Running (RACE!) 5:00:00 [3] 34.6 mi (8:40 / mi) +6618ft 7:20 / mi
shoes: Hoka Challenger #4 (BLK)
solid day at the office. mellow start with some fast dudes... and i went to the front as soon as we started the .25 fireroad climb. onto the single track at 1.3 miles and I had 15-20 gap over aish and another dude. let it rip on the 6 mile descent and then was all alone.
saw luke at 9 miles and still couldn't see anybody behind me. my plan for the day was to be really conservative on the climbs and roll the descents. i wanted to save my matches for the final 6 mile climb.
at the end of the first 15 mile lap i had a 2 min gap on aish... so i was running scared. had having run and ridden the course a few times i knew what was ahead. i got down to waterton canyon at 21 miles and started a steep, grinding 4 mile climb. i hiked any time it was really steep and ran the rest. i just wanted to keep my HR and effort in check.
i got to the last aid station (only one per loop) and some how still had my lead. i had just been running steady, not hard. i filled up, grabbed and handful of chips, and was out.
the last climb was gnarly. 6 miles, varying grades, and even though i was conservative early I was cracking. a combo of running and power hiking the douche grade. i finally made it back to the fireroad and it was all downhill. i ran hard and finished strong. the course was almost 35 miles... stoked i knew that going in!
i hung out for an hour after i finished and 2nd place came in around ~45min after... but no aish. not sure if he dropped but knowing he was behind me was motivation all day to keep grinding. that course was brutal... and awesome.
tried something a bit new for nutrition. i held off on the gels until about mile ~20. just used skrach chews and GU roctane drink. seemed to work well but i still like skratch drink better. took 3 gels in the last 14 miles. still up in the air though on nutrition... just so much sugar and my stomach was getting over it.