Across the Years - Here I Come....

Well the Across the Years race has officially started, and looking at the leader board for the 24hr race, I am in 35th place and I have not left work yet. The leader board can be seen here. For those of you that want to check on the current standings of the race, you can go here. The race ends January 1, 2009 at 9am (Arizona time). Since the race is a 24, 48, and 72 hour race, they started today with all the 72 hour individuals, about half of the 24 hour runners and about a third of the 48 hour individuals. Tomorrow at 9am the 24 hour individuals that started today will end and the most of the 48 hour individuals and a couple of the 24 hour runners will start. On Wednesday at 9am, is when the rest of the 24 hour individuals (including me) will start out. I choose to run the New Years eve start, because at midnight, there is a great clelbration and fireworks for everyone. Also, if I make it 24 hours, the awards ceremony is shortly after the finish of the race.

Also, you can send messages to any of the runners by going to the Send Greetings page. While you are at the ATY web page, you can read bios on all the runners. I spent some time reading up on who I was going to be running next to. There were too many runners that have done Badwater, and I believe there were about a half dozen runners that have completed the Trans America run (Across the USA). Several current and former world record holders of distance running.

I hope you can check out some of the web site, and cheer me on to my first official Ultra. I guess I should spell out what my goals are:

#1. Have FUN

#2. Run 100K (hopefully by mid-night)

#3. Stay on my feet 24 hours

#4. Commit to doing it again next year.

Will I make it 100 miles, I doubt it, that would be 322 laps, and never being above 50 miles before, I am not betting on it. However they do have that belt buckle for the 100 miles. Maybe next year.

I hope you all have a great New Years, and will give a recap of the race on the other side, and I do not mean one that goes like lap 1, lap 2, lap 3....