TR08 Countdown - 3 weeks to go!

Off they go for Stage 3 (2007 TransRockies Run)

It's been a challenging month...After all the little nagging injuries finally disappeared in June, I cranked up the volume training a bit too fast and that, combined with too much travel and work resulted in some over-reaching fatigue. Looking back, it's always easy to spot the warning signs...But that's life...Live and learn the hard way I guess.

Despite the less-than-adequate training cycle, the past few weeks have been very good - and the body seems to be finding its groove again. My one regret during this period is having bombed at PowderFace, which was to be a great prep race, as it was last year. To make a long story short...Back in the spring, the weather in Canmore was shit (...as its been most of this summer!), so i jumped on the opportunity to go to Mexico (yeah, sun!) as team manager for the Canadian Mtn Running Team - Unfortunately, this trip was the weekend before PF42 - I simply didn't recover fast enough. It's a simple rule: If you start a race with 1/2 a tank full of energy, you'll only last 1/2 as long! Hence my DNF...

(BTW - If you haven't done this race before, I highly recommend making the trip into this neck of the woods specifically for this event - amazing! http://www.powderface42.com/)

In the hype of chasing races, it's often very easy to forget WHY we run! Although I'll be the first to admit that I've missed some great landscapes while zipping through the Rockies, I'm starting to make a point of catching up on some of the classic trails that weave through the Rockies and incorporating them in my training runs - Most of my early ski training years were so focused on recovery that I never really appreciated the beauty around me - not a bad thing, it's just the way I was wired back then...These days, I'm all about exploring the backwoods (and runs like I did with Bob last weekend!). Besides, I'm lovin' my little 'hippy' moments out there...

Takin' a break...and a little 'hippy' moment to soak in the view at the top of Cox Hill

With 3 weeks to go, I've got one more week of good training under my belt and I'll let the 'taper' do its thing- After that, all I have to do is survive the TR-Bike event (Aug 10-16) which I'm helping organize and pack up for the long drive to Colorado! Now if only I could find a new TR partner! What??? Yep, you read it right...Adam had to pull out due to a freak injury that's serious enough to prevent him from racing...kinda sucks but again, that's life-

Although I was hoping for quick recovery, I put the tentative word 'out' a few weeks ago and got a good bite from a friend of mine that would make a great sub-in. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...