Bib pickup, quick swing thru Downtown, pricey fish dish at Ouray’s Bon Ton. Marathon ready.
Welcomed the cool high-altitude temps at Saturday’s Start – that’d save me the first 2 hours. Ridgway to Ouray ‘n back. Wide-open dirt road course, evergreen-lush first couple miles, sun-exposed as elevation climbed. Topped out near 8000ft.
If one can manage the constant steady UP, some of Colorado’s finest alpine scenes. Little Switzerland.
Trail road peaked 9 miles in, big valley descent next 4 miles into Ouray Hot Springs Park (marathon return). Day’s race elites ran the Half. African men & women pushed fast on-the-left, closely followed by the area’s best college runners.
Took electrolytes early & often but stomach-emptied at mile 10. Tough GI day. Negotiated the course turnaround, headed back UP to Ridgway, dropped to a walk after 15 miles. Disheartening for the entire field to pass one-by-one on the return trek back.
Sun, altitude. Dizzy-staggered next hour. Drop, notta option ‘til mile 21 – dirt trail void, people AND vehicles.
Aid at 21 doused [me] with ice, refilled my hydration pak. Sucky day – only 5 miles more. These are the days I question why? How? Courage stripped, frustrated. Nerves raw, stomach pulsing/throbbing, throat dry from vomit charades. Push thru the pain. Anything is POSSIBLE. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Infommercial mantras no longer working. Physical struggle.
Ultimately I’d finish; new PW end time [Personal Worst].
Dehydrated, chilled, body shaky. Paralysis right side of my face. TIA, medic says. Don’t know the term. IV bag, long drive home tomorrow. Virtually INSTA-BETTER Sunday – 80%. Full motion before work Monday. Unexpected, crazy scary.
When blood flow to part of the brain stops for a short period of time, also called transient ischemic attack (TIA), it can mimic stroke-like symptoms. These symptoms appear and last less than 24 hours before disappearing.
Ok. Breathe, exhale – one step at a time. Doc visit, blood work, endoscopy in 2 weeks. Relapse? STOP, let it go.
Airport pickup at 5pm; Stephen’s local thru Saturday. It’s Birthday Week – MY birthday 😊
Mt. Sneffels Marathon and Half Marathon
Running @ Ouray, CO, 8/11/2018, by HAL Sports
NAME BIB M/F CITY CHIP TIME
K R Haga 30 M LOUISVILLE 06:24:27
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- downtown Ouray
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- KING-feasted @ Bon Ton
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- Ridgway to Ouray
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- Colorado’s little Switzerland
Colorado Road-trippin’
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- Delta to Grand Junction
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- Glenwood Canyon
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- Vail
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- Eisenhower Tunnel – UGH!
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- Black Hawk to Golden
Most of Colorado’s Western Slope: mining towns or Swiss chalets. Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Telluride, Crested Butte – all mountain towns converted to European ski villages. Pricey New York jewelers, fur coats, Starbucks lattes & SNOW. Stunning to visit in the summer as well – towering green mountains/14ers capped in white – and generally, without the ‘ski village’ $$$ markup 🙂
Destination: Ouray [your-AY]. Nicknamed “little Switzerland of Colorado”; also known as, America’s ice-climbing capital. Home of Mt Sneffels, backdrop to Saturday’s high altitude marathon.
Halved the 7-hour drive Thursday after work. Sleeps in Glenwood Springs, three hour completion Friday morn. Road-trippin’ stops, mineral springs soak AND an introspective faith walk.
Dennis Weaver Memorial Park. Created on land purchased by TV’s McCloud, took an unplanned left to what became a quiet/centering spiritual journey. No idea! located just 20 minutes outside Ouray. 2-ton Eagle soaring over a cache of mountain boulders. Midday weekday, had the place to myself.
Chose 3 rocks from the pile of prayer stones & created my personal cairn. Native American wisdom garnished each of the circle’s 4 directions – East spoke closest my heart. Gazed long at the New Mexico-like landscape around me, bushes lavender & sage. Crushed sprigs of both together, breathed in its aroma. Hippie peaceful. Shed shoes & river-walked before resuming Friday’s Ouray trek. Good to get quiet & head-speak to the Great White Spirit. For us Christians, one Living God & Savior.
Lodge check-in. Late afternoon bib pickup. Two-hour soak at Orvis Hot Springs. Early to bed? Well, not really. Ash texted: it’s National S’mores Day. Located a campfire, secured ingredients. It’s a holiday, right? Gotta/hafta/must. Mission accomplished ✔️
Saturday a.m. marathon – Ridgway to Ouray ‘n back.
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- 1970’s TV, McCloud
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- introspective faith walk
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- 2 tons, wingspan over 20 feet
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- create your own cairn
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- East spoke closest my heart
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- New Mexico-esque
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- Uncompahgre River
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- Hippie peaceful
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- Welcome to Ouray
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- Aug 10th: Nat’l S’mores Day
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- gotta/hafta/MUST
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- burnt marshmallow – the BEST!
National S’mores Day is a day that is celebrated on August 10th as a way to honor the iconic campfire treat, the S’more. This holiday is celebrated across the United States – mainly by boy scouts and girls scouts – but can be enjoyed by anyone who has a love of this treat or fond memories of eating it during their youth.
Last day with the Grandpup – past week just flew by.
Fried egg each day on his breakfast, Greenie before my 15-minute work commute to Boulder, Pupperoni treat at bedtime. Ro’s bro, BIG heart. Everybody gets spoiled!
Colorado weekend home, AMAZING weather. What to do? Was given strict orders: NO hikes for Marty, recouping from an elbow injury. Bummer. Think, think, think. Coot Lake by the Rez. Flat, less than 2 miles ’round & a SWIM MECCA for dogs!
Party Marty’s not a swimmer. Ro however couldn’t get enough. Dog days of summer.
Afternoon SNOOZE fest for all 4-leggers; ice cream at Sweet Cow for Papa.
LOVE LOVIN’ Colorado summer 🌞
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- happy Pup
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- SWIM MECCA
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- dog SMILE
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- flat, easy 2 miles ’round
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- swim SWIM swim
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- Colorado summer 🌞
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- afternoon SNOOZE fest
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- Sweet Cow for Papa
Coot Lake SWIM fest (Boulder)
