Monday, July 23, 2012

Week Summary: July 16 - 22

07-16-2012
Mon-AM: 1:48, 3500' ~ Mt. Sneffels (14,150')
Up the Southwest Ridge and down the South Slopes scree (standard route) starting from just below the Governors aid station on Camp Bird Road. Ran everything to Blue Lakes Pass and then the 3rd Class scramble up the ridge was a lot of fun.  At first it was quite sketchy/loose, but once I dropped into and climbed out of a major talus couloir the ridge turned to very solid, sticky pumice-like rock all the way to the summit. Up in a lazy 1:10, with a quick :38 descent.  On most of these climbs Frosty is only 15-20min back, I would put her at 2:40-45 PPA shape right now.

07-17-2012
Tue-AM: 11:34, 22500' ~ Massive (14,421'), Elbert (14,433'), La Plata (14,336'), Huron (14,003'), Missouri (14,067')
Big day, but not nearly as long as I'd hoped. Chased off of Elkhead Pass (between Missouri and Belford) by an epic hail/electrical storm. Frosty was on Belford's summit with some more gels for me, but thankfully scampered down from there once the rocks started buzzing and her hair was standing on end.  Would've really liked to have been able to at least tag the two gimme peaks--Belford and Oxford--before calling it a day, but sometimes larger forces don't care about our silly plans.

07-18-2012
Wed-AM: 2:41, 5000' ~ Mt. Yale (14,196')
Parked at the Avalance Gulch TH, took the CT up to the pass on Yale's East Ridge, which we then took to the summit. Really tired hiking legs today, but not sore at all.  Descended (per Homie's recommendation) via the saddle between Yale and Mascot Peak before dropping into Avalanche Gulch and hooking back up with the CT at ~10,600'. The descent route actually goes quite well by sticking to the right side of the valley. Probably a 55-60min descent on Nolan's legs, but it would be in the dark, so maybe it's not worth the off-trail action?
PM: 1:02, 500' ~ East Leadville+15min barefoot
First flat run I've done in a long, long time.  Trying to work in some flatter stuff for all the roadie action at the LT100 next month. Also want to keep working barefoot in as much as I can.

07-19-2012
Thu-AM: 2:13, 4500' ~ Torreys & Grays Peaks (14,267' & 14,270')
From the usual 1.4mi sign, up Kelso Ridge and down Grays. Pretty tired morning, but just took it easy and had fun. Early start before needing to be down in Boulder for a 10am appt.
PM: 1:01, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up the 2nd and down behind the 3rd with Rickey.  Really hot (like, 100F) at mid-day, but my legs actually felt semi-decent. Probably went a bit too hard.

07-20-2012
Fri-AM: 2:16, 4000' ~ S. & N. Arapaho Peaks (13,397' & 13,502')
Really lethargic morning after a late night. Got up and down the mountain from the 4th of July TH, but it was pretty uninspired, except for the always fun 3rd Class traverse between the two peaks.

07-21-2012
Sat-AM: 2:02, 3500' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up the 2nd Flatiron and down Ranger-Flagstaff. Really tired.  Also, really hot.

07-22-2012
Sun-AM: 2:14, 3500' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up the 2nd Flatiron and down Bear Canyon. First time I've been in Bear Canyon in months, fun trail.  Legs felt way better, but still seems to be some lingering fatigue in there.  Still hot. A bee stung me in the eye, which was not fun.

Hours: 26h51min
Vert: 50,000'

This was another monster week in terms of vert, and by the end of the it I knew that I hadn't given my Tuesday effort enough respect.  I should've taken Wednesday and Thursday much more mellow so that I didn't feel so shitty later in the week.  Now my only hope is that I can shake this fatigue before Speedgoat rolls around this coming weekend.  I'm in really good shape, I just need to show up to the start line fresh, with poppy legs.  This fatigue has me seriously reconsidering taking a shot at the full Nolan's 14 line between the Leadville 100 in August and Cavalls del Vent at the end of September.  I think such an effort would simply leave me too fatigued to run well at CdV, so I'll probably re-set my goal to just linking up the first 10 peaks (Massive through Yale) in a solid time (I think I can do 16:30-17hr).  It bums me out, but real racing will undoubtedly take precedent for me in the next couple of months.

My chosen ridge of ascent on Sneffels Monday.
Blue Lakes from Sneffels' summit.
Sneffels summit.
Frosty stomping it out.
Nothing beats the San Juans.
Summit of Yale, looking north.
Avalanche Gulch CT descent off of Yale.

25 comments:

Unknown said...

Absolutely amazing how much vert you're able to pack into a week. Love those Sneffels pics...brought back memories of my Sneffels summit last July when there was much more snow

Ken Bess said...

$3,500 with your name all over it. Hope your recovery goes well, see you there.

Freebird said...

Why LT 100 over UTMB? Seems like your training has been more oriented toward UTMB. Eitherway it will be nice to see you race.

von said...

Don't leave your race out on the training field. TRAIN SMART so you can RACE HARD!

Rain said...

I hope you recover fast and have fresh non-tired legs for your race!
Best of luck out there!

Anton said...

Ken - Ha, those $3500 ain't gonna be easy. Really exciting field.

Freebird - I spent a couple of weeks seriously considering going to UTMB this year, but my sister is getting married in mid-September and I'm not willing to fly to Europe for UTMB, fly back to the US for the wedding, and then fly straight back to Europe for Cavalls del Vent. UTMB will be there in 2013.

David Hill said...

Awesome pics. This weekend for a Leadville training run I was going to try and run the standard route up Elbert, over the back side and then link up to Hope Pass, go over and into Winfield. Never been on these specific trails, is this doable? Any tips appreciated. Thanks

@Terrysrunning said...

Great write-up and pics as usual. Wish you used a GPS so I could try to replicate some of those routes(slower, though). I'm always afraid of getting lost if I try some of the alternate routes, so I end up on the traditional hiking trails. I did Mt Evans from Echo Lake, and Grays n Torreys this week. Hoped I'd run into you and/or Frosty out there. One of these days :-)

Wes Drake said...

As inspiring as always! Thanks for the awesome photos that lets us flatlanders get a taste of the high peaks.

Pär said...

If I'm not working I'll try to place myself somewhere along the Cavalls de Vent-course and cheer you on. Will be great to have you running here in Catalunia! Amazing terrain in the eastern Pyrenées for running.

Clellyrunning said...

Hey Anton ever thought of coming to Scotland to run
Our munros ?

Sheamus said...

Great stuff as always Anton. Does anyone have a confirmed attendance list for Speedgoat?

Anonymous said...

@Clellyrunning

Cuillin Ridge record attempt! That'd be sufficiently technical and hardcore I reckon

Ken Bess said...

Here's the list Sheamus
http://ultrasignup.com/entrants_event.aspx?did=15325

Barry Bliss said...

That scenery is probably some of the nicest on the planet.

the runner said...

Anton, that was a monstrous week. Looks like your on your way back. Excited to see you back in the racing scene.

http://runrunnerrun.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I DO LOVE YOU.

Edward Sandor said...

Anton, someday I'd love to hear your tips for living out of your car, e.g., how you choose good spots to roost, sleeping outside or under the topper, camping pad or something else, how to stay clean, what kind of food is good for "out there", etc. All of this is just fascinating for us city-folk who dream about getting away.

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