Even though I knew I was going to reach my goal, 50 athletic events (AKA Burns) in one year, I was a little nervous about Burn #49, the 39th Tour de Los Alamos (http://www.tourdelosalamos.org). Supposedly the Tour is the oldest bicycle race in the Southwest, and I would have to agree. A cyclist can always find a triathlon or duathlon to test their cycling endurance. Of course, you can always find a century, but that is really just a bike ride. To find a bike race is rare.

The Tour de Los Alamos is a 27-mile bike loop that locals refer to as the Bandeliar Loop. I have ridden the loop many times but had only raced the loop once three years ago. At that time I took third in my age group. The Tour has a competitive portion with the elite cyclist riding the loop either two or three times, which amazes me. The citizen race is just one loop, and I think that is quite enough.

I told Dave while driving to the start of the race, that I was nervous. He was surprised saying that it was just another bike ride. I had to correct him. The Tour was not just another bike ride. It was a challenging bike race.

The day of the race was unusually windy especially for June. A few of my friends were doing the bike race, but unlike a century, I probably would not be riding with them because, as I mentioned before, the Tour was a race. Even though the bike race started in town, the racing course did not official start until about 5 miles later. At least this allowed me and the other cyclist to gradually warm up before having to kick the ride into gear. The start and end of the 27-mile race course was uphill. The start was not too bad because of the five mile warm up. The end was another story.

The wind wasn’t too bad during the first stretch of the race course as I eventually made it to the top of a gradual two-mile climb. The next few miles were rolling hills. I would go into a standing climb just before cresting the hill and then cruise down the hill until reaching the next hill. This cycle continued for the next three to four miles as I felt strong conquering the rolling hills.

After climbing one of the first long and steep hills of the course, I reached one of the few turns in the course. The turn was a left onto highway 4 that took the cyclist towards Bandeliar National Monument. The next few miles of the course were basically downhill, and the wind was blowing sideways. I was cruising with my adrenalin spiking every once in awhile as a side wind caused my bike to tilt every so slightly.

Now that I was cruising downhill, I decided it was time to grab a drink of water. However, going downhill was causing my speed to increase without any effort on my part. I grabbed my water bottle with my right hand as the speed, at least for me, started to become too fast. I knew I could not brake with my left hand since I wasn’t in the mood for flipping over my bike. My mind quickly raced with what to do. It is amazing the number of things that can pass through the mind in seconds especially when death appears to be just one quick move away. I could toss the water bottle to the side but that would be littering, and anyway, it was a nice insulated water bottle. I felt I was going too fast to safely place the bottle back into its cage. I also had visions of my body skidding down the road while trying to decide what to do. I finally decided to hold the water bottle between my teeth. At this point the speed was scary fast. I quickly applied the brake with my right hand slowing my speed down enough to stop braking and grab the water bottle. I took a drink of water but the speed was already starting to pick up again. I quickly placed the water bottle back into its cage before the speed was, once again, became too fast. I decided at that time I really needed to learn how to grab the water bottle with my left hand.

The downhill part continued as well as the wind occasionally blowing my bike sideways. I reached a steeper downhill that lead to Ancho canyon. By this time, I was being past by one of the first group of elite cyclists as they zoomed down towards Ancho canyon. I would not be following their lead since this part of the course always scared me as I applied the brake until I was at a comfort pace. Okay, perhaps I’m a chicken on the downhill, but I cherish my life and I’m not a fan of road rash. However, I’m certain you would feel the same way once you saw the descent into Ancho Canyon.

The next half of the course was brutal as a steep uphill took me out of Ancho canyon. The steep hill went up and up and up. After about two or three miles of uphill, the course eventually leveled for a short distance and then a series of down and uphills. It was a relief going downhill, even though temporary, but I was still fighting with the wind. I thought that I would eventually get a tail wind since the course was a loop. I was hoping that a tail wind would happen when pedaling up the truck route, a steady seven mile climb and the last part of the course. Unfortunately that was not the case.

Instead, it seemed as though the wind was being funneled towards me. I soon started counting each time my foot went down just to keep a constant pace as I pushed and pushed myself up the miserable hill. I never thought I was going to reach the top as I finally got tired of counting and just tried to stay close to the lone cyclist that was a head of me. Soon I came upon the turn that ended the grueling uphill and began a slight incline. Just a few more miles to another short uphill and then the finish line.

I was able to tap into some reserve to pick up the pace as I took advantage of the last gradual decline before tackling the next short uphill. The uphill to the finish line was really about half of mile if not longer. Of course by then it seemed to be a mile. The cyclists were to move to the right onto an abandon road after crossing the finish line. I past the finish line and slowly moved to the right. My legs were exhausted as I tired to unclip my shoe out of my clip. I always hated this part for fear of not clipping out in time before my speed slows to a near stop, and I have no other choice but fall to the ground. I had to make a small turn to maintain enough speed and time to allow for my tired legs to unclip… success!

Dave was patiently waiting for me as I slowly walked by bike towards him and the refreshment tent. Other cyclists and bikes were scattered throughout the abandon road. I overheard many cyclist sharing their tales of the ride. I did not see any of my friends. I was exhausted and anxious to take a shower. Dave grabbed the bike and I followed him and the bike to the car.

The award ceremony was about an hour later. The results were already posted by the time we got there, which was where the start of the ride began.

Even though I still had 2 weeks until I turned 50, the event had me in the 50 – 59 age group. There are times when an event will place you in the age you will be the year of the race, and that was what the Tour did. I have to say I was okay with this for two reasons. First, I took first in my age group! Second, the woman who had the fastest time was in the 40 – 49 age group. I probably would have come in third if I had been in the age group.

Being 50 is not so bad.

It was another double burn weekend as I started to reach a certain level of excitement. I knew the end was in sight. I had two races this weekend and then the 50th burn next weekend. Yes – I was going to make it.

The first race was another 5K but this time I decided to head north to Taos instead of back to Albuquerque. A trip to Taos would be a nice morning drive for Dave and I not too mention that we could always stop at Vivac winery on the way home.

This 5K was the Taos Sun Run. I was hoping for a trail course that provided a scenic run since Taos is nestled between a gorge to the west and the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range to the east. The location of the run was at the K Taos solar center; just a block or so east of the intersection that leads to the Taos Ski Valley Resort. One would think that a scenic run would be in their future. At least that is what I thought.

Even for a small town like Taos, I was impressed by the turn out. There were a wide variety of people standing in line to register or to pick up their number. There were a number of kids and dogs with a few parents pushing a stroller. There was even a true barefoot runner since he was not wearing anything on his feet. I feet sorry for his pale feet since the tops would definitely get burned and the bottoms would get scrapped and pounded especially when the last part of the event was a dirt and gravel road.

The crowd gathered on the dirt road that lead out of the K Taos Solar Center parking lot and onto the paved road. Instead of heading east towards the Taos Ski Valley Resort, we were to run west following the highway. I found this to be amazing for a number of reasons. The race was an out and back.

I situated myself near the front of the pack. I could tell there were a few serious runners as I witnessed their pre-race warm up. I always found the various ways people warm up for a race to be amusing. I wonder if it would help me if I developed my own pre-race warm up instead of my current ritual, which was just standing around waiting for the race to begin with an occasional butt kick.

A few announcements were made thanking everyone for attending the event and supporting the cause. The cause this time was to raise money for Anansi, a non-profit day school. The announcer ended his speech with “the race will start in 5 minutes”. Oh 5 more minutes left before I can get another burn over with flashed through my mind.

The anxious and more serious runners were edging each other out for a spot closer to the starting line. They relaxed a bit once they heard they still had five more minutes of waiting. I next saw something I had never seen before, at least not in any of the races I have been to. The serious runners were practicing their starts as they sprinted off to the top of the dirt driveway only to casually jog back. The practice start was repeated several more times.

While I was watching the anxious runners release some of their energy, I over heard a few of the runners chatting. One woman mentioned that it was her first race in quite a while and that she was nervous since she hadn’t been out running in a while. I thought it was good that she was out racing again. There was also a group of young runners from Texas. I had to wonder how they would do running at 7,000 feet.

Finally, the announcer gave the standard runners ready, set, go……! I guess the anxious runners did not expend too much energy from their practice starts since they shot up the dirt road and onto the paved highway. Off I followed but at a much slower pace.

The course was extremely boring. Once past the dirt road, the runners followed the paved road to an intersection where the runner was directed north onto highway 522. Highway 522 is a busy highway. I have driven this highway many a times when heading to Colorado to visit family. Now I was running the highway with cars and trucks zipping by. The highway was a series of gentle rolling hills. I soon past the young runners from Texas on one of the downhills. They were walking the course by the time I had past them. I kept pounding the pavement as I continued to pass a few more runners but seemed to stay in my own pocket of space.

After what felt like at least two miles of mostly uphill, I noticed a lone runner coming towards me on the other side of the road. He must be in the lead, which meant the turn around point wasn’t too far ahead. Next I saw a line of traffic up ahead followed by a small crowd of people gathered around the water station. I arrived at the water station, the half way point of the race, but decided to pass on getting any water since it was only a 5K. Shortly after passing the water station, a volunteer waved me to cross the highway so that I could return on the other side of the highway. There was a police officer stopping traffic while I and the other runners crossed the highway. I would have been annoyed if I was one of the many drivers being stopped.

I quickly crossed the highway and made my way back towards Taos. I did not enjoy passing the row of cars and trucks especially when I past a diesel truck. I did like the gradual downhill of the course as I began to pass a few more people but not too many. I had one woman in my sights that I decided I would try to pass. I kept moving one foot after the other as a made my way along what seemed to be endless asphalt. I would occasionally look up to see if I was getting any closer to the woman and to see how much further away from the intersection I was. I was getting closer to the woman and the intersection so I decided to pick up the pace a bit. I soon past the woman but I could tell she wasn’t too far behind me.

We reached the intersection with just another quarter of mile or so to go until reaching the finish line. The woman took off surging ahead of me as we went across the intersection. Dang… I knew I did not have the strength to give her a challenging finish. I just continued at my own pace, which was starting to fade.

I turned into the driveway to the solar center and onto a dirt road. It was just another turn and then one more finish line crossed. Now you may think the best thing of the finish line is that it is the end of another Burn. While that was true, the best part about this finish line was the solar powered mister that gave each runner a gentle rain as they made it past the finish line.

Check… another run down finishing the 5K in 25:14. I walked around a bit as I caught my breath. Dave waited to the side for me to walk over to him. I grabbed some water and stood next to Dave as we watched the rest of the runners finish. Soon the barefoot runner entered the last part of the course. I had to give him credit as he gingerly ran across the dirt road avoiding rocks when possible.

Dave and I did not stay for the award ceremony since it was much later in the day. Apparently the Solar festival was an all day event. I filled up my water bottle and grabbed a few more granola bars and slices of orange as Dave and I headed to the car and on our way to Vivac winery.

It was a great feeling getting into the car knowing that really tomorrow was my last big burn. I later discovered that once again I came in second in my age group. Again, I had to wonder what would happen if I trained. One thing that probably would not happen was letting the woman past me at the intersection. It just so happens she took first in my age group.

Just as I made the finally turn on the track to complete last week’s Burn, I was getting ready to make another turn that would bring me closer to achieving the Pork and Burn challenge. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, as I laced my battered running shoes for the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s 6th Annual Run the Caldera. The Caldera run had a 10k, half marathon, and marathon option. I had intended to run the half marathon but was slightly disappointed to discover that the half marathon was already closed, and this was a month before the date of the event. I registered for the 10K instead.

I was happy to discover that a girlfriend, Christine, had also signed up for the 10K. Christine and her daughter Hayley had joined me back in November for a Thanksgiving run. I was happy that Christine was going to join me once again for a Burn.

Dave and I followed Christine, and her boyfriend, Eric to Banco Bonita, a campsite located along the rim of the huge Valle Caldera. The Valle Caldera is a 12 mile wide volcanic caldera located in the Jemez Mountains of Northern New Mexico just west of Los Alamos. Access to the Valle Caldera or Valle Grande is limited so to run the caldera is a unique opportunity. The nice thing about the caldera run was that it was a trail run that went through a beautiful part of the state.

Forty minutes later, Dave and I turned into a huge meadow that was filled with rows and rows of cars. A volunteer waved us to parking spot. The dirt road leading into the parking area and camp site had a thick layer of loose and light dirt that was kicked up into the air with each passing vehicle. Dave parked his truck on the side of the dirt road. I jumped out of the truck only to kick up more dirt.

Dave and Eric were going to watch Christine’s girls as Christine and I tackled the event. Eric pulled out a folding table and chairs. Coffee, juice, and a variety of snacks were placed on top the table. Eric poured Dave a cup of coffee as Dave relaxed in one of the folded chairs.

Eric took a seat next to Dave as they sipped their coffee and chatted. Christine and I were able to interrupt the men from their chat long enough to take a few pre-race pictures.

An incoherent announcement filtered through the air disrupting the happy men from their coffee, and Christine and I from our chat. The race was about to begin. Christine and I headed towards a huge white tent and what appeared to be the start of the race. A number of people merged from the surrounding cars and trees to form a huge crowded on the dirt road. Even walking was stirring the fine dirt from the road. I could only imagine what would happen once everyone started running.

Both Christine and I decided to run with our I-pods so I knew conversing was not going to happen. Christine and I placed ourselves in the middle of crowd. Ahead, I could see that the start of the race was up a hill – Oh how cruel.

A few announcements were made as Christine and I got our I-pods ready. I heard the “runners, set” command followed by the horn. Off we went with Christine and I following the runners ahead of us. There were quite a few runners causing more of a shuffle start then another. So many feet shuffling kicked the dirt up even more. At this point I wanted to just get out of the crowd and hopefully away from the dirt bowl. The dirt course was also rocky, which made running even more challenging. I mostly stayed to the side of the dirt road where a bit of grass existed but had to move back onto the road to pass a runner who was doing the same. I quickly glanced back to see where Christine was, but it was impossible to see with the wall of dirt forming behind me.

With every uphill there is a downhill, and I was not disappointed when I finally reached the downhill part of the course. And it was a fast downhill. I was able to kick in the quick feet but it was a little tricky with the numerous rocks scattered throughout the road. I was able to sail down the road without falling. The downhill eventually leveled out to a nice trail. By then the crowd of runners and the thick wall of dirt were beginning to disperse.

The dirt road was level for the next mile or so. I was finally able to the view the surrounding mountains and a beautiful blue sky. I came upon a water station, a porta-poddy, and a fork in the road at mile 3 of the course. There was a sign across from the water station with an arrow showing the marathon and half marathon runners to head to the right. Several volunteers directed me and the other 10K runners to the left and out to a vast meadow.

Soon the trail was replaced by little orange flags. Following the trail would now require a bit of concentration as I occasional looked ahead to locate the next flag. It was nice that the runner could create their own path; however, the meadow tended to create a the trail that was more undulating than flat making footing even more challenging. While the open meadow provided a wonderful view of the caldera, it did not provide any shade as the late morning started to become hot.

I noticed up ahead that there was another water station located underneath a group of pine trees. I could also see a line of runners running along the side of a small hill. Unfortunately, there was a steep but short trail that brought the 10k runners back onto a trail and to the water station. The trail also brought the 10K runners and the half marathoners together once again making for some what of a bottle neck. I skipped the water station this time as I jumped off the trail and around a few runners whom decided to quench their thirst.

The trail now became narrow and shallow creating more of a trench than a trail. I decided that it was easier to run above the so-called trail then in the trench. Not only did the narrow trail make it challenge to run on but it also made it difficult to pass someone without exerting a tremendous amount of effort and oxygen. I soon heard someone behind me as I tired to keep up my pace so that the person would not pass me. Eventually I tripped over a large stick. While I did not fall, I did decide to slow down so that the person could pass me.

The narrow trail soon came to an end, which you would think would be a good thing until you saw the wide but extremely steep trail that went up the side of a hill. Running the hill was futile. I, like the other runners ahead of me, hiked the steep trail. Not only was the trail steep, but the dirt was extremely soft and deep making even walking up the hill difficult.

It was hard to resume a running pace once reaching the top of the trail. Fortunately, the trail was slightly down hill allowing the legs to recover while still mimicking a running pace. The trail lined with pine trees transversed throughout the hill that we just climbed. I had to wonder how much longer I had as I just reached the 5 mile marker.

I came upon another water station and yet another steep uphill. While I had finally mastered the drinking while running concept during the last burn, I thought the conditions were right for me to just drink while walking up the hill. I quickly drained the cup as I resumed a running pace. Fortunately, this uphill wasn’t as long, steep, or treacherous as the last uphill as I soon found myself running on a level trail.

I noticed that more and more people were along the side of the trail. I hoped that meant the end was in sight. Even though the trail was well marked you just never know. I came upon another hill, which proved to be even shorter then the last one. The best part about this hill was it emerged to what appeared to be the end since I heard cheering just before reaching the top of the hill. Along the right side of the trail was a rope with flags interspersed along the length of the rope. I knew there was a crowd behind the rope but did not spend the time to really pay attention. I soon heard someone yelling my name as my stride began to pick up. I could not recognize the voice but heard another voice shortly after the first voice. The cheering inspired me to pick up the pace. It also meant that I was almost done with this race.

The last part of the course was extremely deceiving. The runner would believe the finish line was just up ahead once cresting the hill and hearing the crowd cheering. Of course this was evident when you witnessed the runner starting to spirit reaching the top of the hill. The cruel reality was that the runner still had to run down the trail in front of the cheering crowd and into the forest. The trail then curved into a forest and finally spilling out into the parking lot. The runner had to make a sharp left turn up to the finish line once reaching the large parking area. From to the crest of the hill to the finish line was a least another quarter of mile and not the 100 yards the runner perceives. I’m certain there were many runners who crashed once reaching the forest and not seeing the finish line.

I was happy with my time of 1 hour and 5 minutes. Not bad time considering I did walk part of the course. Again I had to wonder my potential if I trained. Even though I was happy with my time, I was even happier that I missed the cut off for the half marathon. I heard that the Caldera half marathon and marathon courses were one of the hardest, and I can believe it based on the 6.2 miles I experienced. Timing is everything and I was happy knowing that procrastination played to my advantage this time.

I grabbed a drink at the white tent and made my way through the crowd to find for Dave and Eric. There they were lounging in the folding chairs that had been strategical placed next to the trail and at the point where the runners start to pick up their pace. I then knew who had been cheering for me.

I sat down with the guys as we waited for Christine. This was when I got to witness the premature excitement of the runners once they reached the top of the hill and saw the cheering crowd to their right. I started to inject “pace yourself”, as I cheered the runners onto their finish.

Soon Christine merged from the hill and also sprinted to the finish. She looked strong.

It was great to finish this race. I’m not certain I will do the caldera half or even 10K race again as I wiped my dust covered legs with a few wipes. I’m glad I wore my capris instead of running shorts. I was not able to replace my running shoes with sandals. I would have to wait until Dave and I got into the truck to leave.

Christine, Eric, Dave, and I continued to cheer more runners onto the finish line as we ate watermelon and drink a lot of water. I cheered on many familiar faces. I later chatted with one familiar face, Barbara. Barbara is an avid runner, who always occasionally attends my cycling class. She asked me how the Pork and Burn Challenge was coming along. I said fine since I had just finished Burn # 47. She was happily surprised sharing with me that she had her doubts that I would be able to achieve such an ambitious challenge. I had to laugh wondering how many others doubted my ability.

A month ago I would have shared Barb’s doubt; however, with just two weeks left and the last three Burns identified, I knew that I was going to achieve the insanely ambitious Pork and Burn Challenge.

Only two more weeks left in the Pork and Burn challenge. I no longer question my sanity since it was determine a while back that I had to have been crazy to come up with such a challenge. I currently have very little room for being lazy or putting a Burn off for another weekend since another weekend no longer exists. My focus for now is to finish by placing one foot in front of the other, or in this case finishing one Burn after the another. Instead of having such second thoughts floating through my mind as I laid in bed after turning the alarm off, I automatically moved my legs to the side of the bed and pushed myself up and out of the bed.

It was 5am on a Sunday morning, and I had another race in Albuquerque (ABQ). It was my last race in ABQ, at least as far as the Pork and Burn Challenge was concerned. The race was the Polly’s Run with the event benefiting pancreatic cancer research and remembering someone named Polly Rogers. The event took place at the Albuquerque Academy and had a 5 and 10K option. I had already ran around the ABQ Academy back in January. I remember it was a nice and somewhat hilly course.

It was a sunny day in ABQ as Dave and I parked the truck and made our way to the registration tables. It seemed like a nice day for a race with over 100 men, women, and kids milling around the track and grassy area surrounding the track. An inflatable finish line surrounded by a wooden lattice and time clock were situated on the track.

As with a number of the races I’ve had in ABQ, the start of the race was some distance from the finish line and the registration table. This race was no different as those of us running the 10K followed the announcer to the start of the course. It appeared that the majority of the people milling around the registration table were going to be doing the 5K since there were about 40 or so people surrounding me.

Dave asked me what my goal for this race was, goal being a time or perhaps top place in my age group. I told him that I just wanted to finish the event since I had visions of Huevos dancing in my head.

Of course, I knew my competitive juices would bubble forth once the horn had been blown and the runners took off. I still had the goal of finishing a 10K in less than 50 minutes but I knew I had not been training to achieve such a goal. Finishing the race in less than an hour would be a good goal.

The standard announcement was made as the announcer thanked the runners for being here to support the cause and then a “runners set” immediately followed by the blowing of a horn.

The course started along a semi-private road that surrounded the Academy property. The course was flat as I easily made my way through the small group of runners. The road soon turned to a gradual uphill after the first mile as I resumed an easier stride with a few runners passing me. The course took the runners to an exit/entrance of the Academy and then onto a path that circled the property. I soon found my groove as I started to once again pass a few runners but not as many as I had past in the beginning.

Since I was running a 10K and it was already hot, I knew I would have to get a drink at one of the water stations. I decided it was time to conquer the drinking while running concept. I past the first water station since I had only been running for about a mile and a half. I was thirsty by the time I reached the second one. I grabbed the small cup of water and folded the cup a bit to make a little spout. I then tilted the cup to my mouth allowing a bit of water to dribble out. It was just enough to quench my parched mouth without causing me to choke while still running – sweet! I felt rejuvenated as I tossed the cup to the side of the path.

The next mile or two continued to take the runners around the property of the Academy. I slowly got closer to a big guy and eventually past him during a small hill. I made some comment about the heat. He made some comment about my pace.

A volunteered directed the runners back onto the property of the Academy as the big guy and I made our way back along the semi-private road. I started to increase the distance between the big guy and myself but knew he was not too far behind since he had a tendency to grunt when trying to catch his breath.

The 5K race must be starting soon since a huge crowd was walking towards me.

Once again the start of the race was somewhere other than the finish line. I was amazed at how far the crowd had to walk before starting their race. It felt a little odd running past the crowd. A few people cheered me on, but not many. I just waved as if in some type of parade.

I experienced a bit of deja vue as I reached mile-four since I started to run the beginning of the course again. I really wasn’t sure how the course was going to get us back to the track and the finish line. I just continued to follow the orange cones. I had not had anyone run towards me as is the case with an out and back course. However, that soon changed when I saw a cyclist followed by a runner.

I once again past the first water station but grabbed a small cup of water this time as I verved to the right following a dirt path. The big guy was still close behind as he yelled out me to go in the direction he was pointing. I’m not certain why the volunteers at the water station did not redirect me. I felt like a fool as I ran across a small dirt field and back onto the paved road.

My misdirection allowed the big guy to get ahead of me but not for long as I ran next to him. The big guy asked if I was trying to set some type of record. I told him I just wanted to finish the race. He said he would like to finish the race in an hour. I replied back with “then let’s do it”. The chatting and running started to take a toll on me as my pace slowed and my breathing became very labored. The big guy edged me on, but I told him I just needed to catch my breath.

The paved road ended at a parking lot with the orange cones directing us through the parking lot and towards a sidewalk. I was able to eventually past the big guy since our conversation had ceased. The sidewalk took the runner through the campus of the Academy and back to the dirt trail that I started to take earlier. By this time the elite runners doing the 5K started to pass me.

I was once again running back down the semi-private road that I had already traveled on twice as I continued to dream of huevos and the end of this burn. I heard the big guy grunting, which soon became my signal to pick up the pace. More and more of the better 5K runners were passing me as I soon saw one of them turn, which I was hoping the turn that would finally lead us to the track and the finish line.

I was right, but the end was still not as close as I would have liked as the runners were directed to a sidewalk that lead up to the track. Yes – up. My legs were shaking by the time I reached the top of the sidewalk and the entrance to the track. There was a line of hurdles directing the runners onto the track. The line of hurdles also provided a division between the entrance lane and the finish lane. I still had to run more than once around the track before reaching the finish line. A sprint to the finish was definitely questionable.

I was really getting hot and extremely tired of the race but I kept going knowing that the finish line was just up ahead. I made the final turn seeing the large timer ticking away. The time read 55 minutes. I was going to achieve my goal. I was able to pick up my pace a bit even though I did not hear any grunting behind me and I was exhausted.

I crossed the finish line with a time of 55:45. I was happy. I think I was happier knowing that I was not going to have to make another trip to ABQ for a Burn.

I did my usual walking around the track looking for shade this time as I tired to get my breathing under control. A few minutes later, the big guy came by to congratulate me. He too had reached his goal. I congratulated him and then went to get some water and to look for Dave.

I was happy to discover that I got second place in my age group considering my running as of late has consisted of a 3 to 4 mile during the week followed by a race.

I decided that I could be a force to be reckon with if I only trained. First, though I need to finish the Pork and Burn Challenge before moving onto the next challenge. Yes – it is true. Another challenge is looming in the back ground, but first it was time to satisfy the huevos craving that carried me through my last burn in ABQ.

It was another double burn weekend, as I dragged my weary legs to the Narrow Gauge 34th Annual Run. Supposedly the Narrow Gauge is the longest organized road running event in Colorado. At least that was what the announcer said, and I really had to wonder if it was true.

Dave and I drove south of Durango to a huge and very modern animal hospital located along the Animas River, the location of the event. The Narrow Gauge run had a 10 mile and a 5K option. Of course, I decided to do the 5K option. The 10 mile course went through downtown Durango, proceeded along the Animas River Trail and then uphill to Fort Lewis College. The 5K run went in the opposite direction along a highway and back along the river. Both events began and ended next to the animal hospital.

It was another beautiful day as Dave and I strolled past a row of commercial and residential buildings waiting for the races to begin. I was surprised by the number of people turning out for the event.

I thought most people would be in Durango for the Ironhorse and therefore too tired to attempt a run the following day. However, Durango has a network of avid runners, which was evident, since everyone seemed to know everyone. The atmosphere and socializing reminded me of Los Alamos.

The 10 mile run started first with the crowd of runners gathering behind a pair of cones located on the side street. You could tell there were a few serious runners since they crouched into a running position with the tip of their running shoes touching the imaginary start line. The announcer told the runners the phase that he would be using to start the race – “runners set, go”, and repeated the short phase seconds later. Off the runners went as they climbed up a small hill that lead to a flat highway with the runners turning left onto the highway.

The 5K run started fifteen minutes later. The mass of participants in the 5K was much smaller than those running the 10 mile course. Once again the crowd gathered behind the pair of orange cones but a little more loosely and not as desperate as the previous group of runners. In fact, the announcer asked us to move closer to the start line. The announcer gave the same command – “runners set, go”. Even though I placed myself behind several rows of runners, I was quickly able to run around them as I made my way up the first hill. Oh how cruel to have the start of the race be uphill.

My legs were burning a bit by the time I made it to the top of the small hill. I turned right following about 7 other runners as we went down the highway.

I felt good for the most part as I ran down the road. I knew there was at least one woman and a very young girl ahead of me. The course soon turned onto a dirt trail that took us down a small hill. I enjoyed quickly running down the hill as I got closer to the young girl. The dirt trail finally took us to the trail that followed the Animas River. The breeze coming of the river was cool. I soon started to loose my energy as my pace and will power started to decline. For the next couple of minutes I experienced an internal struggle – oh Laura, it is okay not to push yourself, no Laura you should really push yourself, followed by “oh my legs are so tired”. The conflicting conversation continued until a woman past me. Oh man, I decided I better pick up the pace a bit.

The trail then went uphill to a parking lot. My legs were tired and burning even more as a slowed to something slightly faster than a walk. The woman and young girl ahead of me turn left once reaching the parking lot; however, there were cones on our right. The woman noticed and yelled to the young girl. I was able to surge ahead but not at a very fast past since I really thought it would be unfair of me to take advantage of the situation.

I ran across the parking lot to another dirt trail that eventually lead to another asphalt trail that, once again, followed the Animas River. The woman soon caught up and was about to pass me, but I was able to stay by her side as we made our way across another bridge and along the trail that was behind the animal hospital. I knew the end was in sight so I decided to pick up the pace. I was about to get ahead of the woman when the asphalt path ended and the dirt road took us up a hill. My legs were dead as a barely ran up the hill. I’m certain walking would have been faster. The woman surged ahead as I continued to trog up the hill. The end was not as close as I had thought as the hill returned to the highway. I only had to run a 100 yards before the course returned to the parking lot and the animal hospital. Even though the last part was down hill, the quick feet could not help me pass the woman as she crossed the finish line seven seconds ahead of me.

Oh well…. two burns down as I inch closer to my goal. Now I only have five more burns to do. The Pork and Burn goal finally seems achievable.

I loved running in the Narrow Gauge Race even though my legs said otherwise. I could easily see myself doing this event next year. The post-race snacks were the best I’ve ever experienced with coffee, bagels, assorted cream cheese and breakfast burritos, fruit, and best of all, mimosas!

I knew that I was third overall and expected an award. Sadly I was mistaken since the event was only giving an award to the top overall finisher and the top finisher in each age group. It turns out the woman who past me was in my age group – dang.
Lesson learned… next time a woman begins to pass me, I will ask her what age group she is in before giving into the weaker inner voice.

I was back in the saddle as I joined several friends to conquer the Ironhorse, a 50 mile bike ride from Durango to Silverton. The Ironhorse is a very popular event with a cap of 1300 riders allowed to take on the challenge. Dave and I had registered for the Ironhorse back in January barely making the cut. Unfortunately, Dave was not able to join us.

The Ironhorse began 40 years ago when two brothers made a bet. One brother was a bicycle enthusiasts, the other brother was an engineer for the railroad. One day one brother challenged the other brother and the train in a race to Silverton. As the train came by the house, the steam whistle screamed and the brother climbed on his trusty old steel framed ten-speed. While the train took the shorter, gentler route (with limited speed), the bicycling enthusiast pedaled up over the rim of the old volcano and descended into the mining town of Silverton. The brother who rode the ten-speed was waiting at the station when the train arrived. And so the tradition began.

Since then cyclists for all over the continent have traveled to the mountain community of Durango to take on the train. The Ironhorse always takes place over the Memorial Day weekend, which can be tricky as far as the weather is concern. The event was canceled three years ago because of snow. Fortunately it looked like it was going to be a good day for a bike ride.

It was my first time taking on the challenge. For the majority of my friends it was their second or third time. I was a little nervous since my sciatica had been acting up when riding more then 20 miles especially when I was riding hills. I did have my my bike fitted the weekend before the event, but I did not get a chance to see if the adjustments worked. Needless to say I was a little nervous about the road that lay ahead of me.

I meet the rest of my fellow cyclists at a parking lot just off Main Street, the route of the ride. It was nice riding throughout Main Street of Durango since the community was out cheering for the cyclists. Our group of six headed down Main Street; however, 30 seconds later one of the fellow cyclists had a flat tire. Oh – I felt his pain remembering the seven flat tires I had when doing the Santa Fe Century three years ago. The Hammer, a seasoned cyclist, quickly fixed the flat tire. We watched a large group of seasoned cyclist zoomed past us as we waited for the Hammer to fix the tire.

We were off again within minutes to a hotel to pick up another couple that would be riding with us.

The ride began in Durango at an elevation of approximately 6500 feet and twists for the next 25 miles to the Durango Ski Resort, formerly known as Purgatory. The road from the Durango Ski Resort to Silverton was closed to vehicular traffic, which is nice because of the curvy road that the cyclist will have to climb and descend for the remaining 25 miles.

The road shortly after the ski resort was a gradual decline but soon came to the start of a seven-mile climb to the first pass, Coal Bank Pass. The climb to Coal Bank Pass reminded me a little of Bobcat Pass but not as steep. I once again maintained my title as the Turtle as my friends cycled ahead of me. The Hammer did stay with me for the first two miles of the climb, which I appreciated. Like Bobcat Pass, one turn lead to another and another and another. There were a number of cyclists walking their bikes as I stayed on my bike and pushed ahead. I’m certain the altitude was affecting them. After yet another turn, I came upon a group of spectators playing music for the cyclists. I felt like I was in a spinning class and was able to pick up my pace a bit. One of the spectators said that the first pass was only a half a mile away. I was able to continue with the somewhat faster pace knowing that I would be reaching the first pass soon. However, I’m certain the person lied to us as the series of switch backs never ended and never seemed to lead to the pass. I have never known a half of mile to last so long. I was seriously hating the last half of mile and thought about joining the other cyclist that were walking their bike, but I did not. Relief washed over me as I saw a group of cyclists milling around. It had to have been a rest stop and the first pass. I was barely able to clip out of my pedals before falling but did so as my right leg cramped up. My legs were exhausted.

Coal Bank Pass was approximately 10,640 feet in elevation. Liz, triathlete girlfriend, mentioned that she over heard a cyclist that was wearing a U.S Air force cycling jersey asking the paramedics for oxygen because when they fly at 10,000 they have oxygen…. Seriously?!?

A grabbed a banana, a few orange sections, and a cookie. I liked the snacks at the rest stop, and the volunteers were great. I stretched a bit before getting on my bike and joining my group of friends for the next part of the trek. There was a nice three to four mile ride down the pass before starting the ascent to the next pass, Molas Pass. The ride to Molas Pass was only four miles long and not as steep as the climb to Coal Bank Pass. Liz, the Inspiration and Triathlete girlfriend, stayed with me during the climb up to Molas Pass.

Riding to the top of Molas Pass was not nearly as taxing as the climb to Coal Bank Pass. I was relieved and surprised when Liz and I reached the Molas Pass, elevation of 10,910 feet. The view was spectacular. In fact the view throughout the entire ride was amazing.

Once reaching Molas Pass, it was all downhill as we road into Silverton, elevation 9,300 feet.

What an exhilarating feeling racing down a road knowing you do not have to worry about traffic and that you do not have another hill or pass to conquer.

Throughout the 50 mile journey, I saw a number of cyclist wearing cycling jerseys from past Ironhorse events. Even though the ride was challenging with its 5500 feet climb, the ride was worth it. The scenery was spectacular. The community and volunteers were warm and inviting. and the sense of accomplishment achieved once you ride through the small town of Silverton.

I felt strong, relieved, and proud as I rode through the small town of Silverton. It was nice sitting on a grassy lawn with my friends and the other 1300 cyclist as we basked in the sun and our accomplishment. What a gorgeous day and wonderful event. Yes, I can see myself easily conquering the Ironhorse next year with Dave.

Even though I reached the Pork Challenge back in January, I continue to search for new dining adventures. And now, my most recent dining experiences have brought about an iteration to the Pork Challenge….. In Search of The Best.

Dave was finally able to escape from the hospital and the ever so tasteless hospital food. Dave was in the mood for a steak. The question was where was the best steak in Santa Fe? There was the Steaksmith, Rio Chama, and Outback to name just a few. For some reason, we decided to go to Rio Chama. Perhaps it was because we wanted or Dave needed a martini. It was relatively quiet in the bar area at the Rio Chama but it was Sunday afternoon.

I was a little disappointed by the steak options at the Rio Chama, and the martini was not that great. Deep down inside I knew it was a bad idea to go to Rio Chama since my last visit was mediocre at best. Overall the steak was amazing but overpriced. The side dishes were sub-standard with the beans being to buttery and the gnocchi being too dense. At least the service was better. Once again I left Rio Chama telling myself that I will never visit the restaurant again.

The following weekend I decided to try Raaga, a new Indian restaurant that had been getting rave reviews. Trying Raaga was a perfect choice since it was a new restaurant for me and I had yet to include an Indian restaurant in the Pork challenge.

Dave and I were running a few errands before dinner and happened to be near Raaga. I decided to go inside the restaurant to make a reservation, which turned out to be a very good idea. Raaga was just ending its lunch time buffet. A rich and spicy fragrance hit me once I entered the small lobby area. The aroma was powerful making my mouth water. I was even more excited about our upcoming dining adventure.

Several hours later Dave and I were sitting at a small table in a very small dining area. There were about 10 tables packed into a long but skinny dining room. The few empty tables were soon filled shortly after we sat down. Our waitress brought us a welcoming drink and a hot towel for our hands – a very nice way to start the dining experience. A large bottle of water was also placed on our table. Unfortunately the restaurant did not have a liquor license. I was left ordering hot tea. Dave stuck with water.

Fortunately, I had grabbed a menu when making the reservations giving Dave and I a chance to review the extensive choices. Since Dave loves mussels we decided to start with the steamed mussel appetizer and the Delhi Chaat. I thought the Delhi Chaat sounded interesting with its chickpeas, cucumber, blueberries, tomatoes, whole wheat crisp, and mint chutney in sweetened yogurt.

We did not have to wait long for the appetizer and salad arrived. I thought the mussels in coconut infused with curry leaves would be tasty but I was sadly mistaken. The broth had neither a nice coconut nor curry flavor. In fact I thought the broth was basically flavorless.

The Delhi Chaat was the same – tasteless. So far I was disappointed with our choices. Hopefully our entrees would be better.

Even though the restaurant did have a Chilean sea bass option, I went against one of my standard dining rules; I ordered the Bombay fish masala instead of the sea bass. Dave ordered the Lamb palak. In addition to a number of curries to choose from, Raaga also offered a variety of naan choices. I decided to try the rosemary olive oil naan. A nice option at Raaga was that all entrees can be prepared mild, medium, or hot. Dave and I both picked the medium option for our entrees. Once again Dave and I did not have to wait too long for our entrees and naan to arrive. A bowl of basmati rice was also brought to our table.

Each entrée was served in a large, shallow bowl. The lamb palak had tender chunks of lamb swimming in an abundant spicy ginger and spinach sauce. I had to wonder how hot the hot option was. I was grateful for the large bottle of water at our table.

I started to spoon the Bombay fish masala over the rice when I noticed that the chunks of meat looked more like chicken instead of mahi mahi. I bit into one of the chunks to discover that I was right. I would have brought the mistake to the attention of the waitress but she never returned until our plates and the majority of our entrees were gone. I’m not certain which chicken curry dish I was given.

Like the lamb palak, the chicken dish was good, full of flavor, and very spicy. I loved the naan, which was moist, plentiful, and perfect for dipping in the spicy curry sauce.

Overall the meal was okay. I thought there was much more sauce then meat. I really thought the medium heat option was hot and would probably choose the mild next time.

The waitress finally returned to see how we were doing. I told her about the mistake. She apologized and left for the kitchen to find out what happened. The waitress came back with the check but not an answer. She did not charge us for the chicken curry entrée, which I thought was nice. Even though the service and food were okay, I’m certain we will return to Raaga. However, I had to wonder how the other Indian restaurants in Santa Fe were.

Dave and I were in Albuquerque Sunday morning looking for a new breakfast place. I used my Urbanspoon application to discover a place called Milly’s. The reviews posted were positive so I typed the location into my GPS and off we went. It was not hard to find Millys. It was hard to find a parking spot but luck was on my side as a big truck was leaving around the same time I entered the somewhat small parking lot. We walked into the busy restaurant known as Milly’s. There was a line of hungry people waiting for a table. The interesting concept of Milly’s is that there was not a hostess showing you to your table. The customer keeps a look out for an empty table as they wait in line. The wait staff and/or the busy boy will typically help you locate a table, which is good since Milly’s had two large dining areas.

Milly’s was bustling. A guy ahead of me said that Milly’s was this way every weekend morning. I asked the guy want was good. He said everything. I was excited. Dave and I did not have to wait too long for a table to become available. We sat down and started to review the plastic menu that also served as a place mat.

I had been in the mood for huevos ranchos all morning and was happy but of course not really surprise to see that Milly’s had huevos ranchos. Dave ordered the Denver omelet, which was one of his favorite breakfast meals.

The coffee was really good with the waitress keeping our cup full, which was a good thing since services was incredible slow. Our food finally arrived about 30 minutes after placing our order. I decided to have Christmas with my huevos. The red chile was hearty. The green chile was sparse. The hash browns were perfectly cooked. I decided to order a side of bacon, which very crispy.

Dave’s Denver omelet was flat rather than fluffy with very little cheese nestled inside the omelet.

My huevos ranchos was good even though green chile was sparse. The huevos was definitely not worth the wait. I’m certain I would never visit Milly’s again, but I did have to wonder which restaurant in the ABQ – Santa Fe area has the best huevos.

And so the next phase of the Pork and Burn challenge has evolved.

Since Dave was not home yet from the hospital, I decided to get up early Saturday morning to drive to Albuquerque for a race. I hadn’t planned on doing the race, but I decided that I better take advantage of every Burn opportunity. I still had to complete nine more Burns to reach my goal with only a few more weeks left to make it happen.

Saturday morning’s event was an 8K run with the Kenyans for Global Health. I had to laugh to think that I would really be running with the Kenyans since I would more than likely be chasing them. The race course was at a different place than the other races I had done in Albuquerque. Even though different was nice, the course was not that great as it started next to a fitness facility and went along one of the many cement arroyos in ABQ.

The turnout was bigger compared to the two burns I had last weekend. Of course, that should be expected since ABQ is a bigger city then Santa Fe. I stood in the middle of the pack with the Kenyans in the front and the rest of us weekend warriors behind the elite runners. A woman behind me joked that it would be more of a challenge for the Kenyans if they were behind us. What a brilliant idea!

The announcer thanked us for being at the event and explained that there were several runners from Kenyan who train in ABQ because of the altitude and have been breaking records as a result. I thought they should really train in Los Alamos then. The announcer counted down and blew a horn to start the race. Off the Kenyans went with the rest of us following. I sprinted my way with and through the crowd, down the side street, and up to the asphalt path that went along the arroyo. The course was open without a single tree nearby. Fortunately it was early in the morning and not too hot. I wasn’t certain if the course was a loop or an out and back. I soon discovered that the course was an out and back as I saw one of the Kenyans running towards me.

Now with most out and back runs, I would have a moment of relief knowing that the turn around point was just ahead. That would not be the case this time since I had past the one mile marker about few minutes earlier. I’m certain I had at least another mile before turning around. The other Kenyans past by with in the next minute. It took another couple of minutes for the first of the weekend warriors to past me. While I thought my pace was faster than usual I was still being past by several women with the closest woman in front of me being a few hundred feet ahead. I decided that I was okay with that knowing that it would be extremely hard for me to catch and past the woman. I ran around the orange cone to start the second half of the run. I noticed that there were two women behind me but there was a least a hundred yards between us. I was certain I would be able to maintain my pace and the distance.

It was starting to get hot, and I was starting to get thirsty. Since the race was a little longer than a 5K, I decided that I should really get a cup of water. I took the cup as I slowed to a walk. I quickly drained the small cup of water and thought that someday I really need to master the run and drink.

Just before the last mile marker, I noticed a women was running by my side. I was now regretting even more my inability to drink while running. I surged ahead and was able to stay ahead of her during the last mile of the race. I tried to pick up my pace a little more but I was getting tired. Every once in awhile the woman would be running next to me, and I would pick up my pace a little more. The woman and I came around the last turn as a man, whom I assumed just finished the race, said that he had to see the end of this match. Oh boy, the pressure was on and the finish line was just up ahead. I picked up my pace thinking that I had it when just at the last second the woman surged ahead of me crossing the finish line first – ugg….

I patted her on the shoulder saying “good job” as a volunteer ripped the number strip off my bib. She returned with the same comment; however, I seriously wondered if she would have said anything if I hadn’t said something.

It was nice that the event was at the fitness center since you could use the facilities instead of a port-a-potty. The post-race refreshments were in the gym’s swimming area. I have to say that the Run with the Kenyan’s event had to have had the most unique post race food. There were a number of food items from Kenyan in addition to the usual oranges and bananas. I was amazed that the ethnic foods were all fried. I tried a few things but decided that cold fried food is not that appetizing.

I grabbed a few oranges and left for Santa Fe to see Dave. Another Burn Down…..

Next……
Sunday was the morning of the Santa Fe Century. I had done the true Santa Fe Century about three years ago and had a lot of fun even though I did have seven flats tires during the 100 mile trek. This time I had what I like to refer to as superman tires and was planning on riding just the 50 mile course. I thought that if I got up early getting to Santa Fe and the start of the ride by 7am, I would be able to get Dave out of the hospital in time for lunch.

Of course I was tired when I woke up and decided to enjoy my cup of coffee and the quiet morning. Unfortunately my laziness delayed me getting to Santa Fe. It was almost 8 by the time I finally got to the start of the ride. It was windy and a little cold when I was walking to the table to register for the ride. Because of the late start and the weather, I decided I would just do the 25 mile ride. I was feeling a little guilty for doing such a short ride after checking the “25 mile” box, but I was anxious to get Dave out of the hospital.

I buckled my helmet and bike shoes and got onto my bike as the cold wind whipped around me. Oh the ride was going to be hell even for a short ride. I rode out of the parking lot and onto the road following a group of cyclists as we went through a light and down the street. The wind wasn’t too bad as I thought it would be as I whizzed by a number of cyclists making my way through the streets of Santa Fe. There were a few lights that I had to stop at. Soon I was south of Santa Fe going down highway 14. It felt good to be riding my bike. I had a nice pace as I continued to past a few more cyclists with just a few passing me. I rode for awhile with one guy from Denver, who was doing his first century. After a few more miles, the guy from Denver said good-bye and stopped to wait for his riding buddies. I continued down Highway 14 with the wind picking up. I was certain that I would be reaching the turn around point soon but did not see a sign indicating the turn or a rest stop. I knew something was odd when I had past the Turquoise Trail Charter School sign, the site of one of last week’s burns. The school was a least 10 miles south of Santa Fe. The rest stop and turn around point should be nearby. Just then a cyclist with an odometer past me. I picked up my pace so I could ask him about the mileage. He said we had traveled 14 miles. What?!? I told him that I must have missed the rest stop for the 25 mile bike ride. The guy said that I missed the turn, which was at the very start of the ride. Instead of going straight through the first light I should have turned left – oh. Now what should I do?

I rode with the guy as I told him about having to finish the ride early so I could pick my Boyfriend up from the hospital. We both thought that I could just turn around now and make the trek about a 30 mile ride. The other option was to just ride the 50 mile course as originally planned.

I said good-bye to the guy as I pulled into a gas station, where other cyclist have stopped. I sent a text telling Dave about my error and that I would be riding the 50 mile course but should be done by noon. I took a drink of water, got onto my bike, and headed back down the road. The wind had picked up even more making me regret the decision of doing the 50 mile course. I also decided that the Santa Fe Century was not a scenic century as the course followed the Turquoise Trail that cut in the middle of an wide and open prairie. I finally reached a sign and a group of volunteers that directed those riding the 50 mile turn to the left and those riding the 100 miles to go straight. I made sure to take the left turn this time.

The next stretch of the course was somewhat more scenic as the road was a series of small hills that cut through a vast landscape scattered with junipers. I had to wonder when I would reach the first rest stop. I’m certain I had already ridden over 20 miles. The rolling course eventually entered a small town and the first rest stop – finally! I placed my bike carefully on a patch of grass hoping there weren’t any goat heads or other thorny plants. I grabbed my water bottle and headed to the tent where the snacks were. The one thing that I do love about the Santa Fe Century is that they have fig newtons as a snack. How awesome is that?

I grabbed two fig newtons, a half of banana, and a handful of gorp. I stretched a bit as I snacked. The line to the porta-potty was long, but I really did not need to go to the bathroom, which was a surprise. I filled my water bottle and headed back to my bike to resume the ride. I felt I was making pretty good time, less than two hours and 25 miles completed.

I picked up my bike and checked my tires. All was good as I got back on my bike and headed down the road with the other cyclists. The next stretch also had a series of hills but soon the rolling hills lead to a gradual uphill and a steeper and longer hill. The wind had died down and the temperature was increasing. The fact the wind had died down was nice especially when riding up the long hill. The warmer temperature was nice as I stopped to peel off my jacket once I made it to the top of the hill. There was a long, flat stretch of road shortly after the steep hill. The next rest stop was just a few miles ahead.

I placed my bike against a cement wall and checked my phone. Dave had sent an email indicating that the doctor still had not arrived. I replied that I had only 10 more miles and should be there within the hour. I grabbed a few more fig newtons, a very small peanut butter sandwich, and few orange sections. I also took several fig newtons for Dave. At least he can enjoy the Santa Fe Century snacks. I filled up my water bottle one more time and got onto my bike. The last stretch of the century was my least favorite since the majority of the ride is on the interstate. The wind was gone, and I was cruising. Before I knew it, I was back in Santa Fe and almost to the start of the ride.

I got back to my car a little after noon. I text Dave telling him that I was done and would be at his room in about 10 to 15 minutes. He said not to hurry. The doctor still had not arrived to check on Dave and to give Dave the approval for his final escape. In fact the doctor did not arrive until well after 4. Apparently the doctor had a bike race of his own but in Ruidoso, which is about 4 hours south of Santa Fe.

I guess it was a good thing that I did not make that left turn. Funny how things work out. While I was not happy for Dave having to stay in the hospital longer, it was nice to finally get out on my bike and to complete a long ride. I was also very happy that I did not have a single flat tire!

Another weekend closer to the Pork and Burn finish line, and another two burns knocked out – only seven more to go!

Fortunately Dave and I returned to New Mexico in time for me to take advantage of a Saturday filled with several Burn opportunities. I did not exercise while in Phoenix but performance was not my concern at this point. My focus was to just complete the crazy challenge I started almost a year ago.

Both events were in Santa Fe, which was an unusual occurrence but an extreme blessing. This time, I made sure I knew exactly where I needed to be the night before the events. The first Burn, the Santo Nina Angel run, started at 8:30 followed by the Turquoise Trail 5K at 10. Both runs were benefiting a school with the Santo Nina Angel run raising money the Santo Nina Catholic School and the Turquoise Trail 5K raising money for the Turquoise Trail Charter School. Fortunately, there was less than 10 miles between the two schools.

The turn out for both burns was small. There were a number of kids running or walking the events with their mom or dad, which I thought was great.

The Santa Nina Angel Run had a 10K and 5K option. Even though I had been choosing the 10K options lately, I decided to do the 5K so that I had plenty of time to make it to the Turquoise Trail run. I had to laugh to think that all Burns were not equivalent.

It was close to 8:30 as the small group of participants gathered between the two orange cones that identified the start and finish of the race.

I had to wonder how many people were doing the 10K. I’m certain the competition would be slim. The woman organizing the event thanked us for being there. She then proceeded to lead us in a pray. Now this was a first. I have never been to a race in which the runners and walkers pray before the event. I guess it is to be expected since we were at a catholic school.

The Angel run was an out and back and followed a paved but not too busy side street located just south of Santa Fe. The course had a series of gradual inclines and declines but nothing too severe. I was fairly sluggish the first mile but then started to feel pretty good by the second mile. I noticed that several runners had already reached the turn around point since they were coming towards me. I was past by three women as I cheered them on and mentally thought that I could possible pass one of the three and place third overall. I made the turn around point passing on any water as I kept the woman ahead of my in my sights. It is funny that the way back never seems as long as the way out as I noticed the runners up ahead reaching the final turn that lead down the driveway to the school and the finish line. Even though I did get a little closer to the woman ahead of me, I had neither the drive nor energy to pass her. It was getting hot, and I had to wonder how hot it would be during my next race.

I came around the turn leading to the finish line as I increased my pace. The time had not reached 25 minutes. I was surprised by my time as I crossed the finish line at 24:48.

I congratulated the woman who was in the lead just after the turn around point before grabbing some water, a few pieces of cut oranges, and a green chile breakfast burrito. The homemade breakfast burrito was another first. I decided I could eat the burrito after the next race as I got into my car and headed to the next Burn.

The next event was located a few miles south of the Santo Nina Catholic School along the Turquoise Trail. At first I was afraid I was once again lost but was relieved when I finally saw the Turquoise Trail Charter school sign. I parked my car in the parking lot and walked to a cluster of buildings. I still had 30 minutes before the 5K was to begin. The kids 1K run/walk was just finishing. I stopped by the small crowd as I also cheered the kids to the finish line.

The Turquoise trail run was definitely geared towards the kids and the school with a few tables scattered throughout the small yard being dedicated to a bake sale and face painting. Even the prize board focused on the kids. I had to laugh at the age category the event had for me – 40 to 60, seriously???

The awards for the 1K run/walk were given, and it was time for the 5K. It was already warm, and I was not looking forward to running in the heat. The very small group of runners loosely gathered in between two lines of different color cones. It reminded me of a rainbow. There were about three young guys whom were serious about the race as they positioned themselves on the very edge of the invisible starting line.

The start of this race was a lot more informal than the earlier race as the announcer just said ready, set, go… The three young men took off. Again I did not sprint ahead like I normally do. I just plugged away as I put one foot in front of the other. However, this time I was thinking “why am I doing this again?” Oh well, another finished line crossed, and then I can call it a day. And to think that I am doing just a bit of what my triathlete girlfriend, Liz, was doing today – her first ironman. Or in her case ironwoman!

In addition to the three young men sprinting ahead, there were also two young women. While I wanted to just finish the race, the competitive juices did bubble up as I kept the two young girls and a taller woman in my sights.

This 5K event was another out and back on a paved but somewhat rural road with a series of very small hills. Like the first event, the course was open with the sun beating down on me. I noticed that the two young women ahead of me alternated between running and walking. I soon saw the turn about point and the two girls grabbing some water as they walked to the last half of the course. Even though I was dying of thirst I decided to skip the water and just keep going. I past the two young women as I made my way closer to the taller woman. Once again I felt sluggish during the first mile of the course but stronger during the second mile. I was able to pick up my pace as I started to pass the taller woman on a slight incline. She made a comment about my pace as I told her good job and isn’t it hot as continued up the hill.

I’m not certain if the heat was starting to get to me or the fact that I was doing the second of two races after not exercising for a week. Whatever the cause, my side started to ache. I swear I was going to get sick but I tried not to slow down in fear of the taller woman passing me.

I knew the last quarter mile or so of the run was uphill, and I was not looking forward to it. I knew I would not be able to pick up my pace that much as I had done in the earlier race. However, I really did not care at this point. I just wanted finish. And to think I was seriously considering doing three races since there was a race in Albuquerque later in the afternoon. With my side aching and the sun beating down on me, I decided that once I crossed the finish line, I was done. Two races in one day were quite enough for now.

Even though I was the first woman to cross the finish line, my time was a minute slower than the first race. Overall, I thought I did well especially for not exercising for a week. I waited around to watch the other participants cross the finish line. I chatted a bit with the taller woman who asked if I would be doing the Santa Fe half marathon in September. I told her I had not heard about it but it does sound interesting.

While my enthusiasm for the Burn part of the Pork and Burn challenge seems to be diminishing, I would like to continue to compete. However, it would be nice to do a race once a month instead of the almost once a week if not two in one week.

In a way it is sad that the Pork and Burn challenge has become more of a job then a hobby. I’m certain I would enjoy the challenge if I had someone joining me. I hope to turn that around as I near the stretch of the Pork and Burn finish line.

The hazards of traveling strikes again as I came down with some type of cold when returning from my fun weekend in Seattle. On top of that Dave had another stroke. Training for my upcoming double burn weekend took a back seat as I recovered from my cold and sat with Dave as we tried to understand why.

It was hard getting myself going the morning of my first Burn. I was still battling the cold. I was also exhausted from driving back and forth between home and the hospital. Thoughts of not doing the race dashed through my head but the number of weekends left to make up a missed burn were become fewer and fewer. I sat down for a moment to reflect as a sipped a cup of coffee, A friend would not be running with me. Dave would not be at the finish line. I would be doing the event alone. After about 10 minutes of mulling, I pulled myself together as I got ready and headed out the door with plenty of time to make it to Santa Fe for Burn #39.

I had a general idea of where I needed to go. By the time I reached what I thought was the location, I had 15 minutes before the race was to start. I did not see the usual signs of a race such as orange cones, volunteers wearing yellow vest, or individuals wearing numbers. I was lost.

I studied the location of the race on the GPS only to discover I was on the wrong side of the street. The time was 7:59 and the race was to start at 8. Once again I thought about quitting. Crying also crossed my mind, but I felt too numb to do that. Instead, I drove to the new or in this case the right location. I soon found the school or location of the race, but it took me a little while to find a parking spot. Finally about four blocks away, I squeezed by Highlander into an empty spot. I hopped out of the car and started running down the street towards the school. I found what I thought to be the registration table. I asked the man sitting behind the table if the race had started. I had to wonder if that was a dumb question? He said yes and that I would be able to catch up with the crowd or at least those that were doing the 2K walk. I gave the man my name hoping that he would have my registeration bag, but he directed me to go inside to get that.

I ran inside and waited for someone to help me. I have no idea what the time was? Eventually I got my bag and dashed back outside to ask the man which direction I should go? The man said to just follow the orange arrows that away, as he pointed behind him. The woman sitting next to the man asked me if I wanted my timing chip. Seriously as if I was going to break a record or care about my time? At this point I just wanted to finish the event. I politely told the woman that I did not need my timing chip. I started to jog in the direction the man had pointed with my registeration bag of goodies in hand. I had to wonder if I looked odd running with the goodie bag. I did not stop to pin my number onto my shirt. I’m certain that the volunteers knew I was part of the race since I was running with the registration bag. At least I hoped they would figure it out.

The course was another out and back or in this case up and down as the course started a few blocks from the Santa Fe Plaza and headed out to what is referred to as museum row. I reached the first remmenants of walkers within the first half mile of my run. My pace was slow but I kept chugging along as I past more and more walkers with my goodie bag being switched from one hand to the other. Just before reaching the 1 mile mark or the turn around point for the walkers, I saw a bike with a teenage boy running close behind. The boy must have been in the lead. More and more runners past me as I jogged up the gradual hill. I kept thinking that even though my running was slow at least I was doing the race, and I felt satisfied with that in mine. I continued to pass more and more walkers and eventually a few joggers. The course had a gradual downhill just before the turnaround point. I grabbed a cup of water at the turn around mark as a walked a bit. I was excited that the last half of the course was downhill.

I resumed my run back up the short incline and then down the last half. The nice downhill allowed the quick feet to kick in as I past more and more joggers. I’m certain that a number of the individuals past were doing their first 5K as they would walk for a while and then jog. I had to give them credit for just being here and doing the event. I saw the orange cone that signaled the 1 mile mark and the last mile of this burn. Even though I was running downhill and feeling fairly strong, I was questioning how well I would do tomorrow since the second burn of this weekend was a 10K run, 40K bike ride, and 5K run.

I made the finally turn leading to the finish line as I past more and more runners. I was able to pass two more runners before crossing the finish line. I glanced at the time. The clock read 37:15.

I went inside to get a drink a water since the line to get water outside was long and congested. I noticed I had received a call during the run. It was Dave’s doctor. The doctor said that Dave should go to Phoenix for further care. I ran back to my car and rushed to the hospital.

Dave and I were flown to Phoenix that day. I no longer thought about whether or not I would be able to make it through tomorrow’s burn or if i was going to be able to meet my burn challenge. My only thought was getting Dave better.