Colorado, from a New Yorker's point of view

I started the day scrapping ice & snow off my windshield.  The temperature was in the low 20′s.  I drove to Cherry Creek State Park.  The park roads were icy and slick.  Even with my snow tires I kept skidding.  I then traversed a snow filled parking lot.

Why?

All so I could have the pleasure of paying the additional “day of” registration fee to compete in Chilly Cheeks 2.  As I walked across the parking lot I questioned my mental health.  Any emotionally healthy person would avoid paying for the privilege to run on icy and snow.   I’ve also come to the conclusion that giving in to peer pressure when it involves a sport, is a lot less fun than if it involves staying out late, partying, drinking or sex.

The course conditions were actually better than I was expecting, considering how slick the roads were.  I completed the 4 mile course in 35 minutes and 25 seconds.  My course record from the previously Chilly Cheeks race was 34 minutes and 53 seconds.  Considering that all four miles were snow or ice covered I’m happy with my time.

I was also very happy I registered.  I had a lot more fun then I was expect to have.  My next race goal is to complete a half-marathon this spring.  I figure once I post it here I have to go through with it.

The event also included a bike portion which I didn’t do.  A friend who did the complete duathalon fell 5 times, luckily he had good armor on.  Here is a shot of one of his falls.

I went snowboarding yesterday.  I’ve had two lessons so far.  This was my first time going down the slopes without an instructor.  I’m a snow bunny.  I always thought snow bunnies were cute girls dressed for the slopes, but no.  I’m a snow bunny.  Why?  I spent a considerable amount of time  on all fours hopping through the flats towards the downhill slope portion.  I’d be buried in a snow pile  and I’d have to hop out.  My hip flexors are so sore.  So is my neck.  The neck pain was all muscle soreness.  I would tense up and tuck my head to my chest when I would fall.  Like a boxer taking a punch, tensing his neck to prevent the whiplash effect that comes from taking a straight right cross to the temple.

I stayed at an outrageous 5BD 3.5 BR house in the mountains.  It belongs to a friend of a friend.  After about 3 hours of sleep I woke up thinking it was morning.  My body was fully awake and cramping up.  I spent most of the next 3.5 hours tossing and turning.  Even when I was in this half-asleep dream state I was dreaming I was tossing and turning.  I couldn’t get comfortable.  I was going to move to the floor but my friend’s dog would have started licking me.  I spent hours awake muttering to myself “please fall asleep, just fall asleep, don’t move, just fall asleep, stop moving.”  My tossing and turning was so bad that around 6 am the person I was sharing the bed with had to move to the couch.  Luckily pity was bestowed on me and I got a handful of Advils.

I had my first Colorado 5k yesterday.  The race was at Red Rocks, which is the world’s most beautiful gym.  Working out there is unbelievable, it is so picturesque.

I woke up and checked the temperature it was 25 degrees at the race location.  Luckily by race time it was expected to rise to 28 degrees.  I bundled up and headed off to meet my teammate.  Over 1,800 people were registered but only half showed up.

I had about 45 minutes to kill before the race.  At one point, while shivering at the top of the amphitheater I looked out and noticed how serene the mountains surrounding the venue were.  The mountains and grounds were all coated with a fresh dusting of snow.  Beautiful, but not when you are struggling to stay warm.

It was futile to try to warm up before the race.  I tried doing some squats and jumping jacks while standing at the starting line, but nothing really helped.  I would have to warm up as I was running.

The first 2/3 of the race was downhill.  I usually don’t like running downhill because of the strain it puts on my knees.  However, this was a race day and not a training day, so I didn’t care.  I finished the first two miles in 13:50, which I thought was amazing.  I’d never run that fast in my life.

Despite the abuse my knees were taking I didn’t make the connection that I was flying because I was going down hill.  Psychologically I was stoked with my pace.  Nothing was going to slow me down. Well nothing except for the hills and stairs on the back end of the course.  It was only after the race that I realized I was going so fast because it was downhill.

About a quarter mile past the two mile marker the course sudden went up hill.  Brutally up hill.  At the top of the hill you get to an even steeper ramp, which led to the base of the stairs.

I ended up finishing the course in 28:54.  I was very pleased with my time.  I finished 80^th overall, 59 out of 325 males.  More impressive I finished 13 out of 90 in my age group.  I was very pleased with this because the overall winner came from my age bracket.

Now I’m trying to decide which race to sign up for next.  In a few weeks there is a 3.5 mile race.  What makes it special is that you race in a gorilla suit.  The organizers are trying to set the Guinness Book of World Record for most people in a gorilla suit.  It is expensive to sign-up, but you do get to keep the outfit.

I have my first Colorado 5k this weekend.  The race is at Red Rocks.  The course has to be one of the most brutal 5k courses.  The first two thirds is mostly downhill, which sucks on the knees.  Then the race goes sharply up hill and it concludes with running the stairs to the top of the amphitheater.

If that is not enough the race time temperature is expected to be in the upper 30′s to low 40′s and the forecast is calling for snow.

My previous best 5k race time was 25:15.  Due to the nature of the Red Rocks course I don’t think I will break that.  I ran the course for the first time yesterday.  I took it slow because I wasn’t sure what to expect.  It took me about 29 minutes.  I ran it again this morning with some new friends.  I didn’t have a stop watch, but based on everyone else’s time I’d estimate it took me about 26 and change.

Wish me luck.