I remember leaning in to my computer screen, eyes gleaming, and thinking, "that's COOL. I'm going to do that."
When I started running with the ABQ road runners, I met a few who had done the race. I pumped them for information, not even knowing at that point where Grants, NM was, or how tall Mt. Taylor was.
I've now done the race 6 times, including the time my bike was run over.
This race sneaks up on me. It's after the fall marathon push. I like to do the Bandera 50K in early January - which gets me out running but also clouds my vision to this race in mid February. By the time I've run and recovered from Bandera, I have 3 weeks to train for the Quad.
Something about this year, post race, has grabbed my attention and imagination again.
Yeah, yeah, there's always the - "boy, if I trained for this race I would have been faster/had more fun/won an award/gotten a PR.... That happens for lots of races. But after this year's quad - well, I hope it's different.
I'm incredibly pleased with how fast I went this year. I hadn't been on my bike but 13 miles in the last 6 months. I'd only been running, and I've felt like my running had taken a hit. Skiing was nigh impossible on the Sandias for lack of snow, and I always need that downhill training on my cross country skies. I hadn't been on my snowshoes but once in the lead up to the race. At least I was pretty sure they worked. This year, I was openly hoping for a white-out year - a really intense experience that would double as a reason for a slow time. But race day had blue skies, no wind, and plenty of snow on the ground. The best conditions I think I've ever seen out there. So I went out and had fun.
On the bike up, finally for the first time in my 6 tries at this race I caught the wheel of someone slightly faster than I. I drafted all the way to mile 9 or 10. I felt good all the way up - what a difference a draft makes. The guy tried to speed up a few times to drop me, I think, but I held on. If he had tried slowing to let me go around, I would have pulled, but he didn't, so I didn't. Transition was easy - since it was decent temperature, there was less gear to mess with.
I beat Kurt out of the transition and started running with my screw shoes. He caught me about a mile up the road, and we ran together most of the way. He was taking it easy, and I didn't want to work so hard that the ski up would be a chore, so we hiked a little from the cattle guard up - where Erik passed us, running fast! I knew Erik was gunning for a PR so I cheered him on.
Into the run/ski transition and it was unlike any other quad transition, unfortunately. Normally characterized by stellar and numerous volunteers that bring you your gear and usher you to an empty bench, this time I was left standing - no bench space. And I was left calling out my number - "number 30? Anyone have gear for #30?" It took a while to get my gear, and although the helpful volunteer tried to squeeze me onto a bench, I determined that getting another competitor to scooch over would take too much time and energy. So I took off shoes and put on ski boots standing up. Thanking the volunteers, triple checking that I had my snowshoes, poles, gloves... and I was off.
I am definitley getting better at these transitions. Even though Kurt's stuff was there for him, I beat him out of transition again. Of course, he easily caught me on the skis a few minutes out of transition, so it's really not a big advantage. He stayed with me for a few minutes, then moved on, just efficiently using his poles to climb. Erik caught me a little later, but I kept him in sight. As always, a few unknowing souls were on skate skis without skins trying to climb up Mt. Taylor. Oh the misery. They slide back 1/2 the distance of each step. Two took off their skies and hiked, which I believe is against the rules. I told one, a young guy in a ski suit and nice gear, to keep working - he gave me a look of such bewildering horror through his sweaty face that I truly felt sorry for him. He hadn't yet reached heartbreak hill. Maybe next year I stash my kicker skins in my bag marked with my race number so I can help at least one person. Oh, wait.. I want to be competitive next year. right.
On to the snow shoes. I run to the edge of the world, passing Erik. I feel about as expected - tired, and thinking the final climb is going to be rough. I could have hiked some to the edge of the world to make the hike a little better, but, nah. Even just having fun, you have to have some goals. On the climb, Erik catches and passes me, and Kurt passes me going down the other way. Kind of fun to be all so close together! I round the top and head down. Although I was within 30 seconds of Erik at the top, he has disappeared down the mountain out of sight. At the edge of the world I stop for a stiff drink - apple berry brandy I believe - then continue running the flat part. Where I catch Erik again - odd - but he tells me later he had gone so fast on the steep part that the flatter section made him hike sometimes.
Usually the shoe/ski transition is the longest for me, but this time, I'm efficient. Before I know it, I'm skiing down to the saddle. The snow is good, groomed but not icy. This is the most technical section, and I struggle with it. The newish soft snow keeps my speed slow, which means I don't snowplow for most of the run - unusual! Awesome! I could even look around a little, I was so comfortable. I fell once, as I caught an edge on seemingly nothing. I popped up and kept going (after letting two guys right on my tail pass me). Normally that fazes me and I slow way down, but this time I was able to keep moving ok. I still snowplowed more than I'd like, but I was happy with how it went. Erik was right with me coming into the run ski transition. Where again I was left calling out my number. They must not have had as many volunteers there as usual. Once I made the change to my screw shoes, I was out of there - right in step with Erik.
Or at least half in step with Erik. He had taken a bad crash on the skis and whacked his head. And he was limping a little. He said he was ok, and he was moving alright. The call of the downhill run pulled me away and I started cruising down the icy road. With the screw shoes I could totally ignore the surface and I flew past several others that were tip toe-ing down the icy snow covered road. Wahoooo! Before I could really think about it I made the left turn and then was facing the few hills between me and transition. Nice.
Into the run/bike transition and I was almost done. I hadn't eaten much - a snickers, an orange, a waffle I think... and I was starting to feel a little crampy. No salt tabs. I know better. I got on the bike knowing that I could coast for a little while, and was so happy. I worked at keeping my 28 mph for as long as possible into town - all my muscles cramping in succession - shin, hip, calf, arch - but at least they didn't go at it all at once. The routing through town was BUMPY but mercifully short. Crossing the line is always fun, and this time I just hoped that I didn't cramp as I tried to dismount and fall over. I didn't.
What's amazing to me is that I feel like other than the food and salt, I didn't make many tactical errors. And even without specifically training, I finished in 5:35 and was 3rd in my AG. That's only 14 min. off my PR.
So here goes the analysis:
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | ||
Bike up + T1
|
1:18:25
|
1:06:25
|
1:16:54
|
1:08:49
|
1:12:16
|
Run + T2
|
1:10:47
|
1:09:04
|
1:07:53
|
1:00:47
|
0:59:22
|
Ski
|
54:26
|
51:34
|
50:11
|
0:45:19
|
42:00
|
Snowshoe +T3
|
35:51
|
35:23
|
37:44
|
0:30:21
|
26:20
|
Snowshoe down
|
15:01
|
12:58
|
13:27
|
0:13:55
|
10:51
|
Ski down + T3'
|
33:56
|
32:51
|
31:47
|
0:29:17
|
32:17
|
Run down + T2'
|
53:58
|
51:31
|
48:08
|
0:45:22
|
42:04
|
Bike down + T1'
|
XXX
|
46:40
|
38:13
|
0:52:07
|
36.04
|
Finish Time
|
6:06:34
|
6:04:14
|
5:45:54
|
5:21:10
|
This year:
bike up: 1:12:40
run up: 1:06:39
ski up: 46:59
Shoe up: 29:33
Shoe down: 11:57
Ski down: 26:46
run down: 43:56
bike down: 37:02
Total: 5:35:28
Ok, so I lost time over last year on the run, ski and snow shoe up. I was about equal on the others, except the ski down this year I was 6 min faster.
To break 5 hours, which I think is doable if I train hard, and that means not training for Bandera 50K, I have to:
bike up: 1:00
run up: 56
Ski up: 41
shoe up: 26 - 3:03 hours up
shoe down: 11
ski down: 23
run down 41
bike down 35
total: 4:53
Most of the time comes from the bike up. Then the ski down. Do able, if I train.
lets go!
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