3353

I always like adding up my mileage at the end of the year. It brings a greater sense of accomplishment to realize that I covered 3,353 miles in the year of 2009. At least I would have made it across the country in a year!

Even though all the races that I ran in '09 didn't go quite as well as I had hoped (they never do), all in all it was a great year of running. I ran six ultras; 2 50K's, 1 50M, 2 100M's, and a 3 Day Stage Race. The two hundreds were less than stellar performances, but I certainly learned a lot and will be much tougher the next go around. The highlight of my year is two-fold. First, running and winning the 3 Days of Syllamo in Arkansas. Great race, great time, and got to meet and hang with some great folks. The second highlight would have to be consistency. I love the consistency of running every day and this past year was the definition of the word. There is just something special about getting out there on the trails and the roads and covering some distance each day. I run 99% of my runs alone and this is my time each day to be alone with my thoughts and to get everything "figured out". So what did I figure out in 3,353 miles this year? Not much, but whatever was bothering me at the beginning of each run certainly wasn't nearly the issue at the end.


So here's what I've got planned for 2010:

Jan: Frozen Sasquatch 50K
March: Catawba and 4 days on the AT from Springer to Fontana Dam
April: Promise Land
May: Run the Big Ditch
June: Old Dominion 100
August: Direct 3rd Annual CMMM 50M
Sept: Superior Sawtooth 100
Oct: Co-direct a new race- WV Trilogy (stay tuned)
Nov: Mountain Masochist 50M

Lots of fun stuff planned for '10. Some will stay on the list, some won't, and probably some will be added. I've learned to be flexible with life and running. I'll probably focus on running the two 100's as goal races and the rest as hard trainers or for "fun". It's good to have race plans and goals. It's what gets me out the door each day to brave the elements during the winter months.

Happy New Year to all reading and here's to a great 2010!

I Miss This......

The view is from the North Fork Mtn Trail of what I believe is known as Chimney Rocks/Top near Smoke Hole and the trail's northern terminus. Dan Lehmann is narrating and giving me a geography lesson. This was a good day on the trail with some good friends. I'm looking forward to some fun this weekend at the Frozen Sasquatch 50K in Charleston.

Old Stuff

Just for the sake of having a few links to race reports for posterity sake:

Massanutten 100 Mile, 2008, (first 100)

Grindstone 100 Mile, 2009, "Just Don't Quit"

Enjoy!

Behind the Name

As part of an introductory post, I would like to explain the blog name "Chasing the Wind". Understanding this will help you understand me and where I am coming from for future posts. The name comes from a biblical reference from the book of Ecclesiastes. I am no learned biblical scholar, but I believe these writings from long ago shed much light even upon our modern day struggles of balance, progress, and purpose. This Old Testament book was written by King Solomon, son of King David, and essentially chronicles his journey of finding the "meaning of life". Being a King and having such resources, Solomon repeatedly attempts to find happiness and meaning in all the avenues in which he could fathom of this world -- all to no avail. "Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." Eccl. 2:11. King Solomon's final conclusion (after much futility and despair) was that there is no lasting happiness or purpose in life without a relationship with the living God.

I believe we are each "chasing the wind" in many aspects of life. I find myself chasing the wind quite often. I do not want to, but the lure of self is strong. As much as I love running, there is a love of mine far greater; Jesus Christ. I believe that a life can have true purpose, meaning, and joy by no other means. I say this not so much as a means of proselytising, but as a means of understanding. I do not intend to interject my "religious" beliefs upon anyone reading, but realize that this is who I am and my faith may bleed through from time to time. Friends, find no judgement, malice, or haughtiness in my words. I am just me and Chasing the Wind.

Winter Arrives!

The arrival of over two feet of fresh snow brought forth the birth of this blog. What else is there to do when the weather inhibits running?......

I have been pondering the idea of starting a blog for some time. I hope to use it as a collection of thoughts and experiences related to (but not exclusively) running.

With the end of a year comes reflections of the passing year while thinking and planning for the coming year. I look forward to sharing some of my adventures in '10.