1st Winter Series Run

January 9, 2009 / 10:15 am

Cheyenne Mountain State Park

6.69 miles

1:08:45

Today was the first in the winter series run for the Pikes Peak Road Runners. Tracey talked me into doing the series for distance and getting some more experience racing. Last year I ran the fewest races since I started running again in 2004 so I agreed and registered this morning for the entire long series. I emailed the guys the night before and told them I was doing this race and Jeff emailed me this morning with a report on the conditions. He and Mike run in this park a lot and were in it yesterday as they were marking the trails. Thanks Jeff for the report!

Tracey was hurting since her long run on Sunday and I had rested since Wednesday ... what that meant was that I had a good chance of staying with her in this run! This was all trail except for the start and that was less than half a mile on roads. Tracey told me before we started that it was all uphill for the first half and then all down. Thank goodness she told me that because it seemed we went uphill forever.

The start got backed up pretty quickly when the runners moved off the road and onto the trail. A bottle-necked formed when all of us on the road tried to file through the small opening on the trail. However, after that, it was pretty easy going up the trail.

Tracey motored up the trail, passing people and I was tucked in her back pocket. The one thing I did not want to do was start out too fast and I knew Tracey had experience in these races so I followed her lead until the aid station at mile 2.

I've been running with a bottle since last January's training for Collegiate Peaks and now I keep it no matter the length of the run, unless shorter than 5 miles that is. I get ribbed for carrying it sometimes; but I always have something to drink. So, of course, I had my bottle today and I was able to bypass the aid station; however, Tracey did not. At that point I moved past her. I think that was even worse for me -- knowing she was behind me and could make a move at any moment.

I continued up the trail and passed a few people on the way. The trail goes up as a lollipop and before I hit the loop, the first runners were coming down pretty fast. I told myself soon, I would be doing that. Soon, wasn't so soon though. The loop was longer than I thought and I walked a bit more at the top of the lollipop than I really wanted.

Finally, about 3/4 of the way into the loop, it started going downhill. Yes! and Oh no! Tracey is a speed demon downhill and I ran with the fear of Tracey in my head all the way down. Everytime I heard someone breathing down my neck, I thought it was Tracey!

My grippies were working great and I had good traction whereas some runners without screws or yakx did not and I finally caught up with about five guys with 2 miles left and passed them; however, a couple of them re-passed me before it was all said and done.

Coming into the finish, the trail flattened a bit and I could stretch my stride a bit more and take advantage of the terrain. As soon as I crossed, tore my tag and moved to the side, there was Tracey, less than a minute behind me. Tracey's butt seized up on her at the aid station and that's why I was able to stay in front of her. She told me later that she saw me on the downhill section in front of her and that was her motivation. So we were able to keep each other going despite the fact we were not running together.

The trail conditions were great for January, snow packed trails and a little ice. The weather was better than perfect - 40 degrees and sunny! What a great day for a race.

A quick check of the results and found out Tracey was less that 45 seconds behind me and finished 3rd in her age group while I finished 6th in mine.