Hard to believe that three weeks from today I'll be waking up in Athens and making my final preparations for the run to Sparta. Given the amazing training block I've put in over the past few weeks, I'll be ready to GO more than ever before on September 30. The month of August proved to be my most successful training month of
all time by every possible measure: My most miles covered (you don't want to know), no injuries to report, no garbage miles, etc etc.. To say I'm in "fighting shape" would be an understatement. These legs are ready to dance their way to Sparta!
In other news, this past weekend I had the pleasure of running an Aid Station at the annual
VHTRC race over the entire 71 mile Massanutten Trail loop. As some of you know, we simply call it: "
The Ring". I've run both this
Fall version as well as the winter "
Reverse Ring" in the past, so I figured it was time to give back to the selfless Quatro Hubbard and Mike Bur who put on these FREE races every year. Through a network of amazingly coordinated volunteers, every runner's drop bag is moved ahead from aid station to aid station along the course, so you're never without your gear every time you pop out of the woods. For a free race, this one offers better aid that some $$ races. This year, the Moreland Gap aid station (mile 40.7) was my charge. I had a blast over the course of afternoon/evening out there, and was pretty sad to see the last runner come through a little after 10pm...I could have stayed out there all night!
 | |
| Kari Brown (seated) takes a breather on her way to the women's win (and 3rd overall!). Quatro Hubbard Photo |
 |
| Hiroyuki & Yukiko Nishide (top row, center) displayed true marital support by running together the whole way! | |
|
|
 |
| In the end, it was a great day to help out some fellow runners in the mountains! Quatro Hubbard Photo |
Big congrats to all who toughed it out through the heat and humidity all day/night out there on the unrelenting rocks of the Massanuttens. That trail is no joke!
Final results here.
3 comments:
Can't wait to be cheering you on in Greece! Will they have online updates? You know Noah and I have no plans that day so we can be sending you all our most enthusiastic support vibes. Hope you and the fabulous Mrs. will be swinging by New York later this fall to make up the plans that mean old Irene destroyed and tell us about your adventures in person.
The Spartathlon website will have a live leaderboard updated during the race. I recall it being pretty reliable in past years. With yhe race starting at midnight EST, there should be good updates from about 8am EST since the first major checkpoint is at mile 50.
Uncle Dan hopes to bring back some great bedtime stories for little Noah. If I give him the mile-by-mile report of the race, you can bet even he'll be bored enough to fall right asleep!
Dan,
Thanks for your support and especially the Popsicle!!
Run strong in Greece, I'll be watching!
Jeff B
Post a Comment