Waldo 100k Ultramarathon

   Although I have put in a lot of time and mileage this year, I have only completed one race, and that was in May. I tried to finish Sinister 7 in July but only completed 65km before I dropped out due to a too fast start and forgetting to restock my supply of electrolyte capsules. The first problem is a common one with me, the second, well that's just dumb.
   I was supposed to race another race in July, the FatDog 100mile but it was cancelled at the very last minute because the race committee hoped the snow would melt faster at the higher elevations and it didn't. I think that, in this case, more foresight and a back up plan may have been more effective than crossed fingers.
   Anyway, I'm doing my third taper this summer and absolutely itching to race. The extra time has allowed me some solid training so I am ready!
   So on August the 20th myself and a fast chick named Nicola Gildersleeve, also from the Vancouver area, are heading down to Oregon to race the Waldo 100k Ultramarathon. Starting and finishing at the Willamette Pass Ski Resort (70 miles SE of Eugene) the course looks like a good one (lots of climbing, not too technical, and a downhill finish!) and the competition will be fierce (Dave Mackey, Ian Sharman, Yassine Diboun, Neil Olson to name a few).
   The sign-up race description: "The Waldo 100K Ultramarathon is a challenging 100K loop-type course starting at Willamette Pass Ski Area (70 miles east of Eugene, Oregon) at elevation 5120', climbing up several mountains including Fuji, The Twins, and Maiden Peak before returning to the ski area. The route is mostly single-track trails with some fairly remote sections and has many incredible views of pristine Waldo Lake. It is not a beginner-level ultra and participation in the race should not be taken lightly."
   This is an important race for me. I am going to try to break my self-defeating habit of racing too fast from the start. Easier said than done though - after tapering for a couple of weeks a body feels pretty strong. That along with the rush of race day and boom! Going out easy is about trust: that many in the lead pack will slow down and you will see them again; that moderation trumps unbridled speed; that your race day plan will work.
   We shall see.