Rickey Gates

I ran into Rickey yesterday; it’s always a treat to see him.  I was running up a local trail, while he was driving his motorcycle up the switchbacks on the same mountain, on his way home to his no-central-heat, no-indoor-plumbing cabin situated somewhere above Boulder.  He flagged me down with a big smile on his face, sitting astride his classic BMW Supermoto, with a 6-pack of New Belgian strapped on the panniers.

“Haven’t seen you in awhile!” I exclaimed.  Rickey used to work at Frasca’s, one of the top restaurants in the United States, featuring the “worlds fastest bar crew”  - Rickey, head bartender Bryan Dayton (50 km National Trail Champion), and co-owner and Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey (2:49 at NYC Marathon).

“I’ve been in Aspen, staying with Jon Severy, making some money”, he said.  ”But I quit that, and just got back from Mexico.  Helping a friend make some Mescal.  I got a bottle in back” he said, motioning to the saddlebags.  He assured me I would be invited the BBQ when he opens it; an invitation I would not miss.

After years of seeing the same people on the podium at mountain races, Rickey is providing a breath of fresh air.  He came seemingly out of nowhere 2 years ago at the Mount Washington Road Race, outpacing veteran Simon Gutierrez in the last two miles for a solid 3rd place.  Then last year he came down the final super-steep hill at the USATF Mountain Running Championships at Cranmore, NH, elbow-elbow with long-time New England alpha runner Paul Low.  Paul fell to his knees at the bottom of the all-out sprint leaving Rickey the new Champion.  Then only one week later, an even more intense race unfolded at the USATF Trail Running Championships, as flying down the final hill to the finish at Steamboat Springs, CO, another all-out sprint ensued between Rickey, Simon (a 29:17 10K runner) and Clint Wells (5th at 2000 Olympic Trials Steeplechase) … Rickey edged Simon in the final 100 meters.  The new guard had arrived.  He left the next day for Europe, becoming the first American in decades to race the WRMA Grand Prix circuit.

“I feel fit”, he says happily and easily.  Upcoming:

* Spring Run-Off, Vail, June 7

* Mount Washington, June 21

* USATF Trail Championships, Steamboat, June 29

* La Sportiva Vail Hillclimb, July 6

Then it’s back to Europe.  Where the top mountain runners race.

“Sierre-Zinal” I ask?

“Yeah, there’s no reason to do the Grand Prix again, when there’s great races like Sierre-Zinal; it has more prestige, more money.  Plus it’s on the same day as one of the Grand Prix, so there’s no way”.

This seems like a tough schedule.  ”But I’m not doing the Bolder Boulder on Monday” he assures me, referring to the popular Memorial Day race where last year he knocked down a scintillating 31:41 for 6th place (out of 44,088!) in the Citizens Race.  ”No, this Monday I’m just going to ride my bicycle to Aspen”.  

OK.  That would be 170 miles, finishing up with 12,095′ Independence Pass.  I noted that it was still closed.  ”Probably have to carry the bikes over the snow, but should only be a mile or so of that”.

Like I said, it’s always a treat seeing Rickey.

“Think I might go to New Zealand next year”, he said as we parted.  ”Why not skip winter entirely?”