Third Time's a Charm? Another 100 mile attempt....

In less than 2 weeks I will be attempting to finish a 100 mile race.  I have tried twice before but DNF'd.  In both of those races I don't see them as a failure but rather as lessons I've learned and can use in the future.

After I DNF'd at Javalina last year I learned my biggest mistake there was not eating enough. I had a huge crash at mile 40 and in hindsight I could have recovered by simply eating more but my inexperience in identifying that early caused me to not recognize that.  I dropped at mile 45.

My second attempt at a 100 miler was at Grand Mesa, CO this last July. I had been training in the mountains for a few months and at altitude.  I was hoping that training would pay off and I would be able to finish this race. I had successful races after Javalina where I was better able to figure out my eating strategy and found what worked for me.

A quick recap of Grand Mesa's attempted 100 mile finish in Colorado. Jason and Jesse were running the race along with me.  Jesse had just completed his first 100 miler at Tahoe Rim a week ago. He foolishly listened to us and signed up for another 100 miler a week later.  He dropped at mile 40.  Jason and I were taking bets on how long he would run with us. He made it far longer than we thought he would after running such a tough course the week before.  Maybe he should stop listening to us....

 When I was feeling good at Grand Mesa!

After Jesse left, I was still feeling good.  I knew a tough section of the course was coming up soon.  It started with an 8 mile descent followed by a 5 mile climb. I felt good on the descent and at the bottom was an aid station.  I decided to switch from my Trail Gloves to the Mix Masters to provide a bit more cushioning on the climb.  My feet were feeling beat up (this was around mile 55).  It was a strategy that Jason had tried in a previous race and it worked for him so I wanted to give it a try.

Course profile

 I began the climb as it started getting dark.  We dug out the headlamps and flashlights and continued climbing.  About a mile in we got lost and added about a mile.  As we continued on my feet and legs were really starting to hurt. I took several breaks to sit down and rest.  The climb was taking far longer than I anticipated.  At the previous aid station I had told the volunteers "I love climbing!" Words that would come back to haunt me :)

 As we were climbing in the darkness, off in the distance you could see a lightening storm over a nearby town.  It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It wasn't close enough to be of any danger to us. Instead it looked like a light show just for us.  I often joke that the reason Jason and I run so much together is because we consider these times our date nights and this was a beautiful example of that.

Towards mile 4 into the climb I was questioning my sanity and reason for running.  These are the times I ask myself "Why don't you do normal things like have picnics?" or I think "I am NEVER going to run again. This is stupid!"  Needless to say, I was feeling rough.

The switchbacks seemed to go on and and on.  Finally, towards the top we saw a light and an aid station worker yelled "Almost there!"

When I got to the top I told the volunteer "Excuse my language but that was the hardest fucking thing I've ever done."  Luckily, he wasn't offended and laughed.

At this point I still thought I was going to finish.  I figured the toughest part was behind me and I needed to keep putting one foot in front of the other. The next section of the course was 3 miles of roads until the next aid station.  I started to run and felt the most excruciating pain on the balls of my feet.  I stopped, curled up into a ball on the ground, rested, got back up and ran for a quarter mile and repeated for a couple of miles.

This was not going to work. I was already worried about cutoff times and this strategy wasn't going to help me get there faster.  I started walking and thought about my options.  Do I continue at this ridiculous pace or should I stop?

I opted to stop. The pain was too much for me and I was also thinking about our TransRockies run coming up in two weeks.  In that race I would be running 125 miles in 6 days.  Going into Grand Mesa I wasn't sure if I had completed the race if I would have been recovered enough to run that TransRockies.

What I learned at Grand Mesa was huge and I applied that knowledge two weeks later at TransRockies and it worked amazingly well.

So what did I learn

• When I put on the Mix Masters it was my first time wearing them.  Yes, very stupid! I should have tried them prior to the race.
• When I tied the Mix Masters they were too loose causing my foot to slide around and caused the blisters I had on the balls of my feet.
• I should have applied lubrication to my feet. It's something I've talked about with my fellow ultrarunners but totally forgot about doing on race day. This also would have helped to prevent blistering.
• I'm a slow walker.  I used to think I walked pretty fast until I started running ultras. I'm constantly getting passed by people when I walk.  I need to practice walking faster so I'm not chasing cutoff times.

I applied all of these things when we ran TransRockies and they worked.  I was able to run the 6 day stage race even though I had some blistering from Grand Mesa still on the balls of my feet.  See gross picture below.

  See the big bubble blister? I taped the other one up

I started walking faster. This sounds like such a simple thing I should have known but it's amazing how much it helps.

I lubed my feet and I can't say I didn't have any foot pain but it was manageable. Again, only because I had lingering blisters.

I tied the Mix Masters differently and eliminated the sliding around of my foot.

So I'm excited about this next race and can't wait to apply all that I've learned.  I will be joined by someone I call my running angel, Karrie, who I met at Bandera 100k last January.  I'm excited to spend time with her again.

I'm hoping all of these lessons will help get me to the finish line!

Accepting Blame

After reading a friend's beautifully written post (Krista) I started thinking about my own life journey.

I think I began my own transformation a little earlier on.  For me I can look back on this period of my life and recognize it was a turning point.

A little back story: I was married once before.  I was 24 when I got married and had been dating this individual for 6 years. I thought I had done everything right.  We dated for a long time, he had a good job, good pay and a good family.  I came from a divorced home, alcoholic father and an unstable background.

I thought that getting everything I thought I wanted that happiness would follow.  But very soon into the marriage I realized I was still unhappy.  I talked to others around me and the advice I got was marriage is hard. You'll have your ups and downs.  I figured this is what marriage was like and I would make the best of it.   Either people are miserable or they're too busy keeping up appearances.


I didn't believe that good marriages existed and more importantly I didn't think I was worthy of one. I had flaws, I had baggage and I didn't present myself in a way that others would highly of me.  I didn't think I deserved better.

I realize now you are only treated how you let yourself be treated. If I didn't think highly of myself how could I expect or require others to? If I didn't stand up for myself and internalized my feelings it's nobody's fault but mine.

I know a lot of people in unhappy relationships and they continue to stay in them.  They continue to stay because it's easier than facing the truth or facing the unknown. For me, it was a combination and not believing in myself.

So I found myself seeking out unhealthy outlets for my unhappiness. I found temporary fixes to find my unhappiness.  I would drink too much, eat too much, binge, purge, and start the cycle over.  I felt temporarily happy then ashamed and then I would repeat the whole process.  I went to a therapist and while she helped I felt the focus was put on repairing the marriage that I know could never be fixed. I felt like I was going through the motions of life and I wanted more. Again, I would consult others and get the same responses. I knew I couldn't continue on this destructive path.

If I could blame the other person then I held no responsibility for my actions.  When I finally looked at it for what it was I realized I let people treat me how I thought I should be treated. When I changed my perceptions, my attitude changed.

It took me many, many years to finally admit that I was the one with the problem and that I bore the blame.  It was so easy to point the finger and blame my now ex-husband.  He didn't allow me to grow, he didn't allow me to be myself.  It's his fault!  It's always much easier to blame the other person then you don't have to take a cold, hard look at yourself.

When I finally pulled all the layers back and objectively looked at my previous marriage I realized I was the one at fault.  Which was excruciating to admit.  I wanted to point to a scape goat and blame someone else.

My conclusion was, that the person who I presented myself to be wasn't the real me. I wasn't allowing myself to be just be me. I was trying to be someone I thought I should be.

I thought I wanted a nice house, security, kids, car, vacations and a career and that would bring happiness.  It didn't.  What I really wanted was to be me.  Goofy, silly, stupid, immature, messy, sloppy, spontaneous, adventurous.....me!

When my ex-spouse was away on business trips I felt like a kid who's parents go on vacation.  I could do all the things I wasn't able to do when he was around like being my messy self and not picking up after myself.  .

When I got to the point in my marriage when I realized I was most happy when he was away, I knew things had to change. It wasn't fair to me and it wasn't fair to him.  I wasn't dialed into the marriage and knew I never could be.

I chose to get divorced in a time when others outwardly told me "What are you doing? You have a great marriage". I didn't get support for my decisions but I held fast because I knew it was the right decision for me.  This person wasn't the villain. It was a mistake on my part and a mistake I didn't think I had to live with for the rest of my life. We just weren't a good match. I'm not a bad person, he's not a bad person....we just weren't well suited for each other.



Looking back I realize I had a very immature outlook on relationships. There are many ways I could have handled the situation better. I shouldn't have turned to unhealthy ways to numb myself.  But at the time it was the only coping mechanism I had.

Later, after I did much soul searching and found a great therapist I came to the realization that the reason I did these things was because it was my own way of dealing and processing my feelings when I was unhappy. 

I'm an internalizer. If things aren't going well I used to stew on the inside. I would bitch and complain to anyone I thought had a sympathetic ear.  I turned the pain inwards and numbed myself with alcohol.  I binged and purged because I initially felt better but then felt great shame.  My way  of self soothing was to inflict that pain upon myself. 

Looking back I can see all the wrong turns I took but I am proud of the journey that I took. While the road wasn't easy and it continued FAR beyond the broken marriage I am happy with the end results because those results meant a change for the better. In another blog post I speak of my continuing journey to acceptance of myself here.

This was probably the first step in discovering my true self and I think my then 12 year old niece described it best when she told me after the divorce "You're back to the old Shelly!"

I am happy with myself and happy with who I have become and look forward to continuing growing process!

Big Horn 50 miler Race Report

Going into this race I was pretty confident. Maybe that's the indicator that this race wouldn't go how I had hoped it would. What I love most about running, trail running and long distance running is no matter how much you think you've learned there are always humbling life lessons.  Big Horn was one big humbling life lesson for me.

I spent much of the winter in California and specifically running on trails, hills and elevation when I could. This is the most winter running I have ever maintained.  I previously lived in Michigan and while I would run in the winter my mileage was never very high.  This January I ran a relatively difficult 100k in Bandera TX which filled me with confidence about running longer distances.

I signed up for Big Horn 50 miler after my husband Jason signed up for the 100 miler.  I would be in the area anyway and I wanted to test my running abilities/strategies for my "A" race, a 100 miler in Grand Mesa, CO so this would be a great test since many of the conditions would be similar.

My race started at 6:00 am on Saturday morning and Jason's race started the day before at 11:00 am  We talked about our likely finishing times and were hoping maybe we would see each other out on the trails. Ok, I was hoping I would see Jason, pass him and dance to the finish before him :) Probably the only way I could beat Jason in a race is to handicap him and what better way than to have 80 or so miles under his belt.

I dropped Jason off and watched him start. No matter how many races I go to there is nothing like the start of a 100 mile race. Looking around I wish I had time to find out everyone's story and how they started running.  Specifically the women because this course was a difficult one and male numbers definitely outnumbered the females.  These ladies were badass! 

 All pictures were taken by Jason during his 100 miler. Same course, he just ran it out and back.

After Jason's start, I dropped off my drop bags. I overpacked as I always do but never know what potential problem could arise and wanted to be prepared.  Of course as much as I "overpack" I seem to always forget one essential item. This race's item was Tums, which became my biggest learning lesson during this race but more on that later.

I tried going to bed early knowing I had to get up at 3 am. the next morning but for whatever reason I couldn't sleep. I don't usually have a problem sleeping the night before a race so this was unusual for me. I tossed an turned, got up to see Jason's progress. He was at mile 30 at 6:00 pm. Damn! He was making good time. Finally, I drifted off but woke up every hour until my alarm went off at 3.

Usually Jason and I are getting ready for a race in the morning together. Being all on my own threw off my morning routine.  I forget that I rely heavily on Jason to get my ass out the door and arrive on time or early for the race.  I have a horrible habit of "estimating" my times and always estimate too little. In my head it would take 10 minutes to get to the shuttle bus. In reality it took 20 minutes. I'm also spoiled because when Jason is with me my water bottles magically get filled and put in the car.  

I was running through my check list and felt like I was forgetting something. I tried my hardest to be quiet since my kids were sleeping. The last thing I wanted to do was wake one of them up because that early in the morning it would not be a pretty sight.  My 6 yr old decided the night before to sleep on our couch (we live in a small travel trailer so it's hard to not be in the way). He's my least morning person and I equate him to a Velociraptor in the morning. He turned a few times but I was in the clear. He later told me he heard me pee 3 times. Apparently that was big news in the Robillard family.  What can I say? I have pre-race jitters.

I wanted to leave at 3:30 but by the time I got everything ready it was 3:40. Oh shit! I had to catch a shuttle bus that would drive us up to the start line.  I jumped in the car and took off. As I'm driving I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.  What the hell is that? What at the time seemed to be a 12' moth flew towards my head.  Oh sweet Jesus! It's going to be that kind of day isn't it?

This is where reality set in and I knew I had underestimated how long it would take to drive to the bus.  I took full advantage of Wyoming's 75 mph speed limit and made it to the bus with about a minute to spare.  

The drive to the start was one Jason and I had taken two days before.  It was an hour drive filled with with mountains, moose and the sun coming up.  Once I got to the start I realized just how soft I had become in cold temps.  The temps were in the 30s and I was shaking life a leaf!

Finally, it was time to start.  We lined up and like a lot of ultra starts we ran for 10 feet, bottle-necked, then continued. Jason and I ran a portion of the trails the week before. I knew the start would be cold and we would encounter snow. I was prepared for the cold but as it turned out I wasn't prepared for the heat but that was later one.

The first few miles I ran through snow, across creek crossing and at times the type of mud that can suck off your shoe which did happen to a few people around me. I tried to avoid the deep mud as much as I could but it was inevitable.  I eventually stepped into the mud/quick sand but didn't lose my shoe.  It's not a party until you're knee deep in mud!

Usually I get into a groove after the first few miles but I wasn't getting there. I felt tired, sluggish, clumsy and slow.  I figured it would take a little longer to get there. Instead I focused on the views around me.  They were in a word: breathtaking.  I didn't take pictures along the way but stole a few that Jason took.  I feel so lucky to be able to enjoy running through trails with such beauty.  

I got to the first aid station about 8 miles in.  I ate, refilled my bottle and headed back out.  I was still feeling off but kept hoping that would turn around.  The next aid station was 6 miles away and I started feeling worse.  My stomach felt nauseous and I still felt sluggish.  I hoped a quick trip to the bathroom might solve my problem. It felt slightly better but I was still feeling queasy.  

I've never felt nauseous during a race unless I was about 25 miles in. This was a new problem for me. While trying to figure out what could be causing it I was racking my brain thinking maybe it was something I ate.  Since I'm gluten/wheat free I thought maybe I hadn't read a label carefully enough and perhaps that was the cause.

I got to the second aid station, ate, refilled my water and headed out.  This section was my favorite section heading into the canyons. The rock formations were gorgeous and mountains were spectacular to look at.  I kept leap frogging a few people at this point and chatted with them.  I had a few stumbles from not picking up my feet (which always happens when I'm tired) but no falls yet...

...until I tried to pass a younger kid on the downhill.  This might be one of the most funny falls I've had to date.  I was feeling good so I passed, ran about 5 feet in front of a young guy, stumbled, recovered, only to stumble and had that dreaded feeling of "Oh shit, I'm going down!".  

Now I don't like to brag but in this case I will.  Every runner has their niche and I believe mine is I'm a good faller.  Not only do I fall with style I fall all the while without hurting my knees or causing great injury.  '

So I ran 5 feet in front of this kid (kid=23ish male person) and I know I'm going down.  I have prepared for this.  I've practiced. I'm ready!  As I'm going down, I hold on to my water bottle so it can help break my fall.  I fall to my left and knowing I don't want to injure my knees I roll into the fall. What I don't prepare for is the fact that while I'm rolling on my back my legs have nowhere to go but up with full momentum, meaning my legs fall apart.  And while I'm wearing a running skirt with briefs underneath I still feel like I am full on crotch flashing the young man behind me.  I finish the roll and he's a complete gentleman and asks how I'm doing.  I try to contain my laughter and say I'm fine, I'm a professional faller. How he did not laugh is beyond me.  I laughed about it for the next 5 miles into the next aid station. 

This aid station was at mile 18 and our first drop bag.  As I was running in they asked my number and just before the food table a man appeared with my drop bag.  Wow! That was service! I had a spare set of socks and shoes which I put on.  Lesson #2 make sure your socks are high enough otherwise chafing occurs on the back of my ankle.  

My stomach was still feeling queasy and I realized I hadn't packed my Tums even though I had thought about it multiple times the week before.  I asked the aid station if they had any and they did not. I asked a few runners but they also didn't have any Tums.  One runner offered a ginger chew which I took with me.  

I still thought maybe I was having a GI issue so I hit up the port-a-potties before heading back out. My fresh shoes felt great! I crossed a bridge and saw a sign that the next aid station Bear Camp was 3.5 miles ahead. That's not far! Lesson #3 This was the longest 3.5 miles of my life. It was 3.5 miles in the hot open sun all up hill. Just when you thought the climb was over it kept on going.

Lesson #4: I didn't carry enough water.   Lesson #5: Heat and elevation makes for a nasty stomach. Lesson #6: I'm so stupid!  Lesson #7: I'm going to quit running.  Lesson #8: Dehydration sucks!

This is where I got really, really hot. Drank my water too fast and ran out.  The last 1.5 miles of this climb was tough. I passed many others that were struggling. One guy would walk, stop, dry heave, rest, then get up and continue.  I think he eventually turned back around because he was in really rough shape.  Last I saw, a few people were with him and giving him water. He was having a much worse day than I.

I was cursing myself for not carrying more water. When Jason and I ran parts of the course it wasn't as hot and there was a pretty strong wind.  My stomach was still feeling queasy and the thought crossed my mind: What if I'm pregnant?  NO!!!!!!!! We just got our youngest potty trained!  Stories my previous daycare provider was telling me about "surprise pregnancies happening all over the place" were swirling through my mind.  We have taken medical precautions so the likelihood was very low.  Up until this point I was in complete denial that it was the altitude making me nauseous. I've since accepted it but had to rule out all other variables first. I tried sucking on the ginger chew. I was told not to chew it for it was very gummy but it didn't seem to do anything for my stomach.  

Visions of cold water danced through my head.  A tall glass with ice was on my brain.  Get through through another mile and water would be at the next aid station.  VERY slowly I finally arrived at Bear Camp (Mile 22).  They had to hike in all of their supplies so their water was limited.  I tried not to take too much since I knew many other runners would need water also.  They informed me there was a stream 3 miles ahead that was safe to refill with.

 I grabbed a few peppermints and those seemed to help a little. I caught up to another female runner and ran the next portion with her. Chatting took my mind off of my stomach. We talked about other races and it turned out we were both at Javalina last year. Small world! She had run the 50 miler last year so I was soaking up any details she had about the remainder of the course.  She told me we had to make the 4:00 cutoff at Dry Fork Aid Station.

I hadn't really paid much attention to cutoff times. I really didn't think it would be something I would have to worry about. Not because I'm so fast but probably because I don't pay attention to details I probably should. I don't study course maps, I like to show up to run and probably would benefit from doing more research before the race. Lesson #9: Research!

In hind sight I think I should have picked up the pace in this section. Of course that's really easy to say now but I'm using what I did right and what I did wrong for future races. Unfortunately, I did A LOT of things wrong at this race.

At around mile 29 was Cow Camp.  This aid station had freshly made bacon! All of the aid stations did an excellent job.  It was one of the most well run races I've ever been to.

I was still running out of water before I made it to the next aid stations so I drank a lot, ate and refilled my water bottle.  A lot of the runners around me (including me) worried about the cutoff time. I didn't want to spend too much time at the aid station knowing I had an hour and a half to make it 6 miles.  For the first time that day I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish my race.  Despite my stomach I still thought I would finish.

I managed a run/walk/shuffle and tried to keep up with fellow runners hoping the conversation would keep my mind off how bad I was feeling.  I kept looking at my watch worried I wouldn't make it.  About 2 miles from the aid station I came to the realization I probably wasn't going to make the cutoff time. I would give it my all and see what happened.

I missed the cutoff by 5 minutes. The last two miles I was fine with that conclusion.  I had still run in gorgeous mountain terrain, met wonderful people and now my next goal was finding Jason and possibly see him finish his 100 mile race.

I got a ride back from another runner, his wife and two other runners who didn't make the cutoff. We had all been leap frogging each other all day so we talked about our experiences. One of those runners was a 72 year old named Bob.  Bob is one of the reasons I love this sport so much.  At 72 years he's still out running ultras, a vegetarian for 30 years,  rocking the short shorts and a true inspiration.  He has been running ultras for over 30 years and a complete joy to talk to.  I told him I was sure I would see him again in another race.  He's from Denver and runs a lot of their local races including Leadville. With his tattoo of a naked lady on his arm I am sure not to miss him!

So while this race wasn't a success in the usual way I still equate it a success in my running journey.  I learned valuable lessons which I am taking into my next race - Grand Mesa 100 miler.  Already I am researching conditions, course maps and terrain. I will carry MUCH more water, Tums and be ready for the heat.  I will acclimate by running in higher elevations. 

Lastly, Jason ran his first 100 mile race without a pacer or crew and after seeing that course he is a complete badass! I was able to run him in for the last 5 miles of his race and I couldn't have been more proud of his accomplishment!

I am SO excited for my next running adventure and cannot wait to share Grand Mesa with Jason and Jesse who will be running it with me!

 

 

Running Highlights

I've been having so many running adventures lately and not enough time to write so I thought instead I would write "highlights" instead of race reports.  

Tough Mudder (February 26) Temecula, CA

Vanessa got me a free entry into this event (she's awesome!). I have been very curious about this and other obstacle races so I was very excited to check it out. The course was 11 miles long with obstacles in between such as jumping into ice water, jumping off a 12 foot platform into muddy water, crawling through tubes and the toughest for me...crawling through live wires that shocked you as you crawled along. 

The running portion of the race was awesome! They had some really steep hills and I kept thinking to myself I wanted to come back and run the trails afterward. It's the first time I passed alot of people while running. In most races it's very rare for me to pass anyone.  I run long and slow. 

 I was plugging my nose not sneezing :)

I did like that many of the obstacles pushed me outside my comfort zone. It was really hard to jump off the 12 foot platform and while I hesitated the first time I jumped the second time around.  Jumping in to ice and then having to duck under a board to get to the other side was also difficult.  Jumping in while shocking wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but ducking and trying to pull yourself out while freezing was hard because I felt like my whole body was going in slow motion.  Lastly, crawling under the live wires was way tougher than I thought it would be. I feel I have a pretty high pain tolerance but getting zapped is something totally unlike any pain I've felt before. Not only do you get the initial shock but you are temporarily immobilized and drop to the ground.  I thought I was being smart and I let Shacky go first. I figured I would follow him and if he was getting shocked I would avoid that area since not all the wires were "live" or would shock you.  Turns out, he was too fast and I couldn't' follow. At the home stretch I thought I made it out with only 2 zaps only to be zapped in succession 4 more times. Damn that hurt!

 Clearly I wasn't being zapped here

Many of the obstacles brought out the kid in me and were just fun.  Sliding down basically a huge slip and slide was so much fun.  Crawling through barrels reminded me of games I would play as a kid.  

 Overall, I had a really great time. I'm not sure if obstacle racing is my thing. Even though it was fun I think I prefer the quiet solitude of the trail and running ultras. 

Way Too Cool 50k (March 10) Cool, CA

I originally signed up for the lottery in hopes to run with my friend Krista but sadly she didn't get into the lottery.  This race was partially run on the Western States course and was known for it's beautiful views.  My previous 50k time was 8:14 and I was hoping to improve upon that time but didn't have any idea what that improvement could be. My last 50k was in October in Connecticut while this was located in Cool, CA. I had no idea what to expect as far as time.  I had also tweaked my knee and four days before the race I found it difficult to bend my knee.  The race itself was very well organized and at the first aid station they had students with registration lists cheering you on. They looked my bib number and shouted "Go Shelly! Yay Michigan!" which I thought was really cool.

The whole family came out!

This race for me was the first race I really felt I raced instead of just getting through.  I practiced really good form and I didn't have any problems with my knee. With the exception of a few hills I ran faster than I have in any other race.  I didn't waste time at the aid stations. I would quickly grab what I needed and quickly left.  I would like to say I was determined and had my eye on the prize but I can't say I had an inner urge to run fast.  In reality I felt since it wasn't as hilly as some of the other courses I had previously run that I should run when possible and only walk the hills.  Since the course was very runnable I ended up pushing myself more than I ever had prior. I finished in 6:37 surprisingly myself.  It gave me lots of food for thought on my personal running style.  I feel I'm always going between two thoughts. Running for enjoyment versus really pushing it. 

Rodeo Valley 50k (March 17)

This race was fun from start to finish! I ran it with Jason, Vanessa, Shacky, Krista, Pablo and Jon.  At the end I'm not sure if I was sore from running or from laughing.  Jason and I had decided four days prior to the race we wanted to race in costume. We had talked about doing that for some time and while we ran in costume once before it was for a Halloween 5k. We wanted to see if we could run a longer distance comfortably.  On race day we came out of the bedroom in our costumes and I'm not sure if our friends were laughing at or with us :)  Unfortunately for them there was no way of pretending they didn't know us since we had the biggest vehicle and were driving everyone there :)

We run for beer & wine!

This race came a week after Way Too Cool 50k. I was very sore from that race, more than previous races and I'm guessing it was due to running faster.  I wasn't planning on racing this but enjoying the experience and company of friends.  

I ran with Krista the entire race and ran the last 5 miles with Vanessa and Shacky. The course was very hilly, more hilly than I expected but in a very good way.  I LOVE hills. I'm not especially fast at them but I love the ability to climb them and the sense of accomplishment I get at the top is so satisfying. 

Krista and I shared many laughs over getting lost and calling Pablo to figure out which way to go.  I also fell and since I"m pretty good at falling I fell without hurting myself but also with flair made all the more amusing since I was wearing a cape.  If only I had jumped up at the end I would have impressed myself!  

We caught up with Vanessa and Shacky for the last 5 miles and came in DFL (dead fucking last)!  My second one!  I'm hoping this group can get do more races together in the future!

In order to not make this post into a novel I'll post more running highlights from the other races I've run after March 17th.

A Morning In The Life of Me

So my writing has taken a nose dive in the last couple of months. I'm a morning person and enjoy the solace of a quiet cup of coffee and being up before the kids. It turns out that with my life on the road I also enjoy sleeping in until the kids wake me up. Since I'm most motivated to write in the morning it's tough for me to write when my kids are awake. It usually goes a little like this...

"Hi mom! I missed you!" - says Ty (2)

Me thinking: Having kids is so great. What a sweetie.

"I want cereal!" - Ty

"Ok, let me pee first"

"Cereal! Cereal! Cereal!" Ty

"Just a minute."

"I. Want. Cereal. Now!"

Me thinking: Oh my god, kid. Seriously, have a little patience.

In reality: "I have to put my contacts in then I'll give you some cereal."

"Cereal! I want cereal!"...getting increasingly louder. Apparently, my kids have no inside voice.

"Ty, please be quiet. Reese and Stephanie (niece) are sleeping. I don't want to wake them up"

Sidenote: Reese without his sleep is like the Predator. Only I can't cover myself to hide.

"No! Aaah! Cereal!"

Internally: This kid is so annoying.

Furiously putting in my contacts, hoping I haven't awakened the beast I rush out to pour his cereal. Phew! Disaster averted. Nobody woke up.

"Feed me!"

"Ty, you can feed yourself."

"No! You! Feed! Me!"

"No, if you want to eat, you can feed yourself!"

Internally: Why did I have kids again?

"Fine, I'll feed you."

Sound of a creaking door. Oh no! Reese is awake. Do a quick eye scan trying to assess his mood. I think we're ok.

Reese shuffles to the couch with his blanket wrapped around him. The blanket is an on going battle for me. Since we live in a 34' travel trailer space is limited. Reese likes to drag the blanket around and behind him therefore, taking down everything in his path. Items he has taken down include: a cup of water, wine glass which he broke, a box of crackers, papers and various items laying around.

"Reese, can you put a shirt on and put your blanket back on your bed."

"Uuuh!"

Internally: That's not good. When he refuses the English language I know it's going to be a rough morning/day ahead. Some battles aren't worth fighting so I let this one go.

"I'm hungry!" - Reese

"Ok, what would you like to eat?

"I'm hungry!"

"You can have a banana, cereal or yogurt."

"I want a cookie"

"No cookies for breakfast."

"Cookie!"

"You are not having a cookie. Eat something healthy first then we'll talk."

"No!"

This is only 10 minutes into the start of my day. Think of an escape plan. What errands do I need to run. I can leave the kids with Jason, right? No, he'll see right through my plan. Think more creatively. Fake an injury? No, then I can't run.

Well, you get the point. Kids keep you busy and I can't complain. Traveling around the U.S. has been in a word: awesome!

Having the ability to see places I've only read about in person has been even better than I could have imagined. The ability to share that with my children has been something I know they will always remember. Kids are just annoying at times and it doesn't matter where your location is. At least I've had the benefit of going to some really cool places. My writing has diminished but that will ebb and flow.

I have some great races coming up and wanted to highlight a few of them:

• Tough Mudder! Huge shout out to Vanessa Runs for hooking me up on this one. I have wanted to run one of these races for a while but hadn't gotten around to it. I've only done one "obstacle" race and it turned out to be less obstacle and more flat trails with one mud pit at the end. It wasn't what I thought it would be and I look forward to pushing and testing myself at this race.

• Way Too Cool 50k - like the name it takes place in Cool, California. I entered the lottery to get into this race along with my badass friend Krista. We had hoped to both get entered and only I got chosen. I felt kind of bad because it was her idea and I was the one picked. This race promises: breathtaking trails, spirited aid stations, amazing views and pure fun!

• Rodeo Valley 50k - This 50k takes place a week after Way Too Cool and since I couldn't run with Krista at that event, I'll be running Rodeo Valley with her, Pablo, Vanessa and Shacky. We're all piling into Pablo's home and basically invading his life with our shenanigans and alcohol consumption.

• Pineland Farms 50k - This race takes place in Maine and I'll also be running with a group of friends. Trisha (who we coerced into signing up), Brad (also taunted him into signing up), Heather, Karen and more that I'm surely missing.

• Big Horn 50 miler - Jason is running the 100 mile race in Wyoming. This is a mountain race and the logistics will be a hassle but I couldn't resist begin able to run as well. Jason will round up a few crew members to assist him. His race starts the day before mine and we'll most likely end up finishing both our respective races at around the same time.

• Grand Mesa 100 miler - This is a grassroots race. Grassroots = small. Last year 13 people started the race and 6 finished. We're working on getting Jesse to sign up and run it with us to make it a party with some running thrown in :) The elevation profile is crazy but I cannot wait to run this!
  
  
  
• Pumpkin Holler 100 miler - I met a special lady when I ran Bandera 100k and I'm am lucky enough to run this race with her in her home state of Oklahoma. Jason will be crewing and pacing us again along with anyone else we can round up to help out. It looks like it will be run during fall colors and be on a beautiful course.
  

I feel very fortunate to have such a great line up of races to look forward to in 2012!

Bandera 100k Race Report

Going into Bandera I was worried about how I would do since I felt my actual training and long runs weren't as frequent as I was hoping they would be. I got sick and was fighting the tail end of a cold and hadn't done a long distance run since my marathon on December 3rd. I was hoping the mountain runs and hill repeats I was doing would help me on this course.

I was really excited to get on the course and see what it looked like first hand. I had heard there were lots of steep hills and beautiful views. It had been a while since my last long run and I was also looking forward to that feeling you get only when you've run long and far. I wanted the feeling where your body feels like it has really done something. Your legs start to feel a little fatigued, your stomach feels like you have done a ton of situps and your lungs feel the start of a slight burn. For me, it's the best feeling in the world!

At the start I saw Katie, who first told me about the race and came all the way from Michigan to run. We chatted at the start while trying to ignore my crazy paparazzi picture-taking husband. Looking around we could see some nice hills and wondered again what the course would look like.

Finally, the start came and the run started. In total 220 people were signed up for the 100k but there was also a 50k and 25k starting at the same time. I wondered how congested the trails would be but I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly everything went. The other races didn't start in the same spot and although there was some waiting at the beginning it cleared out much faster than I thought it would.

The race start: The second guy in red won the race. We saw him win while we headed out for our second loop.

The beginning of the race had some great hills, climbs and views. I was happy to slow down just to enjoy the views around me. As always, I wish I had brought a camera with me but I still cannot get used to carrying a pack on my back. One of these days I'll figure out an easier way to carry a camera or phone with me.

Katie and I at the start. Go purple!

The first 5 miles seemed to fly by. I heard music up ahead and I came up on the first aid station. I was determined I was going to make sure I ate enough food at the aid stations and throughout the race. At Javalina that was one of my big mistakes. Since I don't eat gluten I made sure this time I prepared more foods to eat. Jason was meeting me at the aid stations so I looked around for him but didn't see him. I was guessing it wasn't crew accessible so I ate from the aid table. I had a gel, chips and nuts and kept going.

During this section the crowd had thinned down dramatically but there were still runners around me. I heard loud breathing at one point and thought it was the girl behind me until she passed by quietly breathing. To my shock, I realized it was me breathing so loudly. What an odd feeling to realize it was you and not be aware of it. I was still on the tail end of recovering from my cold and the dust from the trail must have bothered me more than I thought. I had a hard time breathing from my nose due to congestion so the dust must have settled in. It wasn't hurting me but it was an odd feeling.

On this section I was behind three other runners Bob, Karrie and Mark. Mark looked like my friend John and I kept forgetting what his actual name was after I associated him with John. I hate when I do that!

Bob was an ultra veteran. He was at the front of the line so I didn't hear much about his running history. Karrie was running her first 100k as well as John...damnit! I mean Mark :) Mark's previous longest run was 17 miles. He wanted to challenge himself and signed up for the 100k.

At some point, Bob ran ahead and it was just the three of us. It was really enjoyable running with other people and sharing our stories. I love the people that I meet on the trails and it's one of the reasons I love running these races. I love hearing other peoples experiences and personal stories.

Karrie, me, Mark and Cory (a fellow barefoot runner we met on the course)

Just before the next aid station I saw my paparazzi husband taking pictures. It's always a boost for me to see Jason at any race. He snapped a few more pictures then it was my turn to play diva runner so I shouted out my demands :) Okay, maybe I was nice but I was certainly taking advantage of having him at my full disposal and put him to work.

I demand my food!

I was trying out new race foods and ate two corn tortillas with hummus. They weren't as good as when they're warm but I was still able to easily eat them. I was also trying rice bread with peanut butter for the first time and also ate one sandwich. It was still early so I didn't need much.

I was enjoying running with Karrie and hoping I wasn't slowing her down too much so we could continue running together. We lost Mark at this point and thought we would catch him later on the trail. I saw Karrie and asked if she wanted to run together. We were both unsure of how to pace ourselves. I didn't want to go out too fast knowing the course was challenging with hills and rocks. Those rocks would become my enemy later on.

Karrie went in front, we walked the hills and ran the flat spots. I was secretly worried I was holding her back but was happy for the company. The next 10 miles was pretty magical. The sun was out, the trail was gorgeous and I had great running company.

The reason I love hearing people's stories on the trail is because they are so inspiring. Karrie and I talked about all kinds of topics. We shared slot of personal stories and all I can say is she is an amazing lady that I was fortunate to run with. Sometimes I'm a little overwhelmed at how lucky I am to be able to run in such amazing races and the ability to travel and have such wonderful adventures. I know there was a lot of work that was done to get to that point but I'm still grateful for everything I have.

The next aid station was called Crossroads and we would go there twice. We were getting into the full heat of the day. I would prefer heat any day over cold but it made some spots of the course a little more challenging.

Running into Crossroads aid station

When we got into Crossroads the second time Jason was there making sure I ate enough. The food choices were working out great. I was also using Heed as my drink of choice and I was feeling great! There was one more aid station until we got to the start finish...two 50k loops total. At the start/finish I would be picking up Jason as a pacer.

Running into Crossroad the second time.

Showing off my tat with plenty of sunscreen

I was still running with Karrie and feeling good. The section from Crossroads to the next aid station Last Chance was a bit of a surprise for us. We were told the last 5 miles was challenging so we expected this section to be a bit easier. Instead it had one of the steepest climbs in the middle. Some people were stopping to catch their breath before they got to the top. We made it up but it was definitely challenging.

If we thought going up was difficult, going down was crazy. It was a steep incline filled with tiny rocks that worked as roller skates if you hit them just right. Somehow we managed not to fall down during this section which is a feat for my clumsy self. We did wonder how this was going to feel on our second loop in the dark.

We made it to Last Chance which was 26 miles into the race. Karrie had told me about the infamous Olga. She is known for her 'tell it like it is' personality and expertise in handling any problem you might encounter on the trail. While we were there she was helping out someone who had nausea and this is where we finally ran into Mark again who wasn't looking so good. He was at a distance PR but in rough shape.

Olga saw him and said "I don't know you but you look like shit!" You need to get some salt and fluids in you. You're going to take these s-caps, drink some water and sit here for 10 minutes. Then you're going to go back out there!"

We were with Mark for this 5 mile stretch to the start/finish. He told us he was feeling really rough and didn't know if he was going to make it back out for the second loop. We encouraged him to eat more, rest a bit, soak his feet in ice and get back out there. He had pacers that would run with him so we were hoping he would take our advice. I may or may not have told him I would kick his ass if he didn't get back out there.

The last 5 miles was my low point of the race. It was hot, I was thirsty and starting to feel those ultra legs setting in. Up until this point I was feeling really great and this is the first time a sliver of doubt snuck into my train of thoughts. Knowing the toughness of the course and the rocks that were pounding into my feet I wasn't sure of my abilities. I didn't voice any of these concerns but they were there.

All of these thoughts evaporated when I saw Jason just before the start/finish. Seeing him in his sexy BI3's ready to run was all I needed to boost my spirits. I ran into the aid station, changed clothes, refueled, hit up the porta-potty and me, Jason and Karrie headed back out for the second loop.

I was excited for Jason to see the course before it got dark. We were able to see the the first 5 miles before the sun set and I was happy he got to see the views. I knew he would enjoy the hills and climbs.

We settled into a good groove. Jason first, then Karrie and me behind. We would walk the hills and when Jason started to run we would both follow. We were good little runners. Although I did tell Karrie that Jason was probably very thankful she was there. I was less likely to whine about anything in the presence of someone else. He didn't deny that :)

I had been joking during the day that the hills were great for the ass because they are great for toning and lifting that area. I told Karrie we were going to wake up with 19 year old asses the next morning because there were so many hills.

We were seeing some of the same runners at this point and were leap frogging each other. It's like a REALLY long game of tag. At the second aid station I saw Katie again. She was kicking ass on this course. She claims she's slow but she's being very humble!

It was dark at this point and I was loving the quiet darkness of the trail. I LOVE night running. I always worried that I would be tired because I'm a bit like a senior citizen. I like going to bed early and getting up in the morning. But I didn't feel tired at all, just the exhilaration of being on the trail.

At around mile 42 I was scared of voicing this but I was feeling great! I told Karrie "I hate to jinx myself but I can't believe how good I feel and how strong I'm running at this point". I had not felt that good during my 50 miler in September. I was on a total running high and actually felt just as good as I did during the first loop. I have heard of this happening to others but I didn't believe I would ever feel it myself. This is going to be an addictive feeling I know!

We ran into Crossroads feeling hungry. I knew I had to eat more but was starting to fight it. I knew it was gong to be important to eat even if I didn't feel like it. Luckily, the aid stations gods were looking out for me and the best tasting mashed potatoes I have ever had the pleasure of eating were waiting there for me. I ate two cupfuls, a sandwich and some coke. Off and on, my stomach was feeling a little acidic and I was lucky that Karrie was carrying some with her and sharing with me. They helped settle my stomach.We were planning on staying there for a bit to eat and let the food settle but I was feeling restless and wanted to head back out. I wanted to take advantage of the feelings I was having and keep moving.

Again, I was still feeling so good and surprised at how well I was running. We settled into our running groove and made it back to Crossroads again. I was hoping for more of those magical mashed potatoes but had to settle for potato soup which was good but didn't produce the same magical taste of rainbows in my mouth :)

Feeling good at mile 52!

Only one more aid station until the finish! We knew this was going to be a difficult stretch because of the huge hill and climb back down. We had been telling Jason about this hills for many miles and told him it was going to be tough but a funny thing happened. We kept waiting for the hill and when we finally got to it when we got to the top we both (Karrie and I) had the same reaction. "Huh, that wasn't so bad". How was it possible that the giant hill felt so easy the second time around? The only conclusion I had was it was easier when it wasn't in the full heat of the day and I guess we just needed 53 miles to stretch out our legs.

We made it to the Last Chance aid station and I knew I had to eat. I was out of tortillas and sandwiches so I ate chips, a gel and some coke. The aid station workers were very entertaining. They had tequila available if you were so inclined. I've never been a tequila girl so I passed.

I knew the last 5 miles were going to be tough. My feet felt beat up and I this part was going to be very rocky with lots of hills. We were still walking the hills and running the flat spots until the last 3 miles. I know Jason and Karrie could have run more during this time but I was really feeling it on the bottom of my feet. While I probably could have mustered up the energy to run a little it felt better to walk and avoid the rocks. I was getting clumsy and rolling the rocks over with my feet and the frustration of that made it easier for me to walk.

I asked Karrie to let me know when we had 3 miles left, then 2, then 1. We were going to finish and finish strong! We were looking for a house at the end that would signal we had a quarter mile left. Our plan was to run it in at that point for the finish.

When we started running I told Karrie I was so thankful to be able to run so much of this race with her. She lifted my spirits and made the race so enjoyable. I don't think I would have run it as well without her. She was my running angel!

We saw the finish line, heard cheering and ran it in where we received our belt buckles. I'm still in a little disbelief that I felt so good during this race despite the toughness of the course. It confirmed what I had previously thought that I like more technical trails and like the varying terrain. I think it's easier for my body to handle the constant change up of the course and mentally I love it!

Belt buckles!

We proudly took pictures of our buckles at the end. This is by far the best race I have had so far. Thank you Jason & Karrie for making it such a wonderful experience!

Pre Race Thoughts

Tomorrow will be my first 100k (Bandera 100k in Texas) I participate in. The day before I'm full of excitement, anxiousness and mostly just ready to run a long distance. I had high hopes to get more training miles in but sometimes it doesn't always work out the way you had hoped.

This last month my longest run was a marathon and I had hoped to get a few more 20 milers in as well. Between getting sick and traveling I wasn't able to do as much as I would like. I did get in plenty of mountain runs (between 6-8 miles), hill repeats (Arizona has awesome hills!) and tempo runs.

Even without those longer runs, I'm really excited to run this race. While I was hoping to be a little more prepared I'm excited about the journey. I'm going to try out some new gluten free race foods. At Javalina part of my crashing was not eating enough food so this will be a good time to play around with new food combos.

The aid stations will have the usual foods I like such as salted potatoes, chips and fruit. I'm also going to test out corn tortillas with hummus. I've taken them on short runs with good success. I also bought rice bread which I plan on making peanut butter sandwiches out of. The aid stations will also be stocked with Heed, one of my favorite sports drinks. I like the taste and I like that it is calorie packed which means I don't have to eat as many calories in between aid stations.

Then there's the course itself. In the course description, here are some of my favorite lines:

"My goal was to create a long distance trail that was as difficult as possible yet still runnable, so it isn't easy, it wasn't intended to be"

"All our aid stations are staffed with experienced trail runners, as they will best understand your needs. They will provide more encouragement than sympathy"

I'm excited to get on the course which has many hills and climbs. The course is (2) 50k loops and after the first loop I can have a pacer. Lucky me, I have the best pacer there is....Jason! Probably not the traditional "date night" but I can't think of a better way to spend our time.

I look forward to the people I will meet, the stories I will hear and the experience I will gain!