Stage 4
After the fun of the beer mile I decided to wear my Tutu on the 4th day and Roxanne wore her titties shirt & hat.
On this day we start the way we finished the previous day by running out on the hot gravel road. We saw pink flamingos at checkpoint 1 with the Florida crew. We climbed up into a beautiful meadow where we would celebrate with Julia and Jeff that the hardest climbs were over.
Roxxie and I cruised and climbed a roller coaster of ATV trails, we even waded through a creek to get to checkpoint 3. From the last check in it was gravel road all the way to Mango’s. Which was where we would finish, a margarita bar called Mango’s. It was one of the shortest days of the week and everyone was feeling the leftover celebratory vibes from the night before. During this run we decided we would be the unofficial team ‘Titties & Tutus’ for the rest of the week. We yelled out to Scott as we crossed the finish line and he acknowledged our new partnership and brand. YEEESSS a win in my eyes.
After celebrating our victorious ‘team’ finish we decided to get some lunch and margaritas at mango’s, now I know what you’re thinking this girl doesn’t drink alcohol and you would be right. The amazing staff at Mango’s made me a virgin margarita to enjoy with my lunch and we found a table outdoors with a big umbrella to shade us from the hot sun. We were fortunate to share a table with some of our favourite volunteers, today they were dressed as rodeo clowns. You may remember them from the various other costumes they have been wearing all week.
We also caught up with Tim McNamara. Who told us the story of how him and Amiel met a sweet but life altering story. Hearing life stories of struggles and triumphs from other runners was one of the best ways to make new friends on and off the trails. We bonded though the daily struggles and celebrated each other at days end.
Stage 5
The days are starting to get longer in the effect effects of running every day at altitude or taking their toll on our bodies. Although generally each morning I was feeling pretty good despite the lack of sleep throughout the week had begun catching up with me. Each morning I’d wake up feeling like I’ve just barely gotten to sleep And I spend the next hour or so like a walking zombie handing in my duffle, getting in the breakfast line and then I’d sit there staring at my plate wondering how I was going to get these calories into my body so that I would be able to take on the big day ahead.
Day 5 has a starting back at mangos where the previous day finished. We say goodbye to The Margarita bar and the sweet little town of Red cliff as we head our way towards The glamorous Mountain town of Vail. The day includes the second most climbing of the week, possible sheep encounters and an early afternoon thunderstorm warning.
Roxanne and I make a pact to run wherever we could to try and beat the storm. however this did not include the first 12 1/2 km that we’re all a slow uphill grind on a gravel road. So we made peace with this fact early on and settled in for a slow hike up to checkpoint one. A few hundred meters before the checkpoint we are informed of an impromptu scavenger hunt for a black wedding band, yikes! Our group didn’t locate it but by supper we were updated that it had been found by the checkpoint volunteers!
As soon as we left the checkpoint we turned right onto some beautiful winding single track. So beautiful Roxxie decided it was the prefect bathroom spot haha. When you are out on the trails all day you come prepared to go in the woods, and go often. Reminder to pack out what you pack in folks and don’t leave your dirty toilet paper in the woods. I always carry a second baggy for dirty tissue.
After the quick stop we continue climbing through a beautiful section of forest. With my watch on distance and Roxxie’s watch on elevation profile we shouted out encouraging updates like “only 2 miles until next checkpoint” or “we’ve already completed 75% of todays climbing” this was an update to each other but also an announcement to the ‘party train’ that we all would celebrate together. All of us racing for a time but comrades on the trail, cheering and encouraging each other. “We are in this together” I would often say.
As we climbed to the tops of the each peak we were clearly on visible ski runs now. At some point while climbing from check point one I’d tweaked my back and the pain in my lower back was becoming a downer. As we reached checkpoint 2 we celebrated many things, Florida Joe and the Flamingo crew, an outhouse inside of a bush, the fact that we’d thus far beat the rainstorm that was evidently looming on the adjacent mountain pass.
I took some pain relief and we knew it mostly downhill to checkpoint 3 so we continued optimistic that my back would settle down and massages in the evening would help. After a mini celebration amongst the other weary runners on course that climbing was done. We turned onto some fun, flowy single track weaving is back and forth across the ski slope as we cruised our way down to checkpoint 3 at the middle chair lift. We could hear Carrie’s cowbell for at least a mile before reaching her for a solid high 5.
As we reaching the checkpoint happy to see friendly faces with cold Coca Cola. We saw a cheering squad awaiting a runner. Our new friend Julia ran into the checkpoint to see her whole family waiting and cheering. As she approached her kids and her husband she broke down in tears. At that moment I don’t believe there was a dry eye in that aid tent. Her sweet family and this lovely person we’d shared miles and days with. In that moment I really missed my own family. With little to no contact for days I was missing my people really hard. Roxxie and I pushed on tearfully trying to remember what Lulu had said “you can’t cry, you need all the salt”
The last 8km of this day were running through the easy green runs of the Vail ski hill. 6 1/2 km of downhill switchbacks had my left knee screaming and had me extremely grateful that Roxanne had urged me to book a massage the night before. Knowing that we had massages booked for the evening and we had just one final day left we kicked it into gear and ran everything that looked like it went down even slightly. Only stopping for a few vehicles to pass by and a quick photo opportunity or two.
We managed to run into Vail and beat the storm. As soon as we finished the race wasn’t over. Now we continued to race the storm and get our tents ready before the sky opened up. The clouds were ominous but I scooted over to the shower truck as quick as I could. The dusty downhills had everyone pretty dirty after Stage 5. As I left the shower truck Burt informed everyone that if the lightning got any closer he’d be shutting it down. I was I ever lucky to get into the shower with minimum line ghetto before it was closed down. Although as soon as I left the rain was beginning.
I ran across the lush green carpet of the Vail football field towards my tent as the sky started to open up. I quickly jumped inside my tent shutting the rain fly I realized for the first time in three days of having partial cell service I could finally call Mike and check in at home. I was so grateful that we had easy access to massage therapists, athletic therapists and air relax boots therapy each night. I hadn’t preordered anything but was easily able to get an appointment through out the week. The massage was a wonderful treat and much needed as my left knee and lower back were quite sore after.
Stage 6
We awake in Vail and pack up our duffles for the final time. It’s a bittersweet day. We will achieve this goal we training for and worked hard to be successful. But we will also say goodbye. Goodbye to running in beautiful mountainous terrains while people dressed as flamingos feed you watermelon. Goodbye to the community of runners with whom you’ve been living in a tent city with, eating with, running with each day and now may never see Josh’s Dunkin Donuts onesie at morning coffee ever again.
Early on a Saturday morning a few hundred trail runners from around the world set out from Vail, to seek the glory of the finish line.
We set out in style I in my tutu, Roxxie in her titties & beer hat and Josh in his Mr. Pringles shorts. We are strutting down the street, over the highway and up through town to the trails.
‘March these weirdos right out of town’ I’m sure is what the folks of Vail think, and so we did! We climbed some atv roads and the sun beat down apon us. After a terrifying climb through narrow single track draped with tall grass and and random bee stings. We were lucky neither Roxanne nor I was stung. We were rewarded by the most amazing Aspen forest with trees as tall as I’ve seen before.
We reached checkpoint one and I found the happiest ‘grumpy bear’ we found the Tshirt ladies and The final day said ‘but did you die?’ Well we weren’t dead yet but I thought I’d heard on the radio that sweepers were 1 mile behind us. I shouldn’t have said anything because our time was well below cutoff and I just freaked out some of the others.
Although that wasn’t the only thing that freaked out those girls. As we are running some narrow, grassy downhill I hear a scream from 200m back. SNAKE!!! Well I tell you those ladies up and SPRINTED past us and we didn’t catch them until the next check point. We continued through the grassy single track until we reached a bridge, we passed under the bridge and turned right into checkpoint 2.
This Day was the hottest, farthest and most climbing but some how we got faster as the week went on. Immediately leaving checkpoint to we head into town and we know we’re getting close to the finish. It’s a nice long downhill on the side of the highway and we run past the hospital like it’s some sort of ominous cue. Not today my friend I will be pushing strong to the finish line. Weaving our way through town passed a myriad of volunteers at various Road crossings, out there in their bright vests and safety wands doing their best to keep us all safe as our tired minds and bodies work our way towards the finish line 6 days in the making.
We hit checkpoint 3, the final checkpoint before the final finish line. It’s hot out, hotter than any other day yet. We weren’t aware that folks get slurpees just off course every year at the 7/11 just before the checkpoint. With no money we trudged past the store, parched and longing for a slurpee. Arriving at checkpoint was like heaven. Popsicles on a hot day. It was the best popsicles I’ve ever tasted. I wished I could have had even more as the climbing wasn’t over and the heat was relentless. With 5km left it was 1/2 up and 1/2 down they told us. We kept climbing, keeping each other entertained and positive as we reminded one another how close we were. We caught up to Tim and Amelie on the final climbs. Tim always has a story about TRR history and they were both good company on the trail. Once the climbs were down we could smell the finish.
Our downhill shuffle was starting to pick up speed and we let gravity help us out. Running Switchbacks down into the ski village of Beaver Creek. We could hear Scott on the microphone calling in other runners. There was the bridge Tim had mentioned, the finish chute was right there. I could feel the tears building up. 120 miles. Freaking. Miles. I had not run that far in a week before. I had not done elevation day after day. I had not run at high altitudes before. But I did it!
I trained hard and I went out there and had an absolutely great time. I made friends, I took photos, I made jokes, I picked wild berries, I watched out for friends potty breaks, i frolicked in fields of wildflowers, I slept in a tent, I ate in a tent, and I ran in the woods. Transrockies isn’t just a race, it’s an experience, a community.
Photos by Transrockies media, Sportograf. Roxanne Moreau and myself.
