Billy Goat Hill Climb

The Billy Goat Hill Climb ½ Marathon was a tough one. This race was definitely one of the toughest trail courses I have ever done. It was a lesson learned.

Waking up bright and early getting ready for this monstrous course I was about to run in the next 2 hours, I thought to myself, what will the terrain be like? How will the temperature be in Corona? Will I beat the cut-off? These questions were haunting me as myself and my friend Luisa were driving to the race location.

Arriving to the location and right away spotting my friend Michelle Barton(Badwater 135 finisher, 6x Transrockies finisher), and I felt a little more confident that this will not be too bad. But, I was wrong. The heat started to hit pretty strong. It reached up to almost 100 degrees. It was awfully hot. When you get to the start of an Old Goat race, the start line has a banner that reads “Moderation has its place, it ain’t here”. That could only mean one thing, it’s going to be f*cking hard.

10 minutes till start and the man of the hour talks about the race, course, etc. Also did I mention it was his birthday celebration? No, well I just did. All I could think of was “birthday = cake”(which I didn’t have any). Feeling pretty nervous about the 6 miles that stand in front of me, oh and that “one hill” as they say. Just think Relentless and Unbreakable. “Go” says Steve, and the race starts.

    The first couple of meters of the race were flat. Then the climbing starts, and immediately I start cursing in my head, “Shi*t this is f*cking hard”, but the show must go on. Me and my friend Luisa decide to stick together for the first couple miles of the race, or at least till the first aid station which was at mile 3.5, but felt like more. I was really struggling keeping up with her. I was in such bad shape, and felt like I really couldn’t keep up with her. So I told her to take off, and I will TRY to catch up. So she did. As I’m going up, I kept wondering where is this dang aid station, I want some watermelon and ice cold water. The climb was ridiculous. For some reason I felt like it was getting steeper and steeper as I’m trying to get to the aid station. I get to the aid station, and first thing I noticed is I’m the last runner. No worries, I’m having fun(yeah right), time to fight it and keep going.

    As soon as I left the aid station, as I’m walking up the climb taking a breather, the first male passes me. I’m only at mile 3.5 and he’s at mile 10. How did that happen? I was amazed at how fast this guy was running, because this was crazy steep. By that time I was starting to suffer really bad, I just wished I could fly to the turn around. I kept singing “I need a hero” by Bonnie Tyler. I really needed one. The heat started to hit stronger and stronger as I hit higher elevation. Majority of the course was exposed to heat. I kept praying for a patch of shade to take a break. Still climbing I start seeing runners coming down one by one. All giving me support and tell me to keep going. So I kept going. I climb and I finally reached some gentle downhill and started to pick up the pace, until the climbing began again, and I was only half of a mile from the aid station. As I’m going, I see a truck, and I’m thinking, okay it’s probably one of the cars that are headed to the top or so. But no, it was the aid station guys, who were not packed and ready to head back down to the start/finish area. Luckily, I was able to refill my handheld then head down to the finish.

    I start tearing down the trail trying to beat the cut off, but it was extremely hot and my water was running low. I was struggling pretty bad. I kept trying to survive the last couple of miles trying to get to the first aid station with very little water. The trail coming down was very steep. Even to run down was a little hard. But, I gave it my best. Trying not to let the truck behind me catch up. At about mile 8.5 I started to really think to myself “It’s getting really hot, I still have about 4 miles to go, can I continue?” I went on to continue, even if I was running slow I managed to push myself.

    I finally reached the aid station, and try to refill my handheld again, and pour some on my head to cool off. And of the aid station guys tells me that there is no possible way the I will be able to beat the cut off if I tried to continue. I said I’ll give it my best to get as far as I can. So I take off pretty fast to the finish. And right behind me the aid station guys pull up behind me to tell me that I can’t continue to run anymore. The course has to be shut down. So I hitch a ride back to the finish line. The finish line I could have crossed if I wouldn’t have let my poor mentality take over my body.

    There were moments in the race where I felt like I wasn’t racing against the other runners, more like I was racing against myself. I let myself down. Didn’t think I’d ever DNF(did not finish) a race. A race in which I’ve pushed myself 200% to finish.  I’m not disappointed I didn’t finish the entire course, but I can say that I pushed myself to the fullest extend to get through 10 miles in scorching heat. Not going to complain, and definitely push myself 300% next time.

    I’m very happy about this experience and thanks Steve for the DFL(Dead Fucking Last) awards. Definitely was the icing on the cake. I am running this race again next year, and earning that medal. No way in hell I’m letting a cut off beat me.  

- Fernando Anaya

Relentless and Unbreakable

Myself and the Old Goat himself Steve.

 My DFL award.