I actually debated about listing only 70 or so miles for today (Friday) and the other 30 for tomorrow (Saturday) since technically the race covered 2 days. But for simplicity's sake, I'll just wrap it all up here. One of the most amazing experiences of my life - no question. Almost don't even know where to start - seems like the start of the race would be the logical place but that was hardly the beginning of what this race was all about. Now that it is Tuesday morning (the 15th) the start of the race was almost a full 4 days ago. I woke up at 3:15 on Friday morning from an unexpectedly good night's sleep. Got ready in my gear just like I was going out for any other run. Made some oatmeal, grabbed an apple, water, ensure & clif blueberry bar - kissed my wife & headed over to meet my friends for the drive to K-ville. We arrived in perfect time to check in, get in line for the honey bucket and get to the start for the 1 minute countdown. Thankfully I brought my bandanna that I wore bandit-style because of all the dust kicked up as soon as the countdown reached 3,2,1 - GO! Everyone was off & I settled into what I thought was a super easy pace. I lost all my friends, however almost immediately and never saw them again until the finish line the next day. The race runs North for about 5 miles before making a hard right to the East to climb up to elevation. By the time you start heading South again you are in line with Hill Air Force Base (albeit at a much higher elevation). So that is the Northernmost point of the course. Once at the top of the almost 3 mile climb, there are some great meadows that were a real welcome to run through. All that is brought to a screeching halt however as you come through a small campground surrounded by huge pines and see the climb called chinscraper. Hardly an exaggeration, you can nearly touch the surface you're climbing on as you climb without hardly bending your knees. Thankfully this doesn't last too long & now you are at the tops of the mountains just running with the rolling ridgelines. This was actually a bit of an unexpected low point for me. I had no intention of losing all my friends so quickly and I even began to wonder if a pain in my foot could be a stress fracture - certainly just nerves getting the better of me. Foot pain cleared up soon and shortly we hit Grobben's corner (about 14 miles) was nice to see some people - then it is an easy run down into the first official aid station, Francis Peak. Got in & out pretty quick, grabbed my ipod but my mind was still a little too vulnerable to lose focus so I just stowed it in the Nathan. The climb into Bountiful B was unexpectedly heinous and long but arriving at the aid station so soon compared to the distance to Francis was a big boost. Had some ice cold coke there - that was so very good. Left there and put on my ipod and I felt great, road was easy to run and I really started coming around. Fast forward through this whole section all the way to Big Mountain (mile 40) - I can even say that is how it felt. I felt so great, I was running everything that was runnable and I was not even concerned, I didn't feel like I was pushing too hard or anything. Pulled into Big Mountain at the precise, exact time my wife, sisters & family were walking up the road to the aid station. Weighed in, grabbed an ensure from the crew, some watermelon, grapes & my pacer (my Aunt who's a nurse). Got out of there pretty quick and just as quick started really feeling lousy. Long story short, threw up 3 times before Alexander and got way overheated. Stayed 20 minutes in the Alexander AS where it was 95 degrees in the SHADE! There were 9 runners hunkered down there doing the same thing I was, just trying to cool down. Did a good job of cooling down even to the point I was shivering so we got up & out of there. Pretty soon we pulled into Lamb's canyon with no other difficulties to see my whole crew wearing custom "Team CPK" t-shirts. Sister & wife spent all morning silk screening shirts for everyone. It was so great - I loved it. Especiall the 2 2 year olds & 3 year old cruising all over. Sat down for a recovery, got new shoes after a foot cleaning and felt like a million bucks leaving with a grilled cheese in my hand and my sister at my side to Millcreek. Got to Millcreek super quick - beat the crew and everything. Was happy to sit down for a little & try to warm up. Night had rolled in about 3 miles before the top and temps dropped. Scored some chicken broth which would from this point on be my favorite part of the whole race - had it at every AS and behaved ala Bill Murray in the corn scene in "What About Bob". It was soo good.
Busted out of there with my new pacer, my wife and got moving up to Dog & Deso. I was so astonished that I could run - we would get to a runnable grade on the trail and I could run it as if the race had just begun. Was thankful for the cooler temps. Was also stoked to have my wife with me so she could see 1st hand what this whole thing was really like. We motored up to Dog & soon after cruised into Deso. After Deso, you climb up to a high elevation and the view is quite breathtaking - you're running across the Wasatch Crest Trail at the tops of the ridge between Big Cottonwood Canyon and Park City in the middle of the night. You can see the lights of PC, Brighton, Solitude and SLC - not to mention the bright bright starry sky. She kept saying "we need to just stop for a minute, this is amazing" - I agreed. Got into Scott's AS (approx mile 70) where I learned the race had been won by Geoff Roes in a new course record of 18:30 - unbelievable to be sure! LaRane and I had a great run down Puke Hill & into Brighton - again I couldn't believe I was still running and again we beat the crew! Sat down and tried to mentally prepare for the commitment of leaving Molly's and knowing there's really no dropping after that, just doesn't make sense (25 miles to go). New pacer was already there - super great guy, was the best cheerleader, motivator through that section - he did it 2 years ago all by himself, no pacer or anything. Again, new socks and a foot bath & got out of there after a few pulls on a special treat from the crew - a coke slurpee (and some chicken broth of course). Leaving the lodge, I see a friend from the office came up just to see me at 1:30 in the morning - got a picture & out of there. Feet felt so good - really. Brand new socks, clean feet & gaiters (oh ya and 4 ibuprophen). Bring on Catherine's -was over as soon as it started it seemed like, credit to my pacer for good conversation. Now this is where the race really got interesting for me - as I had absolutely no idea what to expect I was just so elated and surprised to be feeling so well, able to run, and not tired at all! The trail here is super technical, steep, loose & rocky. Took much care dropping the 3 miles to Ant Knolls AS for more CHICKEN BROTH and COKE! Got out of there in a hurry making up time and ahead of projections only to run smack into "The Grunt". Just dropped into a low gear and ground it out - no joke, at the top of the crest you're looking over into the Heber Valley & staring basically at the finish but you have to take a 20 mile detour to get there - anyway I see a monster shooting star across the horizon and I just smile and take it as a good sign. From here there is much runnable terrain and we ran everything we could, it was a great feeling. Pulled into Pole Line for a Chicken Broth, Ensure, Coke delicious early morning snack. Volunteers there tell me the previous AS just radioed saying I would be there in about 12 minutes - still making up time. Got out of there and out heading toward Forest Lake in American Fork Canyon & the Southern-most point of the course where you're facing Mt. Timpanogos then you come around the mountain to again overlook the Heber Valley only this time further down high above Deer Creek Res. Shortly we found ourselves in & out of Rock Springs with only about 13 or 14 miles to go. Just after 5 am and our projections look pretty likely we can be in at about 8am. Thankfully Roundy (pacer) had his cell phone so I call my wife who has only be asleep for maybe 2 hours at this point to say you might want to get up going to meet me at the finish line in 3 hours. Can't believe I'm actually talking about the finish line. Didn't dwell on it too much as there is still plenty of course to cover - namely "The Plunge" and "The Dive". 2 super-treacherous sections (that will likely be bypassed next year) that are super steep downhill and the trail is extremely destroyed from use by Enduro Motocross riders. Thought to myself during these 2 sections how much I reminded myself of the Peanuts character 'Pigpen' because there was a constant cloud of dirt & dust the whole time that you just couldn't run through until the sections were over. Pretty soon we were running down into Pot Bottom, the last AS and the 2nd sunrise of the race is beginning to take shape. How beautiful! Dropped lights here after running for almost 40 miles in the dark night. (oh, and more CHICKEN BROTH & ensure) so good. Only 7 miles to go with about 1 1/2 hrs to come in under 8am. Can really "smell the barn". By my calculations though 8am is a 28 hr finish - my math was later proved to be flawed. Climbed a 2 mile ascent to the top of Lime Canyon for the beginning of the last 5 miles to the finish - pacer had already said to just go if I felt I could and I decided I was going for it - to see if I could come in under 8 am. Took off and ran the last 5 in 41 minutes for a finish at 7:58am (even dropped my pack on the asphalt somewhere along the way). A very unique finish line, it was basically only my own family there to cheer for me - a couple other spectators and of course the race staff & awesome RD who personally congratulates every finisher. My sister tells me I've come in under 27 hours and in my disbelief I correct her that I'm just under 28 hours - I'm wrong she's right, time was 26:58:32. Had no idea - the whole push in my mind was to come in just under 28. Felt great after the race, in complete disbelief & shock. Long race report, and I'm keeping it short - massive thanks to pacers, crew, family & race staff & volunteers - amazing experience.
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