2022 Run Rabbit Run

 A few years back, I told Craig that I was going to run RRR in 2021.  He was in.  Then I DNFed at Never Summer and needed to go back to get it right.  I only do one big race a year now.  Sorry, Craig.  I won't be going out with you.  Happily, I completed Never Summer in a time I could live with (big thanks to my pacer, Joker, who flew out just to see me through!).  Four starts and two finishes, I was done with that race for good.  I could move on.  Craig had his first ever DNF at RRR.  It's not a good feeling.

So, done with Never Summer, I could move on to RRR.  I really wanted to do another 100 before calling it good.  Craig was of course going to get redemption.  Slowly, the number of Trail Monsters registered climbed.  By the time registration closed, we had six registered for the 100 and two for the 50!!!  It was going to be a party!  In fact, we had two parties here at home to get ready.  Ok, the first one was more just party, but we did talk some logistics and strategy at the second.

Training had not gone according to my plan (I tweaked my Never Summer training schedule into what looked more like the 100 plans Squirrel and I followed for our two).  I factor in Riverlands and count the marking miles.  I make sure the race is on one of my back down weeks; I follow the classic three build weeks, 1 back down.  On a run at Riverlands when the trails were mostly clear, I made the poor decision to go spikeless.  On a short little down before an icy bridge, I was eying the bridge to assess my options.  Woosh!  There was black ice on that little down.  I was one my back with my right leg folded under me.  I was sure I messed up my knee.  I struggled to stand.  I knew Steve Day was in the park.  I called him.  He wasn't far away.  By the time he got to me, I decided I better keep moving.  He was good to leave me.  

PAUSE - Did you think this was a race report?  Either just wait; it's coming or skip down to the sub-heading "Race".  

Well, my knee was okay.  Turns out my ankle was not.  I tried to walk it off.  It's always worked for me before, but it just kept getting worse.   So, I'd gone too far to turn around, better to walk out to the ATV trail and go back that way.  Sigh.  The downs were still icy.  I had to work to make sure I didn't fall.  The slopes angered my ankle more.  It took a long time, but I made it back to my car.  The drive home was challenging.  Rick found crutches from storage.  I think they were from his knee surgery.  

Ally kitty wasn't eating.  I thought she might have a tooth issue.  She was getting older and the vet had commented on them before.  I called them to make an appointment.  I figured she could wait until I could bear weight.  It was Monday.  I made the appointment for Friday.  By Tuesday, I called back.  I think she needed to be seen that day.  Rick helped me with the carrier.  Ally was much sicker than I imagined.  Her kidney values were so high they were unreadable.  My vet made arrangements for her to be admitted to the Maine Veterinary Medical Center in Scarborough.  They had better testing equipment and came back with the actual values for Ally's kidneys.  It wasn't good.  They came up with a course of treatment.  After a couple of days we would reassess.  I was heart broken.  I drove down to visit her each day.  It was hard.  She had the IV ports.  She was used to having no rules.  Now there were all the rules.  She normally ate like a lab.  She was so food motivated and would eat anything.  Have you seen the video of her eating a cherry tomato?  Now we were using special food to entice her to eat, happy if she lapped a little of my finger.

After three days, they had to ask me again what I wanted to do.  Her numbers had com down slightly.  Do we continue, hoping to get them to something manageable.  I felt we owed her every chance, all the while hoping that was what she would have chosen.  Was she too miserable?  Finally, after 6 days in the hospital, we decided to bring her home so she could die where she was comfortable.  My resting heart rate had gone up well over 10 bpm.  I didn't feel well.  It's hard to take care of yourself when you don't even feel like you're taking care of your cat.  Was it a day or two after we let Ally go that I realized I really didn't feel well?  Of course I was heartbroken, but I really didn't feel well.  Turns out I had a bladder infection (probably hadn't been keeping hydrated).  The antibiotic they gave me made me sick.  Then it turns out I was on the wrong one for what I had anyway.  The new one gave me severe muscle cramps, a rare, but known side effect.  Fortunately, if I regularly took Advil, I could keep them at bay.  I didn't find that out for a few sleepless, pain-filled nights.  

This is supposed to be about a race.  Well, because of my ankle, Ally, and the bladder infection, I missed out on my first weeks of 20/10 back to backs.  Then I had a scheduled back down week for Riverlands.  Recovering from RDing at Riverlands is almost like recovering from actually running a 100.  I had to build back up to where I should be in my training.  Instead of (4) 3 week periods of 20+ backed up by a teens mile run, I did 5 total runs over 20 miles, of those, none were backed up with anything in the teens.  Most were between 10 and 11, but I did have one over 12!  Sigh.  The smart thing I added was more hill repeats.  And even smarter was June 20th, I started with weekly hill repeats at Lost Valley Ski Resort.  The grade of the LV slope was equal to anything we would see at RRR.  Running back down helped strengthen my quads.

Standing around at the Breaker, I mentioned that I would really like another pacer in addition to Squirrel.  Mindy was going to see me through the night miles starting at 44.  She would get me to mile 70, where I hoped the daylight would get me through the rest.  Without taking a second to think, Tanya offered to pace!  It's not like pacing a race here at home.  This involves vacation time, planes, hotels, and so much more than just the pacing.  She was in for the last 30!  Now, I would just have to suck it up for the lone night miles getting to Squirrel.

Rick and I knew immediately we'd head to Breckenridge the week before the race, not only is it a great place to acclimate (we sleep at about 10k'), but it's a place we love.  You can find a trail anywhere, without needing to drive.  Really, you can get by parking your rental car if you want.  

I made a shared google sheet for everyone going out so we would know who was staying where and when.  Rick and I were the first to head out, getting to our Breckenridge condo late on Thursday.  After a headache and racing heart through the night, I felt like I was pretty well set with the altitude.  Besides, part of that was probably due to beers at altitude, like real altitude.  We'd gone from sea level to drinking proper pints at 10,000'.  

Sunday, we met Pete, Mindy, and Nathan(!) in Frisco to hike a bit and visit.  Pete felt the altitude pretty hard; they'd been in CO less than 24hrs.  We still got in about 5 miles before we headed to town for lunch.  It was great catching up with Nathan.  He was doing a 50k on Saturday, but planned on being at RRR for the golden hour.  He had CO friends doing the 100 as well.

Monday, Rick and I had a really good run/walk on the trail heading from Breck to Frisco, getting in just over 9 miles.  Mindy and Pete did their own hike/fish.  Mindy saw mountain goats!!!  Even getting a pick of a mom and kid 😍.  I admit to being a bit more than a little jealous.  We've been coming out here for years now and no goats for me!!!  Even when we go to known goat hangouts!  But then I remembered it was her birthday.  Okay, universe, okay.  We met for a great birthday celebration at Kenosha in Breck.  It was pretty sweet.  From then on, Rick and I did shorter but higher hikes, getting over 12k twice.

Wednesday I worked on packing my drop bags.  I did a last minute shop in town to make up for some poor packing.  I added a second pair of long pants, knowing that I might want them at different points in the race.  I also picked up some Spring gels.  I admit that might have had more to do with the 8 week old french bulldog pup in the running store 😎.

Thursday, time to drive to Steamboat Springs.  Maybe a good time for a break.  Part 2 to come.