Yehaw Sunday

After a week of fighting the effects of a cold, today I finally got some of my energy back. Good thing, as I also had a 10 mile run scheduled on big hills. That meant a visit to my local East Bay ridge line for some out-the-back-door running.

Since I'm still not back at 100%, I decided to work on two endurance running techniques of zone running and pacing. I was shooting for an average hear rate of 140 with peaks at no more than 157. This would effect my pace and I would have to dial back on my speed. I figured that with some very steep hills on this section I was going to see about a 11:00 mile average. This would put my run at about 1:40 minutes requiring, I calculated, about 1 liter of water. I also wanted to shoot for a faster back half than front half run time so energy conservation would be important.

Sunday was gorgeous here. A forecast high of 74 was expected as I left the house at a comfortable and dry 52 degrees. The trailhead was packed with cars and signs of many mountain bikers out on the route. I left the parking lot just ahead of one biker who passed me .5 miles in. Despite my very moderate pace, I knew I'd reel him as the trail steepend before the summit, 1.6 miles ahead. I did and without breaking my heart rate limit..heh..heh. I hit the top feeling comfortable but I could tell more ragged than I would expect on non-cold impacted runs. I throttled back to hit 135 bpm for a short period before the next trail up-turn. Around me, trees had begun to blossom or bud out and the hillsides were becoming showing the typical spring time lush green carpet. The trail wound through scrub oak capped with rich blue morning skies.

Mile 4 to 5 was a sharp hump up a series of switchbacks that often challenge even the most experienced and conditioned mountain biker. Hitting my heart rate limit twice, I would slow to a walk until my heart rate fell back into the zone before resuming my pace. It worked out nicely and I hit the half way mark well within my target pace time. Now I had a two miles to accelerate on downhill and flat sections before hitting "Hell Bitch Hill"--a nasty .5 mile up-grade that can turn calves into knots of fire. I ignored my heart rate limit and kept a steady pace despite hitting 164 bpm on the climb. Topping out, my heart settled back down as I hit a short flat section before another short climb. Downhill from here, I let out the clutch and cruised downhill to the parking lot at about a 7:20 pace as gravity gave a boost to tired but happy muscles.

A great run.