Day 2 Grand Teton Relay Leg 4 3.6 miles 23:24 A little bit of sleep before this because I was turning into a "very grumpy" driver during Jeff's leg so they told me to go back and get some sleep. Ended up with maybe a 1/2 hour of rest. I was relieved that I knew this road as I drive a section all the time in the winter to go skiing with the family at Targhee. I was not, however, prepared for the rollers in pitch black. I decided because this was my shortest route it wouldn't be my rest run. So I hit it pretty good. One roller was stepper than I thought and just about got me at the bottom. It had a slight jog in the bottom and the only way I stayed on the road was a starlight reflection in the water beside it. Passed another 6 teams. We were now all easily passing teams that had started way before us. I was also really starting to stink but my effort in trying to keep it at bay with baby wipes was quickly dwindling. Just too tired. Caught another 20 minutes of sleep at the base of Dean's climb before picking him up and dropping Jeff off. Leg 5 5.1miles 35:25 I was now not eating anything and hitting about every POP we had along the course. I warned everyone that this was going to be my rest leg as I had Teton Pass looming. Right before this leg I had to do my business out in a field because the POP was tipped over and I stepped right into a creek. I had to hurry and change my shoes and socks before the hand off. I was happy that I had brought 2 pairs of shoes and a boat load of socks so the mishap didn't affect me. Hit cruise and listened to some easy music on my iPod. A couple hundred feet of soft climbing in this legs it seemed more flat than that but I was starting to really feel it in my legs. Leg 6 6.5 miles 36:20 (5.8 miles 30ish) Last leg looking down a 2200' drop wondering how my legs would hold. At the start of the race I kept saying 30 minutes or less or I was a bum. Now looking down and feeling the fatigue I was doubting it would be anything close. The team was real positive and Rex gave me a quick pick me up talk as he would do to Dean during my leg. We knew we were neck and neck with the other Ultra team at this point. Matt had maintained the lead Jeff had given us but it was quickly getting cut. By the time I got the hand off they had passed Dave and had about a 3/4 mile lead on us. I thought "no chance I'm just too blown up to do this again. Started down with what I had left. 1st mile 5:13, I was catching him. 2nd mile 5:17, I was thinking "yep went out too fast, you better relax there's a lot left". 3rd mile 5:05, relaxed and was now right on top of my target hit the gas, stepped out into the on coming lane and gave it everything I had. He was a quality runner and I did not want him on my coat tails. 4th mile 4:56 passed a few more teams and was really trying to go easy but I was hurting real bad,I was hoping the other guy was just as bad. One more mile or so of drop. 5th mile 5:39 a slight uphill or flat for a 1/4 to 1/2 mile I don't know but I was officially jello now. I thought .8 left I pictured the change area and ran......right past the poorly marked turn into the exchange area. Luckily the other guy missed it too. My watch hit 6 I was pissed look back to see the other guy turn back ran back to him had to slow up with him showing me the way to the exchange he beat me in by a few second as I was just upset, throwing things I could pull off my body. It was a pretty childish fit in the moment. No sleep, taking my body right to the edge and losing the lead I had given everything for made me lose it for about 5 minutes. After that I settled down and just trusted Rex to get Dean the lead he needed for us to take first. They both showed up like they had been the whole race and brought it home. Did think this would be quite so fun. I only knew Jeff going into it but loved every minute ( except the extra mile and 5 minutes preceding it). Jeff and Rex were true horses and Dean, Matt and Dave worked their hearts out to make it happen. 2nd team overall 1st Ultra team just over 23 hours for 174 miles |