Put my name in for the 2010 Western States lottery at 7:00 this morning. There is a two week window to get your name into the hat, and in the seven hours the lottery has so far been open, a total of 188 people have already entered the draw. With a total of 300 places on offer, the chances of getting drawn in November appear slim.

Should I fail to get into States, then the name goes into the hat for Hardrock, and I again hope to get lucky. If that fails, then I try to beat the odds again by winning a spot at States by finishing top three at Miwok in May. If I strike out three times, then it is on to plan D: Leadville.

Jumping through hoops in a bid to put myself through hours of drudgery and pain. Got to love this sport!