A Good Week

"70 Miles this week, no wonder why my legs feel so dead"  This thought had occurred to me as I was 6 miles into a 15 mile run on Mags.  Mags is reason enough to feel dead legged, but today was slightly worse than normal.   But as I was thinking back on my week and doing the math I realized I was going to hit 70 for this week.  (Actually 68 miles, but what's a couple of miles between friends).

The last time I did nearly 70 miles for a week had to be years ago.  And the funny thing is, I wasn't trying, which is why it happened.  Two solid workouts with the BTC MUTS group on Tuesday and Friday morning (with a lot of hill climbing), a sorta long run on Saturday (with a lot of hill climbing), Mags on Sunday (a lot of rolling hills), along with normal 10 mile Wednesday morning res run and couple of easy runs on Monday (Fleet Feet Fun Run) and Thursday, plus an easy 6 Friday evening for the Happy Hour Run, and it all adds up nearly to a 70 mile week and some pretty toasted legs.  Not so much the mileage (which is part of it), but there was a lot of hill climbing.

But that is good, for my race schedule this year looks like a lot of hill climbing.  Oddly this isn't my strength and most of the races I am planning don't have any downhill (my strength) or flat spots (which I can usually run better than others coming off a climb).   My groin injury changed my summer plans along with my decision to enter the Jungfrau Marathon.

So here is the fairly set in stone race schedule for the year.

May 27  Bolder Boulder 10K : Goal - Break my age for the first time ever in this race (or any 10K)
June 8-9  Go Pro Vail Summer Mountain Games : Goal - Complete triple, 1/2 marathon climb up Vail Pass on Saturday, 10K trail race Sunday morning, followed up with 5K Rocky Dog Trail Race with Brisco, Sunday afternoon.  This might be difficult but I must help defend Brisco's crown
July 21  Vail Half Marathon : Goal - New course for me.  Just want good effort.
August 17  Pike's Peak Ascent : Goal - Like to go under 2:50.  Went 2:59 last year without much high altitude exposure prior to the race
September 14 Jungfrau Marathon : Goal - Key race of year.  Looking forward to it.  Long way out but think I could run 3:45 there.
October 19-20 Bourbon Chase Relay : Goal - Run fast, drink bourbon, have a good time.  2 of the 3 are guaranteed with the Stonemill Streakers.  Actually all 3 are guaranteed when running with the Streakers.

It should be good year.  I am looking forward to the summer.  Right now I am enjoying a Brisco Genesis Dark Mild Ale.  Bottled on April 24.  Here's a look back at the bottling process.

Soaking old bottles (special thanks to Hungry Toad for access to their recycling bin)

Clean bottles ready to be sanitized.  Baked in oven for a couple of hours at 350 F.

Racking beer from secondary fermentor to bottling bucket.

Filling bottle from bottling bucket.

Filled bottles. Just a need a few weeks to condition and carbonate.

Capping bottles.

And in the end after letting set for nearly 3 weeks, the batch is ready to drink.  Chilled in fridge for a few hours and then poured and ready to drink on a great summery Boulder night.

Final Verdict :  Overall I am pleased with my first batch of homebrew.  It has a nice dark color to it and is quite clear.  Good taste, no bad after taste or yeasty taste.  Of course with brand new equipment this likely wasn't going to occur.  Next batches will show how well I cleaned up after this one.  A little too malty, caramelly (sweet) than I would have preferred, but now I know what these grains will give me in terms of taste.  I'll give it 3 tail wags (out of 5).