Getting better…

Slow and steady wins the race. ~ Marge Simpson

Sat 17 Mar: 00:37, 3.5 miles, Casa trails with surges

As quickly as the snow is melting in the high-country, I am recovering and feeling stronger. The stomach is still not 100% but steadily improving. The legs and mind both are ready to roll... just have to hang back a bit to build reserves and get señor estómago to behave a bit. So tomorrow will probably be a bit shorter than normal.

Taking all of this in stride has been a bit of a challenge, to say the least. I have certain goals for the year and having a soft April was not among them. But I am looking at it as some time off, to rest and reflect on a great winter season of training. And a place on which to build for the next four months on my road to Leadville.

Today's run featured some seriously un-runnable snow conditions. So I hiked that part of the course and relished the open-trail downhills that were tossed my direction later in the run. Not that I was really out long enough for a true "later" but it was good to get out, get the legs moving and enjoy the springy weather. Saw moose tracks not far from the house so that is another critter to add to the list of neighborhood buddies. They can be a bit feisty but I am really excited to get to see one in the 'hood. Apparently there have been Canadian Lynx sitings as well in the area. I'd really be excited to see one of those! They were transplanted to RMNP and are on the move. Good stuff.

All in all, I am feeling pretty great. Just working to get back to where I was a couple of weeks ago, take the next few weeks in stride as I have wedding commitments the following two weekends, and hit the ground running (figuratively and literally) in May. Excited about what the future holds and that my guts are good again so I can enjoy all of Rach's amazingly yummy food!

~stubert.

It’s all a puzzle

Where's that red one gonna go? ~ Eli Cash

Tues 13 Apr: 00:39, 4.86 miles, Mtn Meadows surges
Wed 14 Apr: 1:30, 10.5 miles, Gap Road Racoon Trail Thorne Lake tempo
Thurs 15 Apr: 00:26, 3 miles, Mtn Meadows loop barefoot

Coming around at this point for sure but still not back to "normal". Working on it for sure but apparently this is going to take a little time. Not one of those things one can rush.

Overall, I feel like I am in a pretty good place right now. Feeling fit (when not puking my guts out), way ahead of where I was in '07 (looking at my training from that year just makes me shake my head) and healthy – all great signs for a successful season. The events of last week could have come at a better time but definitely could have been much worse.

The next few weeks are going to be wacky so I'll have to get in what I can get in and be at peace with whatever numbers fall out. I would go super long this weekend but that would be ill-advised so I'll hope to go medium-long and finish with a smile. Next weekend my dad is getting married so I'll have to work training runs around his schedule a bit and the following weekend I head to Palm Springs for another wedding. Again, my run will have to be threaded among other activities.

But May, June and July await and I am pumped to ramp up the mileage and get teed up for a successful run at Leadville. I have put all the pieces on the table and now just need to make them all fit together.

~stubert.

Hardrock underway…

The sooner you get behind me on this the better it will be for everyone. ~ Rach

I am a little off the ball on this one but wanted to let you know the 2009 Hardrock 100 is underway. Follow the racers here: Hardrock100. Very difficult 100-miler topping out at over 14K feet and featuring about 33K feet of climbing. Good luck everyone!

~stubert.

Saturday morning video…

...through the... courtesy of Fred's two feet... ~ Flintstones theme song

Who needs cartoons when you have this?

UltraRunning from Matt Hart on Vimeo.

Enjoy,

~stubert.