Zane Grey, Zion, and what it's all about

I am really chomping at the bit to get committed to a rad longer run in the next couple weeks. I have had a bit tougher time with dialing one in this spring then in past springs.

I had been toying with R2R2R and the Zion Traverse mostly and throwing around the idea of maybe running the Highline Trail down by Payson too. I was a bit too late on entering Zane Grey so it seemed like fun to maybe do a self supported run of this course (it follows the 50 mile Highline Trail). I'd have to pick one or two of these great runs to do this April and May as all of them will get too hot by summer so I've been under the gun a bit.

Last week, I got my hopes up for Zane Grey again when I was approached with the opportunity to take someone's entry in to Zane Grey if the Event Director gave us the o.k. I thought this would be a great opportunity to get used to a 'race' setting leading up to Leadville as I haven't been in an 'organized' ultra before and I thought it would be easy to get the entry, a simple switch. Well...my hopes were dashed as the Event Director informed me that due to event policy I wasn't able to enter because they don't do entry trades and I didn't have any 'organized' ultra experience anyway.

I was kinda bummed about this as I felt that I wouldn't have been a worry for them because of my experienced 'unorganized' ultra background but I know rules are rules and they are there for a reason... it was just tough because I was getting excited and nervous about the prospect of running in my first ultra event. I knew I would do well and have fun. It was a new challenge to get excited about in running. Oh well. It wasn't meant to be. I'll get over it.

So, something that Susan and I were throwing around just before I got the opportunity to try and get into Zane Grey again was going to southwest Utah to do a weekend trip at the end of April to climb and her shuttling the car for me on the first day of the trip so that I could run the Zion Traverse. Yeah!

Well, it looks like the Zion and southern Utah thing is what we are trying to commit to right now. I just have to organize my work schedule to make it happen and then it is for sure. Finally, I may be committing to a classic long run this month! We will see in a few days if my work can be switched. Fingers crossed...

On another note... I just read a great post by the amazing ultra runner, Anton Krupicka, about why he runs trails and it hit home as I find striking similarities with much of what he writes about for my own life. Check it out here.

Running Log

Sunday: 7 miles (Observatory Mesa from home)

Monday: 11 miles (Urban Trail and Rocky Ridge from home)

Tuesday: 9 miles (Observatory Mesa from home) + 2 miles (running to work and home) + 3 miles (Observatory Mesa with Susan)