Breck Crest

Breck Crest 9/3/00
Well I've been ticking all these personal firsts off this summer--first 10K race, first half marathon, first bike race--and they all went fairly well, considering I didn't really train for them. But there was still the nagging doubt, "could I go the distance?" Until I ran a marathon, I'd never know.

To listen to runners talk, you'd think it's a big deal to run 26.2 miles...some people take years to work up to it. The magazines and web sites are filled with detailed, structured programs that require you to give up your life just to get across the finish line. They attempt to instill fear into those who don't run 5 or 6 days a week of this mythical "wall" out there beyond mile 20 that will crush the unprepared with the dreaded bonk.

My theory is it's a bunch of crap intended to keep non-runners out of their snobbish clique. It seemed to me that a marathon is like most other endurance sports: 80% mental and 20% physical. And anyone in decent shape who ran occasionally (enough to keep from getting hurt) should be able to finish well. As the slogan goes: Just do it.

Of course, I could never voice that until I'd walked the talk lest I be forced to remove foot from mouth. Besides, the furthest I'd run this year was 14 miles (I'd never run more than about 18 miles). So back in June, I decided to try the Breckenridge Crest "Marathon" on Labor Day weekend.

The Breck Crest isn't a true marathon because it's only 24.5 miles long. But it starts at almost 10,000 ft, has over 5000 ft of total climb and descent, reaches 12,500, half of it is above treeline and virtually all is on trail. The "Crest" is the long ridge that extends north from the ski area and separates the Blue River Valley (Breck side) from the Ten Mile Valley (Copper Mtn side).

Since I had to be at the start by 7am, I came up the day before and stayed in Roch and Catherine's house in Frisco. Serious ultra runners, this race is too short for them so they were off playing in California and I had a quiet evening by myself to prepare.

The week before, two friends and I had been spanked hard when trying to road bike the 80-mile Leadville Loop from Minturn. After we'd ridden over Vail Pass, we turned the corner from Copper to head up the Ten Mile Valley for Fremont Pass and were faced with a black wall instead of the customary mountain view. Being obstinate about such things, we continued on but finally had to admit that crossing a pass in heavy rain, strong cross wind and 45F temps (with lightening thrown in for flavor) was just plain stupid. So we turned tail and rode back over Vail Pass.

With that lesson still in mind, I showed up for the race with more clothes in a larger fanny pack than most of the other runners. Fortunately, the monsoon weather cleared the day before and we were treated to a very nice day. But I didn't tempt fate and carried the rain gear anyhow.

The run starts at the Breck Outdoor Education Center, for whom this is a benefit, and more or less climbs gradually to an aid station at about mile 4 (10,800 ft). By this point, most of the 120 marathoners were divided into little groups of roughly the same pace. The next 3.5 miles up to aid #2 is where the real climb takes place. The trail is narrow and steep enough here that virtually everybody is forced to walk. Since my Achilles tendon was still a bit sore and I have another race in a week, I wasn't going to beat myself up too much.

I particularly enjoyed this section because I happened to be amongst a really pleasant group of runners: all women. Two weeks earlier, when I ran the Pike's Ascent (and also when I did the Vail Half), I was mostly surrounded by men who were so keen on competition that they'd barely talk and some were downright surly. By contrast, the ladies (all married or engaged, of course) were chatting away like they were at a beauty parlor--I overheard conversations about wedding gowns, babies, and vacation plans. It was refreshing to hang with runners who were doing this to have fun and not because of testosterone toxicity.

Once the trail started getting above treeline (the aspen are changing already), the scenery became spectacular. Eventually, we crested a ridge and had a really nice horizontal stretch to aid #2 (12,200 ft). This is where the trail splits and the 10-milers go down the ski area and the marathoners go over a pass (it's 10 miles to the next aid station). To only do the 10-mile run is to get much of the pain with little of the reward (not recommended).

Here I ran into Cathy, a regular at my gym, who was having a hard time. She'd done this marathon before but her body wasn't cooperating this time and she was trying to decide whether to go onwards or downwards. I probably showed up at the worst moment since it's easier to bail if nobody you recognize is around. We chatted a bit while I was changing film and she warned me the last 6 miles were really tough--ugh, something to look forward to. Cathy motivated herself onwards though I soon passed her (hope she finished ok, never saw her again).

From the pass (12,400 ft, between Peak 9 and 8), the trail (I should say trench) drops down the other side for 1200 ft before it starts to climb back to the same height. Just below Peak 7, and well above treeline, I was surprised to see my friend Phil (rocket scientist, ultra runner and aspiring photographer) snapping pics as we moseyed by.

The next few miles are the real reason to do this race! It's reasonably flat on the crest of the ridge (all above 12,000 ft) with great views of Summit County and Ten Mile Valley, the site of our ugly debacle the week before. By now, it had clouded up a bit and the wind made it a bit chilly but not too bad. After crossing over Peak 6 and 5, the trail drops under Peak 4 on the Breck side of the Crest.

This is where the quad-busting descent begins and I left the girls behind as I blasted down the trail. In just 3 miles, it drops 2000 ft. to the third aid station so it's a good section to pick up some time if you commit to the downhill.

Once at aid #3 (10,500 ft), it's essentially easy, rolling terrain for the final 8 miles...that is if you have any juice left in your legs. Little hills that I would have hardly noticed earlier became short torture-fests that I could barely run up (some forced me to a power walk). My energy level started waning (ate some gel) and my left calf began to cramp up but I never really worried about bonking.

The couple of miles along the Peak Trail into aid #4 was certainly tough, as Cathy had warned. But it was also a nice romp through the forest with occasional encouragement from the abundant mountain bikers. One of the girls and a guy passed me while I was stretching out my calf cramp and I tried to keep them in range so I'd have targets. But eventually they got away and I was on my own.

From aid #4, it's only 2 miles to the start/finish and at this point I realized that I had a shot at finishing in under 5 hours (I'd guessed I'd take 5:30 or so). But I found it's hard to pick up the pace when you're running on empty. Still, I had to try because of the tyranny of the number (as Reinhold puts it).

Alas, it was to no avail (turns out they started the race 3 minutes early). And the extra pushing cost me...only 50 yards from the finish line *both* calves cramped up to the point that it was impossible to run! My friend Bill Wright would have been proud (he loves to suffer) but I was pissed (should have had more electrolytes). Gritting my teeth, I staggered on and crossed in 5:03:36, roughly 40th overall.

The Breck Crest loop was easily the most scenic run I've done yet and they had the best post-race party (food, beer, live bluegrass band). But Imogene (Ouray to Telluride) is this coming weekend and it will be even prettier...and supposedly tougher (though only 17 miles). Since I still haven't done a "real" marathon, I'm signed up for the flat Boulder Backroads in 3 weeks.

In retrospect, I think most athletic people can run a reasonable marathon time without the massive training or serious mileage often prescribed. But they need to know and listen to their bodies to prevent injury. However, ultra distances (50 to 100 miles) do require far greater commitment and forgetting about fun--no thanks!

29th out of 64 men, 44th overall out of 108 finishers
5 out of 12 in 40-44 male age group
161 people finished the 10 mile course
95 did the 5-mile

winning time 3:24:46
winning age 4:23:39 male 4:02:39 female

Fast Cumulative:
max HR 160
avg HR 152
min HR 110
total gain 3620 ft
avg ascent rate 22
total loss -3610 ft
avg descent rate -27

HRM Memory:
189 peak (I really doubt this, probably cross talk)
153 avg
81 min (don't thinks so either)

duration 5:03:13 (20 sec less than official?)
time above 163 HR 01:26
time in HR zone 4:58:07
time below 130 HR 03:19

Altitude	Heart Rate	ascent/descent rate (ft/min)
9840	110	0
9620	153	-21
9970	158	34
10170	153	19
10400	156	22
10620	158	22
10970	153	34
11280	148	30
11670	150	39
12090	151	41
12150	153	5
12100	155	4
12120	156	1
11330	153	-78
11320	160	0
11720	153	39
11950	156	22
12160	155	20
12040	154	-11
11680	158	-35
11040	148	-63
10530	147	-50
10170	157	-36
9910	157	-25
9870	157	-4
9990	158	11
10060	156	7
10020	144	-4
9900	154	-11
9800	154	-9
9850	160	4