After today's FANTASTIC run I feel much better about the possibility of me being able to run the Valles race. But, more important things first.
You all hear me bitch and moan and complain about cold weather and snow, well today I'm worried about snow again. This time, the serious lack of it. Two years ago in February I hiked to above 9,000' on the same trail I did today. From just over 8,000' I was in a lot of snow. From 8,300 to over 9,000' I desperately needed snow shoes and the lack of is why I turned around that day. Today, at almost 8,300' there was practically zero snow. Normally that would be fine with me but that forest is far, far too dry! We're in trouble in 2013.
In the summer of 2011 I bought a road bike because all the trails closed due to fires and fire danger. I will have to resort to road running by early spring I would say. I just thought of that, I may do all this training and not get to run because the trail will be closed. NOT, that running, this race or anything related to these is the important part. What is important is that New Mexico is going to burn up this year I'm afraid. Very afraid.
But as far as the run today goes. WOW!!! What a workout. The LaLuz trailhead is at 7,024' according to my GPS. I wanted to do this run today because 1) Likhaya was busy and couldn't run with me, 2) I knew it would be a nice hard training run and 3) the Valles run has a LOT of downhill and is entirely over 8,000' so I wanted to see what that felt like.
The climb I won't even try to deny included a lot of walking. I would say 35% / 65% running/walking. MAYBE a little more running but I doubt it. Now the return is a different story it was 100% to )% run/walk. And it felt good. I definitely have to keep losing weight and work hard on those hill climbs. I am very pleased with my downhill form and performance, but of course it will improve also as the climbing does and as the weight goes down.
I am SOOOO stinking fortunate to live where I have any training format I need from 5,000' and up to almost 11,000' right here in town!!! And very, very fortunate to have a team that I work with that doesn't complain about me putting in my hours early in the week so I can take Thursday afternoons off to play.
They're talking rain for Saturday, possible thunderstorms even, in January!! I hope we get rain all day. I will gladly give up a training day to get some moisture.
Not even close to the top here. Another 2,400 feet to go. I will do the whole hike this year then run down. I have never done the entire LaLuz Trail.
I have loved my Saucony Peregrine shoes since the moment I put them on my feet but today that appreciation was elevated greatly after they absolutely stuck like glue in the this snow!!!
Needless to say there is a mix of trail surface on this run. I LOVE trail running. Have I said that before?
 |
| Very hard to hike this time last year due to snow |
In the summer of 2011 I bought a road bike because all the trails closed due to fires and fire danger. I will have to resort to road running by early spring I would say. I just thought of that, I may do all this training and not get to run because the trail will be closed. NOT, that running, this race or anything related to these is the important part. What is important is that New Mexico is going to burn up this year I'm afraid. Very afraid.
But as far as the run today goes. WOW!!! What a workout. The LaLuz trailhead is at 7,024' according to my GPS. I wanted to do this run today because 1) Likhaya was busy and couldn't run with me, 2) I knew it would be a nice hard training run and 3) the Valles run has a LOT of downhill and is entirely over 8,000' so I wanted to see what that felt like.
The climb I won't even try to deny included a lot of walking. I would say 35% / 65% running/walking. MAYBE a little more running but I doubt it. Now the return is a different story it was 100% to )% run/walk. And it felt good. I definitely have to keep losing weight and work hard on those hill climbs. I am very pleased with my downhill form and performance, but of course it will improve also as the climbing does and as the weight goes down.
I am SOOOO stinking fortunate to live where I have any training format I need from 5,000' and up to almost 11,000' right here in town!!! And very, very fortunate to have a team that I work with that doesn't complain about me putting in my hours early in the week so I can take Thursday afternoons off to play.
 |
| 7,024' at trailhead, 8,256' where I turned around |
No comments:
Post a Comment