The Steep Stuff Podcast
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The Steep Stuff Podcast
Sarah Carter - Pre Pikes Peak Ascent Interview
The mental battle against the mountain defines Pike's Peak Ascent, drawing thousands to test their limits at what's rightfully earned its reputation as "America's Ultimate Challenge." Elite trail runners reveal that beyond physical preparation, it's the psychological fortitude required that brings them back year after year.
When asked what keeps competitors returning to this grueling ascent, the answer is simple yet profound: "You're constantly wondering if you're going too hard and if you're going to die." This raw honesty captures why over 2,500 runners from 46 states and eight countries gather annually in Manitou Springs to push themselves toward the clouds. For veterans and newcomers alike, Pike's Peak represents something deeper than competition against others—it's a personal test against oneself.
We dive into the world of professional trail running with elite athlete Sarah, who shares insights from her remarkable season racing across Europe and the United States. From the mud-soaked technical descents of Plitzalpin Glacier Trail to the passionate fans lining OCC's course in Chamonix, Sarah offers a glimpse into the highest levels of mountain racing. Her perspective on balancing mental energy across multiple high-stakes races provides valuable wisdom: "You can only put your soul on the line so many times in a season."
The conversation highlights a fascinating contrast between European and American race atmospheres. While European events boast incredible spectator culture with fans cheering in remote mountain locations regardless of weather, American races are still developing this vibrant support system. "There's something about being 30 miles into a race and having people cheer your name that gives you a little more life," Sarah notes, suggesting that perhaps all we need is a "cowbell fund" to elevate the American trail racing experience.
Whether you're an aspiring mountain runner or simply fascinated by those who challenge themselves in extreme environments, this exploration of Pike's Peak Ascent reveals why this iconic race continues to captivate the imagination and test the limits of human endurance. Join us for an intimate look at what drives athletes to push beyond their perceived limitations when the mountain calls.
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Going up. It's just you're constantly wondering if you're going too hard and if you're going to die. So, like they say, it's an ultimate mental battle.
Speaker 2:Is that what keeps bringing you back, year after year, the ultimate?
Speaker 1:mental battle. Yeah, I don't care what racers show up, even if somebody shows up better than me. You know this is a test against yourself. Everybody that's out here is doing it and everybody's testing themselves, and it's great.
Speaker 2:It's called America's Ultimate Challenge. Each year, over 2,500 runners flock to Manitou Springs to challenge themselves against the mountain known as Pike's Peak. This year, runners from 46 different states and eight foreign countries have come. They all start here and make their way towards the clouds. It's time, thank you.
Speaker 1:Ladies and gentlemen, we are live peak. Yeah, what's the stoke level? Like to go race the ascent this year.
Speaker 4:Oh, I'm super excited. You know I'm definitely. I'm in between two other huge races here, so I'm just you know I'm excited to go do something local for the first time. Actually, ever since I kind of hopped into the trail world, I haven't done anything in state in quite a while, so looking forward to doing such an iconic historical race. That's also so close to where I am, so I've been loving all of the climbing this season, not so much the descending, so very excited to be doing kind of my favorite combination of things, which is endurance and uphill.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, such a. I mean it's such an iconic and rad race. It's kind of funny. I was this is actually a hilarious story like not to bring matt carpenter into this, but I was laughing at myself today. I, um, I bumped into matt carpenter randomly on the trail. Uh, he was actually like leaving as I was like driving.
Speaker 3:I was talking to anton last night about him and it was kind of funny because I'm like driving slow and I'm like, oh, do I have enough time to get back to work? And like can I stop and like take a conversation? Like have a conversation with Matt Carpenter? Matt Carpenter doesn't know me, by the way. So I'm like slowing down my car and I'm like looking at this guy and he's like who the fuck is looking at me. Can I give him a look? And like I slowed down and then I'm like just take a picture of my car. I was like this is, this is the funniest matt carpenter story I've had. Like I bump into this guy all the time he doesn't know me. Like a recent time, like I had like a pissing match on a bike with him.
Speaker 3:Like recently he caught me like on a climb like biking and like he's such a random like sorry I don't know I'm going off a tangent here, but like it's kind of funny because there's just so much lore around matt carpenter at pike speaks.
Speaker 4:That's why, yeah, bring it up that's hilarious and totally have the experience of oh, this person's cool, I want to talk to them. They don't know me, that would be weird. And then it just gets weirder because you just do the awkward either prolonged eye contact or the, you know, mild car stalking, and like it would have been so much less awkward just to say hello. I thought the same thing thing.
Speaker 3:I was like oh, dude like why did I do that Like?
Speaker 4:yeah, no, I've been there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's funny. Uh, back to you, back to Pike's Peak. Um, you know you've had such a crazy season Like you've done so much traveling this year. You've gone, you know, across the pond, you know, a few times to go race you we caught up before just before, uh, uh, kind of your stint with the golden, like the, the last stint with the golden trail series where you did, uh, the plitz alpin glacier trail, where you had a great finish, as well as series and all, and then OCC. What stands out to you like what has been the highlight of your season so far?
Speaker 4:oh my gosh, um, great question. Just because it has been so rapid fire since coming back from my injury in the spring. It kind of just feels like it has been so rapid fire since coming back from my injury in the spring. It kind of just feels like it's been nonstop. I went into August knowing it was going to be an absolutely wild month. Like three races, all of them international, in a month and split into two trips Like I knew that was just going to be absolutely crazy.
Speaker 4:Honestly, I would say kind of the overarching highlight has just been the ability to go into every single one of these races feeling relatively healthy and you know not being on the starting line thinking about anything other than just getting in there and competing. You know not having to worry like oh, is my body going to fall apart. You know just being able to say Like, oh, is my body going to fall apart. You know just being able to say, oh, I'm here, I'm feeling good, I'm ready to toe this line, and that's felt amazing. And I know this was prior to our last conversation, but I really do just want to shout out the community and the crowd at the race in Mexico, like, still to this day, like I just amazed at, like their passion.
Speaker 4:But that being said, europe also. I love how much of a spectator sport, trail racing is there. You just you feel even though not me so much you feel like a celebrity anyways, just because they're really big on having your name on the bib and there's something about, you know, being 30 miles into OCC and having people cheer your name. That gives you a little more life. Um, so getting to have that kind of experience as well has been so much fun the fan.
Speaker 3:It's so crazy, the fan base like.
Speaker 3:I think that's like why and I bring this up on every podcast, I might have mentioned this to you before but like that's like we need the fan base in the us, that's what we need. And like I think, as we, as the sport grows and as it continues and as things move along, like that's that's my goal for pike's peak is like I want like locals in the streets with cowbells screaming on the trails, like hyping people up, and it's like how do we build that fandom? And like that's that's what we need well, it's cool.
Speaker 4:We are starting to see it with races like pikes and broken arrow um, the rut, you know we're starting to kind of to build that. But you know, it's the, the foundation that they have. Um, you know, in europe and other places it's just, I think it's it goes back deeper, um, and they've just had more time to cultivate that. But I really, you know, I hope it's something, I think it's it goes back deeper and they've just had more time to cultivate that. But I really, you know, I hope it's something that we continue to push and develop in the US, because we have some amazing races here and I would, you know, love to continue to do more of them, and I guess I am. But yeah, it'd be really cool to see kind of the expansion of trail running as a spectator sport here, you know of trail running as a spectator sport here.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think we just need a cowbell fund. I think we just start handing out cowbells to people and hope that they I think any spot like this. So, for instance, the North Face Sponsors, bikes, guys, make some cowbells, start handing them out to people, bring food, and here we go.
Speaker 4:Yeah. So here's some coffee, here's a snack, here's a cowbell Incentive. Just stand there and ring the thing for like 45 minutes straight as people go by you Easy.
Speaker 3:Sold yeah, what is it? Ali, ali ali or something like that. They say, yeah, ali ali.
Speaker 4:And then you also get the die, die, die. That one is funny and ironic because that is how you feel.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that one grows on you, that's difficult to hear.
Speaker 4:It gives me a giggle every time.
Speaker 3:All right, let's get into. I want to talk about Plitzalpin Glacier Trail, which was the first. I think it was the first race you did after we had chatted. Another great, absolutely lights out finish for you, great result. That was a very tough course and from what it seemed like it was very technical. And then they changed some things around. How was it, kind of last second, knowing that you, like they took out, I guess, the big climb up to 9,000 feet or whatever? How did that? You know? Was that like mentally difficult for you guys to kind of deal with? Now that it was taken out, like, how did you adjust for that?
Speaker 4:So they the women's race started first and I want to say that they changed the course about 20 minutes before the start of the race. Um, and actually I warmed up with rachel, with meryl, and you know we're we're chatting as we warm up, we're like man. I wonder if they're going to change the course. I wonder if this is going to be like poland was last year. Um, because the weather conditions were very similar and, sure enough, we finished our warmup, get back, pull out our phones and we got the message about the course change right then. So I think it was something that wasn't entirely unexpected, like I think we'd kind of prepared mentally for that to be the case. You know, the biggest part of that was just knowing that it was going to be a much faster race that way. Just, you know, the biggest part of that was just knowing that it was going to be a much faster race that way. I'm just, you know, basically cutting the vert and descent in half. It was going to run just so much faster, especially because the first and last 5k of that race was a relatively flat loop. So I kind of broke it down in my brain. I was like it's a cross country race. It's a VK, it's a 2K fartlek loop, it's a reverse VK and then it's another cross-country race, which actually sounds really long. But in the context of what I've been doing this year, I was like, wow, this is so short. But breaking it down that way I think really kept it in perspective. That way, I think really kept it in perspective Because it was a pretty chaotic day with the weather conditions and with the course change and you know, I think that the race organization did a very good job handling that and it ended up being great because everybody got to finish.
Speaker 4:You know, there were no too serious of injuries. I think everybody came out alive, you know, and I think they did the best they could with the conditions that we had, which was very rainy, very muddy, pretty cold, which I think has been the theme of races this year, I don't know. But yeah, super cool experience and I think that both the athletes and the race, they handled that situation as well as they could have. It's amazing.
Speaker 3:It was, I mean, full on conditions, full on everything, it would have been cool. It's unfortunate because, like it would have been cool had the weather not occurred, if you guys would have gotten the full, because that full course looked amazing, it would have been so cool yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I would love, I would hope that that race is potentially back on the Golden Trail Circuit again, because I would love to do that full course. Because, looking at that second climb, I was so excited by it. It just looked like a nasty, nasty, steep forest road type climb, which is something I personally really enjoy, that's my favorite.
Speaker 3:I love forest roads.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I was like that is my bread and butter, give it to me, give me. Climb 2K around a flat lake, climb again. I'm like like, oh, that sounds amazing. Um, but I understand, based on what the conditions were, why it wasn't a safe choice. Um, just because there was risk of snow, lightning or both?
Speaker 3:um, that would have been awkward so well yeah, fair enough yeah, yeah, definitely not a not a good thing. Technical I saw like some of the descending like it was like muddy and like just gruesome out there and like nasty and technical. How'd you like, how did you fare on that descent? Did you were you? Did you like that? Was it like? No, I, I don't think I would have liked it. It looked pretty, pretty full on.
Speaker 4:So yeah, I mean I think anybody who knows me it it's no secret that technical descending is kind of my least favorite thing. Call me a track runner, I know that's where I came from, don't judge me. Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of the technical descents and adding mud in there and even more high risk, that was about the time in the race that the men were catching the women, um, so it made it kind of just straight carnage. Um, you're trying to descend as a female and like the guys are just blowing by you. Um, one of my good friends like actually got rammed into by a descending man. Not on purpose, it's just. You know, when everyone's trying to descend as quickly as they can and it's very slippery falling, slipping, grabbing trees like left and right, you know it's horrible. Exactly it's all accidental, but it's just like it's pretty high risk out there when you have both men and women trying to do the same technical, muddy descent at the same time.
Speaker 4:But it was honestly a really good challenge for me and I think that you know it forced me to practice a skill that I am not very good at and that, honestly, I don't like to practice very much. So I think that was good. Just because I knew that, coming off of that descent, there was only three miles left. I was like you have to push this descent, even though it wasn't very comfortable to do that. So, yeah, total carnage. But I think, you know, it was one of those moments where I'm like, yeah, this is kind of the point of trail racing.
Speaker 3:I love it, amazing On the topic. So something you just said was about men bumping into women. You know this is something I've like. I'm really happy. One thing that Golden Trail Series has always done is have have recently has started doing more was staggered. You know a women. The women's race starts separately than the men's race and I I really like that. What do you think about them being on different days, like separate races for the men and women? Oh, I'd like that yeah, I think so too.
Speaker 4:I think I think that'd be great, better yeah yeah, I think that would be fantastic because the issue that I have I like the separate starts because in theory it gives more media coverage and better starting positions for the women. So on that side of things I really like it. But the issue with having it's usually like a 15 to 20-ish minute staggered start is there's going to be places in the course where it's very difficult for men to pass. So it makes it hard. You know, as a woman who I'm not winning the thing, but you know I'm close enough to the front right I am going to get caught by at least the top 10-ish men and you know it ends up being a situation where I'm having to stop my race to let them by. But then I'm also feeling bad because I'm potentially impacting their race if there's a place where I can't move over because of technicality or, you know, safety or things like that.
Speaker 4:So I I do think a separate day or a larger stagger um would would be better, just to make it a safer and less interrupted experience for everyone. Because I think the point of why they do that is to try and have the top man and top woman finish at around the same time, which is great in theory. But then you end up with a situation where the top woman is still, you know, having to navigate men somewhere in the top two to six range as she's trying to finish, you know. So it's still not an uninterrupted finish for the top woman. So, yeah, I like your idea of potentially having it on separate days or just having the stagger be large enough where the top athletes of each field are able to race kind of uninterrupted, yeah.
Speaker 3:No, listen, a lot of races do it, like Mount Marathon kind of like staggers it every year. It's like the men. One year the men will go early in the morning and the women will go in the afternoon, and vice versa, and I always just like that more. And last year Headlands did it. They had separate days for the men and women. Yeah, I liked that. Yeah, I thought so.
Speaker 4:It's also really fun to watch. I love to spectate.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:So getting to do that is. I find it to be so much fun. I love to be able to be out there on the course, so that's one upside to the women going first is that it's fun to be a spectator after you're done. But yeah, I wish that they would do that the way they do it for the final.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, this is all good. I think we'll get to a point in the sport where that probably winds up happening. I would assume. I don't know, it's hard to say, but I think we'll get to a point where we get there. Okay, so I got to get to series and all before we run out of time and get into pikes. Sorry, i'm's always good. I have always things I want to ask you. Um, how was it having that weekend between Alpen glacier and then getting to series and all and retired Like I would have been pooped, like have, and then to get that, to get that mental stoke back for what's probably the the, the most competitive, you know short trail race on the planet?
Speaker 4:Uh, my right glute was pretty pooped. That's the injured side. I could tell man this thing is weak because every single stabilizing muscle was sore. But honestly, I don't mind a quick turnaround. I think, coming from the track world where your championship season it's very back to back to back, the track world where your championship season it's very back to back to back, I'm used to that turnaround and I find mentally getting back in the race mindset for trail after multiple races isn't as difficult. I think it's just because, at least for me, from a mental side of things, trail racing is simpler. You kind of just lock in and run hard. You don't have to think about as many metrics as you do in the tracker world. So in that way I find it to be kind of less mentally taxing.
Speaker 4:I think, yeah, the bigger thing was just making sure that my body was healthy again. So my friends and I we actually we got an Airbnb for the first few days in between the races in Crans-Montana, um, and it's great because they have their lifts running um and going down is free. So I just did a lot of uphill only running Um, and I think that that really helped with the recovery process in between. And then, yeah, spent a few days in Zanol, kind of just being lazy and eating cookies in bed. Then was ready to go for senior school.
Speaker 3:It's the best days. Those are the best.
Speaker 4:You know, I'm just. I'm sitting in Europe eating cookies in bed and looking at some beautiful snow capped mountains. I don't really know what else you could ask for.
Speaker 3:It's about as good as it gets, honestly, yeah.
Speaker 4:Then you get to race. It's great could ask for.
Speaker 3:it's about as good as it gets, honestly, yeah, then it gets a race. It's great and you get to get to race the most competitive race of the year besides OCC. I guess I mean it's kind of crazy. What would you? I mean, that's such a big race and such a crazy race, like what was your takeaway? Like, was it overwhelming to be on a start line?
Speaker 1:like that.
Speaker 4:I think honestly, I went into that with more of a sense of peace than I thought I would and I think a big part of that was just giving myself grace to not have to be perfect my first time doing it, because I don't know. I've thought about this a lot this season especially, and I'm so glad I think we touched on this a little bit in our last conversation but I'm so glad that I started off my debut year last year just getting absolutely pummeled in high competition races, because I think that prepared me to go into races like Sears and all in OCC and not feel entirely overwhelmed and terrified because I knew I was like this year at this time, from where I'm at right now, I'm not racing to win this and so there's not that sense of pressure of like there's this exact place that you need to be because there there wasn't. You know it was. Go and do this, you know, intrinsically very difficult thing compete against the best people in the world and if you go and you do that, you're going to have a good result rather than feeling like I had to meet some arbitrary, you know goal to be successful.
Speaker 4:Right, I mean, the only goal was get enough points to get to the golden trail final goal to be successful, right, I mean, the only goal was get enough points to get to the Golden Trail Final. You know, other than that, it was just hey, put yourself in it. You know, compete in this field with courage and integrity and you know, push the limits but also just enjoy the process, because you know I hope that there's a time in my career sometime in the next few years where I am, you know, racing for a top finish at places like Sears and all in OCC Like. I hope that that is my near future. So I want to take advantage of this place I am right now where I can go into these races with more of a sense of calm, I guess calm and purpose, but not pressure.
Speaker 3:I love that. That's such a good mental space to be in Like you can actually enjoy it.
Speaker 3:I mean, it's painful, it's going to hurt, but like still to just to be able to enjoy it. And, like you know, it's gotta be a very cool feeling to like you're lined up against the best athletes, like some of the best athletes in the world, doing your craft. This, this amazing thing you work so hard 365 days out of the year to be good at, and then you're on the starting line of like the proverbial Superbowl. Like yeah, I take that in as pretty. That's a very special time in your life. Like that's very cool.
Speaker 4:Something like that's a memory I'll have for life, which is kind of cool oh, absolutely, yeah, yeah, and getting to do it surrounded by people that I call my closest friends is also a really cool part of it.
Speaker 4:It's like, you know I I did that whole um, austria, sears and all trip with one of my best friends from csu, like we were she's my first friend when I transferred into csu and then, you know, now we're getting to do things like that together, like Like how cool you know it's like could you have told 19 year old us that like that's where we'd end up in a few years? I think we'd have both been shocked to hear that. So it's, it's really neat to be able to do that. You know, and like sitting next to Lauren on the bus going down to the start line of Sears and all, and just like joking about the dumbest stuff, before you know we're holding in our puke going down the switchbacks, but before that you know like we're having a fun time on the bus. It's like how cool is it to have the juxtaposition of this extremely intense, extremely competitive racing and just being able to do it with people whose company I genuinely enjoy. You know it's it's cool.
Speaker 3:Special. It was very special. Genuinely enjoy, you know it's, it's cool, special, it was very special. Let's talk OCC really quick. Occ is it's an interesting beast. Like what? What did you think of? Like being in the sham for the like that time? Obviously it's a circus, because there's so much going on, like the buzz, the atmosphere, the race, like what stuck out to you, like what was like what was the most?
Speaker 4:question honestly, I think just we and I've talked about this before but seeing the investment that the community and the spectators and the other athletes had in the event was so cool and to feel like man, I am actually genuinely a part of this thing that so many people care about was amazing. Like I was shocked out there on the course because, yeah, our, like I said, theme of the year, it was cold and it was wet, you know, and just seeing how many people were still out there on the course in places where I'm like I don't even know how you got there, um, you know, and we're out there just cheering with so much spirit and energy and excitement for, you know, every single athlete I was like, wow, that is truly just inspiring. Um, because it's like, yeah, okay, it's, it's hard to be out there and racing, but you know, it's also not many people's idea of fun to stand out in the rain in the middle of a mountain and ring a cowbell for hours on end. So it's like I really liked that and, similarly speaking, I was so inspired by all of the people who actually weren't part of the elite field, who are out there racing. Um, because occ put this into perspective for me.
Speaker 4:Um, a few few hours after I finished, there was a huge storm that rolled in like just pouring rain, poured down so hard that we had a leak in our Airbnb and there was this like huge puddle, um, lightning, thunder. All of that and I'm, you know, sitting in the warmth of my Airbnb, having been done for several hours and, you know, eating and having a time, and then at dawn I'm like there are still people out there on that course and like I can't even fathom how difficult it was to race through those conditions and to spend so many hours on such a difficult course. I'm like that's incredible. I think you know we take for granted how much less time it takes when you know you a part of that elite field and how much more gritty it is for the people who are out there so much longer, because it's just as hard for them as it is for us, except they're out there for double the time.
Speaker 1:That's amazing.
Speaker 4:That's so hardcore and I'm like man, those are the tough ones. It's a tough race.
Speaker 3:That is not an easy race. What was your takeaway from the course Like? Was it just absolutely stunning or were you racing hard?
Speaker 4:I couldn't see anything.
Speaker 3:That's the problem. I said, you know I bring this up. I'm like, oh, do you look around? And then I think about my own races. I'm like, dude, I don't look around.
Speaker 4:Like I, I'm looking down, you're not looking around. Well, it was also so cloudy, like at the at the top of the climb, at the high point in the course, you couldn't see anything. Um, it was like if anybody saw, uh, the women's race at headlands last year, how the like the clouds and the fog were very, very thick. You couldn't, even, like, see the switchback below you. That's what it was like. Um, so you actually there.
Speaker 4:I'm like, wow, I'm sure the view is great from up here, but I can't see any of it. You know, it's one of those things where you can hear the aid station long before you can see it. I'm like I don't, I could be a quarter mile from this, I could be two miles from this, like I can hear it through the fog, but I can't see anything other than the trail that's immediately in front of me. So I'm sure it was gorgeous, but, yeah, there wasn't as much to see on our day that we did it. But I look forward to going back next year and hopefully getting to see more of the views. But what I could see was stunning and the Chamonix area is just unmatched. I've been out there a few summers now and I honestly, I love it out there so much. It's one of those places where it is every bit worth the hype.
Speaker 3:The vert. I mean the vertical relief is just like it's. It's it's aggressive, like how steep everything is. I mean it's might be the best word Like it's just like so crazy. Yeah, it's. It's a special place, it's a cool area, do you think so? You said you'll definitely go back next year. You think you'll move up like OCC to CCC, or you think you'll try CCC or, sorry, occ again.
Speaker 4:I think I want to go back to OCC. I don't think I'm ready to jump up to the 100K type distance yet. You know, I think, where I'm at right now, kind of one foot in sub ultra, foot in shortish ultra, and then you know some sneaky forays into road, like I think that's just where I'm at right now, um, that's where I feel like is working for me in training, uh, and that's where I still feel like I have quite a margin for improvement in racing. Um, and I don't feel the urge to move up in distance until I think I've kind of accomplished more goals in the sub and shorter ultra realm. I also, you know, I have some thoughts of, like I said, doing a little bit more on the roads and potentially, come 2028, maybe, maybe, sneak my way back to the track. We'll see All right.
Speaker 3:All right, this is all right. This is all right answers. I'm glad you said this, yeah.
Speaker 4:I mean CCC is going to be there. It's not going anywhere. I'll get there when I get there, and I'm sure that I will. I definitely see my career just trending longer distance over time, but I don't think I'm ready to let go of my track girl roots just yet. I think 50K and track don't coexist in one year, but I do think that there's still some mobility going back and forth between those things. But yeah, for now, half marathon to 60K, I think, is the zone.
Speaker 3:Nice Very nice.
Speaker 3:We'll keep it on that, that. Well, let's move on to peak's. Peak, let's um, obviously there's a lot of excitement for this race. I forgot this was a pre-race episode for a second. Um, I gotta ask you do you have, I don't know, going into this race? Do you have splits? Like, are you interested in, like, have you looked at any splits? Are you just like gonna race the race? And you know, obviously you know, go for your own personal PR and do the best you can. Like, do you have any? What's your expectation for this one?
Speaker 4:I'll be so real. I am notoriously bad at when it comes to trail racing, looking at things like splits, doing course studies. I think it's something I need to work on moving forward, and I will. Before the race you know, look at previous um, you know previous splits and things like that, just so I can get an expectation, also hoping that once Mika comes back from the rut, shout out to Mika.
Speaker 3:Yeah, second place today. He's back.
Speaker 4:The man is back, his first finish line in almost a year, about a year. So really excited to see him back. And he also plans on doing pikes. So I think he pikes. Oh, my god, he's. He plans to assuming the the body holds up. Yeah, he's on the list. Yeah, so shout out to him. Um, welcome back, mika. Um, yeah, he's. He's planning on doing the ascent as well. Um, we are kind of hoping. Maybe.
Speaker 4:I don't know if we're gonna have time at this point, but potentially sometime early next week going up and doing a little bit of scouting. He did it last year. I haven't done it, obviously. But yeah, I think I will look into that more as the race gets closer because, honestly, the past couple weeks since I have been back from OCC, I've just been playing a game of catch up with every other aspect of my life and I haven't had a chance to dedicate as much as I want to. But yeah, look at some splits, get an idea. But also, with so much back-to-back kind of high competition racing, I don't want to burn myself out by putting too much weight on any one race, because I find that's what kind of just puts me in that mental hole when you know you can only put your soul on the line so many times in a season so true.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and I and I've learned that the hard way, you know, and so I think this is going to be one of those ones where I just want to stick myself in it, see what I can do. Look at some splits. You know, depending on conditions, Like I think it could be a really fast day and a really exciting race for me. Um, you know, like obviously have my eyes on podium, but at the end of the day I'm just, I'm excited to go do it.
Speaker 3:I love it. I love it and hopefully fingers crossed it's good weather and all goes well. I know it's kind of a roll of the dice in late September this time around.
Speaker 4:It could be anything. I mean at this point, theme of the year is pouring rain, so we'll see.
Speaker 3:Which I haven't minded.
Speaker 4:honestly, I kind of enjoy it.
Speaker 3:That'd be snow on the upper mountain, though. So that's not I mean it could be good. It that I mean it could be good? It depends if it's the night before and you have like the traction from like 2023. When remy broke the record like that was pretty solid. So if you get something like that, like could be fast time wouldn't be bad.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean as long as it's not icy, I prefer it wasn't that, um, but I feel, like anything else, you can make it work and even if it turns into a to a, chuck a nut at this point, chucking it round four I know we need some warmer races. This is crazy uh, sears and all was plenty warm sears and all is like high 80s, I think it was oh, that's terrible.
Speaker 3:And they started like such a late time too, like why did they start the race, so why?
Speaker 4:why did you do that? I don't, I don't know. Maybe it's just to get all the buses down, um, but yeah it, that was. That was a. That was a toasty one. It almost made me welcome the rain again. Those little sponges, the aid station where you can squeeze it over your head, that was a lifesaver um, yeah, that's yeah, so I'm like I wouldn't mind if it was cold and wet. Honestly, everything at this point this season has banks. It was chuckanut mexico, uh, austria and occ it's crazy.
Speaker 4:Who would have thought mexico would be like wet and rainy either, like that's yeah kind of bananas it's funny like that might have been the most pleasant race of the year. I don't even know what that said. I mean, I guess, broken arrow. The conditions weren't too bad since I made it off the course before it started snowing.
Speaker 3:I forgot there was a snowstorm this year too.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I feel bad for all those folks who, yeah, ended up stuck in the lift stations and then had to be taken down. I'm like man, that's brutal, it's crazy.
Speaker 3:It's crazy. Yeah, all right, sarah. Well, listen. I want to say thank you so much for coming on. I appreciate you coming on for this race preview, Wishing you the best of luck at Pikes Peak this year. And yeah, we'll be in touch. We'll probably do another one if you want to, after Golden Trail World Series final.
Speaker 4:Yeah, sure thing.
Speaker 3:Do a season recap.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that would be awesome and I think, hopefully, fingers crossed, one more race after Golden Trail finals to cap off the, because I don't have my OCC 2026 qualifier yet. So Kodiak, would you?
Speaker 3:go to um. I think I want to say Kodiak is the same weekend as golden trail final Um late October.
Speaker 4:Yeah, ooh, what if I like it's? It's on the UTMB website. But hey guys, go do Kodiak and don't do this one. So I go to OCC. There's one in Santa Barbara late November.
Speaker 3:Oh, I didn't know that was a UTMB race. Okay, okay, I've heard someone mention it the other day. Yeah, it's like.
Speaker 4:Pacific trails. Yeah, it's a UTMB, yeah, y'all, it's only top three. So go to Kodiak, and save your girl some trouble there you go, there you go, speak it to existence. Thanks guys, appreciate it, appreciate it. Yeah, thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Have a good rest of your day, you too. Thank you, we'll see you next time.
