Mt. Ashland Hillclimb Run

2:26:07 - 32nd overall

Despite having a cold all week, it didn't seem like it affected me much during the race. This race isn't very steep until the final half mile or so, so it suits "real" runners well. I ran everything until that last half mile, but a bit more running (rather than hiking) in my training would've suited me well.

Started pretty conservatively. Saw lots of folks ahead of me in the first mile or two that I hoped weren't going to beat me. Picked off lots of these folks when things steepened a bit in the next couple miles.

Then things got pretty spread out, although I slowly caught and passed a few more runners between the White Rabbit and Four Corners aid stations. At one point in there, one guy passed me, but I was able to turn the screws a bit on a steeper section of the road and pull away from him for good. Nice to be able to have another gear at these lower elevations.

One guy, though, (Mike O) was ahead of me for a long time, and I was barely reeling him in. I'd gain when the road got a bit steeper, then probably lose ground on less steep sections. I caught him at one point, but he pulled away easily on a short downhill. I finally caught and passed him for good shortly after the Four Corners aid station. He'd linger not far back, though, for the rest of the race. Having him back there forced me to work harder on the long flat section approaching the Bull Gap aid station. I passed one guy in that aid station, then ran a steep section after the aid station, thinking that would increase my gap on those guys, but they were still there not far back.

Continued running well up to the Ski Lodge. From there, the race up the ski hill is mostly hiking, and I knew I wasn't going to get caught on that terrain. I saw a few folks up ahead leaving the Lodge that I hoped I'd catch. Turns out I'd catch and pass quite a few (5-10 total?) on the ski hill. I ran several sections here and was hiking strong when not running.

Pretty happy with my time, I guess. Didn't really have any expectations.

Hung out on the summit for a bit. Chatted with Mike O. Hiked up to the true summit. Chatted briefly with Steve Kominsky who'd recently attempted to climb the 10 highest Oregon mountains in 6 days but was thwarted by snow conditions.

After a half hour or so, I started hammering down the ski hill. Saw Jen just a few minutes down and encouraged her to chase a few runners ahead of her. Continued hustling down and found Lori a few minutes above the Lodge. Turned and hiked back to the summit with her. Then hammered down the ski hill again back to the Lodge.

Fun race.

HokaStinson