Odyssey Trail Running Rampage 40 Miler

Odyssey Trail Running Rampage

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Douthat, Virginia

This race has been on my race calendar all year, at least the marathon distance. Todd believed I could do well at the marathon, he thought I could perhaps place Top 3 for females. I thought the 40 Miler sounded more up my alley as I feel that distance is really becoming what I want to pursue. After Promise Land in April I decided to register for the 40 over the marathon. All summer we’ve run long runs in the heat, slowly pushed our mileage up, and focused on hills and trails. I am positive that our training could be improved upon in the future, but it wasn’t a bad start for my first 40 miler.

The week leading up to this race I ran the Virginia 10 Miler course on Monday and then a Wild Wednesday trail run of about 6 miles on Candler’s Mountain. Even though I was supposed to be ‘tapering’ I couldn’t restrain myself from giving about 85% Wednesday evening when the group went up Lone Jack Mountain, at the top my calves were tight, by the end of the run the right calf was even stiffer.  I rolled them out using the stick over the next few days, especially down between the calf and ankle and they just seemed to get increasingly tighter and even more painful. So much for a successful taper, in the future I should attempt Jack Mountain at no more than 50% three days before an important Ultra.

Friday morning Todd ran out for vital race day groceries and Panera pastries. Throughout the day we ate bagels and muffins and filled gear bags. We counted out our GU and Electrolyte tablets, we readied our Bag Balm and made sure our favorite shorts were clean. We focused on the little tasks at hand instead of what we were actually gearing up to do.

Saturday morning we awoke at 3:30 a.m. so as to make it to Douthat in time for the race briefing, I ate one last bagel at just before 4 am, it wasn’t enough as I found out at the starting line three hours later when my stomach was already asking for more food and I hadn’t even started running. In the future I need to eat more food before heading out on a long run. I should have known better after my 30 mile birthday run, starting out with 2 sandwiches in my belly a half hour to an hour before the run is much better for the run as a whole. Starting at a deficit will only lead to further trouble.

Even though we were up early and on the road we still made it with little time before the race start. I had to express milk and get dressed after we got there as I knew it would be a good 8-9 hours before I would be able to pump again. I had just gotten to the drop bag area where we had decided to set up our own aid station and the race start countdown was less than five minutes. I took my first grab bag out (5 GU and 3 Electrolyte tablets), I ate my first GU and took the salt tabs. I also grabbed half a PB&J sandwich hoping that it would be enough to calm my hungry stomach. It wasn’t enough, but it was something. Looking back this was such a poor error in judgment, fueling is crucial in a distance event and I started far too close to empty for comfort. 

7 a.m. and we were off and running. I fell right in with Courtney, my favorite rival from the Mountain Junkies series this past spring, we chatted about dogs and children and I was able, for the moment, to ignore the fact that we were climbing. The next several miles are mostly uphill, single track and lots of switchbacks.  Almost immediately my lower right calf, still tight and achy, let me know just how unhappy it was to be climbing before sufficiently being warmed up. I chased both Courtney and Todd up the climb but the calf began to worry me. I started taking walk breaks sooner than I had planned. I knew that my calf could loosen up with the run but I was ready for some relief. Todd pulled ahead and then Courtney pulled ahead. At the first aid station the terrain leveled out some and I started to feel some of that much needed relief in my leg. When the trail started to descend I was finally able to pick it up a little, I passed Courtney and caught up with Todd. I stayed with him for the remainder of the first loop, with Courtney right behind us. By the end of the first loop I felt really very good, I had drank about 30 oz. of water (a 20oz. disposable up the first climb and about 10 oz. from my Ultimate Direction handheld) and taken four more GU. I was foolishly beginning to think that the loop seemed easier than the hype I had heard from Todd.

Starting out on our second loop I felt almost better than I did on the first loop. During our time in the transition area there had been cheering from the sideline that was encouraging. I grabbed my second fuel bag, consumed my salt tabs and stuffed my GU in my bra; I grabbed my extra water bottle for the climb and half a PB&J. As we started back up the climb for our second loop we passed Courtney headed into the aid station we were just leaving and I felt the need to push more and take the climb on strong. Todd encouraged me to pass him and I did but I didn’t feel good about doing so, I was hoping to keep him with me for at least the second climb. I ran and walked to the aid station at the top of the climb and grabbed some pretzels but otherwise didn’t stop. I was running down the downhill that follows passing bikers who were calling words of encouragement when I tripped on a rock and went down hard. I slid like a baseball player stealing home. Three thoughts immediately came to mind: 1.) I wish Todd were here. 2.) Don’t cry. 3.) Run. I really wanted to stop, sit on a rock, have a good cry and wait for Todd. However, I knew if I didn’t start running right away that I would quite possibly stiffen up and be done for the day.  I was hurting but I started running again as soon as I stood up. My right knee, thigh and elbow were bleeding and stinging and moving took enough out of me that I slowed considerably compared to the pace I’d been keeping before the fall.  Unfortunately, the most debilitating aspect of my fall was that my confidence was shattered. My mental race was broken, at least for the time being, I kept looking behind me for Todd. I took walk breaks more frequently. My stomach started to growl and I began to question everything about my running. I started debating a DNF, wondering how I was going to finish the race. I was falling apart fast, thinking seriously about withdrawing my MMTR entry, and my running in general.  It was a downward spiral. I was walking more and more frequently and finding no desire to run. I would turn around and look behind me every minute it felt like, hoping to find Todd closing in on me. At one point I thought I saw Frank Gonzalez behind me, it may have actually helped move me for a half mile until the man, not Frank the Tank, passed me and I fell from 6^{th place} to 7^th overall.  I walked from the aid station at mile 24 (aid station 3 in loop) across flat ground. Flat “why are you not running” ground. It was crushing, my spirit was almost gone. My stomach was growling, it seemed unsatisfied with the primarily GU diet of the day, and I was starting to feel fatigued.  Finally, going up the steady hill after aid station 3 I caught sight of Todd on one of my numerous backward glances. He was gaining on me and I pulled over and waited for him to climb the hill. He yelled halfway up for me to continue. “I’m done”, I responded, acknowledging my hunger for food and my lack of will to continue. Feeling pumped he spread his wealth of adrenaline as best he could, it’s only your wall, he said. Todd’s presence definitely pulled me from the top of that hill to the end of the second loop. The group cheered as we came in again together. I only spoke enough to tell Ronny, the race director, that I really did not want to start the third loop.

With only a minute or so at the aid station I grabbed my final gear bag, as much food as I could carry and I headed out for the third loop. Todd and I started the climb together as I attempted to satisfy my seemingly insatiable appetite. I ate another Strawberry Banana GU, half a PB&J, a handful of Pringles and drank 20oz of water. I felt my hunger subsiding as we walked the majority of the long climb but muscle aches and foot pains had taken their place. I hiked along behind Todd, he offered to let me pass but I was relying on his companionship to pull me up the hill. I don’t know that we spoke to one another over the course of the next three miles. Near the top I started to get antsy that we were walking too much. Not that I felt strong enough to run, but I felt that I needed to increase the distance between me and the rest of the pack (I am, after all, a most competitive runner). I was convinced that every other runner out there was stronger than me and was certainly running up that third climb and about to pass me at any moment. When we finally reached the aid station at the top of the mountain Todd sat down to take a salt pill and I looked at him aghast, are you really going to sit? Fearing the competition enclosing upon me I left him sitting on the mountain beside the Gatorade coolers and headed on alone. I didn’t see anyone as I headed on back from the aid station so I convinced myself that a forward moving motion would suffice.  I ran but ran slowly, fearing running on empty.

Thankfully this next section is largely downhill but I wasn’t pushing hard, just pushing onward when less than two miles after the aid station Todd literally flew upon me and passed me as though I were standing still. His break at the aid station that I mocked had clearly benefited him with a second, or was it a third, wind? I was exhausted just witnessing his effort but I do believe I did pick up the pace even if only a little. I started to break the race down, only eight miles left, imagine an eight mile run just beginning on tired legs. Only two miles left until the next aid station. Only a little further until the long gradual climb and so forth. When I finally made it to the aid station at the horse camp I was walking flat, paved surfaces yet constantly looking behind me for approaching runners.  The long climb after this aid station was slow, I walked it almost in its entirety but it was also the point at which I had seen Todd on the second loop and I knew that it wasn’t all that far to the finish so just reaching the climb was at least a half-pleasantry. Climb this hill and you know you can finish this race I told myself.

These next few miles were tough but they were also rewarding. I knew that the lure of the finish line was enough to pull me onward. There is a section of trail that runs along a lake at the very end of the loop, this is where I had my ‘I am really doing this’ moment. I knew that the finish was close at hand and that soon the 40 Miler would be nothing more than memories and recollections, race results and finishing times. And then, with a little more than half a mile left to go, Todd appeared running towards me. He stopped and let out a most terrifying shout, bellowing “YES” presumably at my presence.  He shouted some more words of encouragement but all I can remember now is that first deep throated scream. He seemed as stoked to see me that close to the finish as I felt to be there. That and he was clearly coming back for me so he was probably thankful that he didn’t have to go all that far to find me.

And then I finished. Not quite sure yet how I feel about my race even now, a whole week afterwards. I don’t feel that it went well. My tripping on a rock, falling and the resulting mental collapse in the second loop was a real unconstructive way to run an ultra and yet I’ve not run enough to know how else to feel. I mean should I expect pessimism to rear its ugly head with distance running? Does conquering long distance truly get better with experience? Was what I feel to be a ‘bad’ race day really a pretty good one?

I finished the race in 7:42, which was good for 8^th overall and 1^st female.  I feel like I still have a lot to learn about training, fueling, and mental fortitude and I am perhaps more nervous about Masochist. I was hoping for a little more confidence coming out of this race but now I have even more reservations.

-Alexis

Ragnar - Del Sol (Ann)

(February 22-23, 2012) For those of you who have not had the Ragnar experience it is definitely a one of a kind. The race consists of 12 people (6 if you are an ultra team), 2 van, 36 hours and 200 miles from start to finish. You eat, sleep and run all from the van so after 36 hours you know everyone pretty intimately and are bonded for life. The Del Sol Ragnar starts in Wickenburg Arizona and finishes in Tempe Arizona at Tempe Town Lake. This is the second year I have done this race and it was by far the best but did not start out that way. Originally there were 12 of us who were ready to go for the race but as race day got closer our numbers dropped considerably to the point that we were down to 5. I had convinced myself that we could do the race ultra with 5 of us over 200 miles but the other 4 were not as delusional as I was. Two days before race day we were able to hook up with a group of people who also were having the same struggles as we were. They were also down half a team so we combined. We all met up in Wickenburg early Friday morning for our 645am start time and we were off for our 200 mile trek. One right after another we each took our turns at our legs. As runner 5 this year by the time it got to me we were well into the heat of the day. I was excited to have the sun and the warmth as opposed to the cold and the wind from the previous year. Out I went for the first of my three legs (7 miles). It was a beautiful day and a wonderful first run. One by one we took our turns, all the while cheering on the others from our van which consisted of 5 women in their 30’s and our Mascot 24 year old Max. Let two (8.5 miles) came at about midnight. There is something amazing about running through the pitch dark desert on the back roads in the middle of the night. I was running from the outskirts of Sun City through the desert to Anthem. The following morning at 9am it was my turn for my final and best leg. Up and down the hills from Cave Creek made for a great last 7 miles with a pace of a 9 min mile which isn’t bad after no sleep and 16.5 previous miles. Our team finished up the race in the early afternoon on the Ragnar High. Gotta love that race!!! Now we are all geared up to do it again in Las Vegas in November!

Race Report: Promise Land 50k (Alexis)

Running an ultra was not part of my plan for the year. But then having a baby wasn't part of last year's plan and we've seen how that went. Besides, you know what they say about the best-laid plans. So an ultra wasn't on my race calendar when the year began but rather a slew of shorter races. However, after only a few training runs with a local group of runners training for Holiday Lake 50k and I caught what I called ultra fever. I envied those registered for Holiday Lake but I knew that I wasn't ready. Terrapin fell on the same day as a race that was part of another trail series to which I was already committed. It wasn't until April that a local ultra race fell on an open weekend, Promise Land 50k. Described on the race's home page as 'the toughest 50k you'll ever love' and awarding finishers with a pair of Patagonia shorts I was intrigued. I wanted a pair of those shorts. I also wanted a chance to test out my theory that perhaps longer distances are where my strengths truly are as a runner.. I had only run one ultra (Holiday Lake) when I found out I was pregnant last year and I've been itching to run another ever since. Off I sent my registration and check and then set about to change my mind, realizing that perhaps the best way to cure ultra fever is to register for one. My training was lacking in sufficient long runs and the thought of going the distance, which was rumored to be 34 miles, unnerved me. I changed nothing in my training regimen after submitting my application but I did begin to study the ultra. I read other's stories from past years, I quizzed all the ultra runner's I knew for advice and pointers, all the while taking mental notes on what may work for me. Two training runs on the two weekend's preceding the race introduced me to the course. We ran the "Dark" side which included the hike up Apple Orchard Falls in sunny, warm weather where I wore poorly fitted shoes and ended up with nasty blisters. The following weekend we ran the "Light" side in chilly, rainy weather for which I was under-dressed and ill prepared. Though both runs ended with me achy and miserable they were invaluable experiences to better prepare me for the actual event. They were also my two longest training runs to date at about 15 and 18 miles. The week leading up to Promise Land I spent approximately four hours studying the elevation profile that comes in the Runner Packet, I had nightmares, ran very little, and slept even less. Those who cared for me told me not to stress the race. Those who knew me well knew I wouldn't be me if I didn't. I also had many phantom aches and pains, especially in my left knee. Having suffered from bouts of ITBS in that knee in the past and having it flare up at the only ultra I've ever run made it a constant nagging fear. Friday night my amazing mother-in-law came to sleep over so that we could head out to the race headquarters and camp. We made it out to the camp Friday night just as the race director, Dr. David Horton, was beginning the race briefing. We had made up the back of the van into a makeshift bed and retreated there after a brief time at the bonfire. Surprisingly I got a little sleep, broken as it might have been, before finally giving up at 4 a.m. Having a small baby at home whom I was nursing required that I express extra milk during the week preceding the race for the baby to have while I was away as well as pumping right before the race commenced. This was a serious concern for me, I wasn't quite sure how my body would react to going eight or nine hours without expressing the milk, of which blocked ducts and damage to supply were my biggest fears. It was a rough morning getting started to say the least. I didn't eat as much as I normally would before a race and I didn't have coffee. I did however take two salt pills, a few Pepto Bismol, and a dose of preventative Ibuprofen. By the time we officially began I was beyond ready to just get moving. I decided with moments to go to change the position of my race number, change my top and lose my gloves. Getting out of the camp from my position mid-pack was slow moving, I dropped my head, turned on the iPod and just started moving. I had planned to run from the start to the end road maintenance sign about two miles in and then walk to AS1. At this point I am not a good climber, I've short legs and feel that running inclines will always be to my advantage but I'm not quite able to tackle just any climb. I ran as planned to the sign and then walked to AS1 (37 minutes) where I didn't stop but returned to a jog. Shortly after entering single track I heard a voice from behind, "Lady, your flashlight is on." I had forgotten to drop it at the AS and had stowed it in my fuel belt but had apparently turned it on in the process, I shifted to turn the light off when I realized the voice was that of my husband, Todd, whom I had passed on the way up the first climb without even noticing. He got ahead of me and I just followed. I decided that I would stay with him if possible to Sunset Fields (AS3) where I would then probably lose him on the downhill to Cornelius Creek as he is fearless on rocky descents. When I shared this plan aloud he warned bitterly, "run your own race". Somewhat crestfallen I allowed myself to fall behind several paces but vowed silently yet even more fervently not to let him out of my sight. And through the rolling single track we ran, several people between us, but I caught him occasionally stealing glances backwards in my direction. Once he even told me to fuel, I ate three chomps, Watermelon, and swore them off after my brain nearly refused to swallow the third one. Before long the single track opened up to a horse trail, this was my favorite section of the entire day. Sometimes I was ahead of Todd, sometimes he got ahead of me, but by the time we came upon the AS at the gate we were running side by side. I grabbed two peanut butter and jelly quarters, some Pringles and a handful of M&M's and refilled my bottle. I was carrying only a 10 oz. handheld Nathan and a fuel belt with two 10 oz. bottles that I was saving for the hike up the falls later in the day. Together we began the climb up White Oak Ridge but quickly Todd pulled away. I went back to my music and ran my own pace. Running and walking at intervals. Sometimes counting, sometimes replaying a song, doing whatever to get me further upwards. This section I know I could improve upon in the future, I did a lot of walking on what seems very runnable sections of trail. We were mostly alone on this section, we didn't see another person until the photographer at the access road. We ran the downhill side by side and I knew that I was making better time getting to Sunset Fields than I had originally planned. Just before the AS a man waiting on another runner told me he thought I was 6th female. This helped me pick up my pace and my spirits. We came into Sunset Fields the first time in 2:32. At this point I stopped to refill my small bottle, grab more PB&J and a potato section and Todd ran on to face the descent alone. I was stoked, I had kept him to Sunset Fields as hoped for and I had made better time getting there than I thought I would. I thought that was the last time I would see Todd until the finish. I began the run down Apple Orchard Falls trail and tried to eat the food I had grabbed. My stomach saying please my mind saying not a chance. After only a few bites I threw the rest of the food out. I did well on this section, I ran it hard, focusing on my feet. On the training run this section was painful due to blisters and bad shoes, in my new Montrail Bajadas and two pairs of socks my feet (also covered in a thick coating of Bag Balm) were happy. I was happy. When I came into AS4 I was shocked to see Todd's jersey through the trees still at the aid station. I was filling my water bottle quickly as I saw him disappearing down the road when Horton confirmed I was 6th female and that top 10 females would get a special award. I grabbed two more PB&J quarters and two crackers and took off. I'd made it in 3:12, I had read you can double your time at this AS to give yourself an idea of a finishing time. I ate the crackers but the head really wasn't accepting the PB&J quarters any longer. I held on to them for over a mile before I tossed the second one. I was slowly gaining on Todd when Dr. Horton passed by in a truck whispering, or perhaps shouting, I'm not really sure, "Top 10 females". I hadn't seen another female in front of me or behind me all day but I knew that I didn't want to slip from 6th after holding that position for almost 20 miles. I caught back up with Todd but instead of passing him I engaged him in conversation, he told me to go on but I knew we were headed into single track again and thought it would be nice to have the company. He confided he was having a rough patch. I was beginning to feel tired. We did a lot of hiking but still ran between AS4 and AS5 at Colon Hollow. I grabbed more PB&J but they tasted like poison and I threw them out. This would prove to be the worst move I made all day, not eating enough real food at the aid stations in general but especially after my body had already shown warning signs. This next section was the hardest mentally all day. I grew more and more tired over the next several miles. My stomach started to revolt the lack of actual food it had received. I'd been doing well (at least for me) on hydrating, emptying my bottle between each AS, but my caloric intake was not satisfactory. I walked a lot. This section had seemed so rolling during the training run, now it all seemed uphill. I berated myself. Todd and I pushed and pulled each other through this section, sometimes he was ahead setting the pace and pulling me and other times I was ahead looking back for him. The weather was nice, I told him I was glad I had ditched the long sleeve shirt at the start. We dunked our hats in the creek when it was deep enough and rolling. Todd thought the next AS was closer, I feared it was not, that we'd finally stumbled upon some of those extra Horton miles you hear about so often. At about 24 miles in Todd asked if I wanted to stick it out the rest of the way together, maybe cross the finish line together. I readily accepted the proposal knowing he would be an asset climbing the falls. Finally I started to comeback, I was feeling better and we once again were going downhill which helped pull us along. We came into the AS at Cornelius Creek for the second time at 4:52 and I made a point to grab food that I thought my body would accept, especially with the hike up the falls approaching. The volunteers told me I was the 6th girl they'd seen through at that point. I was starting to feel some pressure. I grabbed a handful of trail mix, some Oreo's and a large handful of Ritz crackers and headed off with my bottles full and the climb to come steep. I called back for Todd to hurry up and started off up the flat section that would ultimately lead to the falls and the hardest terrain to cover for the entire day. The first section of the trail was relatively flat and I felt like we should be running but instead we recovered from being exhausted and ate the food we'd acquired. Those Ritz crackers were amazing. We chatted and hiked and our moods were quite merry. The trick here is that it isn't actually getting up to the falls that is so trying but rather the section just past the falls up to Sunset Fields. Especially the long string of man-placed stairs set apart at such an awkward distance that you can't even set a pace as you climb that really tires you out. We were just past the falls when Todd commented that we are about to receive a storm. We decided to pick up the pace and try for Sunset Fields before the storm arrived. Unfortunately, even with the improved pace we didn't outrun the storm. And what a storm. The temperature dropped, it rained, it hailed. My arms burned from the cold and being pelted by hail. It was hard. I was so thankful when I approached a sign that said .3 to Sunset Fields. I thought about all of the people behind us and how the weather was going to effect them. We were about to reach the home stretch and the rain was discouraging, I could only fathom what runners further out who may not have even reached the falls were experiencing. We made it to Sunset Fields in 5:49. We had climbed the falls in much worse weather than hoped for in just under an hour. Again, this is definitely a time that could be improved upon but I was happy with on race day. I didn't even fill my bottle because it was so cold and wet I just wanted to keep moving. We took off and headed towards the final section. We walked the final uphill though I felt like we should be running it and Todd told me to start out ahead when we turned off to start the final descent. It was wet and the trail was starting to fill with little streams, but we took it on as fast as we might have if it had been dry. It was cold but thrilling. During a particularly rocky section Todd got ahead and shouted that I would catch him on the downhill road section. Before long we were at the last AS and we ran past. This section is so steep going that it's best to just open up and let gravity do its will. By the time it starts to level out just slightly you are already going at break neck speed and we just continued on. I knew Todd wanted to finish in 6:30 and that we were going to be close but just miss it but I tried to keep the pace up. Todd said his quads were cramping up. I wouldn't back down the pace for either of our sake. I stole a glance backwards up the hill there was no one in sight but still I pushed on, wanting us to be as close to 6:30 as we could get. When the road flattened out Todd got on the shoulder of the road and apologized that we couldn't go any faster. I knew he was hurting but I also knew we were so close to the finish. I was feeling good at this point and pumped to the max with adrenaline. We rounded the turn into the camp and there at the far right was the pavilion and the finishing line, we clasped hands and covered the last hundred yards holding hands. We had covered the 34 miles (according to my Garmin, 34.04) in 6:33. Almost a half hour faster than I had hoped for and feeling pretty good. No injuries which is almost as exciting as the faster-than-anticipated finishing time. I got my pair of the coveted finisher's short and a very nice finisher's shirt for being the 6th female to finish. Then the cold started to sink in and my teeth started to chatter. I made my way to the car where I slowly warmed up, changed clothes and ate far too many doughnuts and cookies. Once warmed up a little we went back out to watch more finishes and eat some post-race food. As the day wore on the soreness settled in but it was better than I'd expected. Mostly I was tired. We had a lazy evening with the kids but by Sunday we were up to our usual antics with the help of a few ibuprofen and rolling the most painful muscles out with a golf ball. Today (Tuesday) I feel great. All in all, it was a great day. I finished ahead of my goals and I got to run off and on with my wonderful training and life partner. There were several places that I can already identify as needing improvement which I think is a positive thing because it suggests I could finish even stronger. I need to further focus on hill running, long runs, and proper fueling. Also I'm only averaging about 40 miles a week and I've been told if I can increase my mileage more improvement can be made. But Saturday did confirm one thing for me, I love this distance. I was so fearful of the mileage before the race began but once I was out there running I never once thought I wasn't going to finish which gave me a much needed confidence boost in tackling further ultra distances. -Alexis

Race Report: Liberty Mountain 5k

The Liberty Mountain 5k, held each year mid-February, holds a special place in my heart. It was, in 2010, the first time I EVER ran on trails. Covered in snow and hill laden, it was an experience I may never forget. I geared down from race mentality half a mile in and just enjoyed the adventure. It still stands as my slowest 5k, but regardless of my time I was hooked on trail running. Last year the race was held one week after my ultra debut and I went out and ran, irritated knee and all, over 11 minutes faster than the previous year and finished as first female overall. I felt as though I was in the best shape yet of my life last year when I ran that race and I was curious where I would be this year when I ran it. 

I've been training on Candler's/Liberty Mountain a lot this year and I feel that I am becoming a better and stronger hill runner all the time. Despite my training and growing confidence on hills I was still very nervous about this race because I was giving it the power to define where I stand as a runner. I went out on several occasions and ran the course becoming ever more familiar with it, but instead of empowering me it just made me grow worried.

To make matters a little more interesting my left foot started to hurt the week before the race and I took my shoes off Tuesday to see that the tendons were visibly swollen. Thankfully, ice, ibuProfen and KT Tape kept disaster at bay.  

Thursday, with a legal pad in hand, I broke the course down and made a race strategy. I went out Friday afternoon attempting to 'feel' my goal paces for different sections of the course just to be met with thunder and lightning. Drenched and defeated, I headed to my car. I was, to put it lightly, a mess.  

I tried to convince myself that none of this really mattered. And to someone else those words may be true. But it DOES matter to me. I want to do the best that I can possibly do. I want to be fast. I want to be good. I want to run with both my heart and my brain. I want to set, push and surpass my own expectations. 

I headed out early Saturday to warm-up, I readied the iPod and found my way to the starting line. Surrounded by strong people I felt so very unsure of myself. The race began and downhill we went. I did well keeping the pace I had set out for myself, and when I reached the first mile marker I was 3 seconds to the good. With everything going according to my plan I noticed a looseness in my foot, I glanced down to see my left shoe laces flying. I had tied them loosely but double knotted them, apparently when tied this way laces can shake free.  I contemplated running the rest of the race like this but decided that this was rather dangerous, especially with an already injured foot. I hopped off the trail and tied my shoe as quickly as I could. Back on the trail I immediately realized the other shoe was loose as well. I stopped to tie this one and five people whizzed by me as I struggled to make bunny ears. 

Finally back on course, I tried to refocus on my plan. For the first time the long climb between miles 1 and 2 flew past and I was back on target pace. Unfortunately, with less than half a mile left in the race, things did not go according to plan on Lake Trail. I had two people in front of me and I couldn't muster up the strength to pass them and so I just ran their pace. I didn't run this section at goal pace. Instead I felt like throwing up. The best I could do was a constant forward motion. It was a run, but it was not fast. Finally up the hill and out of the woods. The last section I felt like I was barely moving. I was done. I didn't even check the clock as I crossed the finish line. I knew that I had not met my goals based on my Garmin's average pace. 

I had three goals. To run every step of the course. To PR or come in under 28 minutes. And my 'secret' goal was to come in under 27 minutes. I did run every step of the course if you don't count shoe tying breaks. And I did PR, by 19 seconds. But I didn't hit my pace goal (which was 8:21-8:40 average).  I finished in 27:59, and was second Overall Female.

With a week's worth of perspective I feel very positive about this race. At roughly 3 months postpartum I hit a PR, and I still feel like I have room for improvement which is better than feeling I've done as good as I could ever do. Next year, sub 27.

-Alexis

24 Hours of Old Pueblo

So here it is two weeks later and I am finally sitting down to break this all out.  Bare with me and I will lead into all of the good stuff.  First and foremost thanks to all those who support K-Blue Racing and especially my wife for letting me go and putting up with me during training and when I come home dirty and smelly.  Also thanks to all of our sponsors who really helped support me with product and gear to get me there this year nuun, XTC cameras, Kenda Tires, Stans NoTubes, Geigerrig, Gargoyles Eyewear, Bondiband, Gutr', POC, Polar water bottles, Yankz, Feed The Machine, Pro Gold and H2O Overdrive.

So the adventure started out on Thursday the 16th.  I headed up to Airpark Cycles to pick up the Santa Cruz Tall Boy that I would be "demo-ing" for the weekend.  Later that afternoon I really started packing all my gear into tubs and other bags that would be going down to Tucson with me.  I spent about an hour fine tuning the Tall Boy with XTC's RAM camera mount, pedals and the lights for the night riding.  Friday morning I got up and took my oldest to school and came home to start packing gear in the car.  About 10am or so Emma, my youngest, headed out and toward Old Pueblo.

I got pretty lucky as this being my first year down there to race and then to be a solo racer I teamed up with a few awesome people Cyril, Tiffany, Stella, Kevin and Wes, I'm sure I'm missing a few others in there, but what an awesome group of people.  Stella and Tiffany arrived on Thursday and staked out some great area for us to set up right along the course.  So about 2 hours after leaving Mesa we got to 24 Hour Town and were able to find the new resting home for a few days.  I spent about 1 1/2 hours there dropping my gear and setting up some basic stuff, before Emma and I had to head back to Mesa to get Annie from school.

I ponder it for a while, but at the end I ended up sleeping in my own warm comfy bed on Friday night and just getting up early (5am) Saturday and making the drive down to Old Pueblo again.  Made a quick stop along the way in Gold Canyon for some last minute food items, bananas, cup of noodles, Coke and water before making it back to Old Pueblo about 8am or so.

Went ahead and got the last little things set up: tent, generator, bike tuned-in, water bottles and other misc. items.  Spent a little time chatting with Kevin and Cyril and then off to the pre-race meeting.  I was kind of aware of what I had gotten into, but the pre-race meeting with 4000 plus other races and spectators really put it into perspective.  After the meeting I got a chance to meet up with Bruce from Pro Gold for a few minutes.  Pro Gold is giving K-Blue Racing some product to try out over this year and see if we can help each other out, kind of a trial sponsorship.  So far their products rock.

Breaking up from the pre-race meeting I went ahead and took my bike over to stage for the Le Man's start.  For those not familiar with this we start about 1/4 mile away from our bikes and run to the bike staging.  This is in an effort to break up the start and when you have 400-600 racers starting at once its about the only way to do this kind of start.  After staging my bike I headed back up to the camp site to make sure all of my transition gear was 100% or what I would assume to be 100% was there.

About 11:40am I headed down and checked-in at the transition / timing tent.  Checked in and started walking to the start line.  And walking and walking.  Finally a bunch of people were stopped and said that this was the spot.  Okay I thought.  The crowd got bigger and bigger.  Finally 12pm came around and we are all packed tightly together and waiting to hear the start.  Boom.  And your off and running in a huge pack of bikers in clip shoes down a rocky dirt road.  Trying to make sure you don't run into the ones in front of you as well as not falling.  No more than 10 inches on either side of you are you make your way into the bike staging area.  Frantically looking for your bike.  Hoping someone else didn't grab it. 

Next thing you know your grabbing your bike off the bike stands and your trying to climb on and pedal out of there with the other 400 plus people.  Elbow to elbow and front tire to some one's back you patiently get out of there and onto the fire-road to try and stretch out the spacing a little more.  Quickly you have gone from the elbow to elbow a bike length or two in spacing and then come "The Bitches".  "The Bitches" are a series of 5 or 6 hills that drop down about 100-200 yards and then immediately climb back up.  The first 1 or 2 don't get you to much, but the 5th or 6th one are starting to wear on you.  Additionally the down hill part of "The Bitches" are fast and a rut or a bump in the middle can really catch some good air or a good crash.  I saw at least one good one on these over the weekend.

Heading out of "The Bitches" you carry about about mile or so of fire-road and then finally hook into the single track.  The single track becomes your best-friend as a solo racer for the next 24 hours, because that is where you are spending most of your time.  Dodging the cactus and watching for the others on the trail.  About the next 11 to 12 miles is pretty flat twisting in and out and up and down before getting on the Highpoint section.  The Highpoint section is about a 3-3.5 miles that will test your endurance and your climbing.  This section is 80% of the climbing.  It is not nearly as steep as "The Bitches", but it is slow and long. 

Once you make the final turn toward the west on the trail you know you only have about another 1 1/2 miles till you are back in 24 Hour Town and heading into the transition / timing tent.  The last 1/2 mile coming into 24 Hour Town is fast and you better be paying attention.  Between the 4 foot wide wash channels and the switch backs you have to be on your game. 

Coming in on my first lap I stop and grab a banana and switch out water bottles for a fresh one.  Hit the transition at 1:29 for my first lap and I'm off again.  Feeling pretty good, but about half way thru this lap I am getting hungry.  So as I am coming around I am planning my stop very quickly.  Stop grab my water and heat it for a cup of noddles, shove a banana in my mouth while the water is heating and make sure the water bottles are ready on my bike.  Grab the cup of noodles and eat that quickly and jump back on my bike and head out.  Thru the transition tent and this lap took me 1:55 including my stop to eat.  Off again on to lap number 3.  I'm starting to feel the burn of the go go go at this point.  Again a quick stop as I come in to grab a banana, water bottle and this time I strapped on my lights and changed helmets.  Thru the transition tent and lap 3 took 2:04. 

Head out on Lap 4 and about 1/4 of the way in I needed to turn on my lights.  I wanted to save my helmet light as long as I needed to, so I was just running my MagicShine 1000 lum on the handlebars.  About 2/3's of the way thru the lap that light took a crap on me.  I stopped and messed with it a few times and couldn't get it back on, so I diverted to my helmet light a Niterider Sol 150 NiMH to get me thru this lap.  It did, but not with the best of lights.  Headed in to finish this lap and stopped this time for water, banana, change out the lights to a Niterider double light system and arm warmers.  Lap 4 took me 2:19 and then I was out for lap 5.  This lap really wore on me.  Coming up Highpoint I was feeling it. 

I came into camp about 10pm and I was done for the night.  I dropped my bike and headed down to 24 Hour Town and got a sandwich.  Ate that as I headed back to camp.  Cranked up the generator and climbed into the tent.  Switched on my small electric heater, striped out of some clothes and into my sleeping bag for some rest.  No alarm was set.  I woke up about 5:40am or so and I could start to see a break in the sky for some of the sun.  Slipped on my tights and a long sleeve jersey.  Cutter jacket and some warm socks, well the same socks I always wear, but they seemed warm and I climbed out of the tent.  Breakfast of champions with another banana and a fresh water bottle.  Into the transition tent to clock in lap 5 at 11:04. 

Here it was a beautiful Sunday morning.  Sun was slowly rising on my back as I headed out and across "The Bitches".  The air had a slight bite in it and there was a slight breeze building.  Coming around and up Highpoint the wind would work on me a little more.  Rounding out lap 6 at about 9am I was ready for another.  Mentally at least to say that.  Little did I know this would be the toughest one yet. 

That slight breeze was climbing into a full breeze and was no help at all no matter what part of the course I happened to be on.  Highpoint I thought was going to be the death of my on this lap.  Finally I broke the north climb and started west and I know that was it.  I came around to finish that lap around 11:30am and I stopped at camp.  Several other were there this time that I had not really seen since before the start yesterday. 

The rules say that you have to finish your last lap after 12:01pm on Sunday or you will receive a DNF or Did Not Finish.  Well being that I got my first DNF last year on a mtb race in Heber City, Utah I was not looking to get another one here and I really wasn't up for another lap.  So I stopped and started breaking down my camp and packing things up.  Noon rolls around and everyone starts heading for the transition tent to to finish lap 7 at 12:09pm. 

To sum it all up here it is.  Total riding time of about 14 1/2 hours.  7 laps of 16.5-17 mile loops (depending on the detours you take).  Approximately 115.5 to 119 miles.  Average speed of 7.31 mph for 14 1/2 hours.

Next year's goals.  10 to 12 laps in the total 24 hours.

Thanks to all those who support K-Blue Racing and especially my wife for letting me go.  Thanks nuun, XTC cameras, Kenda Tires, Stans NoTubes, Geigerrig, Gargoyles Eyewear, Bondiband, Gutr', POC, Polar water bottles, Yankz, Feed The Machine, Pro Gold and H2O Overdrive.

-Scott
Video and pictures to be posted later this week.

Holiday Lake 50K++

The Back Story:

I ran Holiday Lake last year.  It was my second ever Ultra Marathon, and my second Ultra that ended in an injury.  (Pretty solid record, I know.)  The September before I ran the Trail Running Rampage 40 miler, and limped away with a knee injury.  It was a tough but beautiful course and I ran harder than I was ready for, but that's another story all together.  Last year at Holiday Lake, I came off of a break in training and only had about 7 weeks to prepare.  That is not enough time.  I ran a good first loop, and then everything fell apart on me.  I was under-trained, I didn't eat well, and when I hit the wall at 22 miles I pretty much gave up.  I finished in 5:47 (I don't know how I managed to do that well), and limped away with a sore Achilles that haunted me for a couple of months, forcing me out of the Terrapin Mountain 50K and the LUS.

The Race Report:

This year I arrived at Holiday Lake better trained, but lacking in confidence.  The course had beat me up pretty good the year before, and I really didn't know if I was any more ready.  On race day I arrived with a plan to run conservatively, and eat a lot.  That was it.  I was in a survival mode of some sort.

The race started and I found myself in the back of the pack, which was fine.  I'm not fast enough to worry about starting out front, and what could it hurt to hike that first bit with the slower runners?  By the time we got to the beach area I had found my pace and was running with people who were neither too fast or too slow for me.  And that is how I ran the first loop, checking off Aid Station after Aid Station, eating as much as I could stand.  According to my watch I made it to the turn around in 2:31.  Faster than last year, but I was feeling good still.

With the start of the second loop, I began to get nervous.  This was where it all fell apart last year.  After a couple of unplanned bathroom breaks early in the second loop I was even more nervous.  But I was still running good.  I made it to Aid Station 5, grabbed some food and water, and stopped for a minute to talk to a friend.  Then I remembered that it was a race and I took off up that hill with a handful of food.

This is where I ran into the wall last year.  I was just running to the next Aid Station at this point.  The power-line trail is where it got real bad for me.  But that was last year.  I ran it strong this year, and that is when I knew I could run this course.  By the time I made it to Aid Station 6 my legs were hurting, but I was feeling good mentally.  Then I saw one of the fastest runners of the day, standing there at the Aid Station wrapped in a blanket, out of the race with cramps.  I talked to him for a minute and took off again, but now the doubt was back, if a runner like Jordan could DNF with 8 miles to go, what was going to happen to me.

This next section was pretty slow for me, maybe the worst of the day.  After the last creek crossing my pace fell apart.  I was hiking up a hill that I should have been running when a couple of runners past me easily.  Something clicked with me then, I knew I only had 6 miles to go, and no matter how bad I was hurting I was going to finish this thing.  I fell in behind them, letting them dictate the pace, and I zoned out.  I ran like this until I started feeling stronger again, and then we passed a spectator on the trail who said that we were 1/2 a mile from the last Aid Station.  I almost passed my pacers then, but decided to hang with them to the Aid Station.

The last Aid Station was like a circus!  There were lots of spectators there waiting for their friends and family to run through, and it seemed like every runner was just hanging out eating.  I tried to get to the food, but the crowd was literally blocking the entire table.  After about 30 frustrating seconds of trying to get nutrition I ran on, empty handed.  I figured it was only four more miles what could go wrong?  I didn't even fill my water bottle.

Downhill how I do love thee.  The next mile coming out of Aid Station 7 is all down hill, glorious downhill.  So I ran that one for free.  Then the course levels out and starts rolling through the woods along the lake.  With 30 + miles on my legs at that points the little hills started to feel like mountains, but I ran on and I could tell my pace was faltering again.  I hiked a couple of spots that I didn't want to, but I made it past the beach to the homestretch trail.  When I saw the 'One Mile To Go' marked on the ground I almost cried, and began my one mile decent back to the finish line.

Even with the help of gravity my finish was far from spectacular, but I finished strong.  My time was 5:24, that is 23 minutes faster than last year.  And other than a couple of low spots I felt really good all day.  I'm still learning how to run Ultras (the training may actually be the easy part), and I figured out a couple of things I can do better next time.

Lessons Learned:

I think that this race has given me some much needed confidence in my ability to run the distance.  I like to run, but I don't like to hurt, but I know now that I can run through a lot of pain and discomfort, I just have to do it.  I'm a lot weaker racer than I am a runner, but I'm working on that.
Nutrition is something I'm still trying to dial in.  This year I over-ate and under-drank.  After skipping that last Aid Station I was starting to suffer from dehydration symptoms with two miles to go.
I have to stop treating Aid Stations like break rooms.  I need to be in and out in under a minute.  I probably wasted 10-15 minutes at Aid Stations this year just hanging around.


-Todd

Congrats

Two congratulations are due.  The first one to Todd on the Holiday Lake 50K.  Second to Drew on being picked in the lottery for the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race on August 11th.  You guys rock.