Well the first tune up race for the Leadville 100 went well, I finished the Roxborough 50 miler in 9:39.  I had some stomach issues which had me walking most of the last 20 miles or so but all in all it was good. The race director said the race had a total of 5000 ft gain/loss but when I downloaded my data from my garmin it said 10,130 ft of gain/loss.  So that was a stout training run considering Leadville 100 has around 17,000 total gain/loss.  Since I slowed the last 20 miles I was hardly sore at all and was back to full training in 3 days.  Amazing what all that base training I have done since November has helped me recovery in my longer runs.  I got up on the Leadville 100 course to run up and down the powerline section and it has some awesome trails and even better views. I know I can run under 25 hours with my fitness right now I just need to be patient and eat like i'm at a buffet. Hopefully I can get up to run the Hope Pass section next week and I feel comfortable about the rest of the 50 mile course. I can't wait for the Leadville 100 for a couple different reasons. My best friend from home is coming out and all of my family will be there to see me finish which is going to be awesome. Well next up is the Leadville Marathon June 29 and I am ready to kill it. 

Leadville 100 update!

Well as of May 25 I have 12 weeks until my "A" race of the year which is Leadville 100.  I have had a couple of races since last post which was Colfax Marathon and Bolder Boulder 10k.  I finished Colfax Marathon in 3:28:57 which was only two days after a 21 mile 3400 ft gain effort and four days before a 22 mile 4400 ft gain effort.  That week was my biggest yet to date and my body handled it well.  Bolder Boulder 10k was a good effort in which I averaged 6:30 miles for 6.2 miles total feeling refreshed and ready to continue my training the following day.  I have a few longer more challenging races coming up with the Roxborough 50 miler on June 1 and Leadville Marathon June 29.  These two races will really show me how my training has been going.  In a way I can't wait for the Leadville 100 to be over it has consumed my life now since I thought about doing it last November. I definatly need a break from training to do some fun stuff like check some more 14ers off my list but for now they will have to wait.  For now I will have to trudge along getting my training in so hopefully Leadville won't totally eat me for supper and I will have that big beltbuckle in hand at the end but only time will tell.  For now off to train,
Stephen!

Races are coming up! Finally!

     Well after training since 3rd week of November for a successful Boston Marathon I finally have some other races to run.  All that training will hopefully payoff in the next three weeks. I have the Colfax Marathon to do after working all night May 19, yep no sleep for 16 hours before the marathon. I think this will help with running while tired for Leadville 100.  I then have a fun 10k in Boulder May 27, followed by a 50 miler June 1. So my next three weeks will consist of racing, recovering, and racing again. Can't wait to see how my body holds up and hopefully be able to feel good after the races. My coach has put the brakes on any sub 3 hr marathon or personel best times in the 50 miler but I will still have great time on the trails. Also the weather has finally broke around here so hopefully after these three races I can get up to Leadville and train on the course. I would like to run every step of the 100 miles of the course atleast once. Hope Pass is one of the big climbs in the race I need to get atleast 3-4 crossings of that also. Oh well time to pick up the mileage and elevation to make final run towards the big buckle.
Stephen!
  

2013 so far and future!

     First post in awhile but will be keeping track of races and life experiences more frequently.  So far in 2013 my life has been consumed with training for the Boston Marathon.  I started in November 2012 by working with a running coach (footfeathers.blogspot.com) and the clear goal was to go sub 3 hours at Boston.  I put in more running miles in that time frame then I thought I ever could.  The result was 2:58:47 in Boston.  I have to tell you though I don't want to run that fast for awhile and I went farther into my pain threshold then I ever had and was sore for a full 4 days afterwards.  Boston was a great experience and luckily we where outta town before the bombs went off and god bless for that.

                                    Happy to be done!
          

     My wife & I at finish it was nice to have her there through it all! 

     Since Boston I have gotten back into training quite well, I have stopped doing the fast sub 7 min miles and restructured training towards elevation gain & loss.  I have many races coming up but most are long training runs toward the main A race which is the Leadville 100, Aug 17.  I am super stoked for this year of races and hopefully I can increase mileage while staying healthy and have a great finish at Leadville.  More to come for now gotta get out and enjoy the weather,
Stephen!

 

Races where a success!

Well my last post explained how my training was going to work.  Well it went very well.  I ran the Collegiate Peaks 50 miler and obtained my goal of a sub 9 hour finish.  Then the Colfax Marathon was my next challenge and I PR'd by 28 min running a 3:07:55 and qualified for the Boston Marathon.  The first two races this year where a great success and hopefully the next 3-4 will also be.  The next race on my schedule is the Northfork 50 miler June 30.  It will be a hot & hilly course with temps in the 90's and elevation gain/loss of 7200 ft.  I am recovered well from the marathon so let the new training begin.  I will add in a hill workout every week along with sauna time leading up to the race.  My miles topped out around 50 - 60 weekly miles for the last couple weeks so hopefully I can get in the 60 - 70 weekly mileage range.  I also want to climb as many 14ers this summer as possible.  I did 3 14ers in one day already this early year with atleast 12 more to come.  There are some great runs I want to do this summer also- Maroon Bell loop, Colorado trail from Kenosha pass to Breckenridge, and 31 mile road up to Mt Evans summit.  Well plenty of running going on but not enough time to do it.  Well see ya for now!