Just returned from a weekend of camping at Mueller. This state park sits just to the west of Pikes Peak. It boasts 55 miles of trails, so I had to check it out some of them to test my lungs & legs at higher altitude. There are no big mountains or climbs. No, you are just constantly bouncing between 9200' and almost 9900'.
This park also warns you extensively of bear activity. You have to keep all your food in your car at night. I've been to other campgrounds that warn of bears, but Mueller seems to ratchet that up a notch. I have never seen a bear in the wild and I have this secret desire to encounter one...at a very safe distance. Needless to say, setting off for a run at dawn had me raising my personal terror alert status to a new color. In two days of running throughout the park here's my count: 0 humans, 0 bears, 5 elk, 1 wild turkey, and about 1000 stumps/bushes/rocks that sure looked like a bear! I'm a little disappointed to say the least. I was well off the beaten path and hoped to see more wildlife.
I set off around 5:20 a.m. on Saturday to bag a long run on all the trails in the northern and western sections of the park. If you're running in Mueller, you better keep a trail map in hand. All trails are named and numbered on the map. Out on the trails, they're just numbered. Unless you excel in keeping track of number sequences, you will come to an intersection of trails, and like me get baffled as to where to go next.
It is a beautiful area of CO as the trails wander through aspen groves, dense pine forests, interesting rock formations, next to ponds, and high alpine meadows.
The highest peak in Mueller is Grouse Mtn (9843'). The climb is very short, but the views of many 14ers are sweet. To the west is Pikes. To the south is the Sangre de Cristo range, and to the west are the Collegiates. No luck seeing anything to the north.
My totals for the day were 20.5 miles, 3:32, and about 2900' of elevation. It was a solid run and gave me another opportunity to refine my hydration/electrolyte/food plan.
This rock was at the end of my run. The picture doesn't do it justice for how large it really is. The massive boulder on the left is balancing on a pedestal below it.
This Saturday I planned an early morning run up Mt. Falcon in Morrison. I woke up at 4:00 a.m (about 15 minutes before my alarm was set to go off) and just listened in bed to the wind rattle the house. The forecast had called for strong "afternoon" winds, so I was caught off guard by the pre-dawn ruckus outside.
But like most other times in training, you get up and go and hope that it won't be as bad as it really is. For me days like this are all about building mental and physical toughness, confidence, and not letting excuses rule the day. Once they win, I'm amazed at how their win streak multiplies rapidly.
I got to the trailhead at 5:05 and was on the trail by about 5:15. There was plenty of light as the sun was about 20-30 minutes from rising. My hope for the winds to diminish wasn't to be. I'm sure they were in the 40-50 mph range depending on the gust and at times sustained at those speeds.
Mt. Falcon rises quickly above Red Rocks and then sends you back to a beautiful meadow and then on to views of the Continental Divide. If you hit up all the trails in the park, you can cover about 12 miles with 2400' of elevation gain.
On the ascent I bumped into Pam, the ultrarunner. She's run everything including Silver Rush. We hiked a bit while I took in all the advice she could give me to complete a 50 miler. Anyone who has hung around runners know that even perfect strangers can talk about the minutiae of running for hours. After about 20 minutes of walking and talking we parted ways.
I made it back to the parking lot in about 2.75 hrs, which was longer than I had anticipated. I needed to consult my map a couple of times, took a few short breaks, and my walking with Pam added an extra 30 minutes or so. Since I wanted a longer run, I loaded up my water supply and headed out for a faster round two (2.25 hrs). I skipped one short out & back trail on my second outing, so my total mileage was 23.5.
I'm pleased with my progress on training for Silver Rush. Despite feeling strong on the trails, I'm not that close to being ready to go 50 miles. The next 4-5 weeks should take care of that.
I made my way over to Deer Creek Canyon for a long trail run last weekend. This park is awesome. The HR trails are great, but when you need some more technical trails with more elevation gain, you can't beat how close Deer Creek is to the metro area.
This park is very popular with mountain bikers, but if you get a few miles back, you find solitude on some delicious singletrack (Homesteader and Red Mesa trails) through the forest with the occasional vista of the eastern plains.
Once I got up to the Red Mesa Loop, I just lapped this 2.5 mile trail three times before backtracking to the parking lot. Total run for the day was 20.5 miles.
First off...a big shout out to Tanya, Kacey, Meghan, Julie, and Karen as they're all running in the Wine Country Half Marathon tomorrow in Santa Ynez, CA. Good luck ladies!
On my running front, these past two weeks have been a big breath of fresh air. Quite literally. I've been hitting the HR trails in the early mornings and absolutely loving it. I feel I put way too much pressure on myself when I run roads. For some reason, hitting the trails frees me of that and I just have fun.
This year the transition from road to trails has not been as hard on my body as it was last year. Which is good since I have a lot of miles to run and work to do in preparation for the Silver Rush 50 in July. In the meantime, I'm preparing my body for being on my feet for a long time (probably 8.5-9 hours). I'm also learning how to fuel appropriately during a run with food/gels and electrolyte capsules. This is all foreign to me since I always just drank sports drink during marathons. Unfortunately, that ain't gonna cut it when trying to go 50 miles! I can't wait!
The Boston Marathon is everything the hype makes it out to be and more. Sure it's the world's oldest and most famous marathon, but when we arrived in the city, I truly began to understand the magnitude of this event. The whole city is transformed into the mecca of all things running and every participant is made to feel like a total rockstar!
It was a treat to go through the whole experience with my cousin Scott. Despite battling several injuries during his training this winter, he ran the race of his life, setting a PR (3:10:16) in the process. We had great support from my Aunt Hildy, Uncle David and cousin Rachel throughout the weekend and on raceday.
After three days of cold and rain, Monday (Patriot's Day in MA) couldn't have been better. It was sunny with cool winds from the NW. We boarded buses at 6:00 am in downtown Boston and made our way out to the start. Hopkinton is a picturesque New England town, and since the 1920's, the official start of the marathon. Scott & I hung out at the Athletes Village waiting to be called to walk the .7 miles to our starting corral. After listening to the national anthem and getting buzzed by two fighter jets on a fly-over, we were off.
The first few miles were crowded and it took until mile 3 for me to feel like I could begin to lock into my pace. Usually by then I slip into my groove and running the first half seems almost effortless. For some reason I never felt that effortless feeling. My legs were aching a bit and I could only hope that would go away if I kept plugging along. At mile 9, I ran by Scott's family and got a huge mental boost. Then at mile 10 I found my friend Brian (who I ran the MCM with last year) and his family. It was another rush of adrenaline that I needed at a point when I was starting to sense a building concern for the rest of the race.
The next boost came around mile 12 when I ran through the Wellesley College "scream tunnel". This half mile stretch of the course features hundreds upon hundreds of female coeds screaming with every bit of air their lungs could push out. It's crazy. There's also a tradition at Wellesley where the ladies can't graduate until they kiss a runner during the marathon. So accompanying their screams are hundreds of posters soliciting "free kisses". I can tell you that I did not partake since I thought it was somewhat weird and wasn't quite feeling in the kissing mood. If you click the link, you'll see how the tunnel is an impressive display of noise.
By mile 16, I was hurting pretty good. Whatever was going on with my legs began to intensify. A bright spot was finally seeing Tanya & Catrina for the first time. That boost was short-lived as I was about to enter the hills of Newton. This series of hills are not all that big, but where they come during the race makes them feel much bigger than they really are. I struggled here. I tried a mental trick of "roping" myself to someone who was running the pace I wanted to run and let them "pull" me up the hills. Unfortunately for me, those fine folks would go from 5' to 10' to 50' in front of me in no time flat.
A low point came when I reached the top of the famous Heartbreak Hill. This is the last and largest hill. From there, the final 5 miles are almost all downhill into Boston. I reached the top and found myself a minute or two later staring at another large hill in front of me... the real Heartbreak Hill. I guess I miscounted the hills and instead of celebrating, I was back to huffing it up with a broken heart!
There was no cruising down the backside of Heartbreak. I ran as fast as I could, but was still a minute or more off my pace. Instead of feeling deflated, I decided to relish the remaining five miles in all their glory. As you wind through Boston College and into the city, the crowds swell and their support is enough to send chills down your spine. I had written my name on my arm and those last five miles made me feel that all these spectators came out to cheer me on. At points I wanted to cry I found their encouraging yells so overwhelming (yes, emotions tend to run wild during marathons). I shuffled past mile 25 and had the running experience of my life during that last mile. The final ".2" miles come when you turn on to Boylston Street. It is slightly downhill and the crowds are 10 deep on the sides. The finish line is in the distance and I almost decided to just walk so I could soak it all in for as long as possible.
I ran to the finish, but did decide to reward the spectators with a flying finish line jump. Remember now that my legs had been rebelling since the beginning. The picture above captures only part of the story. The "Finish Line" video below captures the rest! Check it out and prepare to laugh. Look for the orange blob(me) on the left side heading for the "F" in "Finish".
Crossing the finish line in 3:17:49 with a newly scraped and bloodied kneecap and hamstrings in spasm mode...I got my medal and met up with Scott to celebrate!
With a week to contemplate the race, of course I would have loved to run better. In hindsight, I wish I didn't walk around the city so much on Saturday and Sunday. But like many times in life, you can prepare, work hard, and still have things not work out how you hope. Tomorrow is another day to savor the gift of running. With summer almost here, I'm so fired up for the early morning sun and to get out on the trails. The mountains are calling! In closing, my Boston experience was marvelous and I'm so thankful for the memories created...jump...crash...and all!
We've been having a super fun weekend in Boston (albeit rainy and cold)! But now it's time to get down to business. The marathon starts at 10:00am EDT. The weather is looking great and I'm feeling ready. Here I come Heartbreak Hill!!
17 days until Boston! I've started my three week taper as the hard weeks of running are over. This picture was taken towards the end of my long run last Sunday morning. The sun had just risen and lit up the HR windmill. This landmark is probably the most famous one in HR.
The Boston Marathon has a cool program where you can follow runners throughout the race. If you're interested, you can either go to their website on raceday and enter my bib # (5305) for a real-time update, or you can sign up in advance for the AT&T Athlete Alert Program and receive email or text updates at the 10K, Half, 30K & Finish. If I'm on pace for finishing in 3:05, I should be hitting the following splits at those distances.
Mission accomplished on my tune-up race for Boston. I arrived at the Boulder Reservoir in time to watch the sunrise on what I thought was going to be a beautiful & warm day. Well, the clouds rolled in quickly, the temps dropped into the low 30's, and the wind started howling! I think I changed my running gear plan about 5 times in a 30 minute span.
Aside from the cold, stiff headwind, and a 2 mile stretch where I was hobbled by a nasty side cramp, I probably ran one of my best races ever. I set a new half marathon PR with a time of 1:29:34! This was the first race (other than a 5K) where I finished with a sub-7:00 min pace(6:50/mi).
It was a demanding pace for me, but I felt in control until mile 10. The side cramp came on hard and felt like someone was poking me in the ribs with a knife. I was determined to run through the pain, but it really affected my breathing and I had to slow up a bit. The final mile had a downhill stretch followed by a decent uphill climb. I could hear the music of the finish line, the announcer yelling the names of finishers, and that was enough to kick things into high gear for a strong finish.
The girls wanted to go on a run with me, so we geared up and ran about a quarter mile down the bike path. Rocky came along and is actually a pretty good running dog. He just cruises right next to you.
Well, I'm seven weeks away from the Boston Marathon. I've been training since 12/14, which has seemed like an eternity. I'm following a training plan called the Pfitzinger 18/55. That means the plan was create by a guy named Pete Pfitzinger, it lasts for 18 weeks, and will peak at 55 miles per week. This is considerably more weekly mileage than I've run in the past, but now that I'm over the hump, I can say that it's the best plan I've followed so far.
I'm feeling much stronger as a runner. I completed my second twenty mile run last weekend. During past 20 milers, I've resorted to running in survival mode over the last couple miles. This time I felt like I could keep going and possibly speed up. I hope that means good things are to come in Boston.
I'm going to try for a PR (personal record) in Boston. I'd love to finish somewhere in the 3:05 range, but that will push me close to a 7:00 min pace. I'm not sure if I can do it over 26.2 miles, but I need to trust that the Pfitz plan is getting me ready. In two weeks, I'm going to run a tune-up race, the Boulder Spring Half Marathon. I'll be gunning for a 6:45 pace, so that will give me a good idea if the 7:00 marathon pace is realistic.
First up...the Boston Marathon! Participating in it this April will be a once in a lifetime experience. They have been holding this marathon for 114 consecutive years! The more I read about the history (thanks again for the book Brian!), the more excited I get to run in the footsteps of all the amazing runners who have made their way from Hopkinton to Boston. Flights and hotel are booked. I'm registered and official training began on 12/14.
After Boston, I'm going to fulfill my promise to James to compete with him in a sprint triathlon. We've decided on the "Tri the Creek" which is in June and at the same spot as Tanya's "Tri the Cure" race has been. I'm currently cross-training for Boston by getting in the pool once a week. I always thought swimming laps would be a nightmare for me. But like little Mikey in the old Life cereal commercials, you could say of my swimming, "he likes it!"
After this, it's all trails going forward. I find that trail running awakens my senses. Sights, smells, and sounds are all enhanced and it opens the door to taking in God's creation in its full glory. It taps into some innate longing in me to be free of all the modern trappings I'm surrounded by daily. I promise I'm not planning to become a hermit in the woods. No, I appreciate the wilderness because I find it helps me keep a healthy perspective on the fast paced world in which we live. I've never been one to experience deep thoughts while I run. To the contrary, my mind shuts down and I live in the moment. At first, my multi-tasking nature thought this was wasting precious time I could be using to think about things going on in my life. Now I realize just how much of a gift the opportunity to live in the moment really is. I'm sure the same could be said for any activity out in nature away from the hustle and bustle of life.
I've got some lofty goals for July-September. I feel I'm ready to tackle a 50 mile trail race. Running the PPM last year opened my eyes to just how much I enjoy running in the mountains and gave me a strong taste for the ultramarathon scene. The longer distances use to freak me out. Now they're just a number that presents a new challenge to be enjoyed.
To that end, this July we'll be heading up to the Silver Rush 50 in Leadville. This is where I ran the heavy half marathon last summer. Not only will it be 50 miles, but all of it will be between 10-12K feet with just under 8K feet of elevation gain/loss. I'm planning on another one in September up in Steamboat called the Run Rabbit Run. The thought of a trail race during the peak season of aspen gold sounds awesome!
So the alarm clock will be set for 4:30 a.m. most days in 2010. I love the early mornings and don't mind giving up sleep to run...as long as I get a cup of coffee first!
2009 was an extraordinary year of running for me. East Coast to West Coast, sea-level to 14,000', nation's capitol to small historic mining town...what an adventure it has been! When the Marine Corp Marathon was over in October, I was sad to see the final race for the year come and go. What made it so memorable? To start, I was fortunate enough to run two marathons and one half marathon with friends. There's something special about sharing the running experience with someone else (RnR San Diego Marathon w/ James, the MCM w/ Brian, and the Platte River Half w/ Scott). Prior to this year, I had never run a race with someone. The camaraderie throughout our training was a bonus as the constant emails and talk in the months and weeks leading up to the races just made the experience that much sweeter.
2009 was also the year of my introduction to trail running. It didn't take long for me to get hooked. Maybe it's because Colorado is a trail runner's paradise, but I think I found where the future of my running endeavors is heading. The Leadville Heavy Half and the Pikes Peak Marathon were amazing experiences, but the training runs throughout the summer were just as, if not more memorable. That is something I surely can't say about training runs on the roads.
Back on the road running front, in early in '09, I finally got a Boston qualifying (BQ) time at the CO Marathon in Ft. Collins. This was a big milestone as many a runner dreams of running in Boston. After my 11 second BQ miss at the NH Marathon in 2008, I was happy to get it with more than five minutes to spare in Ft. Collins.
Lastly, here are a few fun stats from 2009. I just figured out I ran for 10 days (238 hours)...not all at once of course! For the first time, I eclipsed 1700 miles. That would put my total mileage since 1/1/06 at 4983 miles. My planned run this Saturday morning should put me over the 5000 mile mark! In 2010, I'm shooting for a fun goal of 2010 miles for the year.
Check back tomorrow for more 2010 running hopes and dreams...
New Year's Eve is typically an uneventful night for us. Not so for me in 2009 when a "Blue Moon" rose into the cloudless sky. James & I have completed several "full moon" runs in 2009...usually starting around 9pm, but never a "blue moon" run...and never one ushering in a new year at midnight.
Our plan was to meet at 11pm, run 4 miles to the top of Wildcat Mountain, crack open two bottles of "Blue Moon" while enjoying the Denver fireworks off in the distance as the clock struck twelve.
With a blanket of snow cover all around, we couldn't believe how bright it was running up the trail. Everything went great until we got to the lookout...about 13 minutes early. You see it was 18 degrees out and there was a stiff breeze blowing on the glaze of sweat produced from the run up. It was a long wait for 2010 to become official. The beer was delicious, but I could only drink half of it before I started to feel my lips freeze to the bottle!
The last mile of our run back was on the road leading to our house. I wish I could have seen the looks on the faces of people driving home from their parties when they passed two guys out for a midnight jog! Definitely a memorable night! Thanks James!
We had a wonderful time in Minnesota last week visiting both my brother and sister and their families.
On Thanksgiving morning, we held our own "Turkey Trot" run. The highlight was our nephew, Nate, running two miles with us! He had been training for it and was excited for the big day to come.
I love getting in a run on Thanksgiving day. I'm convinced it enhances the taste of the turkey later on!
Thanks to Nana hosting the girls for a sleepover on Friday night, Tanya & I were able to get up early and go for a bike/run up Waterton Canyon. We made it all the way up to the dam and back. What a difference in scenery from my run this summer. There was no water spilling over the dam this time of year, the greenery had turned to yellow, and the hillsides were still looking white from our storm last weekend.
On our return, Tanya got cold and so we swapped positions in order for her to warm up with a mile run. Shortly after the switch, we stopped to watch two bighorn sheep that were clearly "in love"!
I had the privilege of traveling to Washington DC last weekend to visit my friend Brian and his family AND run in the Marine Corp Marathon with him and his bro-in-law...who also has the name Brian (Brian H going forward).
Brian & I went to high school together. He's a great friend...plain & simple. 20 years is a long time to keep in touch and I'm grateful we have.
Well, the race was spectacular. The MCM is the major marathon in DC. It's huge and the course is one of a kind. Brian & I concocted this plan to run it together almost 15 months ago. Over that span of time, Brian trained hard and we emailed often to check in on our preparations and to just get excited.
The crisp fall day finally came and it was a good one. The Brians' and I got to the start in plenty of time to get in line and enjoy the pre-race festivities. When the cannon boomed, we were off with 21,000 other runners.
As I mentioned the course was unique. It started at Arlington Nat'l Cemetary...crossed the Potomac River...cruised through Georgetown...circled around The Mall while passing the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, White House, and Capitol...then finished with a pass through Crystal City and the Pentagon...before reaching the finish line at the Iwo Jima Memorial. Seeing DC by foot made me very proud of our country. Not to mention that most of the volunteers were Marines.
Well, as with most marathons, unexpected things happen. Mine came at the .8 mile mark. Yes, that would be not even one mile into the race. We were just getting going when I kicked a raised piece of pavement. Next thing I knew, I was sprawled out of the road below me. My palms dug in but I needed my right knee to drag along the street to keep me from a complete face plant. Scraped up, shocked and utterly embarrassed...I popped up as quick as I could before I got trampled on...or caused a 200 person pile up!
Brian had an early battle with his hips, feet & left knee around the 11 mile mark. His pain was intense and it wasn't the type you could just work out. We tried helping him stretch, but unfortunately he dealt with it for the remaining 15 miles. What a huge inspiration to me and Brian H. to run by his side as he persevered against great adversity to finish ALL 26.2 miles...his first marathon! Yahoo! Or...Oorah!...in Marine slang!
The three of us were sore but celebrated our run with some greasy burgers & fries from "Five Guys". It was great to kick back and rehash the day and all the little details we could remember. Even though the race felt at times like it would never end, it did. Marathons do actually go by very fast no matter your finishing time. The true reward comes when that fleeting moment of the race leaves you with a memory of a lifetime. The MCM was no different.
Thanks Brian & Brian H for a great day. Let's not wait 20 years before we do it again!
It's no surprise that I enjoy trail running. But what could be better than having my whole family share in the trail running love!
Little did we know, but a portion of Telluride's famous "Galloping Goose" trail was right behind our campground. Before we left to come home on Monday, we decided to take a family hike on the trail. When we got almost a half mile up the trail, we turned around and ran all the way back down! The girls loved it and were very good about controlling their speed and watching where they stepped.
At the bottom there was a little jump in the middle of the trail. As you can see above, we all took turns launching ourselves off the jump to finish our run!
"Epic" was the only word I could come up with for a trail run I went on last Saturday.
About a week before we left for our trip, I started researching trail runs in the area. I stumbled upon the Lizard Head Wilderness & Lizard Head Peak. This peak (or rock tower) you see is considered Colorado's most difficult & dangerous mountain to summit. This is due to the "rotten" rock that is very loose and can crumble at any moment. Click on the link above to read Albert Ellingwood's description of the rock. Ellingwood was the first to climb the peak in 1920!
Well after seeing pictures, I made it my mission to find a trail to (not up!) Lizard Head. What I found was a loop that took me to the summit of Blackface Mountain (12,200'), along the ridge, and down to a meadow right below Lizard Head. Perfect. It appeared to be a 5-6 mile loop taking me to a different trailhead about two miles down the road from where I start.
I was dropped off by Tanya at the trailhead at 8:45 am. Assuming the the run would take me a little more than an hour, we agreed to meet two miles down the road at the other trailhead around 10:15 am.
The singletrack trail starts at 10,200' and meanders northeast through an aspen & pine forest for a mile or two, providing sweet views of Trout Lake (top left). It then turns west and some sharp switchbacks lead you to the summit of Blackface Mountain (12,200'). Blackface (top right) has a long, narrow ridge with a superb trail. Running above treeline provided panoramic views that words can't describe. Looking out at Lizard Head Peak was breath-taking with Gladstone Peak (13,913'), Mt. Wilson (14,246'), and El Diente Peak (14,159') as the backdrop. Actually, it could have been the altitude that was taking my breath away.
I started my descent of Blackface while soaking in the views of Lizard Head. After running down through a pine forest and out into an open meadow, I figured this was the closest I'd ever get to it (bottom left). Boy, was I wrong.
At this point I was about 5 miles into my run and I was looking for a trail junction that would take me south to the trailhead to meet up with Tanya. Well, that junction never came. The trail proceeded north...and up towards Lizard Head. I thought I missed it so I started to bushwhack my way to another ridge to see if I could see the trail down. I found nothing but wilderness. There was no other trail to be seen. After returning to the trail, I then backtracked about a half mile thinking I surely missed the junction. Nope.
My two options were to backtrack my entire run by re-summitting Blackface and then running the extra two miles from my starting point to the other trailhead. Or I could continue towards Lizard Head and hope I miscalculated where the junction was.
I chose to continue on. My concern continued to grow as I gained another 1000' in elevation and found myself very close to the base of Lizard Head (bottom right). Lo and behold I came across the junction, now 8.5 miles into my run. Seeing I was already a half hour late from my meeting time with Tanya, I started to cruise down the trail as fast as I could. I finally encountered another hiker and he confirmed I was on the right trail. Phew.
Thirty minutes later and 11 miles from where I began, I arrived at the trailhead to find our car...empty. I looked up and Tanya & the girls were about a half mile away...up a different trail. I continued my run for a bit more so I could meet up and enjoy the remainder of their hike!
All in all I had a blast. There were a few tense moments, but the memory of such an exciting and beautiful run will last a long time.
Sir Edmund Hillary made that statement and it couldn’t be anymore true in the case of the PPM. As I mentioned yesterday, I felt privileged to be able to take part in something so special. The race is unique in many ways and I have developed a strong affinity and appreciation for Pikes Peak. Alright, grab a cup of coffee because here we go…
Pre Race
Three days out and the forecast was looking sketchy to say the least. Forecasters were calling for an unseasonably strong cold front to hit Colorado on Saturday night. The summit forecast for Sunday featured a high temp of 35 with winds of 5-15 mph. There was a 40% chance of snow/rain showers all day. I trained on a snowy Pikes Peak on 8/1 and it wasn’t what I was looking forward to on race day.
On Sunday, I packed every piece of running gear I owned in my bag and departed for Manitou Springs at 4:25 am. I arrived in the dark, but as it lightened up, I noticed there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. It remained that way the entire morning. My usual annoyance with a botched forecast was easily replaced with relief. The weather couldn’t have been better!
As we all lined up at the start, we got a good glimpse of the peak lit up by the sun. It looked so far away! They had four high school aged girls sing an acapella version of “America the Beautiful”. Let’s just say it brought tears to my eyes. The song was beautiful, Pikes off in the distance was beautiful, and I think I was starting to grasp what was about to happen.
About a minute before the start, they introduced Arlene Pieper to give us a “Ready. Set. Go.” As I mentioned last Friday, she was the first woman to ever run a marathon in the US. She accomplished this fifty years ago right here at the PPM. I was so inspired to see her and take in just how huge that must have been and still is! Well, she did her thing and we were off.
The Ascent – 7815’ Up
The first mile was on uphill paved roads as we meandered through town towards the Barr Trail. My strategy was to be conservative, but steady in my ascent. There are so many places you can blow your entire race if you try to run too fast. Once on the trail, things got a little crowded. There was room to pass, but you needed to be careful not to expend too much energy in the process. I got to the top of “The W’s” feeling great. The W’s are a steep section of fifteen switchbacks at the start of the trail. After about 4 miles, the runners spread out a bit as we were on a long, wider section of the trail heading to Barr Camp.
Barr Camp was the halfway point of the ascent. I was still feeling good and encouraged that I was ahead of my expected time. I was getting nervous that my faster pace was going to come back to haunt me above treeline.
Ken Chlouber (creator of the Leadville Trail 100 mile race) once said, “Make friends with pain, and you will never be alone.” Well, at mile 9 I was introduced to a friend that would be my faithful companion for the rest of the race. You see I accidentally attempted a 50 yard field goal kick with a large rock embedded in the trail. My middle toe on my right foot was “rocked” with pain. Did I just break it?? I kept running and the pain subsided just a bit.
About a mile later, the walking/running combination began. Very few runners actually run the entire course. Above treeline, it is so easy to experience oxygen deprivation by pushing too hard. Despite noticing the air was getting thinner and thinner, I still felt okay and my hiking pace was much faster than I had anticipated.
When I got about 2 miles to the summit, Matt Carpenter came flying down the peak. I snapped a cool pic of him as he passed in a flash. He eventually won his 10th PPM with a time of 3:37.
The above treeline portion of the ascent was a slog. Walk 30-60 seconds, jog 10-15 seconds, and then repeat. The summit still looks so far away, but those few miles do go by quickly. When I approached the summit/turnaround, I was greeted by an enthusiastic crew of volunteers and spectators. The clock read 3:22, which was 8 minutes faster than even my best case scenario pace.
The Descent – 7770’ Down
I began the descent feeling pretty good about how the race was going so far. Based on my training run a month ago, I knew it could quickly turn problematic. I’ve learned a bit about running downhill, like try to land each step on your forefoot and not your heel. Take small, fast steps to control your speed and impact. Keep your body perpendicular to the trail and try to “hurdle” rocks & roots instead of stepping on them. Well, there were plenty of warnings out there about how many runners will experience falls on the descent. I didn’t want to become a statistic.
So I began my conservative pace thinking all was well. Next thing I knew, runners started streaming past me. I didn’t really care because I wasn’t about to change my strategy. About 2 miles down, I did another beautiful kick into a rock. Same foot and same toe. Oh man, I could feel some wetness in my sock now. With 10 miles to go, I had to keep moving and once again the pain subsided as other forms of pain took its place.
About the 19 mile mark, I hit my low point. Runners were still passing me in droves as they seemed to float down the trail without any symptoms of discomfort. For me, my strategy of “controlled running” was killing my legs. I started feeling symptoms of the dreaded “wall” and combining that with the discouragement of getting passed so frequently, I decided something needed to change or I was going to crumple into a ball on the side of the trail. My thoughts also shifted to hating that I ever signed up for the race and even thought about never running again!
My two choices were to give up and walk the rest, or let loose and fly down the trail with reckless abandon. I chose the latter. I can’t say it felt great, but it did wonders for my spirit. I was covering the remaining miles much faster and I didn’t have time to think about the pain because I was too afraid of biting it on the trail. One runner in front of me did just that…face first into the gravel and rocks. I stopped to help him get up and aside from scrapped knees and palms, he went right back at it. We later commiserated in the medic tent after the race!
With a mile to go, I hit the paved Ruxton Ave that leads back into town. I started cruising down the road as fast as I could. There were many cheering spectators and it felt grand...until I got a nasty cramp in my side. I must have looked like a complete invalid running down the road hunched over, hand on my side, and my face screwed up like I had a mouthful of Sour Patch Kids. The cramp went away with only about 500 feet to go. I then went into my preparations for a flying finish line jump.
What was I thinking? After the successful RnR Marathon jump with James, I wanted to attempt another one. I shouldn’t have. I launched into the air (all 2 inches off the ground), tried to grab my legs (which wouldn’t bend), and landed with an immediate buckling of the legs which sent me to the pavement below! I caught myself by planting my palms into the road and managed to save myself from a complete splat!
I finished!!! 5 hours and 47 minutes after it began.
I proceeded to sit with the throngs of runners waiting for assistance from the medics. My friend who bit it on the trail was right next to me getting his wounds cleaned up. The doctor came over and looked at my toe. He diagnosed me on the spot with a “stubbed” toe. They wiped off the blood and slapped a band-aid on and off I went to party!
Post Race
The party in the park across the street was first-rate. We lingered for several hours. Highlights included: spending time my three ladies, EATING, a twenty-five minute leg massage, cooling our feet in the creek, wearing my medal and new jacket that was awarded to all finishers, and just enjoying the “fall-like” weather.
Well, there’s not much else to say that hasn’t already been said above. As with any marathon, this one was no different in that you end up learning quite a bit about yourself and what you’re capable of doing. The PPM had some really high highs (like standing at 14,110’) and some really low lows. Somewhere in between I experienced growth that causes me to get choked up when I think about it. Sir Edmund Hillary hit the nail on the head. I may have ascended & descended Pikes Peak, but conquering my fears, frustrations & self-doubt is what I’ll take away from this day.
I’ll end this race report with an invitation to join me in my preparation and running of the PPM by watching a slideshow I put together. I carried our point & click camera on the ascent. All pictures were taken on the go, so expect plenty of subpar shots. I had to stash the camera on the descent because I needed my hands free in the event of a fall. If you've made it this far, thanks for reading!!
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