A little inside look at the training log

The Pikes Peak Ascent prep (or procrastination) is well underway up here in Leadville.

I would say the last two-and-half weeks of training have been solid. Of course a piece of me wonders now, just a little, what would be possible if I conducted a more proper build-up — say, 12 straight weeks of focused climbing/hard workouts.

But, I’m not going to complain. I’m really feeling grateful for the work I’ve been able to put in. I’m more grateful to be healthy. I’m obviously even more grateful for my family and my job and yes, even Ajee…. sometimes….like when she is my Sherpa.

The soon-to-be 5-year-old Border Collie/German Shepherd has been my safety valve for three pretty tough recent runs. She carried the EpiPen, fluids, a candy bar and my phone up Mt. Massive, Mosquito Pass and Mt. Elbert in the last 7 days.

I shouldn’t puff up her ego any more, though. She received way too much praise on Elbert (side note: what is it with the insanely positive vibes of people hiking Colorado’s highest peak?!?!…. “There’s our steed!” was said to me (or Ajee…maybe both) at one point….as was “Dude, you’re my inspiration.”….I love it…).

A nice lady from Florida lent me a pair of gloves for the descent (thank you so much!) and then started doting on Ajee for being such a sweet animal. I noticed at that moment that I was almost about to leave her shock collar remote on a rock next to the summit sign.

“Oh Ajee, don’t let me forget your electrocution stick,” I smirked as I reached for the device. “She’s too tired to bark now, but she’s actually a stone-cold killer,” I continued with a straight face, at which point, everyone departed. Ok, we’re embellishing the tale (tail?)…slightly.

Thanks Ajee.

Anyway, in case you’re curious (and since this edition of the weekly wax appears to be taking the shape of a blog post anyway) here’s an under-the-hood deep dive into the PPA build-up:

• Aug. 25 – Am – 80 min run/ PM – 2.5 hr mtb
• Aug. 26 – Am – 15.5 mile run up and down Pine Creek/CDT/ PM – 30 mtb with kids + 1h20 gravel bike
• Aug. 27 – Am – 75 run at Vail Mt. 2500 climb/ PM – 2.5 hr from office to top of Vail Mt and back (covered event)
• Aug. 28 AM – 2.5 DP/ Pm – 60 run super easy at CMC
• Aug. 29 Am – 2x Vail Mt. runs up (gondola down)/ PM – 90 DP super easy in Wolcott
• Aug. 30 – Am – Hard Vail mtn hill climb (75 minutes total/ Pm – 90 DP super easy in Frisco
• Aug. 31 – Am – 60 run super easy/ PM – 1 hr 45 gravel bike
• Sept. 1 – Am – 2 hr DP/ PM – 60 run easy
• Sept. 2 – 2 hr DP/ PM – 60 run
• Sept. 3 – Am – Mt. Massive – ran to saddle (13,990ft) in 1:11:45 (FKT record pace is 1:10:35…so I felt pretty good about this! Also, I reached this part of the climb in about 1:20 back in 2022...I have a story on this site about it, somewhere…) Pm – off
• Sept. 4 – Am – 75 run/ Pm – 2 hr bike
• Sept. 5 – Am – Ran into the clouds with Ajee up Mosquito Pass from dog shelter, 3200 feet of climb Pm – 2 hr bike (65 hard pulling kids in carrier)
• Sept. 6 – Am – 2 hr DP easy/ PM – 75 run @6:45 pace (fast on pavement…slowed by singletrack in middle)
• Sept. 7 – Am – FAST up Vail Mtn (gondola down) + extra climb/ PM – 60 easy run at CMC with Ajee
• Sept. 8 – Am – 60 super easy run / Pm – 2 hr bike
• Sept. 9 – Am – 75 run easy/ Pm – 1 h 45 DP, slow…
• Sept. 10 – Am – Ran up Mt. Elbert (1:08:17 moving time…stopped for Ajee/workers/hikers/pee break)

The thought process has been to conduct back-to-back hard sessions when possible (i.e. if day 1 is uphill-only, then come back on day 2 with something fast and flat or up/down technical, pushing only the up), and then listen to my body everywhere else.

As such, most of my shakeout afternoon sessions, particular on the rollerskis, have been easy to very easy. I will say that I’ve dabbled into the threshold zone during some of my bike rides, either because 1) I’m listening to a maddening political podcast take, 2) I randomly decide to pretend I’m racing Keegan Swenson (I LOVE pretending while training…it basically fuels 96% of all of my training hours…..) or 3) out of necessity…i.e. I’m pulling my children up the Mineral Belt.

Which reminds me: I do intend on creating a podcast reacting to this study on being a dad and a World Class Nordic skier!

One thing I like about adding a bit more structure (and ‘goals’ if you will) to my weekly training is that it’s made some of the recovery days come more naturally. Like, I can tell when I need to take it easy, and I don’t feel guilty about it. For example, Sunday morning — the universal long run day for most (and a day I’ve often finished feeling like I fell further behind the pros because I never do anything long) — is now unabashedly my super-duper easy shakeout jog, which is perfect, since I’m usually trying to get to church (and sometimes lead worship).

Today I received my Pikes Peak Ascent registration packet/info. I read that bibs 1-199 start in wave 1. I quickly looked up my bib number and saw that it was 107. At first, I figured that must mean I’m just somewhere in the middle of the ‘elite’ wave. Upon further ordering, however, I realized that Seth DeMoor is 101, Joe Gray is 102…and, well, you get the rest.

Ok, so, what are my goals for this race?

I’m looking at it this way:

1. Finish. This race has humiliated a lot of very good runners in the past. Since I’ve never done it — and won’t get to scope out the course beyond the first 4.5 miles (which I did last fall) before race day — I would say I’m a perfect candidate to be the ‘cocky, fit guy’ who goes out hard and then dies in the final three miles. I’m not opposed to testing my limits. In fact, I think if I could replicate my Mt. Blue Sky race — wherein I ran smart, but decently fast, and only ‘hit the wall’ in the final 25 minutes or so — I’d be happy.
2. Have fun. I’ve wanted to do this race for awhile. It’s my Super Bowl. I hope it is my Super Bowl for the next 25 or 30 years. Hopefully I meet some fun guys and girls, push myself to the limit, and enjoy the sound of the crunched gravel underfoot. …and maybe hit up the OG (Olive Garden) afterwards if I did something worth celebrating….
3. Objective goals: The ‘I’ll take it’ goal is 2:20-2:22. All of my research, comparison and guts tell me that I’m capable of at least this, even on an average day. Even if I run very conservatively, I should be able to do this. Now, I know it’s certainly possible (see above) that I could run most of the race at 2:15 pace but fall off to a 2:25-2:30 finish due to various catastrophes….and I would ‘accept’ that type of performance because I’d have to…After all, no matter what happens — even a dead last finish — I still have to drive myself home, punch up a few stories, raise my kids, shock Ajee when she barks at Grace, and produce a podcast the next week. But if I’m being honest, that type of performance will leave me genuinely disappointed and hungry for revenge. Like seriously hungry....
4. The ‘OG-visit required’ goal would be running between 2:12-2:19. I think 2:08-2:12 is probably my upper, upper limit — and only in a scenario where perfect fitness, perfect weather, a perfect build up and perfectly shaved legs all come together, you know? In my first attempt, and blind at that, anything under 2:15 is probably shooting for the moon, but it’s not out of the question. The fitness is there. I’d just have to get lucky. And if I land amongst the stars, I think, the ‘realistic’ “A” goal has to be somewhere in-between 2:15 and 2:19. Time to believe! All you can eat breadsticks, here we come!
5. Top-10 finish. If you look at previous years’ results for the Ascent, it’s crazy to see the variation in field depth. Some years, 2:21-2:27 gets you a silver medal. Sometimes, 2:16 barely gets you in the top-10. Looking at this field, I think top-10 is a real possibility, but it’s not going to be easy.

I’m excited for Sept. 21. And I’ve had a blast taking uphill running a lot more seriously this summer. I know for sure that I’m a much stronger runner than I was when I ran the Vail Hill Climb back in July. I’m not sure if I know what I’m getting myself into with Pikes — but this doesn’t have to be my only attempt at it either.

I’ve probably said too much. Time to shut up and climb up.

Actually, it’s time to take the kids out in the bike carrier.

Keep on striving. Keep on skiing!