Monday, June 8, 2015, 8:14 pm

4.42 mi, 265 ft gain, 48:53. Kellogg Lake Tree Farm #1, with dogs. Altra Superior 1.5 Red #2.

I felt much better than I expected. I’m very grateful that the pulled muscle I suffered a week ago healed so quickly. I was able to get pretty close to my normal pace for the effort today. We went out to Olney Creek, and the dogs played in the water a bit. Then we finished the loop and headed back to the car.

Average HR 128 bpm.

 

Tuesday, June 9, 2015, 8:07 pm

5.05 mi, 96 ft gain, 48:57. Around town, solo. New Balance MR10v2 white.

I felt pretty decent today. I had a little minor piriformis soreness, but not bad. I warmed up fairly quickly. I picked up the pace to fast but comfortable. I ran out for 20 minutes, which happened to be just barely over 2.5 mi.

I picked up the pace a little more on the way back. I saw a friend in front of his house on my way back and stopped to talk for a few minutes. I sped up a little more when I started again. I picked up the pace again over the last 0.3 mi. It was nice to run faster for a change.

Average HR 141 bpm.

 

Wednesday, June 10, 2015, 8:01 pm

9.12 mi, 440 ft gain, 1:16:09. May Creek Rd around town, solo. New Balance MR10v2 white.

I feel about like I did during the taper before Capitol Peak 50 mi. So I guess it’s probably going well. I wanted to go a little longer today. I decided after I started that I’d hit the long loop around town.

I started out fairly easy, but picked up the pace as I warmed up. I mostly kept my HR in the low 140s bpm. I was comfortable, but moving pretty well.

Once almost around to the “Y” at Ley Rd, I decided to run out to Wallace Falls State Park to use the restroom and add another mi to the run. I used the restroom and got a little drink of water. I wasn’t all that thirsty, but I got a little anyway. Then I headed out for home.

I picked up the pace a little more from there, pushing my HR closer to 150 bpm. Then a little over 1 mi out, I went into the low 150s bpm. I gradually sped up more once I passed the grocery store in town.

Once I turned onto my road, I pushed a little harder. I really cranked it up over the last 0.2 mi. It felt great to move my legs fast and get my lungs pumping hard.

I was imagining the final 9 mi of the upcoming Rattlesnake Ridge 50k for much of today’s run. It has about the same elevation gain, though it’s more spread out over the end of the race than on today’s route. I’m feeling pretty good about my race goals.

Average HR 142 bpm.

 

Thursday, June 11, 2015, 6:14 pm

6.61 mi, 2514 ft gain, 1:32:42. Lake Serene, solo. Altra Superior 1.5 Red #3.

I haven’t been to Lake Serene in quite a while. I lost my Strava CR for the ascent earlier this year and wanted to get it back sometime. I made a go at it today.

I didn’t push too hard for the lower portion to just before the trail to Bridal Veil Falls. I wanted to save some strength for the upper part. It’s much more steep with lots of stairs and quite rocky. I hiked some of the stairs and a few spots that were particularly rocky and tough. I kept the pace pretty hard most of the way. I started pushing harder once past the majority of the climbing.

I wasn’t sure if I had made it when I got to the lake. I started my gps when I left the restroom, and I wasn’t exactly sure what the CR was. I knew I was close, though.

Once at the lake, I spent a few minutes cooling down. I took my UD Fastdraw 20 with my Sawyer Mini in the pocket. I drank a full bottle on the way up. I didn’t really want to carry a full bottle back down, so I used the filter and squeeze bottle. I filled the squeeze bottle in the lake and drank the whole thing. The squeeze bottle that comes with the filter is kind of small, only 16 oz. It’s kind of tough to fill completely, though.

Anyway, I had some water, took a couple photos, enjoyed the scenery and headed back down. It’s so rocky on the upper portion of the trail that it’s tough to go much faster on the way down than on the way up. If it was loose rocks and such, it wouldn’t be so bad. But the rocks are mostly tightly in place and at odd angles. It takes a lot of concentration to go very fast. I bet I could get better at it with more practice, like I’ve done at Wallace Falls.

As it turned out, I did get the Strava ascent segment CR and came 2nd on the descent. I didn’t really push too hard on the descent, maybe next time. I also missed a couple of the shorter segment CRs by just seconds.

Average HR 153 bpm.

 

Friday, June 12, 2015, 8:22 pm

8.13 mi, 358 ft gain, 1:17:24. O&B to hill on Maycreek rd + WFSP, solo. New Balance MR10v2.

I wasn’t sure how far I was going to go today. I started out on my normal route toward WFSP. I decided I’d turn onto Maycreek Rd toward the loop to US2. I was going to turn around at 3.5 mi, but I was coming up to the short hill, so I decided to run to the top then turn around.

On the way back, I needed a restroom, so I went out to WFSP too. I used the restroom and ended up talking to a guy that I see at the park fairly regularly. I got some water, then headed home.

Right around the time I turned the corner back on to US2, I realized my ID had fallen out of the key pocket in my shorts. My key was still there, fortunately. I’m not sure exactly when it fell out. I remember it uncomfortably digging into my waist out on Maycreek rd somewhere. I adjusted it so it wouldn’t dig in anymore. I felt a brief pressure at the bottom on my upper leg, then it went away. I didn’t check on it or feel it again after that. I’m not sure if it fell out there, or later. Once I got home, I drove along the route I followed. I drove slowly looking for it. I went to WFSP and looked around in the restroom. I didn’t find it.

I called the park the next day and asked about a lost license, but they hadn’t found one.

Average HR 132 bpm.

 

Saturday, June 13, 2015, 6:44 pm

8.21 mi, 359 ft gain, 1:24:46. Same as yesterday, solo. New Balance MR10v2.

Since I had no luck finding my license, I decided to retrace my route from yesterday. I went slower today, keeping an eye out for my lost license.

I still had no luck, but the run was nice, again, even for road running.

Average HR 129 bpm.

 

Sunday, June 14, 2015, 9:06 pm

3.15 mi, 28 ft gain, 21:46. Around town, solo. New Balanace MR10v2.

I considered going longer today. But I haven’t exactly been taking it that easy tapering. I went out comfortably, but sped up as I went. It was fun running fast.

Average HR 150 bpm.

 

Weekly totals. 44.7 mi, 4031 ft elevation gain