OBN member takes on the Pikes Peak Marathon

I just have to mention that Emily from "Scent Fee Lip Gloss" blog is preparing to run one heck of a race and I would like to show here she has a lot of support from the blogging community. I'm asking everyone to leave her a comment below this post in support. It takes a lot to do what she is doing and I for one envy her and wish her the best.

Just so you better understand what I am talking about here is some info.

A Journey to the Top and Perhaps Back

The Pikes Peak Ascent^® and Pikes Peak Marathon^® will redefine what you call running. Sure, they start out like a lot of races on Any Street, USA. But your first left turn will have you turning in the direction of up! During the next 10 miles, as you gain almost 6,000 vertical feet, your legs, lungs, heart and mind will be worn to a ragged nothingness. But it won’t be until your last three miles, with still over 2,000' of vertical to go, that you will realize where the Marathon got its moniker—America’s Ultimate Challenge.
There’s a reason trees don’t bother growing above 12,000' on Pikes Peak. They can’t! Makes one wonder if trees are smarter than runners. Above treeline most runners take 30 minutes or more, some much more, just to cover a mile. What little air remains can’t satisfy the endless stream of zombies hoping only to survive their next step—a death march right out of a scene from Dawn of the Dead. Adding insult to injury, it might start to snow!


Then, if you are on the deluxe tour, you run back down for the second half of the Marathon. Along the way protruding rocks are waiting to send you crashing to the ground mangling flesh and only temporarily masking the pain of blood filled blisters. Meanwhile, the temperature has often risen by more than 30 degrees since the race start. After all, it’s always best to cook raw meat.
Join us in 2011 for the 56th running of America’s Ultimate Challenge^®.

Good Luck Emily!