Sunday, October 30, 2011

Week Summary: Oct 24 - 30


10-24-2011
Mon-AM: 1:15, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up and down front. Moving well this morning. 33:40 ascent, still hiking the descents too.
PM: 1:34, 2600' ~ Green Mt.
Up 3rd access down 1st access. Lingered too long on the summit and ended up stumbling through darkness on the bottom half of the mountain.

10-25-2011
Tue-AM: 3:16, 4300' ~ Cameron Cone
First time I've been up and down what should be an absolutely classic peak in Manitou Springs.  Went with former CCXC teammate Martin Mudry.

10-26-2011
Wed-AM: 1:28, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up and down front (w/ usual NE ridge variation). Slogging ascent through ever-deepening snow. Maybe a foot or so on the summit. No views of any kind today but tomorrow should be fantastic. Ran most of the downhill because the pillowy snow offers enough cushion to make my shin feel usable.

10-27-2011
Thu-AM: 1:27, 2600' ~ Green Mt.
Up front and down Greenman-Gregory. Simply incredible morning with the rising sun shining brilliantly on the newly-gilded landscape. Ran every step of the way down and it was the most fun I've had in months--floating through powder and visiting trails that I haven't seen since before I broke my leg.
PM: 1:10, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up and down front. Trails were a bit stickier than this morning after some day-time warming. Ran the entire downhill again.

10-28-2011
Fri-AM: 1:09, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up and down front. Broke out the Microspikes this morning for the first time this season as the trail has largely become frozen slush and packed snow. Quick descent, but the disappearing/consolidating snow means I might have to go back to hiking the downhills. Massage with Jeff Staron afterwards.
PM: 1:07, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up and down front. Ran the downhill again, but the shin was a bit sore after Jeff hammered it this morning. Should've worn Microspikes as the ice/snow in the shade hadn't melted as much as I thought it would.

10-29-2011
Sat-AM: 1:32, 3100' ~ Flag Mt. + Green Mt. (Boulder Basic)
After a really late night at a Phantogram concert, hurriedly biked up 6th street and joined a bunch of other festive souls (/soles) for a communal and celebratory tour of the Boulder peaks. I took it cautiously, but ran/hiked up Flagstaff w/ Jeff and too many other familiar faces to name. At the top we all stopped to don Microspikes for the snowy/icy conditions before heading down to the Ranger trail to head up the backside of Green Mountain. Running up the hill at a casual pace w/ Geoff, Scott and Dakota meant I was able to mix in quite a bit of hiking and take some stress off my shin. After the others left to tag a couple more peaks, I reluctantly limited myself to just Green and ran down the frontside back to Baseline and my bike. I don't think I did any undue damage to my shin this morning, but it was a real bummer to not join in the rest of the morning's fun. A big part of being a runner is the shared identity that it gives you with other runners and my lack of racing and general lack of running this year has really left me kind of starved in that regard. Really great to get out for a bit with other like-minded folks this morning, even if just for a bit.

10-30-2011
Sun-AM: 1:21, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up and down front. Awkward mix of bullet-proof ice and exposed rock and dirt made Microspikes necessary but not ideal. Some really great packed snow higher up on the mountain.
PM: 1:17, 2500' ~ Green Mt.
Up and down front. Legs felt really good tonight and the ice had softened enough to make spikes unnecessary.

Hours: 16h36
Vert: 30,000'

I really enjoyed the intro to winter this week.  Obviously, hiking is even more appropriate when you're plowing uphill through a foot of fresh snow, so it fits my current limitations nicely.  I'm going to be out of town for the next 10 days or so, and I'm hoping that the enforced semi-inactivity will provide some new stimulus (or lack thereof) to my shin, maybe nudging it towards health.  It's really getting ridiculous.  My mind is already consistently wandering towards thoughts of the 2012 racing season (put my name on the Hardrock list last week), but whereas not too long ago 2012 seemed impossibly far in the future it now seems to be approaching almost too rapidly.  Things have to turn around at some point.

Middle Greenman trail.


Thursday evening: #477
The mighty Third.

13 comments:

AshleyD said...

Anton, can't wait to see what comes in the 2012 racing season! We are all rooting for you. Smart of you to not continue to the other peaks with the boys on Saturday-not used to hearing you say you didn't go. Get/stay healthy-2012 will be a great year! go get 'em anton

Joe Grant said...

The flatties look as good as Phantogram...good weekend.

MV said...

Tony:

Today was the first Green Mountain Ponderous Posterior trail run. A few of us central Vermont runners ran for 12 miles in 10 inches of fresh snow. It was a low key gathering of like-minded runners. It was a beautiful day in the mountains of Vermont. From what I have read in your blog you would have enjoyed this event. We borrowed your name for our run. I hope you don't mind. If you do, we can certainly change if for next year. Wishing you continued recovery. Can't wait to see you out there again soon.

Jason Schlarb said...

I hope your trip goes well and you return with a pain free shin.

I know what you mean on enjoing a run in the moutains with fellow runners. My long vacation away from Green, and furthermore, total running isolation is painfully close to an end.

Thank you for the Green Mtn porn.

orientck said...

Anton, what do you measure the distance?

orientck said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Summits said...

Anton,
Hang in there bud, its rough not being able to run! I graduated this last May from CU Boulder and ran some ultra's while I was there. I saw you on Green a few times! Leading up to the Leadville 50 I was running something like 20 hours a week. I am now in graduate school in NYC and can hardly get 8 hours in (and there are no trails here). Its depressing and, honestly, killing me. This is the least active I have ever been (I raced bicycles professionally before becoming an ultra runner). If its any condolence, I too am majorly suffering. I'm planing my move back to Colorado (where I grew up) in May and am desperate to get back on the trails. Be thankful you have them to be on- because being slow up green beats the hell out of not having a mountain to run up at all! You will get healthy again! No worries mate, it all comes around!

Coolrunnings said...

Summits, There are lots of trails nearby NYC! Check out The Long Path (across GW bridge). Or take a bus/train to Bear Mt/Harriman state parks. Its not the Rockies but there are hundreds of miles of trails and lots of hills to feed your desires.

josh young said...

Hey Anton. glad to hear your recovery is coming along. I know u must be frustrated with the nagging pain and muscle tension. I would like to send you some lower leg isometric exercises which will help to improve the neurological funtioning of the lowr leg muscles in addition to stabilizing the joint structures. check out my facebook page (facebook.com/RMTfitness) or send me an email (joshyoung75@hotmail.com) and i would be happy to send them to you. I look forward to hearing from you. have a great trip.

Hannah said...

Are you doing any strengthening exercises, such as with a theraband, to strengthen the muscles in the lower leg, specifically shin and ankle? What about strengthening hips and glutes and hamstrings too since it's all connected?

Randy said...

Tony, aloha from the Big Island of Hawaii. Thanks for sharing your training and photos. I've been doing Ironman triathlons (I did my first Ironman world championship at age 50) but am now leaning toward ultramarathons although I've got a lot of work to do to get there. 140 miles just seems easier when 112 miles of it is on a bike ... Anyhow, thanks again for the inspiration you provide by sharing your training and thoughts. Take care and get healthy soon, and come run the volcanoes sometime.

Barry Bliss said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR1jwwagtaQ&feature=player_embedded

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