Zane Grey Highline 50 Mile Trail Race this Saturday==>http://www.zanegrey50.com/ Billed as "The Toughest 50 Miler" You'll rock! Lynn B

Give 'em hell, Steve.

Amazingly inspiring. THAT race report is going to be the best ever.

Why I run ultras...a short story to SurfNRun... I used to be a fast road runner...many moons ago. 2:48 marathons and sub 5:00 miles. Then I started to get some knee pain, Patella Tendinitis was it's name. I had to take some time off, like 6 months...but this was during a period I was caring for my 38 year old sister who was dying of cancer, so I really didn't care about running. When i started to run again I had read something about running on softer surfaces as a remedy to PT, that and SLOW DOWN, YOU FOOL!!! So I started to run on my local trails north of Boston...I got good at running on trails and entered races in the new England Grand Tree Series...I finished 3rd overall in the series. I got hooked. While standing around at a 20 mile trail race finish line, I overheard someone mention a trail marathon. I ran it and ran well, finishing top 5. While there someone told me about a trail 50K...I ran it, puked my guts out and walked in with head hanging low...I ran another after lengthening my long runs and finished well, feeling good! While there someone told me about a 50 mile race in Vermont. I had no idea how to run these things, so I hung with a friend of mine who did. We jogged, walked the hills, took a nap a 35 miles, got up and finished really well. I'm getting to LIKE this sport. Next up was a 100, so I went back to Vermont in July and ran the 100 with horses running alongside me in the same race! Cool!! I ran well, finished well...swore to never do another. Then I did run another and another, then I heard of this race called Hardrock. That most difficult race in the world! I went out and paced a female friend to a win and a new course record...I went back the following year and ran...and died, but finished. That was 2001, I have been trying to finish that sucker ever since and can't! This year I will.... Now life is a big circle, they say...so now I am thinking about running fast again...running a marathon this fall in order to qualify to run my 14th Boston Marathon...in the process I'll probably get Patella Tendinitis SurfNRunSteve....you can run an ultra! They are EASY compared to road marathons...My hardest race is not Hardrock, but Boston. You jog the flats and walk the hills. Heck you can walk the downhills if you want! Let me give you an example...the winning time at Zane Gray this weekend will probably be averaging 10 minutes per mile!!!! I hope to average 14 mpm...Ha! Come out and try it, you'll LOVE it! Steve

Why, thank you, Lynn Time to set up my excuses now...I am really fit right now, I admit...probably in the best shape I've been since 2004...BUT! I'm older (55) and it's going to be hot, like 90 degrees (I suck in the heat, usually bahf a lot(That's Boston talk for puke)). Anyway, nothin' I can do about it now....the training's in, the taper's done... now I just toe the line and hope that all the other over 50 men have a bad day

That's what people do when tapering...their neurosis drives them to come up with all manner of excuses for why their performance MIGHT be less than they want to admit as their goal! Tapering is pure EVIL! You'll do great! Lynn B

And I wanna be like Trent! Wait a second. No I don't.

My friend did the hundred and she said she had a blast doing it. I'd love to start hitting the trails but my main concern is my left ankle that i turn quite often just on regular road or grass/dirt sidewalks. I suppose trail-running will strengthen it in time..

Try wearing shoes that are close to the ground...most shoes are way up there, but some like Brooks Cascadias and Inov-8's are closer to the ground and prevent rollovers. A shoe I've been wearing since '99 is the Montrail Vitesse. Nice shoe, low to the ground and has an anti-rollover nub on the sole. Running the trails will make you better at running the trails!

Thanks, Muse....Boobie Horn at every climb it will be. Of course I will be thinking of you all when I am hurtin' and bahfin'... Yeah the altitude sucks...I live at 8100' and train at around 7000', this after living at less than 1000' my whole life. I have gone from training at around a 7:30 pace to a 9:00 pace...and it's frustrating! BUT! I feel better knowing we're moving back to New England where I can breathe My wife Deb is having the most problems because she has asthma. Talk to you all on Monday and have a great weekend! Steve