No More Blog For a While

October was a whirlwind of traveling and now that I've relocated to the Denver area, it's time to reevaluate what if anything I want to do with this blog. Not sure. Until I come to some kind of conclusion, I won't be posting anything until January 2010. I'll continue to post on my Twitter account though.

Have a good Winter.

Today Was a Good Day

Check out this fantastic commercial from Nike Skateboarding.

Tahoe Rim Trail

Tomorrow P.O.D. and I start a 165-mile hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail in California/Nevada. We are basing out of a friend's house in Tahoe City. They live 2 miles from the TRT and I went for a run up to the trail this afternoon. Sometimes I really wish my friends and family could see what I'm looking at on some of these runs . . . today it was a quiet run through tall pines and cedars as light snow fell . . . the only sounds being the crunch of damp pine needles under my feet . . . the pine needles and cedar foliage frosting up with snow as the run progressed. Got to the TRT and turned around to bomb back downhill towards their house. 4.4 miles round trip. Gotta stay loose for this hike.

This blog will pretty much be non-existent till the hike is done . . . in about 9 or 10 days. I'll be posting some stuff on trailjournals.com after the hike is over.

Gone hiking . . .

A Bit Of Snow

Well, the forecasters were right . . . we got a bit of snow last night and it's currently 31∘and I'm glad we are heading out from California tomorrow because I am just not ready for winter.




















View of Crested Butte Mountain with a bit of fall foliage still going.
















Snowcapped Whetstone Mountain

Flash Mob Protests Climate Change

Check out this video of 200 folks protesting the glacial pace of action on climate change in New York's Grand Central Station:

Crested Butte Fall Color Classic 1/2 Marathon

Today's inaugural run of the Crested Butte Fall Color Classic 1/2 Marathon was a success! The run started at the junction of Kebler Pass Road & Ohio Pass Road and stayed on Ohio Pass Road for 11 miles before turning up Carbon Creek Road for the last 2 miles. It's all dirt road except for about 1/5th of a mile that is paved.

My goal for the 13.1 miles was to break 2 hours. After running the Caldera Marathon earlier this summer, I had no doubt I could do the 13 mile distance. I really wanted to break 2 hours though as a personal goal. I reached the 1/2 marathon point of the Caldera race in 2 hrs 19 mins so I knew that I needed to change a few things and keep my pace up to break 2 hours in the Fall Color Classic. I drove out early this morning to stash water and Gu along the race course which gave me a chance to see the course and plan my strategy. The 1st mile consists of a gradual climb and then it's 4 miles of almost solid downhill. I'm a fairly strong downhill runner and I decided to go for a fast pace during the first 5 miles and then maintain a decent pace for the rest of the race. That almost worked out except towards the end. Overall I needed to run a 9 minute per mile pace to finish in under 2 hours.

I ran the 1st 4.5 miles in 35:11 which is a sub 8 minute per mile pace. A bit too fast really. I even led the race for the 1st half mile before Keri Nelson passed me . . . she won the race which was no surprise . . . she's a phenomenal runner.

I ran the 2nd 4.5 miles in 40:10 which is a sub 9 minute per mile pace. When I hit mile 9 my legs were starting to feel it. I think running the early downhill fast beat them up a bit.

So the last 4.1 miles I ran in 42:17 . . . about a 10 1/2 minute per mile pace. I slowed way down and started to feel like I just wanted to walk. The last 2 miles were gently uphill with a short and mildly steep section right before the finish line. I had to walk part of it because I felt like I was going to puke. I had visions of people snapping photos of me crossing the finish line as I tossed my cookies. I held it together and finished the race in 1 hr 57 min 39 sec! Success!!

It got a bit hot today . . . in the 70's . . . and there wasn't any shade on the course for the last 2 miles and I think the heat was making me feel ill. Even though my water had HEED in it, I started dumping it over my head to cool down a bit. You'll notice in the photo that has my back towards the camera that my shirt looks sweaty at the top . . . not so . . . that was from dumping my water bottle over my head.

It was a great race and I'd do it again . . . albeit with a bit more long training runs before the actual race next time. Thanks to Martin Catmur of the CB Mountain Runners for organizing the race and for Gunnison Valley Health Foundation for sponsoring it. Next year it will be an official race with aid stations. I'll be posting more photos later.

Pre-Game 1/2 Marathon

Tomorrow is the Crested Butte Fall Color Classic 1/2 Marathon and I'm running it! 13.1 miles up and over 10,000' Ohio Pass. I haven't done any hardcore training as of late but I've stayed consistent getting out there 4 days a week so I'm hoping for a good run and a fast pace given that most of the course is downhill.

The CB Mountain Runners organized this race and it's free this year but won't be next. Here's a few details from Race Director Martin Catmur:

The Crested Butte Mountain Runners and The Gunnison Valley Hospital will host the Crested Butte Fall Color Classic ½ marathon run this Sunday, September 27^th. This will be a preview of a race that we hope to start in 2010. The 13.1 mile course will start close to the Ohio Pass turnoff on the Kebler Pass road and then proceed over Ohio Pass and drop down into the Ohio Creek valley. The run is on dirt road and is mostly downhill. There will be great views of the Anthracite range, Carbon Peak and the Castles and the timing should coincide with the peak of the fall colors.

Runners should meet either at the Visitor’s Center in Crested Butte at 8.30am on Sunday morning where we will car pool to the start or meet at the Irwin Lake turnoff on Kebler Pass road for a 9.00am start. There will be no charge for this run and registration will be at the start. Refreshments will be provided at the finish, but there will be no aid stations on the course so runners should plan on being self supported.

The course will start at the intersection of Kebler Pass road and Ohio Pass road. There is a short easy climb of about 1 mile before cresting Ohio Pass and then the road drops down into the Ohio valley through aspen tunnels and wide open views. Once in the valley the road rolls with some short uphills. At about 11 miles the road becomes paved, but we will swing left and pick up the Carbon Creek dirt road for 2 miles to the finish. So the course is almost entirely on good quality dirt road with only a few hundred yards of pavement. There is a nice sting in the tail at about mile 13 which I know you will appreciate. The fall colors this year are somewhat muted but this run is still beautiful with great views of the surrounding mountain and the castles and it will just leave you wanting to check it out again next year.

If anyone can help with shuttles from the finish back to the start we would appreciate it. Please call me if you can help out. We have a few organized already but may need more so people do not have to wait too long at the finish.

Wish me luck!