Life I'm a badass mofo. Yes, I am. - Page 2

**Rain Man** · 09:53 PM

I did the Pike's Peak Ascent yesterday. I was very uncertain about it because I hurt my knee three months ago and have only done one ten-mile run since April. But based on what I was reading, you end up walking a lot and I thought, "Hey, even if I'm not in running shape I can walk forever", so with great trepidation I went for it, figuring I could walk it if I had to. I figured I could walk it in 4.5 to 5 hours even with no running. Not quite, and I finished in the bottom ten percent of runners, but hey, I'm proud as heck to have made it.

This is not your normal half-marathon. It's a 13.32 mile race that has only one hill, but the hill is Pike's Peak. You start at 6,300 feet in altitude and the finish line is the summit of Pike's Peak at 14,115 feet. Other than maybe a quarter-mile it's all uphill.

Holy crap, that was hard. It was crowded and had narrow trails, so it was hard to pass, and actually was almost impossible to pass from Miles 2 through 5. I only ran a couple of miles at most in that phase because I was stuck behind walkers, and that turned out to be a huge hidden blessing. If I had been running in those early miles I'd've never made it to the finish line.

After 8 miles I was still on track to beat 4.5 hours and was feeling good. I was even thinking, "Geez, this is kind of overblown." The funny thing too is that you could hear the finish line announcements at about 7 miles since the sound carried down the mountain, so it didn't seem like you were that far off.

And then all of a sudden it got tough.

By the time I hit Mile 10 I was hurting, and it was all I could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I really wasn't in the shape I needed to be in, and once I hit 10,000 feet that became apparent. You're going uphill constantly and getting less oxygen with every breath and it just keeps getting harder. Other people in my pace group were struggling too, and starting around 9 miles I started seeing people stopping to rest and obviously struggling.

Typically, by the time I'm at the 10 mile mark of a run, I'm about a half-hour from finishing. IT TOOK ME OVER TWO HOURS TO GET THOSE LAST THREE MILES. My lord, that was hard. I wish I had a picture of the view up to the finish line, because it was absolutely indescribable looking up at it. You could kind of see the finish line at the top, but it was about 2,000 feet up, and you could see switchback after switchback after switchback above you with people walking.

The last mile was unbelievable. There were a few other guys pacing with me, and in all seriousness we would go about 200 yards, collapse on the rocks and rest, get up, go about 200 yards, drop down again, and so on. I think my last rest stop was about 200 feet feet from the finish line, but I couldn't do it. I had to stop again to rest up for that last 200 feet. Unbelievable. It took me over 45 minutes to make that last mile. I got to the finish line, walked away, and practically started crying with relief.

This was by far the hardest physical thing I've ever done. Coming down, a couple of guys that finished right behind me said that they run sub-4 hours marathons, and it took them more than 6 hours to get up. (They were both lowlanders from the East, and none of us had trained at altitude, which was a mistake. The uphill was hard, but the altitude was the killer - you're getting about 61 percent of the oxygen you'd get at sea level.) I made it in 5:58:37, about a half-hour ahead of the cutoff. The poor folks who took more than 6.5 hours (and there were a fair amount of them) were out of luck because you have to finish before 6.5 hours to get counted as finishing the race.

First few miles - forgot to keep track
1:22 - 4.3 miles done (19 minute pace) 2,500 feet climbed at this point
1:58 - 6.3 miles done (18 minute pace on these 2 miles)
2:16 - 7.3 miles done (18 minute pace on this mile) Another 1,400 feet or so for 3,900 feet
2:46 - 8.3 miles done (30 minute pace on this mile - what the?)
3:17 - 9.3 miles done (31 minute pace on this mile)
3:55 - 10.3 miles done (38 minute pace on this mile) Another 1,800 feet or so for 5,700 feet
4:34 - 11.3 miles done (39 minute pace on this mile)
5:13 - 12.3 miles done (39 minute pace on this mile)
5:58 - 13.3 miles done (45 minute pace on this mile) - Another 2,100 feet up for a total of 7,800 feet

Here are a few links. None come close to describing this thing.

http://fwix.com/coloradosprings/shar...tart_to_finish (The better photos start around Photo 50 unless you like boring pictures of people crossing the finish line.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyUeANHHdac Oddly, this person finished only six places behind me. If he'd started the finish line film 90 seconds earlier I could've heard my name getting called. The first guy whose name you hear was one of the four guys I was walking with at the very end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ3ePjERzWE

http://www.krdo.com/video/24712049/index.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...884547420.html

http://pokingandpeaking.blogspot.com...ak-ascent.html

Pablo · 08-22-2010, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

Hell, you'd get tired riding the train.

Hell, even watching the waitress bring me a cheeseburger makes me sweat. I'd die about 11 feet into this challenge.

Saccopoo · 08-22-2010, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PostRockPablo

You could probably even get a cheeseburger and a beer on the ride.

Watch all those stupid runners keeling over on the rocks as you sip the Nectar of Health.

Along with cheering them along and issuing encouragements as you sip your refreshing malt beverage. Now that's what I call a marathon. Well, technically, a half-marathon, but we won't nitpick in the face of RainMan's trudging, meandering victory of the hill.

BigRock · 08-22-2010, 10:34 PM

I once drove to the top of Pike's Peak, and the lack of oxygen that high got me winded just walking from my car to the gift shop.

DJay23 · 08-22-2010, 10:40 PM

As I sit here eating peanut butter m&M's and read this tale of extraordinary physical endurance, I am reminded as a child of many trip up Pike's Peak with the family. There are cars that don't make it up Pike's Peak. Congrats man.

Otter · 08-22-2010, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luv

It's not necessarily how fast you get to the top, just the fact you got there.

That's what she said.

Congrats Rain Man!

**Bowser** · 08-22-2010, 10:45 PM

When I was a kid, we took the train up to the top of Pike's Peak. On the ride down, I got sick and threw up on the train. You could see a stream of puke going under everyone's seats as all the other passengersfreaked out and moved to the other side of the train.

Great job, Rain Man!

Otter · 08-23-2010, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowser

When I was a kid, we took the train up to the top of Pike's Peak. On the ride down, I got sick and threw up on the train. You could see a stream of puke going under everyone's seats as all the other passengersfreaked out and moved to the other side of the train.

Great job, Rain Man!

In 8th grade I went to a class trip to a pretty big amusement park. They had a ride called "The Rotor" where everyone would stand up against the wall and it would spin fast enough that when the floor dropped you would be pinned up against the wall virtually unable to move because of centrifugal force.

In the middle of the ride one of the other kids vomited and instead of hitting the floor it went all over him and right up against the wall. It then proceeded in a deliberate, vibrating motion to each person opposite way of what the ride was spinning.

It never reached me but I'll never forget the looks of horror on the people across the ride from me as stomach bile and undigested pop corn, hot dogs and sugar candy made its way across the wall as the were pinned helplessly against the delivery system. Water boarding can't be a whole lot worse.

It only hit two people besides the guy who chucked his oats but I guarantee those people had nightmares about that ride.

It was awesome.

Raiderhater58 · 08-23-2010, 03:32 AM

Thats an awesome accomplishment, congrats

|Zach| · 08-23-2010, 03:35 AM

You crazy asshole.

That is awesome.

NewChief · 08-23-2010, 05:05 AM

Nice! Doing my first 14er was what inspired me to completely give up smoking. The altitude definitely lets you know where you and your lungs stand.

Hog's Gone Fishin · 08-23-2010, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otter

In 8th grade I went to a class trip to a pretty big amusement park. They had a ride called "The Rotor" where everyone would stand up against the wall and it would spin fast enough that when the floor dropped you would be pinned up against the wall virtually unable to move because of centrifugal force.

In the middle of the ride one of the other kids vomited and instead of hitting the floor it went all over him and right up against the wall. It then proceeded in a deliberate, vibrating motion to each person opposite way of what the ride was spinning.

It never reached me but I'll never forget the looks of horror on the people across the ride from me as stomach bile and undigested pop corn, hot dogs and sugar candy made its way across the wall as the were pinned helplessly against the delivery system. Water boarding can't be a whole lot worse.

It only hit two people besides the guy who chucked his oats but I guarantee those people had nightmares about that ride.

It was awesome.

Awesome story !

FAX · 08-23-2010, 06:40 AM

That's one heck of an accomplishment, Mr. Rain Man.

Legion are the automobiles that were unable to climb Pike's Peak. You should be very proud.

FAX

**the Talking Can** · 08-23-2010, 06:58 AM

that's bad ass, congrats

**mlyonsd** · 08-23-2010, 06:59 AM

I want to puke my guts out just reading that.

**bevischief** · 08-23-2010, 07:05 AM

Congrats Rain Man!

08-22-2010, 09:40 PM
Rain Man Seize life. Be an ermine. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $-532449 VARSITY	I'm a badass mofo. Yes, I am. I did the Pike's Peak Ascent yesterday. I was very uncertain about it because I hurt my knee three months ago and have only done one ten-mile run since April. But based on what I was reading, you end up walking a lot and I thought, "Hey, even if I'm not in running shape I can walk forever", so with great trepidation I went for it, figuring I could walk it if I had to. I figured I could walk it in 4.5 to 5 hours even with no running. Not quite, and I finished in the bottom ten percent of runners, but hey, I'm proud as heck to have made it. This is not your normal half-marathon. It's a 13.32 mile race that has only one hill, but the hill is Pike's Peak. You start at 6,300 feet in altitude and the finish line is the summit of Pike's Peak at 14,115 feet. Other than maybe a quarter-mile it's all uphill. Holy crap, that was hard. It was crowded and had narrow trails, so it was hard to pass, and actually was almost impossible to pass from Miles 2 through 5. I only ran a couple of miles at most in that phase because I was stuck behind walkers, and that turned out to be a huge hidden blessing. If I had been running in those early miles I'd've never made it to the finish line. After 8 miles I was still on track to beat 4.5 hours and was feeling good. I was even thinking, "Geez, this is kind of overblown." The funny thing too is that you could hear the finish line announcements at about 7 miles since the sound carried down the mountain, so it didn't seem like you were that far off. And then all of a sudden it got tough. By the time I hit Mile 10 I was hurting, and it was all I could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I really wasn't in the shape I needed to be in, and once I hit 10,000 feet that became apparent. You're going uphill constantly and getting less oxygen with every breath and it just keeps getting harder. Other people in my pace group were struggling too, and starting around 9 miles I started seeing people stopping to rest and obviously struggling. Typically, by the time I'm at the 10 mile mark of a run, I'm about a half-hour from finishing. IT TOOK ME OVER TWO HOURS TO GET THOSE LAST THREE MILES. My lord, that was hard. I wish I had a picture of the view up to the finish line, because it was absolutely indescribable looking up at it. You could kind of see the finish line at the top, but it was about 2,000 feet up, and you could see switchback after switchback after switchback above you with people walking. The last mile was unbelievable. There were a few other guys pacing with me, and in all seriousness we would go about 200 yards, collapse on the rocks and rest, get up, go about 200 yards, drop down again, and so on. I think my last rest stop was about 200 feet feet from the finish line, but I couldn't do it. I had to stop again to rest up for that last 200 feet. Unbelievable. It took me over 45 minutes to make that last mile. I got to the finish line, walked away, and practically started crying with relief. This was by far the hardest physical thing I've ever done. Coming down, a couple of guys that finished right behind me said that they run sub-4 hours marathons, and it took them more than 6 hours to get up. (They were both lowlanders from the East, and none of us had trained at altitude, which was a mistake. The uphill was hard, but the altitude was the killer - you're getting about 61 percent of the oxygen you'd get at sea level.) I made it in 5:58:37, about a half-hour ahead of the cutoff. The poor folks who took more than 6.5 hours (and there were a fair amount of them) were out of luck because you have to finish before 6.5 hours to get counted as finishing the race. First few miles - forgot to keep track 1:22 - 4.3 miles done (19 minute pace) 2,500 feet climbed at this point 1:58 - 6.3 miles done (18 minute pace on these 2 miles) 2:16 - 7.3 miles done (18 minute pace on this mile) Another 1,400 feet or so for 3,900 feet 2:46 - 8.3 miles done (30 minute pace on this mile - what the?) 3:17 - 9.3 miles done (31 minute pace on this mile) 3:55 - 10.3 miles done (38 minute pace on this mile) Another 1,800 feet or so for 5,700 feet 4:34 - 11.3 miles done (39 minute pace on this mile) 5:13 - 12.3 miles done (39 minute pace on this mile) 5:58 - 13.3 miles done (45 minute pace on this mile) - Another 2,100 feet up for a total of 7,800 feet Here are a few links. None come close to describing this thing. http://fwix.com/coloradosprings/shar...tart_to_finish (The better photos start around Photo 50 unless you like boring pictures of people crossing the finish line.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyUeANHHdac Oddly, this person finished only six places behind me. If he'd started the finish line film 90 seconds earlier I could've heard my name getting called. The first guy whose name you hear was one of the four guys I was walking with at the very end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ3ePjERzWE http://www.krdo.com/video/24712049/index.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...884547420.html http://pokingandpeaking.blogspot.com...ak-ascent.html Last edited by Rain Man; 08-22-2010 at 09:53 PM..
Posts: 145,332

08-22-2010, 10:34 PM	#18
BigRock Pritay Pritay Pritay Good Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The State of Euphoria Casino cash: $765412	I once drove to the top of Pike's Peak, and the lack of oxygen that high got me winded just walking from my car to the gift shop.
Posts: 6,988

08-22-2010, 10:40 PM	#19
DJay23 Rock Chalk Jayhawk Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: PA Casino cash: $-406683	As I sit here eating peanut butter m&M's and read this tale of extraordinary physical endurance, I am reminded as a child of many trip up Pike's Peak with the family. There are cars that don't make it up Pike's Peak. Congrats man. __________________ "True bliss is not something you search for, true bliss is already living inside us all, and sometimes it takes a roomfull of others to lead us to the mirror of your soul." - CosmicPal (10-3-03)
Posts: 9,180

08-22-2010, 10:45 PM	#21
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $-98384	When I was a kid, we took the train up to the top of Pike's Peak. On the ride down, I got sick and threw up on the train. You could see a stream of puke going under everyone's seats as all the other passengersfreaked out and moved to the other side of the train. Great job, Rain Man!
Posts: 106,692

08-23-2010, 03:32 AM	#23
Raiderhater58 Eye for an Eye Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Independence Casino cash: $9994925	Thats an awesome accomplishment, congrats __________________
Posts: 607

08-23-2010, 03:35 AM	#24
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $3136768	You crazy asshole. That is awesome.
Posts: 54,696

08-23-2010, 05:05 AM	#25
NewChief In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Fayetteville, AR Casino cash: $7230204	Nice! Doing my first 14er was what inspired me to completely give up smoking. The altitude definitely lets you know where you and your lungs stand. __________________ In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican. - H. L. Mencken
Posts: 21,845

08-23-2010, 06:40 AM	#27
FAX testing ... 1, 2, 3 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Tennessee Casino cash: $6753759	That's one heck of an accomplishment, Mr. Rain Man. Legion are the automobiles that were unable to climb Pike's Peak. You should be very proud. FAX
Posts: 44,492

08-23-2010, 06:58 AM	#28
the Talking Can Supporter Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: street Casino cash: $9302208	that's bad ass, congrats __________________ Clark Hunt: "Thank god for the Dominican pool boy"
Posts: 51,585

08-23-2010, 06:59 AM	#29
mlyonsd Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Spink, SD Casino cash: $-2076238	I want to puke my guts out just reading that.
Posts: 39,471

08-23-2010, 07:05 AM	#30
bevischief .... Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somewhere Kansas Casino cash: $7739352 VARSITY	Congrats Rain Man!
Posts: 27,771