A Look Back at the Year that Was

The daily log has been tallied. Here's the overview from 2012.

January- 310.6 miles, 2 days off, 10.0 daily avg.
February- 252.7 miles, 3 days off, 8.7 daily avg.
March- 328.2 miles, 3 days off, 10.6 daily avg.
1st Q- 891.5 miles, 8 days off, 9.8 daily avg
Races: New Year's Day 5K, Superbowl 5K

April- 316.4 miles, 3 days off, 10.5 daily avg
May- 260.1 miles, 4 days off, 8.4 daily avg
June- 263.5 miles, 9 days off, 8.8 daily avg
2nd Q- 840 miles, 16 days off, 9.2 daily avg
Races: Cheyenne Mtn 50K, Quad Rock 50M, Dirty Thirty 50K, Western States 100M

July- Basic Training
August- Basic Training
September- 151.2 miles, 3 days off, 9.4 daily avg.
* Return to regular running 09/15 after Basic Training*
3rd Q- 151.2 miles, 3 days off, 9.4 daily avg.
Races: None

October- 292.8 miles, 2 days off, 9.4 daily avg.
November- 258.1 miles, 2 days off, 8.6 daily avg.
December- 317.3 miles, 5 days off, 10.2 daily avg.
4th Q- 868.2 miles, 9 days off, 9.4 daily avg.
Races: Bluesky 26.2, Heart Center 13.1, Turkey Trot 5M

Totals- 2750.9 miles, 436:46 time running, 36 days off (not counting BT), 9 races, 3 wins, 6 podiums, 262.5 race miles, $643. in race entries

Local Summits-
Horsetooth Rock- 28
Arthur's Rock- 17
Towers Time Trial- 15
Round Mountain- 4
Crosier Mountain- 2
Bobcat Peak aka Mahoney Mountain- 2
Grey Rock- 1
Alexander- 1

Boulder/Golden Area Summits-
Bear Peak- 2
Green Mountain- 2
2nd Flatiron- 1
Windy Peak- 1

Estes Park Area Summits-
McGregor Mountain- 1
Dark Mountain- 1
The Needles- 1

14er Summits-
Elbert
Belford
Oxford

Memorable and Meaningful Moments-

03/22/2012- My first sub 30 on Towers!

05/12/2012- Quad Rock. Outstanding inaugural race in the backyard. Awesome friends, good food, decent fire.

06/23/2012- Not my best day...but awesome to finish WS with the incredible support of my fam and Meissner. Definitely a day to remember.

Basic Training- 5 mile "long" runs on the track. Obstacle courses. Mud. Awesome.

09/16/2012- My first run returning from Basic Training. Indian Peaks Wilderness. Devils Thumb Loop. 16 miles. Home in CO once again...above treeline! I ran in my clunky Asics from BT sporting mid calf length white cotton socks...amazing tan line.

09/22/2012- Indian Peaks. St. Vrain Glacier Trail. Continued post BT runners high. Running up to a high alpine lake. Taking a swim. Rewarming and soaking in the sunshine on a huge flat rock. This one spoke to me.

10/07/2012- My return to racing at the Bluesky Marathon. All smiles on this one. Two days after my B-Day. Hometown trails. Lots to celebrate.

12/01-02/2012- Two consecutive shirtless running days in DECEMBER!

In other news...Registration has opened for Salida You can't beat running a great dirt marathon for $50. that includes a shirt and meal.

Longest run of 2013 today! Out with Hanson and Clark for 21. Ringing the Rocks in the New Year at Lory/HTMP. Cold. Fun. Beardsicles. Earcicles.

2013 Race Schedule

It will be another condensed year of racing for me with my Guard commitments. Nonetheless, I'm feeling that excitement to train hard and explore different areas of fitness in 2013. As usual I will be running. The past few weeks I've begun to flip the switch from hibernation training to higher volume fun training. This has consisted of back to back 3+ hour weekend runs in Lory/HTMP with lots of vert. The recent snow/ice has commenced "Frisky Summit Season" on Arthur's and H-Tooth. I will also be spending more time in particular on Mill Creek in 2013. This is the 5th (out of 6) climb on the Quad Rock course. It's the crux of the race and kicked my butt last year. I'll be running it from valley floor to beyond Towers (start of Secret Trail) to add a layer of tough to it...and then come all the way back down! I'm looking to find a new friend in the familiarity on this stretch of dirt.

In addition to the running I've been doing my military workouts 3-4 days/week that are: various types of pushups, pullups, tons of core, and other body weight exercises. My goal is to max out my APFT score. This test measures: the amount of pushups in two minutes, the amount of situps in two minutes, and a timed two mile run. A maximum score of 100 points in each event will give you a total score of 300. Currently I've plateaued in the low 280's. I can max the situps and run but need to crank out at least 15 more pushups. This will prevent me from showing up to fire academy with a bird cage up top. I'll be more balanced in my total fitness for 2013. Weight wise I'll be running 5-7 lbs stronger compared to last year. I'm slower on the climbs but am curious to see what the magic number is that retains strength and running performance with the training load I'm on. It's not even 2013 and I've already planned out half of my weekends through May! And that's only with races and Guard weekends on the docket...


February- Moab's Red Hot 55K

March- A Run Through Time Marathon

April- Lake Sonoma 50M

May- Quad Rock 50M

End of May to Mid September- Firefighter Academy in Texas

September- UROC 100K

October through December- ?

Have a Happy New Year! Resolve to be better in at least one way...then do it!

Quad Rock Registration Opens Tomorrow!!!

Ladies and Gents,

Registration for the Quad Rock 25 and 50 mile races opens tomorrow! Don't miss out on securing your spot to run the beautifully challenging trails that connect Lory and Horsetooth. The top three male and female finishers from the 50 will be returning to defend the podium. I'm looking forward to a deep field and some runners who could take the CR under 7 hours...Dakota, Tony, Sage...would be fun to see what you could lay down! And the post-race will be epic as well!

Turkey Trottin' 2012

This past Wednesday I flew out to Wisconsin to enjoy Thanksgiving with the Burch clan. While waiting for my flight I bumped into Zeke. Check out his blog and welcome him to the blogosphere! It's always fun to run into friends unexpectedly and catch up a bit before the birds take to the sky.

Thanksgiving morning came and I was already properly stuffed from the previous evenings meal and the wondrous cooking of my Aunt Robin. Needless to say I was well fueled for the ensuing 5 miler. Lasagna and brownies stoked my fire... This was my third running at the 5th Annual Eau Claire, WI Turkey Trot. Two Turkey Days ago I finished second (30:32) on a snowy/icy course in cold and windy conditions. For 2012 I was going for the win!

Unseasonably warm temps brought forth a dry course and a faster field. While packing on Tuesday night I threw in a pair of shorts and a s/s shirt to wear around the house, never anticipating that I might run in them. Maybe I should have taken 20 seconds and checked the weather. But this was late November in Wisconsin. I've experienced near frost-bite winter running here before. My nose, ears, fingers, toes, and other digits can fondly remember the sweet stinging sensation that comes with rewarming.

7:30 AM. The outside thermometer on one of the local banks reads 55 degrees. Twas a scorcher to say the least. Now I felt overdressed in shorts and a tee. After the singing of our National Anthem I looked at the competition and knew I had my work cut out for me. There were a handful of youngsters that fit the part of having been current or post grads from the UWEC x-country team.

After 2 miles I had sweated out my shirt and was running in the 10th spot. The jack rabbits cruised along while I worked on picking off the over zealous starters. With a mile to go 4th place was 30 seconds in front. Crossing the finish I cut the margin to 20 seconds. My 28:34 was nearly a two minute PR on this course from two years ago. Finishing 5th I was the final runner to win a frozen turkey. All finishers received a 5" personal pumpkin pie. It was nearly 60 degrees. Thanksgiving was off to an incredible start.

Results

Here's to a happy and healthy start to your Holiday season.

Heart Center Half Marathon

On Halloween a friend asked me if I wanted to run one of the Heart Center of the Rockies races. The treats to choose from were a 5K, 10K, or half marathon. Originally I planned to do the 10K as a prep for the highly anticipated Eau Claire, WI Turkey Trot 5 miler that has become a Burch Family Classic. During registration a black cat crossed my path and meowed, "Half and Half." It was a sign...

I think it's been over three years since I've done a road race longer than 5K...not counting AR50 in that category. It was a random scratch to itch and I looked forward to pushing the pace for 13.1 It would be another great gauge on fitness and a chance to wear a roadie costume for the day.

My goal was to go sub 1:20. Lately I've done some highly specific training for this race; running really mellow up and down Horsetooth with friends and one speed workout on the track. I knew I had it in me! I figured I could also set a PR. The existing benchmark was a 1:20 split at the 2009 CO Marathon.

Race day came and I felt good. I wore compression socks to fit in with the crowd but knew my inner trail runner was sticking out like a sore thumb when I donned a hat, gloves, and a longsleeve. Compared to the rest of the front row I looked like an overdressed newbie as they stripped down to shorty shorts and singlets. I seemed to have forgotten how much heat I can produce when I run fast. I was out of my element.

The race started and I found myself in the 6 spot chitchatting on a beautiful morn with the guys next to me. It was fun to run hard for over 3.1 miles. I began thinking how good the half-marathon distance could be for ultra training. It doesn't beat you up like a road marathon. It is a great sustained high intensity cardio workout. And on the simple side you don't have to worry about eating or drinking during the race.

Through 6 miles I was at 37:xx. Through 10 I was at 1:01:xx. With 5K to go I could tell I was beginning to close the gap on a few of the runners in front of me. Shortly after mile 11 I found myself in the 5th spot looking ahead at Heather Utrata who was about 30 seconds up in 4th with 3rd place 10-15 seconds up on her. I put the remaining pedal down but knew I would run out of real estate for the two in front of me. I crossed the line in 1:19:19 achieving my goals for the day.

I had a ton of fun out there on Saturday! Running hard and throwing down some hotcakes postrace. Seven weeks removed from Basic and the exuberance for running continues to spill out my cup. An unnamed friend (living on Overhill Dr) enjoyed pointing out the fact that I got "chicked." I thoroughly did as only a true man can admit with pride and a smile. Running is fun.

Results.

Basic Training: Part 1

Getting ready for the 2 mile, #207, right of the yellow stripes

July 2nd to September 14th. During this time I spent 10 weeks in Fort Benning, Georgia experiencing all that comes with Basic Combat Training (BCT). I did my research and had a pretty good idea of what I was in for. Little did I know of the perspective to be gained upon completion of this adventure. Choosing to join the National Guard was yet another decision in my life that I would have never seen myself doing at earlier junctures in my life. Then it happened. The same can be said for many of my interests throughout life: aggressive inline skating, powerlifting, ultrarunning, and now the military. They each share some type of physical challenge, very unique cultures, and have received looks of befuddlement when I tell people where my life is going.

I am now part of the 1 percent. But not the 1 percent that wears diamonds on their soles. Our First Sergeant said that 1 in 4 Americans have the ability to graduate Basic Training. Less than 1 percent of Americans choose to serve. I had always thought the military was much larger...the perspective begins to change.




2nd Platoon: "Death Dealers"

Introduction:
I was assigned to Delta Company 3/47 Infantry Regiment, 2nd Platoon, Roster Number 207. After a restless first week in Reception I was anxious to get the real training going. Reception is all of your inprocessing. You get your shots, haircut, uniforms, fill out paperwork, hurry up and wait, eat, and perform no physical activity.



The bus stopped. Just like the movies a Drill Sergeant stepped on board and began yelling at us to get off the bus. Welcome to Basic. Running through the sand with duffel bag on my back, backpack front loaded and laundry bag in my arms. They call it Shark Attack. Lots of yelling, lots of in your face, lots of intimidating to see who will start to breakdown.



The first night we were introduced to the Shower Drill. Take 50 dudes and line them up in a row with towels around their waists and shower shoes on their feet. Push them through the bathroom like cattle. Start the stopwatch. One minute to brush the teeth. One minute to shower. In less than 15 minutes our platoon had completed personal hygiene time.


Loving the applesauce in my MRE

The Food:
Being a vegetarian I wondered if I would have to give up this lifestyle choice during Basic. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was not an issue at all. Out of the 20+ Meals Ready to Eat (MRE's) there were four vegetarian dishes. In the chow hall the meat eaters would get meat and potatoes while I would get potatoes and potatoes. I often supplemented protein with chocolate milk, cottage cheese, and the very hip peanut butter packets that had an eerie resemblance to a gel pack. I was beginning to feel at home. Random fact- I had scrambled eggs 70 days in a row. You eat what you're served.

Meal times were hilarious. Total awkwardness. It would have been awesome to be an outsider looking in on this phenomenon. We had to look down at our food at all times. No talking. No eye contact with others. Our only utensil was a small shovel. If my favorite Drill Sergeant was there we had to keep one hand on a glass at all times. All of this was done for a simple purpose. Eat and eat fast. A simple task of refueling. 10 minutes of no manners whatsoever. Shovel, chew, swallow, repeat. The cool thing is how your body adapts. At first it was hard to get everything down in our alloted time. Three weeks later and 10 minutes felt like a sit down meal. I now understand why a number of ultrarunners who have served are so good at eating challenges...


Gotta love the socks!

The Running:
My life lesson of 2012 has been that of letting go. Major changes occurred in my personal life that caused me to reflect and reevaluate who I am. It was time to let go of my wants, needs, and desires for a season. A season of losing myself with the hope of finding myself anew. Since my first ultra in 2006 running has gradually changed from a hobby to a lifestyle for me in 2012. It is a large part of my identity that is outwardly visible but doesn't define who I am. Basic was the time to let go of it for 10 weeks and see what I might learn from voluntarily putting a passion on the shelf.


Rappelling

In all I guesstimate that I ran about 80 miles during Basic. The moments I could run were pure joy. They were moments of freedom when I could break away from the structure, supervision, and homogenized bubble that surrounded me at all times. I would sneak in 20 laps around the track when other soldiers had remedial PT. These were my long runs.

While others trained for Hardrock, Speedgoat, Leadville, and Steamboat I trained for the 1 and 2 mile. It was a successful summer of "racing" for me. 4-O. At 32 I was the oldest and fastest out of the 200 Delta Co soldiers. The Drill Sergeants shook their heads. Who was this old man who didn't eat meat that was leading the pack against teenagers nearly half his age? It didn't make sense. In the 1 mile I ran my first sub 5 minute mile clocking a 4:59. Word spread to the Lieutenant Colonel that an old dude could run. A challenge was presented. I earned the 192nd Brigade Coin of Excellence. However, it would be taken away if anyone beat me during the three remaining PT Tests and presented to the new victor. I whittled away at my two mile time with each test: 10:53, 10:44, and a 10:37. I can now add a coin to my ziploc bag of finishers medals/awards that have their home in the "Running Box." It's easy to run consecutive PR's when you don't have a previous benchmark!


Coaching on the range

Apparently the military has had to reduce the running volume during Basic Training. More and more soldiers were getting injured. The government did some research and discovered that the Play Station Generation simply had weaker/less dense bones than their older and denser counterparts. They were seeing more stress fractures etc at Basic while Airborne School was seeing a lot more broken bones! Kids need to move more.

I missed regular running. I knew I missed it when I would get excited to run 40 minutes around a track in all the heat and humidity that comes with Georgia in the summertime. I would finish looking like I had just exited a swimming pool. Never have I sweated like I did in Georgia. Walking away from the track I wore a smile.

Upcoming: Basic Rifle Marksmanship, the Gas Chamber, Communication, Appreciation and more!

Bluesky Marathon Homecoming!

Lots to get caught up on. 1st- I've been back in CO for the past three weeks. Got some great perspective at Basic Training. I have put some good thought into my experience and will be dedicating a post to my 10 week adventure at Fort Benning.

2nd- I ran the Bluesky Marathon today and won! I can't tell you how great it feels to be back home and running again. It totally has brought tears to my eyes on many occasions hitting the familiar stomping grounds after work. Trail running is woven into my DNA. After letting it go for 10 weeks it has been incredible to rekindle the simple act of running outside on dirt. So damn good. Bluesky was amazing. I so missed the crisp, brisk, and dry CO air. Feeling it chill my skin this morning refreshed my spirit. I simply ran. It didn't feel like a race. It was a homecoming. It turned out I was in better shape than I thought. At Basic I ran about 80 miles in 10 weeks. I had two long runs of 5 miles on the track. 12 miles was the longest distance I covered on foot. I gained 10 lbs of muscle. Returning home I had three weeks to work with. I got out and ran. The first few runs I felt like a tank. The footwork was slow and heavy on the trail. There was no speedwork or structure to my training. I picked a trail and ran. Almost everyday. Guided by two feet, a happy heart, and lungs full of contentment. It's the simple things. They are good. More to come.