›Haulin' Aspen and a Wrong Turn
Race date: August 13, 2005
By: Pat Erwert
Hello Gina and fellow Haulen' Aspeners,
I just have to share my experience last Sunday. I only decided to enter at the
last minute, not having run longer than about 7 or 8 miles a couple of times
since the Dirty Half. My cousin Alan and I decided to just run it as an easy
training run with some friends of mine, Amy and Tracy. I did listen attentively
to Wades pre-race instructions and planned on staying with our group. We all
ran together until a little before crossing the bridge at about 4 miles and
then began the long climb up the gravel road. My endorphins started kicking
in big time about there and I powered up the hill feeling really good. Tracy
caught up with me after it flattened out and I just ran with her and a few others
that had been together since early on. (I didn't know any of them were marathoners)
At the, unknown to me, 1/2 marathon turn off spot, Tracy was ahead and I stopped
at an aid table to get something to munch on and drink. She said she waved to
me but I was busy stuffing my face.
I looked up and saw some of the runners I had been with for several miles and
ran after them, stopping briefly at a trash box to dump some GU wrappers and
a cup and not looking to the right where the green flags were, mainly concerned
with catching back up to Tracy and the others. After about a 1/2 mile, I was
climbing a small hill next to a female runner who was struggling a bit when
another female runner came running downhill at us angry and swearing. I looked
at the girl next to me and said " It could be worse, we could be in her
shoes and missed our turn!" Thinking of course that she was a marathon
runner on the wrong course!
So I kept climbing and climbing and climbing, still no end of the 8-mile climb.
I had no idea how far I had run but just kept running, staying with some of
the same runners. Tracy had vanished, vaporized, gone! At probably mile 10 or
11, I started swearing a little (actually I would have humbled a few sailors).
I thought that this was the most demented, sick and just plain wrong 8-mile,
1300 ft. climb anyone could ever design.
Then came a couple of miles of insanity. The scene reminded me of a daylight
version of "The Night of the Living Dead" Nobody was running, just
power walking up this wide road in the sun, with one false summit after the
next. At this point I couldn't think of any new swear words to relieve my frustration,
so I just picked up my pace and hammered to the top in 2 hours and about a minute.I
arrived at the aid station and asked where I was. The answer, "about the
13-mile mark of the marathon!"
I won't describe my subsequent behavior at hearing this news, as it would be
a bit embarrassing, though someone told me that I couldn't be with my mom now
and to just wait.
About 20 minutes later, a female runner in a 1/2 marathon bib, Leslie (sp) arrived
and I gave her the bad news. She was a little calmer in her response but we
both wanted to be Air-Lifed off the mountain, not having trained for any more
distance. We decided instead of waiting hours to get a ride back that we would
start walking down the mountain. After about 10 minutes we decided to start
running and worked our way down to what apparently was the 18-mile aid station,
they told us we had 8 miles to go in any case. At this point, I wanted to finish
the course running, but my IT bands were hurting and Leslie's ankles were bothering
her. Luckily, a volunteer drove us out to Skyliners road and clear to Shevlin
Park.
I look back and am happy about several things in spite of the error. I didn't
get any blisters, I ran 18 miles which I've never done before, met some great
people and am so fortunate to be able to accomplish something like this when
so many people have challenges that won't allow them to.
Great run Gina, Wade and all the volunteers. Next year I will take full responsibility
of marking the 1/2 marathon cut off - we're talking banners, balloons, big directional
arrows whatever it takes. Write me down, I'll be there.
P.S. You marathoners rock! I can't believe someone would voluntarily run that
course!
Oh, and Tracy went on to place 3rd in her age group. Good job Tracy!
Patrick E.
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