Starry Night Records

I've always been a man with a vinyl fetish. Once upon a time I acted on it. Since that time the band Park has blown up into a popular emo act. My little record is now a collectible. I hastened to put up info on the record and its story.

Here: http://starrynightrecords.blogspot.com

Pack Burro Racing

Someone on the ultralist posted a link to the pack burro race in Fairplay, CO. Not actually riding the burros, but running with the animals 29 miles up to the pass and back into town. I harbor untold desires to keep a couple of mules at the farm. My grandfather used to keep horses and mules out there and a former tenant had a couple he would use to go trapping, so I have the facilities. As it stands, kids, dogs, other stuff take my time, but when I have the time to devote, I'm gonna work with and train a mule. If you put the effort in, they are outstanding trail animals. I gotta do this:

http://www.packburroracing.com/


"Although Pack Burro Racing has existed in Colorado since the 40s, it's still a homegrown sport that has happily avoided exploitation. While some believe the history of the race dates back to Rocky Mountain miners who would race down from the hills to stake a claim at the local courthouse, the truth is that it's just a revenue scheme thunk-up by town do-gooders. Yet, it is a tribute to the spirit of the west -- man and beast coming together to conquer the rugged terrain.
Pack burro racing rules state that each animal must carry a miner's pack containing a pick, a shovel, and a gold pan. The total weight must be at least 35 pounds, which is often achieved by packing saddlebags with rocks and sand. A rope no longer than fifteen feet must connect each racer to his/her burro. And finally, the runner must have control of the burro throughout the duration of the race.
Often called the "poor man's PGA circuit," there are seven races that take place primarily in Colorado with one in New Mexico and one in Arizona. Races are run annually between April and August. And each town runs their race differently. Distances range from 10-29 miles. Purses range from $1,000 - $5,000 for the winners alone. In other words, a hot racer can turn a pretty penny following the circuit.
The race in Fairplay, which is just a part of their Burro Days celebration every July, is billed at the planet's "highest, longest, roughest, and toughest." Racers run 29 miles, climbing 3,000 feet. (Fairplay, population 500, is already at 10,000 feet.) 52-year old Curtis Imrie is a two-time World Champion, missing only one of the seven annual races in the last 26 years. "It's arguably the toughest sport in the world," he says. "Mostly because of the beast. And I'm not just talking about the donkey. I'm talking about the beast within." He trains year round, adhering to a strict seafood diet, plus putting in 40-60 mountain miles of training in every week. The New York Marathon? It's child's play to Imrie. He says, "We have world class runners that always come out and think they can pick up a little extra cash while training. We just laugh at them." While marathoners believe you should take a day off for every mile you run, pack burro racers can't afford the luxury. They can put in over 130 miles in a 90-day period.
Not only is Imrie a champion racer, but he's probably the sport's biggest supporter. (He's also a writer, filmmaker, and politician.) On a ranch in Buena Vista, he owns 50 burros, some of which are a new hybrid breed he created solely for the sport. He likens his burros to dogs and cats. "They bond with you every bit as much," he says. "They are so much smarter than horses. I think of them like having a four-year old child around." But aren't burros notoriously stubborn? That's a myth that Imrie is devoted to dispelling. "Cautious is a better word," he says.
If you're interested in racing, Imrie rents his mules by the season or by the race, which means any would-be racer from New York to California can have a well-schooled burro awaiting their arrival. He suggests that you start out at the race in Leadville, CO, which is a 21-mile runner-friendly race. "

An Actual Winter

That appears to be what we have this year, despite cries of el nino. Went out to Farmdale on Saturday and put in 3 hrs. 45 min., doing alt creekside, to playground, around to Schroll's. The body acclimates a bit to the harsh cold, temps were somewhere between 6 and 9 the entire run, a pattern that we've been locked in for several weeks.

Pam ran the first hour plus with me. Playground was entirely fresh snow, no tracks of any kind, meaning an extra effort in "breaking trail," getting confused with the numerous deer trails on alt. creek, and getting wet feet over the crossing.

Ran into Dave Tapp, etc. after an hour and a half and ran a bit with them until my slow pace left me alone again. A solid training run, the feets did ok.

Ah, Presidents Day. Whatever. I'll take the day off. 32, heat wave, took the 4-wheeler out in the now soggy snow with Zoe, over the creek, frozen I'd say three inches or so. More snow forecast tonight, 6-8 inches and wind. Let it come down.

Reading List:

"The Professor, The Banker, and the Suicide King," the true story of Billionaire Andy Beal's attempt to play high stakes with the best poker players in the world.

"A Fighter's Heart" by Sam Sheridan. Good read. The author is a serious fighter who trains in various disciplines: MMA, Muai Thai, boxing, Jiu Jitsu, all over the world. Very worthwhile, although the last two chapters about dogfighting and being on a movie set with MMA fighters don't seem to fit the whole.

Andrew Dean

Welcome to the world, Andrew Dean Zimmerman. Born January 26, 2007 at 10:01 p.m.

Wow.

January Running

I made it out to McNaughton on Saturday morning. Starting temp was 14 degrees, a bit of a wind out of the west, slightly overcast. Trail conditions were decent, mud was frozen solid from the colder temps, there was still some snow dusting on some of the hills, making footing a little iffy in spots, nothing major. That first creek crossing was frigid, the kind where the laces freeze to blocks 20 seconds after you're through. Pam did an abbreviated loop with me in 1:39, I headed back out for a total time of 3:15.

Life is about to change in a big way, so a planned training schedule for April is not likely, not like I stick to one anyway. My plan is to get in as many long trail runs as family commitments and feet allow, do some junk miles during the week, and a semi-long tempo run on more level trails (i.e. Eureka trails) and road every other weekend.

Here are my overly-ambitious race plans for 2007. Subject to change. (Doh)

April 14- McNaughton Park 50 mile, IL.
May 19- Berryman Trail Marathon, MO.
June 16- Steamboat Classic, IL. 15k
August 11- Howl At the Moon 8 Hour, IL.
September 7- Moose Mountain Trail Marathon, MN.
October 13- Volunteer at Farmdale Trail Runs, IL.
December-Deer Run Run 8k, IL.

2008

April- McNaughton Park 50 (100?) mile
August- Pikes Peak Ascent, CO. or September-Imogene Pass Run, Ouray, CO.