04-30-2012
Mon- off. Last day in Missoula, MT for Unbreakable screening. Really great turn-out last night, nearly 700 enthusiastic Montanans.
05-01-2012
Tue-AM: 1:06, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up and down 1st Saddle. All hiking, really nice to get back on the mountain after four days completely off in MT.
05-02-2012
Wed-AM: 1:32, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up 2nd Flatiron, down 1st Saddle. 7:40 PR on the 2nd scramble, shin was noticeably improved from yesterday but then my stomach was completely off on the way down the mountain (hence the extra 20min or so of hiking) and I spent much of the rest of the morning with some sort of quickly-passing bug.
05-03-2012
Thu-AM: 1:14, 3000' ~ Green Mt.
Up 3rd, down 1st Saddle. All hiking, but shin felt encouragingly solid.
05-04-2012
Fri-AM: 2:22, 4500' ~ Cameron Cone
Parked below the Cog in Manitou Springs and then hiked up and down the mountain with Joe. Really great "in-town" mountain with the non-trivial summit altitude of 10,700'. Great mix of terrain with good trail in spots and all-fours scrambling in others. Massage for the shin with Elke Reese afterwards.
05-05-2012
Sat-AM: 1:17, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up 2nd Flatiron, down 1st Saddle. Really great hike with a PR 6:45 scramble of the 2nd.
05-06-2012
Sun-AM: 2:06, 4500' ~ Mt. Elbert
Up and down NE Ridge with Joe. Casual 10am start, but it was borderline summer conditions with only a few steps of snow the whole way. Summit was, unfortunately, clouded in and chilly, but otherwise a stellar morning. Can't wait to get back from Spain and move up there for the summer.
Hours: 9h37min
Vert: 20,500'
This morning Joe and I rallied up to Leadville for a high summit. I had to get a taste of the high country before I move up there in two weeks (post-Canary Islands/Spain) for the summer. Leadville as a summer base is an easy place to hate when one is presented with the completely open possibilities that I currently have (why not Silverton? Aspen? Telluride? Crested Butte?), but I have many intricate ties to the area and nostalgia and sentimentality is powerful.
So is thin air. Some people have trouble recovering, even sleeping, above 10,000' but I've always felt I've thrived at the higher altitudes, gaining as much psychic and emotional strength as physical from the alpine environment. Plus, there's a just-right coffeehouse, no condos, a community that fully embraces all manner of mountain endurance sport and plenty of free camping. And only two hours from the more civilized environs of Boulder.
This morning's ascent of Elbert included only a smattering of steps of snow just below treeline and as-ideal-as-can-be-expected early May summit conditions. I took the liberty of some running on the descent (painfree!), but am committed to returning to primarily hiking for the next couple of weeks overseas; I want to be able to run the next time I'm back up there in a couple of weeks.
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| All photos: Joe Grant. |
18 comments:
Any tips on finding good places to camp? I'm moving into my truck pretty soon and heading out to Colorado. Have fun in the Canary Islands.
Michael
As you know, I too love Leadville. Indy pass opens on Saturday. Drop me a line when you get back.
It was not shirtless weather on the summit. I saw the cloud that covered the summit while you were up there. Oddly, I think I had more snow on Sugarloaf than you guys did on Elbert. Good to be back there in any case. Guess you are too cool to stop by and say hi to the mayor while you are in town. Next time...
Hey Anton, thanks for all the inspiring blog posts and articles you have written. You are definitely an inspirational runner and person. I myself am an ex national level cyclist from Canada hoping to make the transition to be competitive in ultras. For the past 6 months, I have completely transitioned to minimalist shoes and over the last 8 weeks have exclusively worn the zero-drop MT00. An amazing shoe for sure, but I am wondering if you would recommend such a lightweight minimalist shoe for a big ultra in the mountains such as the Canadian Death Race (125 km in the Canadian Rockies)? I am just wondering if I should stick to the MT00 in training mostly and then buy a few pairs of maybe the MT110's for racing in the mountains? The only reason I ask is due to your extensive background designing these shoes, so who better to ask right?! Anwyays your advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for everything!
No report for the last week of april? What of missoula and kettlehouse beer and the wilma?
Hey,
Hope you enjoy your time up there - sounds like a great place to be. I found a picture on my favorite website, the "freecabinporn.com" site and thought I might have spotted you - could that be? :) http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3ih5zLxBc1qzwmsso1_1280.jpg
Non the less it is a beautiful old schoolhouse :D
Take care!
Stefan, Denmark
Hi Anton, will you not be racing in Spain and the Canaries because of the shin or did I misinterpret? If so, thats pretty disappointing to hear but I guess getting over the injury is the wise thing to do..
DBo - duly noted. I'll let ya know when I next get back above 10k'.
BF - Elbert is def the peak. Forget that Sugarloaf stuff. Seriously, we had less snow than what your pics were showing.
BumRump - For mountain runs and ultra races I would definitely recommend the MT110. I use the MT00s as barefoot simulation strengthening tools and do most of my longer stuff in the 110. The extra protection is invaluable if you want to go fast.
Stickman - Yeah, I had a great time in MT and seriously considered getting a post up--maybe I still will--but yes indeed, Kettlehouse and Wilma were both excellent.
Stefan - Yep, that's me; photo by Joe Grant.
Robbie - I won't be racing in the Canaries or Spain (shin hasn't allowed me to train consistently for months), but I will be spectating at both events and participating in the Skyrunning Seminar that week.
Can't wait to read about your hiking adventures in Spain! Hope it gives the shin a much needed rest!
Do I sense a possible Leadville 100 race in your future?
Wyatt
Tony:
Have heard the band "Dry the River'. Based on the music you have shared in the past they seem like a group you may enjoy. This is a good place to start:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRoyZWLfr9k
I missed you guys by a day on Elbert. It was beautiful up there on Saturday and the lack of snow was nice, although I keep thinking that if we don't start getting some consistent moisture the fire danger could be scary high later this summer.
Anton,
Turns out we have the same physical therapist. Glad to hear your shins are feeling better.
I am your "look a like" even though I look nothing like you. I'm just tall and I have a beard. :)
Inspiring as always!
Love reading these posts and looking at photo I'm running a 110 trail race in early june and was wondering which handheld you use?
Hi Tony, did a short run with you in Phoenix last summer. You gave me some good advice about my then-planned 500 mile trail run across Nevada. I finished the trip, set the record and now have a film. Check it out! Brian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a5SHt94akY&feature=youtu.be
Hi Anton, was at the highest point on La Palma hoping to get a picture of you as you ran by - but found out you weren't running. Hope you're back in action soon. It's runners like you that keep me motivated in my dotage!
Got pictures on my Blog of Dakota and Anna as they came by.
Yeah boy!
Those Montagnes look splendid.
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