Miles And Miles On Highway 4...

Whatever you do, don't miss today's music slideshow featuring pictures from this day. Click here to see it.

Those of you who have looked at the route on this web site's map know that today was supposed to be a 37-mile run on Highway 1 (from 13 miles west of Chistochina to the town of Glennallen). I decided to change that 37 miles to take place on Highway 4 - which leads to Valdez. Logistically, it is a better choice for me. At the end of the 37-mile run today my parents and I only had to travel 63 miles to get to Valdez - which is quicker than it would have been had I stopped at Glennallen. Also, the scenery and the road were much better than the route originally planned on Highway 1.

Wind... Mountains... And Did I Mention The Wind?!

Today began at Milepost 100 on Highway 4 with the route being a 37-mile day heading south toward Valdez. The temperature to start out was about 25 degrees with a steady wind of about 15 miles per hour. That continued for about 12 miles, gusting up to around 30 miles per hour at times. There were plenty of elevation gains and the combination of mountains and headwinds made the initial 12 miles quite a challenge. Then, the wind calmed for about 12 miles... and then REALLY started to blow into my face when I reached the 24-mile mark. For the final 13 miles I battled a strong headwind that was absolutely exhausting. Pushing 80-pound Bob (who isn't very aerodynamic) through such winds is a challenge... particularly with the climbs in elevation I had to do. It took me an hour longer today to do the 37 miles than it took me to do yesterday's 37 miles. After finishing the day, my parents and I drove to Valdez, had a nice dinner, and I collapsed in my room with ice to treat my legs and feet. I will begin tomorrow's 33-mile day at around 8:00 a.m., and that day will be a challenge because I have to go up Thompson Pass. Take a look at tomorrow's journal page for some details about Thompson Pass that I've already inserted. I am doing well and will be putting on my physical therapist / nurse hat after writing this to take care of certain physical things that need attention (such as blisters, sore joints, wind burn on my face, etc.). Those are just the types of conditions that come with what I do.

Constantly Reminded...

Whenever I do a journey run I am constantly reminded of the amazing ability of the human body; the strength of the human mind; and, the will of the human spirit. Today was a day that I pushed each of those to a limit that I don't experience in my everyday life. Even though the body may be in pain... the mind weary of the battle of miles... and the spirit feeling the fatigue, for me there is no option but to finish what I've started - whether that be a 37-mile day or a run across a state or country. I often receive messages or comments from people who say they are "amazed" at what I can accomplish. I believe that there are many people walking on this planet who can accomplish the same things that I do. It's simply a choice. Do you want to take on such a challenge? Are you willing to pay the price to make it a reality? Do you believe you can do it? Have you planned well and trained well? Do you have a motivating reason that will help you push through the difficult miles? There are many questions that you would have to ask yourself before taking on a trek like I'm doing. I've logged thousands of miles through P.A.C.E. and know very well what my body can handle. I know how to repair and prepare my body for another day on the road. I know what fuels (nutrition) work best for my body. I know how to pace properly to get the distances accomplished. And, I know quite a bit more about what is needed to complete 170 to 260 miles per week... week after week. While running across America three years ago I averaged 204 miles per week for 16 consecutive weeks, all while pushing 80-pound Bob. I've been in some terrible storms, relentless heat, bitter cold, and more. I know how my body responds in a variety of conditions. To fully experience the ability of the human body, the strength of the human mind, and the will of the human spirit, it's essential to pursue the passion of your heart to the fullest extent possible. It's only at such times that you truly tap into what you're capable of. So, what do you want to achieve? Why not go for it?

Team Mileage Updates

There are still many team leaders who have not made an initial report on their team's progress and I encourage team leaders to login to the Team Login section of this site and report their team's status within the next couple of days. Thanks!

That's all from this Alaska milepost! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to run back here tomorrow.