Crankin’ on the Highline

Highline Canal Trail, Denver

Urban Pathway

My eyelids lifted slowly and heavily. “I wonder what time it is. Did my alarm go off?” I reached across the bedside table to grab the clock and check the time. 6:30! I need to be in South Denver in half an hour! My eyes were wide open now. I rushed through the house, donning my running attire, and downing gulps of water. “Where’s my hat? Ah. Got it!” Where am I going today?” I cracked my training binder. “Goodson Rec Center! No idea where that is.” I quickly logged on to the internet to find directions. “Anything else? My keys! OK, got ’em. That does it, right? Shoes? I’m wearing my shorts, aren’t I? Time to go!” Out the door and onto the interstate. I arrived just in time. Whew!

That’s how my Saturday group run started. Our valiant collection of runners and walkers assembled outside the Goodson Rec Center around a picnic table piled with mounds of fruit, coolers of water, and tubs of bagels, generous donations to support our work. Representatives from the Team In Training office had come early this morning to join in the run, celebrate our accomplishments up to this point, and encourage continued perseverance towards our goals. With my morning discombobulation, it was good to have some time to relax before starting down the trail. Ashley Merritt, our campaign manager here in Denver detailed some upcoming fundraising opportunities and Cathie Nicholson, our campaign coordinator and one of the others I ran with at Lake Dillon last week, distributed some awards for participants that have been succeeding with their fundraising benchmarks. The most lighthearted moment came when she began to read off the names of individuals that had earned prizes for perfect attendance at group runs. None were there to receive their honor! I took time here to look around and recognized some faces from our previous group day at Washington Park-starting to feel like a team.

The Highline Canal snakes for 66 miles through Denver from Waterton Canyon in the southwest foothills to the dry plains of northeast Denver at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (read about my day at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal here). A trail of gravel, concrete, and pavement runs alongside most of its man-made length as is slowly passes through the basin. Initially closed to the public, Denver Water allowed access after much planning and coordination had taken place with at least seven other agencies in metro Denver and since 1970 the Highline Canal Trail (HLC) has proven to be a tremendous asset to runners, walkers, bikers, and horseback riders from the area. We saw all of these users on the trail this morning. Well, I didn’t see any horses, but there were signs that they had been there in the recent past… Wildlife has also taken advantage of this manufactured river and deer, raccoons, ducks and other waterfowl, birds of prey, and fox and coyote have taken up residence along its cottonwood-shaded banks. The HLC’s mellow grade (it drops only two feet per mile) allows runners to objectively asses their fitness without the ups and downs found on the trails or the stops and starts encountered on the sidewalks. The run was quick and uneventful today, though I pushed myself a bit in anticipation of a lighter week ahead. It was also shortened to accommodate a post-run endorsement and plea to attend our upcoming track sessions-a new phase of our training that will help us develop the endurance, strength, power, and leg speed specific to our chosen event and pace. As we runners tend to do after a dose of suffering we mixed and mingled over our complimentary breakfast. There I met Eddie and Lisa, two other participants that live in my neighborhood and had taken the bus to our run this morning. They accepted my offer of a ride back up and we swapped fundraising strategies and our reasons for running on the way home. Lots of great ideas.

Peak Ascent

Back To The Trails

The definition of ‘rampart’  is “a broad elevation raised as a fortification”. This description perfectly matches the geography of the Rampart Range, a smaller division of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. On the Southwest edge of the Denver suburbs, the Rampart Range protects the wilderness beyond its steep slopes. Tucked against the soaring ridges here, sits Roxborough State Park, a small preserve of red rock formations that would fit right in at Moab. The 6.4 mile out-and-back trail to Carpenter Peak is a trail runner’s fantasy. Climbing over relatively moderate and smooth hardpack, the trail leads to the 7,160 foot summit and affords 360 degree views of the surroundings from a rugged granite viewpoint. As a hikers-only park, the trails are in excellent shape. The scrub oak grows to the edges of the trail and I brushed against the coarse leaves frequently along the way. My favorite trails involve a rocky technical descent and the finish of this run fits it to a tee, especially the close growing shrubs that make the footing trickier. Today’s run felt the best of all my runs this week.

Fundraising Milestone

Thank You Everyone

Wow! My fundraising efforts have been underway for less than two weeks and with your help I have already passed a critical milestone towards my goal. All participants with Team In Training are generating financial support for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) to extend their mission to end blood cancer. To this end, each competitor is asked to raise a minimum amount to offset the costs of their involvement in their chosen event. My minimum is $2,000.00 and this morning the total in my account is $2,125.00! I’d like to recognize and thank everyone who has gotten me to this point. The giving by donors has been generous and the messages of support heartfelt. I sincerely believe that we will find a way to save or further prolong the lives of patients diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. My task is far from finished. I still have additional money to raise and many miles to run, and I want to encourage continued support as every penny that goes to LLS will make a difference for patients and their families. Thank you.

Triple Play

Coors Field, Home of the Colorado Rockies

Overpasses and Underpasses

My body and brain weren’t into the run today. To make things interesting I set myself a unique challenge-link the three professional sports venues in Denver into one big circuit. I left the house and started off in the cool shade of the trees along 32nd Street. Making my way to Eliot Street I turned south, toward the home of the Denver Broncos, Invesco Field at Mile High. After passing by the gates I found myself in a tangle of streets, freeways arcing overhead and a grid of surface streets below. I picked my way through using a couple bridges and crossed the river to escape the asphalt maze. The Pepsi Center,  the home court for Denver Nuggets basketball and home ice for Colorado Avalanche hockey, lay to the east on the far side of the railroad tracks. I unlocked a path through when I discovered an overpass at the far side of a vast parking lot. I buzzed past the ticket offices and turned north, mentally working out the course to take to reach Coors Field, the final landmark for the run. Another overpass led me over Cherry Creek where cyclists and other runners were getting in their post-work exercise. The large buildings of Lower Downtown shaded my run here. As I approached the ball field, I mingled with the throng of spectators arriving for tonight’s game already underway. Clearing the crowds, I crossed one more overpass high above a web of rails and roads below, a view of all stadiums I’d visited to my left. On the far side of the overpass, the sidewalk descended to street level and curved through an underpass on 38th Street, finally nearing the end of the run. This gritty part of Denver contrasted with the polished areas around the sports arenas. Faded signs advertised auto repair shops, check cashing services, mom-and-pop lunch stands, and tattoo parlors. A few blocks further and I turned south, the final stretch on Zuni bringing me home for a hot shower and restful sleep.

Rattlesnake Trail

A Run Back In Time

I’d been tending to a few things in Boulder today so I took my dirty shoes along to hit the trail while there. I’d lived there previously and the thing I miss about Boulder, more than anything else are the trails. It has spoiled me for living anywhere else in this regard. The plains, foothills, and mountains are all so close. From your back door in Boulder it’s possible to run up and over the continental divide with your shoes touching pavement only once. Amazing! The Boulder community places high value on the environment and has worked hard to preserve open spaces throughout the county. I opted for a run up Rattlesnake Gulch in Eldorado Canyon State Park. My car trundled up the gravel road through the small town of Eldorado Springs, past the natural pool and springs to the park entrance. Here, the steep cliffs vault abruptly to the sky and attract rock climbers from around the world. I crept past a few climbers who stood, belaying their partners from the road and recalled some good days I’ve had on rope here with friends in the past. The trailhead lay just ahead. Rattlesnake Gulch is a short trail, but today’s run was intended to be an easier day. A century ago, this trail was a mountain road carrying visitors from Denver up the steep canyon to the decadent Crags Hotel. Today, the remnants of the road still exist, but erosion and the new growth of trees make it impassable to vehicles. The route winds and switchbacks its way up 700 feet to a grass-covered stone buttress where the hotel used to be. As I churned and strained my way up the trail, a six-locomotive freight train did the same with its diesel engines squealing along the Union Pacific rails above as it began its climb over the Rockies. After a mile and a half, I came to the former site of the Crags Hotel. The developers had chosen an excellent spot for their dream retreat, a perch with a precipitous drop to South Boulder Creek far below and western views out to the snow-capped peaks of the continental divide. After only four years, a fire broke out and consumed the hotel. I wandered around the cracked concrete base of the old fountain and inspected the old kitchen hearth, all that is left of the once-great edifice. Returning the way I had come brought me back to the trailhead for a cold drink of Eldorado Springs bottled water, an apt way to end a visit to this particular locale.

Cross-Training Wheels

Alderfer Ranch House and Rainbow

Weekend Ride

Ranchers and miners originally settled the mountains west of Denver. These hardy families built roads, cleared pastures, blasted tunnels, and constructed homes despite the long cold winters, and dry conditions. One such family,the Alderfers maintained a ranch outside of Evergreen where they raised cattle for the meat markets and silver fox for the burgeoning fur trade after World War II. Eventually they donated much of the ranch property to Jefferson County and it has been converted into a mountain park, the Alderfer/Three-Sisters Park. My college friend, Teal and I tossed our mountain bikes on top of the car and met on a rainy afternoon to sample the trails in the park. The afternoon storm moved east as we headed west and we reached the trailhead under partly cloudy, but rain-free skies. The first half of the ride climbed the flanks of Evergreen mountain and we got a sound cardio workout cranking up the trail to a scenic view overlooking Evergreen, Bear Creek, and the plains beyond. The payoff for our hard work during the climb was a fast, smooth descent, zooming through the trees and careening over rocks to the ranch meadow below. A rain cloud drifted over us; one last evening sprinkle. With the low sun still shining we speculated that we might spot a rainbow. Not a minute later we found it to the southeast arcing into the Cub Creek Valley. The trail here changed from a wide swooping single track to a tight winding one as we climbed the Three Sisters formation, a ridge of three squat granite outcroppings. The tight steep switchbacks off the other side of the ridge required us to dismount for sections of the trail. One last stretch with a shallow climbing grade along the Hidden Fawn Trail returned us to the car. We both agreed that the loop gave us just what we needed. Many other trails explore the Park leaving more to do for our next visit.

Into Thin Air

Group Run At Lake Dillon

The decreased pressure at altitude means that less oxygen is delivered  to your cells with each breath. This added stress can be beneficial when training for endurance events. It’s also tough to beat the mountain scenery. For these reasons a few members of Team In Training met this morning in Dillon, a hub of condominiums and shops anchoring the well-known ski resorts of Summit County. Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Copper Mountain ski areas are all nearby. I met Coach Rick, Courtney (who lives in Keystone), and Cathie (a staff member at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) at the coffee shop and crossed the highway to access the Lake Dillon Recreation Trail. The paved trail leads west across the Dillon Dam and follows the undulating shores of the lake. We discovered the popularity of the trail among cyclists, runners, and walkers as dozens of folks rushed by in every direction. The Dillon Reservoir is one of seven large water repositories managed by Denver Water to provide for the needs of its thirsty residents. It is the city’s single largest water source, holding approximately 40% of the water that makes its way to Denver taps. The man-made lake holds over 83 billion gallons of water when full! It is on the Western Slope of the Rockies and when water leaves the lake it flows through a tunnel over 23 miles long that carries it under the Continental Divide. From the eastern opening of the tunnel, it spills into the South Platte River already making its way to Denver. The city has been actively encouraging citizens to conserve water since a drought began in 2002. To learn what you can do to reduce your own water use visit their site at: http://useonlywhatyouneed.org/. Happy 4th of July!

Clean Shoes

Asics GT-2140

Get The Right Shoe For You

Yesterday I stopped by Running Wild, a specialty running shop in Highlands Ranch where Michael, the owner, took great care of me. I needed new shoes and I wanted to get them from a professional who has been matching shoes to feet for a long time. He pulled out ten shoeboxes and set me to running laps. Here’s a few details about getting the right shoe. There are three basic arch types out there: high arches, normal (medium) arches, and flat (low) arches. Once you know your arch type, you can match it to the right shoe type. You’ll need either a neutral cushioning shoe, a stability shoe, or a motion-control shoe. The typical footfall impacts on the outside of your heel and rolls across to the inside of the ball of your foot. If you rotate too far to the inside with each stride, you overpronate and need some additional structure on the inside of your shoe to maintain more neutral alignment. If your foot doesn’t roll far enough to the inside you need a shoe with some extra flex. It’s important to match your foot to the right shoe to avoid injury so it’s worth taking some time with someone who knows their job to get it right. After experimenting with a half-dozen shoes at Running Wild I left with a fresh pair of Asics GT-2140s, well suited for my foot (high arch with moderate overpronation). I got them dirty today on the South Platte Trail, an urban bike path that traces the route of the South Platte River through the heart of Denver. The fresh shoes felt great, especially beacause the pair I’ve been using are trail shoes that are less cushioned and more stiff than road shoes. Today’s highlight on the 45-minute loop were the spirted screams coming from the thrill-seekers riding roller coasters at the downtown Six-Flags. My legs felt worked at the end of the day and I’m looking forward to a day of rest tomorrow.

Highlands Ranch Romp

View from Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Area

No Trespassing

Row after row of nearly identical homes typifies Highlands Ranch, classic urban sprawl South of Denver. It’s easy to write off as a place that has sacrificed all of its open space for one more Home Depot, or Lowe’s, or both. But looking a little closer reveals a hidden treasure-the Highlands Ranch Backcounty Wilderness Area. I wouldn’t call it backcountry, and it’s definitely not wilderness, but the 8,200 acre tract of land surrounded by the Highlands Ranch community is a nice surprise; an island of nature in a suburban sea. The area is privately owned and access is limited to local homeowners, probably a wise policy considering the droves of people who would overwhelm the area’s trails otherwise. My friend and training partner, Ben, just so happens to be a homeowner there. Since guests are welcome at the wilderness Area I was in too! A little history-Ben and I met at the finish line of the Adventure Xstream-Moab Adventure Race this past March, and since it’s tricky to find good companions for a forty-mile mountain-bike ride, we decided to join forces back in the Front Range. Back to the wilderness area-I haven’t run in a friendlier place. Because every trail user is also your neighbor, interactions are universally cordial-one might say neighborly. During our run today, a four-mile romp that incorporated the Ponderosa Loop and the Waterin’ Hole Loop, we played leapfrog with a few mountain bikers. Any other trail this close to town at this time of day (after work) would be mobbed. The trails in the Wilderness Area have been thoughtfully designed with sweeping bends, moderate climbs, and swooping descents that keep visitors amused. At one point, runners must leap a small creek to keep their shoes dry. Sandstone outcroppings vary the scenery and ponderosa pine and mahogany groves line the trail, providing habitat for a diverse community of wildlife. The area is large enough to support even mountain lions whch have occasionally been sighted by trail users. If you can get in, you’ll be charmed by what the Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Area has to offer.