Mountain Monkey: Winter Reflections

Winter thus far has consisted of a month long cold/sinus infection, 9 ski tour days (Cardiff, Days, Scotties, Coal Pit, Hypodermic Needle, Butlers, Farmington Canyon, Days again, and Box Elder Peak), 2 ski resort days, signing up for races, and not a whole lot of running. It is very much an understatement to say I am stoked for the upcoming year. My plans are as numerous and vast as the softening calluses on my feet. I have paid for the Antelope Island Buffalo 50 Mile, The Speed Goat 50K up at Snow Bird, and am waiting for the Wasatch 100 Mile Lottery. I am considering the Bear 100 Mile in lieu of Wasatch or perhaps in addition to. I am also stoked for some PRs and long days on Olympus, Ben Lommond, Timp, Kings, Bryce, Uintah Highline, Grand Teton, and tons of other trails and “destination” runs. My training goals are simple; to ramp up the mileage and vertical gain per week, not eat crap, and go hard every run. In addition to all of the trail stuff, I want to run a fast Marathon and set a personal record at the distance. These are all of my PR’s hopefully a couple will fall this year. I’ll start with the shortest lengths (the ones I won’t beat without a time machine)