The Calm After the Storm

After a great week of running, there was no better way to celebrate than with a kick-ass party at SnowMass Village in Aspen. The one thing I can say about runners, is that despite the fact that they always wear their 'running shoes' as dress wear (and go to bed at 9pm), they always know how to kick it up a notch AFTER the race...(more so than bikers that is...).

The TR Banquet and Awards was great with fantastic food and even better company. Chris, Dom and I shared the table with Kyle and Eric Skaggs of Team Montrail, the winners of the race - and with Whit and Billy (of Team Flying Monkeys) who finished 2nd in the 80+ Men, and Dustin, of Team Gortex Vortex, who finished 2nd Overall in behind the Skagg's. What a great crew to cap off the week with. After the Awards, anyone who had any fumes left in them, migrated to the local watering hole for a few (more) drinks. Nothing like a few RBV's to give you some extra juice...Good times!

Post-race action: Whit fires off the 'flying monkey' - there team's mascot!

It's a good thing runners are so slim...

In the morning, it was back to work for me as a TR employee. No, I'm not kidding. All the equipment used for the week had to be sorted and repacked according to destination. After a few hours of work, the TR crew dispersed, everyone heading back to their homes for a much needed break.

Dom and I had originally planned on running in the Aspen 1/2 Marathon (entry included because the TR race got reduced to 5 days from 6). But, needless to say that like many, we were both a little haggered and decided to skip the race and head home instead.

After dropping off Dom at the airport, Chris and I made a pitstop at one of the biggest outdoor stores EVER, Outdoor World. This store was a hunter's and campers paradise. If you're ever in Denver, make sure to stop by, you'll see it as you drive home from the airport...it's nuts. Afterwards, we figured we deserved a little break and so we went to the theatre to let our brains soak in some mindless entertainement - Resident Evil: Extinction - scared the shit out of me!. Eventually, we started the trek home, making it only a couple hours out of town to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and falling asleep as soon as our heads touched the pillow.
Outdoor World: This place had more stuffed animals than customers!

16hours later, 3 fast food pitstops, a crazy snow storm and a few close calls with deer, we were home safely - thanks to Sirius Sattelite Radio for keeping our brains from going crazy!

A few windmills doing there thing along the way

As I sit here sipping on a pipping hot cup of Kicking Horse Coffee - I look back at a fantastic week of running, some stunning scenery and some new found friends. I love running. This stage-race format is wicked. I can't wait 'til next year. After spending the week with Dom and other ultra-runners, I'm thinking of running in my first 50mile race in a couple of weeks in Seatle - The North Face Endurance Challenge: http://www.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/cha_overview.html
Who knows...maybe I'll get hooked.

Until then, it's time to relax and let the body recover - and catch up on work of course...

Thanks to everyone who tuned in to my reports and for your words of encouragements - A few special mentions to:

Chris: I've never felt as good as I did this past week, thanks for all your pre/post race massages.
Dom: For $3,000, I couldn't think of a better thing to do than pulling your ass around the Colorado Rockies! Good memories...
Salomon: thanks for the great equipment! Your shoe line-up rocks and kept my feet comfy and blister free!
Swix:Poles were great and despite all the laughs, we proved that they are a huge help on climbs and descents.
HoneyStinger Gels and Ultima Sports Drink: Thanks Clay! These supplements kept me going all week long -
TransRockies: For the time off work and supporting me throughout the week!

View more TR-Run pictures at http://www.x-c.com/