Training Log Archive: karenm

Event: Bighorn Mountain Endurance Trail Race-50 km
 

Ran the Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic 50 km Trail race in Dayton Wyoming. It was a perfect day weather wise. The sun was out, but not too hot up top with a nice breeze. The trail was great with lots of awesome views and thus lots of picture stops. (I was there to enjoy my day!) The race directors did a good job rerouting the course due to the late snow pack. We had to run an out and back section of about 10.5 km, but that was fine. I will have to return again to run the initial "ridge" which others say is truly beautiful! Lots of mud and many, many creek crossings. A few patches of snow on the trail, but so much had melted in this past week alone. It was amazing how many runners stopped at every water crossing or mud hole to look for a way around. There was no hope of keeping dry, so I just made the decision to go through thim. I passed a lot of people this way! Chatted with several runners along the way. Met up with Hugh MaGill who was running the 100 mile race! I thought I had passed him on the way out and then I caught him on the final 30 km section which all race distances had in common. He had started over 24 hours earlier!!! I can't imagine running that far. I hammered down the 6 mile downhill section from the top of the "haul" as they refer to the climb up to the top of the pass. The downhill was relentless with lots of technical rocky, single track. Sure didn't do enough downhill running in training! Oh well, I survived! Passed a ton of runners on this section. It was tough going as the 30km race started 1 hour late and I was catching lots of the slower runners at this point. Many don't know the phrase "on your left" or perhaps they were just too tired to think about it. Anyway it was a bit of an obstacle course for sure. I was too tired to say much else though! My legs were pretty much thrashed when I hit the final flat section which was about 8 km along a gravel road. It was definitley hot along here and it seemed to go on forever. It was tough getting the legs moving again once I stopped, so I tried to just keep moving forward! I was so thankful for the kids on bikes delivering "freezes" to the runners! What a great treat! The aid station workers were so very helpful, taking your pack and filling it up with water so that you could just concentrate on getting some food. Was very happy to run into the finish area and hear Karl and Tyson cheering for me. My final time was 6 hours 30 minutes and 34 seconds (forgot to stop my Garmin) . 34th out of 87 women and 74 out of 178 finishers in the 50 km. Would I do it again? Yes, for sure; but maybe not this week!!!!!

C • great to read your descript... 4

Run/hike in Bowmont Park checking out oreinteering sites for Wed. night. Turned out to be a nice evening.

C • mosquitoes?? 5

C • Way to go! Congratulations :-) 4

Easy bike along the bike path from home with Tyson. Couldn't convince him to go any further as he wanted to get back home to play with a friend. Oh well!