El Vaquero Loco 50k

This post will be a bit out of order, since I haven't had time to post any photos/info from my Bear 100 recon trip.  However, this was too good to wait.  I probably shouldn't post this at all, since this race is a great gem that should be hidden away.

El Vaquero Loco, the Crazy Cowboy.  An out/back 50k held outside of Afton, Wy by Ty Draney. This was the 13th year of the race, and my first time running it.  I first heard of it last year by the host of Trailmanners podcast, Joel Hatch and Aric Manning.  This year they called it an official Trailmanners meet-up race.  I was planning on being in UT to do some recon on the Bear 100 course already, so it wasn't a stretch for me to add this to the itinerary (well, except to run a challenging 50k after  a week on the Bear...).

So I went up to Afton on Friday morning, hoping to score a campsite near the start line and to figure out where Trailmanners guys were going to be camping so I could finally meet them. I scored big time.  I found a campsite near someone wearing a Trailmanners hat, so I introduced myself.  Turns out that Kelsy was expecting them anytime and I was more than welcome to join them.

We had a great evening drinking beer and chatting.  I even won a new Black Diamond headlamp at packet pickup. When I hit the tent (night number 5 for me), I slept pretty well, considering the temps were in the low 40's.  I even woke up before the alarm to some owls hooting in the distance.  It was a bit chilly, so I was glad that I brought my light gloves and a Arc'teryx shell to keep me warm.  Luckily the wind from the day before had blown a bit of the smoke out of the air (it would return later that evening).

This course was by far the most technical and challenging 50k that I have done.  The profile said 8800' of climbing, with the peaks at almost 10k. After the second climb, it was a long descent to the valley floor, only to turn around and climb back up.  (the scale is missing a zero)

I couldn't help but smile all day long seeing such beautiful views and wildflowers.

Sunrise on the way up:

At the top of the first climb:

The lake between the climbs:

Down the canyon to the turn-around:

More wildflowers and vistas:

On the way back looking down at the lake.  I thought I was going to slide down that on my butt given the steepness (luckily, I stayed upright):

It is views like this that keep me coming back.

See the trail that meanders on the lower left near the snow...we were down there at one point!

From here it was down to the finish.  I bought poles the week prior and was figuring out how to use them.  They gave me a bit more confidence on technical downhill.  I flew down the final few miles and pretty much had to be caught by the RD or I was going into the lake (well, not really, but it's 10% truth).

This was a great race.  I stayed positive (for the most part).  My goal was to enjoy the day and use this as a warm-up race for the Bear.  I came into this race with no expectations, only wanting to finish with a smile.  I knew that I had put a hard week of running and camping on my body the days prior. The only down times I had was when it was during some of the harder climbs, but I kept reminding myself that this was a more difficult course and to enjoy the beauty.  I loved it when Kelsy (the winner) later told me that I had the biggest smile on my face when we passed each other.  I couldn't help it to see the beauty this course exhibited would bring out a smile on the grinch.

Thanks to Joel and Aric for suggesting this race.  I loved meeting you and making new friends as part of this great sport.  Ty and his volunteers put on a great race.

#elvaqueroloco #trailmanners  #nowgogetit #ultrarunning