2007 in review: by the tagging questions

Ouch, I've been blog tagged by Mark (Tanaka), when I thought I was done with 2007... I didn't even know what it meant until I read his blog. I initially thought Scott (Dunlap), our blog guru and father of all our ultra blogs, would have started this chain, but, no, it's Paul Charteris! For the non insiders, the game is to pass a predefined list of 6 questions to the next ultra blogger(s). And, Mark, after answering all the questions, not half way, ok?

So, the nominee questions are...

1. Most memorable moment on the trails in 2007.
2. Best new trail discovered in 2007.
3. My best performance of 2007.
4. I don't know how I previously survived without...
5. The person I would most like to meet on the trails in 2008.
6. The race I am most excited about for 2008.

And the winning answers are...

1. Most memorable moment on the trails in 2007.

Only one? Better be a good one... Yet, I have so many good memories on the trails in 2007. Getting paced by Rob (Evans) at Western States. Finishing Ruth Anderson's 50-mile just before Dean (Karnaze). Seeing Karl (Andersen) and Ann (Trason) at Ohlone and Skyline. Running on the UTMB course with Karine (Herry), Bruno (Tomozyk), Pascal (Blanc) and the rest of the group (counts for many memorable moments). Training with Simon Mtuy and James Bonnett at the Western States Memorial Day Weekend training run. Being welcomed by Agnès at Robbie Point in Auburn on June 24th. Then by Tim Twitmeyer on the finish line (well, wasn't on the trail actually, but the track). Getting introduced to Vincent Toumazou, from France, and introducing him to Rancho and Black Mountain. Running an ultra in Normandy along the beaches of D-Day. Crossing the Badlands in South Dakota. And above all that and many others, I'd place something which may be even more unique: when Graham (Cooper), then in first place at Ohlone, asked me to take the lead. I thought that was foolish, and surely, foolish it was. You have to believe in yourself sometimes... ;-)

2. Best new trail discovered in 2007.

Only one again? That's too unfair to so many trails... Let's go with UTMB then! A race I hope to run next year and a trail I wish you discover too, some day.
3. My best performance of 2007.

Hmm, what about a PR on a 10K, how does that sound for a 43-year old ultra runner, kind of too short or too fast? OK, from an ultra standpoint, I was very happy to run 20:24 for my first 100-miler and Western States (18th overall, 4th masters). Great PR on 50K on a fast yet hilly Skyline course (3:48). 22nd masters at Boston was not bad either. Nor was my 5th masters place at the International Paris 20K. But I believe the best was the overall win at Ohlone, less than 2 minutes slower than the course record, and just ahead of Graham Cooper (although Graham had set a course record at Skyline the previous weekend, and biked 200 miles the day before!). Quite a year overall, quite a few "best" to pick from!
4. I don't know how I previously survived without...

Hmm, can you repeat the question? In 2007 specifically? Ultra ultra running (11 ultras)? Succeed's S-Cap (sodium)? Bananas? Jelly-peanut butter sandwiches? Rob's pacing at Miwok? My Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS? Tom K's grilled cheese sandwiches at Last Chance (photo credit: Jay Hansell)? 5. The person I would most like to meet on the trails in 2008.

In less than two years of ultra running I've met quite a few icons of the sport but not Anton Kupricka and Karl Metzler yet. Only one? Karl Metzler (picture from Shannon Farar-Griefer's website). And all the others, and you, of course!
6. The race I am most excited about for 2008.

Wow, again, many "most" to pick from. What about The Coastal Challenge: a 6-day run and raid through Costa Rica's rain forest? But, although there will be very competitive local runners, I'm not sure this can be considered as a race (small field, expedition style). I'm very excited to go back to Way Too Cool and Miwok, hopefully without exercise-induced asthma this time. Even more excited to finally run American River in April (I was in Boston last year, and got the rain too). And even more excited to go back to Western States, so that must be it!
OK, so that's it for 2007, although this is still such a quick snapshot. And now, let me introduce the next tagged bloggers... Jeffery Rogers and Dave Schoenberg, alias the Atlantan.

Ultra and cyber sprinting

Like many, rushing for online registration is the part I like the least in ultra running. And I realize my sentiment, or resentment, must be nothing compared to what the original ultra runners must experience and go through. They were used to show up the morning of the event and get in. Later, races filled-up a couple of weeks before the event, then, for the most mythical, a couple of months before. That's when I started hearing about ultra. It became like the populous marathons; damnation, what happened to "our sport", they were saying during our training runs?!

In December, it was Way Too Cool. On a Sunday morning, 8am Pacific. Jumped on the car, direction the office, instead of getting out for a run. Arrive at the office at 7:50 to find out that I forgot my badge. Rushing back to home, hopefully not far. Switching the computer on, right at 7:59. Hey, the registration is already open, what's going on? I had tried my account login the night before, so I was quickly set and registered in five or six clicks. Phew...

Yesterday, I had a nice 15-mile run with our Midpeninsula Saturday morning group in Woodside (Wunderlich Park, Ed, John, David, Lina). Ed was sharing his frustration about not being able to get in Way Too Cool (despite the 400 entries!). He said that this time, no question, he will go to his office to get the fastest connection and all the account information ready. He also mentioned that he suspected Way Too Cool registration opened before 8 am that day.
This morning, it was Miwok. Same day, same time. This time I didn't forget my badge, so here I am at my desk, with the best connection, by 7:50am. Just checking on the event, what is my surprise to see the registration is already open. Quick, my login name and password! Trying one. Fail. A second one. Fail. Quick, click on forgot my password. Checking for the email response in my mailbox. Ok, got in. What, asking for another identification by email?Damned, the system says this account has already been confirmed, and would not let me in. Trying with another old account (I have 3 already created). Phew, in, but with old information so I have to retype everything. 8:02, registration confirmed, what a sweat... And $7.50 of processing fee, on top of the $100, quite a nice tip isn't it? Didn't even see the waitress... Not bad for a beta...
OK, I'm not denying that Active.com has brought a lot to the sport and helped increasing awareness for fitness, as well as streamlining the registration process for the race directors. But that leaves an aftertaste of monopoly, à la Google. Not you?

Oh, by the way, this isn't specific to the US, Active.com is also taking over the sport business in Europe!

Better have a good, fast and reliable connection to go farther and faster these days... And be current with big brother, Active.com...