Snowbird Trail Challenge (Short Course 7.5 miles) July 23, 2016

Back in June, I signed up to participate in a research study.  I really did it so I could get my VO2 max testing done, but I also got Watts testing done in the process, unbeknownst to me.  Part of the study required us to take part in a trail race at Snowbird.

Today was the day of the race.  The temperature up at Snowbird (Little Cottonwood Canyon) was pretty chill this morning.  We started up near the Peruvian Pass.  I met up with my friends and teammates, as usual.  It's always fun chatting and goofing off before the gun goes off.

As you can tell, I caught up with some friends/teammates I haven't seen in quite some time.  My friend, John, and I noticed that he, his son, and myself had sequential bib numbers on, so we were dorks and had to take a picture!  Some of these friends also participated in the same research study.

The race started a little late.  It was still cool when we went off.  It started off on a downhill, and then about 0.7 miles into the run, we started the vertical climbing.  It was hard for me to breathe, probably due to multiple factors, so my uphill climb was pretty slow.  But, because I was moving like  a snail I(and of course because I'm on a gorgeous trail and not competing for podium) stopped to take pictures along the way! I finally was able to somewhat relax my breathing after about 2 miles (which is usually what it takes for my body to warm up and get into a rhythm).

I was pretty much the caboose on the short course, but then people started to come behind me.  It made me nervous that maybe we had to do two loops!  I then ran into a few runners, including fellow Run4Fun friends (Robin and Tehra) who said they got a little off course.  I at least didn't feel too alone at that point, and I knew I wasn't lost (whew)!

We got up to one of the upper trails before we had to had back down.

Finally there was a reprieve!  Thank goodness for the downhill!  I say... the uphill makes the downhill totally worth it!  I even pulled a "Joshua" and captured a video (probably not the smartest idea, but it was fun) on the downhill.

When we got back to the single track trails, there was a little over 1.5 miles left.  I was so grateful!  My speed picked up a little, and I'm glad I didn't eat it on the downs (I came close a couple of times on the single tracks).

The last 0.7 was back up the downhill we came down!  It was a little like a cruel joke, but those finishing around the same time powered our way back up the hill.  There was one guy who passed me on the uphill, who was a little slower on the downhills (he had never run downhill before).  He had sprained his ankle about a half mile back, and was killing it on the uphill!  He was training for his first Spartan Race!  I don't know your name, guy, but kudos to you, man!  You rock!

There was a girl a little ahead of me, who just felt like she didn't have anything left in her to push/run up to the finish.  I gave her a little encouragement, and told her that we could run together at the bottom of the last little uphill before the finish.  We did it together, and we finished together!  And that's what it's all about!  I probably will never make the podium, but I love being able to give people that last little bit of hope and push to the end... it's those moments that have meant the most to me in races where I wanted to give up, so it's my way of giving back. 


I did lose my dinosaur, Xena, on my way down, so I went back up a little ways to look for her (that's where the last short course runner said she saw it, when I asked if she had seen a green dino).  I wasn't able to find her (which made my heart sad, but I'm hoping she was found and she's able to go on new adventures elsewhere)! 

I headed back to the finish line area, and waited for my friend, Heather, who was still out on the half marathon course.  She came in not too much longer after I had gotten back... and she placed third in her category!  Congrats Heather!

What a fun race!  I definitely miss hitting the trails!  Thanks Wasatch Trail Series!  I'm definitely going to do be doing that one again!