I'm finding it easy to discover new shoes that I like or love a lot these days. So many to choose from now. I'm not too fussy, so it's fun to try different things. Current favorite trail shoe is the PI N2, which is their neutral training shoe. I've found that minimal just doesn't work for me for big mileage. The PI shoes are what I would call a happy medium and I plan on wearing them for all races this summer. I think my next experiment will be the Salomon Sense Mantra 3. I have the Sense Mantra 2 and I like it well enough, but I don't reach for it for 3+ hour training runs. Word from friends in the know that if I like the 2, I will love the 3 and that I will like it for those long trail runs. We shall see. That said, I am currently cycling through at least 2 pairs of the PI shoes, a pair of Hoka Stinsons, an older pair of Saucony Peregrines that I hoarded in my closet because I loved them so much (I don't care for the latest versions), and the Salomon SM 3. Yeah, I have a lot of shoes. And that's not including the "rejects" that I don't reach for (meaning that they aren't anything special) and/or the ones that have become garden shoes.

I took about a month off in April-May (for a good thing--a Grand Canyon river trip!) so I decided to forego a big run for June and stick with July and August races. I am doing a race (trail, since that is really all I do) as a training run in 2 weeks in Idaho; the area and terrain are similar to that of a stage race I am doing in August so I kind of want to check it out. I have a rematch with the Tahoe Rim Trail 50 in July (it kicked my arse in 2013) and then the stage race (in Idaho, the mountains around Stanley) in August. I fully expect that to completely kick my arse. So I am building mileage and trying to get into the mountains and am focused on staying healthy. After that, who knows. Maybe a 50k in Oregon in September, maybe just riding my bike, maybe nothing. I keep saying that one of these days I will hang it up and just lounge on the couch for the duration I reserve the right to take myself up on that offer any time!