day 2 - over the pass and back

Started at sometime after 8 am at Twin Lakes campground, at the base of Hope Pass. After breakfast and a 45 minute bus ride. Rains have been heavy this spring, as well as snow pack, so all streams are full and rushing.

5 miles of climbing from about 9000 to 12600 ft. Slow and steady, many people passing. Trying to keep my heart rate under control, breathing manageable. Slow and steady progress. Pause for scenery. Summit looms, can see people ahead, switchback after switchback. Treeline, snowpack, treacherous footing. Numb hands, mild swelling.

After almost 2 hrs of climb, reach the summit. Breathing difficult. One foot in front of the other. Take a few pics, smile at the other runners, start down the other side toward Winfield.

Rockfalls, difficult footing, no full speed descent here. Lost my footing, grabbed an aspen tree for dear life.

Reach the bottom, mile 8. 2 hrs 30 minutes in, eat, eat, drink, drink, move, move. Two miles uphill to Winfield aid. A little boy - maybe 7 yrs - cheers. Hands me a flower?! I say thanks, and power walk upward.

Llamas - not 'the llamas', but llamas anyway. 3:35 at turnaround mile 10 and change.

Back down hill two miles gravel road 'Continental Divide this way.' Fuel and water. Nine 20 ounce bottles in 21 miles. 8 or 9 snickers bars (mini size.) Chips, pretzels, watermelon. Real food (ok, junk food, but good.)

Start the climb back up 'Hopeless Pass.' This is really hard. People passing me, encouraging, First mile up 45 minutes. Another nearly 2 hr ascent. Every emotion. Hate it, this sucks, I'm gonna quit. Stare at ground, slow steps. Make it to each switchback. Just want to die. Trying to control breathing and racing heart. Pop 200 mg caffeine and wait for effects. Like double expresso.

Treeline, scrub, summit only a few hundred feet. Rain and wind pickup. Jacket time. Meet Ken, race organizer with clipboard just below summit. Smile and struggle on up the last few switchbacks.

Up and over summit. View spectacular, cold and wind and rain. Descending 5 miles. Feel surprisingly good. Start to pickup speed. Past the snow fields, slippery footing on descent, long way down.

Start to run. Start to run fast. Damn, this feels good. Euphoric, lack of oxygen, adrenaline. I can do this. Start passing people, easier to just go like hell than to stop. Descending rapidly. Take off coat. Find mp3, put on 'Wreck of the Old 97' Johnny Cash on repeat. 9 and 10 min miles, feel like flying, jumping rocks, splashing through swollen creeks, over logs.

Pass two ladies. "How you doing?" "Great, I'm running down this damn mountain."

Miles flash by 17, 18, 19, 20. Almost to bottom, hear rushing river. Over the bridge to Twin Lakes just behind Steward, Dave's friend, 69 yrs young and 11 time finisher. Breathin hard, caught him. 3600 ft descent in 47 minutes 5 miles.

Without a doubt the hardest single thing I've done to date. Don't feel trashed, like pavement marathon for time, but pleasantly sore and tired. Drink a beer.

'Only' 40 miles to go at this point on race day evening, onward drive into the dark. Doubt, fear, hope, confidence swirl around in my head.


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