(COLD) Reality Bites!

We really enjoyed our 10 day run of WAY above average temperatures and probably got a little spoiled by the warm running... OK, not probably, we just expect it now! However, there is a slight problem in that we live in Colorado and it IS January - the TROPICS have left the building!!! So when the mercury could not top 35 Friday and the expected 40's for this weekend disappeared by Friday night's weather forecast, we knew it was back to bundled up running.
We woke to light snow falling again this morning and when the sun finally peeled back the clouds, we decided to head out for some leg turnover on the Santa Fe trail. We have been very lucky that we have not been required to tap Santa Fe much this winter - it is mostly wide open and generally never gets too muddy, so it is occasionally a winter staple. While "flat" for Colorado trail running standards, it still requires a good effort to maintain some speed. The other issue becomes one of boredom - not much in the way of the regular spectacular scenery we get to enjoy on our runs. So we hooked up some tunes and set out for a run. It was quite cold when we started but the sun helped. You always have to be careful on this trail when it's cold because there is NO shelter from the wind.
We made the turn around point we had decided on in really good time and still had some sun. What we had not realized was that our good pace out was not iPod induced, but rather tailwind induced. We had not paid much attention to that because it was quite cold on the way out. Shortly after the photo above, we lost the sun, the wind kicked up hard, and flurries started. Now we have run some cold days this year and done very well maintaining a positive attitude, but this last 4 miles today was a character building event. The wind got so cold that Kathleen started to have blurred vision from her eyeballs freezing and we did not have much conversation on the way back - our mouths and faces were frozen stiff! What a difference 1/2 hour can make in the mountains. We finished with an amazingly respectable time for a mid-winter, frozen jaunt, decided to SKIP the cool down walk because we were FROZEN, and immediately jumped into our rental vehicle (see yesterday's post for that jolly time). It was an interesting scene - I had Ice-locks - my hair was frozen solid from the sweat on the way out and my wool headband was frozen stiff!!! But, it was quite a good run and it was one of those efforts that pays dividends in Spring and Summer when you think about bailing on a run because of cheesy stuff like lack of motivation, wind, or cloudy days. That is ultimately why we run when many don't - earn your fitness now and enjoy the base you build in three months when others are trying to get in shape! BTW, we saw 5 other humans while out for 10 miles.
By the time we made the 5 minute drive home from the trail head, this was the view of the mountains from our driveway - well, they ARE there, you just cannot see them!!! Needless to say, the caffeine production equipment kicked into high gear when we got home - jet black, steaming espresso helps thaw out the body after a frigid outing. We got in a good ten miler and then parked it in front of the "Lance Returns" special on Versus - nothing like Lance for some good motivation! (We're glad he is back!) Good Times!

Shoes - K Asics Trail Sensor
S- Asics Gel Trabuco

From Mundane to TOO MUCH Excitement!

We woke to fresh snow and 13 degree temps this morning and headed over early for a loop through Ute Valley Park. It was crisp and slick and we were decked out with screw shoes for firm footing on the ice. It was a pretty "normal" 6 mile run before Kathleen needed to head off to work.

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A few minutes after she left, I picked up the phone to hear words that made my heart sink, "Honey, I need help, I just crashed my truck!" Talk about putting a lump in the back of your throat. Luckily, Kathleen was not hurt at all which is the only thing that matters. Cars can be replaced. This is a notorious bend in the road on a downhill that we have driven every day for the 15 years we've been at our house. Today was just one of those days with hardcore black ice and when she got sideways, it was all over. It was only 1/2 mile down from our house, so I ran (again) down there while on the cell phone with our insurance agent. I was stunned to see how hard she hit and then to realize she was not hurt - what a blessing!!! I took some pictures when I went back to meet the tow truck about 2 hours later. We are glad no one was in the passenger seat because it took a beating! The mail box post was cement filled steel, set into the sidewalk, and I think it saved her from rolling the vehicle - another blessing, even though it did a number on the truck! We were glad the truck took the impact as well as it did and kept my honey safe - that's all I cared about and I am SOOOOO thankful she's OK. We're just sad our trusty trail-finding friend may not be with us any longer on our adventures :-(

Happy Trails and hope we have Happy Pictures tomorrow from a good, long trail run!!!

Early Morning USAFA Road Ride

My friend, D, and I headed out early this morning for a couple of laps on our road bikes at the USAFA. It was a gorgeous bluebird sky morning although we were a couple of crispy critters as it was quite cool at the start. I thought I had been a bit overly zealous wearing my knickers but after about 30 minutes, we warmed up to a comfortable state. We were having our doubts at the beginning, though!
It was great to be able to ride with D - it's been awhile. A few years back, there was a nice group of us girls who would meet on Mondays for mostly mountain bike rides, sometimes road rides (I am off on Mondays!!!) - there usually were about 3 to 5 of us, sometimes 7 or so. That ended a year or so back when everyone got their priorities messed up (except for Becky as she works mostly from home but was skiing with the fam today) and decided to GET JOBS or go BACK TO SCHOOL. Go figure. D was one of those "messed up" friends, LOL! So we had fun today!

D rode one+ lap with me and then had to hightail it off to a meeting at school. She is a track and cross country coach at one of the local high schools. The wind decided to whip itself into a frenzy halfway through my second lap. I have a strong dislike for riding in the wind and hate the feeling of getting blown around, which was happening on the west and northern side. But, ahhh, I made the turn onto Stadium Drive and oh how LOVELY are strong tailwinds! I can't remember riding down this flat to rolling stretch of road as fast as I did today, in a long time. The speed never fell below 26 mph and maxxed at 34mph. H-O-L-Y C-O-W. For me, on the flats, that is fast. I generally don't have the power to push the big gears on the flats but that big tailwind was sure a thing of beauty!
It pushed me the last 6 miles to my truck. I ended the day with 30 miles and a big smile on my face!

C invited me to join her and another friend later this afternoon for a ride as that was the only time they could go. I hate to ever pass up getting to ride or run with friends and fully intended on joining them as the legs felt pretty good in spite of the hilly terrain of the AFA. I figured why not go ahead and completely toast the legs with a 2nd hilly ride in our neighborhood? But alas, the SISSY GIRL that I am, bailed, as I just wasn't too motivated to endure the gusty winds! :-)

Another awesome weather day today - we hit the low 60's (too bad D and I missed those temps this morning!). It felt great to get out on the bike. My running muscles always feel more "balanced" after a good ride. Happy trails to all this week . . .

Shoes: Sidis