Hardrock 100 Start to KT (Kamm Traverse)

(Mineral Creek crossing and climb up Putnam then descent down to KT)


I started off easy in the midst of the pack.

It took a while to get comfortable, adjusting layers of clothing and getting the double bottle hip-pack to ride correctly (I’ll have to design a better strap system than REI has on their two-bottle pack) but I started to get into the groove. Things started to look familiar from last year, but less on the earliest parts of the course since it was pitch dark going the other direction last year.

I followed along with the merry band of us heading up to the ‘Nute chute’ with the song that had been in my head since I had awoken that morning: the Fat Albert theme, specifically “nah, nah, nah, gonna’ have a good time…Hey,Hey,Hey!” I have no idea where it came from but at least my subconscious was helping me, not knocking me down like later in most races. So for as crazy as it was I was at least singing something (mostly to myself for the common good) that kept me motivated and in a cheerful mood.

After a while you tend to find yourself with a familiar bunch of folks; some you see over and over again as the race progresses and some you don’t (the ones you don’t see are generally the ones you can’t keep up with as they get faster and you get slower…)

In what seemed like no time at all we all heard the hootin’ and hollerin’ of the spectators waiting at the Mineral Creek crossing. This year I was actually looking forward to it – early as the sun was coming up and plenty of time to warm up and dry off. Last year it wasn’t so nice at somewhere around 3am – though last year, after about 15 seconds ,everything the water touches goes numb…until you thaw out and feel how cold you are…

I put on my jacket as a precaution and crossed the road. I couldn’t believe how many people were calling may name (MY name this time, as opposed to my first Angeles Crest where I had the same first name of one of the other runners; as I passed by I actually recognized quite a few people ;-) A few folks even caught me in their photos. I took off my hip-pack and buckled it then slung it over my shoulder.

It was a good thing that I did since the river was flowing a bit higher than I had anticipated for so early in the morning. I crossed to the other side and more cheers. I saw Jamil taking photos and Olga cheering everyone on (she would pace Mike Burke to a PR) I gave Olga a high-five as I passed and just enjoyed the morning. As we started the climb I encountered the big rocks – THOSE I remember from last year (with feet like hamburger but today I had a strategy about how to take care of my feet…the pack started to settle out a bit and I found myself with David Goldberg and Michelle Schwartz, Liz Bauer and Scott Brockmeier, and a few folks who would get ahead and I wouldn’t see again, like Mike Dobies. We kept climbing and climbing (typical on the Hardrock course – go UP, UP, UP until you can’t go up anymore and then go DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, until you no longer can (usually an aid station there) then repeat as necessary. After a while we were above tree line and the sun started shining on all of us. I put my bandana over my head with my hat holding it down and life was good. As we ascended, we saw a herd of Llamas across the creek to our left. I kept moving uphill but eventually had to empty rocks out of my shoes (I never took the time to affix the Velcro to the back of my Inov-8 Flyrocks, so didn’t wear gaiter this year) and as soon as I pulled off the side of the trail, a host of folks passed me. As soon as I got moving again I managed to catch back up. I kept eating a Clif Shot Blok every 15 minutes or so with a gel every hour (or so) I had the maltodextrin and crystal light mix in one water bottle and straight water in the other. Every now and then I would eat something more solid like a Zone Perfect bar or Power Bar. It must have worked because I did not have any stomach problems the entire race. I was also planning on eating a burrito, quesadilla, soup or other delectable (or two) in each aid station. Finally, we topped out on Putnam-Cataract ridge and started the descent into the basin. There were plenty of snow fields to cross and I kept looking at every one for snow bridges. Fortunately, the snow held and I had no problems (but was listening for running water just in case…) then, after a (relatively) short climb up cataract-Porcupine pass we started the plunge down toward KT. More stream crossings (if you haven’t already noticed, there is a pattern here; namely that your feet will not ever be dry on this course…) One other thing was the mud. The footing was dicey at best and mostly treacherous as the norm. Don’t worry Craig and Greg, I won’t let anybody know each of you slid down the mud and landed on your Butt in front of me ;-)

Rodger Wrublik caught up to me and passed me; I would see him once or twice again and then he would leave me behind for good. After we had suffered our penance slipping and sliding we were rewarded with a shoe-washing – South Mineral Creek. Just a short uphill – with spectators cheering us on – and we were at KT aid station.