The term bucket list gets thrown about quite a bit and often it's a tiresome mishmash of all the obvious stuff you really should do before you die, but Kym McConnell and Dave Horsley's book Extreme Running 
(London, England: Pavilion, 2007) made me start thinking about events I might want to participate in, if I were so inclined. This is a well-researched book, with lots of info and details on a variety of events around the world. Inclusion in the book required a race to be extreme, offer a cross-section of terrain and climate, and be organized, so some well-known events like the Grand Canyon Traverse were excluded.I have a couple of events I'd like to complete, though none of them are organized, or if they are, I don't necessarily feel that I need to participate in the official event.
- Grand Canyon Rim to Rim (and maybe back)
- Illinois Route 64, from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River (a run I'm planning in the next few years)
- Grand Illinois Trail - 500 or so miles of northern Illinois, probably by bike
- Run the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin (1000 miles, could take a while)
- Pacific Crest Trail - 2,650 miles, this one would definitely take a while
Do you have an event you are dreaming of? Something so wild and audacious that people will gasp when you suggest it? Anything that will stretch your personal limits?
Just gave this book away! Very interesting races in there.
ReplyDeleteOh man, you keep giving me more books to read! This looks really awesome.
ReplyDeleteGrand Canyon rim to rim has been on mine for a while. I did a backpacking trip in the backcountry from south rim to Co River a couple days and back to south, but I sense that will only tide me over for so long....
ReplyDeleteI've often thought about doing the complete Highline trail in the Uintah Mountains of Utah. It is a 50 mile plus hike across the backbone of a unique mountain range. Beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteI read an article about 24 Hours of Moab, and I'd love to do that. Not that audacious for a lot of people, but it's on my bucket list (or would be if I had one) now.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wanted to do this awesome race called Skyline to Sea. But, it didn't quite work out for me. It was going to be this weekend. Instead I will be pining away, all alone, wishing I was there.
ReplyDeletegrand canyon sounds good.
ReplyDeleteI would love to thru hike the AT, but I will never have 6 months with no responsibilities. i also want to dive the caymans, and hike to the Everest base camp.
Wow!
ReplyDeleteJust gave this book away! Very interesting races in there.