Day 1

So, I think this is how this work. I'll blog something quick, in the afternoon, ok maybe earlier than this from now on, with the basic run details. This, along with with tweets, ought to at least tell people I survived and am still alive. Then, later in the evening, I can gather all my amusing anecdotes, like the meeting of my new friend Stuart.

Well, I must have checked Wednesday's projected temperatures about 1,000 times. Finally decided on a 5:30 start time. Still dark, with a hint of morning on the horizon, I headed over the Burnside Bridge. It was already warm. I gave Jeanne instructions to NOT let me know what the temperature was until I was done running each day, all I know is it was 73 at start.

Running on the same street that crosses numbered streets, that start at 1 and you know they will get over 220 before things change can be maddening if you focus on it. Crossing I205 seemed like the first milepost for the day. As I crossed it, I decided on the rest: Turning from Burnside onto Stark, crossing the Sandy River and Crown Point.

I felt really good the whole way. Jeanne went back to the hotel after dropping me off at the start and packed up our stuff. I've learned from other runs, that I don't like a "road crew" the whole time on a long run. Having the first hour and half to 2 hours to myself, works really well for my head. She caught up to me around mile 13, refilled my water bottle with, here comes the first of my unpaid endorsements, Infinit. I am so in love with this product I may do a whole blog on just it.

Crossing the Sandy River was a shock. It has been so hot the Sandy River was algae bloomed!! I haven't looked this up yet, A truck with green paint may have crashed into it and I just don't know about it but it was shocking to see, and very sad too.

The wind and temps were really picking up now and the 6 miles up hill out of the Sandy River canyon were straight into a strong headwind. As good as I felt, and I did feel really good it took a while to get up that hill. Crown point was beautiful and WINDY, thought I was going to take off! Jeanne took some pictures at Crown Point (above). A few miles down hill to Latourell Falls and all done for the day. Soaked my feet in some unknown (to me anyway) creek. It was 90 degrees at quittin time!!!!!

The only downside to starting so early; had to kill 3 hours, tired, hot and sweaty waiting for our room to be ready ;o)

Shorts and Shoes

10 mile tempo run felt really good today, I'm really anxious to get going. I'm making lists of things to not forget, knowing that I will forget something really important.....shorts and shoes, shorts and shoes....I can improvise from there.

Just had the thought over the weekend, I bet that way too good to be true vacation house I reserved in Hood River doesn't have AC. Just called....bingo!!!!! All of their other properties are booked, and canceling now means losing my deposit. Jeanne found a place that they are just finishing putting in new carpet that might be ready in time (I'm already writing the script in my head for why the other blood soaked carpet had to be removed). If we can get that, we will.

When I reserved the no AC place I specifically asked why it was so inexpensive...they told me it was up a steep hill and up steep stairs to the house???? yeah....oh and, no AC in August!!!!!! I'll let Jeanne go to war to get the deposit back.....she's really good at that sort of thing.....and I'm really bad at it.

Shorts and Shoes, Shorts and Shoes, Shorts and Shoes.

Set up to fail

I hate the phrase "set up to fail". More importantly, I hate the notion that failure is so horribly wrong. There was once a time where failure was how our "herd" was thinned. Now, it's barely an opportunity to learn. We have become so terrified of failure that we have a zillion symptoms to excuse and explain failure rather than acknowledge it.

I wonder how many potentially great distance runners we are destroying with behavior modifying stimulants. The symptoms of ADD and ADHD are blueprint behaviors for good distance runners. Seems we no longer try and channel energy into productive directions, rather we try and medically prune off whatever is undesirable.

It's sad, because it really is the potential for failure that makes life interesting.

5 Days Away

This is Chris' official Run the Gorge 09 blog.

Starting Wednesday July 29th, I'll be running from Downtown Portland to Sorosis Park, overlooking The Dalles, Oregon. 90 miles in 4 days. The daily itinerary is:

Day 1 to Latourell Falls 25 miles with hills
Day 2 to Wyeth Road east of Cascade Locks 22.5 flat
Day 3 to Mosier 23 miles a few hills
Day 4 to Sorosis Park 19 miles with hills

A map of the route:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/or/the-dalles/830124407211038866

I'll update the last few preparation dates as well as each day of the run. I'm also going to Twitter occasional updates with pictures and map coordinates.....you can follow me on Twitter @repomanx

Feel free to leave comments....I don't really need a lot of rah rah, but curious questions that may require a few hours of thought are always good!!!