This was my third year running the Bridger Ridge Run, what has been touted as the toughest 20 mile race.  If it's not the toughest, I'm sure it's in the top five.  It's a draw and the way the odds are you get in every other year.  I first ran it in 2012, with only a year of running under my belt (and no mountain running), somehow managed to finish the race in 7:49:00, but suffered immensely.  I then ran it again in 2014, much better base and some mountain running under my belt; that year I ran it in 6:39:00, but suffered immensely.

This year I wanted to get in under 6 hours- seemed -plausible as I've built my mountain running base more.  I found an article from a multi-year finisher that laid out a plan to finish in four hours (I'm here to tell you- not many folks finish in four hours).  I knew that without a small helicopter I would never finish even close to four hours, but he said simply to adjust the needed splits based on your goal finish ie for 6 hours, multiply the split times by 1.5.  So I did that, wrote them down and brought it with me to the race.

I also took a little gamble with shoes.  It's a very rocky, technical course and I wanted sticky compound shoes with big tread (lots of loose stuff).  I have a pair of La Sportiva Mutants that would fit the bill, but there simply isn't enough room in the toe box.  So I ordered a new pair a 1/2 size up.  I only got two short runs in them, but decided to give them a go (they ended working fine).

It was 49 degrees at the start, Fairy Lake- elevation 7000-ish feet.  It was pretty smokey, but better than it had been earlier in the week.  The start of the race is brutal.  It's a very technical, rocky trail that climbs over 2000' in 2.5 miles.  No running here (save the elite runners)- strictly power hiking.  I felt pretty good and slowly and methodically passed numerous folks all the way up the the top of Sacajawea Peak.  My split for a six hour finish was one hour- I made to the top in 49 minutes- 11 minutes to the good!  After leaving Sacajawea the course starts dropping elevation, but it's really steep and really technical- lots of loose scree.  I brought heavy gloves this race to don so I could put my hand(s) into the scree to slow my descent- it worked pretty well.  After about a 1/2 mile of steep dropping, the course gets runnable- there simply isn't too many runnable sections on this course.

I did pretty well in this stretch, only passed once (fast gal from Canada), but only passed two folks.  It start climbing again heading towards Ross Pass (7 miles in) where the first aid station is.  My goal split for Ross Pass was 2 hours fifteen minutes.  I arrived in just over two hours- 13 minutes ahead of schedule.  I started getting a little giddy thinking about finish that could be an almost an hour faster than previous (and two more than my first).  I bypassed the aid station and probably passed 8-10 folks that were ahead of me; it was tempting to stop, but I had enough water and calories to get me to the next aid station, so I kept on trucking.  Very quickly the giddiness wore off as the climb out of Ross Pass is probably the worst climb (of many bad climbs!) of all.  It's steep- tiptoe steep, grab trees/bushed steep, make you cry like a baby steep .  I caught up to a couple of folks that were struggling (as was I!) and the guy said to the gal I think were almost to the top.  I didn't have the heart to tell them we were only half way with this climb!  I suffered dearly in this stretch and the suffering continued even once I got to the top- lots of very technical rock that was slow and labor intensive.

I finally heard the shouting and yelling from the Bridger Bowl aid station- half way in at 10 miles.  I was feeling crappy, more than crappy when I pulled into the aid station.  My goal split time for this aid station was 3 hours and 25 minutes- I arrived in 3:30, five minutes over my goal.  I definitely lost some time on this stretch.  I sat in some shade and ate a little, stomach wasn't the greatest, but not the worst either.  I filled my bladder and could see I was drinking plenty of water- about 1/2 liter remaining out of 2 liter bladder.  It's important to note that I was taking electrolytes regularly as well as calories.  I spent maybe five minutes in the aid station, hoping I would feel a little better with a break- I didn't.  Here's where the wheels came off.  There are several steep (but shorter) climbs on this stretch heading to Saddle Peak (a terrible climb!).  I started having massive, and I mean massive, cramps in my left thigh when I climbed.  They were so bad it would straighten my entire leg out- it felt like muscle ripping off bone!  I took a handful of electrolytes and really pushed the water.  Wasted effort, I couldn't quell these cramps.  I kept thinking, maybe, just maybe they would lessen at least.  At the base of Saddle Peak I stopped and looked up, way up- the trail goes straight up to the peak- no switchbacks, straight up. I could see people all along the trail- looked like little colored ants.  This is a pic from my 2014 race, taken from close to the same spot (if you have a way to zoom, you'll see the trail and little dots- people)

what's that saying about the better part of valor?

I knew I was done.  Well not quite done as I had two miles to back track to the Bridger Aid Station.  Luckily going downhill or on the level my cramps didn't rear their ugly head.  But I was going the wrong way on a very thin, rocky trail and lots of people headed the right direction.  I will tell you that folks were great- did I need anything, was I OK to make it back to the aid station, sorry to hear that, you'll live to fight again- all very sympathetic, as likely most folks, if they've done many mountain races, have been in the same position.

I arrived at the aid station and officially dropped.  I had to wait until the last runner (if they made the cutoff time) to go by before they packed up and headed down.  I was in good company with maybe 20 other folks who were suffering from a wide range of maladies.  We headed down to the crew's vehicles where they would be giving us rides to the finish area.  But first we had to walk another 3 miles to the vehicles, fortunately downhill and no cramps.

I can theorize on the DNF.  Hit it too hard, too early?  I raced the weekend before- I normally try to space my races out about a month apart- not fully recovered?  Combination of both?  Or could have simply not been my day?  Either way, a solid 17 miles of training in, in a really gorgeous area.  My racing is done for the year, so now I can concentrate in getting some good adventure runs in and before I know it deer and elk seasons will be opening.

well it's that new fangled math     you got it right 12 + 2 back to the aid station +3 down the mtn

bromance count down 

Sounds like a tough day at a tough race.  I'm guessing your legs were still fatigued from the race last weekend since it seems like you had everything else dialed in pretty well (nutrition, hydration, electrolytes, training overall).  Sounds like the right call to drop at that point, faced with that hill, and others, and knowing your legs weren't going to cooperate.  Sometimes, you just gotta bring the suffering to an end.  Nice 17!

Thanks folks!  

Always a bit of a tough pill to swallow w/ a dnf, but the two dnf's that I now own, I feel I made the right choice in both cases.  The first one was very easy to dissect- no heat training  and going out too fast (that one I ended doing  ~ 26 miles in a 32 mile race ); this one isn't quite as clear cut, but most likely a lack of sufficient recovery and going out too hard early.

Sorry to hear about the DNF. That sounds more like mountaineering then running.  The cramping sounds brutal.

" I started getting a little giddy thinking about finish that could be an almost an hour faster than previous (and two more than my first). " 

When I read this I said "Oh no"...I find I suffer most when thinking about the finish line especially if I feel like I am doing good.  Leg cramps that straighten the leg...no thank you.  Don't blame you at all for stopping.  Did you realize you would of had to walk an additional 5 miles?  cause maybe just heading to the next aid station...aaahh never mind.

You still the Man..Mountain man that is. 

Jamie once mentioned focusing on the now and not the finish.  So every time I start day dreaming about beers or sitting down I remind myself to come back to the moment and it helps.

yeah you're right, best not to giddy early when doing tough things, usually doesn't end well