8.20-26.08

W- 10 miles (am) / 5 miles (pm)
Th- Rest
F- 15 miles (am) / 5.5 miles (afternoon) / 6.5 miles (pm)
S- 10 miles (am) / 6.25 miles (pm)
Su- 3 miles
M- 21 miles
T- 36 miles

Total = 118.25

Although I got some good long ones in this week, I never once stepped foot on a trail (all bike paths and roadways - bummer). However, the bulk of the training is done until Run Rabbit Run 50 and now it's just a matter of getting some quality in with a few days of mellow hills. For the majority of the time leading up to the race I'll be focusing on getting some homework done and clearing my To-Do List to prepare for my week-long absence from class . It seems that over the summer breaks I always forget just how much of a time commitment school is and it takes a good month or so to get back into the swing of things.

The last four months have provided a lot of good learning experiences as this was my first time venturing past the generally prescribed marathon training distances. I now know that I can handle the increased mileage if care is taken to gradually progress rather than push too far/hard to fast. There is such a strong desire to compare my training to that of the more experienced athletes instead of allowing for a more personal approach. I believe that after a recovery period of a month or two following the 24 Hours of Boulder I'll be ready to push a bit further and incorporate some quality sessions to begin preparing for my first 100 mile next year (not sure which one yet). In addition to a 100, I am itching to knock-out the Colorado Trail; a goal which may need to be re-evaluated and postponed until 2010. We'll see.

8.6-12.08

W- 12 miles
Th- 36 miles
F- 20 miles
S- 6 miles
Su- Rest
M- 15 miles (am) / 4 miles (pm)
T- 5.5 miles (am) / 7.5 miles (pm)

Total = 106

Had a fairly productive week of running with some relatively higher mileage days and minimal fatigue. The run to Boulder from Cherry Creek went well even if it was almost entirely on the black stuff, and spending only one day in the hills seems to have given my legs a much needed break from climbing/descending. I definitely am having some trouble today because it was the first day back in class for the fall semester. Not only did my alarm clock go off earlier than usual, but I also forgot to bring any money/CC to buy food on campus and ended up having only a 250 cal meal replacement drink in my pack to keep me going until 3 when I got home and grabbed some food before finishing training for the afternoon. I currently attend Metropolitan State College of Denver with Adult Fitness and Exercise Science as a declared major. The plan is to transfer to CU-Boulder to enroll in their Integrative Physiology program.

Being as I'm a bit brain dead from the early start and lack of nutrients I'll finish up by telling you about Nora's newly established running routine. She has started off slow, like any new runner should, and is starting to see some improvement. This is exciting for her as she used to have major knee issues in her younger years when she attempted to run. She's doing a combination of running and walking, and is beginning to find her breathing rhythm. Soon enough we'll be doing some training together, I can already see it! We even have matching La Sportiva Imogenes (accidentally).