Mile High Metric Challenge Chatfield State Park April 8, 2000 A couple of days before the race Steph decided that we should run 100 km instead of 50 km. Being an idiot, I didn't try very hard to talk her out of that. It did occur to me that this is roughly like deciding to do the Leadville 100 mountain bike race two days before. Whatever, we will survive. Maybe. So, we show up at 5:30 a.m. and its really cold! Sign up, pay our money, we're in. Very informal start, with only about 10 people in the race. I had checked the line-up on Scott Weber's website the night before and I could see there was only one fast guy in the race This guy Bruce had run 100 km here last year in 8:54 or so. 6:00 a.m. Scott says "Go" and we go. I try to keep Steph from running away -- I like to start slow. Bruce and another guy pull away. Too early to worry about racing. My hands are frozen, for some stupid reason I decided not to wear gloves and I'm carrying a hand bottle. Steph has her down North Face boxing mittens. Steph & I run together at about 9:00 minute pace for 5 miles or so. We catch one guy, but Bruce continues to gap us. We begin to warm up (except for my hands!) The tube of Steph's Camelbak freezes so we trade my bottle back and forth. After 5 miles we pick it up a bit to around 8:30 pace, which seems like the maximum sustainable pace. To 9 or 10 miles the course is fairly flat with some rolling hills. Between 10 and 12 miles we encounter some short but steep ups and downs next to Chatfield Reservoir. We step gingerly over some wet and muddy areas, trying to keep our feet dry. The sun is gradually warming things up. After 14 miles there's some cross country (off trail) running with some decent hills. Steph doesn't like the hummocky grass because her ankles are weak. She drops back a bit. We complete the first 25 km lap in 2:18. I strip down to my shorts and coolmax tee shirt, grab a fresh hand bottle and some cookies and potatoes and gels. I tell Steph "I'm going to keep moving." Bruce is no where to be seen. I pick up my pace some to about 8:20 per mile. I figure I should not let Bruce get too far ahead. Soon I'm passing 50 km and 75 km runners who started 2 hours after us (18 minutes before we completed the first lap). Its nice to see some familiar faces including Julie Montoya, Scott Boulbol, Theresa Daus-Weber, and others. There's a group from Leadville: Melissa Lee-Sobal, Molly Barnes, Donna Daus. Steph hangs on very well and I don't lose her until she stops for a bathroom break about 10 miles into the loop. Its getting really warm. There's no sign of Bruce. Pushing the pace a bit I complete the second lap in 2:08. I pull into the start/finish area and ask Scott "How far am I off the pace?" He says "You just took the lead", motioning to Bruce who is standing to the side digging through his stuff. Bruce looks up with a suprised expression. I can see I had better get out of there quick! Bruce leaves the aid station on my heels. I push on as fast as I dare with 50 km still to go. After about 3 miles I am surprised to overtake Kurt Blumberg who is running the 75 km. I start to pull ahead, but fortunately Kurt decides it will be more fun to run with some one than alone, so he picks it up and comes along with me. Bruce is not far behind. We motor along pretty comfortably at about 8:30 per mile. Its getting hot. Kurt complains about the flat course, he's a certified mountain goat. We chat and the miles pass, gradually Bruce gets farther behind. I figure if I can put a big gap on him by the end of the lap he might become discouraged and stop pushing. So, I keep grinding way. Kurt and I finish the lap, 2:13 for me. He takes a little break as I cruise out of the aid station. The heat is getting to him (and me). I yell at him to get his butt out of the aid station. By now its really hot and hard to stay hydrated. I'm popping a fair number of electrolyte capsules and trying to keep eating. But, my stomach is getting pretty sour. I figure I need to run this lap in 2:20 to beat 9 hours, which is 9:00 pace. I know this is going to be tough. I keep looking over my shoulder for Bruce, but see no sign of him. I figure the 3.3 mile aid station is almost exactly 50 miles, and I pass that in 7:09 and change, a 50 mile PR for me! By half way though the lap I have to give up eating and switch to only water. I can see that I have only about 1 minute lee-way to beat 9 hours. I keep pushing. Keep pushing. At the 14 mile mark I still don't know if I can make it, there are those hills. A passing cyclist asks me if I'm in a race and I say "Yeah" and he asks how I'm doing and I say "I'm winning" and this gives me a little boost. I run up the last hills telling myself "Go! Go! GO!" On the last little steep cross-country downhill I'm amazed that my legs are still working well, though my stomach is a not good at all. I cross the finish line at 8:58:37, 2:19 for the last lap. I'm a little disappointed to see that Bruce dropped about 5 miles into the 4th lap. Steph rolls to the finish at about 9:36 with a big smile on her face -- 2nd place overall and an excellent time on this moderately difficult course & hot day. Kurt makes it in about 20 minutes later and promptly lies down, refusing to move. The Boulder contingent did very well. Besides Steph & me in the 100 km, Adam Chase won the 75 km (6:28 ish) and Dave MacKey hammered the 50 km (3:30 ish!) This race reminded me what racing (as opposed to just running) is all about. If you are an elite runner or a mid-packer, racing is about meeting your personal goals, whatever those may be. Win a race. Run a certain time on a certain course. Finish within the cut-off time. Beat a friend or that guy in the red shirt who passed you at mile 2. See what you can do. This is a little nothing, meaningless race. No big guns, no fanfare, hardly anyone entered. But, I pushed as I would not on any training run to win the race, then to go under 9 hours. It was painful and not that much fun after a while. In any race crossing the finish line is an experience that cannot be described, especially if you meet your goals. Go! Go! GO!