Races and Places in 2011

This year picks right up where last year left off with several races and trips lined up.  First and foremost, though I am back to running, I am still feeling out my piriformis/sciatica hangover from 2010.  Seems I had too much fun on the trails last year.  In reality, I don’t even attribute this injury to running per say.  I have a general sense of what caused it –a fall, wearing improper shoes- but not figuring out what it was early on I am convinced caused the unnecessary unraveling.  Still, in the long run, not a tremendous blow.  Hopefully it will continue as such.  For good measure I scheduled a Tuesday orthopedist appointment to make doubly sure I am good to go, residuum inflammation aside.  And, well, if I am not that will pretty much suck.

Moving on, over to the right you will see I leased real estate from the giant green space and added a tentative 2011 race schedule.  My original hopes last year centered this year’s schedule around returning to Western States- even if through the lottery.  Eventually life got in the way and I never even entered the lottery.  My next thought was to run all of the 100s in Virginia, among a few other races, and that still sounds pretty good.  So that is my plan; the rest is gravy.  The 100 miler in New Zealand in March would be an excellent adventure since I will be there anyway at that time, but definitely tentative at moment because of the aforementioned distress.  To add more complexity to the mix Colorado beckons for a spell again this summer and returning to the Leadville 100 is equally appealing.  Then we have the pending race lotteries for which I am entered: Hardrock and Wasatch.  Running Hardrock would be a dream and Wasatch is my favorite 100.  If fortune smiles on me and I get in- especially in Hardrock- who knows what path I may choose.

All dreams aside, for now I am sticking with the Virginia Slam, or whatever appellation people choose to call it.   It works.  Additionally, my older brother Paul has threatened to run his first 100 at Old Dominion and it would be great to be there (running, too, of course) when he does.  I have long schooled the boy on the beauty and transeunt experience that accompanies the 100 mile.  Hopefully this summer he will see for himself.