Mt Washington run 2018

[Square Wheels]

Well, I planned, I trained, I made it to the top, but it was from what I hoped for.

Thursday night I had a family / personal crisis that is going to take months, probably some court dates, and a lot more pain to resolve.  I did't get to sleep until after 3am.  Then silly us, two friends who ran it with us came over last night and we stayed up late chatting, got about 6 hours of sleep.  Woke up still a mess from Thursday, still now, will be with me for a while.  I'm not going to share more about it here, it's too troubling right now.

The weather at the base this morning was perfect, probably low 60's.  I stood in the front today for the start, just behind the elite guys.  I didn't run nearly as fast, and also feel I didn't get in their way, but it was cool to be in the front.

I "ran" the first half, no walk breaks.  There is a timer at the halfway point, I was at 1:03.  Not what I was hoping for, I walked the rest.

It was a very windy day.  The treeline goes about halfway up the mountain, then quickly thins to nothing.  Once I cleared the trees, the wind really picked up.  About 20mph for the rest of the run, 90% of it a headwind.  It was brutal.  This years winner finished about 10 minutes slower than last years (who also ran today).  It was also pretty cold at the top, I heard low 40's.  I had a cycling jersey and running shorts.

I don't have an official time, but the race clock and my Garmin both said 2:10.  Same as last year.  Very disappointed.  I trained hard for this.  Even though I've been a lifelong couch potato, overweight most of my life, the past 5 or so years have been a big change foe me, I really expected under 2 hours this year.

I finished well before my friends.  The last few hundred yards are 22%, that's kinda tough at the end of a 7.6 mile run at 12%.  I went to the bottom of that part of the run and waited for my friends.  I forgot my bag of warm clothes at the bottom, so a lot of shivering was involved.  I saw the guy friend come up first, he seemed OK, so I just high fived him.  He actually was pretty dehydrated and felt sick for a couple of hours after.

Next I saw a women a little wobbly, I was yelling some encouraging words.  Her hat blew off (remember, 20mph winds).  I yelled, loudly, a couple of times, I'll get it, just keep going).  I think she was delirious and didn't hear me.  She bent over to pick it up and face planted.  She stayed down for a bit, didn't appear seriously hurt (probably broke her nose), so a few of us picked her up.  She wanted to continue.  So me and another guy grabbed her under each arm and ran the 22% with her.  We got her across the line and we brought her right to the EMTs.  This was the coolest part of my day.

I went back down the 22% part, saw my girl friend and she was having a tough time.  I took her under her arm and got her near the finish line, then she completed it on her own.   Also pretty cool

Back down I went, saw the wife.  She was doing OK, I ran next to her, and she didn't need any help, so I let her cross on her own.

I hate making excuses, but the personal issues are weighing heavily on me.  It was horribly windy.  It was not the race I hoped for.

I finished, I will do it again next year, I will train harder.  My coach is awesome, he did a fantastic job getting me as ready as I could be.  The failures are all on me.  I needed to lose 15 pounds that I didn't, I needed to get my head into the race today, I couldn't.

Here's a pic with me, George (98 years old and a 2018 finisher) and my wife.

Me finishing (yellow cap)

My (and some stranger) helping (some other stranger).

[Wilbur ★]

You have to start from worst case scenarios when evaluating performance.  Worst case is death and you didn't do that.   

Congratulations!  

[smudge ★]

Keep in mind you did the steepest part three times! That's hardcore!

And if last year's winning time was 10 minutes faster, so figure 10-20 minutes off your time to compare to last year...

I'd say you did a damned fine job, sir!

[maddmaxx ★]

18 minutes ago, smudge said:

Keep in mind you did the steepest part three times! That's hardcore!

And if last year's winning time was 10 minutes faster, so figure 10-20 minutes off your time to compare to last year...

I'd say you did a damned fine job, sir!

This.  To finish with the same time under much tougher conditions is a win.

[shootingstar]

Great job.

(Am still trying to process, girlfriend, wife thing. But that's super personal.)

98 yrs. old...wow for that guy.

[Zephyr]

Top shelf job, SW.  I salute you, you are one tough SOB.  There is no way I could do what you just did.  Do not belittle this accomplishment, it is something to be proud of.

Plus the fact that your girlfriend and your wife finished so close together and you never got caught.  Way to make the run interesting.  A great report.  

[Wilbur ★]

Are you people dense?  Clearly, he was talking about his girlfriend and her wife.  Jeeze. 

[Further]

You are an inspiration to all of us 

I hope the personal issues work out OK

[Wilbur ★]

That was a great time for Mt Washington.  I did the top 6000 ft of MT Evans yesterday but only hiking.  The 14000 ft elevation was getting tough.  Not a good walk for hamstring issues, I had to hitch a ride down to the parking lot.    I was 3 hours 15 going up. 

[Page Turner]

...I was just gonna start the memorial thread, so it's a good thing you posted this report. 

I have had a girlfriend and a wife before on a number of occasions. I don't get why people get so freaked out about it. It took about five or six years from the day we split up until we filed for and got a divorce in my first marriage, and the second one we stayed formally married for another four or five years after we set up separate digs so I could carry her child (with another guy) on insurance.  Life is complicated, especially if you were a hippie.

 

Christ, people, it's the 21st Century.  There are people running around who claim to be gender fluid for gosh sakes.

 

 

[Page Turner]

2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Are you people dense?  Clearly, he was talking about his girlfriend and her wife.  Jeeze. 

...hot.

[donkpow]

3 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

I finished well before my friends.

You are more courageous than you admit.

[Page Turner]

...I still don't get why finishing with the same time, but being a year older, is a bad thing. 

I can feel in my bones that you are going to have some issues with the aging process, @Square Wheels

[AirwickWithCheese]

35 minutes ago, Page Turner said:

...I still don't get why finishing with the same time, but being a year older, is a bad thing. 

I can feel in my bones that you are going to have some issues with the aging process, @Square Wheels

Because if you had been paying attention last year, he was injured and training was interrupted. Those of us who put our money with our bookie that Wheels would best last year's time lost.    

 

[Razors Edge ★]

Kudos to you!  You survived AND crushed my over/under time.

Tom

[petitepedal ★]

Great job...you finished and helped others finish.

[sheep_herder ★]

1 minute ago, petitepedal said:

Great job...you finished and helped others finish.

You playing on your phone, or have you arrived at your destination?  Safe travels!!

[Airehead]

Congrats. The journey is the reward not the finish. 

[Dirtyhip]

A girl that is a friend is a girlfriend. I have loads of them. I have boyfriends too. ?

[Page Turner]

1 hour ago, AirwickWithCheese said:

Because if you had been paying attention last year, he was injured and training was interrupted. Those of us who put our money with our bookie that Wheels would best last year's time lost.    

 

...and if you were at all familiar with the aging process, you'd know that injuries and slower recovery times from training will pop up intermittently throughout your 40's, 50's and 60's.

News flash : setting your performance goals as in some way continuously improving as you age will often result in disappointing outcomes. Do not ask me how I figured this out.

[AirwickWithCheese]

57 minutes ago, Page Turner said:

...and if you were at all familiar with the aging process, you'd know that injuries and slower recovery times from training will pop up intermittently throughout your 40's, 50's and 60's.

News flash : setting your performance goals as in some way continuously improving as you age will often result in disappointing outcomes. Do not ask me how I figured this out.

I believe in Wheels, whereas you Sir obviously do not. I have already trippled next year's bet on not only Wheels besting his time but his official time being under 2 hours. Under I said!   

[Square Wheels]

I'm still upset about yesterday, but talking with the coach and wife... they are trying to convince me that the personal issue contributed more than I think it might have (coach), and the wind was a huge factor too, likely adding more than 10 minutes to my time (wife).

All I know is the official race time (I have it now) 2:10:04.  That is not 1:59:59.  I just didn't have it in me this year.  I held back while I was running to make sure I didn't burn out too soon.  Then when I saw the halfway time, I didn't look at the clock and say, it's only three minutes, I can make that up easily, I looked at it and felt broken, and gave up.  That's when I started walking.  I also looked at my heart rate after the race (I never checked during the race), it dropped significantly for the second half.  It was a little stepper, so I was pushing a little harder, but I also probably wasn't taking care of my hydration.  I gave up mentally.

Overall, the run was not good for me.  I did spend a lot of yesterday with several good friends, that helped me a lot.

[donkpow]

I am starting to feel disappointed. This is a new feeling for me.

10 hours ago, Page Turner said:

News flash : setting your performance goals as in some way continuously improving as you age will often result in disappointing outcomes. Do not ask me how I figured this out.

How did you figure that out?

[smudge ★]

The race time may not have been what you were hoping, but I have to say your willingness to help three others up the steepest part of the route AFTER you had completed the whole route speaks volumes to your fitness and character.  When most people finish a race/event, they are DONE! You went back for more and, in the process, gave more of yourself. That speaks volumes.

[Page Turner]

9 hours ago, AirwickWithCheese said:

I believe in Wheels, whereas you Sir obviously do not. I have already trippled next year's bet on not only Wheels besting his time but his official time being under 2 hours. Under I said!   

....I believe he's getting older every year, and that he's spending a lot of time at work.  I believe his head was somewhere else, and like a lot of people was unable to pull it into the zone, where you need to be for peak performance. I believe that betting on the Mt Washington Race (a non profit fund raiser) is morally offensive, and that you will probably have to pay for doing so sometime in the future. And I believe I understand now why momCheese likes sisCheese best.