Year End...

Wait, wait, wait...  2012 is almost over with and there's still so much to discuss.  Kidding!  

Things are ramping up for 2013.  I have confirmed registrations for the Brocken-Challenge, Hexenstieg Ultra, Barbarossa Relay and UTMB!  If I can swing these and the others that I've got my sights on, work and the rest of life 2013 will be a great year.

More to come. Until then a bit of motivation...

2013 and the Beat Goes on...

Ah...  December and the racing season is winding down for the year.  Still up is the Nikolauslauf in Tübingen on 9 December, but otherwise time for good food, bad weather, planning and training.  As they say in Schwabeland...

While enjoying the short days and the occasional Christmas cookie it's time to start planning a bit for the upcoming year.  Work and the ability to get away is going to drive much of my plan and I'm certain there will be other distractions, but this is what I'm planning for 2013:

• Brocken-Challenge, 80KM, 9 February, Göttingen to the Brocken summit (Harz), Germany.
• This year marks my fifth running of the BC.  A super charity event!
• Bilstein Marathon, 53KM, 14 April, Kaufunger Wald, Germany.
• I'm new to the Bilstein and have not yet registered.  Looks like a great event!
• Hexenstieg, 216KM, 26 - 28 April, Harz, Germany.
• Second go for the Hexer.  Last year was fantastic!  Registration is complete.
• Le Grand Raid Dentelles Ventoux, 100KM, 18 - 19 May, Gigondas, France.
• I swore last year that I would not run this deliciously evil race again.  It's simply too wonderful not to.
• Cortina Trail, 46KM, 28 June, Dolomites, Italy.
• First year running the Cortina Trail.  A friend from Canada suggested it and we're going to give it a shot.
• ThueringenULTRA, 100KM, 6 July, Thueringen, Germany.
• Another of my annual favorites!
• Barbarossalauf, 323KM multi-stage, 14 - 19 July, Thueringen, Germany. 
• Yes...  323KM over five days.  First time giving this one a go.  Micha Frenz the organizer puts on super events and I thought I'd give this one a go.  Registration is complete.
• Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, 30 August - 1 September, Chamonix, France.
• The UTMB...  What more can I say.  I did not get a slot last year and have a guaranteed starter number this year.  2013 will be my third attempt.  Got to get this one behind me!

The year may see one or two additions or "did not register" and I've still go to settle on what comes in the Fall of 2013.  For now...  Time to focus on the Nikolauslauf and get ready for the Brocken-Challenge.  It's going to be a good year!

Brocken-Challenge 2013

The tenth edition of the Brocken-Challenge is scheduled to go on 9 FEB 2013.  If you've followed this blog for a bit of time or read up on the Brocken-Challenge you'll know that this is a super event.  The course, friendly atmosphere, field of runners (limited to 150), and charitable objective of the event is simply fantastic.  These factors, combined with the upcoming tenth anniversary contributed significantly to many runner's desire to take part.

For the past couple of months concluding over the course of the last two weeks followers of the Brocken-Challenge have been very excited about the opening of the registration period, 1 DEC 12 - 31 JAN 13.  The event organizers had generated a great deal of excitement through their Facebook Page.  You've got to realize that the event filled to capacity in about twenty hours in December 2011.

This year's registration was scheduled for 1 DEC at 2359.  Yes, way past my bed time, but I decided to stay up to see if I could gain a slot.  I watched a bit of television and did some reading leading up to the witching hour.  At 2355 I was logged on here ready to go...  I watched the clock tick down and hit my F5 to refresh the registration page at 2359ish and go lucky...  The registration template opened; I quickly filled it out and hit "Enter".  Shortly thereafter I got a confirmation e-mail with my registration confirmation.

On a lark I remained on-line within FB.  At 0010, Frank and Aschu posted that the 2013 Brocken-Challenge was full.  An unbelievable eleven minutes!  Yes, you read that correctly - 11 MINUTES!!  Amazing!!!  I was thrilled to have secured a spot, but saddened to see so many of my running friends and acquaintances not make it in.

As a consolation, a Waiting List has been established.  As of mid-day on 2 DEC there are fifty people on the list...  

2013 is going to be a great running year!