Windy GM summit from the North

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Riverpoint/South Platt sunset ride 🌅

Waterton Canyon DOWN

Colorado Trail 5K

And then there was one.

I'd planned all yesterday and this morning to go for this one last but I got off to a late start as is and the sun was already brutal. Now, North Table Mountain's no walk in the park at all--there's no tree cover to speak of. But Chimney Gulch up Lookout Mountain is... way more challenging. So, long story short, I made my choice.

It was still brutal, and it's hard for me to conceptualize how I've struggled with this particular run over the years, from that very first GHW when you had to go all the way to the top and I did--on a freezing night where the last mile up (and down) as sheer ice. 

Today was a lot easier than that of course and the trails were mostly smooth sailing, though there are some technical spots for sure and a little wash-out this year (that's been everywhere during this unseasonably rainy early season).

But I didn't feel particularly great about my pace going up, though I was happy mostly to just keep moving. I was also happy about a last-second decision to run new shoes. I'd planned to start Hell Week with a fresh pair but just... plum forgot. But Mount Galbraith on Tuesday had some sketchy, gravelly, loose and dusty spots, and I could see the same here, so I decided to give myself some fresh treads. It's another pair of Altra Lone Peak 6, and these new ones happen to look just like the ones I ran LAST Hell Week (and the Oil Creek) in, so... history repeats itself, I guess? I had other colors, too, but these ones seemed best for the season.

An early glance tells me this might be good enough for a top 5 or 7 finish by the end of it all, and seeing as I just wanted to match last year's overall 10th-place (or better) finish, I think I'm in a good position. That said, Hell Week will humble the hell outta ya. I set a handful of great PRs today, but many put me only in the top 10 percent overall. Golden runners are just that good!

NOTE: The overview shows me "starting" about a tenth of a mile from Mountain Toad Brewery but this was not the case. Not sure if my watch was struggling to pick up GPS or what. In the spirit of fair Hell Week competition and the honor system, I've assessed a 20-second penalty (we're talking about 160 meters downhill) for an even 55:30 on the Hell Week results homepage.

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Jeremy JJ Johnson

Golden Hell Week #4 - Lookout Mountain (Chimney Gulch)

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Windy GM summit from the North

Commute to work

Riverpoint/South Platt sunset ride 🌅

Waterton Canyon DOWN

Colorado Trail 5K

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