Change of pace

CP 3 from END-AR 2010 (see why I think adventure racing is so much fun?)  Photo by Caylan Van Larson.

Ever since getting back from Too Much Fun Wyoming i've been pretty much flat out planning the adventure race.  It went off spectacularly last saturday and after a full day of clean up/gear sorting and a couple of half days tying up loose ends, things would finally be settling down and getting back to 'normal', except......

Tammy's team won second place in the coed division.  The first place team won free entry into Wild AR's (Minnesota's adventure race series) 24 hour race in two weeks.  Because they were unable to commit to it, the prize rolled down to Tammy's team.  They needed a fourth for the race and Tammy asked me.  So now things are hardly settled - i'm trying to get a good week of training in, get back into the swing of things at what is supposed to be my job (race directing is technically a 'hobby', since i'm expected to devote full time effort to my research), and spend long overdue quality time (where my mind isn't buzzing with all the details that go into planning a 10 hour event) with the kids, and manage the logistics of preparing for a 24 hour race of my own.  Whew!

I'm pretty psyched though - END-AR went flawlessly (you can see great video and pics at the ENDracing website) - and i'm looking forward to being on the other side of the start line in an adventure race for the first time since 2007 and racing with Tammy for the first time ever (can't wait!!!) I've also decided to race the Checkpoint Tracker Nationals race at the end of October with my brother and team Yogaslackers, who are going strong this year and are so fast that the thought of being the fourth on their team has me very nervous.  Nationals comes a week before the Silverman, so needless to say that race (if indeed i even still decide to do it) will not be my best performance.  I still think that the Silverman represents a better test for my training theories, but the opportunity to race with such a high level squad doesn't come very often, and, truth be told, adventure racing is just more exciting to me at the moment, and Nationals seems to provide a better progression towards Abu Dhabi which is going to ultimately be my A race for the year.