I had to go in for groceries this morning and decided I would run Sanitas for the first time ever. I parked below the hospital and ran up to the bathrooms, then back down and headed up for a recon of the trail. I felt like crap but my watch still read 19:53 at the pole which included the run up to and back down from the bathrooms (~3:00). Descended the back side which sucked completely but I bumped in to Matt Reed who was coming down the nice part of the trail, always good to see Matty. Lap 2... my legs ached and my stomach was cramping from eating before a run which I never do, I was out for a jog after-all. From the bridge to the pole in 15:57 but I forgot to hit stop on my watch. I felt far from even OK which made it a good effort but I dragged ass the whole way. I'll be back for this again when I feel rested.
14 comments:
Nice!
Next time I will head up and you go to the bathroom and we should tie getting to the top!
Not sure on your loop though. Did you go clockwise (bird's eye view)?
Thanks!
Ya, clockwise. Up the "stairs" the whole way. I'm not used to that type of running at all. I need a lot more of that for Leadville (I think?). And my descending is pathetic.
Yeah, its a weird workout. Lots of power output but you aren't moving that fast. There are small quirks in line selection for the fastest route up as well. It is nice and bite-sized so you can keep perfecting it.
I can see that line selection would be key. It looks like people have cut the tangents and made a new trail in spots. I of course took those tangents when I saw them. The toughest part was not knowing where the top was, so my gauging of effort was off. I held back thinking the top was still a ways away and it wasn't... even on the second lap.
That's a solid first go at "the stairs!" I wish I could have joined you. At Leadville, there's only a mile or so total of that kind of descending!
I think the FKT is in the high 14 range by Rickey Gates. Very very impressive first outing. I have never gotten a 16 anything on that.
Thanks JP. I have it in my mind that Leadville is all technical single track and uphill and 45,000ft. That should keep me honest in my training.
Next Wednesday I'm going to try to meet Brandon at Sanitas in the morning if you can get away? ~8:45am.
G- Thanks! Do you know where the 'official' start is on Sanitas? Rickey Gates is good?
Rickey Gates .. mostlypaved.blogspot.com.
US Mountain Champ a couple of times (I think) and member of the US contingent of the World Mountain Team.
Next FKT was in the 14s as well by Scott Elliott. That guy won some race on some hill down south a bunch of times.
Damn. 15:57 the first time on Sanitas. Most impressive! Those step-ups are definitely a whole different kind of running. Good for a fitness check, but just not all that fun the way a long steady climb up a picturesque valley is. Still, it's close to town...it's scenic and it's good for a whole bunch of envious comments from fellow bloggers. Well done!
Got your message about Wednesday. Won't be able to make it due to kid doc appointment and the Veterans Day holiday (no commute for me). Let's try another day soon. Sorry to miss you guys. Thanks for the invite.
Jim- I'm in Golden (near Nederland). If you want to do some running some other time and you're close, let me know.
T
i would have crushed you so it's probably a good thing that you didn't call to invite me along.
i used to hike that all the time when i first moved to boulder with a 50 lb rain on my back(and GG in my pocket)...
i can't believe you've never been up there.
Kerrie- Tony DeBoom (ex-Army Ranger) has done Sanitas with about 50 lbs on his back and I think he did it damn fast too. I only ran it yesterday because I heard all the cool kids do it. When I raced the Sunshine Cyn hill climb this year it was the first time I had but up Sunshine.
8 loops is a marathon with 10,500+ ft climbing. I tried once but was having a hard time supporting my body weight with my quads at the end of loop 6 coming down the steep parts of the East Trail. DNF'ed because I envisioned a rescue if I went up for the start of loop 7. There is no pride in being carried off Sanitas in a basket! I had a hard time going down stairs for 2-3 days.
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