Javelina Coming Up Quickly

After not racing since the Way Too Cool 50K in March, I'm looking forward to suffering in the Desert in another 4 weeks. While my training hasn't been anywhere near ideal, I still feel pretty good about the whole thing and whatever happens my goal is to have fun doing it. I'm completely over the Giardia I got while running and hiking with Fast Eddy. Thanks again for that Scott! And I seem to be able to keep my chronic hamstring issue in check by doing the various leg and back exercises a few times a week.

I think I needed the break this past summer from racing but enjoyed being able to still be a part of the race scene while crewing and pacing Tara at the San Juan 50, running with my Dad at the Leadville Trail marathon, crewing and pacing Tara at the LT100, and finally crewing for Wynn at the AT100 this past weekend. It is nice to know I don't have to "race" every race I want to do, but can always pace or crew somebody instead. Speaking of crewing, I at first thought I'd have to go down there on my own (which made choosing a loop course logical) but with Judy's new work schedule she's going to be able to come down also which will be great.

So onto Javelina. I have done the 50K held on the same course twice so know the course very well. I'm sure it will seem quite a bit different when running the loop in the opposite direction but at least I know I don't have to worry about getting lost which is always my biggest fear at a race I'm unfamiliar with. As for time/place goals, I was very happy to see that Jorge is signed up as that takes a lot of pressure off me. He surely is the favorite but I hope to give him a challenge and who knows? The weather (heat) will probably be the biggest variable that will determine if either of us runs under 15hrs or is happy just to be under 20 hrs. Oh, this race has a halloween theme; I'll be the guy dressed as a CRUD runner.