Hardrock 100 Telluride to Ouray

(over Kroger’s canteen, formerly known as Virginius Pass)

Kroger's Canteen 32.8mi 19:29-19:33 4 minutes (:15)
Governor's Basin 36mi 20:34-20:38 4 minutes (:19)
Ouray 43.9mi 22:30-22:53 23 minutes (:42)


As I was walking through town I saw David and Michelle and caught up with them again, and actually stayed with Mark Heaphy for a short while until he really started to climb away from me...

After ascending the street shown in the photo at right, you eventually come to a trail, complete with many trees; definitely a contrast to climbing Oscar's pass, where trees were scant at best. I didn't take a photo since it was all I could do to keep moving. Chad Carson caught up to me and we spoke for a minute or two (at the pre-race full trail briefing, he mentioned that I looked familiar...we both realized that other than Hardrock, neither of us had been at the same races. ) He powered up the hill and that was the last I saw of him. Shortly after that I came upon Chris Twiggs again; I actually heard him before I saw him, wheezing just short of what I thought was imminent collapse. I stopped to see if I had anything to offer and he assured me he was alright, he just needed a break. Once again, I knew that he had been here before and knew how to finish, so after a few minutes of talking with him (and he did not collapse) I figured he was alright, so off I went. Shortly after, Michelle caught back up to me and we chatted for a bit. Not long after (though it didn't seem like it at the time) we reached tree line and we could see Mendota saddle ahead.

Ascending the trail, however, it was hard not to notice the eerie retching sounds echoing off the ridge...it was Chuck Wilson again, only this time he was bundled up, obviously cold, and rapidly losing whatever contents were left in his stomach. I felt really bad for him, especially knowing he has had trouble finishing here, but I can't really say I was suprised with how fast he blew past me climbing Oscar's Pass just a few hours earlier. I stopped to check on him and he reassured me that he was o.k. so I wished him well and off I went.

I did eventually see Steve and Greg again, so I made it my goal to catch up to them before Kroger's Canteen (formerly known as Virginius Pass) We stuck together and arrived within a couple of minutes of several other runners. I knew I was set for water now that the cloud cover had taken over, so I only stopped for a cup of soup. I thanked the gentlemen there profusely for hauling all of the aid station gear up there on their own backs and started down the first pitch.

Normally I would have just glissaded down, however one of the volunteers mentioned that all the places that people normally glissade down had several rocks protruding from the snow. I figured it would be a good idea to keep myself in good working order so I just rappelled down the fixed rope they had installed for the race. People normally glissade while holding the rope, but there were rocks there as well.

I glissaded the second and third pitches with Greg and Steve; I watched as Greg nearly slid into the rocks at the edge of the snowfield, but managed to recover. I knew I would get a little cold glissding in my shorts, but I was ready and it wasn't dark yet. After running a bit after getting up, though, it's no problem. I must have stopped to get some maltodextrin or gels out of my pack and I looked up and Steve and Greg were gone...which was bad since I almost made a wrong turn toward Virginius mine. Actually I was just second-guessing myself since I missed the course marking here and hadn't seen this part of the course since last year - going in the other direction. Just before Governor's Basin Aid Station, however, I caught back up to Steve and Greg. Steve had planned on taking it easy into Ouray so he would be ready for the biggest climb of the race after leaving Ouray. Once we arrived at the aid station, I grabbed some more snacks for my ziplock baggie, restocked my pockets with gels and shot blocks from my pack and continued on with Steve and Greg.

Around this time it started to get dark; I had already pulled my lights out of my pack and was ready to turn them on. I got ahead of Steve and Greg while they pulled out their lights but I knew they would catch up eventually. I caught up to Richard Szekeresh while I waited for Steve and Greg to catch up (Greg was removing his now no-longer-needed jacket and adjusting lights) As I looked back to see if they were coming I saw a light behind me and thought it was them, it turned out to be Patty Bryant. I went back and forth with Patty but hadn't seen her since before Chapman Aid Station so was suprised that I was actually ahead of her. I stayed with Patty for a while, though we got off course a bit at an intersection around half way down the road (I didn’t think that was possible having driven down this road; of course that was in the daylight…) Fortunately, we quickly discovered we were off track, turned around and saw another light coming down the road (so the diversion only cost us a minute or two) The light turned out to be Joe Prusaitis, who I know is a good downhill runner (and numerous Hardrock finisher.) Since I hadn’t seen the ‘new’ entrance to and exit from Ouray, I used this as an excuse to stay with Joe, that and he is great to hang out with. Eventually we saw more and more houses then finally the lights of Ouray. When we did get to the turnoff, it was glaringly obvious and I knew I wouldn't have missed it, but enjoyed the downhill running with Joe just the same. We crossed the footbridge, with nothing but a layer of grating between our feet and the rocks dozens of feet below, just visible with our headlamps. At the end of the tunnel there is a pronounced step to be negotiated before ducking to enter a tunnel.

We entered the tunnel, moving at a crouch because of the low ceiling, and just as Joe was about at the end of the tunnel, a bat flew right by me. I must have scared it off because it left the tunnel immediately after. I think this was the first time I had seen a bat in the wild (I grew up going to the bat house at the local zoo and was fascinated by how they could navigate with sonar...)

Joe started pushing the downhills after the tunnel (as Tom Crull says, Joe is the 'best in the business' at going downhill) and I followed him into town, around the corners and to the aid station (though the course marking was actually quite adequate.) As we turned the final corner to the park where the aid station was located, I heard a woman's voice call my name as I passed. She was obviously someone I knew but couldn't tell who it was since I didn't want to shine a light in anybody's face.

The Aid Staion in Ouray was alive with the activity of seemingly multitudes of folks taking care of the many runners who were there. I was actually hoping to make it here before dark but was not really dissapointed since I made it with plenty of time to spare before the cutoff. I saw Wendell and Sarah (who were crewing for Chuck Wilson) and they had already heard the news of Chucks monumental heaving before Mendota Saddle.

I used the restroom, washed my hands, ate some pasta (I waited what seemed like microseconds as the wonderful aid station folks and other people's crews got everything I could think of for me.) I reloaded my pack from my drop bag and grabbed some more warm clothes. I had intended to spend just enough time here to take care of everything that would be needed before the big climb over Engineer pass and the long downhill to Grouse Gulch, but I knew that I would start getting cold if I stayed too long. If I was cold starting from here, then Bear Creek and Engineer Pass would have done me in. I made my final checks of gear, clothing, water bottles and calories and headed off with a group of folks, most likely many whom I had spent the last several hours with (though again, I didn't want to shine a light in anyone's eyes to make sure) The city streets seemed oddly unfamiliar as I headed into the darkness toward the trail.