Alan zipped passed this tall fellow who must have been having some problems as he looked to be hurting pretty bad. But I didn't have time to pass before the trail narrowed again so I was somewhat stuck. Not to say I didn't mind the slower pace, but I felt good and was happy with my performance so far so I was eager to keep it up. For someones first 100 mile race, Leadville seems to be biting off more than one can chew. Sure, it's done every year, but most experienced Ultra runners advise to start on something a bit milder. But I was determined and had been for the past year since I crewed for Alan in the 2006 "Race Across the Sky."

We had been training for a year and felt confident in our abilities and endurance. We had each done a couple of 50 mile runs in various places. I had done the double crossing of the Grand Canyon and a 50ish miler through the National Park. Both ended up being slower paced than I was hoping, but I still got the time on my feet and the distance in as I had hoped. I knew Leadville would hurt, but I knew I could finish and finish strong.

Alan made it into the May Queen aid station about a minute ahead of me. I pulled in in 2:24, Jessica had my next bag and hand-held ready and I was off in no time. 13.5 miles down, 86.5 to go! I felt great as I started the climb up Sugarloaf Pass. It went quicker than I expected and I was soon on Hagerman Pass Road. I would run for a minute then walk for a minute, just trying to conserve a little energy, but felt great as I made good time up the road. I made quick work of the downhill toward the Fish Hatchery aid station and was soon running on the road nearing the cheers of the crowd. I pulled into Fish Hatchery, at mile 23.5 and Jessi had me all ready to go. I was a little nausiated, so I sat down for a minute before heading off toward Half Moon and Twin Lakes.

As I was turning on to the next dirt road I stepped into a little divet in the road, sort of a small pothole. I was moving along pretty well when it happened and when my leg was the most extended is when I kind of dipped into this little hole and I knew I had strained my hamstring in my right leg...I just felt a little pull and a sharp pain, though just for an instant. I decided to walk a bit to lossen it up. I walked for about five minutes and soon felt no pain and no tightness so I picked up the pace again and was making pretty good time. But after running for about 10 minutes my leg got very tight again. So I did a little more walking and it loosened back up. This went on all the way to Half Moon and the pain kept getting worse and the time I could stand to run was getting much shorter.

I stopped at Half Moon, stretched, ate, drank a ton, GUed up and then started jogging toward Twin Lakes. Well, it got worse and worse and worse. The uphills weren't bad but running on flat or anything downhill was pretty painful, just because my leg had to extend more to move. So I grunted my way up the trail and was soon jogging through the most beautiful section of the trail I had yet seen! This part of the Colorado Trail winds through Aspen Groves, open meadows, dense forests, and even rewards you with grand vistas of the Arkansas River Valley. It did help to take my mind off of the pain and just keep moving.

As I began heading down toward Twin Lakes the pain really kicked in. I stopped to stretch and rub on my hamstring when a lady stopped and gave me some Biofreeze to rub on. I massaged my leg for a bit and stretched for a few minutes before walking down the trail. I decided to try running again after a few minutes, but was soon given a huge wake up call to how seriously this was effecting me! As I began running, I found a pace and stride that I felt good about, thinking that I could keep this up for the next 60 miles! Just as I was thinking this, a guy hiked by me!! My run was now slower than most peoples walk...I was in serious trouble. I tried picking up the pace again and the pain was far too intense. It actually felt like the muscle was tearing more with every step. I was on the ferge of tears because I knew my 1st Leadville experience would end at Twin Lakes Outbound.

I came into the aid station and Jessica said that as soon as she saw my face she knew something was pretty wrong, and when I pulled her off to the side to "discuss" the situation, she knew I was done. I'll spare the details of the next 20 minutes, but to make it short and sweet, I played with the idea of trying to make it to Winfield and even began the next leg of the race, but turned around after a few hundred yards as the pain was too much and I knew I was injured. I saw some doctores at the medical check and one of them put it very bluntly so I would understand the situation... "If you go on, you're fucked, you will not make it to Winfield!" I let him cut my wrist band off and headed back to the house.

I was so frustrated because otherwise I felt great! My fastest 50 time previously was 17:30 and I did these 40 miles in 8:19, over mountains, at altitude, and with a torn hamstring for the last 14 miles! I didn't even have any soreness in the following days, save for a little twinge on my left shin. The only problem was my injured hamstring. I'd like to think I had another 60 miles in me if I stayed healthy, but who knows.

I'm writing this at the end of October and have been resting for the past two months. Evrytime I have tried to run. my leg has tightened up. Some mild PT, a few massages, a lot of stretching and time have done it well and as of late, my runs have been getting better. Alan and I are doing a 30 miler tomorrow and I am making a return trip to the Grand Canyon in two weeks. My next 100 is Rocky Raccoon on Feb 2. I'm hoping that the energy from my home state of TX will carry me through my next century attempt! Here are a few pics from this years Leadville 100!