New Gear!

I went shopping.

I bought a new pair of Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultras. (Geez, does the name really have to be that long? You have to be an ultra runner just to say it!)
Then I bought a pair of Pearl Izumi Peak XCs.
I'll have a pair of shoes in probably every drop-bag, but I don't plan to take any shoe or sock changes unless there's a problem. Drop-bags are about having available options. I don't actually plan to use my drop bags very often.

I bought the Salomon Raid Revo 15. It's the smaller version of my other pack. I might do a swap at some point in the race.
I also bought another Salomon Fast Wing Hoodie. It took me months to find the name of the jacket I owned, because Salomon doesn't put the model name anywhere on the jacket itself. It is the best, in my opinion, of all the ultra-light wind-proof, breathable, water-resistant jackets with hoods. There is only one that is barely lighter, and it costs $20 more. Since it's paper-thin and not durable, why pay so much? i got my original for $30+ on sale. I'm currently kicking myself hard for not buying half a dozen. It's nearly impossible to find, and I only found it online now, and I paid twice as much for this second one.

The theory is I won't have to swap gear when I swap packs. Each will be fully stocked.

I also bought a bunch of new socks - Injinjis and Wright socks.

On the home front, my son and I are really enjoying each other's company. I know it's not natural to get along with a teenager. I have to be careful. It's not my job to be his pal. Someone has to be his parent and lay down the law. But as far as I can see, we get along because...
A) I lay down the law without budging - only on important things - and I definitely say what I mean and mean what I say. His mom says that's "brutal", but my son seems to respect me more.
B) Dad's cool for being an ultra-runner and a computer nerd.
Whatever works.
I'm not expecting it to last. I know I changed radically psycho-emotionally when I was 16 and 17. I went off the deep end when I was 16, and then I started pulled myself out when I was 17. My son will turn 15 in another month. If he's anything like I was, he still has a year before he totally flips-out. I over-dosed by accident twice. I hope he survives his teen years. I hope other people survive his teen years. I hope he doesn't get some girl pregnant!

What does this have to do with the Leadville 100?! It's proably what I'll be thinking about while I run without a pacer or crew for 100 miles through day and night.