MATT CHAT
"we DID IT! together: Pikes Peak"
DAY 1.
Moira did it. Matty did it. and I did it. We ascended Pikes Peak last Saturday, from the start line at 6,300 feet, to the finish line at the 14,100 foot summit. We were together just before the start, & we were together at the top in our red finisher jackets. More importantly, we were together at P2 training sessions since January, as we ran long, climbed hills, ascended stairs, survived vertical treadmill workouts, & pushed through training cylces, periods of fatigue, & a wide range of temperatures.
I did not see Moira or Matty after the Pikes 7AM shotgun start. But i knew that they were with me ... on the Barr Trail, running & walking up the twisting, rocky ascent. And I knew that our P2 teammates in Minnesota were ´with us´ as well. The teammates who we had trained with. The teammates who had sent us off to Colorado with cards & emails & hugs. And the teammates who were thinking about us right now - as we climbed the Peak.
Each of us had our miles & minutes of strength, as well as our moments of struggles. Yet we climbed on, with the power of individual desire, and the push from the power of teammates. The blue sky provided cascading views, as well as dry, hot sunlight. It was a rare & hot day on the mountain, as temperatures reached 50 degrees at the summit. Water, & gels & gatorade provided nourishment ... but we had to provide the upward & forward momentum.
It is quiet during the Pikes Ascent. You can hear your footsteps, & your breathing, & your self-talk. These sounds remind you when to walk, when to run, & when to remember why you are here --> to persist through a most overwhelming challenge. The miles go by very slowly at the bottom, due to the extreme elevation gains in the 1st 4 miles. And they pass by even slower above tree line, as the last 3 miles zig & zag and seemingly never get you closer to the finish line, which you can see (and hear) on a cliff HIGH into the sky.
We all DID IT. we all pushed onward & upward, and crossed that line. the line that signified that one had the endurance, heart, persistent attitude, & mental toughness to be a Pikes Peak Ascent finisher. And I saw Moira & Matty finish. And I was inspired.
DAY 2.
21 hours after finishing the Pikes Peak Ascent, I was on the starting line again - with Gabe. The presence of a teammate is calming, affirming, & inspiring. We exchanged vows: "I promise to be mentally strong today," and then separated as the song ´America the Beautiful´ filled our ears. I looked up at the Pikes summit, & told myself that I wanted to have a defining day.
It was already 70 degrees, with a piercing blue sky. This was going to be a very hot Pikes Peak Marathon. For the 1st time in 11 starts I did not carry gloves, as I knew we would not encounter cold weather today. And like Saturday, I planned to take off my shirt for the initial 5 miles of steep climbing.
My legs felt light & responsive in the early miles, & I was psyched to note that my pace per mile was only 20 seconds slower than day 1. I reminded myself why I love the Pikes marathon: the pace is slower, the surrounding runners are calm, & I love to find out how strongly I can run on day 2 of "the double."
By mile 2, our bodies & hair were soaked in sweat. And we climbed on - with short, quick steps on the dry & rocky trail. At each turn of the trail, we could look over our shoulder and see how much elevation we had gained - as well as enjoy the long gaze over the cities of Manitou & Colorado Springs. This was just the beginning.
You can enjoy a "time out" on the Pikes climb during mile 6, when you run 3-4 minutes faster on the trail that levels off & even provides a few downhills. What a feeling it is to let go & run freely ... for a few minutes ... as you know what is around the corner.
I ran an 8:15 6th mile, then balooned to a 12:10 7th mile, & a 16:50 10th mile. That´s how hard Pikes is. The higher you climb, the more rocky the terrain becomes, & the more rare the air becomes. Yet you press onward, with memories of your epic summer workouts that prepared you for these moments.
At mile 10, I was above tree line. And I still had my shirt off. And I thought about Gabe. I visualized my P2 teammates who were racing or training today. And I told myself that nobody was going to pass me in the next 3 miles. The views above tree line are long. You can look down onto the colorado plains, & you can look up at the Pikes Summit. Both the views & your rapid breathing remind you that you have climbed for miles, & that you have miles to go to get to the turn-around. And you can hear your heart beating, as you climb from 12,000 to 14,100 in the last 3 miles.
I felt especially good as I pulled myself up over the first of the "16 Golden Stairs," which start about 1 mile before the summit. I could ´feel´ that I was having a very good day, and & was pushed by the cheers of Moira, who was waiting for us at the top. The presence of a P2 teammate at the summit is so uplifting ... to exchange energy & support for a brief moment ... before the 13-mile descent begins. And what a descent it is; one that is so rugged & twisting, that you have to watch EVERY step to prevent yourself from falling onto the jagged rocks.
One mile down the moutain, Gabe & I crossed paths, and shared powerful eye contact & words as he ran up, and I ran down. He looked strong & in control, which was comforting for me. Now it was time to get absorbed in the 7,000 foot plummet back to the finish line, and to enjoy feeling stronger & faster as the high, rare air was left behind.
Have you ever run a 14-minute mile downhill? That´s how rocky, rough, & taxing it is at Pikes. For most of the first 5 miles down the mountain, you say to yourself: "how am I supposed to run on this terrain?!" As the residents of elevation states raced by me, I remained calm & patient, as my plan was to unleash my fastest pace during the last 7 miles of smooth, descending terrain. For now, my focus was on running efficiently through the demanding twists, turns, & drop-offs of the trail. I wisely fueled during these slower miles, by consuming gels & gatorade & water, so that my muscles would not fail to meet the desires of my mind during my final 50-minute push to the finish line.
Each of the last 7 miles provided the opportunity to run faster, & moved us into hotter temperatures. It was like running into an oven. I noticed every runner around me wilting, as I continued to press onward with sub-7:00 miles. My numerous hot summer runs in Minnesota were paying-off, as I was in control, racing with passion, & flying toward my best finish. I was all alone, enjoying the sound of my fast feet, feeling the performance power in me, and making my ultimate goal a reality, step by step.
With a 1/2-mile to go, a wise looking old man told me that I was in 10th place. He jolted me with that news, as I had never counted or wondered about my place all day - I had just pushed onward, in the moment, to my very best effort ... mile by mile. As I crossed the finish of my 3rd double, I knew that I had "done it:" nobody passed me the last 6 miles, and I had caught 9 runners during my descent. Without looking at the results, I found a quiet place & felt tears running down my face as I savored a most satisfying personal best effort.
Quickly, I returned to the homestretch to watch other Pikes marathoners finish. And Gabe was among them. It was uplifting to see the desire and passion on their faces, & to watch them persist onward to the finish. On tired legs. With tired minds. And with a deep-burning goal inside.
When we crossed the Pikes Peak Marathon finish line, we knew & felt that we had accomplished a most remarkable & rare feat. The picture (below) reveals ´that´ feeling.
~ coach matt 8/23/07
"L00K, LISTEN, & LEARN"
I might have watched a triathlon for the 100th time on July 29th in Chisago. My eyes have seen people swim, bike, & run to the finish line in the 80´s, 90´s, and 00´s. And I have seen the sport, the participants, & the equipment change dramatically over the last 25 years.
It is always exciting to watch a race. You should try doing just that. Grab a cup of coffee, stand by the transition area, and watch the waves of triathletes swim, transition, bike, transition, run, AND cross ´that´ finish line. You might want to bring a camera as well, as you will capture images that display the depth of persistence, desire, passion, and mental toughness that people can achieve.
Triathlon is a sport that continues to surpass its previous year´s participation numbers. At Chisago, I could see why: 1600 triathletes got up by 5:30am, so they could do their best to move from the water´s edge to the finish line, "doing it" in 90-degree temperatures. I saw kids as young as 5, and adults in the 70-year age group. I saw triathlon bikes & mountain bikes. I saw some elite athletes, but mostly boys, girls, women, & men who wanted to do and finish their first triathlon, their longest triathlon, or their local triathlon.
Today´s triathletes are all ages, heights, shapes, weights, and range from novice to experienced. And there will be more triathletes next year. Because I saw a LOT of people watching, and cheering, and supporting, and (I predict) wondering: "could I do a triathlon next year?"
Most triathletes do 1 or 2 events per year, and those races are usually sprint triathlons or triathlon relays (where you can form a team of 3 people to complete the swim-bike-run challenge). I see a lot of upside to this sport. It was evident at Chisago, where in their 2nd year, the event recorded a very large number of finishers, and even a larger number of spectators.
If YOU have not yet crossed a triathlon finish line, I think you should plan on it. I know you can do it, because I saw everyone doing it yesterday at Chisago. And I will be there next year, watching YOU DO IT.
coach Matt 7/30/07