Tag: Race Report

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Race Report: Rim Rock Marathon 2019

On Saturday, November 2, I ran Rim Rock Marathon for a second time. 🙂

2019 Rim Rock Marathon outfit. Note the awesome race tech tee in the upper right.

As this race was my first ever marathon last year, I was inspired to run this beautiful course once again. And just like last year, the weather for this race was picture perfect: sunny and blue skies.

About the course: located on Colorado’s Western Slope, Rim Rock Marathon follows up and along 23 mile Rim Rock Drive in Colorado National Monument, just outside Grand Junction and Fruita. The course gains more than 2000 ft. over the first 6 miles, flattens somewhat, then drops 2000+ ft. for the last few miles. Views from the Monument are superb: red rock canyons, the Grand Valley, Grand Mesa, and the Book Cliffs. The race starts just outside the park’s east entrance, by Grand Junction, and concludes at Fruita’s Circle Park.

Course map as marked out on my Garmin Connect app.

Quite obviously, not the easiest course! For an idea of the course and views, watch the video I made of driving Rim Rock, post race day 2018.

Pretty intense, huh? What is also neat about this event is that “[p]roceeds benefit scholarships for Colorado Mesa University Track and Cross Country student-athletes and the Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission,” according to the race website http://rimrockrun.grandjunctionsports.org/. A proud CMU student-athlete alumna myself, I heartily approve of this. 🙂

Training wise, I did not run quite as much as last year, as I focused more on incorporating strength training (going to the gym about 3 times a week). Whenever I did run however, I ran more downhill as to be prepared. Rim Rock is a road race, so I transitioned off trails to street surfaces. The longest distance I ran was 16 miles; in September I ran a total of 70 miles, then tapered down to 43 miles total in October. There is a common misconsception that one must run a 26.2 training race, but not so; with the cumulative effect of training and added adrenaline of race day, save the long run for the actual event.

Looking determined. Selfie the morning of the marathon.

Per tradition, the night before the race I carbo loaded at Enzo’s Italian restaurant: I highly recommend their spaghetti. 🙂 Later that evening, I prepped all my racing apparel and gear. Before sun rise, my friend Jamie drove me to Fruita Community Center for the pre-race meeting; runners were on the buses by 7 AM and transported to the starting line just a mile outside the east entrance of Colorado National Monument.

Hurry up sun! Looking east while waiting for the start.

This time around, the buses remained for about a half hour, so runners didn’t have to wait out the pre-dawn cold—last year we shivered outside for about 45 minutes, waiting for the start. Apparel wise, I took the same approach as last year, wearing a tank top and arm sleeves under my light shell jacket. For bottoms I wore my running shorts under my trusty Mesa State tennis sweats—I like the option of being able to shed layers. I wore the same running vest I’ve used on my other marathons, the pockets filled with GUs, waffles, and gels.

With my time chip secured to my shoes, Mizuno Wave Inspire 15, I joined the racers at the starting line. At 8 o’clock sharp, the race began. Last year, I cruised easily uphill; I’m not being sarcastic when I say I love running uphill. Perhaps to my detriment, I expelled too much energy on the uphill last year, and had too little in the tank for the loooong descent. This time around, I forced myself to go at a slightly slower pace uphill, the idea being I’d reserve energy to blaze downhill the last few miles. Now that I have my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus, for this race I could monitor my pace.

View east, approx. mile 9.

The uphill climb I found once again to be easy, and I kept myself in check so I wouldn’t go too fast. Last year I hit Cold Shivers Point, mile 4.5, in about 45 minutes; this time I arrived 2 minutes later, so I was certainly pacing myself. Once the course topped out around mile 6, I picked up the pace a bit. The sun had since risen, and it was a beautiful, cloudless morning with no wind.

View of Coke Ovens.

My anticipation, and actual participation, in the last year’s Rim Rock was unbridled. I truly was excited to run my first ever marathon on such a beautiful course. Being my first marathon, I felt no pressure. This being my third, I (understandably) wanted to PR…however, I just wasn’t feeling quite the fire on this run. Cardio wise, I could run all day. My Garmin calculated my VO2 max at 51, or superior, which is the top 5% for my age and gender. Mentally, however, I could already feel burnout creeping in: not from this race alone, but running overall. Running is my primary sport, and when you do it so intensely and so consistently, burnout is not only normal, but expected. This was my second marathon in 6 months, so yeah, the training load on my body was a lot this year.

Looking N/NE towards the Book Cliffs and Grand Mesa, approx. mile 10.

Despite feeling that lack of fire, I continued. I had no doubt I would finish and enjoy this race. Getting to run the Monument is an absolute privilege. What other course affords you such magnificent views, where some spots you are literally running along the edge of a 1000 ft. cliff? Driving along Rim Rock Drive never fails to impress, and I’ve driven this road plenty of times before. But getting to experience it entirely on foot? Quite unforgettable.

Despite the mental lag, energy wise I felt great. I made sure to grab water at every aid station, set along every 3 miles or so. I wore my wireless Trekz Afteshokz headphones, which are astounding: they lasted the whole duration of my race. Using bone conduction to transport sound, these headphones sit outside your ear, so you can still hear your surroundings as you exercise. Super lightweight, they do not bounce and provide quality sound. I HIGHLY recommend them.

Despite my training, my left IT band began to whine again, just like in my other marathons. The dull ache on the outside of my left knee flared around mile 15, and soon was a sharp, tingly pain. As much as I naturally overpronate (my ankles roll in), I did not experience any ankle pain this race. Nope, once again it was that IT band, and did it hurt. Gritting my teeth, I steeled myself for the agony of the long descent on the highly cambered, or sloped, road. Looking at my watch, I knew would be unable to PR this race: my finish time would be over 5 hours, whereas last year I finished just under 5.

Along several spots on the course I slowed to a walk due to the pain, especially on the downhill. At one point another runner caught up to me and, determined not to let her pass, I resumed running. We kept pace for well over 2 miles, finally arriving at the west entrance and very bottom of the Monument. The last 3 miles into town are still downhill, though much more gradual. But at this point, my left leg was trashed; my right leg was fatigued but felt no pain. Like last year’s race, these last 3 miles are in their own way the most grueling; you just want to be done at this point!

Approaching the finish. Photo courtesy of J. Cucuiat

During the race Jamie texted me encouragement, and I let her know my course location. Knowing my adventure tribe—Jamie, Yoli, Cate, Trish, and Kale—would be at the finish line to cheer me on, I somehow churned out the last 2 miles. Crossing the bridge over the Colorado River, a bald eagle soared overhead, giving me inspiration to run the last incline up and over I-70, and onto the straightaway toward Circle Park. Approaching the finish, I spotted the girls to my left, shouting my name and ringing a cowbell. With one last burst of speed, I crossed the finish, completing Rim Rock Marathon for a second time.

Photos courtesy of J. Cucuiat

I hobbled to a stop, and a race volunteer removed my time chip. I received my finisher’s medal, a striking medallion featuring Independence Monument. My friends hugged and congratulated me. As they have for my other races, they basically take care of me post run: they remove and hold onto my race vest, jacket, and sweats, and usher me over to the massage tent. Pointing to my left knee and quad, the PT gave a me free 5 minute massage on those spots: immediately I felt better.

For several minutes afterward I cheered on runners to the finish. My race time was 5.5 hours…oof. Damn that IT band, I cursed in my head. Yet despite the disappointment of not PRing, I reminded myself that I had just run Rim Rock for a SECOND time. I may have not been in the “flow zone” like last year’s race, but I had yet again completed another marathon. And of course, the best part is having my friends’ encouragement in my running endeavors. Having my support crew, and seeing them at the finish line, is by far one of the best things about running, hands down. Ladies: THANK YOU!!!

Beware the T-Rex at Circle Park! 🙂 L-R: Yoli, me, and Jamie.

Shortly afterward, Jamie, Yoli, and I headed to nearby Hot Tomato. Like last year, I ordered a whole pizza for myself and ate half of it. The rest I scarfed down the next day as I walked around downtown Grand Junction.

After a shower and a long nap, it was time to celebrate! Last year we ladies attended a Halloween party, and this year was no different. That evening Jamie, Yoli, and I went to Warehouse 25 Sixty-Five. With live music and plenty of folks in costume, it was a lively evening. Somehow, I managed (barely) in my heels, after 26.2 miles on my body.

Jamie dressed as a hippie in 1970s authentic bell bottoms and peace sign necklace. 🙂 I’m dressed in yet another variation as a cowgirl. Yoli dressed up as a super cute scarecrow. Photo courtesy of J. Cucuiat.

The next morning, Jamie surprised me with a lovely homemade breakfast: an oatmeal bake and omelets. And not only that, she baked several batches of cookies with my all-time favorite ingredient, white chocolate–you see why I absolutely LOVE my support crew? Jamie is one amazing cook, and I devoured plenty and still had leftovers. 😊

The day after the race I enjoyed a much needed soak at Glenwood Hot Springs. 🙂

This marathon weekend was incredibly fun. I may not have PRed, but it doesn’t matter. I completed a race in one of the most scenic areas in the world, with my friends to cheer me on and spoil me with delicious food, and celebrated Halloween. Doesn’t get any better than that! To my friends and family on both sides of the Divide, much love and gratitude for your continual support in my running journeys. 🙂 For those interested in running a challenging course, I strongly recommend Rim Rock. Featuring marathon, marathon relay, half marathon relay, and newly added 12k, take your pick. 2020 Registration is now open at http://rimrockrun.grandjunctionsports.org/. Hope to see you there!

~LMC

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Race Report: Grand Valley Marathon

The first weekend of this month I ran my second marathon, Grand Valley Marathon in Palisade. It was a great weekend, as I saw several of my close friends as well.

Tired but triumphant! Not my best run but I still did it. 🙂

Grand Valley Marathon is a road race that takes place at the far east end of the Grand Valley in Western Colorado. The course is an out and back route starting in downtown Palisade. Like Rim Rock Marathon , this race cruises through some of the most picturesque scenery in the state: Colorado’s wine country. Palisade contains a wealth of vineyards and lush peach, fruit, and lavender orchards that bloom in the spring: hence the race’s moniker of “Fruit and Wine 26.2.”

Before leaving for the Western Slope on Friday, race eve, my hiking buddy Jamie, whom I’d be staying with, was visiting Denver. Being both cat lovers, I suggested we visit Denver Cat Company, where, for an entry fee of $8 per person, you can sip tea and hang with, cuddle, and geek out over the 20 or so rescue cats roaming the establishment.

After hanging out for an hour and a half, I took off for Grand Junction. I stopped by Palisade first for packet pick up.

As I have with Dream Catcher Half and Rim Rock Marathon, I carbo loaded with Enzo’s spaghetti laden with marinara sauce. As Jamie was not yet back in town, I decided to do something I hadn’t done in a few years: dinner in the desert.

Pondering on how to eat spaghetti when you don’t have utensils…

After picking up my order at Enzo’s, I headed straight to North Desert via 27 1/4 Road. North Desert is the broad, open expanse of land just north of town. Under the management of BLM, the area is extremely popular for dirt biking, off-roading, 4 wheeling, etc. I drove about two or three miles in, then parked my car facing west, to watch the sunset. Giddily I pulled out my dinner, only to find I didn’t have any utensils…I made do with a brand new ball point pen. Surprisingly, it was quite effective at scooping up spaghetti. It was a beautiful, calm evening; sunsets on the Western Slope never disappoint.

I headed home once it was twilight, prepped all my race gear per normal: Leadville tank, bib, Brooks shorts, Mizuno Wave Horizon shoes, basically the same apparel I wore at Rim Rock Marathon. You can call it my good luck outfit.

The marathon started at 6:30 am, so I headed to bed around 11, and woke up around 4:30 am, super excited for race day. For breakfast I consumed 2 Clif bars and drank plenty of water, arriving at the start line around 6. The sun had not yet risen, and it was gusty and cool out. I’d been agonizing over if I should wear my racing vest, and if I should wear leggings. I ultimately decided on sticking with shorts, and wearing my vest, containing GUs and gels, over my light shell jacket.

A runner friend of mine ran the marathon last year, placing second over all. He said Grand Valley Marathon is a small, old-school race: you’re provided a chip timer to place on your shoe, with total marathon runners averaging between 12-20 folks. Sure enough, as start time approached, I noted only about a dozen folks, give or take a few, gathering at the start line. My hiking buddies Trish and Cate, who ran the half marathon that started at 7, their first ever half, came to wish me luck and cheer me on. Right before lining up, a race official talked over race rules and the course. We’d be running for 2 miles east on N. River Road which crossed the Colorado River, then make our way southwest along G Road for 2 miles. Then we would continue onto the Fruit and Wine Byway, which zig zags through the vineyards and orchards, then turn around at the 13.1 mile mark.

Course map, from Grand Valley race website, www.grandvalleymarathon.com

The marathoners and I then gathered at the intersection of 3rd and Main, and at his shout of “GO!” the race began. Whereupon I did my first racing blunder… I lead the pack for the first few miles. Oops!

From start I was running at a decent pace, nothing that felt too fast. I didn’t have my Fitbit or any watch with me, so my actual pace is all conjecture. I was amazed I was leading, for I did not feel I was exerting myself at all–a side effect of all my hill running. This marathon course is flat overall, with one climb of 700 ft. or so; nothing like Rim Rock, with nearly 2000 ft. gain and loss. I kept looking over my shoulder, seeing I had distance between myself and the next runner…Yeah, you could say I was feeling way overconfident–I was. With such a small pool of runners, I felt I’d do pretty decent in this race. Never before had I led a race, and I slowed down a bit, but not enough. Just before the hill climb, the second runner started closing in behind me. He passed me on the hill, which didn’t bother me too much. Once back on the flat, I pulled back a bit, but it was too little too late. I had a new problem: I was overhydrated, and kept having to stop by several aid stations, starting at mile 7. And with every stop, someone passed me. 🙁

Despite my annoying bladder, I was still feeling good when I reached the turnaround point at 13.1 miles. Looking at my phone, I noted that, even with potty breaks, I ran this distance in 2 hours 4 minutes: 5 minutes faster than my time at Dream Catcher Half. “You’re doing great!” exclaimed one of the race volunteers. “You’re second place female overall.” So, yeah, I was still feeling pretty confident I’d run this course–flat, with fewer runners—faster than Rim Rock.

It was a beautiful morning, and by now the sun had been up for well over an hour. Turning around to race eastward, you face the looming mass of Grand Mesa, and the stretch of Book Cliffs along I-70. The wine vineyards and peach orchards were healthy and blooming, and a few locals had gathered along the course to cheer us runners on. Otherwise, the course was very quiet, very peaceful.

Heading back to Palisade, approx. mile 17. Mt. Garfield is the landmark in the background.
The course passes by Alida’s Fruits: lovely place full of local goodies, such as peaches, jams, jellies, etc.

Unfortunately, my bladder continued to nag me, and my left knee began to whine around mile 16, a whole 4 miles earlier than it did at Rim Rock. By this point another female had passed me, so I was now in third. By mile 18, I had to walk a bit, for my left knee was stiff as a board. So lesson learned: don’t start off too fast! Duh! As I run primarily hills, this means I tend to run pretty snappy on flat terrain, sometimes to my detriment. Training wise for this race, I did include more flat work in weekly runs, but obviously not quite enough. Looking at the time as I continued on, I knew I’d be unable to achieve my (overly ambitious) finish time of 4.5 hours or under. Now I adjusted to finishing at under 5 hours. Starting at mile 19, I was all glorified walk/ run… yeah. Mentally, I was cursing at both my bladder and knee. My heart was just fine; the “engine” was running smooth but my mechanics were off this race. 🙁

Approaching the finish line. Photo courtesy of Yoli H.

At 5 hours 14 minutes, I finally crossed the finish line–a full 20 minutes slower than Rim Rock. Ouch. I’ll admit I was feeling a little disappointed as I approached the finish. But immediately upon seeing, and hearing, my friends Jamie (who drove back that same morning!), Yoli, Trish, Kale, and Cate cheer me on, I felt victorious and extremely grateful. 🙂 Without a doubt, I have THE BEST support crew.

I did it! Kale is at the far right cheering me on. 🙂 Photo courtesy of Jamie C.
Photo courtesy of Trish W.
Go Trish, Kale, and Cate! 🙂 Photo courtesy of Yoli. H.

Raising my arms in triumph, I immediately slowed to a walk. A race official placed a finisher’s medal around my neck, and removed my chip timer. Hobbling to the side, Jamie helped me remove my race vest; I was so tired the simplest tasks were difficult. We sat by the snack table run by race volunteers, where I greedily munched on trail mix. I caught up with Trish, Cate, and Kale, who all did great in their first half and 10k, respectively. 🙂 Later that evening I went with Jamie and Yoli to Ale House in Grand Junction. I feasted on fish tacos, and for dessert, fruit parfait.

Yum!

The next day, Jamie and I attended the bridal shower of her friend, Sabrina. Held in the wide open desert by Fruita, it was the perfect way to cap off a great, momentous weekend.

Me, Sabrina, and Jamie. Photo courtesy of Jamie C.

If you’re a marathoner or avid runner, I highly recommend any of the Grand Valley races. For the spectacular scenery alone, it is absolutely worth it. And if you especially dislike big, crowded races, then this race is certainly for you. Despite not reaching my goal time, I still thoroughly enjoyed this race. Obviously, lesson learned: don’t start off too fast! Flat courses can be deceptive…pace yourself. But to be fair to myself, however, this is only my second marathon, so I’m still learning, maturing as a runner. Grand Valley Marathon truly is a little known secret of a race, which makes it special. Plus, you can feel good in that the Grand Valley race series gives back to the community as it is a fundraiser for Palisade’s unique Fruit and Wine Byway, a true Colorado gem.

~LMC

*As always, I would like to thank my friends Jamie, Yoli, Cate, and Trish for graciously contributing your photos to this post 😀. Love you ladies!

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Race Report: Denver Hot Chocolate 15k/5k

This past Sunday, October 7, my friends and I ran the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k and 5k in downtown Denver.

Jamie, Yoli, and I. Photo courtesy of Jamie C.

My friends from Hike with Purpose, the same hiking group that I went to Grand Teton with, told me a few months before that they were visiting Denver to run the race, and that I should join in on the fun.

Of course I said yes. 🙂

Termed “America’s Sweetest Race,” the Hot Chocolate Race Series began in 2008 in Chicago, and has since spread to other major cities. The event provides each participant with hot chocolate and other sugary goodies at the post race party. Even the aid stations, called “sweet stations,” provide M&Ms, marshmallows, and chocolate chips to snack on. Plus, you receive great swag with this race: a hoodie with the race logo, available in the size of your choice. Women’s hoodies this year were maroon, and men’s all black. Not going to lie, part of the reason I love to race is earning such goodies: race tees, jackets, “hardware” (finisher’s medal), etc.

My friends Jamie, Yoli, Trish, and Cate came over from the Western Slope the day before. Me, Jamie, and Yoli ran the 5k, while Cate, Trish, and her daughter, Kale, ran the 15k. For Denver, the race starts and finishes at Civic Park, situated directly between the Denver City and County Building and the Capitol Building.

The 5k started promptly at 7:00 am; it was brisk outside as we waited at the event grounds, plenty of people already milling about. With so many thousands of runners, both races have a “wave” or staggered start: you are grouped according to your expected pace/ finish time. As start time approached, the announcer began having racers line up in their respective corrals. I was in Corral A, the first group, Jamie and Yoli a few corrals back.

Getting ready to run the 5k. Photo courtesy of Jamie C.

Ready to run! Photo courtesy of Jamie C.

We wished each other good luck, and agreed to meet at the event tent to receive our hot chocolate. After waiting in the cold, everyone was eager to get moving. Wearing my Hot Chocolate hoodie like many others, I checked that my earbuds were in place, phone securely stowed away, and that all my pockets were zipped. As I have at several other races, I wore my trusty Ariat hat with the thunderbird logo.

The announcer called start for Corral A, and we were off. Like a river, all of us racers surged forward to cheers and encouragement from the spectators. The course immediately veered northwest onto 14th and 15th streets, and runners began to fan out. Running at a snappy pace, I didn’t bother with looking at my Fitbit. So when I saw they had a clock at mile marker 1 on 15th, I surprised myself in that I was running at a 7:22 pace.  On training runs my splits range from 9-10 min; I never run that fast on my own (then again, I run a lot of hills; this course is very flat). But come race day, I want to keep pace with the competition.

The course verged briefly onto Wazee, before continuing on Walnut. At mile markers 2 and 3, my splits were several seconds longer than my first mile, but I was still maintaining a good pace. As the streets had been shut down for the run, the city felt surprisingly empty. Skyscrapers loomed above. I passed several “sweet stations” but felt no need to stop by. Soon they were very few runners around me as I continued to pass a few people. I was breathing hard but my legs felt good; it was my upper abs that began to burn from my efforts.

Course map from https://www.hotchocolate15k.com/denver/course

The course looped through 22nd and Arapaho before turning onto Broadway. I’ll admit I hadn’t really looked at the course map beforehand, so mid-race I was wondering what the homestretch was. I passed a few others, and was ready to let loose my half mile sprint to finish strong. Passing the stately Brown Palace to my right, I suddenly saw it: the finish line. Digging deep, I sprinted by one or two other runners.

I saw the clock ahead and immediately felt bummed that I had finished just over 23 minutes; BUT that was gun time, not chip time, I would only realize later. From my race pictures, you can say I have game face on:

And was I pleasantly surprised, and more than pleased, when I saw my results: 45th overall finisher of over 4500 runners, 9th female finisher, and… 1st place in my age division, females aged 25-29! This is the best 5k I have ever run, at a 7:23 pace, with a time of 22:55. I definitely had the “runner’s high” for the rest of the day. 🙂 I feel like my training is paying off, and I am more than excited for my upcoming marathon in November! Stay tuned for more updates about that… 🙂

Immediately after I finished, I walked for a bit to cool down. Still breathing hard, I didn’t feel nauseous but food did not sound appetizing at the moment. Wandering around, legs now burning,  I went to the tent where racers received their mug of hot chocolate and goodies. A few minutes later, Jamie and Yoli rejoined me, having finished at 34:54 and 38:04, respectively: nice job ladies, proud of you! 😀

Go Jamie!

Go Yoli whoot whoot!

Feeling tired but triumphant, we camped out on the park sidewalk to savor our hot chocolate. Sitting in the middle of the blue mug, the drink was surrounded by several compartments, one filled with chocolate fondue, the others filled with pretzels, a banana, and chocolate straws.

Hot chocolate selfie.

Ad yes, that hot chocolate was delicious. The fondue was amazing too—except it solidified pretty quick in the cold weather.

Reward for running 🙂 Photo courtesy of Jamie C.

Show off that hot chocolate. Photo courtesy of Yoli H.

Yummy! Photo courtesy of Cate W.

After enjoying our post race goodies, I had to leave for work, so I was unable to stay for the rest of the event. Luckily, I saw Cate, Trish, and Kale right before the start of the 15k at 7:50 am, the course for this distance looping further north then east. I was able to wish them luck and have fun! The ladies had a great race, with Cate finishing in 1:43; the mother-daughter team of Trish and Kale finished at 1:48:56, putting them ahead of their goal of a 12 min. pace. Plus, it was Kale’s first race: quite impressive! Well done ladies, very proud of you! You all earned that awesome medal. (photo further below)

15k ladies Kale, Trish, and Cate! Congrats on a job well done 🙂 Photo courtesy of Cate W.

Mom and daughter did amazing! Photos courtesy of Trish W.

15k finisher medal looks sweet! Literally. Photo courtesy of Trish W.

The Hot Chocolate Race Series is a truly fun—and tasty—event. Whether you’re an avid runner looking to PR, a newbie to running, or wanting to run with friends and family, I highly recommend this race. With two distances to choose from, you can push yourself. I am so happy and thankful to my wonderful friends for visiting and getting me involved in this run. I am also very impressed and pleased with your training and dedication: it paid off! But most important: we ladies all had fun. And, we got to have hot chocolate. You run AND are rewarded with hot chocolate? That’s a win in my book—or blog, rather. 😉

~LMC

You sure this isn’t really chocolate? Looks too real! Photo courtesy of Cate W.

*I would like to thank my friends Jamie, Yoli, Cate, and Trish for graciously contributing your photos to this post 😀

*Featured image courtesy of Jamie C.

I did it! 🙂 Photo courtesy of Trish W.