WARNING: There may be some profanity in this post. Stop now if you will be offened.
Gathered again for another day in the mountains. |
Day 2 Twin Lakes – Winfield – Twin Lakes miles 40-60 of leadville 100 course
Day 2 -Hope's Pass |
We started the course at the bridge just past Twin Lakes (this part was altered due to us not doing the river crossing) We had about 1 mile of rolling hills and then 4.25 miles of climbing up to 12,600. The climbing and elevation was so extreme I couldn’t drink or consume calories without stopping to catch my breath. Coming out of the treeline from twin lakes was absolutely beautiful. I was so dyspnic I didn’t stop to enjoy it because I just wanted it to be over, but I did snap a few quick pics.
On the way up. |
View from 12,600ft |
Made it, can I get down from here now so I can breathe! |
Once I got to the top I was so thrilled to start descending so I could breathe again. Unfortunately my descending skills combined with the lack of oxygen meant for a slower than desired descend. I stopped at the aid station at the bottom of the trail and gulped a warm can of coke with hopes it would perk me up.
I then continued on to Winfield, on the way out I saw Daniel who was about a mile ahead of me, with some other runners scattered throughout to the turnaround. Luis who was about ½ mile of me who was really struggling, I shouted out to him, “Go get that bitch.” He tried to muster a smile, but it was meek. Turning into the Winfield aid station I was relieved to see a port-a-potty and a clean one at that. Coming back out of Winfield is fun because it’s mainly downhill and you can gain back some of the time you lose climbing. I stopped again at the aid station filled up on water and downed another warm coke for still hopes of more energy. Almost instantly onto the trailhead you start a very steep incline for 2.5miles. This is the worst because immediately when you start climbing you are already out of breath. I tried to play a game with myself to see if I could get a ½ mile done in 15mins, nope, a mile in 30min, nope. I can’t remember exactly without going back to my Garmin but I think the miles were 44min and 39min. This is with my moving forward at all times except to drink or consume calories. I saw Luis about a ¼ up the climb, coming back down, shaking his head saying it just wasn’t his day. From that point on I was alone, I couldn’t catch site of anyone. This is a very bad place to be alone. I kept coming out of a switchback or to a clearing hoping to see another human, nothing. Then about 1 mile from the top a saw a glimsp of 2 people, but it was gone in a moment. My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. I remembered the story Jay told me the night before at dinner, how he came into May Queen aid station one year when he was on track to finish in under 24hrs and he passed out. He said he was so out of it he didn’t realize he was hypoglycemic didn’t even feel it coming. What if I pass out there’s no one around me, someone’s just going to encounter my passed out self on the trail. Keep moving forward to get off this wicked pass. Once the trees cleared I could see about 10 other runners disperced on the switchbacks ahead of me, but they were gaining distance on me. Or at least it seem. About a ¼ mile from the top a saw a group of wild goats or sheep, I couldn’t tell exactly I took a picture to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating, made a note to myself to check that later.
Going up again, the never ending grade. Can you see the wild sheep in the background? |
I crashed hard when we finished. I was so beat up I wasn’t even happy to be done. I said “that may have been the most miserable run (not going to lie there wasn’t much running) I have ever had” Daniel agreed with a “yeah” After that I was diminished to one word sentences for about an hour.
This is what I must look like right before death, well thats what I felt like at least. |
Legs after 8hrs on the trail. |
Time: 8hrs (3:55 to Winfield, 4:05 from Winfield to Twin Lakes)
22:51 min/mile
Caloric intake 1580 (2 gu chomps, 2 cans coke, 6 coconut waters, 3 bars, 100cal almonds)
202cal/hr avg
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