SkooshMagoo

I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve heard this phrase. These past few days have been full of excitement for me. First I find out I’m accepted into Western States for 2010. Next thing I find myself doing is thinking about going for a grand slam. Well what’s the grand slam you might be asking yourself. It consists of running 4 100 mile ultra’s starting with Western States in June and culminating with Wasatch Front 100 in September. To put that in perspective, that is one 100 each month for 4 months.

My training last week, was geared towards peaking at Leadville in Aug (which is part of the Slam). On Saturday that was changed to peak for WS, and survive Leadville 2 months later. Now after reaching an agreement with Laurie (to be covered in a bit) my training has now changed to sustainability! I need enough miles under me to speed up recovery. The idea of running a hundred isn’t the scary part. It’s getting myself to the point where I can recover in 2-3 weeks post 100 in order to do it all over again. Not once, or twice but 3 times, I need to recover, prepare and murder myself.

So let it be said that I had to make a sacrifice to Laurie in order to be able to have the ability to attempt such a feat. Post slam, I’m being delegated to ultra-bitch. Laurie is going to attempt her first 50 mile race in CA in July (the exact same weekend I will be in VT attempting the VT100). It really is a bummer that these two events have to happen on the same weekend (let a lone the same month). Laurie has been the most fantastic crew member anyone could ask for. She selflessly stays up hour after hour, driving from aid station to aid station always with a smile on her face. Ready to help me with what ever my problem is. Then to top if off after she’s done all that for me she’s also paced me to the finish line of my last two (well only) hundreds.

She was going to attempt her first 50 mile this year in Oregon. We registered, we made travel arrangements, had everything in order. And then school got the better of her and her training took a hit and by the time it was taper time for the race she was unable to get enough training in. We still went and she crewed for me. I felt bad cause this was supposed to be _her_ race. It ended up being about me. Later we were discussing future 50 mile races for her to attempt. And the Headlands 50 seemed like a perfect fit. And training for that race had commenced. Unfortunately, I had the gall to go and get accepted into WS, and on top of that ask her for permission to skip on her first 50. While I feel bad about this decision. I know that she will do absolutely amazing at Headlands.

Ultra-marathons are, by their nature, a very selfish sport. It’s rare that a person can run 100 miles purely by themselves. It usually takes unnatural support of your friends and family, hard working and tireless crew, and pacers who selflessly run with you through the cold and the dark, only to make it to the finish line without any glory. I know for a fact, if it weren’t for my crew, I would not have made it through Leadville this year. I felt the curtain closing. But my crew rescued me. Put food in me, fixed my feet, talked me up, made me feel better, and before I knew it i was running again. I was climbing Hope Pass and making up time. The crew of an ultra runner are way to often the unsung hero’s of a 100 mile sufferfest.

I’m going to attempt the Grand Slam in 2010. It doesn’t get much bigger than this. Regardless of the outcome of the slam, I will find my limits. I will learn about myself. I will grow, become smarter, wiser, stronger. What ever awaits me in September I will accept it honor and humility, regardless.

How about go big and go home? Because when this is over I can guarantee that I will want to go home!