All right!

Its the thirdish week of Jan and Im doing half way decent on my goals. I have rode my bike every day to work! Over 500 miles. I have done quite a bit of running I dont know the milage. But so far so good. I had a great time running the San Tans thi morning with my friend Tom. He is in super marathon shape and I have been slacking off since the end of October. I still rode my bike but my running has been slacking. So I Still fill real sluggish out on the trails. But Its getting better.

Week 1

Ok last week was the first week of the new year and my first week back on track.  New year’s resolution has made it past week 1. I road my bike every day to work for the grand total of 89.39 miles. I did have a flat and needed Beck to come and get my freezing ass because I couldn't fix it. But I was more than 1/2 way home. I also had a great trail run in the San Tans. I also move 14 tons of new dirt for our newly constructed backyard pump track. (pics to come soon). All in all it was a very busy week and I feel like I’m getting back on track.

WTF

Well after months and months of not posting here I am back and ready to get to business. Life has flown by! The year vanished in the blink of my eye. There were so many races and adventures last year that I don't even know where to start. So Im just going to start fresh and new for the upcomming year. I have a couple of things planned in the comming months. 1st up is the 24hrs of Old Pueblo my first 24hr race. Then its RAGNAR del Sol. Then Its an Ultra with Jed in March. April will bring a nice R2R2R. So here is to a new year, new goal,s and more posting.

Kitt Peak

Who in their right mind decides to run in the Arizona desert in June 100 degree temps and full on sunshine?

Well I guess my mind is nowhere near being right because that’s just what I did. The Kitt Peak ascent is a 10 mile road race that takes place on the highway to Kitt Peak. Kitt peak is a very isolated mountain 50 ish miles southwest of Tucson. From the desert flats an uber steep mountain juts strait out of the ground and up 7000 ft. The University of Arizona chose this isolated mountain island as their preferred location to put its world famous observatories.

 So why not have a race to said observatory from the desert floor.  The road is very steep, winding, and very scenic with 3250 ft of elevation change the cactus and mesquite transitions into junipers and granite peaks. So along with 250 or so runners we all toed the line at 6pm for a nice little run. There were your normal super fit amazing athletes that were destined to finish before 7:30 but alas I was not among that crowd.  I started out at leisurely pace finishing my first mile in less than 8 and a half min and slowed down from there. As the miles progressed so did the steepness of the road.  After mile 3 my stomach started giving me issues along with the intense heat. I was cramping up something fierce. For a while every sip of water made me want to puke. 

 At mile 5 I ever so quietly asked a station worker if they had any tp. To my extreme relief they did. I loaded up and headed out (there are no facilities available) I found a less steep cliff and took care of business . Much Better. So I picked up my pace a bit yet I did a lot of run walk run walk. At mile 8 the sunset was beautiful and the views of the shiny white domes of the observatory were pretty stunning. As I crept closer to the finish I picked up my pace once again stopping only to get a glow stick from one of the race workers. It never got dark enough to use my head lamp but it was getting close. At the final turn and climb I saw the finish wow that wasn’t so bad. As I crossed the line a photographer flashed a pic and temporarily blinded me. So I just about plowed over the guy taking the timing chips. The finish was dark windy and awesome. I had a great run with great new friends thanks Mona for the invite and Thank you Karen for the ride I had a blast!

One fine day

With my tri plans in the trash I wanted to have an adventure. My new bike was giving me an itch for a long day in the saddle.

I mapped out a 90 mile traverse through some beautiful high country.  Most of the trip would be on forest service roads that normally are full of Quads trucks and people but being a Thursday I had it pretty much all to myself.  I left the cabin and hopped on the 504 rd. to the edge of Chevelon canyon. I saw elk in the meadows and in the cedars everything was going just peachy when out of nowhere a coyote bolts out right in front of my wheel.  

I don’t know who was more freaked out, him or me.  I missed running him over by inches or less.  After my skid stopped we both looked back at each other like WTF just happened. I only had been on the trail an hour and my adventure was already pretty cool.  After the coyote, I humped along to the edge of Chevelon Canyon about 20 miles in. the canyon is steep and deep the ride down was a blast. What a cool place, anytime a desert rat like me sees running water we just stare in amazement. I snapped some pics then started my climb out from the canyons depths.

 Pumping away in granny gear while looking at the beautiful scenery made the time fly by and the weird sense of becoming mountain lion food was over whelming.  I made it to the top of the canyon and I was slapped in the face with 25mph+ gust of wind and I needed to pedal right into it. Now was a good time to take out the MP3 player and crank up the tunes. Up until that point I was averaging 14 mph now with the wind and slight incline I dropped down to 6mph.  Slowly plodding along I looked up the road and saw a few black ball shapes walking on and off the road. I stopped and readied my camera as I quietly pedaled toward them. It was a group of Javelinas happily eating the fresh shoots of greenness along the roadside.  From 150 yards I crept to around 15 yards, the wind was still in my face and my 29inch wells were silent. I took some pictures and was planning on sneaking by them when all of a sudden mama Javelina decided she did not like strange fool in spandex on a bike with a camera pointing at her family. She swelled up popped her teeth and charged. I screamed like a little school girl on the play ground, turned my bike around pedaling like a mad man. She followed. She was fast but alas my legs won the day. But she would not leave the middle of the road and now the rest of her clan stood by her with their hair all bristled up and ready for a street fight. Quick tip to all, throwing rocks does not work it just makes them come closer. So I yelled at them like an idiot until they finally got board and went back into the forest.

I waited until they were out of site and hauled ass down the road.  After a while the smell of smoke was filling the air and I could see smoke rising from Chevelon canyon. Soon I was being passed by forest service wild land firefighters in their big off road trucks.  At the turn off to Chevelon Lake the forest service shut down the road to all vehicle traffic.  After some soft begging they let me through I guess they felt sorry for me having to back track 40 miles. So I kept moving forward towards the Mogollon rim and the closer I got the stronger the wind was ripping. I was 50 miles into my ride and the wind was really wearing me down. The road was dry, dusty; full of sand and gravel I was pretty much done. I called Becky and asked her to meet me at woods canyon lake 10 miles down the road.  Once I got to the rim I was met with huge logging trucks fully loaded and flying down the dusty road it was pretty scary.  I pulled off the road and took a break. When I was ready to go I looked up and there was the general crook trail. SWEET SWEET single track that led me to Woods Canyon Lake, with new found vigor I took to the trail with fresh legs flying over the logs and rocks. The trail ends where it meets up with the woods canyon meadow trail system. Now it was all downhill and paved. I bombed down the road to the lake and the store. I walked into the store grabbed a snack and an ice cold Coors light. I took my prize down to the lakes edge took my shoes off and relaxed as I waited for Becky.  What a great day!

I suck

WOW I really suck for some reason I seem to have lost my mojo. For the last month or so my desire to run has slipped from my grasp.  After I ran the Grand Canyon running hasn’t felt the same and I don’t know why. I ran Tillman and spur cross in April. I actually came in 8^th place on the spur cross run, last year I finished 50 something. Still my training has fallen by the wayside. May 1^st I rode the Wiskey 50 in Prescott and had a blast. I signed up for 2 marathons, a 10 hill climb, and a 100 mile mt bike race. I’m hoping my drive comes back soon.  I love to run, I love the feeling I get from it, the sense of accomplishment, endorphins flowing through my veins.  So you would think training would be a no brainer but it’s tough.  This week the family and came up to the cabin for a little break from our reality. The real reason was for a triathlon in Show Low but alas I’m dropping from the race. Not to sound like a wuss but swimming in 48 degree water with 30 MPH winds does not sound like fun. So instead of the Tri I’m going to bike and run my butt off this weekend.  So on Thursday I knocked out 6o miles of forest road on my bike.  But I’ll write more on that later. I also have to update everyone on my past races. While we take a pause from life I’m going to do some serious blogging.