Last Minute Packing

Hoka Stinson ATR's on the left, the older Stinson Men's Trail Shoe on the right... The red ones are so much better. It's the first time I have ever been displeased with a Hoka product after four years of running in them.

When it comes to getting ready for trips I am one of those people who pack the very last minute and not a second before. I have never figured out if it is because I am lazy or just so damned efficient that I don't need to start putting all of my shit in a huge pile days or weeks before going somewhere.

I vote for efficient....

Maybe it was because once upon a time I was on world-wide mobile team and always had my stuff packed and ready to go for the most part and when it was time for me to go, I went. Maybe it's because I keep all my things in order already - so pulling it all together to go somewhere is not a chaos inducing exercise. Maybe it's because I have done this so many times for races, vacations, business trips, hunting trips and so on that I am just a pro at it... who knows... I just never feel the pressure to pack prematurely.

Less than a week before Run Rabbit Run 100 and the only thing I have really done in prep this past week is to FINALLY decide on which shoes I am going to wear. Really, that's it. I am going to wear the older version of the Hoka Stinson Men's Trail shoe. Last year I bought two new boxes of them and have kept them in the boxes until this week when I broke one pair out.

I am not a fan at all of the new Stinson ATR's that Hoka put out the last year or so. To put it simply, they suck. The older model is a much more robust and supportive shoe compared to the new model which is so scaled down... read, "they really skimped in putting that one together." I have run in the Stinson ATR's most of the summer and I can tell you two things... the upper sucks... and the mid-sole sucks too... it used to be I could easily get 400 miles (usually more) out of a pair of Stinsons, now... maybe just around 300 before the midsole collapses to the point that running in them is a sketchy proposition. I don't even get to wear out the outer-sole out anymore!

I toyed with the idea of running in the Hoka Challengers as that was an awesome shoe for me for both the Aspen Backcountry Marathon, and the Leadville Silver Rush 50, but I just can't commit to them. I like the idea of running the race in a lighter shoe but I don't want to sacrifice foot protection either... I know the Hoka Stinson Men's Trail will get me through it as that shoe has proven itself time and time again for me. It isn't the Challenger's fault that I don't have the same level of trust, it's a good shoe, just too unproven for over 50 miles for me to be comfortable with. Anyway...

Packing... I'll get it done... sometime... this week. Today I start supervising a remodeling job at the Aspen Recreation Center which will last a few days. It is a contract that the startup company that I am working with/for has. It isn't a big job but it is definitely a complicated job. It will be fun to do that and it will take my mind off of race stuff. I'll still have time to pack too...

Looking ahead... I priced out a snowboard/boot/binding package yesterday that will be awesome for this winter. It's a bit pricey but it will be worth it. I have some friends who are trying to get me a snow making job for the early part of the season. I want to do it because it is an evening/night job and it will give me my daytime to write, work with clients, and do other work for the startup. Timing wise, it will work as both my business and the startup are going to hit critical mass in about four months...  It is really good money, and the bonus is you get an annual pass out of the deal. It's damned hard work though... But I think it could be a fun adventure to do at least once though. :) I want that pass!

Easy ten mile run this morning with some folks, five tomorrow... then just an easy four mile shake out run on Tuesday morning... I'm bouncing back pretty good and am really excited to get up to Steamboat next week. It's going to be a blast! :)

P.S.-  I think Hoka might have fixed the problems with the Stinson ATR's in the newer Stinson model the Stinson 3 ATR but I have to get my hands on an pair to be sure.

P.S.S. -  I started reading John L. Parker's new book, Racing the Rain last night and so far it is as completely awesome as both Once a Runner and Again to Carthage are... if I could just write like that...