Sunday, June 22, 2014

June 16th to June 22nd

Monday, 6/16--South Sentinel + Sentinel

4,105', 1:55

Light rain and mist and fog blanketed hills.  Summer here really isn't too bad.  The run today was an easy pace, but I was a little tired.  I'll need to make sure to get enough sleep the rest of this week.

Tuesday, 6/17--Sentinel via Evans St. Trailhead plus a bit extra up and down

3,063', 1:20

The rain stopped just as I had a break in my classes, so I took advantage of the lull to finally figure out how Evans St. connects with the Sentinel trail system.  There was a bit of snow up high, which impressed me (this was around 1 o'clock).  A good run at a moderate tempo

Wednesday, 6/18--South Sentinel Tempo Run

1,873', 42:35 (New PR--27:45 ascent, 14:50 descent)

A new PR on the Pengelly route from my apartment!  I feel really good about my ascent, but I had to fight to get the descent in under 15 minutes, barely breaking my old descent time (old times were 28:34, 15:04).  I suppose breaking 40 minutes on this will come in baby steps, but I feel like I'm maxing out on my downhill speed.  I think I could take at least another minute off the uphill, eventually.

Thursday, 6/19--Up to Glacial Lake Missoula Rock and back

988', 30 minutes

An easy run just to keep the legs moving.  I hung out at the rock for a minute or so, admiring the view for the last time until Tuesday.

Friday, 6/20--Course Scouting/shake out from 4 hr. drive

453', 23 minutes

An easy pace up from the trailhead to the first intersection on the course.  I'm glad I scouted this out, because I got a little lost and missed a creek crossing.  It's pretty gradual, but a little rocky on the first mile of the course.  Psyched to get up high in the mountains tomorrow!

Saturday, 6/21--Old Gabe 50k, 3rd place

10,572', 5:52

A great first tune up for The Rut in September!  I'm a little shocked that my time only earned me a 3rd, but also psyched that I help set the stage for Jim Walmsley setting the course record (we ran together for the first quarter of the race).  Looking back at past years races, I ran the 5th fastest time on the regular course, barely behind Jim Rucker's 5:51:35.  I definitely got dehydrated, racing with only one 20 oz. water bottle, but I feel that I ran a good, smart race and performed well.  On a perfect day, I might be able to shave 15 minutes off my time, which would have still landed me in the same placement.  1st and 2nd place just had better days.

Splits were

Truman--1:25

Middle Cottonwood--3:00

Sypes--4:21

Finish--5:52

The second half felt a little slow, but that may just be because 1st and 2nd place ran incredible second halves (2nd place ran it in under 2:30).  My splits were spot on ten minutes slower for each half than Scott Creel's 5:31:40, and I feel that he usually runs pretty even races.  This might be the best mountain race I've had.  I'm just psyched that I got to run with Walmsley for over an hour--that guy is a legend in the making.

A race report to come.

Sunday, 6/22--Off




21,054', 10:43

A really good week.  I may have run a little too much leading up to my race, but tapering is always hard for me.  I did pretty well with pre-race nutrition, and had no stomach problems on race day (though I still need to fine tune my race food a bit).  For the most part, though, I'm going to continue replicating everything I did this week--it led to a successful race, even if it only landed me in 3rd.


Sentinel Sky Island


Snow!  In mid-June!

Rocky conditions on Old Gabe

The first of several creek crossings

The no passing lane--one of the few creek crossings with a bridge

Tailgate breakfast!



Sharon Van Etten's new album might end up being one of the best of the year:





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