Rainbow Dreaming

It’s not like I haven’t been thinking about the next great challenge - I just haven’t had time. But you can’t hide from reality for too long. In less then 30 days, I’ll be at the southern terminus of the Rainbow Trail, about to make my first ascent of Music Pass. I’ll be on the starting line with some new friends, staring into the pre-dawn darkness. And when we are sent out into the wilderness, I’ll have 36 hours to cover 104.1 miles. Months ago, that was an abstract thought. I had plenty of time to prepare, put in the training and get organized. I had the entire summer to get ready for this final test! Now? The date inches ever closer. I can’t hide from the count down in Training Peaks, nor can I escape the reality. Summer is almost over and that means on thing. It’s time to follow the Rainbow Trail. 

Mountains and miles...

I think from a preparation perspective, I’m as ready as I can be. I’m definitely more dialed in terms of gear then I was before Stories. I learned from the long runs and races over the summer. I gathered all the warm layers for the chilly fall night. I have a light weight puffy and rain pants. I discovered during Last Call what the limits of my Osprey Dyna 6 was for carrying gear. And so I invested in a larger pack to carry the warm clothes for the overnight hours! I’ve done my last few long runs with that new Dyna 15, getting the fit right. I’ve run with it carrying minimal gear and then fully loaded. I’ve practiced with my poles to make sure they carry well on the new pack. I’ve gotten my clothes figured out - from my skirt and capris to the two long sleeved shirts I’ll wear - one for the day and one for night. Shoes and socks are always the big question mark - at Stories I was able the change shoes as often as I needed. Here? It’s nearly 40 miles between crew points. Shoes have to be on point. Sure, there will be drop bags now - so I can have pair of shoes out of course. But ideally, I’ll make it to the halfway point without having to change shoes. Sock will be the reliable Swiftwicks - I know they work and my feet love them. Short socks for the day and longer compression socks in the last half. 

It’s the training that’s always the big question. Have I done enough? Have I done too much? I know that I really don’t need to do another long run between now and race day. I do have a marathon planned - but mostly rolling to down hill. A far cry from the climbing I’ll face on the Music Pass ascent. It’s easy to look back and panic that I haven’t done the huge back to backs. Or any back to backs for that matter. Just a consistent 20-30 mile long run each week with the exception of the recovery week after Last Call. My pace for the last few long runs hasn’t been stellar, but I’ve gotten good climbing, good time on feet and some solid heat training. That’s what matters more then pace. It’s easy to get caught up in the more is more mentality, but at this point - I have to remember the less is more. The miles are on my legs. I need to have the excitement to be racing more then another long run. I know I have the endurance of a season of ultras. I’m fitter then I was when I stepped into the unknown at Stories.

I need to harness what I’ve learned along this journey. Put it all together and focus on the goal. One thing that scares me is finality. I know I’ve written about how I prefer courses with set segments and goals I can plan for. Stories had that aspect, but also had the flexibility of being able to stop at any point. After 100k, if I was done, I was done. It just happened that I felt solid the entire night and was able to keep going for longer then I’d imagined. Not here - not on the Rainbow Trail. If I don’t make that final ascent of Music Pass, everything that I’ve worked towards is for naught. There is no stopping after 100k and deciding I’ve had enough. It’s 104.1 miles or bust. I can make my plan, estimate my segment times and the gear/food I’ll need for each segment. I can anticipated slowing down as night falls and fatigue sets in. I can adjust my food based on how I’m feeling and what I can stomach. These are the things I have an illusion of control. I also won’t be seeing the friendly faces of my crew every 3/4/6/7 miles like at Stories. I’ll see Nick three times before the finish - at miles 8.8, 52.9 and 96.5. I have no pacers and haven’t looked for any. The only company I have will other racers and the volunteers. In some ways, I’m looking forward to lonesome hours. Once I leave Music Meadows, it’s me and the trail. Have I learned enough to reach the end of the Rainbow Trail?