2022 Speedgoat 50k

Starting line- Photo by Lawton Russell

Starting time was about 6:30 am Saturday morning, July 22nd at Snowbird resort.

Myself, Tommy and Mikey climbed the first accent together. High spirits. Some hoots and hollers. Friendly conversations with other runners. Lawton, Tariq, and Ronnie were waiting for us at the top of the mountain. To our surprise they took the lift up and we were stoked to see them. Every time we made it back to the top of the mountain they were there supporting us. Some true bros. Lawton shot the race and got a bunch of beautiful pics.

Mikey cruising- Photo by Lawton Russell

At the top of the mountain we were roughly 5 miles, 4,000 feet into the race. Feeling good at this point. I was happy to be out in the mountains with the boys.

My body was responding well to the elevation. I live just above sea level and The Speedgoat course elevation profile ranges from about 7,500 to 11,000 feet.

The three of us started the 1st decent together, then split off from Tommy when he stopped to pee. I ran with Mikey for another mile or two before I slowed my pace. Mikey kept pushing ahead.

Starting the the second climb, the initial stoke had worn off and mentally I was feeling the weight of the pending distance and elevation gain of the race. Maybe 10 miles in at that point. I watched my heart rate, keeping below about 135 beats per minute to pace myself. I’d also just read James Nestor’s Breath and was nasal breathing for the entire race.

20 miles, 8,000 feet to go.

Mikey coming up the second accent with Ronnie and Tariq pacing- Photo by Lawton Russell

The second climb was a steady grind until the last maybe 500 feet. Just short of the peak, we turned off our road we’d taken up the mountain onto another trail heading back down, then turned off that and cut straight up the side of the ridge. A damn near vertical climb. People were stopping and taking breaks for the first time. I lost track of my heart rate and was focused on keeping my feet moving until the top of the ridge.

Lawton, Ronnie and Tariq were there again. Stoked to see them but in rougher shape.

Myself coming up the second accent -Photo by Lawton Russell

I must have looked a bit beat down at the aid station, I could hear the compassion in the voices of the volunteers as they asked me what I needed. I asked for salt tabs. Sat there in the shade for a bit. Then continued on down the mountain for the second decent, a road switch backing down the mountain.

Down we go- Photo by Lawton Russell

My legs were starting to feel pretty beat, sore, painful at that point, but mentally I still felt locked in. Ticked over 26.2 miles on the decent, noted that I still felt good, considering where I was.

The first 26.2 miles were easy in comparison to the last 5-7 miles. The last climb was absolutely grueling. I was exhausted moving at the slowest pace I could move. Completely out of breath. I still had 3,000 feet of climbing in front of me with 8,000 already on my legs. I’d already climbed more elevation than I’d done in a single effort before. I was stopping and resting every few minutes. Felt hot, maybe a little nauseous, coming up a very exposed ridge, roasting in the sun. I struggled my way to the top. I sat at the last aid station for maybe 40 minutes. Someone handed me a popsicle, and pointed to the cooler where there were more. I ate that popsicle and then ate another. I believe it was mile 28 or 29 at this point.

I started to make my way down, managing to hold a slow trot. I crossed the finish line in 10 hours and 52 minutes. Good for 254th out of 359 people. I thought to myself, holy shit these people are in shape. 60 runners did not finish. Tariq and Lawton had took the lift back down, and Mikey had finished the race over an hour and a half ago.

I took my shoes off and sat down in content pain in the shade next to the finish line with Mikey, Lawton, and Tariq. I think someone gave me a burrito. I took a nibble but my stomach wouldn’t settle down for a few hours before I could eat dinner.

We waited for Tommy to finish. Ronnie had jumped in to pace him on the last down hill. Mikey was chilling, he seemed fine at that point. Same upbeat, positive demeanor as always.

Tommy coming across the finish line- Photo by Lawton Russell

Gallery by Lawton Russell

Lawton shot this race like a pro. Here’s a few more of his photos. Some of the best race photography I’ve seen.

Tommy, myself, and Mikey sitting happily at the bottom of the mountain after the race.

About 11 hours, 33 miles, 11,000 feet.

Anyway, that was the highlight of the trip. The rest of the time was spent puttering around Salt Lake City, camera in hand. I flew in Monday, the race was on Saturday, and I flew home the following Monday morning. Lawton and Tariq live in South Salt Lake and were kind enough to let us stay with them and show us around.

Tuesday we drove up to the mountain and took the ski lift up to the top. Tommy bought a bottle of water for $6.50.

Wednesday. 2 or 3 mile hike. Enjoyed a beautiful sunset with the boys. A full moment in time. Sun setting over the Great Salt Lake.

Thursday. We checked in for the race at Snowbird and did a short hike. The moose started walking towards me, and I had a slight moment of panic until it stopped and started eating a different bush. On we went.

Friday. Tubing in Provo Canyon. Floating down the river. We tried to stay linked together holding onto each others rafts. Without paddles this was the only way to keep our group together. There were dozens of fly fishermen in the river, maybe wondering what these floaters were doing in the best fly fishing river as we wondered what these fly fishers were doing in the best floating river. We drank beer and gasped when we got splashed with the freezing snow melt water.

Sunday. I tagged along rock climbing with Mikey and Lawton. Lazily snapped a few photos of them climbing. I felt like I’d physically and mentally emptied the contents of my body the day before. They asked me if I wanted to climb, I said no thanks and instead sipped a Coors Light and napped on a rock.

Tariq drove us out to Antelope island. He promised us that we would see bison, and he delivered. We also saw a little jack rabbit, a really pretty antelope, a beautiful sunset. The bison herd was maybe about two dozen. One was lagging back from the pack and another, smaller bison starting nugging it along and on its way with the rest of the herd. I flew out the next morning.