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Jemez Mountain Trail Runs - RunHalf Marathon


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Los Alamos, New Mexico
United States
High Altitude Athletics
50F / 10C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 29m
Overall Rank = 30/
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Drove up and talked with the Outlaws - Mike, Tim, Maria, Jane, and others. Decided to wear a long sleeve tech t and running gloves.
Event warmup:

Didn't do much of one... wasn't planning on burning the track up due to having a cold/cough, the altitude, and impending mountain.
Run
  • 2h 29m
  • 13.6 miles
  • 10m 58s  min/mile
Comments:

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).
What would you do differently?:

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

Post race
Warm down:

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.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

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


  4. 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?




Last updated: 2008-01-19 12:00 AM
Running
02:29:00 | 13.6 miles | 10m 58s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance:
Course: From the Posse shack (7400 feet) down through the cemetary area (7200 feet) then up Guaje mountain (8800 feet) then back down and through Rendija canyon and back up to the Posse shack.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2008-05-17 7:06 PM

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Mesa
Subject: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs


2008-05-17 8:04 PM
in reply to: #1408779

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Expert
1694
1000500100252525
Illinois
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
I laughed out loud reading your race report.  Logs, mountains, oxygen tanks?!!??? Congratulations on completing a very grueling race!
2008-05-17 11:14 PM
in reply to: #1408779

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Elite
3602
20001000500100
Mesa, AZ
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Us flatlanders need not play at altitude! HEY you still pulled off a really nice race! GREAT JOB!

I am SURE you'll be talking about the 50 next year!
2008-05-18 5:45 PM
in reply to: #1408779

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Master
2411
2000100100100100
Goodyear, AZ
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Wow! You really find the craziest races to do! Great job!
2008-05-18 6:39 PM
in reply to: #1408779

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Extreme Veteran
586
500252525
Waterboro, Maine
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs

This is REAL racing!  Good job.

2008-05-18 8:39 PM
in reply to: #1408779

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Expert
748
50010010025
Big Bear City, California
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Wow that sounds incredible! Amazing job.


2008-05-18 10:30 PM
in reply to: #1408779

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Veteran
272
1001002525
Albuquerque, NM
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Great job out there, that was one tough run! With the your cough and the high altitude, I was impressed. I'm still not sure how I didn't fall down after rolling my ankle...I should have went and bought a lottery ticket after the race. When you told that lady behind us that we still had 3 more miles, she looked defeated...then when you told her you were joking and we're at the end, she had all this energy, we had to pick it up so she wouldn't pass us at the end.
2008-05-19 11:26 AM
in reply to: #1408779

Albuquerque, NM
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs

Great job Andy!  I'm glad I was able to amuse you with me ending up on Barranca Mesa and the Shooting Range  The only thing we didn't do over the weekend was have a beer together!?!  Next time we won't let that happen again. 

You are truely an animal and deep down an Outlaw!

2008-05-19 2:14 PM
in reply to: #1408779

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Expert
709
500100100
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Nothing about that sounded like much fun. I must say again, you are a madman. Well done!
2008-05-19 10:47 PM
in reply to: #1408779

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New user
1

Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs

oh, it wasn't THAT bad!! Sealed

You had a great race - it was a very tough course. At least we weren't doing the 50K, right?

I had fun too - though I was pretty well strung out by the end. can't believe there was anything left to go do the SF Century the next day.

2008-05-19 11:14 PM
in reply to: #1408779

Veteran
144
10025
Vienna, Austria (temporarily)
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Entertaining report. Thanks for sharing. You should do the 50k next year!


2008-05-20 7:51 AM
in reply to: #1408779

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Elite
2423
2000100100100100
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Nice report, seems like a fun race despite your  'issues'
2008-05-22 11:41 AM
in reply to: #1408779

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Elite
2553
20005002525
Tucson, AZ
Subject: RE: Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Dang! That sounds like one crazy, brutal race! Yeah, we'll check your logs around this time next year and see if there's a 50 on there. 
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