This a run that the asylum group (a bunch of crazy fellow trail runners in Estes Park) do annually. The plan is to start at Bear Lake, run up to Flat Top Mountain, then along the divide before descending west and finishing at Green Mountain Trailhead near Grand Lake. Bear Lake trailhead is at 9,475 feet - Flat Top mountain peaks at 12,332 feet, and the run finishes at Green Mounatin at 8,794 feet - the run distance is around 15.5 miles.
We met at Beaver Meadows visitor center on the edge of Rocky Mounatin National Park at 6.00am. A cool start with the day warming as the sun rose through a clear sky. We all piled into Harry Kent's minibus (thanks as lways Harry!), with Todd Plummer driving. Todd would drop us off at Bear Lake and then drive over the divide to be there at the Green Mountain Trailhead when we arrived - big thanks Todd! Quick picture before we set off up the trail to Flat Top.  I was last to leave the car park as my Garmin took forever to locate and link satellites..I ended up giving up and didn't restart it until the summit at Flat Top.
The climb to Flat Top is an unrelenting 4.5 miles of steep and often technical running / walking. There are several scenic overlooks on the way up that are well worth stopping at - once above treeline the air thins out noticeably and progress is measured and steady. I caught and passed Jacqui (my wife) and Pete and Sue on the way up, and then arrived at Flat Top in time to see the rest of the group start their descent. I waited for Jacqui as she'd not been down the trail West from Flat Top.  She arrived a while later very emotional - she had struggled on the climb.  We took pics on the summit and I decided to stay with Jacqui rather than descend at my own speed. Pete and Sue started with us and we ran across the beautfiul tundra, past glaciers and snowfields.  The tundra was thick with wildflowers - probably more than last year, another impact of the wet spring we have had in Colorado.  It is indescibably beautiful. Descending back down to treeline we saw marmots, could hear pikas calling, and saw a ptarmigan.  Treats aplenty! The cool breezes up on Flat Top gave way to warm sunshine on our backs. The scenes coming down to treeline are reminscent of the scenery from the Sound of the Music - we skipped down singing "the hills are alive" and laughing as we went.
Down through treeline and the surface changed from rocky to a soft pine carpet that encouraged a slightly longer stride and quicker pace. Jacqui was running well considering how little training she has been able to fit in.  We stopped for several pics on the way and gu's and fluids. As we neared the Green Mountain trail head the nmber of hikers on the trail increased.  There were several groups with packs on their backs who were very impressed with the fact that we were running. Sue was struggling with a knee problem, so we left Pete and Sue and ran on...
I could see that Jacqui was tiring towards the end of the trail...I encoraged her to walk up the steeper short climbs to stretch out her legs and take a rest from running - thankfully she listened and we made good progress. The last 1.5 miles or so are a steeper descent to the tarilhead - I decided it was time to stretch my legs and took off to the trailhead.  I caught one of the main group, Chris, before the end, and then ran on to finish and join the rest at the trailhead.
Jacqui, Sue and Pete arrived soon after me and we were all soon swapping stories of thigs we had seen on the run. It had been a great day - we jumped back into the van, tailed by Brad on his MTB, and headed for Grand Lake for some well earned lunch. A day to remember! Thanks to everyone in the gang, and especially to Amy for organising the whole trip. There is no sweeter feeling than to have shared a run that special with like minded folks. There was much mirth and merriment over lunch, and some sleepy heads in the bus on the way back down to Beaver Meadows.
I felt great afterwards and very proud of Jax and her first over he divide run!

The crazy bunch: Carla, Lisa, Paul, Amy, Ernie, John Mc, Laura, John F, Shelley, Chris, Tom, Jax, Sue, Pete, TC, & Todd the valiant driver!

Ran this morning on Bridal Veil Falls trail with Jax.  We are back to warm and sun after the clouds and freeze of yesterday. Early on the trail we disturbed 2 mule deer that initially bounced away to a position where they could stand and watch as we ran by. These deer have huge eyes and ears and were looking at us like we were slightly crazy - I have to be honest that is only my interpretation. I bet it's closer to the truth to say they were slightly scared but also playful.  As we drew level with them they both bounced off i different directions.  When  I say bounced, these deer can jump huge distances and heights using all 4 legs at once - it's just like watching a gazelle in a Nat Geo documentary - awesome and gave me renewed strength as I climbed the trail after meeting them. We are so fortunate to live here and to be healthy and fit so that we can enjoy the beauty around us.

And now for the Tuesday am group. The pics above are of the sub 55 pace group (for a 10K) and a coach or two.  Pic on the left shows, left to right, Joe, me, Jessica, Cathy, Nancy, and Bold Running Training Club Director Ewen North. The pic on the right are the 4 group members coming back down a trail on Mount Sanitas in Boulder after finishing a hill repeat session.
One of the many things I love about coaching is that people can catch you off guard - just when you think you've got them sussed they can come along and do something completely different, out of the norm. We did 8 reps going up the trail and the first 7 went to plan.  Then the last one Joe and Cathy decided they were going to blast out and see how far they could go in the 90 seconds. Bearing in mind they'd been working hard the first 7, pacing consistently to arrive within a few feet of the same turn around point each rep. Last rep and Joe storms off - Cathy in hot pursuit. Now Cathy doesn't like hills, or so she says. The great thing was that Cathy sat on Joe's tail and focused on keeping there. I was back a little way with Jessica and Nancy to push them along. When I shouted time at the end of the rep, Joe and Cathy had gone way past their usual turn around point.  I could see Cathy and Joe grinning as the group got back together - what I'd missed on the top of the rep was Cathy muttering under her breath to Joe - dammit Joe - a great example of group dynamic working to explore potential and break through boundaries.
These guys rock and it's a pleasure to work with them and watch them flourish and grow. It's also amazing that they keep in the shape they do, come to all the workouts with jobs, families, and schools to look after. Very motivating and inspirational! 

I love coaching! There are few sweeter times in life than seeing the look on someone's face when they realize (and show the world) the potential that you know as their coach has been waiting inside for the right moment to appear.
I had worked with small groups and indivduals coaching back in England.   Moving to Colorado, and starting life here in Boulder, presented me with many opportunities that I greeted with open arms! We had rented an apartment in Boulder using Craig's List - from 4,000 miles away we picked what we felt (in an intiutive sense) was the right place to be - location, cost and how it looked in pics.  Around a week after we moved in I met another runner in the car park - we got chatting and it turned out he was the manager at Fleet Feet Sports Boulder. He said that I had to meet his flatmate, who just happened to be English as well and the Training Director for the Bolder Boulder Training Club.   What are the chances of that happening? Picking an apartment next door to those 2 guys - make a decision and providence moves!
I met up with Ewen North soon after and we've never stopped talking since! I now coach for Bold Running - they have a year round program based on specific goal races.  The current Spring program is geared towards the BolderBoulder, taking place on May 26th, one of the USA's largest road races with 50,000+ runners and walkers. The Estes Park Marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K and KIDS FUN RUN! are also on the program - races take place on June 14 &15.
I coach a grouop aiming to run the BolderBoulder 10K in less than 60 minutes.  The group is pictured on the CU cross country course in Boulder after a training run.  Every individual in the group brings their own strengths and qualities - they rock! It's like having 10 coaches as we all help each other along. I'm more like a facilitator than a coach sometimes! The program works very well and we've had some incedible improvements in running performance.  Carrie (4th from the right in the picture above) is a great example - she has improved her 5K time by 15 minutes in a little over a year!
Check out more on Bold Running and the BolderBoulder at http://www.bolderboulder.com/Start_Training/runwholeway_schedule/trainingcluboverview.htm
Estesa Park Marathon at http://www.epmarathon.org/