A couple years ago I embarked on my first 100-mile race, the Leadville 100 trail run. It was an epic experience for me at the time. I'd done a couple 50-milers and lots of marathons but never anything further. I knew the second half of that race would be new territory, and as such, I figured I'd learn something about myself.
One thing I learned is that I am indeed stubborn. I have my limits but I was able to commit and not quit. So that was great.
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| Mile 60, Leadville 100 Trail Run, August 2016 |
Fast forward to today, Tuesday, August 14, 2018. I will once again embark on the Leadville 100 trail run this weekend, only this time I have completed the four other races compromising the Leadwoman challenge. Those races are the marathon, the 50-mile run, the 100-mile mountain bike ride, and the 10k. All have cutoff times except for the 10k. It's been an exciting prospect this summer to make it through all of the races. I had a bad DNF at the Golden Gate Dirty 30 in early June and attempted to recover in two weeks for the Leadville marathon, the first race in the Leadwoman competition. I ran the marathon conservatively to make sure I wouldn't end up with another case of rhabdo. The next weekend I flew to Chicago to run a Spartan Super and qualify for the World Championships again in Lake Tahoe. Two weeks later I ran the Leadville 50-miler. Afterward I just tried to recover and then get in a few more training runs prior to crewing for Melissa at Never Summer. Right after Never Summer I began hitting the mountain bike a little to prepare for the 100-mile ride. Just the weekend before the race I had my best training session, 48-miles of the mountain bike course with Tim giving me pointers. Last weekend I knocked out the 100-mile ride on Sat and the 10k run on Sun.
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| Spartan Super, Fort Carson, May 2018 |
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| Spartan Super, Fort Carson, May 2018 |
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| Spartan Sprint, Fort Carson, May 2018 |
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| Scouting the Never Summer 100k course, May 2018 |
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| Leadville Marathon, June 2018 |
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| Spartan Super, Chicago, June 2018 |
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| Spartan Super, Chicago, June 2018 |
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| Spartan Super, Chicago, June 2018 |
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| Leadville Silver Rush 50-miler, July 2018 |
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| Leadville Silver Rush 50-miler, July 2018 |
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| Leadville 100-mile mountain bike, "Race Across the Sky," August 2018 |
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| Leadville 10k, August 2018 |
And now it's just the hundred.
Just one-hundred miles in less than 30-hrs.
It's supposed to rain, maybe snow. Fine. I just don't want the dangerous lightning or large hail, especially when I'm working my way over Hope Pass. With the storms we've had on the front range this year, it's scary to think about what size hail can be produced under the right conditions. Hopefully the volunteers and race marshals can keep us all up-to-date and safe with accurate information during the race. That's one area I consider myself a...softer-hearted individual. I can handle physical pain for 100-miles but I don't trust Mother Nature so much.
Now all that's left to do is prep my gear, rest, and put down the calories.
And then Spartan Worlds...
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| Spartan Worlds, Lake Tahoe, October 2015 |
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