Oh, HAIL NO!

Beautiful night at Peak One Campground

Dillon Reservoir Perimeter Trail

This is a tough experience to process. It was just so ridiculous.  Wait, I am getting ahead of myself.  First, the drive out to Grand Mesa.....

I was making the drive to Grand Mesa by myself in a camper van I rented; so, I decided to break it up. Thursday I drove to Dillon Reservoir and camped at Peak One Campground. It was a super nice place with clean bathrooms. I had a site with views of the reservoir.  To be fair if I was in a tent, I would not have been happy because normally I go camping to get away from people.  However, this was a different kind of trip. I stayed only about 15 hours and had a van to sleep in for the night.  In the morning, I did my shake out along the perimeter trail. It was beautiful and I was happy.

From Dillon, I drove to Glenwood Springs, Colorado and made a mandatory stop at Sweet Coloradough for donuts and a bagel sandwich. This place is worth the trip! The croughnut (croissant + donut) is amazing. I love the cinnamon crumble. I continued on from Glenwood Springs to the Mesa Top Trailhead. As someone who struggles with long drives (anything longer than 30 minutes), this was the way to go!

A few fun facts: 

• Grand Mesa is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world.  
• It has an area over 500 square miles.
• It tops out at 11,332 feet in elevation.
• Grand Mesa is in stark contrast to the sagebrush shrublands to its north with its alpine meadows and pine and aspen forests. 
• I did not know the place existed before this event! I will definitely go back for future camping trips!

DINNER IN THE CAMPERVAN!

I was one of the first people to arrive at the trailhead. I chose a spot in the opposite corner of the start and finish line because the 50 milers would start 2 hours before me in the morning and I hoped to get just a bit more sleep. (HA!) After I had a later lunch, I walked over to the race director and offered to volunteer as I had a couple hours to kill. Amazingly they did not need anything at the time so I went back to the campervan and watched shows that I downloaded on Netflix until Kirsten and Marissa arrived. I also picked up my bib and race bag. Totally random and unimportant: I loved the bib because it was already so small. It easily fit on my race outfit!

Kirsten and Marissa were sleeping in their car this time when they normally camp in a huge Taj Mahal sized tent; so, we spent some time nesting for them and getting things more comfortable. Before we knew it it was almost 6 p.m. and although my nerves were making me not hungry, we made dinner. (I did not know this yet but this was the very first sign of intestinal challenges to come.) It started to rain as dinner was ready. We ate dinner inside the camper van which was so convenient and very comfortable. That night I went to sleep with 3 alarms set and all my gear laid out for the morning.

START LINE SELFIES!

Never have I ever slept all the way to my alarm on a race morning. This time I woke up at 4:44 a.m.  I heard the gun go off at 5 a.m. for the start of the 50 mile runners. This is okay as I had race jitters and a slow wake up was just fine by me. There was a brief moment that I wish I'd brought my little buddy heater but it was not too bad getting dressed in the cold van. By 6:45 we were walking over to the race start. It was a beautiful morning with amazing clouds. It was a bit chilly but within the realm of perfect.

The 55k course is easily broken down into five segments. The first bit is a 4 mile trek out towards the first aide station, Crag Crest. Then there is a ten mile loop that climbs up and along the crest. The third segment brings you back the 4 miles to the start/finish at the Mesa Top Trail Head aide station. Then you head the opposite direction 8 miles west to the Flowing Park aide station where you check in and turn around and go back the last section to the finish line.

  

Standard Selfie Silliness

Section 1 was fairly straightforward. It is singletrack almost immediately so we were in a bit of a conga line. Eventually we spread out a little bit into smaller groups. The trail and the morning was beautiful. Before I knew it I had reached the first aid station and checked in. I was going at a great pace- four miles in fifty minutes. 

Then I passed the first aid station and headed out on the Big Ten Mile Loop that takes you to the top of the Crest Trail. I had flip flopped a few times deciding to bring poles for this section.  I ended up bringing them and there was about 3 or so miles that they were very helpful however the rest of it the trail was very narrow so it was challenging to use with at all grass and wildflowers. Thankfully though my poles are ultralight so I really didn't mind just carrying them when needed. Plus, there were a few moments when I was seriously grateful to have them. 

Mile 8 through about ten and a half was all climbing the top of the Crest Trail. It was absolutely stunning. This is when the first sprinkling of rain came through along the top. It was cool and nice and didn't really bother me. The downhill back to the aide station was super fun. I'm a downhill girl and I just absolutely love bombing down them. During this whole loop, I played yo-yo with a female runner who is a local and runs this every year. It was fun getting snippets of conversation every time we got close. She crushed the up hills and I bomb the downhills so we just kept reconnecting and it was something to look forward to. (If you're out there mystery person, thank you for your conversation!)

           

Running along the crest was totally my jam!!!! I loved it!

On approach to the aid station I heard my name and got so excited because I did not expect to see Kirsten and Marissa until the Mesa Top Trailhead aid station. They figured out how to see me earlier and it was such a fun surprise. This was the first time I got to use the bathroom which was a huge relief because (sorry for the TMI that is about to happen...) but my stomach had been off for most of the morning and I desperately needed a bathroom for the last 6 miles or so! This was the first of a few emergency bathroom stops. Never have I had such intestinal problems during a race but I guess there's always a first for everything. Kirsten helped me add water to my pack while Marissa was videographer. It was so fun to see them. As I left the Aid Station, little did I know what was about to happen...

(Best Viewed in Large Format)

Within five minutes it started to rain which was fine because the forecast had predicted two very quick rain showers at 50% that would produce less than .1 inch of rain in total. I thought nothing of it until the rain got harder and harder and then literally got harder as it turned to hail.  The trail veered away from the back of the lodge where I got to see K&M very briefly.  The hail was not letting up. If you didn't know before, hail really stings when it hits you. For a while I thought this was funny.  I even took a little video!

Then the lightning started. I didn't take cover right away but then there was a HUGE flash of lightning and an immediate thunder. I might have peed myself a little bit as that was the closest I've ever gotten to lightning. The rain was torrential. The hail was fierce. The lightning kept things interesting. I hid in the trees for a while with a woman who was also freaked out.  We eventually saw a group of 3 runners passing as the lightning settled. We decided to join them since there was no sign of the hail letting up. So we trudged through the flooding trail past a growing floor of hail. We had about 3 miles to go to the end of the 30k and the mental middle of the 55k. The hail never let up and the raindrops were  icy cold. At one point we were about to drop into an open field area and one of the women said, "I don't know about this." I thought to myself what else can we do? This is a trail race; we have to get ourselves to an aid station and the station is that way. So I yelled, "let's make poor decisions" and took off into the field. I led the group through very deep sections of frozen rain water and hail and madness. It was a strange combination of fun and moments of fear. I channeled my inner Dory and thought to just keep going, just keep going, just keep going. I wish I had pictures of this but it was raining and hailing too hard to take any.  The trails were flooded with deep puddles of freezing rain covered in a layer of hail.  So it was difficult to tell how deep sections were of rain.  Most of the time I just hopped from one grassy patch to another.  A few times I mistakenly ran through shin deep puddles which immediately made it difficult to feel my feet.  When I saw the cars through the trees I got so excited because I knew I was going to see Kirsten & Marissa. I had already made the plan to change into dry clothes and continue on with my race once I warmed up.  I technically had a few hours to the cutoff at this aide station so I was not worried.  

eating soup after changing

I crossed into the parking lot to cowbells and smiles.  A race volunteer saw my 55k bib and pointed me to the aide station.  I walked up frozen like a popsicle; the volunteers were so helpful. There's actual video of them tell me that they had chicken noodle soup, hot broth, and hot water and all I could do was nod because yes it sounded so amazing and they just started laughing because I had to choose one and not just 

Zoom in on our faces- pep talk. 

nod at them. I end up getting 

a rough moment before heading out

the chicken noodle soup.  They asked if there was anything else I wanted; so, I put in a request for a hot bath.  

I then went and sat in Kirsten and Marissa's car while I changed the top half of my clothing. There was no point in changing the bottom half as logistically I have no idea how I would have done that but the dry new sports bra and shirt was refreshing.

Kirsten filled my pack with Tailwind and Marissa tried to dry off things for me using the heater of the car. Faster than I wanted to, they told me I had to get out of the car.  I knew I needed to because I couldn't just sit there even though I had lots of time before the cut off.  I stepped out of the car and was hit by a metaphorical wall of freezing rain. Within moments I started shaking. Later Marissa told me my lips were blue. I went back and got more hot soup which again was amazing but I did struggle to feed myself because my hands were shaking the spoon so much. At this point we decided to change out my raincoat to the heavier one and to add a warmer beanie hat.  Kirsten helped me swap them out and then I had to leave. So I turned and went down the trail the other direction knowing that I had 8 miles to go to the Flowing Park Aid Station then I would turn around and come back to finish. One step at a time. 

ENCHANTING

Within about 10 minutes I started to warm up to a manageable level of cold. The heavier raincoat was so much better than that light green rain layer which is now forever retired and I will never speak of it again! I was moving super slowly as my feet were crazy cold, the trails were muddy and flooded. The rain continued for at least another half hour. But this section of the trail was incredibly beautiful. We would pass through a forested area to open out to huge fields of wildflowers.  The views were worth the risk to the phone in the rain.  I had hoped to see a bear or moose but I guess all the creatures were hiding from the rain. Eventually the rain stopped and after some time the sun came out. I was jamming to music by this point and just trying to keep going one step after the other- keep going keep going. Drying out very slowly it felt amazing and rejuvenating. I reached the Aid Station and was treated to the most beautiful Reservoir I'd ever seen. I actually got a little teary-eyed because it looked like it belonged in a fairy tale.  I would post my picture but it seriously does not do it justice.  So use your imagination and then add a bit of fairy dust and that might be as beautiful as it was in real life. 

I checked into the aid station and ate more soup, some Oreos and pocketed a palisade peach for later. (Yes, this is a weird food combination but apparently that is all I wanted on this weird day so I just rolled with it.)   I chatted with the other racers and volunteers and then decided that I really did need to go. So I filled a little baggie of Oreos and checked out of the aide station to head back to the finish line. 

Incredible Views!

Wildflowers!

Beautiful Skies!

I walked for a little bit to warm the legs back up and then I started to jog as much as I could.  My goal time was long long gone after hiding in the trees from the lightning and the costume change and the mud trails and all those other reasons; so, I decided just to enjoy myself. I took so many pictures because it felt like every turn I made it was something beautiful to see. and then with about 3 miles to go I looked up and I saw dark clouds coming towards me. I literally yelled at the sky, “are you kidding me?!”

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!

At this point I was dry. It felt amazing.

The idea of more cold rain was just demoralizing. Sadly, the clouds don't lie and when the first massive and freezing rain drops hit, I quickly took off my pack, unstrapped my raincoat and put it back on. It was just in time too because the clouds just dumped again. When the cold rain seeped into my underwear, for the second time that day, I once again yelled to no one, "Seriously?!?!?" 

I just could not believe how ridiculous the weather had been this day. The trails flooded again. I got completely soaked again. The shoes were heavy with water again. I just kept going. I listened to Lizzo's, Bout Damn Time, a few times in a row just yelling along with the lyrics. Good thing no one was nearby because I must have sounded like a lunatic! HA! Once I got within a half-mile, I got that surge.  You know the one where adrenaline and relief mix together in a bizarre combination of joy. I splashed through the flooded trails; made a final turn onto the road and I almost started crying when I could hear the cowbell with Kirsten and Marissa yelling through the rain. I had about 30 yards to go to the finish line. Freezing, I crossed the line and high-fived the race director.  (I am pretty sure she greeted all the finishers. LOVE.  Reminds me of Jason Green of the Yeti Trail Runners.)   

Still raining, she took our picture under the finish line.  I was exhausted, relieved, thrilled and proud to finish this one. I don't think I've ever run a race in such crazy weather. First time for hail, first time for mild hypothermia, and first time having hot soup during a race. Kirsten & Marissa had moved the van close to the finish so I didn't have to go far before drying off. I changed out of the wet clothes and immediately started feeling better. The cold had seeped all the way into my bones.  Thankfully K&M had already made me hot water for tea.  I chose my favorite, Tazo Lemon Loaf, and ate more soup!  Then I followed that with the finish line celebration elk burger. My stomach has been off all day and didn't get half of the calories that I should have eaten. So I had lots to eat over the next 24 hours as I was just ravenous.

LOVE MY MUG!

There were no finisher medals for this event so Kirsten and Marissa found me an awesome Grand Mesa mug during the day. I count it as my finisher medal. It is an awesome mug and will always remind me of running through a torrential hail and lightening storm up at 10,000 feet.

From the race directors: 
“What started as a clear, starry morning ended with runners and volunteers having endured 37 degrees temperatures in July & 2 monsoonal floods as the skies opened and unleashed just under 2 in of rain and pummeled us all with chickpea-sized hail. You finishers need to pat yourselves on the back for being so BADASS!

Course Beauty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Course Marking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Event Volunteers: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Puppies in Attendance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Event Weather: ZERO STARS! 😅

As always, I owe a big thank you to my coach, Kim Springborn, my PT, Heather North at Red Hammer Rehab, Kirsten and Marissa for their amazing support, my family and the most fantastic campervan rental from the Smith family! Also, it should be noted that there were so many dogs at this event.  I got puppy power-ups at EVERY aide station.  They were all so well behaved and so cute and I just loved them!