Pilot Hill and Weeks Ending June 8 & 15

June 3 - 7M/:55.  Quick post-work run at Happy Jack on my way back over the hill.  Ridge-Headquarters-Summit loop.

June 4 - 7M/:50.  Warm-up to the Central High track where Chris and I did 8x400m with 40sec/100m jog rests.  Hit the quarters in 75, 76, 77, 75, 75, 73, 72, 67.  Felt good to run that 67.  Cool down back home.

June 5 - 6.5M/:50.  Relaxed morning run on the Greenway.

June 6 - 4.5M/:34.  Easy morning run around Western Hills.

June 7 - 19M/2:16.  Pilot Hill 25K.  I started off the quickest I ever have at Pilot Hill.  I usually take the first couple of flat miles easy to build-up for the climb.  Chris took it out with Clarkie on his shoulder, so I tucked in behind Nick and just tried to stay with them.  We had a southeast wind hit us in the face for the first miles which added difficulty.  By the lower aid station, I lost contact with Chris and Nick and decided to settle in for the climb.

2014 Pilot Hill start.

Taking things out.

Hungry Dogs and the boss.

I didn't feel great climbing, but I've felt worse, and I kept Chris and Nick in sight all the way up.  I did make my fastest ascent of Pilot Hill, 1:02:34, which is 1:01 faster than my previous best from last year.  A minute is a good improvement, but I was eyeing my watch hoping I might be closer to the hour mark.

Back down on a beautiful day.

By the time I started down, I had lost sight of the two in front of me.  With Nick and Chris up front battling it out, and me about three minutes behind by that point, I choose to relax on the descent and protect third place.  As I made it back down close to the bottom aid station, fourth place had been steadily gaining on me.  I wasn't feeling chippy at that point, and thought, "dammit, dude, don't make me work too hard to beat you.  Please?"

Thankfully, he didn't.  I did pick things up a little over the last mile to keep a 30 second cushion on fourth place.  My descent of 43:24 was 41 seconds slower than last year, and my finish of 1:45:58, while a course PR, is only 20 seconds faster than last year.  Overall, I am somewhat disappointed in this race.  I thought I would have a little more gas in the tank at the end.  However, this was not the goal race, and while I did begin backing off this week, the taper is for Bighorn, not Pilot Hill.

June 8 - 7M/:59.  Stayed in Laramie Saturday night so I could partake of the Pilot Hill after party (and Jefe's delicious beer).  Stopped at Happy Jack in the morning on my way home.  Sluggish and stiff run on Ridge-Headquarters-Summit loop.

Week: 51M/6:23

June 10 - 5.5M/:49.  Post-work run at Happy Jack.  Felt terrible.  Quick out-and-back on Ridge and Headquarters.

June 11 - 5M/:40.  Easy run on the Greenway.  

June 12 - 9M/1:05.  Met Chris at Central for a 30 minute tempo run down and back on the Greenway.  Kept the cruise control on 6:00/mile pace.

June 13 - 4.5M/:31.  Quick run through Western Hills.  Legs loosened up finally.

June 14 - 11M/1:33.  Conservative Silent Trails loop with Chris.

June 15 - 7M/:55.  Cool morning.  Hit a Ridge-Summit-Secret-Forest-Aspen-Pole Creek loop.  Felt good for parts, not sharp or coordinated going down Secret.

Week: 42M/5:33
YTD: 1070/148:20

This week is easy.  Hay is in the barn for Bighorn.  I'm getting excited.  It will be a great time visiting with friends while running through beautiful mountains on my 31st birthday.

*Photos: Wendy Perkins for High Plains Harriers*