It was 1998. I was racing across one of the flatter sections of the Leadville 100 when I caught a guy with a strange riding style. He would spin madly then coast, repeating this over and over again. “Weird,” I thought. But later I realized the rest of the story. He was one of those singlespeeders I’d read about. He proceeded to stand for 90-some minutes of climbing and put a half-minute on me. As I spun along in my granny gear I thought how insane he must be. (more…)

My watch alarm beeps at 2:30 AM on race morning. It’s time to wake up and get to the starting line for my first 100-mile running race.

Leadville, Colorado is still sleeping except for the 465 runners, their support crews, and spectators milling about the dimly lit downtown area. It’s a rather balmy 43F and runners are getting in their last minute stretches.

At 3:59AM the announcer excitedly states “The shotgun is cocked.” (more…)

They said I was crazy, like I haven’t heard that before.

It was 95°F and fairly humid. I’m not a fan of hot weather, so I pulled on my Patagonia Puckerware shirt and pulled up to the starting line. Casual and cool, I didn’t overheat and actually I won the singlespeed category. (more…)

What a magical race.

Boston is just a great town to hang out in for a few days then run a marathon. This race has so many positive memories for me. Thinking back on this race still gives me chills. Of course afterwards I couldn’t walk, but it was a small, temporary price to pay.

Some of my favorite moments include running past the screaming all-girls college, having runners yell to the spectators “How are the Red Sox doing?”, catching up to the Hoyt’s, passing other runners on Heartbreak Hill, not falling when my legs went numb, and drinking cold beer at the after party.
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Lake Tahoe’s clear blue water extends for miles, nestled between mountains blanketed with towering pines and punctuated with barren rock outcroppings. The thin, crisp, cool air at 6,200 feet above sea level is just one more reminder that I’m not in Michigan anymore.

This is the site for the inaugural 2001 XTERRA National Championships.
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