Training Log Archive: Trav

The big race! About 47-48 miles. 8000 feet of climbing. 4 legs, or loops heading back to Urique each time, with 2 opportunities to hit the drop bag and get whooped up by the crowd. Weather peaked at what felt like 30 for a few moments on the exposed parts of the course, but overall it was a surprisingly balmy day. Even a cool breeze at the top of some of the climbs all of which were mucho harsh. 2 -3 miles for 1500-2000 feet of gain.

Started out with Zoolander. The first hour was ferociously fast with what looked like 100s of Tarahumari sprinting ahead of us. We stayed together to the top of the first climb, stunned at the speed of these tough canyon people, but when my heartrate monitor told me to curb my enthusiasm I quietly slipped back. Made my way back to town, then back out for the second leg.

By the time I got to town the 2nd time, the damage from two monster downhill poundings had begun to take hold. Good ole Ally, who had come to the canyon with Zoolander (and was earlier in the day mistaken as my daughtor (wtf?)), offered me an advil. The magic bullet. 20 minutes later, I was good again and slowly got back to Zoolander on the way back from the 3rd climb, 9 miles out. By then he was cramping up. We ran together for a few miles and then he suggested I push ahead because he needed to massage out his mashed quads.

Thus released, I bashed on back to town to see Balogna with Ally! Hallelujah. Balogna had had a fine run for the first two legs and decided to enjoy the rest of the day at the start/finish rather join the death march. I married one very intelligent woman. Sure was glad to see her. And the 2nd advil from my, um, daughter.

Finished in under 9 hours. Very worthy time. Maybe in the top thirty. Zoolander came in a few minutes later.

The winner, a tarahumara in running shoes, came in at a stunning 7:12. 9 of the top 10 runners were tarahumara. Mind boggling if you consider that there were some really good ultra running gringos in attendance. The best gringo came in 6th at 7:29. All of the tarahumara except the winner wore huarache sandals.

C • nice work trav! 7

Marched the 3rd leg of the course. 6 miles on dusty road, then 3 miles up the canyon.

C • more 3

ran the 6 mile road segment back

Marched at a good clip from hotel Del Osso up over the canyon rim and down, down, down to Urique at the lowest point in Copper Canyon.

Gentle little run from the Del Osso hotel above copper canyon

Hike around old tarahumara caves.