June 28th 2012: La Luz Trail Run
I love a challenge.
Between 8 and 9 miles, this source says about 8 and with 3,775 ft (1,151 m) of elevation gain and a grade of 12%. That would be 16 miles and 7400 feet of elevation change = more than Leadville 50 Miler.
I couldn’t really decide, I had some options but yesterday I was at High Desert Bicycles; getting a long needed bicycle adjustment( only riding 1-2 days per week) and getting the youngest monkey’s bike ordered. Lucky girl, is getting WSD Mycha with disc brakes.
I like going to High Desert because Randy is the most knowledgeable mechanic I know. Plus it’s fun to get the low down on what’s going on around town, chilling behind the scenes in the shop. Turns out Randy has been doing some running too. He got invited to do La Luz. That race is on the bucket list, has been since I volunteered back when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. I have never “done” La Luz. I have done parts of it; an hour here, an hour there.
So Randy and I were talking trails and runs and he was telling me Pino was better than La Luz, I’ve done that twice. Still trying to figure out how to find those pictures, that are saved somewhere on the computer from my phone. Last time taking 11 minutes off my time of ascent. Which is all I care about really, especially when I’m tired.
Randy was telling me, I didn’t want to run up and down it, that I would want to go over to the Tram and then over, with 1 mile to the Tram and 2 miles from the Tram back to the base of La Luz. I was thinking,
“But Randy I have to do another 14 miles”
“Randy, that sounds like a personal challenge”
“I shouldn’t train La Luz up to the top and back down?!?”
“It’s better just to go 5 miles up”
That’s it, I have got to do this thing! So I made all the necessary plans with the girls, had my 100 ounces of water, my sunscreen, my camera:
My nutrition plan was:
raisins
cherries
mixed salted dry roasted nuts
coconut water with mango and peach puree
and I always pack my black cherry blocks, which today, I enjoyed 3 of. Rare that I partake, but totally awesome nummy in the heat today.
I was talking with Ken one day and he was telling me that he thought Ultra Runners were running away from something.
I think, some are running to find something.
Me, I run to be with the Glory of God, and to be One with the Universe and all of it’s Good.
I’m not sure where I am going but I’m pretty sure that I am going to the top of that mountain over there.
I have a long way to go. I’m not even really sure how long it will take.
I know Randy told me 1:53 was his fastest race time, I think. Great. That could mean forever for me. At least I had a little bit of a gauge. He said to do the whole thing it would be 4 to 5 hours. Hell, I’m up for it.
One of my joys in Mountain Biking or Ultra Running is that realization that it’s about more than just me, I’m small in the grand picture. That nothing is so trivial than what I consider ‘problems’.
There is so much more.
The greatest sensation of this is while participating in the Epic Event. Well, I should put a disclaimer here: An Epic Event without headphones. If you participate with headphones, it is in my opinion, not only are you putting yourself at risk but you’re putting me at risk too. More importantly you are losing the full effect of what doing these types of events/training is all about. The connection with all that is greater than you.
Look how small I am. I had to take this picture, this rock face is huge. This rock face is only one small fraction of the mountain.
Man, I am small in the face of all that is given to us, all that we have.
I never want to lose touch of that feeling, that there is so much more than me, and my life.
I never want to forget about the vast beauty that surrounds us.
And how important it is for us to protect what God has given to us.
And how we can not take what is not ours to take, things from deep within the Earth. We are stealing from God and God is very upset with us. God wants us to find balance with Mother Earth so that we can continue our peaceful existence on Planet Earth. Not destroy it, like we are, at an alarming rate, that we may not be able to turn back the clocks of destruction.
Our world is beautiful.
We are small in the vastness of all the beauty.
And if we’re not careful God is going to kick our ass. This year, we have fires, we have floods, and I have a plan to join the Hopi’s with my sister after raiding every Starbuck’s on the way.
This sign is so welcoming. I’m at 1.5 hours and I am 5 + miles in. Finished the 8 + in 2:15. It took me 45 minutes to do 2.2 miles. The up and down same portion of the trail took me 45 minutes. So this part of the trail 4.5 miles took me 1.5 hours. At this portion of the trail it becomes “The Boulder Field”. It reminds me of the “scree field” in El Paso but longer, and mostly bigger boulders. It was unforgiving.
I was thinking to myself, this is where the race is going to be won. My advice to the racers of La Luz, practice the Boulder Field. Get Faster at scramblin’ through that section to the top. Speed and skill through that section is going to win the race.
The funny part of the race, it’s one way. You only go up.
This is the top, looking off the other side. Towards North 14, the old highway to Santa Fe and Madrid.
The other sign at the top. Wow, what an awesome relief to see this. Yea, I made it, I feel like a champion. A champion that just won a personal battle, I crossed something off my bucket list. I feel exhilarated, and serene.
There were these amazing butterflies on the sign.
Thank you God, for this beautiful experience I call life.
So today, was 16 miles and 7400 feet in elevation change in 4 hours. Not my fastest time, but I am pleased.