Run Through Time Half Marathon

Jaclyn writes:

A race day in Salida had its challenges with bringing Aspen along.  We were prepared for a world of adventure with a pack full of diapers, two strollers, and three changes of clothes.  Two strollers was a little excessive, but the weather is just getting nice enough to use our umbrella stroller.  The Bob has the added benefit of keeping her warm when used with the infant adapter piece.  We definitely need to start remembering sunscreen with all of these beautiful days we've been having.  In addition to her gear, I needed to be well prepared for nursing on race day.  La Leche League makes an awesome nursing sports bra that's a "must have" if you intend to race while nursing.  I needed to be prepared for nursing after, as well, since we returned home around 4 pm.  Nursing tank, zip up fleece and nursing cover...check, and we were on our way.  Aspen did amazing, sleeping in the car both ways and keeping Grandpa Gary on his toes during the race.

Aspen keeps Grandpa busy during the race!

The race was awesome, as well.  I loved this course, which began with a steady slow uphill at the start, followed by a slight downhill road until the second mile.  At this point, the course became single track trail that rolled uphill.  At around mile six, the trail became really steep, similar to what you would find along Ute Pass Trail.  This continued until mile 8 or so, which was followed with a fast rolling downhill.  My time was 2:11:30.  The overall race was slower than in past years because of the terrain, and I have yet to see how I performed in comparison to other runners, because the results aren't posted.

Very start of the race

 The course was amazing, but so was all the "shwag".  The female shirts were great.  They aren't technical shirts, which I suppose would turn off some women, but they are fashionably cut t-shirts.  I thought this was a nice surprise.  Men received rather large technical shirts.  The post race food was excellent.  Homemade soups, breads and baked goodies welcomed us all at the finish line.

We enjoyed lunch at Amica's, which I guess was (and pretty much still is) an Il Vicino, similar to the one in downtown Colorado Springs.  That is our favorite restaurant, so despite our long wait, we enjoyed a great salad and IPA.  Aspen enjoyed teething on her first taste of bread...

And enjoyed her first bite!

We've since started her on solids...it's banana week!

Duane writes:

We started the race as one large pack, both the marathoners, which my friend Sean calls "varsity" and the halfers, which I suppose by default are the jv. Well so be it, but after a little more than a mile when the varsity split from the rest of us jv, I found myself in a place that I've never been before. Myself and a friend of mine from the Winter Series, Joseph, were the vanguard for the half marathon. Suddenly I was wondering what was going on and the race took on a whole new outlook.

The next two miles were a steady climb encircling the large hill on the north of Salida, the one with the giant S. By mile 4 Joseph and another young runner broke away and took the lead where they would remain for the next 8 miles. Pretty soon, the trails climbed higher and at about mile 6 we dropped of the back side of a ridge and into some crazy tight single track that twisted through thick brush, across sand traps, and up super steep slopes. For 5 or so miles we were out of contact from the race support. The route crisscrossed other trails a number of times and I was often totally confused. Joseph was just far enough ahead that I rarely glimpsed him through trees and up ridges. At one point, one runner came at me from the opposite direction and I felt totally lost. But I figured one of us was wrong and I knew I was at the front of the race, so I kept on and trusted my trail sense.

At mile 11 or so, we broke out of the backwoods and onto familiar trails. I worked the next mile and a half at closing the gap and finally caught Joseph and the other runner at just over 12 miles. We kept a tight group down the last of the steep single track and just when the trail opened up I jumped up to second, behind the younger runner, but he had too much in reserve and pulled away and never looked back. I finished second. It was the best finish I've had since I started racing almost 10 years ago. I was most proud of myself for not settling and pushing to the end. I didn't have to. No one was behind me. That's the thing about running. No matter how flat or rugged the terrain, the real race in always in your head.

I loved the rail and the race was well organized, even if a little light on the markings, and I can't wait to run it again. I'll spend the next year running it over and over in my head, and so, in a way, I've already started the next race.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the awesome support of Jaclyn who manages all our race entries and gets us there on time and dad who watched Aspen so we can run and everyone else who supports us so we can train so hard. Thanks.