@@ -7,9 +7,137 @@ categories: life
77
88# Rea Feather Trail Jamboree
99
10- // tell 'em what I'm gonna tell em
11- - intro the race
12- - bit about my training
10+ > // tell 'em what I'm gonna tell em
11+
12+ > - intro the race
13+
14+ > I moved to Fort Collins in May of this year and their other race
15+ > offerings were either full of a bit out of my league right now.
16+
17+ > Red Feather Trail Jamboree is a new race from local race directors Gnar
18+ > Runners. I moved to Fort Collins in May of this year and their other race
19+ > offerings were either full of a bit out of my league right now.
20+
21+ > I moved to Fort Collins in May of this year and their other race
22+ > offerings were either full of a bit out of my league right now.
23+
24+ ---
25+
26+ # intro
27+
28+ I moved to Fort Collins in May of this year. Running in the mountains, while not
29+ the only reason for the move, was definitely a primary motivator. After taking 4
30+ months off starting with an injury in early February it was time to get back at it. The move was done and I could no longer use it as an excuse.
31+
32+ > I'm pushing 40 and have lived at or near sea level my whole life. A combination
33+ > of being out of shape, older than I've ever been, at elevation, and climbing
34+ > more each week than I had previously gotten in a month has been extremely humbling.
35+
36+ # training
37+
38+ My training since moving to CO has been consistantly minimal. On average I've run about 13 miles a week.
39+ I've done some cross training with family hikes, mountain biking, and just tooling around town.
40+ In short - it's been ok. Enough to get to the finish line but not enough to race
41+ or expect any sort of spectactular day.
42+
43+ > As a result my expectations were low and my plan was simple. I would actually
44+ > hike the climbs and run the downs. I would not try to race anyone I shouldn't be
45+ > racing. I would respect my training or lack there of and listen to my body.
46+
47+ > Yeah. Ok. I've heard that refrain before.
48+
49+ > after about 4 months
50+ > off from running. I blew a hamstring in february and spent the rest of the time
51+ > planning and executing a cross country move.
52+
53+ # packet pick pickup
54+
55+ The start line near Red Feather Lakes is about an hour from my house so I could have left the
56+ morning of. I've been itching to try out my camper shell on the
57+ truck so instead I packed up the day before and headed out after work. I'm still
58+ getting used to how beautiful it is out here. Maybe 20 minutes or so across and
59+ out of town and suddenly I'm surrounded by huge skies, vaulted ridges, and a
60+ sneaking suspicion I took a wrong turn and ended up in Wyoming.
61+
62+ I made it to the Scout Ranch shortly before sunset. There was a volunteer at the
63+ gate waiting to greet me who asked if I had registered for camping. I told him I
64+ was hoping to just park overnight and would sleep in the back of the truck. He
65+ told me where I could find overnight parking (which I promptly forgot) and sent
66+ me on my way.
67+
68+ The dirt road to the mess hall for packet pickup is steep. I don't think I would have
69+ made it in the Prius. Thankful to have the truck so I don't have to worry about
70+ getting stuck. When it came to parking, definitely missed the Prius. I got it
71+ done but it wasn't pretty.
72+
73+ Packet pickup was mostly uneventful. They found my name right away and handed
74+ me my race swag and bib. It wasn't until I asked for directions to the camper lot that things
75+ got awkward. Being new here I was hoping to just park overnight and
76+ crash in the back of the truck. Stealth camping is a thing right? Well, I guess
77+ you're supposed to be stealthy about it.
78+
79+ The volunteer asked me to wait to talk to the RD about my camping situation but
80+ he was in a long conversation with another runner. Being the introvert I am, I
81+ decided to just leave the ranch without talking to anyone and find some public
82+ lands nearby.
83+
84+ I got in the truck and made my way to the front gate only to find it locked. I
85+ had not considered they would close the gate after dark... I drove around for a
86+ bit looking for somewhere quiet to park the truck and ended up settling in next
87+ to another racer who had parked at the startline. Not very stealthy I know, but
88+ we were quickly joined by at least one other car camper. Strength in numbers
89+ right? Well, apart from stressing about an awkward conversation with the RD that
90+ never happened, I slept great.
91+
92+ The startline began to get busy around 5am and shortly after I saw a line of
93+ vehicles heading to a proper parking lot. I got in line and followed suit. Time
94+ for some truck coffee, breakfast, and a relaxed wait until race start at 8am.
95+
96+ # The race
97+
98+ The half marathon started an hour after the 50k at about 7500 feet. This was the low point of the course. It would be all uphill (and downhill) from
99+ here for a total change of about 1800 feet.
100+
101+ The first two miles to the Elkhorn aid station consisted of a super smooth dirt
102+ road and the first few hundred feet of climbing. My plan going into the race was to take
103+ it easy, hike the climbs, run the flats and downs, have a good day, and DON'T
104+ BLOW UP.
105+
106+ I ran through the first aid station without stopping. At just 2 miles in and only
107+ 11 left there wasn't much of a point. I may not have hiked any of the inital
108+ climbs like I planned, but I was definitely taking it easy.
109+
110+ So far so good.
111+
112+ The next four to five miles contained the bulk of the elevation for the
113+ remainder of the race. I knew that if I could keep it under control until we
114+ made it over the hump I could push it on the back half. The climbs
115+ weren't intense, but they were climbs. On the first hike I was passed by a few
116+ runners chewing up the climbs with a steady gait only to bomb past them on the
117+ downs. We played leapfrog for the next hour until about mile 7.
118+
119+ Topping out at about 8500 feet it was finally time to head back down. I offered
120+ final trail greetings to some familar faces I had been trading places with and
121+ happily opened up my stride for some sustained downhill running.
122+
123+ The trail dropped about 500 feet over the next 2 miles to Lady Moon aid at mile 8.5.
124+ It was there that I tagged a gate, refilled my water bottles and turned around
125+ to execute the only out and back on the course.
126+
127+ The next mile and half included yet another climb, nothing major at this point I
128+ was really hoping for more sustained descents. Mile 11 was just what I was
129+ looking for! 300+ feet of smooth downhill single track! My first and only sub 8
130+ minute mile of the day. I passed a few more folks here and settled in for what I
131+ thought would be smooth cruise to the finish line at the bottom of a big hill.
132+
133+
134+
135+
136+ After refilling my water bottles (with the help of some very kind volunteers) I
137+ turned around for a little bit of backtracking.
138+
139+
140+
13141- my race plan
14142-
15143- drive to the race
@@ -29,5 +157,23 @@ categories: life
29157- A jar of jam
30158-
31159- Tellem what I told em
32- - conclusion and what's next: w
33- -
160+ - conclusion and what's next
161+
162+ 6.91
163+ 5.88
164+ 13.7
165+ 10.3
166+ 15.65
167+ 15.30
168+ 10.15
169+ 23.27
170+ 13.01
171+ 25.97
172+ 0.4
173+ 10.64
174+ 14.63
175+ 21.91
176+ 12.10
177+ 12.18
178+ 24.94
179+ 25.61
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