Five straight days off since finishing Hardrock, I'm heading out today for a run. Aside from deep sleepiness and residual dullness from inactivity, I feel pretty well. Grand Mesa 100 miler in CO is in 7 days. What was I thinking? Answer: I wasn't thinking. Everything seems like a good idea six months before it actually arises. GM100 is a tough one. Took me just over 25 hours to finish the sucker last year. This go around I'll be shooting for 22 hours.I wrote to Leadville race contacts to request allowing me to register for the 100 mile run. Declined, I won't bother with Leadville anymore. Boring ass course anyway. I'm registered for Waldo 100k on the same day but with my pending residency change, Oregon would be a stretch to get to for the race. I may still look into flying into the Bay Area and driving up for it anyway. We'll see. If not, then I'll support someone at Leadville in the form of crewing or pacing.
Inside Trail Matt is driving up from San Diego for a visit today for the weekend. Beer and running and discourse will be the main schedule. I've picked up a bullet proof vest and hired a sniper so I can introduce him to my ultrarunning friends. If you aren't familiar with our prolific work, view it here insidetrail.wordpress.com. We struck some nerves back in the day and have dusted off our pens and keyboards, planning to provide some needed commentary and analysis on our often shallowly viewed sport. We're back together and you've been warned. :-)
As mentioned, I've been poking around for a place to live in the Bay Area and have had little luck. So, I'm making the move back to Colorado. My heart has always been in the mountains. Coaching will remain my focus and I'm toying with the idea of flying out to the Bay Area 1-2 times per month to put on clinics and see some of the athletes I coach over here. Heck, many of them don't even know I live near them now, so the move will be transparent, since most of the coaching takes place via internet and phone. Info on my coaching here. I plan to leave Thursday and run Grand Mesa 100 as I drive through Grand Junction.
Have a good weekend and good luck to those running Angeles Crest 100, Tahoe Rim Trail 100, and other events this weekend.
You're basically insane. After hearing you (and Mock) describe the course/area, I'll be making a trip out there for one of the 2013 races for sure. 37 miles would be too much for me to try next week I think. Or would it....
ReplyDeleteYou'd love it, Shaun. There's a huge pristine lake right behind the start/finish area. Sub 4 hour drive for a day of running in a beautiful place? No brainer. Cut off is overly generous. You can do it, no doubt. See you there.
ReplyDeleteSeeing as how much you dis the LT100 anyway if I were the RD I wouldn't let you in either.
ReplyDeleteI agree, anon. I wouldn't let me in either.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your monumental HRR effort. Coming back to the Boulder area?
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your Hardrock finish - your race reports (this year and last) have scared me enough to wait to enter until I've run more 100's.
ReplyDeleteSo gotta ask, If Leadville is such a boring course to you, why did you try to get an entry? I really love the course, but I have not done any other 100's, so I have nothing to compare it to.
Good question. I don't hate Leadville. If I'm in the area anyway, might as well run it.
ReplyDeleteTim would just prefer to run courses that almost kill you - that's how he rolls ;-)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the move and the GM100!
You're only moving because you're jealous of our post-hundred steeplechasing.
ReplyDeleteTim speaks his mind. There's nothing wrong with that as it doesn't leave you guessing.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that the Leadville comments were seasoned with a bit of disappointment. Whatever. On to the next race.
Keep up the hard work, Tim, and RDs will be asking you to run their races soon.
Tim, was just curious your thoughts on difference in Bear and LV? I've ran Bear, albeit slow (34 hrs) and was curious about LV. When I do another hundred, I think I'm gonna try to run faster this time--Id like a mtn course (not something like Ulmstead or RR).
ReplyDeleteHi Michael,
ReplyDeleteI pick on Leadville, but it's a decent race. There are a couple of things that make it less appealing to me. It feels like a lot of road/fire road running to me. It's an out and back with 1,000 people on it. It was WAY over marked last year (felt like I was at a carnival with all the color and ribbons). And it sort of smells of corporate greed. Hey, I can have an opinion. Leadville is convenient when you live on the Front Range, which is the appeal to me.
Bear is much more difficult. The climb and terrain is more substantial and technical. It's a beautiful point to point course that takes you from one state to another. Leland and Rocket are committed to keeping it "old school". It's marked well but you still feel like you're in the wilderness. You're expected to take care of yourself and responsible for knowing the course and information provided in the manual. Bear just feels like a pure ultra event.
Congrats on your finish there! You should be able to run close to mid 20s at Leadville (with your experience and on a more runnable course). Unlike Bear, where you have to take it easy in the beginning, Leadville will lure you into running too fast for the first 30-40 miles and you'll pay the price for it. Just take it easy to Twin Lakes and you'll enjoy it much more.
Hope that helps.
Yeah Tim that helps a lot! I understand what you mean about LV. Not a bad race per se, but not for everyone. I'm leaning towards not for me. I'll keep my eye out for a runnable mtn race. I think I'm going to try your approach and work on tempo/50ks to up speed. To me, finishing a 100 is fantastic. But I'd like to eventually go under 24 hours on a decently tough course. Obviously I have a ways to go. Thanks and great HR run! Impressive!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael. I highly recommend San Diego 100. You'll love it. Take care.
ReplyDeleteLV is being downplayed lately because of its McDougalization, wider entry numbers, lack of qualification, new corporate management, and because there are so many more 100's these days with better scenery, less pavement, and more elevation (if you're into that). This is all natural behavior in any lifecycle/hype curve and despite its flaws, it still remains a classic.
ReplyDeleteI heard on the streets of Pb this morning that TK is indeed going to run this year, perhaps setting up a nice battle with Nick Clark. Can anyone confirm?