LM recap

Leadville Marathon accumulated elevation = 5976 total, all above 10,150 feet

My rib cage muscles were freaking out after the race. I ate 5 e-caps during the race but my legs were twitching the last few miles - thought I might have a full-scale cramp, but lucked-out.
I passed into 44th place two miles from the finish, but he rallied and I couldn't hold him off - he re-took 44th place two blocks from the finish.

Concerning my wallet in my pocket the whole race... What can I do but laugh? Hey, maybe there might have been a Starbucks on Mosquito Pass? How was I to know? I coulda had a latte! Everyone else woulda-bean begging me for a coupla bucks!

Except for the wallet, it was the perfect race. I had my aid-station splits written down on my wrist. At the first station, I was worried because I'd warmed up before the race and still only managed to be 30 seconds ahead of last year.
Then five thoughtless runners were standing elbow-to-elbow blocking the aid table talking and eating/drinking and no one else could get anything. I had to run the wrong way around and get aid from the volunteer side of the table. But every station after that I gained a minute or more.

I hadn't realized that our bib #'s were our places last year. So my bib said #57. As I came down off Mosquito Pass, a guy cheered me on saying I was doing a lot better than 57th place this year. That's when I figured it out. So next year my bib will be #45.

In spite of pushing until I was about to drop dead, I still sprinted across the finish.
Merilee said, "Jeff, was that totally necessary?!"
I said, "Yes - it's my signature."
So there it is - I need to finish Leadville and no matter how wasted I am, I need to sprint across the finish line.

As I was following my friend Dave B the last mile, lightening struck about a block away. The bolt and the boom were simultaneous. I don't know if I actually felt the concussion, or if the flash-boom just scared the be-geez outa me.
We were soaked and little pellets of frozen rain were mixed in. So we got a free shower!

Still waiting for the results to get posted.