Pikes Peak Marathon 2023 Report (17SEP2023)

6:28:50, with a 3:58:36 ascent and 2:30:14 descent.

I gave myself a lose predictor last week of a seven hour round trip.  It wasn't sandbagging in as much as I really didn't know what I could do.  I knew I was a far way from any sort of 5 hour attempt given recent runs and ... well, lack of training.  I hadn't run more than a dozen miles on any single run this year and the most vertical I got on any day was around 3k feet.  A 26 mile affair with 7800 feet of climbing was even questionable to finish.  

I had friends tell me I ought not to do it, but I felt I had to do it, simply to show I still could and I was not sure when, if ever, if I could do this again.  The goal was to finish.  And then from there, if I could make some sort of arbitrary goals while enroute, I'd do that.  But even race day, I was wondering if I'd be racing the cutoffs to just finish.

I will come back with what my splits were, but they are nothing stellar.  Pretty sure I got to Ruxton around 4 and change, and Hydro around 12.  I took no shame in going to the walk early and often - I didn't want to be worked over by the time I got to Barr Camp.  I got to the top of the Ws in just under 43 minutes and to No Name in about 63.  

It is a different dynamic in the race in this space.  I was getting passed by a lot of walkers who could just power by.  It was pretty amazing to see these tiny women with powerful glutes just kill the climb with a walk that looked like a Sunday afternoon stroll while I was trying to keep up with a sort walk-run-shuffle ... and I'd lose ground to them.  

With the wave start too you get passed by later starters (I was wave 1, but I am sure that is from old day times and it won't be the case if I return).  The trail is much more crowded at the start ... it is not a problem unto itself, but you can find your mindset tricked into doing things based on what is around you with other racers versus doing what you should.  You may want to walk because the others around you are when you should run ... and you may want to pass hard when you ought to chill.  

I did get to Barr Camp in about 1:50.  I was not overly worked but I knew I was working.  And then I almost didn't run another step the rest of the race.  I could feel the hamstrings starting to sing on the climb to A-Frame.  So, it was just moving forward.

The altitude became noticeable to me too.  I felt there were sections I could run from a leg perspective, but I'd be spiking my HR quickly when I did because I was not breathing great.   Probably a lack of time up high, hanging out at sea level last week, and some of the scarring from the PE.  And age, getting fat, etc.  I'd get waves of the "you are up high buddy" headache but was able to shake those with some adjustment.  

Somewhere around A-Frame I started doing the math for my predicted 4:20 climb.  It seemed very reasonable, but then I started thinking about it being quicker, and if I could pull a sub 4:00.  I knew it would be very close.  The miles before Barr were well on target but I knew it would be slower going, close to 2mph up high.  

It got challenging with the runners coming down too.  This has always been the case with the leaders coming down, but obviously the farther you are back in the pack - the more you have to deal with that.  And when you are dealing with it with people who are slower, they are more naturally going to come to a complete stop and wait for the downhiller to pass, versus just going to the side and still moving.  In some cases I'd stop, but in other cases, I'd just keep moving by the person who stopped.  It irritated a couple for sure ... 

Of course, on the up I saw JV coming down, JT as well.  It was good to see them having good races.  

The hammies were starting their cramping through the Golden Stairs, but I managed to walk it out a bit carefully.  As we crested that little ridge, I was around 3:55 so I was pretty sure I could get the sub 4, but also knew it would be tight.  I managed to gimp across at 3:58 and change.  I took some liquids and started the slow gimp down.  

I guess that means I did from Barr to the top in about 1:58.  Not an equal split, but pretty good for the type of work I had done.  

The game then shifted to if I could still get under 7 for a round trip.  I was moving VERY slowly through the rocks.  I could feel with any sort of curl to my leg the hammies start to yell and so I'd go to a walk to work that out.   I think my first mile down was like 18 minutes.   Of course, it starts to smooth out a little and you can get to running but it was careful and slow.  Really slow.   Saw Don S and gave him a high five - just love sharing the hill with that guy over the years.  

The run down is a constant monitoring the dashboard for me:  do I need fluids?  should I take a gel?  can I run?  watch those rocks!  hey there is a guy up there can we catch them?  oh shit the legs are cramping again!  ... etc, and adjusting.  I'd lose focus for a second and almost inevitably I'd almost take a digger.  Amazingly I didn't.  

And I was calculating:  could I still get a sub 2:40 on the down?  I know the signs down indicate a slightly greater distance to the finish then they actually are and I was thinking that would help me for four or five minutes.  

Once you get to Barr Camp ... the down seems almost like punishment for the sake of punishment.  You have done the thing, but you have a half dozen miles to still put it all to bed.  It is hot, you are tired, and the downs seem almost even more steep than they were on the way up.  

Somewhere in the Ws I knew I was going to break the 2:40 down and so it became a new adjustment to 2:30 it.  I got passed by three in the last 300 yards but I managed a 2:30:14 down for a total of 6:28:50.   9th in the age group and 175 overall.  

I am aware my down is nearly the same time I used to go up.  I am aware that sort of decline is inevitable.  But I am also aware of what I may still be capable of if I am willing to dedicate to it.  But I am mostly aware that I am happy that I got this done this time.  I could have easily not done this, but it was important to prove I still could and make it hurt a bit.  My brain is naturally thinking about what is next ... but any longer term aspirations are trumped by a short term understanding that I need to recover from this.

Labor Day Weekend 01-04SEP2023

Friday - 7 miles.  HAF.  Easily 95 this entire late afternoon run over at the Commons during the Legacy meet.  Slow.

Saturday = 8.4 miles.  Ran up Straight Creek road (which then becomes a path) for a bit.  I just had not explored up there.  Not bad but not wonderful (it parallels I70).

Sunday - decided I'd give Buffalo Mountain, the big one that overlooks Dillon a shot.  I knew it was 3000 feet, but I couldn't remember exactly how long it was to get up it.  That answer was 3 miles, meaning it was in excess of 15% grade on average, but the first mile hardly counts in any of that climb.  It was a great little day of hiking hard versus running (not sure anybody really runs the boulder talus there anyway).  

Anyway, I added 2 and some changes miles back down to the car pickup after getting back down for an 8 plus run ... was sort of happy that I could make those less than 8 minute miles.   Nice to have a day above 12k feet.

Monday - back down to Broomstock.  8 miles easy as the kids did some work.  A bit sore to start but this helped.  

The week was just over 53, with 7400 plus of vert.  So, a good one after the 30 feet I got in Mississippi.

Of course, the news in the music world over the weekend was the passing of Jimmy Buffet.

Saturday 08JUL2023

Thursday -  AM, 5.0 miles early.  Afternoon 3.1 along the ditch

Friday -  up in Dillon.  Decided I needed some quality so after a 30 minute warmup dropping onto the Blue River Trail, flipped and 10 of minute on and minute off.  Only the last one was on the climb back up to the dam.  I knew is was a good workout.   Not so much from a pace perspective, just a good workout in terms of where I am at.  I could feel it later through the night as I was pretty worked over. 

We headed to the Amphitheatre and caught Jenny and Mexicats.  Great show.

 

Saturday -  an easy 5 in Dillon on the dam.  Ran into Gabby up there who had just run 21 around the lake as part of her training prepping up for Imogene.  Headed back down to the Front Range for a great show at Mother Tuckers.  

Week ending 18JUL2022

Monday - nicely cooler and trying to get back on good habits ... again.  10 miles with a couple coming before practice.  Strides. 

Tuesday AM - super unmotivated but dragged up to go through the motions.  Over to the HS for practice with the Eagles, and then over to Eagle Hill for 8 x 1 minute.  Actually got going pretty well once I got past my wee brain BS.  8 miles.  

The band gigs have been great but it has put my own solo music stuff, including writing any of my own stuff, on a back burner.  I need to get back to some of that.  

Wednesday AM - 8 miles easy. 

Thursday AM - 5.2 miles with the team.
PM - 3 miles with the team in the evening.  Absolutely epic sunset.

Friday AM - outta NCAR with the team.  4.3 miles.

Saturday - up in Dillon so I went to Ptarmigan.  Ended up summiting but it took longer than I expected.  It is about six from the lot, but I didn't know that ahead and the false peaks fooled me a few times.  The wildflowers were at peak.

It was a good long run for me.  I ended up with 3500 of climbing too.  Was weird that at the trailhead I ran into Johanes ... haven't seen that guy in years and he didn't recognize me.  

Sunday - a bit sore from yesterday (understandable) so a quick one up to the bench on Ptarmigan before heading back to the flats (where it was 100 degrees v. 70 plus in Dillon).  5 miles.

55 plus on the week, but with over 7k of climbing - a better prep week for me than I have had in a bit.  And I got a couple of nights sleeping at 9k.  Working an Asia gig next week so my work day will be from 5PM to 2AM, so that will throw a wrench in the works.  

Big kudos to Pat G and Shad M for outstanding Hardrock performances,

Week ending 10JUL2022

Back at it.  Started the week in a bit of a mental funk with the events at the tail of the week, but recognized I need to keep grinding for the good.

Monday - 4th of July.  We went up and buried Bart at the ABC.  I still had the ashes from Lucy's cremation so I put those in with him  Won't lie - I was a blubbery mess with all of it and still am as it hits me.  It is not the thought of him as gone that gets you but the unexpected things that catch you because they have been habit for 14 years.  Going to feed the dogs and realize it is just feeding a dog and you only need to do one dish.  Stuff like that.  

So it was an day off with the up and down on the mountain.

Tuesday AM - with GW and RT at practice (over there and back too).  Gets hot early nowadays but expected.  8.1 miles.  

Didn't stay up for the fireworks last night.  I was just beat.  But saw the better show up on the hill before hitting the rack.

Forgot to mention we did a gig Saturday night over in Vista Ridge.  Ir was good fun.  Fireworks, rocking ten year olds, etc.  Was sorta nutty with rain coming in and then blowing back out and then coming back in over a few times but a blast in any case.  

Was up way too late on that day.  

Tuesday afternoon - cooled off with it being overcast.  JZ got me out on the ditch.  3.7 miles.

Tuesday night went over to Red Rocks and caught Lyle Lovett and Chris Issak. Just captivating entertainers at probably the best outdoor music venue on the planet.

Wednesday.  Beat.  Long work day.  Took the day off from running.  

Thursday - up early and went over to Lion's Lair with JV.  Been too long since I have run with that guy.  

It has been so long since I have been on Sanitas, they completely redid the back side trail (Lions Lair).  It is a nice grade but was still an ass kicker for me.  Need to get back,

Friday AM - over to Bobolink for a run with the Eagles.  8 miles.  A bit tired from yesterday but it worked out a bit.  

Saturday - 6.1 miles with GW outta Aquarius.  Did a gig at Front Range last night and then one on Saturday night at Mother Tuckers.

I had a pretty amazing moment at Front Range.  While playing a woman walked up to me and pointed to her ear.  I thought she was saying the music was too loud but then I somehow understood she was saying she was deaf and couldn't hear the music.  But she wanted to feel it.  She put her hands on the guitar and we enjoyed the music together.  

Sunday.  Hooboy.  Tired.  Hot.  And busy.  Had intentions of getting up early and going to do Green but a 1AM finish with the gig put the kibosh on that.  Life chores, etc. Ended up with near hour nap in the afternoon and so a goose egg to cap the most inconsistent running week I have had in a bit.  I guess I could rationalize and say I needed the nap.  

Will keep on plugging.  

Week ending 15MAY2022

Monday AM - 5.5 on the ditch. 
Afternoon - 4.5 miles around practice

Tuesday - 7 miles on practice.

Wednesday - 8.3 miles on practice.  Left calf on the outside was a bit "barky" ... I think I strained in my sleep as messed up as that sounds.  Seemed to loosen over the run.  

Thursday - 3 miles with KZ.  Super windy.  

Afternoon - 6 miles with the coaches.  Still windy.  Meh.

Friday AM.  Calf still pissed but it seems better when I run on it.  Got out with GW and SB and jumped in with SB on alternating laps of her miles (her workout) on the track.  5.8 miles.  

PM - got out with RP and TW after they ran the coaches 100m at the St. Vrain meet.  Both those dudes ran 12 and change which is pretty good for distance runners and especially since RP basically stood at attention out of the blocks.  4 miles.  Long day at Longmont for sure.

Saturday AM - 8.5 miles solo.  Nice loop with the up on Dillon Road.  Moved ok.  Calf seems a bit better today.  

Sunday - 8.4 miles mid day up in Fairplay.  Been a long time since I have run at 10k feet but I might be out of shape enough that I actually run more efficiently in it than when I am gunnin' (if that makes sense).  Back and forth on the pipeline, doing some hill repeats.  It is sort of impossible to get a flat run in out here (well, I guess there could be track loops at South Park HS if I was so inclined)

Ended the week with a bit over 60 with some increased quality in there - but honestly more of an exercise type of exercise than a training sort of thing.  Was concerned about the calf but that seemed to have settled down.  

Week ending 11JUL2021

Headed up to the hills for the holiday.  On Monday I headed up Ptarmigan outside of Dillon.  This must have been my first mountain run in 15 months.  I was cautious in any expectation of it, but was very enthused that I was not completely wrecked post.  I got about four miles up, and then the darkening clouds (that were grumbling with thunder) convinced me not to seek out the summit.  It was enough on round trip anyway.  

So, 8 miles, with just over 2200 feet of climb, getting to just over 11k feet.  Nothing to brag about but a nice step forward for me.  

The mountain wildflowers are a bit ridiculous right now.  

Tuesday AM - back down the hill  - 5.1 with practice.  A tad sore from the downhill yesterday.  

Tuesday PM - 3.1 along the ditch.  Tired.  

Wednesday - ah, yes ... two day DOMS.  Sorta forgot about that.  Six miles easy with practice.  Super easy.  Back up the hill to cooler temps and thinner air post.  

Thursday evening.  Still pretty sore.  I guess I am truly out of hill shape.  8 miles along the bike path in Dillon.  

Friday evening - got out on Cortina trail, and then connected up with the CDT up to Willow Brook Falls.  Very pretty run.  9 miles.  Had thought about the Buffalo Mountain thing but that looks like it is 21% for 2.5 miles and that is about all there is to it.  Not ready to do that sort of down.  Probably would have taken me just as long as this.

Sunday - 7.7 miles easy back in Broomstock.  Sorta smokey but not bad.  

55 mile week and Strava tells me that I got over 6k of vertical.  That is a pretty big week for me these days.  Admittedly, while I slog along these trails, the delusions of grandeur come to the fore of the mind.  I start thinking of Pikes and Leadville, and that maybe ...