Feeling Lucky

You would think that once I had decided I was going to do the Leadville 100 that was that. OH NO!! One of the hardest parts of doing this race is getting into it. I know what you sane non endurance junkies are thinking, you mean there are more people who want to do this and think it is fun than there are spots? Yup, but you can sleep soundly because these crazies all just want to torture themselves:) So, what does one have to do to get a spot on the start line? They hold a lottery which opened in December. Just getting my name into the lottery was an act of perseverance . This year the Leadville Trail joined the computer age and it was a computerized lottery, only there were several bugs in the system that needed to be worked out and apparently I experienced them all in my attempt to get my name into the lottery! Finally, after weeks of trying my name was entered into the lottery at the end of December. Now the waiting began.... of course prior to the lottery process the movie had come out so that made even more people want to do the race. Check out this trailer if you didn't see the movie - you'll have one of two reactions 1: I am so gonna do this someday 2: I need a beer.

http://www.raceacrossthesky.com/

Waiting for the lottery to be drawn in February was not all idle time. You see I had things to do, I was getting in and I was starting my training. I even rode my mountain bike on Christmas day and learned to wheelie (well, I got my front wheel off the ground)

Yes I am aware that the guy behind me is on a cross bike and he kicked my butt!

Besides riding my mountain bike, I had a marathon to train for and run on February 6th and the lottery wouldn't be drawn until the 8th. The night of February 7th not alot of sleeping was going on. I was up bright and early and checking to see if I had gotten the news I was in. I was texting my friends who had also applied and no news to anyone yet. Sometime the next day I got the first text that Jens husband had gotten an email that he was selected, and then The Todd let me know he too was in. Still no word for Jen or I or my friend Tony. The waiting was excruciating but I didn't give up hope and neither did Jen. Afterall, she has the luck of the irish - she was born on St Pattys day. Finally, the email from Leadville came and it began 'we deeply regret'. Well, even the optimist in me knew that wasn't good news. REJECTION - what now? Ah, they offered a way in still through Carmichael training systems. You sign up for a training camp and you get a spot. Now some people would call this buying your way in, but I looked at it as a chance to recon the course. 

Me, Jen and Ries in Sedona over Thanksgiving (see I wasn't kidding about starting the training early!)

Monday February 15th at 9am mountain time, camp registration opened. I had command central in place. Four phones were set to dial and ready, overkill you might think but not. At 8:59:59 the dialing began and the busy signal with it. They had said if you got a busy signal all hold lines were filled. My neighbors were even in on the act! Finally, my husband got through on his phone and I was 35th in line. 35th!!!  I waited for 35 mins (I see a trend here ) on hold and they kept telling me my place in line, at least it was moving the right direction. I was so nervous that I would lose connection but I got a live person, Adam. Adam informed me that he believed I was the last person to get a camp spot - thats right folks, the camps (all 3) filled in less than 40 mins. I told you there were more crazies than me out there!  SO LUCKY!  It was bittersweet because Jen didn't get a camp spot and she has unfinished business. I can't finish her business for her but I know she will git 'r done one day (maybe even a Leadville epic in the days leading into the actual race? Jen, I would totally crew for you!) Hoping that the camp imparts lots of wisdom on me, I am going to need every piece of advice I can get for this.

The Todd emailed 'have you blogged to your readers about taking off your wind vest while riding- you daredevil'. Well, firstly, it was a full sleeved jacket and I was going uphill and I was never a 12 year old boy so this was a BIG deal. I even folded it and put it in my jersey pocket:) See BIG DEAL. 

Bandy Canyon- this is where the infamous jacket removal happened!

There you go The Todd, it is now blogged about! I think that maneuver puts me in a league with Evil Knievel! Now everyone knows how I got  in the race. Now the real fun begins. Today driving I heard a song by the Fray that sums it all up 'everyone knows I'm in over my head' and I realized that they had read my blog;)