Erin in Bend 2

Erin's a blogging fool these days - here's another update from Bend:

Amie and I spent Monday and Tuesday at Paulina Lake, a caldera about an hour from Bend, OR. The temperature at the lake was much cooler than what we’ve been experiencing since the elevation of the lake is about 6400ft. On Monday we did a long run around the lake. We followed a rolling path that circled the lake inches away from the water at most points. Warned of the high elevation, I set a very easy pace and because of the cool air I felt good running. I figured my body was tolerant to the elevation (despite having lived at sea level my entire life). That night we cooked around the camp fire and ate s’mores with friends. As the sun set it got very cold, and shortly after going to bed I realized my 40 degree sleeping bag was not going to cut it (which was an odd change because I never once slept inside my bag in Washington because it was so hot). I zipped myself inside the mummy hood, curled up into the fetal position, and fitfully shivered through the night. Twice I woke up gasping for breath thinking I had smothered myself inside my sleeping bag, only to find that my airway was completely open. I can’t imagine what it feels like to sleep at real elevation…

The next morning we set out to hike Paulina Peak, a “small” mountain only 8000ft high. However the hike consisted of only about 1500 feet of elevation gain over 3 miles, and then a long gradual 7 mile descent.
Still refusing to think the elevation could affect me, I figured this would be an easy distance workout. The group I was hiking with was certainly athletic, but none are on a summer training plan like I am, so if anything I should be the one having to wait up for others, right?

We hit the trail and since it was “buggy”, the guy leading decided to jog. Although it was hardly buggy by my standards (or any Mainer’s standards), I thought it was great that we were jogging and considered it a good training opportunity. However, I quickly started to drop off the back of the group. I assumed I was having trouble keeping up because of my hiking pack loaded with water and food for the day. After a mile we stopped jogging and I caught up with the group as we started to hike. Although now we were all hiking, I found myself once again trailing a good 10-15ft behind the others. My heart rate sky-rocketed, and while everyone else was up ahead seemingly having no problem, I couldn’t catch my breath. I went from thinking this was going to be an easy hike to thinking this would be a great threshold workout, and it was. By the time I reached the top my body felt fatigued like I had been climbing for three hours, not one. At the top was a wonderful view of the caldera and obsidian lava flow, unlike anything I’ve seen before. The seven mile gradual descent was much more manageable, and now I can only hope my red blood cell count increases in preparation for when we climb the “real” mountains later this week.