seriously? my last post was october 10, 2011? what the hell have i been doing? oh, that's right ... wallowing in the world of self-pity that is injury. my first real injury ... not the kind where something hurts for a day or two and just wears itself away ... the kind that is so painful that it brings your running to a halt and just keeps dragging you down. i think i found the runner's hell.
go back to that last good race which was Oil Creek 100K in october. i had my usual foot burning and tiredness, but i was also experiencing heel pain ... which i chose to ignore and kept running until something else hurt more and took my mind off of it. shortly after that race i had to start taping my right foot to relieve the heel pain. it was annoying but nothing that i couldn't run through. and run i did. fast forward to the first weekend in november to the Stone Cat 50 Miler ... one of my most favorite races. it's a great 50 miler and it's just plain fun. i look forward to it every year. and this year they had REALLY awesome finisher's jackets. however, after 25 miles of trying to ignore that damn heel pain my foot just started to seize-up and i knew there was no way i could just "run through it" this time. i had to accept my first 50 mile DNF and it sucked. and i missed out on that awesome finisher's jacket, which should have been mine! i vowed to take a four week break from running and allow the foot to rest and heal.
fast forward four weeks after stone cat. i saw a sports MD (a friend and athlete himself) who unfortunately didn't tell me anything that i didn't already know. that is why i hate to go to the doctor. plantar fasciitis. ok, i had heard of it, but in my mind it seemed like such a simple little thing that was annoying but not debilitating and could easily be resolved. obviously ... what the hell did i know? i wanted to be fixed right then. well, that didn't happen so i hit the antiiflammatories, started wearing one of those awful bulky and immobilizing night splints, icing, rolling my foot on a golf ball ... you name all the traditional treatments for PF, i was trying them. and after four weeks of not running (and coming to hate my Concept II rower, which i am normally in love with), the foot was "not so bad", so i tried running.
OUCH! the pain continued. really? how long was this going to take to get better? i am not a patient person by nature and this was really taking too long. how could i possibly keep up with my normal eating habits if i couldn't run the food off? ok, the traditional methods for treating PF obviously were not working; time to try something new. i poured over anything i could find on the internet about treating PF and saw something about Active Release Therapy. and, lucky for me, we have someone in ithaca who knows how to do this. so after e-mailing and talking with local chiropractor Gerrit Van Loon, i got right on the phone and scheduled an appointment.
WOW ... all i can say is wow. after just one session i certainly was not cured, but i can say that i was already walking differently ... normally. and now after numerous treatments ... albeit painful and a serious workout, since i usually break-out into a sweat just lying there on the table (joe says to me during one treatment where i was lying there sweating and my eyes popping out of my head ... "tickles a bit, doesn't it?" tickle wasn't the word i was looking for) i can run again!
so where am i at?
1 - i can run again. not up to the mileage that i would like, but i was able to run 37.5 miles at the winter Beast of Burden last week (ok, i was supposed to run the 100 miler, but with the lack of training and still not fully recovered, 100 miles was not going to happen, so being able to run my longest run since november felt awesome ... but still made me cry because i wanted to do more!).
2 - i have had to switch back to running in my heavy brooks cascadias with a cushiony dr. shol's heel/arch support. at first i was very disappointed to not be running in my light weight minimal shoes but then i came to the conclusion ... i would rather be running in anything, as long as i am running! and i love my cascadias and plan to stick with them.
3 - i have started stretching and massaging before, during, and after running ... something i have never been very good about. i now realize the tightness in my right calf is directly related to my right foot issues. when my calf is loose and feeling good, so is my foot.
4 - i need to cut back on my long races and be realistic about my expectations. i was scheduled to run the 100 miler at the NJ Ultra Fest in march. i realized after BoB that there was no way that i could get in the proper training for 100 miles in march and i would not go into another 100 "just to see what i could do". so i downgraded to the 50 miler. 50 miles is fun and i feel like i can get in some good training runs for that distance at this point.
5 - injuries are expensive! i have spent a ridiculous amount of $$ on this damn PF! trying different splints, different shoe types (so many people told me "you need a shoe with good arch support" ... well, i tried those and the stiffness of those stability shoes just sent my right IT band crying and actually made the PF feel worse), to paying the chiropractor (which i WILL say was the best money i spent ... fixing the current problem and hopefully preventing future ones! thank you, Gerrit!).
6 - pavement sucks. i already knew this. trails rock! but this injury just confirms ... no matter how cushy my shoes are, pavement still hurts me.
7 - i love to be barefoot, but i am re-learning to love my birkenstock sandals. they have been a savior.
so that is where i am at. i am clawing my way out of injury hell. i am trying to re-create my running self. could this injury have actually been a good thing in disguise? it's hard for me to actually admit that it could be, but it really has made me realize some things about my running and correct things that i didn't know needed correcting, which i hope will keep me going longer and stronger. i am not totally cured yet and continue to do stupid things, like running a 10K on the pavement and suffering in the days following. but i will be back and i am so looking forward to training for this upcoming 50 miler. no matter how long the run takes me, i plan to enjoy and savor every moment that i am out on the trail!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, October 10, 2011
another 100K done ... Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs
ok, i have run only four 100k races. there have been the 100 mile race DNFs at mileage over the 100k mark, but that doesn't count. i'm talking actual 100k race distance. so i don't have a whole lot to go on when even beginning to imagine what kind of time i can run the 100k distance in. i just look at my first 100k (which i guess also really wasn't a 100k race ... it was the winter beast of burden 24 hour race) where i ran 63.75 miles in 17+ hours. then there was the green lakes endurance run where it took me 13:42 to cover the distance. and then there was the nj ultra fest 100k where i ran a PR of 12:22. and lastly was the vermont 100k this past summer where it took me 15:56. so many different races with different terrains and in different seasons, so i wasn't sure what to expect for the mountainous fall race at oil creek 100k. somehow i just pulled the idea out of my head that i would like to run under 15 hours; no real basis for choosing this time, just thought it sounded reasonable.
so on friday joe and i headed down to titusville, pa, for the race. it was a sunny and beautiful drive and we took a little detour through mansfield, pa, to visit friends tim and jackie. we arrived in titusville around 3pm and hooked up with friends karen and rob (rob preparing to run his 3rd 100 miler in 6 months!). we checked out a bit of the course markings and the EMS set-up, which was really impressive. they were totally prepared to take-on any emergencies!
dinner at a small italian eatery and then it was off to bed in the car-V. i'm getting pretty used to this camping thing before an ultra and it's quite relaxing, actually. no distractions. just get your stuff ready for the next day, lay it out in the front seat, and put yourself to bed. this time i filled my hydration pack the night before the race so i wouldn't have to fart around with it in the dark on race morning (lesson learned at VCU!). we camped in the parking lot of the titusville middle school (aka, race HQ). nice to have real indoor bathrooms to access!
it was a cool night, 56 degrees was on the thermometer at the school. i slept quite well and got up in time to chat with some friends who were running the 100 miler and see them off at 5am.
6am ... start of the 100k. i wore my "team T.U.R.D.s" racing singlet and arm warmers. it was a bit chilly - 40-something at the start, i think - but i knew it would warm-up eventually and i knew that i would warm-up quite quickly once the climbing in the woods started.
7:35am-ish ... aid station #1. didn't really need anything; i had been religiously eating my perpetuem solids and drinking water and felt pretty-well fuelled. i ate a cookie and a pb&j sandwich and started walking.
9:11am ... aid station #2, the only station where crew members could meet you. it was so good to see joe and karen and our friend jeff was also there waiting for his runner, mary, so it was a nice little reunion. all three of them tended to me, helping me refill my water pack and feeding me. peaches and rice baby food and dr. pepper tasted really good for breakfast! the trail had a lot of big climbs and descents, mixed with lots of switchbacks, and it really kept me alert (mostly because you had to be to keep from falling!). it was an absolutely beautiful course and the markings were, so far, outstanding! i had been feeling something funky on the bottom of my left foot, which i had experienced at VCU 2 weeks before. i had checked it then and there was nothing there then, but i thought i better check it out today anyway and if it was actually something this time i wanted to take care of it early. so maybe there was some kind of blistery thing brewing under the callus on my foot but taping it just didn't seem necessary. so i took some gobs of frozen vaseline and glopped it all over that foot and hoped for the best. ok, it was time to go ... i knew it would be a long time - 17 miles and many hours - before i would see joe again, so he walked me out of the aid station.
11:29am ... aid station #3. i was still feeling quite good and running and speed hiking at a comfortable pace. still fuelling well on perpetuem solids and water. now they were serving some nice hot grilled cheese sandwiches, my all-time favorite ultra fuel, so i knocked back a couple of those with some dr. pepper. again, the course had been going UP and DOWN a lot but so far this portion seemed less technical than the first half, so i was happy for the break. still, the course was wonderfully marked and i couldn't see how anyone could possibly get lost ... even if you tried. from this aid station we had to back-track just a bit to some stairs that lead us up to a long climb. excellent. i love long climbs like this; this is where i get my time back because i can speed hike the hills like no tomorrow. it's the descents that kill me ... on my bike or on foot, i am a regular chicken-shit going downhill, so i have to gain my time on the climbs. there was also some really smooth sections of running from here and i was still feeling really good. the left foot bottom was burning on and off and the heel of my right foot was hurting (maybe from a bit of plantar fasciitis, but i am in denial of that). i contemplated maybe changing shoes to a more stability pair when i got to the next aid station.
1:34pm ... aid station #4. the trails had been amazing but i have to say that i didn't really enjoy the last couple of miles on flat grass and then the paved bike path and road. but it was what it was and it got me back to the start/finish/aid station area and to joe and karen and jeff. my own personal pit crew waiting for me. the feet issues had sort-of worked themselves out (well, except for that burning feeling, which now was present in the balls of both of my feet). i have come to accept this feeling during the ultras; it's from the wicked calluses that i have there and i just know that it won't kill me and it will eventually go away when i stop running, so i just try not to focus on it. so not having to treat my feet i was able to focus on my stomach. and i was hungry. karen had gotten me some baby food custard ... sort-of tasted like custard, sort of not. but i woofed it down, along with two cups of pepsi and two grilled cheese sandwiches (two halves, so only one whole sandwich). i had also still been eating the perpetuem solids and drinking lots of water and taking endurolytes, so i was still feeling really good. joe clanged the cowbell to get me moving and i grabbed another grilled cheese and karen walked me out. i had to walk quite a bit from here since my gut was just too full of food. maybe i ate a bit too much. maybe. probably. wow ... i started feeling a bit crappy. so i just walked; the feeling would eventually pass. soon, i hoped.
3:40pm ... well, eventually the crappy feeling passed and i was able to run again and i arrived at the aid station #1 again feeling pretty good. wow, the heat had really kicked up. a wonderful volunteer offered me a big cup of dr. pepper with ice and it was sooooooo good. i refilled my water pack just to make sure i would have enough to get me to the next station, and i was off, hiking up the steep switchbacks that led out of this station.
5:36pm ... back to aid station #2 and to joe! here joe would join me for the run home. i fuelled on pumpkin-peach pie baby food, grilled cheese, dr. pepper and changed into a warmer shirt for the impending cooler evening hours. jeff was here waiting to join mary, so he helped get me ready. i just love how ultrarunners' crews are so wonderful to help others while they are waiting. it's such a wonderful community of people. i consider all of these people, even the ones i barely know, to be friends. refilled with a pack full of water, endurolytes, and perpetuem solids, joe at my side, and we were off. i was so glad to get to joe in the light so that he would get the chance to see some of the course in the daylight and really get to enjoy it.
8:25pm ... back to aid station #3. joe had fallen only once and me with more than one stumble/close-save. my mood was a bit up and down since i felt like i was just not going fast enough. i don't really know where i thought i was supposed to be time-wise, i just felt like i wasn't doing good enough. running on technical trails in the dark is definitely an aquired talent ... one that i have not mastered. i tried to run when it appeared to be not so technical, but i just kept getting scared of toeing a rock and falling. but once again, my speed hiking came in handy and i was able to cover some distance pretty good now that i think back. it just didn't seem like it at the time. we got to the aid station and joe had some eats and i just had a couple of cups of dr. pepper and half a grilled cheese. i had been doing well fuelling with the perpetuem solids, so i really didn't feel the need to eat a lot. we spent just a few minutes here and chatted with friend brian who was crushing his first 100k. what a rock star! and then we were off again ...
10:52pm ... for several miles we had been listening to the oil pump that was pumping at the drake well museum, which we had to run around. it was the strangest sound, but quite comforting when up on the trail ... you knew you were getting close when you heard it. on the bike path coming back in we crossed paths with rob and karen, who was pacing, as they headed out on rob's 3rd loop. and then, finally ... THE END! after 16 hours, 52 minutes, and 58 seconds i crossed the finish line! wow ... that was hard! harder than i had anticipated. i wasn't disappointed in my finishing time anymore (despite my thinking for so many miles that i just wasn't going fast enough). all i could think was ... that was so hard and i did it! i finished it and it was so wonderful to have joe out there experiencing it with me. he paced me in at vermont 100k and now again he did it and he is a wonderful pacer and i love having him out there with me. we did it. and now i could finally take a nice hot shower and eat some food and put my feet up.
i can't say enough what a wonderful race this is. the volunteers are absolutely fantastic, the course is way challenging and really beautiful and extremely well-marked. the staging of the race out of the school is so nice because you get to get right inside when you're done and there are hot showers and hot food waiting for you. i highly recommend this race ... don't know if i'm up for the 100 miler yet but the 100k is a great challenge (although i was really jealous of the 50k-ers when they were passing me and finishing and i was still having to go back out again!).
what i think worked in my favor on this one:
- i fuelled well with primarily hammer perpetuem solids and water and hammer endurolytes. no stomach issues; no nausea, no acid reflux. felt 100% well fuelled 100% of the time. at one point i think i over-did it on the endurolytes, but i backed-off of them for a while and got rid of some extra fluid and things got back in order easily.
- montrail rogue racers on my feet. perfect blend of minimalist shoe but protective enough on the rocks and roots. love these.
- i primarily hydrated with just plain water. love the taste of it and it's much easier to control my electrolyte status with this.
- i did not eat any candy during the entire 62 miles. a first for me, i think. i never craved it and i think it worked to not eat it and avoid the sugar high's and low's.
- once again, baby food did the trick. love that stuff. and grilled cheese ... need i say more? there is nothing to say except grilled cheese is heaven.
- joe has crewed for me so many times and he has stepped into the pacer role in grand fashion! pacing a runner through the hard times in the dark of night is such a personal time, in my opinion. to me it has huge significance. and sharing a night on the trails under a nearly full moon with my husband was nothing short of spectacular. once again, a moment in time that i will never forget and i am so glad that we have the ability to experience this.
it's now time to rest and recover, drink some beer and eat lots. a few pics of the fun can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/FingerLakes50s/2011OilCreek100K. until my next adventure ...
so on friday joe and i headed down to titusville, pa, for the race. it was a sunny and beautiful drive and we took a little detour through mansfield, pa, to visit friends tim and jackie. we arrived in titusville around 3pm and hooked up with friends karen and rob (rob preparing to run his 3rd 100 miler in 6 months!). we checked out a bit of the course markings and the EMS set-up, which was really impressive. they were totally prepared to take-on any emergencies!
dinner at a small italian eatery and then it was off to bed in the car-V. i'm getting pretty used to this camping thing before an ultra and it's quite relaxing, actually. no distractions. just get your stuff ready for the next day, lay it out in the front seat, and put yourself to bed. this time i filled my hydration pack the night before the race so i wouldn't have to fart around with it in the dark on race morning (lesson learned at VCU!). we camped in the parking lot of the titusville middle school (aka, race HQ). nice to have real indoor bathrooms to access!
it was a cool night, 56 degrees was on the thermometer at the school. i slept quite well and got up in time to chat with some friends who were running the 100 miler and see them off at 5am.
6am ... start of the 100k. i wore my "team T.U.R.D.s" racing singlet and arm warmers. it was a bit chilly - 40-something at the start, i think - but i knew it would warm-up eventually and i knew that i would warm-up quite quickly once the climbing in the woods started.
7:35am-ish ... aid station #1. didn't really need anything; i had been religiously eating my perpetuem solids and drinking water and felt pretty-well fuelled. i ate a cookie and a pb&j sandwich and started walking.
9:11am ... aid station #2, the only station where crew members could meet you. it was so good to see joe and karen and our friend jeff was also there waiting for his runner, mary, so it was a nice little reunion. all three of them tended to me, helping me refill my water pack and feeding me. peaches and rice baby food and dr. pepper tasted really good for breakfast! the trail had a lot of big climbs and descents, mixed with lots of switchbacks, and it really kept me alert (mostly because you had to be to keep from falling!). it was an absolutely beautiful course and the markings were, so far, outstanding! i had been feeling something funky on the bottom of my left foot, which i had experienced at VCU 2 weeks before. i had checked it then and there was nothing there then, but i thought i better check it out today anyway and if it was actually something this time i wanted to take care of it early. so maybe there was some kind of blistery thing brewing under the callus on my foot but taping it just didn't seem necessary. so i took some gobs of frozen vaseline and glopped it all over that foot and hoped for the best. ok, it was time to go ... i knew it would be a long time - 17 miles and many hours - before i would see joe again, so he walked me out of the aid station.
11:29am ... aid station #3. i was still feeling quite good and running and speed hiking at a comfortable pace. still fuelling well on perpetuem solids and water. now they were serving some nice hot grilled cheese sandwiches, my all-time favorite ultra fuel, so i knocked back a couple of those with some dr. pepper. again, the course had been going UP and DOWN a lot but so far this portion seemed less technical than the first half, so i was happy for the break. still, the course was wonderfully marked and i couldn't see how anyone could possibly get lost ... even if you tried. from this aid station we had to back-track just a bit to some stairs that lead us up to a long climb. excellent. i love long climbs like this; this is where i get my time back because i can speed hike the hills like no tomorrow. it's the descents that kill me ... on my bike or on foot, i am a regular chicken-shit going downhill, so i have to gain my time on the climbs. there was also some really smooth sections of running from here and i was still feeling really good. the left foot bottom was burning on and off and the heel of my right foot was hurting (maybe from a bit of plantar fasciitis, but i am in denial of that). i contemplated maybe changing shoes to a more stability pair when i got to the next aid station.
1:34pm ... aid station #4. the trails had been amazing but i have to say that i didn't really enjoy the last couple of miles on flat grass and then the paved bike path and road. but it was what it was and it got me back to the start/finish/aid station area and to joe and karen and jeff. my own personal pit crew waiting for me. the feet issues had sort-of worked themselves out (well, except for that burning feeling, which now was present in the balls of both of my feet). i have come to accept this feeling during the ultras; it's from the wicked calluses that i have there and i just know that it won't kill me and it will eventually go away when i stop running, so i just try not to focus on it. so not having to treat my feet i was able to focus on my stomach. and i was hungry. karen had gotten me some baby food custard ... sort-of tasted like custard, sort of not. but i woofed it down, along with two cups of pepsi and two grilled cheese sandwiches (two halves, so only one whole sandwich). i had also still been eating the perpetuem solids and drinking lots of water and taking endurolytes, so i was still feeling really good. joe clanged the cowbell to get me moving and i grabbed another grilled cheese and karen walked me out. i had to walk quite a bit from here since my gut was just too full of food. maybe i ate a bit too much. maybe. probably. wow ... i started feeling a bit crappy. so i just walked; the feeling would eventually pass. soon, i hoped.
3:40pm ... well, eventually the crappy feeling passed and i was able to run again and i arrived at the aid station #1 again feeling pretty good. wow, the heat had really kicked up. a wonderful volunteer offered me a big cup of dr. pepper with ice and it was sooooooo good. i refilled my water pack just to make sure i would have enough to get me to the next station, and i was off, hiking up the steep switchbacks that led out of this station.
5:36pm ... back to aid station #2 and to joe! here joe would join me for the run home. i fuelled on pumpkin-peach pie baby food, grilled cheese, dr. pepper and changed into a warmer shirt for the impending cooler evening hours. jeff was here waiting to join mary, so he helped get me ready. i just love how ultrarunners' crews are so wonderful to help others while they are waiting. it's such a wonderful community of people. i consider all of these people, even the ones i barely know, to be friends. refilled with a pack full of water, endurolytes, and perpetuem solids, joe at my side, and we were off. i was so glad to get to joe in the light so that he would get the chance to see some of the course in the daylight and really get to enjoy it.
8:25pm ... back to aid station #3. joe had fallen only once and me with more than one stumble/close-save. my mood was a bit up and down since i felt like i was just not going fast enough. i don't really know where i thought i was supposed to be time-wise, i just felt like i wasn't doing good enough. running on technical trails in the dark is definitely an aquired talent ... one that i have not mastered. i tried to run when it appeared to be not so technical, but i just kept getting scared of toeing a rock and falling. but once again, my speed hiking came in handy and i was able to cover some distance pretty good now that i think back. it just didn't seem like it at the time. we got to the aid station and joe had some eats and i just had a couple of cups of dr. pepper and half a grilled cheese. i had been doing well fuelling with the perpetuem solids, so i really didn't feel the need to eat a lot. we spent just a few minutes here and chatted with friend brian who was crushing his first 100k. what a rock star! and then we were off again ...
10:52pm ... for several miles we had been listening to the oil pump that was pumping at the drake well museum, which we had to run around. it was the strangest sound, but quite comforting when up on the trail ... you knew you were getting close when you heard it. on the bike path coming back in we crossed paths with rob and karen, who was pacing, as they headed out on rob's 3rd loop. and then, finally ... THE END! after 16 hours, 52 minutes, and 58 seconds i crossed the finish line! wow ... that was hard! harder than i had anticipated. i wasn't disappointed in my finishing time anymore (despite my thinking for so many miles that i just wasn't going fast enough). all i could think was ... that was so hard and i did it! i finished it and it was so wonderful to have joe out there experiencing it with me. he paced me in at vermont 100k and now again he did it and he is a wonderful pacer and i love having him out there with me. we did it. and now i could finally take a nice hot shower and eat some food and put my feet up.
i can't say enough what a wonderful race this is. the volunteers are absolutely fantastic, the course is way challenging and really beautiful and extremely well-marked. the staging of the race out of the school is so nice because you get to get right inside when you're done and there are hot showers and hot food waiting for you. i highly recommend this race ... don't know if i'm up for the 100 miler yet but the 100k is a great challenge (although i was really jealous of the 50k-ers when they were passing me and finishing and i was still having to go back out again!).
what i think worked in my favor on this one:
- i fuelled well with primarily hammer perpetuem solids and water and hammer endurolytes. no stomach issues; no nausea, no acid reflux. felt 100% well fuelled 100% of the time. at one point i think i over-did it on the endurolytes, but i backed-off of them for a while and got rid of some extra fluid and things got back in order easily.
- montrail rogue racers on my feet. perfect blend of minimalist shoe but protective enough on the rocks and roots. love these.
- i primarily hydrated with just plain water. love the taste of it and it's much easier to control my electrolyte status with this.
- i did not eat any candy during the entire 62 miles. a first for me, i think. i never craved it and i think it worked to not eat it and avoid the sugar high's and low's.
- once again, baby food did the trick. love that stuff. and grilled cheese ... need i say more? there is nothing to say except grilled cheese is heaven.
- joe has crewed for me so many times and he has stepped into the pacer role in grand fashion! pacing a runner through the hard times in the dark of night is such a personal time, in my opinion. to me it has huge significance. and sharing a night on the trails under a nearly full moon with my husband was nothing short of spectacular. once again, a moment in time that i will never forget and i am so glad that we have the ability to experience this.
it's now time to rest and recover, drink some beer and eat lots. a few pics of the fun can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/FingerLakes50s/2011OilCreek100K. until my next adventure ...
Monday, September 5, 2011
Virgil Crest Ultras 50 Miler
ok, it's been a while since i have posted. not that i haven't been running; actually, quite the opposite. since VT100K i have had some fun adventures but have just been too lazy to write. i went back to the escarpment trail run after taking 3 years off from it. and i remembered why i took 3 years off from it. it's a fun and daring and challenging run for me, but it is mentally and physically draining. don't get me wrong; it's a great run, just hard for me ... i guess that's the draw. and then i got to crew for joe at the summer beast of burden, where he competed in the 24 hour race, completing 50 hard miles in the brutal summer heat. he's definitely got some heart for hanging in there through some really tough times.
and so that brings me to the present. this past weekend was the fourth running of the virgil crest ultras (100 mile and 50 mile runs). and for the third year in a row i completed the 50 miler which i have to admit is the toughest of all the 50 milers i have ever run. and extremely rewarding. i definitely get my money's worth on this course; i drag it out for as long as possible. more time on the trails = more fun! and so finally, a few days after the race, I am still recovering and getting my thoughts together. I have run this race three times, each time a slightly different version of the course. I have to say, this year's course was by far the best. the best for a couple of reasons ... 1) the climb up the lift house 5 loop going in the reverse direction (second time around) was much easier ... new route plus the use of trekking poles, 2) the temps were finally in my favor ... nice and cool, and 3) the mud!
FRIDAY ... arrived in virgil (all of 45 minute drive from home!). it was raining lightly but steadily ... CRAP! the good news was that this bit of rain wouldn't make any difference ... the trails were already saturated and the mud was already set. it was then off to a nice pasta dinner at the virgil fire department, hanging out with old friends and new. funny how getting ready for an ultra seems so relaxing now; no nerves, just a long day of running ahead. i love it. those short races (anything from the marathon distance down) just sends me to the bathroom endlessly leading up to the start.
i have also become quite adept to camping the night before running an ultra. i never thought this would happen. i like the comfort of a bed and a shower, but there is something to be said for waking up right at the starting line. and it makes you quite efficient. no lounging around, no dawdling. no reason to wake up any earlier than the time it takes to get dressed and get moving. it's good for me. so joe and i camped in the car-V at hope lake and i awoke just before 5am on Saturday morning feeling well-rested and ready to run. the only thing was that i guess i wasn't really as organized as i thought. usually i have all of my race stuff layed out and ready to go, hydration pack filled and food in the pockets. well, i overlooked that this time so i felt a bit out of sorts and scrambling to get things in order. once i finally got this done i headed down to the pavillion for some coffee, now really feeling comfortable. but CRAP again! no coffee. oh well, I brought some ice coffees with me, so one of these and a couple of No Doze and i was good to go. so here's the dirty on how the day went about ...
5:45am ... all packed-up and ready to go ... 2 liter hydration pack of water with pockets full of hammer perpetuem solids and hammer endurolytes. hit the restrooms for what i thought would be the last time and tried to relax and chat with friends, and waited for the start.
5:58am ... well, better make another trip to the bathrooms. CRAP! only 2 minutes to the start? who cares! does it really matter if i start at 6am or 6:05am?
6am ... made it in time for the start! woo hoo! we're off and running in a sea of headlamps. i love these dark starts, but i surely wish they weren't in the mornings! ugh ... i hate to get up in the morning! lots of good chat with friends, identifiable only by voice. wore my less-than-the-best headlamp since joe had my good one that i would get from him later in the day. perhaps i should have checked the batteries ... since joe used this light at the summer beast and the batteries hadn't been changed since i don't know when. so the freaking light kept going out but it was ok since it got light pretty soon and the road/trail we were on were not too technical. yet.
7:06am ... arrive at the gravel pit aid station. everyone was still pretty bunched together so it was a bit of chaos. put my light in my pack and got a few warm boiled potatoes with salt for breakfast. nice ... just what my stomach, which detest mornings as much as my brain, really wanted. carry on ...
8:20am ... after some really greasy muddy sections (forget even trying to have dry feet! i already realized that this was not to be, so get used to the squishy wet feeling) and then some easy running on the road (ok, i would rather be on a muddy trail!), i arrived at the lift house 5 aid station. the runners were still pretty tight at this point, so there were lots of people to chat with. some pepsi, chips, and a pb&j sandwich, and i grabbed my trekking poles from joe and set-0ff up the ski slope. man, i gotta say that those trekking poles are the bomb! i love 'em! they took the pressure off of my knees, my quads, and my low back. can't say as i was necessarily faster on the climbs because of them (and lord knows i wasn't faster on the descents ... i never will be!), but it was just way easier.
9:35am ... first round of the lift house 5 loop done. and i felt good. i was hungry but i didn't know what i wanted, so i went with more of the same, interspersed with a few perpetuem solids here and there. i had brought some gatorade with me, just in case i needed something different, and i was so glad that i did. joe replenished my water supply and i took a bottle of gatorade with me, which i sipped on as i climbed up virgil mountain in the good company of dean and jack. i have never run up virgil mountain and this day was certainly not going to be the time that i started!
11:21am ... still feeling good at the rock pile aid station! somewhere between van donsel road and o'dell road charlie and carter caught up to me and i had new company to distract me from thinking about how uncomfortable (not painful, just icky) my feet were from the wet and mud. charlie and carter were in the 100 mile race and as i fell into running with them i felt really good. my attitude was good and my fuelling was good. i had considered that if it was a good day at 50 miles that i may consider going on for the 100. my joe crew was there, my friend karen was willing to pace, and there was nothing to lose if i didn't actually do it ... so why not? i got into the rock pile aid station and talked with karen as she was working there and told her that it was feeling pretty good; today might be the day. i would definitely let her know on the return trip from daisy hollow. so i chowed on some really wonderful pineapple and joe was there to hook me up with some baby food. thanks jim for sharing this secret with me ... i can't tell you how wonderful this was. i hate to eat bananas during a race but that banana and rice baby food just hit the spot!
12:49pm ... hello daisy hollow! it was a super run in the company of dean, carter, and charlie and it was so nice to enjoy this super soft trail out here. i was still feeling really great, fuelled, and in good spirits. i had gotten used to that not-so-fresh feeling of my feet and just succumbed to the uncomfortableness, and just went with it. some more pb&j, cookies, and broth and i was refreshed. and some ginger beer to settle it all down.
2:49pm ... back at the rock pile. joe was there with some more of that really great baby food (seriously, it sounds weird but it is good stuff!). i have to really thank karen for keeping the pb&j sandwiches under cover so that they didn't dry out! those things were awesome! some more fruit, some sandwiches, and it was time to move on. i told karen that i would meet her at hope lake, and unless something drastic happened, we would go on. off with some more gatorade in the bottle and water in my pack. 'nuff of the perpetuem solids; they just weren't going to do it today.
4:17pm ... and back to lift house 5 aid station. i was pretty gross at this point. fell in a really stinky mud puddle, fell on my ass on the way down virgil mountain (ok, "fell" is a relative term ... there was no "falling" on this day, i simply just "slid" to the ground. ahhhh ... the wonders of mud). but i was feeling food and there was good food here. i refuelled with some cheese pierogies and soda, grabbed my poles, and headed up the mountain. the good thing is that i am a pretty speedy uphill hiker and can cover the ground pretty quickly ... the downside is that i really loose a lot of this time on the downhills. wussy? no. i am just not fast at descending and i like my knees. and the poles got me through this round again pretty unscathed. and i was still feeling happy. wow ... could this really be the day?
5:58pm ... back at the bottom of the lift house 5 loop. oh, they had the most excellent cheese quesedillas! and they were hot! i had to stop and get a pebble out of my shoes, so i took the opportunity to put some new socks and gaiters on (i knew they wouldn't stay dry long, but it was kind of nice to have "fresh" feet again, even if only for a while). more soda, more gatorade, more quesedillas, good chat with joe and melissa and a few of the relayers, and it was time to move on. this was the first time that i sat down since i got my butt off the toilet at 6am! sitting felt good but for once it didn't feel like a necessity; i was feeling really good.
7:45pm ... tough going to get back to the gravel pit. things had been going so great and then once we were back in the woods it definitely got tougher. the greasy mud in this section was simply treacherous! i slipped and slid all over the place. i was on my knees more than once (and threw out a few prayers since i was down there). by the time i got to the gravel pit i was feeling a bit worse for the wear and my left foot that i had injured the week before was now, for the first time all day, really annoying me. the week before i had put my foot through some wooden boards of a bridge while on a trail run. i tried to ignore the pain; had some eats and broth and got moving out of the aid station as quick as i could.
8:53pm ... back to hope lake; 50 miles completed. the run from the gravel pit back to hope lake, although just over 4 miles, is really quite tough in the dark and the mud. and when you're hurting it can get just plain ugly. and that's how i started to feel. my head was still in the game and my fuelling was good, so maybe karen and joe could fix me up. but when i hit vinnedge road that left foot just was, wow, unbearably painful. the pain started shooting up my leg. i didn't make any decisions at this point about stopping or going on; i wanted to talk to joe and karen. so when i pulled into hope lake i decided to just sit for a minute and think and talk with joe and karen.
8:57pm ... and then decision time came. really, it wasn't a tough one to have to make, except my brain was ready to keep going. i had done well with fuelling and pacing and the reality was that, for once, i really felt that i was in good shape to keep going. but the other reality was that i didn't want to really damage my foot when i had another race (100K) just 2 weeks later. CRAP on that damn foot! but i was content with stopping, mostly because i felt like i had really crossed a barrier ... i didn't want to stop, it was just the right thing to do. no regrets. so my finishing time of 14:57 didn't beat the previous year (nor would it have even if my time had been recorded at the very moment i crossed into hope lake), but things went so much better than i could have expected. and now i want that 100 mile finish; i have found the desire again.
so things will likely always continue to change with each and every ultra i run, but i have found some new realizations ...
1. baby food is good!
2. once i succumb to the reality that i will be running for a very long time and stop worrying about time, it really did get mentally easier.
3. joe is still the most awesome crew and karen, you rock for always being prepared to go!
4. wet and muddy feet are not the worst things ... just giving in to the feeling that you will be uncomfortable and probably even very disgusting is just a reality and it is what it is.
5. i think i can do this 100 miler ... and i will some day!
some pics of the adventure can be found HERE. (OK, the picture of Salem isn't from the race, but isn't he adorable?!)
and so that brings me to the present. this past weekend was the fourth running of the virgil crest ultras (100 mile and 50 mile runs). and for the third year in a row i completed the 50 miler which i have to admit is the toughest of all the 50 milers i have ever run. and extremely rewarding. i definitely get my money's worth on this course; i drag it out for as long as possible. more time on the trails = more fun! and so finally, a few days after the race, I am still recovering and getting my thoughts together. I have run this race three times, each time a slightly different version of the course. I have to say, this year's course was by far the best. the best for a couple of reasons ... 1) the climb up the lift house 5 loop going in the reverse direction (second time around) was much easier ... new route plus the use of trekking poles, 2) the temps were finally in my favor ... nice and cool, and 3) the mud!
FRIDAY ... arrived in virgil (all of 45 minute drive from home!). it was raining lightly but steadily ... CRAP! the good news was that this bit of rain wouldn't make any difference ... the trails were already saturated and the mud was already set. it was then off to a nice pasta dinner at the virgil fire department, hanging out with old friends and new. funny how getting ready for an ultra seems so relaxing now; no nerves, just a long day of running ahead. i love it. those short races (anything from the marathon distance down) just sends me to the bathroom endlessly leading up to the start.
i have also become quite adept to camping the night before running an ultra. i never thought this would happen. i like the comfort of a bed and a shower, but there is something to be said for waking up right at the starting line. and it makes you quite efficient. no lounging around, no dawdling. no reason to wake up any earlier than the time it takes to get dressed and get moving. it's good for me. so joe and i camped in the car-V at hope lake and i awoke just before 5am on Saturday morning feeling well-rested and ready to run. the only thing was that i guess i wasn't really as organized as i thought. usually i have all of my race stuff layed out and ready to go, hydration pack filled and food in the pockets. well, i overlooked that this time so i felt a bit out of sorts and scrambling to get things in order. once i finally got this done i headed down to the pavillion for some coffee, now really feeling comfortable. but CRAP again! no coffee. oh well, I brought some ice coffees with me, so one of these and a couple of No Doze and i was good to go. so here's the dirty on how the day went about ...
5:45am ... all packed-up and ready to go ... 2 liter hydration pack of water with pockets full of hammer perpetuem solids and hammer endurolytes. hit the restrooms for what i thought would be the last time and tried to relax and chat with friends, and waited for the start.
5:58am ... well, better make another trip to the bathrooms. CRAP! only 2 minutes to the start? who cares! does it really matter if i start at 6am or 6:05am?
6am ... made it in time for the start! woo hoo! we're off and running in a sea of headlamps. i love these dark starts, but i surely wish they weren't in the mornings! ugh ... i hate to get up in the morning! lots of good chat with friends, identifiable only by voice. wore my less-than-the-best headlamp since joe had my good one that i would get from him later in the day. perhaps i should have checked the batteries ... since joe used this light at the summer beast and the batteries hadn't been changed since i don't know when. so the freaking light kept going out but it was ok since it got light pretty soon and the road/trail we were on were not too technical. yet.
7:06am ... arrive at the gravel pit aid station. everyone was still pretty bunched together so it was a bit of chaos. put my light in my pack and got a few warm boiled potatoes with salt for breakfast. nice ... just what my stomach, which detest mornings as much as my brain, really wanted. carry on ...
8:20am ... after some really greasy muddy sections (forget even trying to have dry feet! i already realized that this was not to be, so get used to the squishy wet feeling) and then some easy running on the road (ok, i would rather be on a muddy trail!), i arrived at the lift house 5 aid station. the runners were still pretty tight at this point, so there were lots of people to chat with. some pepsi, chips, and a pb&j sandwich, and i grabbed my trekking poles from joe and set-0ff up the ski slope. man, i gotta say that those trekking poles are the bomb! i love 'em! they took the pressure off of my knees, my quads, and my low back. can't say as i was necessarily faster on the climbs because of them (and lord knows i wasn't faster on the descents ... i never will be!), but it was just way easier.
9:35am ... first round of the lift house 5 loop done. and i felt good. i was hungry but i didn't know what i wanted, so i went with more of the same, interspersed with a few perpetuem solids here and there. i had brought some gatorade with me, just in case i needed something different, and i was so glad that i did. joe replenished my water supply and i took a bottle of gatorade with me, which i sipped on as i climbed up virgil mountain in the good company of dean and jack. i have never run up virgil mountain and this day was certainly not going to be the time that i started!
11:21am ... still feeling good at the rock pile aid station! somewhere between van donsel road and o'dell road charlie and carter caught up to me and i had new company to distract me from thinking about how uncomfortable (not painful, just icky) my feet were from the wet and mud. charlie and carter were in the 100 mile race and as i fell into running with them i felt really good. my attitude was good and my fuelling was good. i had considered that if it was a good day at 50 miles that i may consider going on for the 100. my joe crew was there, my friend karen was willing to pace, and there was nothing to lose if i didn't actually do it ... so why not? i got into the rock pile aid station and talked with karen as she was working there and told her that it was feeling pretty good; today might be the day. i would definitely let her know on the return trip from daisy hollow. so i chowed on some really wonderful pineapple and joe was there to hook me up with some baby food. thanks jim for sharing this secret with me ... i can't tell you how wonderful this was. i hate to eat bananas during a race but that banana and rice baby food just hit the spot!
12:49pm ... hello daisy hollow! it was a super run in the company of dean, carter, and charlie and it was so nice to enjoy this super soft trail out here. i was still feeling really great, fuelled, and in good spirits. i had gotten used to that not-so-fresh feeling of my feet and just succumbed to the uncomfortableness, and just went with it. some more pb&j, cookies, and broth and i was refreshed. and some ginger beer to settle it all down.
2:49pm ... back at the rock pile. joe was there with some more of that really great baby food (seriously, it sounds weird but it is good stuff!). i have to really thank karen for keeping the pb&j sandwiches under cover so that they didn't dry out! those things were awesome! some more fruit, some sandwiches, and it was time to move on. i told karen that i would meet her at hope lake, and unless something drastic happened, we would go on. off with some more gatorade in the bottle and water in my pack. 'nuff of the perpetuem solids; they just weren't going to do it today.
4:17pm ... and back to lift house 5 aid station. i was pretty gross at this point. fell in a really stinky mud puddle, fell on my ass on the way down virgil mountain (ok, "fell" is a relative term ... there was no "falling" on this day, i simply just "slid" to the ground. ahhhh ... the wonders of mud). but i was feeling food and there was good food here. i refuelled with some cheese pierogies and soda, grabbed my poles, and headed up the mountain. the good thing is that i am a pretty speedy uphill hiker and can cover the ground pretty quickly ... the downside is that i really loose a lot of this time on the downhills. wussy? no. i am just not fast at descending and i like my knees. and the poles got me through this round again pretty unscathed. and i was still feeling happy. wow ... could this really be the day?
5:58pm ... back at the bottom of the lift house 5 loop. oh, they had the most excellent cheese quesedillas! and they were hot! i had to stop and get a pebble out of my shoes, so i took the opportunity to put some new socks and gaiters on (i knew they wouldn't stay dry long, but it was kind of nice to have "fresh" feet again, even if only for a while). more soda, more gatorade, more quesedillas, good chat with joe and melissa and a few of the relayers, and it was time to move on. this was the first time that i sat down since i got my butt off the toilet at 6am! sitting felt good but for once it didn't feel like a necessity; i was feeling really good.
7:45pm ... tough going to get back to the gravel pit. things had been going so great and then once we were back in the woods it definitely got tougher. the greasy mud in this section was simply treacherous! i slipped and slid all over the place. i was on my knees more than once (and threw out a few prayers since i was down there). by the time i got to the gravel pit i was feeling a bit worse for the wear and my left foot that i had injured the week before was now, for the first time all day, really annoying me. the week before i had put my foot through some wooden boards of a bridge while on a trail run. i tried to ignore the pain; had some eats and broth and got moving out of the aid station as quick as i could.
8:53pm ... back to hope lake; 50 miles completed. the run from the gravel pit back to hope lake, although just over 4 miles, is really quite tough in the dark and the mud. and when you're hurting it can get just plain ugly. and that's how i started to feel. my head was still in the game and my fuelling was good, so maybe karen and joe could fix me up. but when i hit vinnedge road that left foot just was, wow, unbearably painful. the pain started shooting up my leg. i didn't make any decisions at this point about stopping or going on; i wanted to talk to joe and karen. so when i pulled into hope lake i decided to just sit for a minute and think and talk with joe and karen.
8:57pm ... and then decision time came. really, it wasn't a tough one to have to make, except my brain was ready to keep going. i had done well with fuelling and pacing and the reality was that, for once, i really felt that i was in good shape to keep going. but the other reality was that i didn't want to really damage my foot when i had another race (100K) just 2 weeks later. CRAP on that damn foot! but i was content with stopping, mostly because i felt like i had really crossed a barrier ... i didn't want to stop, it was just the right thing to do. no regrets. so my finishing time of 14:57 didn't beat the previous year (nor would it have even if my time had been recorded at the very moment i crossed into hope lake), but things went so much better than i could have expected. and now i want that 100 mile finish; i have found the desire again.
so things will likely always continue to change with each and every ultra i run, but i have found some new realizations ...
1. baby food is good!
2. once i succumb to the reality that i will be running for a very long time and stop worrying about time, it really did get mentally easier.
3. joe is still the most awesome crew and karen, you rock for always being prepared to go!
4. wet and muddy feet are not the worst things ... just giving in to the feeling that you will be uncomfortable and probably even very disgusting is just a reality and it is what it is.
5. i think i can do this 100 miler ... and i will some day!
some pics of the adventure can be found HERE. (OK, the picture of Salem isn't from the race, but isn't he adorable?!)
Monday, July 18, 2011
VT100 … A Different Way … OR … How I Was Possessed By The Honey Badger
(pictured ... RD Julia, Kim, who I would leap frog with throughout the race, & me).
I love the Vermont 100. It is just a great time with wonderful people and just such a nice location and a really fun time. It was where I had my first attempt at the 100 mile distance, my first 100 mile DNF, and my first 100 mile finish. The downside to this event is the timing … it occurs just two weeks after The Finger Lakes Fifties. Unfortunately, this means that in the weeks leading up to The Fifties I haven’t gotten in much training as I have been getting things ready for the race and in the days following The Fifties I am still bogged down with cleaning up from the race and getting reports and thank you’s taken care of. It’s just not good timing to switch from race director mode to runner mode … especially to 100-mile runner mode. I know … I’ve tried it. And two out of three times I have failed miserably at it. Thank goodness the VT100 has added a 100K option. The 100K hasn’t really gained the popularity that the 100 mile event has, but it is a great option for someone like me; someone who wants to be there in the midst of a great party and run … just not so far.
After a year away I was excited to be going back to Vermont; excited to be able to be a part of this great event again. I have a few 100Ks under my belt now; some of them done in pretty brutal conditions. So despite my not so great training, I felt pretty confident that I could have a decent run at the VT100K.
It’s always hard to put these big events into words, especially just a couple of days after the event when my brain is still a bit mushy. So I will just hit the highlights that really stood out for me.
Joe and I arrived on Friday afternoon, got me signed-in and weighed-in and then we went and set-up our tent. This was a first for us, camping at the race site. I generally like creature comforts like a shower and bed but being cheap and having successfully completed some 100Ks where I have camped, I felt OK with the idea of camping and running. Plus it would be much easier to get up and watch the 100 mile start and go back to bed to rest before my race start.
Friday evening pre-race meeting. Pretty much the same old thing. OK, it’s a meeting where you are reminded of all the race rules and regs and updates, but really, for those of us who have been there and done that, it’s a formality. Truly, it’s a meeting of friends.
Joe and I were set to eat dinner at the race site; they always serve a great spread. But just sitting in the midst of all those people during the meeting I soon realized that it was just too much; I needed to be somewhere else where there was less stimulation. I didn’t want to be overwhelmed with everything running all at once. So off to dinner in Woodstock with Karen, Rob, and Will we went. And it was a good choice … very relaxing.
Friday night was the official full moon and it was so very cool. The light coming into the tent was amazing. Fortunately I was tired enough that it didn’t keep me awake and I easily fell asleep.
Saturday morning, 4am. Woke up to watch the 100 mile start and wish all of our friends good luck and felt very good that I was not running right then. Not even have a twinge of want crossed me when the runners took off.
Thought it was really great to not have to start running until 9am … but at 8am I wished it would just start. I was ready to go.
9am … 25 100K starters walked to the starting line where we would start our run uphill. How wonderful. Fortunately when we went to dinner the night before we had driven the start of the 100K course … and saw that the uphill start would be short-lived. There was a way long downhill that I knew I would have to go easy on to save my quads and knees.
Just a few miles in there was an elderly gentleman who was out working on his tractor who stopped to pick me a tiger lily when I ran by. He wished me well and it was just so nice to have someone make me feel special. I ran with the flower until I hit the paved road section, where I laid it down … just like laying a flower on a grave, as I knew pavement was my death, but maybe somehow this flower would ward-off those evil spirits on this dreaded section.
Just after the aid station at 5.3 miles (around 43 miles for the 100 milers) I was passed by Leigh Schmit, who was leading the 100 mile race. It is so nice to watch him run … so smooth, so easy. And it wasn’t long before he ran away from me.
I hit that first section of trail and felt so glad. It had been more than 6 miles on dirt road (and the short paved section) and I was so ready for trail and its forgiving surface and rolling terrain. It was heaven.
It was mentally tough knowing where I would have been in the 100 mile distance but I felt clueless as to where I was in the 100K. I just couldn’t help but think in terms of the 100 mile race and the mileage of the landmarks, but I just couldn’t grasp the distances and landmarks in terms of the 100K event. Each time I recognized a landmark and thought of the distance in the 100 miler, it sounded so far but in 100K reality, I hadn’t gone that far. This was very mentally draining.
But there were the cheers from the spectators, crews, and landowners who were out watching the race. Normally by the time I would have passed through these areas, not too many spectators would have been left. So that was cool to be out there early enough to have people watching; yet I somehow felt very small, knowing that they may think I was in the 100 mile event when I was just a poser.
And then there were the homemade cranberry and nut and white chocolate chip cookies at mile 16.2. These sat amazingly well in my stomach after a period of, ummm, GI distress. At first I was afraid to try them, thinking they might really set my stomach off, but they were excellent! Who knew?!
I did not see any of the 100 mile horses until Tracer Brook (mile 57 for the 100 milers). In the 100 mile race all of the horses would have way passed me before this point.
100K … 100 miles … it apparently doesn’t matter. As usual, I felt like crap coming into Tracer Brook (only 19.1 miles for me today), getting some ginger beer and tapioca from Joe, going easy on the long hike up and out on my way to Margaritaville, I eventually came back to life again.
I reached Margaritaville and wanted something solid to eat. I looked at the veggie burgers and thought that would require too much energy to chew. But there was this sweet, wonderful aid station worker who MacGyvered me up a grilled cheese sandwich from a hamburger bun and it tasted sooooooooo good.
I got back to Camp 10 Bear, knowing it was still 30 miles to the finish, but just kept reminding myself that I only need to go 18 miles until I had Joe with me … company that I so needed.
But let me go back a bit; somewhere before Camp 10 Bear things started to fall apart.
Somewhere before reaching 10 Bear I was overcome and eventually possessed by the Honey Badger. My give-a-shit factor just fell out. Those of you who don’t know what the Honey Badger is absolutely need to go to youtube and watch the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg). It’s hilarious … and so so appropriate for how I was feeling at this time. Honey badger doesn’t give a shit and at that point, neither did I. The mental wearing from thinking about the 100 mile distance at each aid station and then realizing I was not that far and still had so many miles to go, the heat, and just being alone for so long was starting to wear on me.
Now let me clarify on why I was running alone for so long … believe it, it certainly wasn’t because I was so fast. With only 25 of us starting the 100K, the group had broken up rather quickly right from the start and I was running alone pretty much from the start. Starting somewhere around 5.5 miles the first of the 100 milers passed me and then it was few and far between that the faster 100 milers would come and go. Although I was really enjoying the run and having fun, I did get rather lonely and each time I came up to an aid station it was just so good to chat with the volunteers, who I have to say were stupendous!
When I finally got back to Camp 10 Bear and saw Joe, Karen, and Will, my spirits improved momentarily. I so wanted real food to eat and when Will brought me grilled cheese, I was just so excited … until I took a bite. Horseradish! Ugh! I think they used horseradish cheese and it was disgusting! OK, when it comes to food, this Honey Badger does give a shit! So I had to settle for PB&J and chips, which was OK but not exactly what I wanted. With my tummy full and my spirits lifted, I headed out and just kept thinking only 18 miles until Joe gets to run with me. That’s what kept me going.
It was really neat seeing the trail leading up to the Spirit of ’76 aid station for the first time in the light … and still being passed by horses there. They looked so awesome. Wow … I had never seen how the horses looked so far into their ride before and they looked marvelous! I was just so amazed. And in the light of day this section of trail was really nice to run … not like the dreaded death march in seemed like in the dark.
OK, the Honey Badger attitude was getting stronger and I was getting cranky. I got a 5-hour Energy with extra caffeine at mile 39.1 and hoped for an attitude adjustment. Here I took my headlight, even though it was still light out and somewhere around 7pm; I knew it would be tight with reaching mile 50.7 (the only place where I could possibly next get a light) before dark. And it was pretty good timing … I reach Bill’s (mile 50.7) at around 9:15pm and it was very dark at that time. The full moon was just rising and hadn’t reached its peak light and there was too much leaf shade over the road. It was dark.
And now here’s where I have to give a shout-out to my new headlamp … what a great purchase that was. If you have to get only one light get the Black Diamond Spot Storm … 75 lumens. Don’t get the 50 lumens; splurge the few extra bucks for the additional 25 lumens. It’s worth it. The thing is AWESOME! I usually wear a headlamp and carry a hand-held, but this thing totally obliterated the hand-held. When I arrived at Bill’s the volunteers said I got the award for the best headlight!
At Bill’s I was down only 2 ½ pounds. I chowed down on their very excellent grilled cheese sandwiches, praised the cook, got my bottles filled and headed-out with Joe. But Honey Badger still didn’t give a shit … it would be a finish and that was that, no PR here tonight. The original plan was that I would go the distance alone, as I have been able to in the past. Well, factor in that it was dark and I was tired, it was very fortunate that we figured out a way for Joe to join me for the final miles. I was still in the midst of the faster 100 milers which meant they would come and go and then I would be alone again. I needed the company and someone to drive me along.
The full moon was awesome. We probably could have turned our lights off when crossing through a very non-technical field, but I was just totally entranced by the beam of my light. Those 75 lumens were something. In case you haven't figured it out, I'm a real gear-head.
We ran (slowly) and walked. And it was so strange to have horses still coming by me in the dark. It was definitely a different experience. I was still in awe of these amazing creatures.
We sort-of ran through a sort-of technical trail section (OK … dark = very technical, even with 75 lumens). Honey Badger didn’t give a shit and cursed with every step over the rocks and roots.
We got to Polly’s (last manned aid station with only 4 ½ miles to go to the finish) in the dark. The horses also got to stop for a snack here too. Apparently Polly (who owns the house at this aid station) is a real horse person and she sets up a great spread for the horses. So the horses were snacking on carrots and water while I downed some broth and contemplated just how hard this 100K was feeling. Joe tried to do the tough-love pacer thing and get me going but … you know … Honey Badger. I sat right there until I was good and ready to make a move.
But Joe was a great pacer and did manage to get me out of there once I had two cups of broth. We jogged and walked and still had mostly coherent conversation (probably more so on is his part than mine). And we passed people … granted, they were likely 100 milers who were just cooked and deservedly so, but I didn’t care … I was passing people.
It was pretty much I just want to finish from there on in. No more comparisons to how I felt or what I was seeing that night versus how it was when I finished the 100 mile there. I just wanted to be done. There was just one focus.
The finish was actually pretty anticlimactic. I always thought it would be so cool to finish in the dark but the reality is, those who finish in the dark have been putting out a lot of energy. They are pretty much spent when they get there and there aren’t too many people just sitting around at 1am to watch the finish. The finishers finish and go to bed. So that was really different. And although I thought that when I had finished the 100 miler there I would cry, I never did. Tonight I did. Maybe somehow I thought this was my “fast finish”, although it was actually my slowest 100K finish to date (15 hours, 52 minutes). But I was finishing with 100 milers who were finishing in the 21 hour range, something that will likely never happen to me. And that was overwhelming. And having Joe experience it with me was definitely overwhelming … and really nice. I am so lucky to have the best crewman and he showed me just what a wonderful pacer he is. I am so glad that he was able to run with me and we could experience this together. I will always remember this.
Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who make this event happen and to Julia, the race director, for keeping it going after her father, the race director when I ran the 100 miler, died. I did enjoy this 100K; it was so different in so many ways from the others I have done. I totally underestimated it and realized it was tougher than I gave it credit for. So many factors, not just the distance, make a race hard. Heat, time of day, nutrition, attitude. You just never know. I have come to really enjoy the 100K distance and I would definitely like to come back to Vermont again and take it on again. If I am faster, I am, if not, then no worries. Honey Badger doesn’t give a shit.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Good Beer For A Good Cause
Just a quick shout-out for an event that sounds like a major fun time, The Finger Lakes Brewfest, which will be held on Thursday, June 16, at 6pm. Good food, brews, and music ... does it get any better? Roosterfish Brewing, local sponsor for The Finger Lakes Fifties, will be in attendance.
The festival is a benefit to increase awareness and facilitate monies to be donated to “Gas Free Seneca,” a local non-profit group dedicated to stopping LPG gas storage in the Watkins Glen area.
Details for the event can be found HERE.
The festival is a benefit to increase awareness and facilitate monies to be donated to “Gas Free Seneca,” a local non-profit group dedicated to stopping LPG gas storage in the Watkins Glen area.
Details for the event can be found HERE.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Measure Of "Fitness"
How do you measure your level of fitness? How do you compare it to the level of fitness of other runners? Do you even care to compare it? I guess I don't really have the answer to these questions, mostly because I really don't care anymore, mostly because I have become happy with my level of "fitness", whatever that is. I guess some measure fitness by speed and looking at some of the runners around me, I guess I can see that they are fit and they are fast. But I also know that if I was pitted against them in, say, a 100K or a 100Mile event, it may then become a run of the tortoise vs. the hare. I am fit, but I am not fast, and I can keep going and going ... just like the Energizer bunny. And the runners with "fast fitness" who don't have "endurance fitness" can and will be hunted down.
I guess the reason that I am even contemplating this and subsequently posting this is in response to a comment that was made to me during a "fun" (not racing) group run this past weekend. A fairly large group of runners gathered for a trail run Saturday morning and not long into the run the group split. The nice thing with these runs is that there are runners of all speeds and you never have to run alone because, it seems, that there is always someone who runs your speed. Which is nice. Our group of four were at the back of the pack, enjoyng our time on the trails, when I jokingly asked "Is that group racing up there or what?" At that time, a faster runner who had started late and then caught up to us stated "They're not racing, they're just more fit". What the hell? Immediately I was insulted. Likely this distracting comment is why I crashed my knee into a large branch while stepping over a down tree.
I know that I am not fast but I have endurance on my side. But just because I am slow, make no mistake, I am fit! As are so many others who run at the back of the pack with me. So to those who say that slower runners are not fit, maybe I will see you toeing the line at the next 100K or longer event. And then I will see you at the finish line ... and perhaps I will be there watching you cross the line after me!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Factors That Make Or Break A Trail Run
i haven't really had time to spend many hours out on the trails and have really felt the withdrawal lately. i was lucky enough to remedy that yesterday, spending 8+ hours (something like 8 hours, 14 minutes, i think) out on the trails of bear mountain, ny, at the north face endurance challenge. the race itself was exactly what i had expected. i was warned by some that it was a very commercial event, so i was prepared for the almost impersonal feeling that comes with these big-name events. but i had also heard of what a great course it was and i knew that no matter what, if the course was good, i would have a good time. i had expected it to be very crowded on the trails and was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case; most of the time i ran alone or with only a few people around me. during this long run i was able to contemplate on the factors that, for me, can make or break a successful day on the trails.
1. Training Factor: this was my first long technical trail run. i checked the elevation chart on the race's website and i was prepared for the climbs and descents. what the website did not show was pictures of what the trail actually looked like to show you just how technical it is. i am not fast on this stuff, but i love it, so i just decided to go slow and enjoy the experience. and i did ... on both counts.
2. Nutrition Factor: some good, some bad. some my bad, but i think mostly the race organizer's bad. i had decided to use my hydration pack with water and NUUN tabs for electrolytes. usually when i do this i carry my own extra tabs for when i have to refill the pack. i did not do this this time, as the race advertised that NUUN would be available at the aid stations. my bad ... i should have carried extra anyway. race organizer's bad ... i was told at an aid station that NUUN did not sponsor this year, so they did not have the tabs for the runners. no way should this ever happen that something is advertised to be available to the runners and then not have it for them. fortunately i had, at the last minute, packed some endurolytes, so i was able to go with plain water and have my electrolyte caps. i was also disappointed in the quality of the food at this event. again, a few things listed on the website not at the aid stations. perhaps i am just spoiled by those great smaller events that have grilled cheese sandwiches and french fries, and they just keep my gut satified. i just like REAL food. those 8 packs of Gu roctaine just didn't cut it and always leave my mouth feeling sore from the excess sugar.
post race food also gets a bad grade here from me ... a minimal amount of food was free to the runners and if you wanted more you had to pay for it. good food at the aid stations and post-race are the main standards that i grade an event on. the north face failed big time for me on this one. course markings are the only other thing that are the biggie for me and i will give north face good grades here ... the markings were most excellent.
3. Foot Factor: almost, almost blew it on this one. i had planned to wear my new inov-8 baregrips for the great traction that i was sure i needed. the baregrips do not have any cushioning on the bottoms, which i normally don't mind. thank you to max king who just gave me "the look" when i told him i was going to wear them on this course. and thank you to me for being stupid enough to run a road 50K two weeks ago and making my left foot bottom so tender that i HAD to rethink wearing the baregrips. went with the brooks cascadias at the last minute and that was WAY the right choice.
4. Fun Factor: i always have fun on the trail. even when i am grumpy, hypoglycemic, cursing, and hallucinating, i have fun on the trail. i ran with old friends and new ones, it was a beautiful sunny day, and we were in the woods for a LONG time. it just doesn't get any better.
so that about sums it up. and with that said, although it was fun and a beautiful run, i think i will stick to the smaller club events that really know how to take care of you for the long run. at this big-name event i felt like i was just another number. i guess i just like the "family feel" of the smaller races. but if i hadn't tried this one i would not have seen what a beautiful trail it was out there and i would really like to go back with a group of friends and camp and just have a good running party ... with good beer and good food!
1. Training Factor: this was my first long technical trail run. i checked the elevation chart on the race's website and i was prepared for the climbs and descents. what the website did not show was pictures of what the trail actually looked like to show you just how technical it is. i am not fast on this stuff, but i love it, so i just decided to go slow and enjoy the experience. and i did ... on both counts.
2. Nutrition Factor: some good, some bad. some my bad, but i think mostly the race organizer's bad. i had decided to use my hydration pack with water and NUUN tabs for electrolytes. usually when i do this i carry my own extra tabs for when i have to refill the pack. i did not do this this time, as the race advertised that NUUN would be available at the aid stations. my bad ... i should have carried extra anyway. race organizer's bad ... i was told at an aid station that NUUN did not sponsor this year, so they did not have the tabs for the runners. no way should this ever happen that something is advertised to be available to the runners and then not have it for them. fortunately i had, at the last minute, packed some endurolytes, so i was able to go with plain water and have my electrolyte caps. i was also disappointed in the quality of the food at this event. again, a few things listed on the website not at the aid stations. perhaps i am just spoiled by those great smaller events that have grilled cheese sandwiches and french fries, and they just keep my gut satified. i just like REAL food. those 8 packs of Gu roctaine just didn't cut it and always leave my mouth feeling sore from the excess sugar.
post race food also gets a bad grade here from me ... a minimal amount of food was free to the runners and if you wanted more you had to pay for it. good food at the aid stations and post-race are the main standards that i grade an event on. the north face failed big time for me on this one. course markings are the only other thing that are the biggie for me and i will give north face good grades here ... the markings were most excellent.
3. Foot Factor: almost, almost blew it on this one. i had planned to wear my new inov-8 baregrips for the great traction that i was sure i needed. the baregrips do not have any cushioning on the bottoms, which i normally don't mind. thank you to max king who just gave me "the look" when i told him i was going to wear them on this course. and thank you to me for being stupid enough to run a road 50K two weeks ago and making my left foot bottom so tender that i HAD to rethink wearing the baregrips. went with the brooks cascadias at the last minute and that was WAY the right choice.
4. Fun Factor: i always have fun on the trail. even when i am grumpy, hypoglycemic, cursing, and hallucinating, i have fun on the trail. i ran with old friends and new ones, it was a beautiful sunny day, and we were in the woods for a LONG time. it just doesn't get any better.
so that about sums it up. and with that said, although it was fun and a beautiful run, i think i will stick to the smaller club events that really know how to take care of you for the long run. at this big-name event i felt like i was just another number. i guess i just like the "family feel" of the smaller races. but if i hadn't tried this one i would not have seen what a beautiful trail it was out there and i would really like to go back with a group of friends and camp and just have a good running party ... with good beer and good food!
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