[Dated sometime in late 1990]

Bob, Mike, and any other ultra marathoners in the desert:

We were all happy to see your letter in UR.  We are not happy that you are in
the desert, however.  (Other than the rather self-centered view that, "It's
better you than me!")

I though you might enjoy some news from the home front here in the Washington
area ultra running community.  (I will not include any news about the
Washington area political community.  I assume you get news magazines and it
would probably only piss you off anyway.)

I hate to say it to someone suffering in the desert, but the big news is that
we have had fantastic weather this fall.  It has made fall running very
enjoyable with the only downside being that the trees are going straight from
green to brown without passing yellow or red.  Yesterday was the Marine Corps
Marathon and it was over 70 degrees.  Some 19 year old girl died (literally) on the
14th Street Bridge (about mile 24).  I will try to slip in a news article on
it.  Bob, you may have some professional interest in this.  I doubt that these
deaths are really increasing statistically, but it seems so.  Two guys died in
the Army Ten miler a month ago.  (Or maybe one guy died there and another died
at another race the same day.)  All I know about yesterday is what I read in
the newspaper.  They don't know what happened now.  It is possible that she
fainted and fell and hit her head.

The weather for Horton's race was super last weekend.  It was clear and cool
but not too cold.  It had rained earlier in the week so the streams were high,
but clear.  In fact, there were streams which I had never seen before.  Eric
Clifton won (and Shelby won the women's race making it a family affair).  He
had wanted to break seven hours, but he just missed it with 7:02 and change
(the new course record).  Shelby's time was very good, but I do not remember
it.  Dave Drach was third or fourth.  Of the local crowd, Derek Carr was
fifteenth, Tom Green finished well (can't remember the place).  (Tom has
finished every running of all three Virginia fifties--I think.)   Dennis Herr
was not there--I understand that his employer paid for him to go the 100k in
Minnesota which was a championship of some sort.

Betty Sue O'Brien finished just under the time limit.  Ed Demoney and Joe
Clapper did not show.  (Ed is still recovering from Leadville where he ended
up in the hospital after dropping out at 60 some miles, going to bed in the
hotel and waking up with cramps in the morning.  I never understood exactly
what happened to him.  Also, his new job has cut into his running.)  (Joe is
still studying for school or something like that.)  Keith Brophy, who has been
horribly out of shape ever since I devastated him at Vermont, handled for a
friend and now wants to try JFK.  Tim, Larry and I ran together telling each
other all the way what lousy shape we were in.  We had pretty bad times (10:40
something) but we finished strong including nailing about 10 people going down
the last hill.  David Powell went to the 200 miler (as you probably know) and
beat John DeWalt, who stayed with him for three days.

David Horton had 160 entrants and 135 (or so) finishers.  He is pretty excited
about the event, as your guys know.  This year he had long sleeve sweatshirts
with pretty nice logos.  It's a class act.

David (Horton) is planning to do the Appalachian Trail next summer.  He hopes
to do it in 60 days which works out to about 38 miles per day.  I understand
that he has some sponsorship and that some people are going to help him.  Also
on the adventure front, Doug Young (with whom we stayed for Masochists) is
planning to bike across the United States next summer.  All this sounds like
fun.  I wish I were a school teacher!

Us locals are talking about ("planning" is too strong a word) doing the
Tuscarora Trail in Pennsylvania this winter.  It is about 100 miles long and
connects the northern end of the Big Blue with the AT.  A group of us (Ed,
Joe, Tim, Larry, Keith, David Powell, and I) did the Big Blue in four weekends
two winters ago.  This one could be done fairly easily in two weekends of
running both days.  The big problem is usually the logistics since it needs a
car shuttle unless you can recruit a handler to be board and cold all day. 
When we get to the AT, we will turn south and complete the loop.  We have
already done the AT from the bottom the Shenandoah National Park to the
Pennsylvania line.

I have also been talking about a Fat Assed Recover from the Holidays run over
the holidays.  We would probably go through Rock Creek park because it is
local and logistically easy.  I don't particularly feel like 50 miles, so
maybe we can wimp out and make it 50 kilometers.  Maybe we can do our run in
honor of you guys--at least when we get cold, we can think of you.  (You can
do the same--that is, when you get warm, you can think of us.  I am sure that
we will have some frozen body parts we can send you.  Except that it does not
sound like you need certain of those parts.)

Which reminds me of the old saying which is, unfortunately, apropos of you: 
"I'd walk a mile for a Camel, but I would walk ten for a sheep!"  That's farm
humor.  

Chris Scott is here on business this week.  We got a group for a run together
last Saturday which included Scott Mills who was in town on a "mission."  (I
think he does training flights for navigators.  They usually like to fly to
Hawaii, but this time settled for Washington.  Sounds tough, doesn't it?) 
Scott and Jean live in Sacramento.  He will get into Western States for sure
this year since he was turned down twice.  WS is his first love--I could tell
last year when I was out there that it killed him that he could not
participate.  

Chris seems to be enjoying Germany but I think he misses the ultrarunning
scene here.  He has done some runs over there including Davos with is 67 km
(?).  This week, he is staying in a hotel near me so we have been running in
the morning which has been getting me in shape.  (I will be doing JFK in a
week and a half.  I would like to feel like I am in good shape there for a
change.)

Sorry if this letter has not been too interesting.  I hope that it is better
than looking at the sand, anyway.  I will try to drop you a line every now and
then but I am a real lousy letter writer.  (By the way, do they really censor
this mail?  Is it ok to say "pissed off"?  Can I send you a Playboy calendar
for Christmas?  How can you fight for the "American Way" without pictures of
nude women?)

I can't say that I totally miss you guys.  You always beat the hell out of me
and, quite frankly, the last time I saw Bob, he needed a shower.  Do they have
deodorant in the desert?  (I just thought of another problem.  I hope you
don't have power bars over there.  Have you ever seen a milk chocolate one on
a warm day?  (It looks like a word which the censors would not like.)  I can
imagine what they would look like in over 100 degrees weather!)

And now, you have an unfair training advantage.  All of that hot weather
acclimation!  We are all so jealous.  (But I don't see a long line of people
volunteering to replace you.)  Anyway, take care of yourselves.  I am looking
forward to your smelly short-haired bodies blazing past me at Wild Oak or
Massanutten!  Until that time, I will take my tainted victories while I can
get them!

Yours,

Anstr