Butt Kickers Articles

The First Annual Silverton Double Dirty 30

I sat in my car, watching it snow, as I chatted with my friend Dale, world renowned weather nerd. I was trying to get a feel for just how bad it was going to be. "Not great but improving" was about as good a forecast as we could come up with--Dale always emphasizing...

Switzerland and Italy – Part Due

It was fitting that the one day it rained, my friend Linda left to head back to reality.  It wasn't fun to bid her farewell, but she had a family to be with and I had mountains to climb. It was equally good timing with my trip. A forced rest day between adventures....

Switzerland and Italy – Part Uno

I can't say I'm a big fan of math, but I've found it helps pass the time when running a long distance.  Trying to figure out my average pace (without looking at the GPS), how long it will take me to reach the finish line or the next aid station, by how much I will...

A Crusty Butt Weekend

"Don't worry, I'll make solid steps." It wasn't exactly the solidity of the steps that worried me. It was the fact that the width of the snow onto which we were stepping was more narrow than my feet. The fact that I have pretty big feet didn't help my feelings. The...

Grand Mesa 100 – The Redemption

As I sat shivering in the front of the truck, the heat barely cutting through my drenched clothing, snow began to mix with the rain.  I was having a hard time feeling too bad about dropping from the race, but I knew the feelings would come. Stick it out and the misery...

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The Long Lonesome Trail – Day One

I love trails. I love everything about them.  To where they take me: tops of mountains, deep forests, sometimes nowhere in particular.  From where they take me: people, troubles, worries, life. I love them for the challenge: the rocks, mud, roots, stream crossing and...

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Frost Bit Butt

Frost Bit Butt

"You're slightly less incompetent than my last partner."  This adventure was equally the most amazing and most awful experience of my life. I never thought i would actually climb Denali (Mt McKinley to many), but there I was, at 14,200ft, being berated yet again by my...

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Running Away

Running Away

They say if it doesn't scare you to death, then your dream isn't big enough.  As I stared across the abyss laid out at my feet, I knew this dream was big enough. The Rim2Rim2Rim, across the Grand Canyon and back, has every element that makes a run a nightmare.  It...

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Setting The Pace

I'm nothing if not selfish. Isn't life just too short to spend time doing anything that isn't bringing you closer to the Life Bus, or finishing off that bucket list?  Work is compromise enough. Why would I waste any more of my life on anything that I just don't want...

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