No Wimps - Pinckney 50K Ultra & Trail Half

Over the last few years, as I have continued to run and run and run some more, I continue to grow more attuned to what gives me the most enjoyment while out on the trails.  While I have, at least according to the basic numbers, been more successful in shorter races, my growing passion has been to see if I can continue to run farther and farther.  What started with a road marathon like the Chicago marathon grew into a trail marathon on the North Country Trail which then grew into the big challenge of the Pikes Peak Marathon.  It felt like a great progression over a handful of years and I believed that progression would continue in 2017 when I tackled the Two Hearted Trail Run (marathon) in the U.P. of Michigan.  That didn't go so well.  After having gained such confidence on Pikes in 2016 I thought I'd really nail this more basic trail marathon in the flatter expanses of the U.P. and I ended up having a bad race.  Did this mean I had already peaked?  Had I found my limit?  Was my niche in the running world to stick to trail halfs and the annual attempt at a full marathon.  I say no.  I decided I wasn't going to allow myself to settle.

Surviving the Colorado 14ers

I'd like to happily announce on my Wilderness Wanderings blog the completion and availability of a book co-written by myself, my brother, and father.  Ever since we completed our family quest of hiking all of the Colorado 14ers we've been looking for a way to bring some closure and finality to our decades-long adventure.  You may well know the challenge of devoting attention and heart and effort to something over months or years (or even decades) and the joy it brings when it can be finally realized and fulfilled.  Yet it also brings with it, shortly thereafter, this moment of emptiness where the question is begged: "what's next?"  

Mt. Yale Winter Ascent 2018

Route Name: Southwest Slopes
Trailhead Elevation: 9,925 ft.
Summit Elevation: 14,196 ft.
Distance: 10.37 mi.
Elevation Gain: 4,257 ft.
Start Time: 5:58am
Summit Time: 12:10am (25 minutes on top)
End Time: 5:29am

Trip Report:

This hike was all about my 13-year old son Luke's first winter* 14er. (* - yes, technically it was April, so not calendar winter, but winter conditions it was). He has grown and matured wonderfully in the last year and several months before our planned trip Ihad the idea that this was the year to let him give this a try.  The first step was to see if he would be interested.  That's the only way this would work.  I brought it up to him and explained how I thought he could do it and how I would prepare him for it, and he was up for the challenge.