I'm currently laying low out in upstate New York with my family. I head back to Utah next week and then I pretty much have no definite plan going forward from that point.
Trans Utah Mountain Bike Race is still somewhere in the back of my mind... but the fact that I've only ridden my mountain bike about 30 miles since the end of June kind of makes that pretty unlikely.
At the very least I'd like to get out for some mellow, more recreational, bikepacking trip(s) while the weather is still ideal.
I might head up to Northern Idaho to visit a friend for a bit.
I'm probably going to a Cataract Canyon rafting trip the second week of October.
More than anything though I need to decide where I'm going to live the next several months and start working again before every one of my credit cards is maxed out. I might end up back in Juneau, but more likely I will find somewhere in the Mountain West to spend the rest of the fall and winter. Whitefish, MT?; Durango, CO?; Santa Fe, NM?; Bend, OR?; Flagstaff, AZ?; Missoula, MT?; Ashland, OR?; Ketchum, ID?; Bozeman, MT?; Moab, UT?
My heart is with Whitefish since it is the smallest of all these places (and quite likely the cheapest), but there certainly are things that appeal to me about each of them. Any recommendations?
Moving forward with my running is another question mark for me right now. My plan was not to race again until January, and not to run at all again until mid October but now I feel like I might start running again next week and do another race or two before the end of the year. I'm thinking a bit about the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 milers (Madison and/or San Francisco). There are so few ultras with prize money that I'm very tempted to take a stab at either or both of these races at the outside chance that maybe I can pocket some much needed cash after all the time I've spent this year not working.
22 comments:
Geoff,
It would be great if you settled in Ketchum as I'd love to have another training partner. However, it is very expensive so be prepared. Let me know if you are heading this way and I'll show you around. It is a trail mecca for hiking, biking and running not to mention a world class center for XC and Backcountry skiing.
AJW
Moab's tough (economically) in the winter. Flag's not bad. Missoula's not bad either, and you'd be welcome to sleep on the floor for a while,
I'm waiting to see what this "winter" thing has in store.
we're getting a cabin with a fireplace the last few weeks we're here. we'll feed you and everything. hand made corn tortillas every morning. and mike makes a mean pb&j. see you soon.
You should try racing for prize money. It might suit you.
Geoff, It's Boo Radley! You are doing some great things. I just started running again about 3 months ago and would like to work up to Tri's and Ultra's. I would love to pick your brain. Please get ahold of me at radleyj@gmail.com
Belated congratulations on the Wasatch win.I recall watching the updates that evening and upon seeing the stats , letting loose with a "holy bloody hell, I had no idea he was that fast".Many kudos. Absolutely fantastic. On another note, I envy you your relationship with your other half. If I was to suggest that I was planning on departing for a few months with no objective in mind, there'd be drama. lol
I hear Juneau is nice this time of year. Lots of rain, four cats, no where to run or ride a bike ... what's not to like?
bk ... Geoff's time away is not just a few months. It's indefinitely. Not sure it still qualifies as a relationship under those terms. :-)
By the way, Geoff, have you seen
this?:
Sarah and Hillary
I wanted to post it on my blog, but I have a Sarah Palin moratorium. I love Tina Fey.
Next year I am moving to Sheridan, WY. Missoula is a great place as is Whitefish. Spent some time there in college during the summer on trips, great trails and great fishing.
Just stumbled on your blog- the Cataract Canyon run in October sounds stellar.
Hmmm... so restless Geoff might be on to his new phase in life - and Jill by extension?
It'll certainly be an ongoing adventure...
Geoff, congrats on a very solid last few months in the ultra world.
hey I keep up with you and Jill--you guys are great and livin the dream in AK! Ok, so you're out now... just another option to throw at you, WV is woven tight with trails, and there is a great group of folks at http://www.wvmtr.org
check it out! Best of luck wherever you end up :)
I love the comment "my plan was not to run until mid October" by Geoff.
As a fellow runner, this is stunning. Here's a guy that can set course records with an easy effort at Resurrection, and challenge the course record winning Wasatch by 90 min - and he'll just take a month off running. Maybe I don't know many top flight runners; but I don't know any that can just "take a month off running".
I get the feeling Geoff has more talent than he thinks...
I would go with Bozeman. I grew up in Montana, and Bozeman is a much better place to live and hang out than Whitefish.
How about Leadville, Colorado? More blue collar than these places, but the outdoor community and opportunities are phenomenal. Plus, it has good food, coffee and cool folks.
With Leadville, you'd have the 100 mile run there, AND the bike race - and wouldn't be too far from Hardrock (which is harder than Wasatch and could be a good challenge for you)!
Dave,
While perhaps I shouldn't chime in on someone else's blog, it seems like many of the national level ultrarunners I know take a month or so off ever year. For a decent number of those that means zero running, while some others may go for an easy run occasionally during that period. A 100 miler and the long runs leading up to it put some crazy non-obvious stress on the body ... it's good to let the body repair itself.
Just 2 cents from someone outside the top flight.
Hey Geoff,
First time reader of your blog coming this way through my readings of Jill's "Up in Alaska" blog.
It seems by this entry you're pretty much decided that you may not be living in Juneau this Fall/Winter.
And, that by reading Jill's entry from her blog yesterday and her other recent posts that she is coming to terms with her stay up in Juneau as well.
Best of luck to both of you and Jill in living out your adventures.
Peace.
Kazimer - "Kaz"
Wish I had read your blog entry/comments before I saw you this weekend.
Offer still stands for a place to stay in Charlotte for a while if you (and Jill) want to check out the scene in Asheville for a bit.
Good times to be had!
Good seeing you again and you've inspired me to try an ultra someday... looked into a 100 miler in NC in April but its already full... may do a 8m/20m/40m trail race in february... you should come down for it!
Trail Goat,
Interesting. I have several friends who've completed 100 milers. Although there's variance, most will take the week off after. Then for the 2nd week will run maybe 20 miles with a 10 miler on the weekend. Then for the 3rd week, up it to 40-50 with a 15-miler on the weekend. Finally, that "month" out - be back into normal base training.
Without that, they'd feel (from talks on the run - I've done a few 50s - but not gone beyond) that they'd lose too much sport-specific fitness and would take a long time to build back up.
Sounds like it might be different for the more "top flight"...
For me personally (and I'm nowhere near Geoff's talent level), if I took a month off after a 50 miler, it'd take me 2 months to get back to where I was - but that's just me...
Either way, I think Geoff's got more in him for ultrarunning than we've even seen to date.
Geoff - I wish you luck!!! Great last few months!
the way i see it is that the human body (and mind) is like a rechargable battery. you can wear it down and charge it in small increments but it will last a lot longer if you wear it down completely and then give it a full charge. for almost a year now i have been training/racing pretty much the entire time, only recharging my body in very small amounts. it's time now for a full recharge. that said, it's hard to stay off the trails as long as i ever plan... i went out for a 90 minute run today.
Hey Geoff - hope you're enjoying New York or Utah or wherever you presently find yourself. I just wanted to chime in on Flagstaff. I lived in Prescott, AZ for a little over a year and I think Flag is an awesome community. Love the fact that you can go from snow to 30C in a matter of hours. It's gorgeous too. I seem to recall it being pretty affordable, but that was from my Vancouver, BC perspective. If you ever find yourself in the Canadian way, do let me know. I'm moving back to Vancouver this week.
Cheers,
Jenn
G~
I'll be headed to ether st.g or Moab this winter
Get away from Alot of the white stuff ect... And no real job left for me in Denver...
I might be back at my folks next summer but I donno
It's been awhile sense I've changed it up like this so I think I know where your head is at...
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