OK ... March is almost over and technically it's Spring. But guess what? It's still below 20 degrees every morning when I wake up, it is still a white blanket of snow once you are within a mile, in any direction, of our house, and so in my eyes it's still winter. And as much as I have tried to embrace some love for the roads I am just not feeling it. I want my trails back. Now.
This year I skipped doing any February races to give myself a break from running and "racing" and just have some fun with some non-training running and XC skiing. Yup, that was fun. I didn't really have a plan for March except to try to get ready for April and the fact that I am registered to run the Boston Marathon. Not really sure what I was thinking there, but unfortunately the way race entries go anymore there is not much time to contemplate "should I or shouldn't I?" You wait and you will likely not have to think about it ... you will get closed out and the decision will be made for you. I guess that's how I ended up registering for Boston.
So in the event that I actually decide to run Boston (I'm still up in the air on it) I thought I should actually get some road training in. When I was sick of running on the roads and sick of the cold I tried the treadmill for some good turn-over training and mental training to work on overcoming the boredom. The last two years that I ran Boston (2007 and 2008) I found this awesome small town race in March that turned out to be the perfect pre-Boston prep. The Wurtsboro Mountain 30K. So I decided that since I had no other March racing plans this year this would be a good challenge. My friend Karen is also running Boston and decided to race it, too. Yay ... girl road trip!
So let me say, the first clue that this race could be a ball-buster ... it has the word "mountain" in the name. It may be 7.6 miles shorter than the marathon, but mile for mile, this race is tougher than any hilly marathon I have done. Rarely do you see flat road. No, it's not easy. And I love this distance for a "race" ... I would never run this kind of effort running 18+ miles on my own. This race is full of tough love.
Karen and I arrived in Wurtsboro a little over an hour before the start; just enough time to get our stuff, relax a bit, and decide what to wear. The temps were projected to start in the mid-20s for the start but rise into the higher 40s by the time we would finish. It alternated between overcast and sunny and I finally decided on 3/4 length tights, compression calf sleeves, two lightweight long sleeve shirts and a singlet, my very cool light-weight FLRTC beanie, light gloves, and sunglasses. I have trained all winter carrying a water bottle with NUUN and I like the fact that I have my own drink to sip at when I want and not have to rely on aid stations, so I decided to wear my waist-pack and carry a bottle. Then there was the biggest decision ... which shoes to wear? I really wanted to wear my Altra Intuitions but they have ZERO traction unless running on a dry road. The roads that day were still coated with wet slushy snow. Well, I've done a lot of road running this winter in trail shoes and this day I was very glad that I brought my Altra Lone Peaks with me. Yup ... I would be racing a road race in trail shoes. Guess I know where my heart is really at.
The race started at 9am and the sun was out pretty bright. And pretty quickly we were headed uphill. This race does not start to even remotely level out until close to mile 5, and even then it's not flat, just less hilly. Mile 1: 9 minutes, 35 seconds and I was passing people. 5K: 30 minutes and change. At this point I passed a woman and man running together. Little did I know that this would be the last female runner I would see. The sun was quite warm on my back and I was sweating, sort of regretting putting on that second long sleeve shirt. I thought about stopping to take it off but decided I better wait until the higher elevations and see how I felt. And I was glad I waited since the sun went back under and it was a bit cooler higher up.
I felt like I was pushing a bit but not red-lining and just trying to stay within myself. I never really had anyone running along side of me. And I never really felt like walking, which made me happy. I thought of my friends running trail races in MD and NJ in the snow and I embraced the sloppy roads in their honor. The Lone Peaks just plowed through the crap and the traction was excellent. I just kept focusing on getting to the point where I would have more miles behind me than I had in front of me. I tried not to get mental but I did have a little moment at the 15K point where I thought "holy crap, I have to run what I just ran all over again" and it seemed a little daunting. So I tried to just focus on one mile at a time. At the 10 mile aid station there were women screaming "first female" as I came toward them. What? They must have been yelling about someone ahead of me. So I just smiled, thanked them, and kept running. And so this has nothing to do with the race, but here's my real question ... how is it that I am not even face to face with these people, I'm running with my face all contorted, wearing a winter beanie and sunglasses, and they STILL recognize that I am female yet when I go into a store not wearing a hat, face fully exposed, smiling, and I am greeted with "can I help you, sir?" Hmmmmm? Just something to contemplate.
Back to the race. This is one of the most beautiful road courses I have ever run. Amazing houses to look at. Awesome tall trees on both sides of the road. Running streams along the road. And very little traffic. And the hills NEVER stop ... it truly "rolls" the entire course. Somewhere after mile 10 I caught up with one of the early starters. I could see one of the guys from my race start time up ahead but there was no one behind me. The most challenging part of this course, I think, comes around mile 12 where it is just a gradual climb of rollers for the next 6 miles. And I believe the miles truly get longer here. We now had changed directions and the wind just seemed to disappear and I started to get a bit warm. I did have to drop my pace a bit as my stomach started feeling a bit queasy and slowing the pace some did relieve this. At mile 14 I was again greeted by the mile 10 aid station group (another cool thing about this race ... the mobile revolving aid stations). The women again screamed that I was the first female! Now I knew there was no one else around me and I smiled and asked them if the snow had scared all of the super speedsters away. I felt like I was running strong and fast (for me) but I also know what the women's winning times have been in the past. And then I thought, crap, no way I can ease off now; who knows where the second place woman is. Crap. I was getting a little tired, mostly mentally. Physically everything was still feeling pretty good. But I was ready to be done and I so wished this had been a half marathon and was SOOOOO thankful that it was not a marathon. Around mile 17 one of the aid station ladies pulled up by me in her truck and said that second and third ladies were about a mile behind me duking it out. And I thought if they were pushing each other I certainly had better not ease up; they could easily push each other to the point of catching me. FINALLY mile 18. I started to feel like I couldn't breathe and had a little coughing fit. Thank goodness it was short-lived and I could finally see the elementary school ahead and knew that's where the finish was. I had nothing left. If those ladies had come up on me I don't know if I would have had any fight in me. I was on empty. Thank goodness they did not catch me. I finished in 2 hours, 38 minutes, 28 seconds ... a big PR for me on this course. And Karen finshed in 2:57, good for her age group win.
Some lasting impressions of this race for me:
1. I love these small town races. I do not enjoy the big-scene races with a lot of hype.
2. This is one of the last "old school" races (in the good company of the Tromptown Half Marathon/5K and Forks XV) and that's one reason, despite it being a road race, that I love it. 1: The cost. $32. Most 5Ks come close to that anymore. 2: Paper entry form. Forget that additional computer registration fee. The only additional cost is the stamp. 3: Not another tech shirt. Just about every race gives tech shirts now. I miss the good old cotton t-shirts. This race gave out knit winter beanies. Very cool. 4: No schwag bags full of crappy advertisements that just get tossed in the garbage. Nope, not here. We got a hat and choice of giant bag of Goldfish Crackers or Goldfish Cookies. I love races that give out feel-good food. And 5: Hand-made awards. You feel the RDs love with these.
3. Other than Karen, I did not know any of the other runners. This was good. It let me focus on myself and not fall into that need to try to race another person.
4. OK, my winning time is not all that good when you look at past winning times (or the top 10 female finisher times, for that matter!), but as Diane Sherrer once said ... it's all about who shows up. And those speedsters didn't show up that day. Which is why it was me walking away with the Pepperidge Farms cookies (OK, there was a cool cowbell trophy, too).
5. I won a road race. This is not an everyday occurrence for me. Headline should read "Old Fat Female Wins Road Race Wearing Trail Shoes and Waist Pack". It's good to be in the Masters category - those ladies are a tough group and I am proud to be a part of them! And fat - I am a proud Clydesdale runner and I work hard with beer and food to maintain my status. And as for the shoes and bottle pack ... can't help it, I am a trail runner at heart - and they work.
6. This past summer I switched to a High Fat, Low Carb diet and I am seeing the benefits of this. I probably still eat more carbs than many on this "diet" but it is much much lower than I used to eat. I don't deprive myself when I want carbs - I am not giving up beer or pizza. I just use them as my treats. But eating less carbs has taught my body to tap into my fat stores - and I have a pretty good supply - for energy. I had a Lara Bar (210 calories, 10 grams fat, 31 carbs) a couple of hours before the start of this race. I never felt hungry during the race, never felt the need to take in any fuel during the race, and felt energized throughout. I drank about 10 ounces of water (with NUUN electrolyte tab) during the race. And I felt fantastic.
7. These get-er-done-in-one-day races and then kick back and relive the fun with friends and beer are fun. I need to do more of these.
So yes, I had fun at a road race. But if I said I wasn't looking at the scenery and trails that I was running by and wishing I was running there, I'd be lying. I am still up in the air as to whether or not to run Boston. Fortunately I have paid dearly ($$) for the luxury of being still being able to decide. I just can't get excited about it and it's not where my heart is at. I know it is a privilege and an honor to be able to run there, but I don't know and probably won't until the last minute. I am fortunate to have had to opportunity to run five Bostons pre-2013 bombing. The logistics are so different now and I get that, but it is all just giving me a headache now. I want simplicity. I just want to run and lose myself in the woods.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Pre-Spring Ramblings
So I'm still tired of winter, although I am coping with it a little better now. Now that March is here I can really feel that there is an end in sight. Since I haven't had any races to report on and my "training" has been sketchy at best, I really don't have much to actually "report" on. My training has mostly just been a series of a flight of ideas ...
Joe and I had a wonderful day of XC skiing at Allegany State Park in Salamanca. If you XC ski, I highly recommend checking this out. It is a good 2.5 hour drive from here but well worth the trip. And if you don't XC ski, come spring when the snow melts there will be really excellent trails to run on. The Allegany Adventure Run on May 2 is always a good time. Bonus points: the Ellicottville Brewing Company is just a short 15 minute drive from the park ... excellent food and even better beers!
Normally in the winter I switch from drinking beer to wine. A good dark semi-dry wine relaxes me through winter. However, this year the local craft brewers have really come through for me with some amazing stouts. My top picks ...
Rooster Fish Oatmeal Stout. I love this beer. I walk into The Crooked Rooster and I don't have to say a word ... they just bring me one. And then a second one. And then there is their Cocoa Porter.
Ithaca Beer Company Milkstache. Oh. My. God. Smooth and filling. It leaves an excellent beer moustache on your face and a film inside the glass as you empty it. Good stuff. IBC recently had an Oatmeal Stout and Super Stout (made with Gimme Coffee) on tap that were also pretty excellent.
Two Goats Brewing Dirty Butt. Their brown ale mixed with their cream ale. Smooth. Just plain good beer.
I can't wait to get back to running on trails. I am trying hard to stay positive with running on the roads but I just enjoy the solitude of the trails.
I think a lot about food and beer when I run. I just do. A hunk of cheddar rolled up in a piece of bacon is amazing after a hard run. And probably not bad during a run.
The best part about March ... Shamrock Shakes are back.
Why did I bother to buy a pair of road shoes? Most days I haven't been able to see pavement and my road shoes have zero traction on the snow and ice. Two weeks from yesterday is the Wurtsboro Mountain 30K (roads) and I certainly hope I will be able to wear my Altra Intuitions for the race!
So I think my mind has just started wandering when I am out running ... sort of a survival mechanism.
And that brings me to this weekend. The weather forecast called for some sun and warmer temps. I wanted to get some miles in. Well, Saturday didn't work out as expected on that front. I did get a short 4.4 mile run in before heading over to the Finger Lakes National Forest for a hike with Joe and my sister and her husband. We had a really excellent 5.5 mile hike. In the years that I have been over to the forest in the winter I haven't seen such excellent snow conditions on those trails in probably forever. It was amazing and the temp was just right at around 24 degrees. After we headed over to Two Goats Brewing for some recovery time. So my mileage for the day was not a total loss. And although not running, snowshoeing at any speed is a great workout.
I had planned to go to Rochester today for the #TrailsROC birthday run. A run and a party ... sounded good to me. And then a couple of days ago it dawned on me. The run was scheduled for 8am ... and we were losing an hour of sleep. Well, that didn't work out. So I thought I would get up a bit early (remember, I work at night so my idea of early is probably still late for anyone else!) and get a longer-ish run in. Well, it was still freaking dark out! And yes, I own a headlamp but the idea of trying to dodge the ice and navigate in the dark really didn't appeal to me. When it finally got light out I headed out. Within a half mile I had to shed one shirt. The wind was blowing like mad. I had a route idea in mind when I left the house but within the first mile decided to just wing it.
So I'm still running the roads in my trail shoes. Our roads are still snow covered and the tricky footing more closely resembles running on the trails with the added benefit of still having to dodge the cars. I headed for some of the lesser used roads and had a pretty fun run. The wind was blowing pretty good but it was just right to keep me cool in the high-20s heat wave.
The official start of race season is next week with the St. Patrick's 4-Miler in Binghamton. Best race ever. And I had better be able to wear my road shoes. And there will be beer and Shamrock Shakes involved.
Joe and I had a wonderful day of XC skiing at Allegany State Park in Salamanca. If you XC ski, I highly recommend checking this out. It is a good 2.5 hour drive from here but well worth the trip. And if you don't XC ski, come spring when the snow melts there will be really excellent trails to run on. The Allegany Adventure Run on May 2 is always a good time. Bonus points: the Ellicottville Brewing Company is just a short 15 minute drive from the park ... excellent food and even better beers!
Normally in the winter I switch from drinking beer to wine. A good dark semi-dry wine relaxes me through winter. However, this year the local craft brewers have really come through for me with some amazing stouts. My top picks ...
Rooster Fish Oatmeal Stout. I love this beer. I walk into The Crooked Rooster and I don't have to say a word ... they just bring me one. And then a second one. And then there is their Cocoa Porter.
Ithaca Beer Company Milkstache. Oh. My. God. Smooth and filling. It leaves an excellent beer moustache on your face and a film inside the glass as you empty it. Good stuff. IBC recently had an Oatmeal Stout and Super Stout (made with Gimme Coffee) on tap that were also pretty excellent.
Two Goats Brewing Dirty Butt. Their brown ale mixed with their cream ale. Smooth. Just plain good beer.
I can't wait to get back to running on trails. I am trying hard to stay positive with running on the roads but I just enjoy the solitude of the trails.
I think a lot about food and beer when I run. I just do. A hunk of cheddar rolled up in a piece of bacon is amazing after a hard run. And probably not bad during a run.
The best part about March ... Shamrock Shakes are back.
Why did I bother to buy a pair of road shoes? Most days I haven't been able to see pavement and my road shoes have zero traction on the snow and ice. Two weeks from yesterday is the Wurtsboro Mountain 30K (roads) and I certainly hope I will be able to wear my Altra Intuitions for the race!
So I think my mind has just started wandering when I am out running ... sort of a survival mechanism.
And that brings me to this weekend. The weather forecast called for some sun and warmer temps. I wanted to get some miles in. Well, Saturday didn't work out as expected on that front. I did get a short 4.4 mile run in before heading over to the Finger Lakes National Forest for a hike with Joe and my sister and her husband. We had a really excellent 5.5 mile hike. In the years that I have been over to the forest in the winter I haven't seen such excellent snow conditions on those trails in probably forever. It was amazing and the temp was just right at around 24 degrees. After we headed over to Two Goats Brewing for some recovery time. So my mileage for the day was not a total loss. And although not running, snowshoeing at any speed is a great workout.
I had planned to go to Rochester today for the #TrailsROC birthday run. A run and a party ... sounded good to me. And then a couple of days ago it dawned on me. The run was scheduled for 8am ... and we were losing an hour of sleep. Well, that didn't work out. So I thought I would get up a bit early (remember, I work at night so my idea of early is probably still late for anyone else!) and get a longer-ish run in. Well, it was still freaking dark out! And yes, I own a headlamp but the idea of trying to dodge the ice and navigate in the dark really didn't appeal to me. When it finally got light out I headed out. Within a half mile I had to shed one shirt. The wind was blowing like mad. I had a route idea in mind when I left the house but within the first mile decided to just wing it.
So I'm still running the roads in my trail shoes. Our roads are still snow covered and the tricky footing more closely resembles running on the trails with the added benefit of still having to dodge the cars. I headed for some of the lesser used roads and had a pretty fun run. The wind was blowing pretty good but it was just right to keep me cool in the high-20s heat wave.
The official start of race season is next week with the St. Patrick's 4-Miler in Binghamton. Best race ever. And I had better be able to wear my road shoes. And there will be beer and Shamrock Shakes involved.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Fighting The Winter Blahs
I love the winter. I love the cold and the snow. But I gotta say ... I'm over it. First of all, I NEVER get sick. I just don't. I think it is from my many years of working in healthcare and building immunity by exposure. But this year it happened. First it started with the pukes; it pretty much tore its way through all of us at work. I recovered from that and then I started with a slight cough. I felt fine and figured it would just go away like it normally does. So a couple of weeks ago Joe and I went to a snowshoe race. I haven't run a snowshoe race in years and it was only 4 miles, so why not? Well, I coughed the whole ride to Rochester. I figured a good run in the cold would definitely help clear the crap out of my lungs. But HOLY HELL ... less than a mile in and I felt like I was running at altitude. I suffered through and finished but from that moment on, things just got worse on the cold front. I coughed and coughed and coughed. I could hear the death rattle in my lungs. But I felt fine and knew that it eventually would go away. And it finally did.
But the downside to that illness was that I quickly developed an intolerance to the cold. The cold made my skin hurt and breathing it brought on coughing fits. So once I finally got back to running (yes, I did take a few days off with this supposed illness) I was forced to hit the treadmill in the garage. And I just haven't been able to want to get back outside to run. Joe and I cross country skied one day and it was OK, but I just wasn't totally feeling the love of the winter like I normally would.
FINALLY today the sun was out. The sky was clear. The wind was blowing and it was 1.6 degrees outside. And I just wanted to get out in it. I was not going to spend one more day on the treadmill. I am finding the treadmill to be a nice training tool, but not something I want to do too often. And more than twice a week is too often for me. So Joe and I decided to get out today and try a little XC skiing. We are so lucky to have a seasonal road loop just a couple of miles from our house. In the winter it is not maintained at all for driving. BUT we are so lucky that it does get occasional maintenance from snowmobile club ... with a GROOMER! And at least once a year we are lucky enough to get to its smoothly groomed surface before the snowmobiles tear it up. And that day was today! We both donned our ski goggles and face masks and headed out. And it was amazing. The right gear makes all the difference. On this route there is a pretty long downhill and flying down it today with face mask and goggles, I didn't feel a bit of wind. BEST XC SKI DAY EVER!
Now I only wish I didn't have to go to work today ... I just want to get back out in it. Likely by my next day off the snowmobiles will have roughed the surface up. But it should still be ski-able. But even if it is not, I have at least re-found my love for the winter and am ready to get back out.
But the downside to that illness was that I quickly developed an intolerance to the cold. The cold made my skin hurt and breathing it brought on coughing fits. So once I finally got back to running (yes, I did take a few days off with this supposed illness) I was forced to hit the treadmill in the garage. And I just haven't been able to want to get back outside to run. Joe and I cross country skied one day and it was OK, but I just wasn't totally feeling the love of the winter like I normally would.
FINALLY today the sun was out. The sky was clear. The wind was blowing and it was 1.6 degrees outside. And I just wanted to get out in it. I was not going to spend one more day on the treadmill. I am finding the treadmill to be a nice training tool, but not something I want to do too often. And more than twice a week is too often for me. So Joe and I decided to get out today and try a little XC skiing. We are so lucky to have a seasonal road loop just a couple of miles from our house. In the winter it is not maintained at all for driving. BUT we are so lucky that it does get occasional maintenance from snowmobile club ... with a GROOMER! And at least once a year we are lucky enough to get to its smoothly groomed surface before the snowmobiles tear it up. And that day was today! We both donned our ski goggles and face masks and headed out. And it was amazing. The right gear makes all the difference. On this route there is a pretty long downhill and flying down it today with face mask and goggles, I didn't feel a bit of wind. BEST XC SKI DAY EVER!
Now I only wish I didn't have to go to work today ... I just want to get back out in it. Likely by my next day off the snowmobiles will have roughed the surface up. But it should still be ski-able. But even if it is not, I have at least re-found my love for the winter and am ready to get back out.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Desire and Freedom
Wow. To say it's been a long time since I was writing here is, well, a massive understatement. Looks like I have some work to do with updating some stuff here, but that will come in time. So it's 2015 and time to think about how I want my year of running to turn out. I have already had some race experience for the year that tells me how I want it to NOT turn out, which actually helps me out immensely. It has helped me focus and actually have goals. I do not plan to tackle any new distances this year but I do plan to improve on some of the old stuff.
"A wolf howling at the moon is a symbol of freedom and desire. Your animal instincts coming close to the surface - a connection with our true, wild beginnings. Just as you are never happier than when you are in Nature."
This design is a piece of jewelry from Tarma Designs. I love their jewelry and the symbolism of their pieces gives me inspiration. It is this particular piece that really got me thinking about my running goals for the new year. Freedom. Running, especially on trails, makes me feel free. It frees my mind from stressors and worries and clears my head. I love having to think about nothing except picking my feet up and putting them down and everything physical, like what it's going to take to keep me moving forward. I love making my body feel the pain of pushing hard and the rush that I feel when I have pushed hard and overcome. The freedom is there; all I have to do is put my shoes on and head out the door. It's the desire that needs some work. The desire to actually run is never the problem; it's the desire to be happy with what I know makes me happy that is the constant struggle. I love to go to races not to actually compete but more to push myself either in improving my time or pushing through a certain distance. I love to celebrate with my friends the many victories that come with competing against others as well as myself. But I need to know what my limits are and what makes me happy and what does not. Certain distances make me happy. Certain distances, one in particular, do not make me happy and I don't enjoy myself and yet I keep signing up for it. This year my desire is to be happy with all of my "races" and that means doing only what I know makes me happy, not what I think will make someone else happy or simply to impress others. The focus of my desire for this year will be to push as hard as I can and bring life back to what has become commonplace for me.
I am excited to do some new races this year, some annual favorites, and some that I haven't done in a long time. I won't go into extensive detail of my race schedule but I will put it out there that my goal race for this year is a brand spanking new event, one that I am so completely excited about and one that I plan to work hard on going for a personal best time at this distance. This race is the Twisted Branch Trail Run 100K. This race is going to be epic. It's a point-to-point race so there will be no "easy outs".
I am excited and honored to be an ambassador for a second year for The Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company. I feel very fortunate to have this local resource for my running needs and a place to just hang out and talk running. And the Team FLRTC ambassadors is a great mix of people who will also fit all of your running (and triathlon) needs! I have also found inspiration from a great nearby group, #TrailsRoc. They have a great philosophy and put on some super fun events (races and group runs). These guys know how to have fun with running and volunteering (they run a mean aid station at both The Virgil Crest Ultras and Cayuga Trails 50, and they KNOW how to take care of you!). I encourage you to check them out.
So there are my thoughts so far for this year. I have not gone into great detail in hopes that this will keep me excited to keep coming back here regularly and often to post about my desire and freedom.
"A wolf howling at the moon is a symbol of freedom and desire. Your animal instincts coming close to the surface - a connection with our true, wild beginnings. Just as you are never happier than when you are in Nature."This design is a piece of jewelry from Tarma Designs. I love their jewelry and the symbolism of their pieces gives me inspiration. It is this particular piece that really got me thinking about my running goals for the new year. Freedom. Running, especially on trails, makes me feel free. It frees my mind from stressors and worries and clears my head. I love having to think about nothing except picking my feet up and putting them down and everything physical, like what it's going to take to keep me moving forward. I love making my body feel the pain of pushing hard and the rush that I feel when I have pushed hard and overcome. The freedom is there; all I have to do is put my shoes on and head out the door. It's the desire that needs some work. The desire to actually run is never the problem; it's the desire to be happy with what I know makes me happy that is the constant struggle. I love to go to races not to actually compete but more to push myself either in improving my time or pushing through a certain distance. I love to celebrate with my friends the many victories that come with competing against others as well as myself. But I need to know what my limits are and what makes me happy and what does not. Certain distances make me happy. Certain distances, one in particular, do not make me happy and I don't enjoy myself and yet I keep signing up for it. This year my desire is to be happy with all of my "races" and that means doing only what I know makes me happy, not what I think will make someone else happy or simply to impress others. The focus of my desire for this year will be to push as hard as I can and bring life back to what has become commonplace for me.
I am excited to do some new races this year, some annual favorites, and some that I haven't done in a long time. I won't go into extensive detail of my race schedule but I will put it out there that my goal race for this year is a brand spanking new event, one that I am so completely excited about and one that I plan to work hard on going for a personal best time at this distance. This race is the Twisted Branch Trail Run 100K. This race is going to be epic. It's a point-to-point race so there will be no "easy outs".
I am excited and honored to be an ambassador for a second year for The Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company. I feel very fortunate to have this local resource for my running needs and a place to just hang out and talk running. And the Team FLRTC ambassadors is a great mix of people who will also fit all of your running (and triathlon) needs! I have also found inspiration from a great nearby group, #TrailsRoc. They have a great philosophy and put on some super fun events (races and group runs). These guys know how to have fun with running and volunteering (they run a mean aid station at both The Virgil Crest Ultras and Cayuga Trails 50, and they KNOW how to take care of you!). I encourage you to check them out.
So there are my thoughts so far for this year. I have not gone into great detail in hopes that this will keep me excited to keep coming back here regularly and often to post about my desire and freedom.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Not A DNF ... Just Plain FD
OK, so it's six months into the year and this is only my second post. To say that my attention to this blog has been pitiful is an understatement. I have been running and getting out and doing fun stuff, I just haven't felt like writing for some reason. Well, a little introspection is sometimes a good thing and might actually bring a little perspective back to my running. Plain and simple, this year I wanted to avoid what I call the "FOMO Syndrome" (Fear of Missing Out ... signing up for every race because I don't want to miss out on the fun). Well, that goal went right out the window and I completely blew it. And in the end I blew up. The one race I had been looking forward to running for literally years ... well, in the end, it was a bust.
So let me go back to almost the beginning of the year. My one post for 2014 was about The Beast of Burden 50 miler back in January. Let me start by saying that I freaking love this race. Basically it entails several things about running that I absolutely hate. First of all, it's a flat course. Flatter than flat. There are long distances between aid stations. There are long periods of time when you are alone and feel like there is no one else out there but you. But here's what I LOVE about this race ... it's in the winter (= brutal weather conditions), the volunteers and race directors are amazing and fun people, my fellow BoB'ers who have been there since the first running of the race keep coming back, it's an out-and-back course so you get to see the race as it unfolds, and it's just plain fun ... because who is really trained to "run" a 50 miler in the snow and wind (and sometimes sleeting rain) in LOCKPORT in January?! And it is the only race where I never regret not going for the full 100 miles. 50 miles is my limit there and I am always happy with that, no matter what my time.
Forward into February and the Febapple Frozen Fifty (50K) in NJ. I had an OK finishing time. The NJ group is always fun and I got to see many of our friends. But with the snow and then rain and then brutal cold that we had, the course was a mess of post-holing through hard snow and not very runnable. But all in all I had fun. This was my first official race running as a Team FLRTC ambassador and I was proud to wear the logo and advertise Finger Lakes running. I have to say, just having the support and encouragement of this team really helped to make a hard run much more enjoyable and helped push me to the finish.
So two ultras in two months, one would think that some rest would be in order, right? Wrong. March shows up with the usual fun of The St. Patrick's Day 4-Miler in Binghamton, which I have to say is truly a "race" for me. There is no "just finishing" here. I have won the Athena Division (aka, Big Ladies Division) every year that I have run this race. I want to keep this streak going as long as I can. And they have beer at the finish ... what more encouragement does one need to put on a little speed? So this race is serious business for me. Then two weeks later was the HAT Run 50K in Maryland. I hadn't done this race for about 5 years so I really wanted to go back and try it again. As always, it was fun and I made my usual stupid mistakes of going out too fast and not fuelling properly on the first loop, but all in all I felt good and got my shit together on lap two and had a decent run. Most importantly I finished feeling way better than I felt at the end of the first lap!
Alrighty, on to April and the first local race where our Team FLRTC could really show off our stuff. In general, I really do not enjoy road races but the roads are a necessary evil around here if you want to stay in good running shape throughout the winter. It was a beautiful sunny and warm day and I ran a bit slower than I would have liked ... but let's face it, I don't run on roads really enough to think I should be able to race fast on them. And I am a few years older than the last time I had done a long-ish road race. And I looked at it as a nice endurance speed set-up for a 50K I would be doing in two weeks. Yup ... two weeks later we were off to Ohio for the Mohican Forget The PR 50K (and Joe running the 25K). This race was held on some really beautiful trails and I really loved the course. And they had PEEPS at one of the aid stations. I was in heaven. Given the insane climbs and thigh-deep water crossings that were part of this course, I was happy with my just-over-7-hour finish. And everything was feeling good. And they had beer at the finish and gave out cool finisher mugs so that you could keep refilling. Pretty sweet. I used to study course maps but then at one point I figured I am not leading these races, I can just follow the others, and stopped looking at course maps. I need to start looking at course maps again. This is the SECOND (yes, that means I did not learn the first time) race where I thought since there was a 25K and a 50K race that the 50K was just two loops of the 25K loop. Well, it wasn't. Fortunately I had put on my good sneakers for the "first loop" and generously filled my pack with some good snacks. I had plans for the "second loop" but ... well, you get it. Thank goodness I survive these things despite myself.
And then came May. Whoa ... how did that happen? I was not signed up for an ultra? Well, better make up for that by doing a weekend of back-to-back trail half marathons ... one that was all-out runnable (Allegany Adventure Run in Salamanca) followed by a not-so-runnable-serious-climbs-with-suicidal-descents half marathon (Greenwood Furnace Trail Challenge in PA). Obviously this would be a great set-up to try and run a Boston Marathon qualifier in two weeks. Off to Augusta, NJ, for 3 Days at the Fair. Joe had signed up for the 48 hour race (48 hours of running on a 1-mile paved loop). The plan was for me to crew for him and help him to reach his goal of 90 miles. So I thought, he really won't need me for those first few hours of the race, so why don't I just bang out a marathon and then I can help him? Again, I am not a real road runner. Nor have I actually "run" 26 miles consecutively in I can't remember when. That is why I like trails. Run a little, walk a little. And eat. Real food. Apparently you can't really do that when you are trying to run fast. And did I mention that I am not a fan of flat or pavement? Yup, had both of those, too. So I just wanted to get it over with so I could make one last trip back to Boston. And about five minutes into the race it started to rain. And then it poured. For the whole race. I felt pretty decent until about mile 20 and then I really just wanted it to be over. I stopped by our tent to grab a fresh water bottle and there was a giant cookie on the table and all I could think about was that if this was an ultra I could eat that cookie. But I didn't. I kept running until I came upon Joe and my friend Eva, both enjoying their 48-hour runs, and I just melted down. Screw this, I didn't care if I qualified or not. This was not fun. And then Eva asked what I needed to do for those final three miles in order to qualify. I knew that 10-minute miles would easily get me under the 3:55 that I needed and Eva gave me so much encouragement to get me going again. I fumbled on mile 24 but once I crossed the timing mat and saw where I was at it was game-on again. And I threw-down two more sub-9 minute miles to get the job done and I was a Boston Marathon qualifier! Cool ... now I could get on with what I was really here to do ... crew for Joe. And he was amazing in some pretty crazy weather and finished with 80 miles in less than 30 hours!
Alrighty ... that was a good little speed workout and I had two weeks to recover before Cayuga Trails 50. Nice. I guess I was a little tired but I took it easy for those two weeks and come CT50 race day I felt great. For the first 1/4 of the race anyway. It was a beautiful day but the heat really kicked-up and, oh, those stairs! Again, did I really look at the course map? Of course not; I ran this last year. So when I came out at the top of the entrance to Buttermilk Falls and the volunteer told me that I was going to keep going straight (and not turn left and cross the stone bridge like we did last year), my insides kinda turned. I had only been on this section of trail once before and I remembered it being a little, ummm, brutal. Crap. But what are you gonna do? Actually, my body felt pretty strong throughout the race and mentally, I guess I kept it together. Somewhere probably around mile 38-ish one of my trail angels was out there with some good running beer ... yup ... that would be the Lucifer Steps. No GI issues while drinking that on the run! Good stuff and just what I needed. But by the time I got to the Underpass Aid Station I was craving something more than water again. But they were out of soda. And Joe was out of the soda that I had in the cooler. Sometimes you just have to improvise. I had a Pale Ale in the cooler that would just have to do. And that 12 ounces went down very well and I was off to get this last seven miles done. The next four miles were pretty interesting to say the least. And the last three miles just a little painful. But I got it done in not a bad time for me, especially given the heat, which my slight-build of a body pretty much detests. A few beers and burgers later and recovery was well under way.
So a 50-miler just two weeks before a scheduled 70-miler is a good build-up, right? Just rest for those two weeks and get that 70 done. After all, it's not like it's a 100 miles. I got this. Off to Ohiopyle, PA, for the Laurel Highlands 70.5 mile ultra. I have wanted to do this race for years but it always came so close to the Finger Lakes Fifties and I always had too much stuff to get done for the race to be able to run the LH race. So finally, not having to worry about the FL50s this year, I had my chance to run Laurel Highlands. We got to our lodging on Friday night a bit later than I would have liked. And it was raining. And I had to get my stuff together and try to get some sleep. I actually started to feel a little overwhelmed. And I thought, "do I really have to do this?" But this race was a long time coming and I thought once I get out on the trail it will all be good. I got a few hours of sleep and woke feeling rested but still wondering, "what if I just overslept and missed the start? That wouldn't be so bad." But Joe was ready to crew and I just thought my feelings would pass. I actually felt apprehensive at the start, which really is not normal for me. But pretty soon we were off and running. The trail was really nice but with A LOT of climb in the first 11.9 miles. I was sweating like mad from the effort and drinking like crazy but never feeling like I was quenching my thirst. I ate but was still feeling cranky. Electrolytes didn't help. The talk of the other runners and their laughter annoyed me. I was not having fun. I have been known to feel like shit during races but never this early on. So by the time I got to Joe at 11.9 miles I just wanted to be done. I didn't want to be out there; I just didn't want to run. Nothing was physically wrong and I was mentally OK, I just didn't want to be there. But somehow he and a volunteer convinced me to go on. So I walked and I ate and drank but the energy, physical and mental, just wasn't there. Joe told me to look around and enjoy the beauty of the trail. I tried but I just was not seeing it; this was not fun. Some friends caught up and passed me and we chatted a bit and I ran some miles with another friend and it was nice. But I was not out here to walk 70 miles. I am no elite athlete and somehow it always seemed like it is OK when an elite runner just isn't having a good day and they stop so that they can save themselves for another day. I am not elite and my only goal is always just to finish. Sometimes I have a time goal in my head, but mostly I want to enjoy the run and do the best I can. And on this day my best was not good enough to satisfy what I wanted to get done. So why shouldn't I save myself for another day? So when I got to Joe again at mile 19.6 I pulled the plug. He did his best to try to get me to keep going, saying things would get better, and they might have, but the truth was I just wanted to be anywhere else but running on a trail for the next 16+ hours. I took my number off and gave it to the aid station chief and all of a sudden felt very relieved. It was over and I was OK with this. This was not a DNF ... I was just plain FD (credit for this term goes to the wonderful BoB ladies who coined it ... just plain "F-ing Done"). I have used this term more than once. Thank you, ladies.
So now I'm back home and back out running some short easy miles. And I'm feeling happy again, waiting for my Escarpment entry code to arrive in the mail so that I can finalize my entry. And I'm not registered for any ultras until the end of August when the Green Lakes 100K comes around. I'm excited for Escarpment and excited to take time and rest and really prepare for GLER. And I just plan to take it one race at a time.
Thank you to all who had the endurance to make it to the end of this report. Maybe I should start writing more often. Hmmmm. So in closing I will admit that I signed up for way too many races this spring. But it's not completely all my fault. It really stinks that races just fill up so fast that you have to start looking at them months in advance and sign-up just so you won't get shut-out. Well, forget that ... next year if I get shut-out then it just wasn't meant to be. And then there's the fact that if I was still a race director this year I would not have had time for all of this anyway. So next year I plan to do some more volunteering again.
And wow, June is half-way over. Time flies when you're living race to race. Never again. And yes, this all sounds a little insane to me when I put it down in writing ...
So let me go back to almost the beginning of the year. My one post for 2014 was about The Beast of Burden 50 miler back in January. Let me start by saying that I freaking love this race. Basically it entails several things about running that I absolutely hate. First of all, it's a flat course. Flatter than flat. There are long distances between aid stations. There are long periods of time when you are alone and feel like there is no one else out there but you. But here's what I LOVE about this race ... it's in the winter (= brutal weather conditions), the volunteers and race directors are amazing and fun people, my fellow BoB'ers who have been there since the first running of the race keep coming back, it's an out-and-back course so you get to see the race as it unfolds, and it's just plain fun ... because who is really trained to "run" a 50 miler in the snow and wind (and sometimes sleeting rain) in LOCKPORT in January?! And it is the only race where I never regret not going for the full 100 miles. 50 miles is my limit there and I am always happy with that, no matter what my time.
Forward into February and the Febapple Frozen Fifty (50K) in NJ. I had an OK finishing time. The NJ group is always fun and I got to see many of our friends. But with the snow and then rain and then brutal cold that we had, the course was a mess of post-holing through hard snow and not very runnable. But all in all I had fun. This was my first official race running as a Team FLRTC ambassador and I was proud to wear the logo and advertise Finger Lakes running. I have to say, just having the support and encouragement of this team really helped to make a hard run much more enjoyable and helped push me to the finish.
So two ultras in two months, one would think that some rest would be in order, right? Wrong. March shows up with the usual fun of The St. Patrick's Day 4-Miler in Binghamton, which I have to say is truly a "race" for me. There is no "just finishing" here. I have won the Athena Division (aka, Big Ladies Division) every year that I have run this race. I want to keep this streak going as long as I can. And they have beer at the finish ... what more encouragement does one need to put on a little speed? So this race is serious business for me. Then two weeks later was the HAT Run 50K in Maryland. I hadn't done this race for about 5 years so I really wanted to go back and try it again. As always, it was fun and I made my usual stupid mistakes of going out too fast and not fuelling properly on the first loop, but all in all I felt good and got my shit together on lap two and had a decent run. Most importantly I finished feeling way better than I felt at the end of the first lap!
Alrighty, on to April and the first local race where our Team FLRTC could really show off our stuff. In general, I really do not enjoy road races but the roads are a necessary evil around here if you want to stay in good running shape throughout the winter. It was a beautiful sunny and warm day and I ran a bit slower than I would have liked ... but let's face it, I don't run on roads really enough to think I should be able to race fast on them. And I am a few years older than the last time I had done a long-ish road race. And I looked at it as a nice endurance speed set-up for a 50K I would be doing in two weeks. Yup ... two weeks later we were off to Ohio for the Mohican Forget The PR 50K (and Joe running the 25K). This race was held on some really beautiful trails and I really loved the course. And they had PEEPS at one of the aid stations. I was in heaven. Given the insane climbs and thigh-deep water crossings that were part of this course, I was happy with my just-over-7-hour finish. And everything was feeling good. And they had beer at the finish and gave out cool finisher mugs so that you could keep refilling. Pretty sweet. I used to study course maps but then at one point I figured I am not leading these races, I can just follow the others, and stopped looking at course maps. I need to start looking at course maps again. This is the SECOND (yes, that means I did not learn the first time) race where I thought since there was a 25K and a 50K race that the 50K was just two loops of the 25K loop. Well, it wasn't. Fortunately I had put on my good sneakers for the "first loop" and generously filled my pack with some good snacks. I had plans for the "second loop" but ... well, you get it. Thank goodness I survive these things despite myself.
And then came May. Whoa ... how did that happen? I was not signed up for an ultra? Well, better make up for that by doing a weekend of back-to-back trail half marathons ... one that was all-out runnable (Allegany Adventure Run in Salamanca) followed by a not-so-runnable-serious-climbs-with-suicidal-descents half marathon (Greenwood Furnace Trail Challenge in PA). Obviously this would be a great set-up to try and run a Boston Marathon qualifier in two weeks. Off to Augusta, NJ, for 3 Days at the Fair. Joe had signed up for the 48 hour race (48 hours of running on a 1-mile paved loop). The plan was for me to crew for him and help him to reach his goal of 90 miles. So I thought, he really won't need me for those first few hours of the race, so why don't I just bang out a marathon and then I can help him? Again, I am not a real road runner. Nor have I actually "run" 26 miles consecutively in I can't remember when. That is why I like trails. Run a little, walk a little. And eat. Real food. Apparently you can't really do that when you are trying to run fast. And did I mention that I am not a fan of flat or pavement? Yup, had both of those, too. So I just wanted to get it over with so I could make one last trip back to Boston. And about five minutes into the race it started to rain. And then it poured. For the whole race. I felt pretty decent until about mile 20 and then I really just wanted it to be over. I stopped by our tent to grab a fresh water bottle and there was a giant cookie on the table and all I could think about was that if this was an ultra I could eat that cookie. But I didn't. I kept running until I came upon Joe and my friend Eva, both enjoying their 48-hour runs, and I just melted down. Screw this, I didn't care if I qualified or not. This was not fun. And then Eva asked what I needed to do for those final three miles in order to qualify. I knew that 10-minute miles would easily get me under the 3:55 that I needed and Eva gave me so much encouragement to get me going again. I fumbled on mile 24 but once I crossed the timing mat and saw where I was at it was game-on again. And I threw-down two more sub-9 minute miles to get the job done and I was a Boston Marathon qualifier! Cool ... now I could get on with what I was really here to do ... crew for Joe. And he was amazing in some pretty crazy weather and finished with 80 miles in less than 30 hours!
Alrighty ... that was a good little speed workout and I had two weeks to recover before Cayuga Trails 50. Nice. I guess I was a little tired but I took it easy for those two weeks and come CT50 race day I felt great. For the first 1/4 of the race anyway. It was a beautiful day but the heat really kicked-up and, oh, those stairs! Again, did I really look at the course map? Of course not; I ran this last year. So when I came out at the top of the entrance to Buttermilk Falls and the volunteer told me that I was going to keep going straight (and not turn left and cross the stone bridge like we did last year), my insides kinda turned. I had only been on this section of trail once before and I remembered it being a little, ummm, brutal. Crap. But what are you gonna do? Actually, my body felt pretty strong throughout the race and mentally, I guess I kept it together. Somewhere probably around mile 38-ish one of my trail angels was out there with some good running beer ... yup ... that would be the Lucifer Steps. No GI issues while drinking that on the run! Good stuff and just what I needed. But by the time I got to the Underpass Aid Station I was craving something more than water again. But they were out of soda. And Joe was out of the soda that I had in the cooler. Sometimes you just have to improvise. I had a Pale Ale in the cooler that would just have to do. And that 12 ounces went down very well and I was off to get this last seven miles done. The next four miles were pretty interesting to say the least. And the last three miles just a little painful. But I got it done in not a bad time for me, especially given the heat, which my slight-build of a body pretty much detests. A few beers and burgers later and recovery was well under way.
So a 50-miler just two weeks before a scheduled 70-miler is a good build-up, right? Just rest for those two weeks and get that 70 done. After all, it's not like it's a 100 miles. I got this. Off to Ohiopyle, PA, for the Laurel Highlands 70.5 mile ultra. I have wanted to do this race for years but it always came so close to the Finger Lakes Fifties and I always had too much stuff to get done for the race to be able to run the LH race. So finally, not having to worry about the FL50s this year, I had my chance to run Laurel Highlands. We got to our lodging on Friday night a bit later than I would have liked. And it was raining. And I had to get my stuff together and try to get some sleep. I actually started to feel a little overwhelmed. And I thought, "do I really have to do this?" But this race was a long time coming and I thought once I get out on the trail it will all be good. I got a few hours of sleep and woke feeling rested but still wondering, "what if I just overslept and missed the start? That wouldn't be so bad." But Joe was ready to crew and I just thought my feelings would pass. I actually felt apprehensive at the start, which really is not normal for me. But pretty soon we were off and running. The trail was really nice but with A LOT of climb in the first 11.9 miles. I was sweating like mad from the effort and drinking like crazy but never feeling like I was quenching my thirst. I ate but was still feeling cranky. Electrolytes didn't help. The talk of the other runners and their laughter annoyed me. I was not having fun. I have been known to feel like shit during races but never this early on. So by the time I got to Joe at 11.9 miles I just wanted to be done. I didn't want to be out there; I just didn't want to run. Nothing was physically wrong and I was mentally OK, I just didn't want to be there. But somehow he and a volunteer convinced me to go on. So I walked and I ate and drank but the energy, physical and mental, just wasn't there. Joe told me to look around and enjoy the beauty of the trail. I tried but I just was not seeing it; this was not fun. Some friends caught up and passed me and we chatted a bit and I ran some miles with another friend and it was nice. But I was not out here to walk 70 miles. I am no elite athlete and somehow it always seemed like it is OK when an elite runner just isn't having a good day and they stop so that they can save themselves for another day. I am not elite and my only goal is always just to finish. Sometimes I have a time goal in my head, but mostly I want to enjoy the run and do the best I can. And on this day my best was not good enough to satisfy what I wanted to get done. So why shouldn't I save myself for another day? So when I got to Joe again at mile 19.6 I pulled the plug. He did his best to try to get me to keep going, saying things would get better, and they might have, but the truth was I just wanted to be anywhere else but running on a trail for the next 16+ hours. I took my number off and gave it to the aid station chief and all of a sudden felt very relieved. It was over and I was OK with this. This was not a DNF ... I was just plain FD (credit for this term goes to the wonderful BoB ladies who coined it ... just plain "F-ing Done"). I have used this term more than once. Thank you, ladies.
So now I'm back home and back out running some short easy miles. And I'm feeling happy again, waiting for my Escarpment entry code to arrive in the mail so that I can finalize my entry. And I'm not registered for any ultras until the end of August when the Green Lakes 100K comes around. I'm excited for Escarpment and excited to take time and rest and really prepare for GLER. And I just plan to take it one race at a time.
Thank you to all who had the endurance to make it to the end of this report. Maybe I should start writing more often. Hmmmm. So in closing I will admit that I signed up for way too many races this spring. But it's not completely all my fault. It really stinks that races just fill up so fast that you have to start looking at them months in advance and sign-up just so you won't get shut-out. Well, forget that ... next year if I get shut-out then it just wasn't meant to be. And then there's the fact that if I was still a race director this year I would not have had time for all of this anyway. So next year I plan to do some more volunteering again.
And wow, June is half-way over. Time flies when you're living race to race. Never again. And yes, this all sounds a little insane to me when I put it down in writing ...
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
2014 BoB ... And Avoiding The FOMO Syndrome
OK, 2014 is here and it's time to get a new year of running and racing started. A new year means some pretty exciting things in store or me. First of all, I was accepted into the NUUN Ambassador program as a "NUUN fan", which means representing a company and a hydration product that I really love and really believe in. NUUN is great-tasting, has a clean and crisp flavor, and does not fill me up like other sports hydration products do; it provides pure hydration and allows me to eat the real food that I love to fuel the fire. To find out more about this amazing company and their products go to http://www.nuun.com/company/about.
So this year my main goal, other than trying to improve on some old races and running some new exciting ones, is to avoid the FOMO Syndrome. FOMO is the Fear Of Missing Out ... and I have it bad. Even when a race offers different distances and I register for a race that is not the longest distance offered, I feel like I am going to miss out on some fun. A lot of my friends will still be out on the course running when I have finished ... and what if they are having fun and I am missing it? So that is what makes me register for the longer distance, even if not properly trained and even if the race terrain is not completely compatible with what I run best on. This year I am determined to not just do what my running friends are doing but to register for what is best for me. We'll see how that goes ...
For many people winter means taking a break from running and racing; a time to recover and enjoy other fun like skiing, snowshoeing, or just taking a break. For me, January brings the start of my ultrarunning season with the Winter Beast of Burden 100 and 50 Mile runs. Typically I have signed up for the 100 miler and end of DNFing at the 50 mile point. This 100 miler is tough because it is FLAT and repetitive and generally I just can't keep my mind in it. And when things start to physically fall apart I just can't mentally overcome the problems. But that's the FOMO Syndrome ... all of my friends are doing the 100 and I don't want to be left out. That's what gets me in trouble. So this year I got smart and registered for "just" the 50 miler. But I have to say ... right up until the days before the race I so wanted to email the race director and try to beg my way in to the 100. Thank goodness for my good friend Karen who set me straight. At 37.5 miles I was ready for it to be over and at 50 I was just glad to be alive!
We had some great snow and cold in early January which provided some great training - mental and physical - for the race. And then just weeks before the race a horrible thing happened ... the snow melted. And it warmed up. As I watched the forecast leading up to race day I was totally convinced that this year the race would not be a Beast. But then Mother Nature came through with the forecast of some great winds. Thank goodness; there was going to be a challenge after all.
So here's the run-down on how things unfolded ...
Race morning came and it was mid 20s and just a little windy. As usual, I couldn't decide what to wear and slightly overdressed. Fortunately Joe was out along the course at around 2 miles and I stripped off my outer layer of wind pants and gave them to him. This made the first 12.5 miles more comfortable.
12.5 miles - 2 hrs, 15 min. I was soaked in sweat, since the wind had been at my back the entire way. This is my biggest issue with this race; I lose a lot of time having to change into dry clothes. It's a long way between aid stations and if not properly dressed, dry, and warm ... well, it can be pretty miserable if not totally hazardous to your health. So I quickly changed into dry clothes, downed some Ensure, refilled my bottle with NUUN strawberry lemonade, grabbed some chips, and headed back out.
In the middle of the 12.5 mile sections is Gasport and the midway aid station. You will hit it on each trip between Lockport and Middleport and it is a blessing and a curse. A blessing because there are great volunteers there and some pretty excellent food; a curse because going inside that heated tent feels so good that you don't want to leave. Leaving means you are now warmed up and a bit sweaty and having to go back out into the wind and cold. So despite how amazing the food and people are, you don't want to spend much time here.
25 miles - 5 hrs, 19 min. OK, this entire 12.5 mile section was directly into the wind. I was feeling a bit beat-up and cranky from hypoglycemia at this point. I couldn't wait to get in and have some hot food. My honey, Joseph, who is the most amazing crew man out there, was waiting for me with dry clothes and whatever else I wanted. Problem was, I didn't know what I wanted. I knew that I had to change my shirt and coat (knowing that the trip back to Middleport would have the wind at my back and I would be warmer and sweating more and I didn't want to soak my windstopper jacket, since I would definitely need it for the last 12.5 miles). So I got some dry clothes on, ate a luke-warmish grilled cheese sandwich (doesn't it figure ... as my luck goes, Lockport AS lost power and just got it back just as I was coming in, so the hot food that I was so looking forward to was not too hot). Oh well ... I needed to get out of there and give myself an attitude adjustment.
Once leaving the Lockport AS I was running into the wind, which I knew would not last long since I would soon cross the bridge and head the other direction. So even though I was cold with what I was wearing, I just hoped that once I crossed the bridge I would be warmer.
So I finally crossed the bridge and was back on the towpath. One big problem for me this year was that there really was no snow on the towpath; it was just a frozen gravel path and it was hard! At least with the snow there is some cushion under the feet ... this was totally unforgiving. Whenever I could find a patch of drifted snow I got onto it and it was heaven.
Once I the towpath the wind was again at my back. Now it was around 4pm and it really didn't feel as warm as it did earlier. And I didn't feel as warm. Fortunately, I had tied a windbreaker around my waist when I was leaving Lockport, so I put that on over my two layers that I already had on and just hoped for the best. As long as I was moving the cold was at least tolerable. The wind was still at my back and by the time I reached the Gasport AS my water bottle mouthpiece was frozen. I had hoped that the effervescent NUUN would help to keep this from happening but I guess the windchill was just too much. Fortunately, they had hot water at the aid station and were able to thaw the mouthpiece for me.
So I left Gasport slightly revived. Now it was getting dark. Headlamp on, front and back flasher lights on. I looked like a freaking Christmas tree moving down the towpath. Just as I was hitting a bit of a low spot I came upon some people who were waiting for their runner to come by. They were having a regular party out on the canal (which is drained down pretty low during the winter and frozen pretty solid in some areas). The guys were out on the ice running and belly-flopping and sliding on their bellies on the ice! It was hysterical and just a bit of comic relief that I needed.
I ate some more salty caramel GU which made me feel pretty happy inside. The NUUN was keeping me very well hydrated. But now the weird thing was that my face just felt cold and my sinuses were actually hurting. The wind wasn't even blowing in my face. So I just got to the point where I ran when I could, walked when I couldn't run, and just bitched out loud because there was no one around to listen to me.
37.5 miles - 8 hrs, 58 min. Thank goodness I finally reached the Middleport AS. I was hungry and grumpy and just ready for it to be over. Joe had gotten a ride out to Middleport so that he could run back to the finish with me. I knew that he would want to go out with me but I worried that he would not be warm enough at the pace I was moving. And we would be heading directly into the wind for the final 12.5 miles. So I grumped into the aid station (thank goodness it is in a heated building) and wanted to know who keeps allowing me to sign up for this every year. I was cold and miserable. FORTUNATELY, the ladies working this aid station know me and how I swing with this race. And they know how to take care of me. Nancey massaged my irritated IT band and Dani had some homemade Bailey's irish cream. So I had a nice big cup of Bailey's with some coffee to warm it up, some super hot chicken broth, got on some dry clothes, and got my spirits lifted from the group working there. These volunteers are, bar-none, the very best!
I really emphasized to Joe just how brutal it was out there but he still insisted on running with me. Thank god! At this point in the race runners are so spread out that you really end up running alone most of the time. I drank more Ensure and refilled the NUUN bottle, grabbed some hot grilled cheese, and we were off. I had gotten dry clothes on and additional layers, so I was very comfortable. Joe was moving a bit faster than me and I warned him not to get too sweaty because I was not moving all that fast and wet/sweaty plus a headwind could spell disaster. He slowed to my pace and I was actually starting to enjoy myself again. The moon and the stars were and it was pretty surreal.
We met up with friends Lisa and Gary who were running the 100 miler and ran with them for a bit. The cold was still pretty wicked and with about 7 miles left to go my headlamp faded to practically nothing (the cold really drains the power even though I had lithium batteries). I had a spare set of batteries but Joe's light was enough for the both of us ... and even if his went out the moon was so big and the towpath so flat and clear we would have been fine. The lights are mostly necessary on this course for the other runners to see you so that you don't run into or startle each other.
That last 6.5 miles from Gasport to Lockport always seems longer than it is. It just takes forever. And then, out of nowhere, I saw the lights of Widewaters Marina on the other side of the canal. This is the start/finish area in Lockport. Granted, even when you can see this spot you still have about 2 miles to go, but just seeing it makes everything better. I was feeling pretty good at this point but the hard frozen ground and the flat terrain were taking its toll on my right IT band. I really needed a beer to loosen things up.
50 miles - 12 hrs, 32 min. FINALLY! THE FINISH! I made it. After 5 years of running this event I finally had an actual finish and not a DNF. I got inside the heated tent and was right away given some pretty amazing beer ... an IPA with 12.5% ABV. Thank you, Jim! Joe did an amazing job of getting me to the finish; keeping me moving and running when I just felt like walking. All of the volunteers, race directors, other runners' crew people ... they all helped to get me to the finish. This is why I come back to this race every year ... the people are just simply amazing! Thank you to all of them for a wonderful time!
I had really hoped to run a faster time but then I realized a few things ...
1. The terrain of this course works against me. Flat is not my thing ... the repetitiveness on the muscles and joints is really hard for me.
2. I need to carry more food and eat better between the aid stations. They are pretty far apart and trying to eat enough before going 5+ miles until the next station is pretty hard.
3. I lost at least an hour having to change into dry clothes. I can't say that I wasted this time; it was essential for my survival. It can be below zero and I still sweat a lot. And sweat + wind + cold = disaster. It was necessary to take this time to make sure I was properly clothed and warm.
And what I learned ...
1. I laughed when Joe got me a box of 40 Hot Hands handwarmers for Christmas. Guess who knew what the right gift was for me this year? I love you, Joseph!
2. No matter how cold it is outside, nothing tastes better than a cold beer at the finish!
Aside from Joseph and all of the other wonderful people, what got me to the finish?
FOOD/HYDRATION:
NUUN hydration tablets
Gu salty caramel gels
Butter Pecan Ensure
grilled cheese sandwiches on good old white bread
coffee and Bailey's Irish Cream (I could have used more of this!)
OK ... that ends my winter fun-run, just-survive-and-finish-no-matter-what-the-time run. Now it's time to focus. I hope to be better about posting after my next race (this took me 2 weeks to get this together!) I love the winter but I miss the trails ... maybe it's time to get the snowshoes out!
Pictures to come ... as soon as I figure out why they are not uploading!
So this year my main goal, other than trying to improve on some old races and running some new exciting ones, is to avoid the FOMO Syndrome. FOMO is the Fear Of Missing Out ... and I have it bad. Even when a race offers different distances and I register for a race that is not the longest distance offered, I feel like I am going to miss out on some fun. A lot of my friends will still be out on the course running when I have finished ... and what if they are having fun and I am missing it? So that is what makes me register for the longer distance, even if not properly trained and even if the race terrain is not completely compatible with what I run best on. This year I am determined to not just do what my running friends are doing but to register for what is best for me. We'll see how that goes ...
For many people winter means taking a break from running and racing; a time to recover and enjoy other fun like skiing, snowshoeing, or just taking a break. For me, January brings the start of my ultrarunning season with the Winter Beast of Burden 100 and 50 Mile runs. Typically I have signed up for the 100 miler and end of DNFing at the 50 mile point. This 100 miler is tough because it is FLAT and repetitive and generally I just can't keep my mind in it. And when things start to physically fall apart I just can't mentally overcome the problems. But that's the FOMO Syndrome ... all of my friends are doing the 100 and I don't want to be left out. That's what gets me in trouble. So this year I got smart and registered for "just" the 50 miler. But I have to say ... right up until the days before the race I so wanted to email the race director and try to beg my way in to the 100. Thank goodness for my good friend Karen who set me straight. At 37.5 miles I was ready for it to be over and at 50 I was just glad to be alive!
We had some great snow and cold in early January which provided some great training - mental and physical - for the race. And then just weeks before the race a horrible thing happened ... the snow melted. And it warmed up. As I watched the forecast leading up to race day I was totally convinced that this year the race would not be a Beast. But then Mother Nature came through with the forecast of some great winds. Thank goodness; there was going to be a challenge after all.
So here's the run-down on how things unfolded ...
Race morning came and it was mid 20s and just a little windy. As usual, I couldn't decide what to wear and slightly overdressed. Fortunately Joe was out along the course at around 2 miles and I stripped off my outer layer of wind pants and gave them to him. This made the first 12.5 miles more comfortable.
12.5 miles - 2 hrs, 15 min. I was soaked in sweat, since the wind had been at my back the entire way. This is my biggest issue with this race; I lose a lot of time having to change into dry clothes. It's a long way between aid stations and if not properly dressed, dry, and warm ... well, it can be pretty miserable if not totally hazardous to your health. So I quickly changed into dry clothes, downed some Ensure, refilled my bottle with NUUN strawberry lemonade, grabbed some chips, and headed back out.
In the middle of the 12.5 mile sections is Gasport and the midway aid station. You will hit it on each trip between Lockport and Middleport and it is a blessing and a curse. A blessing because there are great volunteers there and some pretty excellent food; a curse because going inside that heated tent feels so good that you don't want to leave. Leaving means you are now warmed up and a bit sweaty and having to go back out into the wind and cold. So despite how amazing the food and people are, you don't want to spend much time here.
25 miles - 5 hrs, 19 min. OK, this entire 12.5 mile section was directly into the wind. I was feeling a bit beat-up and cranky from hypoglycemia at this point. I couldn't wait to get in and have some hot food. My honey, Joseph, who is the most amazing crew man out there, was waiting for me with dry clothes and whatever else I wanted. Problem was, I didn't know what I wanted. I knew that I had to change my shirt and coat (knowing that the trip back to Middleport would have the wind at my back and I would be warmer and sweating more and I didn't want to soak my windstopper jacket, since I would definitely need it for the last 12.5 miles). So I got some dry clothes on, ate a luke-warmish grilled cheese sandwich (doesn't it figure ... as my luck goes, Lockport AS lost power and just got it back just as I was coming in, so the hot food that I was so looking forward to was not too hot). Oh well ... I needed to get out of there and give myself an attitude adjustment.
Once leaving the Lockport AS I was running into the wind, which I knew would not last long since I would soon cross the bridge and head the other direction. So even though I was cold with what I was wearing, I just hoped that once I crossed the bridge I would be warmer.
So I finally crossed the bridge and was back on the towpath. One big problem for me this year was that there really was no snow on the towpath; it was just a frozen gravel path and it was hard! At least with the snow there is some cushion under the feet ... this was totally unforgiving. Whenever I could find a patch of drifted snow I got onto it and it was heaven.
Once I the towpath the wind was again at my back. Now it was around 4pm and it really didn't feel as warm as it did earlier. And I didn't feel as warm. Fortunately, I had tied a windbreaker around my waist when I was leaving Lockport, so I put that on over my two layers that I already had on and just hoped for the best. As long as I was moving the cold was at least tolerable. The wind was still at my back and by the time I reached the Gasport AS my water bottle mouthpiece was frozen. I had hoped that the effervescent NUUN would help to keep this from happening but I guess the windchill was just too much. Fortunately, they had hot water at the aid station and were able to thaw the mouthpiece for me.
So I left Gasport slightly revived. Now it was getting dark. Headlamp on, front and back flasher lights on. I looked like a freaking Christmas tree moving down the towpath. Just as I was hitting a bit of a low spot I came upon some people who were waiting for their runner to come by. They were having a regular party out on the canal (which is drained down pretty low during the winter and frozen pretty solid in some areas). The guys were out on the ice running and belly-flopping and sliding on their bellies on the ice! It was hysterical and just a bit of comic relief that I needed.
I ate some more salty caramel GU which made me feel pretty happy inside. The NUUN was keeping me very well hydrated. But now the weird thing was that my face just felt cold and my sinuses were actually hurting. The wind wasn't even blowing in my face. So I just got to the point where I ran when I could, walked when I couldn't run, and just bitched out loud because there was no one around to listen to me.
37.5 miles - 8 hrs, 58 min. Thank goodness I finally reached the Middleport AS. I was hungry and grumpy and just ready for it to be over. Joe had gotten a ride out to Middleport so that he could run back to the finish with me. I knew that he would want to go out with me but I worried that he would not be warm enough at the pace I was moving. And we would be heading directly into the wind for the final 12.5 miles. So I grumped into the aid station (thank goodness it is in a heated building) and wanted to know who keeps allowing me to sign up for this every year. I was cold and miserable. FORTUNATELY, the ladies working this aid station know me and how I swing with this race. And they know how to take care of me. Nancey massaged my irritated IT band and Dani had some homemade Bailey's irish cream. So I had a nice big cup of Bailey's with some coffee to warm it up, some super hot chicken broth, got on some dry clothes, and got my spirits lifted from the group working there. These volunteers are, bar-none, the very best!
I really emphasized to Joe just how brutal it was out there but he still insisted on running with me. Thank god! At this point in the race runners are so spread out that you really end up running alone most of the time. I drank more Ensure and refilled the NUUN bottle, grabbed some hot grilled cheese, and we were off. I had gotten dry clothes on and additional layers, so I was very comfortable. Joe was moving a bit faster than me and I warned him not to get too sweaty because I was not moving all that fast and wet/sweaty plus a headwind could spell disaster. He slowed to my pace and I was actually starting to enjoy myself again. The moon and the stars were and it was pretty surreal.
We met up with friends Lisa and Gary who were running the 100 miler and ran with them for a bit. The cold was still pretty wicked and with about 7 miles left to go my headlamp faded to practically nothing (the cold really drains the power even though I had lithium batteries). I had a spare set of batteries but Joe's light was enough for the both of us ... and even if his went out the moon was so big and the towpath so flat and clear we would have been fine. The lights are mostly necessary on this course for the other runners to see you so that you don't run into or startle each other.
That last 6.5 miles from Gasport to Lockport always seems longer than it is. It just takes forever. And then, out of nowhere, I saw the lights of Widewaters Marina on the other side of the canal. This is the start/finish area in Lockport. Granted, even when you can see this spot you still have about 2 miles to go, but just seeing it makes everything better. I was feeling pretty good at this point but the hard frozen ground and the flat terrain were taking its toll on my right IT band. I really needed a beer to loosen things up.
50 miles - 12 hrs, 32 min. FINALLY! THE FINISH! I made it. After 5 years of running this event I finally had an actual finish and not a DNF. I got inside the heated tent and was right away given some pretty amazing beer ... an IPA with 12.5% ABV. Thank you, Jim! Joe did an amazing job of getting me to the finish; keeping me moving and running when I just felt like walking. All of the volunteers, race directors, other runners' crew people ... they all helped to get me to the finish. This is why I come back to this race every year ... the people are just simply amazing! Thank you to all of them for a wonderful time!
I had really hoped to run a faster time but then I realized a few things ...
1. The terrain of this course works against me. Flat is not my thing ... the repetitiveness on the muscles and joints is really hard for me.
2. I need to carry more food and eat better between the aid stations. They are pretty far apart and trying to eat enough before going 5+ miles until the next station is pretty hard.
3. I lost at least an hour having to change into dry clothes. I can't say that I wasted this time; it was essential for my survival. It can be below zero and I still sweat a lot. And sweat + wind + cold = disaster. It was necessary to take this time to make sure I was properly clothed and warm.
And what I learned ...
1. I laughed when Joe got me a box of 40 Hot Hands handwarmers for Christmas. Guess who knew what the right gift was for me this year? I love you, Joseph!
2. No matter how cold it is outside, nothing tastes better than a cold beer at the finish!
Aside from Joseph and all of the other wonderful people, what got me to the finish?
FOOD/HYDRATION:
NUUN hydration tablets
Gu salty caramel gels
Butter Pecan Ensure
grilled cheese sandwiches on good old white bread
coffee and Bailey's Irish Cream (I could have used more of this!)
OK ... that ends my winter fun-run, just-survive-and-finish-no-matter-what-the-time run. Now it's time to focus. I hope to be better about posting after my next race (this took me 2 weeks to get this together!) I love the winter but I miss the trails ... maybe it's time to get the snowshoes out!
Pictures to come ... as soon as I figure out why they are not uploading!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Running On Empty ...
two weeks ago today was the beginning of the end ... the three-day downward spiral that eventually brought to an end of a 16 year relationship filled with love and a lot of laughter. two weeks ago when I sat down to have my morning coffee with my little fur-face Sammy Loo and she just wasn't acting right I never would have guessed that two days later she would be gone. my girl gave it the good fight and I have always said that truly loving a pet is doing what is best for them even though it may be killing you ... and sometimes that is knowing when to let them go; knowing that ending their suffering is the kindest act of friendship you can do for them. and thank you to the wonderful, compassionate veterinarian that made it possible for Joe and I to say our final goodbyes in our home with Sammy on my lap in the chair where we sat together having coffee every morning.
so it was a brutally tough week. every time I tried to run I would just intermittently just open up in tears and have to walk. prior to Sammy getting sick I had been on a running high with the great run that I had at Oil Creek 50K. I couldn't wait to get back out and race again. so it was a last-minute decision to go to the Tussey Mountain 50 Miler on Sunday, October 20. when Sammy first got sick and needed to take meds I had already decided that I would not go to the race so that I could stay home and take care of her. when she died my heart was truly not into running a race. Joe tried to convince me that it would be good to just get out and run and just have time to think or not think. ok, so I thought maybe this was true. but on Saturday morning as we prepared to leave for PA, it just didn't feel right. I didn't want to be away from home and leave Yip and Salem. I just needed to be with my kitties ... after all, they were mourning the loss of their sister, too. but everything was ready to go and as torn as I was I decided to give it a try.
my head and my heart just were not into the whole run right from the start. despite two IPAs on Saturday, which usually helps me to rest well before a race, I slept pretty restlessly. I woke up Sunday morning not even having my race stuff together. I filled my bottle with water and threw some gels and NUUN tabs into my race vest and figured I would just hope for the best. the weather was supposed to be perfect for running - high 40s and partly sunny. my kind of running weather. we got to the race site and saw some friends, which helped to distract my thoughts until the start. and then we started and pretty soon I was running alone and my mind just kept going back to Sammy and Yip and Salem. I just never got into the swing of things with my run. I ran with a laminated photo of Sammy on the back of my race vest and as I was running along another runner asked if that was my number one fan. I could barely answer and as soon as I was out of his earshot I was crying. by mile 10 the physical pain of running on the road was catching up to me. this race is a mix of dirt and paved roads, similar to what I run on at home ... sometimes. obviously I have not done enough long-distance road running in a long time. I love the soft dirt of the trails, the skipping and jumping over fallen trees, roots, and rocks and the change-up of using different muscles that comes with trailrunning. obviously I had a lapse in memory of how brutal roads are to me. by mile 10 my low back was screaming. I was holding a decent pace and all I could think is that if I slowed up it would take longer to get this thing over. and I wanted it over. so I kept plugging along and around mile 15 my friend Katherine caught up to me and we had a nice talk as we walked up a hill. and then she pulled away from me and all I could think about was my back pain. and my heart was heavy and I continued with intermittent outbursts of tears as I thought about Sammy.
by mile 27 I really really wanted it all over. things were just going awful and I couldn't turn them around. problem was that Joe was not out on the course crewing for me. before the race started I had hoped that he would find a spot somewhere along the course to watch the race and I would get to see him, but so far the only time I saw him was when he was driving a volunteer back to the start. so I left the mile 27 aid station hoping that I would see him at the next station, around mile 32. and so the death march continued and I walked, ran, cried, cursed, and just hoped that I would see Joe soon. as I came into the mile 32 aid station I started to scan the crowd for Joe. I didn't see him and I didn't see his car. I needed to stop and I didn't know what to do. it seemed that the race really didn't have a good plan for getting people who dropped back to the finish; basically you had to try to hitch a ride with another crew person or relay team. but then something magical happened. as I came into the aid station I saw a familiar face ... with green hair. Teresa! The Avocados were out on the course! I met Teresa some years back and she is a wonderful person and every year at Tussey she and some friends have a team called The Avocados and they are just awesome. Teresa came over to give me a hug and I just broke down crying. she asked me what I needed and I told her that I just needed to be done ... now. she understood. she helped me over to their team van and offered me warm clothes and food. I really didn't need any of that right then. I wasn't really sweaty because of the cool temps, I was warm enough, and my appetite just wasn't there. but then one of the other Avocados offered me a beer. oh yes, that was what I needed. and it tasted so good.
we never did see Joe and I wasn't able to reach him on his cell phone. so I rode in the Avocado van for the remainder of their relay run and I drank their beer. and I had some time where I wasn't crying and I wasn't thinking about missing Sammy and it was the best part of the whole weekend. and I can't thank that group enough for taking me in. they were exactly what I needed.
as we rolled into the finish area, three beers later and my back feeling a bit better, there was Joe standing at the finish line, waiting for me. this was definitely the best way I have every finished this race!
I can at least talk about Sammy now without crying, although writing this right now brings me to tears. She was such an amazing piece of work. there are so many things that I miss about her. Yip and Salem are acting way different not having their sister in the house. and they have definitely stepped up and having been taking wonderful care of me and Joe. we are very lucky to have them and very lucky for the time that we got to spend with Sammy. I am back to running and feeling pretty strong and ready to tackle the next 50 miler ... with Sammy riding shot gun on my back. we will have a better go at it this time, I know it. she wouldn't have it any other way.
so it was a brutally tough week. every time I tried to run I would just intermittently just open up in tears and have to walk. prior to Sammy getting sick I had been on a running high with the great run that I had at Oil Creek 50K. I couldn't wait to get back out and race again. so it was a last-minute decision to go to the Tussey Mountain 50 Miler on Sunday, October 20. when Sammy first got sick and needed to take meds I had already decided that I would not go to the race so that I could stay home and take care of her. when she died my heart was truly not into running a race. Joe tried to convince me that it would be good to just get out and run and just have time to think or not think. ok, so I thought maybe this was true. but on Saturday morning as we prepared to leave for PA, it just didn't feel right. I didn't want to be away from home and leave Yip and Salem. I just needed to be with my kitties ... after all, they were mourning the loss of their sister, too. but everything was ready to go and as torn as I was I decided to give it a try.
my head and my heart just were not into the whole run right from the start. despite two IPAs on Saturday, which usually helps me to rest well before a race, I slept pretty restlessly. I woke up Sunday morning not even having my race stuff together. I filled my bottle with water and threw some gels and NUUN tabs into my race vest and figured I would just hope for the best. the weather was supposed to be perfect for running - high 40s and partly sunny. my kind of running weather. we got to the race site and saw some friends, which helped to distract my thoughts until the start. and then we started and pretty soon I was running alone and my mind just kept going back to Sammy and Yip and Salem. I just never got into the swing of things with my run. I ran with a laminated photo of Sammy on the back of my race vest and as I was running along another runner asked if that was my number one fan. I could barely answer and as soon as I was out of his earshot I was crying. by mile 10 the physical pain of running on the road was catching up to me. this race is a mix of dirt and paved roads, similar to what I run on at home ... sometimes. obviously I have not done enough long-distance road running in a long time. I love the soft dirt of the trails, the skipping and jumping over fallen trees, roots, and rocks and the change-up of using different muscles that comes with trailrunning. obviously I had a lapse in memory of how brutal roads are to me. by mile 10 my low back was screaming. I was holding a decent pace and all I could think is that if I slowed up it would take longer to get this thing over. and I wanted it over. so I kept plugging along and around mile 15 my friend Katherine caught up to me and we had a nice talk as we walked up a hill. and then she pulled away from me and all I could think about was my back pain. and my heart was heavy and I continued with intermittent outbursts of tears as I thought about Sammy.
by mile 27 I really really wanted it all over. things were just going awful and I couldn't turn them around. problem was that Joe was not out on the course crewing for me. before the race started I had hoped that he would find a spot somewhere along the course to watch the race and I would get to see him, but so far the only time I saw him was when he was driving a volunteer back to the start. so I left the mile 27 aid station hoping that I would see him at the next station, around mile 32. and so the death march continued and I walked, ran, cried, cursed, and just hoped that I would see Joe soon. as I came into the mile 32 aid station I started to scan the crowd for Joe. I didn't see him and I didn't see his car. I needed to stop and I didn't know what to do. it seemed that the race really didn't have a good plan for getting people who dropped back to the finish; basically you had to try to hitch a ride with another crew person or relay team. but then something magical happened. as I came into the aid station I saw a familiar face ... with green hair. Teresa! The Avocados were out on the course! I met Teresa some years back and she is a wonderful person and every year at Tussey she and some friends have a team called The Avocados and they are just awesome. Teresa came over to give me a hug and I just broke down crying. she asked me what I needed and I told her that I just needed to be done ... now. she understood. she helped me over to their team van and offered me warm clothes and food. I really didn't need any of that right then. I wasn't really sweaty because of the cool temps, I was warm enough, and my appetite just wasn't there. but then one of the other Avocados offered me a beer. oh yes, that was what I needed. and it tasted so good.
we never did see Joe and I wasn't able to reach him on his cell phone. so I rode in the Avocado van for the remainder of their relay run and I drank their beer. and I had some time where I wasn't crying and I wasn't thinking about missing Sammy and it was the best part of the whole weekend. and I can't thank that group enough for taking me in. they were exactly what I needed.
as we rolled into the finish area, three beers later and my back feeling a bit better, there was Joe standing at the finish line, waiting for me. this was definitely the best way I have every finished this race!
I can at least talk about Sammy now without crying, although writing this right now brings me to tears. She was such an amazing piece of work. there are so many things that I miss about her. Yip and Salem are acting way different not having their sister in the house. and they have definitely stepped up and having been taking wonderful care of me and Joe. we are very lucky to have them and very lucky for the time that we got to spend with Sammy. I am back to running and feeling pretty strong and ready to tackle the next 50 miler ... with Sammy riding shot gun on my back. we will have a better go at it this time, I know it. she wouldn't have it any other way.
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