Crested Butte

Renae throwing snow on me.

Lindsey coming in for a landing.

Andrew coming down the run.

Me coming down a green.

Me again.

We headed up to Crested Butte around 1pm on Wednesday it was a nice day for a drive. Andrew got to see some deer. We checked in and then went down to the town of Crested Butte. Miles (Bocaza) recommended Secret Stash, not sure the last time he had been there but......anywho when we left I was starving. We stopped by the grocery store and got some things that we forgot and headed back to the condo. I was up bright and early the next morning ready to get on the slopes at 0900 but we didn't make it until 10am which was good because it had warmed up a touch. Andrew and Lindsey got settled in their lessons while Renae and I headed up Red Lady Express so I could see if I still had boarding legs. We went down a green run with a nice long catwalk which I managed to get off the lift and down the run without falling so that was a plus. We headed back up Red Lady Express and down a different green run.....kudos again I seemed to pick up a little bit better than where I left off last year. Then we headed up the Silver Queen lift and hit some blues over in Paradise Bowl. We got in 6 or 7 runs in 2 hours and then headed back down to meet Lindsey and Andrew. They said they never got out of the learning center to do a run so their instructor was going to take them down Houston at 1pm. We ate lunch at the Avalanche and they headed back out to meet up with their instructor. Renae and I were going to meet them on Houston (didn't realize it had a major catwalk). So we headed up about 30 minutes after them. I took a major tumble getting off the lift (my first) and tweeked my knee pretty good. We strapped in and went to find them which was about a quarter of the way down the hill. I took another good tumble and jammed my neck on the catwalk and called it good for the day after we finished that run. For Lindsey's first time on Colorado snow she did really good and it had been a while since Andrew had been on skis. Renae and I sat in the hot tub when we got back to the condo's and zonked. I didn't wake up till 7am. We had to check out so everyone was up a little bit earlier that morning (Friday). We got the car all loaded up and headed back to the mountain. We all headed up Red Lady Express and came down Peanut. Lindsey did awesome. She took a break the next run and Andrew, Renae and I went down a run. Then we came down Peanut with Lindsey....you could tell she was gaining confidence because she was going a little faster each time. Then she sat out one and we went up and came down Lower Twister and that's when a skier cut me off and I flipped over my board.....man I cussed and cussed until I got down to Renae and Andrew. I rejammed my neck...I'm pretty sore from it today. We headed down and ate lunch around 1pm. Then all headed back up to Peanut. Even more awesomeness from Lindsey way to go. It was around 1:45 and my neck was sore so I sat out and went to talk with Christy Sports. Lindsey sat out too and Andrew and Renae went to the top of Silver Queen to take a run. Lindsey and I were beat so sent Andrew and Renae back to the top one more time. Then we headed home. There were lots of deer on the way home as it was dusk. We ate at the Red Barn in Montrose and flew like the wind home.

When a country girl from Kansas lies about the weather

So for the last 4 months or so I have been talking to my cousin Andrew about coming out to Grand Junction in Dec and doing some landscaping for us. The obvious question posed by a flatlander to someone asking them to come to Colorado in December to work on the yard is, "isn't to cold and snowy." Heck no I say it will be 40 degrees outside and no snow at least down here in Grand Junction (I say in my best Kansan accent)." Much to my surprise just 5 short days before Andrew and Lindsey were set to arrive it dumped 10 inches of snow in Grand Junction.

Not only that but then it didn't get above oh say 12 degrees the rest of the week. It was a whopping 38 degrees when they flew into Junction. Needless to say we needed to find other things for Andrew to work on since the yard looked like the dark side of the moon. Poor Andrew....but he has been a good sport and hung some pictures, shoveled some snow, and put together some DVD albums. Yesterday Renae and I took Lindsey and Andrew up onto the National Monument...where the air is even thinner. I think they had fun. I'll add some pictures when we get back from Crested Butte.

Goblin Valley Ultra Marathon and 25K

Here are the posted results: they took off 10 years of my life that was nice of them.

25k Overall Race
Place Bib # First Name Last Name Gender Age HR:MIN:SEC HR:MIN
1 126 Lance Risi M ? 1:46:54 0:50
2 56 Brandon Wolsey M 40 1:55:32 0:51
3 31 Rob Bryant M 35 1:59:50 0:52
4 112 Anne Perry F 36 2:04:57 0:58
5 148 Eugene Allwine M 54 2:14:48 0:57
6 21 Laurie Guevara-Stone F 44 2:18:06 unav
7 95 Daniel Richardson F 56 2:18:40 1:03
8 171 Alison Seppi F 46 2:20:00 1:06
9 58 Robin Schiller M 57 2:23:32 unav
10 144 Jennifer Sparks F 42 2:24:56 unav
11 137 Jason Taylor M 36 2:26:50 1:10
12 98 Rodney Hurst M 31 2:28:41 1:09
13 53 Carrie Marx F 44 2:33:03 unav
14 92 Kris Johnson M 38 2:33:43 1:06
15 127 Roth Nancy F 24 2:35:10 1:13
16 51 Amy Newman F 33 2:36:19 1:07
17 113 Tracy Allred F 42 2:36:46 1:11
18 138 Maggie Smith F 31 2:37:09 1:13
19 134 Jamie Kulju F 29 2:37:16 1:32
20 140 Aimee Maxwell F 30 2:38:08 1:12
21 24 Sarah Lein F 0 2:41:22 1:11
22 105 Tamara Forest F 38 2:41:30 unav
23 78 Dorrell Henderson M 61 2:43:04 unav
24 94 Joani Richardson F 57 2:43:27 1:16
25 122 Sasha Hamel F 25 2:46:26 unav
26 102 Charles Allen M 59 2:47:03 1:20
27 12 Jessica Ieremia F 39 2:52:37 1:24
28 75 Rick Schaefer M 54 2:52:46 1:18
29 164 Debra Scott F 55 2:53:45 1:24
30 109 Dawn Aoki F 53 2:55:01 unav
31 10 Mark Winters M 29 2:57:08 1:14
32 159 Heather Hunt Wood F 30 3:01:37 1:23
33 108 Klea Gallegos F 50 3:01:59 1:19
34 82 Susie Durr F 58 3:02:01 unav
35 79 Mary Henderson F 59 3:02:44 1:20
36 110 Paula Aoki F 54 3:02:51 1:23
37 131 Lucy Eppley F 64 3:05:13 1:20
38 27 Jenny Aldrich F 47 3:13:54 1:27
39 64 Larry Nordell M 60 3:18:23 unav
40 157 Dee Ivie M 52 3:24:44 1:25
41 74 Sandy Nelson F 63 3:26:35 1:32
42 15 Susan Goettlicher F 59 3:26:41 unav
43 71 Alan McMurtrey M 56 3:29:46 1:29
44 67 John Blaylock M 67 3:32:37 1:33
45 66 Ginny Blaylock F 62 3:33:49 1:34
46 72 Phillip Berghauser M 45 3:37:44 1:33
47 142 Scott Tiber M 47 3:48:06 1:50
48 114 Michele Straube F 55 3:55:33 1:49
49 61 Renae Byrd F 48 4:15:18 1:46
50 60 Julie Fuller F 28 4:15:19 1:46
51 117 Eric Goeller M 37 5:56:19 1:13

Renae and I participated in the Goblin Valley Ultra Marathon on 10/24/09. This was our first long race since the Bataan Death March in March 2009. The ultra was 31 miles and we did the 16 mile race.

Of course I started out with a race plan and hoped to run 10 of the 16 miles, but I don't think I've built up my base miles enough and there is something to be said for flat courses. I walked my first mile to get limbered up as it was 43 degrees when we started and it was such a long race I didn't want to injure myself. Renae started out faster than I but was w/i 3/4 of a mile when I started running. Throughout the whole race we were always within eye sight of each other. It didn't take me long to catch up with her and she started running (a sub 11 min mile pace mind you) until we hit the first aide station. I had just hit my groove, but needed to stop to pull off my long sleeve shirt and put it in the drop bag. this was just under 4 miles in so I had run almost 3 miles. I started running again once we left the aide station but needed to pee so pulled off and pee'd. I walked again until I hit mile 5 then started running at this point people were already coming back from the turn around and I was 1 hour 15 min in. I ran until I hit mile 6 which was well into a long up hill jaunt. At this point I walked the up hills and ran the down hills and caught back up with Renae about 1/4 mile from the turn around point at mile 8'ish. At this point we were still under 2 hours (I think 1 hour 56 min) and I felt pretty good. We got to the aide station and I emptied my shoes from little rocky things. I could feel I was working a blister on the bottom of my foot. Renae left the aide station before I did but caught up with her in 1/2 mile and we ran together for about 1 1/2 miles. She had pulled her groin muscle coming down the hill and my foot was really starting to bother me. We walked a little and she moved on ahead. I started running at an Airborne Shuffle pace singing Proud Mary by Tina Turner out loud over and over again because it motivated me and was just the right pace for me to run to. I ran another 3/4 of a mile or so to the last aide station. And started walking. Walked most of the next 2 miles with some half dead zombie run in between as my feet were really hurting (the dreaded mile 12-13). Renae then began walking backwards until I caught up with her because she was afraid that I was just going to pull over and play dead. We walked the last two miles together and I started singing out loud because it was the only thing that would keep my mind off the pain. We arrived at the parking lot in which we started from and they directed us down into the Goblin Valley by following stupid little orange plastic pumpkins which I now hate. I mainly slide down the hill into the valley as it was nearly as steep as Mt. Garfield. Renae kept saying take my picture or that is neat blah blah blah. I was cussing the event coordinator for putting this at the end the big dummies then we had to run (ha ha ha I walked) up a ravine to the other side of the parking lot. About 100 yards from the finish I told Renae to start running and we ran across the finish line together and I nearly collapsed to get off my feet. I feel bad now because I know Renae could have come in at probably 3 hours 45 min and I could have pushed myself a little harder on the asphalt road and came in under 4 hours. But I guess a finish is better than no finish like I did in Bataan. And the time was 2 hours better than the 15 mile Bataan March and an mile longer.

I'll put some pictures in tonight.

Visit to Steamboat Springs with Aunt Debbie and Uncle Kirk

Up at Fish Creek Falls

Downtown Steamboat

Renae goofing off

On the Rotary Club's raised walkway

The Yampa River

Howdy Howdy
Aunt Debbie and Uncle Kirk happened to be in Colorado for 10 days or so and we decided to meet in Steamboat Springs as they were staying in Estes Park and I had outreach I needed to do in Steamboat. So we drove up there on Friday afternoon and did a little outreach before meeting them at the hotel. By the way the road through Rocky Mountain National Park closes after the first snowfall (which means if you are trying to get west from Estes you need to go down to Denver or up to Wyoming). Needless to say it took them quite a bit longer to reach Steamboat than they thought it would.

For dinner we headed to the Ore House (would highly recommend this eating establishment and ask for Emmert to be your waiter). Their sweet rolls are to die for. Very fun and social atmosphere. We decided to walk into town the next morning and conduct my outreach business.

We met at breakfast around 730 and headed out around 0800. It was mighty chilly. We stopped off at the Rotary Park raised walkway to look at the views and then marched on until I had to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately there were no public bathrooms in sight but luckily it was a wooded area and near the railroad so did my thing. The Botanical Garden was on the walk so we stopped in and looked around. The flowers were still in bloom and very pretty. I liked the Autumn Crocus best. We then stopped at the Car Wash and ate an ice cream cone and rested. (3 miles in). By this time Uncle Kirk was on a mission to find all the places I needed to hit for outreach and by golly he found all of them. The library was the furthest out (6 miles in) and headed to the Smokehouse for lunch.

We then worked our way back towards the hotel. Across from the Hot Springs we stopped at the river and soaked our feet in the warm water as it was flowing into the Yampa River. It was a nice little diversion. Soon we were off again and several started wondering if the car could come get us or maybe Sherpa boy would show up. But if you talk while you walk you don't realize how bad your feet hurt. We made it back to the hotel (12 miles later) and Renae and I went to the pool and hot tub to stretch our weary legs. He went to Mazzoles for supper (it was ok, very high priced for food).

Somehow Renae and I talked Uncle Kirk into going for a run with us Sunday morning. So we met each other in the lobby. Renae and I in fleece, shorts, running shoes, etc. poor Uncle Kirk in jeans, Reebok's, and a rain jacket. We started walking for 5 min and then began our run. Uncle Kirk was so funny he was breathing hard and kept asking if I was or was sweating. I asked if he needed water and he said no just air. He did good and ran the whole 30 min with me at a 11:12 per mile pace. He kept saying there wasn't enough air up here for running. We all walked back to the hotel and met with Aunt Debbie. (Trying to talk him into a Tri in Colorado next year) We then headed to Christy Sports and the Fish Creek Trail. Hiked around a little then had breakfast/lunch at Freshies on Lincoln and Trafalger (very good food, not so fast service).

Then we all headed our separate ways. It was a great time. The colors were very pretty and we got lots of exercise.

(I'll load pics tonight)

Quarry Trail Run Marble, Colorado Sept 20, 2009

Cheryl receiving her 2nd place finish for age category award.

Kristen receiving her 1st place finish age category award.

Roby receiving his 2nd place age category award.

RJ receiving his 1st place age category award.

Me hauling during the first 1/2 mile of the race.

Kristen and Renae at the half way point.

Roby cruising down the hill around mile 5 1/2.

Cheryl thankful that she was now going downhill.

RJ almost at the turn around point.

Me being cheesy before the race.

Well race day was quite dramatic with weather conditions, start time changes, 6 people trying to get organized to run, and packing all at the same time. Renae wanted to start early so that she and I could run with the kids (adult) a little during the run. I told her I would if we got official times. The race organizer said that he would keep official time for us and that we would be eligible for awards if we earned them, so I agreed to start early. We started at 9:09am 21 min before the race started. The first mile went through the town of Marble and through a Marble pit for lack of a better description. Then we started heading up hill 1200 feet in 3 miles. We ran the first 200 feet and then started walking but kept a 15 min pace at walking. I judged that the race group would start catching up with us around 0945. But it wasn't until about 3 1/2 miles and 0953 that the first runner passed us. Kristen caught up with us right around the 4 mile mark and Renae who was a little ahead of me ran with her at the turn around point for about 15 seconds. RJ was the next to reach us he was probably 2 min behind Kristen and Renae and I were already headed back down. Cheryl was next about 2 min behind RJ and then Roby was probably 5 min behind Cheryl. It was nice getting pictures of everyone. Cheryl caught up with me on the downhill section and took some pictures of me running. Downhill was definitely better, I probably was down 8:30 min miles on the downhill section. Although it took me a while to catch up with Renae. I caught her about mile 6 and we ran together until she had to empty her shoe. I cruised on down to mile 7 then decided to walk for 30 seconds, bad idea. My legs were all wobbly and I thought I was going to fall over. Renae caught back up with me and we ran the rest of the way to the finish line together and crossed at the same time. They had our official time as 1:31:33 but since we started 21 min earlier it was actually 1:52:??. Not bad considering 1/3 of the race was going up hill. Renae and I each won places in our age category. Side note there were only 2 people in my age category, 3 in Renae's, 2 in Kristen and Cheryl's, 3 in RJ and Roby's. But still something to be proud of.

8 1 M20 Rj Byrd, 26 1:13:16.14
4 1 W20 Kristen Denney, 24*, Grand Junction, CO 1:13:42.95
10 2 W20 Cheryl Catlett, 25*, Grand Junction, CO 1:18:52.29
12 2 M20 Roby Byrd, 22, Grand Junction, CO 1:22:43.212
24 12W40 Renae Byrd, 48* 1:52:01.225
25 2 W30 Julie Fuller, 38* 1:55:33.0

The above are the offical times however, Renae and I crossed the finish line at the same time so both of our times are 1:52:01.225. The numbers in front of all the names are the place of finish within the Mens or Women's category and then the place within the age category. So RJ was the 8th man across the finish line and he was 1st in his age category.

Mary's Loop 8 mile Race

Renae coming across the finish line.

Here comes Renae, Yeah.

Self-portrait at mile 6.5.

Renae at the start of the race. The blonde in front of her fell and broke her wrist at mile 2..75 - 3.25.

Roby and Renae before the race.

We got started yesterday morning a little bit latter that what I would have liked but it all turned out good. We carpooled with Roby so headed over to his house at 0650 in the morning. We all got to the Trailhead around 0735 and the race started at 0800. I only got to go to the bathroom twice instead of my standard 5 times, lol. There were probably 75-100 people there. The start and finish of the race was in the parking lot by the restrooms. We all lined up and we were off. Of course Renae and I were at the end and right in front of me were my three targets to beat this race: a 70 something man with a lot of wrinkles and a leg brace and two women who said they were injured. I know that's preying on the old and injured but hey. When we started Renae had quite a bit of difficulty with her technical shirt which she shed and her iPod. But we plugged along and actually until the incident stayed together pretty much. I passed my first target within 1.5 miles or so. Soon we came upon the first aide station this is where I caught back up with Renae, as she got water. My next sight was on the two women who we were closing in on. We soon passed the spot where we turned around for our pre-run and all of a sudden I see one of the two women running back towards us and the other one is sitting on the ground holding her wrist. The first lady said she was running back about 1.5 miles to the first aide station to get help (in the back of my mind I knew the people at that aide station would have left to go back down the hill). We got to the second lady sitting on the ground and she had tripped, fallen and broke her wrist (Renae said it looked like my wrist when I broke it snowboarding). Renae immediately splinted her arm with her running pack which was still full of ice/water. I stopped long enough to make sure Renae had her and told her I would run ahead to the next aide station which conceivably should be within 1 or 2 miles, which it probably was. I started off running not jogging mind you but running, because I knew the search and rescue people from the 1st aide station wouldn't be there (Oh by the way did I mention this was a charity event for Mesa County Search and Rescue so they were the ones staffing the aide stations). I burned up any reserves I had getting to the next aide station as the trail was probably the toughest section of the run between the two aide stations. I got to the aide station in about 15-20 min trying to wave them down before having to run up on hell of an incline, but never got there attention. So I got there out of breath. I told them about the accident and indeed was the only one to reach help, they called in a jeep. Renae said she was there about 30 min before they got the lady loaded into the jeep and on her way out of the trail. I probably stayed at that aide station 7-10 min trying to catch my breath. Man it was hard to get started back jogging at my pace because I was bonked. I had another 4 miles or so to go. But I started plugging away walking more than I would have liked to but needed to because my muscles were cramping. Along the way I wondered if Renae were going to continue along the race or head out with the injured person (apparently she knew her and had coached her daughter in soccer). I ran all the flat or downhill parts and fast walked up the hills. I came to the next aide station and asked if they got the injured out. They said yes. As soon as I knew out safe I was secretly glad I had beaten the three people I set out to for this race (two by default but beggars can't be choosers). The next little section was mostly up hill back up the the backside of the trail and road leading back down to the parking lot. Mostly I was delirious for this next 2-2.5 mile section. For some reason I was thinking the end was a lot closer than it was. I actually got my hopes that I would make my 1hour 46min goal for finish. Each time I rounded a corner or up over a hill I would think the parking lot would be there so I would speed up a bit and it wasn't there. I started thinking that I had to pee ever since we started but now I was running a road that was quite near I-70 with no cover. Then I was thinking my gel bottle was really heavy and I needed to toss it to the side of the road and come get it later. It's interesting what the mind thinks about when it is exhausted. I had already used my gel around 1 1/2 hours in...didn't have another I thought because I didn't plan to be sidelined doing evacuation for 20 min, but I actually had another gel pack in my pack. Soon a couple of the 16 mile racers passed me and I speeded up again thinking they were running fast because they knew the finish was just RIGHT THERE, but it wasn't. So then I'd run 3 or 4 min and then walk a minute. I also found out how seriously off my Nike + was and will need to be recalibrated. Soon I crested a hill and could see the parking lot. This sparked life back into my feet and legs. I kept looking behind me because I could feel Renae was coming. She actually said she saw me on the road when she was running down it. I sped up the last 400 yards and crossed the finish line in 2'12"40. Just 7 min slower than my 10K several weeks ago and this one was almost 2 miles longer. Renae came in less than 4 min behind me. She was booking to make up the time. And Roby finished at 1'32" so quite abit earlier than we did. Overall we were pretty happy with our times knowing that we could have easily come in under two hours. And today I feel so much better than after I did on the Powderhorn race. I was able to ice my legs and feet and take some recovery stuff, plus we ate at Judy's within 1 hour after the race. I don't know about Renae but I was able to run/jog about 6 miles of the run. Next stop Marble Colorado (roughly 9,000 feet of elevation) for the Lead King Loop 12.5 mile run on Sept 20th. Then Oct 24th is the Goblin Valley Run in Green River Utah a 15 mile race (by then I should be able to run at least 10 miles). Today recalibrating my Nike +.

Kaleb's First Soccer Game

Pre-Running the Mary's Loop 8 Miler

The relatively flat, gravel, rock. dirt trail.

The overlook of the Colorado River.

Views from along the trail.

This was the hillest part of the trail. It is the first 1/8th mile up the Mary's Loop Trail.

Renae and I went out and hiked part of the 8 mile Mary's Loop near Loma, CO. Our race is Sept 5th, so we wanted to check it out and make sure it wasn't a Powderhorn repeat. We got out there around 745 am and it was already 75 degrees. We parked in the parking lot below not knowing we could take the road up over the burm. We started our hike from the parking lot and headed up the road, down a 13 % decline (hopefully they won't make us run up this) to Mary's loop. The start of Mary's loop is about a 8% incline for 1/8th of a mile I'd reckon. It was the hardest part as it was loose rock and lime/sandstone. Much like Pollock Bench trail. After we got up that first section it was all runnable from there. We hiked 3 miles of the 8 mile loop and then turned around and came back as we had to go to some soccer games at 11am. But I'm pleased to say that it is a flat course compared to Powderhorn. Our goals is to finish it in the same times or under that we did Powderhorn. I'd like to finish in 1 hour and 46 min.

We finished the Thigunawat 10K!!!

Self portrait around 4 1/2 miles

Renae running down a hill at the beginning of the run

Renae and Roby stretching before the race

All the participants

Me finishing the last hill of the 10K

Renae finishing the last part of the 10K

Me around mile 2

Roby pre-race

Me stretching before the race

Here is the link for the race results:

http://www.sarevents.org/thigunawat10km/2009results.htm

It's sad when a 70+ year old man beats 98% of the participants and looks like he is 30 something.

Anywho the story actually starts out the day before when we headed up to Powderhorn. I got a condo for Saturday night at Goldenwood Condo because I thought Tarra would be joining us. Instead of giving up the reservation we went on up. The sweet thing about the condo was it had a full kitchen and jacuzzi tub, luckily Renae and I brought our swimsuits. I fell asleep around 930 and woke up around 1030 hearing straining noises like someone was having a hard poop. Well I got up to investigate I walked towards the back bedroom and the noise got louder then Renae popped out of the bathroom and we scared each other. I asked her if she was ok she said yes. I said what's that noise then? She said it was one of the neighbors "doing it" and that they woke her up twice. So I tried to go back to bed, but all I heard was "oh yeah yeah do it oh yeah oh oh oh". She's (unknown receipent of awesome feelings) is lucky she didn't scream out his name because that would be in here too! So around midnight or slightly after I was able to fall back asleep. Needless to say my pre-race sleep consisted of about 5 hours.

Renae and I got up about 6 am and ate some breakfast and got ready. We checked out at 0815 and headed to the check in for the race. Renae got her favorite number #5, I got 17 not sure how that worked out since I registered us all at the same time. Roby showed up shortly after and we were all checked in.

The started the race promptly at 0930 and we were off in the wrong direction. What is this. Renae and I had practiced the route twice and either they switched the route (more likely scenerio) or we practiced the wrong route. Instead of down the road to the hiking path we freakin went up to disc golf hole number 1 and came down to hole number 4 across the road to the hiking path. Shit my butt is already dragging. Once we hit the hiking path I started running. I ran for about 3 miles before we started the creek crossings on the moon loop. At this point I could still see Renae and here comes Roby finishing the Moon Loop. I tried to get a picture of him but damn my camera and it's complicated operations I missed and took a picture of the ground. I walked 3/4 of the 1.3 mile moon loop and then started running again, probably ran 1/2 mile before coming back up on the aide station. Side note: How can you run a race with aide stations and not have gatoraide? Side Side note: They only had water at the 2 aide stations. Then I started the laborous climb back up to the resort through the forrest. By that time the 60 something year old lady that I was following started running up and I ate her dust. I was bonking big time. So I pulled out my gel and took a big ole swig of it. I felt a bit better but each time I would trip over a tree root my energy level would drop. I even pulled the sole of my shoe away from it's main part on one tree root. I finally made it up the first 700 feet elevation ascent and to the last aide station where I actually drank some water. I started running again but it probably looked more like a delirious swagger. I reached the road and WHAT!!! the changed the course again! Instead of going up disc golf hole #4 like we practiced the had us turn right and go to the Westend lifts. I almost started crying.

Anywho when I got to the lift there was a lady with a cow bell jingling it for me she said 3/4 of a mile to go WHAT!!!. At this point I started talking to myself and decided I probably should have a shot of haldol. This route took us to disc golf hole number 5 through 12 (I think) and I was walking again because we were gaining in elevation (roughly 500 feet). Each time I would see the orange trail sign I thought it was a sign from God to head back down to the finish line. But God was a sense of humor and it was actually the sign for the next disc golf hole. For 5 different orange signs I got my hopes up and they crashed. I finally saw the way down and on a trail that I have boarded 50 times or so. I started running again down the 500 feet of elevation I just gained. Renae and Roby met me at the bottom of the hill before turning up the last bit to the finish line. I was the last person to cross the finish line but I don't really care...I finished. And even won a give away prize yeah lucky number 17.

Roby is trying to talk me into running the Mary's Loop 8 mile. It is a charity race for the Mesa County Search and Rescue on Sept 5th. We'll see.

Pre-Running the Thigunawat 10K

Yesterday Renae and I decided to go walk/run Powderhorn's 10K trail to see what it is like. Man am I glad we did. Because there are a lot of things on race day that I will do differently than what I did today. According to the Powderhorn website there will be one aide station at the beginning/end of Moon Loop. We took 1 liter of water each and I packed my GU Strawberry/Banana Gel and my Hammergel Rasberry to try them out having never used gels before.

The trail race starts at the back of the Sunset Grill. You head beneath the lift between the ski patrol building and several other out buildings down a gravel/dirt road. You'll pass hole number 4 for disc golf (this will be important for the trip back) and on the right hand side is the sign for Powderhorn Hiking Trails. Hook a right down a weedeated trail. This part of the trail isn't to bad. Shortly before 3/4 of a mile you'll come to your first three stream crossings. The first two have rotted tree bases to cross see above picture, they are very giving and probably won't last if there are more than 25 people on race day. The third crossing is more of a hop over make sure you have solid footing on landing.

We meandered through various open fields with wild flowers. During this part of the trail there were various iron ore rocks, lava looking rocks and just plain rocks, not to mention little oak brush roots that would trip you up. On race day I've decided to tape my shoe laces because they kept getting caught on roots. Soon you come to a switchback in which you start descending through an aspen grove. I made a mental note about how much elevation we lost because on the way back we'd have to gain it again. After about two miles we came to the Rock Garden loop which we don't take and headed just a few 100 yards for the Moon Loop. This is where I am guessing the aide station will be. There are a total of I believe 6 creek/stream crossings on this loop which you either plow right through the water or hop across on the loose rocks. I was wearing my nike plus monitor and wasn't sure how waterproof it was so didn't plow right through as I normally might have. During this loop after an hour of hiking I tried my GU gel. It tasted pretty good but took lots of water to accompany it, water I didn't necessarily have (which I actually ran out of around mile 4). Anyway I wasn't sure if I was supposed to feel some surge of energy, but I really didn't feel much.

Once we finished the loop we hooked an immediate right onto the Beaver Creek trail. And after a short bit we saw the beaver damn, it was pretty cool. I decided that I wished I had gators because I kept getting the little grass stickers in my socks and had to pull them out. Around 3.84 miles my ass started dragging, this was about the same time I ran out of water, and also about the same time we started regaining all the elevation we lost. Renae ran out of water around mile 4.3 because I helped her I think. On the beaver creek trail there are 3 or 4 water crossings but there are solid bridges (like VOC bridges) for crossing. It was around 4.8 miles or so that we came back to the gravel/dirt road that brought us down to the trail. For the race the return is not on the gravel/dirt road but up to hole 4 and reversing from 4 to 1 and down to the Sunset Grill. But seeing as I thought I was going to die and we were out of water we headed back to the jeep in the parking lot.

I had both the GPS and my Nike Plus. The GPS indicated we did 5.35 miles with a moving time of 2hours24min and a stopped time of 13min48seconds, max elevation was 9326 and total ascent was 770 feet. My Nike plus indicated we did 5.12 miles in 2hours39min. I tend to rely more on the GPS on this type of terrain. We didn't run any of the trail because we wanted to get a sense of what it was like. I've been on a lot of trails, and am in ok physical shape and this is one of the harder trails just for the fact that there are things that can trip you up pretty much the whole entire trail. We are going back out next Sunday to rerun the trail, perhaps even running some of it, in the early morning (we started our hike at nearly 1pm and it was almost 80 degrees (which I believe is why we ran out of water). We will definitely have more water with us next time.