2010 Nut Job Of The Year

 
The judges have finally come out of the closet.  

Before announcing the 2010 Nut Job of the Year, let me make this perfectly clear.  I am in no way responsible for the judges final decision so do not complain, threaten or plot physical harm against me if you feel cheated.  Remember, there is always 2011.

As for 2010, there were many contenders.

Baba the Freak was looking good after running three ultras with bare minimum training and a possible heart condition to boot, but the doctor cleared him, so he's out.  

Roger definitely had a good shot, making 2010 his year of the ultras, but with the production of a video he turned pro, dq'ing himself from the Nut Job podium, as it is an award for the non professional nut job only.

Then there was the Cannibal, last year's winner.  Reclaiming his soul at the Oil Creek 100, he victoriously burned his race bib at the spot where he had dropped out the year before, to the delighted cheers of the aide station workers at Miller's Farm. 

At the rut race,  the Cannibal dressed up as a bear and scared the running shorts off of Scott Patterson.   

Then there was the fat ass race in Rochester, where the Cannibal fell to the ground, faking convulsions, just a few yards from the finish line with Roger in the lead.  Roger gave up his first place spot and turned back instead to help his old pal, whereby said pal jumped up and ran to the finish line, beating Roger by a hair.

I could go on and on about the Cannibal's nut job feats of 2010, but why bother.  The choice is clear.

The 2010 Nut Job of the Year award goes to . . . .

 

 Shiva the Destroyer Ferguson.

She not only was crazy enough to marry the Cannibal, but she has STAYED married to him for four plus years!  You'd have to be a nut job to put up with that guy.

Congratulations Shiva.  You truly earned the Golden Squirrel.

And good luck to all contenders for the upcoming year.

Note to Shiva - We would like to present the award to you next Sunday, January 12th at the tow path zero mile marker if you are available.  Black tie is optional.  

Note to the Cannibal - when we say Black Tie, we don't mean JUST a black tie.

To Roger, Clyde and Baba - thanks for the nut job memories.  See you in 2011.

Oil Creek Insanity

When you first start this run everything looks innocent enough.  Beautiful Pennsylvania woods in the fall.  What could be more pleasant?

Never believe the brochures.  This is an evil course.  Freddy Krueger would not run this thing.

My ever patient running partner, Baba the Freak, turned to check on me during the very perilous switch back portion of the run and was a bit dismayed to find me crawling on my hands and knees to make my way around the edge of the drop-off.


My will to live was battling heavily with my desire to curl into a ball and hibernate, hoping somewhat unrealistically that I would wake up somewhere safe and comfy.


The Cannibal fared much better.  The demons didn't start calling him until night fell.  Good thing he had a pacer.  Oh wait, his pacer was the first to puke.  Note to the Cannibal, need to pick your pacers more wisely.


But actually, if it wasn't for Chuck (the Cannibal's pacer) pulling him out of the woods after that second loop, Clyde might still be in there today, storming through the woods naked, lighting his way with a 2009 race bib aflame in his hand.


This course had many interesting (nut job insanity) aspects about it.  Running steep downhills along moss covered, slippery rocks kept my adrenalin flowing.  No need for caffeine today. And I don't even want to talk about the narrow wooden bridges sans guard rails.


Running (crawling on all fours, clinging to a tree for dear life) along the rim made you wonder if this would be your last run, but even scarier was when you heard phantom whispering in the forest and began to see sightings of Cheshire Chuck in the trees.

But the cruelest aspect of all was section four.  Only eight miles to go - the last two on the road in a civilized world!  Piece of cake.  You were almost done.


Yeah, right. 


Just when you were convinced that you would be emerging from the mountain soon, the pink and silver markers began leading you back upwards.  You knew that "down" led you to the road.  You wanted "down".    "Down" meant "out", so clearly, "up" was bad.  But the markers didn't give a damn how tired and mentally crazed you were.  Up, up they went.


Once in awhile they would lead you downwards to make you think you were ending your journey, but just as the sound of the Drake Oil Well grew louder, the flags would lead you back up into the woods again, away from the finish line.  The pounding sounds of the well growing ever fainter as you wondered if this race would ever end.


As for Roger, he went back into Hell three times!  He is clearly a contender for Nut Job Of The Year.  How do you go back in there in the dark for a third time?!!!  You know what is waiting for you in there.  Just how insane are you??!!

And let's not forget about the race director of Oil Creek.  Tom Jennings is a great race director, probably one of the best out there.  He shook hands with each and every finisher and personally handed them their wonderfully crafted (made in the USA!) belt buckles as you crossed the finish line.


But I can't help but wonder.  What kind of a twisted mind would design a cruel course like this?  Great guy, or sick-humored ghost from the historic oil mine past?  He may not be of this world.  Something to check out in the future.


Anyway, loved the challenge in a "terrified" sort of way.  Can't wait to see what kind of stupid thing the nut jobs will sign up for next year.


Thanks for the unforgettable adventure, Nut Jobs,


Sheri the Mountain Mule


Here are a few "before the mountain" pictures.

P.S. - Before or after the Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs, be sure to stop at the Blue Canoe for a great micro beer!

What It Is To Be A Nut Job

      When you go for a run, you are never alone.  Every muscle in your body is right there with you.


     "Hi there, I'm your left quad.  I'm going to seize up on you. "

 
     "Say, have we met?  I'm your IT Band.  You'll be getting to know me better on the second loop."

      It hurts to push yourself.  Whether it is a marathon, an ultra marathon, or a super sick ultra triathlon Hawaiian double trail run backwards, the fact is that effort hurts. 

       But in a strange way, when you've finished your race,  the pain almost feels good.  It is proof that you did what you set out to do. 

 

       The challenge you assigned to yourself is over and now it's time to kick back and nurse your wounds, wallowing in your nut job victory. 

      Pain becomes nostalgia as it quietly subsides into a satisfying feeling.

  

      That is what it is to be a nut job.

    

Nutgate

2009 Nut Job of the Year

There are three months left in the year.  And you know what that means.  Three months left till the 2010 Nut Job of the Year Award is decided.

It is hoped that all involved will be professional and respectful of the man, woman or beast most deserving of the title.  But having spent time with the nominees, frankly, I'm worried.

It's rumored that somebody (the Cannibal) is planting monitoring devices in the competition's clothing.

Baba the Freak was the first such victim.   "I feel so violated," he said, after discovering a GPS Spy Cam in his shorts.

And what about poor Raja Runalot who awoke in the middle of the night to find his fellow nut jobs sifting through his running log?!

Come on guys.  Sure, it's a prestigious award, but isn't friendship more important than fleeting glory?

There are three months to go before the golden squirrel is awarded.  Let's make these a warm and fuzzy three months.

By the way, great link from Shiva the Destroyer for working your core muscles:  http://www.mytrainerbob.com/blog-posts/fitness-deconstructed-planks.

Thanks Shiva.

Two weeks till Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs!

The Summer Beast Report

What started out as an overcast day with a pleasant breeze quickly turned hot and humid, then as night fell, mother nature decided to turn on the "cold driving rain" switch. 

Let me say this about running my first ultra.  I REALLY appreciated the volunteers at the aid stations every six miles.  They were the best.  They helped so much when the going got tough and ugly.  And boy did it get ugly.

Toward the end, every mile lasted forever and I may have been delusional but I swear as Widewaters finally came into sight, the geese stood down by the water on the other side of the canal and laughed at us.

Then the bushes turned into monsters.  I couldn't believe it.  I've run that towpath a thousand times but I never noticed the monsters on the side of the path before.  Maybe they only come out after midnight.

And the rain just kept pouring down. 

Finally we crossed the bridge to run the final stretch in and I thought all would be well very soon.  But somehow while we were running our last loop, somebody added extra mileage onto the winding path that leads to the finish line.  I don't know who did it or how or why, but that last mile in had to be 5 miles long.   Really nasty trick to play on a bunch of good hearted runners.

The most amazing thing I saw though, as we finished the second of our two 25 mile loops in the darkness, was watching the 100 milers heading back out into the wind and the driving rain to do their 3rd and 4th loops!

Mental toughness at its finest.

Here are a few pictures early on in the race while the running was still smooth and easy.

Great run with a great bunch of people.

Upcoming Races:

Run For Hope 5k - Saturday, Sept 4th, 9:30 AM , Tonawanda NY
Fleet Feet 15k - Monday Sept. 6th 8 AM, Buffalo NY
Harvest Moon Run - Wednesday Sept. 8th 6:30 PM, Pendleton NY

Next Ultra Up:

Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs- Saturday Oct. 16th, Oil Creek State Park PA

Appreciating Flatness

"What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it." Alexander Graham Bell

 

As I stood there listening to the three nut jobs discussing the upcoming Oil Creek 100 Ultra , I realized how truly crazy they really are.  100 miles of unspeakable elevation through woods, mud, rocks and unforgiving drop offs.

Oh, and did I mention that there are bears in the woods?

That race will take place in October.




This is August.  It is a week before the Summer Beast Of Burden - the 24 hour and 100 mile race along the Erie Canal.   It will be long and hot but it will also be one thing the Oil Creek 100 is not.

The Summer Beast will be flat.  

So after listening to the nut jobs planning their insane Oil Creek adventure I have found a mantra to hopefully get myself through next weekends sweltering Summer Beast -

"At least it's flat."

 

Upcoming Ultras:

Beast of Burden Summer 100-miler and 24 hour Ultra - August 21st, Lockport NY

Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs - October 16th, Oil Creek State Park, PA

Upcoming Races:

Rut Race 3.4 miles - Mon. August 16th 7:00 PM, Bond Lake

Moonlight Run 5k- Wed.  August 18th 8:00 PM, Williamsville

Remember, you're only nuts if a psychiatrist says so.  And even then there's always the chance that he's wrong.

Ultra Runners - What A Bunch Of Nut Jobs

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." - Joe Lewis

Ultra Runners live in a different sphere of life than the rest of us.

If you ask them, "How far do you want to run?" they will reply, "As far as you want."

Ask them, "Where do you want to run?" and they will say, "Wherever you want."

Ask, "What pace?" and you know what their answer will be?  You guessed it, "Whatever pace you would like to run."


Any distance, any time, any pace.


As for races, they seem to seek out the most challenging runs out there.  Fifty miles in the ice and snow?  They're there.  One hundred miles in the heat of summer?  Count them in.


Dante's Nine Circles of Hell?  Better sign up fast because that one will sell out for sure.

Nut jobs, it just wouldn't be an Ultra without them.

* On a personal note - I have experienced at least three of the nine circles of hell while doing long runs with ultra runners.

Upcoming Ultras:

Summer Beast 100 - August 21, Lockport NY

Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs - October 16, Oil Creek, PA

Local Events And Races:

Empire State Games - July 21 - July 25, Buffalo, NY
St. John Vianney 5k -  July 22, Orchard Park, NY
Tim Frank Memorial Canal Fest - July 22, North Tonawanda, NY
Crab Apple 5k Run - July 24, Stiglmeier Park, Buffalo, NY
The Lockport 100 Mile Team Relay - July 25, Lockport NY

Links I Like:

Don't Panic (Douglas Adams H2G2 Site)
Tackle Cat -That cat has nut job potential.

Oh The Woe Of Runner's Toe

What can you say about a toe?  What can you say about this toe?

It's not pretty, that's for sure.  That's because it's a runner's toe.

How can you tell?

Read back a few sentences.

"It's not pretty."

Runner's feet are not a thing of beauty. 

A runner's style may be beautiful.  His form may be downright perfect.  He may hold the pace of a God on the long run, but his feet will never, ever be pretty.  

Nice feet?  Not a real runner.


Never had a black toenail or a hideous blister?  How about a foot so blue from running in the cold that you were accused of being a corpse?  Never happened to you?

Out with you, you fake, pretty footed pretender.  

You're not a real runner, I say to you.

Show me an ugly foot and I will show you a beautiful runner.


Next week we will cover runner's ankle. 

Run on, you grotesque footed adventurers, run on.

Upcoming Races:

Flight 3407 Memorial Race - Clarence Center - Saturday, June 5th, 9:30 AM

Salmon Run - Wilson, NY - Saturday, June 5th, 5:00 PM

Run For The Rosa's 5k and pancake breakfast - Cheektowaga - Sunday, June 6th, 9:00 AM

Upcoming Ultras:

Summer Beast Of Burden - Erie Canal, Lockport NY - Saturday,  August 21st, 10:00 AM

Oil Creek 100 - Oil Creek Park, PA - Saturday, October 16th

Links To Check Out:

Good Mood Foods
Essentials of Buddhism 
How To Become A Human Calender
 

Running, It's Not Just A Verb, lt's An Adventure

"Start by doing what`s necessary; then do what`s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."  St. Francis of Assisi

It all started so innocently.  It was years ago when running was just another verb in the dictionary to me.

I was talking to a nut job (my first encounter with one) and casually mentioned, "Gee, I'd like to try running sometime."

Next thing you know he has me training for a 5k.  

Then it's, "I think you should do a half marathon".

Then of course it was, "You have to do at least one marathon."

Many months of hills, miles and tears later, I finally did it.  I ran my first marathon.  I was good now.  I'd done it all.  I wasn't just a runner anymore.  I was a marathoner!  All set, right?

Noooooo.

To get a belt buckle you have to run an ultra!

So this summer I will be training with the nut jobs for my first ultra.

But what happens when I finish that?  What will these nut jobs think of next?

Ooh boy, let's pretend I didn't ask.

Upcoming 5k's:

Haiti Relief 5k, Buffalo NY, Saturday 4/10, 9:30 AM

Memorial Miles 5k,  Hamburg NY, Saturday, 4/10, 10:00 AM

Friend's of Night People 5k, Buffalo NY, Sunday, 4/11, 10:00 AM

Upcoming Ultras: 

Summer Beast of Burden

Oil Creek 100

 

Local Running Clubs:

Bond Lake Athletic Club

Checkers Athletic Club

Interesting Blogs To Check Out:
Run Dangerously 
Charlie Engle

Ultra Running Insights

Spring Is Here - Runners Start Your Gardens

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" - Robin Williams

Time to shed the winter layers and put on the shorts and singlets.  Time to feel the warm sun on your soul.  Time to start the runners garden.

What do you grow in a runners garden?  Anything that will make you a stronger runner.

Here are my suggestions:
(For growing instructions, click on the link for each vegetable.)

• Hops - an essential ingredient for brewing the healthy, protein loaded Tarahumara Mexican corn beer called tesguino.   Beer and running, it just doesn't get any better than that.
• Radishes - Easy to grow.  Lots of antioxidants.  Low in calories, high in Vitamin C.  Vitamins C and E have been shown to prevent metabolic damage in extreme athletes (nut job runners).  Check out article at Science Daily.com.

• Chia - powerful superfood, you can add it to any drink or dish.  An energy booster with disease fighting properties.  Also great for staying hydrated.  Buy yourself a good pepper grinder and season everything you eat with ground Chia seed.
• French Beans -Plenty of fiber and protein.  Rich in iron to boost your energy level.  Good source of Vitamin C  for the immune system.   Contains riboflavin, which can ease migraine headaches.  Also rumored to have musical properties - perfect for when you want to run alone.

• Sunflowers - The seeds are a great source of protein, vitamins E, B1 and B5, zinc, magnesium, fiber and healthy fats. 
• Tomatoes - Contains Lycopene, a vital anti-oxidant that fights cancerous cell formation. 
• Lettuce - good source of vitamin K.  Romaine lettuce is the best of lettuce, excellent source of vitamins A, B1, B2, and C, folic acid, manganese and chromium. 
• Peppers - Rich in vitamins A, C and K.  Great antioxidants, also good for reducing inflammations.
• Sweet Potatoes -  Perfect for longs runs.  Keeps you full longer, rich in potassium and Vitamin C.  Also helps metabolism, fights diseases and has anti-inflammatory properties.  
•  Spaghetti - I have been unable to find any information on growing spaghetti in the garden as of this date but I am diligently working on it.  A runner can never have too much pasta.

Remember - you are what you eat. 

Dine from the Runners Garden if you want to be a  healthy, happy nut job runner

OR

Eat from a certain unnamed fast food joint if you would prefer to rot on your living room couch with your remote control till they have to haul your super sized ass out the window on a crane.

The choice is yours.

Upcoming Events In The Area:

Bunny Hop 5k - East Aurora, Saturday, April 3rd, 10:30 AM
Haiti Relief 5k Run and Walk - Delaware Park, Saturday, April 10th, 9:30 AM
Memorial Miles 5k - Hilbert College Hamburg, Saturday, April 10th, 10:00 AM


2010 Nut Job Ultras On The Slate:   
Beast of Burden - August date not official yet.
Oil Creek 100 - October 16, 2010 (Six local nut jobs registered so far)

Local Running Clubs: 

Bond Lake

Checkers

These are a few of my favorite blogs:  

Barefoot Ted's Adventures

Run Dangerously

Towpath Runners Journey
Charlie Engle's Blog

 -  If you have a race, running club or running blog you would like included in this newsletter, email me at sherigraz@verizon.net 

 

And as always, all comments and suggestions are welcome :)

Eat, run and be happy.

Einstein and Running

" You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat." - Albert Einstein

Okay, so you're running a very, very long race.  You pull it's tail in Lockport and his head is meowing at Oil Creek.  Is this what Einstein meant?

Who knows what Einstein meant.  He spent an awful lot of time alone in his basement.  That's not good for anybody.

What I'm trying to say is that ultra running is a strange animal.



When one of the nut job runners first tried explaining to me why he preferred ultras over marathons I thought he was crazy (and I was right), but after witnessing a middle of the night snowstorm ultra with the three nut job amigos, I started to see the light.

The light turned out to be a headlamp, but still, an understanding had been reached.

Ultras are more than just a very, very long run.  They are a spiritual event.  A freeze frame in whatever it is that this temporary lifetime is all about.


Every moment, every thought and every physical feeling is suddenly very real.  Your every twitch is felt.  Your every emotion is experienced.


Why do people run ultras?


Maybe it's because they love to pull the tail of life and see how it feels.

Long live the Nut Job Ultra Runners!

This weeks events:

Mar 28 Sunday 9:00 AM Bemus Point 5K

Mar 28 Sunday 9:30 AM Around The Bay, 30K Run, 30K Walk, 5K

Ultras on the Slate for The Nut Job Runners:


Summer Beast of Burden - August date not official yet

Oil Creek 100  
Saturday October 16th, 2010


Coming In October: 

Second Installment of Nut Jobs Fables - "The Cannibal Meets his Match"  

Cannibal faces off against a hungry eight hundred pound black bear at Pennsylvania Ultra.  His only defense is a bell around his neck.

Baba The Freak and Raja Runalot finally get their revenge against their life long nemesis.

Sneak Preview Excerpt:

"Ring your bell at it," taunted Baba.

"Squeal like a pig," Raja shouted.

A high spirited banjo duel echoed through the hills on that fated night in the backwoods of PA.

Madness And Ultra Running

"It's astounding, time is fleeting
 Madness takes it's toll
 But listen closely, not for very much longer
 I've got to keep control."

- from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"

 "It isn't a race until the nut jobs arrive."

The trouble with being a nut job is that you are constantly signing up for madness.

Watching my friends train for the Beast of Burden Winter 100 ultra, I am in awe of what they are about to go through.  I'm not crazy enough to do it myself (yet), but I am definitely in awe of their voluntary madness.

In an attempt to help them, I've been cruising the internet looking for great sights to inspire and strengthen them.  Here is what I came up with:

Strength Training Exercises - Tabata
(Clyde suggestion)

Mind Training Exercises

Sanity Test

Just remember, when the going gets nuts, who cares.
You're a nut job.  Madness looks good on you.

Canal Fever

"Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it."
— Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

The signs were there. It was so obvious once you knew what to look for.

It explained why Cliff insisted on marking the trail beforehand with 40 lb cannonballs. And why Rajiv felt it was okay to run a 100 miler in a  tutu.

They had Canal Fever- the disturbing mental state from running too many winter miles along the Erie Canal.

Some say the ghosts come right out of the water to greet you as you pass mile 50.

Baba watched the meltdown of his life long running buddies and smiled.

Perhaps this race was winnable after all.

“Baba, I need your opinion,” Cliff said, wild eyed, at mile 53. “I’ve been seeing ghosts for the last couple of miles. They want me to swim in the canal with them. Do you think I should?”

“Sure,” said Baba “If you can’t trust a ghost, who can you trust?“

He watched Cliff do an Olympic somersault dive into the icy canal and float away.

As Rajiv and Baba continued down the trail, Rajiv looked worried. “Hey Baba," he whispered. "Can I ask you something?”

“Sure Raj.  What's up?”

Rajiv ducked from a forty foot imaginary bird flying overhead. “It’s that damn pterodactyl,” he said. “I can’t seem to shake him."

Baba nodded knowingly. He pointed to a few cannonballs Cliff had planted at mile 54.  “Why don’t you run with one of those. You can throw it at the bird if it gets too aggressive."

Rajiv looked at Baba as if he were a genius.

“Thanks,” said Rajiv, adjusting his tutu as he picked up one of the cannonballs. The weight of it gave him a feeling of safety. “Maybe I should take two. Just in case.”

“Good thinking,” said Baba as he ran ahead, leaving Rajiv to struggle with his balls.

There was a gurgling sound from the water. “Hey Cliff,” Baba shouted as he ran by. “This isn’t a triathlon, you know. but have a good swim anyway.”

"Gurgle, gurgle, aaaaahhhh," said Cliff with a great deal of emotion.

“Only 42 more miles to go,” Baba thought, laughing aloud. “And I still feel pretty damn good.”

Up ahead a giant drooling mule waited for him, gnashing her sharp, jagged teeth.

The clouds seemed to be forming words -

“Beware the Canal Fever.”


Have you registered for the Beast of Burden yet?

To subscribe to this post, send a blank email to sherigraz@verizon.net with "subscribe" in the subject line.  A new post will be emailed to you every Sunday.

NutJob Of The Year

With the New Year almost here, it's time for the prestigious First Annual Nutjob of the Year award.   There are a lot of "interesting" people out there on the running trails.  How do you narrow it down to just one?

Basically, this award is all about the person that loves running so much, it turns them into an absolute nutjob. 

To attain Sainthood you must perform at least one miracle.

To become Nutjob of the Year you must have performed at least one mentally unstable running feat.

Not having the sense to come in out of the rain is a start, but there has to be more.  Do you think of a twenty miler in a blizzard as "fun"?  You're getting warmer.  Did you ever think it was okay to "run through" a stress fracture?  You're on your way.

There are many paths that lead to the land of Nutjobs.  I salute all of you for your courage, endurance and insanity throughout the year.  This award is all about you.

And this year's winner is . . .

Clyde Ferguson!

Was it running the Ultra through gastronomy problems that earned him the award?  Or how about living off of nuts and twigs on a Chi Running weekend with no beer or meat? 

No, it was running the Philadelphia Marathon as a bandit. Who runs a marathon as a bandit???

Clyde Ferguson, Nutjob of the year, that's who.

Congratulations Clyde. You're going to have lots of competition for next year's award. The Winter 100 Beast of Burden is looking to have more than a few contenders.

Just remember the nutjob creed - "If it ain't crazy, I ain't doin' it".

Why an Ultra?

Upstate New York, Dead of Winter, 100 miles.


What are they - CRAZY???!!!!

Apparently, 26.2 miles isn't enough of a challenge to some people (nutjob runners). 50 or 100 miles in the dead of winter is more their style. Yes, people have already signed up for the Beast of Burden Winter 100.

There is always the element of uncertainty when you begin any kind of a race. But there are at least 2 things you can count on with this one. It WILL be cold out and you WILL be running with crazy people.

So if you're "hard enough, rough enough, rich enough, and not too blind to see" (Rolling Stones, Beast of Burden") then hop onto the Lockport Towpath, February 27, 2010 and see if you're Beast Worthy. But be sure to pre-register.

Getting To Know You - A New Running Route

"Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me."

From "The King and I"





Out the door and down the road we go, past Baba Marina, with the water off Lake Sheri twinkling in the sun, we head toward the cemetery.

There's nothing like getting to know a new route to make your running feel fresh again. The ups, the downs and the loops back around. The camber of the road and the fellow comrades along the way. It feels so adventurous.

Eventually the new route will turn into an old reliable friend and that's a good thing too.

And speaking of something new, check out The Winter 100 Ultra.

Upcoming blogs will feature my nutjob friends training for this "only for the totally insane" event.