6 days ago hadn’t heard of Creede.  Spirit broken after failing to finish last Saturday.  It’s not that I didn’t finish, it’s that I quit.  Let conditions of the day – heat, altitude, nausea, crowd – break me.  Additionally, opened the door/the possibility of ending my streak, 54 months marathoning.  Bright side: Dirty 30 highlighted holes in my training, tweaks I could make before Bighorn.

15 marathons past 5 months, 1000 miles complete.  Stronger than 2015, the year I went Maniac ‘Platinum’.  HUGE miss in this year’s Bighorn quest?  Failed to run BIGGER in my own backyard.  Knocked off a lotta East Coast targets but only ONE trail – and nothing over 7000ft, even in training.  Insert: Creede.  Small mining town 6 hours from my front door stoop.

Marathon field < 50, mix of dirt & Colorado asphalt.  High altitude [9000ft+] without the technical bouldering of Dirty 30.  Thanks 50 Stater-Beth for sharing your race calendar (post-run Vermont).  Wasn’t looking for a BONUS race then.  No crystal ball, didn’t know.

Direct from work, journeyed solo outta Boulder.  3 hours tonite, 3 hours predawn – too fatigued for a drive straight-shot.  Bedded in Salida, up again at 2:45am.  Race dressed, key on the dresser, door locked behind.  Rolled into Creede 5:35am, 10 minutes to spare (bib pick-up/registration).  99.  Same EXACT bib # as last Saturday.  What are the chances?  Cursed or redemption?

mining town past

School bus boarded at 6.  Cold morning shiver, mercury would soar 40+ degrees by race end.  Stopped 20 minutes outside of Silverton.  Out-n-back course.  Dawn burst o’er the surrounding peaks, bright & blinding.  Beautiful part of Colorado enveloped by canyon.

7am Mountain time.  Start Line drawn in the dirt, headwaters of the Rio Grande (same Rio Grande, Texas to Mexico).  Sported an ultra-vest (no cup event): bottle of water, bottle of electrolytes.  Slight grade first couple miles, remainder of the day flat – ultimately descending into town, 8800ft elevation.  Mountain time 😊

Popped on Highway 149 [Mile 5].  Notta fan of running highway; that said, notta lotta early morning traffic Silverton-Creede either.  Perspective.  Added an extra .75 (third-quarters mile) – ARGH – went left, later righted by a race cyclist.  But, not my first rodeo.  Would drop back on dirt mile 18, joined by Halfers bussed to marker 13.

5^th overall at the Half.  Aided by cool temps/steady pace, led the middle pack.

Good portion of the day ran with last year’s women’s winner (she’d finish 3^rd today).  Both of us fueled at 18.  Despite her encouragement, walked most the next mile.  Hot sun overhead, expended lotta energy first Half.  Nice gal.  …and I was sixth.

No water again ‘til 25.  Empty.  Guy in a truck honked encouragement – I yelled WATER.  Vehicle stopped, guy handed over his open bottle.  Random act of human kindness.  Shared half-bottle with a college gal I’d chatted up miles 21/22.

Joined Runoff’s 6k event at their turnaround (mile-half from Finish).  Appeared having been lost in a desert (I looked a hot mess – HA!), family jogging with their dog (mom/dad/3 boys) shared a Nalgene bottle.  Again, thankful for the kindness of strangers ❤

Stop, start.  Stop, start.  90 degrees, summer ablaze even on the Western Slope.  Long 20 minute mile, drug the last one out.  Dusty path littered with mine rock & sage led to Creede Ballpark.  Finished in an irrigated field of green.  June marathon complete, tag.

Laid back & over-sunned listening to a folk band.  Veggie burger & a soda, small town festival.  Good energy, happy vibe.

Not the greatest of courses – lotta highway, lack of race support/water – but the people here are good.  Pure hearts.  Just carry a full [backpack] bladder if visiting on a hot day 😊  Tick, tick, tick.  7 days, Bighorn.

RUNOFF RUNOFF

Rio Grande Restoration Project

and Headwaters Alliance

CREEDE, CO

Saturday, June 9, 2018

 

MARATHON OVERALL RESULTS

 

PLACE       NAME          GEN AGE  BIB   CITY/STATE            TIME   PACE

1 JACKSON COLE           M 22    43  ALAMOSA CO           3:27:29  7:56

2 KYLE CLARK             M 35     2  MORRISON CO          3:39:16  8:23

3 GRANTLEY SHOWALTER     M 24     8  ALAMOSA CO           3:52:00  8:52

4 NOEL PRANDONI          F 22    89  SANTA FE NM          3:57:23  9:04

5 KATELYN SNYDER         F 26    16  FORT DEFIANCE AZ     4:44:59 10:53

6 SHAUNA GUTIERREZ       F 27   124  ALAMOSA CO           5:03:36 11:36

7 ASHLEY MCCARTY         F 39    67  DIBOLL TX            5:07:40 11:45

8 K R HAGA               M 51    99  LOUISVILLE CO        5:17:38 12:08

summer trippin’ to Creede