Medicine Bow Half Marathon

I had about 10 weeks to train for Medicine Bow after running back to back half marathons in DC and Wilmington in mid March.  My plan was to follow a 6 week training plan that was published in an earlier Runners World magazine article. That never happened.  I did train and did most of my longer runs on trails and hills at Huntsville State Park, I never got overly excited about training for this race.  I think alot of it had to do with the fact that I knew that it is nearly impossible to simulate high altitude conditions when you train at sea level.  Its also difficult to find hills that seem to go on forever.  There are plenty of difficult grade hills in the area but nothing that goes on as long as some of these hilly away races.

Air travel to Denver and the car drive to Cheyenne went smoothly.  After checking in at the host hotel/expo/pasta dinner location, we made a 25 mile westerly drive to the start of the course at the Lincoln Monument exit between Laramie and Cheyenne.  They had a sign at the exit indicating that this was the highest point on I-80 in Wyoming at just under 8700 feet.  There was still snow on the ground in areas.  We drove the entire course, something that I rarely do before a race.  I learned that drving and running a course is a totally different experience.

We headed out before 5 race morning for the same rest area for a 6am race start.  This is one of the local laid back races that I am starting to enjoy more and more.  There was a flour line marking the start; no chips or timing mats to be found on this course.  The course was an out and back and there was one aid station to serve you in both directions.  I was initially concerned about having to navigate 2 cattle guards twice on the course; this turned out to not be an issue because I was walking by the time I approached the first cattle guard.

The course had a 4-5 mile downhill start going from 8700 feet down to 8100 feet before climbing back up to 8500 feet at the turnaround point.  I knew within the first 2 miles that it was going to be a long day.  Just running with the flow at the start, I was at about an 8:15 pace and my legs felt fine since I was going downhill but I definetely noticed that I was breathing harder than I should have been.  Once the uphill started, I pretty much started walking.  I mixed in some running but did more walking than running on the uphill portions of the course.  There were very few flat areas on the course; you were either running downhill or uphill.

I think I finished this race the driest that I've been at any race.  With a chilly 29 degree start and a 20 mph or so wind and dry conditions (and all the walking) my dri fit clothes actually wicked moisture as advertised.

Wyoming was my 42nd state that I've run a 1/2 or full marathon in.  It was also my 50th half marathon that I've run.  It was also a PW for me but a Wyoming PR for me!!!!!!!