Hanging Flume

I’ll admit - I had never heard of the Hanging Flume prior to seeing the Facebook ads for the race. Intrigued, I googled everything - the Hanging Flume, the Unaweep-Tabeguache scenic byway and of course the race! It was supposed to be in March and I was all set to do it as a last long run for Behind the Rocks. Then the date changed to first November and finally October. With the October date, I pushed it to the back burner. After all, I was planning on the Crested Butte 105k three weeks earlier. Not smart to add another race no matter how interesting it sounds. And then my retina detachment. Well, I wasn’t racing the 105k so…. Time to reassess and maybe do a new race! I waited to sign up until I had gotten some decent long runs to see how I felt. After all, racing a 50k after about two weeks on the couch wasn't the smartest thing to do.

Those long runs went well and I was moving much better then I anticipated after the eye surgery. It's always a crap shoot after something like that - back in 2011 with my left eye I felt great running. Then I sat in the car too long between two races and had my hip flexors go into spasm causing some significant calf issues. I did not want that to happen again! But so far so good and I decided to sign up. A new race in a new area of Colorado that I had never been to. Exploring new trails and roads that few people have ever been on. And something of a redemption for a race after missing Crested Butte - a race I have been wanting to do for years.

We got to the Uravan Ball Park late Friday night. Found a place to park and went to bed. I would get my number and such Saturday before the race. Cool temperatures greeted us Saturday morning as sleepy runners made their way over to gt bib numbers and shirts. I huddled in the van, eating my breakfast and pondering the miles ahead. I knew nothing about the course - a new feeling for me. I'd loaded the GPX into Gaia, so had the general idea of where I would be going. But other then that? 31 miles of mystery awaited me. Based on the profile, the first miles would be along the San Miguel River, then all climbing for many miles. There would be some easy road miles, then some jeep road miles, then a little bushwhacking, then back to the jeep roads befor the second aid station. Out to the Paradox valley overlook, then down down down to a trail overlooking the Delores River and the Hanging Flume. Finally road miles back to the ball park for the finish. One big loop with a little out and back. 

A solitary tent in the pre-dawn darkness

Sunrise and moon set. It was a full moon weekend

Runners appeared out of the trees for the prerace meeting. The RDs went over the course, gave us some tidbits of information and then it was time to go. Lots of fast looking people crowded onto the starting line. At the start, we climbed up out of the ball park and onto 141. The start was fast. Very fast. I didn't want a repeat of Arches so settled back into my own pace for the road miles. It felt like I was the only one who wasn't running with a group of friends, so I was alone - listening to conversations all around me. That wouldn't change for the entire race. In some ways, it was a family reunion for runners all around Colorado and I was just one small part of it - the third cushion that somehow got an invitation but no one really knew. Not that big of a deal. I'm usually a solo runner anyway. But I'm a little more used to having other runners in races at least talking to me for a little bit!

Running into the sunrise - those clouds did a really nice job of keeping the temps down

One of the jeep roads in the early miles

After the opening road miles, we turned onto the dirt and started climbing. Everyone around me was still running! I'm so used to the longer races where a hill of that kind means it's time to start power hiking. This was a shorter race though, so I decided to keep running for a little longer as well. Might as well challenge myself a bit! Soon enough, the road leveled out as we reached one of many plateaus on the course for some nice runnable miles before the first aid station. Without prior course knowledge, I made sure I was filled up leaving the aid station. I knew there was some good runnable miles, but also a long steep climb and the slick rock section. The sun was rising, but blocked by some heavy clouds. The wind was brisk and I was happy to have my coat and arm warmers on. As soon as the sun came out, I knew it would warm up quickly. At least that’s what I was hoping! The jeep road was pretty easy to run, rolling terrain and not too many rocks. But as we climbed, it stared getting rockier and rockier. Then we turned off the main road and onto a smaller atv track. Straight up! I was happy I had my poles for that climb - although I do need to get stronger climbing without them now. We climbed into a canyon, the track following the rock layers. Then the atv track petered out into the brush and the flagging veered 180* up the hill. Almost bushwacking, but not - a goat trail marked with flagging! The goat trail widened up into rocks. Super cool slick rock with no defined trail just the marking. 

The slickrock-esqe section, with two runners in the distance (blue shirt in the middle)

Then the trail returned and we reached another atv road. I was running right behind two other women  - but not sure where I was in the field. A few ladies had jackrabbited away from the start and I wasn’t that worried. The race was more for fun then anything else given the circumstances leading into it. As the atv road widened out to a jeep road we crossed a ridge and the plateau valley opened out below us. Amazing views, including an aid station in the distance! 

Since I had my own snacks, all I needed was some water at the aid station. The quick turn around allowed me to pass the two women who’d caught me on the slickrock section - as well as two other women. Huh. Maybe I had a chance for top three? Still wasn’t sure where I was - though maybe third. I also knew it would be a tall order to hold off some of the younger women I had just passed. There was a lot of fast road running and I’ve not been focusing on that. At all. Figured I’d do my best though and just keep pushing the pace. This was honestly the least interesting section of the course. Just a wide open road smooth enough for a Subaru to rally on. Rolling terrain, but just nothing interesting. That would change quickly as we headed up to the overlook. Road to atv track to single track to almost bushwacking to one of the most amazing views I’ve seen. The paradox valley, with the La Sal mountain to west. Super cool and worth all the road miles to get there. A few more road miles left, plummeting down from the high point at the overlook. According to the course description, we would hit the single track section of the course soon. I figured I would be able to make up some time there over the road runners ahead of me. I was right behind the 4th place woman, and the gap was narrowing on the more technical running. 

The Paradox valley, with the Delores river entering between the red cliff. The La Sal Mountain in the distance

Turn-around selfie at the overlook

I figured wrong. I’ve got a little more sense now then back when I was younger - but I don’t think I would have run that trail in it’s entirety 20 years ago! Technical for sure and with some crazy exposures. I was more then happy to take a chill pills and just saunter. Take in the view and make sure I didn't do anything stupid. The view was worth taking it easier for! Deep canyons, clouds and then coming around the corner to see part of the Hanging Flume. It was also easy to see just how much descending we still had to do at that point, the trail painted on the cliff side hundreds of feet above the valley below, with the canyon floor and river even further below. 

One of the many canyon views along the single track section

A small portion of the hanging flume along the canyon wall. So many feet below us!

One last aid station, then the final miles. As anticipated, these were the hardest miles of the day, gradual climbing on roads. Some dirt road, a little on the highway, then crossing the river to run past the finish area at the Urvan Ball Park to the next bridge and backtracking to the finish. I was happy to have the miles finish - it was a bit longer then 50k at over 32 miles, but that's the nature of trail running! Not every loop will be the excat distance. In the end, I finished 7th, first masters in 5:53. Given that I was planning on 6:00 for 31 miles, can't complain!

Don't let aspens get all the glory! Cottonwoods in the canyons are just as pretty