Today was my third year running the Great Silverado Footrace, put on by Race Director, Chay Peterson. First off, before I write another word, let me show you this:
Notice that first hill. Now, Chay is not an evil woman. In fact, she’s very nice. So why’d she do it??? Perhaps it was to wake us up. Or maybe it was to make the rest of the run seem “easy.” No, I think it was for the challenge. Someone yelled from behind as we made that climb, '”Mankind is so stupid!.” We all laughed. I’m sure inside we all knew the truth, the truth that John F. Kennedy once told this nation, “ . . . we do it not because it is easy, but because it is hard . . .”
Despite that first hill (though now that it’s over, it wasn’t that difficult), I had lots of fun. The race is split into two parts. The first loop being the longest, my garmin showed: 9.83 total miles with +3,763 elevation gain. That’s a heck of a lot of elevation gain for less than ten miles!
Anyone who likes a true adventure and the toughest terrain should try this race. I crawled, I bushwhacked. I slipped and landed on my butt. I fell. A branch whacked my eyeball. I took off my gloves for a minute, slipped and gashed my hand. Some downhills were so steep, I placed my foot beneath my upper thigh and slid down on my bottom. I took in awesome scenery spotted with spring flowers. I laughed. I joked. I climbed up a rope. I tore my clothes, shredded my socks. And I said a few cuss words.
Best of all, I raced. I didn’t plan on racing. I merely planned on finishing both loops. But it seemed that one runner targeted me, and then there were three of us running side by side. And I was so dang tired, I thought to myself, “Heck, just let them take it”. Then I thought to myself, “No way! You can run for hours Lauren, maybe they can’t!” And so on the next uphill, I didn’t slow and lost the two who had been at my heals for at least an hour. I didn’t see them again for the remainder of the race.
Chay Gives Race Directions (she’s the leprechaun)
Racers (& Sweeps) load up in trucks & head out to Start Line
That First Big Climb
I accomplished my goal this year and completed both loops of The Great Silverado Footrace. It was hard, and it hurt at times. I have some ugly bruises and cuts. I had to throw away my socks. But I am fine. And I am dang proud. Proud that I finished both loops, and the vast majority of the second loop completely by myself.
If I can, I will be back for a 4th year. Maybe I’ll see you there too!
The Movie
Fun, fun, fun in Silverado Canyon
Awesome! The first hill woulda killed me! It looks like a blast though!
ReplyDeleteThat hill is incredible. You are one tough runner.
ReplyDeletewow! the elevation chart gives me palpitations, but those photos - yikes. i may DNS that one ;) congrats!! and love the racing bit - glad you had the confidence in yourself to hang with those people and then whip their butts.
ReplyDeletesheesh..that first climb would have made me go back down, climb into my car and go home. Congrats on a great race!
ReplyDeleteLauren,
ReplyDeleteYou did such a great job documenting your experiences in the GSFootrace. I am so gald you are ou there bringing it LIVE to people like me!! Ha ...I'll probably never get to race it again! I spend so many days/hours tying ribbons I hate raceday!
Really enjoyed the video Lauren. Great work and congrats to you for finishing. Hope to see you agian next year. "Sweeper" Jeff
ReplyDeleteWow! That first hill would have done me in! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteHow cool! Looks pretty hardcore! This one is definitely going on my to do list.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Jim. Thinking about that first hill was probably worse than doing it. It was kinda funny though how SLOWLY timed passed going up it.
ReplyDeleteThanks AJH. I have improved a little bit after I started timing myself. Being able to take the pain, that's kinda something new in my older age -- maybe it's the three babies : ))
ReplyDeleteThanks Lindsay. My husband liked that part of the story best too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for Reading Rachel. The view was so beautiful on that first climb, it probably would have kept you going : )
ReplyDeleteThanks Chay. The course was very well marked. I kept thinking -- yikes, who had to do all this? I didn't get lost once : ) Thanks for reading. I love doing the video thing. I thought I would film this year since I was determined to do both loops : ) Thanks again for a great race!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you again too Jeff. That's one heck of a sweeping job you and your son had! If I can, I will definately be there next year. Hopefully I can talk my husband and my oldest boy to do the first loop together -- we'll see : ))) ps. can't believe how tall Sam is!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Kate. I learned about the elevation of that first hill the night before and about croaked. I just put it out of my mind and refused to think about it, even when I climbed it : )) Denial -- sometimes it's a good thing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Glenn -- I will see you at The Great Silverado Footrace next year!!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! Congrats on a great race! Those pictures are beautiful too!
ReplyDeleteFantastic! Well done Lauren! That is some hill and what a fantastic race! Awesome job with the video as well. Really cool!
ReplyDeletewow great trail for a race
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Katie. (And for the compliments!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Johann. I'm glad you liked the video. This was the first time I filmed The Great Silverado Footrace. It really is my funnest race. So many parts I would have loved to film, but it just seemed too dangerous. I'm glad my camera lived through it : )
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Chris! Super fun race indeed.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to spice it up a little, you might want to consider doing Rebel Race. It is a really fun mud run with obstacles like a wall climb called the Great Wall of Rebel Race. They have another obstacle called Ninja Turle Tunnels. Its time to relive our childhood- lol. The website is www.rebelrace.com
ReplyDelete