Conquering the East West Trail Line End-to-End

For three years I've wanted to run the East West Trail from end-to-end.  It is a trail line that is very close to my house and I've run every piece of it, excluding the last mile, just not all at once.  Last fall my friend, husband, and I all decided to pick a date and go for it, but illness and injury set us back.  While driving by a small stretch of it Saturday afternoon, I regretted missing that run.  It was going to be epic.  We planned stashes of food and water along the 16 mile course.  We promised to celebrate with beer and great food at the finish.  I still wanted to go.  My friend, Monica, and I needed to run 16 miles this Sunday anyway.  And truthfully, it is really hard to find a 16 mile loop in the middle of the suburbs that include interesting scenery and something new.  This fit the bill so I called Monica and asked if she were game.

Mapmyrun.com I made the map the morning before the run.

 Monica has never told me, "no."  She's a great friend like that.

So we quickly stashed a car at the finish line and rushed over to the Cabella's in Lone Tree, Colorado where the trail officially starts.  Our husbands and kids waved us goodbye.  I quickly told my husband I would send him a Glymse if something went wrong.  If we were radio silent, things were good.

The trail starts uphill.  We climbed 500 feet up a system of hills called the Bluffs.  We ran down this hill a month before and we lamented it is much more fun to run it in reverse.  Nothing like warming up on a 7% grade.  The 360 degree views from the top of the hill are absolutely stunning.  You can see all of Denver, the Tech Center, Foothills, and even as far south as Colorado Springs.  The trail is crushed gravel and considering the 20 mile per hour winds, we were making good time.

8 miles in.  The trail switched back to crushed gravel from rocky single track.

After heading down the other side of the Bluffs, we started ascending Wildcat Mountain.  It isn't a huge mountain, but I look at it everyday from my house.  The climb fluctuates between 7-14% grades for almost 2 full miles by the time we reached the back side of the mountain and finished at the top of the ridge near Castle Pines.

Monica standing in front of Wildcat Mountain in the distance and behind that are the Bluffs, where we started.

Going into the run, I already covered over 47 miles in the last 6 days.  (I logged 63 miles this week after completing this run.)  By the top of those hills, already almost 2,000 ft in elevation climbed, my legs felt weak and tired.

Exactly 10 miles in, there is a compass rose that points to major land marks.  As the crow flies, it is 1.7 miles, as my legs ran, much, much, much further.  I should have been a bird.

 But as the trail became more narrow and we bounded up and down the rolling hills, I felt refreshed.

The next 4 miles are rolling downhills followed by a final 2 mile short climb. 

Miles 8-14 felt amazing.  I was easily conquering the trail that I'd wanted to cover for so long in one stretch.  I love the Highlands Ranch Backcountry.  It is the number one reason I am grateful to live in this town.  Sure the schools are great, the rec centers are a definite bonus, but really, it is the trail system that allows me to escape the city and find some inner quiet that I truly appreciate.  All these thoughts were happily bouncing through my brain, until Monica almost got hit in the back by a mountain biker.

We were cruising along a nice stretch of open grass lands.  The trail is narrow single track with lots of rocks, sand, bends, and bumps.  We just turned down a slight hill and were nearing the bottom when we heard a loud screech and sand went flying in every direction.  Naturally, both of us vaulted off the trail before looking behind us to find a man laughing his ass off.  He thought it was hilarious that he came really close to creaming Monica in the back and was not shy about his demented sense of humor.  Neither of us had headphones.  We weren't talking.  We were peaceful and quiet.  He came out of no where and made no apology for his dangerous riding.

I have yet to see a sign like this on any of the trails.  I think it is time the city invested!

After he zipped by, we took a moment to collect ourselves.  We had 2 miles left, all uphill and that 20 mile per hour wind was relentless.  More and more bikers came out of no where and while I too mountain and road bike I pride myself in knowing the yield laws.  All but 2 of the 25 bikers we met needed a reminder.  It is really hard to start running up a steep hill and stop again 30 feet later to let someone pass, then to start up yet again.  It was killing my knees.  Even Monica grumpily breathed behind me, "If I have to stop one more time, I might not start again..."  Agreed.

Sixteen miles is not my longest run to date.  I run trails all summer long.  But when I saw the sign that marked the end of this journey I was elated.  It felt like a real finish line.  At a half or full marathon the crowd pulls me to the finish.  I love the cheering fans and the cow bells ringing.  When they place the medal around my neck I know I accomplished something big and honest.  This finish line didn't have any of that and yet it felt bigger and in many ways better.  It was a private euphoria. 

Not a thrilling sign, but it holds new meaning.

Together, Monica and I covered 16 miles and 2,300 feet of elevation gain, in two and a half hours.  We stopped at the inconspicuous sign that marked the end of the trail, threw our heads between our knees for a while, took a few pictures, and walked to my car.  It wasn't exactly the most thrilling celebration, but I felt infinitely proud.

Our kids and husbands were waiting there to surprise us for almost an hour.  They let the kids play at the playground and fly kites to pass the time, but when they saw us they came running up the sidewalk full blast, smiles huge!

My oldest son asked his dad while waiting for us to arrive, "Did mommy really run from one side of our city to the other?"  Yes I did! 

The Snake Man

I took my boys to the Wildlife Experience this week.  It is a small museum perfect for elementary aged kids and younger.  This month they have an exhibit on reptiles and amphibians.  While admiring a 5 foot long alligator, a museum volunteer starts talking to me and the boys about the different animals in the exhibit.  The conversation started innocent enough, "How old is that alligator?"  "How big will it grow in captivity?"  "What idiot thought that made a good pet?"  The usual.

"Well, sh*t honey.  He was so stinkin' cute, I just thought I'd bring him home and he could live in the pool.  Look how much he loves a good scratch!"

Suddenly, my son walks over to this flat screen TV playing a documentary on venomous snakes.  The 80 year old volunteer lights up, full of excitement.  "Oh, boy do I know a whole lot about snakes!  What would you like to know, son?"  Ethan stares at him a little bit and says, "Which ones will kill you?"

Before I knew it this story teller dives into his career as a Bureau of Land Management employee who conducted surveys in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona for over 20 years.  His fear of rattlesnakes has been long gone as he couldn't count the times he was struck on the boot from one of those "aggressive rat killers."  He explained to my 6-year-old that you kind of get used to being bitten and not dying, therefore they aren't scary anymore.  Thanks for that, sir.

I told him I run on the Backcountry trails and had a few rattlesnake encounters last summer.  I've read recently that they are supposed to be coming out of hibernation soon, therefore do I need to be more worried about running when they just awoke?  He looked at me blankly and said, "Well, they are hungry, but you know they aren't going to eat you, right?"  Yes I realize that, but are they going to be more territorial, more aggressive?  I don't want to startle one on the trail.

He told me you see more rattlers in the spring because they hibernate together in a giant clump in order to stay warm through the winter months.  While growing up on a farm in Montana he saw a picture of the snakes waking up from under his friend's barn.  They came out in a mass of over a thousand snakes at once and slowly spread out.  "You see them more in the spring until they find their own grounds again and thereafter you will only see them sunning themselves on the trails occasionally."

"Well, I run on the trails, sir.  That's my concern."

"Okay, here's is my advice to you young lady.  Don't do that."

SNAKE!

A little over a month ago, my friend, Monica, and I were on the trails behind my house in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.  Heading home from a hilly 6 mile run we were hot and tired.  On the last mile stretch however, I found renewed energy as I tried to throw my good friend off of a cliff to save myself from a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.  Beware, ladies and gents, when it comes to my life over yours, I will toss you overboard! 

Monica was right on my heals focusing on my footfall when I jumped backward at the sight of a 4 foot rattlesnake.  I couldn't say anything but, "SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKE!"  I was literally inches away from the serpent.  She didn't understand what I was talking about and wasn't moving out of the way so I turned towards her and began pushing her backward as hard as I could.  "SNAKE! MOOOOOVE! SNAKE!"  Once Monica moved far enough back, I glanced back to the spot where the confrontation began.

"What is wrong! Jen, what happened?"

"RATTLESNAKE!"

"Okay, seriously, how do you know it wasn't just some snake?  It could be a bull snake.  We have those around here right?"

"Yes, we have those.  But I know that was a rattler.  It had the hoods over it eyes, the sharper nose.  I used to have bull snakes mate in my back yard every spring.  Trust me.  That was no bull."

Bull Snake

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

From the other side of the trail another woman came running towards us.  "STOP! Stop, snake!"  She couldn't hear a word I said because her music was turned up so loud.  It took until she was almost right up to us for her to finally understand what I was screaming.

After waiting about 5 minutes for the rattler to move away from the trail, we ran home.  Well, in truth, I sprinted.

In a nutshell... from www.ag.purdue.edu

Since then, I have had three other rattlesnake encounters.  Two in one day.  That's left me thinking, is the trail really worth it?  Today, I only ran 1 mile on the trails and spent the other 3.75 on paved trails around my house.  Sure it was relaxing not having to worry about needle sharp teeth grazing my ankles.  And I even pumped my music on high for the first time in months, but I felt bored.  The views were lacking, and the adrenaline was weak.  We chose our new house because of the trails.  And now I am going to avoid them until the snakes return to hibernation?  I don't think so.

Instead of letting fear dictate my next few summer filled months, I decided a little research was in order.  Surprisingly, what I found soothed my fears.  I will number my findings in the order I found it most helpful.  Running makes us a little oxygen deprived and the key points should definitely stick out in time of need...

1. If you are bitten, don't put a tourniquet on the wound. Stay calm (yeah right), and try to keep your heart rate low.  It will decrease the rate in which the venom moves through your blood.  Remove any restricting jewelery (yes runners, that includes GPS watches).  Also, not all bites are venomous.  In fact, 20% of all rattlesnake bites are simple warning bites.  Get help either way!

2. Step ON rocks and logs, never over them unless you can see the other side.  Rattlesnakes don't like to be in the open.  They hang out around places they can hide easily.

3. Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes do NOT always use their rattles to warn of their existence.

4. Always carry a cell phone when running.  If you can get help within 2-6 hours, you will be okay. 

5. Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes are NOT inherently aggressive.  If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.  Most bites are to dogs and according to the Colorado Department of Fish and Wildlife, 85% of bites nationally are delivered to drunk humans wandering off trails.  (I feel safer already!)

6. NEVER run on trails with both ear phones in your ears.  (This is probably a good suggestion across the board, but let's stay focused!)  Two days ago, I encountered 2 rattlesnakes, one deer, one coyote, numerous zooming bikers, and one horned lizard within 6 miles.  I heed this advice strictly.  I don't like things sneaking up on me, whether it be a human or Bambi. 

7. Don't handle a freshly killed snake.  They can inject venom for up to an hour after death.  (Now that's fascinating!)

8. Rattlesnakes enjoy the summer evenings the best.  The sustainable temperature for this coldblooded animal is between 70-90 degrees.  Therefore, they hunt and are most active during these temperatures.  This doesn't mean you are safer to run in the mornings (ALL of my encounters were between 7-9:30 am), it just means watch even more carefully in the evening hours.

9. If you see one, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!  A snake can strike one and a half times its length when coiled.  15 feet is a safe distance according to the California Division of Fish and Wildlife.

I know I am going to have some wicked snake dreams tonight, but it is always better to be informed than fearful.  I fully respect wildlife and understand every animal has its purpose.  And part of that respect, is avoiding confrontation.

Any other advice you have I would love to hear!

Here are a few helpful links if you want more information:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06501.html

http://www.crgov.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1239
http://parks.state.co.us/SiteCollectionImages/parks/Programs/ParksResourceStewardship/Rattlesnake%20Management%20Prescription.pdf