G & T 38, Track, Summer Boulder Problem

G & T 38, Track, Summer Boulder Problem


On Wednesday Kendrick and I got out for a great run up Grays and Torreys. This was my 38th running of the peaks, and perhaps one of the best in terms of weather that I have had since November. We were able to do the entire run without snowshoes - the snow on the road is all packed, and the long section between the summer trailhead and the big sign is consolidated and hard. Above the big sign it is smooth sailing. After a long, stormy, cold and often dark winter, it is so nice to be up high with spring like conditions. On the way down, Kendrick asked me if I was going to continue this challenge after #52. I don't think I could handle another winter - reflecting back it was pretty miserable.

Been getting to the track on Sunday mornings for a session of 400s and 800s. After my first session, my times were really slow. Now, after a couple times I've seen my times drop by about 3-7 seconds for the 400s and about the same for the 800s. From my understanding of how the body responds to stimulus and change, it takes about 4 consistent sessions/workouts before one will really start to see any improvement. The first time your body and muscles are simply dealing with the new stimulus. On the second time, you are still dealing with the new stimulus, but your body at least knows what to expect. By the third time, your muscles have begun to adapt to the new stimulus because it has now started to become part of your routine. The real gains come in workouts 4-8. After 8, you either need to change up the workout or do something else. I'll see this Sunday if my times continue to drop.

I've been looking for a good hard problem that I can work on this summer that is close to home. Most of the climbing that I have not done involves a drive up into the high country, which on work days I can't do. So, the hunt for something local that would be new. I think I found it this past week - Extra Otis V11. I used to climb at Morrison a bunch about 15 years ago when it was more hip, but have not been there since. Now that I live in Golden, however, it is just 5 minutes away and provides a great hard training ground. Extra Otis may not be the most aesthetically pleasing of problems, but it is hard and I haven't done it yet. Time to check it off the list.

Still looking for a race to do this month or in June. I was going to do Sageburner, but can't make it now. There is the Rocky Mountain 50K in Wyoming, but it is mostly on FS roads, which means you need to be fast, and I've been doing more vertical then speed. Anyone know of some local races that might work?

G & T 37, A Super Long Run, Flagstaff Bouldering, And Huang Jin Gui

G & T 37, A Super Long Run, Flagstaff Bouldering, and Huang Jin Gui


Yesterday was my 37th running of G & T. Last week was great, with spring like conditions and a slightly faster time then during winter. Yesterday was back to winter, at least in terms of the trail and snow. Loveland had reported getting 2' of snow over the past three days, so I knew that it would be a bit of a bear. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find the first 2+ miles of road packed with several sections of dirt. Things are starting to melt out fast. However, up high, after the turnoff for the Kelso Mountain East Ridge, the trail became powdery and then by the summer trailhead it was untracked and back to winter conditions. I had run up the road with my running snowshoes in my hands like last week, but this time needed to put them on to make it through the willows without too many issues. Still, the day warmed up and it was a spectacular day to be up above 14,000'. Only 15 more times to pull off a full year.

 Looking south over South Park to the Sangres and Sawatch

Citadel Peak and the Never Summers in the distance

A nice story on an incredible Gwich'in runner up in Canada who has run 1,200km over the past month plus in an effort to raise awareness about the Peel Watershed. He basically ran 40k per day for 30 days! Some serious endurance running - and through incredibly difficult conditions.

A little write-up on Paige Siemers - a friend and super humble athlete. She qualified for the Olympic Trials again this winter.

Flagstaff, Arizona is quickly turning into a running mecca (again?), and it is also a hotbed of sick bouldering and climbing. ClimbingNarc posted a new video on a long cave problem that will hopefully bring some of the strong kids down to check the area out. I haven't been down there to climb in about 10 years, but perhaps next winter...

Acheron SDS - Second Ascent from Blake McCord on Vimeo.

Yesterday, May 2 was the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Shishapangma (26,289 ft), the last of the 8,000m peaks to be climbed. Since it is located in China-controlled Tibet, it was a Chinese team that got the first ascent. Annupurna I was the first to be climbed in 1950, so all 14 8,000m peaks were climbed within 14 years, which is really fast if one thinks about it. Only 26 people have climbed all 14 - an amazing feat!

The other day I enjoyed a wonderful pot of Huang Jin Gui, also known as Yellow Gold. This is a high grade oolong tea from Anxi County in Fujian Province, China. I was drinking the 2013 spring harvest. With thinner and smaller leaves then some of the Tieguanyin's from the same area, the tea is lightly processed and is a step between a "green" oolong and the more traditional "darker" oolongs. A really nice tea all in all.

Around Mt. Falcon, Stretching, Everest, And Videos

Around Mt. Falcon, Stretching, Everest, and Videos


Ran around Mt. Falcon early this morning. I really enjoy doing the outer loop of the peak from the bottom lot - up Turkey Trot, then up to Meadow, Old Ute, Devil's Elbow, Parmalee, Tower, and then back down. The route tags the high points and takes you out to Devil's Elbow for a nice view south on a trail not many travel. Ran into tons of wild turkey tracks today, with only a fleeting glimpse of one turkey in the woods. I think the loop is around 13 miles and 3,000' of gain, which is basically the same as the loop I ran Monday. Need to find one with a few extra miles on it to get into the neighborhood of 16-18 miles.

The New York Times had a post on "reasons not to stretch" which was being passed around FB by some runner friends. I commented that the two articles discussed in the post really argue for not doing greater then 45 second static stretches prior to workouts, and not necessarily to not stretch. Here are the two articles (here and here). I do some 10-20 second "stretches"/poses prior to my runs, along with some leg swings, back cracks, etc. (but really I just warm up as I go), and every night I try and do a 20 minute routine of more static (greater then 30 second) stretching which I believe helps with injury prevention and relaxation. My problem with the NYT article is that it just uses the word "stretching" without any qualifications. The studies themselves make these qualifications, but most people don't read the actual studies. I guess everyone, even the NYT, is looking for clickbait headlines.

I put up a post one of the bouldering areas Tara and I developed over the past 4 years called The Titans just outside of the Indian Peaks on the west side of the Divide. I back dated it and kept it fairly vague so that the area retains it's adventuring feel.

I won't get into the whole Everest thing, as it has been out of control for years now and I have no desire to climb the peak, at least not using expedition style means. However, I like to honor the early pioneers, and on this day in 1983 Swiss alpinist and mountaineer Edouard Wyss-Dunant passed away. I mention him because he led the 1952 Swiss expedition to Everest that was responsible for opening up the Khumbu Icefall (the location of this years tragic avalanche). This is now the standard route on Everest, but back then it was an unprecedented success to just get through the Khumbu and make it to the South Col. He also was a doctor and coined the term "the death zone" which is anything above 8,000m. Here is a video on the expedition with cool historical footage:


Finally, Salomon has released their final episode of Season 3 on Emelie Forsberg. Another great piece of eye candy for sure!

Local Mountain Loop, One World Running, And Emerald Needles Tea

Local Mountain Loop, One World Running, and Emerald Needles Tea


Been really digging my local mountain loop - up Apex, over to Lookout and around, then down Chimney Gulch and back. 13 miles and 3,000' of gain. With some good trail sections, some road sections to work on turnover and tempo, and some solid downhill singletrack sections, this loop has it all. Seems pretty quite in the mornings as well, except for the elk which I run into regularly.

I've been helping out Sandrock and One World Running for a number of years now - helping with international customs, fundraisers, collecting shoes, etc. It's really an amazing organization, run all by volunteers, no staff, on a shoestring budget. They personally hand wash every pair of shoes donated, match them up, then ship them to different countries, and hand deliver the shoes to kids in need. They also put on fun races in Cameroon, Belize, Honduras, Cuba, and other places to get the local community involved in running and exercise. Here is a poster for one of their upcoming trips to Honduras is anyone wants to go. If you run, you can donate your shoes by dropping them off at Runner's High in Golden, Boulder Running Company in Boulder or Cherry Creek, Fleet Feet stores, and Runner's Roost stores, as well as a bunch of other locations.

Yesterday's tea was a wonderful large-leaf green tea from the Hengduan Mountains (Simao district, Yunnan province) of China. Picked about 5 weeks ago, this early spring harvest tea (Emerald Needles) was only lightly roasted and minimally processed to preserve it's green, vegetal flavors. During my hectic day yesterday, it was my only moment of peace.

G & T 36 And Jing Gu Yang Ta And Long Distance Logs

G & T 36 and Jing Gu Yang Ta and Long Distance Logs


Ran up G & T for the 36th time yesterday. Sweet spring conditions up high finally. The freeze thaw cycle has begun, so it was not necessary to use snowshoes for most of the route. Up high, around 13,500 I put them on since I didn't have any other gear with me to help navigate the 2,000' slide zone you have to cross coming back from Torrey's. The Atlas Run snowshoes are fairly light, so I didn't really notice carrying them in my hands the rest of the time. Might be the last time I will use them this season unless it dumps again. Also, my times are starting to drop again as I can move faster over the consolidated snow, as opposed to this winter. Still not nearly as fast as summer, but 4:17 for the RT will work.

The other day I re-visited a nice dark red tea from China. Called Jing Gu Yang Tu (Drunk on Red), the tea is from the fall 2011 harvest. It was then roasted, bruised, and finally sun dried before being pressed into small cakes like a Pu-erh. It has been aging in the basement for the past 2+ years. A large leaf tea from Yunnan, China, I really enjoyed it over the course of the afternoon.

UROC released the maps of their 2014 100K course. I can't tell if there is 11,000' of climbing per loop, for those the entire 100K course. Seems like this new version diverts from the original idea of having a course that does not favor one type of runner. I wonder how well it will go over.

Running legend and inspiration Browning Ross was born today (in 1924). He helped found the Road Runners Club of America. He also started one of the first running magazines, the Long Distance Log, which you can download and read here. From the first issue:

"Emil [Zatopek], tell us something about your style?" "How often have I been reproved for not having a beautiful style. My answer has always been that I shall learn to have a better style once they start judging races according to their beauty. So long as it's a question of speed then my attention will be directed to seeing how fast I can cover the ground."

Still so true today.