Run Rabbit Run 50 mile
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
September 13, 2014
My final race and my longest race. This race encompasses my goal of the entire summer. Prove that I am capable of doing anything I put my mind to. Having never before run more than a few miles in one go, I have completely surpassed that in the last two years. During this race I ran further than I have ever run (26.2 miles) and traveled the further than my two legs have ever carried me (37 miles hiking). I am very proud of myself and learned quite a bit along the way. This has been a rewarding summer and has renewed my passion for finding new physical feats to test my abilities. Overall, I do not think competitive running is for me. My favorite distance range is between 6 and 15 miles, I do not like competing against anyone but myself, and training for a race goes against my spirit of doing things to my own tune. However, I do have a new appreciation for the ultra community. I have never felt so welcomed, supported, and encouraged as when I was struggling through my races. I met so many amazing people and saw some incredible scenery. This has been a worthy ambition for my summer.
The race was out and back from the base of the ski basin gondola up to Rabbit Ears Pass. The course was a spectacular 50 miles running through the mountains and fall colors of Routt National Forest, crossing the Continental Divide, up to the base of the rabbit ears-shaped rock formation on Rabbit Ears Mountain, and back to the start for a total 9,000 feet of climbing. It was tough and amazing. I started before sunrise at 6:00AM in a 28ºF crisp morning, continued through a 68ºF sunny afternoon, and ended at 8:20PM after sunset in a 40ºF night. I started and ended by headlamp. This was my race of all races.
Results:
Distance: 50 miles
Bib: 1046
Place: 124/140
Time: 14:20:30
Breakdown by Checkpoint:
Start: mileage 0, time 6:00AM
Mount Werner outbound: mileage 6.4, time 7:45AM, elapsed 1:45:00, pace 16:24, section pace 16:24, place 90th
Long Lake outbound: mileage 13.2, time 9:23AM, elapsed 3:23:00, pace 15:22, section pace 14:24, place 94th
Base Camp outbound: mileage 18.4, time 10:46AM, elapsed 4:46:00, pace 15:32, section pace 15:57, place 106th
Dumont outbound: mileage 22.3, time 11:50AM, elapsed 5:50:00, pace 15:41, section pace 16:24, place 110th
Rabbit Ears turnaround: mileage 25
Dumont inbound: mileage 27.7, time 1:30PM, elapsed 7:30:00, pace 16:14, section pace 18:31, place 113th
Base Camp inbound: mileage 31.6, time 2:45PM, elapsed 8:45:00, pace 16:36, section pace 19:13, place 56th
Long Lake inbound: mileage 36.8, time 4:33PM, elapsed 10:33:00, pace 17:12, section pace 20:46, place 114th
Mount Werner inbound: mileage 43.6, time 6:55PM, elapsed 12:55:00, pace 17:46, section pace 20:52, place 125
Finish: mileage 50, time 8:20PM, elapsed 14:20:30, pace 17:12, section pace 13:21, place 125th
