Ok so this weekend I am going to be racing the Bandera 100k. Jesse is also. Good times. Gonna be great. Fun stuff. Very excited. Ok so now for how I really feel...
I plan on getting my ass handed to me, and have no problem openly admitting that to all of you. I love to climb. I love to climb tough, rugged, gnarly, technical mountains. Cannot wait for Zane Grey, Old Goats, and my fingers and toes are crossed I get into Wasatch. Bandera is none of the above. I love point to point's, out and backs', and basically every kind of race our sport was birthed on. Two 50k loops on a course with just under 4,000 feet of total gain...shoot me right now in the foot. Get it over with please. Yes Mr.Meltzer this pretty smiling California girl is not so...ur..."smiling" right now. ;o(
My goals for 2012 were to step out of my comfort zone, be brave, be stronger, do things I would not normally do, get a little faster, and rock a few 100 mile races. I figured Bandera would force me into it quickly, and fast. Plus my other half reeeeeealllly wanted to go to Texas and do this race. So here I sit. Packed. Ready to leave. Jesse and I fly out in the morning. Still not smiling Mr.Meltzer.
My predictions for the race? Well I have no business giving any sort of odds for the mens field. The top 10 men will be done, showered, and eating before I am finished. I would LOVE to see a couple guys kill it that I think are rad, and I have soft spots for them. Heres a few I believe will do great...in no particular order just giving some shout outs.
*Jesse Haynes is of course my first pick, and is def the dark horse. Glad all you busy bloggers and running far folks over looked him. Nice. I love you my man!!!
*Yassine Diboun- such a rock star. Fellow Rudy Project UIltra team runner. love this guy. go get em YD!!
* Nick Clark- This guy should be Ultra Runner of the Year. Nuff said. Go kick some ass. I think he will win on Saturday.
* Dave James- A dear friend, and another sweetheart of a guy. Fast as friggin lighting!! Dave PLEASE don't go out in front of that young 19? year old kid that has won a few 60k's? and everyone thinks is the actual dark horse. Just for once let someone else go out faster in front of you. I promise it will pay off after 40 miles. ;o) Run smart and the race is yours...
*Tim Olson- been rocking it all year. He will kill it. He will also tear Leona Divide to shreds. Great guy for sure.
Not touching the women's side. To much fast talent for me to even touch, and plus thats kind of lame since I am running it. I hope to break 10:30, and finish strong. Running my own race and going for a time goal. I would LOVE to see Darcy kick everyones ass. She has the talent. That's great that some of these women can run really well at some 50k's, 50 milers, 100k's, whatever..Darcy is the real deal. She is so amazing. So sweet, a mom, and could run 99% of every man I know into the ground in any mountain range in the continental US, and last I checked that to me defines Ultra Running(probably the reason why I think Karl Meltzer is so incredible). Trail running in the mountains for long periods of time. Go get that shit girl, and take names while your at it. I wish you the absolute best of luck with a win!!! I also would like to see her get female ultra runner of the year. That would be so great!
Ok so I leave you with this rad video. I have watched it a billion times, and the music is epic!!! Step out of your comfort zone, take risks, and stop letting fear hold you back from where you want to be in life. Remember this: Life happens weather you want it to or not. We are the choices me make. Bring it on Bandera!!
http://www.viralvideoarchive.com/sports/extreme-skydiving-grinding-the-crack/
Good for you for stepping out of your comfort zone a bit with this flatter race... something I'm definitely scared of doing and I appreciate your sense of doom about it.
ReplyDeleteOf course Yassine, Dave, Tim and Nick are going to do well, but I think Jesse is really going to surprise people this weekend and will be in the mix with those guys. Just tell him he better bring his A-game to Ray Miller. Ha!
I know you're going to do great as well (despite the lack of climbing out there), have fun & hope to see you soon!