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Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 12:48 PM
Subject: Incline Club TH #9 LR #28
Wow, Thursday we shattered another club record when 57 came out! It seems with the bigger groups I also get more questions and the favorite one being asked now is “how far up the Barr Trail should I go on Sundays before I just go all the way?” These up/down runs have more risk associated with them not the least of which is not recovering properly. Personally (key word there) I don’t want to go much higher than the A-frame and then have to run all the way back down. For me, going any longer (with that much downhill) would mess up my week. Your mess up factor is most likely different than mine! Some are going all the way to the 2 mile sign and back while others settle for the bottomless pit sign. Some that know their downhill limits are sticking with Waldo/LRR until all the snow melts. Others are already heading for the top.
For many years we never had this “dilemma” because the trail was covered in so much snow we never got to the top until the Elk park runs. In fact several of us have noted how much easier a bottom to top run is compared to an A-frame and back run. So much so that after just two trips to the top (pounding out the trail in the snow) some of us are getting ready to add more onto that run. One run being considered is to run to the A-frame, run back to Barr Camp, then run to the top. Variations on the theme could include doing different sections (as well as shorter or longer sections) as the down portion. These runs should offer the best of both worlds — more distance and more rare air. However they will not have so much down in them that we get all beat up. There is an important difference between being tired and being beat up, just as there is a fine line between being tired and being exhausted — these are lines that should not be crossed in training!
####
Thursday, May 31, 5:30 p.m. meet at Soda Springs Park.
Warm-up to the Hwy 24 bypass. 10 repeats or 40 minutes whichever comes
first. 4 X 100 yard skips and kneelifts in the grass. Cool-down back to
park.
Sunday, June 3, 8 a.m. meet at Soda Springs Park.
Run up the Barr Trail to the A-frame or until you reach your time limit.
Head back down Barr Trail to finish the run. 2.5-3.5 hours. Or if the snow
traverse sections don’t bother you head on to the top. For the deluxe tour
run to the A-frame, back to Barr Camp and then on to the top.
####
Matt C writes:
Some of us that went for the summit run last Sunday got “courtesy parking
tickets.” I will try to find out what the deal there is. In theory based on
the posted signs we should be able to park there until 1pm before we get
tickets but for some reason we all got them at around 12:30. I am hoping
that was just a Memorial Day deal but if you are one of the ones who like to
hang out on the top (or if it takes all day just to get to the top) you may
want to park at Memorial park and do the 4 minute jog to meet up with the
group.
####
Adam F writes:
I periodically donate platelets. It’s a longer procedure call apheresis. It
takes about 2 hours. They remove the blood, separate the components using a
series of centrifuges, then return the red blood to you. It only takes 24-48
hrs for the blood volume to return. You can donate again after 2 days. They
limit you to 13 such donations a year. I can run pretty hard the next day. I
think I’ve raced on a weekend after giving platelets early in the week. I
went to platelet donation because it was too hard to time my whole blood
donation. Platelets are extremely valuable, especially for cancer and burn
patients.
Red Cross, Bonfils in Colorado, makes you wait 8 weeks between whole blood donations. I think that’s a pretty good guide for runners, though that may be shorter for trained athletes. That’s just a conjecture. You could use a whole blood donation to supplement your training. Do it 8 weeks out. I think the training in the first few weeks after that, with lower red blood cells, might improve your oxygen carrying capacity. You can even do a double red blood cell donation.
####
Valerie P writes:
Not sure if anyone else has sent an update on the condition of Elk Park,
but here’s my version, as of Sunday.
Overall, not bad, zero fallen trees, and patchy, deep, snow.
The first 1.5 to 1.75 miles were the worst. Many patches of deep snow that only had 1 set of foot prints through them. Had to post hole it a bit and stop frequently to empty snow out of my shoes. After that, it was almost completely clear and I was on my way to Barr Camp, then onto the summit, which...well, made Elk Park seem effortless.
####
Yvonne C writes:
The club BOA shirts arrived at the Colorado Running Company today!!! Next
step — the printer. If you have not done so please give me your money for
your order this Thursday (or Sunday if you don’t do the Thursday’s). No
matter how you do it, I would like to deposit the money on Monday the 4th.
####
Mike K writes:
Run Report — Far West IC
9:37am. Get out of bed, get dressed and go outside to run. The trail is 200
feet from my house so there is no commute to the run! It has been one week
since I moved into my rental house up in the mountains of Santa Cruz county.
My house (along with one other) is in the Castle Rock State Park of northern
California, near Silicon Valley. I take the uphill turn on the trail and am
immediately slogging upward on a steep incline. The trail is surrounded by a
dozen different trees including redwood, madrone, fir, oak, and pine. This
is a dense forest so the trail is often dark and I am rarely in full sun.
The trail itself is very soft with a carpet of leaves and needles. It
actually seems softer than a college track. The scenery is incredible with
rapidly changing flora. Bikes are banned on most of the trails here so that
leaves them in pristine condition. Instead of jumping/climbing over rocks
like in Colorado, I have to jump over fallen trees of which there are many.
There are no bears here but there are rattlesnakes and somewhat annoying
spider webs strung across the trail every 100 yards or so.
After 30 minutes I reach the 3000 foot level (!) and turn around. Out of 4 runs of 4 hours total I have not seen a single person. No unleashed dogs, no rabid bikers, no Oprahs. So I have my own personal trail I tell myself. I think I will like it here after all...
####
Tim E writes:
in Albuquerque at the moment (working) and will be absent for tomorrow’s
IC workout. I enjoyed reading this email. I am trying to improve my bad
habits: I’m guilty of mistakes # 1,2. I am also looking forward to the new
shirts. Yvonne’s right — other runners will be gassed when passed by many an IC shirt-wearing-runner!
I’m proud to announce I’m still running every day. I figure there’s not much interest in who the streakers are — as I haven’t seen any mention of it lately, but that’s ok. I enjoy being able to say I’ve run every day since Christmas. Lately my hectic schedule has made a daily run hard to squeeze in.
Last night I checked-in to the hotel about 10:00 — hadn’t yet run for the day, so I ran to a friend’s house to hand-deliver a letter. The house was dark, so I put the letter in their mailbox & headed back. 1/4 mi away they drove past me — I recognized their car. I turned around and sprinted back to their house. They were soooooo surprised to realize that runner they saw running down their street in the dark was me. I was lucky to have such good timing!.
Got back to the hotel and slept like a baby. That made me realize I need to get my daily run in during the pre-work hours. Wish me luck!
(Matt C adds: Connilee W, Joe C and Matt C are still streaking as well)
####
Barr Trail Mountain Race update:
The race is now 70% full. On Friday the price will raise by $5 so if you are
thinking about doing the race now is as good as time as any to register.
www.active.com
####
R Reports:
Teresa T reports:
Sulphur Springs 100 Mile Trail Run, Ancaster Ontario — Canada.
May 28 and 27.
Neal’s version: We were there, we ran, we finished, and we are done(Man of many words)
Teresa’s version: Results: 1st woman, 23 hrs, 38 minutes, 5th overall. Neal ran 26 hrs 45 minutes.
Neal’s father, Dave, always told me someday I would beat Neal. All I needed was to believe it. Now I do — as I beat him by three hours! 100 Miles, the great equalizer. You never know going into one of these how it will come out. You hope to finish, and from there, your plans change as it evolves. I always expected Neal to catch me, so in essence, he pushed me through the whole thing! (He was as close as 30 minutes at one point) No one was more surprised than I when he didn’t. And to lead the woman’s race was scary — I have not been in that position for many years. The second place woman was as close as 28 minutes at one point. To keep pushing to stay in the lead for 100 miles was pretty mental. Great long and tough Sunday runs sure helped with the mental part.
Great forested course, great people, great trip. See you all soon.
####
Steve B reports:
Wyoming didn’t have a marathon until some “fifty stater’s,” those strange
fanatics not satisfied to simply run a marathon, but who insist on running a
marathon in each of the fifty states, talked the organizers of a fifty miler
near Cheyenne into also adding the standard marathon distance to their race.
Being just a three hour drive for me it was easy to incorporate it into
Laila and my marathon schedule for this year. Conveniently, the “Rocky
Mountain Marathon” is also a race in the Skyracing circuit of mountain trail
racing.
Before I found out who was running the marathon I had anticipated breaking the course record of 3:24. The course, 70% of which is on dirt roads, starts at 8900’ elevation, and with continual ups and downs along the way drops to 8100’ at the turnaround. The way back is much harder... I succeeded in running it in 3:12, but a certain Dave Mackey from Boulder had already crossed the finish line ten minutes ahead of me.
Laila fared better than I placewise, finishing first among the fair sex and ninth overall with a strong 3:51 on this “ultra-like” marathon. I was astonished at how close she was to me at the turn around point, looking fresh enough to be on a five mile easy training jog! We both agreed afterwards that this was the most difficult marathon course we had run outside of Pikes Peak or the Aspen Sky Marathon.
Taking advantage of one the perks we enjoy with the military, I had reserved a suite at F.E. Warren Air Force Base near Cheyenne for $21 a night. Once settled in we made our way to the pasta dinner in an Italian restaurant nearby where we found our friend from the Springs, Craig Hess and got the course briefing.
Though the race director’s motto is “Where the race director promises nothing, and he delivers,” for the most part the support was acceptable with aid stations spaced about four miles apart. Unfortunately, when I passed by the volunteers were for the most part unready to deliver the goods and I had stop and open bottles. On the way back to my dismay they had dismantled an aid station leaving only one (!) station for the last ten miles of the course! Everyone finished the course in a state of severe dehydration. It wasn’t until the next day that I considered myself properly rehydrated.
Following the 45 minute drive from F.E. Warren AFB to the race start in the Medicine Bow National Forest at the Lincoln Memorial(exit 323 off I-80), we barely had time to fit in the obligatory prerace “pit stop,” jogging to the start line just as the race director peremptorily and without preamble stated simply “runners go.”
Jonathan Cavner, who was running the half marathon took off quickly. On the steep downhill that marked the first mile of the race I felt okay with matching his pace and quickly caught up to him. “Is that Dave Mackey” I asked, referring to the nearest runner behind us by about 100 yards. “No, Dave must have missed the race start!” No one else was in sight after the first mile. Soon “Eric from Longmont” caught up to me--he was running the half as well. Looking back I saw the runner who would prove to be Dave Mackey slowly gaining ground. Eric pulled ahead intent on reaching Jonathan who now commanded a 200 yard lead. Twenty minutes into the race Dave pulled alongside and we met for the first time, though he had also passed me about twenty minutes into the Aspen Sky half marathon nearly a year before.
At the turnaround for the half marathon, roughly six and a half miles into the race, I was surprised to see that it had taken me 44 minutes, just under seven minutes per mile, though the effort felt like 5:45 per mile--clearly the altitude was going to make this race challenging.
Soon after where the half marathoners had turned around we came on the “paved stretch"--a stretch of I-80 service road paralleling the freeway for
about two and a half miles. Dave had opened up a lead on me that stretched
roughly two highway markers. I concentrated my effort and attempted to close
the gap, tracking the distance using the markers to gauge my progress. By
the end of the paved stretch I had gained ground, but once on the dirt again
I could no longer consistently spot him. I reached the turnaround in 1:27,
about two minutes behind. A couple others only a couple minutes behind me
kept me on my toes. I thought of visiting the only rest room I had spotted
on the entire course, but didn’t want to risk losing a place in the process,
so I soldiered on. Ten minutes after I had turned around Laila as the first
woman and definitely in the top ten passed by in
This time on the pavement was not as easy as on the way out. Dave was now
five hiway markers out in front and barely discernable in the distance--I
measured him at five minutes ahead of me at this point and the way I felt
there was virtually no chance of catching him.
Rounding the corner and leaving the asphalt to go under the freeway I was
dismayed to find that they had abandoned an aid station! This four miles
after the last aid station! I wasn’t until three more miles that a much
needed water station came into view. The last six miles was difficult, but
not as bad as I had imagined it would be. Still, the effects of dehydration
took their toll, and I covered the last four miles in a Bataan-like death
march time of 38 minutes, finishing in 3:12.
We stayed one more night in our luxurious quarters at FE Warren, before
driving up to South Dakota, where we hiked to the highest point of that
state, Harney Peak the next day; also taking in the Crazy Horse monument in
progress &151; will be the largest statue in the world when completed--they are
carving a granite mountain into a likeness of Crazy Horse, the famous Sioux
Indian warrior. That night we stayed at Ellsworth AFB near Rapid City and
the following day (today as I write this) we drove north to North Dakota
where we ascended the highest point of that state, White Butte, pursuing yet
another of our “lists,” to climb the highest point in all of the fifty
states. Tomorrow, Laila will get another state high point — Nebraska: a
state I have already bagged.
The counts:
####
So, Lindsay and I traveled to Vedauwoo, near Laramie,
Wyoming, Friday evening. Free camping is allowed
everywhere besides the Vedauwoo campground($10/night).
The scenery is spectacular. Unique rock formations
scatter the area. The next morning we woke up and met
up with Dave and Ellen his girlfriend. We spent the
day climbing the hard, slippery granite of Vedauwoo.
By the time the day was over I was cut up and we were
all sun burned. But, much fun was had by all.
The next morning we woke up at 4:30 am to make the
race start of 6:00 am. We drove to the Lincoln
Monument rest stop only about 7 miles away. The dirt
road, out and back course was described as 1000 ft. of
elevation drop within the first couple miles and a
1000 ft. of gain right before the half marathon turn
around. The marathon continues on relatively flat
terrain before the turn around. Dave had decided to
run the full marathon after all. I had no intentions
of changing my plans of doing the half. Steve B,
Laila H and Craig H also showed up due to their
marathon in every state pursuit. There seemed to be
probably a couple hundred people all together, though
I’m not sure how many people were in each race though.
We lined up at the start line. A prayer was prayed
before the start. Then the race director surprised us
all by just saying, “GO!” I took the lead at the
start, but could here feet quickly catching up to me.
It turned out to be Steve B. We ran together for the
first mile and then he wished me luck and I left.
Looking back at that point I could tell that I had one
competitor that was hot after me. So, I upped the
pace slightly and continued on by myself. About three
miles into the race I passed the first aid station. I
was handed a bottle of Gatorade which I took a few
swallows and traveled on. About four and a half miles
into the race I reached the first major hill which
continued “Rampart Range” style to the turn around and
a drink from a Gatorade bottle. At the turn around I
realized that the guy behind me was only about 30-40
seconds at my flank. The downhill went by fast and
pretty soon I was at the first aid station again. I
yelled Gatorade. They said, “All we have is water.” All the Gatorade bottles had been opened but not
finished. I freaked them out by running through the
aid station, grabbing one of the used Gatorade
bottles, taking a swig and running on. Kept looking
back, but the turns in the road prohibited me from
seeing the guy behind me. Hit the big hill and knew
the finish was at the top. Incline club training came
into play and I powered the mile and half to the
finish. Winning with time 1:27:35 (course record).
Second place, Erik from Fort Collins, was 1:28:38.
Dave Mackey came in first for the marathon 3:02
something(course record). Steve B was 2nd at 3:12
something. Laila H won easily (forget the exact time).
Overall race impression:
####
5/24/2001 The Thursday club attendance record was broken today when 57 came
out for a 30 minute tempo run up the Barr Trail. Too many people set PRs
today to even begin to mention. Some credited the form/cadence/tangents
discussion that took place before the run. Several are starting to do extra
Hydro hills and some are even doing easy runs up to No Name after their
tempo run. Things are really shaping up nicely!
####
Matt Carpenter
Barr Trail Mountain Race
Top | Previous | Next | 2001 Index | Newsletter Index
Steve: 24 marathon states, 3 provinces; 32 state high points
Laila: 20 marathon states, 1 province; 15 state high points
Jonathan C reports:
The trip materialized when Dave Mackey and I were
talking after the Collegiate Peaks race. We thought
that it would be fun to rock climb in Vedauwoo on
Saturday and run the half marathon on Sunday. Over
the next few weeks we confirmed this plan.
Fairly disorganized. Didn’t have many volunteers.
Ran out of Gatorade at the aid stations. No prizes for
first, second, or third. Nice finisher metals though.
5% paved road (marathon only) was more like 30%.
Elevation drop/loss didn’t seem as significant as
portrayed. Definitely should NOT be in the Skyrunning
race circuit.
WWW posts:
5/27/2001 Lots of races and the memorial day weekend did not keep 57 of us
from meeting for a long run. About 12 people made it all the way to the top!
There is just a few steps of snow getting to the A-frame. Getting to the two
mile sign is also not too bad. The traverse over to the 1 mile sign has
quite a bit of snow left and from there up it is still mostly snow but for
the most part footing is good due to the traffic. However, if you are not
used to traversing steep snow fields it may be better to wait another week
or two.
Go out hard, when it hurts speed up...
www.skyrunner.com
www.runpikespeak.com