Thru Endurance We Conquer!

I've been seeing them more and more at the ultras - trekking poles or running poles. Sometimes, I look at them and think "I'd like to try those on some of the steep climbs around here. See if they help at all." Other times, the thought is "yikes, those look like a lot of weight to be dragging around for not much help." So it's not something I'm sure I want to spend the money on just yet, especially since none of the races I have coming up are going to warrant the use of poles. Maybe later on the schedule, but not right now.  That doesn't mean I can't start collecting the things I think I might need for some of the crazy ideas I have in my head. Collapsible cup since my soft flask water bottles don't count? Done. All the mandatory gear for warm clothes? Double done and dusted. I off hand mentioned something about poles while we were at Mountain Chalet a few weeks ago, not expecting to really see anything. To my surprise, Ron said they had...

So technically, it's Fall Series 1/2 - not Winter Series 2. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. Fall Series 1, Monument Valley Park. The "highlight" of this race is the run up Monument Valley Creek - at least half a mile of splish splashing through the water. I've been studiously avoiding this race for that reason for the last 10 years. I hate the thought of running through the creek! This year was different. Fortieth anniversary of the fall series, I had to end my avoidance of the creek so I could run. I picked out my worst shoes, my oldest socks and shorts that I didn't mind getting soaked. I just remembered the last time I'd run in the creek, I'd fallen in a few holes and ended up completely soaked. I planned for that this year. The first half of the course was pretty straight forwards and mellow. North up the steep hill and around the eastern edge of the park, across the PopCycle Bridge and then back down south to Uintah. I didn't push the...

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...

The loop seemed pretty straight forward when we looked at on the map. Leave the campground, cruise down 50 till County 210 and then head west(ish) until we reached the Little Cochetopa Trail. Then it was just shy of 4 miles of trail to the reach the Continental Divide, with maybe the last mile requiring some hike-a-bike. Even the trail looked pretty clear cut - stay north of the creek for halfway, little jaunt to cross the creek twice, then climb up out of the marshy area before the push to the pass. Once at the summit, fly down to the Monarch Crest Trail just before Agate Creek and then ride north to Greens Creek. From there it was all downhill until we reached 50 again to return to the campground. At least that's what it looked like on the map... Pedaling up 210 - not a bad start to the ride!  It was that simple for the 10 miles. The county road was easy pedaling despite the gradual climb. Even when it turned to a forest service road, it was still pretty smooth pedaling. A ...