motivation

 ... the list of Vancouver 100 Registrants is now at:

http://www.clubfatass.com/calendar/Vancouver100/2008

  

Through my work, where we provide non-profits and charities the capability of accepting and generating online donations, I have a great opportunity to connect with some extraordinary people. Some of these people are doing amazing endurance events and I find these stories motivational so I'd like to share some of events with you from time to time.

Sometimes I get a tune in my head that I can't shake. I'm a big fan of Willie Nelson and today was one of those days... especially because I've been injured for a while and have been missing the trails. So with a tip of the hat to Willie, here's something to hum the next time you are on the trails!  (Yes, I do karoke at race finisher parties.  See my agent  =;-)

It happened to me today, in fact. Yup, 17 years down a rat-hole.

You see, I moved to British Columbia 17 years ago. My first home: Whistler, BC. It was a lifestyle choice... go to the biggest and best and ski 'till the snow is all gone.

Today was an epic day. But it started out on thin ice. Wader called late last night with a very tempting offer: "Tomorrow morning. I'll be at your place at 7:00 am. We're going back-country skiing at Cypress."

I immediately fell into the morass of analysis paralysis.

The cons: It's going to be icy. My ribs are broken. Wader will kick my ass. I don't know how to use the gear. I'll have to get up early. I'm out of shape. I'll get further behind at work. I just about froze in the fog up on Grouse last night, so I'll freeze for sure tomorrow morning. I'll fall down a tree well and die a cold, slow and miserable death.

The pros: I love Wader and I've not seen him in a while. I really, really want to try back-country skiing now that I've got the basic gear. It might have snowed on Cypress last night. I have to chat with Wader about the Western States 100-mile run soon anyway, so going back-country skiing with him is wayyyy cheaper than going drinking with him. It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow. I can work in the afternoon and all night. What if I get hit by a bus tomorrow morning, anyway?

I came today across the website of this 100 miler run on the Cascade mountains; maybe for others here (read: fools) this run is old news.
And if this race is not yet part of ultra folklore, I'm sure it's fast on its way there.

100 ("+"...) miles, No flagging, no t-shirt, no pacers, no aid stations, "you receive nothing from anyone", no stashing, and to top it all off properly - "if someone figures out what they think is a cool way to use the above rules to their advantage over their fellow runners, I reserve the right to disqualify them."

Today is the last day to register for Kneeknacker.  If you have been sitting on the fence and contemplating...