I started a post a while back about (yet) another training run, but frankly, it was uninspiring. It was a cool training run, lots of altitude (see route below!) but basically just another run of thousands. Nothing too important.

I also got out onto the Grouse Grind on Friday, which is a 2,800 foot climb over 2.9 km (less, according to the Garmin.) My buddy Tim set a new personal best to the top, finishing in 39:24 or so. Pretty awesome. My best time is about 37 mins and given how good I felt for 39, I think I could go much faster this year…

The key takeaway really is that my training is pretty much back on track. I have dialed back the mileage a bit from what I wanted to do, simply because I am scared of getting hurt. But I’ve still managed a couple of 100+ km weeks, and that’s good. I am going to take Noakes’ advice and “see what you can do on less training, first”.

Today I got out with a friend Antoine, who is a very smart, beast of a runner. Just off the couch he can probably destroy my marathon time (I’m certain of it) and has run 2:41. We went out and ripped off a 30 km long run out towards UBC via Kits, and were running pretty fast, including a few 4:35 minute km’s (7:20 miles) near the end there. Was good to run “fast” because I rarely do. He is like, the running guru as well. Basically he’s my coach, for all intensive purposes. (Haha, just kidding. Intents and Purposes.)

My training is going ok. I am heading into Daniels’ “Marathon Plan A” week 15, which is the start of “Phase III” aka the tough phase. Lots of longer tempo runs, and some marathon runs (13 miles at 6:20 min/mi or 4:11 min/km pace) here and there. Pretty challenging stuff. Of course training for Leadville my priority is not tempo runs, but hill training, but I feel it’s important to mix in this fast running, at least once a week.

I don’t actually know how much I’ll get to do of these tempo sessions, because I am leaving for Leadville in one week! I’ve started packing and buying snacks for the road, and am getting myself mentally and emotionally prepared to, as Antoine put it, “live the hermit life and run full time like Quenton Cassidy!”

I’ve got lots of miles to log before the race, but soon I’ll have only 2 priorities: logging those miles, and taking care of my body so it doesn’t get injured before the race. And lots of time reading A Song of Ice and Fire books while wearing my Akubra and a pair of board shorts. AKA living the dream!