Officially finished the Barr Trail Mountain Race!! However, I was the last official finisher within the 3:30 time limit. I knew this race was going to be tough. It was more of a mental issue this year. Last year, 2016, I took a nasty fall at Lightening Point and literally broke my cheek bone and sprained my right ankle really bad. I was fretting about finishing this race again since I took that fall last year. Race morning, I woke up and repeated to myself, all I need to do is finish within the time limits and without any injury. I am a slow uphill runner no matter what, but I usually love the downhill, fast finish. However, I was very timid during this race. I didn't want to repeat last years ill fate. So I was very conservative on the way to Barr Camp but still made the cutoffs. On the way down, I felt great, but I watched every step I was taking to ensure I didn't trip. Once I saw Hydro St, I gave it one final kick to get me to the finish line before the official cut off. I did it!! 3:26:02 but no injuries this year!!! Victory for even the Slow Marmot!!

High Marmot

After Barr Trail Mountain Race, I went to Keystone for the National Nurse Practitioner Symposium. My condo was at an elevation of 9300'. I was able to run twice a day while I was in Keystone. It was so pretty there that I was easily distracted on how many miles and the higher altitude. Saturday, my husband and I completed the Camp Hale Half which is by Redcliff. This was a wonderful, beautiful half marathon at high altitude. I finished my week at high altitude by attempting to summit Mt Quandary. Lightening kept us from reaching the summit but we were extremely close! I loved my week being the High Marmot!!

Wet Marmot

My daughter Tanna and I completed a nice loop in Palmer Park for my pre-race warm up. Friday night, Gerald and I completed the Blue Moon Trail Series 8k at Ute Valley Park. The rain did not start until we finished the race. However, we did get wet while we were enjoying our fresh post race salad!! This morning, we woke up and ran the Classic 10K. It was a very humid, muggy race. I am pretty sure I was breathing through a sponge the entire time. I felt like I was back at the Disney Marathon in Florida with how thick the humidity was for start time. I finished the race and decided I must be one of the wettest Marmots at that time. 

Final Push Time

The final weeks of preparation for Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon is now upon us. I keep reminding myself, it is now time to focus on quality of the training instead of quantity. I need to make every mile and hill repeat count to fully prepare for another year of doubling. I can't wait to blog about being a Marmot finisher for the Pikes Peak Doubler!!