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What have I been up to?

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:55:48 GMT

Despite what seems to be my disappearance from the running world, I have been around. I just finished my prelims, and I'm officially a PhD candidate!! So, I haven't been updating my adventures, but I have been doing some running. I'll try to keep it short, so here are the races I've done since the Santa Trot:

New Year's Day Run to Bald Knob Cross, back in IL - this "morning-after" run is an annual tradition with the Cobden Road Runners, of which my father-in-law is a member. This was our second year doing the run. It was cold, and neither Kyle or I were doing well on the pavement, but we made it up to the cross (~10 miles), and then stuffed ourselves with brownies and chili - just what we needed after the holidays. Kyle hurt his knee in this run, and hasn't been completely recovered yet.

Freeze Your Fanny 5k - In our 3rd running of this race, I was slow and my lungs hurt. I added about a minute to last year's time, but still came in 3rd in my age group. I finally met the girl, Cassie, who always places just ahead of me. She came in 2nd.

Hagg Lake 25k - "The Mud Run" - What a day! I had originally signed up to do the 50k, but given a lack of training (I hadn't run more than about 14 miles since Baker Lake last Oct), freezing rain, and gusty wind, I decided to just do 1 loop around the lake. I was glad I went that route - I went out slow, but definitely had enough kick to pick it up the second half. The mud was insane! This race is notorious for being the muddiest course in the Pacific Northwest - which if you know how much it rains there, you'd understand that to be the muddies, it must be bad!! You spent every other step trying to regain your balance after sliding backward or sideways, or recovering from stepping in a seemingly benign mud puddle only to find out it's about a foot and a half deep. Yeah, I'm lucky I didn't break an ankle. With the rain and wind, it was the first trail race in which I've seen people using space blankets, and EVERYONE had one! We all gathered around heaters, wrapped in aluminum, sipping hot chocolate or broth. It was quite the sight to see.

Snake River Half Marathon - What was I thinking? Since I registered for the "big one" this summer (I haven't gone public with this yet, so I'll keep it under wraps - but it's a long one!), I'd been focusing primarily on trail running. So, when JS asked me 2 days before if I would be doing Snake River, I said no way - can't take the pavement right now. But of course my competitive side got the better of me, and I found myself lined up next to much, much faster people on a cold, overcast morning in mid-March. Within a mile I knew I had been stupid (I already knew this - I had said it 10 times during the half hour drive to Wawawai Landing) to sign up - I was not going to finish anywhere near last year's time, and I would be lucky to still be walking. The pavement kicked my butt!! Somehow I pulled it together enough to squeeze out a negative split (by about 30 seconds), and finish just under 2 hours - about 8 minutes longer than last year, and minus the wind. Oh well - not my day. Now I know why I run trails!!

Hell's Canyon Survival Run (16 miles) - What can I say about this run? How did I not know this even existed so close to Moscow?! I had never been to Hell's Canyon, but I was ready to make the drive back just 2 weeks after this run. It was awesome! We took a jet boat from Pittsburg Landing in about 16 miles, where we dropped off and left to fend for ourselves the whole way back. In typical fashion, I was stuck at the back of the boat, so I did get motion sick. Luckily it wasn't too bad, and I was feeling good again pretty early in the run. The wildflowers were beautiful, and the weather perfect! It was just a nice easy run in the canyon - so spectacular!! Next year I'm definitely doing the 30 mile option, just so I can stay in the canyon longer!

Spokane River Run 50k - So one reason I didn't do the 30 miler at Hell's Canyon was because I had already signed up to do SRR again. The other reason was that I was studying for prelims, and my running had taken a back seat. Well, thinking the extra weeks would give me more time to prepare, I signed up for SRR. Of course, my orals ended up being scheduled for April 20, and SRR was on the 22nd. HA!! Not only was I exhausted from the exam itself, but I went out to celebrate on Friday, with the intention of having only 2 beers. Of course, we wound up with a few too many pitchers, and then JB bought the car bomb. Mental note: Irish car bombs = BAD!!! I was done for. I spent Sat morning at the spa, having a massage and my nails done. Yes, it seems reverse, but when I made the appointment, it made sense. The rest of Sat was spent lounging around the house nursing one heck of a hangover. We were up bright and early Sun to make the drive to Spokane. At this point, I was still debating whether to actually attempt the 50k, or just call it quits after one 25k loop. The first loop was fine - my heart rate was exceedingly high if I picked up to a run at all. This freaked me out, so I just kept a slow jog, walked all the hills, stopped and filled up at each aid station, pet the dogs, stopped to look at the Rocks of the Moon (the highlight of the course)... I pulled into the start/finish at 3:20, and went to my drop bag, still not having decided if I should call it quits or go out for more. I gave in (like I always do), and went back out. The second half has a lot of scenic points, but it also has a stinky water treatment center and a firing range, so I prefer the first half. Outside of those two things, though, it's great! It runs along a lot of the Spokane River, and there are several open fields - the arrowleaf balsam root was in full bloom - gorgeous! It was much cooler this year, so I never felt nauseous or dehydrated. I kept up with water, electrolytes, grub... The only major problem I had was my knee - which has been hurting especially after the downhills lately. Not sure why - it sucks! Anyway, finished in just over 7 hours - DFL!! But hey, at least I finished, and I still came in 3rd in my age group! I was sore and tired afterwards, but I figured if I could do the 50k just after having done prelims, I could definitely do what I signed up for this summer!!

Pictures are soon to follow.

A True Santa Trot

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 21:29:03 GMT

The annual Santa Trot in Colfax, Washington: would it be another dry year, with your typical 5k on clear roads? Or would it live up to its name and be a true winter cross-country Santa Trot? Much to my excitement, Mother Nature decided to hand us a bit of snow the week around Thanksgiving.

This meant that we wouldn't have another Freeze-your-Fanny incident (a Feb race in which temps reached into the 60s). No, we were to have quite a challenging 5k ahead of us.

The morning of the race, temps were in the 20s, with a wind chill probably in the teens. I pulled out the fleece tights, and my new Brooks quilted jacket, along with a couple other layers, a hat, gloves... I debated about wearing YakTrax, but decided that in most places, the snow was too powdery and I would just sink anyway. I did go with my new Asics Gel Trabuco trail shoes, since they seemed to have the best grip on the icy patches. We waited in the warmth of the car until the last possible minute, than hopped out to do a quick warm up. I could tell it was going to be a tough race - breakfast wasn't settled, the legs weren't cooperating, and oh yeah, we were sinking into 6 inches of snow in most places! We finally made our way to the start, where we were described the course and its 50 turns in 3.1 miles... Then the RD gave his famous last words, "Don't worry, everything's well marked - there's no way you'll get lost." HA! I've heard that one before! And as I recall, those words inevitably lead to someone (sometimes me) getting off the course, adding miles and minutes...

We started off by crossing the 2 sports fields and then heading over the levee. At this point, .5 miles into the race, I was in 4th and fading fast! The snow made it fun, but very difficult. I didn't even try to time myself, but instead went by effort. After the levee, we headed into the town park for what should have been a series of end-to-end zigzags. However, the guy shouting out times failed to move for us to see the arrow pointing into the park! So, we all ended up circling the park on an unplowed road, only to learn of our mistake on the other side. So, we backtracked, and I met up again with Kyle, who had pulled ahead, but lost ground when he missed the turn. We made the loops through the park and back onto the levee. It was at this point that I actually had to walk up the hill onto the levee! I was so tired, and the footing was sketchy. Back into the park (on the correct trail this time), then around the fields in reverse order. They had 2 benches set out on the field that we were supposed to jump as hurdles. I made the 2 jumps on the out, but by the time I came back, I had to actually step over the hurdles - my legs wouldn't go that high!! Had I tried, I'm sure I would have had a snowy facefull of bench - not my idea of a rewarding treat. The course ended with a 3/4 lap around the track. I must have pulled ahead of the 3rd place woman when we got lost, as she came cruising up behind me on the final stretch. She cruised right on by - there was no trying to stay with her. When I finished, I had that horrible bloody metal taste in my mouth - the lactic acid had built up. Final time: 30 something? 30:16? Not too sure, but I was averaging about 10 minute miles.

We hung around for awards. Kyle came in second in his age group, and I came in 3rd (4th overall female). There was some debate as to how to present awards, since it seemed that some people had actually cut the course short when they realized they were off-track, rather than going back and correcting. I don't know what the big deal was, though. It was just a 5k Santa trot, not a Boston qualifier! Most people were fine, but some sure were pissy! Anyway, they gave out ribbons to age groupers, and plaques to the overall winners. Then they had a drawing, and I got another water bottle and a Clif bar. Kyle got a dry-release shirt that says "Run Naked." We traded So, a good time was had by most. I thought it was fun! Afterwards, we headed to Spokane to get x-country skis!! Despite being exhausted from the race, we did try out our skis on a night ski ( full moon and snow reflection) on the Bill Chipman trail. FUN! We've been twice more since.

How do you run a 5 mile race?

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 02:01:34 GMT

I asked myself this question as I toed the line for the start of the Doc Sears Fall Classic 5-miler yesterday morning. 5k - just go all out, it will be over soon enough. 50k - start out slow and then taper, there's a lot more trail ahead! But 5 miles??? How do you pace for that?

I had yet to determine the answer when the RD yelled start, and we were off. Several men and a couple women pulled ahead immediately, and I fell into a decent clip just a bit behind Kyle. I decided I would try to keep up with him as best I could - drafting off him, or at the very least, using him as a pacer. We hit the first mile marker in 7:45 - WOW!! I would have to slow down if I was going to finish the race without bonking!! But somehow, I maintained the pace for the next 2 miles, despite the cold air causing me to hack and drip (EWW!).

At about mile 3, we had to climb to a bridge. There were actually switchbacks on this part of the trail, and pushing up them took its toll. As I ran over the bridge, with the traffic flying by on my right, and the river flowing slowly to my left, I became very dizzy. I tried to run with my eyes closed, but decided I would probably either fall into the water or the road, so I just dealt with the vertigo. Thanks to physics, what goes up must come down. So, on the other side of the bridge, there was a nice bit of downhill that allowed me to cruise along, catch my breath, and stretch out my legs for the final mile and a half.

I hit the 4 mile mark at 32:05 - meaning I had to run a 7:55 mile if I were to break 40 minutes, my new goal. So, I upped the cruise control and rocked out to some Gorrilaz. My lungs HURT, but my legs weren't ready to give up. We hit the final stretch, and Kyle pulled ahead (as usual), and I was able to gun it a bit more for a ~39:50 finish!! Woo Hoo! Good enough for 2nd in my age group. I was happy - I went sub 40, placed in the top, and even got a medal!! Lots of fun!

A day in the Pacific NW rainforest

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 14:08:12 GMT

Kyle and I decided to make a weekend out of the race, so we headed up to Concrete, WA early Friday afternoon. Word got around to the principal that Ky was running a 50k, so he got a half day!! The drive was fine - uneventful... Made it to our hotel, had dinner, then to bed early.

Saturday morning: It was still dark when we left the hotel. Had some coffee and a bagel en route. Picked up our race packets - nice technical t shirt with a picture of the lake, Mt. Baker and a bear! They had already done the raffle: Kyle won a Nathan Hydration pack, and I won a Montrail hat! It was kinda chilly on this clear fall day. I went back and forth between a short and long-sleeved technical shirt, and pants or shorts. Finally decided to just stick with a short sleeve, light Brooks jacket, shorts, and gloves. This was my first race with my new Nathan backpack - I love it!! It holds 2 liters of water and has a couple small pockets for snacks, gels... Very comfortable; no strap on the stomach to cause issues like I had in Elkhorn.

The first .5 mile was on pavement and went over the Baker Lake dam. Nice view of the canyon, but I'm never too impressed with huge man-made structures... The next mile or so was on dirt/gravel forest road - this was fine on the way up, but not so much on the way down. We climbed a bit here, but most of the runners took the start relatively slow. Kyle and I settled in near the back of the middle pack.We finally hit the trail, and it was off into classic Pacific NW forest!! The trail was nice, though it was actually a bit rockier than I expected! One guy was doing the race without shoes!! I'm not sure how he fared - never saw him finish... I was just thinking that those rocks would be a killer on barefeet! And not to mention the chance of rolling an ankle!

The trail section was about 14 miles long along Baker Lake. We went to the end of the lake, crossed a suspension bridge, hit the only aid station on the course, and turned around to run the same course back. The course itself was never flat - it was constantly rolling up and down. This meant you were using a variety of muscles, which was nice, but it did wear on my knees. We were keeping a good pace until about mile 13, at which point Kyle started to bonk. He hadn't been training for this as much as I had. So, I knew the A/S was coming up, and I pushed him to keep going - I was feeling great and didn't want to slow! The frontrunners had already been through the A/S and were headed back. This was interesting, as the trail is very narrow, windy singletrack - sometimes with a steep drop to one side! For the most part, we gave the frontrunners the right of way and we veered off the trail. This didn't help us to keep a good pace at all, but if we hadn't moved, I think we would have been plowed over!! We finally made it to the A/S. I changed socks, since I was starting to get a couple hot spots. Had some salty snacks, and Ensure, refilled the water... Kyle started back a couple minutes before me with the intention of walking until I caught up. I'm always so slow at the A/S! I need to work on this... And Kyle wasn't doing too well at this point - his legs were already done. I convinced him to just keep going, walk if needed, but to just keep moving forward. At one point, I stopped to hug a tree and Kyle went on without me. Took me awhile to catch up! I ended up having to stop again to empty my shoes. I had on my hot pink Dirty Girls (gaiters), so trail junk wasn't the problem - I'd put on too much foot powder! So, finally caught up to Kyle. He was still walking at this point, but had started to throw in some skipping!! Who knew you could skip even when your legs didn't want to run!?! I was still feeling good, so I ended up pulling ahead. I was alone for much of the race after this. I was sad to leave Kyle, but it's also kinda nice to just get into the run and space out. Every now and then Mt. Baker, one of the Cascade volcanoes, would come into view. I tried to take a peek now and then, but found myself tripping over lots of rocks and roots!! So, finally I just stopped and stared in awe. The mountain looked so big, and was covered in snow and glaciers. It was gorgeous! And the fact that it wasn't covered in fog was amazing!!

I had to keep moving. I played leap-frog with a couple other runners. I ended up running with a guy from Fox Island - why is that familiar?? We chatted a bit, whined about our knees... Finally I decided to pull ahead, and as I left he mentioned his name was Kent. Kent! I ran with you at the Spokane River Run!! So, again, Kent had kept me company through some of the loneliest section of trail!! I love meeting people at these races, and then running into them (no pun intended) again later. What a small world!!

At some point I was passed by a lady - she cruised right on by. I don't know where she came from! She was flying! She was out of my sight a couple minutes when I heard her yell - she had taken a nasty fall and hit her head. I helped her up and made sure she was okay. She was fine - glad she hadn't poked out an eye! She shook it off, and we were on our way again. She soon passed me, but not at the speed she had before.

About this point, we made it back to the road. They had set up a little A/S there, which was a pleasant surprise! At first, I thought I wouldn't stop, but the RD offered some Coke, which sounded perfect right then. I had some coke, grabbed a gel, and was back on my way. By this point, the pounding on my knees had caught up, and I was whincing with every step. The road went downhill, so it was really pounding my legs. I ended up walking, but that didn't help much, so I shuffled along in the grass when possible. A few more people passed me through here, but I didn't care. I knew I was almost done, but it was killing my knees! When I hit the dam, I made myself pick it up a bit to the finish - 6:52!! Not too bad!! I was quite happy with my time, given the hills on the course. And really, I had a great race! No stomach problems, hydration was fine (I peed 4 or 5 times on the trail!!), and I still had energy at the end! If my knees weren't so unhappy, I'd have called it a perfect race. But what fun would it be if all races were perfect?? There'd be no challenge.

I grabbed some water at the end, walked a bit to cool down, then went back to the car to get on some warm clothes, thinking that Kyle would still be awhile. I just happened to look up and see him coming in already, and he was cruising!! I whistled to him as he finished, and I think I got everyone's attention but his! He made it in about 7:02 - just 10 minutes after me! I asked him about it, and he said he actually had to walk/skip most of the way back, but then got a second wind about 5 miles out and was able to pick it up. He did the last 1.5 on the road in less than 10 minutes!! I was glad to see him finish that soon, and still able to run!! He did awesome!

When we got back to the hotel, we had pizza and watched TV - we deserved a night off! The next day drove the long way home, through the North Cascades. It was gorgeous! I'd never been before, and wish I had more time to go and hike! We stopped at a few pullouts for pictures and a couple short walks.

I was really only sore for a couple days after the race, and I ran again maybe 3 days after it. But my knee (my right knee, which actually swelled up near the end of the race) is still sensitive And I don't have all my energy back. I think I need to take it easy this fall (is that possible !?!) and let my body recover a bit - I've done a lot of long runs/hikes lately! It's just so fun!! Anyway, hope the knee is okay...

3 Crazies, 40 unsupported miles, 15 hours: I am happy again!

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 03:29:14 GMT

After discussing with my husband and friend Josh how 9 more miles (not 12, like I originally thought), wasn't really all that much when you've already done 31, we decided to go for the Ultimate Dash! On Sunday morning, we got up at 4am, had our breakfast and coffee, and headed to Logan Pass. Hit the trail about 5:45, headlamps on, voices warning the grizz we were coming... The temps were cool, and the sunrise was gorgeous on the mountains.
McDonald Valley from the Highline

We made it to the chalet in time to wake up those staying there - much to their surprise. Through the Trapper Creek Fire area (from 2003) - saw some deer, a few hawks... Not much else. We took a side trail up to Ahern Pass - had a great view down to Elizabeth Lake and the backside of the Ptarmigan Wall - worth the extra effort!
View from Ahern Pass

Came to a snowfield crossing that had been undercut by a stream - quite the obstacle to get around, as someone before us had obviously broken through. Finally made it over, but Josh slipped on some wet rock and tweaked a knee - nothing major, but we did slow a bit. Then it was up Fifty Mountain pass - really cool boulder field at the top.
Fifty Mountain Pass

Stopped for another big snack, sock change (we were soaked from the last stream crossing), pictures... Then it was down into the Fifty Mountain meadows. Lots of bear diggings here - it had been posted for a bear in the area, but we never saw one More pictures, pumped some water, had a snack... Then into the trees again. We were a little behind schedule at this point, since we had made so many stops, but not too far. Cruised downhill, through some really thick thimbleberry bushes that had been trampled - lots of noise when we passed scat on the trail (piles of both bear and cougar scat - but still none spotted)... Hit the Goat Haunt ranger station with plenty of time to catch the boat, but we all still had some miles in our legs so we went for it! We got about 3 miles from the ranger station when Josh got sick to his stomach - not sure what hit him, but there was a lot of wretching over the last few miles.
Delirium sets in at the Swath - Mile 37ish

We slowed a lot at this point, and had to make quite a few stops, but we still made it into Waterton before dark! Stops included, we finished in about 15 hours. Grabbed some pizza, and made it to the border with 5 minutes until the crossing closed! I'm a little sore today, but really not all that bad. I have one hip that seems like I may have pulled something, and (as usual) some blisters on the feet, but I'm feeling pretty good!

Things that may have helped me not get tummy problems this time around: I drank nothing but water, kept a slower pace, temps were nice, and it wasn't a race so I didn't have nervous jitters.

So, hopefully, the next long race I do goes as smoothly as this! What a great end to summer at Glacier!

But training went so well....

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 17:44:29 GMT

It's over, and I about hurled. Many times. Maybe someone can tell me what went wrong.

Kyle and I met in Helena on Friday afternoon, the day before the HURL Elkhorn 50k Endurance Run. We decided to bring the camper and stay in the campground at the race start/finish. Was this my first mistake??? We picked up our packets and went to the carbo-loading dinner/pre-race briefing Friday night. Beer was being served. I should have had one. At the time, I didn't think it was a good idea, however looking back on what happened, I think this was the biggest mistake I made in prepping for the whole race. I passed on the beer.

After dinner, we headed back to the campground to prepare our gear, chat with other runners, visit with my kitty Mona who made the trip... Then we got the call that a fire in Glacier had blown up around Kyle's housing area and they were on evacuation notice. Luckily, Kyle's roommate was around and willing to throw as much of Kyle's gear in the car as he could fit. Thanks Josh!!!!! Red Eagle Fire

I should have been asleep by this point in time, but now my mind was racing: thinking about the fire, the run... Total hours of sleep prior to the big race: 1. (This is the first time I start thinking maybe I should have had that beer...).

At 4 am, I hear the first runners/volunteers showing up for the 50 mile race. I decide to try and sleep, and of course about 30 minutes of the sleep I got occur at this time. Finally, it's 5am, my alarm goes off, and the 50 milers start. AM temps: probably around 65? Expected high for the day: 100+. Our race was originally scheduled to start at 9am, but they have mercy on us and let us start at 7am. This is the only reason I made it as far as I did in the first half of the race. But more on that soon.

At 7am, we start, and I'm feeling pretty good. I keep my pace, stay in the middle of the pack... No real problems except for a tight left hamstring. I think I over did it 2 weeks before the race with my 26.2 mile hike and climb up Brownie. I do some stretches around mile 8, take some ibuprofen (will this contribute to the big problems I am about to experience??), and I'm good to go. I loosen up, make the first 2000ft climb in decent time. Feeling good... Somehow, the first 16 miles fly by in about 3 hours. Not too shabby! I figure I'll slow down a little with the next big climb, but I'm on target for at least an 8 hour finish. Yea!

This is when all hell breaks loose. I get to the aid station at mile 16, and my stomach is a little queasy. Okay, I'll pass on the salmon (they actually have salmon cooked up here!), but I'll try some saltines and sprite to try to settle the tum tum. Fill up the camelbak - I'm doing good with hydration. I've had just enough gels, snacks, Heed... to be okay in that sense. Start down the 1000ft descent, but I can't run. Every step sends my stomach doing flips, and I know I'm going to HURL! What should have been a 25 minute, 3 mile, 1000ft drop to the next aid station takes who knows how long - a good hour?? Feels like forever. The pounding downhill, even at a walk, is making it unbearable on my stomach. I have the worst bloat ever - making me feel like I'm going to puke. Problem is, I can't get out any burps. I get to the mile 19 aid station, and my first serious thought of a DNF passes through my mind. It's Kyle's first ultra, and he's feeling great - I'm only holding him back. This aid station is only about 3 miles from the start/finish, so it's an easy out - and I wouldn't have been the first to make the decision. By this time, it is HOT! The sun is beating down, and the temps are approaching the 100s. People were already dropping both the 50k and 50 mile races. I was doing really good with hydration/fueling up to the 16 mile point, but I really hadn't had much in the last 3 miles because of my stomach. Kyle sees I'm not doing well, and he says he's willing to drop with me if I want to. I sit for half an hour, trying to rehydrate, attempting to get some calories... And then I'm feeling fine! Okay, we have a 2000ft climb in the next 3 miles - up to another aid station. Be sure you have plenty of water, turn around and come back if you can't make it...

I leave, and I make it about 15 minutes before I have to sit. This part is so exposed - I'm so hot, and I'm convinced I'm going to HURL. Sip some Heed, sit in the shade, get up and try it again. Walk 15 minutes, sit, rest, repeat.... Over and over... We meet up with another guy in the 50k - very dehydrated, puking... We leap frog (though it was more of a trudge, not a leap) to the next aid station in record time (slowest time ever, that is). Same thing - sit for half an hour in the shade, drink sprite, eat saltines, take tums... Okay - if you can make one more climb of 1000 ft you will be done climbing, and it's pretty much all downhill from there. I can do this.

Walk 15, sit, rest, repeat.... Aid station for half an hour... Walk 15, sit, rest, repeat... All this is a blur. I know I did it. I know we stopped at several creek crossings - soaked our heads, filled camelbaks using a filter... Met other runners.... I don't remember much, though. What I do remember is the last aid station at mile 28.5. I could not believe I was there. We were about 10 hours out at this point. 10 of the longest, most hellacious hours ever. I reenact my new aid station tradition of sprite and saltines... Finally, they tell me it's 1 mile of trail, 1.5 of dirt road, and I'll be done. I can do this. I am actually feeling good enough to jog a bit of the last trail mile (flat only - when I can roll-step and limit the pounding). Then we hit the road and we are exposed to the sun again, and I go slower than I was on most of the rest of the race. We are officially in last place, and we are barely going to make the 12 hour cut-off if I don't just keep going. So, I thought of something I've heard on the RW forums: perpetual forward motion. As long as I was taking steps forward, and not sitting, I was making progress. Finally, I can see the finish line, but I can't run - we just keep walking. We're getting applause, but I'm not sure why. I mean, we came in so slow I could see people visibly aging before me. Surely they didn't think we were racers - we had to just by bystanders. Oh wait, but we're weraring numbers - keep the applause going, even if you are going to miss the birth of your first grandchild...

We actually finished in record time. That's right - we set a new course record: slowest finish ever!! 11:20:36. They set me in the medical tent with an ice pack, ginger ale... I recovered well, but could only manage half a sandwich about an hour after I was done. Next morning - totally fine, ate a horse... Legs a little tired, but nothing injured. I definitely had more miles left in my legs. They felt so good I could have done the 50 miler. Finisher's award was a cute print of an elk taking down flagging tape on the trail (apparently they have to re-mark the trail the morning of the race, because elk come through and strip the tape off all the trees!). I felt unworthy.

So, now is the time I need feedback: what went wrong? I did the first half in 3 hours - feeling good, legs fine, heart willing... Why did the second half take 8 hours!!?? Here are my thoughts - 1 hour of sleep the night before (due to no beer), new waistpack strapped too tight inhibiting belches (and belches nonproductive due to no beer), dehydration and bonking in second half due to weak stomach (not enough carbs night before due to no beer)... So, does it all boil down to needing a beer the night before? Or is there something I have not considered? My first half routine was normal - same food, same amount of water - only drank Heed instead of another electrolyte drink, which I had never had before. Has anyone else had bloaty stomach issues due to Heed? I do have stomach trouble with other electrolyte drinks, but usually in "run" form, and I'm not talking about something you do with your legs. I didn't have that with the Heed.

I didn't feel that I needed much recovery time, since my legs really didn't do much that day. So, a week later, for redemption, I set my sites on new trials in Glacier. On Saturday we did Piegan Pass into Many Glacier (~14 miles on trail). Nice trail, goes by some turquoise glacial lakes, a cool stream, waterfalls...
View from Piegan Pass

On Sunday, we did an awesome hike called "Floral Park" (about 12 miles off-trail, 9 on-trail - should have been less if it weren't for our non-existent route-finding abilities). We started from Logan Pass at 8am, knowing the hike would take about 12 hours. We made it to Hidden Lake in record time, then had to climb over some unnamed pass by Bearhat Mtn. Well, we acidentally tried to climb the mountain first, rather than the pass, and had to backtrack when I got sketched out clinging to the face of a cliff. Josh accidentally knocked a kid's basketball-sized rock loose, and it was on a crash-course for my head. I backhanded the rock away - which totally impressed the guys and redeemed my pride. Finally, got over the pass on the correct route, and had a great view into Avalanche Lake and an area called Floral Park.
Looking Back at Floral Park

The route into Floral Park involved about a 2000 ft vertical drop over about 2000 ft. So, yea, it was a straight down rock slide/fall/tumble into Floral Park.
From the Saddle, It's Straight Down into Floral Park

Once there, you had to traverse a hillside back up and into the Sperry glacier basin.
View of Sperry Glacier from Saddle Above Floral Park

The route was supposed to go around the foot of the glacier - but the only thing we found were streams, pools, slanted mounds of rock...
Pools of Glacial Melt and Flour, Glacially-scoured rock

So, we decided to follow the group of people ahead of us onto Sperry Glacier. We had seen them from Floral Park and said "those people are insane - they are actually on the glacier!"
Kyle and Stacey Mistake Themselves as the Grinnells

Well, apparently, my fear of crevasses could not be an issue - there was no way around the glacier, and it was getting late. Due to our mountain climb mistake earlier, we were set back about 2 hours, and darkness in grizzly country was soon approaching. With me kicking and screaming, we slowly made our way across one of the largest glaciers in the park. We followed footprints when there was snow, stepped lightly when it was just ice, and held hands to jump crevasses filled with space and flowing water.
This is INSANE!!!

We finally made it off the glacier, and I could breathe again. We had 2.5 hours to nightfall, and 9 trail miles left to cover. That's when we decided Josh should become a trail runner. So, we ran over Comeau Pass, to Sperry Chalet, and down to Lake McDonald in about 2.5 hours, making it to the car just before dark. WHEW! What a day! I must say, that is the first hike in Glacier where I have been scared for my life climbing a mountain, free-falling down a mountainside, had some of the best views in the park, hiked a glacier, and ran in the woods all in one day. This definitely whooped my entire body more than any other run or hike I have ever done. So, I feel redeemed. But good enough to do it again this weekend! It's our last weekend in Glacier for the summer, so on the agenda: the DASH! A 31 mile (all-trail) trek from Logan Pass to Canada. We will be racing the clock this time for another reason: we have to catch a boat when we reach Canada, or it tacks on another 12 miles! I hope all goes better than it did at the HURL!!!

I'm going to HURL!

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:51:07 GMT

The countdown to the HURL Elkhorn 50k Endurance Run has begun: T minus 18 days and counting. Here's an update on how my training has been. I'm pretty lucky to get to spend my summers in western Montana. I have access to miles and miles of trails, all with some really big hills (even a few mountains!). So, the majority of my running mileage in June and July has been on the trail. Following the Double Dip, I had to get revenge on the trails around Missoula. I ran the M, the L, Mt. Sentinel, Hellgate Canyon... for revenge a few times (I have not attempted the University Beacon a second time - it is pure evil, and should not be forced upon anyone). I have gotten fairly bold in running alone. I bought a book on trails around Missoula, and randomly chose one the other day (Crazy Canyon). I came prepared with water, food, and bear spray. But never fear: the only thing I was to encounter that day was mountain lions . Or so said the only warning sign at the trailhead: This is moutain lion country - do not run or hike alone. Well, not a whole lot you can do to avoid being stalked by a silent predator with the ability to jump 45 horizontal feet, now is there! So, I set out sans headphones into the wild where things can eat you. Given my recent luck with spotting lions (a total of 4 in the last year and a half), I was on high alert. But I was also out to enjoy the day, and thankfully I never got a total count on the number of lions that saw me run by, but decided I wasn't worth the effort. I ended up summiting Mt. Sentinel, reaching the bottom of Hellgate Canyon and the river (the Clearwater??), back up to the saddle of Mt. Sentinel and to the car (round trip: about 12 miles and 4000 ft. of elevation gain and loss, I think).

On the weekends, I've been heading up to Glacier to run/hike with Kyle. We summitted Divide and Oberlin. We had done Oberlin before, which is a nice hike through the alpine meadow, and an easy scree climb up to the top. Great views!! Divide was crazy - mostly a ridge/scree scramble to the top. Nice views from there. The descent was hairy - lots of old, SHARP rock. I have some battle wounds from that one! We've also hit up some of the trails: Iceberg Lake, Avalanche Lake a couple times (great trail to run - enough other people there to not worry too much about grizz; just the right amount of elevation, rocks, roots, and mud!), Dawson-Pitamakan passes, Ptarmigan tunnel... This year, I've seen 1 grizz, 4 black bears (including the smallest cub I've ever seen - must have been a late birth - it wasn't much bigger than my cat!), a moose, golden eagle... The list goes on. I am so lucky to get to spend all my weekends at this place. This weekend is the big one: we're planning a 24-mile loop hike/run to Slide Lake, Gable Pass, Glenn/Cosley lakes, and the Belly River on Sat. Then Sunday, we are going for elevation: Mt. Brown Lookout - a 4 mile, 4000 ft climb - hardest trail in the park!! We are dreading that one. It's one of those we just have to do to say we've done it. Should be interesting! I'll add in some pics from some of these hikes/runs as soon as I can. GORGEOUS!

So, we have this weekend, then an easy weekend for the taper. We may run the Buffalo Run Half Marathon in St. Ignatius that weekend (not racing, just running). Then it's the HURL!!! The plan for that day is to take it easy on the uphill (power-hike), easy run the flats, and cruise on the downs. It's 31 miles, with about 5500 ft. elevation gain and loss (a loop with a shared start/finish line). I think 25 miles are singletrack, and the rest is dirt/gravel forest roads. Not too shabby! The cutoff is 12 hours, which I think we should be fine to make, assuming hydration and nutrition are kept under control, and blisters are minimal. I haven't decided which shoes I will wear yet - not that it matters. I will pick the wrong ones regardless... The countdown continues!

Redemption

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:10:35 GMT

I needed a good race following the Double Dip, and it came in the form of a 5K. Kyle and I decided to race the Dan Fox 5K in Polson, MT, the week after the Double Dip. I awoke in the morning to an upset stomach, which meant I should have a good race that day! It's weird - if I feel good in the AM, I race like crap. Days that I wake up feeling bad, I end up doing well. So, after a stop for some Pepto, we hit the check-in. The t-shirt had a picture of a bison taken at the NBR - very nice! The race started a bit late - there was a 1 mile kids' run first, that lasted a little longer than planned. That threw me off a bit, as I was ready to go at start time, but we ended up standing around another 30 minutes or so! Which just meant I had to hit up the pit toilets 2 more times before the run.

Finally, we were off. I started near the front, as I was feeling 'on' that day. The course wound through a subdivision on the lake, and finished with a mile stretch of the paved trail in town. Within the first mile, I was in the top 4 women. Actually, I was in the top 4 females: one older lady racing in an Ironman hat (no way was I gonna catch her!!), a high school girl in her cross-country team uniform (I was close to her, but I figured she had some experience at the 5K distance), and a little girl that couldn't have been more than 11 years old. She and I leap-frogged a bit - I told her she was giving me some stiff competition. After about a mile, I finally pulled ahead. I'll admit that my goal at that time became to not be beat by the 11-year old.

Around the 2 mile mark, we hit a hairpin turn, and I could see that I was actually catching up to Kyle!!! How could that be!? He ended up slowing a bit to wait for me - turns out his rib was acting up and he was in some serious pain. I eventually pulled ahead of him, as he was about to double over in pain. I must have hit 2 miles at around 14:45 - I was cruising! The turn was nice, because I could also see that there were no other women close behind me - it was in the bag! The last mile stretch on the trail had a slight downhill, which was welcomed given the way my lungs were starting to feel! I set the cruise control until I was within good reach of the finish line. I kicked it up just a bit to finish strong - then I saw the clock. 22:50. Holy crap! I should have kicked it up more! I pushed hard, but finished in 23:02. Had I known I was in such close reach of breaking 23, I would definitely have dug a little deeper. Oh well, a new PR by about 30 seconds!!! Good for 3rd overall female, and 1st in my age group! Despite Kyle's rib trouble, he also placed 3rd in his age group around 23:20??

So, I'm feeling better about my running again - I needed a good race following the butt-kicking I received at the Double Dip. Yah!!

The Epic Trail Run

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 03:47:21 GMT

I should have heeded the warnings. A 12.5 mile "run/hike." An "epic" trail run of "elephantine" proportions. "Create a relay team or be a daring individual." One dip or two? I'll take two, please. Those were the infamous last words at registration for the Pengelly Double Dip.

So, what was the Pengelly Double Dip? It seemed harmless enough - a race held to benefit the local youth shelter. You had options - a one mile fun run, mostly for the kids; a 4.6 mile trail run/hike - one dip; or a 12.5 mile trail run/hike - two dips. Always trying to maximize the race-day registration fee, I opted for two dips. I mean, I had completed the 50k only a month and a half ago. Sure, my weekly mileage wasn't what it had been, but it was respectable - and I'd been doing hiking here on the range. What could go wrong?

The weather called for heat - surprise, surprise. It also called for a chance of rain, but that never formulated. I could see clouds rolling in in the distance, but they didn't get to us in time... Oh, and the race started at 1:30 in the afternoon, so we got to enjoy the midday HOT .

The race started at the oval on the Univ of MT campus - then up to the "M." For those of you unfamiliar with western mountain towns, they take pride in the first letter of their city's name and feel the need to paint it in bright white paint on the highest point in view - thus, the "M" for Missoula. This first climb was 620 ft in .75 miles. This trail is quite popular, so it's fairly wide, with short switchbacks all the way up. I'd tried to run it before, only to discover that neither my lungs nor my quads were cut out for it, so I always resorted to a labored power-hike up. Given the crowded conditions and daunting miles ahead, I stuck by this tradition and power-hiked to the "M," along with the majority of the other lunatics.

Once past the "M," you can either continue to climb straight up Mt. Sentinel (the switchbacks cease, and the trail literally becomes a sheer hands-on-knees climb straight up to the top), or veer off on a forest road that eventually levels out for a mile or so. Unknowingly, Kyle and I attempted the Mt. Sentinel summit (which puts Everest to shame) earlier this year. Luckily, we did not die. We did however get close enough to some hang-gliders to give them high-5's as they swooped around our heads. The trip down was a fight to stay upright, and thus alive and on the mountain. Loose gravel, dirt, and a 99% grade made running nearly impossible - had we taken sleds along, we would have broken the sound barrier on the way down. But enough about the trail not taken - the Pengelly Double Dip was kind enough to veer off the trail and onto the forest road. At that point, I thought the race was going to be easy... HA HA HA

We said good bye to the 4.6ers around the 2.5 mile mark. They had made their only climb, and were headed down for their "dip." Silly me, I thought the slight downhill to get into Crazy Canyon was our first dip. HA! Back into the woods we went, singletrack straight UP ahead. Little to no running was done at this point - just kept hiking. And hiking. And hiking. Finally, an aid station! I took a piece of licorice - blech. Normally I enjoy licorice - today it was too hot and dry. The kind lady at the aid station pointed me in the direction of the University Beacon. "Rest in Peace," she said as I left. Hmm - was that an omen?

Finally, we came to a clearing, and for the first time, we could see the challenge ahead: 1.4 miles of hiker after hiker after hiker, trudging, clawing their way uphill. Every now and then some speed demon would come cruising back downhill muttering things like "Looking good" or "You're almost there" as they flew past. It was all the effort I could muster just to step off trail and let them pass - there was no way I was looking good at that point. I stopped halfway up to retie my shoes, only to be passed by about 10 people. Finally, I made it to the top, only to find the white chalk outline of a dead body - they were waiting for me. "Just lie down here, and it will all be over soon," they said...

I finally figured out that I wasn't going to die. I realized that I just hadn't taken any salt or carbs, so I downed a Carbboom and a Succeed - just a little too late. I turned around to head back down and released the brakes. I caught up to a few of the people that had passed on the way up. Yea! There's hope. Back through the aid station with the RIP lady - this time she pointed me in the direction of the top of Mt. Sentinel. "Rest in Peace," she said as I left again. Listen lady, if I can survive the climb to the beacon, I can survive the climb to Mt. Sentinel!

I don't really remember much about this part of the race. By this point, I was bonking from lack of carbs, lack of salt, lack of water - all things I should have had in check. Then again, I didn't anticipate only being at mile 8 after 2 hours!! My quads were shot from all the elevation change, and I had some major blisters forming on my feet. I guess I made it through the same aid station once more, because I vaguely remember the RIP lady pointing out the direction of Hellgate Canyon Trail, then pleading for me to just give up and die already.

I actually had a lot of fun on this part of the trail. For one, I could actually run without the risk of taking out 50 other people if I fell. The trail was slightly less steep, so I was able to eek a little more effort out of my quads. But there was still a high probability of dying if I missed a switchback turn or hooked a root - just enough of a probability to keep the adrenaline going and keep me happy . We cruised down through the forest, and before we knew it, we were at the river on the Kim Williams trail. After all the up and down and big, sharp rocks, you would think I would have appreciated a flat, small pebbled trail, but I didn't. There was no shade, so it was HOT. And my legs needed a little more varied terrain. I was ready to be done.

The official times haven't been posted yet. I'm thinking it was somewhere around 3:10 - read: way too frickin' long. I was prepared for, maybe, 2 hours on the trail, and maybe 2000 ft elevation gain (and loss). I'm thinking it was probably closer to 4000 ft, but I can't find a good estimate of the actual total, since some was run on private land... At the end of the race (I can't very well call it a run, can I?), they had ice cream for all the participants. Except they forgot that some of us were slow, and so they were all out by the time we finished, since some of the early finishers had seconds .

So I didn't walk away with much - no overall award, no age-group award, not even a finisher's medal. Just two cherry tomatoes - one on each foot. And an urge to get revenge on the trail next year (properly fueled and hydrated, of course!). I fully rested for 2 days before I attempted to run again. Where did I choose to go? The "L," the summit of Mount Jumbo, AND the "M"!

I don't like hot weather.

Mon, 01 May 2006 02:23:09 GMT

There, I said it. I don't like hot weather. I'm not a summer person. I like having time off from school, don't get me wrong. But I love winter. I love snow. I love bundling up to run, and not sweating.

So, yesterday Kyle and I ran the Seaport River Run in Lewiston. That's about 2000 feet lower in elevation than Moscow, down on the Snake River. It was hot. I started off wearing just a singlet and shorts - and lots of sunscreen to keep the pasty whites from crisping. How half the other people lined up for the race wearing the t-shirt they got is beyond me. I would have died if I were wearing cotton. I lined up for the port-a-potty at 9:40, planning to do a warm-up jog to the car and back, grabbing some more water... With only 2 port-a-potties and line of 50+ people, that didn't happen. Great, I was going to start the race thirsty.

The race started at 10am. There was a 2.9 mile walk/run, and a 10k, which Kyle and I did. We started near the front, which seemed like a good idea, since there seemed to be a lot of people there just to walk and enjoy the Dogwood Festival. There weren't too many that appeared to be going for time... The 10k run went along the paved trail by the Snake River. The trees were in full bloom - it was very pretty out! There was some shade during the first mile and a half. Then it opened up, and it was pretty sunny for the remainder of the run to Hells Gate State Park.

At about mile 2.5, we hit a sharp turn, like a switchback, that took us from the upper trail under a bridge, and back up. Until that point, I was feeling pretty good - not too many women in my age-group ahead of me. But at the corner, 2 girls about my age cut the trail and took the embankment down, cutting me off . I was not happy.

The first water stop was at mile 3. I needed it desperately, so I grabbed 2 cups - 1 to drink, 1 to douse. The 2 cheaters didn't stop for water - they gained a few seconds on me. I continued on, enjoying the views, but getting a little overheated. My pace had leveled to about 8:30s. I was probably going too hard, given that I just did the 50k a week ago, but my legs were feeling okay, and I was bitter . I had to get revenge.

There was another water stop at mile 5. Again, I grabbed 2 cups, and again, the 2 cheaters didn't stop. A few more seconds... I ran the last 1.2 neck-to-neck with a lady that was probably in her 40s? I think she was encouraging herself, because every now and then, she would laugh or say something under her breath. At one point, I surged past and encouraged her. Shouldn't have done that... she then surged past to come in about a second ahead of me...

I was hoping to break 50, but I knew that wasn't going to happen after the first mile, which was a pretty labored 8:03. I shouldn't have expected so much so soon after the 50k. I noticed the clock at 52:50, so I pushed it to the finish line, coming in about 52:58. Woo Hoo! At least I went sub 53

I was so hot afterwards. I jogged a little to cool down. Nursed 2 bottles of water, but slowly to keep from throwing up. They had free beer, which many were enjoying (including the cheaters). Sounded like a really bad idea. Sat in the shade awhile to recover - did some stretches...I was finally feeling better, so we decided to head out. We got a free jet-boat ride back to the start line!

I didn't catch the cheaters. They finished about 8 seconds before me. So, I waited to get revenge until we were standing in line for the return jet-boat trip... Yep, they lined up just ahead of me on the dock. As I spun around to see what was going on behind me, I "accidentally" knocked the first one off into the water. OOPS! Lost my balance just enough to "accidentally" knock the other one off the other side of the dock. OOPS!

Well, maybe that was just a day-dream... I guess revenge will be had at another race...