Altitude Training 2011



This didn't go quite as planned



August in Houston is anything but pleasurable. Everyday feels like a roaring heat wave with a vendetta at hand! So, in my quest to relax and get in some solid training, we packed our bags: swim bag, bike bag, run bag, casual bag, hand bag, doggie bag, and the old bag and headed to Pagosa Springs, CO. This trip was quite the adventure, as 16 hours stuck in a car with little to no supervision with my camera produced quite an entertaining scene.








What a great Navigator!

We arrived on Saturday and stopped in town for lunch at Farrago's. Eclectic place that seemed to specialize in an assortment of tacos and a true discovery: habanero salsa. HOT! As we relaxed and made some friends across the spread of the patio, we realized it was getting rather late so we headed to the boarding quarters.







Just a few more miles!












Now, I was aware that most of the Pagosans were retired and had a fairly comfortable lifestyle, however when we made our way up the drive my eyes almost popped clear out of their orbitals! Ironically, my lungs also felt like they were going to deflate as we were staying at 7500 feet. I don't mean to call too much attention to the private home, however it was better than anything I have ever seen! Stephen's parents were quite the hosts with their "extra everything" debonair. I can not thank them enough for offering up their extra room and the incredible food! YUM!

      On Sunday I had my first experience running uphill both ways! Did I mention it was 7500ft? It is funny how I thought I was a pretty good "climber" but at 7% grade and breath taking altitude, everything changes! I even split a toenail with all the training! Later that day we made our way "downtown" to experience some local monuments, history, and of course more food! Pagosa is known for a hot spring located in the center of the town. If I am not mistaken, it is up for the Guinness book of world records for the deepest Hot Spring. Stephen said the geologists dropped a line to measure the depth, but ran out of line! This was my first time at a hot spring so it was rather ...odd. It smelled like rotten eggs and bubbled like old faithful. I am reminded of the "Bog of Eternal Stench" from The Labyrinth". I also couldn't help but want to touch it...but I didn't!









In front of the HOT Spring
   We made our way around town playing a giant game of chess. I thought I knew how to play, but my intellect failed me as I was thinking of Connect 4! I lost, miserably. Even though my efforts at chest were a loss, I did win big with my frugal new white Kentucky Derby hat! Love that thing! Last stop in town was at the Olde Malt Shop, where $1 will get you a 12 in ice cream cone!



He was NOT impressed!

                                                                   

My dream hat




 



 












Climbing



      On Monday we had our first long ride through the mountains. On a regularly oxygenated day, it takes me about 30 minutes to warm up. But this day it took me almost an hour! I really don't know how to depict such incredible scenery, but it truly was magnificent! We rode and rode and rode. Windhaven Hill ain't got nothing on me!

 

     After biking for just over 2 hours, we took a break to eat and get cleaned up then we made our way up to 10, 000 feet for my first hike. Well, we drove up to 12, 000 feet then hiked across the Continental Divide via a little "bushwhacking" I have never been so scared of heights in my life!

Tuesday brought yet another day of running. This time I was a little faster and I could tell I was more acclimated to the altitude. I took it rather easy, however, as my foot and knee were feeling pretty good so I wanted to keep it that way. Stephen, on the other hand, blew me away with his superior engine and 26 year old physiology. No worries, not everything is a competition! After our run, we really ad no plans so we decided to drive into Durango to see what the hipsters were up to! Durango reminded me of Austin but without all the cool shops! We ate lunch at a place called Carver's where the food and ale was delightful and the waitstaff was...questionable. Our waitress wore a Carver's tee with a black and gray knee length skirt, fully equipped with a petty coat and one of those snazzy ankle monitors. She must have been a rebel! After lunch. we made our way down main street browsing in and out of shops. To say the least it was a good place to watch people but not so much to actually shop! But I am told I 'm a little to "Dallas" for the mountains! That's probably true. Keen sandals are NOT my idea of great shoes!


Wednesday was very relaxed as we went out for a steady bike ride, but first we experienced the local coffee shop "Higher Grounds". We left on our bikes from the house and road there, sat on the patio with our lattes and got ramped up for our ride back through the mountains! On our way there, I noticed a "Moxie" salon, so I snapped a quick picture for my Moxie peeps based in Austin.




Higher Grounds






What's Your Moxie?

Later Wednesday night we decided to hit the local karaoke bar and produce some live entertainment! As many of you know, I am a sucker for live music, even if I have to do it myself! We were surprised at the turn out of young people and older crowd to boot. My two competitors "punked" my vocal styling something fierce. The best singer of the night was a beautiful yet oddly dressed 70-ish woman that sang the tar out of Etta James. The second place lady was a tad younger, but just as uniquely dressed and hypnotized the crowd with her version of Celine Dion. She nailed it! Yours truly blew the place away ( or maybe just their eardrums) with "Sweet Child of Mine".






Sweet Child of Mine!

Thursday was a late morning as karaoke got the best of us. Nonetheless, the Milford's were up and at 'em ready to take us on a 5 mile hike through Piedra. As an athlete that is accustomed to hard work, I never saw this coming. Hiking through the rocky terrain, heat, humidity and altitude was something I was hardly expecting. I began to feel very shaky and dizzy, yet my experienced counterparts seem to truck along just fine! We stopped along side the river for a little R&R and Stephen unleashed a hidden talent: skipping rocks. I also attempted the skill, however my rendition was more like "chucking rocks". Here's a video of our expedition!






Our last day in Pagosa was Friday as we wanted to meet up for some fun in Lubbock on Saturday afternoon. So we did our bike workout early in the morning then pretty much sat around all day. I had a smidgen of altitude sickness, so I didn't want to move much. We watched an assortment of live comedy until Stephen decided on being a little more active and playing Kinect. I'm not much of a "gamer" as I don't understand what all the button functions do, but Kinect was right up my alley! I watched him play for a little while, mostly laughing in hysteria, but when we loaded the dancing game...well he got served! Check this out!










Saturday morning I was sad to leave such a phenomenal place, however, we loaded up our stuff and headed back to Texas at 6 am! We made it in to Lubbock around 2:45pm where we met up with my buddy Cam for a luau. I was so excited to see him and hang out with new people, but the pig roast threw me way off. That's right, these boys did it up right! The entire back yard of Blake's house was completely Hawaiian equipped with a huge sandbox, tiki torches, tiki hut, hula girls, and a roasting pig. I was kind of scared of this pig as it was huge. But luckily the Hawaiian tradition i to bury it in the ground under very hot rocks for HOURS. It was quite a sight to see 5 grown men digging up pig that I later learned they also killed themselves! Grunt, grunt, scratch! Most favorable moment was when Cam won the best Coconut contest! I am not sure what that means for the rest of the ladies there, but good job to Cam!






Cam and me as Hula Girls!






One BIG piggy!






Cam's Big Win!


Sunday, we made our way back home to Houston. I must say the time away was great. I did a lot of training and recentering myself. I have always said that what ever is going on in your head will manifest itself in your body. For me, it proved to be true particularly during this trip. I got real with me as the everyday stresses of getting back on my feet pun intended) were impairing my training and thinking. I'm so fortunate to have a close group of friends to help pull my through these times. A very special thanks to the Milford's, Stephen, Mel and Jim Yarzy for watching my Bella, to Gretchen, Carrie and Marcia for texting me the entire time I was gone, to Erica for listening to my thoughts as they unfolded, and to Debbie for knowing how to get blood out of fabric! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed. The full assortment of pictures can be found on facebook for your entertainment!


Bella and Max!