Final month, I used to be speculated to toe the road on the Hardrock 100. Situated within the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, the race is likely one of the most lovely and difficult programs that one can discover. This, mixed with its small subject dimension, makes the chance to compete within the race one thing to be cherished.
The race has been on my radar for a few years. I had my first expertise with it after I paced my buddy Brandon Stapanowich via the again half of the race in 2016. I then gained entry for the 2017 race, however surrendered my spot after injuring my again that spring.
Over the subsequent six years, I opted to concentrate on different issues. Then, within the fall of 2023, I made a decision it was time to place my identify again within the hat. I used to be chosen as a “Dale’s choose” (along with the lottery system, Dale Garland, the race director, hand-picks three males and three girls to compete within the race), and it was sport on.
A view from the Hardrock 100 route via the San Juan Mountains, Colorado. All pictures courtesy of Zach Miller.
Specifying Coaching For Hardrock
Stoked to have a spot, I set my eyes on the race and skilled accordingly. All through the winter and spring, I climbed a whole lot of vertical, largely on snowshoes and skis in Bend, Oregon. Then in April I hopped in my little bus and headed for the skinny air of Colorado. I spent the subsequent a number of months coaching my physique for the high-altitude problem that lay forward.
What I like about coaching for Hardrock was that it dictated the type of coaching that I like: numerous vertical, steep ups and downs, lengthy days within the mountains, and plenty of time spent in excessive alpine terrain. When selecting a race, it’s good to keep in mind that you’ll spend a day or so operating the race itself — however many days, weeks, even months coaching for it.
With that in thoughts, there may be a whole lot of worth in selecting races for which you’ll get pleasure from coaching (though doing the other may also have its place). However, to get again to the matter at hand, I cherished coaching for Hardrock, and as race week approached, I used to be excited to get out on the course and see what I might do.
Sadly, one week out from the race I discovered myself speeding off to the emergency room with extreme stomach ache. Inside just a few hours, it was found that I had acute appendicitis, and I used to be shortly despatched off to have my appendix eliminated. This was not the type of taper week I had imagined.
Although the surgical procedure went very nicely, and restoration was fairly easy, in the long run I’d not race. A troublesome break for positive, however what might I do?
Zach Miller recuperating in hospital following an emergency appendectomy.
A Myriad of Potentialities
With my huge coaching aim out the window, I regarded forward to what I would be capable of do as a substitute. In a method, it was thrilling. I had a great deal of health, appendectomy restoration was proving to be fairly cruiser, and there have been myriad choices on the desk. The Leadville 100 Mile, Diagonale des Fous, Nolan’s 14, Pikes Peak Marathon, Les Templiers, and The Rut have been all issues that got here to thoughts. So many nice concepts, and but I struggled to really feel like my coronary heart was actually in any of them.
It’s not that I wasn’t occupied with any of this stuff. To be sincere, all of them intrigued me indirectly. It merely, or possibly complexly, felt like my head and coronary heart had been so invested in Hardrock that I used to be having hassle shifting gears to one thing else.
Feeling indecisive, I made a decision that I’d head over to the Leadville, Colorado space. My thought was that I’d spend the week coaching as if I have been making ready for the Leadville 100 Mile, whereas nonetheless giving myself house to determine what I wished to do. To me it appeared affordable sufficient, as I’d preserve just about all of my choices open whereas nonetheless giving myself a while to decide.
In the long run, my knee — which I’ve been coping with/managing for a lot of the yr — grew to become very aggravated. Feeling a have to get on high of it, I headed again to Manitou Springs, Colorado, and began working with my bodily therapist.
Discovering Focus
Though it’s been irritating to be sidelined by my knee, there may be nonetheless a silver lining. After Hardrock, I felt a bit misplaced, however now my knee has given me a little bit of route. Certain, I nonetheless take into consideration what I would do if my knee turns the nook, however within the meantime I’m targeted on fixing the speedy want.
The scenario makes me suppose again to my caretaking days at Barr Camp, an off-grid mountain hut on the aspect of Pikes Peak in Colorado. Barr Camp was a really busy place, so it paid to make environment friendly use of time.
Island Lake within the San Juan Mountains, photographed on one in all Zach’s coaching runs.
Typically, I’d discover myself standing within the kitchen, with a lot to try this it felt arduous to know the place to begin. In these moments, I realized to only begin doing one thing. The whole lot needed to be achieved ultimately, so reasonably than stand idle, considering my subsequent transfer, I’d merely choose one thing, typically the low-hanging fruit, and strategize as I went.
That is basically what I used to be doing after I selected to coach for the Leadville 100 Mile for every week. And although you might argue that it may not have been one of the best transfer, in the long run it acquired me to the subsequent factor, the conclusion that I wanted to are likely to my knee.
And now as I are likely to my knee, I’m using my gravel bike and toying with the concept of a race on wheels. Appears there are some good ones developing this fall in Pennsylvania.
And so begins the journey of a thousand nows, the house wherein we do what we are able to whereas we dream, put together, and plan for what would possibly lie forward. Hopefully, the bike will result in a run and a run to a race.
Maybe the timing of all of it will make clear which race it needs to be. Perhaps the choices that felt so troublesome and unclear following Hardrock will begin to fall into place.
I haven’t a crystal ball with which to look into the longer term. All I’ve is the right here and now, however actually, that’s all I would like. One pedal stroke at a time, then hopefully some strides. Let’s go! Or within the spirit of the American monitor and subject athletes at this yr’s Olympics, right here comes the bell lap, GERONIMOOOO!!!
Name for Feedback
- Have you ever had any arduous knocks like this along with your operating targets?
- How did you discover the positives in your scenario?