It won’t be long and we’ll be heading to Lake Tahoe to run the Tahoe 200 Mile Endurance Run.  My thoughts and emotions change from day to day.  I’ll be excited, scared, pumped, and anxious all in a week’s time.  I’ve done the training.  I’ve put in lots of miles and even traveled to Colorado to race in the mountains at high altitude the week after a flat 50 mile race in Tulsa.  I’m still in the process of figuring out how to arrange my aid station drop bags for a 200 mile loop.  My amazing wife, Jen is coming to crew me, but will have to rest before her 25K on Sunday.  So, anything I leave in the car will be out of reach during that time.  I can estimate my pace and needs at each aid station, but have no idea if that will be correct.  There are so many variables and unknowns to deal with.  I’ll just have to trust my training and do the best I can with what I do know and just learn.

Much like my Rim-to-rim-to-rim adventure where I had never been to the Grand Canyon previously, I have never been to Lake Tahoe.  I’ll get to dive head first into experiencing the area and all of its awesomeness.  I plan on becoming intimately acquainted with all of its grit and beauty.  I know there will be lofty emotional highs.  I know the deep lows of despair will come during the 200 mile trek.  It’s just part of the journey.  It’s a microcosm of life.  I pray that I can push through and cross the finish line with a tired smile on my face, knowing that I gave all I had with the gifts God has given me.  It will be quite the journey.

I have most of my gear in place.  So far, I plan on using the following:  Shoes:  Altra Olympus 3.0 with Lone Peak 3.5, 4.0, and Timps as backup; Hydration Pack: Ultimate Direction FKT with 70 oz bladder; Nutrition:  Tailwind in bladder, Probar chews, Honey Stinger Waffles, and lots of real food; Clothes:  Altra Trail running shorts, Altra Wasatch Jacket, Feed Your Crazy Shirt, and Orange Mud trucker hat, Socks:  Injinji,  Trekking Poles:  Black Diamond.

For those who would like to track me, my bib number will be #33.  Tracking will be available at http://run.theriot.run.  

I’m truly thankful that I get to do this.  I’m a blessed man.

-David