Planning for 2012 -- Races and Tunes

Do you feel the ruv?

I have started putting together my "race" schedule for 2012 and posted it over there -----> on the right side over there.  See it?  I don't know that I will really try to do both Pocatello and San Juan Solstice, both difficult mountain 50 milers requiring travel, but maybe I will.  It will depend somewhat on how the beginning of my year shapes up work-wise.  Gotta bill those hours.  In any case I told Leslie I'm definitely in for Pocatello.  So we'll see about SJS.

I am not sure whether to do the "recreational" or "race" division of the Whitefish Whiteout.  I was dead last in my division in the recreational division last year which clearly suggests I should step it up and be last again in an even more difficult version of the event.  I will likely do the rec division again unless someone wants to stick with me for the race division.  I might need some technical support/instruction... or maybe not. 

There's a chance I will swear never to do another 100 after Susitna but there's an equally good chance that by March I'll be interested in Bear again, so I'll keep that on the calendar.

I am the token girl on a 3 person team doing the Grizzly Man adventure race.  I cannot navigate or orienteer, and I am promised that I just have to keep up and can space out -- our goal, evidently, is to win and qualify for some sort of championship adventure race.  The desire of my teammates to win is my main motivation this winter to be super fit.  It's a lot of pressure and I don't want to let them down.  Frankly, this is why I am not a team sport kind of person.  I hate disappointing people -- I am a classic overachiever who prefers to not have to achieve -- because I am also lazy.

Brew to Brew is a relay from Kansas City (Boulevard Brewery) to the Free State Brewery in Lawrence.  My dad, brother and step-mom will all run or walk or participate with me.  If you love beer and are super fun and enjoy relays we will consider your application to join team "Beerly Standing."

It seems people are interested in running music suggestions and my playlist.  I thought I'd share the first song on the playlist.  This is the first time I've watched this video and am delighted to see that it features a runner -- who is clearly crazier than I could ever hope to be even.  Who thought that was possible??? 

Happy Holidays Cyberpeeps!

Are you interested in what we have been up to these past couple of weeks?  No?  Well I'll tell you anyhow.

1.  Trying to ski despite disappointingly sparse snowpack.

2.  Driving our new giant truck that has replaced our Subaru.  Much like my interest in the Su 100, my interest in driving a truck started out as a joke but somehow became a reality.

3.  Holiday gluttony.  This morning my girlfriends and I ran to the donut shop and ate donuts.  We did get 4 miles in though.  Tomorrow will be an eggnog day.  Tonight Ted and I are baking cookies (though it's like baking with a toddler where Ted made the dough and will probably do everything while I hover around stealing dough and such).

4.  Rhino figured out finally that he can leap over the fence without much trouble.  Sigh.  We will be doing some fencing, which is always fun during the winter when the ground is frozen.  We need to make our yard like the Supermax Prison I toured in Wisconsin before it opened.  Impossible to dig out, jump over or otherwise outsmart.

5.  This weekend we head out east to visit Ted's family and celebrate Christmas.  We are both looking forward to seeing everyone.  The dogs are probably not looking forward to being boarded.

6.  I am working on playlists.  One for my friend in South Dakota who has a big marathon coming up, and one for me and Jill for Su training.  They may end up being the same playlist. 

7.  Playing with my Christmas presents, which I have already recieved because I'm spoiled and because they're fun toys to play with (e.g. an iPad, SPOT tracker...)

8.  Billing the last hours of the years.  Or hoping to.  This diversion is probably not condusive to achieving that end.  I am such a procrastinator.  Nothing is fun unless done at the last minute?  Like, cramming as much work as possible into the last few days of the year while normal people are enjoying their holiday?

9.  Remembering that I still have some Christmas shopping to do but have no idea what to get for people.  Still.  Just a few days before Christmas.  If I was super rich I would buy iPads and SPOT trackers for everyone.  And giant trucks maybe.  Though that obviously demonstrates a hatred for the Earth that I have to mitigate by not buying everyone giant trucks.  If it's just me with one it's ok, right?

10.  Celebrating the solstice and the fact that the days will now get longer.  Light between 8:30 and 4:30 isn't really a lot of daytime...

Well folks, there you have it.  Exciting stuff indeed.  I suspect it will be a little while before I blog again because I won't be able to roll myself to the computer after the holidays have ended.  Actually, I've been fairly good about mitigating the damage I do during this time of year.  I will just be relaxing and not doing the sorts of things people are willing to read about.  Enjoy your holidays, whatever you celebrate, if anything!  If nothing else, enjoy the time off from work if you get any time off from work. 

Rhino Report + Befuddlement

There's really not nearly enough snow in the mountains for the resorts to open, but Amber and I found enough powder up on Blacktail Mountain for some laps.  Rhino came along and proved himself a most excellent ski companion.  His only flaw was his inability to distinguish between us and another group of skiers in terms of his responsibility of making sure the last person made it down.  We therefore had to wait for the last girl in another group to come down the mountain before Rhino rejoined us.

 It's quite possible that this was one of the top days in all of Rhino's year of doggie life. He seemed to really have a lot of fun -- or maybe it was just that I was having so much fun and assume it's fun for everyone.

I started to put a training calendar together for Susitna but the truth is -- I don't know exactly what I should focus on, other than some walks in the snow.  I feel ready right now, and doubt I will lose too much endurance between now and February, particularly if I remain moderately active.  On the heels of my Grand Canyon R2R2R, I think a long run in December and a long run in January might suffice (with my regular shorter runs, some gym work and skiing being the meat of my activity).  This isn't to say I'm in shape to destroy Susitna, but I can't really fathom how I could get into such shape even if I weren't so lazy.  A race like Susitna is so mental -- it's just not the easiest race to train for.  A traditional running race requires running.  As has been suggested previously by Beat (who is doing the Iditarod Trail Invitational this year, which makes me somewhat jealous), even gains in speed will likely not translate at Su.  Suggestions?  I guess I should go out and simply do some long slogs in the snow... but slogging doesn't really require too much focused slog training.  I feel like I'm going to be in way better shape than last year and that the challenges of weather and my brain will again be the main things to worry about.  Anyone with opinions should feel free to offer your $.02.