Although I'm not running the Red Hot 50k this weekend, I did do a little prediction write-up for RunColo based on the current entrant list. You can view it here. I've also done a couple of local trail reviews over there, which are available here, if you feel like checking those out.

I've been back and forth on whether or not to run Red Hot the last couple of weeks, even thinking about dropping down to the 33k event. As it turned out, the decision was an easy one after two failed attempts to run last week.

Got out for a mile to the mailbox and back yesterday. Felt some residual soreness, and am hoping it was just that rather than continued nastiness. I'm planning a 2.5-mile run with a bit of climb for today, which is a distance that should offer some good feedback. If all goes well with that, then hopefully I can slowly build back up to some kind of training volume.

My good friend Ryan Burch, who recently abandoned Fort Collins to relocate to Gunnison and the big mountains has joined the ultra-blogosphere. You can check out his site out at http://www.ryanwburch.blogspot.com.

I took another look at the Wasatch start list this morning and noticed that Karl Meltzer had snuck onto the roster. Karl schooled me pretty good at my first 100-mile adventure in the Bighorns last year, so I'm hoping I can keep him a little closer come Wasatch. It's a tough ask considering he could probably run the race blindfolded - he's won it numerous times and it's essentially in his backyard - but it offers up a good challenge. Other guys that look like they'll be in the running include 23-year-old geophysics-doctoral candidate, come endurance-stud Nick Pedatella (not an overachiever at all ;-)), Matt Hart, Kevin Shilling, Jared Campbell, Luke Nelson, Erik Storheim, Brian Becksted, and others I'm sure, so it actually looks like it could be a pretty good race if a majority get to the start line. But that's a long way off.

Um, the Weather Gods appear determined to keep the trails iced and snowy for the duration this winter. While the inch count wasn't that high, it did snow for close to two days Sunday through late Monday afternoon. Some people dig snow-packed, icy trails - not me. Maybe it'll all have melted off by the time I'm ready to post some trail mileage. Weather forecast says sun and 40s for the next 10 days, so good chance we'll be back to 80% dirt by the weekend. Just in time for a solid dirt outing, I hope.