From owner-ultra@caligari.Dartmouth.EDU Wed Aug 28 01:11:00 1996 Date: Tue, 27 Aug 96 03:59:48 PM From: "Dana Roueche" To: ius-l@american.edu, ultra@caligari.Dartmouth.EDU Subject: Thoughts on Leadville At the start of this year's edition of Leadville I was feeling intense but confident. This was my 4th time at Leadville, I knew the drill and I had just come off of a Hardrock finish. This was going to be a routine run, WRONG. I ignored one of my biggest pieces of Leadville advice I give to others. Never, discount the difficulty of Leadville. This was my fourth attempt at 25 hrs, learning from my prior three attempts, I thought I had it all figured out. I started out and ran the first 25 miles very methodically according to plan. I felt fine and the run felt routine, I had gone at this exact pace three times before and knew it well. Shortly after 25 miles, things started to deteriorate rapidly. My legs, arms, back, everything began to ache. I felt like I had gone 60 miles and I was only supposed to be warming up. Even though I was in a pace well within my ability, I felt like I had overextended myself big time. I suspect I hadn't recovered completely from Hardrock. I used my head and backed off as much as I could without ruining my chances for 25 hrs. I made it to Winfield, halfway in 10:50, my plan was for 10:30 so I was still easily within range of my goal. One minor problem, I was half dead. My legs and body felt like someone had taken a ballpeen hammer to them. OK, time for strategy number two, SURVIVE. Ultrarunners are good at that strategy, we all know it well. I left Winfield with Jay Hodde, who I really enjoyed his company. Jay was also running on 2x4's for legs at the time but I still couldn't hang with him. I told Jay to go on, I need to work through this. As I climbed Hope for the second time, it was at a crawl, I could barely move. I was concerned I could even get over the thing. Thoughts of the dreaded DNF came into focus and I had to choke back a few tears. No, not a DNF, not at my beloved Leadville. I knew I would feel better on the downhill to Twin Lakes if I could get over the top and down from the altitude. By the time I reached Twin Lakes I did feel better and finishing seemed realistic again. On the way to Halfmoon, I could no longer drink my protein drink and became seriously short on calories. I could barely move entering Halfmoon with 30 miles to go. I was convinced I was not going to be able to go 30 more miles. I was trying to figure out if I should drop there or at the next aid station. What I needed to do was eat so I sat there and ate for close to 50 minutes. I did this while the aid station people where trying to get me to lie down. I told them if I do that, I'm done and also, I can't eat lying down. When I got up to leave, they looked at me in disbelief, they said I was white and didn't look well. I told them I'd run down the gentle grade ahead and drop at the next aid station in 7 miles. I didn't want to drop there because they don't allow cars in and I would have to wait for a ride. A funny thing happened on the way to the next aid station, the food started to kick in and I started feeling better. My legs still ached big time but I wasn't bonking anymore. With 23 miles to go, from the Fish Hatchery, I was gaining confidence, I had two bowls of potato soup which worked more miracles for me and off I went. I climbed Sugarloaf passing 10 or 12 people on the way almost in disbelief at what was happening. When I arrived at Mayqueen, I had done the last section faster than in the 3 previous years. I had one more section to go, 13.5 miles and almost 5 hrs to do it in. I left Mayqueen and actually ran a good portion of the way to the finish in 3:40, another time record for me on that section. I could not believe how much the muscles in my legs where aching with every step. It didn't matter, with every step I new I was closer and I knew I was going to do it. When I crested the hill with 3/4 of a mile to go and I could see the finish, again tears came to my eyes. This time I didn't hold them back, it felt great. I was about to complete Leadville which I had given up hope of doing several times but simply refused to stop. My two terrific daughters where waiting on top of the hill to run that last 3/4 of a mile into the finish with me. I didn't disappoint them, we ran it in with me on top of the world. This was my slowest of 4 Leadville finishes but it is by far the one I am most proud of. It is a finish that by rights shouldn't have happened. I'm still somewhat in disbelief that I was able to dig deep enough to hang in there to the end. Wow, does it feel good. I'll see you next year for the 1997 edition of the Leadville Trail 100. Dana Roueche danar@vnet.ibm.com