Run to the Top of Mt. Baldy – Labor Day 2008 Race Report

mt baldy crew
Darryl, Michael, Yogi B and Roberto relax at the top before the 4 mile walk down

Just another Labor Day Monday, 8 AM, and that means I am on the starting line of the “Run to the Top” of Mt San Antonio aka “Mt Baldy,” the tallest mountain in LA, topping out at 10,0064 feet.
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The race starts at 6,000 ft and is some of the 8 toughest miles. In fact, this race is 43 years old and known as one of the hardest races in the country. It can take anywhere from just over an hour to 3+ hours. It takes even longer if you just try to hike it.

This is a race that separates the “the men from the boys or women from the girls.” Everyone I have talked to at the top says how hard it is and I have heard people say it is harder than a 26 mile marathon.

To be fair this is my secret “A” race every year. I feel like I have home field advantage. But, this year there was a little exception, I hardly trained for it and I was doing the Disneyland Half Marathon the day before.

At the same time Gary was training with his group in the hills of Palos Verdes with hopes of taking me down this year, he smoked me in Catalina.

I can’t explain it, yet that mountain feeds my spirit. I find places in my body and mind that I rarely find in any other races. I get a “don’t quit” attitude, and felt it strongly this year.

With that, I found myself passing Colin about 4 miles up the mountain, what I didn’t know was that Gary was close behind me. I never saw him in the parking lot or at the starting line, he was being sneaky. It didn’t matter I wasn’t going to let anyone pass me that I couldn’t pass by the top and all the runners around me were strong.

I finished with a 1:36:41. I finished 73th overall and 12th in my age group. 3 minutes slower than last year. 14 minutes slower than 2006, which I came in 17th overall. Now that I look at this year’s results, I was in the toughest age group. It seems the closer you get to 50, the stronger these other old trail runners are getting. It still feel good about my performance and not every race is a PR.

In the end, I struggled up the hill with grace. I ran my own race. I helped others and stuck to my plan. Out of breath at the top, I looked over LA and the desert feeling alive, proud, and proud of all the other warriors that were joining me at the top.

It is a race that you don’t get a medal for finishing, because you don’t need one, you know what you did. It is a race that can test your resolve and a race that teaches you humility. I believe it is a test of spirit that serves me through the entire year and helps throughout my life. It is a race to put on your calendar.

Look for a short Runumentary soon.

Live Focused, Steve Mackel – Mountain Runner

September 10, 2008 | Filed Under Steve's Posts, Trail Runs 

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