High Lonesome 100 Year 2- Race Report

HIGH LONESOME 100 Year 2- Good weather, Mind blowing Sawatch Range, Excellent Race

Woah!! Wasn’t I just here like a year ago? Haha, yeah I was, for the inaugural race. The crazy race that left me wanting more. The race that blew me away that mountains could be so big and views that went on for eternity. The race that’s storm almost blew me off Purgatory. Read my 2017 race report here.

Let’s step back. There has been so much change in my life as of recent. I made the move to Colorado from Washington State on May 31st and in this short two month window I did so much training, worked at my new ramen restaurant, had so much fun making new friends and going on so many different adventures. 

After moving, I jumped straight into work at the ramen restaurant and did run commutes for training. In that time also, I got to pace and crew my great friend and speed demon, Coree Woltering-Aussem 20 miles at Western States which was insane. After that, I worked some more, then it was off on another adventure/training run did a photo shoot for a running clothing company called rabbit. I then, crewed and paced another friend, Wes Thurman, who I met at Western, for his Hardrock 100 and my dad came out for that which was super fun. BUT, holy shit!! I got to see 56 miles of that beast of a course. That was nuts, wild and tough. I definitely can’t thank Wes and Coree for allowing me to be a part of their days. It’s those moments I’ll cherish forever.

Pacing Coree Woltering-Aussem at Western States 100. Photo credit: EJ Maldonado

Alright, so I got some great training in while pacing and crewing. In that time too, I made some really good friends after moving out here. I also ran into and reconnected with quite a few friends that have either moved out here or from last year’s race. I haven't explored much of the city but I’ve been on so many trails its amazing

runinrabbit photoshoot in Boulder, CO. Photo Credit: Kristin McCandless

Scott Rokis captured what Wes and I and many Hardrock runner dealt with this year. So sketchy being above tree line when this happened. PC:Scott Rokis 

Wes Thurman and I on top of Handies Peak@ 14K Feet. My first 14er. Perfectly Timed sunrise. Photo Credit: Scott Rokis

Now that you guys are a bit caught up on my life, its race week. What am I doing the week before a race? 1) Still working a few day before the race. 2) Did 34 taper miles. 3) played kickball, get scraped up, strain my hamstring slipping off the pitching mound. (Fun, but never again race week). 4) trying not to freak out over tiny niggles, the race, the anxiety and nerves. 5) Getting packed and preparing my gear, listen to music and eating a lot to get max squishiness. 

PRE RACE

I rode down to Salida at 12pm Thursday with my bud Rob Howard who was also running the race, his girlfriend, Jess, and his parents who’ve never seen an ultra like my folks until last year. Sadly, this year my folks couldn’t come but it felt like I got adopted into their family this weekend (Funny story after the race). After the comical ride down, we got awesome, big portion food in Buena Vista, I call it BV cause I cant pronounce it correctly. After that we checked in and got our bibs, followed by checking in at the Brown Canyon Inn which was right across the street from where the check in was and pre race meeting at 6pm. 

Pre Race Meeting. I'm down in the first row, right side. PC: Mile 90 Photography

We grabbed dinner post pre race meeting right beside the inn at a burger, noodle bar. It was great. We then retreated back to our rooms and laid out the gear for the morning and watched some Dodgeball and The Office. Not too long after the sleepy bug bit me and I passed out just to have to wake up to a 3:50am alarm clock.

Race Morning

The food from last night and lunch have not been passed through but the surely will with some coffee and the race day jitters now hitting me. Rob and I got ready in our own ways, but we were out the door by 4:30am. Arrived at the start around 5:15am, did race check in/ gear check. Hit the bathroom finally and felt relief. Marcos Lobato is my crew and pacer and we met up took photos. Five Minutes to race goes off. 

Marcos and I at the start line with Mt. Princeton in the back.

I guess this is as good a point to say that I was feeling really emotional. Let me tell you why. I was emotional because two weeks earlier, one of the runners who ran last year and was the Women’s Champion died falling off a mountain and she was supposed to be running the race again just like me. After getting to know Hannah Taylor last year and finding out about her tragic death, I decided to dedicate my finish, seeing the course and getting a buckle for her. 

After recomposing myself, I made my way to the front of the start line. I embraced my friends, Dave Schiebel, John Danese, Rob, and a few other friends.

Bang

The countdown began. 10, 8, *Chuckle*, 7, 6, 5,4, 3, 2, 1, BANG! The pistol goes off!! 

We’re off and running. Not 10 feet into running, my insecure soft flask shoots out of my pack holder. Oh shoot* ( I say a swear word) but I catch the bottle as its in the air. Dave and some other runners see it happen and they compliment me on my reflexes. After securing the bottles in the first 200 feet, we hit the road down Mt. Princeton and on our way to the trail.

Dave, Jeff Wanner, Lenny Strnad, Corey Linfield, and maybe Hannes Gehring are all near me. Ryan Smith from Boulder and John (Something) from Alaska were out front. I let them go while I just kept things chill as I was still feeling how my body felt and talking to the guys around me.

By the time we got to the trail, I was in third and started the climb feeling amazing. This was where I was last year with Mike Wolfe and John Fitzgerald, I gapped the other guys a bit but could see them working down below. After climbing it was a smooth fun descent down to the first aid: Raspberry Gulch 1 that FRXC was manning. I sailed in, saw my crew, Marcos Lobato. Got my bottles filled and grabbed some more VFuel gels and some aid station goodies that Hannah liked.

After getting out of there pretty quick, Avery Collins (2018 HURT 100 Champion) and Sabrina Stanley (2018 Hardrock winner), very highly awesome Ultrarunners were cheering. They gave me great encouragement and a fist bump as I was through Brown’s and now going to start my big climb up Mt. Antero. Antero is a 14er. but sadly we don't summit. We get up to about 13,100feet. It’s the high point of the race and you can see the whole Swatch range and course from up here. PERFECT VIEWS. LIKE ORGASMIC. Sent my body to another world! Race photographer, Jordan Chapell, was up here and shooting. Here’s some photos: Unreal

I took some GoPro footage in this section. I’ll have a video of Highlights you can watch of the race HERE.

After cresting and finishing the climb, its a semi technical descent down a jeep road to second aid: Antero. At Antero, I got to see last year’s runner and friend, David Fox who was manning the aid station and Kelsey Banasznski (Caleb Efta, the RDs Girlfriend and Race aid station coordinator). They give me some updates and I drop trash and get coke lots of coke and more gels. Then I’m off again… To St. Elmo. In this section, Corey catches and passes me. 

St. Elmo last year was a crew spot but this year it wasn’t So from mile 7.4 to 25ish, St. Elmo you don’t see crew. It’s lonesome. Haha! I had to freaking do it. Pun intended. So I get aid, and then I’m off again. Avery and Sabrina moved and were in this area too. Cheered me along and I made my FUN way up and over Cottonwood Pass. I repassed Corey and made my awesome power hiking move. This is where I knew I’d 1) see my crew at Cottonwood Aid and 2) see how well the top 2 guys were doing and my gap since its a 6 mile one way out-n-back on the course. It’s a gnarly climb up but you’re freaking rewarded with mind boggling views that make you spit out your water. It literally takes your breathe away since you are at like 12K feet going over Cottonwood Pass. It’s nuts. Rick’s wife, some media guys and I think Jordan Chapell were shooting photos in this section. So After seeing Ryan coming back up I counted the minutes. He had about 10 minutes when I got to Cottonwood, mile 31 or the 50K mark. Second Place, Jon was just heading out.

"Laws' Pass" up from St. Elmo to Cottonwood.

DOWN TO COTTONWOOD. GoPro in mouth.

I get my bottles filled. Eat some perigees, drink more coke, reload of gels. Clare Gallager and some RMR folks are here and they help me. Thanks guys! 

Off again to tackle the 3 mile climb up and 3 miles down back to St. Elmo 2, I went. I passed John pretty quickly on the climb back up. He was struggling cause of the altitude and we talked briefly before I gapped him and started to see more runners coming down the pass as I made my way up and try to now go put in an effort to catch Ryan.

Hannes gave me some stoke. Seeing Lenny too. and just saying hi and good job to everyone I saw making there way up and over the pass. 

After getting over and descending, a film guy got me on tape running some of the section. Should be some sweet film of the section and of me. 

Laws Pass Descent

In this moment, I felt Infinite.

Back at St. Elmo mile 37ish, get more coke, food and Fuel Gels. I hear more updates. See my bud, Shawn Daughterty, he give me a fist bump and more energy. I’m feeling good.  head out for the 3 mile light climb up to Tin Cup. This year Tin Cup had a basic aid station with just water and Tailwind. Last year it was just some jugs of water on the course before heading up and over to Hancock Aid. 

Eat! Its a buffet!

Smiling, thinking about Hannah, thinking about my other friend’s in the PNW, my colorado friends, my family and siblings and their families, I got emotional. All the while I was listening to some good music and enjoying the views. So passing Tin Cup at mile 41ish and now back on the CDT, the trail is amazing. This section is my second favorite part of this course and that’s why I recommend this race. Going over this pass is RIDONKULOUS. JAW DROPPING. Music blasting in my ears, I feeling the rhythm and feeling the rhyme. (Let me know if you know where that quote is from).

Hancock Pass

Hancock!

Pinch ME!

NOT REAL. FAKE.

WILDFLOWER GALORE!

So this section rocks. It's technical but still kinda runnable in sections. just being reminded of this section gives me goosebumps. Last year was wet. Water bogs up to our shins and knees. This year dry. Amazing. the talus/boulder field wasn't slick like before. I was able to “Kilian” my way through and not bust my face open.

 I knew aid was close as I was seeing other campers or folks on the trail. About 3 minutes from getting to the aid i trip, stumble, try to catch myself, but failed and go down. Scraped up, bleeding knee was all I saw (scraped my hip too but didn’t look until later), rocks in hands, hat and water all over the ground. Shit, I recomposed myself, took a deep breath and ran down to the aid: Hancock at mile 51ish. 

Anyways, Marcos is there, He has my drop bag with the gear I need for the night section and for a quick gear check here. I take my rabbit Speed Sleeves and a pair of Smartwool socks that I use as gloves if my hands are cold or change of socks if feet get wet later (double purpose, saves space = genius). I got more food, coke and refilled the next batch of VFuel gels. Stomach is still being rock solid. Next stop Lost Wonder Hut at mile 5ish and seeing Daisy Clark!

So back on trail I see Rick the photographer again. Anyways, I’m moving, eating well and enjoying the beauty. Wildflowers, mountains,, single track what else could be better? I don’t know but I was loving life still.

I got word Ryan was struggling a bit and maybe hit a low point. That made me excited. I pushed a little but not to empty the tank. Legs were still grooving 50+ miles in. Get to Lost Wonder Hut and I see Daisy. I’m smiling and energy still radiating positivity. Get some more gels… I eat a lot of gels. and some 2Toms Chafe cream. Stoked up, I hear Ryan is somewhat close 30ish minutes up.

Daisy gives me how long to next aid, Purgatory. She tells me its at mile 60ish. “Okay”, I said. I left thinking it was only 5 is miles to the aid.

What to say about this section and going to “Purgatory”… I don't have words and I do have some words (Profanity). 1) It is appropriately named. 2) It is a massive climb that takes your from about 10,500ft to over 12K feet and takes your breath away. 3) It Sucks and I hate/love Caleb for putting it in the course. 4) I wish I brought my GoPro for the Purgatory section but didn't and I didnt want to pull out my phone. 5) It’s also another freaking beautiful section with so many alpine lakes or bodies of water. Lots of campers up there as I passed by on the trail. 

SO thiniking and hearing that the aid was at mile 60, I'm looking for aid. No signs. Not even that 1 mile till aid sign to be seen. I’m like “F**k”, look at my watch. I’m at 100K= 62ish miles, no Aid. WTF?! I’m cursing on the trail with no one around. I have to keep going cause I still do see flagging. I’m frustrated and out of calories, BUT still having a good time. Weird right? It was due to the unreal sunset and running down the CDT. My eyes were crying tears of joy. I imagined Hannah seeing it and her being right behind me on the trail as if we were on a training run. So Hannah gave me strength when I had no calories and finally I made it to the Purgatory aid station. I asked “what mile was it?” They said “mile 64ish.” I’m go a little nuts. I do a tiny rant and curse Daisy. Love you Daisy seriously, but damn not cool. 

Get pirogies, like five shots of coke, some quesadillas, watermelon and my bottles filled. I have 3.8ish miles to Monarch Pass. Tight. I’m in a better mood. What a difference calories and some food can do to our body and mind. Feeling rebooted, I make my push. Looking at my watch, I’m hitting same splits from last year and even a bit faster. I knew I had to get to Monarch by around 15:30 hours to be on track. I was. It felt good. It was dark by now. Around 9:30pm I’m in the aid. This is such a good feeling. I take a seat. 

Dumping trail dust. Feet good @ Monarch Pass

fist bump

Satan's Slip n Slide coming...

 Last year, my feet had been trashed and Daisy actually helped fix my feet and legs here. This year only a few dust particles and tiny rocks in the shoe but NO blisters. THANK YOU DRYMAX SOCKS! I did put a hole through them on my first use so I need to send them back for warranty. But I was stoked! Feet were feeling great and I emptied the shoes, got food that Marcos gave me and some warm liquids. I still hadn't put on my warm clothes and was still in rabbit short shorts and their trail tee as temps were comfortable. I get up and out of the aid for what’s next: Satan’s Slip n Slide and going to Foose’s  Creek at ~mile 75. 

The descent in the dark of Satan’s Slip N slide compared to last year was not as bad as last was like a raging mini river. This year loose rocks and dry but still a bit slick. I think this is where I tweaked my ankle and my achilles flared up cause everything thinking back was excellent and wonderful. After, it started a slow chain reaction of going from running well to a hobble and limp run. All I knew is I can still power hike like a manic and thats what I did. Ran/hobble the downs as best I could and hike fast on the ups the last 25 miles.

I arrive at Foose’s and and ask if they had anything to roll out my achilles as that is where I felt the most sharp pain and tightness. Nothing else hurt, just my freaking achilles. It upset me to great frustration cause I wanted to run to the best of my ability and this final section if you have legs is SO runnable. I was hitting my quads cause they didn’t hurt. My hamstrings too were so solid. My achilles and ankle, I didn’t know what was up. I thought it was just a small tweak but nope. So frustrated in the situation.

I left Foose’s to get to Blank’s Cabin at ~mile 82  knowing that’s where I’d pick up Marcos who’d bring me some the last 18ish miles. It was tough cause you still climb a bit and its like midnight at this point. I look at my watch. I’m still kinda on target. I can do it. I thought more about Hannah. Prayed that she and whatever spirits in the universe could give me strength and that my achilles wouldn’t rupture. I eventually make it to Blank’s. 

Marcos is ready to go. I stock up of more gels, eat warm food and bottle refilled. I tell him what I’m feeling and can do. He’s like okay, got it. He gives me an update that I have like 45- hour on third but Ryan is still smashing and could be done (and yeah he pretty much was). Anyways, i keep working hard trying to run what i could and hike as fast as i could to stay close to Marcos who put distance on me as a pacer basically chasing after him in the dark. It was good and he kept it honest and talked to me and told me what miles we covered. I took my pee break while walking and also changed out my flickering light with new battery. We arrive running back into Raspberry Aid 2 the races first aid station. I accidentally pass my bottles to an unassuming woman. It was Hannes GF I figured out later, but she said her runner was close. I was confused yet freaking out. I lost my 45 minute lead over 3rd. I toss my bottles to Marcos to refill. I say “Runner Out”, and yell to Marcos,  “Catch me.” 

Last 7.4 ish miles to the finish. I do it all for Hannah. I repeat, “For Hannah”, “Hannah”, “Hannah”,… and all the other mantras in my tool bag.

I hear cheering as we’re making our way up the penultimate mile 93 climb up and over the other side to the road we had run down almost 24 hours prior. I see the headlamp… I feel the sweat climbing down my back. In my head “DON’T F**k THIS UP”… I eat a bit more feeling nausea coming now. Here we go. Climb the hill shuffling after Marcos as he catches me. He doesn't say much but we got to “GO”. I run as hard as hell while huffing and puffing and keep chanting Hannah’s name under my breath. 

Marcos turns his head back. I say “Don’t, keep your head forward, I’ll be right here. Trust me.” I told him later I didn’t want whoever was back there seeing a light source cause that’ll give them a “spark”. So I try to shut down that hope or light and make it seem pitch black and lonely for them. 

We crest the climb and its a sketchy, technical descent down to the road. So awful but I knew if I get to the road game over. I have some speed. I do make it to the road off the descent but almost bust my face open hitting an unexpect mount or rock and almost going flying, but I catch myself.

Cool, the road was brutal but kept the mantras going. I was seeing the sun starting to lighten the sky. Looking at my watch, I was on the road at ~4:45am, maybe shortly after. Anyways I’m still running, praying my achilles wont rupture, thinking of Hannah and the last 90+ miles I just ran for her and myself and friends. I’m going sub 9 and maybe a few sub 7s in this last 4 miles. I know the LEFT turn from Mt. Princeton Hot Springs is coming soon. 

Still running. Hurting for Hannah so she could feel the last moments of the race. We see the turn for the hill we came down. I start the last .5 mile climb up the road. I power hike and shuffle like a furious wolverine. I dropped Marcos and gapped him. I was soaking it all in. 5:15am, I look at my watch. Holy crap, I can PR. I push harder. Harder. Harder. Final turn on the road and onto the grass/gravel runway. I go towards the cars in the last 200m off course. OMG thinking I’ll get DQ’d right at 99.8 miles. Laugh out loud, I backtrack and run into the running shoot which was awesome compared to last year. Screaming and stoked I made it!!! 

YES! ELATION!

Crossing the line in 23:23 and in second place. 6 Minutes surprisingly faster than last year and going under my CR with my achilles/ankle messed up.

Holy cowabunga!! 100 miles. 100 x 1 mile. One foot step at a time. Up 22,500feet of climbing and descent. Hannah Tripp “Bird” Taylor, this race finish and buckle was for you and your memories. May you rest in peace. 

Thank you to Caleb Efta, Race Director, Kelsey Banasznski and his entire team at High Lonesome 100 Endurance Run. Year 2 was even more top notch event than year one and year one was great too! 

Thank you to the volunteers, the endless folks cheering, the friends out there putting long hour to take care of us crazy folks. I can’t say thank you enough. You guys are magical! 

Thank you, Rocky Mountain Runners, Golden Mountain Runners, Shawn Daughtery, Darci Daughtery, Clare Gallager, David Fox, Kunlong von Cousin, Hector Reyes, Michael Robbert and so many other folks I can’t name off at the aid stations being so helpful to me and making my day great!

Thank you Marcos Lobato for jumping in last minute to crewing/pacing me in his first ever crewing/pacing experience. YOU NAILED IT. Fun getting to know you better as a friend and sharing those last 18 miles. I owe you bud! :) 

Marcos and I at the finish

Thank you to everyone in Colorado! Seriously, in my only two months here, the hospitality has been amazing and support endless. Thank you to friends, Kristen Mohror, Sam Rivard, Brienna Gregor, Whitley Woods, Chandra Rochelle, Jennifer Danese, Josh Meyer-Dean, Chelsea Zaloumis, Rob Howard, Wes Thurman and your family, Jacob Hanson, Lucas B (who works as a producer for EDM music, I met at a tattoo shop on Friday the 13th gave me free concert tickets) and many others I can’t pull out of my head for all your support and seriously ridiculously amazing kindness. Two months here and I feel like I’m home. I was meant to be in Colorado. This is my home even though I miss the PNW a lot. Colorado is home for me as the mountain ultra runner I want to be. 

Thank you to everyone, I missed! You guys all rocked!

Congratulations to everyone who ran and finished! I was so glad to hang around the finish and watch every finisher beside Ryan finish plus drink beer and whisky from Laws. 

Rob and I

Drinking Beer , telling rob how long I had been done. lol

This race isn’t for the faint of heart. You need to go in ready to do battle. It’s Lonely, but you never go alone (secretly). Go check out the race photos by Mile 90 Photography!! They’re free to download and just unbelievable. Seriously captured the magic of the Sawatch and this magnificent and going to be a new instant classic Colorado 100 mountain race. 

Congratulations to the top 3 ladies who blew me away by how fast they ran by resetting the women’s CR. 

L-R: Hannes, Me, Ryan, Kerri, Ellie. Niiki

Congratulations to the other two gentlemen that pushed me all day, Ryan Smith (1st) who broke and set a ridiculous new CR of 21:02 and Hannes Gehring (3rd) who gave me a scare in those last 7 miles but put about 11 minutes on him in that last section. 

Well folks, that’s it. High Lonesome year 2 finished. Solid day in the mountains with amazing old and new friends. I’m gonna ride this stoke for like 6 weeks. 

Seriously though, put this race on your 2019 calendar. You won’t be disappointed. But I guess the only disappointment you will feel is that you didn’t get in. 

Okay, ciao (*Kevin's voice from The Office making fun of Gabe*  >___<    LOL) for now while I’ll kick my legs up, eat a bunch of food and get some R&R. 

I’ll be back on the trails and up for more adventures soon.



-Anthony



Race Tallies:

VFuel Gels Eaten: 80 Gels (Raspberry Lemonade, Cool Citrus)
Coke Drank: 20x 8oz
Pirogies Eaten: 8
High Fives/ Fist Bumps: So MANY!
Gummy worms, bears, peachy-Os: TOO MUCH

Shoes Worn: Salomon Ultra Pros (Whole Race)
Socks: Drymax 1/4 Speedgoat (one pair)
Gear: rabbit best in show short shorts, rabbit trail EZ Tee, rabbit speed sleeves, Smartwool, Petzl Headlamp, Arc'teryx Beta Down