Imogene Pass Training Day - "The Work is Done"

Our good friend, Ryan Dohnal, from Telluride Sports is preparing for one of the most anticipated endurance runs in Southwest Colorado. On Saturday the 11th, Ryan will begin his grueling 17.1 mile mountain race that starts in Ouray, Colorado and ends on Main Street in Telluride. Here are his thoughts as the race grows near: 

"The work is done. There’s not much else I can do. The Imogene Pass Run is this Saturday the 11^th and three months of hard work will finally be put to the test. I feel excited and anxious. The miles and the time spent are behind me now and I know that I am prepared. The whole experience has been very rewarding for me, and the race has not even started.

                This week consists of preparations. The right food, the right amount of sleep, and some race planning. Will I wear a camelback or just try to make it to each aid station?  How many energy gels will I eat? What pace should I reach the summit at? These are the things I’m thinking about. The feeling is so familiar. It takes me back to high school and college where the upcoming race was my focus day in and day out. The good thing, as any runner knows, is that once the gun goes off that nervousness is gone. The race is no one else’s but your own. In the end you are competing against yourself, and half the battle is mental. I’m sure I’ll be almost shaking on the bus ride to Ouray at 5 A.M on Saturday, and that is part of the fun of it all.

             I am only really sure of one thing, and that is the fact that I fully expect to be humbled on Saturday. Running seventeen miles through the mountains tends to do that." -Ryan Dohnal

If you still need lodging for the Imogene Pass Run, we have the perfect spot for you to rest your legs: http://www.telluridehotels.com/hotel-rooms-starting-89-night-telluride