AN INTERESTING RUN

     FALL IS A STRANGE TIME, THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS OFTEN SEEMS TO BRING STRANGE AND UNUSUAL WEATHER. THE PAST 6 DAYS HAVE IN MY OPINION BEEN A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THIS, RAIN, CLOUDS, WIND, SNOW, MORE RAIN AND THE COMPLETE ABSENCE OF THE SUN. TODAY I AWOKE BEFORE THE SUN ROSE INTO VIEW BUT WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE CLEAR SKIES ABOUND! I GOT READY FOR MY NORMAL DAILY RUN IN THE FOOTHILLS JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN. AS I WAS GETTING MY THINGS GATHERED UP I REALIZED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE GLORIOUS SUN WAS OUT THE WINDS HAD NOT GONE. AS I ARRIVED AT THE TRAILHEAD IT BECAME IMMEDIATLY EVIDENT THAT I WAS REALLY WINDY NO WORRIES I THOUGHT, I JUST HUNKERED DOWN IN MY 3oz WIND JACKET AND HEADED FOR THE HILLS. HEADING ACROSS THE LOWER VALLEY THE WIND WOULD GUST AND AT TIMES COMPLETLEY STOP ME IN MY TRACKS! I WAS LAUGHING OUT LOUD BECAUSE IT WAS SO DIFFERENT. AS I REACHED THE TOP OF STADIUM PASS IT FELT LIKE I WAS HIT WITH A BRICK WALL. I TURNED NORTH AND STARTED MAKING MY WAY THROUGH THE UPPER VALLEY TRAIL, IT WAS VERY WINDY WITH WHAT SEEMED LIKE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH SUSTAINED WINDS WITH GUSTS THAT WERE DOWNRIGHT VIOLENT. I WAS ACTUALLY FORCED TO WALK THE UPPER THIRD OF THE VALLEY TRAIL BECAUSE THE WIND WOULD SIMPLY NOT ALLOW A RUNNING GAIT. WHEN I REACHED THE INTERSECTION OF LOWER FOOTHILLS OR THE RIDGE TRAIL I PAUSED AND QUICKLY DECIDED THAT WITH THE CURRENT CONDITIONS(SUSTAINED WINDS 55-70MPH WITH GUSTS EXCEEDING 100MPH, I DISCOVERED LATER) THAT I WOULD NOT VENTURE DOWN THE WESTERN SLOPE WERE THE WINDS WERE BOUND TO BE STRONGER. SO I WAS LEFT TO DECIDE WHETHER TO TURN AROUND OR TAKE THE RIDGE TRAIL BACK, I CHOSE THE RIDGE TRAIL SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFERENT, I ALMOST IMMEDIATLY REGRETED THIS DECISION! REALLY, THE RIDGE TRAIL, REALLY. WHAT WAS I THINKING. IN WINDY CONDITIONS YOU USUALLY CANNOT FIND ANYWHERE WINDIER THAN THE HIGHEST RIDGE! AS I WAS STRUGGLING ALONG, I BECAME A LITTLE CONCERNED. I WAS CURRENTLY PERCHED ON A RATHER PERCIPITOUS RIDGE NO WIDER THAN MAYBE 3 FEET. LOOKING OFF THE WESTERN SIDE, IF YOU WERE TO TAKE A TUMBLE IT IS LIKLEY/POSSIBLE THAT ONE WOULD FALL ALL THE WAY TO THE LAKE SOME 500 VERTICAL FEET BELOW. LOOKING TO THE EAST, THERE ARE SECTIONS WITH A VERTICAL CLIFF NO LESS THAN 50 FEET HIGH. SO AS I WAS CREEPING ALONG A GUST OF WIND CAME UP (REMEMBER A GUST IS MORE THAN 55-70MPH) AND ABSOLUTLY BLEW ME OFF THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE TRAIL! LUCKY FOR ME THERE WAS NO CLIFF WERE I ENDED UP. I SAT THERE FOR A MOMENT TO COLLECT MY THOUGHTS, AND DECIDED THAT I WOULD BAIL OUT ASAP. I LITERALLY CRAWLED ALONG THE RIDGE TRAIL UNTILL I DROPPED DOWN THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN (CROSS COUNTRY) TO THE ROAD. RUNNING ALONG THE ROAD I SWEAR I WAS  LEANING INTO THE WIND WITH A 30 DEGREE BODY ANGLE. I MADE MY WAY BACK TO THE UPPER TRAILHEAD AND HEADED DOWN STADIUM PASS. MY USUAL CHARGE DOWN THE 500 FT DESCENT WAS HELD TO VERY CAUTIOUS JOG. I FINALLY ARRIVED BACK AT THE B52 AND QUICKLY PULLED ON SOME JEANS AND A JACKET . ALL IN ALL QUITE AN INTERESTING RUN!

RAIN??

     THIS HAS BEEN THE LONGEST RAINY STRETCH I HAVE SEEN SINCE MOVING. IT HAS BEEN COLD,DAMP AND RAINY FOR 3 SOLID DAYS. IM PERSONALLY NOT A BIG FAN OF THE RAIN SIMPLY BECAUSE IT MAKES MY PREFERED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES MORE COMPLICATED AND IN EXTREME CASES DOWNRIGHT MISERABLE. SO THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE BEEN WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR THE SEEMINLY EVERPRESENT SUN TO RETURN.
     TODAY IS THE DAY THAT I TRADITIONALY DO MY LONG RUN, USUALLY IN THE HIGH MOUNTAINS. THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THIS WEEKLY EXCURSION, MAINLY INCLUDING THE PRIMAL FEELINGS THAT ABOUND WHILE RUNNING ABOVE TREELINE WITH NOTHING BUT RUNNING SHOES AND A PAIR OF SHORTS. THERE ARE OTHER LESS COMPELLING BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT REASONS. THE FIRST BEING THAT TRAINING AT ALTITUDES RANGING FROM 9,000 TO 12,500FT IS BENEFICIAL TO ONES ABILITY TO PROCESS OXYGEN WHICH, AS EVERYONE KNOWS IS KEY TO RACING. THE SECOND BEING THAT RUNNING ON UNEVEN, STEEP, ROCKY AND SOMETIMES SNOWPACKED TRAILS WILL IMPROVE YOUR FOOTWORK AND INEVITABLY MAKE RUNNING RACES ON THESE TYPE TRAILS MUCH EASIER AND FAMILIAR. THE LAST REASON THAT I WILL MENTION IS THE MENTAL ISSUE, I FIND THAT IT IS VERY EASY TO DRAG MYSELF OUT OF BED EARLY ON A SATURDAY MORNING TO GO SEE AND EXPERIENCE WHAT THE MOUNTAINS HAVE TO OFFER ME ON THAT DAY.
     SO TODAY I WAS THINKING OF DOING TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT HIGH MOUNTAIN RUNS, BUT ULTIMATLY DIDNT. I THINK IN A WAY I WAS INTIMADATED BY THE EVER WORSENING WEATHER OF THE HIGH COUNTRY. IN ANOTHER WAY I FEEL AS THOUGH I MAY HAVE MISSED ONE OF MY LAST OPPURTUNITYS TO RUN UP THERE WITHOUT SNOWSHOES. ANYWAY I CHOSE TO DO A LOOP THAT WAS RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF TOWN, IT IS QUITE SCENIC AND OFFERS REALITIVE SOLITUDE FOR BEING AT THE EDGE OF A CITY WHERE 100,000+ LIVE.
     AS I STARTED RUNNING THE RAIN BEGAN FALLING, I HAD RUN EXACTLY 29 SECONDS WHEN THE SKIES OPENED UP.  I WAS PREPARED AND DECIDED TO FINISH WHAT I STARTED. I RAN A LOOP THAT ENCOMPASSED MANY OF THE FOOTHILLS TRAILS, WHICH WERE VERY MUDDY AS I HAD TO STOP AND SCRAP THE BOTTOM OF MY SHOES OFF EVERY 5 TO 10 MINUTES. THE RAIN FINALLY TAPERED OFF AFTER I HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR NEARLY 1 HOUR AND 30 MIN. THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF TODAYS RUN WAS GOOD I SOMEHOW ACTUALLY ENJOYED THE RAIN FEELING VERY AT PEACE HIGH ABOVE THE RECKLESS HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE CITY.
     HERE ARE THE ELEVATION PROFILE AND MAP OF TODAYS MUDDY OUTING:

     HOPEFULLY I CAN GET INTO THE MOUNTAINS EARLY NEXT WEEK BEFORE OLD MAN WINTER DECIDES IT IS TIME TO MOVE IN UNTIL SPRING. ALSO MAY BE BACKPACKING FOR A FEW DAYS WHILE THE TEMPURATURES ARE STILL MANAGABLE. LASTLY, HEADED TO LEADVILLE AFTER ELIZABETHS ARRIVAL ON WEDNESDAY FOR SOME HIGH COUNTRY RELAXATION, GONNA BE ALOT OF FUN!

BEAR LAKE LOOP

     THIS MORNING WAS A GLORIOUS NEW DAY IN WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE EVER SUNNY ROCKY MOUNTAINS. TODAY  I WAS TREATED WITH SOME UNCARECTERISTICLY WARM TEMPURATURES THAT WERE TO SAY THE LEAST, A DELIGHT. THIS RUN STARTED AT THE EVER POPULAR BEAR LAKE TRAILHEAD WHERE I WOULD COMPLETE A LOOP I HAD BEEN EYEING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. I STARTED WITH 4 GU'S AND TWO BOTTLES OF WATER, I WOULD ULTIMATLY CONSUME ALL OF THIS WITH THE TIMING OF A SURGEON. I HEADED OUT AND WAS IMMEDIATLY MEET WITH THE 1,311 FT CLIMB TO LAKE HELENE, I CRUISED UP THIS WITH LITTLE EFFORT AND WAS RUNNING NEAR TREELINE. UP HERE THE TRAILS WERE LARGLY SNOWPACKED AND OFTENTIMES VERY SLIPPERY. I HIT MY FIRST GEL AT THE LAKE AND STARTED THE NEAR 2,500 FOOT PLUMET TO THE POOL. SOME WHERE ON THIS I SUCKED DOWN MY SECOND GEL AND WAS FEELING ALRIGHT. WHEN I REACHED THE POOL MY QUADS WERE FEELING THAT DROP. THE WHOLE WAY DOWN HAD INTERMITNENT SNOW AND ICE AND THE FIRST 1,000 FT OR SO WAS ON MORAINE! ANYWAY I STARTED THE CLIMB TO CUB LAKE FEELING OK, AND THEN I HIT THE TRAIL TO MILL CREEK BASIN. THIS IS A SECONDARY USE TRAIL, WHICH MEANS IT GETS NO WORK AND IS EXTREMELY STEEP AND ROUGH. I GRUNTED UP THIS BAD BOY AND WHEN I REACHED THE TOP I PAUSED TO ADMIRE THE VALLEY BELOW AND EAT ANOTHER GEL. I DROPPED OFF THIS RIDGE FEELING QUITE ROUGH AND THEN WAS TREATED TO A SPECTACULAR BASIN WITH BRILLIANTLY COLORED ASPENS OF YELLOW AND RED. AFTER CROSSING THE CREEK I HIT MY LAST GEL AND WAS ON THE FINAL 932 FT CLIMB TO THE FINISH. AS I REACHED THE POINT WHERE THE TRAIL HEADED BACK DOWN, ALL MY WATER WAS GONE, PERFECT TIMING! I CRUISED THE REMAINING .6 MILES BACK TO THE B52 AND PROMPLTY HEADED TO NEAREST FOOD SUPPLY!
     ALSO, NEW SOFTWARE TO PLAY WITH, AND A FEW PHOTOS:

                                          MAP OF THE ROUTE

                                          ELEVATION PROFILE

                                         ALL THESE ARE FROM LOW TRAILHEAD BUT SHOW GENERAL DIRECTION OF TODAYS RUN (COULD NOT TAKE CAMERA BECAUSE OF 2 WATER BOTTLES)

SNOW?

     THIS MORNING I PLANNED YET ANOTHER HIGH ALTITUDE RUN IN A BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN CIRQUE JUST WEST OF TOWN. I AM CONSIOUSLY TRYING TO GET IN AS MUCH RUNNING IN THE FRAGILE YET HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE THE HANDS OF OLD MAN WINTER TIGHTLY CLENCH THE MOUNTAINS. TODAY WAS THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO GET A HOLD OF THE HIGH ROCKY PEAKS, AS I WAS EMPTIED OUT THE TOP OF THE BIG THOMPSON CANYON I WAS GREETED WITH A CONTROVERSAL SIGHT. THE MOUNTAINS WERE COVERED IN SNOW! IT HAD FALLEN WELL BELOW TREELINE SO I KNEW I WOULD BE RUNNING IN IT THIS FINE FALL DAY. ON ONE HAND I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THE SNOW, IT IS VERY PRETTY AND ALMOST ENCHANTING IN SOME WAY.ON THE OTHER HAND IT WAS THE FIRST SIGN THAT MY MOUNTAIN PARADISE WAS CHANGING IN A WAY THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL AND TRAINING UP HERE HARSHER AND CERTIANLY MUCH MORE COMPLICATED.
     TODAYS RUN WAS PLANED TO PASS BY TWO WATERFALLS AND THREE LAKES ENDING AT ABOUT 12,076 FT. BECAUSE OF THE SNOW AND THE ATTRACTION IT DRAWS THE TRAILHEAD I WISHED TO START FROM WAS FULL AND MY SECOND CHOICE WAS A NO-GO BECAUSE THE SNOW HAD CLOSED THE ROAD! AFTER SOME LAST MINUTE ROUTE FINDING I CHOSE A VERY POPULAR YET EQUALLY LARGE TRAILHEAD. I WAS TO RUN BY FIVE LAKES IN TOTAL. I STARTED OFF WITH TWO GELS AND ONE BOTTLE OF WATER. IMMEDIATLY I WAS IN A CROWD THAT STRETCHED FOR THE FIRST TWO MILES! AFTER AN UNGODLY AMOUNT OF EXCUSE ME'S I REACHED THE SPUR TRAIL TO A FAR LESS TRAVELED TRAIL. I MADE QUICK WORK OF THAT CLIMB, ALTHOUGH I WAS STRUGGLING TO FIND MY BREATHE, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURENCE FOR THE FIRST REALLY COLD RUN OF THE YEAR. I REACHED MY DESTINATION AND COULD HARDLY SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE. THE WIND WAS BLOWING AT 35 MPH AND I KNOW IT WASNT 30 DEGREES. ALL THIS COUPLED WITH ALMOST ZERO VISIBILITY FROM THE RAPIDLY FALLING SNOW CAUSED ME TO NOT QUICKLY TAKE IN THE VIEW(WHAT THERE WAS OF ONE) AND CHARGE BACK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.
     I DECIDED TO TAKE ANOTHER SPUR UP TO A LAKE I HAD PREVIOUSLY VISITED BUT ENJOYED QUITE COMPLETELY. IT WAS A QUICK STEEP CLIMB AND I WAS THERE. I DIDNT WASTE MUCH TIME AS IT WAS VERY CROWDED. I JUST TURNED AND HEADED BACK TO THE B52. ON THE WAY DOWN I HEARD MORE COMMENTS LIKE, "WOW YOUR TOUGH" , "WAY TO MAKE US FEEL BAD", "THIS ISNT YOUR FIRST TIME", OR MY FAVORITE, "THATS REALLY IMPRESSSIVE". I COULDNT HELLP BUT THINK, ITS NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE, IT WAS MY FIRST TIME ON MOST OF THOSE TRAILS AND IM NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES ONE TO BE TOUGH. ANYWAY AFTER A TON OF EXCUSE ME'S AND TWO SMALL COLLISIONS I WAS FINALLY BACK TO THE B52.
     ALL IN ALL A GOOD TRAINING RUN, CANT SAY MUCH FOR THE EXPERIENCE HOWEVER. IM FEELING A LITTLE APREHENSIVE ABOUT WELCOMING WINTER SO SOON. I GUESS IT WILL COME WHEN IT WILL COME AND I WILL THEN STRAP ON SOME SNOWSHOES AND START RUNNING. HERE ARE A FEW PICS :
    

    

MISSING THE MOUNTAINS

     A MERE 24 HOURS WITHOUT THE HIGH ROCKY PEAKS OF NORTHERN COLORADO AND IM FINDING MYSELF IN NEED OF THEM. I ENJOY MY TIME UP THERE SO MUCH ITS QUITE MINDBOGGLING! I HAD A GREAT 13 MILE JAUNT IN THE COMMANCHE PEAK WILDERNESS YESTERDAY AND CANT WAIT TO RETURN. SO IT GOES IM STUCK IN THE LOW COUNTRY WITH THE FRUSTRATIONS OF THE WORLD ON MY MIND. ILL SPARE THE DETAILS OTHER THAN TO SAY IN THE MOUNTAINS LIFE IS REAL AND SIMPLE.

TO THE MOUNTAINS!

\

     THIS MORNING I AWOKE BEFORE THE SUN AND WAS QUICK TO RISE. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE JUST ENOUGH GAS TO AFFORD ME A QUICK TRIP TO THE HIGH CRAGGY MOUNTAINS JUST TO THE WEST. I HAD PACKED MY THINGS LAST NIGHT, SO OTHER THAN TO GRAB A LARABAR AND A FEW PRETZELS FOR BREAKFAST I WAS IMMEDIATLY OUT THE DOOR. I DROVE INTO THE TRAILHEAD AND WAS GREETED BY ONLY THE FROST ON THE GRASS. A QUICKLY STRIPPED DOWN TO JUST MY RUNNING SHORTS, AND A SINGLET ALONG WITH A FRESH PAIR OF NB MT100'S. I FILLED MY BOTTLE GRABBED A GEL AND WAS OFF RUNNNING DOWN THE GRAVEL ROAD TO THE TRAILHEAD. I PAUSED MOMENTARILY TO CHECK OUT THE MAP AND WAS MAKING MY WAY UP THE CUB LAKE TRAIL. IT WAS VERY CHILLY AS I RAN ACROSS THE UPPER REACHES OF MARAINE PARK. THE SCENE WAS TOTALLY DOMINATED WITH ELK, I SAW NO LESS THAN 7 BIG BULLS. THE AIR WAS CRISP AND EVERY 10 SECONDS OR SO I WAS AWARDED WITH THE SOULFUL CRY OF A BUGLING BULL! AS I NEARED THE CUB CREEK CAMPGROUND I PULLED OUT MY GEL AND PROMPTLY DISCOVERED THAT MY HANDS WERE FAR TO STIFF AND COLD TO OPEN IT. I DROPPED INTO A POWER HIKE AND WARMED MY HANDS UNTILL I RIPPED IT OPEN AND ENJOYED THE LIBERAL CHOCOLATE FLAVOR OF MY APTLY NAMED CHOCOLATE OUTRAGE GU. I CONTINUED ON IN THE SHADOWS ALONG THE LOWER THIRD OF STEEP MOUNTAIN. I SOON CRESTED THE TOP OF WHAT WAS TO BE TODAYS HIGHPOINT ( 10,261FT) AND HEADED DOWN. THE TRAIL IS NOT STEEP OR OVERLY TECHNICAL BUT IT IS VERY ENGAGING. I REACHED THE POOL AN INSPIRED 49:36 AND PAUSED BRIEFLY TO ADMIRE THE ICE THAT HAS ALREADY FORMED IN THE EDDYS OF THE RIVER. I TOOK OFF BOUND FOR THE EVER POPULAR  FERN LAKE TRAILHEADAND WAS ALMOST IMMEDIATLY BOMBARDED WITH THE HOARDS OF DAY HIKERS. I MOVED PAST THEM AND MADE MY WAY TO THE TRAILHEAD THEN  CONTINUED ON DOWN THE SPUR ROAD BACK TO THE TRAILHEAD WERE I HAD BEGUN. THE ENTIRE OUTING TOOK A MERE 1:13.04 WITH 1019 FT OF VERTICAL.
     ON THE WAY HOME I STOPPED IN ESTES FOR A TRIP THROUGH THE ANNUAL ELK FESTIVAL. GREAT FOOD, BEAUTIFUL ART, AND INTERESTING PEOPLE WERE ABOUND. I CARRIED A CAMERA TODAY AND TOOK A FEW PICTURES, THEY MAY DOCUMENT THE JOURNEY BUT THEY ARE NO WORK OF ART SO I THOUGHT I WOULD INCLUDE SOME OF ELIZABETHS PICTURES TO SATISFY THE CREATIVE SIDE IN ALL OF US!!

                                                                                               

                                                              

        



      NOW THE PICTURES OF TODAYS RUNNING ADVENTURE.

                                                    UPPER REACHES OF MORAINE PARK

                                                    SMALL PARK AT THE BASE OF STEEP MOUNTAIN

                                                    THE TRAIL IS ABOUT TO SUBMERGE YOU INTO A GORGEOUS ASPEN GROVE

                                          INSIDE!

                                          JUST A TRAIL PICTURE

                                          DIRECTLY ABOVE CUB LAKE

                                          LOWER PORTION OF FOREST CANYON, STONES PEAK IN THE BACKGROUND

                                          ESTES PARK, THE ELK FESTIVAL

MY PURCHASES, FRESH SMOKED SALMON ON CIBATTA BREAD, AUSTRIAN POTATO SALAD AND A PICKLE AND A PICTURE OF THE MAJESTIC NORHTERN LIGHTS

                                                    SOME FLOWERS