Angles Crest

WOW!!!!!
What a night. I told Catra I would pace her the last twenty five miles of the race. Boy howdy was I clueless about pacing when I said I would do it. Not that I regret any of it, it was awesome. I have to thank my wife from the get. She was a sport in the truest sense. She really had no idea what I was asking her to do for me AND women she or I had never met. We hung out all day and evening watching the live feed on the web to judge when we would leave the house. I have to say that when it was getting close to my usual bedtime the thought of leaving the house and driving an hour plus was not really on my list of favorite things to do at that moment.

We got to Chantry flats with no problems. It was cool to see all of the people milling about in the middle of the night in some remote parking area on the side of a hill. As usual, we were early. I just did not think we were THAT early. But after a bit, the aid workers asked if there was someone to pace runner 18? Yes, I'm here I said. Well the hammy radio operators had a closed circuit TV to the previous aid station so I was able to meet Catra via TV. Cool...... Then I got to hang out some more.....
Do they call it pacing because of all the nervous walking I did around the aid station waiting for her to come in. Yes, I was a nervous Nellie. I'm mean come on I was going to pace a hardcore athlete and I am but a mere mortal.

Well she came in, ate some soup and it was on. We had a nice climb in the dark to get to know each other. We passed the mad napper about half way up the climb. I'll get back to him later. It was nothing but up for a while. Frankly I enjoyed it. Once we got to the top the view was spectacular. I hate being in any kind of city, but the lights sure looked cool from the top. We kept going from aid station to aid station, there was not anything out of the ordinary between them. Except when we were being followed by something in the bushes above us...............Never found out what it was.

The mad napper eventually came cruising past us ......Oh yea when we first saw him his pacer was patiently sitting on the side of a switchback with the guy curled over on his side snoozing away. After they passed us, could have been an hour could have been twenty minutes we found the pacer sitting comfortably again this time the guy was face down snoozin away.
Then I realized the first time I saw him was when he came into Chantry flats ate drank, and promptly fell asleep in the chair.

Catra had a little sleep issue took about two minutes to get over that. She had some stomach issues. Gave her some ginger chews, she got over that. She did not stop moving. I was really impressed that somebody could be that upbeat after seventy five miles. I was fresh so I would run a head and snap photos when I could. What a good time! Watching the sun come up was really nice. I don't think the weather could have been better. Not cold, and just warm enough. I was wide awake the entire time, nary a yawn throughout the night. As far as the race went, it was great to hang out with a racer of that caliber. I was able to learn some valuable lessons on Saturday night and most of Sunday morning. I must say that was a total blast. I think my next foray will be as a runner in a 50miler.

Oh, and the mad napper. He came in to finish about ten minute behind Catra. Good Job to all

And it truly was my pleasure