Monday 120114

News stuff – the tricky and slippery slopes of PEDs.
-great interview with Tony.  Having run with Tony yesterday, I reminded again of what an intelligent, articulate guy he is.  The assembly that crew yesterday was pretty amazing - the depth of mountaineering and running talent and experience it put together in one place was off the charts.  Admittedly I was a bit star struck.  In some regards, my runs in Boulder after being here for nearly 20 years are not much different than when I went for one of my first jogs and saw Frank Shorter. 

I got to enjoy Joe G was telling stories about the UTMB race that were not unusual about ultrarunning, but the way he told the story had us in stitches.   I got to meet Skurka, and wonder why he is crazy underrated as a runner with a 15:01 5k, sub 19 and second place at LT100 …  I guess it is  because of his epic Alaska hike.  There was Ralston was grinning ear to ear the whole time and throwing out the expected and unexpected jokes about his arm.  Homie, as usual, barely dressed for the weather (although we all got caught in the cold) and was his quiet happy self – the guy has forgotten more about mountaineering than most will ever learn.  And Jeff (his post), as usual seemed to easily glide up the 40% grade stuff as if it were a sidewalk.  It pretty much left Bruce and I to be the lugs of the group.

Mid afternoon – 7.2 miles.  My legs were heavy and actually a bit sore from yesterday.  I ended up following a set of chalk arrows that someone had put together for a run here in town (for about a 2.7 mile loop).  I sort of can’t resist that trap … when I see the chalk arrows on the sidewalks, I feel compelled to see what folks had in mind.  Yes, this could be used to trap me some day I guess.

I had to get back to the house to get JZ to his piano lesson, but I added in 3 more while he was doing that.

So this happened today:
In the ultra community there is some debate as to whether Leadville is still holding to the traditions of ultrarunning – in part because it is viewed by some as a money making machine now.  I wonder if folks see the irony in this … maybe they forget why the LT100 came to be in the first place? 

People now seem pissed that there is a lottery … but they were pissed when the race was too large and the course was overrun.   So they are taking a step to manage that (and yes, charging to manage that) – a lottery - but that gets critiqued as well. 

Yeah, I get it when your race changes and it does not have the allure it once had.  I have had races like that, and I have bitched about them too.  Imogene was on that list for me for a bit.  To some extent I am still struggling with that with the USATF stuff as well, but I realize (and so am trying to learn that) that a.) racing in these events (or not) are very much a so called “first world” problem b.) I can run and race where ever I want essentially.  c.) people run and race (or not race) for different reasons at different locations in different events (and the reasons can change). It is all running so there is a sense of sameness, but it is personal for all of us, and so very different.  We can respect that.