Monday 080309

• Slept in. Felt good. I am pretty happy with how I have been absorbing the longer runs as of late. I don’t feel particularly wasted for the remainder of the day. It is worth noting however that when I get to 7PM, I pretty much am ready for the rack – as a combination of doing a long run, getting up before the sun, and a full day. I can just feel the bed calling me – but I know at that point I have at least two hours before I can pull that off.
• Mid day – 7 miles.  Did 8 x 20 second strides in the middle.  Let the HR float back to the mid 140s before starting the next one.  AHR = 148.  Felt good.  It was hot out though.
• Training is essentially done now. One more hard and longer effort up Pikes on Wednesday, but other than that, it is all about the taper and not screwing anything up.  At this point, the “hay is in the barn” and I need to listen to body more then anything.  I got this in an email from a friend today … “This is the time I take things day by day and try to avoid set schedules which can get me in trouble. If I feel good I do more, if I feel off I do less.”
• I have not been following the LaSportiva Mountain Cup race standings but this seems to cover it well.   Also good coverage there of the weekend’s Eldora Trail 10k.
• Leadville has an entry list. 
• La Luz Trail run results are up (thanks to JM for the tip).  (You might have to go through a couple of ad links to get to them).  More weirdness in this race – as a guy ran it bandit in a hopes that would help his bid to make the USMT (it did not help, they were announced yesterday )
• Related to the USMRT selection, Laura Haefli was not selected – Erholtz was as the at large berth to the women’s team.  Real tough call there as there were great cases for either.  So a couple thoughts there:  given the performances of Brandy, I thought this was the right choice.  Given the current state, where there are multiple selection races, and an at large berth given – and performances in the selection races is key there was a very good argument for Laura.  However (and I am not a team selection member), I think performances in other related races is important.  I asked the question in the discussion as to what other races are considered – and never got an answer so I am assuming it is events like Mount Washington, and other events where competition is deep or their is a rich history at the race (and a considered performance stands up well to that history – like a CR). All that said, while I have thought a multiple race selection process was fair, I am pretty sure I have been convinced by folks that a single race selection is the best (the short coming here is a “best” racer could have a “bad race day”).  It would totally eliminate the questions about at large berths which I think is better here.  But I would defer to existing classic races (meaning I care less about having races that emulate the WC race) as well – rather than creating new ones. 
• Heard a rumor that Hutchinson is out of PPM due to injury. Too bad - hope he heals up quick. Hearing about injuries, and crazy life stories - I look around at this point and take some solace that if something unforeseen kept me from the start line at this point, it has been a fun journey.
• With PPM as a part of the Skyrunner series, there is question if some of the other Skyrunners, namely Jornet, Dapit, and Roc will show up.  If they do, consider them, Carpenter and Mejia the top five …
• More from RCPM. Guess this is what you do when you are on the road between gigs. My favorite part is where Jim is sitting there with a bottle of wine and a bag of marshmallows.