Two weeks and counting...

The Pain Chronicles are complete, I don't know what to call last week and the next two...maybe the "Serenity Chronicles". While I came off my last weekend in Leadville with the feeling that I just wanted three more weeks of "ramp", I don't have them, the race is in three weeks. I felt so good all weekend, but it's important to hold onto that feeling and not wish for anymore than my body has already given me.  


That "feeling" is best captured in a recent exchange I had with myself: Do you want to run all day?  Yes.  Do you want to run into the night?  Yes.  Do you just want to keep running no matter what?  Yes.

 After a couple of really long, hard weeks, I know I probably need a break regardless.  Even though this week totaled just under 60 miles, it felt as if I hadn't really run at all, which I guess is good. I took Monday off, tempo runs on Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday off, Friday was a near 20 miler with almost 4,000 ft of elevation gain, Saturday was a 10 miler with Clint including a Green Mountain ascent and pickups at the end for just over 3,000 ft of elevation and Sunday culminated with an epic run in the Springs with my cousin Andy to work out some pacing for the race.

No matter the preparation, you just don't know about race day, but you can't think about that.  I just keep replaying the earlier exchange about the "feeling" in my head over and over again.  I go to sleep thinking about the course, I dream about the course, I awake thinking about, yep, you guessed it, the course.

This is a 10 year dream, squelched last year due to my recovery and yet here I am.  Even If you had asked me as late as April if I'd ever run a 100 miler again, I'd of said no way.  

The weekend culminated with an ascent up Pike's Peak with my cousin Andy. He'll be with me in Leadville, on course, pacing and we'd never actually run together in our lives.  It was good to get the time in with him and do something I've never done, summit a 14'er. Pike's Peak is 14,100 ft.  We had a good, easy jaunt from Elk to Barr Camp and then 4,300 ft of elevation gain up to the summit, a welcomed departure from more strenuous runs during my ramp up in training.  We caught up on over 20 years of life, shared some observations and explored our family dynamics.  We hitched a ride down to Elk and completed the day with an awesome burgerfest at Cy's.


Two weeks and counting, yes.  I've got plenty of distractions, but do need to focus on some preparation stuff.  All in all though, I feel good. I'll be rested for the race, injury free (other than stubbing my big toe this morning), fueled, acclimated and ready to have some fun.  I only have to run 30 miles this week amongst some yoga, swimming and cycling.


There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. - Albert Einstein