25 repeats?!?!

Awesome. Just awesome.

Indeed time will tell, but this is a solid start.

Yes!!!!!! This is the way to go. Channel those nerves as best you can but especially channel those successes since.

Carceral Catholic.

For real. After all the Houston (concrete) training, well, yeah.

Sometimes I have to fight negative thoughts during ultras but yesterday, the moment one would start to intrude, I’d take a look around and poof right back to the happy thoughts.

Stoked for Sedona and the rest to help you along.

Thank you!

Just needs to spit in the cup to bring things full circle.

A picture of a packet of Avery Island, Louisiana’s most wonderful hot sauce. Tabasco. In the background is an upcoming 1100 foot climb that took me an embarrassingly long time to get up. But hey - no cramps. I also got to drive the family car while sitting on my dad’s lap at Jungle Gardens in Avery Island. And my dad was support crew for the 100km so all kinds of good nostalgia while running and spicing up the race.

On a side note, my body does not process gels or Gu or gummies or that sort of stuff while running.

But I do have a secret sauce that helps reduce cramping and wakes me right up.

Many thanks to Hebert’s (the Houston one though many thanks to the Broussard one, too) for providing my race nutrition.

A view looking upstream along the Virgin River that is just downstream of Virgin, Utah. The 100 km and 100 mile course runners got to take in this scene.

A side view from the trail across one of the mesas during the Zion 100k. All race distances were treated to this view.

Sunrise on the Zion ultras. A group of fresh ready to do this runners are in the foreground - and still running.

Some well weathered sandstone along the Zion course. A runner in the distance is doing what I did along that stretch - not running.

Zion 100k finished.

Beautiful.

Primary goal: getting 8 lottery tickets for Western. ✅

Secondary goal: faster than year ago Bandera. ✅ (by over 90 minutes)

Side goal: Not step on a cactus sans shoe during a bathroom emergency. ❌

Darigold Chocolate milk next to a box of Buttermilk Eggos. Truly a breakfast of champions.

Since I couldn’t bring our waffle iron I had to improvise my usual pre race breakfast.

A big thanks to Chris the hotel worker who “opened” breakfast extra early and found a packet of syrup for me.

A dirt road heading in the direction of Smithsonian Butte in Apple Valley, Utah. Finishing stretch of the Zion 100k. Also the finishing stretch for the other distances, too.

View to the north along the Zion 100k course.

1.11 miles on the course today.

Just a tad more scenic than the Houston concrete jungle.

(Bonus. Pinyon jay. Heard and seen. And as they say… lifer.)

Tomorrow is show time.

My backpack and everything for the Zion 100k is fitting nicely into Spirit’s personal item bin.

The joy of “only” a 100k. Everything for the race and the trip fits into the designated personal item Spirit space.

There was even enough room for the birding binoculars (though that’s for pre and post race).

Two days until Zion. So thankful to be out running again.

Yes. Please share post race and post redactions.

Yes! Spreadsheets!! I teach high school math and I’m full on board with this sort of stuff. I feel it’s extra beneficial for the mental oh my goodness I can do this aspect.

Interesting the sub 100 was ahead of the sub 96. Reminding me of Bruce Fordyce - start like a coward and finish like a hero.

The fall show was Dearly Departed.

The big show (January/February musical) was Guys and Dolls. They hadn’t put on a classical show in a while so it was a nice return.

And Joseph (and the Amazing…) opens in 2.5 weeks.

Add me to the list of excited. And jealous.

What a great training run especially on course. Looking at your time and pacing is extra encouraging. It really solidifies my thoughts that the math is in your favor.

In no particular order…

Birds but especially bird calls and songs.

Running.

Math. Thankfully I get to teach it so I have a chance to share the joy with my students.

The theatre department at the high school I work at… absolutely phenomenal.

And in the last seven years - my daughters.

So excited for your run and test drive on the course. Take lots of notes.

Oh yeah!!!! This is the stuff!

But has your wife managed to smash in the back window of your car with a golf club?

Oooh. Data collection.

I’m about to put up my spring migration nocturnal flight call microphone on the roof. I’ll have to add sirens to my tally marks.

Ideal. Some solid time on your feet - time spent out there definitely would have been an 18 miler under just about any other circumstance so you’re still getting full benefit from today.

Glad the legs felt good, too.

The sun is starting to set along a section of trail just outside of Huntsville State Park. This is a section created by a cycling group that links up to the trails in the park.

A picture of the quite wide Triple C Trail that goes around the perimeter of Huntsville State Park. Just outside the boundary of the park used to be woods but it’s becoming subdivisions. (Conform or be cast out.)

An open stretch of the Chinquapin Trail that follows along Lake Raven in Huntsville State Park. At least two yellow throated warblers were singing in the pines not visible in this picture.

Switched shoes with 18 kilometers left in the run. The picture shows my feet in a pair of Brooks Caldera 6 with a pair of Merrell Longsky 2 waiting to be worn. The Merrell shoes are wonderfully light but the Brooks shoes are comfortably cushioned. Not sure what I’ll use at Zion.

Three weeks until the Zion 100k.

Today was a take it easy 51k. I took it easy for 1 km and then walked 500 meters. And repeated that 34 times.

First half took 3:12. Second half took 3:15.

General soreness but nothing feels broken (looking at you Hennepin 100).

Your excitement (in general) on a regular Tuesday brings a lot of us joy.

But today - today - this has been absolutely magical.

Forget the Packers, you’ve won the Super Bowl.

I feel the math is on your side.

Your remaining back to backs will really help. Just like this weekend for you… time on your feet and moving forward with a purpose when you’re feeling sore will pay big dividends.

Following your training - I’m super confident you could roll a super solid 100k right now. Also confident you could back that up with another (albeit slower) 100k 24 hours after the first one began. Then the fun begins - throwing down two more 100k’s in the next 72 hours.

The best kind of foreshadowing.

Picture of a you are entering Berg Park sign along the Animus River in Farmington, New Mexico. I had to hop a fence to get to the river path but found a way to unhop the fence on the way back.

500 miles is a real long drive in a car.

We went off the direct route home because: Monument Valley. Made it to Four Corners with only five minutes to spare but were thankfully and nicely waved inside and told to hurry up. We hurried up.

Today’s run was along the Animus River in Farmington, NM.

Your heart rate recovery on those repeats looks great.

Your heart is more than ready for what’s to come.

Also really like that surge to the finish of your last 800. Perfect.

Picture of Mather Point at the Grand Canyon after sunset.

Obligatory running shoe photo with an elk in the sort of background. The run back from Mather Point was in the dark and there were a lot of elk eyes keeping watch as I ran by.

Eight hundred and thirteen mile car trip. (Or further.)

Tempted to sneak out while everyone’s asleep and run down to the river and slow poke back up, but nope… kept the running simple.

Also: this is not Houston elevation.

Bonus joy: these are not Houston temperatures.

Picture of a store front in Winslow, Arizona. The name of the store is Stitchin’ On A Corner.

Take It Easy unless easy includes bicycles, rollerblades, or skateboards. Picture of Standin’ On A Corner roadside park - an official Route 66 tourist attraction. Take It Easy is visible in the background along with some wings. No Tori Amos memorabilia could be found.

Continuing on to the Grand Canyon.

Today’s 5 miles (medium steady state) was in Winslow, Arizona.

Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona and I’m quite sure I’m in the wrong song.