Dead Horse 30K

Oh jeepers.  This running post is going to make me feel guilty because I haven't been doing any running lately (our Christmas Wheeler Wobble excluded.)  Granted, it's currently seventeen degrees outside, but I turned off my alarm and didn't even go the gym this morning.  We are planning on night skiing this evening.  Hopefully that counts for something?

Back to the subject at hand, all the way back in May I registered for the Dead Horse 50K in Moab, Utah, out near Gemini bridges.  I was turning 40 and wanted a challenging, meaningful goal.  An ultra-marathon (31 miles) with 3000 feet of elevation gain promised to both deliver and whip me into shape in the process.

Well, August arrived with the unexpected twist of me accepting a new job.  It quickly became evident that I'd never find time to squeeze in four and five hour-long training runs.  So, I downgraded to the 30K distance (18.6 miles with 2000 feet of elevation gain.)  Still plenty challenging while allowing me to stay more balanced in life.

The best part?  Training got me to explore the trails right around our home.  These runs may be tough, but they are oh so beautiful!

Just looking at these pictures is enough to make me want to strap on my running shoes right now.  But then I remember the ice...and the snow...and the cold.

After a fall full of glorious runs, race day finally arrived.  The Dead Horse 30K may be one of the best race starts I've ever experienced.  Friday night we stayed at Moab's Springhill Suites, enjoying the outdoor hot tubs and heated pool until ten.  After a great night's sleep, I got up at six, hit the treadmill for a few minutes (that was dumb), ate a light breakfast, and had Jason drive me ten minutes up the road to the trailhead.  No 4 am alarms, no loading school buses in the pitch black--it was delightful.

Race start.  Kind of nervous, but super excited.  Nearly everyone around me had hydration packs, but all I was carrying was my cell phone and an inhaler.  I sure hoped I wasn't underestimating the day ahead!

I had only two goals for the race--to enjoy the experience, and to not run so hard that I was miserable for the rest of our time in Moab.  Given those parameters, I felt plenty comfortable pausing every now and again to take a few pictures.

Plus, given some of the climbs, I was grateful for the excuse to stop and walk.

My favorite part of the race was the single track marked by a yellow dashes.  I felt like such an explorer winding my way through all the twists and turns to territory unknown.

I needn't have worried about not having my own hydration pack.  The aid stations were fantastic.  Forget about gu and gels (although they were available.) Here you could load up on real food--peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, m&ms, fruit, salted potatoes, even bacon and quesadillas fresh off the grill.

At one point, I passed a sign that said, "Not worried about your time?  Take this short spur to see Gemini Bridges."  So I did.

More glorious desert.

The trail formed what you might consider a lollipop shape.  We ran up the stick, in a big loop around the candy, and then back down the same stick to the start.  I felt delightfully strong all the way until I got back to the stick.  Then knowing the challenging trail that lay ahead of me, the road suddenly seemed very, very long.  Still, I persevered.  Every once in a while I would get passed by a 50K runner and envy their superhuman stamina.

Jason joined me for the final half mile, and thank goodness.  I was completely out of gas!  Here I am running the final 100 meters with the kids, still wondering if I would actually make it.

At last, the finish.  Nothing terribly speedy.  If my math is correct, 3:27 equates to just over an eleven minute mile.

Still every reason to feel proud.  Finishing is always an accomplishment, plus within half an hour I felt strong enough to eat a Mad Moose enchilada.

As for the kids, they didn't mind waiting around for me.

Best of all, I had enough energy left over to go hiking that afternoon.


Oh autumn, I miss you!

Winding its way along a creek, this trail was super fun because you got to pick your way across the water...

...twenty times!  (Ten each direction.)  When you're a kid, there's nothing more fun than hopping from stone to stone.  As an adult, I really like it too.

The kids also enjoyed finding some rock "hotels" like the ones they used to frequent in St. George.


Such goofballs!

Nearly there.  I had to roll my eyes as the kids kept complaining about how they were tired.


In the end though, everyone thought Morning Glory Bridge was well worth the journey.

Who knows?  Next time we come, we might bring our ropes for a good rappel as well.

One final plug for the Dead Horse Ultra.  The race was beautiful, fun, and well-organized. Really, it's hard to beat the Moab desert trails.  For me, the 30K distance was perfect: challenging, but not (extremely) punishing.  Anyone want to join me for 2019?  :)