Another morning of frost and face coverage with the cold air infiltrating through the paper thin tent walls. Only one more sleep left until a real bed and a thermostat.  The only thing separating me was 46.3 miles and 9300 ft elevation.

We were transported back to the sleepy town of red cliff for the start of stage 5. A stage that would have the longest continuous climb of the race. Roughly 13 of the first 16 miles would be up the mountain. The key was to break down the race into digestible segments. One mile, one climb, one step at a time.  

With the shot of an actual pistol to start the race we took off up the asphalt road that turned to a dirt road immediately.  Retracing our steps from yesterday’s decent we climbed from the start, Yoann and Alaska Chad taking the lead but still within sight.  I settled in with the two man team from Arizona, and we worked the first 7 miles of the climb alternating the lead to break up the work.

The climb was relentless.  The sun was heating up the trails and I was burning through calories fast.  As we approached mile 10 the Arizona team pushed up the hill with another athlete very familiar with extreme fatigue and pain. Kyle had been in close range all week, being the 2014 Ironman 70.3 champion, I knew I was in for a battle.  But, when the body breaks down, there’s no stopping its momentum.  I decreased my pace, got fluids and calories, and worked the trail until I regained strength.

As we crested the initial climb I was met with a resurgence of energy and my favorite part of the course, the meadows leading to Vail.  Transported to another frame of mind, I  could feel the tall grass wisp at my ankles.  And right on cue the music dropped in my head which was spinning from the 360 view

I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
Achilles and his gold
Hercules and his gifts
Spiderman’s control
And Batman with his fists
And clearly I don’t see myself upon that list

I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo

The perfect tune for a run along the ridge.  With the back bowls of Vail to the left, and the last climb at mile 16 ahead I began preparing myself for the 7 mile decent.

The pain of my legs shooting with each quake of my step.  Gravity is a runners friend but today it was overstaying its welcome.  The decent felt never ending and depleted much of my reserves.

Left at the end dehydrated, sore, and beat up. The last day would be a battle with not only the fellow runners but with my body itself. The breaking point is on the horizon, and how far over the edge is the million do dollar question.  Today hurt, and tomorrow may hurt even more.