Two weeks until the Prouty fundraising ride

I have been focusing on logging MTB kilometers, but I still manage a short run each day with some vertical. My August goals are centered around two uphill mountain races.

Summer time but thinking of skimo

The Pierra Menta: one of the premier Grande Course skim mountaineering races. I think my time has passed, but it still gets the excitement going for next season. I just found this link on SKINTRACK … it's in French but the four stage highlights are visually evocative. Well worth it.

http://www.skintrack.com/skimo-racing/videos-2015-pierra-menta/

Muscle-oxygen sensors

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/muscle-oxygen-sensors-research-2023/

Nordic Olympian Sophia Laukli Wins Mont Blanc Marathon

https://nordicinsights.news/2023/06/25/sophia-laukli-wins-marathon-du-mont-blanc-in-course-record-time/

Training in the first week of summer

An unusual, but satisfying week: logging 15 hours, 144k (121 bike and 23k run), with 5750' vertical ascent. I alpine skied for two hours with skimo gear, had easy interval and strength workouts, as well as two yoga sessions. As usual this time of year: rain, some heat, humidity, and bugs, as well as a couple of bluebird days.

Salathe was a Yosemite badass

https://adventure-journal.com/blogs/news/john-salathe

Courtney Dauwalter shatters the Western States course record

https://www.irunfar.com/2023-western-states-100-results-dauwalter-sets-course-record-and-evans-executes-for-the-win

Western States 100 mile race

Ten minutes into the race, the top two females - Courtney Dauwalter and Katie Schide - are running in the lead men's pack. 

Himalayan glacial loss is speeding up

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/19/climate/himalayas-melting-water-source.html

Great MTB ride in Minnewaska State Park

I had a great ride with Harry … two hours, 28k, and 1550' vertical

Two hours of Alpine Skiing in the American Dream Mall

I had a ton of fun; the snow was good; the place was well run; and although terrain parks are not my thing, it looked like it had a good one.

The real purpose of the visit was to get a closer look and see if it might be suitable for nordic training. The place opens at 1pm. So assuming employees arrive at noon to get the place ready for customers … that means a lot of snow and infrastructure lies fallow all morning. Europe has several training facilities - snow tunnels - so why not America? (Indeed, the summer before the 2022 Beijing Games, several American Olympians were training in Germany's ski tunnel.)

Bottom line, it appears that by splitting the two main runs into uphill and down lanes, you could put together one continues 1.25k loop with about 275' vertical ascent. (A 15 lap morning workout comes in at just under 20k and 4000' … not too shabby.)

Inexpensive hotel chains and a major airport are close by, with excellent trail running, roller skiing, and mountain biking options a 35 minute drive away. All this could make for a good three day weekend mini-camp, or a classic and skate sprint race weekend.

So, do you think we can host a 2024, July 4th Super Tour Sprint weekend?

Denali FKT … 10 hours-14 minutes-57 seconds



A good recovery week

Back in the saddle - literally - as I try to get ready for the Prouty. So, I logged 13 hours, 128k (98k exercise bike and MTB, 30k run), 4350' vertical, and two yoga sessions.

New Mont Blanc FKT … 7 hours-25 minutes-28 seconds

Hard climbing in the Cordillera Huayhush

Well, my hard climbing days are over, but I would love to trek back in the Cordillera Huayhuash again. 

https://www.patagonia.com/stories/jirishanca/story-135572.html?utm_source=em&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=061623_black_hole_2&utm_klaviyo_id=01GQMSY133HGKT7KSCB0CMAK2H&_kx=VOA8zu5fg4rURwSosHy2WlWapQ1Ue6IQgCg0iNyBd8g%3D.YgU9me

One month until the Prouty

This is a recovery week for me, and I will log only around 12 hours, moreover it's been rainy and so MTB time will be modest. But starting next week, I will need to ramp up time in the saddle, so I can manage the 50 mile gravel ride in good style.

Back running on trails and Adirondack dirt roads

An entrepreneurial dirtbag

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/thru-hiking-injury-prevention/?utm_source=outsidemagazine-instagram&utm_medium=organic-social

Chouinard financed his early climbing trips by making pitons and selling them from his car. Of course, my mind immediately goes to other potential markets. Who will do this sort of thing on the east coast for the Appalachian Trail?  Who will do this driving from one ultra race to the next? Who will finance their first European trail running experience, going from one big mountain race to the next, with some version of this? Will a newly minted Physio dirtbag climber set up shop from their van at Camp Four this fall and next spring?

BLAST FROM THE PAST: trekking cordillera huayhuash in 2019

Felt like crap today …

Probably this is the combination of coming down with a cold, plus a 30 hour travel day, as well as the stress of no days off in the Sierras. That said, I did an easy couple of Level 2 uphill laps as an afternoon shakeout, and guess what it … it was faster than most previous workouts. I guess my altitude camp - seeing my buddy Mark - really made an impact.

A long travel day

After my red-eye, I had a six hour layover in Philadelphia, then a short flight to Albany, where Selden picked me up for the final two hour drive. No easy way to get to Tahoe from Lake Placid!

It was a great trip though, and well worth the hassles. 

 

Waiting for my red-eye flight

Heading home

I had a wonderful trip; my one disappointment was not getting a partner to ski and crampon up Twin Peaks. Hopefully, next year Mark's back will be better, and he can put it on the hit list.

I am also hoping that the Canadian wildfires do not impact my scheduled flights.

BACK IN TAHOE

Yesterday, I hiked up Pole Creek Canyon, and then did a good strength workout with all of Mark's toys. This morning, I skied some easy laps with my Voile Skimo gear, and then booted up a steep slope to practice self arrest.

First ascent of Second Tower on the Grand Teton, and the recent rock fall

https://adventure-journal.com/blogs/news/first-ascent-second-tower-last-man

A good week in the Sierras

A great week: warm weather, a wonderful time with fossil buddies, and their family. I managed a volume of just under 15 hours, on 68k (47k run, and 21k ski), and 3400' vertical. I also did four yoga sessions, one easy strength workout, and two visits to our favorite bakery.

East Side: day four

Another very warm day. I managed two good trail runs, and a modest hike at Lake Sabrina looking, unsuccessfully, to earn some turns. All, while Mark and Tori were casting and snagging avalanche detritus - branches - with their fishing rods!

EAST SIDE: day 3

Up at 5am, after a bit of reading, I went into town to get to the famous Schat's Bakery just as it opened. I brought home cinnamon raisin buns, apple strudel, and muffins.

After a casual morning Danny left for Tahoe City, Mark did an easy strength session, and I went for an hour trail run. Latter in the afternoon I went for another hour trail run.

I snapped this photo of some 13-14000' peaks shortly after sunrise, on my way home from the bakery.

EAST SIDE: day 2

Yesterday we drove down to Millpond Campground, just outside Bishop and I went for a 45 minute trail run. Danny, Mark, and I had a great dinner cooked on a Coleman stove, and a wee bit of whiskey.

Today I started with a yoga session, then a ski tour up to Mosquito Flat at 10,300', and finished up with some easy intervals.

Heading to the east side of the Sierras

These are the peaks above Virginia Lakes, where I skied last year with Hudson.

Teton Rockfall

https://adventure-journal.com/blogs/news/rockfall-changes-world-famous-teton-skyline-forever-well-until-the-next-rockfall-that-is

TAHOE: day 3

Once again, I started the day with a nice yoga session.  After working out details of our plan for the East side of the Sierras, Mark dropped me of at a trailhead, and I did a very nice ski tour in the shadow of Castle Peak. Later in the day I spent ten minutes, tossing easy weights around at Mark's house. GREAT DAY. 

Tahoe: day 2

Yesterday, I started the day off with a yoga session, and then did a 50 minute run. In the afternoon Danny and I did a two hour ski up near Mount Rose. A great day, and then Mark introduced me to Viking Valhalla on Netflix. 

Danny’s House

Mark and I headed over to see Danny and watch the Celtics play the Heat. An impressive snowpack still covering his front lawn.

Tahoe: day 1

Plenty of snow up high. However, my choice of tours - Pole Creek - was a poor one. Too much hiking (5.5k) and too little skiing (3.5k), but it was a good two hour workout with some nice vertical. Followed up with a good yoga session.

UTMB book review

https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/culture-people/book-review-the-race-that-changed-running/

Super long travel day

Up at 4am, then the 7am plane to Chicago, then Phoenix, then to Reno, and an hour drive to Olympic Valley. Plenty of snow above 6700'. Hoping to do this snow climb before I leave,

Last workout with Stash for awhile

We had a good jog on the new nordic trails. Heading out tomorrow to Tahoe to see Mark and Danny, as well as doing some late season ski tours. Flying home on June 8th.

Shining Mountains … a video about the vanishing glaciers of Glacier National Park

https://youtu.be/hro6ciOyVkY

New data on strength training

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/muscle-fiber-strength-research/

Recent picture from Mammoth …

There will obviously be snow to ski tour on next week!

Recovered well from the race

I am back training lightly, for a few days.

Beginning to gather for the start of the race

It was a week of tapering and recovery before the Mining For Vert Challenge. So, the volume was less, but with the race, data on intensity sky-rocketed. I managed to log 12 hours last week, with 6250' vertical, on 94k (55k bike, 36k run, and 3k ergometer), as well as three yoga sessions, and single strength session.

Good race at Mining Vertical 4 Hour Challenge

Oldest competitor (so won age group) but only a couple of minutes off 60 year old podium. The stats were: 13 laps, four hours, 17k, and 4075' vertical.

My one sentence summary … plenty of gas left in the tank but no fluid for the knees!

At reunion at Union College

Next year is my 50th, but a bunch of us came to reconnect with friends from the class ahead of us.

Hoping to do lots of skiing in the Sierras

However, there are lots of good trail runs I can do in the afternoons, after a morning ski tour.  This new guide book is a good one! 

In less than two weeks I’ll be in the Sierras

So, I am pulling out guidebooks, both old (this 1995 volume) and new (Sierra Trail Runs) to start planning some adventures.  

Dusting of snow and first jog of the year on 1980 biathlon trails

Over night lows tonight will, again, be in the twenties.

BLAST FROM THE PAST … canadian rockies 1974

Bill Trollenberg, Stephanie White, and I spent three months hiking and climbing in the Canadian Rockies. This was my first big, and long, climbing trip. Among others, we climbed Mount Rainier, Mount Athabasca, Mount Olive, Saint Nicholas Peak, Snowdome, Mount Woolley, and a failed attempt on the Wishbone Arete of Robson. The picture was of me honing technique on an early season frozen waterfall.

Excellent Rest Day

Starting with some tea and ginger snaps, then proceeding to a sauna down at the Fossil Cabin.