How many blogs have been written about The Taper?  That dreaded pre-race rest that runners worry will somehow thwart their months of training and hard work. I am tapering right now in advance of tomorrow's Garden of the Gods 10-mile race, and will miss my Saturday run, and I'm pretty sure I can feel my leg muscles atrophying while I type.

Runners love to obsess on every detail of The Run, whether it's finding the best shoe, choosing mid-run nutrition and motivating running music, or…

I wrote this post a few days ago - when it was actually National Running Day, but life got in the way and I forgot to press "Publish"

As the Garden of the Gods 10-Miler gets closer my pre-race anxiety only increases.  That said, National Running Day crossed my calendar (and Facebook feed) at an ideal time.  I run for so many reasons, only one of them is to compete.  That's exactly what I need to bare in mind as Sunday gets closer...and closer...and the butterflies in my…

Unlike my previous Triple Crown adventure (2012) I've only taken one practice run in the Garden of the Gods this time around. Call it self-preservation. I know the course well enough and my knees won out over familiarizing myself with a course I already know, choosing softer trails instead. Still, I wanted to get in at least one 10-mile run before the Garden event June 8. So a little over a week ago I went to my favorite trail and did two trips around Spruce Mountain for a little over 10…

The Garden 10 mile race has snuck up on me.  I have trained but as every race, I always wish I was in better condition.  One of the ways I figured I could show my respect to the Garden is to write a poem.  I don’t think I have written a poem since college so here it goes.  As always, keep running my fellow runners because you inspire me.  GO BRT!!!!

Garden o' Garden 10 mile race

Take it easy on me

So I can keep my pace.

Let’s play nice to each…

Well. Isn't that the story of racing? Sometimes you are the cat and sometimes the mouse - and sometimes, both! With just me and Caroline Mani on the line for the woman's pro race at last nights kick off for the Ascent Cycling Series, it would quickly turn into a game of cat and mouse with both of use playing each role at varying times. A shorter course with less road and more technical singletrack played to my strengths, but I wanted to try racing smart this time. Instead of bolting from the…

Ahhh! Sweet satisfaction. Race 1 in the books for the Ascent Cycling Series. Bikes were broken, blood was spilled, and a great time was had by all. The Pro/Cat 1 field was the biggest I have ever seen for a Wednessday night! That is very exciting and several youngsters on the line is a particularily good sign. One thing about lots of youngsters is you know we will go hard from the start, those kiddos are always motivated to sprint from the line.

Youngster extraordinare Kyle…

So far the hardest part of Leadman training has been finding the time to squeeze it all in.  For some reason, work still expects me to put in at least 40 hours a week despite my quest, and the wife still expects me to do stuff around the house.  Hell, my dog won't even give me a pass on taking her out for a walk at least twice a day.  Despite that horrible oppression, for April I got in 34 hours running and 28 hours of riding.  May saw 43 hours of running and 25 hours on the bike.

My…

Three days into my first full week of summer, and I've managed to squeeze in a few more challenging days outside.  On Monday, I drove down to the Sangres and climbed California Peak.  Yesterday, it was time to see the Sawatch.  I did an out-and-back over Carbonate Mountain, Cyclone Mountain, and Cronin Peak.  Both of these climbs were considered "checkmarks" - climbs that offered opportunities to get in shape, but without much technical challenge.

This morning, however, I had…

Yes, it’s a drag that the Incline will be closed during our beautiful Fall months. Yes, it’s the best hike in town, a great workout, and a strikingly lovely trail.

But wow, have you seen the pictures of what it will look like when the repair is complete? It will look amazing! And do you realize that the restoration project will protect the Incline from further erosion? I am so grateful for the vision of our Parks Department and the many groups who are funding this huge and daunting…

Local racing is back in action! Tomorrow night kicks off the 2014 Ascent Cycling Sand Creek Series here in Colorado Springs. Race #1 will be held at Palmer Park, the first races starting at 4 pm and the Cat 1 and Pro races cranking away at 6:15 pm.

My first Sand Creek race was 4 years ago and also at Palmer Park. I was fresh in town and had never even ridden in Palmer. My mind was blown! That particular course took you on a substantial chunk of Templeton trail (seeing that for…

Today was a lesson in humility. Every time I attend a Strider's 6 a.m running session, I am reminded how it feels to be at the back of the pack. The Sunrise Striders meet at 6 a.m on Tuesdays and Thursdays which conflicts with my school-year work schedule. I try to get to some (I think I have gone to two??) workouts in the summer since I don't have to be at work at 7:15 a.m. Perhaps I would be faster if I got my butt out of bed early enough to train with them more consistently? I wish I…

Last Sunday I arrived at Memorial Park in hopes to get a head-start up Barr Trail before it got too hot. I ended up high-jacking a ride up to Elk Park with Michael Everson and Roger Austin, two bad-a*% IC'er's. Humbled by their legendary Incline Club status, I tried again to get a head-start in hopes not to hold them up too much. I ended up getting to the car about 20 minutes after they finished. I didn't care (sorry Michael-I'm slow). The run was absolutely beautiful.

The trails were…

Are we ready?

The first Ascent Cycling race is already looming in just a few days times. Time to strap on numbers and line up with friends who will be fierce rivals for the next 60 minutes. An hour of fun - an hour of suffering. Pinning it from the start and hoping to hold on for as long as possible - or until that sweet sound. A ringing bell signalling one to go.

It starts friendly enough. Collect number from Registration - get out and do a warm up and pre-ride on the course.…

Last week I made my first attempt at The Incline. I completed it in 49:20 then screamed back down the Barr Trail. What a blast! .This Tuesday I'll give it another go hoping to chisel off a minute or two. This is our 3rd week in Woodland Park after spending the winter in central FL.
Quite a beautiful change. We'll be here until Oct .

So another PPSTCR alum, Don Solberg, my teammate in 2012, told me I had to blog about my personal best in this year’s Bolder Boulder. Actually it was a personal first.

After running the BB in 2012 and having passed up the offer of free beer along the route (for those who have never run in this event, you may also find pancakes and popsicles offered along the way by generous residents in the many neighborhoods you pass through), I…

Someone asked me this week at the BRC Wednesday night group run if I wanted to run the Garden of the Gods 10 miler for a certain time. Since I have been running the course, I do have a general time in mind that I will aim for during the race.

However, it got me to thinking about this question:

When racing, should you run by pace or effort?

For me, it all depends. Previous to this past year, I ran mostly road 5k's. During…

This week's Saturday Morning Long Run took me - and my awesome running buddies - to St. Mary's Falls and Stratton Open Space for a total of 9.5 miles and 2 blisters. 

This was my first adventure to St. Mary's Falls but it certainly will not be my last.  That trail is amazing!  It has everything: hills, steps, shade, prickly-desert-plants, water, invisible rocks waiting to trip you, and views that make every uphill feel like a gift.

Round trip from parking lot to waterfall the…

My week off from chemo should theoretically be full of fun and games. This week turned out to be stressful. We had a car die and we needed to replace it quickly. My insurance company decided to deny another expensive claim. So instead of focusing on enjoying a week off, stresses over finances took a front seat in my mind.

Oh, did I say I was running hills in training? heh, heh. Oh, no. No, no, no. Not in the slightest. Wherever did you get that idea?

When I was training for my first Ascent (2012), I lost count of how many people told me, “Work on your speed walking, because you’re not going to run the Ascent.”

Words of wisdom to be sure. For one thing, unless you’re one of the real fast dogs up front, when you get to the spur trail at the…