Tough Mountain Run Coming Up

This coming weekend I will be running MMD (More and More Difficult) through the Carters and Northern Presidentials. This event really kicks my butt. In past years I have really had to struggle to get through the last few hours. Last year race organizer, Jonathon moved the start from Saturday morning to midnight on Friday. Finishing in the late afternoon Saturday felt a lot easier to me than struggling into camp in the evening as in prior years. The midnight start is a little inconvenient, but worth it! I think it also saves Jonathon the stress of waiting up and worrying all night Saturday for stragglers to come down from the mountains.

I have one DNF there, and that was because after getting soaked by rain and hail I just couldn't stay warm. Most of the field dropped that year. I'm hoping for good weather this year, but anything can happen in the Presidentials. In an event like this common sense about staying safe has to come before Ego. I wouldn't hesitate to get down from the mountains fast if I got cold like that again this year.

This morning I tried out Kevin's larger Camelback to see if that will work for me at MMD. My own Camelback doesn't hold much besides water. His has more storage capacity. It felt good so I think I'll use it. Other concerns I need to address are shoes (must have good traction for Huntington), fuel (don't want to have to purchase a hot dog at the top of Mt Washington), and what to carry and wear (don't want to freeze my a*# off again). Also, if it is bike race weekend again this year, how to avoid all those crazy spandex clad cyclists waiting in line to get their pictures taken with their bikes on the Mt Washington summit. Egad, that is definitely a mood spoiler!