Amungmiak

08-29-2011
Mon-AM: 1:29, 2500?
Green, up and down Front.

08-30-2011
Tue-AM: 1:25,  2500?
Green, up and down Front.

08-31-2011
Wed-AM: 1:33, 2500?
Green Mt. up and down Front.

09-01-2011
Thu-AM: 2:00, 3000?
Green Mt., up Front and down Ranger-Gregory.

09-02-2011
Fri-AM: 1:30, 2800?
Bear Peak, up Fern from Cragmoor.

09-03-2011
Sat-AM: 1:30, 2800?
Bear Peak, up Fern from Crag.

09-04-2011
Sun-AM: 2:00, 2700?
Green Mt., up Front and down Flattie2.

Hours: 11h27 (only about an hour of which was actual running)
Vert: 18,800?

Great week back on the trails.  Each day consisted of a bike ride to and from the trailhead (either Baseline or Cragmoor) and some quality time cranking up and easing down a mountain (hiking).  The last three days Ive finally started integrating some running back into the routine by jogging the first 15-20min of the day (on Bear, that means running to the mouth of Fern Canyon, and this morning that meant running from my doorstep to Gregory TH).  The fibula feels good; moments of tightness but generally totally pain-free.

The thing Im most excited about is the changing of the seasons.  This morning I never felt the need to take my shirt off.  Ive had three bear sightings in the last 10 days.  Select patches of vegetation are already turning yellow, and I can sleep at night without a fan blowing on me.  Its my favorite time of year and Im so excited to be able to get outside and enjoy it.

For pretty much my entire running life, Fall has been a time of year when Im burnt out physically from a long summer of high mileage and racing (understandably, this was a pretty big bummer for my academic years when I was trying to compete as an XC athlete), but after barely running for the past seven months I am immensely enjoying my current insatiable mental psych and a fully rested body.