-Fly out to the Bay Area anyway and do a big training weekend with the huge crew of runners out there who are planning some awesome runs in Marin County.
-Change my flight to Sacramento for next weekend and run the uber-fast and competitive American River 50 with some 800 others.
-Change my flight to Phoenix for two weeks from now and run the Zane Grey 50 mile.
I've chosen number three. Why? Because the first option is not a practical use of the money already spent on a ticket, though it would be fun. The second option would be a great way to get a 50 mile P.R. and try my speed against fast guys like Nick Clark, Ian Sharman and so many others, but it's a road race. Zane Grey is a well-known mountain trail race in Arizona that may not be as competitive as AR, but the views and the course are supposed to be amazing. My experience running in Arizona has thus far been limited to the Grand Canyon double crossing, which is stunning, but trying some new trails will be a lot of fun. Enter Zane Grey - a much more effective training race for Hardrock and probably more of an adventure than the other two options. Geoff Roes and I will probably fly down together, like we were planning to do for Lake Sonoma, and compete against fellow Montrail runner Gary Robbins (I think?) and feared Hardrock veteran Diana Finkel.
So this weekend we'll probably do some long runs here in Colorado before heading abroad for a race. Disappointing though the cancellation is, the prospect of Zane Grey is exciting, as is the family I'll get to see in the Phoeniz/Tempe area. To close, here's a picture of what's on my mind in the spring weather.
I'm hoping to be there, BUT there's no possible way I'll be able to race and it would be with a 'finish only' mentality. In fact if I decide to go I'm going to miss the start by five minutes so that I don't get caught doing anything stupid while chatting with you two!
ReplyDeleteGR
Zane Grey is high up on my list of "must do" races, enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI would have went with whiskey, but ZG seems pretty cool. Let us know how you think it compares to Lake City.
ReplyDeletedude that sucks about lake sonoma, but ZG should be sweet! i will be running the GC double-crossing that same weekend. i doubt we will cross paths but i guess we can both hope for good AZ weather :)
ReplyDeleteUs Phoenicians are very excited that you are headed down to Arizona. Hopefully Geoff Roes too! If you are going to be in the Phoenix Metro area durning race week you are invited to join the WMRC trail running group for an early morning trail run in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. We typically have 20 to 25 people show up and run for a little over an hour. A large number of us have run Zane multiple times. We even have a bunch of Hardrock and WS 100 runners. Scott Jaime came out last year then he won Zane. That's my hook, that's my pitch! Hope to see you! Feel free to contact with any questions. THX
ReplyDeleteKevin Higgins
Bummer to hear about LS but probably for the better. We have received a lot of rain and it would have been one heck of a mud fight over 50M. Zane Grey sounds like a winner.
ReplyDeleteBrian
ZG has been full for some time with wait list. I inquired into getting in on February 21 and was denied by the RD because it was full. How did you and Geoff get in? Is it common for races to accept elites after the race is full? Not trying to be smart here, just want to know how it works.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Jeremy
Can't comment on the races, but that photo of Wham Ridge is nuts. I need to see that thing for myself, and not fall off the trail from staring.
ReplyDelete