Living in SLC has led to lots of visitors. This winter I had a few friends visit and they were interested in doing a ski mountaineering objective. The idea to do Heart of Darkness came from researching lines that might be in the realm of possibilities given the conditions and would give us a fun and challenging day in the backcountry. We just happened to get lucky with the avalanche conditions and the weather, it was a pretty last-minute plan overall.
To give some context the “Heart of Darkness” line is outlined in a book called the Chuting Gallery by Andrew McLean. He describes the line as “Not really great skiing, but first-class ambiance!”, a statement that came into focus later on. The line is located on the Monte Cristo Ridge towards Big cottonwood. It requires a rappel from some fixed gear and is probably around 20 m in length dropping into a narrow corridor with towering rock walls on either side. It’s quite the place to be. The corridor is a few hundred feet long and about wide enough to fit your skis lengthwise, this does not change for the entirety of the run but finally ends in a nice apron runout area. The run is technical and demanding but a worthwhile mountaineering objective.
The day started at around 5:30 am. I gathered my normal backcountry supplies but this time I would be including a rope, harness, and some backup climbing gear to build an anchor. I had heard there may be fixed gear but wasn’t 100% sure.
We started at the Cardiff pass trailhead and took the west ridge up to superior. After taking in the sights at the summit we continue along the ridge towards Monte Cristo where we took a right to head to heart of darkness. This is where it started to get tricky. We transitioned to skis and headed down the ridge one at a time. The traverse across the ridge wasn’t horrible but did have some risk if you were to fall with some cliffs towards the bottom. We reached the entrance to heart of darkness but there were two parties before us so we had to wait until they were through. While this was happening, we took in the surroundings again and watched some other backcountry riders across the valley. That morning we had read the avalanche report and it had rated the day at moderate to low with some wind pockets with warming throughout the day that would lead to wet avalanches. This warning came into perspective as we witnessed an avalanche trigger on the opposite side of the valley carrying a rider. This was the first time I’ve actually seen an avalanche carry someone so we kept an eye on him and luckily, he stayed on top of the snow. We witnessed him get up and start booting back up to his partner at which point we knew he was alright. A reminder that the backcountry is a wild place.
The rappel had already been set up with our 30m rope, although I would recommend something a little longer because we had some down climbing to do at the end of the rope. With one of my friends already down there we descended to join him. He had already dug out a rather large shelf to stand on when we arrived, so we transitioned to skis for a second time and took it one at a time down the line. The “ambiance” of the chute came into view while we were in the center of it. The huge towering walls on either side of us set the stage for an epic location. It was barely wide enough to fit our skis, as stated in the book, so it was less skiing and more side slipping until we got to the apron where you could open it up. That is unless your one of your friends decides to straight line the bottom third of it. Crazy person. We had all made it down the heart of darkness.
After a short break with some snacks it started to get warm and we were seeing evidence of wet avalanches so we got a move on around the ridge and back toward Cardiac ridge where we saw the avalanche. We got to the debris and it was clear that it was a wind slab. We decided to go straight up the debris since it had already avalanched we determined that it was the safest route to take. We got to the top of cardiac ridge overlooking an untouched powder field. The slope was west facing so it had not yet been fully touched by the sun. I took first stab at it and it was amazing, 1500 vertical feet of blank canvas. Probably one of the best runs that I had the entire season. Pure Bliss. After my friends followed me down we had a quick discussion on our exit plan and headed back towards Cardiff Pass.
This route is one of the more technical lines that I’ve ever completed. It was well within my abilities when it comes to rope work but was nice to put them into practice. It was really important to have a good crew that was willing to do this as well and we definitely had that. All in all a great day in the backcountry.
I’ve linked my strava route as well because I had trouble finding information on the exact location including gpx during my research. See below!
It’s been a little over a years since we completed this and this run has been on my mind lately as I start think about what to do after the pandemic is over and we return to whatever form of normalcy comes with that. This idea all started when a friend (almost jokingly) suggested that we do the Rim to Rim to Rim in the grand canyon. It started almost like a passing thought but for some reason stuck in my head for weeks. It had been a big year for me as far as racing goes so I figured why not add another event to the list and an amazing one at that. When would i get another chance to do something like this so I went back to my friend and we started planning.
The traditional Rim to Rim to Rim starts at the South side of the canyon and down the bright angel trail to the Colorado river it continues to the Phantom ranch following the Kaibab trail all the way across the canyon to the north side. Along the way it passes waterfalls, rivers, and several other camps. The landscape of the grand canyon is unlike anything I have ever seen and was also way greener than I was expecting. Once at the North Rim you turn around and do it all again in the opposite direction. One difference is that we headed up the South Kaibab Trail to finish on the South Rim a few miles from where you start.
The Route
There would be three of us on this adventure and it would only be a quick 4 day trip to Arizona and back. We arrived in Las Vegas on a Thursday night and made for our campsite just outside the city. Trying to fit as much as possible in we decided to also to hit up the Valley of Fire in Nevada where we would spend a few hours and check out a slot canyon before continuing onto the Grand Canyon for the main event.
We arrived at the grand canyon on Saturday afternoon and set up camp while prepping for our journey into the depths the next day. We gathered any supplies that we needed at the local grocery store and had a good dinner in the wilds of Arizona. We would be starting early the next day so we decided to call it an early night.
The day started at 3 am for us. As we groggily gathered our belonging that we had set out the day before while trying not to forget anything in the frosty 20 degree morning. After a short drive we arrived at the trailhead in the pitch dark. Unknowingly looking into the void that is the grand canyon in the distance. The run starts with a 5000 ft descent via the bright angel trail towards the Colorado river and we were the only ones out there besides the occasional donkey siting. The sun started to show itself as we were reaching the river showing the true magnificence of the canyon. The colors really surprised me as this was my first time in the desert. There were so many different shades of red, yellow, and green. Truly awe inspiring.
The middle of the canyon was relatively flat with some only some slight undulations to the path. Directly in the middle is a waterfall that we decided to check out called ribbon falls. This is an oasis in the middle of the desert. I was truly surprised by the amount of water and green in the canyon. On the way back we had to cross a stream in order to get back on the main trail. As we were crossing the stream and returning to the main trail I dropped my precious trekking pole in the water and in an instant it was swept down the stream. I didn’t give up though I rushed down the bank to try and beat it down the river. I came to an opening in the bank and stood in the center peering up stream in hopes of locating the pole. To my surprise I see the pole floating towards me and manage to grab it with the other pole. I got lucky. The rest of the run would have been horrific without the pole.
Ribbon Falls
We continued on our way to the north side of the canyon about to start our 5000 ft ascent up to the rim. This side of the canyon is so drastically different from the south side. Way more colors and side canyons that I’m sure very few people had ventured into. Its a land lost in time and shaped over the eons. The history stored in the walls of the canyon goes back millions of years and are revealed by the constant onslaught of the Colorado river. This could be truly seen in the north rim of the canyon. Running through a place like this brought me back in time.
Upon reaching the top of the North rim, which was closed at the time, we took a short break to resupply and refuel. It was time to start our way back down 5000 ft to the base of the canyon and head back towards the south rim. This is where it really started to fall apart for me. I had felt ok at the top of the north rim but by the time we reached the base the heat and sun was starting to beat me down. I was slowing down in a big way and my two friends were starting to gap me. We reached phantom ranch and after taking a quick break is where I started to dry heave. This continued on for probably like 5-10 min and I had a pretty good audience watching me die a slow death in the bushes. We still had 9 miles and 5000 ft of vert to go before we were finished. It was going to be a long few hours.
After I finished trying to vomit what seemed to be all of my organs, we started passed over the Colorado river for the second time and started the climb to the top of the south rim. We were racing the sun at this point and a race that we would inevitably lose.
Crossing the Colorado one more time
It was dark and we were about half way up the climb. I was starting to feel better as I slowly nursed myself back to health snacking and nibbling on food as we climbed. Although I was feeling better, I seemed to have just switched places with one of my friends. The heat had finally taken its toll and he was feeling it. We told our friend to continue on and get the car to meet us as she was doing much better than the both of us. It was still a decent way to the top.
About a mile to go and we take a little break my friend decides to take a quick dirt nap as I try to eat some more food and drink water. After that it wasn’t long before we got to the top and we had finally made it. The canyon wasn’t quite done with either of us though and we both end up leaving our mark in the form of vomit on the south rim before we got in the car and decide to get a hotel room. All I could eat that night were ice chips.
This was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever done while being one of the most amazing. The grand canyon is truly one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It’s magnitude and magnificence is something that can only be witnessed in person. I feel grateful that I was able to do such a thing with some of my best friends.
I’ve seen and heard the word “unprecedented” more times in the last three months than I have in my entire life. It does a very good job at describing the current situation but has also become one of those words that I never want to hear again because of how often its used. The majority of us have never seen a lockdown or been unable to leave their local area or home. It tests you and challenges you to change your habits against your will. This is something that is not usually done and no one likes but in times of crisis we see new things. In fact we have seen people that are vehemently opposed to it and show it despite the risks.
Stay at home orders were issued for most states and some states have gone even further to issue lockdowns in certain areas due to the extent of the infection but in most cases this allows for outside exercise, trips for essential items, and to the grocery stores. In addition the CDC has issued guidelines of social distancing, wearing masks in public, and not to gather in groups of more than 10. Together all this helps to reduce the spread of the infection so that we don’t overwhelm the healthcare system. Aside from the lockdowns none of these are mandatory though and as such are people are doing their best and following what they can.
How has this changed what I’ve been doing. I started wearing masks in public areas where I could not social distance. I started keeping my friends and family at a 6ft distance. This wasn’t exactly an easy transition and masks with a beard almost create their own biome.
Reusable masks are in!
The next change was moving to a work from home environment for my entire company, this drastic switch was a shock to a lot of people and not everyone was set up to do this. It was definitely a learning experience for everyone. Luckily my company had started testing our capabilities to work from home before it became mandated so we were probably more prepared than others.
I restricted my movements for most of the three months since the guidelines began. I stayed within 30-45 min of my apartment only leaving to exercise either running or mountain biking. Exercising is my outlet and how I deal with stress. Without it I’m not sure what I would have done. Most likely go crazy in my small apartment. In addition to this I live alone and its the only way I get social interaction normally or otherwise. To that end I have ridden and run in small groups while adhering to the social distancing guidelines. My friends and I were all aware of the pandemic and did our best when we were out there.
Mountains have always been my true home. Where I love to spend my time in all times of the year. I have not been to the White Mountains since March. I’ve been avoiding the inherently dangerous sports that I enjoy like climbing, skiing, and mountain running. I don’t want to end up in a hospital and tax resources. In addition the Search and Rescue crews that go out to save you are putting themselves at risk for infection therefore they assume that everyone they come to the aid of has COVID-19. Before the pandemic I would usually go every weekend but that changed for me. Other people were still flocking to the mountains so the forest service made the decision to closed a lot of the trailheads in the whites and all of Tuckerman Ravine. If they catch out at one of these place they had the ability to issue you a fine of up to $5,000. A small town like North Conway doesn’t have the ability to deal with a large outbreak and out of all the things I don’t want to be, its patient zero in a mountain town.
Lines at Trader Joes
While there has been a lot of bad news, long lines, and restrictions there is also some good news out there. The pollution and emissions across the world has dropped significantly, people are now connecting far more than they have despite the distance, and the economic troubles countries have experienced actually give us a chance to invest in green energy for the future (The UK has already started doing this https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52973089). While this pandemic has changed so many things it allows us to plan and execute ways to do things better.
This experience is different for everyone. We all must be respectful of each other even during these times and keep in mind that we are all trying to do whats best within our comfort levels. This is a time that we need to come together and support each other. Check in on people and be compassionate its something that, in my opinion, this world needs more of. As we start to reopen its important to remember these things and that we still have a little further to go.
It’s been a while since my last post and a lot has happened since then. I’m going to try to catch up with some posts that I’ve been meaning to write starting with the Barkley Fall Classic race report.
First some context. The Barkley fall classic is supposed to offer a taste of what the full Barkley Marathons is like. The Barkley Marathons is meant to be on the edge of what a human is capable of. It goes through so of the harshest terrain that Tennessee has to offer. The exact details are never released and GPS watches are not allowed but it is said that its about 125 miles long consisting of 5 laps each with around 15k of vertical gain. The Barkley fall classic represents one lap and goes through some of the places that the marathons follows. To quote the creator of this race:
“At the BFC, success is not guaranteed. It might even be considered unlikely. Fully a third of the aspiring entrants will come up with some reason to not be at the line when the starting cigarette is lit. (and who can blame them? at the BFC your very best is not good enough. It takes something a little more than that). More than half of those who have the guts to toe the line will not finish the 50k. The Barkley Fall Classic is not for everyone. If you are only looking to impress your friends, there are a lot of better 50k’s to choose from. You should pick one where you are sure to finish, if you don’t screw up. If you are looking for a chance to find that something extra inside yourself… that something that you do not know for certain is there… the BFC is for you.”
The description that was provided lived up to its name. This was one of the hardest races that I have ever completed. I had some times during the race that were great and everything just went amazingly smoothly and other times where everything was going wrong. That’s the nature of things though you’re going to have tough times but there always a light at the end of the tunnel and I think ultra running, and this race in particular, teaches this to anyone who does it.
As per usual this trip began with a nice 15 hour drive from NH to Tennessee. When we arrived in Tennessee it was around 10 pm and we set up the tents to get some sleep. We had the next day to prep, check out the course, and explore a little of what Tennessee had to offer.
We spent the day exploring the course and checking in for the race. Took a look at rat jaw (one of the more infamous parts of the race) and climbed the first uphill at the beginning of the race. After this we went to look for some food and check out the local distillery where I picked up some moonshine. We then headed to check in for the race. The race gives you a cloth map to bring with you and a compass. My friend Kyle and I sat down to look at the map and see what we were in store for (they change the course every year). As we were looking at the map trying to figure the course we quickly realized that it would be one of the harder configurations that they’ve devised. We spent the rest of the night prepping our drop bags, running vests, and trying to stuff down as many calories as we could.
Race day had finally arrived and it was filled with anticipation and expectations. We got up a few hours before the race to get a good breakfast in and do get everything we needed to done. Luckily we had stayed in the park so we only had a short drive to the start/finish where everyone was starting to line up. Was looking like it was going to be a beautiful day albeit a hot one in the upper 80’s lower 90’s so hydration would be key.
The starting cigarette was lit and we were off running up the road towards Frozen head state park and the first mountain we would climb; bird mountain. Luckily Kyle and I got ahead of the herd so we didn’t get caught in the bottleneck when the road turned into a single track, no waiting for us which saved valuable time as we were all racing the clock to try and get to the decision point before 12 hours of else be sent down quitters road. As we zigzagged up the mountain following the switchbacks groups started to form and we stuck together for comradery and as a way to pace ourselves. Bird mountain was not an easy climb and definitely was a hard start to the day but there was so much more to come.
Now that we had finished bird mountain we had a long descent that just beat your quads to a pulp down a dirt road and back to the park entrance where we had started the race. From there we started our next climb up Chimney top. One of the harder climbs of the day.
The start of this climb I was feeling pretty good but this is also the point where I started to feel the heat of the day. I was able to hold my position pretty well up until the first steep section then I started to drop back, really feel the race, and fall into more of a rythem. I would be able to keep this up until I reached the decision point where the infamous Lazerus Lake himself would punch my bib showing that I had made it to that point. The parts that would come next would truly test me.
Immediately after leaving the decision point you arrive at some of the more famous parts of the Barkley Marathons named respectively Testicle Spectacle, Meth Lab Hill, and Rat Jaw. Now I don’t know why the are named as they are except for Rat Jaw which is full of briars rumored to feel like rats are biting you as you head up the climb. Quite the feeling as I learn later.
The small group that I ended up with hit Testicle Spectacle pretty early on, with only about 25 people reaching it before us. We start down the slope just as the heat is reaching its peak. To call this a trail would be kind, it just follows a power line cut to a tent at the bottom where we turn around and head back up one of the steepest trail that I’ve run on. It taxes my calves and quads to the point of exhaustion. Returning back to the top I’m lucky enough to grab a salt pill and down some water before heading straight across the road and immediately down Meth Lab Hill. It’s not long after this that I get the worst muscle cramps that I have ever experienced to this day. Lets just say that it involved a lot of screaming and almost falling down the hill. Once that unpleasantness finally subsided I made my way towards the prison and the next aid station.
Testicle Spectacle
The interesting part of this race is that is goes through a prison named Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, the one in fact, where James Earl Ray was being held for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Also the place where he attempted and failed to escape. We almost reenact this escape by climbing over the wall of the prison and through a tunnel that goes under the prison. The tunnel was a nice respite from the beating sun and was actually nice and cool compared to above ground helping to reinvigorate my mind and body.
We emerge from this underground haven to the sweltering heat of Tennessee during summer and immediately head up Rat Jaw. Rat Jaw is by far the hardest mile and a half that I have ever put myself through and I knew I was in trouble in the beginning. I could feel that my heart rate was too high for what I was doing. I needed to get it down if I wanted to continue so I took a few minutes to rest and down some liquids. Rat Jaw was a thick jungle of vines and everything was covered in razorblades, there was less of a trail and more of a tunnel that the leaders had formed because it was too thick to stand up in. It took me an hour and a half to go a mile and when I emerged at the top of the climb it was like climbing out of a fog and for some reason I actually felt better aside from the briar slashes that were now covering my body. All that remained was another long climb up bird mountain exiting the race the same way that we entered.
The last climb was grinding and as I made my way up I started seeing other people again but just going my own pace. At that point all I wanted to do was finish the race. As I reached the top I was so relieved it was all down hill from there back to the finish. I wasn’t moving fast at that point but was still running. I crested the hill, took a quick break, and continued on to finish the race in around 11 hr 30 min and in 50th place.
The days heat took its toll on me and I looked like I had gotten in a fight with a cat and lost. After resting and attempting to eat a little (all I ended up eating were pickles) we headed back to the camp. At this point I lost it and threw up everything that I had eaten in the past 2 hours (pickles) bringing an end to a very hard day.
People always ask me why I would put myself through something like this. Its in these situations where I believe we grow the most. Hardship reveals so much about yourself, although these days it can be almost hard to find, and most people try to avoid it outright. I do these types of races because I want to see what I can do mentally and physically. These long races are a perfect way to do that and get outside at the same time. I’m always in searching of that edge, where I am unable to complete a race or push myself so hard that I’m utterly destroyed. I’m not sure that I’ve found it yet but I’m almost there. I constantly trying to improve my training and take what I’ve learned in each race and apply to the next. As I push myself I feel like that edge gets a little further away but I always try to bring it closer.
While I’m talking about racing here I think that it applies to all aspects of life. Especially in these times with the COVID-19 pandemic on everyones minds. The circumstances may put us through hardship but we’ll come out on the other side stronger and with the knowledge of whats really important and how we can improve in the future. Use the time that you have now to improve yourselves and help others if you can. These are definitely tough times. Like all ultramarathons you’ll have troughs and peaks and we’ll hit that peak again.
I started my training with a very rough plan of the mileage that I would be completing. I was also contemplating between a 5 month and a 4 month training period. I opted for the 5 month training period because I thought that it would give me more leeway to do what I wanted and more flexibility for when there were issues. Also I really wanted to do a lot of skiing in the winter too so I tried to build that into the plan. A disclaimer, this plan worked for me but may not work for everyone and you should customize you plan based on your abilities and availability.
My main running goal throughout my training was getting my mileage up. I believed this was the key to being able to finish the race. Vertical was and will always be important but I got most of that from the skiing. I had also learned the hard way to pay closer attention to my hips and core. Along with the trusty internet I crafted my plan.
As you can see I didn’t folow it exactly and this is the end product, there were many iterations before this. That note at the bottom indicating hill repeats on Wednesday was not meant to be. I do have to say it is tough when you are trying to train for a running event and also want to ski a lot. Luckily the two sports compliment each other very well and I attribute a lot of the muscular endurance that I gained, from the skiing that I did.
I started off very easy in December almost like I was starting almost from nothing. I wanted the beginning of the training to be very easy and feel easy so that I could feel good and rested for the main block of the training coming in 2 months; nice confidence booster. What I like about creating my own training plans is the flexibility that you can change things on a dime based on how I’m feeling.
I gradually increased my mileage for 3 months to where it hit its peak at 66 miles. This may not seem like a lot considering that the race that I finished was 72 miles but I take quality over quantity in this case. The training culminated in two back to back long efforts two weeks apart. Although most of my weekends ended up being back to backs due to skiing.
The first was a 24 mile Belknap traverse out and back with around 8000 ft of vertical. At this point there was still a lot of snow in the mountains so I had a do this one with snowshoes which made it even harder. Doesn’t help that it was my first time using snowshoes. Luckily it was a very nice day and I had some company for half of it. The entire thing took me 9 hours to complete. The next day I ran 20 miles around the seacoast which felt easy after the snowshoeing. The flat miles were good after the mountains and I joined some friends that were running the Eastern states race.
The second back to back I ended up doing as a multisport adventure. I started the morning off with some backcountry skiing to Raymond’s Cataract and some of the best skiing that I’ve had all year. The snow was soft and fun. Once I changed out of my ski boots and into my running gear I ran up and down the Tuckerman Ravine trail twice. Ended the day with 6 miles of skiing and 9.5 miles of running for a total of 8000 ft of vertical total for the day. The following day I headed off to Mt Agamenticus for 16 miles with friends and another 3500 ft of vertical, 11 K for the weekend.
Another piece that I tried to fit in was mobility and strength work. This is also very important as it prevents injuries and when you run as much as you do as an Ultrarunner can happen sooner rather than later. I learned from VT50 (the hard way) that hips are one of the most important things to work on so I worked on that as much as I could; at least once a week. I also included more core workouts than I usually do and yoga sessions. To be clear I don’t ever go to the gym, I did this all from the comfort of my small apartment for free.
Finishing up my training I was starting to feel pretty fatigued and kind of just tired when I went out so I opted for a 3 week taper period to ready myself. I needed to make sure that I was fully recovered by the time Madeira rolled around. One week before Madeira I was ready to get on the plane and feeling good. I had just hoped that all the training would pay off and now in retrospect I had very little issues. It was the sheer amount of vertical and distance that would get me in the end.
The race was about to start at Midnight on Saturday April 27th. I was surrounded by dozens of runners waiting in anticipation as they played pump up music and started the count down sending the crowd into a frenzy with adrenaline surging. The second they yell “Go!”, nothing happens. Then about a minute later the group begins to shuffle forward under the start gate and into the night. This was the beginning of my very first international race and the craziest thing I have ever done.
First some stats; Madeira island is part of Portugal located 370 miles off the coast of Morocco. The course is 115K (~72 Miles) with 23,500 ft of climbing. It starts on the Northwestern coast on Madeira in the town of Porto Moniz and finishes in Machico on the Southeastern part of the island. The island terrain is very mountainous and is crisscrossed with path and waterways, many times, carved right into the cliff sides.
I went into the race with 5 months of training under my belt. Probably the longest training cycle that I have completed to date. This included two back to back long days with as much elevation as I could get. This would be the longest race with the most elevation I have completed. I had just hoped that it would be enough to get me through this race. Little did I realize what the stairs of Madeira would do to me.
As we started into the night its not long before we begin climbing. There are people all around me as I brace myself and lean into the first climb with many more to come. The first hill is the smallest of the entire race and was just a taste of what was to come. It was also the most exciting part because it had the most spectators which just amped up the entire situation. After only 10-15 km on the (mostly) streets we entered the forest leaving the cheering crowds behind us.
Since the race starts at Midnight local time that means running in the dark for a good 7 hours or so. For most of that time it was fairly silent with just the pitter patter of runners feet meandering through the woods. There was the occasional group that I would hook up with but for the most part during that time I was by myself and it was also a time where the running was still enjoyable. A lot of the trails follow what are called “levadas” which are the old waterways found throughout the island. Most of these were fairly flat which was nice but every other part of this race was either up or down fairly technical trails. The one I remember the most (because it was the most fun) was this downhill after the second climb. It was kind of a washed out gully that you could just slalom down on the way to Rosario. It was the type of downhill that you didn’t want to end but at a certain point it was so long that I was asking myself when it would end.
The first few climbs went by without too much consequence at the time as I slowly moved my way through the pack. By the time that I got to the half way point at Curral des Freiras I was feeling all the climbs behind me and was walking. We had already climbed more than 15K feet. Curral des Freiras was the largest aid station that we would hit and was also where our drop bags were located. I used this station to regroup and rest a bit while I changed, ate, and contemplated running another 35 miles. I looked around at the carnage in the aid station and some people were in a daze, some stuffing their faces with food (as I was), and some on their way out already. It was a flurry of activity and after about 30-40 min I headed out. Before I was allowed to leave though I had to do a gear check. They asked me for my emergency blanket, phone, and waterproof jacket; all there. If I had failed to produce these I would have been disqualified.
Leaving Curral Des Freiras
It’s amazing what a 30-40 min break can do after running for 12 hours because I felt amazing (better) and good thing because the next climb was the largest, up to Pico Ruivo the high point of the race at about 5,800 ft. The difficulty of this climb comes due to the fact that it’s almost 37 miles into the race and that you’ve already climbed over 15K feet. This climb is about 4,000 ft to that high point. To be honest I don’t remember a whole lot about this climb until I hit one of the traverses where the scenery really opened up. It was probably a bunch of stairs though as almost every other climb had been. Once I hit the top of the climb I took a second to look around and admire the beautiful mountains. I run to get get to these places, places that not everyone has seen and are hard to get to. The views that I saw on this traverse reminded me of this and helped urge me on even higher and further.
Traverse to Pico Ruivo
View of Poiso in the distance
Mountain Views
Once you reach the high point of the race its a traverse until Poiso. In my opinion this was the coolest part of the race. Much of the trail is perched along the cliffside on paths that had basically been carved into the cliff, which started with a descent on these insane metal stairs bolted straight into the cliffside. In between these cliffside paths are tunnels that go straight through the mountain and that are so long at times they are pitch black in the middle. The first tunnel I refused to take out my headlamp until about halfway. I couldn’t see anything until that point. The last climb to Poiso is a relatively short one comparatively and I found myself passing people still even though I was cooked.
The last 12 miles of the race are almost completely downhill which if you still have some descending legs is a good chance to pass people but my legs were fading fast. I was still able to run (kind of) the flat sections but descending was a different story entirely.
The course continued on to descend a series of “levadas” connected by short steep descents to the finish and with about 8 miles to go my quads just blew completely and it was pure suffering from there to the finish line. The final descent into Machico was the worst of the entire race. Every step that I took downhill was pain and my quads screaming at me to stop but I couldn’t, I was so close. I dropped into the final straightaway and ran the last quarter mile to the finish as fast as I could (which wasn’t very fast at that point). As I crossed the finish I was in disbelief that it was finally over 24 hrs and 19 min from when I started.
A medal was draped over my shoulders and I went into the finishing tent fumbling to get my trekking poles back into my quiver, luckily there was a volunteer there to help me. The same volunteer gave me a meal ticket and I immediately went over and got something to eat. As I ate and surveyed the damage I realized I was still in one piece despite a blister and the fact that the compression sleeves I had put on my calves had almost cut off circulation to my feet. Once I was able to stand again I gathered up my things and made the short drive back to the apartment I was staying at where enjoyed a glass of victory Madeira wine to end the very long day.
Overall this race went very well for me. I had no GI issues, no mental issues or breakdowns, and no hydration issues. It was actually a fairly smooth race all things considered and I didn’t fall once. I think that I took breaks when I needed to and sure I probably could have spent less time in aid stations but if I had I may have suffered later for it. Having a week now to contemplate what actually happened brings everything into perspective. This was the first race that I’ve done of that distance and elevation gain. In the end the sheer volume of everything just broke my body down and was something that I don’t think I could have trained for without doing a race like it. Now I know though and can prepare better the next time I do something like this.
TrailRunnerSean 