Running Thoughts

 Sky to Summit has been a race on my radar for a long time! The original Run Bum race is in its 12 th year in Sky Valley, GA. It features Rabun Bald on the eastern border between Georgia and North Carolina. I remember signing up for this race on my way home from the Boston Marathon. I was looking for another running event with my friends Nathan and Rebecca. They are some of my favorite people in the community. We’ve become good friends since Forgotten Florida nearly 2 years ago and went out of their way to make sure my 1 st Boston trip was memorable.   They booked an Airbnb and offered to let me stay in the extra bedroom. It was a great place to stay off the beaten path. It was across the street from a Haunted Hayride and Graveyard. Proceeds went to assist those affected by Hurricane Helene. In all actuality, we were incredibly fortunate to run this event. The trails in the area were closed by the US Forest Service (USFS) due to damage, but Sean, Run Bum, and countless v...

I admit I took Hennepin Hundred lightly. I’ve wanted to run this race for a couple years now. Especially after last year when my good friend, Chris Stayman, ran the course in a blazing 13:09. He didn’t even win with a sub-8-minute pace, taking 2 nd to Taggart Vanetten, who set the course record with a time of 12:46. I am nowhere near that but thought a sub-10-minute pace was achievable.   Due to scheduling conflicts, I had planned to defer to next year and go for the 100 Mile OMR Series Slam in 2025. Unfortunately, I had 3 unsuccessful attempts to earn a Western States qualifier this year due to injury and illness, so this was my last opportunity. Sometimes things fall into place. The Chicago Marathon is the weekend after, so I focused on that over Hennepin (I paid for that). However, Chicago qualifying has changed, which now guarantees me a spot for 2025, despite the tougher qualification times.   I struggled to mentally prepare and organize my gear for the race. I s...