Week In Review: 8/6-8/12: Back In The Sky

       After veering away from Colorado's fabled 14ers for a couple of weeks to rejuvenate my body, I am glad to say that three out of this week's four runs resulted in my getting my head back in the clouds.  The first of these runs, Pike's Peak (14,110 ft), was a wonderful solo outing in which I was able to keep myself completely collected throughout the entirety of the ascent and run nearly every step with my breathing in a very mellow and comfortable state.  It was invigorating and revitalizing to my confidence after the Grand Mesa Incident to carry myself up the mountain with such (relative) ease.

      The day prior I had thrown myself onto Manitou Springs' fabled Incline, a 1 mile climb/staircase that gains about 2,000 vertical feet.  I'd like to return to it again without the heat of the day to hinder me and see just how quickly (relative once again) I could knock it out.

      Returning to Leadville for the weekend I had the pleasure of scooting up Mt Sherman (14,034 ft) in what proved to be one of the most fun outings in the mountains I've had in a while.  Incredibly strong winds made the otherwise simple route an adventure in and of itself.  Wrapping up the week with a morning outing up Missouri (14, 067) coupled with an adventuresome scree-scramble with Anna rounded the week out quite nicely.

     I find myself wondering why exactly I am signed up for a race next month that requires a particular type of training when I find so much joy in pushing myself in the pursuit of routes and mountain peaks that beckon to me any given day.  But, on the bright side, all I have to do is finish Run Rabbit Run and I can put my name into the lottery for Hardrock, which would certainly be a mountain excursion to be reckoned with...

      So here it is, the week in review:

8/6- Monday
        X

8/7- Tuesday
        X

8/8- Wednesday
        4 miles including The Incline (31:03 up), 1:00, 2,000 ft 
  
8/9- Thursday
         25 miles up and down the Barr Trail to Pike's Peak (14,110), 3:10 ascent, 5:20 total, very comfortable and casual, enjoyed every second of it, 7,300 ft

8/10- Friday
         X

8/11- Saturday
         7 miles up Mt Sherman with Luna, Matt, Anna, and Tomas- rode the ridge to Gemini Peak and descended the saddle of Dyer back to the carpark, 1 hour to Sherman's summit, 1:50 total, 3,300 ft

         *Tomas put together a great video of this outing that I will post here as soon as its uploaded

8/12- Sunday
         10 miles with Anna up Missouri (14,067 ft), a scramble over to Elkhead Pass and back down, 1:50 on the ascent, 3:12 total, 4,500 ft

Totals:  46 miles, 11 hours 20 minutes, 17,100 ft

Silliness ensued in Missouri Gulch 

Ran through a beautiful basin

Me and Anna on Missouri's summit

Beautiful views north from the ridge