August 2007 Archives
I went running yesterday. Twice.
Seriously. When did I become a person who enjoyed running so much as to do it twice in one day? What is wrong with me?
The first one was an early morning trail run with the mutt. She was on her regular collar and we trotted along the trail and just enjoyed the morning. The second run was in the evening and it had a purpose. What was that purpose you ask? Well, we were working on her mushing commands and getting her used to the idea of pulling me.
Yesterday I finally ordered our starter skijoring kit, which is basically a sled dog harness for her, a belt for me, and a line that connects us. I'm waiting anxiously for its arrival so that we can go for training runs without her nearly pulling my arm out of the socket. Did you know that this whole dog/running thing is actually a sport? With races and everything? Its called canicross and its a great way to get the dogs used to pulling and listening to your commands.
The way I see it, this can only be a good thing. Along with the fact that its getting Maddie ready to do the real deal on real snow, its also going to help me with my running. Running behind a dog that is actually supposed to be pulling you is a bit like motor pacing on the bike. I was running way faster than my usual slog which, assuming I don't pound my knees and shins into oblivion, can only be a good thing for my running.
Hopefully our skijoring stuff should arrive tomorrow!
My mom said to me the other day "I bet you can't wait for winter can you?". My intial answer was "no, I can't wait for winter!" and then I thought about it some more and realized that since summers here are so great, maybe I'd like it if winter held off a little longer.
Our first winter in Colorado is likely to be a number of things, one of which is incredibly expensive. We want to ski and we want to snowshoe and we basically have no equipment to do either. Not to mention buying passes, etc. I already burned through the REI gift cards I got for graduation ... I'm hoping to get more for my birthday in a few weeks, which will hopefully soften the financial blow somewhat.
But its true, I am very very excited for winter to come. One thing that I absolutely cannot wait to do is start skijoring with Maddie. She is no sled dog but she loves to run, can go for hours, and is much stronger than her 53 pounds suggests! I have already been in contact with someone from the local mushing club who is going to help me get going. They are giving me all kinds of tips on how to get started, have invited me out to watch some training sessions, and are even going to hook my girl up with one of their experienced dogs to show her the ropes! I have been wanting to do this for a long time and am so excited to finally get started!
In other news, the fiance is working on a snazzy new layout for my blog which not only looks cool but also will let me upload pictures with much greater ease! Hope to have it up and running in the next couple days - stay tuned!
I'm not sure how I feel about the Leadville Trail 100. After spending the weekend spectating/cheering/learning I can't quite decide if I want to make it a long term goal or stay far FAR away.
We rolled into Leadville (yet again) Friday evening. We ate some pizza, pitched the tent, and set my phone alarm for 3 a.m. Yes, 3 a.m.. Why this race starts at 4 a.m. is something I still have yet to understand. Saturday morning we threw on our fleece and headed for town to watch the start.
At 3:45 there were 592 very lean bodies milling around the start area. At 4 a.m. the shotgun blew and those 592 bodies headed down the dark roads of Leadville to the even darker trail that circles Mirror Lake. The sea of headlamps bobbing down the road into the unknown was a truly breathtaking sight.
J, Maddie and I met up with the runners again circa mile 13, after they made their loop around Turqoise Lake, and before they really headed off into the mountains. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, the steam was rising from the lake, and most runners seemed to be in good spirits. It was a nice morning for a little run. There were a few runners who even at mile 13 looked like they were struggling and many would drop out at the next checkpoint. It was going to be a long day.
After a nap (we did get up at 3 a.m. remember?) we headed out to Twin Lakes where we spent the afternoon cheering on the runners at the mile 40 checkpoint. We saw the race leader, who would eventually win by three hours, running the other way. Just as most runners were about to head for Hope Pass (topping out at 12,620 feet), the sky opened up and the rain came down. Along with thunder and lightening. I wouldn't have wanted to be going up there.
We met up with the runners again later that evening at the Fish Hatchery aid station, circa mile 75. The sun was beginning to go down and the temperature was plumetting. At this point most runners had pacers with them (allowed after mile 50) as they headed off into the darkness. We stayed for a few hours and then went to grab some dinner. As I walked out to the tent at 11 p.m. and realized just how dark it is out there, I wondered how these people could do it.
Morning came and we headed back to town. We hung out at the finish line for the final two hours (that would be hours 28-30) (yes, twenty eight to thirty hours!) trudged in. All late race finishers were welcomed back to Leadville by a huge crowd. They ran up a red carpet and each one received a hug along with their finish medal from the race director. Belt buckles will be doled out at the awards ceremony this evening.
In the end, roughly a third of those who began the race Saturday morning made it to the finish line. One third. Part of me was terrified by this experience. Part of me was inspired. I am a long way from being ready for anything like Leadville, but I definitely want to give ultrarunning a try. I was already planning on running the Leadville Trail Marathon next year but I might also try to find a 50k and maybe even a 50 mile to do. I'd also really like to be a pacer at LT100 next year. We'll see ...
A week and a half ago, following a fantastic lunch in downtown Denver with Mad, my friend DTK and I headed for her cabin in the mountains.
We partied like true rock stars - getting giggly after half a pint of beer and falling asleep before 10 a.m. Josh and Maddie and DTK's sister and her dog met us up there Friday night and we spent the next day or two drinking coffee and beer, hiking in the mountains, talking politics, coming up with dirty names for our gas station chain, and letting the dogs romp in what I'm sure they consider to be the happiest place on earth.
And then on Sunday we headed to Leadville for the burro races. Let me tell you this: I have found my new sport! Obviously there are some logistical difficulties (basically, the fact that I don't actually own a burro) but if I can figure out a way to do this race next year, I am IN. There were two different courses - the women's was 15ish miles and the men's (plus any woman who wanted to compete with the men) course was 21ish miles - up and over Mosquito Pass. You have to run with the burros, you can't ride them. And burros can be stubborn. It looked really really hard - and like a helluva lot of fun!
The day after we got home from the mountains I loaded up the car and the mutt and headed east on I70 to visit the family in what turned out to be ridiculously steamy Kansas City. Colorado summer has made us soft. It was brutally, miserably hot - even at 10 p.m. when my mom and I would finally get out to walk the dogs. I brought my running shoes but there was no way I was running in that heat.
My dad was in the hospital for his second round of treatment. Being there with him was both physically and emotionally exhausting. He did pretty well though and was so very grateful that I came down. I think this time was a bit more mentally draining on him than last time, and it was definitely a bit of an emotional roller coaster, but that is to be expected. He got to come home halfway through my visit and we all did a lot of laying around and watching movies and my mom and I went shopping several times while he hung out with the dogs.
Yesterday morning I finally pointed the car west and headed home. And it is GREAT to be back. We went up to Boulder last night for dinner and drinks and I marveled at just how nice it was to be out of the inferno I had spent the last week in. Josh had spent the weekend in Leadville for the LT100 mountain bike race and had all kinds of stories for me. Now we get a week to recover and this coming weekend its back up to Leadville (which is quickly becoming our second home) to volunteer/spectate at the 100 mile run.
That was just the quick recap ... more on a lot of this later ...
