“After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again.” ― C.S. Lewis
Failure/not completing what one’s started – it’s a tough pill to swallow. Some spout excuses, I’ve never been one to jump on board. Running’s a solo sport. Body failure, mental weakness, weather conditions – doesn’t matter. It’s you, the trail & a pair of shoes.
Started the weekend early like most (of my) race adventures. Booked a bus ticket, not a lotta options to northwest Wyoming 🙂 Boulder to Denver, Denver to Buffalo (Wyoming, not New York). 9 hours. Then ride-shared with a buddy to Dayton (Wyoming, not Ohio).
Bib pick-up Friday afternoon in Sheridan. 2 drop bags packed for Saturday’s 52 mile run.
2-mile taper runs all week. Half-month watching Bighorn videos [on YouTube]. Hot temps, their principle complaint. Tomorrow’s forecast? Light rain & mud, remnants from last week’s snow. PERFECT conditions. Summer’s come late to Wyoming.
Reviewed the map, reread the manual, talked with one of the race’s first 100 mile finishers.
Every T crossed, nothing left undone.
Should you drive into the Footbridge Aid Station, be aware that there are 2 creek fords to drive through. The second is quite deep at this time. Do not attempt to drive to Footbridge without a high clearance vehicle.
Our aid stations are well stocked with GU products, GU hydration, water, and a full supply of a variety of foods to help you in your endeavor for the distance you have registered and chosen to run. Please remember that the aid station volunteers who hike to their stations are limited in supplies, but are still well-stocked to assist you.
…you should yield to any runner that is catching you from behind, let them pass by stepping to the upside of the trail so that they may continue at their pace. The faster runner does have the right of way, and would be appreciative of your yielding this to them. This is true for horses as well, and others that may be on the trails.
We are expecting fairly average course conditions for 2017, but remember we are famous for the Bighorn shoe sucking mud. There will be snow, mud, rocks, roots, elk and their calves, moose and their calves, bear and their cubs, grouse, snakes, and other wildlife as well as challenges along the way, but we are in WYOMING and just consider this part of the adventure.
Welcome, and safe travels to our wild and scenic Bighorn Mountains!
Thank you,
Bighorn Race Officials
Saturday. Race morning. 5am race start, 45 minute drive from my overnight cabin.
Bed at 8:30, didn’t drop off ‘til after midnight, up again at 3. Mentally sapped.
Not the lack of sleep – FEAR. I can’t do this. It’s too many miles. All trail. I’m at elevation.
Pitch dark, in the car by 4. One deer. Two moose. Then…heavy fog. Large patches of snow [on] both sides of State Highway 14. Only 10 minutes to Start. Where is the turnoff? No cell signal, map left in the cabin.
Must have missed a turn. Back over the pass, back into the fog.
Never ever located the Start. HUGE fail. Have never missed a race – and this my goal race, my first 50.
Tough miss. Just wasn’t meant to be. Loss.
Showered at the cabin, retreated home – left a day early. Prepaid my stay, sunk cost. Home. I’ll figure it out at home.
UPDATE: 3 days later, still Bighorn-wounded but back at it. Reconnecting the dots. Have created a path for 100. All flights booked, all races registered. Ready, ready to run. Looking to Ireland: October 29th. Marathon #100. Focused.
Bighorn 2018? Yep, I’ll be back. Count on it. I’ve never run FROM anything.
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- Black Hills to Buffalo, WY
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- course map with Bighorn 100 finisher
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- “After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again.” ― C.S. Lewis
Three weeks since my last marathon. Training’s been hit or miss ‘round Ash’s Colorado wedding & dog-sitting the grandpup. BUT the body’s feeling good again, generally I run a bit banged up. Might run with young guns but marathon recoup takes a day or 2 longer 🙁
Saturday bib pick-up in Golden. Quick turnaround & back on the road. Heading north for the day — gettin’ my mountain on, a pre-marathon trek in Red Feather Lakes. Lil’ quiet time, inner peace at the Buddhist Shambhala.
But first…lunch stop at The Forks. BIG American flag, half-hour outside Wyoming – this is Cowboy country. Not a lotta non-beef options on the menu, app-started with Rocky Mountain Oysters. (Google it 🙂 ) When in Cowboy country, do as the locals.
Early start Sunday – 2:30am alarm, on the road by 3. Hour drive to Morrison. Caught one of the last marathon buses at 4:15am. No Start Line drop-off/parking allowed, road closed to traffic. Elevation: 11,004ft. My highest marathon start point.
90 degrees the day before. Surrounded by snow remnants this morning. Expecting temps to heat up near the Finish – going out fast today, wouldn’t feel the sun ‘til 3 hours in. Met up with marathoner pal Stacy. She’s an Ambassador for REVEL. Would be riding in the SAG wagon today (a sweeper), encouraging runners to complete today’s 26.2 miles before the 6 ½ time cutoff.
The use of broom wagons has expanded to other sports events—especially in marathon events a broom wagon is a common feature. In marathons many amateur runners join in, and sometimes are not able to reach the finish line within the allocated time. The broom wagon puts an end to their race, and the runners have to hand in their numbers.
Beauty of knowing Stacy & her being an Ambassador – the pre-race email. Better prep than ANYTHING you’ll find online.
MILE 1HM or 13FM – the three sisters – the 3 hills of the course
If you are running the half marathon, you are going to have a massive hill at the very beginning. If you’re running the full marathon, this hill is mile 11.5 ish (you’ll be cruzing downhill with a large meadow to your right, you’ll see an intersection ahead and you’ll have to cross and turn right…. just ahead is where these hills start). It’s actually a series of 3 hills. Steep up, fast down, x3. PLAN AHEAD. Many runners choose to speed walk these sections to save energy or handle their hydration and fuel for a few minutes. Other runners choose to run through these but FYI – after so much downhill, your quads are going to argue. Whatever you decide, just be aware these hills will be waiting for you.
MILE 4-13HM or 17-26FM – rollers
The last 9 miles of the course is overall downhill, but there are a few rollers of slight inclines. By this point of a race I like to think of my legs like gears on a bicycle – rotate the muscles (use calves, then hams, then quads) to keep things relaxed. While training, practice changing your stride (length) as well as cadence (how frequent you rotate). Adjusting your landing with the downhill grades allows you to manage your flight, rather than using your quads to brake your body. Every person may run and experience this ‘flight control’ differently – but it’s definitely something to play with and consider.
TANGENTS– ride those curves like a motorcycle
This course has many many many curves in the road. Managing your direction of travel can save you a LOT of distance compared to people who run the road in the same ‘lane of travel’. If you are not familiar with running tangents, google and study – you have a GREAT potential on this course to be very efficient.
If anyone is interested in gathering at my house for dinner Saturday evening, please let me know. We cook up a bunch of pasta, garlic breadsticks, salad, and my husband’s homemade meatballs.
DOWN DOWN DOWN, first 5 miles. Stayed two-bodies ahead of the 3:45 pacer. LOVED the morning chill, smell of Ponderosa pine. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL run. No negatives.
Couple thousand running today’s marathon. Well ahead of pace, first half. Stopped shadowing the 3:45ers at mile 17. Haven’t finished under 4 hours since March 2015. Never ever sub4’d in Colorado. April’s ‘Runs with Scissors’ finish – 4:01 – is the closest I’ve come.
Last hour: peeled my shirt, water soaked at each Station. Even at altitude, it’s summer in Colorado.
My chance to PR slipped by at mile 23. Throwing 10 min/miles now – pushed too fast, too early, too long. BUT had I banked enough time to sub-4? On the return to Morrison, knew I was still close. Kept pushing. Felt really warm. Passed a group of walkers finishing the Half. Tenth-mile to go.
Saw the ticker – SUCCESS! Not a new PR (yet) – but my first sub-4 in 2 years, first in Colorado, my first after cancer. AND my first & only with pup Ro at the Finish! FAAANNNTASTIC!
Dehydrated, blood pressure low (90 over 40). Summer hydration, my 4-year marathon nemesis. Spent an hour in the med tent. Nice folks let me bring Ro inside (out of the heat), during my IV drip.
Today I ran sub-4. On the path, a new PR is gonna happen in 2017.
Revel ROCKIES
K r Haga – June 11, 2017
Bib # 1238
Event Marathon
Chip Time 3:58:25.66
First Quarter 6.55 55:23.71 8:27
Second Quarter 6.55 54:26.36 8:18
Third Quarter 6.55 1:02:25.85 9:31
One Mile To Go 5.55 55:44.23 10:02
Finish 1.0 10:25.50 10:25
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- U-S-A!
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- Cowboy cookin’
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- Shambhala Mountain Center
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- first sub-4 since 2015
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- summer hydration, my marathon nemesis
Run the Year Motto: EVERY day’s a run day, 2017 miles in 2017
May 2017 update: Ash & Tom’s Colorado wedding dominated everything May – attendees represented all 4 U.S. time zones. HUGE life moment. Not a record month of miles but still exceeded 200 miles for a 5th consecutive month. Two more marathon finishes, completed my 3rd Canadian province – tally now at 90. On track to celebrate marathon #100 in Ireland, October 29th.
June focus: HYDRATION
As temps heat up this summer, gotta solve the riddle. Hydration & nutrition – my marathon nemeses. Consciously increasing raw vegetable & fruit intake all summer. ‘Tis the season, local foods available, time to focus/commit.
BIG supporter of local Boulder business – LOVE LOVE my Newtons (third year, same core brand). However, gonna mix up hydration this summer (been using Skratch Labs). No set solution, sampling Tailwind & Crank Sports’ e-Fuel next month.
Race ReCap: 2 countries, 2 marathons – same East Coast time zone. Cold run in Toronto, warm finish in New Hampshire.
Streaks: 159 consecutive run days, 42 months marathoning
Mileage ReCap: fifth 200+ mile month, ended May at 1,056 miles (216 miles ahead of goal, 2017 half-way mark)
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- ended May at 1,056 miles
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- Silverthorne wedding day
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- Milestone 900
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- Milestone 1000
Silverthorne Wedding Day run
