Bottomless Pit Sign

Memorial Park to Bottomless Pit sign
17 miles, 4,700' gain

I guess I needed a sacrificial lamb.  Today I put one up there - a miserable, puttering crawlfest up the east side of Pikes.  This is about when I start running up Pikes a LOT - and I can't help but check my watch at certain points on my way up.  Today's run will be an easy baseline to exceed - 1:46 to Barr Camp and 2:06 to the Bottomless Pit sign.  (for comparison's sake, I have reached Camp in 1:18, 1:16, and 1:25 the past three Ascents)

I saw plenty of familiar faces on the peak this morning, including Cory and Kim Dobson.  Kim has been on fire lately and would have been a favorite to make the Mountain Team, but she's focused on Pikes this year.

This wasn't a surprise.  I've been at 10,400' this whole week, with the CMHS XC team at our High Altitude Training Camp.  I had a great tempo workout on Gold Camp Rd. earlier in the week, and placed 2nd to one of the HS alumni at the 1st annual Crazy Clyde Hill Climb - a 2.0 mile time trial that gained over 1,000' from start to finish.

The Wayzata team is coming in tomorrow afternoon - 8 kids, 3 dads, 2 alumni, and 2 coaches.  We'll be down in the Sangre de Cristos Monday through Wednesday.  Another three nights at 11,000'.

Another gorgeous summer afternoon here in sunny Colorado.  Makes me want to just sit outside on my porch for a while.