Waterfall 50k. Check.

Lottery season is off to a great start! I gained entry into the Gorge Waterfalls 50k in April. That knocks American River 50 mile off the docket. Jed Smith 50k and Way Too Cool 50k (lotto willing) will constitute my winter warm up. Now I have to pick some other Ultra Grand Prix races to make up for skipping AR50. If I fail to get into my third consecutive States, I'll likely be wrapping up the season with Dick Collins and a quad dipsea.

Break is Over, Back to Work!

Kuani gets a facelift

After six weeks of boatyard work interrupted any semblance of consistency in my training, the idea of starting Ohlone 50k, much less UROC 100k, felt ridiculous. I took DNS's in both races. The bright side is in Kuani's fresh topsides, and my well-rested body. I have just under 40 weeks until Angeles Crest 100. I jumped in as a charter member in the "run club" at Mcmillan Running.  I hope some structured and focused training plans will help me get back in shape.

Ready to get back in the water!

To stay in shape, I plan to run the PUSATF Ultra Grand Prix in 2016. I enjoyed the challenge of staying consistently fit and healthy in the 2012 Gold Country Grand Prix, and stepping up to an ultra series fits well with my current goals. First up will be the Jed Smith 50k in February. I will miss the American Canyon race, but hope to return to that special event. A "road" 50k, Jed Smith will get me whipped back into shape by developing a speedy base. 

And I'll need a good base! Lottery season is upon us, and once again I have thrown my name in for States. Also on the list: Gorge Waterfalls 50k, Way Too Cool 50k and Miwok 100k (both Grand Prix races).

Grizzly sighted in Nevada County

Adding to the novelty of running again is my inclusion on the Victory Sportdesign ultra running team. I have long been a proponent of their vision and integrity. My duties have already begun, as I was enlisted to do some wear testing on the new Grizzly series backpack. The Grizzly has a lot of potential to help further organize the existing Victory bag lineup. It can hold two of the Bear II's stuffed full, or a combination of the smaller Coyote and Cougar bags. Victory's reputation for organizing your endeavors is evident in the interior. An adjustable divider unit and laptop sleeve provide a flexible, adapatable platform.  The design is not finalized yet, but I am excited to see this bag hit stores in 2016.