Ready To Run

Mmmm....... ultra food.......

Tonight I finished packing my stuff for my drive up to Erie, PA tomorrow. I'll be staying with a friend of mine from college (also named Brian) and then running the Presque Isle Endurance Classic on Saturday. This run is organized by the Erie Runners Club and starts from the Rotary Pavillion in Presque Isle State Park at 6:30am. The course is a 1 mile, mostly paved loop around the Water Works ponds and the object is to see how many loops you can complete in a 12 hour period. Sounds like fun huh? Well, we'll see about that. You can learn more about this run by clicking here to view the entry form.

My main reasons for trying out this event are: #1- It's something different and a good personal challenge, #2- The entry fee is cheap ($5) and you get chip timing, #3- It's for a charitable cause, and #4- I get to visit my old college stomping grounds. The only downside of this run is that it's not on trails. The weather is shaping up to be nice though - sunny and 55. However, it could feel colder next to the lake, especially if it's windy.

Another neat thing about this run is I'll get to enjoy my own personal aid station when I pass my car after each mile. You can see some of the items I've already thrown together in the picture above, which include Clif Shot Bloks, Hammer Gel, peanut butter crackers, M&M's, Pringles, salt tablets, Advil, and skin lubricant. I'm also planning on bringing some water, Gatorade, and sandwiches.

My secret weapon though will be a pacifier given to me a few weeks ago by my friend Jim Harris. Bob found it while on a trail run with Jim and he gave it to him to carry during the Grindstone 100. If for whatever reason Jim started to whine or complain during the race he was supposed to take it out and suck on it like a baby. According to Jim the pacifier never saw the light of day. So now, it will be my duty on Saturday to carry the torch and continue racking up more "pacifier miles" for the N.E. Ohio Trail Club.