Where I Like To Run

Out my front door and to the left, I cross Mountain Sage Drive and begin running on the cement path that welcomes me to the open space.  About half a mile from my home the path intersects a crushed gravel utility road.  That road runs southwest through Highlands Ranch and I follow it for about four miles as it knifes through several developments.  At its western end I go left, which leads me south towards the 8,200 acre Backcountry Wilderness Area.  In about half a mile from there the gravel road peters out and becomes a single track trail.  The trail meanders through the Backcountry for the next five miles.  The terrain is rolling hills, punctuated by 18 inch high dirt moguls spaced about ten yards apart.  Those moguls are man-made to prevent soil erosion.  The result is a fun, undulating trail that disrupts runner’s rhythm.  This is hard running.

There is a hill that I skirt at about mile 5.5.  Once past that point I am out of sight of houses.  I pass the remains of an abandoned out building which looks like it was built about 100 years ago.  On either side of the trail there are fence posts, strung together with smooth wire.   

My mind wanders and I am running from Virginia City to see Hoss, Adam and Little Joe Cartwright out on the Ponderosa.  The high forehead crowd will remember the classic TV show Bonanza which ran from 1959 until 1973.  Today I feel like I am running with Xi and other Kalahari bushman trying to give the Coke bottle back to the Gods.  The temperature is already in the mid 80s by 7:00 a.m., on its way to 104 degrees.

When I am in this world, life is simple; just the trail and a man alone with his thoughts.  At the hour of the day that I run, I see few humans.  I see coyotes, foxes, owls, rabbits and prairie dogs.  Sometimes I see coyotes, foxes and owls eating rabbits and prairie dogs.  I see deer scat and in the winter I have seen herds of elk. 

At mile nine civilization creeps back into my dream world.  I crest a long rise just south of the Mountain Vista High School track.  At the next intersection I turn right and start climbing and about 800 steps later I am at the Compass Rose at the Highlands Point. 

The Highlands Point’s life-size compass offers incredible views of various Colorado landmarks.  The Highlands Point Compass Rose sits atop a hill overlooking Highlands Ranch and the surrounding area.  At an elevation of 6310 ft, this lookout affords a tremendous view of the Front Range from Colorado Springs to Boulder.  I make a slow pirouette, do a quick calf stretch and then head back down the hill towards my home.

The trail quickly opens up to a gravel, then cement path.  It is all cement and asphalt from that point on.  The surface is jarring and it saps the strength from my legs.  Within a half mile I cross Wildcat Reserve Parkway and in a few minutes I am on Venneford Ranch Road.  From there I look down upon the original ranch.  There are cows grazing in the rolling meadows.  At that point I am about a quarter of a mile from the Highlands Ranch Mansion.  The 22,000 square foot Tudor castle was used as the setting of the fictional Venneford Ranch in the miniseries Centennial which was written by James Michener.  The town I call home was originally called "Highland Ranch" after the Highland Hereford cattle on the ranch. 

I follow Venneford Ranch Road for another mile and a half, take a left onto Mountain Sage Drive and slow to a walk.  My work is done.  Altogether I cover 14 miles which usually takes me about an hour and 47 minutes; long enough for me to contemplate ruling the world but not long enough to make real plans.   

Living in Highlands Ranch makes running so easy and inviting.  The Highlands Ranch Metro District preserves more than 2,200 acres of open space areas.  These areas are undeveloped natural areas recognized by their mixed grass prairie environment.  It is home to a variety of wildlife, birds and native plants.  These natural areas also serve as an important drainage system.  In addition, there are over 70 miles of trails in Highlands Ranch.  Who could ask for anything more?

Happy Birthday

This week I celebrated my 48^th birthday.  The date fell on a weekday, and with our full schedules, it passed with just enough fanfare.  We had pizza; a SoHo Veggie from Parry’s Pizza.  Parry is a fellow Syracuse Alumni.  There was chocolate cake. 

One of my presents was a book about the 13 day siege of the Alamo.  This will expand my knowledge of mid 19^th century US military history.  

The other thing I received was a ‘big box of old’.  I have suddenly become very aware of my frailty.  It takes me longer to recover.  My legs just don’t have the turnover they used to.  The act of swinging my legs forward, especially my left leg, has become very deliberate, almost mechanical.  I would never describe myself as a graceful runner, but I feel like I’m running as smoothly as a Greek factory.

The solution, of course, is to run more.  I need to do more speed work.  This will teach my body to run more efficiently at faster speeds.  I am still recovering from the Colfax Marathon and I’m going to ride that excuse as long as I can. 

One of my idols is Jack LaLanne, the apostle for fitness.  The man was amazing.  In 1984 at age 70, handcuffed, shackled, and fighting strong winds and currents, he towed 70 rowboats, one with several guests, from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary; about one mile.

One of his more famous quotes is “My workout is my obligation to life.  It is my tranquilizer.  It is part of the way I tell the truth – and telling the truth is what’s kept me going all these years.”

It’s time for me to face the truth. 

Road Warrior

I was in Dallas, TX this week.  I must confess it was the first time I have ever been in to the Big-D.  When we landed the temperature was 90 degrees with 70 % humidity.  How do people live there?

I was there for a one day conference.  We arrived mid-day on Monday and left late Tuesday evening.  While most of my co-workers closed down the hotel bar at midnight, I hit the hay at 10:00 and got up at 5:15 for a seven mile run.  My behavior was looked upon as odd and almost unacceptable.  It makes me wonder, in what kind of sick, twisted world do they live?

The wind was howling and there was a spectacular lightning storm while I was running.  The sky was electric.  For those of you who have not been to Dallas, it is flat.  The only hills I saw were where the roads went under or over other roads. 

There was a Good Morning Texas segment for the local Metro PCS Marathon.  This race used to be called the White Rock Marathon, which was named for the White Rock Lake that the course ran around.  The race isn’t until December and they have already started hyping it.  Denver could learn from that. 

It is fun to run in different cities.  It gives me a feel for the location.  That was not the case this time.  D-Town sprawls across nearly 400 square miles.  It is difficult to get a real sense of the local flavor.  I ran 3.5 miles into the wind and came back with a nice tail wind.

I am feeling a little let down after the Colfax Marathon.  It is difficult to get fired up about training without a clearly defined goal.  All the training we did this past winter had a purpose.  Now that reason has passed.  I sure miss the camaraderie of those long runs at the REZ this winter.  I feel lost.  I have headaches, muscle aches, a loss of appetite, I feel generally weak, I am confused and irritable.  I got a fever, and the only prescription is more marathon. 

And so, this week I celebrated National Running Week by registering for the Denver Marathon which will be run on September 22^nd.  I feel so much better already.

Also, I bought a new pair of running shoes.  Thursday morning I ran in my New Balance 730s, size 13 EE.  It is a minimalist shoe with a sock-like fit and is fairly lightweight at 7.3 ounces.  Now the hierarchy of shoes shifts and the oldest pair goes in the trash. 

Glory Days

This past Saturday night Mary and I entertained some long time friends.  We have known Andy and Lisa for 22 years.  We have shared the joys and challenges of raising children.  For dinner we served Barbequed Baby Back Pork Ribs from the Buckhorn Exchange, Denver’s oldest restaurant.  I cashed in the $70 gift certificate I won as the 2^nd place masters finisher in this year’s Platte River ½ Marathon.

Earlier this week I cashed in a $25 gift card at the Runners Roost for two pairs of very nice socks.  That was for winning one of the RMRR 20 mile races.  I should also mention the box of assorted gels I received which was the award for running 200 miles in four weeks as part of a promotion from Strava.  We are almost half way through the year and as I reflect on my running, one conclusion is clear.  I have been darn lucky.  The last time I ran this well was 2006.  

The Colfax Marathon is a quickly fading memory; so quickly, in fact, that I am contemplating the fall marathon season.  There are three well run fall marathons within an hour, or so, drive from my home: the American Discovery Trail Marathon in Colorado Springs, the Boulder Marathon and the Denver Marathon. 

In 2006 I caught the Dean Karnazes multi-marathon craze and ran three marathons within six weeks.  I registered for the American Discovery Trail Marathon, which is held on Memorial Day.  Vacation plans took the family to Orange County, California so I registered for the Long Beach Marathon in mid-October.  I won a free entry into the Boulder Backroads Marathon by virtue of winning one of the RMRR 20 miles.  How twisted do you have to think that running a marathon is a reward for running a 20 mile race?

At the Boulder Backroads Marathon Dean and I passed each other on Oxford Road.  I was heading up the hill at mile 19.5 and he was coming down the hill at mile 14.5.  I saw him coming from about a mile away.  He had an entourage of about 40 runners with him.  Dean was mid-way through his quest to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days; a truly remarkable physical achievement.  

This year, through some marathon kismet, the three marathons I am considering have arranged themselves in a very tempting order: 

The American Discovery Trail Marathon on September 3^rd

The Denver Marathon on September 22nd

The Boulder Marathon on October 21st.

I ask myself; do I dare run all three?

Today was the June installment of the RMRR Trophy Series.  The 4 kilometer event was held at Bible Park and was quite well attended.  It was also the annual Pancake Breakfast.  A very special thanks to the Dailey family for cooking the food. 

Adios Caballa Blanco

On Saturday, March 31^st, the body of Michael Randall Hickman (aka Mikah True, aka Caballo Blanco, the great ultra-marathoner) was found near the Little Creek in the Gila Wilderness Area in southwest New Mexico.  He had gone out for a 12 mile run, a short jaunt for him, on Tuesday.  When he did not return, nearly 200 local officials and volunteers searched over 200,000 acres. 

The cause of death was idiopathic cardiomyopathy, a heart ailment.  It is not clear if the cardiac event caused Mikah to fall into the creek bed or if he fell, then had the attack.  He was 58 years old and had achieved mythic renown.  Mikah died while running through a spectacular wilderness area.  He was at peace with himself. 

Mikah’s story became legend in the 2009 best-seller “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall.  He was a free spirit, a modern day Thoreau; shunning money and possessions.  Mikah represented the “what if” fantasies I sometimes have.  What if I walked off the professional path?  No more buttons to push.  No cranks to turn.  A simpler way of living.  What if I never walked that path to begin with?

At the 1993 Leadville 100 two peasants from Chihuahua, Mexico, wearing huaraches they’d made from tires they found in the city dump finished an hour ahead of the nearest competitor.  These were the Tarahumara.  Mikah finished 28^th with a time of about 24 hours.  What is particularly impressive is that he was recovering from a bike crash from which he was hospitalized. 

For years Mikah alternated living six months in Boulder, CO, where he worked as a furniture mover, and Chihuahua, Mexico.  It was there that he became obsessed with the Tarahumara.  The locals call themselves Rarumuri which loosely translates into the running people.  He built a tiny home in the town of Botopila, carrying rocks from the river valley to use as a foundation and erecting walls with cement and adobe. 

In 2003 Mikah organized a race to help the Rarumuri preserve their running heritage.  Seven runners showed up.  The race became an annual event called the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon.  In 2006 Scott Jurek and six other Americans made the trek to compete.  Jurek finished second to a Rarumuri.  The 2012 race, held on March 4^th, attracted over 550 runners, including 350 Rarumuri.  Runners received 110 lbs of corn for every 10 miles they ran.  All told, Mikah True gave away $40,000 in food; a life saver for the Rarumuri.  The Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon will live on as Mikah’s legacy. 

I am more like the social butterfly of the High Line than the Lone Wanderer of the High Sierra.  I am soft and I like my little luxuries.  I am an extrovert, which means I am energized by being around other people.  This Saturday I ran 14 miles with Tim and Scott D.  It was the first time I had run since the Colfax Marathon and it was challenging to keep pace. 

Mikah described himself in this way:  “Caballo Blanco is no hero.  Not a great anything.  Just a Horse of a little different color dancing to the beat of a peaceful drum and wanting to help make a little difference in some lives.” 

What can we learn from Caballo Blanco? 

Be true to your spirit

Care for others – spread good karma

Exert your body to its limits – they are greater than you think

Leave a legacy – add to the universe

Find bliss in simple tasks done well

Mikah True was but a small piece in the great mosaic of humanity.  He was a prophet for a new generation of runner.  Fame illuminated him for a moment and he shined.  That light inspired many. 

Run Smart

Many a thrill can be had on Colfax Avenue in exchange for a few Federal Reserve Notes.  Few sane people would find what I, and over 1,100 other people, did on that thoroughfare thrilling.  We wonder why people give us strange looks when we tell that we pay someone so we can torture ourselves.  That entry fee is really a sick tax on masochists. 

The week before the Colfax Marathon I was filled with apprehension and self-doubt.  Had I trained appropriately?  Had I gone long enough on my long runs?  Had my intensity been high enough?  Had I tapered adequately?  Was I rested? 

For two weeks I had been sitting in a room.  Looking out of the window I could see hundreds of trees and shrubs, all but one was full of big green leaves.  That one was budding when I arrived and I watched as the leaves filled in so that by the time I left, it was indistinguishable from its neighbor.  That bush reminded me of myself; a little late to the race, but ready to run. 

While in Rochester I did everything I could to prepare myself for the race.  I ran 25 miles two weeks ago and 19 miles last week.  I stayed well hydrated with water and Powerade.  I ate a banana, an apple and a baked potato every day.  I did indulge in a dozen Buffalo wings at the Original Anchor Bar, though.

I also spent time contemplating race strategy.  The Colfax Marathon starts with about 6.5 miles of downhill running.  While the next 8.5 miles are up hill, the three mile section around Sloan’s Lake is almost flat.  Miles 15 through 21 are downhill.  The last 5 miles are an uphill slog back to City Park.  I decided I would use the Sloan’s Lake section as a time to gain some time.  Those last five miles were brutal.  After 20 miles of running we are tired mentally as well as physically.  Our fragile minds have trouble doing simple math. 

The altitude definitely affected my performance; how much is difficult to quantify.  I was taxed from the start.  In relative effort terms this was a much harder race than the 2:57 I ran last fall.  I am very pleased with the effort, if not the time, it took to run the course.  And on that note…  I know of three runners, including the first female finisher, who ran this year’s event around ten minutes slower that last year.  That’s almost a mile and a half.  Something is afoot here.

Here are the highlights that I can remember from today’s race:

Creigh Kelley at the firehouse through which we ran

Running through Mile High Stadium twice

The crowds at the relay exchanges

Running around the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design campus

The tour through “The Glens” at the high point of the course

The people who called my name either because they knew me or they read it on my bib

Doug and Bonnie at mile 20

Scott D. at Confluence Park

Mike Q. welcoming me at the finish

For the record: 
3:02:39
23rd overall
6th in the 40-49 age group (3rd place age group award winner)