Saturday, June 23, 2012

Tour De Virginia

The Western States 100 webcast has gotten better each year. I love that I am getting Ian Sharman updates on FB as soon as he goes through an aid station. It seems only slightly ironic that social networking and ultramarathoning go well together. While I enjoy following the action, I'm not wistful about it. Three trials on that iconic course is enough.

I know something about myself more surely now: I'm a creature of our eastern mountain woodlands. I feel most at home trekking and running through a green tunnel of tangly laurel and rhododendron. I spent this morning on the Iron Mountain and I'll spend all day tomorrow slowly approaching, climbing, and descending the high country around Mt. Rogers in my beloved new(ish) home in SW Virginia.

This summer's contrivance for keeping me out "on the mountain" (my two year old daughter Loren knows to ask me when I return home if I've been "on the mountain") is the Tour De Virginia. Beginning next weekend a handful of us have signed on the trek across Virginia on the Appalachian Trail. We'll cover 550 miles in 14 days for an average of just over 40 miles per day. Of course the AT is notoriously gratuitous about climbing every peak along the way.

It's not the Western States, but in a similar way it has helped me to structure some purpose into my summer plans. We'll be putting in long days and camping near the trail, so I won't be connected to a computer. We will relay updates to this blog where possible, though, just in case anyone is interested to follow along. It may seem discrepant to peer into a screen to experience adventure -- but we manage to cultivate our own adventurousness that way, don't we? I know I'll be checking on Ian (and Krissy -- whew! -- and all the other runners) late into the evening...

7 comments:

  1. Good luck to you and the rest of the runners. It is going to be a great adventure for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds like it's going to be a great new adventure. Have a blast out there and don't forget to take some photos!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Enjoyed our Stage 1 dress rehearsal yesterday. That 41 miles on day 1 is no "walk in the park!"

    ReplyDelete
  4. I found myself saying "this is going to be tough" several times last night and this morning. Rob, are you confessing some soreness today?

    ReplyDelete
  5. HAH well we kidded about both lying about how we felt today to get some head games started to try to gain an advantage, but I'll come clean... was thinking the very same thing last night and probably more so today. I did an easy 30 min walk this morning with Sara and I am stiff and sore but surviving. Thinking maybe the first 30 min's each morning may be a hike no matter the terrain.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Eric, I wish I could join you guys, but will be embarking on a different type of adventure. Thanks in advance for working to get updates to the blog. I'm looking forward to following along. Good luck and happy trails!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It is impressive how the Internet has been evolving even in competitions that you can get the best insight within the judges or people that they are there.

    ReplyDelete