Monday, January 28, 2019

Today's Run - Monday, 1/28 - Jim Walmsley falls into the Leadville "Road Race" Trap

Snowing like crazy when I woke up and eventually got on the treadmill for 4.1 miles in under 36 minutes. Mondays are almost always easy and short. Felt good--no issues from yesterday's 16 miles on concrete.

We got way more snow than the forecasters said we would. I had two shoveling sessions, which is good exercise so I'm not complaining (though the commute into work was horrid). When I shovel, I always pile as much as I can around our trees so they get water. In Colorado, "we need the moisture," as the saying goes.

Final note: Walmsley has fallen into the trap of thinking of the Leadville "Trail" (as he air-quoted it in his recent Ultrarunnerpodcast interview) 100 as a "road race" (my eyes are rolling). It is worth repeating: the Leadville 100 has served as a day of public reckoning for many great ultrarunners over the years. As he eyes Carpenter's course record (which he absolutely has the ability to beat), I really hope Jim's view of the course will change to one of profound respect when he does his recon this summer, because it is a course that will destroy you. The course's runability, combined with the altitude and--oh yeah--those mountains, will put a hurting on any runner who fails to bring respect to the starting line.

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