Tuesday, August 21, 2007Leadville 100 - Crewing and Pacing
Deborah (Cebolla), Adrian (Brocoli), Caballo, Ona (Monocita) and BFT (El Mono).
My interviews with Caballo Blanco Pre- & Post- Race
Club Mas Loco member Chris Labbe, aka Cabro,
finishes in under 25 hours
Paced from Haggerman Pass Rd. to the Dam
wearing Vibram FiveFingers Sprints
Leadville Trail 100, August 18-19, Leadville, Colorado
Elevation: 10,152 feet (3094 meters) from Wikipedia:
The historic City of Leadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of Lake County, Colorado, United States. Leadville is a former silver mining camp that lies near the headwaters of the Arkansas River in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The city's central district has an elevation of 10,152 feet (3094 meters), making Leadville the highest city in North America. The federally designated Leadville National Historic District includes many historic structures and sites from Leadville's dynamic mining era. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 2,688 in 2005.
Barefooting Leadville?
Many people have told me that Leadville indeed may be barefootable, i.e. doable by one conditioned and well practiced in the art of barefoot trail running.
One question I hoped to answer during my trip to Leadville this year was whether or not one could finish the course unassisted by footwear within the 30 hour cuttoff.
This question remains open.
While crewing and preparing to pace Caballo, I got a good overall picture of the course, but not much of the trails.
While pacing for Mas Loco member Cabro (Chris Labbe), I wore my FiveFingers Sprints.
Why not barefoot?
Well, it was not my place to experiment on a rocky portion of the course during the last 15 miles of a race at 3am in the morning in the dark on an unfamiliar trail with a runner who is close to breaking 25 hours.
The FiveFinger Sprints performed quite well in this section of the trail that I ran. It would have been much trickier to handle this territory at night barefoot during the last 14 miles of a 100 mile race..., but POSSIBLE in my estimation.
Perhaps I will give it a try next year.
BFT
Labels: caballo_blanco, daughter, leadville, video
posted by Barefoot Ted | Tuesday, August 21, 2007
3 Comments:
BFT- I am excited to hear more about your trip. I am also excited about the footage you took.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
I am still playing catch up, but should have some more photos and video up soon.
BFT
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Howdy Pete
Thank you much for your input on this.
Certainly I would not do it if it became a stunt. My goal every time
I run is to walk away unscathed. Not really into pain or injury.
However, I have been amazed at what feet CAN do comfortably and safely
in what seems at first glance to be next to impossible.
Again, I am just looking to find what is possible. Pushing the
envelope and coming back unscathed is a continuing goal of mine...a
goal shared by many on this list no doubt.
As far as adding some barefooting into ones training regime, I am all
for it and support it. Again, I am just taking a slightly extreme
route to demonstrate the versatility and magic of the foot as it
exists unfettered.
BFT
On 8/24/07, Pete Stringer wrote:
>
> Ted-
> In my opinion, the risk would be far too great. Yet folks have told me you
> have done tough sections of Angelos Crest (which I have not done)
> barefooting.
> The part of Leadville you did is not bad at all compared to near the top
> of Hope in several places, the river, outside Twin Lakes return heading
> towards the Colorado Trail, and the lower half mile of The Boulevard. (ouch)
> If you pulled it off, it would be akin to me watching one of these guys go
> across hot coals.
> Running barefoot a few times each week has reconfigured my running stride,
> lower leg and foot musculature, and skin toughness, but I always try to err
> on the safe side as I don't want to lose any time due to unnecessary injury.
> Best regards,
> Pete
Friday, August 24, 2007
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