Finding my way…

with everything going 0n my life right now I have needed a weekend like this last one.  all the stuff I have been going through the past 6 months has a lot do with the path I am currently on.  I am on a mission to see what I can really do on my own two feet… running… but more about all of that in another post… soon.  I have quite a few in the works.  I am not chasing races or results.  I just want to see what I’m really capable of.

Slater and I first started planning this weekend a month ago during a run our in Laguna with Toby & crew.  Slater is racing the Cuyamaca 100k on 10/6 and I will be pacing him on the final 18 mile loop.  The race consists of 3 loops.

Loop 1 – 30+ miles, Loop 2 – 12 miles, Loop 3 – 18 miles

We originally had a crew going with us but it ended up being just Slater and I heading out to Cuyamaca early Satruday morning for some course recon & and time shredding on our mountain bikes (actually I borrowed Trevor’s 29′e SWORKS Epic, best bike eva!).  Our plan was to cover as much of the course as possible.

We got to the “school camp” in Cuyamaca and headed out to run Loop 3, 18 miles.  We had a map and luckily met a lady in parking lot who gave us printed out, turn by turn directions of loop, which ended up being very helpful.  We eventually found the trail head and started ripping.

The loop was rad and had it all.  We pretty much stayed on track (thanks random lady in the parking lot!)  and knocked it out at good clip.

After the run we headed over to Paso Picacho to set up camp, and then after some food & some rest we were out on the bikes.  We ended up riding a good portion of Loop 1.  It’s by far the gnarliest loop.  It’s a hard 50k over about every kind of terrain possible.  We started by rolling some super fun single track for miles and then ended in the middle of nowhere, but on course.

There was quite a bit of steep hike-a-bike sections and we were in the middle of mountain lion country.  After seeing a freshly ripped open rabbit we increased the pace a bit.  It seemed as though the trails we were on don’t see a lot of traffic and we didn’t want to be dinner.

We made it to the long final climb of the day and were rewarded with killer views out west and some of the sickest trails I have ever ridden… maybe anywhere.

We made it back to camp after about 4+ hours (3 hours ride time), just before dark . It was time to clean up, have a couple beers, and EAT!

I always sleep really well when I camp and this time was no exception even though some kids decided they were going to have dance party at midnight.  Seriously… blaring music… and odd music.  Persian rave music and they were singing along in a language I couldn’t understand.  I found it  extremely funny and went back to sleep while Slater crashed the party.

Sunday we were up and on it.  We had coffee, breakfast, loaded up the EPIC’s and then met Elliot and a couple of his friends over in Laguna (15 minutes away) to get tour on the trails.

Our minds were instantly blown by the trails.  Miles of super fun, flowing single track.  We only touched a very small portion of the trails in our 2+ hour ride, but I have to get back out there sooner than later on my bike.

grip it and rip it!!!!

Slater shredding.

After the “warm-up ride” it was time to run Loop 2 of the Cuyamaca 100k course.  It was ONLY 12 miles, but it was getting warm and after running out of food and water on our ride it was looking pretty tough.  We rallied around the truck and crammed in food and drink as we drove back to the “school camp”.  Sooner than later we were back out on the trails.  the first couple of miles were rough gaining 750+ feet in the first 2.5 miles. over some pretty technical single track…  but that seemed to warm us up.

At about 5 miles in we were both feeling good and started pushing the pace a bit on the flowing single track leading back to the truck.  When we are running together we don’t talk about pace or when we are going to pick it up.  It’s intuitive.  If one of us is feeling we life the pace and the other sits in and vice versa.  I was on the rivet for a bit around mile 10 but it felt good to know I still had that in me after weekend we had put in.  We got back to the truck 12 miles later, a bit smashed, and super stoked.

to say the weekend was rad would be and understatement.  this is what I’m after right now… pushing the limits  of what I can do and having fun doing it!  It’s Monday now and I feel pretty damn good which just means one thing… time go BIGGER!