Team Kloser/Simmons perform a midnight beacon check.
RedBull @ Midnight
Racin'
Super exciting (some have said "insane"...) lining up with 168 teams of 2 @ the base of Mt Crested Butte with the base of Aspen Mt as your goal. It was a balmy 34 degrees. The first climb started out fast and I was overdressed and overheating. Not how I wanted to feel at the start of an 8 hour race. The first downhill led to what was supposed to be a fast, flat skate through the valley. Didn't turn out that way as we found ourselves on "trap-door", breakable crust. Trapdoor refers to the fact that you never know when you're going to break through and find yourself on the ground. Whoever was in the front would always end up sprawled out on the ground. Once we reached Brush Creek the snow became supportable and the race really began. A team of nordic skiers took the lead up Star Pass. Team Goth/Thomson took back the lead about half way up the pass. At the top of Star the wind kicked up and I was no longer overheating! I started struggling with traction and then my headlamp went out (just before the toughest part of the race). Team Smith/Wickenhauser and Team Dorais/Dorais passed Team Simmons/Kloser at this point. We caught up with Smith/Wick @ the mandatory (10 minute) Barnard Hut rest stop. After taking the fastest 10 minute rest stop in race history we were off to Richmond Ridge in fifth place with a 5 minute lead over the team of nordic skiers. They caught us at the top of Aspen Mt. Max Taam was at the top spectating and he joined the four of us as we became the race for the sundeck @ the base of Aspen. Following Max down his home mountain was insane. In the end we were unable to catch the nordic team and they finished 2 seconds ahead of us putting us in 6th place. As my 9 year old said, thumbs down to 6th place. Mabye next year.... Time to get the mountain bike out!
| Place | Bib # | Racer nameTeam name | Category | Finish time | Racer report | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Team DynafitThomson - Goth | M26-35 | 7:40:54.8 | -- | |
| 2 | 31 | The GarageLaRochell - Holmes | M36-45 | 7:45:20.0 | +4:25.2+1.0% | |
| 3 | 2 | Outdoor ResearchDorais - Dorais | M26-35 | 7:55:13.0 | +14:18.2+3.1% | |
| 4 | 1 | Team SmithWickWickenhauser - Smith | M36-45 | 8:01:10.2 | +20:15.4+4.4% | |
| 5 | 89 | -Koons - Mallory | M26-35 | 8:07:19.2 | +26:24.4+5.7% | |
| 6 | 6 | OutThereUSAKloser - Simmons | M46-55 | 8:07:21.6 | +26:26.8+5.7% | |
| 7 | 8 | Team GreenLaird - Brown | M36-45 | 8:21:47.1 | +40:52.3+8.9% | |
| 8 | 4 | Team AlpineerO'Neill - Rikert | M36-45 | 8:27:59.7 | +47:04.9+10.2% | |
| 9 | 141 | Imminent Bivouac/StrafePletcher - Barlow | M26-35 | 8:37:41.4 | +56:46.6+12.3% | |
| 10 | 3 | Snow PigsJohnson - Iverson | M26-35 | 8:54:16.5 | +1:13:21.7+15.9% | |
| 11 | 77 | Wille/JohnsonJohnson - Wille | M36-45 | 9:00:25.8 | +1:19:31.0+17.3% | |
| 12 | 70 | Pine Needle MountianeeringHellinger - Venzara | M36-45 | 9:10:14.7 | +1:29:19.9 |
