It has taken me some time to come to grips with my recent performance at the 2025 Hardrock 100. Basically, I did not finish having to call it quits two miles from the rock and past the 48-hour cut-off for an official finish for a variety of reasons. While it was not the finish I wanted, it was the one that happened.
What went right? Many things including my nutrition, hydration, and acclimatization (I spent weeks at 10,000 ft in northern New Mexico prior to the race).
What went wrong? Also many things including blisters from wet feet, poor downhill running techniques, and the dreaded “leans”. Could some of this been prevented? Perhaps through additional training. Then again, old age may really be catching up with me.
What I have realized is that instead of being disappointed with my performance, I should be grateful for the many things surrounding the event. Many veteran Hardrocker’s have failed to finish at one time or another. It is an extremely hard event as you know.
First and foremost, I was fortunate to actually participate in the Hardrock 100. After seven years of qualifying, I finally was drawn for a coveted “never” slot. The effort put into just getting to the starting line was huge: qualifying races, training, planning, expenses, everything. Just being at the start was a blessing.
Second, was my family and friends. So many were supportive both at Hardrock and over the years. There was Lisa, my wife who has supported my running over the decades, supported many races and supported me as crew. There was my daughter Megan (and her cheering squad family Anthony, Arora, Izabella and Philip) who also crewed and paced me from Telluride to Chapman. My good friend Tim White flew in from the east coast to pace me from Animas Fork to Telluride. Dave Dogrule who has been with me on many adventures and took on the unenviable job of pacing me from Kamm Traverse to the end after a long volunteer stint at the Kroger Aid Station.
Then there were my stage racing buddies Ken Letterly and Brandon Petelin. Ken was lucky enough to be running also, and I got to do some early miles with him. Brandon came along to pace not only me early on but also Ken. He almost got to do the entire race as a pacer!
Then there is the ultra-running crowd from Los Alamos. This includes Blake Wood, David Coblentz, Tommy Stockton, Jason Halladay, Bill Geist, and others. Their wealth of knowledge regarding Hardrock was invaluable and training with them was great.
Third I got to experience the beautiful Hardrock course. I have raced around the world and seen some amazing scenery. The rugged beauty of the San Juans is spectacular and constantly on display. This backdrop ranks up there at the top.
Fourth, we were blessed with pleasant weather. No rain, no lightning, just sunny days and cool nights. Even a little bit of smoke from wildfires to the west was just a fleeting nuisance.
Finally, I am grateful for being able to participate in the Hardrock experience. This is a well run event with stellar volunteers. The scene and vibe around Hardrock are almost mystical. Being able to participate in all of this was almost overwhelming.
While I most likely will never get to participate in Hardrock again (as a competitor) from my perspective, I am grateful that I got to once. Focusing on the experience as opposed to the performance is something that we should all consider more often.
Ultra Stage Racing 