Training Log Archive: Funderstormin

Okay so perhaps the only part of this trip that didn't go so great was the running part! I had a funny stomach the day before while we were hiking and was hoping it would right itself by race day but it didn't. A crummy sleep and some anxiousness about the race (I don't really know why...I did it the year before!) had me worried on the start line.

Course was beautiful, weather was perfect, but I just couldn't get my act together today. I found the climbs more challenging to recuperate from than the year before and just struggled to maintain a positive attitude. Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing this course again and had some lovely chats with people on the course.

The weather worsened throughout the day with random wild thunderstorms that saw several 100k racers drop out or miss cut-offs. Of the 9 people who started the 100k, only 3 finished. The 50k had a much higher success rate but many people exclaimed it was the hardest course that they'd done and the times people were running spoke to that. The winner of the 50K was Dusty Olson who is featured in Scott Jurek's book and lives two towns over from Winter Park. I enjoyed chatting with him a bit and he seemed as much of a character as he is described!

Easy group hike around Monarch Lake: http://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/monarch... This trail was heavily trafficked and seemed a bit tame in comparison to what we'd seen the day before, but was a good choice the day before the race and the lake itself was beautiful!

The trail systems in this area are so fantastic...I can see why my friend the RD lives out here and can't imagine that you'd ever get bored of the trails. I haven't managed to get on a bike out here yet which is a real shame as there is an amazing infrastructure for it.

Small group hike starting from Berthoud Pass toward Mt. Flora: http://www.summitpost.org/mount-flora-from-berthou...

It was a picture perfect day and I was exclaiming every 2-3 minutes how beautiful it was! Such a great start to the trip!

2nd annual Hideaway Beer 1.5 mile. As if the course wasn't hard enough last year, with 100ft of gain per 1/4 mile, this year they made it hillier and longer! Having just arrived in town the day before, I found the uphills incredibly difficult and, as last year, was bested by a local in the female division. Also, Dusty Olson drank two of my perfect chilled Coors Banquets and left me his lukewarm Miller High Lifes, which did not help the situation one bit.

Always a victory when there's no vomiting though!

C • Dusty 3

Always one of my favourite hours of the week.