Off to California

We're packing up the car and leaving tomorrow morning to drive through Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and on to Lake Tahoe, California for the Western States 100 which starts at 5:00 am PDT on Saturday morning.  I may not be quite as well trained as I'd like, but I'm fit, healthy, rested and ready to experience the race I've been dreaming about for over 20 years.  I've got a great crew that includes my wonderful daughter Maddie who has been with me at all three of my previous successful 100s; my dedicated mom, Joan, also an experienced 100 mile crew member and pacer; my adventurous step-dad, Donald, ready for his first 100 mile experience; Bill and Ann Testerman, who just returned from their own ultra adventure walking the entire Camino de Santiago in Spain, are driving down from the San Juan Islands in Washington to support and crew; the Amazing Cat Speights, who less than three weeks ago finished 2nd in the Bryce 100 in Utah will be pacing me from Forest Hill (mile 62) to the finish; and my partner, best-friend and true love, Nora Lee Testerman who I met one year ago at this race starting a new and wonderful chapter in my life.
There is live tracking of the race at http://www.ultralive.net/ws100/webcast.php and I am #274.  My goal is to finish before 5:00 am Sunday for the sub 24 hour silver belt buckle.  Nora will be posting here throughout the race, so you can check back for updates.  Thanks to all of you for the support and encouragement over the past few months.  Here we go.