Life I'm a badass mofo. Yes, I am. - Page 3

**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

DJay23 · 08-23-2010, 07:07 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.

They had that right at World's of Fun when I was a kid. It was called the FInnish Fling. The legend I heard about it is that it had to be shut down because someone died on it.

**cdcox** · 08-23-2010, 07:42 AM

I'm impressed. Here is some perspective by comparing to a hike I did earlier this summer, that I found physically challenging.

Alum Cave trail to Mt. LaConte
Distance = 11.0 up and back
Average grade on the up hill part = 9.5%
Elevation change = 2763 ft
Max elevation = 6593 ft
Time = around 6 hours

Pikes Peak Half-Marathon
Distance = 13.1 all up hill
Average grade on the up hill part = 10.4%
Elevation change = 7185
Max elevation = 14,115
Time = 5:58

The Alum Cave trail is flat for the first and last 1.5 miles or so, so the mountain part might have been a little steeper. Let me tell you though, I was really, really wanting to be back at the car the last half-mile or so. I feel like a wuss now.

Congrats, a really great accomplishment.

boogblaster · 08-23-2010, 07:57 AM

nice dude

**btlook1** · 08-23-2010, 08:20 AM

wow Rainman you must be in pretty good shape. We rode the train up there about 2 years ago. I got winded just from walking around on top for a few minutes. I couldn't imagine walking up that mountain at all....Congrats for finishing!

-King- · 08-23-2010, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJay23

They had that right at World's of Fun when I was a kid. It was called the FInnish Fling. The legend I heard about it is that it had to be shut down because someone died on it.

It's still there.

Skyy God · 08-23-2010, 09:13 AM

Nice work, Rainman.

I hiked Half Dome last fall and it was similar, minus the whole running and crazy high altitude parts.

17 miles and almost 5K in elevation gain (and decent).

kepp · 08-23-2010, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

My bling didn't show up in the original post. Check this out.

I may have been one of the slowest people there, but I'm freakin' proud of this. This was a hard-core running event.

That's a sweet medal...you should mount it on your bike.

bishop_74 · 08-23-2010, 11:41 AM

Good for you man. I think were going to do Greys and Torres on Wednesday.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 08-23-2010, 12:01 PM

Fantastic, Sir.

**Rain Man** · 08-23-2010, 03:45 PM

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the good wishes. I had to brag about it, so thanks for putting up with me.

**Rain Man** · 08-23-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Extra Point

Up and down in 5 h 30-some-odd min. When I was 17.

Seriously? I think that would put you in the top ten percent of marathoners. That's pretty impressive.

Did you ever think about doing it again? It seems like there are a lot of repeaters each year.

stevieray · 08-23-2010, 04:01 PM

doesn't count unless it was uphill in the snow..both ways.

seriously that's cool...good for you.. a buddy of mine and I traversed the last 1500 feet of trail ridge summit, trying to beat my parents ( in the car) to the top..

amazing that guys race cars at high speeds up that road...

Rasputin · 08-23-2010, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the good wishes. I had to brag about it, so thanks for putting up with me.

Rightfully so, you should brag about it. Congrats!

**OnTheWarpath15** · 08-23-2010, 04:16 PM

That's a hell of an accomplishment, Kevin. You have every right to be proud/brag.

**MahiMike** · 08-23-2010, 04:54 PM

Sweet. Good job dude. I've climbed a few but never ran em.

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

08-23-2010, 07:42 AM	#32
cdcox www.nfl-forecast.com Join Date: Sep 2000 Casino cash: $-488231	I'm impressed. Here is some perspective by comparing to a hike I did earlier this summer, that I found physically challenging. Alum Cave trail to Mt. LaConte Distance = 11.0 up and back Average grade on the up hill part = 9.5% Elevation change = 2763 ft Max elevation = 6593 ft Time = around 6 hours Pikes Peak Half-Marathon Distance = 13.1 all up hill Average grade on the up hill part = 10.4% Elevation change = 7185 Max elevation = 14,115 Time = 5:58 The Alum Cave trail is flat for the first and last 1.5 miles or so, so the mountain part might have been a little steeper. Let me tell you though, I was really, really wanting to be back at the car the last half-mile or so. I feel like a wuss now. Congrats, a really great accomplishment.
Posts: 46,032

08-23-2010, 07:57 AM	#33
boogblaster MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Verdigris Valley Campsite Casino cash: $10004900	nice dude __________________ WR or S please
Posts: 10,305

08-23-2010, 08:20 AM	#34
btlook1 umm...what do I say here? Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: S.E. Kansas Casino cash: $9265227	wow Rainman you must be in pretty good shape. We rode the train up there about 2 years ago. I got winded just from walking around on top for a few minutes. I couldn't imagine walking up that mountain at all....Congrats for finishing! __________________ BTW, your draft input is reminiscent of a porn stars cock sucking gone wild video. Sure it's great when they open their mouths but the funk that drips out afterward nobody wants a part of[/quote]
Posts: 1,300

08-23-2010, 09:13 AM	#36
Skyy God 11-5, baby Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Livin the dream Casino cash: $2191557	Nice work, Rainman. I hiked Half Dome last fall and it was similar, minus the whole running and crazy high altitude parts. 17 miles and almost 5K in elevation gain (and decent).
Posts: 22,416

08-23-2010, 11:41 AM	#38
bishop_74 Veteran Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Denver, CO. USA Casino cash: $8654993	Good for you man. I think were going to do Greys and Torres on Wednesday.
Posts: 3,642

08-23-2010, 12:01 PM	#39
Sweet Daddy Hate Unsparing Join Date: Aug 2008 Casino cash: $10004900	Fantastic, Sir. __________________ 1. Merciless, severe. 2. Given freely and generously. 100% refusal to overrate 20 year Head Coaches with ZERO **ing rings as a Head Coach. CP's Official Professor of 'Dem Blues for 2019/2020!**
Posts: 77,135

08-23-2010, 03:45 PM	#40
Rain Man Seize life. Be an ermine. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $-532449 VARSITY	Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the good wishes. I had to brag about it, so thanks for putting up with me. __________________ Active fan of the greatest team in NFL history.
Posts: 145,332

08-23-2010, 04:01 PM	#42
stevieray Most things I worry about… Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Under Pressure Casino cash: $-1174727	doesn't count unless it was uphill in the snow..both ways. seriously that's cool...good for you.. a buddy of mine and I traversed the last 1500 feet of trail ridge summit, trying to beat my parents ( in the car) to the top.. amazing that guys race cars at high speeds up that road...
Posts: 74,040

08-23-2010, 04:16 PM	#44
OnTheWarpath15 MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2151115	That's a hell of an accomplishment, Kevin. You have every right to be proud/brag.
Posts: 60,750

08-23-2010, 04:54 PM	#45
MahiMike He's Mahomie! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Jax, FL Casino cash: $10023443	Sweet. Good job dude. I've climbed a few but never ran em. __________________ 99.9%
Posts: 17,387