Getting back to things

I've been running again for about 2 weeks now. I've been focusing on keeping it pretty easy (both in terms of effort and miles, especially miles) so far, but I have had the chance to throw in a few big climbing days. Yesterday, I hit up Alta and ran through Albion Basin from the Goldminer's Daughter (8500') to Germania Pass (10500') then back down through Collins Gulch. The altitude was pretty tough, but it was still a lot of fun.

A nice picture from one of the trails at Alta:




Unlike when I tried to run a month-ish ago, I have some moderate amount of speed in my legs once again. I ran a 5:39 mile without killing myself in my 3rd run back. No, that's not fast at all, but a month ago, I was so sick that even 8:00 pace was much harder than this 5:39 pace was a week ago, so this is a good sign. Obviously, I'm going to be horrendously out of shape after basically not running for 2 1/2 months, so I'm glad that I still have some speed left. A few days ago, I hit a moderately technical 4.8 climb and descent of Ensign Peak from downtown (1400' of gain/loss) at 8:30 pace. Once again, 8:30 pace doesn't sound super impressive, but this is actually quite a tough climb with a few super steep sections that really slow the pace, so this is something that I'd maybe hit at 7:45 pace in absolute peak fitness. 45 seconds per mile slow is quite slow, but at least now I'm starting to just feel like I'm a bit out of shape rather than sick.

Beards and fu manchus.

I've been biding my time slowly and my official training cycle for April 2nd's Philadelphia 100 starts in 2 1/2 weeks now that I'm feeling healthy, at least in day to day life (took a lot longer than I originally anticipated). What have I been doing with all my running time, you may ask? Well, for starters, I grew a wicked sick beard:

Since I couldn't spend ALL of my time just bearding around, I just today decide to one up the beard with an even wicked sick-er-er fu manchu (which I shaved in a matter of 3 strokes to look even more white trash, I might add):

Considering that no matter how hard I train at the art of facial hair growing, I will always be vastly inferior to the gentlemen in the following pictures,



I have decided that I would be better off focusing on training for long distance running events.


So, I've basically spent the last 2 months sitting on my butt letting my body finally get over mono and am ready to run again.