Spokane River Run 50k

So....Badger Mountain left me with some serious battle wounds. Coming into the Spokane River Run, I was dealing with recurring heel and knee pain. Confidence was something that I was desperately lacking. The week of the race, I could barely run (hobble) a handful of miles comfortably. I was not planning on tapering for this event....I wanted to arrive at the start semi-fatigued. This was intended to be my final long training run for Sun Mountain and it was to be treated as such.  Having to reduce mileage drastically gave me a serious case of the grumps.

Jeff and I arrived in Spokane the afternoon prior to the race. When I went to pick up my packet, the gentleman exclaimed excitedly that I was "NUMBER ONE!".....I was hoping that this bib number was a sign of good fortune. When I signed up for this race, I dreamed of a sweet PR and earning a spot on the podium. The elevation gain was minimal and it was a small race....A girl can be optimistic! With my injuries, those ambitious goals became doubtful BUT I still held onto a small sliver of hope.

I could not sleep the night before the race....Honestly, this was due to concern over my dog rather than nerves about the race. We've never traveled without Yoshimi and I was legitimately worried his feelings....Yes, I'm one of those people.

This was the first race that I've ever taken pain killers prior to. I'm a firm believer in listening to your body.....you cannot act accordingly if drugs interfere with the messages that your body wants to send.

Arriving at the start line, I was scared....I had no idea how the day would plan out. Not to mention, I was committing a cardinal race sin....I was wearing brand new shoes the day of a race....And these weren't even shoes that I was familiar with (brand or model).

The first fifteen miles flew by in a blur. 25k participants started at the same time as the 50k; this made it difficult to know how I was faring compared to others. When I approached the halfway aid station (which doubled as the finish for the 25k), I made the TERRIBLE mistake of asking what female place I was in. They responded that I was in second place, I was shocked. Unfortunately, this caused me to push WAY too hard for the next 10 miles.  Around mile 25, I watched the two women that I was running with slowly slip away along with any hope of attaining podium glory. By mile 28, I was walking more than running. Two other women passed me...looking much fresher than I felt. Those last three miles took FOREVER.

I finished in 5 hours 34 minutes....A 33 minute trail 50k PR....Good enough to earn 6th place overall female  and 2nd in my age division. I'm proud of these statistics being that I had just raced a challenging 50k three weeks prior AND was injured.

I'm really anxious to return to this race next year. Because it's less than two hours from home, I'm assuming it will become an annual event. My main complaint / disappointment about this race was that the aid stations did not have soda. The website did not list aid station specifics - what they would have or where they would be. I just assumed that most ultras have soda.....Coke has been my savior during the later stages of the race more times than I can count. I called Jeff after the final aid station and just yelled, "COKE!!! COKE!!! COKE!!!" I was fueled by 40 ounces of Tailwind alone.

My recovery week SUCKED. Here's a valuable lesson: do not race injured. And if you do, just enjoy the event and go sloooowwww. I'm not only still dealing with heel pain but now I have a minor calf strain. I'm a firm believer in active recovery. There have been races where I'm on my stationary bike a few hours within finishing in order to loosen up sore muscles. 48 hours is the longest post-race time that I've gone without running.  This time around, I could barely walk without a limp even 72 hours later. Here's how things have played out....

M: Bike 14 miles
T: Walk 3.5 miles // Bike 12 miles /// Run 1 mile (with walk breaks every other block - this one hurt)
W: Run 2.5 miles (with significant walk breaks) /// Walk 3 miles /// Bike 30 minutes
Th: Walk 2 miles // Bike 55 minutes
F: Run 4 miles in the morning (only one walk break!) /// Run 2 miles after work (walking every other block)
S: Run 6 miles (no pain and no walking - almost normal pace) // Bike 30 minutes + light strength training
Sun: Run 8.5 miles (Only minor discomfort but about one minute slower pace than usual) /// 4 mile mellow hike

I was able to run this morning but it wasn't what I would describe as pleasant. Seems like I'm in a two steps forward, one step back situation. At least I'm making progress slowly. I'm three weeks out from the Sun Mountain 50 miler. I plan to just run VERY cautiously for the next week and then decide whether my taper will actually be a running break.

Badger Mountain Challenge 50k

What an intense race! Finishing this 50k left me with this enormous sense of accomplishment. Let's back up a little....

Jeff and I arrived in the Tri-Cities (Eastern Washington) the day prior to the race. I spent the entire drive feeling anxious about the fact that I could sense an oncoming cold (the one that our son had been battling all week). The night before, I began getting a super sore throat and then felt super weak on my shakeout run.

After we checked into our hotel, I wanted to check out the course. For those traveling to races....ALWAYS do this. Obviously, you don't have to run the entire thing but this will give you a rough idea of what to expect. Also, it's fairly important to know exactly where the starting line will be and how long it will take you to get there. I'm not a morning person and there is no way that I'm getting up a minute earlier than I have to.....and I'm not a huge fan of standing around waiting for the race to start. Races don't start early.....what's the point of being there an hour ahead of time? I'd rather have the nervous poops in the comfort of a real bathroom, thank you very much.

The only thing that unnerved me was the heat. The Tri-Cities is a desert....there is NO tree protection. The race website states, "This region is unique in that there are very few native trees so a person can see for miles in all directions." The temperatures were in the high 70's, which can be brutal without any shade especially when you're coming from North Idaho during a time of year when 50's feel downright tropical.

Pictures below were taken by the race photographer of the course....

That night was super low-key. We ordered sushi and chilled out in the hotel. Sleep was elusive - I was a bundle of nerves. Honestly, I felt like shit the morning of the race. Moving felt like torture. I had my typical race breakfast - two chocolate poptarts sandwiched together with almond butter coupled with Amino Energy. I should mention that the weather took a complete 360 overnight. I woke up to a series of weather alerts....wind advisories warning of 22 mph wind with 50 mph gusts. I cannot express how excited that I was (not).

We started the race with a long climb....perfect for warming up! I came within inches of being hit with a flying tumbleweed .... one of the many that almost brought about my demise. I remember looking to the person running next to me and saying, "Did that just happen?!?" They just laughed.

I'm not one for writing out play-by-play recaps....and I doubt that anyone wants to read one. I'll just give the highlights...

The course was an out-and-back that consisted of running up (and down) three mountains....and then doing the same in reverse.

Elevation Profile via Garmin

The wind was INSANE. A good portion of this race was on exposed ridges and I won't lie....it could be downright terrifying. At times, it was so bad that I couldn't run. I was being blown all over the place. Running in a straight line was not possible. I lectured the wind repeatedly - "You will not blow me off this mountain! I will not die today! You can not defeat me!"

I got caught in what I would refer to as a dust / sand cyclone that lasted for at least two miles. Running in a dust storm is not what I would call pleasant. You would have to alternate running forwards and backwards just to get a break.

The weather was just so fickle that you had to laugh about it. I've found that laughing in the face of a challenge makes it easier to conquer. There was absolutely no portion of this race where I was not confident about a finish. I felt amazing the entire time....Well, as amazing as one can feel running a 50k. 

I carried a 20 oz bottle with a concentrated Tailwind mixture (2.5 scoops)....I refilled the bottle once. In total, I consumed maybe 500 calories of that? Other than that, I drank Coke at two aid stations + plenty of pure water (at least one cup per station).

Physically, I began to suffer once I reached 27 miles but I wasn't miserable. I was able to sprint (somewhat) to the finish.

4th Female 6:02

I want to thank my husband who woke up with me at the ass crack of dawn to escort me to the start line. He brought Yoshimi to the 1/2 way aid station in order to offer moral support (and allow me to receive plentiful puppy smooches)....He even kissed my sweaty, dirty mug! He then waited hours at the finish line, clapping like a drunken monkey when I descended the mountain. Now, he's helping me through recovery which includes being my voice of reason when I'm tempted to push my tired body too far + rushing out to fulfill recovery cravings (very similar to pregnancy cravings). 

This race was adventure that I won't soon forget. I had an absolute blast and had a chance to converse with some wonderful individuals along the course. I'm nursing a sore ankle but back up and running (slowly).  I did end up getting sick but I'm on the mend. Spokane River Run 50k in 18 days! 

March Mileage Total: 268
YTD Mileage: 744

Lord Hill Recap

Sorry that I've been a bit out of touch. The weather has been unseasonably warm....50's in February?!? 60's in March?!? I've been out hiking + biking + running to my heart's content soaking up every minute that I can. This weekend I'm venturing out to the Tricities (Richland) for the Badger Mountain Challenge 50k. What better time to put the final touches on my last recap than when I have a major case of the taper crazies?

A couple weeks ago, we took a short vacation to the Seattle area for a trail race that I figured would be excellent training for Badger.  Because this would be 100% about training, I had no expectations other than to have an amazing (fun) day on some new trails. I knew this would be a tough race - the 50k (which I had initially signed up for) boasted over 5000' elevation gain. After reading through a couple race recaps, I knew that the first couple miles were mostly uphill and that conditions would be muddy.

The day prior to the race, we decided to check out the course to get an idea of what we were in for. My husband had signed up for the 10 miler that he planned on hiking with our dog. After scoping out the course, he said to me, "I am going to be sore but you'll be immobilized." The trail was muddier than expected and everywhere you turned, there was a decent incline. In the short two mile shakeout run that I did, I managed to climb up four hills and splash mud clear up to my crotch.

I wont bore you with my entire routine so I'll just give you the brief synopsis of race day....

The race was in Lord Hill Regional Park. The trails are beautiful....a glorious place to run! This was a looped event. It was a ten mile loop, each loop gaining roughly 1700' feet. I lost about 15 minutes on the first 10 mile loop due to a couple gear malfunctions. It was freezing at the start so I made the decision to keep my sweatshirt on....this was immediately regretted as we began climbing a mountain within the first mile. During the second major climb, I attempted to remove the extra layer while walking but that proved too challenging given that I had my hydration pack on. I had to pull aside to get situated. Because of all the climbing, the first three miles took much longer than "normal"....I figured I should sip on some of the Tailwind in my hydration pack....and then was horrified when no fluid was coming out of the nozzle. I decided to pull aside again to fix that.

Following the first loop, I was warmed up and getting in my groove. However, I began feeling some hamstring tightness as I started the steepest ascent of the second loop. The tightness bordered on pain. As I continued to climb and descend, it worsened. I started having to walk long sections. I made the cautious decision to stop at 20 miles (distance transfers were allowed). I was bummed because I didn't feel physically spent. I had so much left in me....I know that I could have finished another loop. There is no doubt in my mind. It would not have been the fastest 10 miles that I've ever banged out but still.... I just didn't want to risk injury when I have so much on the agenda. Lord Hill was a spontaneous addition to my schedule. On the other hand, Badger Mountain is a "goal race" and I need to arrive there in fighting shape.

After I finished the 20 miles, I hiked the course in reverse to find Jeff. After about 1.5 miles, we connected and I walked with him until he finished.

We arrived home last night after a six hour adventure, exhausted and sore. I hopped on the bike trainer for an easy 10 mile pedal to loosen up some lingering muscle stiffness. This morning, I went on a seven mile run and felt great....I wanted to keep running but you know, work.... In retrospect, I was probably too cautious in this race. I'll be honest, I still battle with the decision that I made. More than likely, I just was a bit under-trained for the steep climbs and that was why the good ol' hamstrings rebelled. I could have fought through the discomfort and been fine. On a positive note....I won my age division! This comes as a bit of a shock given that I felt that I was going slooooowwww. I wonder what I could have accomplished had I pushed harder!

Pullman Winter Ultra 50k Recap

I am now an official "ultra runner". It's hard to believe that I ran over 31 miles....until I have to move and then it's a painful reality. In all honesty....I did not train sufficiently for this distance. I have not ran over 20 miles in 2 months (since my last marathon in early October). While I have been running more than ever before, the long runs have been insufficient.

This was an unsupported "Fat Ass" event....that means there were no aid stations, road closures or volunteers. I felt this would be an amazing training experience. The course was one 7.75 mile loop that was ran four times in order to reach 50k.

We arrived in Pullman (three hours from home) around 6 PM on the night before the race. Something about these short drives exhaust me. After a couple beers, we ended up inhaling sushi takeout in the hotel and calling it an early night.

Breakfast before the run consisted of two chocolate poptarts sandwiched together with almond butter. One might question this choice but I swear it's the best race fuel. Additionally, I had 3 scoops of Amino Energy mixed with 10 - 12 ounces of water.

Ready....I think

When we arrived at the starting point, the RD warned us that it was slick. Thanks to freezing fog, everything was coated in a thin layer of black ice. Yes....I could have worn any of the traction devices that I have BUT the amount of ice was not enough to really dig into. I knew that the temperatures were going to rise enough for the ice to melt. While ice spikes would have prevented a fall, they would have been extremely painful to wear on bare pavement.

Starting was almost comical. Running was impossible. Everyone was taking these baby steps and sliding all over the place. Any hope of reaching a certain time vanished. The course was a paved running loop that went around town. Some sections had a narrow grass shoulder that I ran on whenever possible in order to avoid the ice. When there was the option of running on the road, I took that because there was gravel to provide traction. Each loop had an elevation gain of approximately 400 feet. On a normal day, that would be insignificant. However....ice makes hills quite terrifying! I called the first loop my dance with death. The extra work of stabilizing myself on ice definitely caused additional muscle fatigue. It seems like you're working twice as hard for each slow mile.

Jeff was there at the end of the second loop. He had all my provisions including chocolate and soda. Running long distances has taught me that whatever causes a nutritionist to grimace will be your best friend. I tried pouring soda into a small bottle to sip on for the third loop. That was a stupid idea! About 1/4 mile into the third loop, the bottle exploded and I was covered in sticky brown liquid. I was in good spirits and finally able to run on the path with full confidence. The final two miles of the third loop was when I started to hurt.

I fully intended for Yoshi to run the fourth loop with me. I knew that he would have a blast and I figured that he would provide comfort (companionship) when I needed it the most. However...he became an unwelcome distraction. Things that normally don't bug me (like him wanting to meet other dogs) were driving me insane and causing me to snap at him. About two miles in to that loop, I looked up and saw Jeff standing at an intersection. He was there to cheer me on. He walked with me for about 1/2 mile and I told him that I couldn't take Yoshi any further. He was there when I hit the marathon distance. I began to cry because I could not fathom five more miles. He encouraged me and told me just to walk when I had to but run when I could. I ran (hobbled) away from him with a determination that I was going to finish. I walked about 40 percent of that final loop. It's now become a blur. I know those final miles felt like they took forever. I watched recreational runners jaunt past me and resented how fresh that they looked. I wanted to yell at them. I wanted to tell them how far that I had gone. I wanted to justify my turtle pace and the pained look on my face. I wanted them to know that I wasn't some out-of-shape couch potato.

Back at the hotel, I immediately hopped in a hot bath and demanded that Jeff bring me a PBR. My recovery meal was a plate of Carne Asada + two GIANT strong margaritas. I'm super proud of this accomplishment and excited for my next 50k, which promises to be MUCH harder given that it's a trail race with an overall elevation gain of 5200 feet.


*I forgot to mention that only five people finished the 50k - all within forty minutes of each other. I was the only female (that means I won my gender division haha). I was technically last but I am not phased too much by this being that the final three of us finished within five minutes of each other.

2014

I'm sorry for the brief hiatus.....this runner has been dealing with a serious case of the winter blues. I spent last week feeling on the brink of death and now our world is covered in a solid sheet of ice. But enough whining....

2014 has come to a close....I ran close to 1900 miles this year....this could explain why my husband grimaces when I ask him to do anything with my feet. I'm super proud of this number being that I just started running in August of 2013.

There is NO DOUBT that 2015 is going to be an amazing year (well...unless something catastrophic happens along the lines of a nationwide burrito ban).

So what happened this year? Here are some of my favorite moments.

I  tackled  my first road race where I was whooped / inspired by this woman

After restricting myself to road races / runs, I signed up for a trail 25k w/ over 3000' elevation gain.....I conquered a mountain...the hardest race of the year based on my level of inexperience 

I completed my first marathon (trail) - this was a feat that I never imagined that I could accomplish. 

Three weeks later, I completed another (harder) marathon and knocked 30 minutes off my time! 

I got this pup.... 

And he's the best running friend that one could ever wish for. 

On that note, I started a running group that allowed me to cross paths with some amazing individuals who have become close friends (not pictured but I swear they are real). 

I have decided not to set goals this year. I'm a super goal oriented person....and in theory, that sounds spectacular. In reality....it makes me miserable. I'm always setting these crazy ambitious goals and then beating myself up when I cannot reach them. Obviously, I still must be disciplined....I spent hours piecing together a training plan that I plan on following religiously (even if that often means running LESS). 

Do you have any 2015 goals? How do you feel about 2014 - anything that you're particularly proud of? 

Happy New Year, Friends! 

December Goals

Well....I didn't reach all the ambitious goals that I had set for last month. The biggest disappointment is that I did not complete an ultra distance training run. Initially, it was planned for the day after Thanksgiving (carb load heaven). Well... delighting in a feast that required no less than 12 sticks of butter to create did not bode well with my sensitive stomach. After thirteen miles of stomach cramps, I called it quits. I made the decision that a second attempt would occur on Sunday - enough time for a short detox and some recovery. Instead of mapping out one long route, I figured that loops would be the safest bet. Home would serve as the aid station and the loops would be short enough that I could complete them with just a handheld water bottle. When Sunday came, I was determined and confident. The first ten mile loop was tackled with a friend. I was feeling strong at the end of that loop. I drank several ounces of Tailwind and set back out in the frigid weather with no doubt that I'd be reaching my goal. One thing that I want to make clear....I am not a fair weather runner. I will run in ALL weather conditions. However...running in the cold can be painful (for me). My muscles tend to ache and stiffen up when the temperature drops below freezing. About four miles into my second loop, the cold hit me and hard. The temperature was in the low 20's with winds gusting around 10 - 12 mph. I realized that I did not take in enough calories and began crashing. By mile 6, I was having to walk long stretches....this caused my body temperature to plummet. I quickly decided that I was going to have to finish my run on the treadmill. I knew the transition would have to be quick. Upon arriving home, I sucked down a glass of Coke and more Tailwind. My husband then rushed to help remove my clothes (which had actually frozen together). I started to shake violently. When I stepped on the treadmill, I was told to start running ASAP. I tried to run. I tried to walk. My legs threatened to buckle underneath me. I was shaking so hard that I was having to hold onto the sides of the machine. And I knew....it wasn't going to happen. Immediately, I jumped into a hot bath and sulked.

What could I have done differently? I'm positive that I should have taken in more calories between loops. I'm estimating that I ingested 100 calories for the three hours that I was running - that is not enough. I believe that I crashed due to inadequate nutrition and because I started walking, this allowed the frigid temperatures to take their toll.

The positive news? I did meet the monthly mileage goal of 250!!!! Actually, I exceeded the goal by 2 miles. Averaging out the total, I ran 8.5 miles / day.

What's the plan for December?

1.) Run 279 miles (Average 9 miles / day)
2.) COMPLETE an ultra distance run. At this point, I don't care if it's barely 27 miles....I need to do this
3.) Cross train 45 minutes 2x's a week
4.) Drink LESS beer + continue the process of cleaning up nutrition

Thankful

Happy Belated Stuff Yo' Piehole (AKA Turkey) Day!!! 

I sincerely hope that everyone had an amazing holiday. I have a million reasons to be thankful. Seriously...life is such an amazing adventure. But I want to dedicate this post to someone that has impacted my world so profoundly....someone that has supported me unconditionally....someone that has made me a much better version of myself...someone that is the best friend that I've ever had.

Cue the vomiting.

Seriously though.... my husband is the raddest fella in the planet. I cannot express how grateful that I am that he's stuck with me. Marriage is no walk in the park. Change is inevitable - we all grow into different versions of ourselves. It can be a harsh reality to come to terms with - your spouse will never be the person that you fell in love with. This becomes more apparent with the passage of time. There are going to be life events that will change your entire mindset (like being a parent). You may stumble upon passions that could alter the course of your entire life. Marriage is a constant reconciliation of who we were then and who we are now. The "honeymoon" will end and intimacy will take on a whole new meaning.

Life is a constant rollercoaster. There will be exhilarating highs and depressing lows. I cannot imagine being on this ride with any other person. I cannot imagine another individual being more perfectly suited to deal with my eccentricities. When it comes to running, I cannot fathom a more supportive partner and better "crew member". Jeff has never complained about this passion that has engulfed me....and by extension, him.

Jeffrey - I love you more this day than ever before. I never felt lucky until the day that I met you.