Saturday, August 10, 2013

One Week to the Leadville 100

Leadville 100 by Wayne-K
Leadville 100, a photo by Wayne-K on Flickr.

“Pacing is so grueling and thankless, usually only family, fools, and damn good friends let themselves get talked into it. The job means shivering in the middle of nowhere for hours until your runner shows up, then setting off at sunset for an all-night run through wind-whistling mountains. You’ll get blood on your shins, vomit on your shoes, and not even a T-shirt for completing two marathons in a single night. Other job requirements can include staying awake while your runner catches a nap in the mud; popping a blood blister between her butt cheeks with your fingernails; and surrendering your jacket, even though your teeth are chattering, because her lips have gone blue.”

-- Christopher McDougall, in "Born to Run"


Pacing sounds exciting, doesn't it! After four months of training, I’m excited to be pacing Faye at the Leadville 100. I’m not family -- and time will tell if I’m a fool or a damn good friend. I fly out on Tuesday morning and Faye will be picking me up at the Denver Airport. We'll then make the long drive over to Leadville, Colorado for a few days of camping before the race (AKA, acclimatization). Leadville is situated in the mountains, above 10,000 feet, so getting acclimated prior to the race will be important. The extra days will also give us some time to scout out the race course, figure out crew access points, and plan out the race logistics. The race starts on Saturday at 0400 and racers have 30 hours to reach the finish line. By Sunday morning, Faye and I should be relaxing, enjoying a cold brew, and celebrating her successful finish.

1 comment:

  1. Wayne I believe you are a little of all three! See ya in Denver!!

    ReplyDelete