Un-pause

Between the tone of my last two posts and the utter lack of activity since, I can imagine this blog has appeared left for dead. In truth, I've made little progress on my ITI Race report, though intent is still there and I'm hopeful of posting at least a first chapter soon. Since the race, I've been in the midst of one of those major life changing events. As way of explanation, I offer the image above. In a few short weeks this will be pretty much the view I get to enjoy about 1/2 mile into my evening runs from my new home in San Francisco.

That's right. Mountain Man Steve is moving to The City! While I grew up in "the country," I've pretty much spent the entirety of my adult life in the suburbs. It's time for a change. My current residence does put me close to the vast trail options of the SF Peninsula, but I still generally have to drive to the trailhead and at home, it's basically the 'burbs.

I've never lived in a major city and I'm really looking forward to it: exploring the urban landscape on foot, taking public transit to work and--oh yeah--the awesome Marin Headlands just the other side of the bridge as my new playground.

Oddly enough, it was during the final stretch of the ITI, someplace between Nikolai and McGrath, Alaska dragging my sled along the frozen Kuskokwim River, where the decision was made.

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I have managed to fit in some runs and races in-between the stresses of finding and purchasing a condo in a majorly heating real estate market. Granted, I've been completely under-trained and offered up pretty sub-par performances at both Quicksilver 50m and the Horseshoe Lake 50K, but neither of those are unfamiliar conditions for me. Good thing, too since these were essentially training runs for my next race which I'll enter with similar preparation and expecting similar results. The Bryce 100 Trail Run, starts at 8000ft and rarely drops much lower as it traverses 18,000ft of climb and descent. Since I'll be moving, quite literally, to live at sea level, sucking air at altitude seems like a good way to commemorate the event. It's also my good buddy Beat's birthday so I'll be joined by a group of friends to suffer struggle in camaraderie.

Oh, and there will apparently also be some pretty nice views there too.

Here's looking forward to all the new adventures to come!