It's now been more than a month since I completed the Speedgoat 50K. I didn't run for a few days as I was just too sore, then I got a sinus infection and am now on my 2nd round of antibiotics attempting to get on top of it. Work has been rough the last month as well. I am cautiously optimistic that work will get better beginning in November, probably not before that. In spite of all that I have had a couple of mountain runs over the last few weeks and have been hitting the mileage fairly consistently on asphalt now that my thighs, hips, and knees have recovered from Speedgoat.
I should do about 45 miles this week if everything goes as planned. So what race to day next? My goal is to do at least a 50 miler by the end of this year so that I have the qualification taken care of in case I end up in the Bear 100 next year. With that in mind there are 3 nearby races that will fit the bill. The Slick Rock 50 is in Moab on October 8th, that may be a bit soon but I will probably see how I feel at the end of this week and go from there, it would also require a hotel stay the night before, not a big deal but not as convenient as sleeping in your own bed. The next option is the Pony Express Trail 50 that is on October 21st. This race definitely has some appeal as your support crew can be with you the entire race, not just at specific aid station locations. The down side is that this race is flat as flat can be. almost no elevation gain, in fact the entire race is on a dirt road in the west desert on the Pony Express Trail. The 3rd option is the Antelope Island 100K on November 5th. Definitely has some appeal to me as it has elevation changes on about half of the course, the other half being quite flat. It is also 62 Miles which adds another dimension to that decision.
I think I will have a better idea on which one of these to go with over the next couple of weeks of training. Time will tell.
