Monday, February 6, 2012

Week Summary: Jan 30 - Feb 5

1-30-2011
Mon-AM: 2:50, 4500' ~ Green Mt. + 3rd Flatiron
Ran to Chautauqua, stashed my pack, and went up Green via Gregory-Ranger and down the Skunk Ridge. Back at Chat, I retrieved my pack before soloing a quick lap on the Third with Buzz.  By far the crux of the route was descending the access trail from the backside of the Third--death ice. Finished up by running down to Basemar for lunch.

1-31-2011
Tue-AM: 1:30, 2900' ~ Green Mt.
Up First Saddle and down Skunk Ridge.  Running (as every morning has been for the past week+).  Managed a snappy 32min ascent despite having pretty tired legs. Acupuncture with Allison afterwards.
PM: 2:14, 4000' ~ Green Mt. via Third Flatiron + extra lap to the Third and back to Chat
Really fun afternoon on the mountain. With the Third closing tomorrow for six months for raptor nesting, I couldn't resist one final scramble up its classic East Face. Biked to Chat and started hiking hard to the base with a rope and rock shoes in my backpack. Soloed the Third in a comfortable 26min (Dave and others can blitz this 900ft/5.2 climb in 9-10min when motivated) and then did the three-pitch rappel off the SW corner. Stashed my backpack before continuing to the summit of Green via the standard route to the NE ridge and Greenman. Hiked back down the same way to get my pack before hiking back to Chat. After I'd biked home and took my pack off I saw that the top was unzipped and that my harness, locking 'biner, and belay device had fallen out...WTF?!?!  Immediately hopped back on the bike, retraced my route to Chat with eyes peeled, and then hiked hard all the way back up to the backside of the Third looking for my harness.  Nowhere to be seen. I did tally another 1200' and 38min of hiking, though (and a little jogging). In this short time someone else must've been psyched to score Camp's sick super-lightweight harness. A really frustrating end to an otherwise stellar day.

2-1-2011
Wed-AM: 2:14, 4400' ~ Bear & Green
Jogged up to Chat to meet Jeff before heading over on Mesa to Fern Canyon to the summit of Bear and then coming back over Green and descending the 1st/2nd Access.  Today was definitely a test of the shin and I think it passed, just barely. Each of the last three days have had longer-than-necessary efforts, definitely going to back off the next couple of days before L.A. this weekend. Put in steady efforts on both climbs--Fern is such a beast, super-sustained, perfect. This is just a perfect mountain loop that I've missed so much. Even so, possibly the highlight of the morning was finding last night's wayward harness just sitting on the bench at the Chat Ranger Cottage. Yes!
PM: 1:16, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up behind First Arete and down First Saddle. Got a late start so needed the headlamp on the downhill. Very nice pink sunset on the summit. Hiking.

2-2-2011
Thu-AM: 1:48, 5000' ~ 2 x Bear Peak
Biked over to Cragmoor, ran to the summit, descended Fern all the way back to Mesa, summited again, and ran back down to Cragmoor. Mesa-Summitpost: 28:48, 27:50. The second lap was down the Fern connector to Mesa (not past the Slab), which is ~1min shorter, so both laps were essentially the same (splits were the same from the double posts at the mouth to the top). I finally broke my Microspikes last night (actually wore through a link!), so was rocking super-sharp new spikes above the Nebelhorn Saddle, which was absolutely incredible on the ice luge conditions up there. 16min descents on both laps. I was feeling great and would've gone for round three but had to get to an acupuncture appointment with Allison. Probably a good thing that I didn't have the time. Stay smart.
PM: 1:11, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up behind First Arete and down First Saddle. Another late start meant I was finishing in the dark, but my legs felt super strong. Hiking.

2-3-2011
Fri-AM: 2:00, 2800' ~ Green Mt.
Winter! Up and down First Saddle. This was one of the more difficult Green ascents of the season. It took me exactly an hour to wade my way to the top, through a fresh foot+ of powder and wind-packed waist-deep drifts on upper Greenman in the dark at 4:30am before flying to L.A. Above the NE ridge I was having a really hard time seeing anything as it was snowing so hard my headlamp beam was just reflecting snow flakes. Even at the end of the run I feel like my body hadn't woken up yet. Definitely some accumulative fatigue from the last two weeks of vert.

2-4-2011
Sat-AM: 2:25, 5100' ~ Mt. Wilson & Mt. Harvard (L.A. Front Country)
Up and down Mt. Wilson Trail from Sierra Madre/Little Santa Anita Canyon (900' trailhead) with Dominic and Katie. Mellow climb for the first ~40min or so and then things really got fun, climbing ~2000' in the final two miles before joining the old Mt. Wilson Toll Road to the summit. Really sweet trail. TH to summit parking lot (5700') in 1:20:50 (7.5mi). Bopped up to 5440' Mt. Harvard on the way back down and then goat-footed it down the front before rejoining the trail and finding some really nice flow on the Cali carpet for a :53 descent (including the summit of Harvard). Incredibly good day for the shin. Zero pain. Also, shirtless in February.

2-5-2011
Sun-AM: 2:26, 5800' ~ Mt. Baldy
Up and down Bear Canyon from Baldy Village (4300') with Dominic and Katie again. Started off slow and creaky, feeling yesterday's run a bit in the hip flexors and hamstrings. Just didn't have good pop or strength all day really. Eventually found a rhythm, though, and ground out this remarkably sustained, long climb. It's just a really good, direct line up the mountain; not a lot of messing around. Hit a 1:37:22 ascent from the Bear Cyn Drive/Baldy Village junction to the summit plaque (~6.4mi). Waited around for Dom, just enjoying the super clear day on the summit and then descended in :49. Again, really nicely-flowing singletrack with stunning views the whole way down. Awesome mountain. I've been really impressed with the 1010's performance this weekend, too, on mountain trails. Soaked in the frigid stream afterwards before some pretty stellar french toast at the Baldy Village Lodge.

Hours: 19h54
Vert: 39,500'

Ended the week just short of three different round numbers with ~99mi, almost 20hrs, and nearly 40k' vert.  That's a lot.  The shin really seemed to solidify itself over the weekend.  Both runs it felt really, really good.  Never noticed it.  I had a blast on two exceptional mountain ascents in the San Gabes.  They're a really scenic, steep mountain range with totally legit climbs. This weekend was by far the most fun I've had running in over a year. Really a pleasure.  This next week I'll look to maintain this volume while shifting some of my evening outings to running, hopefully (evenings were hiking-only this past week).  Even though running up big mountains shirtless in L.A. had me jonesing a bit for the simplicity of summer, I'm still really psyched to get out in the bounty of fresh now here in Boulder.

Oh yeah, January stats:
  • 65h22min 
  • 122,200' vert 
  • 301mi 
  • 39 Greens
Summit of the Third Flatiron, Monday morning. Photo: Buzz Burrell.
Bear Peak Thursday, with weather coming in.
Running up Mt. Wilson Trail Saturday with Dominic. Photo: Dominic Grossman.
Of course, I had to scout a goat route off of Mt. Harvard. Encountered a few thorns. Photo: DG.
Final ridge leading to summit of Mt. Baldy (San Antonio, 10,064'). 
Almost to the top of Mt. Baldy. Photo: DG.
Photo: DG.
Photo: DG.
Cattle Canyon and the Pacific beyond, during the Baldy descent.

21 comments:

Pez said...

yes, Yes, YES,....you're back man!!!

:)))))

Yiahhhhh!!!

Alex Gillespie said...

lovely pictures again.

David Hill said...

How does the 1010 compare to the 110? A little more protection on techy stuff?

mindful mule said...

Glad you enjoyed the San Gabriels. Probably just missed you on the Mt Wilson trail. Great photos of Baldy.

Anonymous said...

I saw you coming up Mt. Wilson as I was coming down and we exchanged hellos. Probably don't remember, but judging by your expression I think you caught mine which was probably something akin to seeing a ghost... wasn't really expecting to see you, one of the faces of our sport, on the trail I run almost every weekend. Anyway, glad it sounds like you enjoyed it.

Wyatt Hornsby said...

So good to see you running well and feeling good again. May this continue!

Wyatt

Ken Bess said...

Really good to see you back at it Tony!

Anton said...

David--The 1010 is built on the same last as the 110 (minimus last, 4mm drop) but offers a slightly broader base of support. the upper is more traditional mesh w/ overlays, but still holds the foot really well. rock plate in the forefoot and slightly thicker midsole heights (10mm/14mm). Really liked the way they ran this past weekend.

Marcus--Wilson is an excellent mountain. Really nice trails.

Paul Charteris said...

Great stuff Tony,

We have some pretty excited Kiwis (and Aussies) looking forward to seeing you at the Tarawera Ultra.

Keep on healing up.

Cheers, Paul

Malva said...

Ok, I can't help but commenting: Wouldn't a cut back week be smarter than a maintain+add pm running week? Solidify your gains?

I'm probably just saying that because I'm injured and I'll have to convince myself of that when I can run again.

dirt on my feet said...

Glad you enjoyed our California weather! This is what I get to enjoy year around,but by the coast in Palos Verdes peninsula. Met you Tony at Santa Monica screening of Unbreakable. My little girl raised her hand and asked you a few questions. Glad to see you running all again! Gabriel

TheBaldEnglishTeacher said...

Tony,

Now that you're almost at 100%, any plans of running the RRR 100 in September? I'd love to have the opportunity to get lapped a time or two by you...

rhenrijr said...

1:37 up Bear Canyon: #%&*! I run/hike/crawl that trail and didn't think that was possible! I was going to go up this Sunday as well but couldn't make it because the San Gabriels crushed me the day before. Curses!! Would have been awesome to join you for 5 minutes: you hiking and me running :). Now I have a new target of breaking 2hrs. That's what you elites do...push us everyday, non-gifted folk into believing we can achieve so much if we just put in the hard work needed to do so, thanks! Keep it going and keep sharing. By-the-way, there's an even bigger and badder trail relatively nearby that climbs almost 10,000ft in 15 miles! That one is just insane and will kick you in the mouth with its grandma's combat boots! Continued good health to you.

Robert H.

Charlie said...

1. I think the shin would respond well to medical marijuana. And if it doesn't, it certainly can't hurt.

2. Take off your shirt.

3. I accidentally dropped my collection of Krokus CDs. Two weeks later, they were exactly where I left them.

4. Question of the Week: How do you deal with the funk of going sockless? My NB Road Minimus shoes absolutely reek.

Juan Pedro Hernández de León said...

A hard workout this week!

David Herrera said...

YESSS!!! You are on the trail again!
So inspiring Anton, i can´t wait to wear my NBs and hit the mountains :)

cheers

Kyle said...

I was sad to see that the tickets for 'Unbreakable' on Friday sold out before I got a chance to get any. Tell them to screen it a 3rd time!

josh young said...

hey Anton. I happy to see that you're back on the trails. Are you using those foot isometrics and lymphatic points I sent you. let me know. ttys

Josh

Texafornia said...

Sorry for asking if this is already posted somewhere... Does anybody know the schedule for Anton's talks at running stores in association with New Balance?

pensive pumpkin said...

Those photos make me wish elevation gain was not my nemesis. Beautiful.

Kaylee said...

So I'll definitely be time to look for baking bread over there!
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