5th annual Sandia Peak Challenge Race Report
While today's Sandia Peak Challenge in Sandia Park, New Mexico will go down, technically, as my slowest event ever (a 15:25 per mile pace), it was perhaps the second most challenging event that I've ever done compared to running two (2) marathons.
7.2 miles!
1,728-foot elevation change! (Started at 8,650; finished at 10,378 feet)
14th state that I've run an event in!
116th career event! (36th this year)
First trail run event ever!
My time was 1:51:02 - a bit off of my 1:31 (13-minute per mile prediction); however, I'd do it again given the chance!
The Sandia Peak Challenge is in its fifth year and includes a bike-run duathlon, mountain bike race and 2-mile and 4-mile races/walks. (The first two participants in the 4-mile race blew by me close to the first aid station!) A story about last year's event can be found by clicking here.
The event raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the 7.2-mile race is named in honor of Keith Howard, an Albuquerque runner who will be attending Eastern New Mexico University this fall on a cross country scholarship. Howard, who suffers from the effects of CF, finished 9th last year and was 5th today in a time of 1:05.
After Waverly and I spent some time at the top of mountain and riding the ski lift down together, I spoke to Keith and he explained that most youth that have CF can not compete athletically at the level in which he does. I got a picture with him and will be keeping up with him throughout his collegiate career. He was truly an inspiration to talk to. He also said that one of the things that he has to deal with CF is that he sweats more than the average person and it is a major challenge for him to stay hydrated.
As far as the race went, we ran up what was known as the "Golden Eagle" downhill mountain bike trail. A map can be found here.
That's why it was a challenge! They ride bikes DOWN it ... not RUN up it!
I had two or three people behind me at the beginning (there might have been less than 70 participants). One eventually passed me and she and another woman finished about 4-5 minutes ahead of me. (The other woman did the course in 1:20 last year, but was well off of her mark due to a shin splint injury. She had her right splint wrapped early in the race.)
The course probably had at least 50 switchbacks on the 1,700-foot uphill climb. For those parts that I didn't run, I walked and climbed as fast as I could. The only two times that I stopped moving was at the second and third water stops (that were manned by a local Boy Scouts group). It was a lot more difficult than the two trails - Crest 130 and 10K North - that I had run two weeks before on the mountain.
I wore a long sleeve technical running shirt that I thought early on in the race was going to be too warm (because they pushed the start back by 30 minutes from 8:30 to 9:00 am.) However as I got into the upper elevations, I was glad that I made the choice.
There were only three (3) times that I looked at my watch in the first hour and ten (10) minutes and I had no relevance as to what mile marker I was at. (There were some white signs that had numbers on them, but it took me to the 5.5 marker going up to determine that they were indeed mile markers for those bikes riding down.)
At what I figured out to be the 5.7-mile point, I was at 1:26:43, a 15:13 / mile pace. The last three (3) half miles I covered in: 8:27.37, 8:26.09 and 7:25.93. As I approached the finish line, I saw another orange line and I asked the woman if that was the finish, she said, "Yes" and I replied, "Thank God."
One of the things that I figured for sure is that if I can do this, I can run Sunmart in December! (But just the 50K!)
In all reality, this was one event that I told Waverly that I wasn't sure that I could finish; however, as I worked my way up the mountain, it was just a matter of when ... not if! (I was very proud of her, by the way. She rode a ski lift up to the top with another woman. I'm glad she did. I was really concerned about her doing it my herself. It was her first ski lift ride as well as her first solo airplane ride out to Amarillo on Thursday evening.)
One of the things that I heard some runners comment on before the start is at the point that you are still two (2) miles from the top -- on the map -- it really appears that you are a lot closer because of the running back and forth underneath the ski lifts.
On to Maribelle's 5K By The Bay next Saturday in Seabrook ... that is, by the way, Texas and at sea level!
7.2 miles!
1,728-foot elevation change! (Started at 8,650; finished at 10,378 feet)
14th state that I've run an event in!
116th career event! (36th this year)
First trail run event ever!
My time was 1:51:02 - a bit off of my 1:31 (13-minute per mile prediction); however, I'd do it again given the chance!
The Sandia Peak Challenge is in its fifth year and includes a bike-run duathlon, mountain bike race and 2-mile and 4-mile races/walks. (The first two participants in the 4-mile race blew by me close to the first aid station!) A story about last year's event can be found by clicking here.
The event raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the 7.2-mile race is named in honor of Keith Howard, an Albuquerque runner who will be attending Eastern New Mexico University this fall on a cross country scholarship. Howard, who suffers from the effects of CF, finished 9th last year and was 5th today in a time of 1:05.
After Waverly and I spent some time at the top of mountain and riding the ski lift down together, I spoke to Keith and he explained that most youth that have CF can not compete athletically at the level in which he does. I got a picture with him and will be keeping up with him throughout his collegiate career. He was truly an inspiration to talk to. He also said that one of the things that he has to deal with CF is that he sweats more than the average person and it is a major challenge for him to stay hydrated.
As far as the race went, we ran up what was known as the "Golden Eagle" downhill mountain bike trail. A map can be found here.
That's why it was a challenge! They ride bikes DOWN it ... not RUN up it!
I had two or three people behind me at the beginning (there might have been less than 70 participants). One eventually passed me and she and another woman finished about 4-5 minutes ahead of me. (The other woman did the course in 1:20 last year, but was well off of her mark due to a shin splint injury. She had her right splint wrapped early in the race.)
The course probably had at least 50 switchbacks on the 1,700-foot uphill climb. For those parts that I didn't run, I walked and climbed as fast as I could. The only two times that I stopped moving was at the second and third water stops (that were manned by a local Boy Scouts group). It was a lot more difficult than the two trails - Crest 130 and 10K North - that I had run two weeks before on the mountain.
I wore a long sleeve technical running shirt that I thought early on in the race was going to be too warm (because they pushed the start back by 30 minutes from 8:30 to 9:00 am.) However as I got into the upper elevations, I was glad that I made the choice.
There were only three (3) times that I looked at my watch in the first hour and ten (10) minutes and I had no relevance as to what mile marker I was at. (There were some white signs that had numbers on them, but it took me to the 5.5 marker going up to determine that they were indeed mile markers for those bikes riding down.)
At what I figured out to be the 5.7-mile point, I was at 1:26:43, a 15:13 / mile pace. The last three (3) half miles I covered in: 8:27.37, 8:26.09 and 7:25.93. As I approached the finish line, I saw another orange line and I asked the woman if that was the finish, she said, "Yes" and I replied, "Thank God."
One of the things that I figured for sure is that if I can do this, I can run Sunmart in December! (But just the 50K!)
In all reality, this was one event that I told Waverly that I wasn't sure that I could finish; however, as I worked my way up the mountain, it was just a matter of when ... not if! (I was very proud of her, by the way. She rode a ski lift up to the top with another woman. I'm glad she did. I was really concerned about her doing it my herself. It was her first ski lift ride as well as her first solo airplane ride out to Amarillo on Thursday evening.)
One of the things that I heard some runners comment on before the start is at the point that you are still two (2) miles from the top -- on the map -- it really appears that you are a lot closer because of the running back and forth underneath the ski lifts.
On to Maribelle's 5K By The Bay next Saturday in Seabrook ... that is, by the way, Texas and at sea level!
posted by WalkSports.com | 8:44 PM
5 Comments:
awesome- you do the coolest races! What a geat experience for both you and Waverly. It sounds like it was really tough, but rewarding as well. DOn't you just love that feeling of "I did it!"
What's a switchback by the way?
Wow, that sounds like a really cool race! I may look into doing it next year...
I'm not sure of the technical definition, but it is literally where you are running in one direction and quickly "switch back" in the opposite direction.
Given that this event is so close to the La Luz Trail Run, I'd call this event that I did: La Luz Lite! It was tough and I have a good sunburn on my head to show for it!
Cool! Sounds like a fun race....I'm envious! :)
Just found the results. Was 57th of 58! There were five DNFs or No Shows.
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