2013: Mountain Man Plan
For those who NEED a chronological accounting of my more noteworthy racing and training days, you now have just the resource! I’ve added a page to the blog called Races & Journey Runs. It outlines pretty much all of my races and a wholly subjective list of other runs I think are kinda cool.
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Facial hair makes me feel manly and mountainy. Mountainy manly. Rugged and authentic. Except when it makes me feel like a total skeezy poser wannabee. But, I’ve been working really hard not to shave and now have something approaching a proper ultra-beard (and totally proper wife and baby):
Not sure how to grow the mustache part.
I haven’t widely discussed my 2013 plans and goals. Well, I’ve probably discussed them more than Alison and a few Boulder friends would like to hear but otherwise I’ve been pretty quiet. Basically within 24 of finishing the Cactus Rose 100 miler I had decided I (still) liked running far on trail but I’ve wanted to take it relatively easy for the rest of 2012. I needed to recover, recharge, and focus on time with family. I’ll continue to do so for a while, getting exercise most days but not exactly training. More time in the gym to get stronger (I’ve come to really like the rowing machine), a little more faster-paced running, skipping the 4am wake-ups to run up the mountains in the dark.
But, that doesn’t mean I’m without focus and it doesn’t mean I’m not looking ahead. Big picture is to just kind of play around over the winter and into the spring. Some skiing, snow shoeing, social running, and roughly one long (5-12 hr) run per month. Maybe even throw in some swimming and certainly lots of steep hiking. Somewhat low mileage running – perhaps 30-50 per week most weeks – to allow more flexibility and variety.
Come May, the build-up begins for my 2nd shot at the 100-mile distance: the 2013 Leadville Trail 100 on August 17-18. However, I no longer want to train for many months for a single event. I could get sick, I could get injured, and other life circumstances might get in the way. So, for the first time ever, I’ve set up a significant series of events, a season of training and racing, to keep me motivated and excited about the steps along the way. I’ve put together a spreadsheet with my build-up races and longest training days, which includes 5 organized mountain races between marathon and 50mi, as well as a good bunch of long group training runs and lots of time at 10,000-13,000 ft. I’ll have a legit challenge every 1-2 weeks May through July to get me fit for a solid effort at Leadville. I’m kinda excited.
Kind of Like Fun 
You ought to add the Fuller night run up in Leadville to that list.
Wow, GZ, I just read about what Brandon has been putting together. That sounds like the perfect crossroads of fun and training. I’ll try to make it up there if he does it again. Thanks for the heads up.