Sat 8/20 - AM Pikes Peak Ascent, 2:33

It would appear dreams do sometimes come true after all. Ran about what I thought I could do for this race (educated guess) on a day with good weather conditions, to my surprise it was good enough for 10th and all the prizes that entails. Not even expecting to hit my predicted time after a predictable and agonizing night trying to get some sleep. Teflon consciousness in full effect, probably didn't sleep much more than I did the night before Mt. Washington only this time I didn't have the excuse of sleeping in a leaky tent during a downpour. Combined with the flatness of the past couple of days, and the generally low amount of sleep I've been getting for the past week or so (starting with Glenwood Springs really), I figured I was completely fucked. Increased the caffeine dose pre-race in what seemed like wishful thinking. Warmup was a few half-hearted drills and strides, then feeling increasingly anxious noting the mountain goats all around who were carrying fluids on their person, something I hadn't seriously considered doing. I went off with one gel stuffed in my shorts, and feeling of dry mouth coming on in the first 400m of the race. Immediately decided I'd hit every aid station instead of every other.

After the first mile or so of shaking out and just before getting on to the trail proper, found myself in a small group of three. Lead pack was gone before I hit Ruxton, never saw them again. Realized keeping up with them would be unsustainable, scaled back a bit and let them go up the Ws. Soon joined by Andy Ames who shadowed me for the next 90+ minutes, with what seemed like a fairly large group behind us. I figured the pass by him would be inevitable, he seemed to be waiting for the right moment. Got into a sustainable rhythm, ever mindful to "adjust the effort" when the course got steeper. This meant slow down. And it actually worked, as I felt controlled and smooth most of the time. Around 6 miles or so, one of the two who I had let go of early on came into view. My shadow and I passed him by the time we reached Barr Camp, where I was informed I was in 11th. This was surprising to say the least. No one else anywhere in sight up ahead, so I was resigned to being 11th or 12th unless someone cratered. Nearly drowned trying to consume the gel, not at all pleasant. The boulder clambering between Barr Camp and treeline wasn't any fun, as expected. However, we did come across this guy walking. Now in 10th with 11th breathing down my neck, literally. Soon after A-frame, I made what amounted to a little move, not really on purpose, which Andy covered. Soon after, he made a move of his own. I figured I was dead meat. Stride shortened even more on the loose gravel above treeline, if that's possible. Around 11.5 miles, I realized Andy was faltering and I went by as aggressively as possible at that elevation. Saw a decent gap forming when I got to the next switchback and had to contain my excitement and not get carried away heading into the last mile.

The last mile took about 20 minutes, and was unlike anything I've ever experienced in running. Or "running" in this case since it was physically impossible to run much of it. So desperately wanted to get the thing over with, worried that I was being caught by Andy or someone else. I was asking my quads to do things they weren't capable of, a level of mind/body disconnect that was completely foreign and terrible. Like a dream where you're trying to escape someone but everything's moving in slow motion. At one moment I thought I saw someone reeling me in but I must have misjudged how far down the switchbacks they were, it was certainly terrifying at the time. No idea where the actual finish line was situated, saw it when I was still about 80 vertical feet and maybe a couple of hundred yards away. Rounded the last corner (walking) and thought about running over the line to give the fans a show, tried a few steps and realized it was pointless anyway since no one was in sight behind me. Walked triumphantly across the line with my quads feeling like they were about to explode. Legs very twitchy, like every major muscle might go into spasm simultaneously if I moved too quickly or with any kind of eccentric contraction. How people do the full marathon here I'll never know, going back down after racing up is incomprehensible.

In hindsight, doing the hill drills regularly really paid off in terms of having the leg strength to deal with the slope changes. Acclimating for two weeks and spending so many nights at 8000'+ more important though. Field not as deep as last year, or most years recently, with some of the heavy hitters not showing up. Not that I care.

Aid station splits (rough):

Incline switchbacks 25:30
No Name Creek 41:45
Bob's Road 53:45
Barr Camp 73 minutes
A Frame 1:44
Cirque 2:13

Fri 8/19 - AM 40 minutes easy

Out and back along the lower loop in Crested Butte. Very early and very easy, and very chilly as well. Shower, quick breakfast and then the four hour drive to Colorado Springs to get the windshield replaced on my rental car. Good times. 

Thu 8/18 - AM 75 minutes

Deer Creek Trail near Gothic. Just me, the cattle, and their numerous cow pies. Out and back along this path on the advice of a local who said it was scenic country, even by CB standards. Lived up to that billing.

SE towards Mt. Crested Butte and the ski hill

SW towards Gothic Mountain

Turned around a little sooner than intended when I came across three cows lying down on the trail:

In hindsight it was for the best as I continue to feel tired from yesterday. Feeling pretty strung out by the end of the run. Trail climbed in spurts on the way out, enough to be taxing at this elevation. Temp rose noticeably over the course of the run as some thin clouds cleared out and the sun got higher.

Wed 8/17 - 2 hours to the Continental Divide

Out and back from Tincup to Tincup Pass. Picturesque run on a road that was at times very, very rocky. Left my car in the Tincup Town Hall parking lot, hoping it wouldn't get towed based on the distinctly unfriendly signs up and down the main drag. Road up had a few steep sections but overall fairly gradual compared to some others I've seen of late.

 CR 267

Took a break at Mirror Lake, 3 miles up:

Another longer break at the divide of course, where a kind lady with a 15 year old dog took the picture at the top of this post.

looking east from the divide

Made it up in a little under 70 minutes, down in just over 50. The last 3 miles down, from Mirror Lake back to not so friendly Tincup, seemed to go on forever. Legs a bit dead and rubbery, and probably in need of a bit of a break before Saturday.

Tue 8/16 - AM 1:45 easy

Hartman Rocks. Tried in vain to memorize a decent-sized loop from the map, promptly forgot it in the tangle of intersections near the starting point at the top of Kill Hill. Wound up making a loop by dead reckoning and not going any further south than the power lines. The Luge, Dirty Sock, Buddy Bear, Josho's among the trails I ended up on at one point or another. Kept it relaxed throughout, legs mostly recovered from Sunday but still feeling fairly tired and took a while to get up in the morning. Clear and sunny conditions.

Mon 8/15 - PM 70 minutes very easy

Gunnison. Out and back along the dirt path behind the football stadium, which I last ran on the day after an up-and-down trail race last summer. Legs not in nearly the state they were then, but overall feeling quite tired and the 3+ hour drive over from Glenwood Springs didn't help. Very relaxed pace on the run as a result, no real progression of the pace. Right foot a bit sore but nowhere near what I had been fearing.

Sat 8/14 - AM 1:45 including trail half marathon

The apotheosis of sandbagging. First, and almost certainly last, win in Colorado. Not exactly a distinguished achievement as the field was small and many notches below competitive. Combined with the last-minute and fairly substantial changes to the course which included twice around a loop in the last 3 miles that had "afterthought" written all over it, the experience only vaguely resembled a race. At least they did come through with the post-race spread. Slept poorly last night, hot days making the room I'm sleeping in very stuffy. Also far too anxious for this morning's event. Got up feeling flat and tired, and worried about aggravating the foot as well. Took one look at the field on the starting line and knew I could take it relatively easy. Led pretty much from the gun, climbing went fine although at times I was wondering if I was going any faster than when I ran up the same road on Friday. Reached the turnaround just after 5 miles about a minute before the next guy. Next 3+ miles all downhill and focused solely on not hurting the foot by stepping on small rocks in the road. Thankfully successful at this. Once the road bottomed out, spent the last 4.5 miles on cruise control. Took just a few looks over my shoulder during this time, never saw second place, as such pace got progressively slower the last 5k. As it turns out, the final margin was less than a minute, which I found somewhat surprising not that I cared. Every mile was dutifully marked but the only time I used the watch was to measure the gap at the turnaround. Legs and foot didn't feel that bad afterward considering the downhill pounding in flats. Weather cooperated, after four days of clear hot conditions the morning broke overcast and cool.