The Scene Begins…  The name of this blog originates from the song “Camera One” by Josh Joplin.  Reading the lyrics does not do it justice, find the song and listen.  It is a poignant reflection of life – an observation of having faith, having doubt, and how we are all actors in our own movie.  Don’t be a mindless sightseer caught up in buying a star-map to the sun.  The camera is rolling, what will you do next?

2004: After being very active and in good shape as a bike racer throughout most of the 90’s, the 100 hour weeks, all-nighters at work, and poor diet had caught up with me. I stepped on the scale and it read 220 pounds. My physical activity for the entire year prior had consisted of a single 11 mile bike ride.

2005: I had radically altered my diet for the better and ridden my bike thousands of miles. My weight was now 155. I won 3 out of 4 events at the training camp for our cycling team, and went on to have a great racing season.

2006: I finished the road cycling season in September as strong as I’ve ever been. My workplace organized a team to do a 5k running race (Race for the Cure). I started running 2 weeks before the race thinking I was just going to smoke it. Couldn’t have been more wrong. I was sitting home with bags of ice on my knees the day of the race and didn’t even get to participate. I couldn’t believe how fragile I was despite riding my bike 5,000+ miles per year for the last 3 years. This lit a fire in me and I decided to step up to the challenge of learning to run and see if my body could adapt and toughen up. I promptly came down with a severe case of ITB syndrome and spent most of November and December walking with a limp and doing little to no running.

2007: With the ITB calmed down a bit, I began the year with a 3 mile run. This would be the start of my journey to becoming a runner. I set a very aggressive schedule which led to the completion of my first 100 mile race in September. Just one year after I started running.

2008:  Fortune smiled on me this year, as I became a member of the Wasatch Speed Goat Mountain Racing Team.  A grass-roots organization put together by Scott Mason.  I am certainly the least experienced and accomplished runner of the group, but I am learning fast and trying to represent the team and our sponsors in a good way.  Runners are typically a very individualistic bunch.  To me, being part of a team has been second-nature with my cycling background.  I like it.  I have also been working with Karl Meltzer as my coach.  He has helped me in so many ways, my learning curve has definitely been a steep one!  I had some good races this year, but also went 0-2 in 100 milers.  I quit Leadville at mile 77, and had a DNS in Boulder due to a stomach virus that kept me in bed for a couple of weeks.  Fuel for the fire…

This blog is a place for me to document the training and races that I do.

Enjoy,
Chris