Monday, July 9, 2012

Summer time and the blog’n’s… difficult.


Summer time and the blog’n’s… EZ  difficult.

Is it just me and my small circle of blogging buddies, or has the blogging world slowed down a bit lately?  Yes, people did blog about WS, but other than that it has been pretty quiet, right?  Maybe everyone is racing less as they train for hundo’s and they have less to blog about, or people are taking summer trips and have less to blog about, or we’re all enjoying the longer days and are too busy doing things more worthwhile?

HARDROCK!




Can’t wait to follow HR100 this year.  Yes, Tony and Geoff won’t be toeing the line, which is disappointing, but it will undoubtedly be a good show nonetheless.   Can’t wait to watch my buddy the Unicorn represent CA Mtn. Runners.  I will be the medical volunteer at the Pole Creek Aid Station at mile 80 and look forward to checking out the San Juans… in preparation for racing next year’s race perhaps????

My picks for winners: 

Male – Dakota Jones

Female - Diana Finkel.  I haven't been following the entrants list that closely this year.


ANGELES CREST





With 12 days until race day I guess I’m officially in taper mode.  About 3 weeks ago, while running near the Idlehour Campground I drank some questionable water that left me with giardia in my gut, nearly through my antibiotics I’m almost back to normal and hope to have a strong belly by July 21st.  Nothing like a little intestinal parasite during a taper to keep weight down.

Despite my stomach issue, my training has been pretty good lately, I guess.  Haven’t been able to rack up as many miles as I’d like, but I have gotten in a decent amount of steep training up at elevation, including some great camping trips at 8k’


Felt bad about killing him, but with it being our first of 3 days at this site,
and with all the kids camping out next door, don't feel that bad.


AC TOP CONTENDERS

MEN:

Jorge Pachecho (of course).  Justin Angel has multiple AC finishes in 20 hours.  Raphael Arceo, saw him training near Telegraph Peak awhile back - looked and sounded focused this year.  Word on the street is that Dylan Bowman isn't racing AC after states now, but is going to toe the line with a thickening field of fast cats at Speedgoat in Utah.  Brett Rivers won't make it either.  Bummer.

I hope to be somewhere in the mix, but with my limited experience with this distance, if I were a betting man I’d place my $ on Jorge and Justin.

WOMEN: 

This race is going to be much more exciting.  Keira Henninger is my top pick.  She's run the course, she's in great running shape right now and she's uber fierce.  Angela Shartel will definitely be a contender up front as well, as long as she hasn't been disqualified for arguing so much with RD Uncle Hal during the trail work day, we'll see.  Sada Crawford, from the looks of things, has been training like nuts and is super talented.  I don't think she has raced a 100 yet, but has the potential for setting a new CR if a hundo isn't that big of a deal for her.  Paulette Zillmer, yeah, she's really good, won AC last year.  While Wendy Barth isn't thought of as being as speedy as the women mentioned above, she's a smart & steady long distance runner and I see her on the podium because I know she'll finish.

While it's exciting to think about who'll finish in front, the day is more special that that.  Hundreds of runners, with hundreds of crew/pacers are going to spend a day to day and a half running around in the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains and lifetime memories will be made.  Can't wait to see all my friends out there in a couple weeks.

Happy Tapering.



14 comments:

  1. The real question is...did you eat the snake? Might give you mountain superpowers to get you in under 20 hours. Just sayin.

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  2. Sorry Dave, didn't eat it. Thought about it, but by that time he'd been sitting out in the sun for awhile. Should have!

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  4. I'm looking forward to all those driving/running hours to be rewarded by pain and punishment in the San Gabes.

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  5. Hard blogging when you have Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/etc as outlets. I really need to start again, especially once I start getting legit mileage back. Btw - we need to get you on Twitter..

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  6. Thought/heard of some woman who will likely be up front: Jane Larkindale and Kate Freeman.

    Billy, I spend too much time on FB, I don't think I have any more time to waste on Twitter!

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  7. Enjoy Colorado, AC 100 is all your just don't race Jorge patience is the key... If you don't get in hard rock next year you should go to UTMB a lot of competition there...

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  8. Also in your bucket list you mentioned rim to rim to rim, if you have any interest I am planing that next spring....

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    1. Keep me in the loop on R2R2R! How's Badwater training going???

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  9. Just heard about and looked up Kevin Shilling. He got the Speedgoat CR, multiple fast times at Wasatch 100, plenty of good results at elevation: he'll be a contender as well.

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  10. Badwater training has been good last 30 days 485 mile plus 45 mn sauna daily at 175.. But still very scared tomorrow forecast 125 degrees. Have fun this weekend.

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  11. hey Chris, I have a bunch of photos of you from the AC100 Same Merrill aid station. drop me an email where to send them : stuartfingerhut at gmail dot com

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