Colorado Colfax Race Report

Getting There!
You know, for this swing shift worker, 4:00 AM comes awfully early. I did wake up prior to the alarm going off. I made coffee and drank a large glass of water. I got dressed, made up some oatmeal (forced it down) and double checked my gym bag.

I think I did my best preparations for this race. I made sure I was hydrated and nourished. I ate in a very healthy fashion for the entire week before the event. As a matter of fact, I made a noodle dish that night before. Home made noodles, roasted chicken strips with a light white sauce and parmesan, colby and cheddar cheeses. How delicious and filling, as well as fueling!

I had packed the night before. We had been to the expo the day before to pick up the bib number and the chip. I pinned the bib on my shirt and the chip on my left shoe. My running electronics were packed, charged and ready in their case.

I had also outlined and followed a training plan that brought me up to this point. Only the race will tell me now if I have succeeded!

We (my friend, Tom and I), headed out the door @ 4:45 AM. The birds were awake and alive. Making so much noise, you could not help but notice it! Streets were fairly empty until we got to the area of Denver's City Park. They got busy then. We worried about parking but did find a parking space at the Museum of Nature and Science. Several major street arteries were already closed.

We went to the expo tents and found the Start and Finish lines. Now it was a matter of waiting. I handed off my jacket to Tom and headed for a good place in the queue. Time ticked down and my nervousness went up!


The Race!
The Colorado Colfax Marathon includes a wheelchair race. The wheelchair athletes were getting ready and were lined up at the start line. They would start first.



For the rest of us, the start looked like this -
Watch the Race start on YouTube!

The course seemed flat. It wound through City Park and then headed toward Colfax.


It followed Colfax Avenue east to Aurora. It headed north through the Anschutz Medical Campus (the old Fitzsimmons location) and then west on 17th Street.


The sun was in our faces on the way out. It was bright but not hot. A great morning for a race.

Water/Gatorade stations were located every 2 miles. There were 2 porta-pottys at every one. There were official clocks at the water stations so you could check your progress. The water stations were slow but got it out. It was not a run through at many of them as the cups were being grabbed and emptied as quickly as they were being filled!

During the first half, I checked my Garmin 205 a lot. I tried for an 11:00 minute pace. I found an older lady running at that pace and drafted her almost to the half-way point. She started to get progressively slower. I thanked her and headed on past.

I was disappointed that there wasn't a chip reading mat at the midway point. I did want to check my splits (hoping for a negative split). I know that the Garmin does laps, but I use it for both running and jeeping. I didn't have it set for mile laps.

I stepped it up. I was running at 10:30 Pace for most of the second half. The sun was at our backs. It is definitely Spring in Denver and 17th Street was green and verdant. It was great to watch as I ran.

My legs were getting tired. I was counting the blocks back to city park. My left arm by the elbow was starting to cramp if I held it wrong. The backs of my legs were getting tight. With 1 mile to go, I felt myself start to slow down. One last water station and a shot of Gatorade!

Another mile and there was the entrance to the park. I stepped it up. ".2 miles to go! Two tenths of a mile!" Someone shouted. I kicked it again. I finally saw the finish line.

"I see the finish line!" I screamed! (or was that a murmur?) I kicked it again. I passed 2 people on my way in. I ran it in for position 1245 out of 1966! My race was over!




After The Race!
From the finish line, I enterred the chute. A young man stepped up and handed me my finisher's medal (remember that this was the whole purpose for this race). I stared at it then smiled. I have done it!

I received a space blanket (I didn't need one, but it was offered and I have never gotten one at a competition - Besides it would be useful for camping and Jeeping).

There was a bottleneck at chip removal. Runners were coming in and the 4 chip removing volunteers were very busy. My chip was pulled and then I enterred a tent with food and water. Safeway and Panterra Bread did a great job and provided all kinds and manner of food. I grabbed a little of everything and head on out.

We went through the expo tent again. There was even more swag to get. It was great. Tom met me in the expo tent. I told him that I really wanted to get a cup of coffee - Good thing we had one in the Jeep!

It was a great way to spend a very early Sunday morning. I was confident and I felt fully prepared. I was so happy when Tom told me to go to the preliminary results table to get my results! The PR was a wonderful thing to get.

Jack Kerouac once said that Colfax was the "wickedest street in America." From what I experienced today, that image is definitely changed!

Tired but Invigorated Runner!


Now For All Of YOU!
I would really like to thank all of you that read and support this blog. Many of you encouraged me, gave me pieces of advice or were just there following the path to this race. Some of you just lurk. I appreciate each and everyone of you. Thanks! Thanks a lot! It does make a difference!