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Thursday, August 1, 2013

Rocky Mountain High: My Sojourn From Sea-Level Sissy to 14er

   From Bucket List ... to F*ck It List.
   Sure enough, climbing a 14,000-foot mountain is harder than running a marathon. How's that?
   Running 26.2 miles is merely putting one foot in front of the other. I covered the Dallas White Rock in just over four hours. Climbing Humboldt Peak in Colorado was putting one foot in front of the other, but with each and every painstaking step landing at a different elevation and meticulously placed as to not plant on a jagged rock or, worse, off a wind-swept ridge.
   My final score: 12 miles. 4,200 feet of elevation. 11 hours. 1 giant appreciation for climbers.
   And, yes, it's extremely likely that while writing this I'll get a cramp in my calf or foot. Or both.
   My guide/trail boss was a high-school buddy who's climbed all 53 of the 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado. He's a proud 14er. But for most of Wednesday, he was my worst enemy.


17 comments:

  1. Excellent job making up the mountain, and very nice article on your trek. Glad you did both. Bill2455

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  2. Nicely done sir! That was a great read!

    Sincerely,

    NTDSLARS

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  3. Nice story RW. Waiting on one of your "anonymous" posters to point out that you actually fell four times, not three, thereby making your entire post without merit and factually incorrect. It's supposed to be 102 today, I might climb a mountain to get out of this oven!

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  4. Congrats! Memories you will never forget. The mountains have a way of doing that.

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  5. Richie, why do you insist on lying about your marathons? On the radio you claimed you ran the White Rock Marathon twice, in 1986 and 1991, in times of 4:22 and 4:09.

    Here are the 1986 results--you're nowhere to be found.

    http://www.dallasmarathon.com/wp-content/uploads/ResultsBooks/1986.pdf


    In 2009, you wrote that you finished in 1990 in 4:29--not even close to "just over" four hours, and that you tried in 1986 but quit after 13 miles:

    http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/sportatorium/2009/03/running_the_rock.php


    A year later, you wrote that you ran the White Rock ONCE, in 1990, in a time of 4:29, and that after flirting with trying once more, you hadn't done on again.

    http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/sportatorium/2010/12/the_dallas_white_rock_marathon.php#more


    And the pièce de résistance:

    This article

    http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/09/07/whitts-end-9-7-12/

    in which you LIE about your marathon history while at THE SAME TIME, criticizing Paul Ryan for lying about his marathon history!

    "*Republican VP candidate Paul Ryan claims to have run a marathon in 4 hours, with 3 weeks training, “on a whim.” That’s an insult to those of us who have actually finished multiple marathons and know the training required. Liar."


    So, you've claimed you run a marathon in just over four hours. Not True.

    You've claimed that you've trained for and completed multiple marathons. Not true.

    You've claimed you finished a marathon in 4:09 and 4:22. Neither is true.


    You're too much.

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    Replies
    1. Wow, you're a dick. Get a freaking life, dude.

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    2. You claim to not be a douchebag...not true!

      Delete
  6. Ran the full in '90. Half in '86 at a 4-hour-ish pace. In '90 I thought it was 4:09. Might have been 4:29. Might have been 4:22. My goal was four hours and I blew it, so I was bummed. Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. "After a failed first attempt in 1986 - still in euphoria from graduating college the night before, I quit after 13 miles"

      Doesn't sound like you "ran the half".


      Regardless, why did you claim on the radio that you ran it twice, once in 4:22 and once in 4:09?

      I'm sorry, but I doubt that someone who runs one marathon in their life forgets what their finishing time was.

      And there's no "might" about it. Your results are here in black and white:

      http://www.dallasmarathon.com/wp-content/uploads/ResultsBooks/1990.pdf

      4:29. Not even close to "just over four hours".

      Keep digging that hole.

      Care to retract your criticism of Paul Ryan for lying about marathon results?

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    2. Hold on a second...you put two links about him saying, in writing, that he ran it in 4:29, yet you provide us to no links with him saying on the radio that he did it in 4:22 and 4:09, and you probably claim you never listened to his show, so.....
      What the fuck is your deal? I like you Shaggy, but to go after someone like this is pretty ridiculous and you have some kind of anger towards RW that goes much farther than a marathon result.

      Delete
  7. Next time you decide to go tackle a mountain try going on a shakedown trip first. Get some miles and some elevation under your feet. Wichita Mtns are pretty close and lots of nice sharp granite to test your fortitude. Didn't mention any blisters, so you got that going for you. I'd probably consider taking something a little more substantial to eat besides gel doohickeys. Banana chips, jerky, whatever. Pack something that resembles food.

    It gets in your blood. That might not be the last one for you.

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  8. Wow Shaggy just owned Whitt! Again. First he steals the Bob and Dan news right from under him and now he provides proof that Whitt has lied multiple times about his marathon running. Keep up the good work Shaggy!

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  9. Great exciting read ; I like your writing the best when you tell longer stories (such as this one)

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  10. Long time reader, fellow UTA grad, and ex radio employee. Though not in the same ballpark, I succeded at a minor league version of your feat today. Climbed Pagosa Peak (12, 680 ft). And I thought of your story. Very similar. Glad to prove to myself that the mind is stronger just as you sir!

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