Looking Ahead to 2009

The 2008 Ultra Season has finally come to a close for me. Hard to imagine that it's all ready time to start looking ahead to 2009. What I've accomplished this year exceeded my expectations and I had one amazing time doing it all. As always, I find the first half of the year goes by much slower than the end. Here is how it shaped up in 2008:

January: Ran the Boston Prep 16 Miler Twice for 32 Miles in 4" of Snow and Slush
February: Ran the 35 Mile Kancamagus Highway at night in negative degree temperatures.
March: Pittsfield Snowshoe Marathon (Hypothermic at the finish)
April: McNaughton Park 150 - I stopped at 100 Miles 33 Hours 33 Minutes (Snow, Rain, MUD)
May: Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 - 32:06 (Survived one of the toughest 100s in the country- wrecked)
June: Pittsfield Peaks Ultra Challenge - 12:20 (Course PR by 4 hours)
July: Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Rin - 23:37 (2nd Sub 24 Buckle here in as many tries)
September: Pisgah 50K - 6:31 (Return from Anemia) and the Vermont 50 - 8:58 (I did it! I broke 9 hours and a new PR)
October: The Run Across New Hampshire - 124.4 Miles in 31:50 (History)
November: Race Director for the New England 200/100/50 Mile Ultras
(Stay tuned for the slideshow in the coming weeks)

It has indeed been a great year and I've enjoyed it greatly. The ball continues to roll and I have begun setting new goals for myself. 2009, I hope will be a year of more great challenges, new found motivation, and a sincere desire to continue to achieve, discover and search for a deeper understanding of my own Human Potential.

The Plan:
Western States: I am a proud 3 time lottery loser. No Western States for me in 2009.
McNaughton: I am signed up for the 150 Miler with no current plans to run it. If I don't get into Badwater for 2009, I will use this race to sweeten up my resume for the Badwater application in 2010.
Massanutten: On December 1st I will be applying to the lottery to try and get into this race again. I have a bone to pick!
Pittsfield Peaks: You know I'm there.

And now... the goal.

BADWATER AND THE VT100 IN THE SAME WEEK = BUCKLE BOTH.
Yeah... sounds fun huh? I want to get into and run Badwater, climb to the top of Mount Whitney and then return to New England and run my third Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run; buckling the event for the 3rd time in as many tries.

Sure I'm a big dreamer, no doubt. But I want to challenge myself, I want to see if I can do it. I want to push myself to the absolute limits and see if there really is a "beyond." My 124.4 mile run across New hampshire only scratched the surface of what I know as my own Human Potential and if this challenge unfolds and fate allows me to play; I envision discovering more than I ever bargained for. But first.. I need to get into Badwater.