Great NW Mountain Run mini race report

[stomper]

Another X-dog event today. This time, about 6 miles starting and ending at Timberline Lodge (you know, like that hotel in the Shining?). Did it barefoot. As usual despite the challenging surfaces it was my fitness that held me back more than my feet.

Boy Mt. Hood is large. The course: Down a road, then up a ski lift line. And up. And up. And up. Surfaces vary: pumice (very comfy), loose volcanic rock, snow. Now above the treeline onto the mountain. Up ,and up, and up. Most people walk all this uphill at various speeds... it isn't runnable for me or anyone within my sight lines (though the leaders are doing it). After peaking, the rest of the course zigzags down the mountain back to the start using trails, snowfields and ski trails, and random slopes of rock and pumice. The snow is actually fairly easy to run on: it is soft and deep but in that big granular crunchy stage. I often sink in above my knees, but as long as I keep picking up my feet it is fine. The feet get a bit chilled, but warm up again when I am back on the sunny pumice. The best part is that the high-altitude summer ski area is open and the race course crosses working ski trails again and again; at least one snowboarder wipes out when he does a double take at me.

I get high fives from a few more. Then I'm relieved to see the finish line and get in line for beer.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

This sounds great!  I wish

This sounds great! I wish there were some pictures of what you run over.

 

[stomper]

Barefoot TJ wrote:This sounds

This sounds great! I wish there were some pictures of what you run over.

the pictures at this link give an idea of the scenery, but not really of the course, since they photographed from one of the few paved portions of the route. Over on facebook this video and even better this one of running through the snow sort of give you the idea. You probably need to be logged in to see them.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Wow, Stomper, I am

Wow, Stomper, I am impressed! That's some serious surface you covered barefoot? How did you place with the others? How'd your feet look and feel when you were finished? I bet those people thought you were nuts. Hee. Beautiful scenery.

 

[stomper]

I was fine.  My feet were

I was fine. My feet were fine.. one small cut on the top of one toe. And for once, I wasn't covered in mud. Didn't place well -- though I "won" my age division of 3 people (maybe the other guys were hung over?) I was way back in the total field at about the 90th percentile. I'd like to blame going BF for the slow speed, but mostly my fitness just wasn't that good compared to the crowd at this race. That big uphill separated the men from the boys. Navigating the downhills and the snowfields BF was a blast, so even though shoes would have been faster I wouldn't trade it.

In general I think I'm finding this year that apparently challenging surfaces can be not just navigated, but actually enjoyed barefoot. If you don't mind sacrificing some speed, you can have some fun. See pic at http://capture247.smugmug.com/Events/2011-Great-NW-Mountain-Run/18334128_3HKB37#1411911909_nrLcWTn-XL-LB

 

[Barefoot TJ]

That's a great picture. 

That's a great picture. Doesn't matter that you were in the 90s. You were the only barefooter, right? Can anyone else say that?

 

[stomper]

yup, only barefooter.  I'm

yup, only barefooter. I'm sure paraganek could have ruled this course, actually -- too bad he wasn't there.

 

[paraganek]

Congratulations Stomper !

Congratulations Stomper ! That's really some achievement.

I did not go because I was running Wildwood half marathon but I am looking forward to run it next year

 

[stomper]

Actually PG, the really

Actually PG, the really challenging race to do BF this year was the one at McCubbins Gulch. Exposed rocks, loose rocks, and worst of all a whole forest full of small fallen trees with broken branches sticking out every which way. "Running" involved a lot of leaping over things and praying. Next year I'm going to bring a human hamster ball and just roll over everything.