I started out running at a decent pace as it was flat and then downhill. Then after going through the tunnel under the road we started running along the winding trail through the cemetary area. When I first entered the forest it was really refreshing and the pine wood smell was great. IT started to sprinkle too. The run then kept winding and went through an arroyo as the trail began to go uphill. I kept running along pretty well but then the trail began going up continuously and my breathing gradually got heavier. I was gasping for air. Well this is just the beginning of my hope that somewhere there would be a oxygen tank. Maria passed me and then I made it to the first aid station 4.2 miles in. I was glad to get some water and gatorade as my throat was burning and the dry coughs kind of hurt. Right then the one lady says "good job... it is all downhill now." Well I remembered that the elevation profile showed that the downhill started at 6.6 miles. Well the next 2.4 miles were complete hell. Just after that aid station Mike and his brother passed me. He was looking strong and soon would disappear from my view... mainly because my eyes were pinned on the trail. When I would look up and see the switchbacks looking like they would never end I decided that doing this race was a idiotic idea. I kept going and I could hear a drumbeat as I gasped and gasped for air. I realized it wasn't a drum, it was my heart beating through my chest. It was beating so hard that I thought it was going to expand and explode out of my chest. As this was going on, the girl behind me kept exclaiming "oh shit! oh shit!" I would look up again and still there were more switchbacks but it looked like I was almost there. I felt elated as I was ready for the downhill. So I looked ahead and it was just a short flat spot that lead to more switchbacks! Arggghhh... Unenthusiatically forcing a smile I kept moving forward and saw that Tim was just a little bit behind me. As I made it up finally to the top I stopped at the aid station. I was very happy to see them. I drank a cup of water and turned around and there was Tim. I then drank some water and gatorade and Tim and I proceeded. He said my heart was pulsing out of my neck. Alas! We were finally at the downhill. Tim and I started running down and here and there we had to jump over logs. I was just ahead of him so I would yell "log" so that he would be ready for it. We kept going down and eventually there started to be some short uphill sections that were pretty rocky so we would hike up those and then run again. After we made it back down we started running through an arroyo, Tim rolled his ankle and somehow... quite amazingly ran about 10 yards or so with his face about 1 foot above the sand and then he popped up and started to run again. I said why don't you walk that one off. We then got to the next downhill set of switchbacks and ran down them and soon would be at the 3rd and final aid station but we still had a couple of miles to go. I ate a gel as my right calf felt like it was going to morph into a cramp. That worked but I was still pooped. Tim and I hiked the uphill climbs and ran the flats and downhill sections. We then made it back to the tunnel under the road and the guy in front of us went left. We stopped and said... "nah... we go back through the tunnel." We concurred and half heartedly tried to tell that other guy he was on the wrong path but we mostly just cared about moving forward. We were now on my old high school cross country course. I told Tim that we just had a little twisting and turning and then we would have a climb out of the canyon. The climb out of the canyon is steep and slender. A lady was behind us as we pulled ourselves up the path... she says "is it much farther?" and I jokingly said "three more miles" as she said "oh nooooo!" I let her know that the finish was really close as I pointed toward where the posse shack was. The ran through and happily crossed that line. I asked where the Psychiatric tent is and mentioned that the 50k and 50 mile runners were really going to need it. (they had to go up to 10,000 feet after going back down... oh.. the 50 milers had to go up to 10,000 feet 3 times).

1. Bring an oxygen tank
2. Not have a cough/cold
3. Be better trained
4. See psychiatrist before signing up again

Tim and I looked for the Outlaws. We found Mike's brother but didn't see Mike or Maria. Maria came by and said she didn't finish as she took a wrong turn. So I joked that Mike did too and that he was probably on Barancha Mesa... the other side of the canyon that we ran through.... Low and behold he was. They had taken a wrong turn that I almost took but Tim kept us on the course.

We also talked about the Santa Fe Century 100 mile ride we are doing tomorrow.

1. lack of oxygen
2. lack of running coming into this
3. a big mountain



Event comments:

Very well run and extremely challenging run. I am glad I did it but still should seek mental help because of it. If I mention doing the 50k next year will someone call and send the men with the white coats to pick me up?