So it was brought to my attention that there is some speculation that the Salazar camp is dirty. This is disappointing. (if dirty) It would disappoint me to not be able to cage fight one, or all (at the same time) of those less then prepubescent boys. But seriously, I'd love to fight them all at the same time, and throw in the Brit, Mo, for a full fledge international "friendly." That's only if they're dirty.
If clean... (Rupp still looks like a little boy) its disappointing to know how much faster they are SMH.
Today's run was a borage of "Ferenc vs The Dirty Camp" fight scenarios like I was in the levels of the video game Streetfighter. It made my 4 miles go by quicker then the short time I was out there anyways. It must have been all this thinking that brought the headache on, or the weeks body of work, but it does feel great to be outside.
In wildness is the preservation of the world (thanks Thoreau).
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Jingle Jangle
Getting wild is a great feeling. I hustled out to the trails in Grafton and with limited daylight was going to roll out 5 easy miles. The first mile climbed over 700 feet and a lot of that was in the second half mile. I got hooked up with Highgear Timing Devices and I was rolling with the XT7 GPS-Altimeter. I really like the altimeter function. Very cool. it has the capability to measure large and big, which is what I roll with. That jingle jangle ain't change in my pockets, it's adamantium balls banging together.
After the very slow, but very hard first mile, the run was flat with minor rolling hills and I was able to run a solid pace. I wanted to test the functions of the watch a bit and wanted to see what pace I was rolling at. I was around 7:00 minute pace for the flats and in the 8'a when hills came. I had a 400m stretch (of flats) at 5:20 pace, which felt magical.
My brain was overloaded with ideas of distant lands and epic races with legendary outcomes... It feels good to be a gangster. Or an outlaw.
Jingle jangle...
After the very slow, but very hard first mile, the run was flat with minor rolling hills and I was able to run a solid pace. I wanted to test the functions of the watch a bit and wanted to see what pace I was rolling at. I was around 7:00 minute pace for the flats and in the 8'a when hills came. I had a 400m stretch (of flats) at 5:20 pace, which felt magical.
My brain was overloaded with ideas of distant lands and epic races with legendary outcomes... It feels good to be a gangster. Or an outlaw.
Jingle jangle...
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Wildness
Wildness: the quality of being wild and/or untamed.
Cuss yea, that sounds gnarly and feels clear in my head (it's still fuzzy up there). I was imagining this word and what it means to me and really enjoy it for what it is. It was also the thought basis of half my run today of 3 miles.
I'm convinced that I could hustle 10-12, no problem, but I'm going to ease it on in there (that's what she...). Very excited to get to do that and more on a daily basis.
The other half of my run was a torrent (check out that vocab) of people. This year has been an amazing year for meeting amazing people. I was thinking of making a list, in an order or in no apparent order, of inspirational people I've met this year. I've had the most unbelievable opportunities present themselves this year as well and was very very fortunate for them. Here's a little shout out to people that were newly met and very inspirational: (in Random order)
The ladies -
1. Melody Fairchild - she has the best attitude and is amazing. Watching her run is like, what I would imagine, an angel. She has the perfect everything when she runs. Getting to know her was awesome and I'm thankful.
2. Kim Baker - Lululemon's finest. Hooked it up gooooood. Talk about positive, Kim's your lass.
3. Stevie Kremer - don't even get me started (please do!?!). She is an out of this world badass.
The Dudes:
1. Gabriel Rodriguez - generous and unbelievably thoughtful. He hooked up the Sussie expedition, and made me look louder than I already am.
2. Joe Gray - he's gnarly. I'm praying to make a team with this horse so we can hustle some chumps in hoops after the race. He's also killing everything he enters and is very encouraging.
3. Sage Canaday - he seems so nice, but when he races he's farthest from it. Dude's awesome, and he helped lock me some silver neckwear.
4. LevelRenner - these are bro's. Great dudes that were interested in what smut I could come up with.
Through this latest adventure in the realm of illness, I had a lot of time to reflect on many things. I always seem to have to learn the hard way, but def took out of this two things:
1. Take no prisoners
2. Take nothing for granted
All this in 3 miles...
Cuss yea, that sounds gnarly and feels clear in my head (it's still fuzzy up there). I was imagining this word and what it means to me and really enjoy it for what it is. It was also the thought basis of half my run today of 3 miles.
I'm convinced that I could hustle 10-12, no problem, but I'm going to ease it on in there (that's what she...). Very excited to get to do that and more on a daily basis.
The other half of my run was a torrent (check out that vocab) of people. This year has been an amazing year for meeting amazing people. I was thinking of making a list, in an order or in no apparent order, of inspirational people I've met this year. I've had the most unbelievable opportunities present themselves this year as well and was very very fortunate for them. Here's a little shout out to people that were newly met and very inspirational: (in Random order)
The ladies -
1. Melody Fairchild - she has the best attitude and is amazing. Watching her run is like, what I would imagine, an angel. She has the perfect everything when she runs. Getting to know her was awesome and I'm thankful.
2. Kim Baker - Lululemon's finest. Hooked it up gooooood. Talk about positive, Kim's your lass.
3. Stevie Kremer - don't even get me started (please do!?!). She is an out of this world badass.
The Dudes:
1. Gabriel Rodriguez - generous and unbelievably thoughtful. He hooked up the Sussie expedition, and made me look louder than I already am.
2. Joe Gray - he's gnarly. I'm praying to make a team with this horse so we can hustle some chumps in hoops after the race. He's also killing everything he enters and is very encouraging.
3. Sage Canaday - he seems so nice, but when he races he's farthest from it. Dude's awesome, and he helped lock me some silver neckwear.
4. LevelRenner - these are bro's. Great dudes that were interested in what smut I could come up with.
Through this latest adventure in the realm of illness, I had a lot of time to reflect on many things. I always seem to have to learn the hard way, but def took out of this two things:
1. Take no prisoners
2. Take nothing for granted
All this in 3 miles...
Monday, November 26, 2012
Metachlorian
It's like being single again. Thinking about what I'm going to say and how I'm going to say it. I decided to rev up my repertoire and enlighten the cyber sphere. You're welcome.
The past month has been a cussing cuss show. I was sicker than I had ever been in my existence on earth in this lifetime and I'm just starting to feel bits and pieces like me. It wasn't so much the Lyme's disease that cussed me, it was the spinal meningitis, I hate that guy. Once I started to look NOT like Sloth from the Goonies ("Hey you guys...") and the paralysis went away (I was still too pretty), was when I made the turn for the better. 21 straight days of intense IV meds blew!!! (although, I won the hearts of a few middle aged nurses and they fed my crackers of graham and saltine and supplied me with as much apple juice I could throw down in the 40 min it took to leak all the IV into my temple).
Supposedly I need to take it easy, but if I did things the easy way, it wouldn't be me.
I'd like to thank all those who sent their thoughts my way, it was much appreciated and valued. I truly believe in transcendental energy and it helped. For any haters, that helps just as much, so thank you and cuss yourself. For the 6 people that read this, spread the word: Ferenc is motivated.
I was able to run the day before Thanksgiving, a whole GD cuss mile. Results were immediate: I thought I was going to die by my heart pounding out of my chest.
Day 1: huge success.
I then took the day of thanks off and relaxed with the fam. Black Friday was a decent day and probably the happiest day I had by myself this whole last month.
I took the girls to Grafton, and hit up the power lines with the mountain bike. It's wicked hilly but a fun run. I was praying that the power lines would sent waves to my brain and kill off the rest of the cuss that's giving me headaches. (results are inconclusive). I rode 10 miles in around 2 hours. It was cussing awesome. It was a great day and brought a months worth of self reflections and life thinking to a new level. The girls were great and loved every second we shared outside.
Day 2: Bangarang
Sunday brought a morning without a headache, so naturally, it was a run day. I laced up my new La Sportiva Vertical K's (which will get your life hard they are so awesome) and hit the trail behind the house for a "test trial" 3 miler.
My main goal was to go very very very slow. I checked my watch at the end of the first hill and I was wildly fast. Cuss yea! I ended up running normal pace and was relaxed. I thanked the holy of holiness in the universe for a great day.
Day 3: mashed potatoes kind of party.
Today, Monday, brought me feeling good (slight headache) to GP for some trails with the girls. I was going to do 3, but once I was out there I didn't want to stop. Breathing was tight, but the air was cold, and everything else was in place. I hustled the Lady of the Wood to let me have 5 miles and she was down (Mother Nature is rooting for me, never betray her).
Day 4: Tom Bombadil would be proud.
Overall, I got my being ravished and I'm slowly feeling more like me... More confidant in my abilities than Kim Jong-il's at golf, prettier than Brad Pitt in Fight Club, more magical than Hermoine Granger in the bedroom working with MY Ollivander's and sexier than SK ;)! BOOM! That's what's happening in the wilds of VT...
The past month has been a cussing cuss show. I was sicker than I had ever been in my existence on earth in this lifetime and I'm just starting to feel bits and pieces like me. It wasn't so much the Lyme's disease that cussed me, it was the spinal meningitis, I hate that guy. Once I started to look NOT like Sloth from the Goonies ("Hey you guys...") and the paralysis went away (I was still too pretty), was when I made the turn for the better. 21 straight days of intense IV meds blew!!! (although, I won the hearts of a few middle aged nurses and they fed my crackers of graham and saltine and supplied me with as much apple juice I could throw down in the 40 min it took to leak all the IV into my temple).
Supposedly I need to take it easy, but if I did things the easy way, it wouldn't be me.
I'd like to thank all those who sent their thoughts my way, it was much appreciated and valued. I truly believe in transcendental energy and it helped. For any haters, that helps just as much, so thank you and cuss yourself. For the 6 people that read this, spread the word: Ferenc is motivated.
I was able to run the day before Thanksgiving, a whole GD cuss mile. Results were immediate: I thought I was going to die by my heart pounding out of my chest.
Day 1: huge success.
I then took the day of thanks off and relaxed with the fam. Black Friday was a decent day and probably the happiest day I had by myself this whole last month.
I took the girls to Grafton, and hit up the power lines with the mountain bike. It's wicked hilly but a fun run. I was praying that the power lines would sent waves to my brain and kill off the rest of the cuss that's giving me headaches. (results are inconclusive). I rode 10 miles in around 2 hours. It was cussing awesome. It was a great day and brought a months worth of self reflections and life thinking to a new level. The girls were great and loved every second we shared outside.
Day 2: Bangarang
Sunday brought a morning without a headache, so naturally, it was a run day. I laced up my new La Sportiva Vertical K's (which will get your life hard they are so awesome) and hit the trail behind the house for a "test trial" 3 miler.
My main goal was to go very very very slow. I checked my watch at the end of the first hill and I was wildly fast. Cuss yea! I ended up running normal pace and was relaxed. I thanked the holy of holiness in the universe for a great day.
Day 3: mashed potatoes kind of party.
Today, Monday, brought me feeling good (slight headache) to GP for some trails with the girls. I was going to do 3, but once I was out there I didn't want to stop. Breathing was tight, but the air was cold, and everything else was in place. I hustled the Lady of the Wood to let me have 5 miles and she was down (Mother Nature is rooting for me, never betray her).
Day 4: Tom Bombadil would be proud.
Overall, I got my being ravished and I'm slowly feeling more like me... More confidant in my abilities than Kim Jong-il's at golf, prettier than Brad Pitt in Fight Club, more magical than Hermoine Granger in the bedroom working with MY Ollivander's and sexier than SK ;)! BOOM! That's what's happening in the wilds of VT...
Friday, October 26, 2012
NorthEasternPlayallisticBakWudzMuzik
I haven't been able to run in a full 7 days and it's starting to get old. My body has been rocked by a super cuss hole virus and I'm pretty sure the virus brought some pals with him.
All last week I thought I was hovering on the safe side of the flu. I had joint aches but it never manifested into anything.
Slowly my body started feeling like cuss, to dramatically feeling like cuss. Along the way I went to the doctors 4 out of 5 days with on day being a not so fun day in the ER.
What they thought: meningitis, Lymes disease, Super Flu, GhonnaHerpaSephulitis.
All this drama and no running really takes the wind out of my sails, but there has been an up side to this. When I get better, I got a ton of swag to throw down in.
I'll be rocking some awesome under armor gear (which is the best running apparel I've seen/got), a Highgear XT7 GPS-Altimeter and some slick La Sportiva kicks to shred the trails with.
All things happen for a reason? Well, if that's the case, then the reason im sick as cuss was to rest my body for the next onslaught in training. Very exciting.
All last week I thought I was hovering on the safe side of the flu. I had joint aches but it never manifested into anything.
Slowly my body started feeling like cuss, to dramatically feeling like cuss. Along the way I went to the doctors 4 out of 5 days with on day being a not so fun day in the ER.
What they thought: meningitis, Lymes disease, Super Flu, GhonnaHerpaSephulitis.
All this drama and no running really takes the wind out of my sails, but there has been an up side to this. When I get better, I got a ton of swag to throw down in.
I'll be rocking some awesome under armor gear (which is the best running apparel I've seen/got), a Highgear XT7 GPS-Altimeter and some slick La Sportiva kicks to shred the trails with.
All things happen for a reason? Well, if that's the case, then the reason im sick as cuss was to rest my body for the next onslaught in training. Very exciting.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Pinnacle Challenge
What a cuss show! One, I was/am righteously fired up; an two, cycling is borderline elitist and I can't stand that honsey ponsey hog cuss. Lance is full of donkey cuss, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BIKE!!! Hahaha
Here are my comparisons:
1. I would have had a better shot at riding a donkey in the Kentucky Derby.
2. My truck and me at Daytona.
3. Rocket race to the moon with my paper airplane.
Here's the real story:
The Pinnacle Challenge
Greg led off the 5 mile road run in PR form at 25:30ish, and looked good, but def could see the marathon in his legs. It was super awesome that he was able to lower his personal record and I wouldn't have traded the events of the day for that.
Greg then handed off to George, who had a mechanical failure last year and ran his bike over the mtn biking course. This year George had a great ride, and gave me the go in a great position in 2nd. With Fyffe as the anchor, all I had to do was match my efforts from the previous year. Better bike + better fitness = no brainer.
Bitterness is my friend right now; cuss me, I had a good bike leg going but at the top of the hill in the middle of the 13.5 mile course I had a mechanical failure of epic proportions. I do love epicness, but not like this. My derailer in the front got all cussed up and broke off. I just got the first guy into view (no way in Hades fiery Hell would I had caught him) and liked my efforts. I'm not a cyclist but my engine is just fine.
So, I'm on top of the climb, 5 miles from Fyffe and my derailer is hanging like the V lips of Jenna Jamison! I run my bike to the nearest house and ask nicely and frantically if they had any wire cutters and a screwdriver. They had both, so I cut my derailer and pride open the derailer to free my chain so I could get riding again. This felt like a minute or two, but in actuality it was about 10-12. All I could think about once I was riding was to get back and get Fyffe the go to run and kill the trail run and get the fastest time on the day.
This sucked in more ways than one. There was a lot of pride on the line.
Miller did the race solo, and had a phenomenal day winning in course record time. We knew it would be close bc he is a fantastic cyclist and runner, and he has a rocket ship tri-bike.
Without the mechanical we could have been in it for the overall win and under 2 hours, which would have been exciting to see Fyffe anchor and vision quest our team to victory.
Both Greg (25:30) and Fyffe (22:50, way ahead of anyone) had the fastest runs of the day and the real point of the race was fulfilled: best friends sharing team camaraderie and having fun.
After the awards, Greg and Jen, Fyffe and Jess, Emily, Maisie and myself, all went to Salt hill Pub for some grub.
Overall was a fun time with greater people. Hanging with my bros is always fun (except sometimes when Fyffe wants to do a predator run at his house and his goal is to leave pieces of his DNA on the course), I'd rather polar plunge!!!
Get one, find one, be one!
Here are my comparisons:
1. I would have had a better shot at riding a donkey in the Kentucky Derby.
2. My truck and me at Daytona.
3. Rocket race to the moon with my paper airplane.
Here's the real story:
The Pinnacle Challenge
Greg led off the 5 mile road run in PR form at 25:30ish, and looked good, but def could see the marathon in his legs. It was super awesome that he was able to lower his personal record and I wouldn't have traded the events of the day for that.
Greg then handed off to George, who had a mechanical failure last year and ran his bike over the mtn biking course. This year George had a great ride, and gave me the go in a great position in 2nd. With Fyffe as the anchor, all I had to do was match my efforts from the previous year. Better bike + better fitness = no brainer.
Bitterness is my friend right now; cuss me, I had a good bike leg going but at the top of the hill in the middle of the 13.5 mile course I had a mechanical failure of epic proportions. I do love epicness, but not like this. My derailer in the front got all cussed up and broke off. I just got the first guy into view (no way in Hades fiery Hell would I had caught him) and liked my efforts. I'm not a cyclist but my engine is just fine.
So, I'm on top of the climb, 5 miles from Fyffe and my derailer is hanging like the V lips of Jenna Jamison! I run my bike to the nearest house and ask nicely and frantically if they had any wire cutters and a screwdriver. They had both, so I cut my derailer and pride open the derailer to free my chain so I could get riding again. This felt like a minute or two, but in actuality it was about 10-12. All I could think about once I was riding was to get back and get Fyffe the go to run and kill the trail run and get the fastest time on the day.
This sucked in more ways than one. There was a lot of pride on the line.
Miller did the race solo, and had a phenomenal day winning in course record time. We knew it would be close bc he is a fantastic cyclist and runner, and he has a rocket ship tri-bike.
Without the mechanical we could have been in it for the overall win and under 2 hours, which would have been exciting to see Fyffe anchor and vision quest our team to victory.
Both Greg (25:30) and Fyffe (22:50, way ahead of anyone) had the fastest runs of the day and the real point of the race was fulfilled: best friends sharing team camaraderie and having fun.
After the awards, Greg and Jen, Fyffe and Jess, Emily, Maisie and myself, all went to Salt hill Pub for some grub.
Overall was a fun time with greater people. Hanging with my bros is always fun (except sometimes when Fyffe wants to do a predator run at his house and his goal is to leave pieces of his DNA on the course), I'd rather polar plunge!!!
Get one, find one, be one!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Welcome to The Show
I've been having a tough time getting the blog updated and especially coming off a huge high of the Switzerland trip, it is almost tough to try and give such and amazing experience justice.
My buddy, Gabriel Rodriguez, (who was originally a part of the team) asked how it went. I sat down and sent him an email. The email has essentially turned into my blog update of the event. Gabriel is also the Under Armor hookup and supported Team USA with great gear. I love gear, so it was awesome.
Here is the email I sent (let it be k own that no words can do justice to the beauty or difficulty or just the general experience. It was beyond all expectations or thoughts.
Hey Man!
This trip was the athletic highlife of my life! I feel amazingly fortunate and still shake my head when I think about the opportunity and place I got to got to and race I got to race in.
The region of Switzerland was the most amazing backdrop I've ever seen. It was unreal. I could still be there exploring the trails and mountains (and possibly the fragments of my soul from the race!).
They say that the Jungfrau Marathon is the most scenic marathon in the world, and they are beyond right. It was, at times, too much and surreal as we climbed out of the villages towards Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
The first 10k was pancake flat with literally 0 feet elevation gain. But over the next 10k we averaged a steady 3-4% incline, which was wicked deceiving bc it still looked and felt flat.
At halfway (1:19:45) we hit our first climb, and dear sweet holy cuss, it was unbearable. It was about a 1000m of 18+% grade straight up! Then, it was a series of switchbacks at 15-17% grade. I asked how many switchbacks there were and they told me 7, but there was actually 16!!! Holy cuss, that part was epic and hard. That one section alone was the hardest thing I had ever done. I had to walk, but was reassured by spectators that I wasn't the first... At his point there were 250m markers! This was hard bc they seemed like mile markers and just getting to the next 250m mark was a bear in places.
The next 10k following to the village of Wengen was steady and had some tough sections but amazing views.
I was still doing "well" at this point and maintaining my position in the top 30. At one point, later on I was in the top 20, due to people dropping out, but only knew that by seeing some people's finishing places that past me with 5k to go.
The villages were exactly like the tour de France, people were banging on the barriers, the whole village was out to watch, thousands of cowbells and I even had a few dudes run beside me and give me a push here and there, it was epic.
Out of Wengen, we have about 8k left. The first 2k of it was nothing new, but brought us up to a point where we had a downhill. This was nice and there was an aid station with coke (all said and done I really feel like I drank about a 2 liters or 2 liter-cola of coke over the second half of the course). You then duck into a small tree section and pop out to see the last 3k of climbing... This was nothing I've ever seen in my life, it was both amazing and demoralizing at the same time. I really started to struggle here and really starting soul searching. It was so unreal in ways of beauty and devastating destruction. It is unfathomable, even now.
There is an awesome ridge that I was determined to run across (I ran about half), and is the quintessential photo shot of the marathon and is wicked tough.
This is epic: a dude caught me on one of the earlier unreal climbs, and as he past me, he told me the best thing anyone has ever said to me in a race, "keep your head and eyes up. Don't forget to look around. You are doing great, this is the hardest race in the toughest mountains in the world. Don't forget all the beauty, keep going and keep it up!"
This was humbling and oddly comforting.
I finally climbed to the last stretch of 800m downhill to the finish. I tried as hard as I could the whole time, even when I was physically reduced to a walk.
I never knew how my teammates were doing (praying to the universe they were doing awesome), but fought all the while just in case I was the 3rd man. I def did not want to let down my teammates.
I know I was there by my own doing, but I felt I was there for much much more. I had a feeling of: don't let down your family, your friends, and myself... The mountain really challenged every bit of me and reduced me to nothing, but I love this race (it's my favorite ever), I love Switzerland and I'm grateful for the experience. I get to say that I was on the team that finished second in the world. Team USA beat all the african nations plus all others. I got a sweet silver medal that is a reminder of how important a team is to me. I know I'm good and I will have some great achievements, but to have the success I truly covet I need a team, and was blessed to be a part of a great group of dudes to make a great team.
The race is epic, the experience was life changing and I can't believe it all.
Cuss yea!!!
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.
My buddy, Gabriel Rodriguez, (who was originally a part of the team) asked how it went. I sat down and sent him an email. The email has essentially turned into my blog update of the event. Gabriel is also the Under Armor hookup and supported Team USA with great gear. I love gear, so it was awesome.
Here is the email I sent (let it be k own that no words can do justice to the beauty or difficulty or just the general experience. It was beyond all expectations or thoughts.
Hey Man!
This trip was the athletic highlife of my life! I feel amazingly fortunate and still shake my head when I think about the opportunity and place I got to got to and race I got to race in.
The region of Switzerland was the most amazing backdrop I've ever seen. It was unreal. I could still be there exploring the trails and mountains (and possibly the fragments of my soul from the race!).
They say that the Jungfrau Marathon is the most scenic marathon in the world, and they are beyond right. It was, at times, too much and surreal as we climbed out of the villages towards Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
The first 10k was pancake flat with literally 0 feet elevation gain. But over the next 10k we averaged a steady 3-4% incline, which was wicked deceiving bc it still looked and felt flat.
At halfway (1:19:45) we hit our first climb, and dear sweet holy cuss, it was unbearable. It was about a 1000m of 18+% grade straight up! Then, it was a series of switchbacks at 15-17% grade. I asked how many switchbacks there were and they told me 7, but there was actually 16!!! Holy cuss, that part was epic and hard. That one section alone was the hardest thing I had ever done. I had to walk, but was reassured by spectators that I wasn't the first... At his point there were 250m markers! This was hard bc they seemed like mile markers and just getting to the next 250m mark was a bear in places.
The next 10k following to the village of Wengen was steady and had some tough sections but amazing views.
I was still doing "well" at this point and maintaining my position in the top 30. At one point, later on I was in the top 20, due to people dropping out, but only knew that by seeing some people's finishing places that past me with 5k to go.
The villages were exactly like the tour de France, people were banging on the barriers, the whole village was out to watch, thousands of cowbells and I even had a few dudes run beside me and give me a push here and there, it was epic.
Out of Wengen, we have about 8k left. The first 2k of it was nothing new, but brought us up to a point where we had a downhill. This was nice and there was an aid station with coke (all said and done I really feel like I drank about a 2 liters or 2 liter-cola of coke over the second half of the course). You then duck into a small tree section and pop out to see the last 3k of climbing... This was nothing I've ever seen in my life, it was both amazing and demoralizing at the same time. I really started to struggle here and really starting soul searching. It was so unreal in ways of beauty and devastating destruction. It is unfathomable, even now.
There is an awesome ridge that I was determined to run across (I ran about half), and is the quintessential photo shot of the marathon and is wicked tough.
This is epic: a dude caught me on one of the earlier unreal climbs, and as he past me, he told me the best thing anyone has ever said to me in a race, "keep your head and eyes up. Don't forget to look around. You are doing great, this is the hardest race in the toughest mountains in the world. Don't forget all the beauty, keep going and keep it up!"
This was humbling and oddly comforting.
I finally climbed to the last stretch of 800m downhill to the finish. I tried as hard as I could the whole time, even when I was physically reduced to a walk.
I never knew how my teammates were doing (praying to the universe they were doing awesome), but fought all the while just in case I was the 3rd man. I def did not want to let down my teammates.
I know I was there by my own doing, but I felt I was there for much much more. I had a feeling of: don't let down your family, your friends, and myself... The mountain really challenged every bit of me and reduced me to nothing, but I love this race (it's my favorite ever), I love Switzerland and I'm grateful for the experience. I get to say that I was on the team that finished second in the world. Team USA beat all the african nations plus all others. I got a sweet silver medal that is a reminder of how important a team is to me. I know I'm good and I will have some great achievements, but to have the success I truly covet I need a team, and was blessed to be a part of a great group of dudes to make a great team.
The race is epic, the experience was life changing and I can't believe it all.
Cuss yea!!!
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.
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