A Good Start

You may remember last year, I entered the Power of Four, a first time skimountaineering race held in Aspen Snowmass. It did not finish as my race partner Scott and I had hoped. Rather we did not finish at all and ended up eating humble pie (big slices). As we were turned back due to missing the cutoff time we said "We are going to get this sucker next year". Actually no, that's not totally true. The first words out of our mouths were "Get me a freakn beer". There followed the requisite drowning of sorrows but in short order our mournful conversation over our result (or lack thereof) morphed into talking smack about how we would finish the race and in style no less, in 2012.

Here we are, six months later and the hubris is still talking and in fact has been turned into a cunning plan of action. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you our highly sophisticated training program - the Plan for Power. Without disclosing too many secrets I will divulge however the cornerstones of the plan which will deliver us to the start line in peak fitness - namely a) start training five months in advance of the race instead of a paltry three weeks and b) said training should include as much climbing and distance covered on either foot or skis as possible. Ha! Genius you see.

So how am I doing? Not bad, not bad at all! In October the workout of choice was an early morning run up Red Mountain in Glenwood Springs - a 7 mile round trip and 1,600 feet of climbing - good for building a base. The sunrise views were pretty sweet too.

Then in early November the snow started to fall, somewhat earlier than usual. Since then I have been able to get out on the skis alot, mostly pre-work dawn patrols but some weekends too. With the month now in the bag my tally of ski days rests at 12 and a total of 30,000 feet of skinning (climbing). I would call that a good start to the season which ever way you look at it. I have had some pretty spectacular powder days for November and am starting to feel strong already. Although the snow fall has dwindled off in the past couple of weeks I seemed to have lucked out in enjoying a powder stash or two. Here's one, before picture only, no during or after - it was too much fun. Sorry about that:

Of course one side benefit of making such a good start on the Plan for Power is I am quite justified in eating many of my favorite post Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches. I think I earned my turkey!