Nose to the grindstone

The Badwater application went online yesterday. I am working on it. I spent some time before New Year's compiling old race results, I had to call my friend Kirk to get some copies of old Ultrarunning results. I never thought I'd need all that stuff from so many years ago! But Kirk found the important stuff and mailed it to me. Now it's a matter of writing some long essays and getting everything in presentable order.

First I submit my race application online. Then I have to send my supporting materials, like old race results. The applications have to be in by the 28th and they make decisions about who is selected around mid-February. From everything I've heard, it's important to go into detail about everything. Even if it's 50 pages long.

I also need to coordinate the submission of my application with emails sent by my friends Josh and Ken, both of whom I crewed and paced for at Badwater in the past. I am also in the process of firming up the specific fund I am going to donate to. I intend to make my Badwater run a benefit for charity and I want to do something locally. I chose the Poudre Valley Hospital Foundation, and I will be raising money for one of their cancer-related funds. More about that in a future post. I met with the development officer for the foundation in December and they were very enthusiastic and supportive.

I go back to work on Thursday and I hope I can get most of this done by then! I am still so sleep-deprived, I continue to feel like a brain fogged zombie, but I feel less brain-fogged today. I'll be working nights in January and February, then back to days in March. I have to be on top of things. The next 6 months are going to go by FAST!

I already put in my requests for time off through July, and yesterday I sent in my entry forms for both the Run Through Time Marathon in Salida in March and the 50 miler at the Spring Desert Ultra in Fruita in April.

I did survive a half-mile walk with the dogs yesterday. My left foot started aching halfway through. It didn't swell up. I need to dig that wind trainer out of the garage and get my bike mounted on it!

I am starting to get hungry. It took a while, after having that virus, but I am finally starting to get back to normal. Normal for me is eating everything in sight for about 3 days after a long ultra. I haven't had my usual post-race cheeseburger and french fries yet, not quite ready for that, but I think I will be soon.

Time to get back to business.