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Category: Road Race

Race Report – Leadville 2023

Traveling for a 100-miler was a new experience, and not really sure I enjoyed it all that much.  I wanted to get to Leadville a few days early to acclimate which meant more time away from family.  Our flight out of Philly was delayed 2 hours.  I should have been mindful of when we were landing.  There was road construction on our way to the motel so we didn’t get there until 4 AM EST.  This didn’t help with acclimation as I came in exhausted and sleep-deprived.  The headaches started the next day as I barely got any sleep.

The race is all about getting up and over Hope Pass

This race is all about the altitude.  I know I can do the distance as this would be my 8th 100.  My thought was to get there early to see if I would suffer from altitude sickness.  By getting there early I could get in a few test runs to see how bad it affected performance.  My biggest issue was just an intense headache at night when I lay in bed which made it impossible to sleep.  The two nights before the race I had a combined sleep time of maybe 4 hours.  Pre-race excitement wasn’t helping my cause.  

The low humidity is amazing to run in.  I think it led to fewer shoe changes and blister issues because my feet felt amazing most of the race.  They did get wet in the stream crossing after Twin Lakes 1.

The sun’s intensity in Colorado is something to be aware of.  Make sure you have ample sunscreen or clothing to protect yourself.  I wore a lot of white to help reflect the heat.  I wore white arm sleeves, a white shirt, and a white hat, but I should have had a hat that covered my neck.  Don’t forget to reapply the suntan lotion with all the sweating you will be doing!

My food strategy didn’t work.  I got food fatigue from what I had to eat during the race.  This wasn’t a big deal as I just started taking more from the aid stations.  I stopped grabbing my little prepacked snacks in my drop bags.  I realize I need more diversify what I will be eating for 24-30 hours. 

What went right?

I gave myself mini breaks on the climb to Hope Pass, resting to catch my breath.  The climb was so long that sitting a few times rejuvenated me.

A runner by the name of Sandra was having a bad day.  She actually kind of broke down a bit when she told me that she had done the race over 10 years ago and wanted to see if experience could trump youth.  It didn’t seem like that was going to be the case for her today because it looked like she was going to drop at Winfield (turn around).  She was using “Spring Energy” awesome sauces and it tasted amazing!  She traded a few of them to me and I am grateful she did.  I picked up some chew blocks on the course and they tasted better than what I was eating.  I know this is a crazy statement, but maybe what you train with eating shouldn’t be used on race day.  You kind of want something new and different, I know that is risky but if you have no GI issues I don’t think it’s a problem.

Pacers make all the difference

At 76.2 (Outward Bound 2) as I came into the aid station someone randomly called out, “Hey, would you like a pacer?”.  I said sure, why not.  This is when I met Jeff Spencer, he was a huge boost when I really needed it most.  The only reason he was there was because his original runner had dropped out, Marge Hickman.  Marge Hickman is a fourteen-time finisher of the Leadville Trail 100, a four-time big buckle achiever, holding the record for most finishes by a woman, and was women’s champion in 1985! 

What would I have done differently?

Give yourself the entire day to travel there, I had only given half the day.  Be mindful of when you are landing as you travel for a race because of delays.  

Line up a pacer beforehand!  Pacers are so useful, not sure why I didn’t try to coordinate one for such an important race.  Going forward I should look for opportunities to pace others, I think it’s fun yet I’ve only done it once.

I would have got there way earlier and given myself more time to acclimate.  3 days before the race was not enough.  I also would have picked up the medication for headaches.  Leadville was such a beautiful amazing town that it would be interesting to go back with my family.  

Be FAST at the aid stations.  I was faster than normal, but still not enough.  Even if you spent 5 minutes at each aid station that would be an hour on this course.  Get in, grab food, and stuff your pockets, then eat as you walk.  It will make a huge difference in race time.  

Final Thoughts:

Since this race has been going on so long I met a lot of what I call “faded glory”.  People trying to relive past performances to show they still have it.  To live up to an expectation that is doomed to fail in chasing the performances of our youth.  It made me think about my own trajectory.  20 years from now will I be doing the same thing?  Trying to run races I did 20 years ago and struggling to match performance.  Will I try to redo races from my 30s-40s to see if I am still capable?  I might have hit the highest point in my running career (12,394 elevation), both physically and proverbially.  I might not ever top this, and If I keep going down this path I might be setting myself up for a huge disappointment later in life.  So what do you do?  Transition to inspire others!  At what point do you remove yourself from the game?  I’m not sure but it’s a thought that’s rolling around in my head.  Maybe it’s time for a change?

The course was amazing, the views were like nothing I had ever seen.  The altitude played a huge factor and affected multiple aspects of the race, but I worked through it.  Picking up Jeff as a pacer was a huge boost, from his constant encouragement and overall concern for my well-being it made for a strong finish.  His actions in aid stations helped save the time necessary to secure the buckle so I can’t thank him enough.  

To the crazy kids who choose this as their first 100, I admire you.  I ran into 8 or 9 first-time 100 milers who picked this as their entry into doing 100s.  Personally, that’s not how I operate.  I slowly step my way up, look at the big picture, and take calculated steps to ensure success.  BORING!  I know, right?  I don’t want to wait another year, or 2, or 10 to take another shot at this.  You only get one chance and 100s are so complex.  You need to make sure you do everything to improve your odds of success.  The fact they let in so many first-timers is great, but ask yourself, just because I can, does that mean I should?  Why deal with the distance AND the altitude?  Having knocked out 8 of these races doesn’t make me a pro, it just makes me aware of what can go wrong.  100s mirror life in many ways, but like anything “the first is the worst”, so why make it harder on yourself?  

Maribell puts the medal around my neck.
Merilee told me: “Welcome to the family”

Merilee whispered in my ear as she put the medal around my neck, “Welcome to the family”.  They are building a brand, they want you to have an amazing experience that’s hard to top and they want to hook you early.  Hence no requirement to enter the race.  Maybe that gets some young rockstars, but showing off is the fool’s idea of glory.  I am glad I waited to take on this beast of a race.  It was a long race, but it wasn’t the worst I felt in an ultra.  It was just the closest I ever had to being timed out.  Do whatever you can to eliminate the altitude and I think you will have a greater likelihood of success.  So medication, get there 2 weeks early, or get an altitude tent at home if you have money to spare.

Thank you, Jeff, Dad, and everybody who watched the kids.

A Dog’s Purpose

I was admittedly young and naive at 29 when I first welcomed him. Little did I know then, I was effectively entering an unconditional pact guaranteed to break my heart eventually. Loving an animal inherently imparts a few crucial lessons when they pass away.

Lesson 1: Brighten the days of those around you without expecting anything in return.

I was here first!

A dog’s presence is almost always enjoyed. Are people equally pleased with your company? Or are they deterred by it? Interestingly, most times, people are genuinely happy to see a dog. It’s scientifically proven that canines improve mood and well-being, particularly among seniors. When a dog enters your life, it significantly widens your emotional horizon, teaching even the most self-centered individuals to care for someone beyond themselves. The reliance of these furry friends on their human companions is evident through shared adventures, frequent dog park visits, and their significant presence in our daily routine.

Lesson 2:  A dog’s love doesn’t fade.  Their love is a sure thing.  How many people would you say that about?  Near the end, you have to unlove them or change the love to compassion to end suffering.  As you watch the life leave their body you question what was the point of all the time spent, but that’s why I am writing this.  To remember the cliche saying of its better to have loved and lost than not have loved at all.  It’s their final lesson and no second spent with them was time wasted. 

Lesson 3: Nobody is immune to times arrows.  You watch as that puppy ages into an elderly dog, while you feel like you have remained the same but they have not.  The feisty puppy becomes a mature senior, and the things that used to be easy are challenging.  You’re reminded of your own mortality and fragility.   Any act to save him would have been for my own selfish reasons.  It would have just pushed the goodbye back a year down the line while the quality of life degraded.  Dogs are so friendly and compassionate that putting them to sleep feels like a betrayal of trust.  If you are ending their suffering, it is easier to make this decision.  

Give me a kiss!

Lesson 4: Goodbyes are hard, but don’t focus on the “tail end”.

As hard as goodbye are and I sat alone with his lifeless body I knew that if I did anything drastic to extend his life it would be for my sake not his. We had plenty of good times and it’s remembering the journey, not the final tail end you have to focus on. 

Goodbyes are tough.
Goodbyes are never fun…

Final Thoughts:

Where does a dog’s spirit go?  A runner’s spirit goes to his final race.  I think a dog’s spirit goes to a massive dog park with all the friendly dogs it once played with, basking in the sun, and running around until they are tired. They are waiting for their owners to pick them up once their time has expired… Maybe…

They say it can be harder to deal with the death of a dog vs a family member depending on their role in your life. That makes sense as a dog is in your daily routine, from when you wake up, to before you go to bed. Hell, most dogs even sleep in the same bed. I think I agree with that statement.   

Oliver Durante

5/18/10 to 8/6/23

He was the first video I posted to youtube.

Dairy Air 5K by Scoogies Events

When Girls on the Run went to a waiting list and my daughter couldn’t participate I knew I had one choice.  Coach them myself!  I thought it was strange they had such a small cap at her school for who could join, but that’s fine.  My son also joined us in the training as he had recently completed the “Healthy Kids Running Series” quarter mile event.

We started off with a run/walk combo of 30 seconds of running and 30 seconds of walking for 1 mile.  Slowly we lowered the walking and increased the running.  We practiced once a week, and we also play a game that involve a lot of running/cross-training.

My youngest was the first event of the morning, which was a half-mile distance.  She easily ran the entire thing without having to stop.  She would normally scooter with us for the 2-3 miles we did in training.  The motion of scootering is actually very similar to proper running form as mentioned in the book “Born to Run 2”.

Next was the 5K race for my son and daughter.  They knew to pace themselves early and go out conservatively.  It wasn’t until right before the first-mile marker that things started to change.  My son decided the pace was too slow for him and kicked it up a notch.  Initially, my daughter was OK, but it started to wear on her mind as he slowly pulled away.  She didn’t like the fact that he was going to “win”.  I kept trying to remind her to run HER race, stay in THIS mile, focus on something close like the next tree or post, etc, but it was no use.  The entire time in training she had no issue if she or Isaac was faster, but it seemed to be the mix of losing to Isaac AND race day jitters that caused problems.  It was interesting to see how she was handling it.  She had not mentally prepared for the fact this could happen, or the pressure of the race was getting to her.  Around the 2-mile mark, we used a run/walk combo to finish the race, and in the last few yards, she sprinted it in.   

“Children who have not been taught to confront challenges will try to avoid all challenges.”

Ichiro Kishimi

I tried pulling out all the motivational quotes I couldn’t think of, but it made no difference.  The stories we tell ourselves have the most effect, but thoughts are just that, thoughts.  You don’t have to believe them.  They can be intrusive, self-destructive, and I try teaching them that, but it’s one of the most difficult concepts for a child to grasp.  

Thoughts are only thoughts. They are not you. You do belong to yourself, even when your thoughts don’t.

John Green

Before every time she started walking she said the words, “I CAN’T do it”.  As we got closer to the finish line she regained the ability to run, but it was a struggle.  It was both amazing/sad to witness as a parent.  It made me realize you can’t save them from suffering/pain, they need to experience it for themselves.  You can tell them they need to practice more or put in the time, but until they experience the effects of being ill-prepared they won’t listen.  I could have given her all the support in the world, but it just fell on deaf ears.  

They both did an incredible job, but Hannah felt disappointed in her performance.  It was their first 5K, but not their first race.  She was nervous and that is completely understandable, it can be nerve-racking even for adults!  To most adults, 3 miles doesn’t seem far, but for a child, it’s the equivalent of a marathon. Doing hard things that we CHOOSE makes it easier when hard things happen we don’t choose. This was such a good learning opportunity for the kids and FUN, the training leading up was filled with playgrounds and bike rides to promote a more active healthy lifestyle.

Later that night, she told me how much she enjoyed the race and she wanted to do it again.  My son wants to run a 10K.  We will definitely be doing the 5K again next year.

Post-race I asked if they had awards for children under 10.  The race timer said, “O, are you one of those crazy parents that make their child run a 5K?”.  I took offense to that because I didn’t MAKE them do it, I asked and they said YES.  They wanted to train and they WANTED to race.  Did I add some incentives YES!  I actually paid them each 50 “Durante” dollars if they could complete the race. You might ask why would you do that.  Well, I am also trying to teach them the value of a dollar and that is also working very well.  

As adults, it’s easy to see the benefits of running, or maybe not.  A child needs more immediate rewards/consequences for their actions.  We had started adding chores around the house for an allowance.  They are learning the value of a dollar, and slowly I hope they learn the value of running/physical fitness.  If I had to pay 50 bucks to inspire a lifetime passion it’s worth every Penny 😁.

Please note that Durante Dollars are NOT legal tender, except in the Durante household.  Durante dollars can be redeemed for real cash when they actually want to buy something.  

I like to film my runs and make a video to remember the experience. Here was the race through my eyes.