Where's the Donuts?

Quiet Sunday morning run, I wanted to get a few miles in because I'm flying to Denver early tomorrow morning (like, pre-dawn early) and probably won't have time to get out with meetings all day. If anyone knows routes in downtown Denver, send them my way because I'm there Tuesday also. 

Warren Bridge-Manette Bridge route, but instead of running through Evergeen Park I went up Park Avenue, through downtown on 4th and to the new marina. I jogged out to the breakwater and did a once around it, some body told me it's 400m exactly but I'm not sure about that. Marina was packed because they had opening ceremonies last night, and I ran into my publisher who was clearly just getting out of his yacht bed and strolling along the dock. Then back to the Manette Bridge and home on upper Shore Drive. Maintained a comfortable pace the whole time, a little extra effort on some hills. Foot felt ok once I got going. 46:02. 

pearl izumi trail
 

Turns out I did have the chance to squeeze in a Monday run in Denver. I was a little skeptical since I was up at 3 a.m. to go to the airport then spent the day sitting in either an airline seat or a conference room in downtown Denver (so long, in fact, that I've had a sore neck for two days from the angle I was sitting in). But I ditched a schmoozy cocktail hour the conference hosted to hit the hot streets of the city. It was 85 that afternoon, and I was jazzed to get outside and run in that weather. If anyone's familiar with Denver, here's the sketch of what I did: From the hotel on Grant Street down about 1.5 miles to a canal trail, then back along the canal into downtown. Pretty nice trail, full of people getting off from work. I felt the heat and the altitude after 2.5 or so, but kept up because I get like that with others around me running. I cut up through downtown by the performing arts center, back to the government plaza, then around the capitol and back to the hotel. 4.5 total, 32 minutes and a good sweaty shirt. 

My foot actually didn't hurt much at all, perhaps because of the heat or that I had so much else on my mind. The downside was I then had to rush down to dinner and didn't get a chance to ice it.  

Early morning in Denver, sun was up but it wasn't hot yet, reminded me of those nice Logan mornings in the summer. I wanted to tour the city a bit and figured the streets would be empty at 6:30 a.m. -- wrong. I was amazed at how lively downtown was, packed on the sidewalk by 7 and full of cars to stop-and-go for. But I had a few nice stretches and felt my rhythm. Started out with just a touch of foot pain, but it subsided fairly soon and wasn't a problem, though by the plane ride home late last night it was aching a bit.

Anyway, another general outline of the run: Hotel Warwick to the capitol, then down the hill toward the art museum and library. I ran around that complex and park, then shot up the surprisingly busy 16th Street Mall. Guess everyone has to get a Starbucks and get to work by 7 in that town. Ran all the way to Union Station, then over to the baseball stadium the Rockies play in and did a lap around it (the outside of it, not the bases). Then back some street outside the park to Broadway, which is a major arterial into downtown, then cruised down Broadway back to 18th Street and up to the hotel. 32:02.

Eight on Beach Drive with Mike, Ernie was out of town. The two of them have an Ironman in two weeks, so they're all done with high mileage runs for awhile. Next two weeks I'll be solo if I want to get double digit miles. I would have added on today except my parents were in town, and sitting around drinking coffee with the old man beckoned. Anyway, good run, we got to talking politics (both Slug Club politics and national -- you can guess which is more intricate) and lost track of the pace. So we ran almost every mile under 7 minutes. But it felt good on a cool, cloudy morning. In the best news of the day, my foot didn't hurt at all. I didn't even remember I was having a problem until I was standing there stretching talking to another slub member who I've complained about it to. So I got that going for me. 55:50.

supernova --329

Kind of a lazy/busy week so far, finally snapped out of it with the Warren-Manette bridge route. I felt strong and smooth and relaxed, helps to have a few days off I suppose. Foot feels alright, I did the therapy again (I haven't done it on the days I don't run, and it felt like it flared up playing softball the other night). Didn't push the pace, but I was moving fairly well and kept it comfortable without going too easily. 36:10. 

supernova 

Small group of Slugs this morning. I ran alone on Beach Drive, only four others out there. I ended up with a much faster pace than I intended -- under 7/min miles -- but I didn't feel like it was a strain or pushing at all. The pace actually felt pretty relaxed. I knew that was a bit fast when I looked at my watch, but the pace felt fine so I went with it. No real foot pain, it was stiff when I started out but loosened up and was no problem. All the talk at breakfast was about Ragnar. 54:04

supernova -- 342

A beautiful morning, finally. Five on the 11th-Shore loop, tried to keep an easy pace and just relax. I was stiff from not stretching much yesterday morning and working in the yard all day, but I worked out the kinks eventually. Foot was sore the first 200m or so. 37:00

pearl izumi trail  

A few easy miles to start the week. I just wanted to run for a little while, went 23:45, so probably 3 miles or so. It was nice out and I went over by Shore Drive and ran around some streets by the water, not my usual loop so I'm not sure of the distance. No foot pain, and my legs were more loose and relaxed than on Sunday. I'll go longer with a little more focus tomorrow, had to just enjoy the sunshine today (because it's not going to last). 

pearl izumi trail 

Cloudy morning, summer's over for this week. Out and back past Lions Park on Tracyton Beach Road (turned at the bend in the road right before the uphill to Essex). I focused on a good pace, right around 7 min/miles, then picked it up for two or so on the return just to get a little bit of a workout in. The uptempo felt good, I got into a rhythm. I was winded by the end of the run, but in a good way. The foot was a little sore to start and it hurts now though, the pain isn't bad or debilitating, but it seems to be hanging around. 58:10.

supernova -- 342
 

I traveled to Galesburg, Ill. for a wedding Thursday, fly the red eye so I was pretty out of sorts for a day. Thursday I woke up early, before it got humid or too warm, and ran the streets of Galesburg. It's a tired old Midwest railroad town, and I just wandered around these old brick streets for awhile without much thought to time or pace. I finally found a park with a nice paved trail and did a loop, then wrapped it up. I thought I would have a chance to run again in Galesburg but some other things came up and I had to help out with wedding stuff that took away that time. 43 minutes. 

supernova 

Weird few days, I ended up in Eagan, MN on Sunday afternoon. A real close friend from college died over the weekend up here, so some of us canceled our plane tickets after the wedding and drove up here. Again, there was some preparation we were asked to help with, so I didn't have much time, but snuck out for a quick run Monday morning. Where I stayed had a beautiful forest preserve nearby, I ran soft rolling trails around little lakes. I could have kept going all day, it wasn't even that hot out (for Minnesota, anyway). Really nice run to clear my head and get a sweat going, I needed it. My week was thrown off by this (I flew back to Seattle overnight, again), but I'll try to still get some miles. 38 minutes. 

supernova 

Back on the 11th-Shore loop tonight, it feels good to be back on a normal route. Hopefully I can get in a routine again. I ran at a good pace tonight, I had a lot on my mind and needed to unwind so I was pushing to just get rid of anxiety and pent-up energy. My legs and lungs held up fine, hopefully tomorrow morning I won't be stiff. 34:57.

My foot pain is slight, but hanging around. Not really in the plantar area anymore, more like a bruise close to my heel. Still goes away a few minutes into the run. 

pearl izumi trail  

Wrapped up a real low mileage week with the 7-mile loop to Lions Park and back across the Warren and Manette bridges. It's really warm out this morning, going to be a hot day (and there's a lot of lawn to cut now). Wasn't too bad for the run though. Foot was stiff and sore to start, loosened up .5 in or so, I kept up a good clip but didn't push or up the tempo too much. After an easy week I'm not surprised to feel fresh. I would have liked to have run more miles this week, but the wedding/funeral/traveling/late nights threw everything off and I still feel like I'm catching up. Good to have the weekend here.

supernova -- 360 

11th-Shore Drive loop, medium pace. My foot didn't have any stiffness or pain to start, like has been happening, but I felt some quick soreness occasionally during the run in the plantar area. Weird, just seems to hang around. Legs felt good though, hopefully it's the start of a quality week. Sunny and warm but not hot like it has been. 36:10.

supernova -- 365