The next level of crazy.

This has been a nutty year in terms of working out. I guess it’s because I have not had a stupid hard goal to shoot for like another Ironman or something. My available training time has been reduced down to what resembles that small half-eaten leftover sliver of pie. I’ve been handcuffed to hour-long runs and rides and while it’s better than nothing, it is tough to stay motivated.

With the limited time available, I started ramping up my trail running. I can get some good fitness gains trail running here in Colorado in a short amount of time, and while riding bikes is my first love, I’ve really started to embrace trail running as an escape to my chaotic life.

After a few consistent 20+ mile weeks, my ‘A Type’ brain decided it was time to do the unthinkable and sign up for another event. I pulled the trigger on a trail marathon in Colorado Springs that is in October and put together a running plan consisting of 30-45 miles a week to train.

Super stoked to have a goal in mind, my runs were taking on new life and meaning. I was picturing the marathon on my runs and thinking through the race.

½ way through my first week of official training, I got a call from a good friend of mine that is pacing someone for a section at the Leadville 100 trail run in a few weeks. Yes, 100-mile trail run. For the people that think Ironman is crazy, well, there is a world of crazy much bigger than Ironman.

“Hey dude, would you be interested in pacing someone at the race?” he asked. I enthusiastically said “yes!”

Have you ever agreed to something out of pure excitement and then felt the enormity of your decision sink in once you evaluated all the facts? Well, this is the shining example. In three weeks, I will be pacing someone over 26 miles of the Leadville 100 trail run. I will be doing the hardest section of the course, climbing over 4,000 feet and hopefully helping my athlete get from mile 50 to 77 in one piece. I will most likely be out on the course for over 8 hours and never drop below 9,200 feet in elevation.

Okay, so never mind about not having a stupid hard goal. I am both excited and sick to my stomach with anticipation. I think the most exciting thing to me will be the experience of putting myself aside and helping someone that I don’t even know achieve their dream.

I’ll keep plugging away at my trail runs. One thing for sure, it’s kinda cool how while most of my training has been all about me, I have a goal to shoot for that is all about someone else. I hope I can do my part.

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