Icy Running Fun & Upcoming Psycho Events

It's cold and icy out on the trails! That's just fine with me. As long as I'm dressed properly and am wearing my "winter traction devices", I'm okay with the weather.

Here are two good choices for traction on the ice while running:
Screwing your shoes or Yaktrax (the "Pro" model, only). The YakTrax "Pro" model has an extra strap across the top of your shoes, and stays on your feet; something the regular model has problems with, while running. Putting screws in an old pair of running shoes works exceptionally well, also. Be sure to follow the instructions closely, though.



For our group runs this past week, we've had no fewer than 8 runners show up on any given group running day. The weather hasn't made much of a dent in participation for trailrunning, at all. One of the main reasons: If you run in the woods, you are out of the cold wind. Also, it's much safer to run where there are no cars to slide into you. For road runners, winter is the most dangerous time of year.

My training is going well. I had a "short" week, last week. I ran 40 miles. The two previous weeks were 72 and 59 respectively. This week, my mileage will be 35 to 40 miles. Next week, I'll taper down to 30 miles in preparation for my impending 100-miler, (Rocky Raccoon in Texas). I'd rather show up on race day at a 100-miler undertrained and rested, rather than overtrained and injured & sick. I've finished this race for 4 out of 4 years in a row. I'm going for my 500-mile finisher's jacket, this year.

The week after RR100, I'll be race-directing my group's first race of the year, the "Psycho WyCo Run Toto Run." We already have about 100 runners signed up. Thirty-five are signed up for the 50K, alone. This is the 3rd annual version of of the race, and I'm expecting about 300 entrants, this year. We had 213, last year. The first year we only had 44.

The course for Psycho WyCo is tougher than most runners expect to find in Kansas. In each 10.35-mile loop, there's over 5000 feet of elevation change. The footing is also very technical for about 50% of that. We usually only have a 50% finish rate for the 50K and 20-miler. Being a 3-loop 50K, the temptation is always there to drop out at the end of your 1st or 2nd loop. So it's also mentally challenging.

We always have nice shirts and finisher's hardware for the race. This year, we'll have long-sleeve technical shirts with the "Psycho" logo on the front:



I won't divulge the color of this year's shirts in advance, though. That's something left to find out on race day.

Our finisher's medals are pretty cool, also. The 50K and 20-miler finishers get this medal:


The 10-milers will get a "dog tag" version of the medal. The design was created by trailrunner and talented graphic artist, Jason Crosby. He now lives in South Carolina, but will be traveling back for the Psycho WyCo race.

All three race distances have a $30 entry fee. Any leftover funds goes toward trail maintenance activities and the Parks Department for the area.

This low entry fee is typical of our group's trail races. Our motto is "Dirty feet, run dirt cheap."