Pikes Peak Ascent week 1 training
Week 1 Training for the Pikes Peak Ascent
Hey fellow joy seekers!
Welcome back to my blog, and thank you for joining me on this journey of finding joy in running, hiking, and the outdoors again. Today, I’m sharing a quick update about my first week of training for the Pikes Peak Ascent.
Before I dive in, I want to preface this by saying that I’ve only been running consistently again for about a month. During that time, I’ve been following a return-to-run program from RunMental Physical Therapy. This program uses run/walk/run intervals that gradually build toward running continuously for 45 minutes.
Up until recently, I was walking as much as I was running, and sometimes even pausing due to little “niggles” in my knee. But last week marked a shift: I was finally running more than I was walking.
And I want to say this clearly, I've really grown to love and appreciate the run/walk/run method. Your intervals can look however your body needs them to look. Whether you're running 30 seconds and walking 90 seconds, you are still a runner. You’re out there doing the work, and that matters.
Right now, I’m loving having more running minutes than walking minutes, and that’s exactly what my body needs as I begin building toward the Ascent.
Why the Return-to-Run Phase?
If you’re wondering why I’m still talking about a return-to-run program, it’s because of the injuries I’ve been working on for years.
Since around 2023, I’ve dealt on and off with runner’s knee. Then at the end of July of 2025, I was diagnosed with a femoral shaft stress reaction that completely sidelined me. For months, I actually thought it was an IT band issue, because that’s where I felt the pain. Please learn from me, don’t wait. Go seek help from a professional. Once I did, I finally got the correct diagnosis and could begin the proper healing process.
Fast forward to now: I’m on Level 6 of my return-to-run program, and I’m finally starting to feel like I can build real momentum again toward my fitness and my Pikes Peak Ascent training.
Week 1 Recap
Overall, week one went really well. I didn’t feel any true pain, just a few minor niggles at the start of runs that worked themselves out once I got moving. I was also fighting a bit of a cold, so I focused on listening to my body and letting it set the pace. That’s something I’m really working on. Coming from a competitive sports background, I used to be very focused on pace and data. If I wasn’t hitting certain numbers, I felt like I wasn’t improving. Now that I’m in my 30s, I’m learning to trust my body instead. Progress doesn’t always show up in the data, it shows up in how you feel. I still really like running with my watch on and getting that data. BUT I really have been working on not letting it control my running, or let it get in my head. I have been really working on using that data to not only show growth, but to reflect on what went well, and what I did to help make it go well. Or even what did not go well and what can I do to improve.
Workouts
May 26
2–3 minute walking warm-up
8 sets of: 4 minutes running / 1 minute walking
Walking cool-down back home
May 28
2–3 minute walking warm-up
7 sets of: 5 minutes running / 1 minute walking
May 30
Hiked Raspberry Mountain (near Divide, by the Crags Trailhead)
Check out my full trail review in a separate post!
May 31
2–3 minute walking warm-up
7 sets of: 5 minutes running / 1 minute walking
This run actually surprised me, I felt really strong even after hiking Raspberry Mountain the day before. I honestly think that came down to fueling well on the hike.
After the run, I also joined a friend for another hike on the Mount Buckhorn Loop (review coming soon!).
Final Thoughts
I am still taking it easy and trying not to rush things. My biggest goal this year is to listen to my body. What that looks like I am not sure. But I am figuring it out as I go. Week one left me feeling encouraged, motivated, and, most importantly, grateful. Grateful to be running again. Grateful to be moving in the mountains. Grateful to be listening to my body instead of pushing past it. This is just the beginning, but it feels like a really good one.
