"How to"

The following are the statistics for the 6-day Desert R.A.T.S. stage race according to my watch/computer log files.

Day 1 Stats, Monday, 6/18/07, Boulder Running Company Stage (Mileage= 22.1):

Time;  3hrs 32mins 58secs,  Ascent; 1780ft, Descent;  2030ft, High Point; 5177ft @ 4:44pm, Low Point; 4642ft @3:47pm

Day 2 Stats, Tuesday, 6/19/07, Hammer Gel Stage (Mileage= 38.7):

Time; 7hrs 14mins 00secs, Ascent; 2100ft, Descent; 2650ft, High Point; 5043ft @10:15am, Low Point; 4236ft @ 2:46pm

Day 3 Stats, Wednesday, 6/20/07, Sprint Stage (Mileage= 9.3):

Time; 1hr 30mins 33secs, Ascent; 580ft, Descent ; 590ft, High Point; 4439ft @ 8:38am, Low Point; 4137ft @9:06am

Day 4 Stats, Thursday/Friday, 6/21/07, Expedition Stage (Mileage= 51.6):

Time; 11hrs 49mins 14secs, Ascent; 8290ft, Descent; 6040ft, High Point; 8428ft @ 6:50pm, Low Point; 4180ft @ 7:56pm

Day 5 Stats, Friday, 6/22/07, R&R Stage (Mileage= zero):

Rest and Recovery Day!

Day 6 Stats, Saturday, 6/23/07, Marathon Stage (Mileage= 28.1):

Time; 4hrs 45mins 57secs, Ascent; 4160 ft, Descent; 4650ft, High Point; 8205ft @ 9:33am, Low Point; 4833ft @ 12:48pm

 Grand Totals:

Mileage:  149.8 or you could say 150 J

Running Time= 28hrs 53mins 04secs (1,733.04 minutes)

Total Elevation Ascent= 16, 910ft

Total Elevation Descent= 15, 960ft (950ft difference)

Highest Point= Day 4, 8428ft @ 6:50pm

Lowest Point= Day 3, Low Point; 4137ft @9:06am

Number of blisters= 3 total (2 on left foot, 1 on right foot) plus lower lip completely blistered!

Ounces of fluids consumed daily= 90 to 720 (about 1oz. per minute)

Temperatures= 58F to 104F (plus about 5-10 degrees hotter when running on the blacktop pavement)

Best part of my race= Everyday getting to see first-hand (actually foot by foot) every aspect of the Kokopelli Trail with it’s awesome array of scenery, wildlife and terrain despite the difficult weather and altitude acclimations I had to endure…

Worst part of my race= leaving the light-colored dirt trail and having to run about 5 miles on blacktop pavement during the hottest part of the day after running over 34 miles during day 2… my tan legs seemed to be glowing red as the intense heat drained what energy I had left in my body not only could I feel my core temperature rise, but with each step or running stride it seemed like me feet were compressing all the way through my heat-softened shoes and into the extremely hot roadway… that was a very long 5 miles that day!

Funniest part of my race= running down a hill with the sun to my face and only a few miles from the finish line on Day 1 (22.1 miles) I thought I saw (actually hallucinated) a campground toilets building among the cedar trees, but a few turns later it only turned out to be a big sandstone rock J Wow! I thought if I’m hallucinating already on the first day with 5 more days to go I thought this is going to be one heck of an adventure let alone just a running race!

What’s next?

Rest and relaxation… then I’ll find some other challenge (adventure race, mountain climbing, ultra marathon)—I’m sure.