7am Start @ the Lincoln Monument.

Nope, not that Lincoln Monument.  Exit 323 I-80 East, 10 miles outside Laramie.  8,640ft elevation.  High point of the Lincoln Highway.  Park Ranger greeting: “Welcome to the Summit” 🗻

Buffalo NY Memorial Day last, Buffalo image on today’s state flag – high flying beside a WYOMING roadside museum.  Museum?  Yep, I’ll be back ✅  First… 32 miles of Ponderosa Pine, Colorado Aspen, dirt trail, old Highway 30 and HILLS.  Billed as Wyoming’s toughest marathon – it’s a high elevation hilly one.  Training run for Bighorn?  Third times a charm me thinks, only a few weeks away.

Chilly/foggy/overcast Start, dodged another hot one.  Notta lotta tree cover after 6 miles.  Pine are scenic aromatherapy but not broad leaf green.  Cup-less course.  Hydration vest ready.  Let’s roll.

Downhill first 2 miles.  Wonky gut only 4 miles in.  Elevation, lotta trail bounce.  Slowed pace.  Gonna finish, finish with a smile.  That’s the Milano mantra.  “Be the person your dog thinks you are.”

Strong headwind past the Halfers’ turnaround.  Asphalt next few miles, old Highway 30.  10% grade (and wind) but pavement appreciated under my feet.  Change is good, mixes it up.  Lost all the crowd (notta lotta 50k or marathoners).  Cranked up my tunes, head/body feelin’ good by Vedauwoo.

5-mile stretch of trees & campers on a dirt ranch road.  Memorial Day weekend.  Grills & lawn chairs early-morn abandoned, waiting for holidayers to waken.  Breakfast cooking on my return thru town.

Marathon turnaround.  HILL.  Two miles more ‘til my orange cone & race rep check-in.  Good bit of climb between the respective half-way points.  Sun HIGH, getting warm.  Run, walk.  Refuel’d, dumped sand/rocks outta my shoes before the short 3-mile highway reverse.  Easy steady pace – NO WALK, NO STOPPING ‘til I see dirt on the other side.  Goals are good 🙂.

STRONG legs, stomach a-ok, smile on my face.  I’ve got this.  6-hour goal in my head.  Well, that’s not happening.  Would miss 6:30 too, but enjoying the ride.  Steady.  AND know what’s coming – 2 miles of UP – then FINISH BANNER a blowin’.

My first belt buckle, fourth ultra of 2019 and my 49^th state.  Eyes on Deadwood & a SECOND 50 State finish.  7 days.

Highway drive HOME, shower, quick sleeps.  Bolder Boulder tomorrow!  It’s a Colorado tradition ❤️

2019 Wyoming Marathon Series

50K Results

 

KR Haga          Colorado           M             6:52:47