Week 40 13,700 (466,200')

274 - 2,100' - Ran w/ Adam around the Rock2Rock course.

275 - 1,300' - Back roads - nice and easy.

276 - 2,000' - Driveway reps, hard, 11x400 w/182.6' of vert per. The trail was actually about 180.8', but I went another 1.8' into the thick forest to get that extra 1%. When a 30:?? 10k'er says to go the extra 1%, I listen.

277 - 2,100' - see previous post - First, however, quote of the run and perhaps the year - "This trail is so steep that I have rock rash on my fore-skin."

278 - 2,000' Driveway reps, moderate.

279 - 2,200' - Back roads, nice and easy - lots of bear scat - I keep Lord's Balls in my pocket, they were left on my front porch a few weeks ago. They are tiny, pea sized, but the rancid stench keeps the bears away. They're hard to keep track of, they are constantly slipping down between my drivers seat and the console to live with some pennies and Cheerios. But, the tweezers I have do the trick and recovering the balls from down there keeps me safe from momma bears this time of year. Definitely keepers, thanks to the anonymous kind soul who passed these on to me.

280 - 2,000' - More Back Roads - pushed a little - felt good.

A Steep One Today

Mad A (aka Adam Hill) has been asking me to do one of his favorite runs with him for a little while now. Just happened to work very well today for my good friend Joe to join us as well. Joe is visiting from Idaho Falls. In words this run isn't much different than most that I do - a nice steep climb, then head back down. Except, steep on this run is a little different than steep on my usual runs, and at the summit a newbie must climb the chimney.

Adam's thoughts on what's ahead...

Joe insists on running here.
Adam's got some skills.
Pickin' my line.
The goat on his rock.
Looking at the chimney from here - pretending Adam isn't taking a photo of me.
Adam points at the scar we'll descend.
I asked for a spotter going up and down the chimney.
The newbie.

Week 39 - 12,000' (452,500')

267 - 4,000' - Big Yellow, perhaps - it was quite foggy. See previous post.

268 - 0'

269 - 2,200' - Explore Back Roads w/Brian.

270 - 2,000' - Driveway reps. 10x200'.

271 - 1,000 - Roads.

272 - 1,800' - Back Roads

273 - 1,000' - Roads

On Monday Brian and I explored the back roads behind my place with his Garmin Edge 500. Brian rode his single speed and I ran. The terrian allowed for, a sort of, even pace for us. While Brian was red-lining on the ups, I was killing my quads on the downs! To access these back roads we need to ride/run an easy 1.5 miles, then have access to miles and miles of great stuff. Our exploring was done not just to see what was up there, but to see how we can connect my back yard to these back roads. Laying the Garmin info over google earth we found that we were actually quite close to my backyard, about 1/4 mile as the crow flies. We have a little more work to do to find the perfect spot, but when we do we are going to make a trail from my back yard to the back roads that will then lead to Brians back yard! We'll mark some coords on the GPS and once the leaves fall and we have a good line of site we will be cutting a trail. Should be a great hobby thru the winter.

Brian's back yard - photo taken from his deck.

Little Hump TT

Big Yellow Mountain.

Had a great day running over in this area, about 90 minutes from Asheville and had hoped to summit Little Hump with Adam and Tim, but my internal compass must've been shut off or needed calibration. Headed out for an up/down TT, 5.2 miles and 2,800' of climbing on the way up with another couple hundred feet of climbing on the way back for about a 3,000' day. The plan was to take a split about half way up at Yellow Gap, then split at the summit, then again at Yellow Gap on the way back. The first mile and 700-800' of climbing goes through alot of open field and pature with no real trail and allows for picking your own line and going with it. Then we head into some thick forest for the next mile with more good climbing. The 3rd mile is pretty steep but consistant and this is where I really got into a rhythem and thought I might be able to gain back some on Adam and Tim who were now out of sight. I thought for sure these guys were going to bury eachother up this climb and I might be able to take advantage of the lactic acic carnage going on to at least get to the summit first or with them. Because the reality of it all is that they would have swallowed me within minutes on the descent! So hear I am feeling great after 2 miles and starting to crank it up the steady steep stuff. Yellow Gap comes right around the 3 mile mark, with still another 2.2/1,450' to the summit. I got to Yellow Gap and the trail split. Without going into detail as to why I went left instead of right, I'll just say that it didn't really matter, both were wrong turns. It wasn't until I was coming back that I saw the trail I was actually supposed to take was about 10 meters before the 2 I was contemplating - I flew right by the correct trail and never knew it until about an hour later. So I am now off course, but didn't know it for a good 10-15 minutes. Earlier I was hearing some big yells by Adam, but no more, I thought this was a good sign, Adam tired perhaps, but it was a bad sign. It wasn't until I came upon a big mud area and saw no footprints from Adam or Tim or Tim's dog. Well it was too late to sick with the TT plan up Little Hump, this trail was going straight up and decided to climb until it didn't climb anymore. A good 2,000' of run/hike and I was on the summit of something, but could hardly see 10' in fornt of me it was so foggy and perfect! Loved it, but at the top of this there was no trail so I decided not to wonder and just get back. Made it back about 25:00 after Adam and Tim and 10-15 minutes after Brandon. Adam and Brandon thought I may have tagged Big Yellow. I'll take it for a little under 4,000' on that run and a little over 4,000' for the day. Good beer, great company - looking forward to our next TT. I put in for an up only that I know I won't get lost on!

Week 38 - 12,000' (440,500')

260 - 0'

261 - 4,500' - Shut-In - see previous post.

262 - 1,000' - out my front door. (OMFD)

263 - 1,000' - OMFD.

264 - 1,800' - BearWallow x 3.

265 - 1,600' - OMFD - New!

266 - 2,100' - OMFD - New!!

Great week with some more exploring around my new place. The 2 OMFD 1,000' days were on a little route that I'm quite farmilar with. But, yesterday and today (1,600'/2,100') I grew a set and checked out this gravel road I had been turning around at. At the bottom of my driveway I can turn right and go up a paved road for about 1,200 meters before it ends at a house where I saw some dogs that looked a little sketchy. Just left of the house there's a dirt road, but it turns sharply and I could never see where it went. So Thursday morning I ran up the road with 2 good sized rocks in my hands preparing for the worst if the dogs were, in fact, going to give me a run for my money. Ran passed the house and never saw anything, so all was good there. Then, I was generously paid for my courage. I founds a whole new world, a nice system of dirt raods that most jeeps would have difficulty getting through. Just some icing on the cake from what I thought I was already getting by moving here. I feel very fortunate that I can run out my front door now into an abundance of miles and vertical.

Good day Sunday

Got out early Sunday while the morning temps were still in the low 50's with the intent to be out for 3 hours and get in some good vert. Managed to get in 4,500' and a perma grin to go with it. Running in a pair of shorts, some socks and shoes on a perfect morning in early September is a great moment! Legs feel good today. I credit this to proper recovery, as seen in the photo below.

Week 37 - 7,700' (428,500')

A new view.246 - 0'

247 - 500' - Roads

248 - 3,000' - BearWallow x 5.

249 - 500' - Roads

250 - 1,700' - Bearwallow x 3.

251 - 1,000' - Dirt/paved roads.

252 - 1,000' - Dirt/paved roads.

Another light week for vertical and this cool weather with Fall just around the corner has me jacked up with energy. Between work and moving I didn't make much of an effort to "fit in" much this week. That's OK, I should be able to get a good week in this week without forcing anything. The new place I live gets me a 1,000' of vert on my easy 1 hour mornings out my front door. I was only getting 500' doing that at my old place. I live at the end of a 1 mile dirt road that gains 320'. The last .25 mile goes 190' - hhmmm, I can see some quarter reps in my future when I have a little pent up energy. The photo above is the new view I have, and also shows the final pitch coming up to the cabin.

YTD Correction - 420,800"

Looks like I jumped the gun a little on my Week 35 total.

411,000' + 9,800' = 420,800' (not 428,000').

Bear Wallow x 5

I don't know what it is about this little climb, but I just don't get board doing laps on this. It's a 1 mile/600' climb. I take the single track up and the dirt road down for a nice 2 mile loop. I've done a number of 3-4 loop runs easily on this and wanted to see what 5 felt like. 5 was not bad at all, I'm thinking 6-7 will be a good place to to feel a little push though. So, yesterday I wanted to run even and comfortable for all 5 loops. The first was done in 19:10, so I decided that sub 20 for all 5 was a nice goal at a cozy effort. No problem, I went 19:10, 19:23, 19:05, 19:32, 17:18. Yea, #5 was done at slightly more than a cozy effort to see what I could do.

Week 35 - 9,800' (428,000')

239 - 500' - Roads

240 - 0'

241 - 2,600' - See previous post.

242 - 2,200' - 4 loops on BearWallow

243 - 1,400' - The Shut-In staple

244 - 1,700' - 3 loops on BearWallow

245 - 1,400' - The Shut-In staple

This was a pretty easy week. I feel like I took the week off sort of. It'll just make me hungry this coming week.

I'm tempted to call the month of September "TT week." I'm more of a stomach and leg kinda guy, but I still love TT's.

Check out my blog list for Moustache Month, good stuff going on there. If you feel like growing a stache or a set join in.