That was a close one. Summer’s here. It’s time to change gears. Among other things, that means it’s time to get running. The races are right around the corner. Actually, they’ve already started. The Golden Gate “Dirty 30” 50K was Saturday. I realize we were completely immersed in ski mountaineering just two weeks ago, but that’s just how it is sometimes. We like to keep the calendar full. Christy and...
Is the “tough” part of the slogan meant to describe the lottery? The lottery for the 2012 Hardrock 100 was on Sunday, and I’m thrilled to report that I got in again. Some say the lottery process is the hardest part of the race. While that’s definitely an exaggeration, if you’re not given a chance to run because you can’t get a number, well then it’s sort of true. This...
“Remember: Hiking to the river and back in one day is dangerous and never recommended due to limited shade, extreme heat and a near 5,000 foot elevation change!” – from The Guide- Maps and Information for Grand Canyon National Park, issued to visitors upon arrival. Christy on the snowy descent from the North Rim. Well they got the elevation part right, at least for the South Rim section of the...
Saturday’s Bear 100 was about as good as it gets for me. After three consecutive years at Hardrock, and running no other races at the 100 mile distance, I mistakenly came to believe all 100’s are like that massive San Juan suffer-fest. They’re not. And the early July date of Hardrock, being so close to the spring skiing season which has always taken priority, usually means I’m just barely feeling...
The 100 mile course across the Bear Range comes in at about 22,000 feet of gain. Click to enlarge. Time for another long one. The Bear 100 starts at six on Friday morning. (more…)
Christy descends to Copper Lake from East Maroon Pass, through flurrying snow and graupel. Forty-one miles, 9,600 feet of gain, with a high point of 12,900 feet over three passes and four valleys– that counts as a pretty long day in my book. Our friend Tim always tells Christy and I we’re “masters of the long day.” I guess in a relative sense experience does lend itself to smooth adventures,...
Still smiling. Click to enlarge. Go Christy. It’s your birthday. Actually, if you know Christy it’s more like a birth-week, or even month-long celebration, a notion confirmed by the candles that came with the dessert at the restaurant last night, some six days after the actual date. (more…)
When it was all said and done, I kissed the Hardrock on Saturday, 31 hours and 55 minutes after starting the morning before, for 9th place. It was the 4th time in as many attempts to do so, yet despite the experience I’ve accumulated through those years,
Well, it’s not my lucky number, but it’ll do. It’s time for another lap. Hardrock starts tomorrow at six. It’ll be my 4th time participating, and my 3rd trip in the counter-clockwise direction. That is, the race heads towards Lake City, then over Handies Peak, to Ouray, then Telluride, Ophir, and back to Silverton. Familiar as it has become, like a lot of Colorado, the San Juans are still buried...
Nice work, Christy. If you do this stuff long enough, at some point you’re going to make a wrong turn. That said, I’m sure some watching thought it was cute that Christy and I finished together at the San Juan Solstice 50 miler last Saturday. If they only knew what different days we had out there. Due to excessive snow, an alternate course had to be put together for the...
We met in Aspen in 2000 and have been happily stuck in the rockies ever since, getting out in the mountains every day we can, in every season and by all means possible. Read More
