Believe it or not, I am really glad I did this yesterday. Tough mother eff’er!!
I won’t say it was easy, but I will say it was completely exhilarating. We could not have had a more gorgeous morning or a more gorgeous setting for the Sombero Trail Race.
The race is just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park and starts at about 7,500 feet.
It was freaking freezing when we got there. If you know me, you know how much I hate to be cold. In the end I ran in shorts, short sleeves and arm warmers. Turned out to be the perfect choice.
Yes, I need to dust my car, but who has time with so many races to do?
I had to register race morning as I wasn’t sure I was doing this race until Friday. We had tons of time to hang out in and around the porta potties. It’s always good to have one nearby.
They divided start times into three groups – sub 50 minutes, 50-70 minutes and 70+ minutes. With this type of climbing at elevation, I had no clue. Ken and I decided on the 2nd wave, but at the last minute jumped into the back of wave #1. This turned out to be a really good choice. A lot of the race is on single track, so it’s easy to get bottle necked and stuck. I felt like for my speed I was right where I should have been.
The first mile was all climbing – about 500 ft. gain. After that, it was up and down the whole way (see above) with some very, very steep and rocky climbs. I don’t know if it is the heart rate training or what, but I felt so strong the entire time. Sure I was tired on the climbs, but it was manageable. The air was so cool and the scenery so unbelievably amazing (when I took a second to look up from my feet – you really had to watch out for the rocks and roots). Ken had a fall somewhere along the way (we weren’t together or I would have administered CPR):
The thing I noticed for the whole race is that there were no women around me. Only men. I don’t know where all the ladies went.
I had no clue how to set a goal for this race with all of the climbing and tough terrain. My best guess was to shoot for under an hour. I finished in 49 minutes which was good enough for 2nd place in the 40-49 age group (out of 64) and 14th out of 210 women.
I was totally floored. Had no idea. The 1st place finisher in our age group was Katie, a friend of a friend. Pretty damn cool.
And, I will say the prize was the best of any race ever. A mountain goat bobble head. He looks drunk. Or like he’s having an orgasm. Or an orgasmic drunk.
At the end of the race Brian introduced himself to me saying he had read the blog for a few years. He was behind me on the trials and smelled manure. Or, smelled me. He wasn’t sure. At the very end Brian sprinted past me – turd! Nice to meet you out there, as well as the two ladies who introduced themselves at the start line (sorry, didn’t catch your names!! I was stressing about which wave to jump into).
I then stuffed my face with pancakes, sausage and eggs. Made another trip to the porta potty.
Major, major kudos to my friend Kathy. She has never run on a trail in her life and today she did this tough race. Just awesome. She’s turned into quite the runner. Isn’t it weird how she has two hands on the left side of her body?
Nothing like a shitty back drop
And, as always, so grateful I have this guy to share stuff like this with:
What’s one cool thing you did this weekend? (besides read this post)
SUAR
So great--congrats to you! You earned that awesome trophy! And I do love that you and Ken get to do these together. The couple that trail races together...
ReplyDeleteI did my last tri of the season at Dewey Beach. Waves were INSANE. Totally frightening situation, but got through it!
Completely jealous of your weather! We're still in triple digits here in So Cal. I ran 14 miles (73 at 5:00 a.m.) and it just sucked the energy out of me.
ReplyDeleteI do realize I will NOT be jealous of your weather in a couple months when I'm running in 50 degrees in December.
Coloradans will be running in 50 degrees in December too. Its March you have to watch out for. But given the choice between triple digits and 20 degrees, I'll take 20 degrees. Every.single.time.
DeleteThe coldest I've EVER run in is 29 degrees! And I've been running for 15+ years. It's been really hot the past month, so I'd take 20 degrees, too.
DeleteI totally bombed THREE attempts at a long run... But I did go kayaking for about 3 minutes.
ReplyDeleteSo, so fun doing this run and spending the day with you! Especially love hangin at the porta pottys! Love ya loads, xoxo
ReplyDeleteYou too! My, you've come a long way my friend. Same time, same place next year?
DeleteIt's a date!
DeleteThat is fantastic, congratulations!! Next up: Pikes peak! You know you want to! :)
ReplyDeleteI want to but I am very scared. You will have to hold my hand.
DeleteI enjoy reading your blog!! I absolutely love Colorado!! Was in Estes last week. Wish the race was last weekend!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat job, btw. That looks like a killer!
ReplyDeleteNice goat, though!
I got a NEW. BIKE!
ReplyDeleteThat trail run intimidates me beyond intimidating... I will get there, eventually!
That is the coolest trophy ever. Congrats of a great run!
ReplyDeleteI know!! who doesn't want a drunk goat.
Deletei feel like a drunk goat after running 8 miles for the first time ever this morning... I started running in March of this year and the furthest I've gone is 7 miles until now. Feeling every minute of my 42 years on this earth right now but LOVE reading your blog--hugely inspirational, funny, irreverent and great pics too! Your wise words on not crapping yourself during a run will be studied closely over the next 8 weeks...
ReplyDeleteLove the goat trophy!! I love it when races give out goofy prizes. The Greeley triathlon gives cow bells to age-group winners. How awesome is that???
ReplyDeleteYesterday I watched my son's football team win just their second game in two season and my daughter score two soccer goals in their first win of the year. Oh yeah, I ran 12.7 miles today and felt like I could go forever. Not sure how the weekend could get any sweeter!
That looks and sounds awesome! And I love your prize...totally worth keeping, lol. This was my last peak weekend of training I'm doing for an upcoming 50 miler...I'm actually excited for the taper, lol. Glad u had such an awesome race...it's always good to be pleasantly surprised! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm doing this race next year just to attempt a shot at that trophy.
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! So jealous of the places you get to run! I would love to run on trails like that. You have inspired me with your heart rate training and I believe that this has been helping me :)
ReplyDeleteGreat job in your race! I always love your scenery pics too; unbelievable setting for your trail race! I visited Estes Park last year (I live in the DC area) and it was beautiful. Can't imagine climbing through there though. Congrats to you and Ken!
ReplyDeleteDid the winner get a sombrero? I'll bet they found those orgasmic goats on clearance somewhere and glued them onto a board themselves! But a prize is a prize...and he is kinda cute ;-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on such a stellar finish time! That elevation profile looks so brutal!
I didn't do anything cool like you, I just saved a herd of wild turkeys.
ReplyDeleteYour posts do make me smile!! Love your pictures!! I ran my longest run since coming back from a broken foot - 12 miles!!Training for a half marathon on 10/7 and staying off trails (where I broke my foot) until after the race!! :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your great time! Nice way to wrap up the race season. Just looking at those elevations makes me wheeze...I'm glad to live in a very flat place ;P (people from Wisconsin call us Illnois folks "flatlanders"). You do live a a beautiful place!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your goat bobblehead and 2nd place! Trail runs are a completely different beast, fun though! This weekend, I ran my 2nd ever 20 miler! Getting ready for my 1st full (Chicago), now it's taper time!!!
ReplyDeleteApart from reading this post obvs... I had yoga teacher training which was a nice 11 hour day D: exhausting!
ReplyDeleteGreat time and well done missus :)
I knew you would love it. And I knew I'd be jealous. :^)
ReplyDeleteAnother vote in favor of HR training! Congrats on the AG placement!
That was me and my friend Gaby (triwithaltitude.blogspot.com) at the start line! I was starstruck when I met you, it was awesome to see you in person after reading your blog. I was giddy like I had just met a celebrity :o)
ReplyDeleteGreat to meet you girls. How did your race go?
DeleteAmazing trophy!!! Congrats, I knew you'd kill it. The most exciting thing I did this weekend was shift my long to Saturday instead of Sunday. Oh I know, I really know how to live large.
ReplyDeleteNice job! And what a fantastic trophy! (By the way, I have a heart monitor on the way. I'm going to take your advice & see if it helps as I start running, rather than jogging.)
ReplyDeleteSarah
www.thinfluenced.com
Great!! Let me know if you have questions. I am still learning about HR training, and think it's the key to avoiding overtraining and to maximizing performance.
DeleteOMG that's so awesome! Love that award! Congrats!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the trophy! Great job on the run!
ReplyDeleteI ran my first 10K today (Fans on the Field in Denver)...and ran it all! Keep in mind that I haven't even been able to get a complete 5K event under my belt yet...I can run on my own just have issues with events.
Ran the United States Air Force half marathon this weekend. My first half marathon and I loved it!! =D
ReplyDeleteYou placed in that race?! Tough chick! Congratulations. One cool thing...I painted a "princess poster" per request of my goddaughter. I believe part of the godparent duties are to do whatever the munchkins ask.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 2nd! I always hear great things about the Sombrero race. I should put it on my calendar for next year. I raced 40 in the Fort yesterday in Fort Collins on my new bike. Super fun race!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the very cool goat bobblehead!
ReplyDeleteYesterday, my bf and I went apartment hunting. Today, I ran 14 miles!
You are such a badass!! Congrats on 2nd place! That is definitely the coolest trophy I've ever seen. Hmm, maybe I should consider HR training....
ReplyDeleteAng and I have been discussing our next big move in 4 years, and every time I read your blog I want to move to CO!! It's breathtaking.
DO IT!! CO could use someone like you (and Ang)
DeleteI got a new 1/2 marathon PR so it was a pretty darn good weekend for me! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteYour race souvenir is way cuter than your husband's...
I ran my 1st, post-injury 5k, this past weekend. I would describe it as more "ugly" than "cool", but I guess the overall concept was cool.
Have a great week!
Finished my very first half at the Air Force Half Marathon in Dayton Ohio! :)
ReplyDeleteSarah
Wow, that is so awesome! What a beautiful and cool race!
ReplyDeleteI did not do any races (next week will be Melissa's Road Race 10k), but I did run with my sister who took up running this weekend, and went shopping for running shoes for her.
That does look like an awesome race! Congrats on the drunken goat award! Maybe it's altitude sickness? I got in a 5 mile trail run with a buddy who was wearing his new GoPro camera...have yet to find out if the video came out ok or not...
ReplyDeleteBest trophy ever! Went out for an easy run yesterday and use the opportunity to test some app features.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the mountain goat trophy!
ReplyDeleteI had my first "miserable" race where my pre-race jitters turned out to be something else. Hurled three times during the run and got lucky to find a porta-potty at mile 4 to finish off my misery. Finished 6 out of 9 in 1:02:58 in the 10k...my worst. time. ever. (And yes, there were only 9 of us in the 10k). No more Greek Yogurt for breakfast on race day. o.O
That's an awesome trophy! I did two cool (running related) things this weekend: 1) I watched my boys run a 1 mile fun run and take 1st and 3rd places in their respective age groups and 2)I ran without tunes for the first time ever and I, um, LOVED it. I'm afraid that I've *gasp* turned into a REAL runner! LOL!
ReplyDeleteOMG, I did the same thing (ran without tunes) and thought the same thought! I even ran without tunes tonight. again. on purpose.
DeleteI ran the Montana Governor's Cup half marathon this weekend. Last half mary was 18 years ago. I felt better and stronger this time around - even though the legs are older, the mind is wiser!
ReplyDeleteI ran the Air Force half marathon - my first ever! I came in right behind the old guy with the "I'm running with donated heart valves" T-shirt. Oh well, I finished but I have a long way to go and a lot of work to do.
ReplyDelete