2005 Squaw Peaks 50 Miler |
Provo, Utah |
June 4, 2005 Squaw Peak 50 Miler, Provo, Utah. This is considered among the top 3 of the toughest 50 mile runs in the country. I believe it. This was my last long workout before Western States. A good decision I think, the terrain was perfect. Many rocky trails, very steep climbs and decent's, and altitude. I tried to take it very easy, just like a long training run, which is what it was for me. But I was very tired at the end, much more so than I hoped I would be. Glad I didn't have to go 100 on this day, it would not have been good!
This year things were more difficult because it was the heaviest snow they've had in 6 or 7 years. In addition to 10,000 feet of climbing and descending, condensed into about 35-38 miles of the course, there were 8-9 miles of that in heavy snow, and elevations of 5200 to 9200 feet above sea level, it was a pretty tough event. Basically, we had a first series of mountains, climbing and snow for about 22 miles, then a connector road of 5-6 miles, then another section of 3 tough climbs(actually two tough climbs and one killer climb) and MUCH more snow. The first section with snow was mild, I thought the snow wasn't going to be a big deal. I soon learned different on the second set of mountains. Traverses across icy, steep sections, that would result in a 100 foot slide if you slipped, two climbs going straight up snow was brutally hard, then coming down that was an exercise in frustration of continuous sliding, slipping, and falling. My hands were froze from being in the snow so much. It would have been much more fun had I not had 40 plus miles on my legs and they were like jelly at this point. But it was still pretty cool. I quit taking pictures after the first steep pitch of snow. I was just too tired to worry with it, and I was down in the snow so much I didn't want to get the camera wet. It was a beautiful, rugged place. I'm glad I went, but it was certainly a difficult course.
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