Thru Endurance We Conquer!

I've been seeing them more and more at the ultras - trekking poles or running poles. Sometimes, I look at them and think "I'd like to try those on some of the steep climbs around here. See if they help at all." Other times, the thought is "yikes, those look like a lot of weight to be dragging around for not much help." So it's not something I'm sure I want to spend the money on just yet, especially since none of the races I have coming up are going to warrant the use of poles. Maybe later on the schedule, but not right now.  That doesn't mean I can't start collecting the things I think I might need for some of the crazy ideas I have in my head. Collapsible cup since my soft flask water bottles don't count? Done. All the mandatory gear for warm clothes? Double done and dusted. I off hand mentioned something about poles while we were at Mountain Chalet a few weeks ago, not expecting to really see anything. To my surprise, Ron said they had...

So technically, it's Fall Series 1/2 - not Winter Series 2. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. Fall Series 1, Monument Valley Park. The "highlight" of this race is the run up Monument Valley Creek - at least half a mile of splish splashing through the water. I've been studiously avoiding this race for that reason for the last 10 years. I hate the thought of running through the creek! This year was different. Fortieth anniversary of the fall series, I had to end my avoidance of the creek so I could run. I picked out my worst shoes, my oldest socks and shorts that I didn't mind getting soaked. I just remembered the last time I'd run in the creek, I'd fallen in a few holes and ended up completely soaked. I planned for that this year. The first half of the course was pretty straight forwards and mellow. North up the steep hill and around the eastern edge of the park, across the PopCycle Bridge and then back down south to Uintah. I didn't push the...