Fall Timp Climb

So I arrived at the office today and I had several appointments. My 11:00 cancelled and I finished up a few things and then I had a strong urge to climb. I thought of a few different options, but I kept coming back to Timp. I have wanted to push it up Timp. for a while now...kind of see where I am at. I have done it this year but it was with the scouts so it was slow go. It was a beautiful fall day and the temps are supposed to drop significantly in the next few days so I blew off work and went for it. I stopped at Smiths and got a few snacks and a chicken sandwich which I regretted eating later. I arrived at the trailhead at about 12:45. I knew I was going to have to hurry because I had to coach Josh's football game at 5:30, which meant I had to be home at 5:00 to get him there. With the 30 minutes it takes to get home I didn't have much time to spare and I really wasn't sure how long it would take me. I knew anything under 4 hours is fast, but I wasn't sure if I could do it in under 4 hours. If I did it in 4 that would put me home at 5:30 when I was supposed to be at the game. I thought I would just go for it and if I ran out of time I would turn back. I decided to go light so I left the camel back in the car and brought 4 fruit snacks and a small 16 oz water bottle. I took off up the trail. I was pushing as hard as my body would let me. I was trying to keep my heart rate around 150 and I was pretty close most of the hike. I made it to scout falls in 20 minutes which I knew was pretty fast...I was tracking along between 12-16 min miles. The first two miles I was right on 28 minutes...14 minute miles. I felt good but I was pushing pretty hard and I didn't know if I could sustain that pace. The chicken sandwich wasn't sitting very well with me either as I was getting a few cramps. I just kept going trying to focus on the trail and the beauty all around me. It was an unbelievable day. The leaves were off the charts. I also ran into 5 mountain goats which were pretty cool. I figured if I could stay near this pace to the saddle I could for sure get up there in time to get back for the game. I passed a guy about half a mile below the saddle. He was going along at a pretty good pace. When I passed him he said I was the first one to pass him on this trail in 2 years. That made me feel good...although I started thinking about it and thought that maybe it was the first time he had been up the trail in two years. I got to the saddle and I think I was about 1 hour and 45 minutes. I had hopes of finishing in 2 hours, but didn't think there was any way. I just kept going. The hardest section is from the saddle up to the top. It gets pretty steep and there is one technical spot. I finally made it up to the top in 1 hour 59 minutes and 35 seconds. I beat the 2 hour mark. I was exhausted and pretty much out of water. I did have two of my fruit snacks left for the way down which came in real handy. I spent about 5 minutes on the top catching my breathe and preparing myself for the trip down. I knew I could get down quick but I wasn't sure if my legs would hold out. They were starting to hurt a bit and I didn't bring any IB's. I had no choice. I had to be back for the game so I took off down the mountain. The section down to the saddle beat me up a bit, but as soon as I got to the saddle I picked the pace up a bit. I was really going fast and I was feeling pretty good despite the minor leg pain. I love descending down a trail. It's a bit hypnotic to me. I tend to just focus in on the trail picking out my next step and trying not to fall. I was making really good time and I was easily going to make the game assuming I could continue the pace. I finally got really fatigued with about 1 mile to go. I fell hard...it hurt, but I jumped up and continued on telling myself to slow down and focus on the trail. About two minutes later I fell again. Now my confidence was really shot. I had made it over roots, rocks, and all sorts of obstacles and now here I am falling on the smoothest nicest section of the trail. I figured my legs were just tired and I wasn't picking them up. Well...I made it down, went straight to the water tap, drank three water bottles, jumped in the car and flew down the canyon in time for the game. When it was all said and done, I made it in 3 hours and 20 minutes. I was extremely pleased with that time. In fact I got online after, and the fastest documented time was from Phil Lowry, who has done Timp over 400 times. He did it in 2 hours 55 mins. 14.5 miles, 4800 feet climb. A great way to spend an afternoon.