Making plans and taking names:)

I am tired of not training!!! So in order to begin doing anything more organized and structured, I made some tentative plans for next year. I had already discussed it with many of my friends, and there is nothing new for the others, so I put it on my side bar with an error to adjust as it comes. First of all, I'd like to run 6 races in our one and only Oregon Trail Series, the best places and best RD's including. First coming will be Hagg lake 50k at the end of February with Ronda and Stacey in charge. I've run this one 3 times (in as many years living in OR), and while it may be not what I like (heck, I don't like 50 k's, period), this race provides for our local gang of ultra-crazies to emerge from winter hibernation and have a reunion. They also give a buckle for 5 finishes, and I better get the streak going! What do we do for a piece of metal, even if I put that buckle in a drawer of my bathroom for not ever been taken out again...Did I mention a Mud Fest around a lake and Men in Skirts competition?! Second goes Peterson Ridge Rumble 37M in mid-April with Sean Meissner as head Master. It is in beautiful pine-trees high desert in Sisters and very runnable, I've done it twice now and it lest me train those running muscles as opposed to walking/hiking/downhill. Next is McDonald Forest 50k in mid-May, started by Father Clem and picked up now by Ken Ward and Scott Leonard. The story of this race is that it changes course every year - even if ever so slightly (what is never slightly), it's run on a small perimeter but criss-crossing a million little trails, and it manages to feature around 7,000 feet of climb without ever hitting long stretches of climbing! Time to go back to it and check it out again! Mid-July invites us to Ashland area with higher altitudes and SOB of a race - what is Siskiyou Out Back 50k, don't take it personally :) Gorgeous!!! Marilyn Bailey and Tom Pelsor bring us to views on mountains and meadows and we get to have lots of fun! The scenery here is the absolutely magnificent, and after a break in 2006 I am ready to roll into it. Of course, that is been followed by our own Mt Hood PCT 50M race that Monika Gold had graciously dragged me join her in co-directing last year! Was it a best gift for me or what? So next year, folks, everybody gets to see Mt. Hood top. You know why? Because we cut the 50k out (sorry, those who liked this easy low key run) to accommodate our over-filled 50 miler and let ALL to enjoy the trails longer! C'mon over, see for yourself! the challenge for me personally, of course, will be to get ready for the race in terms of organizing hectic and still manage a finish (not time-goal, mind you) as it will give me some points for the Series. So those of you who enjoyed getting a hug at the finish line - you will have to either wait for an hour or two, or run slower than me! Ha, gotta. I am sure Monika will squeeze speedsters extra for me:) So this brings us to the last and longest race of OTS - Where is Waldo 100k! Craig Thornley and Curt Ringstad take us to Willamette Pass Ski Area and make us go up and down the mountains with breathtaking views (literally and figuratively speaking) to chase the stars at first, the sunrise, the peaks and valleys, 6 lakes on the way, bears and bees, and the a sunset and more stars for some.

Whew, I can't believe I only described OTS out of the whole schedule! Boy, do I love Oregon, it's races and our people! My plan so far includes giving the most effort to the Rumble and Waldo out of those, enjoying the rest for fun.

OK, lets move on. There is Old Pueblo 50M race on March 1st in Tucson, AZ, where I get to visit Angie on my annual visit. I really really love Zane Grey 50M there, but if I keep doing same races, I never get to explore new ones, right? So here I go...no certain goal for it as it is so early in a season for this distance, although if I do indeed start training in December as I'd like to, may be I can chase something more there.

May will bring me to San Francisco area for the thrid "go" at Miwok 100k. I love the city, love this race and more importantly love my friends who live there. I missed out on my (another) annual visit with them as I skipped Dick Collins Firetrails 50M last weekend, so I better not miss out on registration for Miwok (it fills fast). Rick, you better keep an eye when it opens up! I am sure other races will pop up as the year develops.

Now to the highlights of my every year - 100M races on hand. Each of them in a given month depends on lottery drawing. WS100 gives results of the accepted runners on December 1st, so it's either this a repeat of Bighorn 100 (what a lovely and challenging course!). May be I can work on my feet blistering and get that 26 hr finish? July is a toughy, it already has SOB 50k and PCT 50M...but I had made up my mind to submit my application for Hardrock 100 in CO (for unattached to ultras folks it's the one that runs above 12,000 feet and with 33,000 feet of gain, claiming souls of many (pulmonary edema, here I come again!). There is only 10% I can get in, but heck, it's a chance:) If I do, I'll have a vacation for 10 days in the area I may never visit otherwise, if I don't - I will have an extra "ticket" for next year's lottery and can choose to run Tahoe Rim Trail instead (btw, HR100 runs same weekend as SOB 50k - mental note, and TRT 100 doesn't even have a date set yet). OK, and the year should end up in September with either Wasatch 100M in UT (I "did" it in 2005, may be I can actually run it? it is also lottery chosen these days) or Angeles Crest 100M in SoCA (more likely, as I wanted to try it for a long time and keep finding other things to do). Either one will kick my butt and leave me on my knees, but that's the beauty of it:)

I bet you figured I am getting revved up for the next year! On a daily front, I gained 10 lbs after Bear 100, what was partly water retention (normal), eating like an elephant (normal) and not exercising for a week (also normal). I dropped 6 of those, but still got things to loose. The problem is, in theory it doesn’t sound scary, but in real life, even as I come back to my 135 that I keep, I realize there are at least an extra 5 lbs of fat hanging on me instead of muscle used to occupy the space before the last 2 months of hiatus. So Rooster set a challenge for herself that I jumped in and joined in food portioning. If only I could crave less meats, I am a total carnivore, have no "sweet tooth", but the "real thing"...and a travel ahead of me this weekend...

Speaking of which (travel) - tomorrow Adrien and I are leaving at damn hour of 6 am, but since we're flying from rainy Portland to sunny San Diego - no complains:) His brother Marcel is coming from East Coast, and we should hit the pre-race dinner with the crowd later at night. Besides crewing and pacing Adrien for his first attempt at a 100 (what I know he'll do great at, not only he trained for it, with a change this year it'll be his type of course, flat and runnable, I would not prosper there, but those with speed do much better), I will have my great friends Xy Weiss and Andy Kumeda there, OR buddies Tom Chapman and Steve Peterson, and a new-found protégé Viper, Sir:) Or, I might even get to help this Marine on the course, if my runner allows me to have something left in my legs (the time should be not a problem, as they are looking for different finishing times, about 6 hrs apart). At least I'd like for it to happen, but do realize I might be dead/tired/sleepy/hurt/whatever. Blah...Get 'er done, Ma'am!

And then, if I am still in a mood, we can go and check out the city and the beach! Last time I was at the beach just doing nothing (as in sun-tanning) was before I started running...I wonder if I can fit in my swim suit?

You be good now, have a great weekend and be patient with my posting for next week! I hope to bring tons of pictures back!

p.s. I just acquired myself a coach!!! Well, it's a very good friend who agreed to help me out of my excuses and to keep me on track, because I am a type of person to needs to be accountable to someone rather than myself to push harder, and I am totally psyched, because with this friend there is no slacking allowed! Yay, bring it on!