Blog

Six fresh inches at Bridger Bowl on closing day and a snowy last day for Big Sky—some would consider this a perfect end to this year’s ski season. But I wasn't ready to hang up my skis. The closing of the resorts meant it was time to break out the skins and head into the backcountry.

As a whole, athletes are a superstitious bunch, and runners are no exception. Watch a runner as she stands at the starting line—stretch the neck to the left, then right; check the watch three times; double knot the laces, undo them, and double knot them again; a quick glance to the sky, wiggle the toes, and off she goes!

I have my own superstitious (compulsive) quirks during a race, but I also have a laundry list of routines and strange behaviors in the weeks leading up to the race for a solid mental workout. Many of the techniques I am employing for my marathon this Saturday I will also use in August as I (hopefully) prepare for the Ridge Run.

Keep Calm and Carry On

After a weeklong vacation, in which I may or may not have over-indulged on food-truck cuisine, fresh seafood, and mouth-watering maple-bacon doughnuts, my pants were feeling a little tight on the ride back to Bozeman from the coast. Despite my love for deep-fried pastries with meat, the date for the Bridger Ridge Run is looming nearer, and my training has reached a very low plateau. After my return to Bozeman/reality, I knew I needed something to kickstart my spring training. What better way to reignite the motivation than purchasing some new running shoes?

 “When it comes to the Big Hole and the Beaverhead, people ‘round here love these rivers,” Justin says, pulling fishing line into his mouth to tie another triple surgeon’s knot. “And they don’t just ‘love’ the rivers—they’ll get in fistfights over ‘em. That’s real love.” He fishes through a gear box the size of a microwave, hunting for the perfect fly.