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Tag Archives: LoBo Trail

Cyberpunk Runner

05 Saturday Feb 2022

Posted by Ed Mahoney in cyber war, Novel, Running

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LoBo Trail

I met with Ellie today at Atomic Bob’s Burgers in Golden for lunch. A bit of a hole-in-the-wall but decent burgers. Running afterwards wasn’t easy on a full stomach and I found myself walking a bit. And it was windier than Alexa led me to believe, but it was a good sun and nice to get outside.

I’ve noticed a surge in book sales this past week from the UK, followed up by more reads than usual from the UK on this blog. I thought maybe they were finding my book by searching for Crimea or Ukraine since my second novel touches on that topic. Reviewing the analytics on it though showed the clicks coming from queries for cyber, cybersecurity and cyberpunk. Cyber, cyber, cyber.

Could still be related to the current events between Putin and the Ukraine. My book details the Russian use of cyberwar as a prelude to combat, hence the title – Full Spectrum Cyberwar. There are some good non-fiction reads out there if you want to brush up on the topic, as the Brits are apparently doing. I recommend fiction though, to keep things light.

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A Winter’s Run

15 Saturday Jan 2022

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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LoBo Trail

With seven miles on the LoBo Trail today, I’ve had my first winter’s run of the season. I started out the year with a cold and hit the elliptical during the dark hours of the work week once I could breathe again, so this was a late start to my winter running routine. I could not have asked for a more perfect winter’s day to get outside.

It snowed a couple of times during the last week, so visually, the trail was in season. I wore the wrong shoes, my Hoka Rocket X road shoes, so I had zero traction for much of the trail. That wasn’t ideal but I know now that I need to transition my gear. That’s what the first run of any given season is all about – the learning curve.

Karen and I are talking about snowshoeing tomorrow. Brit has been walking with Margot nearly every day, acclimating her to become a Colorado girl. She’s a little snow princess.

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Running Nostalgic on a LoBo 8 Miler

27 Saturday Mar 2021

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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LoBo Trail

This footbridge is after six miles on an eight miler on the LoBo trail today. My form is still more of a shuffle than a run, but running outside in the Colorado springtime with 50° temps and full sunshine is priceless. I’m as happy as I look. I’m still living the same Saturdays as when I was seventeen running along Town Lake in Austin with my high school buddies. I wonder if any of them remember jumping off the I-35 bridge for a swim. Fortunately that was before cell phones so drivers couldn’t easily call the cops on us.

A better place to cool off around Town Lake was outside the dam on the north end of the Barton Springs pool. The 68° water poured out of the dam like a shower head and we’d take turns standing under it. I wonder if it still pours out like that. So many cool memories of running in Texas. Austin has the best urban running of any city in America, but I had some memorable runs in Round Rock and San Marcos too.

I recall running with my buddy Mike through some rancher’s fields off McNeil road. We kept passing cows and as we did, they’d fall in line behind us. Their numbers kept increasing and we felt like they were picking up speed. Eventually we had to make a decision to sprint for some exit or be trampled under a stampeding herd. I’d read somewhere that cows and horses wouldn’t trample you if you simply stopped and stood there. This was before the Internet, so my reading material was less suspect. It took me a while to convince Mike that this was our best option. It was less a matter of convincing him than knowing we’d already been nearly sprinting for too long and we were out of gas, and there were no quick exits. We stopped and turned to face the stampede. Those cows stopped on a dime, a few feet from our faces, and we slowly walked out of there.

Thinking of runs with Mike, he joined me for a summer semester at Texas State in San Marcos. Even though he hadn’t run competitively for a couple of years, he walked onto the University Cross Country team with me, setting the pace for our Monday half mile intervals, just like he’d done in high school. One morning we went for a fifteen miler on Post Road, toward Kyle and back. Just outside of town, we happened upon a dead body laying in the ditch. Mike actually ran past it for another 50 yards before noticing I had stopped. The poor boy had been walking from a trailer park home to his midnight shift stocking groceries when he was hit by a couple of drunk college boys. The boys turned themselves in shortly after. Having to roll over that boy’s bloodied body and confirm his death was one of the saddest things I’ve ever done.

Ran my first marathon with Mike too, in Dallas. I was sixteen in 1978. We drove around Dallas all night, drinking Schlitz beer we bought from the convenience store I conveniently worked at. Being so youthful, not sure I even noticed being hungover at the starting line. I still remember having to break through the crowd at fifteen miles to vomit behind a tree. Still, that was probably the fastest marathon I’ve ever run. I think we came in a tad bit over three hours.

So many runs, I could go on, but I need a shower after running 8 on the LoBo.

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Snow Bridge

14 Sunday Oct 2018

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

LoBo Trail

Ellie at Tortugas

The girls layer when the cold sets in and I honestly can’t tell if this is Ellierose or Brit.  Must be Ellierose.  Brit doesn’t live with us anymore.  I live for this weather.  It’s why I live in Colorado.  Gently falling snow and 20° is meant for running.

snow bridge 1

I woke up this morning to a foot of snow, excited to get out there.  As a gentleman runner, I might stay inside when the wind blows hard, but I dream of snow runs.  Below freezing temps don’t scare me.  It is a trick though to not overdress on the first cold day.  I did okay in light tights, two shirts and a wind jacket.  I was able to pocket my gloves before two miles.  This was ideal running weather.

snow bridge 2

I got in six miles on the LoBo Trail, making it a little past this snowy bridge before turning back around.  I streamed James Bay on Pandora, gentle music for post card conditions.  Real winter is no doubt coming.  Running on days like this is how you acclimate.  Don’t miss out.

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The Irrigation Ditch

16 Saturday Jun 2018

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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LoBo Trail

irrigation ditch 1

I don’t talk up the irrigation ditch at N. 83rd St. on the Lobo Trail enough.  Back when I ran big distance, fifteen and twenty milers, its strategic location three and half miles from my house was a life saver on hot summer days.  Nowadays, I would argue running seven miles is easier than running six.  Sloshing around my hat in that cool snow melt and putting it back on brings my legs back to life.  More than anything else, that stream brings me back home.

irrigation ditch 2

The air is still a bit hazy from the fires down in Durango.  Running a few miles Thursday gave me sniffles and a sore throat.  Risked it today because the weekend is my only chance to get in any real miles.  I think the air is better than Thursday.  My buddy La Plata said it rained good down in Durango yesterday.  Natural hydration.  Helps me on my runs and the best response to those forest fires.

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A Light Rain

12 Saturday May 2018

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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LoBo Trail

7 miler

I don’t look up at summits.  I look over them.  I’ve been struggling lately to increase my distance beyond five mile runs.  I do that by not turning around until after three and a half miles.  I’ll do the math for you.  Were I to complete my runs, I’d get in seven miles.  I keep falling short, having to walk in the final mile.  That makes six for any readers having trouble keeping up with the numbers.

I’m okay with that.  Aiming high and falling short is the best path to the top.  Forward progress is my only true goal.  Today I ran all seven.  Could have been the cool temps and light rain.  Still, I wouldn’t have run seven if I only attempted five.  See how that works?  Bring on more rain.  Tomorrow I aim for eight.

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Bluebonnets & Cactus

24 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 4 Comments

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Austin, LoBo Trail

Feb 24 2018

After a brutally cold and snowy week, today’s near freezing temps felt fine for a seven miler on the LoBo Trail.  The warm Colorado sun helped.  The wind picked up at one point alongside a harvested corn field, and I put my jacket on.  I was able to tie it back around my waist again after turning around.  What were once head winds carried me home.

This could be my final frigid February run of the year.  Next weekend will be March and I’ll be in Austin.  Wish I hadn’t gained so much weight this past year, otherwise I’d run some races down in the Texas springtime.  I’ll visit some of my favorite trails though, limestone paths through Bluebonnets and cactus.  Perdernales Falls will be on my list, along with the Austin Greenbelt.  Maybe I’ll get back into running this spring.

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Snow Run

10 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

LoBo Trail

Feb 10 2018

I don’t get out for runs like I used to, but I wasn’t going to pass up today.  The snow flakes falling outside the window were so big, they drew me out into the cold for a postcard perfect run.  I donned my tights but didn’t bulk up too much, wearing just a long-sleeved t-shirt and light running jacket, hat and gloves.  This storm is uncharacteristically humid for Colorado, but without wind, 15° is fine running weather.

After discovering last weekend I’m no longer fit enough for eight mile runs, I planned to turn back at this footbridge.  I continued on though for another half mile to Ogallala Road for a six miler.  Apparently I can still run six miles.  I was able to pocket my gloves after a short while.  I love snow runs.  I’ll be back out again tomorrow for another six.

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Muscles Awakened

03 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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LoBo Trail

sisyphus

Ran today for the first time in weeks.  Bronchitis has taken its toll in January.  From running a marathon last May to now, it’s been a slow decay.  By mid summer I was only running weekends.  By fall, just Saturdays.  And January, mostly not at all.

Heading out, initially it was my massive midsection that I noticed.  Like Sisyphus, I powered my stomach forward, enslaved to my fattened body parts.  Twenty pounds heavier since running the Colorado Marathon down Poudre Canyon. I didn’t bother timing my pace.

I ran by Allison, strolling her baby on the LoBo Trail.  I stopped to chat since I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen her, and because I didn’t think a full stop would noticeably impact my overall pace.  A half mile later, I soft-tapped a low five to her father Steve, running behind her.

Heading back, after making it to my four mile turn-around point, I discovered my atrophied muscles.  I’d been wondering when my legs would lose their tone.  Overall, my legs still look fit but it’s the high thigh, the quads, that shouted out to me on my return.  It’s the same feeling after about twenty miles into a marathon when those quads begin to melt.  When you’re out of shape, this occurs at four miles instead of twenty.  I had to stop and walk a couple of times, not because I was winded from my heaving belly, but from the pain screaming from the tops of my legs.  Regaining my conditioning is going to be a challenge.  I’m starting over, from the bottom again.

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A Fine Winter Day

06 Saturday Jan 2018

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

LoBo Trail, Town Lake

town lake

Man, what a fine winter day.  This was my first day running out on the trail since this Christmas Day photo with Brit on Town Lake.  I’ve been a bit under the weather, and still likely have a ways to go to fully recover.  I can tell you though that recovery will be hastened outdoors under the warm Colorado sun.

Sick or not, my conditioning is far from where I was a half year ago when I ran a 3:40 marathon.  Twenty pounds heavier, I shuffled along the trail like an old man.  Eight miles used to be a short distance where I hardly broke a sweat.  It now appears to be my maximum distance.  It doesn’t matter though.  Short and slow as my run was, outside in 45°, running in shorts and a cotton long-sleeved t-shirt, I felt like I belonged out on that trail.  It was so perfect.  Just like that Christmas Day run where Brit couldn’t stop laughing at me.

She did the same thing to me last night.  Apparently I broke out in song at the neighborhood party.  Brit gestured hand signals to lower my voice as she looked around. I didn’t stop singing though.  I was making a point that the world needs more dog songs, so I started singing You and Me and a Dog Named Boo.  That was the first 45 I bought from the local record shop as a kid.  We need more dog songs.

I was just as happy out on the trail today.  Only in Colorado can 45° under the sun feel so nice.  I do belong out there.  The LoBo Trail called out to me like a siren, letting me know everything is alright.  As long as I’m on a trail, running, I’m good.  I’ll be back out tomorrow.

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Ghost Runs

04 Saturday Nov 2017

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Halloween, LoBo Trail

Halloween 2017

The tricksters were thick as thieves outside my house well before sundown earlier this week on Halloween.  My neighbors, on the corner, dressed up their house as a scene from the movie It.  We had some light snow that morning but the weather wasn’t scary enough to thin the crowds.  We handed out 15 bags of candy.

It’ll snow again Monday.  Fall is fading to winter.  I didn’t get in any runs during the week but ran ten miles today.  I planned for only eight because I’ve lost enough conditioning to where ten miles seriously wears me out for the rest of the day.  And I run the risk of being too tired to run at all tomorrow.  But fall is just so ideal for running, I can’t help myself.  Running past red barns flanked by golden aspen, I took the red pill at the fourth mile and kept on going, deeper into colorful foliage.  Who wouldn’t?

I will have to start reducing the weekend miles though.  With my daily runs disappearing like ghosts, I know I risk injury of pushing myself too hard on just Saturday and Sunday.  The answer is perhaps weights during the weekdays.  I could sneak those in while working in my basement office.  I haven’t lifted weights in several years but they are arguably better for a man my age than running.  It’s on my agenda as winter nears and running becomes even less likely after the paths ice up.

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A Good Fall Run

28 Saturday Oct 2017

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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LoBo Trail

meeko n pumpkin

With twelve hour work days this week, there was no running.  A shame because the temperatures dropped and we got some snow.  Today’s run made up for it though.  A gray blue sky that lets you know summer has long passed.  The musk of decaying leaves in the air.  Enough chill to call for a long-sleeve T.  Running past dead corn stalks, their color fading to dust.  Perhaps five days away from the trail amplified my gratitude, but I had a good fall run this morning.

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LoBo Trail Closed at Neva Road

19 Saturday Aug 2017

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, LoBo Trail, secintel, Trailfest, Zion

neva road

I was set to run ten this morning but hit this closure at Neva Road on the LoBo Trail.  Sure, I could have continued along the detour, instead I took it as a sign to turn around early under a cloudless sun.  I just haven’t been running much lately, other than for the weekends.  I can feel my conditioning beginning to trend slovenly.  I settled for eight today.  Maybe strategic, knowing I have to run Magnolia at altitude with Team Prospect tomorrow.

I blame work for not letting me run more.  Work is eating into my blogging and second novel too.  I don’t know what writer’s block even is but writing does take time, and I don’t have much of that lately.  Still, the new job is awesome so I don’t mind.

Nothing better than being motivated at work.  I met my dev/ops team in Herndon this last week.  They remind me of my SecIntel team over ten years ago with IBM, before the ISS acquisition.  Both teams count their growth based on the number of PhDs they have on their data science teams.  That approach gives me confidence.  Still, I have a massive running event coming up in October, the Trailfest with 44 miles over three days through Bryce Canyon, Zion and the Grand Canyon.  I need to pick up the pace of my training.

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Five Degrees

17 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

LoBo Trail

colder-bolder-1

You would think running in 5° would be cold.  Certainly, less than comfortable.  I ran in 5° this afternoon and can tell you it was really quite nice.  Full Colorado sun.  Double sun really if you count the reflection off the four inches of fresh powder.  Absolutely zero wind.  The cold is just better in Colorado.  I ran five miles today, layered for sure but no balaclava or anything extreme.  Felt great.  Might get into the double digits tomorrow.

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Vacation Day

09 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Colder Bolder, Cyber War I, LoBo Trail

first-mileI took today off.  I’ve been working twelve hour days lately, waking up at 5am to host 6am calls with India.  I need the hour prep and two cups of coffee to wake up enough to lead a call.  I’ve had zero time to run during the work week.  I just got in eight miles today though on a snow-covered trail in 25° and full sunshine.  These photos are from last weekend’s Colder Bolder 5K.

airborne

This old looking guy behind me is actually ten years my senior.  He ends up beating me across the finish line by five seconds.  I didn’t exactly run this race slow.  That old man is fast.  I came across another older runner on the trail today, probably about my age actually.  We ran together for about two miles.  I left him at my four mile turn-around.

varsity-bridge

Running across Varsity Bridge in this photo, fatigue set in like a double chin.  A half mile remains from this bridge and I maintained a strong pace, but coasted more than kicked.  I ran strong throughout and didn’t feel the need to hurt myself with a final sprint into the field house.  I ran much harder than I expected and enjoyed every breath of it.  Today’s trail run was just as awesome.  Perfect cold-weather running.  Looking forward to a good winter.

Since I’m all about marketing my book now, I’ll point out the links in the upper left.  Not sure if they show on a mobile device, but will be there on a computer screen.  One takes you  to an ebook edition at Apple iBooks.  The other links are to order print editions at Amazon.  Buy several as Christmas gifts for your techie friends and family.

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She Could Be a Dancer

25 Saturday Jun 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Cross Country, East Boulder Trail, LoBo Trail, NHS

dancer shoesEllie told me she intends to run Cross Country her freshman year at NHS.  Okay then.  I recall Brit telling me something similar ten years ago.  Long story short, Brit started out the season.  She ran some races.  Then she dropped out to perform in the school play.  The rest is history.  But I recall getting a shot at training Brit in preparation for joining a competitive team.  These high schools around Boulder County invented cross country.  I feel obligated to prepare Ellie this summer to avoid having her embarrass the family name in Colorado running circles.  Because really, this is all about me.

Ironically, I wasn’t in shape myself when I started to take Brit out on runs.  But even in my fattest of days, I could beat Brittany.  She would try out-kicking me at the end of long runs to say she beat me, after I just pushed her to complete 8 miles.  I got her up to 13 miles out on East Boulder Trail.  That water tower hill used to kick her ass.

I plan to start Ellie out with three milers.  We’ll stick to that and work our way up to five or six miles on daily runs.  Hopefully longer on weekends.  I’ll introduce her to the trails NHS will likely run on around Niwot.  I’ll prepare her as best I can.  I might lose a little conditioning myself if I shorten my runs, but I can afford to reduce the miles.  Or I can continue running after she’s done.  We won’t start until next weekend though since Ellie is off all week at Church Camp in Idaho.

I know the chances for Ellie to become a distance runner are as slim as Brit’s two stints in high school cross country.  Ellie started dance this year and has really taken to it.  Her first actual sport that she shows interest in.  Karen is of course happy because Karen was a dancer in both high school and college.  Technically, Karen is a still a dancer, teaching regular aerobics classes.  I’m going to take what this summer gives me though and try to make Ellie a runner.  She doesn’t have a distance runner’s body, but then neither do I.  My bone structure is too big and my legs aren’t very long.  I have decent sized calves, but that doesn’t necessarily contribute to distance running.  Few of us have perfect runner’s bodies, it comes down to what you like to do.  Where your interests lie.  Ellie is going to either be a dancer, or become a runner.  Maybe she’ll do it all.

I finally went for a massage to treat my lower back pain.  It’s been a problem since February.  I expected it to heal but it’s getting worse.  My massage therapist is Shannon Dunlap.  She’s as knowledgeable as any PT.  She confirmed my back is messed up, all wound up like a twisted pine.  As a result, my left leg is shorter than my right.  It’s always been the other way around.  Not that either leg is a different length, but these anomolies are caused by misaligned hips.  Pretty odd that they could reverse in terms of which is longer.  She helped alleviate the pain immensely, but it’s temporary.  Ultimately, I need to see a chiropractor.  That’s next on my list.  Felt really good today on a 12 mile run over the LoBo Trail.  Friday’s massage no doubt contributed.  Not sure what I’ll do Sunday.

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Good Running Weather

16 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

LoBo Trail, The Jungle Book

stretch

I waited today for the rain to turn to snow before running.  I don’t know if I ended up any less wet in the end, but it got me out the door.  Helped too to start with the wind behind my back.  After two and a half miles, I remove my gloves and stop here on the bridge to stretch out my hamstring.  It’s become tight and sore on me again.  This is a tough injury to shake.  I’m warmed up good for this run though.  I aim for 12.

lobo trail

The wind hits me in the face on my turn-around like a wake up call from dreams of winter.  My face grows cold but the rest of my body has built up enough heat to take me home.  Felt more cozy with the wind at my back, but this is actually good running weather, even running into the wind, now that I’m warmed up.  The snow blinds my eyes for a half mile, until I reach these Cottonwoods along the creek.  At the same time these trees screen the wind, the snow turns from hard, in my face, to big fat, fluffy flakes, big enough to bury me if I stop moving.

tulips

Looks to be snow and rain, back and forth today.  Blizzard maybe tomorrow.  My tulips are living each moment like it might be their last.  That’s how I like to take my weekends.  Karen is brewing some Texas Chili.  Ellie and I have tickets for the Jungle Book later tonight.  I remember my sister Sandy taking me to the movie theater in Marion, Iowa, to see The Jungle Book.  First movie I ever saw.

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Spring Training

02 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bolder Boulder, LoBo Trail, Vail

standish white

I wasn’t able to run everyday this week, but it was my best running week of the year nonetheless.  I’ve had a slow start to the year, recovering from injury.  My distance returned to par a few weeks ago, and this week, my legs found their speed.  Too late now to run the Bolder Boulder in dramatic fashion, but I’m able to train again.  My initial expectations for racing this spring have been muted but I’m excited anyway.  I have the coming week off and intend to get in some quality runs.

I think it was Tuesday when I felt the speed return to my legs.  The weather lady said to expect snow but the air was too warm during my run.  I’m not sure if it actually rained, or if I was running through the rain clouds.  Colorado clouds make the trail so cozy when they drop across the landscape like reverse fog.  Somehow the reduced visibility dampens outdoor sounds.  I could hear my breathing in the silence.  It was one of those surreal moments, like running through misty Oregon in a Nike commercial where there is no finish line.  My legs fell into their old form after four miles and I maintained a fast pace for the remaining four.  I noticed immediately and held onto my pace and form like a lucid dream.

It did snow on my run Thursday.  Small, hard flakes that, combined with the wind, stung my eyes.  Still, another fast run.  I’m so excited that I can run well again that I ran 12 miles Friday after work.  Thank goodness for daylight savings time.  That’s a distance I generally only have time for on the weekends.  Not sure if I’ll focus more on distance or speed for Spring Break.  I’ll be snowboarding in Vail at the end of the week, so I have between now and Thursday to run and train hard.  I also have my taxes to complete and a living room to paint, but naturally running will be my priority.

I have a 10K scheduled for May 1st.  It will be my first race in five months.  I don’t know my pace any more so I won’t make projections.  I do hope to be able to run the 7 minute per mile pace I generally average for a 10K.  I shouldn’t be too far over.  The Bolder Boulder will be four weeks later so it will be good prep.  But this week comes first.  I won’t be pressured by my full agenda.  The runs will be serendipitous with no clock scheduling my returns.  Spring showers or blizzards won’t keep me off the trail.  Chinook winds might, those are different.  But I expect to be out there logging some miles.  Hope to see you on El LoBo.

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Lion Runner

26 Saturday Mar 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

LoBo Trail, Mumford and Sons

LoBo Bridge

In like a lion, out like a lamb.  That phrase doesn’t really apply to Colorado.  I know some parts of the country are planting their gardens.  I ran today in four inches of fresh snow, piled on top of what’s left to melt from the previous two feet of powder, wearing gaiters, gloves and ski hat.  And shoes still wet from this week’s previous runs.

Let me tell you something about winter running.  Avoiding shallow puddles of water for what looks like snow on the edge of the trail, but is really mostly slush, is a mistake.  Slush is quite literally standing water.  In my experience, it’s typically much deeper than the puddle I’ve rounded.  It’s most certainly colder, that’s why it’s still slush and not yet water.  The best advice I can give you is to run straight through any puddles and avoid slush at all cost.  Should you forget this advice and errantly choose the deeper standing slush over puddles on the trail, weep for yourself, my lion runner.  You’ll never have a dry pair of shoes.

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Running with Angels

27 Saturday Feb 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

alpine buttercups, beers with friends, LoBo Trail

two plates

I was quaffing beers with a buddy the other night down at the Well.  The conversation turned to addiction.  I can speak to addiction.  My running is over the top.  Clearly.  This is my 360th running story out of a little over 500 posts in this blog.  But my problem is much worse than what my writing diversion indicates.  The massive miles I ran last summer put me past the point of no return.  I’m not happy now with anything less than 10 miles.  I avoid meeting up for happy hour with friends.  I leave cooking dinner to Karen.  I live for each work day to end so I can disconnect that VPN and head out onto the LoBo Trail.  I think of little else.

This photo of me glaring at Brittany captures me trying to ignore my kids while I extend my narcissism from a long run to dining alone on a steak and potato.  If anything is more excessive than the two plates, it’s that pile of kosher sea salt next to my ribeye.

The hardest part of my hamstring injuries was not running in December.  Then only mostly running for short 3 milers in January.  I’m back now though.  My right leg is about 95% and my left is maybe 65% healed.  I can’t run fast yet but I can run long again.  I went out with the thought of running 12 today but couldn’t stop and completed 15 miles.

I know I’m addicted.  I consciously feel the emotional pull.  There’s no better feeling.  It’s like a two hour orgasm.  Who could resist that?  Quitting my addiction would be like trying to step off this planet’s orbit.  Even if I had a rocket, I don’t want to quit.  I don’t know if that makes me a bad person or really much different from half my friends and neighbors.  I have friends with serious injuries and illness.  Knee surgeries.  Arthritis.  Some should be bed ridden quite frankly but that’s now how they think.

I’m no different.  I hope God allows me to run forever.  I wouldn’t mind leaving this world on a trail run.  I’ve watched slow death.  I’ve cradled sudden death in my arms.  Take me out after cresting a hill.  Leave my eyes open to watch the Colorado sun set over the Indian Peaks.  Leave my corpse in the middle of the trail to force mountain bikers to dismount.  One last spiteful moment.  And let my soul continue to run forever with angels through fields of alpine Buttercups.  I’d be happy with that.

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Super Run

07 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Go Broncos, LoBo Trail, Super Bowl 50

long trail

Tell me if you see what I see in this photo from the LoBo Trail today.  Trails look longer in the deep winter.  The wind blows harder carrying the icy February chill.  My ten miler felt like twelve miles.  Actually, I did run twelve.  Because with the sun shimmering off everything buried in white, I could have run twenty.  The Colorado winter draws me outdoors and I absolutely love it.

niwot loop

The runs can be tougher in the winter.  The wind wasn’t too bad today but slogging through the crunchy snow slowed my pace to a shuffle.  It was so pretty out there though, I didn’t mind.  At five miles, Jen came hopping down the trail, like a snow bunny.  She motivated me to run an extra mile before turning back.  If you recognize this sign near the Gunbarrel Tech Center, it marks my turn-around on the Niwot Loop.  The trails aren’t idea for running yet.  They need some packing down.  But they’re pretty.  Glad I got out there before the game.

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Snowpacked Trail

02 Saturday Jan 2016

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Colder Bolder, gaiters, Hoka Ones, Kahtoola, LoBo Trail

Varsity Bridge 2015

Believe it or not, this is yet another photo from the Colder Bolder, running across Varsity Bridge on the CU campus.  I’m still showing those race pics because it’s the last time I ran.  Until today.  I tested my hamstrings this afternoon with an easy seven miles on the snowpacked LoBo Trail.

My right leg feels mostly healed.  The left hamstring is still sore.  I don’t know though that I can’t start running, if I keep things short and easy.  I did keep it easy today with about a 10 minute pace but I found it impossible to stick to my three mile plan.  After a brutal cold front, the temp was over 30° with zero wind and full sun.  I tied my long-sleeved top around my waist after two miles to bake my arms in the sun reflecting off the trail.  I kept my short-sleeve shirt on but would have felt comfortable shirtless.

Snowpacked trails are my absolute favorite.  So soft.  Picture the visuals of full sunshine glistening off snow-laden trees, with snow-capped peaks for backdrop.  My legs couldn’t be contained and I doubled my planned distance.  My first run in four weeks was a dream.

My Pearl Izumi gaiters wouldn’t fit over my fat Mafate Hokas.  I might look into a pair of these toe guards for when this snow turns to slush.  Thankfully my Kahtoola nanospikes fit.  I didn’t encounter much ice but the nanospikes still provided confident traction.

I’ll keep my miles light but I think it’s safe to begin running the trails again.  I’ve yet to set any goals for the year.  My interest in marathons has waned.  Maybe I’ll run one in the fall but I’m skipping the Austin Marathon this winter.  I’m sort of in the mood to focus on the 10K distance.  I’d like to work my way into that first wave of the Bolder Boulder.  That might be my goal for 2016.  Happy new year.

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Defying Age

30 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

aging runners, Cross Country, LoBo Trail, speed training

world_masters

I’m comfortable aging.  Mostly.  I know women think it’s funny to say guys don’t mature much after college but I’m not sure that I have.  I feel young.  To feel young running though requires a little speed.  Racing in Colorado requires age-defying momentum.  My races planned for the rest of the year will be shorter distances and I’m going to need to quicken my cadence to be competitive.

aging runner 2

I’m not a nostalgic person – rarely do I ever reminisce here in my storytelling.  I get nostalgic during runs though.  The final two miles in long races, or simply workouts, triggers my memory like an autonomous muscle and I think back to high school cross country.  Our races were still two miles long in Texas.  I think they moved to the 5K distance a year or two after I graduated in 1980.  I relive these high school races during the remaining two miles of a 10K or marathon.  I often recall the state cross country course at Southwestern University in Georgetown Texas – it’s held in Round Rock now.  It’s an extremely hilly golf course and one year’s event finished at the top of a huge hill.  I finished second, by maybe only two seconds.  When I relive the event, I find a way to win racing up that final hill.

aging runner

I’ve gotten fast enough that I oftentimes find myself racing against youth in my weekend events.  I get a kick out of it.  I’ve learned not to leave anything for the final kick.  Not that I don’t have the speed but I’ll strain my hamstring sprinting at the end.  I learned this in last year’s Colder Bolder 5K.  I should probably avoid 5Ks.  I have to warm up with a 3 mile jog if I expect to run 3.1 miles with any speed.  Sort of ridiculous but I figure it’s a 6 mile workout.

Colorado-2-1024x575

I’m thinking about this because my buddy Torin caught me from behind with two miles to go on my training run yesterday on the LoBo Trail.  I ran 8 and I think he only ran about 5, but I was a little bit ticked.  Partly because I had been running fast.  Torin caught me when I was starting to cool down.  Naturally I had to speed back up so we could could chat for a mile.  It also irritated me because he’s my age.  Boulder County must have the fastest fifty year olds in the freakin’ country.  I don’t mind get passed by the shirtless CU Cross Country Team when I run the East Boulder Trail, but I feel like I sort of own this section of the LoBo Trail.  I don’t like being passed on it, especially by fifty year olds.  Time to begin some speed work.

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Off Days

19 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Austin Marathon, Bolder Boulder, LoBo Trail, UT Alumni Center

UT Alumni CenterCan’t be on every day.  Not every race runs to plan and not every workout is spectacular.  The trick is to not let the bad performances get you down.  This is one of the lessons of sports.  You have to lose to learn how to win.  I felt heavy all weekend, both on my 15 miler yesterday and my 8 miler today.  I can’t point to anything.  My legs were heavy and my attitude sort of blah.  About like I felt here in front of the UT Alumni Center at 25 miles into the Austin Marathon, running one of my slowest miles of the race.  But not all miles were like this and it was a good race overall.  Looking forward to next week.

I need strong motivation to work speed drills into my workouts.  It’s not easy running fast solo.  I should maybe consider running with a team.  I won’t because I don’t want to work with other people’s schedules, but I’m aware of the benefits.  I’ve been adding some fartleks into my daily runs and I like running fast.  Unless I’m feeling strong and quick though, I skip the speed workout.  Sluggish and speed don’t go well together.

I’m working on speed to prepare for the Bolder Boulder.  For some reason my race plan is to beat myself – my time 26 years ago.  That race is too competitive to think I can medal in my age division so I’ve contrived my own personal two man race – me against me.  My muscles need to re-learn how to run fast though.  And I need to work on my cardio for those hills.  The snow and rain made my hilly trails too muddy this weekend so I ran the Lobo Trail, which is almost perfectly flat.

A young girl passed me after five miles yesterday and made me realize I’d slowed down for no good reason.  I chased after her for the next mile because she wasn’t running a pace beyond my limits.  Once she noticed me though she sped up and I lost her.  That was arguably a bit early to start racing in a 15 mile run, but it suggests my sluggishness was mental.  Today, despite starting out super slow I did in fact loosen up a bit and got in a few faster miles.  But then, for whatever slacker reason I quit a quarter mile short and walked in.  This weekend was a waste but there are five more weeks.  Training starts for reals tomorrow.

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NANOspikes

12 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

frozen, glassade, Kahtoola, LoBo Trail, REI

NANOspikesI beat the ice today.  Probably for the season.  My Yaktrax were fine but they disintegrated after a single season.  Plus they tended to accumulate clumps of fresh snow.  Yaktrax has since improved their design to include a spike plate similar to these Kahtoola NANOspikes, but only under the forefoot.  I imagine the rear coils still pick up wads of snow.

Today was yet another frozen ice capade.  I was considering the elliptical but then the package from REI showed up on my front porch.  I placed the order for these puppies last week after a four mile glassade along the LoBo Trail.  I rarely devote a blog to a gear review, but I had a great run today in these spikes.  I cruised across rivers of ice with never a fearful moment.

On slopes and turns that called for caution, Kahtoola’s tungsten carbide spikes gripped with confidence.  I was prepared to run only three or four miles to try these out but extended my run to seven exalted miles.  On my return, for the half mile between Ogallala Road and the foot bridge, I stretched out my stride to race pace.  Not sure I’ve been able to run fast like that yet this year.  Good to know I still can.  By this time the sun was setting and I wasn’t wearing a head lamp, but the NANOspike’s confidence broadened to my running form.  These spikes rock!

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