FlyLow: Aim High
Then, there were 2
Mountain Man Invitational
July 16th, 2022
Lake County Colorado
2.4 Mile Swim in Twin Lakes
100 Mile Mountain Bike: Twin Lakes/Leadville
26.2 Mile Trail Run Twin Lakes
Yes, I love the challenge, to test my mind, my body, the true Joy comes from being One with Universal Spirit, being present in the moment, the Now. That is the true reason I embark on epic adventures in the wild.
January 21st, 2022, I received an email from a friend about the “event” Mountain Man Invitational. This person knew that I had always wanted to do a Long Course Triathlon on the LT100 Mountain Bike course. In this email was the original graphic:
How am I to say no to the challenge? To cross a bucket list item off. I asked if I could do it, turned in a resume, talked to Sam, and it was decided I will participate in this monumental event. On January 27th, I introduced my friend Kathy to the idea, and we set out to complete this most amazing task. There was something about sharing this experience with a friend that made it even more special.
The next 5 months proved to be as much of an adventure as the event itself. It’s equally important to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. This event is important to me, I wanted to do well, and I wanted to complete the task, and feel good doing it.
By the time we had our 1st Zoom call I had already purchased a new thermal wetsuit, booties, and gloves. The single most difficult thing, besides tying all the 3 sports together, is to survive the swim without hypothermia.
I had run a science experiment already in March, in Woodland Park, Colorado, I knew going into it my 100s were going to be about 15 seconds slower above 9,000 feet unless I had some significant changes to my pace at sea level.
Overcoming adversity is an integral part of undertaking an event of this magnitude. And there were some throughout the journey, I always chose to stay on the road, and be optimistic.
The best part of these two days were the people. The next best part, the scenery.
6 AM and Twin Lakes has a surface temperature of 61.5 degrees; this is going to be a great day.
6 to 7 AM organizing transition and nutrition, and myself
7 AM vomit 4 times in front of the truck, 3 of them projectile vomit.
715 to 730 Try to replace as many calories and as much water as I am able.
As part of this journey Kathy and I learned in a 56-minute training session at Twin Lakes earlier in the summer that we needed more than a thermal wetsuit, to be successful so we added a thermal cap with neck sleeve, and neoprene vest.
Once you get this full contraption on you have less than 60 seconds to get in the water before you explode from the heat. I couldn’t tell if it was 759 or 800 AM, so I asked on the shoreline, it was 801 AM for I proudly announced, “I am going for a swim.”
Once I was in the water, I found I just wanted to hang out, chat, swim, eat, drink, and enjoy, after all; it’s going to be a long day. I was really happy staying on the shoreline, partially because it was warmer, mostly I believe, because the water is so clean, I find so much joy seeing the sand, the rocks, and as Sam had told me, he was enjoying seeing the fish.
I got out in 145 with 5 to 6 stops along the way.
10 AM on the bike. It was HOT. I was so HOT, the Garmin measured over 90 degrees for a good portion of the Twin Lakes section. I knew I had to just stay strong, because I had to be prepared for all the seasons.
Tim made the bike course, it was AWESOME! The 1st section is the public lands gravel to the base of Columbine climb, then, we drop into the CDT/CT and follow that until it hits Interlaken, and back to base camp.
We then, head out 10 and roughly follow what is known as the LT100 bike course, hitting some good single-track, and riding over to the fish hatchery. The Cloud City Wheelers have been building a significant amount of single-track all over town. Once we hit Turquoise Lake we dropped into Turquoise Lake trail and over to the newly build single-track. This area I had multiple navigational errors, and even dropped a chain both front and back, in lieu of these negative things happening, I managed to stay incredibly optimistic and happy. Jane, from PbSwims, fundraising for a pool in Lake County, SAG’d me on the swim was at the bottom cheering me on, it was awesome.
For this entire 1st part of the bike, I had a SAG wagon, I have to say this was special, and overall, the volunteers were spectacular. Tim was meeting me at all the aid stations.
I couldn’t push on the bike, like I would have liked, so I wasn’t needing to replenish as many calories.
Mineral Belt was a slow drudge for me, California Gulch SFS, orange pools, and melting sulfur dirt, this area I knew was going to be the biggest challenge for me, and I had two wonderful volunteers with me making sure I made it through town without navigational errors. It was good they were with me!!
Coming through town and having a big team of people, and support at 3rd street Cycles of Life parking lot, was wonderful, and exciting, and everyone was so attentive of my needs, although, I had few at this point.
My navigational team left with me, led me out of town, and off I went. Thanks, guys!!
I love St Kevin’s, even though I had to walk most of it this day, I have never had to do that before!! I wish I could have had a bigger build of volume on the bike, and better climbing, I could have used it. The forests being closed was a hurdle; I knew I could “Dig Deep”, and make it through.
I can’t really recall when, I recall only that I had a couple of lub-dubs in my heart during the road section. I didn’t think much of it at the time, just aware.
By the time I got to the top of Powerline, I had removed my HR monitor, and stopped putting so much effort on the pedals.
625 PM Bayer Aspirin.
Hagerman Climb, 103A up to Powerline. I was pretty stoked I had company on this section in form of a SAG vehicle. I was glad that they were there with me, because they were instrumental in my decision about ascending to Powerline, with the high-altitude storms that had rolled in.
At this point, I only feel good on the downhills, and some of the rolling flats.
I had decided to ride my carbon hard trail, with a 2.35 Rekon Race up front, and a 2.20 Ikon in the back. It was a perfect set up for the day if I only had some go.
I was very happy at this point, on the return, the out and back of familiar territory, and Tim is SAG’ing me. Dusk was settling in, and I had some decisions to make.
There was going to be no support to get me over the ridge, back down to 10, and I didn’t have any business riding alone in the dark, in a remote area, with my heart aching. Tim had bought me a handlebar lamp, thank you Tim!! At the time of my decision, I hadn’t realized it was 1000 lumen, although I am not sure it would have swayed my decision. I was not mentally or physically prepared to solo it through the valley and up the ridge overlooking Wheton Pass.
Tim loaded me up, we hit camp, to catch Kathy, and then we headed to Willis Gulch TH to intercept her on the run. She was about a mile and a half up, I kept walking up, in my Crocs, and terrible head lamp, calling ‘kitty, kitty, kitty”. I always feel like there is a kitty in that section. I’m not sure how long we waited. I know I pulled the plug at 830, did an interview with Sam, and headed over. We stayed as long as I could without falling over. We got back to Leadville after 1 AM.
I had a good night sleep,
715 AM Sunday got a text from Johnan with a picture of Sam, Kathy, and her pacer running through Twin Lakes. At that moment, I decided to go out and finish the bike course, re-evaluate how I felt, and potentially go out for the run.
Tim dropped me off where he picked me up, I felt AMAZING on the bike, better than I had the entire day before! Got to camp, and told Tim I wanted to run, I was thinking I could in the very least get around the lake for 14 miles.
Kathy was close, so I went out to run her in. It was so fun, being able to run her to the finish line. After some celebratory hugs, I went out to see what I could do.
I had some bikers with me, that was VERY cool. They did such a great job giving me space so I could find myself one with nature.
As I closed in on Interlaken, and it was becoming much warmer, I felt scratchy in my spot, so I slowly eased into Willis Gulch, and told everyone I was done, “I didn’t want to ruin a good day”, 7.41 miles.
I have been tired, a little meh. Overall, I feel amazing. I have been allowing myself to heal. I had a couple of incidences yesterday, and only one thus far today, and it was related to more my body position. If I feel good, I don’t get sick, and the heart doesn’t hurt, I think I will cross another bucket list item off, “Sandia Crossing” this weekend, to fulfill my belt buckle. If I am unable to complete that I will need to come to terms with the lack of distance on the run, and just own it.
My body feels like it is healing better than my mind.
To do what I did, how I did it, with the people I did it with, was such an amazing day(s), the memories will last a lifetime. There is nothing that can compare to spending the day outside in nature, with the people I love, in one of the most beautiful places on earth, doing my favorite things in life.
And for that, I am eternally grateful.
Oh, and good enough for 2nd place. Haha.
**Side note, my last two races that start above 9,000 feet, have started with vomiting. I believe my altitude clock has changed, and I must adjust. Either coming in morning of, or coming in 58 hours ahead of time. Both are good options, I will try B) first.
Thanks for checking in, being part of this journey.
Be Your Ultimate Potential
-Coach Zoe