Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The Grand Slam of Ultrasitting On My Ass is done.

I ran yesterday.  My first run in 19 days but really I have only ran one other time in the past 24 days.  It has been a nice break.  I think.  Two miles... average HR was super low in the 120's.  Super easy effort.  Tonight's run will be about the same just longer.

I am still not overly motivated to run right now as I am not really invested in it anymore past just doing it for fun and to keep from becoming just another fat-ass American.  No racing plans for 2014 as of yet.  Really.

I feel like I am wedged between a rock and hard place though.  Since I didn't make the cut in the HR100 lottery and since my 2013 LT100 finish will not count anymore for the HR100 lottery, I need to do some qualifying 100 this year if I want to stay in the lottery.  If I don't and take the year off from 100's then I will be starting over again with only one ticket in the HR lottery in two years instead of having a potential 32 tickets. One of my friends got in this year with 64 tickets.  I don't want it to take that long especially if I have to start over, so I feel the need to stay in the game somehow.  I really would like to do Hardrock while still in my 40's and at this rate playing the lottery every year I would have 128 tickets when I am 49.

My only solution to this dilemma is to run the Bighorn 100 next June.  I am thinking of that one because it is in June and after that I can just focus on the bike and the LT100 MTB for the rest of the summer.  Downsides... I have to train for a 100 through the winter months and right now even with six months to go I can't say that I am ready to buckle down and train for a race that my my head and heart aren't exactly enthusiastic about.  Also if I do Bighorn, I won't get to go to Lake City for the San Juan Solstice as it is the same weekend.  This will make the second year of missing the SJS50 then.

The second option is the Run Rabbit Run in September in Steamboat.  I've paced on that course I know what it is about and I also know it is no joke.  And it is in September which means still sorta training and having to stay focused when everyone is traditionally done with the season.  Also I want to bowhunt elk next September and after missing this past season I don't want to sit out another one.  A September Ultra would guarantee no hunting pretty much. 

The Bear is not even on the table as an option.

Whatever I decide it will have to be soon.  Rego for the Bighorn 100 opens on January 5th and I imagine there are others like me who are going to have to hustle to stay in the HR100 lottery game and will be trying to get in as well.  It will fill quickly if I had to guess.

So... that kinda covers my running scene right now.

In other news, I am in Aspen until January 2nd and so glad that I am here and get to stay for such a long duration.  So at least I am in a cool place to get the running thing going again.   The streets here are all completely covered with ice and snow and if I have to guess they will stay that way until late spring which is fine with me.  We are supposed to get another storm later in the week which I am really excited about.  I have been getting my back country skis and everything in order and hope to get out on them some more this weekend.

Melissa bought me some used Black Diamond Cult 167 back country skis which are the old school, non-waxless, kind of skis meaning they don't have scaling on the bottom surface in the kick zone.  I picked up some kicker waxes the other night at Ute Mountaineering and will have to reeducate myself on which wax to use during which temps and conditions to be able to kick and glide without losing grip.  They are fatter skis too so they should have some awesome float if I need it.

I still haven't made it to the top of Aspen Mountain yet on my skis and I hope I can do that this weekend.  I am going to have to get up super early to do that as I think it will take me between three and four hours to get up there and I have to be up at the summit by 9:00 AM per Aspen Mountain Uphill rules.

Now this... this is going to be awesome!






3 comments:

  1. To be more clear, Utah, a long assed drive across I-80 which I never want to do again unless at gunpoint. I saw enough of that state when I "had to" in my early twenties and really don't care to go back. Ever. It is in September which clogs up other plans. I will say though I would consider The Bear if I somehow managed to get into Hardrock one year and were doing the Rocky Mountain Slam but that would be the only exception. To do it for the sake of doing it as a 100, it just isn't really on my list.

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