Crossroads
This year was always confused - I never was able to commit to what I wanted to do. Ride or run. Run or ride. What is calling to me? I don’t think I’ve figured it out yet, even though the year is over halfway over. My original thought was that I’d take a break from the long bike races and focus on some running. The 105k race in Crested Butte looks super interesting and my kind of challenge. But then I felt like I didn’t want to give up the hard earned cycling fitness from the Breck Epic and Vapor last year. I felt more drawn to Vapor then I did for running, even as I signed up for some challenging running events. So I halfway committed to Vapor - sending in my money, but wanting to keep my name off the list until after the Pikes Peak Ultra 50k. I built out the training focused on long run and maintaining the cycling fitness after Growler. I put thoughts of Crested Butte out of my mind.
Then Vapor was cancelled for reasons beyond our control. And my entire second half of the year was thrown into a tailspin. I’d built up the plan for a longest running race of 32 miles with the training according. I was anticipating taking a week easy and then diving into the long rides needed for Vapor. Without Vapor, the entire fall just opened up, but it was already too late. I didn’t have time for building up for a 105k running race in mid September. So now there was a huge gapping hole. What to do? I promised myself I wouldn’t make any decisions until after the Pikes Ultra. I didn’t want to just jump into a race to race. I wanted something that sounded fun and interesting.
Now it's almost two weeks after the Pikes Peak Ultra. I still don't know what I'm doing. There's a lot of really fun and interesting races over the next few months, but nothing seems to be calling to me. I've always wanted to do the Steamboat Stinger Queen Bee race combo, but it's this weekend and I'm not ready. There's the Estes Epic - a similar style event but with a 55k for both running and riding. I'm working that weekend. Fremont Adventure Recreation is hosting a brand new race on the Royal Gorge trail that still sounds like a lot of fun. I haven't fully ruled that one out. But given how low the cycling intensity has been as I was training for Pike Peak Ultra, I'm not sure I can pull off a 50 mile mountain bike race in a month. And then there's Dead Horse. I'm already signed up for the 50k. The thought of jumping up into the 50m is intriguing. I'm far enough removed from my last 50m race that I keep wanting to do another one. I'm not sure Dead Horse is he one though! We've got a fun vacation planned around the race and if I do the 50m, I'll be toast. Not a great way to vacation. I'm also not sure about running 50m on those trails. I know it's a fast course, but the slick rock and sandstone of the Mag 7 trails can be as hard as pavement and that makes me nervous for a 50m.
I've found myself at a crossroads of what sport I identify with right now. Running or riding - trails all the same, just different ways of covering them. And I keep getting pulled back to running. I keep seeing all these intense races that I want to do, even while not entire sure I can do them. Races like the High Lonesome or Last Call 50. Things I have to focus mostly on running to have a chance to finish. This is my last year running in the "open class." Perhaps this crossroads is my version of a midlife crisis as I near entering masters? I don't know. Only time will tell.
Then Vapor was cancelled for reasons beyond our control. And my entire second half of the year was thrown into a tailspin. I’d built up the plan for a longest running race of 32 miles with the training according. I was anticipating taking a week easy and then diving into the long rides needed for Vapor. Without Vapor, the entire fall just opened up, but it was already too late. I didn’t have time for building up for a 105k running race in mid September. So now there was a huge gapping hole. What to do? I promised myself I wouldn’t make any decisions until after the Pikes Ultra. I didn’t want to just jump into a race to race. I wanted something that sounded fun and interesting.
Now it's almost two weeks after the Pikes Peak Ultra. I still don't know what I'm doing. There's a lot of really fun and interesting races over the next few months, but nothing seems to be calling to me. I've always wanted to do the Steamboat Stinger Queen Bee race combo, but it's this weekend and I'm not ready. There's the Estes Epic - a similar style event but with a 55k for both running and riding. I'm working that weekend. Fremont Adventure Recreation is hosting a brand new race on the Royal Gorge trail that still sounds like a lot of fun. I haven't fully ruled that one out. But given how low the cycling intensity has been as I was training for Pike Peak Ultra, I'm not sure I can pull off a 50 mile mountain bike race in a month. And then there's Dead Horse. I'm already signed up for the 50k. The thought of jumping up into the 50m is intriguing. I'm far enough removed from my last 50m race that I keep wanting to do another one. I'm not sure Dead Horse is he one though! We've got a fun vacation planned around the race and if I do the 50m, I'll be toast. Not a great way to vacation. I'm also not sure about running 50m on those trails. I know it's a fast course, but the slick rock and sandstone of the Mag 7 trails can be as hard as pavement and that makes me nervous for a 50m.
I've found myself at a crossroads of what sport I identify with right now. Running or riding - trails all the same, just different ways of covering them. And I keep getting pulled back to running. I keep seeing all these intense races that I want to do, even while not entire sure I can do them. Races like the High Lonesome or Last Call 50. Things I have to focus mostly on running to have a chance to finish. This is my last year running in the "open class." Perhaps this crossroads is my version of a midlife crisis as I near entering masters? I don't know. Only time will tell.
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