I saw Lapham Peak, I saw trails, I saw runners, but I saw a lot of drinking, eating and hanging out. This could be one of those drinking clubs with a running problem.
I was dumb enough to bring a decent stash of homebrew thinking "hmmm, this is more than enough". I returned with 1 or 2 of mine, and a case of 12 oz Blatz in cans. Blasphemy!
As with many trail running groups, these guys and gals are fun to be around and not at all pretentious. They have a lot to be pretentious about, if they chose to. I think 5 of the guys I was out there with ran Ice Age 50 in under 8 hours. Me, being the 8:40 runner felt rather inadequate. One of them won it outright last year. So these guys (and girls) can run.
Brad and Julie (I think at least one of them have been at every ultra I have run) were there tearing up the trail. They both had just run Wild Duluth 100K, and Glacial 50M, I believe (and were going to run the North Face races that weekend). They should go for Gnarly Bandit next year.
So I got to run the stairs, and that tower everybody has probably seen. It is on the Trailbreaker Marathon. Picture of it here.
I guess we did the "Black Looop", but I am not sure. All I know is that they ran all of the hills, and 1 hour was enough for me.
So then we hung out for a couple of hours doing what trail runners do best. Talk about boring stories of..... Glory Days. (you are supposed to sing that a la "The Boss").
Kevin Grabowski, the self appointed "Good Looking One", took these pictures.
That's the famous Dave Diehar on the right, Me, Brad Birkholz, and Julie Treder.
As you can see, a fine smorgasboard of trail runner fuel.
I might be back for the Funk Road 50, a race celebrating Jeff Mallach's 50th birthday (it starts at 6:03 PM on a Tuesday, 50K). I have a sales blitz that day and the next in WI. Not sure if I can do my job, sandwiching in a 50K at night, but might be fun to try. (although, might be tough to explain)
You might be an ultra runner if.....
.... You work all day, and then run a 50K at night, sleep for a few hours, and go back to work (I am no desk jockey).
So thank you to the Lapham gang.
Dave, Joel, Ron, Kevin, Brad, Todd, Angela, Deb?, Julie, Jeff, Craig, and I think a few others. They are a fun bunch. And they now how to "List Trash Talk". The MN Dead Runners used to be good at this, but I think the list got to big for constant back an forth smart ass remarks.
And.... this got me back to running again. Steady 8 mile runs daily again, but nice and slow.
Thoughts and ideas brewing for the winter. Will have some posted by the end of the week.
Good luck to all who are running Surf the Murph this weekend. I am opting out to spend time with the family (don't you hate that lame-ass cop out?).
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5 comments:
Sounds like a blast! If a biz trip and time allows, find your way an hour North and we'll do the same (obviously, you provide the beer) on the Glacial Trail course. I'd LOVE to host!
I was also very interested in that Tues night 50k, but tiem doesn't allow it.
I'm thinking of a 6-hour challenge at the Brickyard hill. My 28 times in 6 hours was tough - and I want others to share the fun.
Come back ... We're still thirsty..,
You got me thinking beer again. I hear Summit's got a number of new small batch brews they're distributing quietly to only a few locations. I may have to search them out.
Matt Reinders and Matt Waite just ran great cross-country 10K's this week - I'm going to get them to do trail races, so you can be the very slowest Matt (Waite ran 2:40 at Twin Cities Marathon. Matt Wegmann ran 2:39)!
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