50 Miles

So... it's been a bit. I guess three-plus years may warrant an update here. Truth be told, I'd meant to revamp my blog on a new personal website, but I haven't made that happen yet. For now, I wanted to document my 50-mile race journey, so here's at least one post on the topic.

It started when I received an email from Trail Runner Magazine on May 9 with a 10 percent discount for the Silver Rush 50. Typically, 50-mile races are on Saturday, so I looked up the date without much hope. (I don't race on Sabbath.) Lo and behold, it was a Sunday race. (I searched to see if there were other potential Sunday races nearer and in my search there were only 13 Sunday 50-milers in the country and this was the closest besides a sold-out one in Oregon.) I immediately became excited and texted a couple running buddies just to plant the seed of possibility at a 50-mile race for more than just myself.* In the end, it took me a few weeks to finally register and I'm here by myself. But I'm thrilled.

Leadville, CO

The race is in Leadville, Colorado, an old mining town proud of its heritage and its height. It sits at 10,000' feet (more, but I don't recall the exact number and won't look it up—maybe 10,152'?). Everything is "the highest" this or that in the country. That's what I was told at the little SDA church I visited this morning. "We're the highest SDA church in America." Plus, I observed, the highest church in town—of which there are several—since it sits at the top of the town. In the ultrarunning community, Leadville is famous for the Leadville 100 run, one of the toughest in the country because of the altitude. My race, the Silver Rush 50, is a mere stepping point (qualifier) and training run for many who will be racing the full 100 in August. I suppose it's like taking your master's at an institution where the PhDs are the top dogs. I am the little guy in Leadville, but that's all right with me.

As soon as I received that email in May I began to think about long runs and mountain runs. I'd been gradually getting my running back after somewhat a slump the first few months of the year. This was a shot of adrenaline. One of my year's goals was to run 20 20-mile runs in the year and up to that point I'd run zero. I think in two weeks I started a string of 20-mile runs every weekend that got me up to about nine or so. Two in one weekend, if I recall correctly. (A weekend for me is Friday to Sunday.) My longest training run was up in the Horseshoe Meadow/Cottonwood Lakes area three weeks ago. It was all above 10,000' like the Silver Rush race and I traveled 35 miles. It took me nearly 9 hours. I blame crazy wind at the beginning, a couple steep climbs, and no aid stations. But I'm hoping I can greatly improve on that pace tomorrow.

The long and lonely road. I forgot where. But I did pass through a lot of desert.

View from my Utah run.

Netflix and chill, the kosher version. Utah campground with that Karl Metzler AT documentary on the tablet.

I trained fairly well, putting in a 75-mile week and about three 60-plus-mile weeks, along with a couple 50s. No serious injuries and I got to the mountains almost every weekend. I also enjoyed planning my trip. I decided to leave on July 4, which turned out to be great since there ended up not being any traffic. I camped overnight in southwest Utah at about 8,500' to jumpstart the blood's oxygen stuff. Did a pleasant little run there, slept okay, then took off in the morning for the high-altitude hours through to Leadville. I'm camping at Sugar Loafin' Campground, a family friendly place where I seem to be the lone tent in the RV section. I requested electric hookup. The tent section is way cooler, but I've appreciated charging my phone at night, charging my computer, and cooking with my electric wok (a hand-me-down from my great aunt Doris). I'm eating better here than I do in Loma Linda.

I got here on a Thursday evening and promptly went for a little wheezing jog. As I've said, 10,000' is no joke. After the run I realized I'd traveled a segment that is part of the Leadville 100, which means dozens of famous ultrarunners have also run that little section. It made me feel good. Friday I got groceries, visited this library (I love local libraries—that's another goal of mine and potential blogging project, to visit all kinds of small libraries across the country), bought a book at the local bookstore, and picked up my race packet. I went on a hike to Timberline lake in the afternoon and reveled in the storm clouds, thunder, and wildflowers. Today I went to church and now I'm here at the library again. Tomorrow I race.

I basically saw Anthony here at the library.

Timberline Lake with a soft drizzle, thunderclouds overhead, and the laughter of a child nearby camping with her parents.

It's been a whirlwind and I've really enjoyed it. I've appreciated the chilly nights cozied up in my tent; the three hours a day it takes to prepare, eat, and clean up my meals; the beautiful drive to the Timberline trailhead, with the flowers on the side of the road and the view over Turquoise Lake; the laughing neighbor kids and their pot-smoking dads; the fit and filthy mountain bikers and ultrarunners stacking the town for the weekend (there's a mountain bike race being wrapped up as I type); the drizzle each afternoon (right now, too!); smell of campfire and the campground showers; the audiobook I finished yesterday ("Ember in the Ashes") and the one I'm on today and tomorrow ("Traitor's Blade")—both are good! which is not overly common; grooving to Eryn Martin to town and back. It's just been lovely. I hope for more of it.

But first, I get to run 50 miles tomorrow. It will be painful, but for the first 15 miles it will be heaps fun, and once I'm done it will have seemed heaps fun. I will listen to hours and hours of my audiobook and then at some point it will be time to turn on my Silver Rush playlist and jam to the feeling of my sore quads and dehydrated kidneys. I will dream of running 100 miles next. Maybe attempting to get in to one of the big 100-milers (Western States, Leadville, Hardrock, etc.).

It's all part of the journey and I can't say I'd have it any other way.

A little bit of rainbow yesterday evening at Sugar Loafin'. My campsite is out of the frame to the left. 

*It took me until today to realize that Albert Handal had run this race last year and I'd known about it. So quickly I forget about which races happen when and where and by whom. 

PS: Race-day results should be available here at Athlinks. Maybe post-race results will also be there for the record?