Wow! What a race that Mad Moose Events put on in Hartman Rocks Recreation Area in Gunnison, Colorado. If you are into running ultras you should definitely check this race out. This race will always have a place in my heart as it was my first ultra.
This was my second year running the race. I knew what to expect. Mild climbing at the beginning and then flat, up and down rolling hills throughout the course and then a descent back to the finish. It was all familiar as I ran this race in 2018. The weather was exactly the same. About 18 degrees Fahrenheit at the start and about 55 degrees midday. You could not ask for better weather. However this year I knew the race was going to be more of a challenge than the previous year.
Back in June, I pulled my hamstring trying to surf behind a boat. Yes, I am still recovering from that. It is getting better but my left side is tight and I knew it was going to give me grief during the race, and it did. About mile 15 my left knee was just tight. That hamstring was pulling so tight that it was causing the rest of my body to compensate and when your body starts compensating everything else is going to start hurting as well. I just kept telling myself it just tight muscles and I am not going to do any damage. I had to dig deep to keep moving. I was not going to quit.
I pushed on for the next 15 miles. I took little extra time at the aid stations to eat pancakes, bacon, candy, and tater tots. Walking felt great. Running not so much. Finally, I was at the last descent and my family and friends were there to cheer me in.
I finished the race in 6 hours and 20 minutes, just a little slower than my time in 2018. At the finish line, I remember thinking, “I have a ton of work to do to be ready for the Leadville 100”. I already have a training plan in place up until race day, but I have now thrown in yoga and stretching on a daily basis. My body needs to be limber to complete 100 miles!
Full race recap on my YouTube channel.