Posted by Gail Marino on September 22, 2004 at 16:56:43:
In Reply to: RACE ACROSS AMERICA-Louis Rodriguez updates posted by Gail Marino on August 02, 2004 at 09:02:43:
RAA DAY # 30 SUNDAY 7/11/04
We start out today from Kremmling, Colorado (7364 ft) to Winter Park, Colorado (9110 ft) for 44.9 miles with a cutoff of 12 hrs 49 min. Kremmling is a small town with only 1 motel, Bobs Best Western Motel. Only 2 rooms had a phone & most a television but none had air conditioning. The rooms were mostly occupied by day laborers working the fields, it was a close 2nd to the motel we stayed at, in Vegas. The morning was cool but the sun shined brightly, promising us a warm day. Lou & Taka start out together in the back of the pack, although a familiar site, I know neither one belongs in the back. Looking at Taka's leg, there is quite an improvement but no doubt, it is still stiff & painful. He continues to use the herbal creams but refuses to accept anymore ibuprphen from me.
It warmed up by 8 am. At the 8.6 mile mark, Lou & Taka were within cutoff. Then Lou started working on drills, hence their cat & mouse game. Taka does try to catch up to Lou & a few times, he does get close. I like Sunday mornings because there is less traffic around, but dodging the later traffic is another story. After 15 miles out, Lou's right ankle is bothering him a bit, probably from yesterdays near tragic catastrophe, but after tiger balm & ibuprophen it disappears. At 31 miles, Lou catches up to Don & then Olivier at 35 miles. I know that Alan will never admit to it, but if he had any idea about running, he should be awed at how Lou can hang in the back for 3 hrs, & longer, & then catch up to the other runners one by one & is forced to stop, when we reach the 3rd runner, because of Alan's ruling. Imagine who he would catch if this ridiculous rule were not made for Lou alone. It is unfortunate, that we will never know. I am curious as to, what is the true reason for not allowing Lou to run his own pace. Certainly, these young men in their 30's cannot really be intimidated by a man who is 58 yrs of age, can they? If any were, then I am embarrassed for them, if they were responsible for this ruling.
Lou finished today in 10 hrs 47 min & Taka made cutoff by less than 5 min. Later we met Brandon, a waiter at Deno Restaurant. He is originally from New Jersey, & told us that his girlfriends mother just had a mastectomy. The owner of the restaurant gladly allowed us to leave breast cancer pamphlets for his patrons. We just missed the Jazz Festival that was going on here this weekend. This town is a very beautiful ski & cycling area. Till tomorrow. Lou & Agnes