 by rhino hill.

PM 5.9 

AM Water tower loop (which is totally its name) with Allie

8 by 400m on the beltline 71.8 avg. Then 4 by rhino hill 36.1 avg.

Last workout living in current apartment, which means it will be time to retire a lot of these workouts. 

First 1500 of the year. Splits of 72,73,78(whoops) and 53 for the final 300m. Didn't feel particularly difficult and I had too much left in the last 100. However, I did improve from the 4:39 I ran last year.

After a 25 minute break I jumped in the 3k without any particular goal. I started out off the back of the pack in the first heat so I had no real choice but to pick it up. I held it together pretty well for 4 laps but then died. However I still ran a slight PR of 9:54.

79,78,78,79,81,82,1:56 for 600

AM 5.9

PM 6.4 4 loops of lullwater preserve