"Twelve Peaks" run with Brian
May 28, 2009As noted in my last running update, my increasing emphasis on enjoying my training has, on several recent occasions, led me to skip ambitious workouts in favor of easy runs. That’s not always how it works, though; sometimes the focus on fun causes me to run harder.
This past Saturday I had planned to do 25 or so miles over relatively flat terrain. Then Brian Morrison suggested that I join him on a “Twelve Peaks” run at Tiger Mountain. This would cover about 33 miles with about 9,000 feet of elevation gain — possibly doing enough damage to hamper my performance at the upcoming Endurance Challenge 50.
Despite the physiological risks, I said yes. It had been almost exactly a year since my last run with Brian — the same one, actually, except that Susannah Beck joined us last time — and I couldn’t resist the chance to traverse an interesting route with a good friend while catching up on the latest ultrarunning gossip. (Sample topic: what does Adam Lint eat before races?)
My quads did not particularly enjoy the run or its aftermath, but my brain sure did.
My Track Record 
I don't know if it's always the same, but Adam told me the night before Chuckanut he ate a dozen donuts from the grocery store. That's some pretty serious calories.