Tuesday, November 1, 2016

The Trap of Being Busy

Photo by Howie Stern at the Bigfoot 120mi/100k in October

I hate to admit it but I have fallen into that trap of being too busy this year and one of my favorite things, writing, has fallen by the wayside. So I wanted to write a few updates here and promise to myself to find more time to write about running and running culture in the coming months. I have some articles I have been pondering in my head and I am excited to share them with you. For now, Here's some updates from the year:

  • I successfully directed 15 races this year, just 2 more to go, with three of those being over 100mi (two 200 milers and one 120mile/100k). 
  • I've created a brand new 200 this fall that will (hopefully) be permitted for next year (2017), the Moab 200 Endurance Run. It will be organized in memory of Stephen Jones who came up with much of the route. The race will be in a similar format to my other 200s: non-repetitive course, just one single loop from Moab south through the red rock canyons to the Abajo Mountains and north through the La Sal Mountains to finish in Moab, UT. To understate how much work this is to organize, I'll just say I have in fact been busy!
  • I raced two 100 mile races, HURT 100 in January (2nd place finish) and Tahoe Rim Trail 100 in July (slowest finish ever in a 100, but I finished!). 
  • I moved to Lake Tahoe (my dream for a while) in February for a year and have been traveling almost constantly to organize events.  I estimate I've only been home 40% of the year. Each 200 I organize takes about 1 month on site to organize. They are a huge, massive time, energy, and monetary investment. 
  • I hired a videographer for my 200s this year, Derrick Lytle, and he has made a few promos for the Bigfoot 200 and Tahoe 200 and is working on a documentary that follows three runners as they tackle the 200s. Can't wait to see what he comes up with! Check out the promos below the post so learn a bit more about the races.
  • I began cross country and back country skiing in March and I'm totally hooked! Now I travel with my skis, just in case I find some snow. 
  • My race organizing business grew by about 10-20% overall, but doubled for the 200s. Pretty excited about that but looking forward to a simpler time with fewer responsibilities so I can play more.
  • This was the year I added another best friend to my life, Hank the unusual chihuahua. Hank is such a blessing... as are all best friends. He fills an emotional void that only a special friend can fill. I still have the lovely River (Husky / German Shepard mix) and she is doing great. Unfortunately I have not been able to travel with her on some trips, but she gets to enjoy staying in Tahoe with her pals Marvin and Garrett while I am gone. Hoping to upgrade vehicles so I can fit River in my vehicle comfortably in the coming year.
  • Speaking of which, I plan to get a Sprinter Van for next year so I can travel with a bit more gear and space. My Honda Element (Hotelement) is just a bit small for 2 dogs, my gear, and myself. Plus if I'm traveling 60% of the year I might as well get a bigger rig. 
That's it for now... stay tuned for some articles in the coming weeks and months as I plan to invest more time in my writing and I hope you enjoy it! For now, here's a few ways to follow my adventures:

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