Setting a Basline

Recovery Run in Ute Park

This was a week for establishing baselines. CRUD does a 4 ½ mile time trial every Thursday up Barr Trail. It’s a brutal uphill run with an average grade of 11 ½ percent. ProCycling started a semi-weekly time trial on road bikes up Cheyenne Canyon. This is a climb of 3.1 miles with an average grade of 7 percent. So I’m integrating these time trials into my LeadMan training. Cheyenne Canyon went pretty well, it was far off my best time but wasn’t my slowest. I think my time up Barr Trail the next day was pretty close to my slowest. No biggy, I’ve been a flatlander most of this year, so I don’t expect to run a 4 ½ miles straight up to an altitude of about 9,500 ft very fast. It was raining most of the run on Barr Trail, so it wasn’t too hot. Now I've got a baseline to improve upon this summer. Hopefully by the end of July or beginning August I’ll be surpassing my best time from my younger days. That would be a good sign.

Max after a Run in the Rain

It’s been a good week so far. Lot’s of quality running and riding with good recovery. I won’t be able to do the two races I had planned this weekend. Due to the uncertainty of work/travel status, I didn’t register until the races were full. No worries, I’ll try to simulate them this weekend. So far this week:

Mon: Strength training, primarily core
Tues: Run – 1.9 hrs, 14 miles w/5 miles relaxed tempo in 35:36. Bike - 1.3 hrs, 22 miles w/2 * 8 min hill repeats & 5 * 3 min steep hill repeats
Wed: Run - .9 hrs, 6 miles w/1 ½ miles barefoot in grass. Bike – 2.3 hrs, 23 miles w/Cheyenne Canyon TT in 21:14
Thurs: Run - 1.9 hrs, 9 miles w/Barr Trail TT in 1:07:58
Fri: Run - .8 hrs, 6 miles w/2 miles barefoot in grass. Strength training primarily core