Crew Decisions: Taking on More at Tahoe 200
Adding more challenges to an already brutal event usually isn’t the smart move. But that’s exactly what I’m doing this year at the Tahoe 200.
For Cocodona last year, I assembled what I believed was the best support team I could imagine. I wanted people in my corner who would give me the best chance of finishing the race — and people I simply wanted to spend 99 hours in the desert with.
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That’s a long time to spend with someone you don’t love being around.
In the end, it was even better than I could’ve imagined.
They took care of my every need.
They brought me pizza.
They changed me.
They washed my feet.
They massaged my legs.
They put my shoes on.
They got me warm when I was cold, and cold when I was hot.
They made me laugh.
They made sure I never forgot anything (well, almost).
They gave me the motivation to keep taking the next step.
They literally tucked me into bed for my 90-minute sleeps.
They reduced my responsibilities to one simple task:
keep moving forward.
For Tahoe… the game has changed.
This time, I’m essentially running it solo — no pacers, and a very limited crew. That crew includes my wife, who will also be juggling three kids for three days. She’s Superwoman, and I know she’ll do everything she can to help — but the reality is, support will be limited in comparison.
That means I’m the one fully responsible for the outcome.
The amount of forethought required — trying to predict when and where I’ll be at any given time and packing my drop bags accordingly — has me on edge.
The margin for error is razor-thin. If my predicted arrival times are off or I choose the wrong gear at the wrong time, there’s no quick fix. I’ll have to live with those decisions for 13 to 20+ mile stretches at a time.
To limit these “thought gaps” and potential issues, I’ll be carrying more gear at all times. It’s one of those “I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it” situations.
This will be a mental balancing act — pushing myself hard, while staying aware enough to make smart choices in real time.
I’m looking forward to the experience of taking full responsibility for myself and my actions. It’s a growth journey I’m embracing, and I’ll be spending the next two months preparing for it.
No one’s tucking me in this time. I’ve got to do it all — and still move forward.
