The past few years a couple of races that got me into the endurance scene was the RMU or Rocky Mountain Ultra series. Local racer, race director and friend Thane Wright put together a group of races that met certain criteria that embraced his low key point of view and provided the most bang for the buck for racers and covering the Rocky Mountain states. This year have included Dawn to Dusk, Front Range 50, Breckenridge 100, Laramie Enduro and even in the past the 12 hours of Snowmass and Gunnison Growler. Each race granted funds to local non-profits and or unique organizations dedicating to serve those in need. That covered New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. The last race of this year was the Laramie Enduro and I love that race. The trails and scenery are wonderful. Vedauwoo rock spires abound and remind me of my rock climbing days 20 years ago as I slowly pass them by on the bike. The volunteers are incredible. The racers are valiant in their individual efforts, but always chatty and full of positive energy.
Four days before that race I chunked my rigid Surly KM SS into a section of soggy roots that sent me flying into a heap of boulders resting in a dark mucky pond-o-puddle. Sitting in the wetness, feeling the cold seep into my chamois, I twisted sideways and repeatedly wrenched each foot until they popped out of the tight pedals and could only think that “my hips hurt really bad” (Napolean Dynamite saying). Each side had immediate swelling and nice raspberries. Sweet, I love that realization that I just reduced my race readiness to stiff-and-sore.
Once home I rallied and got into the shower to scrape and brush out wounds and inventory the damage. My secret to using “the brush” is Glenlivet on ice placed right on the shower shelf- pre-infusion helps also and post for that matter. The whiskey goes on the “inside” while the dedicated brush on the shower hook does hard fast circles on the outside. Once the mud had drained off my feet I noticed that my left foot still had color on it. I inspected and brushed with no change in the darkness of my left pinky toe. Further testing created nice clicking and a fair level of pain. Bad, bad, bad. Broken! My local doc laughed when he saw it. He actually saved me money on the visit because he said “no X-rays needed on this one” and then called in his PAs-in-training to text book this one. I obliged their poking and prodding.
Brads broken toe
Pre-Race travel to Laramie Wyoming and prep was very calm and enjoyable. I went up with good friends Thane Wright, Richard Knapp, and Ezekiel Hersh. Race morning was also uneventful which is nice. No freak-outs. The bike was running well and I felt I could manage pain. That was what this effort would be all about. I was only doing this race because I truly loved the event and could not wait one more year to be there. I did do something unusual. I entered as a Clydesdale. I am a big buffalo that thinks he can run with the deer gracefully. Granted the pain I was about to endure, I wanted to scale back the pressure on myself a bit. It backfired though because my buds laid the challenge down to win in that category- no exceptions. Crap.
Cap-gun goes off and I rally the bike into the front. The pain meds have not reached full bore yet, but well enough to hammer and enjoy the fresh morning sprint. I tweaked my Specialized pro carbons to accommodate a toe twice its normal size. I had switched to these boots earlier this year and love the fit- especially at the 75 mile mark when the bottom of my feet decide to self-ignite. I also see how my knees and ankles align perfectly over the pedals. I love these shoes. I actually bought another pair (do not tell my wife that) and keep them fresh in the closet. I also got my Krieg saddle bag and had everything neat and tidy inside. The shape nestled right under the seat and my bibs slid cleanly past- saving my Pactimo shorts from excessive rub and fuzziness. The last recent weapon I have installed are the Ergon GP1s. I have been the hardcore-foam-grip-weight saving-cheap-bastard. My hands go numb, slip in wet conditions and acquire wrist ache for days after a marathon effort with foam. Now that I am older and slower, I take care of my body better, while not sacrificing any performance. Ergon makes endurance racing comfortable on the hands, wrist and shoulders. Recovery is so much faster for me and the Ergons are the key. They have been installed on every bike I own and also on Kathryn’s- thee wife. My kids get the leftover foamies.
The race runs smoothly for the first 45 miles of the 70ish parade. At that point the pain meds wear off and I ain’t got anymore to chew on. Now I think about managing how I press the left foot down. I consciously drive on the big toe more to relieve the pinky. It is really hard to do. Suck it up- suck it up. I begin to zone out dwelling on pain. I must be getting close, but I do not notice how much I am slowing down. A gal catches back up with me again that I had been riding with and she hollers to get-a-going (thanks Jill!). I sort of awaken from this stupor and rally out the last 10 miles in searing agony. I am trying to pedal with the right leg more, but get unlucky as the last few miles are rooty and downhill. I rattle over bumps and am forced to equal out my pedal stance. I try to bank corners in each direction by using my right leg only. Too risky- I have got to suck it up and use both feet. I finally get to the line and, yep, did not let my good friends down.
