Speedgoat 50k 2015 Edition

How do you follow up something like Hardrock and the San Juan's of Colorado? (I still dream about them...) With Speedgoat and the incredible beauty of our own local Snowbird Ski Resort in the Wasatch range, of course!
This was Cody's third official spin around Karl Meltzer's Speedgoat, but together, our fourth time coming to cheer and enjoy the spectacle. Last year Cody had broken his body too badly to actually run this beast. Needless to say, I was glad to see him out there again this year.

This year, I invited the family to accompany me up the tram. I have had guilt for the past four years as we leave Cody's parents to watch the kids all day while I we frolic in the mountains, so instead of just taking the kids up all on my own, I made the in laws come with me. ;) Still babysitting all day but this time in the mountains. With no easy access to bathrooms or diversions; packing up food, drinks, and children alike as we follow Cody on one of the hardest 50k around, I am sure they are blessing my name at this very moment. It was so much better than watching the kids in the comfort of their own home, they are saying...

Cheek aside, I am so relieved they agreed to this adventure. They saved the day and my sanity in one 8 hour span.

My goal this go around was to capture a few different angles of the same (term used loosely at a Karl Meltzer race) course. I ended up only really getting a few yards off of my usual haunts, but I am still pleased with the overall results.

This is the course as it climbs up the last hundred yards to Hidden Peak from the valley floor.

 The awesome in laws that saved the day and kept all of us entertained, fed and watered. Thank You!

The kiddos as they huddle against the hill for warmth. This was our goal for the first 30 minutes on the mountain. Find my three offspring a place to settle in and wait out the morning chill until the sun came up to warm (roast) them. Joys of mountain races.

 But then again, there is this, that you don't get at those road races....or after 8 in the morning.

 Or this..........

 I might have had some time to kill before any runners showed up. The flowers were a fantastic diversion.

 Sage Canaday as he shows up a ridiculous amount of time before the next runner. Spoiler alert: Sage ended up winning the day. But that wasn't really a shock. Let's be honest.

 Alex Nichols from far, far away. I just loved the whole scene, I couldnt crop any of it. OR any of the following...

 The runners are hard to distinguish from the rock. Shows how steep this section is. Not the steepest of the race, by far, but still respectable.

 There's the man.

 So...I took a lot of shots at this particular spot. Kids were huddled in misery, why not take advantage of their lack of mischief and movement in general?

My son, waiting on me to take more shots of the flowers. Headed to Mt Baldy.

 

 Top of Baldy and then down the otherside a bit. This course boasts SUCH views.

The view as you hike the course up the back side of Baldy.

 Runners slogging their way up. This climb is murder. Check out the elevation profile from KarlMeltzer.com This climb is coming up from that gaping hole in the middle of the course. But hey...they signed up for this....

 Tired but not too tired for a fist bump.

 We raced Cody back to Hidden Peak. We were confident we would beat him since we just had to go back down Baldy and back up Hidden, while he ran around the entire world then back up like 700 vertical miles. I may be off on my numbers a bit...but not much. Cody will clarify I am sure.
This is standing on the tram loading dock, hoping to see the first glimpse of our favorite runners.

 Managed a smile as he topped out on Hidden for the last time. One little climb left on the way down.

 This sweet man let the runner ahead of him take off so he could run in the finish with his kids.

 And finish! Soaking up the moment with a fellow friend and runner, Erik.

Im sure Cody will fill his race report with how awful he felt, how slow he was, how often he was watching Erik's backside and he hauled up the inclines and finally, how he pulled it out under 7 hours. To the rest of us laymen he killed it. He rocked it. And still had time to run in to the finish with his youngsters.This may be our last hoorah at Speedgoat and in my opinion, it was one to remember.