The Wonderland Trail - Preface

I am hitting the road tomorrow morning to make my way, once again, to Mount Rainier.  However, unlike last year when we scaled it, I will be attempting to run its circumference on the Wonderland Trail, a 93-mile long trail that circumnavigates the mountain.  Josh Fuller and I will be running ~50K each day for three days.  Horsecow has had to pull out due to injury, but has agreed to come hang out regardless.  We will be crewed by the lovely and amazing Elizabeth and Cassie, who are being total team players while their respective partner and husband pursue another foray of questionable sanity.  Thank you so much in advance!

We'll run Tuesday through Thursday of next week.  The first day will start at Longmire and end 32-33 miles and 6000-7000k of climbing later at Mowich Lake.  Wednesday is our short day, a measly marathon from Mowich to White River.  Thursday we leave White River and hopefully finish back at Longmire, 34 miles later.  This is a stout undertaking, but one I believe we can handle.  We are not pursuing any FKTs, so we have all day, each day, to get things done.

I had to drop out of Alec's 6-hour race early on Saturday because my legs, particularly the right leg, and my back all rebelled around mile 15.  It was an odd feeling to go from seemingly fine to walking in the matter of a few steps.  My calves are just now starting to loosen up, and only after a) not running a step this week, b) near constant stretching, and c) hammering them with self-massage.  I woke up Tuesday morning with a lower back so tight I could barely get out of bed.  It felt like it did back in December when I was sidelined for a month.  However, things seem to be coming around, and as long as I am diligent about stopping frequently to stretch while I'm on the road the next two days, I hope a day of relaxing in the park on Monday will allow me to be ready to run Tuesday.

And if it sucks, or something happens, we (or I) stop.  Not a big deal.

I'm excited for this.  I've been thinking about it for a year.  And I think this kicking it at Mount Rainier the last week of July thing may have to become a yearly tradition.

Below is my current favorite song (plus another one that is also fantastic) from my current favorite band.  I cannot stop listening.  The Sweetest Curse has a series of riffs that, in my opinion, are some of the best I have ever heard.  And I am and always have been all about the riff.  I grew up on Hetfield, what can I say?