Rocky Mt. EPIC Relay: Nothin But Dust!

This summer was the time that I had completed the most intense, endurance-requiring, athletic event of my life. I thought training and running a marathon was going to be my biggest feat I'd ever set out to do, and that running a relay broken down into 3-8 mile legs would be a piece of cake…but boy was I wrong!

July 20 at 4:00am our team, “Nothin But Dust” set out on the road for our truly epic experience!  We had 191 miles to the finish line, and an amazing ultra-team of 6 people: Our team captain, Eric Sova, Jane Peacock-Pizem, her brother Matt Peacock, and two new friends from CO Springs, Phil Wortmann and Joseph Rodriguez.

Phil set off the pace with his 8mile leg up and over the hills from Canon City. Back trails and dirt roads in the brutal heat of the day, lead us deeper and deeper into uncharted territories. I was the 4th runner on the team. My first 6 mile leg went well, and our team was setting up for a great pace! As the day continued on and we fought through the uphills and increasing heat, it felt like the finish line was nowhere in sight! My next 2 legs were extremely difficult, as I gained 886 and 587 feet of vertical ascent respectively, over the short distances of less than 3 miles. It seemed easy enough, and I was truckin along, until all of a sudden it seemed like I could not pick up my feet to make it up and over those hills! But thankfully, somehow I managed. I was ready for a break!

The lovely road ahead

Joseph passing off to Matt



"How ya doin, buddy?"

The girls :)



Stopping for ICE!!!!



Our team Captain, Eric, comin in HOT!



Phil passing the torch to Joseph

The fourth leg I had was a much welcomed break with a short distance over a flat, paved course, just as the sun was setting. At this point, we were on the familiar highway between Salida and Buena Vista.  Jane finished the highway leg and led our team into town. Joseph and Matt strongly led us up and over Cottonwood Pass, and it was up to me to get us down.

Right before my last leg of Day1

Pausing for a quick midnight pic at the summit of Cottonwood Pass!

It was so very cold and so very early the next morning as I began my 8 mile leg down the western side of Cottonwood Pass. It was about 2:30 am, and my body was exhausted. At this point, we had been up for about 22 hours, and the full effect and fatigue from the previous day was starting to set in. [It seemed like it would be pretty easy to run 3-8 mile distances with a few hours of breaks in between, but we never really had time to fully recover before it was time to run again.] My dim headlamp was barely enough light to see ahead on the dark, dirt road. I began to slow down dramatically, and my knee was really giving me grief. I began to lose confidence as more runners began to pass me. I had about 3 miles of this leg left to go, and I had a little melt down. I found myself alone, in the dark at 3am, utterly exhausted and in pain. What are you doing? This is nuts? Why are you doing this? Because I can!!!! I pulled myself together and managed to make it down to the end of my leg and found comfort in my teammates and a warm van. I was able to get a couple hours of sleep, and before I knew it, the sun was up and HOT and it was my last leg.



Six. More. Miles. It was a familiar road, one that I’d driven countless times when I lived in Crested Butte. I set out, and managed about 2miles down the road, and then the walking set in. I had made it to the main highway, and I could see the beautiful, welcoming sight of my favorite place in the world. The place that I once called home, and the place that I hope to call home once more in the future. I could see the glorious peaks of the mountains of Crested Butte. My legs were tired, my knee was hurting, and it was almost all I could to do even walk at this point. But I willed myself to finish. Honestly, if it had only been up to me I would have quit a long time ago! But my team was doing so incredibly well, and I refused to give up when 5 other people were relying on me to finish. My van of teammates so diligently followed me and helped me along the last couple miles with fresh cold water, and shouts of encouragement. I had about a mile and a half left to go, and I waved them to go ahead to the end. After a couple minutes of walking, and feeling like the end was still nowhere in sight, the most wonderful thing happened to me in that moment. My wonderful friend, Angela, was there on the highway, and rushed to my side! At this point, I lost it. I was crying, I was delirious, and I was just so ready to be done. She had the faith in me that I didn’t have left in myself, and that got me to the finish! I have never been so happy to see a familiar face in my entire life! It was enough to muster out any last bit of strength I had. And just like that, 28.54 miles with the blood, sweat, and tears, albeit  cliché, I had accomplished the most difficult challenge of my life.

Jane, finishing strong!

Jane and Eric finished the last 12 miles that brought our team to the finish line on Mt. Crested Butte. It was so neat to learn that we finished in first place in the co-ed ultra division, and 8^th place overall out of 52 teams, (45 of which were 12man teams).  I am so incredibly proud and honored that I was able to run with a group of such fantastic and outstanding people. I only wish I could have performed better. A little more than a week has gone by, and I'm thankful that the body has a miraculous way of forgetting pain. If, (and yes, Eric, that's a BIG If!) I decide to do this again next year, I know exactly the things that I will do differently, beginning with my training! I knew going into this that I hadn't put in the proper training required, and that I was gonna just "wing" it, and I certainly paid that price! However, this experience is one that I will truly cherish and never forget. I learned so much about myself, and my team. It was truly an incredible experience coming together as 6 individuals with such different lives and backgrounds, and sharing one common interest, and coming out with a fresh take and perspective that was learned through one another :) We started out as a group of strangers, and ended up a close group of friends. After all, you can't be stuck in a van for 30 hours without showering and discussing poop, and not be friends :)

First Place! Nothin. But. Dust...