Sawmill 17 Miler: I ran the Sawmill 17 Miler in Golden this last week. The course is run in White Ranch Park on the north west side of Golden. I stayed at my brothers house in Golden and it was a good thing. It was cold out! 18 degrees. I parked a mile away from the start , along with everyone else, and hopped in a shuttle to the start. By 6:06 I had my bib and was standing outside freezing. I hopped back in a shuttle and went back to my car for the next 25 minutes. After warming up I returned to the start.
My race plan was to take it relaxed and easy, treating the race like a training run... and also try and break the course record. Soon I was running by myself on meandering trails run through grassy dales, and wooded glens. The course consistently threw hills and there seemed to be very little flat areas. It was fun. There were icy spots but for the most part there was rolling single track on smooth hard pact dirt. I kept a sharp eye out for course markings; after all, I did not want to go off course.
I knew my lead was solid and I would win the race providing I stayed the course. Half way through I figured I was on time to break the course record... but something kept telling me that the race would be a little long and I could not rest on my laurels. With 4 miles to go I consistently increased the pace to be sure I would break the course record of 2:24. I ran down and crossed in 2:23:30 for the course record.
The race helped me appreciate how difficult wins are. I have to be ready and prepared, and fit. Not an easy task. I had to make sure I followed the course and not get lost. Also a challenge. The footing with ice, rocks, and uneven terrain can be challenging. The race reaffirmed that running and racing is challenging and success at a high level can not be taken for granted.
A lot of people were racing and anyone that finished the race showed tenacity and was successful. I was thankful for the opportunity to run. The win marked my 6th win for the year, 4th course record, and 12 podium finishes.
As I ponder and look back at the success of this year I am grateful for the opportunity to race. The year had great races and poor ones: ups and downs, just like life. Keep running with Endurance!
