I started at 5:30 AM hoping to avoid both the heat and traffic on the row. I was successful on the heat front but there was more traffic than I had expected. Luckily I made it past the casinos without needing to stop too long at any lights. Once I made it over the interstate everything was quiet, and since Rancho wasn't open yet I had the place to myself. I tried to stay relaxed especially thru Rancho since it's mostly downhill and there's still a long way to go. Heading into Keystone I settled into a steady pace and enjoyed the sunrise.
I had done a fair amount of training on the mountain in previous weeks, having done the first half of the ascent a couple times so I was familiar with the terrain. While it climbs fairly steadily in the first half, there's plenty of small dips to relax the legs. Bacon Strip Trail especially is quite runnable. I developed some pain behind my right knee about the time I got to Bacon Strip that lingered the rest of the way up, but it was nothing too serious.
Bacon strip rises on a few switchbacks to a small ridge, and in training I always crossed over the ridge to Mahogany Forest trail past the snowboards, but for this trip I took a hard left on the ridge and climbed up the road there which is more direct (as far as I know it doesn't have a name). This was the new stuff for me, and also where I first slowed to a power hike. I perhaps could have kept running but I'm glad I didn't because the ridge to the peak a few KM later would just about kill me. But before that I followed the small road/double track a ways. It eventually descends, which was concerning since by now I could see the peak and wasn't looking forward to re-climbing back up. I continued to stay relaxed though, following the trail as it swept to the right, then it rose quickly up to Peavine Road.
Peavine road was a bit steeper than I anticipated but by now I felt good and strong so I pushed the pace a bit. I didn't follow it long before taking a hard right onto the ridge. I'd never traveled up to the peak this way, and it was steep. I power hiked most of it so I could massage my aching thighs. After what felt like an eternity I made it to the peak. I was so toasted I barely remembered to hit the lap button on my watch, which showed 2:29:31. I stayed for about a minute to eat some food and drink the rest of my water. In hindsight I wish I had enjoyed the view a bit longer, but I'll do that next time. Before the run I had tentatively planned to do the out-and-back, and at the top I committed to that plan. I decided to travel down a different route from the peak since I didn't fancy trying to survive the steep bits of what I'd just climbed on tired legs. Once I got back to Peavine road it felt good to run again and stretch the legs. I met my dad where the standard Peavine Peak hike meets Peavine Road and he replenished my water.
From there it was a long and delirious run down. By the time I got back to Keystone my legs were butter. I stubbed my toe on a particularly nasty rock which slowed me down. I smiled at the dogs at Rancho and once I got to the road and suffered up the remaining admittedly small hills, I picked up the pace again. My calves started cramping but I was almost done, and I got lucky with the lights so I didn't waste much time waiting. I "sprinted" across the finish line under the arch with an official time of 4:58:23, although I forgot to stop my watch so it was probably a bit closer to 4:58 flat.
When I started my training in February I hadn't planned on putting up and doing this route, my goal had actually been the Reno to Rose FKT. With all the snow around Mt Rose though I decided to play it safe. My hope with this route is that others will throw up some times. It's a really fun run and I hope the faster runners in the area take this one up. This run, both the ascent and out-and-back, can be run much faster. I'll definitely be back with stronger legs to give it another try.