Pooping in the Woods.... (Trail Rail Run 50 Race Recap)

I would speculate that I sign up for more races than the average runner. My irrational fear of wildlife limits my willingness to spend time on trails alone.....Yes, this is embarrassing for a native Idahoan to admit. Trail races give me the chance to have valuable training experiences in a supported environment while providing the comfort associated with an organized event. Generally, I have only a couple races each year that I'm particularly stoked about and/or that I consider a "goal race"...The Trail Rail 50 happened to be one of those races.

One week prior to this event, I ran the second trail 1/2 marathon in a local State Park Series....it served as a wonderful confidence builder. I felt AMAZING the entire time....and not just physically but mentally. In spite of stomach cramping from mile 8 - 10 that slowed me down, I maintained a positive attitude and felt strong. As we crossed the finish line, I joked to the runner next to me, "We should do another loop!" He responded with a grunt, "Beer." While I totally understood his sentiment, I seriously would have done another loop had I not abandoned Jeff with an impatient Colton for over two hours.

Leading up to the race, I decided that I would not taper dramatically. I've noticed that I'm MUCH stronger on race day with a shorter taper....I continued to run each day but eliminated doubles and reduced distance.

M: 10 miles *only double day
T: 6.5 miles
W: 4 miles
Th: 6 miles
F: 3 miles
S: RACE DAY

The stomach cramps that plagued me during my half continued to be an annoyance throughout race week. Because they didn't interfere with running, I just wrote them off as race-related nerves / stress. 48 hours prior to the race, I noticed that I was losing weight and started becoming concerned but focused on keeping optimistic.

The morning of the race, I had to wake up at 3 AM in order to catch a shuttle from our hotel to the start line; this is the earliest that I've ever woken up for a race (or anything)....Even my digestive system knew that I should be sleeping and failed to function. I crammed down my usual breakfast and took my caffeine with me on the shuttle. About ten minutes before arriving at the start, I started feeling that familiar feeling....I needed a bathroom ASAP.... Of course, the bus driver got lost which created quite the internal panic as things became more urgent. Then the worst possible thing happened....As soon as we arrived, I realized the RD failed to order port-a-potties....there was ONE pit toilet for all the 50 mile racers and I was smack dab in the middle of the line. If you're in the dark about this fact, let me shine some light....every runner poops before a race (or at least desperately tries). A pre-race bathroom line moves slowly because everyone is attempting to pinch one off. My stomach was SCREAMING....Suddenly, I knew that I had to do something.... Before I knew it, I was rushing off into the forest and pulling down my pants.  The text message that I sent to my husband, "I just pooped in the woods. I'm not sure whether to be proud or mortified." And that was the moment that I finally became a true ultra runner.

I wrote this long-winded, detailed recap BUT ain't no one got time for that...

The highlight of this race was absolutely the course....What a breath-taking adventure! It was a point-to-point journey from Idaho (Mullan) to Montana (Saint Regis) utilizing old rail trails. I can see this being an excellent first ultra marathon. You're surrounded by nature without having to battle technical terrain. Aside from the gentle 1000' climb that occurs over the first eight miles, there's an overall downhill trend. A well-trained beast could easily run the entire 50 miles. Aid stations were plentiful - the longest stretch between was 8 miles (AS #1). After that, they were no further than 6 miles apart. I was able to run with a single 20 oz handheld.

My stomach DID NOT grant me any favors. I would approximate that I spent a good 1/2 hour utilizing the bathrooms along the course. I battled horrendous stomach cramping that I can only liken
to labor contractions one might feel when birthing the spawn of Satan. During the last 10 miles, I was overwhelmed with nausea unlike anything ever experienced in a race before....I was gagging with each sip of Tailwind. At mile 46, I vomited up hours of precious calories on the side of the trail....Already depleted from having explosive diarrhea, I was now literally running on empty. For a minute, I was scared....Was it safe to continue? Should I just lay down and wait for someone to come along? I decided just to walk the final five miles....it took forever....I wanted to scream....I cursed repeatedly.... I continued until I passed through that glorious finish line....Where I proceeded to immediately curl up in a ball and thank the universe that I no longer had to move.

So where were the positives?

1.) I ran 50 miles with a stomach virus....That makes me pretty bad ass.... or insane....

2.) Jeff reminded me how AMAZING of a husband (and person) that he is. A man who spends their birthday weekend shuffling from AS to AS in order to support and encourage their partner.... Well, that's a mighty, mighty good man.

MINE! 

3.) I learned that when you hit a mental low, turning on really horrendous 90's pop and serenading the bears helps immensely (Thank you Beyonce)

4.) I have the ability to run through tunnels without a headlamp WITHOUT falling on my face

5.) I PR'd in the 50k distance (5:15) AND the 50 mile distance (10:43)

6.) I figured out a walk / run interval that works when I'm physically struggling

7.) Again....I RAN 50 MILES (actually 51) WITH A STOMACH VIRUS.

The Riverside 24 Disaster

Early May, I spontaneously registered for one of those 24 hour races.....And it was the stupidest registration decision that I've ever made. While there was never an intention of running for 24 hours straight, I had ambitious (insane / stupid / delusional) hopes that I could throw down ten loops (six miles each)....Keep in mind, I just ran a 50 mile mountain race....

As the event neared, I was aware my endurance had not been restored....Even short runs were leaving me feeling on the brink of death....I'm sure that my suffering made me a joy to run with (Sorry Katie). I lowered my expectations...I figured I could feel pride about finishing five loops (50k). Furthermore, I'm super cheap so I wanted to justify the registration fee somewhat.

One super rad thing about (most) 24 hour events is that there is virtually no pressure....You can run what you want and how fast you want. I wanted to prepare like the Running Gods would be in my favor....You never know how a race is going to go down. If I was having a rare day where running felt effortless, I was going to go with that for as long as humanely possible.....or until my husband knocked me out (he was super concerned about pushing my body too far).

We packed a cooler full of the typical ultra yummies....Brownies, Soda, Chips, Candy, Sandwiches....We booked a hotel about ten minutes from the race venue so that Jeff (and the hooligans) would have somewhere nearby to chill out while I was torturing myself.

From the moment that we woke up on race day, I was overwhelmed. Children complaining and arguing for 70 miles in a car = STRESS.  I'll be real with you....Sometimes being a parent sucks. This was one of those days.  Even before the race started, my stomach was in knots that resulted in terrible cramps....and not the empty promise kind....

The adrenalin of the race beginning helped my stomach temporarily. The first loop went really smooth - I was the first female to finish, which was an ego boost. Because the race started at 11 AM, it was already HOT. I'd rather run 100 miles in the Arctic than 10 miles in the Sahara Desert.....and that is for real.

Winter running is the best....

Now this is where things get a bit.....embarrassing / deflating..... About 2 miles into the second loop, I couldn't run anymore. My stomach cramps came back with a vengeance. My legs felt like lead. I was feeling dizzy. My heart rate was out of control. I began a shuffle that was similar to what one might witness in the later stages of a long distance race. People were zooming by me, casting sympathetic glances in my direction and offering encouraging words that makes a suffering individual want to violently punch one in the face.

I knew that my day was done.

I had promised that I would run a loop with my oldest son...I knew hours into the race, I would be hobbling along at a pace that he could easily manage....I just didn't know that would happen 12 miles in. After chugging an ice cold Coke, we set out on what would be my final loop. The real victory of the day was that he conquered six miles....longer than he'd ever ran / hiked before....He's going into track next year and this was a great experience for him. Over the course of the summer, I'll be working with him on going through the Couch to 5k program in order to build up his endurance.

Band. Track. Math Club.
So proud of this dude. 

Four days out from that disaster....I can now feel my endurance coming back. I'm running double digit mileage again comfortably. I'm even running long distances at the end of the workday, which I tend to avoid. My next major race is three weeks from now....I'll be running the Trail Rail 50....I will be running from Idaho to Montana and I am EXCITED.

On a side note.....

I took my first running tumble. I'm surprised that I made it this long with how insanely clumsy that I am. Oddly, it wasn't even on a trail where one might expect....it was a road loop that I've ran so many times that I could navigate it with my eyes closed. My foot caught a loose rock as I was coming around the corner....and before I knew it, my face was colliding with the pavement (literally). I was 1/2 mile from home...The old me definitely would have called it a day, returning home in order to nurse my battle wounds and bruised ego....The new me squirted the gravel out of my bloody road rash and soldiered on. Proudest running moment of 2015.

Sun Mountain 50 Recap

My morning started just like every other race day....

I consumed my insanely healthy + delicious breakfast of two chocolate toaster pastries sandwiched together with almond butter while still laying under the blankets....After ensuring the bed was adequately covered in crumbs, I jumped straight for the caffeine (Amino Energy).

When I began racing last year, I was a frantic mess up until the point that I started running. Something has changed....I have enough races under my belt to realize that come race day, the outcome will be what it will be....stressing doesn't help matters much. My stomach is grateful that I am now flooded with a bizarre calmness before the running storm.

Hanging with Yoshimi moments before the start

Prior to the start, I lined up in the middle of the pack. I didn't want adrenalin pushing me to hold the pace of the frontrunners. On mental repeat was the saying, "If you feel like you are going slow, go slower..." This is a really common piece of advice for beginning ultra runners. A sustainable pace is absolutely critical for a strong finish....or perhaps finishing at all.

Aid Station #1 (6 miles)

The first handful of miles went by in a blur. Other than a slight incline here or there...the running was easy....perfect for warming up and finding a groove. I topped off the handheld with water then zoomed out of the station.

Aid Station #2 (14 miles)

The temperatures began to rise and the climbs became more frequent. Pace began to slow but I was still in terrific spirits (as demonstrated in the goofy photo below....and no, I have NO idea what the hell is up with my thigh).

At this aid station, I refilled my handheld and sucked down a few small cups of soda.

Aid Station #3 (20 miles)

Our first steep climb greeted us upon leaving the second aid station. Just when you'd think that you were almost at the top....it would switchback...Boom! More incline! This became the theme of the day. I should be thankful that brutal ascents were matched with glorious descents. However, the climbing meant that fatigued legs could only push so fast on the flats.I began integrating short intervals of walking.

I was almost bummed to have arrived at the third aid station thirty minutes ahead of the earliest expected time....This meant that Jeff had not arrived.

I refilled my handheld with water, adding in 200 calories of Tailwind. I inhaled like five slices of Watermelon + another few cups of soda.

Aid Station #4 (27 miles)

The heat REALLY began taking it's toll on me. We were running on farming / ranching land; there was significant exposure to the sun, which you could feel pounding down upon you. I was sucking down fluids FAST. I fixated upon rationing what I had. I slowed down to what felt like a crawl. I walked A LOT....I hated that I was walking so much....Beginning at mile 14, I began battling with nausea that continued to haunt me....Climbs made me want to vomit....and there was no shortage of climbs! Mentally, I was losing a battle.....

I was so relieved to see Jeff when I reached the station. The exchange was rather limited....At this point, I was talking in one word sentences. Simply seeing him and hearing his words of encouragement brightened my mood. It was time to throw on the hydration pack for extra fluids. He helped me pour another 200 calorie bag of Tailwind into my handheld. Now, I also had two 10oz bottles of pure water. From the aid station, I ate a handful of grapes (oh my god so delicious) and drank like five cups of soda.....On a quick side note, why are the cups so freaking small?!? We are talking shot glass size (maybe smaller than that even). 

Aid Station #5 (36 Miles)

Under normal circumstances, this was an easy section....mostly downhill, not technical....There comes a point in an ultra event where downhills begin to hurt. My problematic knee throbbed and I could feel the blisters forming on my feet. Now in uncharted mileage territory....muscles were rebelling, tightening up and cramping. I was moving slow enough to have conversations with those around me.

This aid station would be my last opportunity to pull from the race....I wouldn't see Jeff again and I wasn't carrying my phone. It would be a lie to say that I didn't seriously consider it. I reverted back to a race strategy that I use during marathons. Don't count miles, count aid stations. I just had to make it through ONE more and then I was home free. Even walking, I could make the finishing cut-off. 

Poor Jeff had to help me change my shoes.....I wasn't going to risk sitting down so I had to lean on him while he guided my swollen, rotten feet into the new kicks.

When I left the aid station, I put together my first coherent sentence in hours...."I'll see you at the finish." And with a renewed sense of confidence, I meant it....

Homeward Bound

Just when you think that it couldn't possibly get worse.....
The two steepest climbs were in the final 15 miles.
Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.
I couldn't listen to music anymore. I was functioning on a basic level.
Move forward. Move forward. Just keep moving.

After the final aid station (mile 44), there was a three mile ascent. Yes...THREE MILES! It was a complete sufferfest. I am SO glad that hiking was an integral part in my training. Dudes that looked in WAY better shape (physically) than me were having to step off the trail in order to regain composure....and I never saw them again. If a steep ascent at the end of a 50 mile race isn't enough torture....there was a barbed wire fence that runners had to climb over via ladder. Navigating a ladder when you have 45 miles on your legs...it's hilarious in a cruel joke way.

I would have been thrilled to reach the top of the final ascent IF I didn't know that I would have to turn around and run back down in order to reach the finish.

Something ignited within me as I began descending. At first, I was barely hobbling down...but then I was suddenly running again....and quickly!

The Final Descent 

My husband's first words to me were...."You did it!"
I think he was just as shocked as I was.
Hell...I'm still shocked.
Did it really happen?!?

 

Sun Mountain 50 (Countdown)

This post is a disaster....please stick with me....I started writing this BEFORE the Sun Mountain 50.
This is part one of a rather long recap....

Countdown

I'm a ball of nervous, frantic energy.....In 48 hours, I will be almost six hours into the Sun Mountain 50 miler. I'm hoping that I'll be hitting the 50k mark and still in relatively decent spirits.

I'm learning that A LOT of preparation goes into a race this long.

This is the first race that I've ever been remotely concerned about making the aid station cut-off times. I've poured over the elevation map in order to estimate timeframes in which I'll roll into the stations. Pacing is going to be REALLY hard....I have to be really conscious of sticking to a sustainable pace while simultaneously ensuring that I'm not having to sprint in order to make the cut-off. Sprinting (for me) is the discomfort equivalent of being repeatedly kicked in your girl parts. The bearded partner expects to touch bases along the course in order to provide moral support (SMOOCHIES). Yes, I have a goal for the finishing time of this race but I NEVER share until after the race.

Sun Mountain 50 Elevation Map (Provided by Rainshadow Running)

I've never prepared a drop bag before. I'll admit that I consulted my friend Google for advice. I'll have drop bags at the final three aid stations. I'm not 100% sure that I will need them. The aid stations WILL have Coke (favorite ultra fuel). Up until this point, I have been able to rely upon Tailwind with occasional sips of Coke. However, I know that I've had a problem taking in enough calories. I want to make sure that I have treats that I love....Maybe this will encourage adequate fueling.

Drop Bags will include:

Swedish Fish
Strawberry Yogurt-Covered Pretzels
Skittles
Peach Rings
Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Cookies
Red Bull (8oz can)
Pepto Bismol Tablets

I plan on having a change of shoes placed in the drop bag at mile 36. Again, I'm not sure that I'll want to take the time and change shoes.....I'm afraid that once I sit down, I won't want to keep going.... But it might feel REALLY nice to put on a fresh pair of kicks.

In order to relieve nerves AND indulge in some needed carbs after a long day of stressing at the office, Jeff and I took a leisurely stroll downtown with our pups.....

My favorite running AND drinking partner 

Per usual, I did a shakeout run the morning prior to beginning our road adventure (3.5 miles)...I was super stoked that I felt fresher than I had in a LONG time - two weeks of light running does wonder to repair the aches and pains that have been plaguing you. 

We arrived in Winthrop around 3 PM.....Winthrop is a Western-themed town tucked away in rural Washington. After checking into the hotel, we drove to the trail head where the race would start. Yet again, I am SO glad that we scoped the situation out ahead of time. The race e-mail warned that mosquitoes were out....but nothing could prepare us for what exactly that meant. They were out in thick swarms. In general, I avoid spraying myself down with chemicals. I'd rather take the risks that come from a few mosquito bites BUT....10+ hours in a mosquito-laden environment? That requires some sort of protection. 

I was quite surprised that Winthrop didn't seem exactly dog-friendly. While walking Yoshimi downtown, an abundant amount of glares / grimaces were aimed in our direction....How can one not love that dog pictured above? We ended up ordering some takeout from a Mexican restaurant and calling it an early night.

Before I knew it, the alarm was screaming at me.......... 

Farragut Trail 1/2 Marathon

This past weekend, I ran my first half of 2015! It was odd running this distance again.... I knew that I wanted to participate in this race because it's one of our favorite places to have family hikes - Farragut State Park in Athol. The course would loop around the entire park...I would get to see different trail sections that I've always wanted to explore.

Farragut State Park 2014 (BABY YOSHIMI!)

This race served as my final "long" training run for Sun Mountain. I had no expectations of racing....Honestly, I'm a bit out of shape to compete or even PR in any distance right now. After the Spokane River Run 50k, I've been focused on just maintaining fitness while allowing my body to recover.....oh and eating A LOT of tacos....

I was SUPER grateful for a 9 AM start because it's a 30 minute drive from our home to the park.  Not having to wake up any earlier than a normal workday was nice. I understand early start times for LONG distances and / or during the brutal months of summer BUT otherwise I just think it's cruel. Not all runners are morning people (that message is intended for sadistic RDs).

I really enjoyed this course....it had a little bit of every kind of trail and a good portion was ran alongside the water. The elevation gain was moderate and only a small section (less than 1 mile) could be considered "technical".

I made a couple mistakes in this race....The first mistake was that I didn't eat close enough to the starting time. I had my normal breakfast about two hours prior and I bonked embarrassingly early (about 8 miles in).  I need to ensure that I'm putting something in my system within 30 - 45 minutes prior. I'm not someone that can run (or function) without something in my stomach. I was too confident in my decision to run without a water bottle. The aid stations were placed at miles 2, 7 and 11.....I've ran without water for 10 miles - why would there be any problem? Well....heat is my kryptonite....Even though some might consider 70 degrees comfortable, I'm used to running in 40-50 degree weather. The sudden spike in temperature is always difficult for me to acclimate to. Once I become thirsty, my whole mental attitude shifts into the negative and this affects my pace dramatically. Nine miles in, I could not think about anything other than the next aid station and how badly I wanted something to drink. Unfortunately, the final aid station was over one mile later than advertised.....That didn't help matters....

I finished in 2:16....this is a pretty slow time for me. I should have been able to comfortably finish this race in 2 hours (it ended up being closer to 14 miles). I'm not too defeated though....I didn't expect to push hard (that would be stupid during taper) AND I learned some valuable lessons that will help me in future races.

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