Transrockies Road Trip Update

One more taken last Sunday

Photos taken last Saturday during Leadville 100

Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you... That's the apprehension I'm beginning to feel about the upcoming Colorado road trip. We prepared as best we can, got the car serviced, made lists, checked the condition of our equipment, made last minute purchases, contacted friends, doted on the dogs and the cat, reminded the house sitter when we are leaving, and on and on. Then suddenly it dawns on me... I'm going to be running for six straight days, at altitude, and I'm not trained... or more correctly not trained enough, especially the past two weeks while injury has kept me off the trails. But, my altitude training has been almost non-existent this year, consisting of two long runs above 8,000'. It's not all sea level runs - my routine runs of 10-15 miles occur between 3,000' and 4,000', and almost all of the runs have a significant vertical component. I feel sorry for runners from Florida or New Jersey (snicker snicker) whose hill training consists of running over highway overpasses.

I haven't seen Doug in three weeks. Where he finds the energyat his age (69) is beyond comprehension. Since he recruited me for the Transrockies, he's been to Australia, New Zealand, Washington DC, and most recently on a bicycle ride from San Francisco to his home in the OC. And he still finds time for training runs. This week he's back-packing in Breckenridge Colorado getting what he refers to as his Mountain MOJO on.... amazing. He phoned just before leaving and made me promise to stay with him during the race if he has to walk. I agreed as long as he promised to stay with me while I crawled.

View of Twin Lakes from Hope Pass (Stage 2)

Aug 21 update - Just received a call from friends on their way to Boulder. Her quote "Harvey, are you out of your f'n mind. The snow's down to 10,000'?" It's not all bad though - I could hear her husband in the background saying "12,000"!

Aug 19 update

Rain, snow, and sleet are forecast for the entire week... Several friends ran the Leadville 100 (including Hope Pass) last Saturday and Sunday and report the conditions were the most miserable they had ever raced in. Oh boy - I can hardly wait!

If it ain't one damn leg, it's another.

I didn't want to admit that I have been nursing an injury for the past couple of weeks... I didn't want to raise the hopes of my Transrockies age group competitors. I stressed the obturator exturnus in my left hip. Yes - I have a pain in the ass. Fortunately Annie is also a massage therapist and has been doing trigger point treatments in the evenings. Her deep tissue work, Naprosin, and ice have been working wonders... Rest? I don't need no stinkin' rest!

And today while on a hilly, though not terribly technical ten miler, and while congratulating myself for taking it easy, I cramped in my right calf. I can run with a pain in the ass (not you Doug) but not with a damaged calf. Looks like I'll be starting my Transrockies taper a couple of weeks early.

Now, I'll wrap it with ice, elevate it, and have a cold beer... can't risk further injury at this point in the game.

Old Goat Runners Web Site is Now On Line

http://www.oldgoatrunners.com/

This site provides information about the Old Goat Trail Races. The 3rd Old Goat's 50 Mile Trail Race is scheduled for 28 March 2009, and the 1st Chimera 100K is anticipated (date to be determined) in the fall of 2009. For those running the 2008 Transrockies 1?? mile race, be forewarned - the Old Goat's 50 has more net elevation change... AND you get the damn thing over with in 14 hours or less. The best part is it costs $1,170 less!

On-line registration: http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1612727&assetId=cf631233-09bd-4139-b677-ae09934701e7