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Talk to enough runners and you’ll realize there’s hundreds of different ways people come to it. But even if the stat that 15% of the US runs is true, that means there are surely thousands of ways to *not* be a runner. And as easy as it is to lace up the shoes and make the choice to start, it’s just as easy to skip a day, or a week, or fall off the horse entirely. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy a long stretch of cooperative physical health, mental willingness, and life logistical opportunity to hold on to my identity as a distance runner. But it doesn’t mean I don’t get burnt out, and I’m thinking about that as I try to cook up a route that feels right and will my body and mind to sign on for another multi hour epic. 

First I look at the Long Trail, but I don’t know that I have the mental fortitude for more slow, technical miles. Consider dirt roads in Jericho but that swings the opposite way - too smooth and too flat, feels like cheating. The answer is to make a trail quilt and I know where they keep the best fabric.

VAST to start, road climb up Yantz, over Mud Pond, found a weird bachelor fortress in the middle of the woods on my way to Joyride, dirt roads to backside Cochran’s, up over the top and down Jimmy Cliff, prayer flags on Lung Ta, then Johnny Brook to round it out. Was supposed to hit chamberlain to make it a clean 50k / 1 mile vert but the day warmed up, I only brought 2L water and fell behind on calories, and stomach just wasn’t having it. Some days 45k is plenty.

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Sam Wallis

All Roads Lead to Richmond

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Street Legal

Truckin

Simple

$80 for a lizard that size is a steal

Soft and warm

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