Problem solving, resilience, and patience through the San Juan Mountains

Last summer I visited Silverton, Colorado and did  a short run on the Hardrock 100 Mile Endurance Run course.  Being on the course I felt like I not only wanted to be part of the event, but needed to. I put my name in the lottery and with a two percent chance of being selected against the odds my name was drawn. 

It was an exciting moment, and an opportunity that I took very seriously.  With over 33,100 ft of climbing and descent this would not be a typical one hundred mile run for me.  With my name on the entrants list my fire was fueled.  I craved the training.  I craved mountains.  I craved the immersion in nature.  I craved the challenges. I craved reflection.  I craved the entire puzzle and all the pieces.

Last Friday, seven months after my name was selected, Dale Garland, the race director yelled “3, 2, 1 GO!”  My training was now all behind me and it was time to navigate the course through the San Juan mountains. Throughout the 102 miles I navigated highs, lows and everything in between.  Problem solving, resilience, and patience became imperative as altitude, heat, and air quality added to the challenge of the already difficult loop.  

There were moments where it was difficult to remain composed, but every time I had a sip of hydration, a gel, or a nibble of waffle I felt a sense of relief.  I knew exactly what my nutrition was going to taste like.  I knew exactly what the ingredients were.  I knew exactly how it was going to perform. 

It feels amazing to have made the loop from Silverton to Lake City, to Ouray, to Telluride and back to Silverton. But boy does it also feel amazing to have fueled that adventure with a product that’s main carbohydrate is farmed right here in Vermont.