tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post8816000881400741582..comments2024-02-27T00:16:46.412-08:00Comments on Daily Adventures: Beauty and Fear at the Hardrock 100 (A Pacer's Report)Gretchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01132576974564001603noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-47631623378698843202012-05-09T14:59:20.703-07:002012-05-09T14:59:20.703-07:00I'm real late posting here...but was reading s...I'm real late posting here...but was reading some reports from last year and came upon yours. I also see that you are in the starting field! ;-)<br />See you there! Great report, BTW...Steve Perohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06233567281691642089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-86939859638968637542011-07-29T10:19:03.168-07:002011-07-29T10:19:03.168-07:00Wonderful report and I love your writing! I can S...Wonderful report and I love your writing! I can SO relate to everything you said. Thanks for a great write-up!Marcyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16198544929807006054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-35073763019893240152011-07-23T06:37:27.841-07:002011-07-23T06:37:27.841-07:00Thanks, Turi! I had to edit that inner monologue f...Thanks, Turi! I had to edit that inner monologue for language. ;)Gretchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01132576974564001603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-74215052036868185422011-07-21T08:07:56.068-07:002011-07-21T08:07:56.068-07:00Inspiring as always, Gretchen. Beautiful words and...Inspiring as always, Gretchen. Beautiful words and photos. Love the inner monologue in italics.Turi Beckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00921132089888300525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-52605153210221346012011-07-21T06:56:55.060-07:002011-07-21T06:56:55.060-07:00Teresa - Thank you!
Meghan - I do think it's ...Teresa - Thank you!<br /><br />Meghan - I do think it's the mountains for me, too. But the race holds it's own temptations, simply because of those fears. (And, you know, all the other awesomeness that goes along with big ultras.)<br /><br />John - Awesome! Glad you could connect with this in spite the lack of icy passes in San Jose. :) Thanks!<br /><br />Anon - Thank you so much. Those kinds of comments mean a lot to me. Hope you keep reading!<br /><br />Paige - YES! get out to the San Juans. I know you guys would love it.<br /><br />Amber - Yep, that is the trick for when you're scared. ppreciate the beauty, because it never looks better than when enhanced by fear. Definitely. <br /><br />Sarah - Yeah, we talked a lot about the lack of women at the race. I definitely have some thoughts on that.<br /><br />Trekking poles - yes! They were super helpful on steep snow, creek crossings, and even technical downhills. They helped save my quads a bit.<br /><br />Yeah, I know the elevation change is ridiculous. Will you be returning to pace, or run yourself? :)Gretchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01132576974564001603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-72931113222302294072011-07-21T05:39:50.072-07:002011-07-21T05:39:50.072-07:00Gretchen, it was so interesting and moving to read...Gretchen, it was so interesting and moving to read this -- great job, and thank you! Since I paced from Telluride to the finish, I was very curious about the stretch you did leading to Telluride, especially in the dark. Many congrats to Betsy--as I write in my pace report (http://www.therunnerstrip.com/2011/07/the-hardrock-100-endurance-run/) it puzzles me why the event is so gender imbalanced, and I admire every woman out there. <br />Did you use poles? I found the BlackDiamond Z Poles to be lifesavers in snow traversing and creek crossings. I really debated whether to bring my traction devices for the snow and in the end am glad I didn't, but that's because the poles helped. Also, guess what--the total elev gain and loss is around 66K, double what you wrote! 33K is "just" the gain :-). Crazy, huh? Take care and have a great summer of running.Sarah Lavender Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14119341345004909332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-62947714465332341732011-07-20T22:50:10.622-07:002011-07-20T22:50:10.622-07:00Good God Gretchen! There have been time when I was...Good God Gretchen! There have been time when I was lost and scared out of my mind- I'll definitely remember this blog and remember to look for the beauty around me to calm my fears. You are amazing girl!SnowLeopardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02063850027177277537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-59766588558484168242011-07-20T14:16:53.506-07:002011-07-20T14:16:53.506-07:00Wow, wow, wow. What an intense experience! I agr...Wow, wow, wow. What an intense experience! I agree with Pam, I felt like I was right there with you guys. I swear my stomach dropped when you described looking down and regretting it. Yikes!! I need to get out to these San Juans and see for myself what all the rage is :)Paigehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16936117159619262436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-24262549472362405462011-07-20T13:13:46.522-07:002011-07-20T13:13:46.522-07:00Gretchen,
I've been reading your blog semi-re...Gretchen, <br />I've been reading your blog semi-regularly for about a year. You are a great writer. Your prose really catches the essence of your experience. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-33834156971979105422011-07-20T10:17:25.547-07:002011-07-20T10:17:25.547-07:00Wow. That does sound tough. And being from San J...Wow. That does sound tough. And being from San Jose, I don't get extreme weather... I wouldn't know what to do with an ice axe if I had one! But as an ultra runner, I can understand how that fear makes you feel so alive. Thanks for sharing!John Nguyenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15557997208342746899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-21636453051002484552011-07-20T09:52:04.173-07:002011-07-20T09:52:04.173-07:00Positively gorgeous, Gretchen. Thank you. For me, ...Positively gorgeous, Gretchen. Thank you. For me, it's the mountains for which I've fallen in love. To me, the race is fascinating, but I still don't want to run it, probably for all the fears you articulated. This mountain range us like no other. Thanks for this!Meghanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12994831420729922386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-68308763402687715422011-07-20T07:41:24.716-07:002011-07-20T07:41:24.716-07:00Perfectly Excellent.Perfectly Excellent.Teresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16074705574937112886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-39525047582529914592011-07-20T06:41:51.383-07:002011-07-20T06:41:51.383-07:00Olga - I absolutely, 100% know what you're say...Olga - I absolutely, 100% know what you're saying. Contagious. Completely. It was great seeing you out there, too!<br /><br />Pam - Exactly - what could be better? This was my first time to these mountains, so clearly I was a bit awestruck. Simply amazing!Gretchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01132576974564001603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-29194150421043697672011-07-20T05:46:40.327-07:002011-07-20T05:46:40.327-07:00Wow, Gretchen! I was right there with you. My husb...Wow, Gretchen! I was right there with you. My husband and I backpacked through those mountains ten years ago (when such things were possible...) and the beauty was wildly transcendent. I love how you cozied up to your fear and embraced the immediacy of running through the mountains. What could be better than that??!!Run Home Pamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13394064430195728410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20554645.post-21578440379419661362011-07-20T03:16:10.034-07:002011-07-20T03:16:10.034-07:00Simply awesome. Hardrock is a disease. Contagious....Simply awesome. Hardrock is a disease. Contagious. Forever. You'll never shake it off. You'll be back. One day, may be next year, I'll see your name on a lottery list.Olgahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00493291972954387932noreply@blogger.com