LEADVILLE 100: The Journey Part 1. Getting to the start line

Wow! What a day - and night! - and following morning! And what a race!  I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the preparation leading up to it... because THAT is what really got me there.

Yes, after a summer (2016) spent running trails culminating in the Run Rabbit Run 50-miler last September, I decided to signed up for the famed Leadville 100.

RRR finish line! My FIRST mountain 50 in the books!

I had always said IF I was ever to do a 100, it WAS going to be Leadville. The mystique, the challenge and the grit of the course had always drawn me to it. I don't plan on making a lifestyle out of running 100s, so IF there was be one 100 I ran, IT was going to be Leadville. Hands down.

The elevation profile itself *kind of* shows some of the challenges

Knowing that, Leadville is a popular race with a lottery system. Since I didn't want to chance not getting in via the lottery, I signed up for the Leadville Camp (training camp) spot that included the entry into the race. It was a little more expensive that the lottery, but since I was already planning on doing the camp, it made my investment well worth it!

Next task, get a coach and set out a rock star training schedule. I found my awesome coach (Cindy Stonesmith) through a recommendation of my friend, Todd. We met, I loved her, she listened. Things were good.

Me and Cindy in March in Moab

Onto making a schedule that kept me motivated with fun stuff along the way! 
SIDE NOTE: I once trained for an Ironman (a YEAR of my life) where I got to the race, had an "ok" race, and had nothing to show for it. Not much fun in training. I had no awesome race day. No great memories leading up to it. It was almost like it wasn't worth it. From there, I vowed, never again. ALWAYS make the journey as important as the day. That way, if the race day goes bad (or is cancelled - as has happened to some friends of mine), you have the fun times leading up to it. 

Anyways, I came up with a list of races and events to keep me motivated. Each with a special purpose in mind.

Here's my countdown board to help me!

ORMOND BEACH 50K: Keep my mileage up through the winter AND get to see my parents!!! (It was by their Florida house.)

Finish line photo! 30 miles in the books. December 4, 2016.

BEHIND THE ROCKS 50K: This race I tested out "racing" a 50k followed by SPRING BREAK IN MOAB!!! I highly suggest this combination - super fun! (Not pictured: running. Pictured: active family fun.)

QUAD ROCK 50 Miler: OH MY GOODNESS! Holy early season mileage and elevation gain, Batman. But this race really got me ready for HARD MOUNTAIN running. And just time on my feet. IT took me 13 hours and 36 minutes and I worked every minute of it.

From the top of one of the SIX long, grueling climbs.

My finish line cheerers!

LEADVILLE TRAINING CAMP: This helped me get more familiar with the course (priceless), get me used to running in Z2 (and give me the confidence that I could sustain that) and, maybe most importantly, made FRIENDS!

View from climbing up Sugar Loaf Pass

Start of the night run with Jennifer - Hagerman Pass to the end!!!

SILVER RUSH 50-MILER: Here is where all of my training started to come together. I put together the components I had been practicing. My nutrition, my pacing, my heart rate zones, and my energy!!! It was a great confidence boost and let me know I was doing *some* things right. Followed that up with a heavy weekend the following weekend and I was READY for the race!

 

So, along with the events and races there were the people who spent time with me on my journey -- making it all that it was!

TODD has always been my long-running BFF and played a key role this year. He met me for many a-long Thursday trail run from winter through summer. He even came up to Leadville to run some of the course with me! I would have never gotten to the start line so prepared without his knowledge, wisdom, time and friendship.

Winter running - we were trying to beat the snowstorm. Didn't quite work.

It takes a GOOD friend to meet you for a sunrise (long) run. Every. Single. Week.

KELLY, too, shared many of the trails with me this Spring into early summer, races and a special trip up Hope in the final weeks to cement she and I were both ready for the course!

"Looking out" on Golden Eagle Lookout - Just more proof
we have a hard time taking ourselves seriously.

Running trails in Denver

The top of Hope Pass with Kelly a few weeks before!!!

 Once I got up to Summit County for the summer, I found some super cool friends through the running community making it "fun" to get up early on a Friday for a run and even more FUN to go over Hope twice in one day. (If you haven't figured it out, Hope Pass is kinda a big deal in this race.)

Double Hope Pass Run with Stacey & Kaitlyn

Checking out the Breck burn area with Lynn

 And then there was Leadville Camp... where I made a few friends, but many trail brothers and sisters. Some I will keep for years and others played essential roles leading up to and on race day for camaraderie. 

Jennifer (from camp) and I finishing Silver Rush!!!

Going for our own Night Run post camp with Donna (also from camp), Skaadi & Rebecca!

LASTLY, but most importantly, since trail running is a lot about hiking (you don't "run" up a mountain with 3,000' gain over 4 miles - or at least I don't), so there was lots of times and places to do "training" with the family. From hiking 14'ers, to backpacking, to mountain biking, I just tried to keep active with the family. Turns out, Ross is a pretty good hiker! And we created a lot of great family memories -and the kids didn't even know I was using it for training!

Resting on a hike up Mt. LINCOLN. 14,295'

Chillin' at some waterfalls we hiked to.

Mohawk Lake Hike 11,860'

Backpacking = Muscles!!!

Mountain Biking with my little one with our favorite mountain in the background.

Summiting Ute Peak with my love. 12,303'

Even with all this work and training, at one point, maybe about 6 weeks out, I started to doubt myself. It was then that I printed out some pictures from all my adventures and put them alongside my "Countdown to Leadville" board to remind me (literally) of all the steps I had taken to be prepared for the race. By the end, it looked something like this:

I am pretty proud of my year and how I sculpted it to include loads of friends, family, and CHALLENGES to get me to the start line. It was about a week out when I was talking with Sheri (a non-running friend) who said, "No matter what you do on race day, it's like you have already won!" And that rang so true!

YES! I wanted to have a great day. And YES! I wanted (almost needed) to finish. But her perspective was the exact reason I had been preparing and training the way I had.

With the year I had had, I had won Leadville before I even toed the line!!!

Behind the Rocks 50k... And Beyond!

What a day! What a day! Actually, what a trip!!!

We are back from Moab – our family Spring Break trip – and I realized that this was my sixth (yes, SIXTH!!!) time there, but the first with the kids! (more on that later)

We planned the trip around my Behind the Rocks 50k, which took place on the Saturday, March 25^th. I can’t recommend this race enough. It was super fun and just a great event.

On Friday, we traveled into Moab and, before we even hit the hotel we were out and climbing on stuff. First up, a giant sand dune.

Climbing up

View from the top of the dune!

After that it was onto the hotel to de-sand (ha! not possible) and onto packet pickup where I met up with Cindy (my coach) and we chatted about expectations and what to focus on.

The next morning, we were up early and it was cold. But I knew the sun would come up and I would warm up. And that I did.

Before the sun comes up!

The race began and I was off! Since I felt like last year I just ran, ran, ran, walk, walk, walk - ed, I REALLY just wanted to run this race all the way through (well, for the most part). So when the race started, off I went, at a real reasonable and easy pace.

The first couple miles are on a jeep road and I realized the sun was coming up behind me, so I stopped and took a picture.

I continued on, just plugging along and trying to figure my stuff out. I do the best is when I have clear goals in my head, so here's where I really melded one together. (I know, a little late, but better late than never.)

My Goal: Get to the end running most/all the way and feeling good and strong at the end.

My Strategy:
Miles 1 - 16: Just plug along. Keep my heartrate nice and light and just enjoy the views (this is a REALLY beautiful race).

Miles 16-24 : Push, but not too much. This was the  hard part - climbing out of one technical canyon and then up another one. I needed to push here and keep moving/running along. Walk when I must, but run everything else.

Miles 24-30: Keep it even. Now that I was out of the climbs and onto rolling terrain, just keep my heartrate even - push a little harder on the ups and recover on the downs.

Miles 30 - 32: Bring it home. Whatever I had left, I was going to use and just get. to. the. end.

Since I was just plugging along for the first half, here's some pictures of my first 16 miles:

After the first 2 miles, the trail turned to trail (not jeep road) and was more like this...

Which just made the views AMAZING!!!

Coming out of the first aid station. (I had a volunteer take my picture before I started running. Again.)

 

Don't be fooled - that looks WAY PRETTY, but was also lots of SAND that I had to slug through.

 

Still Happy at this point

I am not sure what that thing is in the distance, but I think it's famous.

This was in the last canyon we had to run DOWN before the halfway point!

It was steep and scary with much bouldering and scrambling here. 

So, I got to halfway and... no Ross or kids. :(

BUT, as I was filling up my waterpack, they drove up and jumped out only to tell me how great I was doing!!! Evidentally, I went faster than they planned, hence, the late entrance. I'll take that as a compliment.

 

Halfway - YAY!

After that, I knew that I was gonna tackle the hard part, so no more pictures. I worked on getting my way up and out of the canyon I was in. This part of the race was super technical and scary and, at one point, I was so stuck I couldn't get up a ledge without help from someone coming down - those short, little legs, I tell you. BUT, I will say, I enjoyed going up more than the scariness of coming down. 

Once out off of the Hunter Canyon Rim Trail, it was up Prichard Canyon (more climbing). I pushed when I could and walked when I had to. And... soon enough I was at the next aid station - YAY again. 

From there, it was rolling terrain and I ran a lot with another girl who we had been pacing close together the whole time. That was nice and kept my mind occupied, even if it caused extra exertion - hey, you pick your battles.

At mile 28, we had a SURPRISE aid station -- which was nice! But I think I ate a little too much (or the wrong thing) and didn't feel quite right coming out. It felt like it took me awhile to really get back up to speed, but now looking at the course profile, could have also been that I was going up and thought I was going flat. Either way, I hit mile 30 and was ready to rock'n roll. 

Mile 30 till the end is rolling downhill terrain, coupled with the fact that I KNEW I was CLOSE to the finish, I just booked it on in (using that term loosely, as I was only doing 10-min miles, at best). You see the finish from about .75 mile out, so I was just wanting to go-go-go till I got there. And THIS time, Ross and the kids were waiting for me!!!

World's Best Finish Line Pacers!

Can't say enough for my AMAZING BOYS!!!

So, there you have it. Step #2 in my Journey to Leadville. 20 weeks out and still loving the training. I am excited to tackle the next phase and also my first 50 miler this season. 

(It's a countdown - the numbers are counting weeks till races.)

Overall, I had a great race, finished faster than anticipated and also stronger than anticipated. In addition, my legs were good to go as early as the next day! We went mountain biking and all was great!

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PART TWO: THE KIDS

This was only the start to a totally fun Moab trip with the boys, where we basically spent 5 days climbing up, around and on anything possible. Rocks, sand dunes, canyons, arches, you name it. Basically, MY KID'S DREAM COME TRUE!!!