Saturday 081608 Pikes Peak Ascent - quick recap

I am currently laying in my hotel room bed watching water polo (Olympics).  Just wolfed down a Subway tuna with everything  in the kitchen.  This will be a quick post as I am going to try to get a nap in here shortly.

Preliminary results are up.  Here the skinny ... 20th overall, second in my age group, second in the Doubler standings, 2:48:48.  The weather started cold and wet (significant rain) and got cold, wet and windy up high.  Above treeline, snow was spitting and building and was certainly a factor in the footing (at least). 

Little more information ...

• Apparently some folks were turned around due to the weather as the race progressed.  I don't know if this is true but I have heard this.  I do know that as I went up, I was warned by SAR folks that if I was cold, to turn around now as it was colder up high.  I saw two guys turn back (and so yes, they were ahead of me and turned back).
• The threat of lightening was a concern throughout the day but we lucked out.  I talked to Matt Carpenter last night and he said "snow, go, lightening, no."  Early in the race, as we passed cog (so maybe a mile into the race) there was a flash and then a roar of thunder.  That was all we would hear all day.
• Splits - Hydro Street (I forgot to get Ruxton): 8:59
  Top of the W's 31:14 (22:15)
  No Name Creek 46:12 (14:57)
  Barr Camp (missed the 7.8 sign) 81:22 (35:10)
  Bottomless Pit Sign 1:34:35 (13:13)
  A frame 1:59:09 (24:34)
  2 to go 2:15:18 (16:08)
  1 to go 2:30:19 (15:01)
  Summit 2:48:48 (18:36)
• I saw Chucktown 10 (Brett) near the cog and gave him a high five.
• I started the day relaxed but the flat rolling road section still got me a bit hot on the splits.  It felt easy, but I made note to stay behind certain folks (as I knew they would pull away from me). 
  
  As we dug into the W's the positions were set, although there was a little bit of passing going on (I'd pass some, some would pass me).  It was ... wet ... but not too chilly.  I'd play with my focus ... thinking about the race and running easy, and then thinking about other things altogether to just pass the time. 
  
  It did (as usual) get a bit colder at No Name Creek but I stuck with the top of a poly long sleeve undershirt, and the tank, poly cap and hat, gloves.  I had to carry my specs as the rain made them ineffective (no big deal ... just looked down at the trail anyway). 
  
  There was some traffic around me through Barr Camp (a couple of guys) but I paid little attention to them.  I'd slow down through the aide stations to assure I got my gatorade (took gels at 50 and 1:40) and they'd pass but they'd come back through the climbs and the rollers.  After Barr Camp I ended up being mostly alone (although I'd catch three guys above the camp).
  
  I focused on (when I thought about it) ... just running.  I have in the past, been faster through the splits, but have been forced to walk sections through the Ws, to Barr Camp, to the Bottomless Pit.  I'd tell myself to just go to Granny Gear today and just run to the next landmark.  I ran more of the course today than I think I ever have (albeit, not as fast!) ... maybe 95% of it ... and most of that not running came in the last mile where the conditions were ridiculous.
  
  It was nuts above A frame (treeline).  Conditions were degrading quickly.  My feet were soaked, my fingers were soaked and so both were numb.  I used running as a way to keep the furnace going.
  
  I was a bit disappointed to see the near 2 hours near A frame, but I decided that time on this day was something I could not get to worked up about.  I wondered if it would be a stretch to break 3 hours (as it took me about an hour from the A frame to the summit in the marathon last year under much better conditions).   Again, I just focused on running.  Run and the times will come.  Don't walk. 
  
  I never really hurt super bad ... meaning no major cramping, no seeing stars.  Yeah, it hurt ... but I was running on basic strength ... it was almost as if I could not go to that next level ... but I am not sure that was a bad thing or a good thing.  It was just a thing.
  
  Footing was sketchy up high.  At times, with the building snow and ice, it was a slip and slide on the granitic rocks.  I just tried to keep on trucking. 
  
  I was surprised (pleasantly) to see the 2:48 and change as I came around the final turn.  20th was nice as well ... I would have liked to have nabbed a age group winner award, and come out of the day as the leading Doubler but that gives me something to chase a bit tomorrow.

More analysis later ... more pix later ... now some sleep.  I feel pretty good with how I am recovering ...

Additionally, I have about 10000 people to thank for supporting this folly endeavor.  There will be a post on that ... but for the moment ... thank you all for the support, kind words, encouragement, smiles, and love.  Thank you.