The 2017 Tommyknocker was run in late May, the 20th to be exact. Last year it was run in September and it was on the hot side. My hope was the high temp on May 20th would be a pleasant, oh, say 70? That would be nice. What I got?
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| I thought I left this bullshit in the Midwest. Ugh. Well, it definitely not hot! |
No, it did not snow on race day. It snowed the day before. I believe. Could have been two days before. Memory is a little hazy. The point is that after the start at the bottom of White Ranch at 6 a.m. race morning, we climbed towards the top of White ranch on Purgatory (about 2,300 feet of elevation gain) where we were greeted with increasing amounts of the white stuff. In some spots the snow was up to ten inches deep by my estimation. This weather threw a serious wrench in my plans to break 40 miles. Not only were we trudging through deep snow, but the temp was going to hit a sunny 60 or so which was sure to turn the trails into slush and/or rivers. Oh joy!
But I'm getting ahead of myself. For those who don't know the Tommyknocker is a 12 hour timed race in the foothills of Golden, Colorado. You begin at the bottom of White Ranch Park and everybody runs to the top. Then you run the Green Loop. After that you pick a ping pong ball with Green, Orange, Blue, or Yellow on it. Then you run that colored loop. Towards the end of the day you head back down to the start. Finished.
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| Runners heading up Purgatory |
Ok! So I plowed snow up purgatory and did my green loop. With the trail conditions what they were I knew I couldn't piss around at the aid station like I did last year. A couple of times I wandered around between loops for at least twenty minutes. I won't lie, It's been too long for me to remember exactly what loops I did and when but pretty early on in the day I got to do the 4.55 mile Red loop, which I had not gotten the chance to do last year. I did an orange loop... I think? Who can be sure. It wasn't long before I got the dreaded yellow loop, a bastard that is six miles long with just under 2,000 feet of gain and loss. My hiking has been strong this spring so that loop went pretty well but it was getting REALLY sloppy towards the end. I knew if I drew that loop again later it was going to be awful.
Luckily the race director Sherpa John decided to take the yellow loop out of the equation for the safety of the runners and to prevent some serious trail damage from occurring with the worsening muddy conditions. I can't tell you how relieved that made me. I knew from experience that the yellow loop late in the day could be an awful, soul-crushing exercise with a lot of cursing involved. So let's just say I was far from upset that there was no possibility of having to do yellow again that day.
Despite the conditions things were gong really well. I though I might have a legit shot at my forty mile goal! I was in and out of the aid station quickly, fueling was seemingly going pretty well and I was still going fairly strong. That all came to a screeching halt around mile 30 or so. I think it was the last couple miles of a red loop that did it. Or maybe it was orange. Did I even DO an orange loop? Shit. Who knows? It quickly became a blur of shuffling and desperation. That's a fact.
One of my goals was that, unlike last year, I would actually be running a good portion of Purgatory back down to the finish. How hard can it be to save enough to do some solid running on a 5.5 miles (mostly) downhill? Apparently it's very, very difficult cause I can't freakin figure the shit out. I took some time in the aid station considering whether to try another loop but I knew if I did I would probably not make it back to the finish within the 12 hour time limit. Just like last year I was walking just about 90% of the journey back down Purgatory. Crap. I just gotta get more training mileage in next time.
All in all I was happy with my day considering the first few hours were on deep, wet, slippery snow (which resulted in a couple nice falls that took some zip out of me) and the rest of the time the trails were literally like running through an endless mud puddle. My feet were so wet for so long I didn't even notice after awhile. I got in almost 35 miles with about 9k of elevation (I'm guessing there, since I can't remember my exact loops I can't add it up and I don't wear a watch) and in those conditions I consider that a success for me. I dry conditions I would have gotten over my goal of 40 I expect.
Many thanks to Sherpa John from Human Potential Running Series and all the volunteers that manned the aid station and marked the course the day and night before. Had some nice company and conversation with Jaime from the 24 hour this spring, Ernie from Ft. Collins (If I remember correctly), and some others who's names I did not catch/cannot remember. Great, inspiring people who were absolutely crushing it!
Hopefully the family schedule allows me to run this race for the third time next year. The snow caused my daughters state track race to be rescheduled for the same day as Tommyknocker (it was just a relay, no big deal. If it had been the 3200 I'd have been there) and next year she will likely be running state and graduating that weekend PLUS my son will have his college graduation and final track meet at the same time as this great race so we will just have to wait and see.
Next up on the Guy Pauley race calendar? The Barr Trail Mountain Race. Tomorrow. Starts at the base of Pikes Peak and climbs over 3,500 feet to Barr Camp and back down over 12.6 miles. Qualifies me to enter the Pikes Peak Ascent Ascent next year.
Be good to each other!
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| A great view of White Ranch and the flatlands.... and my thumb |
Luckily the race director Sherpa John decided to take the yellow loop out of the equation for the safety of the runners and to prevent some serious trail damage from occurring with the worsening muddy conditions. I can't tell you how relieved that made me. I knew from experience that the yellow loop late in the day could be an awful, soul-crushing exercise with a lot of cursing involved. So let's just say I was far from upset that there was no possibility of having to do yellow again that day.
Despite the conditions things were gong really well. I though I might have a legit shot at my forty mile goal! I was in and out of the aid station quickly, fueling was seemingly going pretty well and I was still going fairly strong. That all came to a screeching halt around mile 30 or so. I think it was the last couple miles of a red loop that did it. Or maybe it was orange. Did I even DO an orange loop? Shit. Who knows? It quickly became a blur of shuffling and desperation. That's a fact.
 |
| Had to navigate around this downed tree a couple of times. Reminded me of the old days at Mississippi Palisades. They NEVER cleared the trees at Illinois parks! |
One of my goals was that, unlike last year, I would actually be running a good portion of Purgatory back down to the finish. How hard can it be to save enough to do some solid running on a 5.5 miles (mostly) downhill? Apparently it's very, very difficult cause I can't freakin figure the shit out. I took some time in the aid station considering whether to try another loop but I knew if I did I would probably not make it back to the finish within the 12 hour time limit. Just like last year I was walking just about 90% of the journey back down Purgatory. Crap. I just gotta get more training mileage in next time.
All in all I was happy with my day considering the first few hours were on deep, wet, slippery snow (which resulted in a couple nice falls that took some zip out of me) and the rest of the time the trails were literally like running through an endless mud puddle. My feet were so wet for so long I didn't even notice after awhile. I got in almost 35 miles with about 9k of elevation (I'm guessing there, since I can't remember my exact loops I can't add it up and I don't wear a watch) and in those conditions I consider that a success for me. I dry conditions I would have gotten over my goal of 40 I expect.
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| Like a pro shot there. No? Damn. |
Many thanks to Sherpa John from Human Potential Running Series and all the volunteers that manned the aid station and marked the course the day and night before. Had some nice company and conversation with Jaime from the 24 hour this spring, Ernie from Ft. Collins (If I remember correctly), and some others who's names I did not catch/cannot remember. Great, inspiring people who were absolutely crushing it!
Hopefully the family schedule allows me to run this race for the third time next year. The snow caused my daughters state track race to be rescheduled for the same day as Tommyknocker (it was just a relay, no big deal. If it had been the 3200 I'd have been there) and next year she will likely be running state and graduating that weekend PLUS my son will have his college graduation and final track meet at the same time as this great race so we will just have to wait and see.
Next up on the Guy Pauley race calendar? The Barr Trail Mountain Race. Tomorrow. Starts at the base of Pikes Peak and climbs over 3,500 feet to Barr Camp and back down over 12.6 miles. Qualifies me to enter the Pikes Peak Ascent Ascent next year.
Be good to each other!
