Catching up with myself...

I'm still not there, wherever that may be. Bottom line is that I have had zero consistency in both the quality and quantity of my runs. Overall I feel better with each run but still just feel "behind." My longest run so far post LT100 has only been 14 miles and that damned near wrecked me in the heat. Basically it was a great ten mile run with four miles of yuck at the end.

I've laid out a loose plan of races for next year. The first one being Jan 15 in Wyoming. The Twin Mountain Trudge. Last year the weather was absolutely perfect for this run, meaning it was in the mid 30's and no wind. It is called the "Trudge" because there will be snow. I am hoping for another good weather day this year. I've already sold Melissa on the idea of a side trip on the way home to Steamboat to go soak at Strawberry Hot Springs again. I am already looking forward to it.

After that... I will run the Salida HALF Marathon... I'm not doing the full marathon there again unless I know the course is perfectly clear. Two years getting hurt there was enough. The half is a simple out and back. Maybe a 24 hour race later in March, a 50 miler in April, another 50 miler in May followed up with the San Juan Solstice 50 miler in June where I hope to drop another hour or so off of my time. Past that I have a few ideas but we will have to wait and see.

I am anxiously looking forward to some short term things though. I am going to MD in a couple of weeks and I am planning a nice long run on the Appalachian Trail there with my stepdad. It is about a 19-20 mile run that we have done before. It should be warmer this time. I am also looking forward to breaking out my back country skis and going skiing and snowshoeing with Melissa once we get snow. IF it ever cools off that is.

Went climbing with Melissa last week outside. It was fun. Well, my second climb was. My first climb, not so much. She went up first and set the quick draws and also set up the top rope. I went up second and collected all of the quick draws. I hit a point where I just didn't think that I could go anymore. I stood on this ledge for god knows how long before I said F it and went on up. I was so close to coming down though and saying that I was done. I am glad I didn't. The second climb I went up the wall like a damned spider monkey or something, at least three times faster than the first one. Anyway hopefully we can find some time this month to go again.

We had a great trip to Steamboat last weekend. It was just so nice to get away.

So that is about it... I guess I am still recovering and as the title says, I am still catching up with myself. I've also been reading a lot and that has been nice as well.

It will be a fun weekend. On call Friday night, but Saturday I am going to a party at JT's then running the first race of the Fall Series on Sunday. All things considered, an easy weekend.

Elk Don't Know What Cigars Smell Like

Wow... I can't believe it is September already and damned near 1/2 through the month at that. Of course Leadville is over and I have been gone and have returned from my annual pilgrimage to the high country. Ten days of hunting, fishing, campfires, rain, snow, sun, cigars, and everything else. I got to rest a lot, read, see some gorgeous country and just relax for ten days. I also got homesick too but that's another story.

I am home and slowly reintegrating myself back in my life. I am running again but no great distances yet. I am still recovering from a fall when I was up camping that is slowing me down. I am also waiting on a replacement Garmin cradle so I can charge my Garmin which has been dead since losing my older charger cradle.

I feel like I am floating without any specific goals or objectives right now. It is funny because this fall is a lot like last fall in that sense. The huge difference is that I don't have the DNF hanging over my head like I did last year.

I'll figure it out sooner or later I guess.