The Schooler's

I’m going to start at the end, crossing the finish line of any race, particularly one in which you ran up a mountain, brings with it a euphoric sense of accomplishment, adrenaline, and satisfaction. Usually about 10-15 minutes later I’m already thinking, did I give it all I had? Maybe I could do this faster next year? What’s next?  That really wasn't so bad. Crazy.  There’s an energy at the starting line of a race that’s unique. Strangers gathered around dealing with the pre-race jitters, nervous energy, some going over mental preparation for the race, others making a last second dash to the port-o-potty, last minute checks of gear or applications of Vasoline. Pikes Peak is no different, and with a smaller field (entrance is limited to 2 waves for the Ascent and Marathon based on qualifications), there’s a stronger sense of camaraderie. Yep, we’re all about to run up that mountain in the distance. Yep, it looks really tall, and really far away. Yep, we are indeed all really crazy – we volunteered for this!