Marathon or longer #37 - State #17: 05/19/2018 - Los Alamos, New Mexico: . F altitude. On paper this looks like a race that shouldn't cause too much trouble with 33 miles and 6,000 feet of vert, but for me, anything above 9,000 feet above sea level causes me fits. I sat at aid stations collectively for almost an hour and a half because nausea, a pounding headache that started around mile 15 and didn’t go away until well after the race and dehydration (exposed all day and 80 degrees will do that). . The stupid of elevation kicked in full gear at the top of Pajarito Mountain and I basically fell the next 5 miles all the way down to the next aid station. I plopped into a chair shivering in the 75 degree sun and eventually told myself I had to get out of there. I don’t really remember the next 5 miles except that it was a bother to run and the trail kept moving so I walked not even caring about how fast (it wasn’t) I was going. . Finally arriving at the mile 26 aid station a week later (not really it just felt like it), I sat there for about 45 minutes until the EMT said he was going to give me 15 more minutes until he was going to check my vitals, give me an IV and take me to the hospital. I got better real quick. . Starting around 7,200 feet it's dusty down low and at 10,400 feet it's rocky, technical and uneven footing up top; strike that, it’s uneven footing everywhere, but really uneven up top. A great race with a little bit of everything, a 45 degree straight up climb underneath a ski lift, beautiful yellow grassed meadows, exposure, canyons with sheer faced cliffs, high altitude (oh the altitude!), single track for miles, the most fantastic gracious volunteers and EMTs, and an after party where everyone sticks around for food, beers, and recounting the day's stories, I completely understand why everyone raves about this race and continues to come back again and again. If only I didn't live so far away...and at sea level. . #JMTR #LosAlamos #NM #NewMexico #JemezMountainTrailRun #50k #JemezMountain #PajaritoMountain #HACE #Altitude #JMTR50k #Bib416 #TT50 #Trailto50 (at Jemez Mountains)