Zane Grey Highline Trail 50 Mile Race Report: 2011

Is it shallow of me to want to elevate my overall rank in the results by including the nearly 40% of registered runners who didn't show up for the start? Out of 200 runners who each paid a Benjamin to register for the self-proclaimed hardest 50-mile trail race in the nation, 72 of them changed their mind.

Whatever. I'm including them.

Great News! Out of 200 registered runners, I finished 61st!

(wink,wink) Special thanks to MAP Photography for their great shots this year. This was my fourth time doing Zane Grey and my third time to finish. (The other time I was pulled off the course at mile 44 because I was told to stop early.)

Last weekend would have been really exciting on the course. The high temperature just one week before was 34F and almost a half-inch of rain and snow fell that day.

Pre-Race: Too Much Thinking!

As I prepare for a rugged 50-mile trail race this weekend, my thoughts run amuk.

Whether you're gearing up for a 5k or 50 miler, there's always those inevitable days leading up to the race when all you do is think about it. Have you trained enough? Almost always 'no'. How will it feel? Usually painful. And the ultimate: How will you do? It depends.

I've been very happy with my training since January. I've run over 500 miles since then and until last weekend,

Jumping Castles as Physical Therapy and Brian Finds Gollum in a Tunnel!

(Photo above is of Camelback Mountain, near our neighborhood).

Quite a week. My wife has been working out of town more often and that means low mileage weekdays. To keep my weekly mileage climbing, it also means I need to hammer the miles when she's around. It actually works out well since I'm trying to prepare for big back to back days in Nevada this June (50 miles/day for 10 days).