Ultra running has been more of a risky adventure, a test of my own limits and depths of my heart than something I can see myself actually excelling at. Also, the community and the Mas Locos I met at The Copper Canyon Ultramarathon (my second endeavor) alone are enough to keep anyone in this sport.
Going in to Speedgoat was different for me. I always say "I just want to finish" instead of having a target time. Yet, I day dream of making top 5 female while I'm squeaking by the cut offs and shuffling in barely making the official finish time. Speedgoat was different for me. I've never trained for anything, I typically have a hard time getting a 25 mile week. I was getting coaching from James Bonnet and I logged 2 50 mile weeks beforehand. I felt faster and stronger than ever before! Which I knew wouldn't mean a winning time at Speedgoat, merely a finish. And I was so fucking excited about that.
We listened to Karl's pre-race ramblings about orange being wrong, blue being right, don't cut switch backs, don't get in the water. Don't get in the water! My tummy did flips. 6:30 start time came and went, and Karl kept talking. Come on already! Let's go!
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 .. and we're running up the SPEEDGOAT COURSE! Shawn and I jogged next to each other talking about how we were there last year, completely amazed by this race and the folks running (or hands-on-knees-hiking) it, and here we were! I was all smiles and giggles.
Shawn and I always stick together on races. Our highs and lows never match up. I think we end up holding each other back. We had decided to do this one apart, at our own pace. Shawn was convinced I would do better than him on this race, I secretly was too. Within the first mile he was 10-20 feet ahead of me and I knew the hiking would really set me back. I am a (starter kit) beast on flats and downhill, and gradual uphill is my jam, but this was not the race for any of that! Running the singletrack after the first climb I started to wake up and really enjoy feeling my legs carry me. It felt like I was floating effortlessly over roots and rocks and puddles. This was amazing!
This is the first race I've ever done where I never once went on a hateful, excuse and pity, swearing rampage in my head. I was happy the whole time. Oh, and in case you are wondering, this story doesn't end in me getting first place. I wasn't even top 100. Shit, I was almost dead last. But I was so happy, and I'm still smiling and reeling from this day.
At the top of the first series of climbs, about 8 miles to the top of Hidden Peak, I got some snacks and flashed back to last year seeing Ricky Gates and Killian, Anton Krupicka and Anna Frost all running up this, and now here I am! Cool! From there we dropped down into a beautiful meadow full with wildflowers, meandering streams, and rolling hills. All sitting nicely in the shadow of giant peaks with snow still tucked in the cracks and crevices. All of these wonderful things were begging for my attention but when I start looking around I end up flat on my face, so I forced myself to focus and kept my eyes down. I was cruising through here! It felt good to finally run! I looked up and saw a guy jogging up a small hill covered in wildflowers with a stream nearby and I shouted to him, "whoa! you look so awesome right now!" and he said "I feel so awesome right now!" and we kept on.
I scooted on, channeling Lynette McDougal and her lit-up tutu. I was having a really good time. I tried to make up time on the downhill whenever I could. The rain was making the riverbed/rocky death trail a thousand times slipperier going down to the Pacific Mine Aid Station. I was having a blast. I saw Shawn leaving the aid station just as I arrived. I get lonely sometimes running long distances and it was nice to get a salty, sweaty, popsicley smooch from my babe. He left looking strong and handsome as ever. I sat and ate a lot of treats here. Eating on the go wasn't working so well for me so I enjoyed the company of Roch Horton for a few moments. I apologized for being so mean to him at the Antelope Island 100 miler a few months back, grabbed a popsicle and hit the road.
I climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed. ..
At this point I actually thought I could finish in 9 hours!
I got to Larry's Hole (haha) for the second time and got my iPod out. I started out with some MMMBop and focused on moving forward. Climbing out of Larry's Hole (always going to be funny!) was more unrelenting climbing. Like the ridiculous climb from Pacific Mine. The hike up Baldy was a battlefield of runners. So many people sitting and climbing on their hands and knees. I just hiked it like stairs. It felt like the stairs at work after a long night of drinking wine and playing board games, but I got it done. I passed a guy with GU all over his face, sitting on a rock. He was pretty worried about making the cut off to the tunnel in an hour, but we were less than a mile away! He was losing it. I gave him a CLIF Bar, wished him well and kept hiking. Being on top of Baldy was incredible. I saw a HUGE bird, I think it was a Golden Eagle, hop up and let the winds lift him up and up. He was just soaring overhead as I was running along the ridgeline. I looked to my left and saw layers and layers of mountain summits, alpine lakes, wildflowers and the clouds from a storm rolling in to my right. Tears filled my eyes and I thought about the words I would later use to describe how I was feeling at that moment. .. I got nothin.
At the tunnel I saw my friend Matt Schrier, the Schreez. I love that guy. He said he saw Shawn about 40 minutes ago, filled up my pack with water, offered me some snacks and urged me to keep moving. I sat down though, and tried to stretch out my hip. It started to tighten up around mile 20. It was pulling on my IT band and kind of messing with my knee. I did some light stretching, dumped the rocks out of my shoes and blasted down the tunnel hooting and hollering!
I did the epic hike up the ridgeline where I saw James Bonnett hiking last year as I rode the tram down. Everything about this course is absurdly picturesque. I kept imagining the little helicopter camera that follows Killian on those amazing, craggy, European summits and how badass I'd look in a photo (not video cause I was barely moving) at that moment. When I had just about reached Hidden Peak for the second time a low hanging rain cloud had made it's way up the canyon. The weather was absolutely perfect. I saw Mr. Jim Skaggs, (RD from the Antelope Island races) had a few sips of PBR and got psyched for the last 5 or 6 miles of downhill. I looped my most favorite song at least 4 times and danced over the rocks and puddles. The trail had become a small stream by this point so I just splashed and sang my way to the finish.
I was really confused by how fresh my legs felt after 26 miles and nearly 11,000 feet of climbing. But I guess I didn't really use my "running legs" all day. It was awesome to be getting like, an 8 minute mile this late in my day? Shibby!
Alas, the big blue HOKA arch! My sweet friends were all there, cheering and clapping me in as if I was in first place. They hugged me, handed me a beer and we all talked about the day we had.
My official finish was 10:42:58
Scott came in at 10:21:14:
Shawn finished sub 10! 9:58:22
Sweeney was totally out of his element (hot sandy beaches and babes in bikinis)
and still finished in 8:11:13
Eric's FIRST EVER RACE! and he finished in 6:56:14, my hero!
Total Vertical Gain: 10673 feet
Total Mileage: 31.42
Overall: It would be really super great if I was fast. Maybe someday I will be. But I am so proud of myself for having fun and staying positive the whole time. I got to do the most difficult 50K I've ever heard of with my best friends.
Currently Listening To: Future Islands
Yeah, Future Islands! I grinned happily the entire time I read this. Nice recap of your Speedgoat experience. Loving the PMA you express too. Hope to run into you guys at an event soon. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteYay!!!! Super excited for you and so happy actually toeing the line and running it did not make you grumpy. Last year was the first year the course had runners climbing over Baldy from second time at Larry's Hole (Hee, hee, you got me going too). Runners used to run down Baldy to the top of the Mineral Basin chair and run down to Larry's Hole (first time). The route to the tunnel was switchback. Much easier than climbing Baldy. Even the snow year which consisted of a straight up climb to the right of Baldy was easier. I so vividly remember the carnage last year when I realized the new course change. One foot in front the other and repeat is all you can do. :) One year running through the tunnel, I came up with the idea of a tutu in pink camouflage with pink lights. After that year, I couldn't find the pink camouflage tulle ever again. So bummed I didn't buy it when I say it. :(
ReplyDeleteRun free and keep enjoying another reason to live in the Wasatch. I'll be putting my name in the hat for Wasatch 100 in 2014. Think about joining me. :)