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Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 3:30 PM
Subject: Incline Club TH #4 LR #23
Howdy ICers,
First off please note that the breakfast van feed is on again for this Sunday with a much better looking forecast. Again I am sorry about last week but frozen pancakes are not that much fun. More below.
Next, I want to thank those of you who sent in your doctor referrals for the
club runner who is looking for a doctor! I think the club e-mail can really
serve as a powerful networking tool for this type of thing. In fact, I
actually got more people asking to see the referrals than I got referrals.
It seems that several people are trying to find doctors who can relate to
runners. So again if you have a good doctor please give them a referral and
I will pass it on to those that ask. Here is a partial referral that gave me
a serious laugh:
----
...is a pretty accomplished runner (at least he kicks my butt).
He has done the Triple Crown and other local races so he’s sensitive to the
training needs — however irrational — of runners. He is not, however, a
psychiatrist, so he may not be the right choice for an Incline Clubber.
----
####
Thursday, April 26, 5:30 p.m. meet at Soda Springs Park.
Warm-up to Hydro Street. 30 minutes of 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy up the
Barr Trail. Easy down. 4 X Hydro Street Hill. Cool down back to park.
Sunday, April 29, 8 a.m. meet at Soda Springs Park.
Run up the Barr Trail and turn left at the 1/2 mile to Barr Camp sign and
head 1.25 miles over to Mountain View by the COG. Return but at .8 miles
from Mountain View turn left and up to get to Barr Camp. Run down the Barr
Trail, left on Bob’s Road, left on LRR to “J” pipe, right to top of Incline
and down Barr Trail to finish the run. 2.5-3.5 hours. If it would take
longer skip Mountain View and head to Barr Camp only.
####
Teresa and Neal T write:
Lets go for the van feed — extended forecast says 74 and mostly sunny! Same
invite info as before!
Go out hard, and finish hard... for pancakes!
----
Neal & Teresa T invite you to the 3rd annual Van-Feed!
Pancakes and fixings, juice, coffee, and other breakfast goodies await you
after your run! No need to bring anything. If you do have a special goodie
you like to make, feel free...but it is not necessary. If your significant
other has been wondering who you hang out with on Sunday, they are welcome
too! Work on the sun gods for a great day for the chow down! Oh
yes....stupid people tricks welcome as well!
(Matt C adds: OK Mike F, we may be pressing our luck but the doughnuts were to die for;-)
####
Rick H writes (and reported to the club before the Sunday run):
Friday afternoon I ran up Williams Canyon to the intersection to where the
trail goes over to Waldo. I marked the turn off to Waldo with neon green
survey tape. You will start to see the green survey about 30 feet before the
trail turnoff to Waldo. Once on the trail to Waldo there are a couple of
strands of tape also. Hopefully no one will pull down the survey tape. I
didn’t mark the Rampart Range Road turnoff to the Williams Canyon Trail.
That part of the trail is easier to find. Concerning the water falls below
the Waldo trail intersection, there is a trail off to the left of the falls
when going down that goes around the water falls and you don’t have to do
any rocky scurrying.
####
Laura L writes:
It was hard getting our butts out the door last Sunday morning, listening to
the wind blow, but we did it! Tom K, Neal T, David W, Teresa T and I opted
out of Rampart Range Rd. and headed up Barr Trail. We had a nice easy run up
and the snow was beautiful! Just like a Christmas postcard. I even made a
snow angel at Barr Camp — the first one for me this year! The snow was
coming down so hard that our tracks were covered up in no time and we looked
like the abominable snow people! The footing was good and soft, the ice was
covered up. It was still a challenge, so when one of us would start to sound
negative (read: whine), Neal would say, “Toughen up, Cream Puff!” It made us
laugh and I think that saying will get us through many a hard run. Good call
canceling the van feed — we want warm sunny weather to sit outside and eat
pancakes!
####
Randy L writes:
I took the bait offered by Rick H. on Sunday, and tried the trail down into
Williams Canyon from Rampart Range Road. First of all, thanks for marking
it! The first 1/4 mile is game trail quality (although with good footing)
and I appreciated the yellow tapes at critical points. Williams Canyon is
beautiful, and I highly recommend that each person try it at least once. It
is filled with a dense forest of mixed conifers and deciduous trees,
generally pretty flat and wide, and surrounded by towering cliffs. Would be
refreshing on a hot day. In the snow, it was simply peaceful.
I elected to go on down the canyon to Manitou rather than take the well marked turnoff to Waldo given the blowing snow. It took about 45 minutes from Rampart Range Rd. back to the park, and most of that was either walking or light jogging. So this is an easy return if you find yourself bonking up high.
One note if you go down past the Waldo turnoff — you come to the top of an 80 foot cliff with waterfall, which I’ve been told is spectacular with more runoff. Stay on the left side at this point (facing downstream) and a good bypass trail quickly appears. The single set of footprints I had been following through the snow disappeared at this point, so hopefully there’s not an IC runner still wandering around out there.
It is interesting that the creek keeps disappearing, then reappearing. This is a characteristic of “karst” topography with caves in limestone. The water drops down into the limestone from time to time (presumably making new caves below our feet).
When you reach the Cave of the Winds property and road (marked no trespassing so you’re on your own here), you’ll be treated to a spectacular display of the power of water. The floods of a couple years ago completely wiped out the historic road down through the “narrows,” leaving a jumble of rock and huge pipes jutting out at impossible angles. I speculate that this road will never be reopened to vehicle traffic. Which is fine for the rest of us.
####
Steve B writes:
Leaving about five minutes early for the run yesterday I hoped to find the
trail referred to by Brett and Rick in the last newsletter. Just before the
towers I saw a trail going to the left with three sets of cairns.
Remembering that they had said they marked their trail with one cairn and
that the trail was after the towers I continued on, soon spotting the single
cairn. No one was at the firing range, probably due to the snow and wind.
Sam and I wound down the trail into Williams Canyon as the snow now began to stick. What a beautiful canyon! I had never been down there before and quite appreciated the chance to visit another gem in our rich spectrum of choice trails. If anyone has a chain saw I would devote a Saturday afternoon to cutting out the six or so large logs blocking the trail. This could become another *classic* route! There was evidence of long term camping in the canyon(Roger?), i.e. crude attempt at building a shelter, fire pit in cave, though it appeared this was more than a year ago.
At the junction I considered only briefly heading up to Waldo. My hands were getting a bit numb and I was wearing only running shorts so I decided to continue down Williams Canyon to Cave of the Winds road. After the junction a ways the canyon narrows into a spectacular 60 foot waterfall. The trail goes left high alongside. I stopped and marveled at the sight of the waterfall and the high canyon walls in the falling snow long enough for Mike Lloyd to catch up to me. He said that Brett, Rick and Larry had gone up Waldo way.
Having finished the run around 10:10, I decided to make a run for the “Breakfast Special” at Manhattan’s. Well, I am happy to report that the Breakfast Special is back and it’s all day now! They are under new management. Likely the old management got the ax when their sales dropped substantially following your boycott!!
####
Matt C writes:
That new trail down from Rampart Range Road has caused quite a buzz. I know
of several that love running up Rampart Range Road but hate coming back down
myself included. I suspect this is why a new “sub-group” has been heading
West on RRR days as well;-) However this new trail really opens things up.
Many took it all the way back to the park while several used it to get to
Waldo and come back on UPT. This could also serve as a good “bail trail” for
those doing Waldo that bonk. Yesterday (Monday) I spent 5 hours cutting
fallen trees and moving rocks from the lower section from the Waldo turn
down to Cave of the Winds That section is much more runable and obvious now.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) Rick H and I are going to work the Waldo Turn up to
Waldo section. We are meeting at 4:30pm at my house if you want to come.
Friday a group (Larry M, Jonathan C, Brett P, Rick H, Yvonne C, Matt C, Kees
G, Steve B, Keith G) are planning on meeting at 5:30pm at the Balanced Rock.
We will carpool up to the trail. Larry is going to bring his chainsaw and we
are going to work on the section from Rampart Range Road down to the Waldo
Turn. This is where most of the work is needed. If you can come, bring a saw
or pick or your favorite trail tool. For those that asked about the
distances I got the following after downloading my GPS into a topo program:
Rampart Range Rd to Waldo Turn: 1.26 miles (down — 7,910' to 7,190')
Waldo Turn to Waldo: .77 (up — 7,190' to 7,765')
Waldo Turn to Cave of the Winds: 1.01 (down — 7,190' to 6,800')
Cave of the Winds to Soda Springs Park: 1.16 (down — 6,800' to 6,340')
Unless you are walking GPS tracks tend to “cut” corners and switch-backs a tad because of the refresh interval but these are fairly short distances so should be about right.
####
Fred W writes:
It was disappointing having to turn back early on the Sunday long run,
especially as The Rampart Range is a favorite. However, it would appear that
if there was to be one run to shorten — this Sunday was the one! I was
looking forward to trying the new trail down Waldo Canyon way.
I picked up an interesting web page a couple of days ago, I thought you and
some of the other I/C’ers might find interesting. Go to :-
www.adventure-video.com/everest
It’s “The British American Lightweight Everest Expedition,” with dispatches, photos, etc., as it happens, and includes plans, routes, etc.
####
Tom K writes:
Talked to Teresa T on the phone this morning. She sounded as chipper as
ever, and ready to defend her title against any injury-come-lately’s. A
scary thought.
####
Nancy A writes:
I read with interest the account of one of the Envirosport races by SteveS -
the Marin Headlands. I have not yet run one of these events but know the
reputation of the race director. People that enter Envirosport races know
what to expect and the races have a small following from the Bay Area crowd.
It was ironic because I joined a club run on April 7 with the Golden Bay
Runners around Lake Chabot (9 miler) and some of the runners were talking
about the very race that Steve S. was doing. They said if you run an
Envirosports race take plenty of water and expect to get lost. Steve should
feel fortunate that he wasn’t roaming around aimlessly somewhere under the
Golden Gate bridge midway through the race! He should have joined us for a
run around Lake Chabot, he could have done 3 loops and eeked out 27 miles!
We invite any of the ICers to contact us if they are in the Bay Area. Come
visit our sugar shack in Crockett! Enjoy the sweet aroma of the C&H sugar
factory while relaxing with a view of the Carquinez straights, marred a bit
by an enormous lemon tree in our front yard. We can promise poison oak and
ticks on most runs!
####
Doctor Rocket writes:
It was a 6-pack that was offered for the “groin” prize, not a case! We’ll
save the case prize for a really astronomical achievement (e.g. someone
dares to model the new Incline Thong on an upcoming club run).
(Matt C adds: Randy L got his 6-pack last Thursday)
####
“R” Reports:
Connilee W reports:
First things first, thanks to all your ICers who helped out with my ‘run for
a cause’. Donations are still trickling in, but because of you guys and
other folks in the community, over $4,000 was raised to send kids in Pueblo
to a Young Life camp this summer, far exceeding my goal of $100/mile or
$2,600. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Race report — Short version:
Incredible crowds, decent weather, fantastic organization and goody bags by
the B.A.A., very cool chip-timing technology, competitors ranging from
not-so-serious (hula dancers and easter bunnies) to the world’s great
contenders in the Marathon. What more can you ask from 26.2 miles of
asphalt?
Race report — Long version:
Strategy:
Initially I thought I could beat my PR of 3:21 (aah, pre-race optimism) if
things went well on race day. This was based on a ‘predictor’ based on my
5k time at the St. Patty’s Day Run (20:29). In the interim, however, I came
down with ‘the crud’ (about 10 days before the race) which wreaked havoc on
my lungs and training. I did taper well so I was not sure how things would
turn out. All told, my plan was to keep a consistent pace and bolt for a PR
at the end IF I had the energy. I w as probably feeling overconfident
about running up a hill the size of Heartbreak when we train on the Peak all
year round...forgetting it’s a PAVED hill after a LOT of miles on your feet
already. My legs were slowing after the hills so I opted against a push for
a PR (okay I’ll be honest I probably wouldn’t have made a PR anyways), took
in the crowds and camaraderie, and hopefully saved my legs for summer races.
I finished (chip time) in 3:23 and change.
Advice I took:
Keith G had advised that I write my name somewhere on my shirt, bib, etc. so
folks could cheer me on by name. Although pessimistic that the name “CONNILEE” would be a big hit, I was dumb enough to let someone write my
name on my leg — you never know, right? It’s not like I have an easy name
like Bob or Cindy that people can see and pronounce and really shout out. No
I have a name like Connilee....only TWO people the entire race even
attempted it....one even almost got it right. Oh well...if I ever run again
I am going in cognito as ‘Jane’ or ‘Fred’ or something easy to say and
shout! I did run with three Easter Bunnies and a Hula Dancer. Apparently the
rule at Boston and some of the other big road races, especially the closer
you are to the back of the pack, is to dress crazy and get encouragement to
push you and your 10 pound costume to the finish line. (Perhaps those of you
with lots of experience at mid or back of pack already know this but this
was a completely new concept to me!!)
Chip timing:
The chip time thing is pretty cool. For those who have never experienced
chip timing before (like me) and have only seen folks scribbling down bib
numbers and split times (like my hubby and others at BMTR last year), chip
technology is an amazing thing. The chip is strapped onto your shoe and at
each checkpoint (at Boston it was each 5k, I believe), you cross over mats
that sense your chip and transmit your bib number and time across cyberspace
almost instantly. I think a lot of folks missed a LOT of work on Monday as
they were able to give me a play by play of my entire run. :) The only
frustrating part to this is that the BAA still reports your ‘official’ time
as the one that includes the 3, 5, 10 minutes it takes you to get to the
starting line once the gun goes off. That’s a bummer.
Advice to give:
Advice (aside from taking the pavement and Heartbreak Hill seriously) is on
pre-race and race logistics...bring a blanket, lots of water, and warm
clothes to the athlete’s village (you are there for 3 or 4 hours before the
race and will be glad to be warm and comfortable no matter what the
weather ). They provide food and water at the village (along with
entertainment) but I found it hard to get hydrated enough using their little
water cups. I was glad I’d brought 32 oz of water in my bag. However, I
would bring more water next time — I was hydrated sufficiently for a race
that starts in the morning, but this one does not start until noon and I had
probably not taken in enough water by the time it started. More importantly
than your comfort level pre-race of course, is to be sure you are prepared
during the race. Be sure to pack race clothing for any kind of weather as it
can change in the period of time from when you leave your hotel to when you
are actually at the start line. The morning of this year’s race was cool
with an anticipated high in the 40’s. The temp actually soared into the
mid-50’s. With the humidity making it feel even warmer, I was comfortable
in a light t-shirt, shorts, and gloves that I could take on and off as
needed. They provide Gatorade and water at 24 aid stations along the race
route. I tend to need a lot of hydration and slowed/stopped at nearly ever
station. The stations are staggered with one on each side of the road at
about every mile. The first couple of stations I wasted a lot of energy
crossing the road to get to the water instead of waiting to get to the
station on my side of the road. The aid stations were literally ON the
course, and I found it challenging to stop or slow down to slurp down the
fluids without getting in the way of folks who were still running. The only
official ‘food’ is a PowerGel stop at Mile 17. Folks watching the race bring
everything from orange slices to jelly beans if you really need some
refreshment but my advice is bring whatever you normally bring to energize
during a race. For me that was 3 PowerGels and Ibuprofen. The leg turnover
of ‘flatter’ land and hardness of the asphalt take some getting used to if
you usually run on trails. I am glad I spent some time training on the
roads and flat land before this race. If I were to run it again, I would
add some tempo work or body speeds in at the end of my long runs to get more
accustomed to pushing at the end.
----
Gordon N reports:
Training at altitude does help!
I finally ran the Boston marathon this year after saying it was one of my long term running goals for the last 17 or 18 years. After running a within 10 minutes or so of qualifying in the early 80’s, I shifted to ultra trail running and started just treating my once a year or so road marathon as a long training run. Then when Boston started using the shoe chip timing system a couple of years ago and relaxed the qualifying times, I saw that qualifying was once again a real possibility. Last October at the Pueblo River Trail Marathon I finally ran my qualifying time.
Boston definitely lived up to its reputation as the best organized road marathon in the world. I have run more than two dozen road marathons in cities in a half dozen states and none comes even close to the support Boston shows for its marathon. Its an experience every runner should try to experience once. Of course the weather in Boston in the spring can be unpredictable, but this year we won the luck of the draw as the weather was sunny and cool the whole way from Hopkington.
Maybe it was all the training on the Barr trail, but I found running at Boston relatively easy. For all its reputation as a hilly course I wouldn’t have even noticed the hills if the runners around me hadn’t been talking about them. I actually found the course downhill and quite flat. The cheering crowds and good support definitely helped also. My official time was 3:20:54 which got me 2894th place out of 15,606 entries. My chip time was 3:17:14 which is the fastest marathon I have run in 18 years. I never felt overly tired during the run and I recovered very quickly. All in all a very gratifying experience.
----
Keith L reports:
This one is not “R”-worthy, but I ran the Horsetooth Half Marathon in Ft
Collins on Saturday. My daughter & I got there in the sunshine, but the
clouds came in and made for a cold run, with even a bit of rain and, of
course, some wind. The course is run almost entirely on paved roads, with a
couple long hills as you climb above the reservoir and then about of mile of
downhill to the finish. I’m unhappy with my time of 2:01:51.....real
unhappy, as I expected to be a full minute/mile (!) faster than this. It’s
just one of those “beats me’s,” as I it just was not happening. (Sob, sob,
sob....) Without obsessing too much, I’ve been getting steadily faster
these past 3 years, so this felt like a real setback. Anyway, pretty nice
race, good views, good volunteer staff, about 800+ runners, a shortage of
outhouses at the start/finish, nice t-shirt, average after-race food, a
finisher keychain, and just too cold to stand around for the give-aways
afterwards... I’ll lick my wounds, continue to wonder what went wrong, &
work harder on the IC’s Thur/Sun sessions.
(Matt C adds: We have all had one (or more) of those;-)
----
Sandie H reports on her husband’s race:
Spread the word. Mt SAC relays in California last night, Jason placed 3rd in
the Invite 5k in 13:37. New PR, new Adams State school record, qualifies
for DII Nationals and USATF Nationals, currently ranks him #1 in America in
the 5k. He is scheduled to run Sunday night in the Invite Mile and is
shooting for a sub-4.
(Matt C adds: Jason was an active IC member when he lived in the Springs. Also just so you don’t think that is a typo — 13:37!!!)
####
WWW Posts:
4/22/2001 49 came for an April snow storm with white out conditions on
Waldo. Yes Waldo! How it that possible when today’s run was up Rampart Range
Road? Last week Brett P and Rick H had a successful reconnaissance run and
found the connecting trail between the two so today a bunch of us made the
loop. It was pretty darn awesome because while running up Rampart Range Road
is great, more than a few of us hate running back down it. We now have a way
to make some really neat loops. The trail also comes straight down Williams
Canyon right back to the park where we start so it could make for a shorter
Waldo loop so people don’t have to do out/backs!
4/19/2001 45 came out for protocol #3 — the most evil of the 3 protocols for sure. 40 minutes of repeats on the hwy 24 bypass. It starts out easy enough but around 25 minutes the game gets ugly and since unlike the other workouts we are constantly on the clock we are forced to work harder and harder to not let our times slide. It is indeed a killer workout. A hand count showed pretty even thirds as far as those who kept them all even — the preferred way, those who got faster — the safe way for the first time, and those who got slower — the painful way! 4 skipies and 4 high knees in the grass rounded out the workout.
####
Go out hard, when it hurts speed up...
Matt Carpenter
www.skyrunner.com
Barr Trail Mountain Race
www.runpikespeak.com
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