Pikes Pique

There's no denying that I'm now officially nervous.  In three days, I'll be somewhere on Pikes Peak--hopefully at or near the summit.  Otherwise, I will have been right to be nervous.   I can't fathom what possessed me to sign up for a race up a 14,110 ft. mountain.  Trees won't even grow above 12,000 ft.  That might lead one to ask if I'm smarter than a tree.  Actually, I'm asking that right about now.

That said, I've trained hard this summer, and if it weren't for the rarefied air and the 8000+ feet of elevation gain over 13.3 uphill miles, I would be looking forward to this race.  But, I've spent the summer running among the corn fields here in Hog Heaven, not where the trees don't grow.  So, I'm naturally a bit apprehensive.  But, we'll know soon enough.

The Ascent is Saturday, August 18.  I'll be staying in Colorado for a few days of hiking following the race.  So, I won't be home to post my post-mortem until the middle of next week.  Stay tuned.

I'll actually be peaking/tapering for two goal races in the next month (the Ascent  and the North Face Endurance Challenge on September 15), so I'm paying particular attention to tapering strategies.  Here's one that's interesting:  http://running.competitor.com/2012/08/training/the-art-of-peaking-for-a-goal-race_7837/1


In the last major track & field competition at the London Olympics, Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich captured the marathon Gold in 2:08:01.  American Meb Keflezighi finished just off the medal stand in fourth.  The other Americans, Ryan Hall and Abdi Abdirahmen dropped out with injuries.  For an account see here: 
http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/track/story/stephen-kiprotich-uganda-wins-mens-marathon-gold-medal-081212

And, finally, here's one last look back at the 2012 Olympics as Runners World picks its top ten track & field moments: http://www.runnersworld.com/olympics/top10/

Pinball wizard

I ran 7 miles on local trails this morning as I continue to taper for next Saturday's (August 18) Pikes Peak Ascent.  I have three short runs (4, 4, & 3 miles) planned for next week.  We'll drive to Colorado Springs on Friday, and the race is Saturday morning.  I think that I'm ready, but you never know.

It's hard to believe that the Olympics end tomorrow.  It's been an entertaining, and often inspiring, two weeks.  Despite my bias for track & field, my favorite moment of these Olympics was the gold medal match for women's beach volleyball.  Won, of course, by Americans Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh.  It was their third--and final--Olympic Gold.  Misty May retired after the match.  So, I guess that made it a bitter-sweet moment.  

Yesterday's women's 1500 meters was another American middle distance/distance disappointment.  The race was won by Turkey's Asli Cakir Alptekin in 4:10.23.  Shannon Rowbury was the only U.S. qualifier to make it to the finish line.  Well back in 6th place.  Morgan Uceny tripped on the final lap and did not finish.  Jenny Simpson failed to make the final. 

Runners' World columnist Amby Burfoot handicaps Sunday's men's marathon here:  http://olympics.runnersworld.com/2012/mens-marathon-kenyans-ethiopians-super-strong/

Kenya's David Rudisha notched a world record and became the first man to run a sub-1:40 800 meters in the finals of the Olympic 800 on Thursday:  http://running.competitor.com/2012/08/news/david-rudisha-wins-800m-gold-in-world-record-time_56732


One of my favorite bands of all time, the Who, will appear in the closing ceremony Sunday evening.  Maybe the IOC will add pinball for the 2016 Games!