Thru Endurance We Conquer!

Follow the Rainbow Trail.  The darkest part of the day is the time just before the sun rises. The nearly full moon had slipped behind the Sangres hours before, leaving us surrounded in the pre-dawn darkness. The only lights the pinpricks headlamps of the 60+ assembled runners and HPRS Arch. We listened to the final race instructions from Sherpa John, huddled together in a tight group for warmth. The darkest part of the day is also the coldest. With one final reminder to "Stay on the Rainbow Trail" John sent us on our way - into the unknown to tackle either 50k, 50m or 100k of the Rainbow Trail and for the 100k Hermit Pass. Follow the Rainbow Trail. I'd started in the back so I could keep my warm coat on until the last minute before giving it to Nick and began working my way up towards the front on the road leading to the Rainbow Trail. At the turn onto the trail, I was actually leading the race - but I knew it wouldn't last. John getting the archway inflated a...

Like most cyclists, I am very familiar with the Rainbow Trail - at least one small chunk of it. The Western (Northern?) Terminus at Otto Mears Toll Road after Silver Creek to HW 285 just north of Poncha Pass. It's the end of the full Monarch Crest Ride and part of the Vapor Trail 125. I've also ridden a few other sections of the Rainbow Trail south of Salida in the Methodist Mountain area - from Bear Creek west. But down at the Southern Terminus? That was a mystery. We'd heard rumors of horrible trails - chunky, babyheaded chunder that wasn't much fun for any mode of transportation. And given the short ride we'd done out of Kerr Gulch a few years ago, that seemed like a pretty safe bet. So my first instinct when I saw the ads on Facebook for the Sangre de Cristo Ultras was to take a pass. Combine what I thought I knew about the area and the fact that adding another 50k to a busy  running schedule that already had two 50ks in place seemed kinda silly. But I kept se...

There’s still a few trails in COS I haven’t ridden and this past weekend seemed like the perfect time to knock at least one of them off the list. Heizer Trail out of Cascade. The year we were going to ride it was the year Cam crashed and then life got in the way. So despite seeing the line on the map and having a number of friends ride and run it, I’d just never gotten over there. Of course, if Nick is involved, we are doing things the hard way. That meant making a nice big loop ride. To access Heizer, the loop also knocked out most of another big climb in town. Pikes Peak. We parked in Cascade and headed up to the toll road entrance. $30 later and some snazzy red bands on our bikes, we were on our way. Roads never seem as steep in a car as they do on wheels and we had at least 14 miles to pedal to Elk Park. Nick kept the pace steady but easy as we climbed. It was really cool being able to take it all in at a more sedate pace instead of driving. And for the most part, the drivers wer...

With no Vapor Trail 125 this year, I'd pondered - however briefly - doing the half marathon at the American Discovery Trail races this year. I may have done some longer races, but I hadn't done a hard half marathon for time yet - which is something I like doing every year. Even if the time isn't fast by my old standards, I still get a sense of where I am in the running world. But once again, with being on the schedule to work the holiday, common sense took over. The 10k would get me done and at work at a reasonable time, unlike the half marathon. Besides, last year had been such a crappy race at the ADT10k that I really wanted some redemption. So 10k it would be. Labor Day means balloons and running! Even with packing everything the night before, it was still an early wake up for the race. I left the house earlier then I needed to, but that meant I was able to get a good parking spot that would allow me to get to work easily. I puttered around for bit before seriously...