What's your NEXT BIG THING

[junodirtrider]

On-wards and upwards and away we go. What is your next goal that you want to accomplish. Taking a cool trip? Got a race soon? Going to ride a new trail? What's up?

[junodirtrider]

The last day of May is my birthday. I will officially start down the backside of my life and so I plan on ending off my 40th year of life with an ultra-marathon. Never done one of those before!! This will turn out to be a 31 mile or 51.6 km run. I am told that an ultra is anything longer than a marathon, so this is considered a short one!!

For the last three years on New Years Eve a few hearty souls have joined me for an end of the year 15.5 miler from one side of town to the other, ending up at the very popular glacier visitor center. On Thursday, I hope to run out there and then return back to the beginning at Sandy Beach in Douglas.

This month begun with a super successful Ironman triathlon in which participants battled constant two to five foot waves in 40 mph winds. Not to be undone, we then exited the water to face 30-45 mph gusting headwinds for 45 out of the first 55 miles on the bike. This combination went down in the history of the sport as the hardest swim/bike ever! So the easiest part of the day was the 26.2 mile run in the afternoon breezes and warm evening. I only received second degree burns on my back where sunblock had failed to be administered.

Anyway, what better way to end the month then with the biggest run of my life. Flat course with plenty of services (coffee, restaurants, groceries, ect) so it won't be so bad!! Wish me luck!!

[Wasatchvoyage]

Cool about the Ironman and your upcoming events Juno!

My next month has been put on the backburner due to work, doing a bunch of network training that will pretty much kill my early summer plans, though it's justified at this point. I've got a few peaks left on my ticklist from a couple years ago that have been nagging... problem is they are way remote and rugged, even getting to them is challenging.

The vertical footage goal last year seemed to work out ok, at about 384,000 feet or so, though I was hoping for about 500,000. Don't know if that will happen this year as I've burned a good chunk of vacation time from work already.

Guess my main goal over the next month at least is to avoid getting fat...

[AnimalFromSpace]

Yup. Ironman is epic. The Ultra should be tame by comparison. I know several people that do them, not so many that Tri. One of my India climbing friends did an 80 km one as a tuneup for the recent London Marathon.

I'm going to do one more Marathon, here in NYC, this November. Then I'm gonna move on. The training schedule is so demanding, there really can be nothing else.

I'm booked to go diving on a sunken Japanese Fleet in Micronesia in the South Pacific next year. But other than that, everything else is just dreams.

[RayMondo]

No big plans as yet, though I sure would like to see Yosemite Valley again. My training is modest at the moment - too many home chores, refurbishment and assorted improvements. Weather if fab, so got to crack on.

Legs still low on power, stiff up top and fatigue quickly. So much walking in the large garden, all day. One mow is 3/4 mile ! And I do three of those of a week at neighbours, plus 3 tall hedges, 50ft wide. Really hard on the arms working a power trimmer.

Keen to get my fitness up to a sufficient level to be playing Badminton by Autumn. I tried some rally work in the garden - gees, I'm outa shape for that . Though one good things is my flexibility is really great. But boy, I really gotta work the lungs up and gain some real VO2 max, otherwise I'll explode in the first long rally. Top flight Badminton is really awesome.

And Kevin. What's that ! Second half of your life from over 40. Nah, that begins at 50. It's only now that I'm over that I've my first spare body fat. That has got to go !

[Visentin]

Next week-end perhaps two 10k races in two days (1,2). I know, all together its not even the half of an ultra marathon, but...
I am moving back slowly into mountainbiking as I start to have time again during weekends.
Two MTB marathons in late June and July I might take part in (Karpacz, same as last year, plus Stronie Sl?skie)
August is the month of big things I am planning this year: the MTB-triathlon TERRATLON and the uphill race to Snie?ka.

[junodirtrider]

I really like the small goals that lead up to the big events! Leading up to the ultra there are a couple of things I need to fall in line before my undertaking. First of all, I need to recover. On Thursday I pulled off a 2500 ft ascent on a 10 mile run that left me exhausted. Been walking the last few days, lolly-gagging along with the dog and enjoying the smell of the roses; you know what I mean!

I like the wise words of Was Voy and the goal of avoiding fat. That's a huge goal, in my opinion! My weaknesses include all fats and cheap sugared foods. Steps like that are awesome. so many small decisions are based around that ultimately huge goal. Baby steps lead to big strides.

Stride on!!

[junodirtrider]

I sure would like to see Yosemite Valley again.

And Kevin. What's that ! Second half of your life from over 40. Nah, that begins at 50. It's only now that I'm over that I've my first spare body fat. That has got to go !

Never been to the Valley myself, but sure would like to ride my bike into that NP!!

Also I have never been that skinny and have usually packed a nice holiday package around the waistline. The weight trickles off me like a the growth of a stalactite!! Way slower then the normal person loses weight. It took three and a half years to lose 15 pounds. I am a yo-yo dieter who expands and contracts within a 5 pound range on a daily basis. desperately seeking success with the eating habits in the future.

Until then, I am more likely to strive to battle my limitations within the parameters I fall under and continue to eat lots of raw veggies!!

[ferday]

awesome Juno!

this year i just want to get to whistler for a few days, work has destroyed any fitness based plans that i had...

[Visentin]

By the way I wanted to ask: what defines an ultra marathon, why 31 miles ? I mean the distance of the traditional marathon comes from the greek legend, which explains why 41,2 instead of 40. I'm curious why an ultra marathon makes precisely 31miles or 51km

[ferday]

By the way I wanted to ask: what defines an ultra marathon, why 31 miles ? I mean the distance of the traditional marathon comes from the greek legend, which explains why 41,2 instead of 40. I'm curious why an ultra marathon makes precisely 31miles or 51km

An ultra marathon is any event past 42km, they are not specifically any distance after that.

[junodirtrider]

The training schedule is so demanding, there really can be nothing else.

I'm booked to go diving on a sunken Japanese Fleet in Micronesia in the South Pacific next year. But other than that, everything else is just dreams.

Marathons are quite the endeavor! I usually put in about 45-75 minutes of running a day with a bigger run on the weekend when there is a bit more time. If 30 hours a month cannot get the job done, I am not doing it!! Splitting time up between three sports breaks up the monotony of running the same routes time and time again. I would like to get back into mtb riding this summer but there is still to much snow at fairly low altitudes this year. Playing it by ear.

Diving has just got to blow the mind!! I have heard it literally does similar to mtneering at super high altitudes due to the cumulative effect of supplemental nitrogen or lack of O2. It's a whole nother universe under water and I highly respect those getting its skin!

[BeDrinkable]

My plans are always in flux! MTB Nationals are up in Sun Valley this year and I am thinking about racing, just to say that I did. At the very least I am going to head up to watch. Otherwise, mostly backcountry plans. I want to climb the 12ers here in ID and I would like to head down to CA to do the White Mountain traverse with my sister. If that plan falls through, we may try to hit Whitney.

My biggest plan is GETTING OVER THIS FREAKING COLD.

[junodirtrider]

I want to climb the 12ers here in ID and I would like to head down to CA to do the White Mountain traverse with my sister. If that plan falls through, we may try to hit Whitney.

Cannot the White Mtns traverse take up to a couple weeks? That's an epic pilgrimage if you ask me! Up above 12,000 ft for soooo long!! Bristlecones forever. Some of the most mind boggling landscapes on the planet! Totally recommended to anyone ready to achieve a solid achievement!! My imagination tells me that this would be with and without skis?

Whitney's a solid endeavor as well. Heard the mtneers route is a fine doggy-dog standard. If you go to Lone Pine and drive up to the gap, make sure you have a bike to coast down that approach road! That thing is great fun. Heck you get that 20 mile coast into town!! Your thoughts totally take me back!!

[BeDrinkable]

Cannot the White Mtns traverse take up to a couple weeks? That's an epic pilgrimage if you ask me! Up above 12,000 ft for soooo long!!

It can be almost as long as you want to make it! I think we'd shoot for 7 or 8 days, going from White Mountain Peak to Boundary.

My imagination tells me that this would be with and without skis?

Not this year. The snowpack for the Sierra and related areas is way below average. But I don't doubt we would see some snow, especially above 14,000', but nothing ski-worthy.

Whitney's a solid endeavor as well. Heard the mtneers route is a fine doggy-dog standard.

Absolutely! Mountaineers route is on my list. It's awfully nice having my sis down in CA for a base camp. Also too too tempting to plan more than I can do!