With the first two of the four Grand Slam races in the books, I'm now looking ahead to the back half of this thing while holding out hope (no pun intended) that I can still come home with 3 of the 4 buckles. Vermont went well, Western States not so much. Now I am left to ponder how my previous experiences might translate up in the thin Colorado air later this week. Obviously the altitude is a concern, but that is something that everyone is going to have to deal with. The weather looks like it will be decent but things can be very unpredictable in the mountains. So who knows?
I am going to stick pretty close to my Vermont nutrition strategy and make sure I stay with the plan all the way to the finish line. The dry air at elevation will necessitate a little extra focus on hydration, but I have been dialed in on that since I have been running in the Texas summer heat. Otherwise I am not going to worry too much about factors beyond my control. I just need to make sure I have provisions for whatever might come up. From a timing standpoint, in a perfect world I would like to be at Winfield (mile 50) by 3 pm. That would give me an 11-hour first half and allow plenty of time for the return trip. I think a more likely scenario would be hitting Winfield between 4 and 5 pm, but again I will just have to see how I feel and how the day unfolds. I don't think it will a bad idea to push the envelope on the flat stretches and the more runnable sections a little bit so I might be able to make up some time. If I can keep my heart rate low and keep the stomach in check, that is.
Life has been insanely busy for the past few weeks so I haven't had a lot of time to really think this race through. A hectic schedule this week will probably mean that I won't get much time to think about the race between now and when I leave for Leadville on Thursday either. I feel pretty certain that it won't hit me that I am running the...(deep breath)..."Blueprint For Athletes Lifetime Fitness Leadville Trail 100 Presented By New Balance [TM]"...(exhale)...until I cross the starting line at 4am on Saturday. After that, it's just a matter of grinding it out. I know what to do - I just need to go out there and do it. I am certain there are dozens, if not hundreds, of other runners stressing out about the race right now. At the moment, I am not one of them.
My #1 goal is to finish. Whatever it takes, I need to get back to Leadville on my own power. That will be easier said than done. At least I won't have to do it alone, as I will have a great crew and pacer there to help. They are ultra veterans, and my pacer, Berton, was a grand slammer last year. Their experience will be a tremendous asset. 100-milers are always difficult regardless of the terrain, and having someone there who knows what you are going through is priceless.
If I can make decent time heading outbound and then just keep moving when coming back I feel fairly certain that, barring injury, I can bring home a buckle. But as the saying goes, "that's why they play the game."
My next post will be my Leadville race report. Stay tuned.
