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WHY did you sign up
for Transrockies? Steve's Answer... Ooops – Did I really sign up for the TransRockies? Folks who are Doug’s (69) and my age (64) think watching a round of golf on ESPN is exercise enough. But, when Doug Malewicki asked me to join him on this 118 mile trail running trek I immediately channeled my Old Goat brain and said "yes"… It was only later did I contemplate the enormity of it all… especially the altitude.
Now, I am no stranger to long distances and did complete the Leadville 100 back in the Mesozoic era… I was having an extremely good race that day and was fairly certain I’d break 22 hours. I hit the turn-around in good shape and made my second trip over Hope Pass with little difficulty. That’s when it hit – altitude sickness – I was reduced to a stagger - held erect by my pacer or I would have face planted on the trail leading back to Twin Lakes. I did spend almost four hours on my hands and knees at an aid station, unable to keep anything down that even resembled food. After what seemed an eternity I ate a Jolly Rancher… then another. I managed to stand unaided and then suicide shuffled back to Turquoise Lake. I don’t remember, but my pacer told me I jogged the last few yards up the red carpet into Leadville. I still think he was lying!
Now, why share this with us, you ask? Well, today I took out my Colorado Topo maps and compared the proposed 2nd stage profile of the TransRockies with the profile of the Leadville 100 trail over Hope Pass… Gotta remember to pack Jolly Ranchers!
Steve Harvey
the Old Goat his own self |
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I made many friends at WTRS over the years - among them two of the top trail runners, Scott McKenzie and Rob McNair. I found out Scott & Rob twice fast-packed the entire 210 mile long John Muir Trail in a mere 7 days. They also ran the entire spectacularly scenic 47 mile long High Sierra Rae Lakes Loop in 10 hours! I have done this gorgeous loop route twice too, but took 7 leisurely days and 6 nights each time! See: www.sshs57.com/photos/050913RaeLakesLoop1.htm Basically Rob & Scott's adventures planted a seed in the back of my brain for the future... Then along came the fully supported Transrockies inaugural event last year. I only found about it because my daughter Michelle Barton was invited to team with Adam Chase to run in the inaugural event . (A lot more about Michelle in my RUNNING BIO). They won the mixed team category. Michelle told me many wonderful things about her Transrockies experience. That and all the scenic pictures really got me interested. Later I called Aaron, the Transrockies RD, with a few questions. As soon as I found out that if you missed the supposed generous cutoff times for each days you were NOT DNF'd, but merely had an hour added to your run time, I was in! Then it was a matter of signing up and finding a compatible team mate. My only worry with Old Goat super trail runner Steve Harvey is that he will want to just run the entire 118 miles straight through without stopping. Not what I have in mind! I have been doing week long backpack trips in the Sierras with my retired USA Marine Major buddy, Bob Johnson for 25 years now. Last summer we covered 80 miles in 5.5 days out of Mammoth Mountain area. Went over two 11,000' passes on that trip. I am absolutely confident I could cover the Transrockies route and its 118 mile distance as a back pack trip WITH full pack in 8 days, but haven't quite figured out why doing it in 6 days WITHOUT any back pack weight has me concerned?? Probably has everything to do with the pace? Major Bob & I are never in a rush. We love our leisurely lunches by deep blue alpine lakes... and on the long days, our post lunch naps. So....Transrockies watch out - here comes the California Old Goats! Doug
Malewicki |
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Our Goals for the 2008 Transrockies Race #1 - Team California Old Goats has the same exact goals as the 2007 overall winners - the Skagg brothers, Erik and Kyle and the 2007 mixed team winners - Adam Chase and Michelle Barton. Namely not to have anyone older than us beat us! Our combined total age is 133 years, so deep down inside we hope that meeting our race goal is automatic. It would be great if we can goof off a lot more and drink more Michelob ULTRA (hopefully provided by those Transrockies sponsors) and fine wines each night!
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Our Race Strategy Here is where Team California Old Goats has incurred its first major conflicts. (oh NO!) Doug wants to take it easy and be in last place the first 3 days and then start picking off those who DNF from injuries or total exhaustion from pushing too hard in that thin air. Steve on the other hand wants to shoot for second to last place each AND every day. This major dilemma could have very important effects on our nightly beer drinking... Arghh! Stay tuned. |
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The California Old Goats
Secret Weapon! It is Steve's wife Annie, our official head Nanny Goat!!
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