New Title explanation

Okay,

It is kind of lame, but it best explains where I am going and what I am doing. Graphics, links, and format will evolve. In case you did not know, the picture on the heading was of Karen Gall, Jim Wilson, and Todd Rowe on a cold March morning run at Afton this year. I liked how it captured them running off into nowhere. Well, it was the "Africa Loop". I remember pissing and moaning about how cold it was that day.

This blog will not specific to Ultrarunning, as that is only one aspect of my "appetite". Although, it will probably be most of it.

I came to this phrase recently as a good explanation of how I approach life. Right after the Superior Race, I commented on how taxing (mentally and physically) it was on me. I think I also said it would be a while before I attempted another one.

It is funny how we forget the bad spots. I actually don't remember any of the race being "that bad", I just remember going wacko around 3am, and feeling better when the sun came up. There was a lot of pain and suffering somewhere in there, but I honestly don't remember it. The euphoria, and sense of accomplishment after a year of work overshadowed it.

So, within two days I was cruising the "Run 100's" website looking for races for next year. What was wrong with me? I still could not walk, and my lower left leg looked like an inflated balloon.

Years ago when I worked in a bicycle shop, I worked on a woman's bike who was going to compete in the Kona Ironman that year (1992?). I remember thinking that must be an impossible task. How can anyone run a marathon after biking 112 miles and swimming 2 miles+ ? Well, now I see how it can be done. I have not done one of those, but I mentally can get my arms around it. I think it would be fun to do, but I am not a tri-geek. Swim training is about the most boring thing out there. I can bike, but have antiquated gear.

I had the same appetite in my sailing years. I used to race Lasers and Sunfish in California and Chicago. I also crewed on a racing yacht out of Chicago one summer. The appetite was fed during the famous "Chicago to Mackinac" race. 6 hours into that race, we hit a storm. I remember clutching the boom and watching the wind speed read out creep up to 36 knots. I seriously thought we were going to sink. Watching the bow go 6 feet under through a wave was not what I was used to. That night, hanging off the rail in a downpour (the race took 4 days), I thought this was the stupidest thing I have ever wanted to do. I will never do this again!

If I had the chance, I would do that race again. It is one of sailings "old school" races.

Direction I am going

I plan to use this blog as way to be held accountable to my goals. I don't know what next year looks like yet, but it will very like include a 100 miler, plus many of the other favorites. Maybe I will even do Voyageur (I hate heat).

I have been reading Mittleman again, and am considering making myself a "guinea pig" of his diet & exercise philosophy. I sort of did that this winter with Maffetone, and would like to build on that.

So,

As much as I think Adam is a quack with his diets, diet might be a topic here. Weight training might be mildly discussed. Any other cross training might make it in... Snowshoeing?.

Race I would like to do before I die:
Leadville 100
Hardrock (don't laugh)
Wasatch
Angeles Crest 100
Cascade Crest 100
Big Horn 100

I might not ever get to these, but appetites are somewhat out of our control.

I hope to keep some level of the condition I am in going into the winter, but I know I will likely not want to run at all come January. We will see.

I ran 5 miles this morning and it sucked. Tree stumps as legs. My quads hurt bad.

I will decided thumbs up or down on the Glacial 50 mile this weekend. I have this grand idea that I will be fully recovered by then. Cough Cough