Three days of changes

Change #1: I am not an ultra runner.

But these guys are. Kyle Skaggs (L) and Anton Krupicka stepping up to get their trophies.

It’s sad, but running a 100 miler may well be a life goal I never reach. I could have trained more dilligantly, and could have done a bit more to get my knees in good health, but it would require a huge amount of time and effort, especially the later. Beyond my point of diminishing returns. It was a serious piece of humble pie, and at the same time an affirmation. Four years ago I would have continued and trashed myself for months to come.

The answer? Ultra hiking. The C2M’s is now a 60 mile hike in 24 hours. Very doable based on past Grand Canyon times. I bet I can even go to Hardrock and average 2.5 miles an hour. That would put me close to the top half! Trekking poles and backpacks, here we come.

Change (reaffirmation) #1.5: A natural athlete I am not.

Fred is. The bastard.

Hanging out with him and Susan, being a pizza test bunny, drinking coffee, playing with the dog and cats, looking out the back windows at the mountains. All a priviledge. There are just such good people in the world!

Telluride-Moab TT: put it on your summer calender.

Change #2: No more drop bars?!

At least on the Leviathan. A lot was different with the Yeti: slacker HT, 2-3″ higher bars, 1″ shorter cockpit, big travel, small wheels, hydros, broomstick bar. But a lot was the same or very close: ETT, ST angle, BB height (too little for the travel), crank length, gearing.

The descending confidence was a huge leap forward. Like all good teaching moments, it was a sudden coming-together of many ideas that have been perculating for a while. So, I’ve got Eric’s Mary bar and a 100mm flat stem to mess with. More concrete words when I have more concrete ideas.

Eric’s kids rule, btw. I spend 40 hours a week around 90 reasons to not have kids. It’s healthy to see the other side.

Change #3: No more steak

Not exactly. But the polyp snipped out of me a few weeks ago is worrisome. It’s presence in the first is out of the ordinary for a 27 year old, and it’s nature nasty. Combined with a family history and it added up to shaking news Monday morning.

So I’m not going to become a vegitarian, but as of two days ago I became damn close. No meat since, and very little that isn’t lean chicken or seafood in the future. A bit less beer, lots more fresh veggies, waaaay less sugar. No processed crap (bye bye Twizzlers!!). I’m laying down the law. I love love love food, and it perhaps above all else is a hard place to find discipline in my life.

No longer.

So, the rest of the week for catching up, moving some items to make gear switching revenue neutral, and working on some projects. Material and otherwise. It’s a damn good sort of busy.


7 responses to “Three days of changes”

  1. If I have ever met a true athlete Dave, you are it! Those naturally possessed of great talent so often also have the talent to suck the marrow of joy from sport and celebration of the human form. Thrive in the company of those around you and the beautiful environs you gallivant through… Do your best to not define yourself by the banner hanging over the start/finish of an event… but damn those t-shirts are snazzy! As for your meat worries, I still have to pick up Schlosser’s tome monthly and flip to a random chapter to remind myself why I deprive myself of the sustenance I crave so often… everything in moderation… including moderation?

  2. When you say “lots more veggies” I just laugh… veggies make up 80% of what you eat – to eat much more of them, you’d have to increase your total food intake…but I get the point.I think you need to cut down on the beer, more than you realize… but I’ll nag you about that in real life.

  3. Man lotsa changes…Have fun! always remeber to have fun!

  4. you are a damn good sort of man, dave.good job(s).hope to see you two soon.jj

  5. I missed the part about switching back to 26ers, did you leave that part out?You dove into the race and gave it your all…. great job.Ultramarathons are hard, harder than staying on the bike for 24 hours IMHO, and if you body says no, wjat can you do? Guess that means we might be going riding more in the next few weeks :) I eat about 5-6 onces of meat a week, with a lot of fish and chicken to make up for it. But you have seen me it, I just eat and eat.

  6. Aren’t fish and chicken meat? Meat = dead critter.And I do NOT eat 80% veggies. Maybe on a good day like yesterday. No little wheels! The extent to which the 575 got hung up on ledges Sunday was a huge endorsment of the 2 9.And of course, thanks for the encouragment everyone. It was decided over the weekend that for the Rim Ride everyone will give Harris some $$, and he’ll go get us pizza. Chad and I will have a big cooler of icey beverages. Bring your lawn chairs.

  7. Sorry I meant red meat, I eat less than 7oz of red meat a week, and that is only the best leannnnnnn filet I can find at work for free. Chicken and fish are essential to any wannabe enduro nuts, like ourselves. Maybe some other can chime in.I like the idea of cutting back, but vegetarian….that is crazy talk.

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