I LIKE RUNNING IN CIRCLES

Well, Friday night I flew down to San Francisco via very fast hollow tube with sticks on the sides. Linda McFadden picked me up from the airport, and we stayed at the Holiday Inn close by. Wake up call at 5:30 A.M., and we drove all over San Francisco looking for ice. You would think all gas stations would have ice right? Well they do in Idaho. We went to 3 different places and had the toughest time finding ice! Don't worry, Idaho has a ton of the stuff everywhere. Got to the race site at about 7:30, to our surprise, the RD was getting into it with one of the participants, who he disqualified. Got to meet Norm Haines, that was cool. He is a way dirty old man! Well, the race got started at 9:00 on the dot, and the heat didn't take long to kick in either. It got above 80 during the day, making for lots of Endurolytes. I racked up miles, and if it wasn't for the fact that I was a sweaty pig, the race was going well. I discovered what it means to be road trained at this race. No hills or trail to work the legs are very hard!! My energy waned. I started off running 4 laps and walking 1, but after a while it went to running 3 and walking 1. I was really happy when the sun set, and started to cool off. There was a nice breeze, and I started to recover from the heat. I did well for a few hours, and up until about 11:30 PM I felt great. Then the "Hundred Mile Hangover" kicked in at about 62 miles, and I wasn't doing so hot anymore. I started dozing off on the run, and my feet started hurting extremely bad. I took some Ibuprofin, but it didn't help at all. Calling it a night at 64 miles, I crawled into Linda's car and decided to get some shut-eye. Linda hopped in the front seat for about an hour and tried to get her heart to calm down. She was back out on the race course after that, but I stayed inside. It got so cold outside, probably down into the 30s. Sea fog rolled in, and I couldn't keep my core temperature up. It was very cold. I woke up again at about 7:15, and it wasn't so cold outside anymore, so I decided to start running again. Linda had 3 miles to go before she hit 100, and I decided to go and pace her. After I started running, I came back to life. Didn't feel too shabby after a long period of rest. She hit 100, and I kept going. Running faster and faster, shouting encouragement to all the other runners. I did my last mile in 8:21, my best lap of the whole race. Some of them came in under the wire to hit 100, it was really awesome to see people bust a gut in the last hour. I sure did, and am also glad that I took a break. Should be able to recover now easily for 48 hours of fun at Ultracentric. I post pics here shortly from this race.

Race Calendar 2009

As we come to a close of the 2008 season, the focus shifts to a new year and new hopes of redemption. I can remember back to all the horrible mistakes I made in my planning and preparation for this year's race calendar, and how I will adjust to what is coming up next spring. I do not plan to do anywhere as many races next year as I did this year, as I have already participated in 11 ultras and 4 full marathons. This is averaged out to a race every 3 weeks, hopefully convicing Chirs Kostman that I am seasoned enough for his July Blisterthon;) Next year I will participate in:
Leon's Fat Ass 50K, January
WSU 100K, April
Lincoln Marathon, May
Watershed Preserve, May
Sawtooth Solo (200K), June
July is up in the air, considering I get into Badwater. We will see.
Plain 100+, September
Le Grizz 50, October

The Sawtooth Relay is normally set up as a relay race from Stanley to Ketchum, Idaho. Last year I completed the event as a 100K. This June, I am planning the do the event as a grueling 124 mile event from start to race finish and back to start. If you are interested in helping me crew for this event, let me know! This will be a difficult undertaking and I will need as much help as I can get.

Well, I have two races left this year. I am on my way to San Francisco next week for the San Fran 24 Hour, and to Texas for Ultracentric (48 Hour) in November. Hopefully, this can seal my entry into Badwater when I apply for the event in January. I will not be doing any serious training between now and the beginning of December, but be looking for me out on the trails at that time!

BorahBorah

Well, it was a good week. Took off earlier and went up into Lowman for a couple of days for some high altitude training. Ran about 20 miles there. Drove back into Boise, then Mountain Home, then up Hwy 20-Hwy 93 to the Lost River Mountains. Those things are incredible. Woke up Thursday morning, it was 19*F outside when I woke up! Started the climb up Borah at 7:30 AM. Got there at 10:15, much to my dismay, my hands were frozen stiff, and couldn't even pull my camera out for some sweeet shots. I have some that I will post shortly. 0*F at the top, and 50-60 MPH winds that tried to rip me from the mountain. No luck. Ran back down the mountain in an hour, and made for a hasty retreat back to Boise. It snowed here yesterday, so I can only imagine what those mountains are like that I was on only a short few days ago.

City of Trees Marathon

Well, the day started off pretty well. Got up, had breakfast, drove down to Park Center Park where the race began. Gun goes off, and the first 4 miles are a steady uphill. Was on a steady 8:15 pace to that point, then we ran downhill for a few miles, bumped the pace up to 8. Boise is very beautiful, and a great town to host a marathon in. I was doing great for my time, all the way to the half marathon mark. Hit that in just under 1:46. I figured if I could keep it up, I would be sure to break 3:30! Unfortunately, I had not planned according to the 'race conditions.' The race had nothing but water at the aid stations. Not being able to fuel up, like at every other long race I've done, my energy started to wane. Hit 20 miles at 2:54:00, and slowed considerable from there. The 20 mile mark was the only place on the course that had GU. I gave it all I had, but ended up at 3:43 for a finishing time. 9 minutes off of my PR, and will learn to depend on myself more.