One thing I have going for me is a fairly good base. It's really hard to gin up from scratch. That can take years if one has led a sedentary life with no background of training. I pretty much know what I have to do, and luckily my gym has installed a new piece of equipment which is invaluable....a real stair machine. Sure I'm going to hit the trail, which is the only way to train the downhill muscles. But I really need to concentrate on my climbing. Here's what I did yesterday for a trainer:

• 25 minutes weights, no break between rotating sets (no leg work)

• 5 mile run in 42 minutes

• 2 hours on the stair machine for 4200 feet

I've also been using a bike trainer and pumping for 2 hours 40 minutes to get in 50 miles. And today I just picked up my vintage mountain bike (1997 Gary Fisher HooKooEKoo) after a full tuneup and new, more road friendly tires. I'll be doing more biking outside but I like the gym workouts, which I consider harder than a regular bike on roads; no resting whatsoever and I throw in harder intervals to simulate climbing.

I think this base line will be great to work from over the next few months, slowly increasing the length and intensity of each workout. Ultimate goals for June?

• local trail runs that incorporate 8-10,000 feet of climb and descent

• biking 50-100 miles on roads

• run 12-14 miles in 2 hours

• ski skin laps incorporating 5-10,000 feet vertical (like 2X Paradise to Camp Muir)

I like to stay flexible in goal setting as sometimes life gets in the way, but I have a couple of thoughts on all day trainers.....

• bike from home to Ipsut Creek Campground (MRNP), about 75 miles. Camp. Bike home.

• bike from Longmire to Paradise, skin to Muir, ski down and bike back (I did this last year)

• bike from Puyallup (friends house) to Paradise, skin up and ski down (all equipment carried). On this one he would meet me for the skin/ski part and I would ride back to Puyallup.

More thoughts:

• climb/ski Mt. St. Helens

• climb/ski Mt. Baker

• Rainier ski runs (overnight): Fryingpan Glacier, Interglacier (did this last year also), Russell Glacier and environs, Nisqually Chutes to the bridge.

Most important part of training? Avoid/mitigate injury and rest. Now it's off to Kendo.