Kalajainen Klassic 5k

I've been feeling pretty good since my Burning River finish and I've started running again. It began with 2 miles and then 3. And then my friends enablers struck again.

I saw that my pacer, Allison, from BR100 was running a weeknight 5k about an hour and a half away. I really wanted to see her again and thank her in a more coherent state of mind for all she did for me. So I loaded up my youngest daughter and the jogging stroller and went to the race. Because that's what a sane person would do right?

Goofing off with the baby before the race

 

Allison is coaching a couple to run the Erie half marathon and they were at the race as well. Being so far away I only saw a few familiar faces but Allison seemed to know everyone. She kept telling everyone how I just finished Burning River which was a little embarrassing. I'm sure no one really cared about the insane girl with the wild-child toddler and a pink stroller!

 

At 7pm we all walked to the top of a big hill to the starting line. The race director gave a few little directions and shout outs but I missed most of it because I was feeding the baby cookies to keep her quiet. After a few minutes we were off!

 

The first quarter mile or so was across a parking lot and then left across the top edge of it. Then we turned onto a trail. A real, honest to goodness dirt and grass and rocks trail! The stroller was hammering up and down like a jackhammer and I couldn't see where my foot would land next so I was forced to back down the pace quite a bit and a few people passed me. I told myself I didn't care but when we reentered the road after a half mile I started trying to gain back my spot. Mile 1: 9:24

 

After that there was a fairly long uphill to a turn around point. I saw all my friends and shouted encouragement but I was slowing down. I could feel that uphill was not in the cards today. More people passed me. After the turn around I fairly flew back down the hill but we turned back onto the same trail and I was forced to slow down even more this time. I even walked a few portions for fear of overturning the stroller. Mile 2: 11:14

 

After we exited the trail into the parking lot where we had started we ran across a bridge and down a paved road on a steep descent. I hate braking on descents but I had to keep control of the stroller on the winding road. I passed many people on the way down and probably got a little ahead of myself. At the bottom of the hill we could see the finish line but we ran right past it. A little while later we turned around at a cone and headed back. I passed one more woman on this section and then there was no one left to catch. So I just tried to maintain the best possible pace. Mile 3: 9:28

 

The last .1 or so was an 8:37 pace. Time: 30:40

 

We crossed the line with Allison cheering wildly and amused onlookers cracking jokes about the baby beating me and how I would have crushed the whole field if I had ditched the stroller. It was hilarious to me that they were so impressed with my 30 minute stroller run. Allison actually did perform impressively and took 3rd woman overall.

 

Allison and I post-race

 

Since Allison had won an award I wanted to stick around and see her get it. I got the baby some pizza and ice cream and she made a mess and ran around like, well, a two year old. While we were waiting the official results went up and my eyes almost bugged out of my head when I saw I'd gotten 3rd in my age group. I finished 52/81 overall and 3/4 in my age group. It's kind of hard to believe I beat anybody in my current condition but I apparently did.

 

 

I guess now I should probably actually rest and recover but I'm not good at taking my own advice. I'll probably just try not to be too stupid and maybe hide all my running friends on Facebook for awhile.

 

 

Lapped By The Sun - My Burning River 100 Recap

On Friday, July 26, I finished my packing. I missed a few things, like extra batteries, but mostly had everything I expected to need to run 100 miles. My amazing crew filled in the gaps. Then the unexpected happened (like usual). My husband had a doctor appointment that morning and the doctor decided he needed to be hospitalized for testing. All of this happened as I was about to leave. We talked and decided I would still go to the race but my crew would keep my phone on them so I could drop out and drive home if needed. We had lunch together before he went to the hospital and I left for the biggest adventure of my life.

I dropped my youngest daughter off at my mom's house (my older daughter is staying with my grandmother for a couple weeks on summer break) and then continued on to Ohio. I arrived at the packet pick up at 4:30pm and met my first crew member/pacer, Ed. We had met at North Coast 24 Hour back in April and Ed kindly volunteered to join me from miles 55.5 to 70.6 at Burning River. I received an awesome backpack and bib number 1526 and left my drop bags with the volunteers before I drank a Burning River beer with Ed and Jason (another runner from NC24). There were BR100 shirts for sale but I was afraid it would be like a jinx to buy one before I finished so I waited.

 

After the mini reunion at the packet pick up, Jason and I decided it would be cheaper to split a room. We both had reservations at the Sheraton by the finish line but he was getting a better deal so we cancelled mine. We dropped off our gear at the room and then headed out with his friend, Christen, for some pizza. By the time we got back to the room and organized all our gear for the 2am wake up call it was almost 10pm. Always a gentleman, Jason took the pull-out couch and I got a giant fluffy bed all to myself. It still wasn't enough to calm my nerves and between my anxiety and the music from the Rock on the River festival nearby I didn't get much sleep.

 

At 2am the alarms started beeping and we began getting ready for the adventure ahead. I wore my INKnBURN phoenix camisole and denim shorts with my Altra Torins and Dirty Girl gaiters. I filled two 20 oz handhelds and put my 'pace' tattoo on my forearm. My pace tattoo actually consisted of the mileage between each aid station and the total distance at each, not any projected time. Now it was time to go.

 

 

The bus from the Sheraton/finish line left at 3am and I took a back seat so I could stretch out and nap on the way. A poptart served as breakfast. I arrived at the Squire's Castle starting point shortly after 4am and found Ed right away. He said the rest of my crew was on their way and would see me at the first aid station. I found my Altra teammate, Zack, in the crowd and we chatted for awhile in the cool morning. I explored the castle a little bit and then finally just stood in the dark shivering until the start.

 

 

At 5am we were off. I let people go and tried to hold back on any urge to chase my friends. I saw a friend of mine named John on the first loop around the castle and we chatted for a bit. He looked really good and had a great plan. He took off after a bit and I continued my slow and steady plod. I eventually caught up to two runners I know, Kevin and Danielle, who had similar goals to my own so we stuck together for quite some time. I wasn't wearing a watch so I depended on them to set our pace.

 

As we returned to Squire's Castle 6.2 miles later I saw my other two crew members, Allison and Patrick. I hugged and kissed Allison, dumped my headlamp in Ed's hands, and grabbed a piece of a granola bar as I headed back out. I averaged a 12:34 pace for that first loop, reaching the castle in 1:17. The next 4.8 miles to Old Mill were uneventful. I continued to run with Kevin and Danielle and we were faster than expected but feeling comfortable so we continued on. The first 26 miles are mostly road so I figured they would be faster. We hit Old Mill in 2:26 and didn't stay long. If I remember correctly Kevin said we spent 57 seconds at the aid station. Nice!

 

The third aid station, Polo Fields, was a crew access point. I saw my friends again and assured them I was doing great. Patrick shoved as many calories as he could at me and Allison offered encouragement while Ed filled my handheld. I just kept thanking them over and over. It was amazing what a difference it made knowing I would see them in a certain number of miles. It also started a steady drizzle at this point that would last most of the daylight hours.

 

 

Around the next aid station, Harper Ridge, I realized Mother Nature had decided to send me a visitor. This seems to be a common occurence during big events for me so I was prepared. At mile 26.2, Shadow aid station, I saw my crew again and got some supplies and changed my shorts, mooning a couple people in the process. I also changed into my trail shoes. Now the real challenges would begin on the trail section. I knew from my training runs that it was going to be muddy and sloppy. I finished my first marathon of the day in 5:33.

 

I wouldn't see my crew again until mile 41.7 so I just kept plodding. I ate and drank and chatted with lots of other runners. We thanked our lucky stars for the overcast skies and light rain. I reached Oak Grove, mile 41.7, in 9:38. I was still feeling great and having a blast and I was now running with a woman, Karen, who was working her way through the midwest grand slam. It was really fun to listen to her stories and learn more about habitual hundred milers.

 

 

At Oak Grove I hung out for awhile with my crew and ate lots and lots of food. Everyone commented on how great I still looked and how well I was running. Looking back I wonder if we jinxed it here. I wouldn't see my crew again for 24 miles until mile 65.7. I was still having a blast and enjoying the company of my friends, Anne and Greg, along the trail. It was really awesome to have so many friends running about the same pace so we saw eachother often.

 

Leaving Oak Grove our little band ran together and chatted happily as we headed for Ottawa Point, mile 46.4. When we reached my drop bag there I thought about changing my socks but the workers told me the next section was muddy so I figured I would just wait. I'm glad I didn't waste the time because it would have been absolutely pointless. The next 9 miles were relentless ankle deep mud and standing water with no breaks. I lost Greg, Anne, and Karen on this section. I discovered once again that I suck at running in mud and I lost a ton of time.

 

It was all I could do to stay upright. I clung to trees and bushes on the downhills, tearing up my hands and arms. I did the bear crawl, hands and feet on the ground with my butt in the air, on the uphills just trying to avoid sliding back down. It took me 1 hour and 38 minutes to cover the 4 miles from Ottawa to Snowville and I was just about mentally broken. I was screaming obscenities at the mud and barely moving by the time I hit mile 50.4 and I still had a muddy 5.1 miles to the Boston Store where I would pick up Ed as my first pacer.

 

I hit the Boston Store, mile 55.5, in 14:36. I had estimated 13 hours so I was really starting to worry. Not to mention my average pace for that section was about 2 miles per hour. Visions of those three dreaded letters, DNF, started to race through my head and I tried my hardest to pull myself together at the Boston Store aid station. I crammed candy, broth, noodles, and every high calorie item I could gather into my face and drank a few cups of ginger ale to help it settle before Ed and I headed out.

 

As we searched for the trail for the next aid station we came across a group of other runners that were also confused. There was a three way split in the trail and no markers on any of them. Ed ran up and down several but couldn't find any markers. I could see the aid station glistening in the dark on the other side of a meadow but I knew we were supposed to loop around about 4 miles before we got there. I decided to run over and ask a volunteer to get me back on track but a volunteer spotted us first and ran across the meadow to meet me halfway. He ran with us back to where we had gone off track at a poorly marked turn onto a side trail hidden by tall grasses and we set off in the right direction but had added about a mile to an already long run.

 

 

We made it to the Pine Lane aid station at mile 59.4 in 15:56. It was just getting to be full dark and my spirits were reviving knowing that I would see Patrick and Allison again at the next stop and we could take care of my sore feet. The next 6.3 miles to Ledges Shelter were mostly road and a paved bike path. Ed and I ran as much as we could until disaster struck. Around 100k I was running pretty well up the bike path when something in the back of my right knee got really tight and then just popped. I went from running to clutching my knee and sobbing in the span of two strides. Ed kept me moving forward though and dealt with my on and off crying jags when I would stumble over a rock or root and send shooting pain through my knee. We finally made the 65.7 aid station and Allison and Patrick were waiting.

 

They helped me up onto a table and Allison got me new socks and shoes while Patrick did some kind of ART/massage work on my knee. Ed refilled my bottles and kept me calm throughout the process. All around the aid station there were runners wrapped in blankets on the tables and floor. It looked like a war zone hospital. I ate everything my crew told me to and took two Tylenol and then rushed out of there. I knew it was too tempting to stay somewhere warm with so many people who had seen the end of their race. Thankfully whatever Patrick had done to my knee fixed the problem and I was running again. The crying jags were over and I could refocus on the task at hand. I also found out that Shane had texted and he was home from the hospital. It seemed like a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

 

I'm not sure what time we made it to Pine Hollow, mile 70.6. There are no splits listed for me here. But Allison took over pacing and I was really excited to spend more time with her. She has become an awesome friend since we decided to undertake my journey at BR together. It was only 3 miles to the next aid station and it passed in a blur. She fed me something every half hour on the dot. Gu, gel, ShotBloks, etc all went in at prescribed intervals but my stomach was starting to rebel.

 

 

 

Frequent bathroom breaks at convenient trees were eating into my overall pace and I began to worry about cutoffs once again. At the Covered Bridge aid station, 79.6 miles, I knew I was facing the last really tough section called Perkins Loop. I was just over 23 hours into my adventure and I was about to face my biggest fear. Allison shoved some sandwich squares and other items at me and I did my best to choke them down. I was forced to take Endurolytes and some salt. I knew Allison and the aid station crew were doing their best for me but my upset stomach was convincing me that it might just be sabotage.

 

As we headed out on the Perkins Loop the mud returned and so did my demons. I choked back tears and more obscenities. I swore on every holy thing I could think of that I would never do another mud run, obstacle race, or muddy trail run ever again. I became convinced that mud was the most evil thing on earth. And the bathroom breaks continued to eat away at my shrinking cushion of time.

 

When we popped out of the loop at mile 84.3, the Oak Hill aid station, I told Allsion

my stomach needed a break from food. She agreed it was worth a try and we covered the 2.4 miles to Howe Meadow at the fastest run I had managed in quite some time. I ended up regaining 25 minutes of cushion between myself and the cutoffs. Patrick and Ed were concerned that I had stopped eating but Allison assured them it was the right decision as I had made the whole 2.4 miles without a stop. I took advantage of the rest room at the aid station and drank a little bit of calories and then headed out again.

 

 

There was a simple water-only pile of jugs for the 'aid station' known as Botsum and it indicated I had passed the 90 mile point. This section was mostly towpath and I had pretty much stopped taking in anything by mouth. Allison would open a gel, eat half herself, and then force me to nurse the rest during a walk break. We continued to run as much as I could but I don't think my run was much faster than my power walk by that point. All that mattered was staying ahead of the cutoffs.

 

At the Merriman aid station Allsion told Patrick her back was becoming sore so Patrick threw on some running shoes and joined me for the last push to the finish despite the fact he was never intended to pace me. I can't thank him enough for all he did on those last sections. Just knowing that I was running next to a Western States finisher forced me to suck it up and push harder.

 

The last aid station, Memorial at 96.2, had a bathroom so I took advantage one last time so I could push hard to the finish. Patrick picked out some saltines and a cup of Coke and forced me to eat them on the fly. He also noted that the volunteers hadn't even had to top off my water bottle and I must not be drinking so he began reminding me to take a sip every 10 or so minutes.

 

 

The last section had a good bit of hiking trail that also held multiple sets of stairs. I had been throwing fits about how Ohio can't just leave good enough alone and has to carve stairs into every hillside for the last 12+ hours already and these were tough to stomach. The last half of this race has probably 20 or more sets of stairs, most consisting of 20-65+ stairs and almost all of them were slippery with mud by this point. Each time I crested a set of stairs I kept hoping to see the road to the finish emerge. I could hear intermittant cheers but we were headed away from them and one last low spot set in.

 

I power hiked along a power line trail while Patrick forced me to eat a gel. He kept telling me about how I would forget how much it hurt and I would be able to run hard as soon as I could see the finish. I tried to focus on what he was telling me and keep my walk as fast as possible while promising to run as soon as we found pavement.

 

I had forgotten that the final road section starts out with an uphill. Patrick allowed me to hike it really hard instead of run but pulled me into a run as we headed towards the last uphill. As we crested it I could see the Sheraton where I had been sleeping only 32 hours before and the finish line beyond it. I could also see another woman walking with her crew just a hundred feet ahead or so ahead of me. Patrick told me we were going to catch her and pass her and so we did.

 

As we neared the last intersection I began to speed up. I finally felt like I was really running again. The volunteers stopped traffic so I could cross to the finish line without breaking stride and Allison and Ed were standing at the finish line waiting. The screams and applause were overwhelming and I began to choke up. I forced back my tears as I crossed to the timing clock but as soon as I saw the volunteer with my buckle on a ribbon I lost it. My official time was 29:30:42.

 

 

 

I sobbed and hugged my crew and my friends. We took a picture with all of us at the clock and then I hugged everyone some more while I cried. My friend, Anne, had gotten off track around 71 miles and ended up missing a cutoff but she went to the finish and waited for me anyway. My heart was so full at seeing her there that it almost burst. My friend Greg had finished 45 minutes ahead of me and he hobbled over to give me a hug and congratulations. Total strangers were hugging me and shaking my hand and giving me high fives. I have never felt as loved and supported as I did at that moment.

 

 

 

As soon as I calmed down my crew walked me to the tent to get a coffee and a breakfast burrito and then we sat on the edge of a fountain and talked while I ate. Allison presented me with a card that made me cry all over again and I tried to process that I really had just covered 101 miles (plus a bonus mile) on foot. It was completely surreal.

 

 

Ed gathered my drop bags from the trailer, while Patrick gave me a pep talk on recovery, and Allison just kept telling me how awesome I am. I just kept thanking them over and over. I could never have done it without them and I owe them more than I could ever explain. I don't know if I can ever repay them but I do know that we now share an unbreakable bond forged over almost 30 hours of sleep deprivation, blood, sweat, and tears.

 

 

 

As I drove home (yes, I drove 2.5 hours home after I finished) I was barraged by texts, Facebook comments, tweets, and messages. When I got home I read everything and did my best to respond to everyone. I also found out there was a four page thread on Running Ahead following my progress and cheering me on. My coach sent me a tear jerking string of texts telling me how proud she was of me. As I laid in my bed waiting for the cramps and muscle spasms to ease enough to let me nap I choked back more tears realizing just how many people actually cared whether or not I succeeded in my journey.

 

Now, almost 24 hours later, the pain and the details are already fading. It feels like an amazing dream but the buckle hanging on my wall tells me differently. At this point I'm unsure as to whether or not I will do this again. I'm registered for the Oil Creek 100 in October but both Patrick and Allison are running as well. I'm tempted to just crew and maybe pace for them instead of running. And Ed may go back to North Coast 24 Hour in September which would be a great opportunity for me to volunteer and pay back the running community for some of the support they've given me. So now I recover and set my sights on my third Baker 50   mile finish so I can complete my medal. It's almost unbelievable that a year of training, planning, and dreaming is over in the blink of an eye (or several thousand blinks more likely)!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apres Moi Le Deluge

This isn't really running related besides the fact that it's interfering with my running. But I think we all understand how the weather can affect us and our communities and bring unexpected disaster. The last few weeks my tiny town has been drenched by heavy rains and thunder storms. Despite living near the river we rarely have flooding but this summer it's not the river that's the problem.

It's the sheer volume of water that's been dropped on such a small area.

Driving out to the main road.

 

The road to our house.

 

Water shooting out from the underground lines

 

End of the road

 

The creek under our running trail

 

The drainage ditches can't handle it

 

Playground or pool?

 

Even the trees can't handle any more

 

Storm damage on our trail

 

 

I'm not really sure what the point of this post is besides wanting to share my sorrow. I've lived in this town for about as long as I've ever lived anywhere now. Our family is here, our friends are here, our running trail is here. Everything safe and familiar has been turned upside down. Every time I hear a clap of thunder in the distance I shudder and wait for the next downpour that will bring more devastation. I honestly don't understand how the surrounding towns are escaping with little more than wet basements while we are bearing the worst of every storm but the rain can't last forever. And so we wait for the sun.

 

Skincare for Runners

Like most runners I deal with clogged pores that are compounded by sweat and weather exposure. Training for Burning River has compounded my skin woes. Long runs on dirty trails, hot weather, sunny days, and lots and lots of sweat!

I use those skin cleansing pads daily and also wash my face with Dove soap. I still have breakouts fairly often. So when ToiletTree Products offered to send me a facial brush system I was more than willing to give it a go.

Inside I found several brushes: a soft exfoliater, a medium exfoliater, a body exfoliater, and a pumice stone. I used the soft brush on my face with a gentle cleanser daily for about a week and the body brush on my shoulders (problem area!) too. After that time I have experienced fewer pimples, smoother skin, and no more blackheads.

I forgot to pack my brush on our weekend trip for Shane's 101st race and I ended up with another breakout after I ran 8 miles while waiting on him to finish. I think I'll keep this as a permanent part of my routine!

Disclaimer: ToiletTree Products provided the product at no cost in exchange for review. As always, all opinions are my own.

Taper Time

What do you do when the work is done and now it's a waiting game? Enjoy it!

Ash at the splash pad

Ash's first concert, where she played with sticks

 

Visiting the ruins in Dead Man's Hollow on an easy run

 

Eating right so I can run well

Fresh Ink!

Did you see the news? INKnBURN's Monday Montage was made up of their newest ambassadors this week. Guess who made it in!

 

Yep, that's me! I am so super duper excited to finally be an OFFICIAL ambassador of INKnBURN! I've worn nothing but INB gear for the last few years and I talk them up here and everywhere I go. But to have the opportunity to really be a part of such an amazing company is like a dream come true! With INKnBURN and Altra I am really going places with my running this year! The gear can definitely make the runner!

Race Etiquette

When I was a new runner I had no idea how to act or what to do at a race. Now that I am experienced I try to remember that new runners don't join our ranks knowing the in's and out's. Not every faux pas is a personal insult and every misunderstanding is probably the fault of someone more experienced for not explaining.

So here's a few tips for the newer runner or racer.

1) Line up according to your pace.  Only the people who expect to win, or at least be in the top 10, should be toeing the line. Mere mortals should be further back in the pack. A good rule of thumb is to ask those around you what their goals are. If they match yours then you're probably in the right spot. Not only does this save you from being stampeded by the speedier runners but it saves them from having to waste energy dodging you. *Note: If you're a walker, you belong all the way at the back unless you are an Olympic speed walker.

2) Run or walk in a line. If you're running a race with a group then you're all probably going at your slowest member's pace. Try not to walk or run three or four abreast. You've just created a wall that faster runners can not breach without elbowing you or your friends out of the way. Walking or running in pairs may make conversation harder but really, we're here to see how fast we can do this thing. Save the chit chat for the finish party.

3) 'On your left' means move right. If you choose to ignore rule #2 and walk or run in a large group please heed the pained cries of 'on your left' from faster runners approaching from behind. Not only have they wasted their breath to warn you of their approach but they are often rewarded with a dirty look when they are forced to the very edge of the road or path to skirt your group. Moving to the right a hair takes much less energy for everyone.

4) Look before you blow. Everyone gets a runny nose or a bug in their mouth at some point. But before you spew body fluids on the run look in the general direction of your intended projectile to make sure no innocent people are spattered with your gore.

5) Don't cut the course. It happens to a lot of new runners. You've finished a 5k or two and you're looking for the next challenge. So you sign up for a 5 mile or 10k race and find out it's not just twice as hard but more like 10 times as hard. Maybe that little voice in the back of your head says that hopping up on the curb and cutting that curve isn't really cheating. Or maybe it says it's okay to take the 5k turn off instead of continuing on. The truth is that it really isn't. Either walk it in or remove your bib and don't cross the finish line. Cutting the course is cheating and it takes away from the accomplishment of the runners who ran the whole thing. You don't want to be the next Rosie Ruiz.

6) If you must walk, move right. Just like slower cars use the right lane, slower runners and walkers should move to the right. And before you walk take a quick glance over your shoulder to make sure no one is right behind you. You know, since runners aren't equipped with taillights?

In general, just try to treat the trail or path like you would a road. Try to respect that others may be competing even if you're not. And remember that we all make mistakes but, if you do, all it takes is a moment to utter an apology. Most runners are very nice people and won't hold it against you. Happy trails!

Race To The Moon

Saturday night Shane and I ran the Race to Moon in Apollo, PA. Get it Apollo? Moon race? Hahahaha. Yeah, I must be too young. Shane had to explain it to me.

The race didn't have an exact start time, just listed it as 'dark'. So we drove out after dinner since sunset was listed as 8:30-ish. We arrived a little after 7PM and parked and then went to check in. Only we weren't on the list. Turns out Shane registered us so early (and by paper form instead of online) that the race director forgot about us. Thankfully he found our forms tucked away somewhere in his car and we were able to get our bibs and goody bags.

I think the shirts were okay and the glow-in-the-dark mug is pretty darn awesome. We were also given glow necklaces to wear during the race for visibility. Shane and I both wore Black Diamond Spot headlamps since there was barely any moon.

Since we had arrived so early we hung out by the Kiski River and then did a little warm up jog along the course. In the fading light there were already hundreds of lumineries lighting the rail trail path for the entire race. I had been hoping for a 3 mile warm up but I was afraid we'd miss the start so we settled for one. Turns out we had plenty of time and it was pretty much a wasted warm up mile.

Shane gives me this look often.

 

We got to meet up with some of the Latrobe Area Pacer Society (LAPS) members that we 'know' online but hadn't actually met yet. A couple people also recognized our shirts and introduced themselves so it was a really nice evening regardless of the wait to start.

 

LAPS group. Excuse my paler than the moon stomach

 

Finally we lined up around 9PM. The race director said he wanted to wait for it to get just a little bit darker but everyone was ready to go so we just stood at the line and chatted. There was a 5k and a 5 mile race both running together so I had no idea who my competition was. I figured I would run comfortably to the 5k turn around and then see who was still ahead of me. Of course, easy never happens for me on race day.

 

The gun went off and people were flying by me left and right. I looked at my Garmin and saw 6:59 pace so I pulled back despite the sprint happening all around me. By a half mile people were settling in and I was able to start passing back most of the runners who had taken off so furiously at the start. I was hoping for an 8:30 pace but my body didn't want to settle in there. I was either close to 8:00 or close to 9:00 and I couldn't get in the middle. First mile: 8:17

 

In the second mile I finally began to feel the pace and zone out. As I approached the 5k turn around I was right behind another woman but she made the turn. I shouted good luck and then looked ahead to see who I could catch. About 100 feet ahead were a man and woman so I focused on reeling them in. Mile 2: 8:33

 

As I approached the 5 mile turn around I counted people while looking for Shane. I counted 7 men and then Shane. I only saw the same woman ahead of me that I had been trying to catch so far. I couldn't believe I was in second! I told Shane he was in 8th and we missed our high five. Then I set my sights on the man between me and the first woman. I caught him right as mile 3 beeped in at 8:33.

 

I asked if I could hang on him for a bit and he said he didn't mind but he was fading. I could see the glow of the light stick on the woman ahead of me and estimated her to be 45 - 60 seconds ahead of me. I began to put the hammer down but I knew I wouldn't catch her unless she faded. Mile 4: 8:19

 

Somewhere in the final mile I lost the man I had been running with. I began to pass the 5k walkers and back-of-the-packers. One guy was running hard and then walking and then repeating. As I passed I yelled "Let's go, only a half mile!" He hung with me for a bit but dropped off again quickly. I continued to push. My legs had no more to give and I knew my pace was slipping despite the effort. My ragged breathing and aching chest were really starting to hurt but I couldn't let the women behind me catch up. Finally the finish line was in sight and my Garmin beeped in 5 miles. I hit stop and handed over my bib tag. Mile 5: 8:26

 

I found Shane and he told me he had finished 8th in 39:56. My official time was 42:13. I was 11th overall and second woman!

 

Getting my award.

 

In the end, I'm really happy with my performance and my results. Even though I was suffering I maintained a pretty even pace. I didn't let the early sprint get the better of me and ruin my race. And I gave every last bit of energy I had to chase down the woman ahead of me. She ended up beating me by 1:01 which means I really didn't let her gain anymore ground after I set my sights on her. I'm also pretty sure this is a 5 mile PR for me and now I feel really confident about my night running capabilities at Burning River in less than 2 weeks!

 

Shane and his medal

 

trophy

 

 

Sunburn and Sweat: Surviving Summer Running

My coach, Alexa Dickerson, knows all about heat acclimation training and running through the hottest weather. She's running Badwater for the second time this year (that's 135 miles.... through Death Valley.... in JULY if you are out of the loop) and she's also completed the Brazil 135. So I started following her lead last year even before she was my coach officially. Here's what I've learned following her adventures and those of other extreme athletes.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Everyone knows that being dehydrated increases your body temperature and your risk of heat-related problems. It also reduces your performance so you work harder for the same results. I regularly drink about 2 oz per mile but on hot days that average can exceed 4 oz per mile. However, there's more to it than just good old H2O....

Get salty. Sweat isn't just water. It's salt, potassium, magnesium, and other minerals that are necessary for all sorts of functions in your body. So if you only replace sweat loss with water you could end up dangerously out of balance or with hyponatremia. Experiment with salty foods like chips or pretzels and even supplements like S! caps. Once you learn what you need in different temperatures and environments you can anticipate your bodies needs and avoid potential issues.

Free your inner tortoise. Slow down and work smarter, not harder. Walking uphill may cost you time but cutting your run short or ending up in the hospital will derail all your hard work. Take walk breaks and slow down by 2 minutes (or more) per mile on longer runs. Try to stay in the shade when possible even if it means you look like a drunk swerving from one side of the trail to the other.

Work up to it. You may be scheduled for a 10 mile run but if it's the hottest run so far this year cutting it short may be necessary. Doubles are another option. Run 5 miles in the heat and 5 miles indoors or in the early morning/late evening. Just like when you started running for the first time, there's a way to work up to running in the heat.

Immerse yourself in heat. This is something I got from Alexa's training last year. She gave up air conditioning in her home and car and just let her body learn to deal with the rising temperatures all summer long. I decided to try it and I found that it worked. My sweat rate lessened and I lost fewer electrolytes. My body had become more efficient at staying cool and running on 100*+ pavement no longer felt quite so awful. On the really unbearable days I pack up the kids and head to the pool but the AC is always the last resort. If you're really into heat acclimation then you can go full on Badwater-style and train in a sauna.

Go bare. No, don't run naked. Just keep your head uncovered. Heat rises so allowing your body heat to escape through the top will help you stay cool. The only reason to cover your head would be if you have a bandana or hat that can regularly be refilled with ice or dipped in cold water. Anything dry will just hold sweat, and heat, against your head.

Travel light. Carry everything you need in the lightest form possible. Powders rather than pre-mixed drink solutions, a small flashlight, an iPod nano instead of a larger one, etc. This also goes for clothing. White or light colored technical fabric works best.

Walking on Water

Okay, so not really walking on water. More like water mixed with dirt (and other nasty things).

I set out to complete my last 20+ mile run before Burning River 100 on Sunday. I started out in North Park on the Rachel Carson Trail and got a few miles out when I got the message that there was going to be a training run on the Burning River course in a few hours. I aborted my current run, jumped in my Jeep, and drove to Ohio as fast as I could. I pulled into Station Road (the checkpoint where I began my course sweeping experience last year) right as the run was scheduled to begin.

I threw on my pack and joined Kevin, George, Randy, Johnathan, and Joshua as they headed out. The first portion was paved and pleasant. Then we turned onto the bridle paths and the Buckeye Trail and encountered the consequences of weeks of rain in the Cuyahoga River Valley.

Muddy legs post-run

For the next 15 miles we slipped and slid and cursed. At first I tried to pick my way around the puddles or find the shallowest path through them but after a few miles it didn't matter anymore. My feet were soaked and I was splattered from head to toe. After that I just splashed right through and didn't give it a second thought beyond hoping it will be drier on race day.

After a few miles we reached a Y in the trail. The directions seemed to point us one way but the locals thought it should go the other way. We ended up running a loop three or four times before we finally found the right direction and got back on track. Shortly after this one of the members of our band headed back to Station Rd. Can't say I blame him for thinking we were a lost cause (literally). One of the last things he said before he ran off was, "You'll never see the stables that way".

Posing with the stables sign

Thankfully, our pessimistic runner was mistaken and the directions took us right to the stables where we were able to use a real bathroom and get some cold water from the fountain. We couldn't help posing with the sign so we could poke fun later. After an all too short break we continued on towards the Boston Store. George had thankfully dropped a cooler of cold water at a road crossing a few miles later and we were able to refill one more time.

The last few miles were brutal. The mud and flies and ascents/descents were beginning to wear on me. I really hope it's less gross out there in two weeks or the middle 40-50 miles are going to be awful! We finally emerged onto a road and I could see the store just ahead across a bridge over the Cuyahoga. The water looked wonderful and inviting after 17.5 miles of slop!

Legs from the back

As soon as I reached the other side I dropped my pack and my Garmin onto the grass and waded right into the river, shoes and all. It felt so good to wash away the layers of grime and sweat and soak my tired legs in the cool water. I can only hope that the Cuyahoga will be as kind to me in two and a half weeks when I see her again! 

Dreams and Sacrifices

I officially have less than one week left of training for Burning River. After that I have three weeks of taper and then I cover 100 miles on foot in 30 hours or less (preferably much less). It's surreal, to say the least, trying to wrap my head around what I have accomplished and what I still have left to do.

My training has been better than ever before. I have averaged 35 miles per week over the last 26 weeks. I have run over 900 miles so far this year. My peak weeks have been between 55 and 80 miles. My longest runs have been around a marathon in length with plenty of back to backs of shorter distances (13+ miles per day).

I have done crazy things, like driving 3 hours out to the course and running from 10PM to 3AM with some other crazies and then driving 3 hours home and staying up for another whole day. I put a light on my head and water in a pack on my back and wandered the woods in the rain through calf deep mud.

Crazy night runners

 

New shoes, meet mud.

I have missed out on trips, fun, and social events so I could spend hours running around in the woods. I have been short tempered with my kids and my husband from sheer exhaustion. I have taken time off work to focus on running. I've spent long days at work on my feet wishing for a desk job because every step hurts. I've sacrificed a lot following this dream to run 100 miles.

Midnight selfie

So will it be worth it? I guess you'll have to ask me when I'm holding my buckle on July 28!