The night before we had dinner and then the awards ceremony (top 3 teams in each category) and then there was a briefing for the next day. This mostly involves a guy talking about race conditions, the course, etc. I do my best to pay attention, but I often find myself thinking about those really cute shoes I'd like to buy!
So last night the guy does his speech about the course. The only thing I really remembered was that he insisted we had to be ready to take the most dangerous school bus ride (that would probably break down before we got to our destination) by 7 am! Now I'm never one to show up to an event on time never mind EARLY. I figured 7 am was pretty early considering we didn't even start until 8:30 am. I also have this completely rational fear of being cold! And given we were starting around 10K feet, I figured it would probably be cold!
Mike & Rob (those guys leading the race & veteran's to the race) reassured me that the bus would not leave without me and that all the threats of being ready by 7 am were really just that ... threats!
So the next morning I get up and do the breakfast thing (in my pajamas, winter coat, and hat...I looked like a bag lady!). I do notice that Mike & Rob have already hopped on a bus towards the start line. Granted they are probably warming up or something productive.
As I'm getting my stuff together I hear James (I think James because I wasn't really looking) whistling over to Carlos and I to hurry up as the bus was leaving. Ugh! I still had a few preparations to do and I needed to go to the bathroom! As I leave the bathroom and head towards the bus it starts taking off without me...seriously! Of course this makes me start running (who said I don't do warmups!). I jump onto the bus as James and his partner Tinder are laughing! Such a middle child (James) brotherly thing to do! Carlos is still behind me as he had to move the car, but we all make it successfully and not prior to 7am! Win Win!
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| On the bus to the start...our Red/Pink Day |
Per usual, we are the last people to check in...and we are off. The first part of the run is flatish, which is normally my preferred way to warm up, but with the hamstring issue, it actually hurts. The Aid Station was only about 2.5 miles in and so we check in as quick as possible and then start the CLIMB!
This part of the trail is a single track climb. The only thing I can say is that it sucked!! Carlos was behind a girl that was using those little hiking poles and she was moving pretty slowly (I was relieved!). But the people behind us weren't so much! In fact, I think it was Goat that screamed "move out of the way"! Ha! Who said all Ultra runners are nice ;). Carlos and I did stop a time or two, the only challenge is that if you stopped, you ended up behind a long line of people. Eventually Carlos decided that he was going to Tow me up so that we didn't end up further behind. It worked like magic!!
Sara (the top female in the solo division) had told us about towing the night before. She had used the technique with her male partner in years prior. The only difference is that they had proper towing materials....like a rope around each other's waist with a bungee in between that clipped on. Carlos and I didn't have much time to prepare, so any type of towing device was out of the question. So instead he just grabbed my hands and literally pulled me up the hill! I called it the "poor man's tow".
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| Carlos 'Towing" me up Hope Pass |
Prior to Carlos towing me, I was in a pretty bitter mood (and doing my best to hide it!). Carlos would ask "how you doing?", I would respond "fine". He would then say, "do you need to stop". Me "no". "Did you take a gel?" Me..."yes"...which was probably a fib ;). This is where Carlos excels because he sensed my less than desirable mood and took action.
He changed my whole climb around and I started to enjoy the scenery!
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| Carlos, Billy, & I made it to the top! |
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| We made it! |
It was such an awesome feeling to be flying down the trail. It was pretty steep & rocky, which I love. I passed a ton of people (major confidence booster), which helped us get back on target with our 4 hour (very aggressive) goal. I only had one person pass me on the downhill (and I was truly offended,. lol). It was this girl I called "America" because she had USA flag shorts. I later talked to her and learned she was doing the 3 day solo as a "warm up" to the Leadville 100 (happening on Sat am!). The crown of crazy rests on her head! :)
Once we hit the flat section, I was done mentally. Carlos caught up to me and we ran/walked it in to the finish. I didn't take any nutrition at the last aid station, so I was behind on my sugar intake. When I took some it was a bit too late to turn around the last part of the race. As we were running in we (and when I say we, I really mean ME!) were doing our best to not let any mixed teams pass us. However, right as I was pushing it across the finish line a girl & this guy come in seconds before me! I was pissed, but really too exhausted to do anything about it!! Instead I headed to the med tent to have my hami stretched!
We came in just over our goal at 4:03:06. We then took the shuttle into Leadville where we met up with James (and ate some very yummy pizza!!) and enjoyed the coffee shop and INTERNET!
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| Billy worked up an appetite too! |
Carlos and I also decided that we would take a hotel!! YIPEEE!! Carrie & Ken also joined us. In order to get to the hotel Carlos had to go back and get our car. While he was getting our car, Carrie, Ken, & I wandered down to the Refreshment station. I saw the results posted so I took a look and to my extreme surprise we came in 3rd place in the Open Mixed Category!! I was so stoked!!! I had no idea we had done so well. We were going to be standing on the podium at the awards ceremony tonight!!! Something I could have never dreamed!
I'm so excited that I call Carlos (texting is not worthy of this kind of news)! He is as stoked as I am. We decide not to tell James and just let him be surprised as we get called on stage!
We got checked into our hotel and I was able to take a bath!!! Ahhh! Then it's time for dinner. I see Sara for the first time that day and ask her how her day went. She did amazing (as usual) and actually ran the entire way up HOPE PASS!! She really is a monster! I tell her our exciting news and she turns to James and says...did you know they got 3rd place?! haha! James was totally shocked! I guess he didn't have a lot of faith in our abilities.
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| We won Nathan Hydration Packs...ironic since we are sponsored by Nathan. Notice our shirts |
XOXO,
Moderngypsygirl.
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