Hypnotically watched buffalo run in waves over the open prairie, toured the world’s 6th longest cavern at Wind Cave National Park – so what next? Marathon #11 – in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
Arrived in Scottsbluff late – just enough time to pick up my race bib & head over to the pre-race pasta dinner in Gering. Listened to high school football over the radio – Scottsbluff on one station, neighboring Gering on another. LOVE small town America.
Actually slept in. 8 a.m. marathon start on a unseasonably hot 90-degree day on the Great American Plains (i.e. no trees). Not ideal K* conditions…but it is what it is – can’t change the weather.
Would love to blame hot temps for my worst-ever marathon performance, but if I wanna stay honest to the process – gotta call myself out. Reality is, I’ve dropped both intensity & dedication since Ironman.
you’ve run 10 marathons, why do you still train so much?
truth is: since evening temps dipped last month, I’ve skipped a lotta early morning runs – opting to sleep late.
you can eat whatever you want, you’re gonna run it all off anyway
Up 11 lbs since July, this boy can put away a meal – and then some. ALSO haven’t made the best food choices…pizza, spaghetti, mac n cheese & bread have all crept back into the diet. Comfort food – a sign something’s gone awry.
Soooo…no negativity directed toward this well-run Western Nebraska marathon – I sabotaged today’s results all on my own.
Positive – scenic run thru Scotts Bluff National Park & miles of Nebraska corn fields
Negative – roadside rattlesnake at mile 2
Negative – crazy HOT temps; 2nd to Montana but tough to acclimate after the prior week’s snow
Negative – hit rock bottom as a runner; surprised/shocked how my body shut down
Positive – race volunteer Ali who kept me iced & coherent from mile 15 to the Finish
Negative – walked for miles; it’s a marathon – not a walk-a-thon
Positive – NEVER considered quitting: 8 miles to go; only 5 miles then you can stop; come on, anyone can walk 3 miles!
Positive – short stretch of trees by the cemetery at mile 25, possibly the only trees in all of Western Nebraska
Positive – military lady who screamed lotta positive comments ¾ mile from the Finish
Positive – ugly ending but I did not quit, I FINISHED my 11th state marathon
Positive – Zofran (shot in the rump, wait 15 minutes, then BAM…ready for fluids)
Positive – met 3 Marathon Maniacs, first time I’ve connected with athletes outside of hiking/14er community
Chin up cowboy – positives far outweigh the Negative.
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will — Mahatma Gandhi
After brushing off my bruised ego, gonna remember what a charmed life I lead. Truly blessed. Running oceanside in scenic Newport, Rhode Island in 15 days 🙂
1048 K R Haga 77/106 5:36:29
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- livin’ the good life
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- Nebraska corn
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- prairie rattlesnake – mile 2
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- crazy HOT day – how I felt at mile 25
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- FINISH pic w/ new Maniac friends
Labour Day weekend 2014 – what better way to kick off the Fall season than with a 14er hike. Wait – how ‘bout backpacking followed by two 14er summits. Sweet!
Because of work obligations, I could not travel down on Friday with my Fort Collins-based hiking friends, Cammy & Erik so woke early on Saturday, loaded the backpack (with newly acquired camping gear) & hit the highway. Stopping only once along the way, I arrived at Blanca Peak trailhead in under 5 hours (yep, it’s a haul).
Drove a quarter-mile up Lake Como Road & parked – Prius is not the right ride for this extreme off-road trail.
Lake Como Road in the Sangre de Cristos is regarded as one of the roughest in Colorado. Hikers, accessing fourteeners Blanca and Little Bear peaks and Ellingwood Point, hate it. Extreme off-roaders love it.
My 70lb rucksack was crazy heavy. In addition to a tent, sleeping bag & water, I packed poles, a winter jacket, ski cap, gloves & long johns. Who doesn’t in August, right? 🙂
Backpack propped on the hood of my car, I slide under the sack thinking this my best approach to stand upright. 100ft down the road, pop – lost 2 straps. Argh. Jerry-rigged my tent onto the top of the backpack – off I go again.
7 miles UP. Really questioned hauling winter gear with starting hike temps in the low 90’s.
Arrived lakeside 5 hours later (welcomed by Cammy & Erik), tent set-up (super easy, thanks Marmot), filled my stomach (dehydrated food packet & hot water), campsite greet by 4 deer, then crashed an hour later. Early start tomorrow – Blanca awaits!
(After the sun goes down at 12,000 ft, was mighty happy with the jacket & long johns. Just saying.)
Up at dawn & immediately hit the trail. Struggled a bit with altitude. Haven’t climbed high peaks since early July, compensated with extra water intake.
Rock…lotta rock on today’s trek. Lucky for me, super hiker Cammy blunted skillz on the prior day’s (Class 4) 14er climb (allowing me to keep pace). Little Bear Friday, Blanca Peak & Ellingwood Saturday. Seriously HARDCORE.
Abandoned poles & rock climbed the last 500 feet – only scary if you look down 🙂
SUMMIT SUCCESS! Genuinely stunning, view created by the gods – SPECTACULAR!
Hiked 1,000ft down to Ellingwood junction, said our goodbyes to Erik (ditched us to fly fish) & started navigating a seemingly endless boulder field. Two misfires, then spotted a descending hiker. Started climbing UP his direction, gathered advice & just kept at it. Wasn’t punking out, eye on the prize. Sooooo much rock. Lotta short breaks – my stomach was churning (altitude & poor food management – hadn’t consumed enough calories, now couldn’t eat).
10:30am – SUMMIT SUCCESS, 2nd of the day. FAAAANNNTASTIC!
Lost our way on the trek down. Climbed back UP, rock traversed & scoured for safe passage down from Ellingwood’s towering rock shelves. Wasn’t pretty but ultimately made our way on trail near Blanca’s base.
Crashed in my tent for the afternoon. Amazing what sleep can do a body. Highly recommended. Downed a 2nd packet of food – refueled, all good now. Tagged along & watched Erik fly fish at Como – catch n release, fish were a bitin’.
Lack of serving dishes dictated a formal 3 course meal – a camping fiesta. Hot tea, followed by couscous, followed by Ramen, followed by dehydrated red beans & rice. Yep, kept re-using the same cup. LOL>
High altitude air, alpine lakes, sunsets, fly fishing, star gazing, smell of pine, darting marmots & deer. Absolutely nothing like it in the world. LOVE LOVE my Colorado life.
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- Lake Como Road (far background, Blanca)
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- Sangre de Cristo camping
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- red beans & rice (just add water)
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- frequented our campsite every night
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- trees look ablaze – BEAUTIFUL sunset!
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- so much colour – WOW!
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- on the trail before 6, your everyday 14er hike
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- whole lotta rock
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- sunrise – Good Morning Blanca!
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- final rock scramble UP
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- SUMMIT SUCCESS!
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- crazy beautiful day
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- Blanca Peak 14,345ft
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- hey, it’s only 8:30 – time for another?
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- Ellingwood Point 14,042ft (Blanca stands behind us)
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- 2nd summit of the day – life is good
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- fly fishing on Lake Como
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- catch n release
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- Goodbye Blanca
Blanca Peak summit clip
Landed minutes before midnight, signed for my rental, then nabbed a few hours sleep before heading north.
Missoula, site of my 9th marathon on Sunday, was chosen because of its relatively close proximity to Glacier National Park – a bucket list destination for 10+ years. Instantly fell in love.
Montana’s landscape is reminiscent of Colorado – but with far less people.
Stopped for an early lunch outside Flathead Lake, one hour further the Park.
Day One goal – drive to the Continental Divide at Logan Pass via Going-to-the-Sun Road (half-way across the Park), then back to West Glacier before 9pm to secure accommodations – tenting 2 days just outside the Park.
Purchased an annual Park pass. Plan to hike Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Wind Cave (SD) & RMNP before the snow flies later this year. Living B-I-G again after Ironman — life is good.
Stopped at Lake McDonald – in awe how mountains seemingly spire straight up from its depth. Put my feet in the water – cold, despite the day’s high temp (almost 90 degrees).
(On the drive return, I’d stop & swim in these chilly waters. Perfect, after a day on the road.)
Next stop Avalanche Falls, fast moving water fueled by McDonald Creek. Tourist stop – but understandably so.
The road now climbed – my car hugging rock cliffs or maneuvering hairpin turns over exposed terrain mounted hundreds of feet above river-forged canyons. Impromptu waterfalls created by melting snow bathed dust off the car. AMAZING day!
Rugged glacier fields perched high on Montana’s high peaks – that’s why we visit. Irreversible; these glaciers are receding exponentially, 2030 extinction targeted as our Earth bakes under Man’s watch 🙁
Parked with scores of travelers at Logan Pass & watched kids play in snow behind the Visitors Center.
While folks strained to view 3 bighorn sheep dance on a rock terrace high above, I near walked into a large ram just off Highline Trail. Unnerved & slow-moving from a willow thicket, he crossed directly in front [of me]. So fast, so unexpected — I captured its image on my iPhone (camera tucked tight in my backpack – that won’t happen again).
Checked into Glacier Under Canvas & located my tent – my home for the next 2 days. Scored hummus, chips & bottled water at a local fish & tackle – dinner, check done. Quick shower, now snug in my sleeping bag, couldn’t sleep – too excited.
Glacier hiking tomorrow.
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- Glacier Country colour
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- chilly Lake McDonald
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- McDonald Creek
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- Avalanche Falls
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- SPECTACULAR!
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- stunning scenery
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- Glacier’s Red Bus Tours – small against the MASSIVE landscape
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- Going-to-the-Sun Road cuts East-West across Glacier
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- snow melt fuels this fast running Waterfall
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- snow on the Divide at Logan Pass
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- Bighorn Sheep
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- Home, Sweet Home
Avalanche Falls
