Leadville 100

I am from tropical Queensland, Australia , the lowest continent on earth- sea level, lots of air, no mountains. Maybe once or twice a year the day time temperature may get down to 50 degrees --- AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS COLD. So when Julia & I lined up in the thin 37 degree air for the start on Saturday, I was cold and petrified about what was awaiting me.

Perhaps I am being a little dramatic. I was prepared! I had been to Leadville on numerous occasions, and this had been the focus of my racing season (and maybe my life) since February. I had an idea about the pain that was headed my way. I remember riding High Grade in April and it was snowing at the top and I reminded my self that it was all in preparation for what could happen in Leadville. It didn't snow on Saturday, but it sure was close.

Julia and I had a team of support for race day. The day would not have been a success without having such a fantastic crew. Amy and Chelsea were there in the Beti Bus, Ed and Diane left Denver at 3:30am to be there, Dave and Hennie slept in the ski van and Pam and Tracy camped in the cold to be there for us.

We had a plan that worked like clockwork. We got up early, rode down to the start, checked in, and left our bikes (with 1,400 others), in the hopes of not being too far back in the start. Dave and Hennie came and got us in the big ski van and we went home to organize the last few details and eat a few more calories.

We were headed back to the start at 6:15am for a 6:30 am start. The start was like nothing I have ever experienced before! A mass start of 1,400 people, TV cameras, and a helicopter flying over head filming everything. Oh, and did I mentioned it was freezing? The people of Leadville were amazing, and the street was lined as we departed. A mass start of 1400 people is challenging to say the least. To add to it, it started raining pretty heavily. I think Julia and I both did a good job of dressing well. We were not over dressed which would have definitely hurt us on the first climb. Other than being wet and having cold feet and hands I was pretty happy. I have to thank Matt Sodnicar the creator of “The Warm Front”. This magic garment (pretty much a bib) kept my core warm and dry and I think was key in keeping warm enough.

Julia and I started out with the plan to stick together for as long as possible. It really was quite difficult after the gun went off. There were just too many people and you had to keep your line and concentrate otherwise a mass pill-up was highly likely. I saw at least three crashes and one guy broke his collarbone in the first five minutes.

I was essentially in the pack until after the decent down the Powerline , which was challenging in the rain. Finally after approximately 25 miles the pack broke up a little and I was able to put the new NoTubes ZTR 29er wheels to the test.

I felt great all day. Knowing the support crews were just around the corner (well every 20 miles or so), was so comforting. When I got to the Twin Lakes aid station and found Amy and Chelsea they mentioned they thought I was in 11th. I was shocked to say the least, but it definitely gave me motivation for the Columbine climb. The 7 mile, 3,000 foot climb was tough, but just kept focusing on reeling the person in in front of me, and when it was a girl I knew I was getting closer one step closer to my goal. I had a secret goal of top 10, under 10 hours. I say secret because I really had no idea what to expect from the race, and knew there were some very strong women coming out for it. I guess I didn’t have confidence to make that goal public knowledge.

Both Julia and I were surprised at the number of people walking in steep sections that we didn’t think need to be walked. I guess that is just testament to the toughness and preparedness of the Beti’s!

Descending back to the Twin Lakes after topping out at 12,600’ at Columbine Mine (1/2 way point of the race), Amy and Chelsea told me I had moved up to 6th with 5th place right in front. I was still feeling great, but knew I still had the dreaded Powerline climb in front of me.

The people are what make the Leadville 100 special, both spectators and the fellow riders. There are essentially people lined almost whole length of the course. Although the athletes around you are strangers at the start, by the end of the race they are your teammates, working with you and supporting you.

The Powerline climb lived up to all the hype. IT WAS TERRIBLE. I had been *lucky* enough to have been to Leadville to ride that climb on 4 different occasions. There is nothing you can do to prepare for this. In pre-riding I was able to clear the whole thing and summit in a little over 40 minutes. I am not sure how long it took me, but I can tell you for sure there was no way I was riding it. I tried – and Dave and Hennie sure did provide some motivation running up the side with me, screaming at me like I was in the Tour – but Coke is what ended it all. There were some spectators (aka life savers), handing out Coke about ¼ way up the first brutal section. I didn’t realize how badly I needed Coke until then or how badly I needed an excuse to stop.

No way around it, that climb sucked! The only thing that keep me going was the end was getting closer with every pedal stroke. My goals were still looking good.

Although Julia and I were not riding together like we did in Laramie, Amy and Chelsea let me know that she was feeling strong, and was in good spirits – this news kept me going.

After the road climb around the lake, Sarah Jr. was at the top of the hill with a water bottle full of Coke. The Coke, combined with knowing it was a relatively easy 10 miles to the finish was enough to keep strong to the end. I finished in 9:41, 5th woman and 244th overall of 963 finishers. Julia finished in 10:36, 21st woman overall.

Thank you again to Amy, Chelsea, Diane, Pam, Tracy, Hennie, Dave, Ed, and Diane for the amazing support. We could not have done it without you. The Leadville 100 has essentially been the focus of my life since February, and I was fortunate that it all came together for me at the right time. I definitely will be back for a future Leadville 100 -- not sure whether it will be as a spectator or a participant.

Who would have thought there were blood clots brewing at this time

Beti's had an awesome time in CB -- thanks girls ;-)

Really -- it is supposed to be summer!!!!!

Sorry BOYS the pill isn't worth this!!!

Getting Ready ;-)

If you don't know me I hate needles ---

This face says it all -- (oh and my cleft looks really obvious -- weird!)

I would be better of if I was fat with friends who are not funny!

Strange but true ---

I was instructed to give my self a shot in the stomach earlier today -- it was very very hard for me -- kind of like jumping off the high dive -- just standing on the end and looking down --- and not being able to take the plunge. I sat there shaking with the needle poised above my skin for a good 5-10 minutes. The issue is it has to go into the fat on my stomach -- fortunately for me I don't have too much fat on my stomach (goes hand in hand with having no fat on my boobs -- so you win some you lose some) -- but anyway jabbing a needle into my abs was not an easy task for me and the doctor happened to tell me it would be easier if I was fat.

My other major problem is it hurts like hell when I laugh -- so a message to my great friends out there -- stop being funny!

This is what I was doing hours before the post below!

So what I will do to get out of work!

So Amy's lovely iPhone comes in handy again -- As I am writing this blog, it is almost exactly midnight Thursday night -- and let me tell you I am on some wonderful drugs -- wonderful twofold -- a) I am on a nice steady little high -- (and it helps contain the knife stabbling feeling that radiates through my body every few minutes and b) Perhaps the true miracle -- I think it has some type of agent it it that promotes me to clean and organize -- I just got up and shuffled around my bed with my IV and gave myself an English shower, cleaned up my little bed side table and generally made my small living space clean and organized -- I even washed my face with face cleanser (compliments of Karsen) and brushed my teeth -- wow the wonders of modern medicine.

Ok -- so of the 2 people who read this (Amy and maybe somoneone else) most of you will know why I am in hospital right now -- quick recap -- had not been able to sleep really since early Sunday morning after racing in Crested Butte -- was fine during the day - other than just feeling like I had a cramp in my back and side (not backside) -- I had not told too many people about it because I feel like these days I constantly have something wrong with me and I DON'T want to be one of those people -- yet it got to the point on Wednesday night when I had no choice.

I had just had a great dinner with Amy and Julia --- was feeling great (might have been the red wine) thinking that finally I was going to get a good nights sleep --- as I was scootering home I started yet again to get a pretty intense pain in my right side -- I told my self 'no worries' get home -- drink some water, have an epson salt bath, eat a banana, take a sleeping pill and I will get through it --- OH NO my body was not having it -- soon after I got in the bath I was in such intense pain that I immediately knew this was going to have to taken to a professional -- I was still questioning whether I was being a baby - but the fact that I was moaning and half crying when no one else was around wasn't a good sign -- I managed to get dressed (although I was almost too the point that I was going to yell at Hennie to come dress me -- amazing how you lose your modesty when you are in such intense pain.) I managed to throw on my boxes and stumble out of my room -- I find Hennie and he knew within seconds that I needed help -- I tried to tell him we were waiting for Brook (Brook knows stuff and I was half thinking she would give me a stretch to make it better and I didn't need to go anywhere) --- Hennie wasn't having it -- said Brook could meet us at the emergency room.

I stumbled out to the car stopping often as a pain revolted around my body in random intervals that literately took my breath away (I am not a good enough writer to accurately describe this type of pain) -- I have been through some crappy stuff - and this pain is definitely up there with most pain i have ever been in --

WAIT -- I JUST REMEMBERED THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A QUICK STORY

So to summerize - Hennie gets me to the Emergency room - he try's his best to chatter the whole way there to try and keep my mind of the fact that there is a firecracker inside my rib cage that goes off every thirty seconds or so -- (to give an idea of my messed up head - once the pain would pass I would actually be kind of happy that I had just felt it as I was constantly trying reassure my self that I wasn't being a baby and I really did need to go to the Emergency room in the middle of the night.)

At the hospital they immediately start pumping me full of pain meds (I now get how people are adicted to shooting up) -- they did a bunch of blood tests and one comes back abnormal - indicating a possible blood clot in my lung (pulmonary embolism) what????????????????????? anyway - we can't confirm tha right away because we need to wait for a pregnancy test to come back before I can have a cat scan. (I tried to tell them unless I am having Jesus' baby there was no need but they didn't listen) --

I have the cat scan and shortly after they come in and tell my I have a very large clot on my right side and two smaller clots one on each side. Part of my lung apparently has already died from lack of oxygen but the larger issue being (besides the 'nagging' issue of pain) was that this can be a fatel condition if it moves to your heart.

I was immediately put on blood thinners and told to prepare for at least a couple of nights in the hospital -- holy cow- not what I was expecting -- but at least I was vindicated about the pain I was having and the decision to go to the emergency room. (what a relief)

My time here as been great -- nurses have been awesome -- pain meds awesome -- but the truly remarkable outcome of this little adventure is realizing how amazing my friends are. I was not alone for more than 20 minutes the whole day as people were in and out brining me pretty flowers, things to read and treats to eat and just spending time with me to help me get through this and show they care -- and the sincerity and depth of my friends is more than one can ask for. Thank you!