There are a few things that make me excited about restarting my blog. Yes, I don't even call it continue to blog, but rather restart.
First, looking back as 2013 winds down, this last year was pretty adventurous! I admit the number of nights slept outside was zero, it was the first year since I moved to the US, that my National Park Pass did not pay off (shame on me!), the first year that I have not been to Yosemite since I moved here, but still it was packed with adventure.
It started out with a week of backcountry skiing in the Tetons with the awesome folks of Exum Mountain Guides in February. After that I spent most of the spring building base mileage on the trails for a great racing season in the summer and the fall.
The goal for this season was to qualify for UTMB, the Ultra-Trail-du-Mont-Blanc, in Chamonix, France. Having finished the TRT 50 miles last year, I needed another 50 miler and a 100k race this year. I was fortunate enough to claim a spot for the Waldo 100k, before it sold out in 28 minutes. Waldo takes place on the third weekend in August, so I figured I'd have enough time to recover and train for the Northface Endurance Challenge 50 miler in December. With these two events set at goal races, I looked around for opportunities to fill in preparation races, etc. Just as the planning reached a critical point I got an invitation to a wedding in Italy! A quick look on the race calendar showed that the Cortina Trail 49k, was happening in the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo the weekend before the festivities!
A trip was happening!
Coming back from Italy it was all about peaking and then tapering for Waldo. And a five day trip up to Oregon for the race. It was fun to get back to PDX and to hang out with KRay, who also majorly kicked my butt in the last ten miles of the race, so that I managed to cross the finish line just before 15 hours, and hence qualify for the Western States 100 lottery.
Having accomplished the first part of the years goals, all the focus was on the NFEC 50 in the Marin Headlands. I went up and did a couple of recon-/ trainings runs on the course, which was extremely helpful on race day. The day itself was unbelievable... not from this world! Absolutely outstanding :-)
Things just clicked, and it all fell in place. Although I have been running 'ultra' distances for over 3 years, I felt like an 'ultra-runner' for the first time. I managed to take 1:21:00 off my best time on the same course. Parts where I struggled on my first attempt two years ago, felt downright easy this time around. I am definitely looking forward for more!
This excitement for more adventures is the second point that makes me excited about sharing these experiences here, as I mentioned above.
The third point is that I was selected to be a member of the GU crew! This is a huge honor! I have been using their products for a few years now, and I wasn't able to find better race/adventure nutrition so far.
I hope you guys had a good 2013 as well, and that you are as excited about the next year as I am!
Cruising the last three miles at NFEC
