José Wilkie's Leadville 2001
Page 4
Well we've been to all but one Aid Station.....and now were heading to the half way point, and the turn around point. As the Leadville 100 race is an out and back course.....
By the time the runners get to Winfield they've been over the lowest and highest part of the course. The draw back to that is that the lowest and highest part of the course is within 5 miles of each other! The lowest point is just outside Twin Lakes and is 9,200 ft. and then they continue on to Hope Pass and it's aid station , Hope Pass is 12,600 ft, and at mile 45, and from there it's all downhill from there to Winfield at mile 50.....
Of course while the runners are running we get to stop and gaze at wonderfull views.....
José made it to Winfield an hour before the cut-off(the cut-off is at 6 pm), the runners have been running since 4 AM, that's 14 hours! He is starting to feel better, he wasn't feeling well during the first part of the race.....
So José, gets something to eat and drink and heads off back toward Leadville, a mere 50 miles away. Back over Hope Pass, back into Twin Lakes...
Javier and José arrived at Twin Lakes at about the same time.
Javier in the fore ground in the gray t-shirt, and white hat facing waway fro the camera, José is facing the camera and Joan is massaging José's left calf, which was giving him problems.
Back through the night to Leadville, the clock ticking all the way, Javier sadly only made it to Half Moon and dropped out. José kept running and running, through Fish Hatchery again, May Queen and off to Tabor Boat Ramp, where we watched the sun come up while waiting for José.....
Sunrise at Turquise Lake, Tabor Boat Ramp, Sunday morning
We're only about 9 miles from the finish.....