Gore-Tex TransRockies 2010: A run through the Peaks of Hell

I might have grown up within a tight community of hard-core runners, but I never imagined in the wildest of hallucinations that I would take part in anything longer, or more excruciatingly stupid, than a marathon. Runners are all-right by me- but throughout my childhood I always held a sneaking suspicion that every one of them was slightly insane. This thought still hasn't completely left my mind- to this day, when I diligently wake up early to put in a few miles with the Dingo before heading to work.

My horizons were abruptly altered this past fall when I began working at OutsidePR. Our firm was founded with the mission to effectively publicize the most high profile, core outdoor brands- so joining the team subliminally binds you with the expectation that you are prepared to handle and embrace any and all types of extreme/adventure/endurance masochism. I may not have realized this stipulation right off, but it slowly sunk in when terms such as adventure race and ultramarathon became a common part of our daily dialogue.

Further magnifying my entry into this society of psychopaths was the realization that our client – the GoreTex Transrockies Race- is one of the premier adventure races in the United States. This multi-day, six-stage race draws participants from across the globe to compete in one or two-person teams for a purse of over $20,000. In the midst of the Colorado Rockies, the course runs from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek, through the heart of the White River, and San Isabel National Forests. Runners subject themselves to nearly 25,000 feet of elevation gain, reaching altitudes of over 12,500 ft.

My duty while in Colorado this August 22-27 will be to accommodate the members of the press covering the event, while reporting on the behalf of GTTRR, and participating when necessary. While I am rather eager to confront such a challenge, the issue still remains that I have never run anything in the realm of 20 miles in a day, not to mention at 10,000 feet. The only things I am particularly versed at executing at such an elevation are submitting to the whims of gravity and hauling ass down the mountain through powdery fluff-flakes; or imbibing far too many of the delicious microbrews available in Colorado, and promptly falling down numerous times as my confused mind convinces me that I’m the next Ricky Martin on the dance floor.

To say that I’m apprehensive is an understatement. On my last trip to Colorado I managed to convince one eager photographer to enter a team and cover the event. This friendly South African, Paul Shippey, is a man of many talents, one of which is running. Take a peek at his GTTRR blog if you are wondering how a real man prepares for an odyssey as this. As for me, I’ll be surfing, hiking, running short distances through the extreme elevations changes of Golden Gate Park, and pretending that I’m going to cut back on the brews and tubes. But hey- we all know that’s not going to happen. If you have any advice on how I should protect my dehydrated ass from the wild, unforgiving Rockies, please let me know.