Start

Where to start. This actually started a couple of years ago when Harlow mentioned the Trans Alpine Run to me over a beer or a jaunt in the mountains. He had been turned on to the event by Toby, and was thinking of participating with him. The event is run in teams of two. At the time I was intrigued, but knowing that I've never been fit enough to complete an event of that magnitude, never mind teaming up with someone who has credentials like Harlow's, just enjoyed the conversation.

Start again. Last year my brother James and his family moved from Tokyo, where they had lived for a couple of years and where I had failed to visit them, to Ramstein AFB in Germany. This time Heidi and I have talked about it and we're going to make the effort. Next thing I know Harlow and are talking about the Trans Alps again, only this time I'm really pushing the notion.

Not knowing if we'd actually enter the race or not, I started slowing down the pace of my runs, increasing the volume, and trying to spend more time in the mountains. This was all pretty easy because I had increase the volume if I was going to keep seeing new terrain, would have to slow down simply because of the volume. This was in the middle of the summer of 2010.

Start again. Last Friday I ran the Crescent Lake trail (12 mi), then followed that with the Crow Pass Crossing (22), then Harlow and I did the Peters Creek Trail (15), Wolverine from Service High School (15), and Resurrection Pass from Cooper Landing to Hope (38). All told it was about 105 miles over 5 days. Going into it I seriously doubted my ability to even complete that mileage at any pace. Compounding the problem was that I suffered through Crow Pass and woke up really sore the next day. Peters Creek was not fun. Wolverine even less so. But by the time we started at Resurrection Pass I was feeling good again, and when we finished (the longest run I've ever been on) I felt fine.

I've had an amazing year training for this event. I've found new trails and new terrain, seen tons of great wildlife, rediscovered a purpose in running, and simply enjoyed the company of the people that I train with. Over the last week, doubts that I've had in my (and Harlow's) physical ability to complete the event have been squashed. That's a monster step in the right direction.

Now I'm back on the slope for two weeks on the treadmill and stair-master. More on that later.

My window at camp faces east out onto the tundra. It's pretty warm and there hasn't been much wind. The caribou look miserable. Clouds of mosquitoes follow them wherever they go.