Adventures in Onionism

Strava says I ran 1,550 miles this year. At the end of December that feels low and mundane, but it was actually a good year. I didn't run much in January since I was still trying to interview for jobs (that ended working out fairly well). February was my best training month. March I completed one loop in miserable weather for a truly fun experience at the Barkley Marathons. April I ran Leona Divide 50 and May ran Silver State 50, both with extra side trips with Amy to see parts of California we might not see again for a while. June was another Double Dipsea with friends and a 80-mile fun run from Tomales Point to the Golden Gate Bridge. Before the bonk, Leona Divide Silver State 50 (everyone gets a medal, that's nothing special)   Tomales Point, 75 miles to go. Almost done Alive with Pleasure Shortly after Dipsea I flew to Missoula, MT and walked out of my friends' house into the Rattlesnake Wilderness and on to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. (I ...

Oh boy. I finally ran my first attempt at the  Barkley Marathons  this past weekend. (Watch  the movie  first if you don't know what I'm talking about.) It lived up to the hype. The weather was gnarly, the course was awesome, and I had the time of my life (on loop one). I've dreamt about the race for years, and I have been applying since the 2013 race, maybe missing one year. I got on the waitlist for 2016, and as is the practice, moved my way up over the last couple years. I started in spot seven this year, and was accepted into the race mid-February. Unfortunately, I was unable to train much, because I was on the economics PhD job market. I wrapped up a long 2017 running season in the fall, and essentially took November, December, and January off, running only ~100 miles per month. Instead I finished up drafts of two papers, submitted one to a journal, sent the other to 130 employers, interviewed with a dozen, and flew to visit four. Finally, after the second-r...

Another update: I was selected for neither Western States nor Hardrock. I am on the waitlist for Barkley. Spot #28, which is almost exactly on the bubble. I do not know what to think of that. The orienteering events are probably decent training, but I'm out of shape right now. Pull out and plan on next year, or train like crazy and hope the list turns over quickly? I don't really want to wait until the last minute and then pay for an expensive flight if things turn out well. February 7: Orienteering in Sunol Regional Wilderness February 27: Orienteering at Cal March 18-20: Orienteering in Morgan Territory April 1, Barkley Marathons (waitlist bubble!) April 23, Zane Grey 50 (signed up) June 4 or 18: Bone Tempest (Mt. Tam) July 9, Capitol Reef 50/100 (100 held only if sufficient interest) OR: Skyline Mountain 50 near Ogden, UT August 6, Angeles Crest 100 (signed up) August 20, Waldo 100K (lottery Feb 15-24) September 17, Plain 100 September 24-25, Mogollon Mo...