Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 6 (Final) of Volunteering (and Racing)

Day 6 (Last!): Vail to Beaver Creek


Finish line in Beaver Creek.

The Dark Before The Dawn

Today marks the final stage of Transrockies and excitement was in the air! At least that's what I woke up to when my van, parked at the start line, slowly became surrounded by volunteer crew and early bird athletes...with me still sleeping in the back! In 15 minutes I was up, dressed, teeth brushed, and on my mountain bike heading to the athlete camp ground just a half mile up the road for breakfast. I barely made it in time to grab what was left of the scrambled eggs and oatmeal with berries.



Anything for shade. It was HOT out there...
if you're not from Texas anyway  ;-)



There was no grocery shopping to do for today. Finish line catering's main goal = GO THROUGH ALL REMAINING FOOD! We provided water at the start line and saw the athletes off one last time. By 8:00am runners were making their way under the ski lifts and heading to Beaver Creek.

We got in our cars and after a few missed turns on the bazillion round-abouts (I hate those things!), we made it into the very chi-chi private area of Beaver Creek. Cam was right - Vail looked like a ghetto by comparison.



THANK YOU Play Green Events for keeping
up with all the recycling AND the cute puppy dog!



We set up under another set of ski lifts at the base of a mountain and by 10:30am we were ready to welcome the first runners. On a side note, I have never been in such a rats maze as Beaver Creek with the hotels, parking garages, and bathrooms! I think I covered more distance just walking to/from my car than I did the entire day of working the finish line.



Runners started arriving around 11:00am all the way through 4:45pm. We kept going through the food we had on hand and at one point a few volunteers from check point 2 drove up and said they were out of supplies. So we loaded them up with chips, melon, oranges, Cokes, gels, and anything else we could spare. Turns out the check points had it pretty rough because this was a new route this year and not only did some people get off course, the course was actually 4 miles longer than the originally posted 19 miles. And it was HOT!



What keeps Drew the announcer going all day? One guess.



Carnage ensued throughout the afternoon but sure enough, runners continued to cross the finish line. We had to shoo kids away from the food because they would just come up and eat, eat, eat (I'm not even going to comment about how parents should bring snacks for their kids). The course time cutoff for the day was 5:00pm and some athletes had been shuttled in from various check points on the course.

We broke down the finish line catering tents and tables for the last time and packed up all the non-food items in the grey bin for storage until next year. We threw out the striped table cloths that had somehow survived 6 days of spills, cuts, wipes, and dirt yet still managed to look bright and cheery. And when we were done, we helped the finish line folks break down the banners and fencing and loaded everything up into the two huge Budget rental trucks that I had followed around for the better part of a week.

Was I sad it was over? No. I was tired and glad for the end. And with sporting bandaids on two left fingers, I don't think my hands could take much more. At the awards banquet it was great to chat with the runners and say final "good byes" to everyone. When I asked the group of runners I was sitting with (Kristi, Greg, Theresa) if they would do Transrockies again, I was given a resounding "YES" from the ladies. Greg said to ask him when his feet stopped hurting. Until next year! Maybe.

Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 5 of Volunteering (and Racing)

Day 5: Red Cliff to Vail - 23 miles
Back to civilization & cell phone coverage!



Finish line catering crew!



I actually overslept this morning and did a "holy-crap-what-time-is-it" jump out of my sleeping bag. I had 15 minutes to dress, put my eyeballs in, stagger down to the food tent, eat, and meet Cam and Roxanne out in front of the catering van. Believe it or not, I made it. And I discovered that rushing around took my mind off of how flipping cold (40 degrees) it was outside. What made this day feel colder is that it was very damp outside due to the rain showers from last night.



On a side note, I am glad for my van and van camping is working well. Last night I was woken up by a bunch of howling and yapping coyotes who were having some type of party outside near the lake. It was amazing to listen to them but I was glad I had steel between me and them rather than just a nylon tent wall. I made sure the doors were locked too...just in case.



Future runner "carbing" up!

The runners seemed excited for today's stage and we sent everyone off running at 8:30am to the tune of "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC. We headed to the finish line in Vail and my car did not overheat so I was VERY happy about that. 8,500 feet seems to be the tipping point between smelling antifreeze in the car or not.



Vail is a beautiful little town and sits around 8,000 feet. The air actually feels a little thicker "down" here. Since we did grocery shopping yesterday we were able to take our time getting to Vail and settting up without the usual rush. We found the finish line area and set up literally right under a ski lift. By 10:30am we had everything set out and the start line had been torn down in Red Cliff and magically reconstructed on the ski slopes of Vail.



Altitude is not only affecting the runners. One of the crew members was having issues with altitude and had to go to the hospital. The race director was talking to him while we were setting up the food and was telling him to really take it easy. I added to their conversation, "Yeah, you don't want to die up here and then be THAT guy who died during Transrockies." Thankfully everyone laughed after I realized what I had actually said. As my friend Richelle calls me -- over fourty and unfiltered!



Quick run in the mountains - LOVE it!



Runners started coming in and we were there to feed them. Today's "different" foods included skittles and Doritos and we also brought back Peanut M&Ms -- all of which were a hit withs the runners.



Hedgehog? Porcupine? Cute!



I actually got in a 90 minute run today which was FANTASTIC! I ran up the mountain to the top and en route took photos and cheered on the runners as they came barreling down the mountainside. As usual I got off course and ended up running along "Berry Patch" single track trail where I came upon a sculptured wooden hedgehog (or porcupine - not sure which). Those who run with me know that I have a tendency to say, "Hey, I wonder where this goes" and I end up either bush-whacking or in a completely different place. It only took me 30 minutes to descend and I had a real sense for how beat up the runners must feel because my "fresh" legs were tired from all the downhill pounding to the finish line. As one runner put it, "I'm SO over downhills!"'



The runners were definitely looking beat up today and many of them lost the twinkle in their eye they had at the day's start in Red Cliff. 23 miles of mountain running will do that.



A couple of runners got pulled at the last check point at mile 19.1 (didn't make the time cutoff) so we were able to start packing up food a little earlier than we intended and by 5:15pm we were pretty much done for the day. The big concern was packing up all the food because of bears. I made extra sure there were no scraps of food or empty bottles left sitting around the van since I would be sleeping in it and didn't relish the thought of waking up with a bear on the roof, even if the doors were locked!



Finish line in Vail.





Tomorrow is the last day of Transrockies and the runners and crew alike are ready for it to be done so we can celebrate at tomorrow night's banquet AND sleep in beds not on the ground or attached to four wheels. At tonight's post-dinner meeting and video show, all the volunteers were called up on stage and all the runners cheered and applauded us. It felt nice.

Tomorrow: Vail to Beaver Creek - 19 miles



Some of the amazing Transrockies volunteers.



Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 4 of Volunteering (and Racing)

Day 4: Nova Guides to Red Cliff - 14 miles

Red Cliff = the coolest little dumpy town!


Start line at Red Cliff



After yesterday's crazy finish line rushing around, we started out EARLY this morning. We met at 5:45am, loaded up the catering van with ice and 2 huge plastic bins and were en route to Leadville for another grocery run by 6:15am. Leadville was 20 minutes in the exact opposite direction of where the finish line would be but there is no grocery store anywhere remotely close to the finish SO...back to Leadville.



Red Cliff is on the other side of this bridge.



Today would be the first day without the "3 day runners" so there would be approximately 120 fewer people crossing the finish line and in need of snacks and drinks. So we got our usual chips, beef jerky (we cleared out the store, including the box of jerky the manager had in the back), coke, and a few other things. One thing I was specifically looking for was Starbucks coffee shots in a can. I asked one of the runners a couple of days ago what he would like at the finish line. He said, "Coffee". So I said I would see what I could do. We have no power at finish line catering so Starbucks in a can would have to do.



Washing oranges.



We made good time in the store and were in and out in about 20 minutes. That meant we had time for a quick coffee run at the same Leadville coffee shop as the day before. A triple Americano and berry scone later...we were back on the road headed to Red Cliff.

Needless to say we got there early. Way early. We sat in the car for 45 minutes before the finish line setup crew arrived and told us where to set up. Cars that were parked on the street had to be moved. That meant banging on people's doors and getting them to move their cars. I figured this was a recipe for getting axe-murdered but luckily everyone was accomodating...except for one guy who was a little miffed. Tough.



Red Cliff is pretty much parked at the bottom of a gorge. It's a quaint little town that looks like it used to do quite well for itself but now is in much need of a facelift. The new multi-leveled hotel that sits on the corner across from the post office welcomes visitors and Mangos restaurant boasts the best fish tacos. Then the town quickly shifts into old houses, cars on blocks, and dogs. The saying goes there are 300 people who live in Red Cliff, and 600 dogs.

Setup went very quickly and smoothly this morning and we were set as the first runners crossed the finish line. Today's new "food treat" was bite sized brownies (we bought over 300). We try to provide slightly different food each day at the finish line so the runner's don't get bored. The brownies went over OK...but the beef jerky, chips, and watermelon continue to be the finish line favorites.



We support ALL runners!



Near the end of the day, I saw my "coffee guy" cross the finish line. I ran to the van and got out the 4-pack of Starbucks shots and walked over to him. I said, "Hey, how was your run?" He said, "It was really beautiful - just great!" Then I asked him if he wanted a coffee. He looked at me sideways and then I produced the Starbucks shots. I thought he was going to cry! He gave me a big hug. I told him he could only have these on one condition - that I could get a picture taken with him. DONE! Turns out his name is Greg and his running partner Theresa. He asked me to hold on to the remaining 3 shots for tomorrow and the rest of the run days. No problem.



By 2:00pm we were starting to tear down the finish line food area as there were only a handful of runners left. By 3pm we were on our way to the grocery store in Vail to get a jump on tomorrow's food AND a chance to sleep in.

I didn't get a chance to run today but I will tomorrow - assuming the van makes it up and over the crazy mountains we have to cross to get to Vail (insert fingers crossed here).

Mango's Margaritas! A welcome break!

Tomorrow: Red Cliff to Vail - 23 miles





Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 3 of Volunteering (and Racing)

 

Getting ice for the day.

Day 3: Leadville to Nova Guides (Camp Hale)


The Scenery is Breathtaking

Sort of a "lather-rinse-repeat" day on stage 3 of Transrockies. The setup crew were on mainstreet in Leadville setting up the start line while shuttles were already transporting runners to breakfast at 6am at the Mining Museum.



While the runners were eating breakfast, we were at the back door near the catering truck stocking up on 20 watermelons, a ton of ice, water, and sack lunches for us.



Caravans of support crew arriving at Camp Hale/Nova Guides.



The race started with a BANG and runners were heading out of town at 8am. A quick stop for coffee (to go) at the local coffee shop and we were on our way to the big Safeway at the edge of town. Four huge shopping carts of food later (approximately $450 worth of Coke, chips, hand sanitizer, sunflower seeds, candy, watermelon, bread, peanut butter, and other odds and ends).





We were running late and had to make a dash for Nova Guides 20 minutes away. There's really no "dashing" in the mountains at 10,000 feet AND we were met with a little road construction to boot. So we came flying into Camp Hale and had about 20 minutes to set up before the first runners would cross the finish line on the longest race stage - 23 miles. We made it. BARELY.



Extra volunteers for finish line catering.
These kids were AWESOME! Taking a break with bubbles.





Another very long day of filling bowls, chatting with runners, filling water jugs, cutting fruit, and constantly reminding people to use cups, use hand sanitizer, and stop eating directly out of the bowls!!!!



By 5:00pm the last runner was in and by 6:00pm we had the three tables broken down, all food and bins consolidated, grocery list ready for tomorrow (back to Leadville since there is NOTHING in Nova Guides), and our day was offically done.





Not a bad way to end the day-scenery and mountain biking!



Needing some "quiet alone time", I put on my cycling gear and went mountain biking for about an hour on the old dirt/rock trails that used to make up Camp Hale - a military camp in the 1940's. As I rode around, I would stop at placards alongside the trail that would indicate what used to be "at this spot". This camp was predominantly used for military winter training and some alpining. Amazing that all these buildings (even a movie theater) used to be where there were now just massive fields and streams.

 

It's the last day for the 3-day runners so we should have about 100 less runners to support tomorrow. It's also the "volunteer run day" where volunteers can do some trail running.

Tomorrow: Nova Guides to Red Cliff - 14 miles.

It's going to be another very quick turn-around time for us at Finish Line Catering!







Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 2 of Volunteering (and Racing)



Making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Day 2: Vicksburg to Twin Lakes (and stay over in Leadville)

We're Going UP!

Today the racers and crew alike had a long day even though it's the shortest day (mileage-wise) for the runners.The runners were treated to 13 miles of "up and over" Hope Pass - a total of 3000 miles of climbing and stunning views which included a few Llamas.



Finish area at Twin Lakes.

We at finish line catering didn't have enough time to get water to the start, grocery shop, get to the finish at Twin Lakes, and set up in time for the first runners to arrive so another team covered the water at the start and we B-lined it to the grocery store at 7am and were setting up at Twin Lakes by 8:30am.

The first runners came in at a blistering pace of just under 2 hours and from there it stretched out until the last runners of the day some 7 hours later (finishing around 3:30pm). It was another great day of volunteering and everyone really stepped up to make the day great for the athletes.



Beef Jerky - a huge hit with the runners!



I had a request at breakfast from one of the athletes for a sirloin steak at the finish line. While we couldn't exactly meet that request, we came up with the next best thing - beef jerky. We bought a few bags as a "pilot test" and the runners descended on the jerky like vultures! Needless to say we've already stocked up on 4.5lbs of jerky for tomorrow.

Today we went through:

- 12 loaves of bread

- 10 watermelons

- 2 big jars of peanut butter & 4 jars of jelly

- 10 bags of salty chips



- Gummy bears, peanut and plain M&Ms



- A LOT of Coke
- Several cases of Michelob Ultra (thank you sponsors)

- Other snacks, fruit, and "stuff"



My attempt at getting the runners
to stop sticking their hands in bowls.
It worked!



Today we enforced the "wash your hands" policy and provided hand santizer and cups for food for the athletes. It just grosses me out to watch someone with who-knows-what on their hands reach into a bowl of M&Ms and grab a handful.



I was able to sneak in a mountain bike ride as we awaited the last 10 athletes. It was spectacular to ride around



Twin Lakes - beautiful rolling terrain! Tomorrow is the longest stage - 23 miles from Leadville (elevation 10,100) to Nova Guides/Camp Hale. And it's going to be a LONG day for everyone! But it's the final day for those running the 3-day Transrockies event so we will lose about 100 runners after tomorrow.

NOTE: Rumor has it there is no cell phone coverage AT ALL in Nova Guides so my next post may not be for a couple of days. Stay tuned!



Runner getting some rest and shade post-run.











Transrockies: Day 1 of Volunteering (and Racing)

Tales from a Newbie Transrockies Volunteer
Day 1: Buena Vista to Buena Vista


Picking up luggage first thing in the morning!




My first and foremost goal this first day of race morning was one thing: coffee. Luckily for me, there is Buena Vista roasters in town - they roast their own beans and the place smells heavenly! Not only the best Americano I've had in awhile, I also am now a proud owner of one of their travel mugs. That, along with packing up the van, checking out of the hotel, getting breakfast, and getting to the start line by 7:45am was the start to my day.



Racer bag transport in the morning.



But this was a late start compared to the luggage guys who were up well before the crack of dawn driving around town to all the hotels picking up the runner's bags and luggage to be transported to the end point at Arrowhead campgrounds. I met one of these cheery fellows as I was leaving my hotel.

Our first job as "finish line catering" was to set up a table with water for the runners at the start line. Long story short, we didn't have any cups but luckily we had water.

The start/finish line crew were already at it first thing this morning setting up the start line, timing mats, sponsor banners, and everything else that goes into setting up a race start.

It was a beautiful sunny morning at 50 degrees and by 9am, the runners were OFF! 20 minutes later the start/finish crew had the entire start line torn down and were on their way to the finish line (15 miles away by car).



We had to hit the local grocery store and stock up on a few supplies, specifically: 40 two liter bottles (yes 40) of Coke/Diet/Sprite, 1,000 drinking cups, and 60lbs of ice. We pretty much bought out the store and the bag boy was nice enough to help us load the ice in the van.



Start line set up (and tear down 1 hr later).





By 11:15am (just over 2 hours later), the first runners were finishing up the 20 mile run and we were ready for them. The finish line was set up (just like the start 2 hours ago), and finish line catering offered everything from watermelon, oranges, and bananas to peanut butter and jello sandwiches, chips, and gummy bears and worms.

Runners came in throughout the day - some looking fresh and perky, some looking like they had been run over by a bus. Altitude was not kind to some of the runners and it was not uncommon to hear stories of runners barfing along the way.



Got soda? Stocking up before the race.



All volunteer crews kept things going throughout the day - more water? Got it! More ice? It's c oming! More bread for sandwiches? 10 loaves are coming in about an hour.

The last runners came in 7 hours later - a long day for everyone!



By 5:30pm we were heading back to Arrowhead campgrounds with a cargo van full of remaining watermelons, lots of empty water jugs, tables, tents, and a lot of other "food-related" gear. I was thankful for the layer of dirt that covered my arms and legs because I forgot to put on sunscreen. I won't forget tomorrow.



Volunteer quick break mid-day.



Tomorrow? We start out in Buena Vista the runners head up over Hope Pass - 13 miles and 3200 feet of climbing overall. And the volunteer crew gets to set up and tear down just like we did today. Just another "adult playground"-- a great day enjoying the Colorado outdoors!

Oh and PS - the water up at the top of Hope Pass for tomorrow's stage was carried up by mule today. 



Tomorrow's Route: shuttle from Buena Vista to start in Vicksburg, end in Twin Lakes, stay in Leadville. Kevin, one of the head directors, referred to this as "The last day of the Gong Show" and that logistics will get easier on day 3.

 

Finish Line Catering - Lots going on!

I'm Pooped and The Race Hasn't Even Started!

Tales from a Newbie Transrockies Volunteer
Day 0: Buena Vista

Today racers descended upon Buena Vista in waves to get checked in for the Transrockies trail race that starts tomorrow. We volunteers were ready for them!


From 12pm-5pm, racers came to the old museum and they were welcomed and shuttled down the long line of tables as follows: sign "if you die it's not our fault" waiver, get race packet, get timing chip, get gynormous duffle bag with Gore-Tex running jacket, tech-tee, hat, Nathan single hand water bottle and carrier, salt stick tablets, and in some special cases - free shoes. Then move on down to the optional GPS Spot Tracker table where they could rent a G-Spot (yes, that's the name) so that friends and family can follow them "real time"during the race. Then on to the massage sign up table - which at one point the line was out the door and down the hall. And then they were officially ready to go.



Racers at dinner.



At 5pm dinner was served at the school behind the museum. All I can say is feeding over 600 people a day (volunteers included) is no small task! Then at 6pm the racers meeting kicked off by welcoming everyone. What was really cool is they went over the first stage of the race course using Google Earth animated map on a large screen so we all had a very good sense of the route including tricky turns, sandy areas, single/double track, and so on.



Dinner? Only the "appetizer"...thankfully!



At 7:30pm the volunteers meeting started. By a show of hands, I realized I was definitely in the minority of being a first year volunteer. Out of the 115 volunteers, I'd say 90 of them were veterans. That says something about how the race treats their volunteers and the fact that I was reimbursed for my lunch today only goes to support that feeling. After the crew leads were informally introduced, Kevin (one of the lead organizers and a heck of a funny guy with a nice thick Canadian accent) told us about the "hard hat" award. Every night there will be a volunteer meeting and the hard hat goes to the volunteer who went above and beyond the call of duty for that day. That person has to stand up during the meeting and say a few words about who they are and then pretty much anything else they want to say. The current holder of the award gets to decide who gets it for the next day, and so on.



Volunteer meeting with Kevin kicking things off.



By 8:15pm I was headed back to the hotel and spent about an hour packing up the van in preparation for "van camping" which officially starts tomorrow even though the race starts and ends in Buena Vista. Ohhhh...another night in a hotel? I thought about it. Then decided to suck it up - gotta start camping some time!



Racers start tomorrow at 9am. We at Finish Line Catering will be at the start with water for the athletes by 8am and then on to the finish line where we'll get to welcome them in from their first day in the mountains.

Tomorrow: Stage 1 run from Buena Vista to the finish line 20.9 miles and 2550 feet of elevation gain away at Railway Bridge.





Transrockies: Calm Before the Storm

As of Sunday night, most of the crew and volunteers have arrived in Buena Vista, Colorado. Volunteer check in happened earlier today at the historical museum and we were treated to some pretty cool gear, including: crew tech tees, Gore-Tex windstopper jacket, and Sportiva trail shoes.

We had a "happy hour" of sorts starting at 7:30pm with beer and pizza at the local campground and it was nice to sit around the campfire getting to know the other volunteers which includes: race timing, tent setup/teardown, catering, course marking, and many other jobs.

The athletes arrive tomorrow (Monday) and registration is open from 12pm-5pm. It will be great to meet the athletes: 150 teams of 2 people running the 6 day race, and 100 solo runners running the 3 day race.

Get a good night's sleep because tomorrow, here we go!

Doing Transrockies, The "Easy" Way

The Transrockies Run is a 6 day trail race that covers 120 miles in the beautiful Colorado Rockies. Racers are in teams of two and this year's race sold out early.

I am currently en route to "do" Transrockies from behind the scenes. I am going to volunteer. My official title? "Finish Line Food Prep". I picked that job because:
1. I figured that would almost guarentee me coffee every morning.
2. I wouldn't starve.
3. Hopefully I won't have to get up BEFORE the pre-crack of the crack of dawn.

While most athletes and volunteers will be sleeping in tents, I will be van camping.

I am currently in Trinidad, Colorado at the Corner Cafe. The last time I was in this town, I was racing my bike 3,000 miles across the United States as part of Team Ride Red for the epic Race Across America event. The only thing I remember about Trinidad is the grocery store that had a Starbucks and the bathrooms were upstairs. I'll be in Buena Vista in 3-4 hours.

Pre-race festivities kick off tomorrow and I will be blogging daily. Here we go!
For complete race info, go to: http://transrockies-run.com/