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Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
2013 Sign Boards
Below are the two images of what the 2013 sign boards will be. One is very busy, but hopefully it is something that is eye catching for others. Thanks to all sponsors involved with K-Blue Racing this year and a special thanks to Skyline Signs for printing up the sign boards.
Monday, January 7, 2013
2012 Review & 2013 Overview
Well as quickly as 2012 came it seemed to go. As I look back a year ago I think of about this exact same time I was updating the webpage with all the 2012 sponsors, getting an idea of what each team member would be doing and which way I wanted to see the team go.
In late January and into the early spring on 2012 several sponsorship request that I had put out in late 2011 came thru. The first was POC Protective gear, then later was Stan's NoTubes and then lastly came GU energy. Very proud to have all of these sponsorships.
2012 brought several first for several team members. The first 50 mile trail race for both Todd and Alexis and Alexis topped it with a 100K trail race. Drew had his first shot at Leadville 100 mtb race. I (Scott) took on 24 Hours of Old Pueblo as a solo racer. Ann joined some friends and they raced (2) Ragnar races as an ultra team with only 6 team members.
2012 highlights include but not limited to Alexis's 5th place finish in Hellgate 100K and 7th place in Masochist 50 mile, K-Blue's co-ed 2nd place finish in 24 Hours of Fury and K-Blue's small buckle in the Barn Burner. These are just a few of the highlights. I know the team was all over the board from races in VA, AZ, UT, ID and CO this year.
Now on to 2013.
First let's touch base on sponsors. In November Serfas extended an offer to the team and it was happily accepted. This deal happened to come in at a perfect time after 5 years with Gargoyles eyewear the sponsorship was next renewed. Also in 2013 K-Blue will be carried Stan's NoTubes, POC Protective gear, GU energy, Yankz, Skyline Signs, Polar water bottle and Geigerrig. Also the local bike shop that we deal with Mike's Bike Chalet will be helping us out as well. Thanks for all of your support.
Races. Well still waiting on every ones schedule, but here are a few highlights that we will be seeing. I (Scott) will be racing 24 Hours of Old Pueblo as a solo racer again. I will also be doing Park City Point 2 Point race. Alexis will be making the trip from the east coast to the west coast to race in the Western States 100 mile trail race. Drew will be racing in Leadville mtb again as well as a solo racer in Lotoja (Logan UT to Jackson Hole WY) road race. I'm sure we will see Ann in a couple of Ragnar races this year and I'm sure her and Jill will be heading back to Prescott to defend their 1st place first in Gilmore Adventure Race. The team will be heading back to Flagstaff, AZ for Barn Burner 104 and back to Fountain Hills, AZ for 24 Hours of Fury. Todd will continue to push the envelope on trail races on the east coast. Sterling will be doing the Whiskey Offroad in Prescott, AZ and the MS ride in Sedona, AZ.
The team is really picking and choosing races that make a difference and they they individually love to race in. I'm proud to be the team leader of this team and to see the progress that it is making.
Thanks to everyone for all of your support.
-Scott-
In late January and into the early spring on 2012 several sponsorship request that I had put out in late 2011 came thru. The first was POC Protective gear, then later was Stan's NoTubes and then lastly came GU energy. Very proud to have all of these sponsorships.
2012 brought several first for several team members. The first 50 mile trail race for both Todd and Alexis and Alexis topped it with a 100K trail race. Drew had his first shot at Leadville 100 mtb race. I (Scott) took on 24 Hours of Old Pueblo as a solo racer. Ann joined some friends and they raced (2) Ragnar races as an ultra team with only 6 team members.
2012 highlights include but not limited to Alexis's 5th place finish in Hellgate 100K and 7th place in Masochist 50 mile, K-Blue's co-ed 2nd place finish in 24 Hours of Fury and K-Blue's small buckle in the Barn Burner. These are just a few of the highlights. I know the team was all over the board from races in VA, AZ, UT, ID and CO this year.
Now on to 2013.
First let's touch base on sponsors. In November Serfas extended an offer to the team and it was happily accepted. This deal happened to come in at a perfect time after 5 years with Gargoyles eyewear the sponsorship was next renewed. Also in 2013 K-Blue will be carried Stan's NoTubes, POC Protective gear, GU energy, Yankz, Skyline Signs, Polar water bottle and Geigerrig. Also the local bike shop that we deal with Mike's Bike Chalet will be helping us out as well. Thanks for all of your support.
Races. Well still waiting on every ones schedule, but here are a few highlights that we will be seeing. I (Scott) will be racing 24 Hours of Old Pueblo as a solo racer again. I will also be doing Park City Point 2 Point race. Alexis will be making the trip from the east coast to the west coast to race in the Western States 100 mile trail race. Drew will be racing in Leadville mtb again as well as a solo racer in Lotoja (Logan UT to Jackson Hole WY) road race. I'm sure we will see Ann in a couple of Ragnar races this year and I'm sure her and Jill will be heading back to Prescott to defend their 1st place first in Gilmore Adventure Race. The team will be heading back to Flagstaff, AZ for Barn Burner 104 and back to Fountain Hills, AZ for 24 Hours of Fury. Todd will continue to push the envelope on trail races on the east coast. Sterling will be doing the Whiskey Offroad in Prescott, AZ and the MS ride in Sedona, AZ.
The team is really picking and choosing races that make a difference and they they individually love to race in. I'm proud to be the team leader of this team and to see the progress that it is making.
Thanks to everyone for all of your support.
-Scott-
Race Report: Frozen Toe 10K
Frozen Toe 10K
Isn't there some saying, 'Third time's the
charm' or something to that effect? I am great at butchering idioms, so perhaps
there isn't. This past weekend was my third attempt at the Mountain Junkies Frozen Toe 10k held the
first weekend of January in Roanoke on the Chestnut Ridge Loop. In 2011 I ran it
for the first time, the course was snow covered and I started out fast, possibly
too fast, and fell apart shortly after the halfway point. The race, in the
simplest terms, went something like this: I started out too fast, even ahead of
Todd, I met a hill halfway, I admitted defeat, I began walking, Todd passed me,
I groveled for a few more hundred feet, I started running again, realized it
wasn't so bad, picked up the pace even more but too late, finished third overall
female. I returned to the Chestnut Ridge Loop in 2012 when I ran the 10k just
two months postpartum, I settled on walk breaks before the start and knowing I
was still recovering and returning to fitness, ran it conservatively. It was a
pretty good day, I didn't fall apart like in 2011, but it was decidedly slower
than the year before. This year I knew I could and rather should be able to run
it faster, but I was considerably unsure of how fast.
In the week or two before the event I analyzed the data; course records and registrants, previous finishing times and similar events. It is my goal to focus less on these details as the year unfolds, but I take pleasure in the specifics. I love numbers and statistics, graphs and grids. Where as I look to better myself by focusing more on my own training this year, I would be lying to say I will leave Ultra Signup or race result pages alone, I just enjoy it too much. I want to be better but I don't expect to change the very core of my being. I'll sum it up by saying I knew Courtney and Lauren would be there and that they'd both won it previously including the setting of a course record last year by Courtney. I wholeheartedly thought I stood no chance, I decided a sub 50 would be all it would take to make it a good day and found peace in this goal. With a babysitter lined up, a clean pair of Zensah sleeves and a rereading of past years journal recaps I was ready for the first event of the year.
Saturday morning went smoothly. I was happy to be sharing this event with my sister Erin who has recently committed to running a marathon this year. She rode to Roanoke with us, along with Blake, a past participant of the RNUTS but a newbie to this event as well. We weren't as early as I had hoped but we did make it to New Hope Christian Church, the event headquarters, in time to get a one mile warm-up in.
Mountain Junkies events are fundamental on my race calendar because of what they mean to me as a trail runner. The presenters of the second trail event I ever participated in, they are what addicted me to trails. Their events have come to feel more like family reunions perhaps than races, attendants feeling more like distant cousins than competitors, an 'I haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?' feeling permeates the air. Such an awesome, inspiring group of people. They offer a competitive series of races but with a friendly, caring overtone that is welcoming and supportive of all ability levels.
But then there were those jackets. This year overall top male and female winners would be receiving a Mountain Hardware jacket from event sponsor The Aid Station. Courtney, upon seeing me, inquired whether or not I had 'touched' the jacket. Gina did too. I touched the jacket, figuring it would be the closest to the jacket I would come. In retrospect, I don't think I really went into the Frozen Toe hungry enough. I had my time goal, I assumed defeat beforehand. Honestly, I don't think I can interpret my training or fitness level enough to know how I should be able to perform. And I don't really know how to 'race' although I enjoy the opportunity to learn. As much as I race you would think I had it all figured out, but I don't, not yet.
And to top it off I think my expectations exceed my abilities and so even when I aim to remain calm, keeping the nerves in check, it is almost impossible when the clock starts ticking towards the start of any event. Standing there, listening to the race briefing minutes before the start, Todd looked over at me and asked about the location of my bib. I looked down to find I had neglected that important step. I sprinted to the car to find it, this jaunt convinced me for some reason to also leave behind my hat, gloves and water bottle. I did suck down a GU. I reached the starting line and instantly regretted the leaving behind of my gloves. I pulled my sleeves down over my hands and hoped my body would warm up once we started moving.
The race began and I aimed to stay in sight of Todd and Courtney. They flew on the road section that led to the trail entrance and I slowed just a bit. I suffer from a fear of burning out. I don't know how to exert enough energy to run the best possible for a certain distance yet not hard enough to bonk, this is particularly true for everything under a half marathon distance. Jeremy Ramsey suggested this comes from running Ultras. I let Todd and Courtney pull slightly ahead but picked up the effort on that initial climb, I stayed behind Courtney but Todd began to pull away. I ran right behind Courtney for the first mile or so with Todd's green Masochist finishers shirt still vaguely in sight on long open stretches of trail.
I had vowed at the start not to look at my Garmin watch, but rather run by feeling in the hopes that would include running a sub 50. Yet I also wanted to stay with Todd or Courtney, especially after the race began and neither pulled away instantly. I was running hard to stay with Courtney but I also knew I could run even harder. With Todd no longer visible I decided, rather hesitantly, to pass Courtney.
The first half of this course, or rather the first 2.75, always seems fast and somewhat easy. In the past it has been the second half that breaks me. When I came to the downhill that leads to the water stop I braced myself, let words of encouragement flow through my mind and body. It was a lesser goal of mine to not succumb to walking as I had done both previous years. When the hill that always does me in appeared I was ready, slow down if need be, shorten your stride but don't walk I told myself. I appeared to be gaining on Todd. At one particularly sharp switchback he was close enough to shout words of encouragement at me. However, I think I was close enough to make him pick up the pace as well because it wasn't too long after he seemed to be building the gap. There seemed to be more climbing then I remembered but I was also feeling pretty good. I hadn't seen Lauren in a long while, I knew she had it won, but I also couldn't see Courtney behind me in the switchbacks. I may have slowed down here. My Garmin suggests it, Todd's lead suggests it, the kick I had at the finish line suggests it. I had a runner right in front of me whom I could have passed but I didn't. I forgot how quick 10k's are, that like 5k's there really isn't any room to make up time lost.
When we emerged from the trail just a few hundred feet from the finish line I knew I had not given it all that I had in me. With the event clock in sight I sprinted towards and past the finishing line, beyond pleased with my time (47:47) but knowing I had too much left to say it was my best effort.
When Courtney crossed the finish moments later we prepared ourselves to hit the loop a second time, a matter we'd arranged in the prior week. Todd, Blake and Lauren accompanied us. It was perhaps my high of the day, to run those trails a second time with the other top females, my spouse and my friend. Call it a cool down, it was a welcome affair to run with these strong runners with the competitive air completely absent, to enjoy our sport together. The second loop further suggested I could have run the race faster, I find solace in this, that I've still room to improve, still growth left to occur.
-Alexis
In the week or two before the event I analyzed the data; course records and registrants, previous finishing times and similar events. It is my goal to focus less on these details as the year unfolds, but I take pleasure in the specifics. I love numbers and statistics, graphs and grids. Where as I look to better myself by focusing more on my own training this year, I would be lying to say I will leave Ultra Signup or race result pages alone, I just enjoy it too much. I want to be better but I don't expect to change the very core of my being. I'll sum it up by saying I knew Courtney and Lauren would be there and that they'd both won it previously including the setting of a course record last year by Courtney. I wholeheartedly thought I stood no chance, I decided a sub 50 would be all it would take to make it a good day and found peace in this goal. With a babysitter lined up, a clean pair of Zensah sleeves and a rereading of past years journal recaps I was ready for the first event of the year.
Saturday morning went smoothly. I was happy to be sharing this event with my sister Erin who has recently committed to running a marathon this year. She rode to Roanoke with us, along with Blake, a past participant of the RNUTS but a newbie to this event as well. We weren't as early as I had hoped but we did make it to New Hope Christian Church, the event headquarters, in time to get a one mile warm-up in.
Mountain Junkies events are fundamental on my race calendar because of what they mean to me as a trail runner. The presenters of the second trail event I ever participated in, they are what addicted me to trails. Their events have come to feel more like family reunions perhaps than races, attendants feeling more like distant cousins than competitors, an 'I haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?' feeling permeates the air. Such an awesome, inspiring group of people. They offer a competitive series of races but with a friendly, caring overtone that is welcoming and supportive of all ability levels.
But then there were those jackets. This year overall top male and female winners would be receiving a Mountain Hardware jacket from event sponsor The Aid Station. Courtney, upon seeing me, inquired whether or not I had 'touched' the jacket. Gina did too. I touched the jacket, figuring it would be the closest to the jacket I would come. In retrospect, I don't think I really went into the Frozen Toe hungry enough. I had my time goal, I assumed defeat beforehand. Honestly, I don't think I can interpret my training or fitness level enough to know how I should be able to perform. And I don't really know how to 'race' although I enjoy the opportunity to learn. As much as I race you would think I had it all figured out, but I don't, not yet.
And to top it off I think my expectations exceed my abilities and so even when I aim to remain calm, keeping the nerves in check, it is almost impossible when the clock starts ticking towards the start of any event. Standing there, listening to the race briefing minutes before the start, Todd looked over at me and asked about the location of my bib. I looked down to find I had neglected that important step. I sprinted to the car to find it, this jaunt convinced me for some reason to also leave behind my hat, gloves and water bottle. I did suck down a GU. I reached the starting line and instantly regretted the leaving behind of my gloves. I pulled my sleeves down over my hands and hoped my body would warm up once we started moving.
The race began and I aimed to stay in sight of Todd and Courtney. They flew on the road section that led to the trail entrance and I slowed just a bit. I suffer from a fear of burning out. I don't know how to exert enough energy to run the best possible for a certain distance yet not hard enough to bonk, this is particularly true for everything under a half marathon distance. Jeremy Ramsey suggested this comes from running Ultras. I let Todd and Courtney pull slightly ahead but picked up the effort on that initial climb, I stayed behind Courtney but Todd began to pull away. I ran right behind Courtney for the first mile or so with Todd's green Masochist finishers shirt still vaguely in sight on long open stretches of trail.
I had vowed at the start not to look at my Garmin watch, but rather run by feeling in the hopes that would include running a sub 50. Yet I also wanted to stay with Todd or Courtney, especially after the race began and neither pulled away instantly. I was running hard to stay with Courtney but I also knew I could run even harder. With Todd no longer visible I decided, rather hesitantly, to pass Courtney.
The first half of this course, or rather the first 2.75, always seems fast and somewhat easy. In the past it has been the second half that breaks me. When I came to the downhill that leads to the water stop I braced myself, let words of encouragement flow through my mind and body. It was a lesser goal of mine to not succumb to walking as I had done both previous years. When the hill that always does me in appeared I was ready, slow down if need be, shorten your stride but don't walk I told myself. I appeared to be gaining on Todd. At one particularly sharp switchback he was close enough to shout words of encouragement at me. However, I think I was close enough to make him pick up the pace as well because it wasn't too long after he seemed to be building the gap. There seemed to be more climbing then I remembered but I was also feeling pretty good. I hadn't seen Lauren in a long while, I knew she had it won, but I also couldn't see Courtney behind me in the switchbacks. I may have slowed down here. My Garmin suggests it, Todd's lead suggests it, the kick I had at the finish line suggests it. I had a runner right in front of me whom I could have passed but I didn't. I forgot how quick 10k's are, that like 5k's there really isn't any room to make up time lost.
When we emerged from the trail just a few hundred feet from the finish line I knew I had not given it all that I had in me. With the event clock in sight I sprinted towards and past the finishing line, beyond pleased with my time (47:47) but knowing I had too much left to say it was my best effort.
When Courtney crossed the finish moments later we prepared ourselves to hit the loop a second time, a matter we'd arranged in the prior week. Todd, Blake and Lauren accompanied us. It was perhaps my high of the day, to run those trails a second time with the other top females, my spouse and my friend. Call it a cool down, it was a welcome affair to run with these strong runners with the competitive air completely absent, to enjoy our sport together. The second loop further suggested I could have run the race faster, I find solace in this, that I've still room to improve, still growth left to occur.
-Alexis
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