Salida, CO
Half Marathon #127
Colorado Half #60
Weather - mild and sunny
L had not done the Run Through Time half marathon yet (I ran it alone in 2012), so I agreed to join her - since I love trail running! Even though when I ran I just drove up in the morning, L wanted to drive down on Friday night. After a quick pizza dinner after I got home from work, we started the drive and arrived in Salida around 9 pm. Ironically, we ended up at the same hotel where we stayed when we ran the Autumn Color Run last fall. I wasn't in bed until about 11 but the race didn't start until 9 so it wasn't too late.
The marathon started at 8 and the half started at 9. We were only a few miles from the start so we got up around 7:15 and headed over to the SteamPlant arriving just before 8. It was a bit chilly so we stayed in the car for a bit before heading in to get our bibs. On the way in I ran into Fort Collins Roost teammate Melody (and her husband Joel). Yep, the mountain behind us we would be running up...
We picked up our bibs and used the indoor bathrooms before heading back to the car to get the rest of our stuff. Another trip to the bathroom left us getting to the start only a few minutes before the start.
I had NO idea what to expect, in terms of my legs. I am ridiculously far behind in blogging, but my legs (specifically my calves) have been AWFUL, so I had been in to get ART and dry needling and had not run all week. Well, the plan was to start out slow and hopefully not be in too much pain. Combine all that with the cold I had been suffering from for the last few days and you can imagine I wasn't super pumped about all the climbing.
I started in the back and had to take my first walk break in the first mile (an early climb). I had started out wearing my long sleeve, but it was already too hot. I had to stop to take off my vest to get the long sleeve shirt off. Then the fastest mile of the day along the road before we began the climb up:
The trail is not that technical in this section. It is just a bit narrow and it is steep. My legs are angry. Why are they so awful??? I thankfully was not the last person up, but I wasn't having an easy time. It's already so hard to remember last weekend, I really should not wait so long to post.
The race director had emailed us to let us know that the trail was going to be muddy and icy and spots and I was surprised that this side of the course was BONE DRY.
The views out here are amazing. I got a bit of running before heading into mile 4, where the climbs REALLY start... We get to the top of a pretty intense climb and have a nice downhill before going into the worst climb of the race. Like 500 feet of gain in one mile up a jeep trail to get back to the aid station. So hard. So tired! Legs so angry :(
Heading into the aid station I see a big 2 liter of soda and I was thinking how tasty Mountain Dew would taste. BUT THEN I SAW PBR!!! BEER!!! A cute couple that was visiting from Florida had a volunteer take their picture with the snow capped mountains in the background and I had her take mine as well:
I was confused and thought the worst of it was done. We had a nice "flatter" and somewhat "downhill" section, but this is where the slog really started! There was a lot of snow and ice and therefore... mud.
I had forgotten that there as another decent climb around mile 8. Then some downhills and rollers.
I wish I could remember more, but I can't. I think I passed a half dozen people. With the marathon starting an hour earlier I actually was getting passed by the super fast marathoners. That isn't fun on a muddy single track. I tripped a few times but no fall, so that was nice.
I was slogging from the cold, from the lack of fitness and from the dumb angry stupid leg situation I have going on. But I really could not have asked for a more beautiful day on the trails, even IF I did run about 9 minutes slower than the previous year. (Of course that was the year I for real TRAINED for a 100 and was pretty healthy).
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| No medals apparently means I am awkward and don't know what to do with my hands |
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| Roost team! (Amy on my left was 4th female in the marathon!) |
Overall Place - 111/141
Garmin Time - 3:10:29
Garmin Distance - 13.34 miles
Garmin Pace - 14:17
Mile 1 - 13:12
Mile 2 - 11:33
Mile 3 - 13:42
Mile 4 - 15:25
Mile 5 - 14:54
Mile 6 - 12:26
Mile 7 - 20:52 (including beer slamming and picture)
Mile 8 - 16:12
Mile 9 - 14:16
Mile 10 - 14:08
Mile 11 - 14:41
Mile 12 - 13:15
Mile 13 - 12:14
Mile 13.3ish - 10:55
Thoughts:
- Last time I ran this they had a tee shirt. This year, a tech shirt - bright pink for females and bright orange for males. I opted not to take mine since I have so many shirts I don't wear.
- No medal, but I expected that.
- I registered at the end of January and think I only paid about $45, so it is a great price. The marathon wasn't too much more - maybe $65 or $70?
- Three aid stations on the course - all cup free. Which is nice! I didn't see any litter on the course. I think they probably had good food but I didn't take any. Wasn't super hungry for once.
- Good post-race food and had beers for purchase.
- I would run this again for sure! Only downfall is the drive to and from. It is doable to drive in the morning as long as the weather cooperates.
