Another Friday half-day work day, this weekend’s trail destination: Las Cruces NM.
Boarded a small plane to El Paso (anytime you walk outside to board a plane, ya know it’s a small ride) – easy 2-hour flight, landed in balmy 86-degree heat. Think I’m gonna cook tomorrow. Yikes!
Hour drive in the desert. Arrived at bib pick-up, 20 minutes to spare. Dollar Tree snack purchase (tomorrow’s an ultra, I’m comin’ prepared), Italian carry-out dinner, early zzz’s at the Sleep Inn-Las Cruces (good name for a hotel chain, huh?).
The race takes place 99% desert, single track trail! All races will begin at the northern terminus (Sierra Norte trailhead) of the Sierra Vista Trail. This is located off of Dripping Springs Road. All distances are out and back routes and actual mileages are approximate. The 50k is an out and back from Sierra Norte trailhead to the Vado trailhead.
Headphones are allowed but be aware that rattlesnakes may be out and you won’t hear them rattling if you’re rockin out! This is a trail run on challenging terrain and differs greatly from running events held on road. We are not responsible for any injuries sustained during the day of the event.
50K Finisher tile
Early Saturday a.m. start – ok by me, happy to log in as many miles as possible before the day heats up. 15-20 minute drive north to the Organ Mountains, parked off-road, half-mile hike to our trailhead Start. Been struggling with trail racing thus far, but LOVIN’ these small grassroots events. Pop a tent & 2 tables at a trailhead – and BAM you’ve got racing. Much more intimate than road races. 4-5 Aid Stations tops. Much more a thinking man’s run. Gotta stay alert or risk injury tripping over rocks, roots, downed trees, trail debris. Gotta manage hydration & food intake. Gotta be self-supportive. Hoping to improve endurance & nutrition over the next couple months – really diggin’ mountain trail racing (sport combining both loves, hiking & marathoning).
Met Hoosier-native Carolyn just before today’s 50K trek – she’d be key to [me] finishing with a smile on my face. Race director added .75 miles to today’s Start – an early extra loop to space out runners before we hit the single-track path in the desert. Started slow, stopped by my rental & peeled off a double-shirt layer…temps now mid-60’s.
Rolling hill terrain through sage, dirt & loose rock. Caught Carolyn early, slowed my pace & enjoyed the ride. Upbeat outgoing personality, this runner’s also chasing 50 States. Only three miles in, passed our first Aid Station – and we ate. Not this gal’s first rodeo, Carolyn’s finished multiple trail ultras – so today I stopped, looked & listened. Go out slow, eat early, stay ahead of hydration. Not JUST talk, we followed this strategy.
Temps continued to rise; we continued to hydrate. Terrain turned to open desert, miles 12-19. Dirt gave way to sand & cracked clay – even cactus grew sparingly.
Turnaround at 16.3 miles…today’s 50K was gonna run longer than 31 miles.
Clicked 80 degrees now, but thankfully ran a cloudy day. We’d catch a short breeze from time to time. Not glossing over details, it was warm – but appreciative not to be running when summer temps top 120, it IS the desert.
Barrel, hedgehog & prickly pear cacti, multiple varieties of flowering yucca – and POPPIES. Each spring (once a year), desert poppies garnish the sage-choked panorama. Truly BEAUTIFUL!
Spewed twice over the last 4 miles but moving in the right direction. Felt much better today. Transitioning to trail & ultra distances been more of a journey than originally visioned – been at it for just 4 weeks, gonna celebrate all small victories.
Stroke a pose at the Sierra Vista Trail sign (last Aid Station) – only 3 miles more. Steady pace, arroyo (dry creek bed) ups & downs, towering “needles” of the Organ Mountains poised directly ahead. Having already surpassed 32 miles, no way of really knowing when today’s race would end. Super excited when I popped up the last rolling hill & could see the Finish Tent in the valley below.
55th marathon finish, 3rd ultra distance – that’s 3 trail ultras in 4 weeks. FAAANNNTASTIC!
Sierra Vista Trail Runs – 50K – Las Cruces, NM Mar 5, 2016
Keenan Haga
Overall: 46 8:25:03
Received a Finisher’s tile (not a lotta medals in ultras) & snapped a shot with Carolyn before highway trekking back to El Paso.
Returning in 2 weeks to NM’s White Sands Missile Range, as a Bataan Memorial Death March participant – marathoning with our military in honor of service members who defended the Philippine Islands during World War II.
Bataan’s a HUGE bucket list event – much more than a Sunday 26.2. Can’t wait!
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- small plane to El Paso, followed by an hour drive in the desert
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- early crack of dawn Start
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- SUNRISE COLOR over southern New Mexico
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- diggin’ grassroots trail events
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- cloudy, cool & SAGE
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- rolling rock & dirt, still all smiles
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- terrain change (less sage, more cactus) & SUN
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- Yucca carnerosana, the “Giant Spanish Dagger”
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- desert beauty
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- blooming barrel cactus
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- landscape dries & temps start to climb (miles 12-19)
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- desert SPRING — once a year, POPPIES
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- soaptree yucca
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- photo opp: only 3 miles to go
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- towering “needles” of the Organ Mountains
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- shared 32 miles & 8 hours with this gal — thanks Carolyn!
Sierra Vista Trail Run
I get by with a little help from my friends” — the Beatles
2 weeks ago my first ultra, last Saturday marathon #53 – this weekend, BOTH. Before Moab, had never run trail nor finished an ultra distance (even in training). Big disconnect [in my head] between trying one & signing up for 5 this year, huh?
Maniac running buddy, Stacy hooked us up with a few of her running friends, Andrew & Elizabeth…and BAM, new friends for life. Easy hour-half flight to Tulsa, 6 hours of zzz’s, morning alarm confirmed wake-time for Saturday’s 50K.
Double-shirted early, cool start – however expecting day temps to top out near 80; gonna be a warm one. Tulsa-native Andrew forewarned today’s 4-loop course would be a tough one…finish estimate, 8 hours.
Day Highlights: ‘the Hill from Hell’ and Holmes Peak – climbing these two giants not once but FOUR times. Yikes!
circle of friends: awesome weekend of run & sun
Elected to take the early start – award ineligible, but outta day temps an hour early. No regrets, good decision. Started quick, held that pace for 14 miles. Well marked course, green-ribbons every 20-30 feet. Expended lotta energy; lapped by elites beginning of lap 3. Dropped to a single shirt & flushed fluids. Paced slower, started walking hills.
FAVE Aid Station – Oklahoma Oktoberfest (costumes, music, upbeat volunteers) – both sweet & salty snack-equipped. Sounds disgusting but…pickle juice, day’s best mate.
Haven’t ever been a marathon eater, so struggling running even longer distances with little/no fuel. Generally bonk after 5-5 ½ hours. Colder temps help extend the window — but 6 hours in, mental succumbs to physical & all falls apart. Pace, breathing, posture fail. Yeah, I become a hot mess.
3rd go at ‘the Hill from Hell’, 1.7 kilometers further: lap 4 start. More pickle juice.
Snapped shots of an armadillo (don’t see THAT everyday) & pushed down a handful of salty Fritos at the Oktoberfest station. 15-year old elite runner, Brandon Plate, lagged just behind – struggling, just wasn’t his day (remember, he’s running a 50K [31+ miles] at just age 15). Asked if he wanted to jog the next hill…he wasn’t talking. Told him I was running up, expected he would pass me on the downhill – that’s just the way it happened. Kid came alive with conversation. Walked lotta the last 4 miles – at a good clip, but still walking. Only goal this weekend was to complete my first Double – 50K Saturday, marathon Sunday. Energy level UP, paced strong from Heaven’s Gate to the Finish.
2nd ultra FINISH in 3 weeks!
Half-bowl of chili & a banana. Sink-washed salt caked ‘round my eyes, sides of my face. Met up with Stacy, Andrew & Elizabeth – shared the Tulsa skyline in our host’s rooftop hot tub. FAAANNNTASTIC! Fun sharing war stories & later, pasta (thanks Elizabeth).
Groundhog Day — all starts again Sunday morn.
No breakfast. Tired, wonky from prior day’s run in noon day sun, can’t eat. Today – 26.2 miles of trail. Again, 4 laps…flattened from yesterday, no Holmes Peak – but ‘Hill from Hell’ four times more.
Didn’t lead the pack this go-around but paced faster than expected, settled into fourth. In-n-out the tree-trail maze, stopped for Oktoberfest. Smell of pickle juice & Fritos turned my stomach (too much of a good thing I suppose). Sip of water, kept plugging along.
Long downhill stretch. Bounced, trail jarred – stopped, puked. Ugh. Gotta take in fluids, hold something down. Small cup of Powerade before ‘the Hill from Hell’, spewed blue near Heaven’s Gate. New plan: Run faster. Not hydrating, need to Finish sooner. Wooded oak section, stop: orange Powerade – puke. Ran steady with a group of Halfers – held pace uphill, briefly gapped on the downs.
2nd time up ‘the Hill from Hell’. Dry heaving, struggling mentally (no food, no liquid, no fuel).
Started Lap 3.
First Aid Station, stopped. Legs ok but dizzy, spinning, oddly emotional. What to do? Radioed the Race Director, asked ’bout my options. I could downgrade to the Half, still complete the Double Challenge – not take a DNF. Ok, done.
Dehydrated, received an IV of fluids: virtual insta-fix. Nausea near gone, met up with Andrew & Elizabeth (who also ran downgraded distances) & finished a half-bowl of chili. Much better now.
Messaged an Oklahoma-based friend I hoped to see at the Finish. There she is – hadn’t seen Lory in 25 years. WOW! Same face, same laugh, same great sense of humour. Worked together a lifetime ago. She a 22-year-old bartender; I an underage waiter. Soooo instead of slogging 13 miles more trail, got to share time with a gal I hadn’t seen in light years. Everything happens for a reason 🙂
AND 3 of us picked up Post Oak plaques – DOUBLE SUCCESS!
Celebrated with Mexican [food] at a neighborhood restaurant, then airport returned to Denver. Awesome weekend of friends – both old & new! Wouldn’t have been the same without any of them.
2016 POSTOAK CHALLENGE
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28th, 2016
TULSA, OK
DOUBLE RESULTS – 50K & HALF MARATHON – MALE/FEMALE
Place Name City/State 50k Time Ha Time Net time Bib#
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5 K R Haga Louisville CO 8:05:45 2:59:30 11:05:15 97
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- 50K start (far right, white cap)
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- 31 miles of deciduous woodland, Osage hills & Sooner prairie
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- ARMADILLO!
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- Oklahoma Oktoberfest [fave Aid Station]
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- today’s Tulsa skyline WOW shot
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- Holmes Peak 1030ft: quite the haul
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- not one, not 2…but 4 monster climbs UP
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- 2nd ultra in 3 weeks
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- Day One Challenge SUCCESS!
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- 25 years later, these faces never change 🙂
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- faces maybe never, but fashion trends do (white pants/high collar, circa 1988)
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- double Challenge plaque: 50K Saturday, half-marathon Sunday
20 hours in Sin City – quick in & out, logged my 53rd marathon finish.
Another half-day Friday workday, autobahn’d to the airport, less than 2 hours later – palm trees & desert in sunny Las Vegas. Scored a ride to Suncoast Resort, our host hotel in North Las Vegas. [As luck would have it, saw a fellow 50 Stater on my flight & hitched a ride.] Walked thru the casino to registration – smell of cigarette smoke always comes as a surprise. No allergies here, just odd to see cigarette smoking…think it’s been outlawed in public buildings & restaurants since the 1980’s.
Lucked into a dinner invite, tagged along with 3 other marathoners – fun pre-race Italian feast. Big fan of red sauce 🙂
Early, early a.m. – bus transportation started at 4:45am to Red Rock Canyon. Staying at the host hotel, luckily slipped onto a later bus – arrived 30 minutes before the 6:15 full marathon start (halfers left from the Visitors Center, 13 miles away).
Quads still tight from last weekend’s 55K mountain adventure in Moab. My sis ran the Red Rock Half while at a work conference last year, forewarned ‘bout the climb & struggled with altitude. Head manta scroll: I eat HILLS for breakfast. I’ve got this – no fear.
Snapped a few pics of the desert landscape & BAM – on our way. Rolling ups & downs…nothing noteworthy – long hill incline started at mile 4. Five miles later, stayed at it but yeah, I felt it. Fast 2-mile downhill – 7:30 minute/miles…dodged shared-lane Halfers ‘til mile 12. Two laps ‘round the Visitors Center, dropped my 2nd shirt, popped salt pills & Advil, juiced three orange slices. Mile 14 loomed ahead AND our 2nd five-mile incline. This is the climb Sis warned about. Walk, jog, aid station water. Short run, walk, jog. Aid station water. No joke. Passed a cyclist – must be a tough climb even on wheels…’cause I certainly wasn’t moving fast.
No 7:30-minute brag pace on the downhill return – LOL> trotted to mile 22….but credibly, no walk – paced slow but ran with 2 other runners thru mile 25. They dropped me at the last water station .7 miles from the Finish.
Red rock beauty & vacant desert calm. Not a great run, a 5 hour full. BUT coming only 7 days after Moab, I’ll take it.
Last Saturday 55K trail run in Moab, this Saturday road marathon in Vegas – next weekend? BOTH. Attempting my first double in Tulsa OK – 50K trail on Saturday, full marathon Sunday. Goal is a multi-day adventure race in 2017. Can’t fail if you don’t try 🙂
Red Rock Canyon Marathon
February 20, 2016 — Results By Calico Racing
K R HAGA Louisville CO 5:01:40.2
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- pre-race, pre-dawn smile share
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- canyon rock & sage brush
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- Calico Rock
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- popular with rock climbers, easy on the eyes
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- protected species living in Red Rock Canyon; depicted on today’s finishers medal
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- beautiful, hill-brutal course (heat-exposed finish pics)
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- colorful desert landscape — LOVED it!
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- quick 20 hours in Sin City; back home in time for dinner 🙂
