CrossRoads Blog

I suppose anyone reading this blog now pretty much knows how ‘big of a deal’ running the Zane Grey Highline 50 was for me. But I think one of the reasons we do Blogs is not only to share with friends and families what we are up to, but also for our future generations to ‘know us’ as well. So with that, let me share again for the Great-Great Grandson – this was a big, big deal for me. I had this event ‘picked out’ over two years ago. Ever since I was looking at a list of the World’s toughest Ultra Runs and not only was this ranked as the hardest 50 Mile, it was basically in our backyard here in Arizona. Back then I was not doing 70-100 mile running weeks, heck that was about a month’s worth of miles, so it was an ‘out there’ goal. Back most importantly the reason I wanted to do this race was back those couple of years ago we were also going through some… let’s call it ‘times of great worry’ with your Great Grandfather and his brother. So it became one of those metal things. I kind of did this thing with my mind saying “okay, I am going to run that race and finish it and do everything until then to be able to make that happen, train hard, run hard, never give up, etc. and if I do everything will be okay – my boys will be fine”. As I type this I know it may not make a lot of sense. It’s hard to articulate. Worse, it likely seems extremely silly in that – of course my running a race can in reality have nothing to do with my children ‘being okay’. To that all I can say is, I know it’s silly, but when you are a parent there are times you realize there is nothing you can do or say to make your child safe or help them be happy. Just because you know this is reality, it doesn’t make it acceptable – you have to do something. Zane Grey was my something for two years…

This is a very long blog with all the details - so to read it all click the following link

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Back in Vegas for the final Zane Grey training run. Kimberly and I dig the heck out of a racing company called Calico Racing. The director Joyce puts on the most awesome fun events. Her company was the one that did the ‘Running with the Devil’ last year. So when I was looking for a final race and we saw that Joyce was putting on a whole weekend event up in the Mountains outside Vegas - you know we were thrilled. Not only was there a 50 mile event that would be perfect for my training, but there was a 1/2 Marathon the next day that Kimberly and I could run together! In fact it was a whole racing weekend event called ‘Labor Of Love‘. There was a 100 miler, 50 Mile, a Marathon, a 50K, and 2 Half Marathons, plus I think a 10K!

Just to make the weekend even more special, we were sent an invitation for the new Aria Hotel at City Center. How perfect, we could stay at the new Aria for a deal, check out the spa/fitness facilities and score some stuff with our Grand Daughters name on it (ended up being a whole lot of stuff Grandma could snag for the little one that came free even).

It was nothing more than a perfect weekend. I could live like this forever I tell ya’. The Aria is an amazing place. When City Center is done with all the other residences and hotels that place is going to be something special even by Vegas standards. I mean, it’s special already and half the places are not even open. Our room had the most futuristic view I have ever looked out from a room. That seemed appropriate as the room itself was all tech driven with settings that turned on the lights, opened the curtains, put on music, etc all to your specifications when you walked into the room. Everything was tech oriented, and whole modern, it still had a comfortable feel. We were impressed and we have done a whole lot of Vegas rooms over the years. Check out the pics, I took a ton (too much really). The best part of Aria was the Fitness and Spa - niiiiiiiice. We didn’t even do any massages, didn’t need to really, you get some of the best workout equipment in Vegas then you hit the Spa areas after working up a sweat. I love that they have so many co-ed areas, a salt room, hot stone room, lounges, pools, etc. We hit up everything there was I think. The steam rooms, sauna, drank about 10 of the bottle waters, they even had nice quality herbal teas. I could go on, but suffice to say, impressive, in particular for the $25 or whatever it was.

The Races were the most awesome experiences. You literally run in those huge Mountains you see to the West of Vegas in Lovell Canyon. For the 50 Miler its out 11 Miles and back twice, then out 3 and back 3. They elevation starts at about 5000 ft and essentially climbs on the way out and drops o the way back. The exception is this one HUGE hill in the middle. That hill was part of the 1/2 Marathon Kimberly and I did the next day too so we have pictures you will have to see. We met some great people including a friend Brian from Ohio who loves Ultra Running and we plan on doing another race together this year for sure. I was really happy with how the 50 turned out.

While I faded a lot the last few miles, I was able to finish in 8 hours and 39 minutes. It was 5th place overall and I got a little Cactus Pot Trophy that says First Place in age group 40-49 which was cool. Kimberly kicked butt the next day on the Half. I ran it with her so it was most fun. I think I had to hump it just to keep up - she was a little fresher than me :-). We got all kinds of cool medals, we got 3 tech shirts with awesome sayings, we met a ton of new folks, we got to do a Joyce Race…. like I said, I could get used to this kind of weekend!

The Lake Pleasant Good Dam Run is just one of those events that if we live here and are in town we will do every year. It’s not a big race, heck they don’t even give out medals, but it sure is a fun run. First off, it’s one of the few local events that actually is a trail run. Well it’s kind of a trail run or partly a trail run is better said. The first few miles are run along and in a Wash ducking trees and trying to avoid the water and the sand slosh as much as possible. You then run up and out of the Canyon (a nice climb for sure) and across the Earthen Lake Pleasant Dam they open for just this event.

I think the main reason we like it is it was one of our first organized runs, and best yet, every year friends Misty and Jim and their youngins’ are out there too. This is our third year to run and 4th or 5th I think for Jim and Misty. This year it the friend clan even got better because good friends James and Diosa where there too. They are fairly new to (at least to regular) running and we are so excited for them. This I think was the very first race for them. Adding to the whole gang Misty’s folks were there to do the run/walk with the Grand kiddos.

It was really a perfect weather day, even a little warm. We all got there early and hung for a bit taking some pictures and shooting the breeze before the start. With Kimberly still on the mend from the foot injury I was the only one of the group doing the 7 Mile Trail Run everyone else was running the 4 Mile non trail race. It’s really a small low key event and not really competitive, but Kimberly and I have always done well. Last year Kimberly for sure won her age group and was in the top overall and I came in second overall in the 7 Mile. I was hoping to beat my last year time and I was able to do that at 56:22 which was good enough to come in 1st place overall. I would claim some bragging rights, but like I said it’s small and I think some of the fast guys must have stayed at home. Way more cool news however was the ladies of our little gang. Kimberly sore foot and all came in second overall among the women in her race - and who came in front of her - Mrs. Diosa! Way cool women types! James I think was even in the top few men, and he just started running! Congrats to those guys for sure. I hope that just expands the addiction for them. Now we just need to get Misty and Jim and Robbie into some Saucony’s and running with us the “Running Belly Dancers Clan” can own the trails!

The Park by the way puts on a great event. The folks that work there you can tell really have a passion for what they do. They also do a great job with the raffle. They actually had way more prizes than they had runners. Everyone ended up with at least 2 prizes per person! So while the event grows every year, let’s hope next year there are so many people the prizes are hard to come by.