Action Packed Mountain Weekend

So when your 16-year old running son wants to join several other cross country kiddos for one hellaciously tough 25k trail run on Memorial Day in Gunnison - about 4 hours SW of Denver in the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains - what's a good great mom to do?

Road trip!

We set off on Saturday afternoon, giving us 2 days to play and explore before the race on Monday.  I instantly hit up fellow blogger, Cynthea (who, sadly, no longer blogs :( ), who lives in the area, to see if we could hook up while there.  She graciously offered to let us stay at her house, having never even met me.  I guess my charm and wit are irresistible :).  I promised I wasn't some ax murder and we gladly accepted her offer for one night (thanks again, Cynthea) and then hoteled it the second night with the rest of the track team in town.

When we set off on Saturday, the winds picked up to some insane gale-force strength and smoke from some monster fires in New Mexico filled the air and caused a thick haze to cloud our views along the way (and cause my eyes to itch like mad.  Bleh!)

Horrible smoke-filled haze constricting the normally gorgeous landscapes

When we stopped at the top of Monarch Pass, elevation 11,332', the winds were so strong and little rocks were whipping around, like a tornado picks up cars, and pounding them smack into my legs.  We didn't stay long to explore on the top of the pass, like I had hoped to.

Like the wind-blown hair in the face look?

Instead, we continued on into Gunnison and gave ourselves a little self-guided exploring of Western States University campus, home of the world's highest collegiate track and football field at 7700'.

I obviously have mastered the Steeplechase hurdle on my first attempt over

We had dinner on Saturday night with Cynthea and her son in the really cute town of Crested Butte (elevation 8909').

Sunday morning, a scrumptious breakfast of homemade buttermilk waffles ("scrumptious" would indicate I did not make them), Cynthea and her family drug my sorry butt 1000'  up the side of some mountain on a gorgeous trail near their house.

Our gracious hosts on top of whatever peak we climbed

Trail coming down

Wild Lupines

 Hike done, we said our goodbyes...but first a quick pic of the view from Cynthea's backyard,

I'm jealous!

then Ryan and I headed back to Crested Butte to do some sightseeing.

I'd like to own this house, please!  That baby cow was so funny, it keep mooing at me :).

House sided with old license plates (mostly Colorado ones)

Close up of some of the plates.  Pretty cool place, I thought

Springtime in the Rockies produces some awesome growing green things

Monday brought race day.  Not for me this round (thankfully), but for Ryan and several members of his cross country team.

The race was the Sage Burner Trail 25k and 50k, which is hosted by the university and is held at the Hartman Rocks Recreational Area on the outskirts of Gunnison, Colorado.  Hartman Rocks is a 160 acre "park" filled with a network of single track trails and dirt roads.  I'm not sure where or how the tradition began for our high schoolers to run this race - it's not like it's really convenient to home - but because freshman are not allowed, per unofficial written "rules" by the team, Ryan was chomping at the bit to run this race this year as it'd be his first (if I only had a dollar for every time I heard "Sage Burner" in the past year, I could buy that house above).

Ryan knew this race would be tough, but he had no idea how tough.  The area is a plethora of hills.  More hills.  And then topped off with just a few more, for good measure.

He was nervous when we got to the starting area.  It was a tropical 27 degrees at the start (yeah, 27 degrees) and he had layers on, then off, then back on, then off.  Last minute, he ditched his long-sleeved shirt, which eventually he was grateful to shed.  A few words from the race director before, and then they're off.

Lining up.  Probably about 150 participants, about 50 of them the 50kers.
Our kids are on the far left

Ryan, being rather nervous

There they go.

Since I had some time to kill waiting for Ryan, Cynthea came into town so we could run a little of the trails ourselves.

She wouldn't let me wear a watch (I actually left my Garmin back in Denver - I know, gasp!) and I was perfectly fine with that (though, admittedly, I wanted to know how far we went, but didn't care at all about our pace.  And I was a bit worried we'd miss some of the kids finish by not knowing what time it was).  We just ran.  And talked.  Then ran some more.....up and down and over and around and up some more then down and then up and up and up and upppppp.  Time passed so fast as we enjoyed the scenery together...

I only tripped and stumbled over rocks about 30 times, but remarkably didn't end up with any road rash (trail rash?).  I had so much fun wandering around on the trails with someone I so easily got along with; my heart was definitely resonating in the present with these playful moments on the trails.  I can't remember the last time I felt so free and liberated out on a run; 2 hours felt like about 10 minutes.  Maybe this casual pace works best for me.  Maybe I can go farther and enjoy more fully when I just let everything go, leaving the numbers planner in me at home.  I absolutely need more adventures like this!

We made it back just in the nick of time as the racers were starting to come in.  As we were heading down the last section of trail to the finish line area of the race, I saw the first of our high schoolers cross the finish line, coming in 4th overall.  Cynthea and I hurried down to the bottom to watch and cheer the remaining runners coming in.  I started to get a bit concerned to not see Ryan where he thought he might finish (he has horrible asthma, exacerbated by dust.  Dusty trails are not his best friend), but soon he was there and crossed a few seconds shy of 3-hours for his first 25k trail race (16.4 miles, actually :)).

His first words?  Oh my God, that was SO hard!!!  (repeated multiple times on our 4-hour drive home :)).


I just grinned.  I couldn't have been more proud.  I have a lump in my throat just sharing this moment with you.

Ryan looks like he'd rather be dead right now.  I look like I'm so grateful I didn't run that race!

Isn't it cool how some people can just astound us?  Even people we know as well as our own children.  That race was not easy for Ryan, he's never run anything over 13.1 miles before and never on terrain that tested his physical limits as well as his mental ones.  And he's only 16!!  Yet he was bound and determined to do it, and did it he did.

I've always believe that determination far out-weighs giftedness, his race was a classic example.

There is something about a little adventure that brings out the best in all of us and sets us free.  I can't wait to see what type of adventures Ryan turns to as he grows into the incredible runner he is becoming.  I have a feeling this won't be his last.

And it definitely won't be mine.

I'm heading out of town this weekend for a little R&B time (Race and Beach).  Ahhh, another adventure...but I'll probably bring my watch ;).