Four Maniacs

Finally we got some sunshine and things started melting! It's not warm, but 40 degrees above zero beats 13 below!

I'm feeling good. The training is going reasonably well now. Despite the recent lack of sugar and grains in my diet I've had plenty of energy and I don't feel bad at all doing 2-3 hours of workouts a day. I happen to be very inspired right now...by my upcoming new age group and by all the records that were set at Across the Years this year.

This morning I watched this interview of Joe Fejes right after the 6 Day race finish. I love his racing and training strategies. But the classic Joe Fejes statement comes right in the middle of the video.

"For some reason, I seem to be a decent multiday runner. So go figure..."

Decent.

It shows his humility, which is always refreshing in elite runners, and listening to him, you know this guy's head and heart are in the right place, and I wish him the best of luck this summer in Alaska. He's a true champion and a nice guy.

Today it was hill workout day, and I needed a little more of a challenge than I've been doing lately. I've stuck to short little hill repeats or a quick 10 mile out and back on Centennial Drive. I'm looking forward to getting up on the Rock Repeats soon, but I'm not quite ready and I don't want to trash my legs the first time I go. I opted for something in-between with a little more vertical today.

The view going up is of Horsetooth Rock and Longs Peak, but you could only see a little of Longs due to cloud cover.

Maniac Hill is known locally among cyclists and runners for it's hill training merits, it's close to town but has a good steady steep climb. I chose north Maniac today, starting from Maxwell Trail parking area behind Hughes Stadium.

I ran four repeats, from the starting line of the Horsetooth Half Marathon, to the top of Maniac Hill, and back. It gave me roughly 10.8 miles and it took 2 hours. Not sure of the vertical total but I think it's about 500 feet per hill from bottom to top, so roughly 2000 feet of climb and the same of descent. I didn't push hard, I just climbed and descended, very relaxed. Just getting the legs used to going up and down.

The whole way up, the shoulder was mostly covered with slush when I started, but by the time I finished things were in a good thaw and it was just wet. At the top of the hill it was clear and the shoulder was runnable. Fortunately all the motorists were nice today, no one tried to run me off the road or splash me with slush.

I hope the weather continues like this, looks like we could have a nice day for a 30 miler later this week.