Next up - 10 hours in Kentucky, June 12-13

I've run through the night a couple of times before and really enjoyed it. It's an odd feeling - your sensory perceptions and circadian rhythms get all oddly messed up. This run caught my eye, as a way to keep me focused for Germany. It's flat, soft and traffic free, so I'm headed to Paducah, Kentucky on June 12th to spend 10 hours from 8pm to 6am running in circles around a horse track. Later in June, Claire's headed to the mountains in Leadville, Colorado to train with her trail friends. Wonder which one of us will injure ourselves least.

Three months til Germany!

July 25th is the first day of our 5-day Baltic Run in Germany. To commemorate this pre-anniversary, we just marked up Claire's three pairs of Brooks Launch "racing sneakers". Yesterday morning was a trouble-free 26.2 mile training run, capping off a 70-mile week for her. I'm lagging a bit in mileage, but hopefully she'll take pity on me when we get underway.

Baltic Run 2010

Running mojo is returning, just in time to prepare for the Baltic Run, 5 days and 200 miles north from Berlin to the Baltic Sea in July. Aches and pains have receded, and I'm finally enjoying running again. This week Claire and I ran nearly 50 troublefree miles, and we're now ready to start increasing weekly mileages over the next 3 months. She has it all planned on a spreadsheet; I just tag along.

It has been a blissfully cool Texas Spring in which to train. During today's run, Claire told me she's "really, really looking forward to Germany." I am too now. My fingers are crossed for us both - hopefully no volcanic ash to mess up our plans by then.

KOOP 91.7FM radio interview

Check out my recent Inner Views radio interview with Abigail Mahnke.

Texas guinea pig

Some fine folks at the University of Texas tested me this week as part of a research study into arterial stiffness. My body composition measurement showed 7.9% fat - as my weight is now 15lbs higher than post-Trans Europe, I've obviously managed to lard myself up successfully over the last eight months. My VO2max test score of 60 (OK, I'm rounding up from 59.7 - sounds better!) was pleasingly high given my advancing years and lack of serious training at this point. Blood work results tomorrow should be interesting, to see whether my cholesterol has kept in check.

Tulsa time?

Claire and I are getting ready to run together for two days at the end of February in Tulsa, OK. February 27 is the inaugural Tulsa Running Club Post Oak Lodge Marathon, and February 28 is the 50K, both on trails. Tulsa seems like a great running community, and this race is being wonderfully planned and organized. Claire's running long and strong every week now; I'll be trying to keep up with her with my gimpy right leg, while saving some energy for speaking at the pasta dinners.

Trans Europe Footrace 2012

My friend J-B Jaouen is of course totally correct - I did "solemnly promise that I will never do anything this crazy ever again" on this very blog on June 21, the last day of Trans Europe 2009.

But that was before I knew that the 2012 course would be shorter (only 4,000km) and would run through my "home country" of England. And so therefore...my bib number for 2012 is #19. How tough could it possibly be?!

Baltic Run 2010

Next stage race will be in July - the Baltic Run, north from Berlin to the Baltic Sea. Two hundred miles over five days. Claire and I are both signed up - if all goes according to plan, this will be our first stage race together.

After her strong showing at this year's Tahoe Triple, it'll be interesting to see how Claire holds up over more and longer stages. She's certainly in much better shape than me right now. My weight has ballooned to 180 lbs (up 21 lbs since Trans Europe), and my legs are very sore each time I attempt to run a few miles as we did together this morning. But at least the Texas weather is now cooler, and so the time running together passes quickly.

Post-Lake Tahoe Triple

Woohoo! $2 payout. Carolyn's a smart girl - she quit while she was ahead. Beers are on you, Ed.

Post-Lake Tahoe Triple

Here's Carolyn gambling Ed Burgess' $1 bill (he's a high roller, eh?)...

Lake Tahoe Triple

The broiling sufferfest is over! All the musketeers finished stongly today - three new "rock star" Triplers and one new "Double Tripler" - Carolyn - have been minted. I'm a proud sherpa. Traditional pizza dinner tonight at the Blue Dog.

Despite an embarrasingly slow time (due to absence of oxygen, no training, old age, and several other good excuses), I managed to eke out a top ten finish in the 10K, and placed first in the geriatric division.

Lake Tahoe Triple

All three gutsy Austin musketeers (plus Hans "D'Artagnan" Drexler from Germany) made it to the finish line of Day 2 successfully. Some minor issues for everyone...but I'm forecasting a 100% completion rate tomorrow. Very impressive.

Me? I've decided to be sensible for once and run the 10K tomorrow. I vaguely remember that marathons are no fun if you haven't trained for them! It will be nice to be finished 3 hours earlier than if I was running 26.2.

Lake Tahoe Ultra

It's a beautiful place! The musketeers are all underway this morning in good spirits. My spirits are good too because the Ultra tonight is cancelled due to road permit issues, so I get to sleep tonight! Maybe I'll run the marathon tomorrow? 26.2 should be easier with no training than 72! Expecting record high temperatures again today and tomorrow - 87 degrees. Cold start, hot finish.

Lake Tahoe Ultra

This'll be interesting. I couldn't resist the temptation of running through the night around the lake and under the stars again this year. 72 miles without any training - tomorrow night starting at 10pm. We'll see.

Lake Tahoe

All three musketeers and my friend Hans from Germany got through Day 1 in one piece. Temperatures were high and sun very strong especially over the last six very hilly miles. A few minutes soaking in Lake Tahoe afterwards helped aching muscles. I've been nagging everyone to eat lots all day - with mixed success. One third done!

Lake Tahoe

Fourteen miles in to the first day of the Triple, the three Rogue musketeers are all running comfortably together. It's warm!!

Lake Tahoe

My friend Hans Drexler arrived very late last night from Germany, and still came and ran with us around Spooner Lake this morning. He's run 320 ultras and marathons since 2001 - quite amazing! - and he's also a great photographer. The Triple should be a breeze for him. It's good to have him here as part of this year's "Tahoe Team Austin".

Lake Tahoe

Our new annual tradition - Murphy's Irish Pub in South Lake Tahoe on the Wednesday night before the Tahoe Triple begins. Claire and Carolyn are tripling, along with our friends Clint and Hans. I'm sherpa'ing for them on the first two days. Then when they run their third marathon on Sunday, I'll run a race of undetermined distance too - just haven't decided yet between the 72-mile Ultra and the 10K. Sublime or ridiculous, eh?

Speaking to runners at Rogue Running in Austin, TX

Thanks to Ruth England for flipcamming me!

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