Sunday 081212 Buena Vista Gold Rush Days

3 seconds.

Yup.  That is the amount that I missed winning by today and capturing the Burro Racing Triple Crown.After running in a pack for about 90 percent of the race, I was able to open a small gap, but then saw it wither to nothing in the last 200 yards of the race, and then it slipped to third place. 

There is certainly a part of me that feels the burn of losing, particularly when that close.  But there is another part of me is honestly smiling with the whole run of this thing this summer.  It was a good time.

I knew this race would be different.  Its highest point was lower than the starting points of the races over the last two weeks.  It had no dramatic climbs to Mosquito Pass and the grade would never exceed 7%.  The distance was nearly half those from the prior weeks.  So I knew it would be different.  And from the start it was.  Rather than let the leaders go at the start as I had in past weeks where I knew I had plenty of time to roll them up, I looked to stay within striking distance.  Karen Thorpe, race director for the BV race and winner of the short course in Fairplay 2 weeks ago (and long course winner last year) kept the movement steady.  Still there was a pack of no less than 7 (maybe more) of us (even though we were distancing ourselves from the other competitors in the field).

It was hot.  No solace from the heat by getting to 10k+ feet this week.  We’d taffy out a bit on the Midland Trail (and old railroad grade, quite familiar to those who have run the Collegiate Peak races), but then collect up again.  I found myself generally sitting sixth, behind Karen, Barb Dolen (Triple Crown winner some 13 times I think?), Bobby Lewis (who kindly told me he brought the TC trophy to give to me if I won it), and a couple of other racers.

Jack was moving well.  We were all moving well.  For a few moments while Karen and Barb were driving the pace, and I was trying to bridge the gap, I wondered if I’d be giving in due to my fitness versus how well I could get the burro to go. 

Shortly after the first aid station, Karen began to come back and Hal Walter rocketed to the front by a lot.  I thought it would be pretty damn cool if Hal could win this one.  Hal, Bobby, Barb and myself seemed to separate a bit from the others post the second aid station.  We took a left onto the Gentleman’s Loop.  This course actually allows you to make a decision on this lollipop course.  At the “pop” you can go left or right.  I had conferred with some of the vets before the race and had made a decision to head left, but thought that I’d go with the consensus of whatever the crew around me decided to do.  We went left. 

As is the case in burro racing, one of us would get ahead and then that burro would stop, or stray, or slow down and then we’d pack back up.  Soon we were a crowd of six again.  A lose burro came flying into the mix:  someone back there had lost their burro.  Bobby suggested we stop quick, tie it off and get going again.  We kept moving. 

After I had caught the group around the second aid station, I’d thought I’d try to find some time to make a break for it.  Again, I did not want it to come to a sprint in the final stretch.  But I could not get away.  We were either tied into the single track, or when I got a little bit ahead, I’d lose any lead I had as we’d head off the trail for a bit.  I’d get relegated back to the pack and have to work back up.  The miles ticked off, and any chance to break slipped with each failed attempt in this regard.

But I was smiling.  This was a race unlike the other two and I knew it.  I was racing with the legends of this sport and that was awesome.  And there was a camaraderie between us as we worked with each other but at the same time competed against each other (you don’t get this typically in the local 5k kids … ultras and trail stuff to some extent).  I saw Brandon and Brooks out on the course, and was stoked to see them.  Of course this meant I looked at something other than the ground and so I immediately fell down (no big deal or lost of rope though!).

Finally we passed the final aid station, the single track opened up some to road and I was leading with Barb.  I was able to get Jack to move a bit and we jumped onto the final single track maybe 30 yards ahead of the pack.   But lo!  Another stray burro was running on the trail ahead of us.  It was confused, spooked and running amuck.  Jack reacted to this and came to a complete halt – one where I could not coax him.  The pack was back in a flash and the little daylight I had disappeared.  The pack brought Jack back into action.  I crossed the Arkansas river with a small lead and pushed to extend it, hoping it would be enough – but I heard the clip clop of the competitors behind me.

300 yards to go.  I could see the finish.  They were closing.  200.  Closing.  As we entered the town area, Jack maintained a solid pace but not enough.  Two racing teams, including winner Bobby Lewis slipped by me easily as their burros went into a full gallop.  As I saw them go by, I knew it was not going to happen.  I still made a go for it, but we were at the speed we had.  I grinned.  Ah yes.  Time to be reminded.  Their times:  1:33:31.  Mine: 1:33:34.

I was asked by a reporter what happened on the final street.  My reply, “two guys and their burros ran faster than us.”  It is really that simple.  I knew it was a possibility the last three weeks and so I have tried to put the race to bed well before that.  This time, I ran out of real estate and two guys with a stronger kick got to the line before me.

But beyond wanting that win, I feel pretty damn good.  I had a blast in the hills with Jack.  I feel we made a race of it until the end and kept it interesting.  But even the wins and the Triple Crown aside … I laughed a lot.   I learned something about being in the moment (again) from these animals and their connection with the land.   I met a lot of awesome people.  I got to know some a lot better.  I learned a ton.  I got to race with some pretty neat folk.  I entered a tribe of people that are pretty magical to Colorado, its history, their families and each other.   Something pretty special happens between this community for three Sundays in the Colorado summer.  It is something that I feel blessed to have been a part of, and to have had a modicum of success with (and yeah, a couple of wins are nice for sure). 

Again, I thank my family, the Wann Family, Bill Lee, Justin Mock, Brandon Fuller and the Fuller family, and the whole blogosphere croo of nut cases and friends in running and racing and outdoor stuff who wish you the best, give you shit, laugh at you with ass jokes and make this all the more fun. 

I will definitely run with burros again, and with Jack so close in Arvada, I hope I can get out to run with him periodically.  Whether I race the TC again, in part or whole – I don’t know that.  There is a ton of fun in it, but there is a ton of fun in a lot of things on the high ridges of Colorado in the summer.  I have been asked to put up a little FAQ on how to get into burro racing by a few folks and I will look to do that shortly.

3 seconds.  Yup.  I will think about that more than that 3 seconds.  And yup, I will think about how fun this has all this has been.    

But this week, the running focus turns to some other hill … thanks again all.

Updated 08132012 – got some pix and video from Brandon F that I added.  All the pix and video other than the graphs are his.