As the big day quickly approaches,
I begin to fill with anticipation and excitement. Those who are close to me
know that I am talking about my big trip out west. I will be racing the Bighorn
100 next week. The anticipation comes from more than just usual anticipation of
embarking on a 100 mile race. This anticipation also comes from the huge
journey that lies ahead. This will be the first time that I have every traveled
to a state that doesn’t touch Georgia.
The planning for this trip began about
a year ago. The sights I saw in the southeast during my running adventures were
incredible! I knew that if amazing views and wilderness like that existed so
close to me, then there had to be so much more out there. I needed to see it. I
wanted to use my running to be able to get out and really have adventures, so I
started looking for races out West. The Bighorn caught my eye. I asked my
friend John if he had heard of the Bighorn because I knew he had been all over
the country to race. He told me that he had actually raced it back in 2005 and
it was one of the most beautiful races he had ever run. That’s all the convincing
I needed, and the planning began.
I was able to talk my little
sister, Abbie, into tagging along with me for the journey. I’m thankful I will
be able to share this experience with her. After the race, we will drive over
to the Grand Tetons to camp a couple nights and do as much hiking as I can
manage. It will be a good way to get the blood flowing after the race.
The training miles have been
logged, planes tickets bought, hotels booked, and tents packed. All that’s left
is to suppress the doubts that my mind produces, relax, and enjoy what lies
ahead. I have no goal time for this race, but rather to get out there and soak
it all up. The altitude is the only thing I’m not properly prepared for, but
when you live in Georgia there’s not much you can do about that.
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