Searching for my Mojo

Yesterday my training partner Scoop wasn't feeling well, but didn't want to bag on our ambitious plan to hike the Manitou incline, continue hike/running up Pikes Peak to Barr Camp, and then run down. In deference to her illness, however, she requested that we walk all the way to Barr Camp.

I had no problem with that, especially since I feel pretty sure I'll be walking the majority of the time on the Mount Evans Ascent. Indeed, I was psyched to see what our time would be walking, since I have become somewhat nervous about meeting the cutoff times for the Mt. Evans race.

From their website: "A 2.5 hour cut-off will be in effect at Summit Lake, which is approximately 9 miles into the run." Now maybe you're thinking "Come on, Deb. You can't run 9 miles in 2.5 hours? That's slower than a 10 minute pace!"

Continue reading from the website: "Summit Lake lies at an elevation of 12,850 feet, and is 2,250 feet higher than the starting line at Echo Lake." Therein lies the problem. It's high. Really high. It's all uphill-- and keeps going up from there, 5.4 more miles all the way to up 14,264 feet. Did I mention that the 14.5 mile Mt. Evans Ascent bills itself as America's highest road race?

I've already done the Pikes Peak Ascent in 2002, the Leadville Heavy Half Marathon in 2006 and the Breck Crest Mountain race three or four times (I can't remember because once there was a snowstorm and a whiteout on the pass and we had to turn around and the run ended up being about 17 instead of 14 and I bonked and started to cry). Lived to tell the tale.

No it's not a 10 minute pace. It's a 16:40 pace. Actually, I think I can do it. But it won't be easy. I don't know why I sign up for these crazy high altitude races, since I get pretty dizzy up high. I think I can do it, especially since yesterday ended up being SO MUCH FUN! Scoop is much better at going uphill and at altitude than I am, and although I love training with her I generally feel some pressure to keep up with her. So just walking and talking was a lot of fun. And our time wasn't all that bad, either.

Oh, but just in case: "There will be buses at Summit Lake where you can take shelter. Summit crew will be notified of your withdrawal, and your summit bag will be brought down to the buses." Your summit includes warm clothes because "Even when there are warm temperatures at the starting line, the summit can be cold, windy, and has the potential for snow at any time of year."

Guess what? My kids get out of school for summer vacation tomorrow (yikes!). Guess what else? It's 46 degrees today. So it's not crazy to think that in 3 1/2 weeks there could be a snowstorm at 14,000 feet. Ah, Colorado.