Thru Endurance We Conquer!

Sometimes, things work out just as planned, other times the universe decides that the best laid agenda needs some disrupting. Sometimes, that disruption actually proves to be a benefit though! After all, the trail situation in Moab at the end of February wasn't all that great and my legs were a little tireder then I wanted to admit from Stories. Still, we had plans to head to Moab and Fruita for a mini-vacation/training camp that last full week of February. And then Nick crashed and tore a hole in his elbow. Okay, maybe we can still go! Just need to dial it down a little. And then the wound got infected big time. Yeah, no - not going. Time to postpone the trip and let his arm heal up. Which also had the benefit of letting me recover a little and allowing all the snow to melt off the trails in Moab. Exploring means following the cairns even if you don't know where they lead Without a plan other then get out of COS, we headed west. Moab never disappoints for riding or runn...

The question is always pandered about on the internet - which is harder. A fast marathon, an Ironman or a 100 mile run. Pending the perspective of the person answering, the response will be very different. A fast runner, trained for three hours at the limit will view the Ironman and the 100 mile race as challenges. Finishing a race with the distance of run that is normally the race? Crazy. The ultra runner, used to covering long distances as steady, consistent paces might see the fast marathon as a challenge. The marathon is the warm up, not the actual race. And forget about swimming! And then the triathlete - more accustomed to covering the 100 miles on wheels, not on foot and then surviving the marathon after.  I've done all three - at some stage in my life, so I have some semblance of an answer. There was the 2:47:17 marathon at the Top of Utah in 2003 that just missed out on the Olympic Trial Qualifying Time of 2:47. There were the Iron distance triathlons, including a 10:30 an...

It's been almost a month since Stories Ultra . Physically, I think I'm recovered and ready to go again. Mentally? There's still a lot to ponder here. I really never anticipated going for the 100m distance at Stories. Everything was planned out around me stopping at the 100k mark. And while I'm really happy everything came together and I was able to hit that dream goal, believe it or not, I'm a little unsure of myself now. I know that is part of the process - the Transcendence Series is supposed to be more then just racing and ticking the boxes off one by one. There's supposed to be a challenge and times where the challenge is just as much mental as physical. It's surprising that I would be facing that uncertainty after the first race, and after a race that went far better then I imagined. I should be feeling confident that I'll be able to complete the next five races. I don't need another 100 mile race - the hardest distance has been completed. All ...