My turn to race

Last Saturday, a week after crewing at Leadville, and finally catching up on sleep (it sucks getting older, sleep is one thing I seem to not be able to capture well, having insomnia upon going to bed for hours more often than not), I joined some 250 runners GNAR inaugural marathon and half at the Staunton State Park. 

A mere 1.5 hrs away, I never even heard of its existence. The race being a brain child of good friends from the past Nick Clark and Brad Bishop, I knew I had to jump in. These events - and their Fort Collins community at large - are the only thing I am missing in my life while living in Colorado Springs, and it was one and only thing that attracted Larry and I initially to seek our "final home" in that area. Alas, there's more to living, I just wish there was no Denver and it's f'ed up traffic that separates us from their fun runs, events, and all the people.

I didn't take my phone on the course, so thanks to the race photographers for a photo of the first climb, and at the last AS (Orea-media) at least I have something to show. I felt pretty good about my chances of running the course that was advertised to be all (most, once we start) above 9,000 feet and feature 4,500 feet of elevation gain (my watch clocked me at 5,300, someone else's at 4,800, but who's counting?).

I had a prediction chart that would have put me at the finish with 6:20 time. From the start, we made a 2.5 mile loopy thing between the road and some wide trails, coming back to the start/finish area, and I was already 5 minutes ahead. Like, WTH, I actually walked the 1st mile on the incline! Then, we climbed. And climbed. And climbed. Eventually, I settled in, when nobody was passing me, and I passed a handful, so there was my spot for the next few miles, as always. At the top, or near there, the first photographer stood, and I tried to wave and smile, being all present on my footing. 

I carried 2 bottles, and I should have drunk them both, as the day was hot (and getting hotter), the altitude high, and the marathon started at 8 am (yikes, late!). Alas, I decided I wanted to skip the first AS at 8.3 miles - which I breezed through now 10 minutes ahead - and I am guessing paid for it. Golly, this course climbed a lot! And I totally need to come back to visit the park, because the views from the top spurs were fantastic, one even advertised a view of Pikes Peak! But, I was in a race, trying to stay in a moment, eat, drink, and be merry. Second AS (11.7M) came full 28 min sooner, and it was a combination of being concerned (Am I outrunning myself?) and delight (there's a chance at breaking 6 hrs!). We took out on a loop, first with gentle uphill and flats, and I even ran some of those (I don't normally run anything that goes above horizontal in a longer race). Then, the evil lollypop - Lion's head loop. Technical, steep, and I was pooped on the climb - I also saw my "nemesis", another 50 yo who came behind me at Quadrock 25, and I timed her gap. By the time I crawled up and around the Lion's head (nice views, by the way!), and came to the point I saw her, I was 15 min behind. Well, last time I gained 10 minutes in the last 7 miles, so maybe not all is lost? I came back to the AS at 16.7M, still maintaining same 29 min ahead of prediction, but no longer getting a second extra, drank coke and sprite, refilled, and took on the next climb. 

Oh, no, all "IS" lost. I suddenly started cramping. Hot open air on this climb, and the cramps started with inner thighs (try and climb), moved to hamstrings, calves, shins, tops of my feet (! how do you push off the ground when your feet cramp?), gluts...the only part of my lower body that wasn't cramping were my quads. I actually managed to shuffle in a running manner the flats, and the gentle (or not so much) downhills. Just prior the last AS at mile 20, I crossed the creek, and dipped my buff in to wipe my face and have a cold something on the top of my head. Well, turns out my buff was all sweated through, and since I didn't rinse it (who knew, 6 layers!), I smattered my own sweat all over my face and neck. Well, the AS did come...and I took a breather. I needed it! 

Thank you Orea-media for capturing my suffering! And to volunteers for being patient and so helpful! The girl refilled my empty bottle, I took a few swigs, then she refilled it again. After that, I leaned onto the table, breathing heavily, and she poured the cold water over my neck! Oh, so good. I grabbed a cup of coke, a cup of ginger ale, a man brought me a popsicle - sadly, I am not a fan, so I turned it down. It was time to move onto the last 6 miles, and the first 2 of those, of course - CLIMB! Sort of wide former service dirt road (?) at some insane angle, pretty darn steep. With every muscle cramping, I was slow. At the AS I was still 20 minutes up on my chart (having lost 9 min cushion), so if only I could make this section in what I planned, I am still under 6 hrs, I thought. Well, tough luck. I crawled up, and at some point half-leaned, half-set on a log fence. Immediately, every muscle that was cramping - seized and and twitched. In 20 seconds, I was like, oh, no, this is not a good idea, lets move. 3 guys caught me (I passed them right after the AS), but after a mile and a quarter of this craziness of a climb, it mellowed just ever so slightly, and all the salt pills I have been religiously taking, probably started to absorb - or the water I drunk, or my body just decided to give me some hope, at last. I began moving more swiftly, and even jog flatter portions and slight inclines. I swear, I sort of ran - and pulled away from the guys. The top of the climb rolled for a bit, then, finally, the downhill was coming into the view. I was still trying not to trip/do anything stupid that would prompt the cramps to send me to the ground, a.k.a. McDonald 50k 8 years ago, so one of the guys actually passed me back. The trail being technical in more parts than I cared, I had to be careful - plus, I ran out of water and was really panting. A number of hikers were coming up, and I managed to smile, while exhaling "I am about to die". It was a joke. The end was near, even if no longer sub-6 hrs. I ran by my parked car, turned a corner, and finished in 6:13. It was good enough for 56th overall (smack in the middle of all finishers), 17th female (out of 50 at the start), and 2nd of grandmaster (Tina beat me by 13 minutes, so while I gained only 2 minutes, at least I didn't lose as much as I anticipated, having all this crap (cramp) going on). Oh, and I did pass 8 guys in those 10 painful miles, so at least I was fighting the shit better than some. No ladies, though - chicks are touch cookies!

I changed into clean clothes in the car (trying not to scream as I cramped moving my legs out of shorts and shoes), and wondered back to the finish festivities. With GNAR, one can ALWAYS count on a great bbq, beer and cookies! I mean, isn't it why we race? :)

 

While consuming the food, my inner groin cramped so much, I had to stand up and cuss as quietly as I could. I spent long enough time eating to participate in an award ceremony, so here you go, a podium of grannies;) Even picked up my award from Quadrock, and hung out with Nick, having a good chat about Colorado Trail, 14-ers, and other things related to being active in aging.

With that, I know for a fact, I am coming back. Close by, fantastic course and volunteers, and I totally want sub-6!

I drove home happy and satisfied. Larry noticed I wasn't limping as I got out of the car, and I am like - yeah, because I didn't run hard enough for the second half. Well, I couldn't. Seems that I did outrun my ability, or something - however, I have no regrets. It was fun to push, and fun to suffer. I am really good at suffering...

 

I did take it easy for a couple of days, a walk on Sunday (and a hot yoga class), and a shorter run on Monday. However, by Tuesday, I felt the need to get back, and on Wednesday, as a true glutton for punishment, not only did I do Incline, I followed it from the top with another 1,100 ft of gain over 2 miles, before taking on a Barr downhill. That fired up my gluts big time! But, the summer is nearing the end, and I definitely want to try advantage of every trail run I can still make, before the snow covers some higher grounds. This is why we moved here, after all. This body, it needs to be used, wisely, yes, but used, because the end is the same regardless, yet there's so much more fun living the life of your dreams fully.