Stage 1: GORE-TEX TransRockies Run

20.6 miles

5,119 feet of total elevation change

The first stage of the event covered a little more than 20 miles of rolling terrain deep in Colorado's "Banana Belt". The Buena Vista/Salida valley, has a high desert climate and some of the mildest winters in the state.

Because of the climate, stage 1 felt more like Arizona than Colorado; sand, cactus and sagebrush lined most of its route. Temperatures rose to nearly 90 degrees. While there were no major climbs, the rolling route included over 2,700 feet of climbing on a mixture of both single-track and double track trails through the classic high desert surroundings. We were treated to spectacular views of the 14,000 ft peaks of the Collegiate Range, which served as a reminder of the high altitude days ahead.

I ran a terrific guy today, Josh Henderson from Afton, Wyoming. Josh coaches junior high football and is a throwing coach for high school track and field. A marathoner and trail racer, Josh and his wife Erin have 12 children– nine of which they adopted. Basically, he's running a marathon every day!

It was really inspirational to watch Josh dig deep to pull through some severe cramping in his legs and calves. There was a point where I thought he might not make it, but he shook it off and kept going. I was impressed, as were many of the onlookers.

As hurting as he was, Josh really kicked it in at the finish and was all smiles when we crossed the line. I get the feeling that I'll be seeing him at futures races!

Keep going Josh; may the wind always be at your back.

Dean