Finally the start to my race season!! All those hard training months in the winter are finally going to be put to good use! We drove the motorhome down to Mohican and stayed right at the State Park. That evening we got our race packets and then headed back to the motorhome to eat dinner. I had time to get all my gear together for the run in the morning.
Race Morning!!!!!
Finally race morning is here and I'm not nervous, uptight or anxious. I was ready to begin the day!! I was confident that I would accomplish the goals I had set. I ate breakfast, had a cup of coffee and was ready to set out for the start line. It was a chilly 32* but, that was perfect for me. Brian had decided that he would wait at the motorhome until it was closer to his race time. I kissed him goodbye, said good luck and headed out the door. When I got to the start line things were already in full swing and you could feel the excitement in the air. I was there just in time for the pre race meeting. Soon after we were off......
The day begins!!
I decided to start in the middle of the pack. I was not bolting down the road, just relaxed and running easy. It wasn't long before we were hitting the trail and starting our upward climb. I hit the trail running and never stopped until I reached the first aid station. Hmmm.... last year I didn't even make it halfway up and was already walking. I was keeping it easy, it was work but it always takes me a few miles to get into a groove. The first aid station was fun (as always) they had a theme, this year it was Alice in Wonderland and I will say very well done! I grabbed food and hightailed it out of there.
Now I was in a rhythm and everything was starting to feel good. It didn't seem as if I had been running long and I was already at the covered bridge. I was headed for my favorite part!!! This is the section I always feel a sense of adventure! Climbing up the root ladder is so much fun for me. Once I was through that I was set on getting to the Resort where the next aid station was. Last year this section was so muddy, people were slipping, sliding and falling down. This year the trail was dry and I was just cruising along. Before I started the race I had written a time on my hand to see how I was doing. Was I on target?? Was I ahead or behind? As I pulled out of the aid station I looked down at my hand, good! Right where I should be! On the way back to the purple loop I was pumped to get to the falls! But, once I got there I was slightly slowed up by a couple of guys that wanted to take their pictures while descending into the falls! Grr... Come on guys! THis is a race and I'm kinda in a hurry, this isn't a photo session! Once I made thru there I cruised back to the covered bridge. On the way there I noticed that another girl and I had been running fairly close together all day. We stuck together the rest of the way. While talking I found out that she is also from Michigan and this was her first ultra! Getting to the Fire Tower is alot of power hiking. Time was going by rather fast since I was chatting it up with my new found friend. When I made it to Fire Tower a friend working the aid station as promised had some potato soup waiting for me. My new friend, Jen asked me if I just ate soup. YEP! and it was so good! I thanked the aid station workers as we high tailed it out of there headed for covered bridge a final time. Talking a cruising along made for the miles to go by rather quickly!
Homeward Bound!
As we came into covered bridge, I was in a hurry to get to the finish line. I basically was in and out knowing the finish was not much further! Somehow Jenn was no longer in tow so it was a quiet go. But, I motored along. It wasn't long I was alone maybe at most a mile ad Jenn's cheery voice was behind me! I knew there was a nasty hill climb just before the finish and I warned Jenn of this before we got there. Jenn was also a huge help for me! I started walking during a flat section. She commented to me "Why are you walking when you should be running?" Okay, Okay I started running and didn't give in. This is when the competitive part of me kicked in. I started picking people in front of me to catch! And I was! Jenn hung with me until we hit the last hill climb. I'm a good power hiker. Jenn knew I could easily out power hike her so she told me to go get em! And I did! Not giving in until I crested the top of the hill! Once at the top it was all downhill from there and I was cruising to the finish, still passing people! I crossed the finish in 6:22 which was a huge PR for me!! Last year I ran a 6:52 so to say the least, my hard training has paid off, big!!! I did razz the race director when I crossed the finish line about my huge PR!!
Now it's time to focus on Ice Age 50k and see what happens there!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Racing season is almost here!
Now that the snow has melted, the birds are singing and the trails are dry my racing season will finally get underway! I look forward to the challenges!! After a solid winter of training it's time to put it to the test and see what I have.
April 18 th Forget the PR Mohican 50k
This is the second year of this race and it's a great way to start the season off. It's a hilly, challenging and a fun course that I know well. The race director of this race is an awesome guy who does a great job!! I can't wait to prove him wrong and show him that you "CAN" PR on this course!
May 8th Ice Age 50k
This is my 3rd year coming back to this race but it will be my first time only doing the 50k and not the 50 mile. My boys will be there doing the 50 miler. I'm ready to really sink my teeth in here and run strong.
June 18th San Juan Solstice 50 mile
This is my big race so far of the year!!!! It is supposed to be one of the toughest 50 milers in the U.S.!!! Just to be able to do this race I had to sign up in January and the decision was made to make this the kick off for our summer vacation! I have never run in altitude and I'm anxious to see how I handle it. The other cool thing is that my coach (Paul Dewitt) will be there and I'll finally get to meet him face to face! He's been coaching me for over a year now and I've never met him.
April 18 th Forget the PR Mohican 50k
This is the second year of this race and it's a great way to start the season off. It's a hilly, challenging and a fun course that I know well. The race director of this race is an awesome guy who does a great job!! I can't wait to prove him wrong and show him that you "CAN" PR on this course!
May 8th Ice Age 50k
This is my 3rd year coming back to this race but it will be my first time only doing the 50k and not the 50 mile. My boys will be there doing the 50 miler. I'm ready to really sink my teeth in here and run strong.
June 18th San Juan Solstice 50 mile
This is my big race so far of the year!!!! It is supposed to be one of the toughest 50 milers in the U.S.!!! Just to be able to do this race I had to sign up in January and the decision was made to make this the kick off for our summer vacation! I have never run in altitude and I'm anxious to see how I handle it. The other cool thing is that my coach (Paul Dewitt) will be there and I'll finally get to meet him face to face! He's been coaching me for over a year now and I've never met him.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Texas Has Hills!!!!!! Bandera 100k Jan 9, 2010
Bandera 100k January 9, 2010
This race has been on my radar for a while to do. So this past summer we decided that we would get some use out of the motorhome and visit Texas. Race week was very laid back and relaxing. I don't think I have ever been this relaxed before a race! I was confident and feeling ready to tackle this. When we arrived in Bandera one of the first things we did was visit the race site. We hiked a little bit of the trail just to get a feeling for what we had ahead of us. Oh boy! This was going to be fun!!! On Wednesday we met up with the Race director to see where we could park our motorhome on the race site. The race director was very friendly made us feel right at home.
THE DAY BEFORE THE RACE
Friday came and we checked out of the campground we were staying at. We packed up and moved the motorhome over to the race site. This was our first time camping without any hookups. Because of the unusual cold weather that had moved in the race director allowed us to run our generator so we had heat,water,electric and TV!!!We were steps from the start finish line, that was cool!!! Since we had time before the pre-race meeting I was able to get all of my drop bags packed and ready to go. Soon after that we were off to the pre race meeting. We picked up our numbers and listened to the last instructions for the race. I met up with my friend Dan who I ran with at the North Country 50 miler a year ago. I also met up with Dan Vega and had a chance to talk with him briefly. We left the meeting to go get our usual pre race dinner, pizza and salad. We took it back to the motorhome to eat and relax, Saturday would be a long day!!!!
RACE DAY!!!!!!!
I didn't sleep well that night but woke up to look at the clock. I thought we were late getting up! I woke Brian up only to find we had four clocks with four different times! We realized we had another hour to sleep, ahh.... When we did get up we were able to make breakfast, get dressed and stay relaxed! I happened to look at the outside temp. only to notice it was a whopping 6*!!!! Since it was so cold out our plan was to go check in and drop off my drop bags. We then headed back to the motorhome to stay warm and have a real bathroom to use. Minutes before the start we headed out to the start line. We had a real good laugh, the Texans were bundled up like it was below zero outside!!!! I only had windpants on with shorts underneath and a warm top. I knew it was going to warm up once the sun came up. I kissed Brian goodbye since he had a bit of a hike back to his start line. I told him I would see him when I finish my first lap. And we were off!!!!
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS!!!!
It's good easy running for a bit but it wasn't long before we were climbing our first rocky nasty hill. Climb, climb, climb!!! Holy cow and these rocks!!! Running was hard to do and lots of power hiking was going on. I was having a hard time navigating the rocks but I felt I was doing okay. There were areas I could run. Not many people were talkative so things were a bit quiet. The first aid stations was called Nachos and you could hear it long before you got to it from the music. I didn't spend much time there and was on my way quickly to the next aid station. I was headed to Chapas!! I was able to run a bit more. It was a beautiful sunny day and the sunrise was spectacular and so were the views when I was on top of the hills. I got to Chapas and decided I would get rid of the windpants and heavy shirt. Ahh... shorts!
FINALLY RUNNING IN SHORTS
I was back on the trail and on my way to the cross roads aid station. There was lots of running time here and I was able to stretch the legs out a bit and get a rhythm. The morning seemed to go by rather quickly. On my way to cross roads I was starting to feel a bit more confident about running on the rocks but that changed abruptly when I took a nasty hard fall skidding down a hill on a pile of rocks! Wow! That rung my bell, I got up and assessed myself. Okay, some nicely skuffed up hands with blood running down them but everything else was okay. A guy happened to come around the corner and saw me. He asked if I had fallen and I replied, yep and I was fine. He told me the next aid station wasn't too far ahead. Okay back up and on my way!!! As I was running I noticed that I broke a nail! Oh drats! Not like I care but, for some reason I found it funny. As I cruised into cross roads it was time for more grilled cheese and coke. Just as I was getting ready to get back on the trail an aid station worker came up to me and said how ya doing Michigan? I replied Awesome! But how did he know I was from Michigan?? I didn't ask and will never know but I was well on my way. As I was eating and going down the trail another guy came up beside me and we chatted about the day. I was now running with him. He asked if I was doing the 100 and I said yes. He told me not to tag onto him. He was doing the 50k. So I took his advice and fell back. As he left he also warned me about two up coming tough hills. I thanked him and was on my way. I had been running happy and confident, the only thing that was bothering me a bit was the fact that at the pre race meeting we were told we would not see any of the 25 or 50k people unless we were front runners or the back of the pack. This made me think I was running rather slowly. After more hill climbs I made it back to cross roads with 10 miles left until I finish my first lap! I grabbed more food and hightailed it out of there! I was headed to last chance aid station!! I was still feeling great and was running more and more! WOW! More hills and these were some nasty rocky hills. But, I will say I was loving the hills and climbing them. Just before I came into last chance there was this awesome big climb. I made comments to people about how I couldn't wait to do this in the dark! Once I crested the top of the hill it was a severe downhill with more rocks! I was actually getting the hang of running thru the rocks and felt strong! As I pulled into Last Chance I knew I had 5 miles to go to finish the first lap. I grabbed two cheese quesidillas and headed back down the trail. I'm now feeling stronger and I'm totally charged up! Funny how I've already run 26++ miles and I'm feeling so strong! Before I knew it I was finishing my first lap. I had no idea what my time was because I chose to not wear a watch on purpose and just run. As I rounded the corner I looked at the time clock and saw that my lap time was 6 hours and 40 mins. Holy Crap!! Are you serious??? That is only 3 mins longer than my 50k pr time!!!! I was not pushing the pace and I actually thought I was running slow. This was the aid station that Brian was supposed to meet me. I looked around and he wasn't there. Where was he? Did he finish his race, was he napping in the camper, did he get hurt??? The only thing I did know was that I finished my first lap an hour faster than what I had planned. I grabbed food and a coke. I decided I only had so much daylight to work with and wanted to get as much running in when I could see that I could. I decided to head back down the trail.
ONE MORE LAP AND THIS IS WHERE THINGS GET EXCITING!
I already did this once and so I already knew what I had in front of me. Lots of hills and big rocks! The only difference when I started my second lap was that there were hardly any people near me. I was excited because I was way ahead of what I had planned but it was also in the back of my head about Brian. I reassured myself that he was okay and I would see him at Nachos aid station. I had my mp3 player going and was cruising along with the music and I was happy! But before I got to Nachos my mp3 player decided to die. Great! So I put it away and made the best of it. As I cruised into Nachos I was looking for Brian but he was nowhere! Now, I'm really getting worried about him. But, I can't think about that right now and I tell myself that he fell asleep. I did tell him before we started not to worry about me, I would be fine. As I grab food and head back down the trail I was still in good spirits and still just cruising along. I had to make up music in my head. There were times out there when I wouldn't see anyone for a really long time so coming into an aid station was nice! As I rolled into Chapas Ahhh..... there he is! Thank goodness! Brian! and who's that with him??? He had Scout with him. She was so happy to see her mama! I looked at her and said you aren't supposed to be here. The aid station workers set me straight and told us how they just loved her! While my backpack was being filled they asked what they could get me. I said whatcha got to eat. The normal pbj, grilled cheese, cheese quesidilla all of these I said no to along with the soup. But then someone piped up hey we've got hamburgers! I said really??? Do you have ketchup and mustard?? She said absolutely! I'll take that! She got them ready for me and Brian asked if I wanted warmer clothes since the sun was going down and it was cooling off. I said no I'm fine and remember boasting I'm from Michigan! As I began eating the burgers another guy came up to me and said those are buffalo burgers. I said all the better! He was just kidding. So I was headed back down the trail after I gave Brian a list of things to bring to the next aid station. One being a fully charged mp3 player for me.
COOOOOLLLLLLDDDDDDD!!!!! BRRRRRRR!!!!!
Heading out I was okay but I made a huge mistake! I had slowed to a walk for most of this section. I didn't understand what was going on. I looked at my hands and they were bright red! I tucked them inside my long sleeve shirt. What I didn't know was why was I feeling so low and walking seemed like that was all I could do at the moment. I ended up walking most of this section, which I should have been running it! It seemed as if it took forever to get to the next aid station!! When I did get there I was shivering and a bit dizzy. Dizzy enough that I leaned into Brian as I came in. This alerted the aid station captain and I knew I was being watched!!! Brian said lets get you into some warmer clothes. Okay this pit stop was rather long! I changed out of my shorts and into some tights. That was a trip in itself. I was unstable and trying to get the tights on. So bare butted outside I'm changing. I finally got them on put on a couple of shirts and we went back inside the tent to get food. I was warned that I need to drink more and I was made to take a salt cap while there. I was all set more grilled cheese, one in each hand, a half of almond joy and another cup of Coke and I was headed down the trail. Oh yeah, don't forget a new fully charged mp3 player. Okay I ate while walking and once my food was gone I concentrated on getting warm. As I warmed up the life was slowly coming back. Plus, on top of it all it is now dark and I'm all alone! Shadows will play alot of mind games with you especially when you're alone and tired. There were some big sticks on the ground from the cactus and the first time saw one I thought it was a big snake! I freaked out but then I'm telling myself its way too cold for snakes to be out. It took a little while but I did get over it! The really cool part was I saw the most spectacular sunset while on on of the big hills. The other scary part was I looked way down at the bottom of the hill to see a tiny aid station!!! That's where I'm headed! I knew going in the dark was going to be slower, that's why I busted my butt earlier in the day. As I came back into the aid station Brian was hiking backwards of the trail looking for me. Only I was just finishing. He was surprised to see me. His comment was you look 100% better! And I was smiling again! As I went into the aid station I was telling him about my earlier low and how I thought about quitting only to know in my head that I wouldn't do that. His comment was you only have 10 more miles to go!!! And I didn't drive all the way down here to Texas for you to quit! I knew that! I was in and out of the aid station. I knew this next part had alot of cruising I could do in the dark! My power was back and I was taking full advantage of it. Climbing the hills and hopping over rocks once again. Plus, the music really helped!!!! Before getting to the last aid station I had the death defying hill climb and descent!!! But as I was climbing near the top of the hill I looked up at the sky! It was incredible and the stars were so beautiful! I felt as if I could reach out and touch them! The sky was so clear!!! I cruised into Last chance aid station knowing this is the last one before the finish line!!!! I really think that helped pump me up!
LAST CHANCE AID STATION!
I got there and Brian was waiting for me there. I didn't want to waste alot of time there because I only had 5 miles to go! I got my final cheese quesidilla and one last coke. One of the things they had there was a fifth of bourbon. I looked at it, tempted to drink a shot but then quickly dismissed it knowing that if I even sniffed the cap I would be loaded! I told Brian see you at the finish line!!! I started on my way only to be told turn right!!!! I was going straight. If I went straight I could be at the finish line in less than a 1/2 mile! But, they all set me on the right course and I had to go 5 more miles! But I really wanted the short cut!!!! I was good, I choked down that cheese quesidilla ( I don't want to see grilled cheese or cheese quesidillas for a long time) and was good to go! I was humming along more hills, more rocks! But, I was so revved up that I was passing people on my journey to the finish!!! I think I passed 5-6 people along the way. As I came down the final stretch I was still running a nice pace. I came around the corner and saw the clock hmmm.... 15 hours and 7 mins! I was happy to be done and the race director was there. He congratulated me and handed me my belt buckle! I asked him if next time they could clear some of the rocks on the course. He did laugh!!!!! I really enjoyed this race. I think this race is one of my favorites now and ranks near the top!!
We walked back to the camper and relaxed. We got a few hours of sleep and then woke up to head home. As we left people were still out there running and finishing. Time to start focusing on the next big race!!!
This race has been on my radar for a while to do. So this past summer we decided that we would get some use out of the motorhome and visit Texas. Race week was very laid back and relaxing. I don't think I have ever been this relaxed before a race! I was confident and feeling ready to tackle this. When we arrived in Bandera one of the first things we did was visit the race site. We hiked a little bit of the trail just to get a feeling for what we had ahead of us. Oh boy! This was going to be fun!!! On Wednesday we met up with the Race director to see where we could park our motorhome on the race site. The race director was very friendly made us feel right at home.
THE DAY BEFORE THE RACE
Friday came and we checked out of the campground we were staying at. We packed up and moved the motorhome over to the race site. This was our first time camping without any hookups. Because of the unusual cold weather that had moved in the race director allowed us to run our generator so we had heat,water,electric and TV!!!We were steps from the start finish line, that was cool!!! Since we had time before the pre-race meeting I was able to get all of my drop bags packed and ready to go. Soon after that we were off to the pre race meeting. We picked up our numbers and listened to the last instructions for the race. I met up with my friend Dan who I ran with at the North Country 50 miler a year ago. I also met up with Dan Vega and had a chance to talk with him briefly. We left the meeting to go get our usual pre race dinner, pizza and salad. We took it back to the motorhome to eat and relax, Saturday would be a long day!!!!
RACE DAY!!!!!!!
I didn't sleep well that night but woke up to look at the clock. I thought we were late getting up! I woke Brian up only to find we had four clocks with four different times! We realized we had another hour to sleep, ahh.... When we did get up we were able to make breakfast, get dressed and stay relaxed! I happened to look at the outside temp. only to notice it was a whopping 6*!!!! Since it was so cold out our plan was to go check in and drop off my drop bags. We then headed back to the motorhome to stay warm and have a real bathroom to use. Minutes before the start we headed out to the start line. We had a real good laugh, the Texans were bundled up like it was below zero outside!!!! I only had windpants on with shorts underneath and a warm top. I knew it was going to warm up once the sun came up. I kissed Brian goodbye since he had a bit of a hike back to his start line. I told him I would see him when I finish my first lap. And we were off!!!!
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS!!!!
It's good easy running for a bit but it wasn't long before we were climbing our first rocky nasty hill. Climb, climb, climb!!! Holy cow and these rocks!!! Running was hard to do and lots of power hiking was going on. I was having a hard time navigating the rocks but I felt I was doing okay. There were areas I could run. Not many people were talkative so things were a bit quiet. The first aid stations was called Nachos and you could hear it long before you got to it from the music. I didn't spend much time there and was on my way quickly to the next aid station. I was headed to Chapas!! I was able to run a bit more. It was a beautiful sunny day and the sunrise was spectacular and so were the views when I was on top of the hills. I got to Chapas and decided I would get rid of the windpants and heavy shirt. Ahh... shorts!
FINALLY RUNNING IN SHORTS
I was back on the trail and on my way to the cross roads aid station. There was lots of running time here and I was able to stretch the legs out a bit and get a rhythm. The morning seemed to go by rather quickly. On my way to cross roads I was starting to feel a bit more confident about running on the rocks but that changed abruptly when I took a nasty hard fall skidding down a hill on a pile of rocks! Wow! That rung my bell, I got up and assessed myself. Okay, some nicely skuffed up hands with blood running down them but everything else was okay. A guy happened to come around the corner and saw me. He asked if I had fallen and I replied, yep and I was fine. He told me the next aid station wasn't too far ahead. Okay back up and on my way!!! As I was running I noticed that I broke a nail! Oh drats! Not like I care but, for some reason I found it funny. As I cruised into cross roads it was time for more grilled cheese and coke. Just as I was getting ready to get back on the trail an aid station worker came up to me and said how ya doing Michigan? I replied Awesome! But how did he know I was from Michigan?? I didn't ask and will never know but I was well on my way. As I was eating and going down the trail another guy came up beside me and we chatted about the day. I was now running with him. He asked if I was doing the 100 and I said yes. He told me not to tag onto him. He was doing the 50k. So I took his advice and fell back. As he left he also warned me about two up coming tough hills. I thanked him and was on my way. I had been running happy and confident, the only thing that was bothering me a bit was the fact that at the pre race meeting we were told we would not see any of the 25 or 50k people unless we were front runners or the back of the pack. This made me think I was running rather slowly. After more hill climbs I made it back to cross roads with 10 miles left until I finish my first lap! I grabbed more food and hightailed it out of there! I was headed to last chance aid station!! I was still feeling great and was running more and more! WOW! More hills and these were some nasty rocky hills. But, I will say I was loving the hills and climbing them. Just before I came into last chance there was this awesome big climb. I made comments to people about how I couldn't wait to do this in the dark! Once I crested the top of the hill it was a severe downhill with more rocks! I was actually getting the hang of running thru the rocks and felt strong! As I pulled into Last Chance I knew I had 5 miles to go to finish the first lap. I grabbed two cheese quesidillas and headed back down the trail. I'm now feeling stronger and I'm totally charged up! Funny how I've already run 26++ miles and I'm feeling so strong! Before I knew it I was finishing my first lap. I had no idea what my time was because I chose to not wear a watch on purpose and just run. As I rounded the corner I looked at the time clock and saw that my lap time was 6 hours and 40 mins. Holy Crap!! Are you serious??? That is only 3 mins longer than my 50k pr time!!!! I was not pushing the pace and I actually thought I was running slow. This was the aid station that Brian was supposed to meet me. I looked around and he wasn't there. Where was he? Did he finish his race, was he napping in the camper, did he get hurt??? The only thing I did know was that I finished my first lap an hour faster than what I had planned. I grabbed food and a coke. I decided I only had so much daylight to work with and wanted to get as much running in when I could see that I could. I decided to head back down the trail.
ONE MORE LAP AND THIS IS WHERE THINGS GET EXCITING!
I already did this once and so I already knew what I had in front of me. Lots of hills and big rocks! The only difference when I started my second lap was that there were hardly any people near me. I was excited because I was way ahead of what I had planned but it was also in the back of my head about Brian. I reassured myself that he was okay and I would see him at Nachos aid station. I had my mp3 player going and was cruising along with the music and I was happy! But before I got to Nachos my mp3 player decided to die. Great! So I put it away and made the best of it. As I cruised into Nachos I was looking for Brian but he was nowhere! Now, I'm really getting worried about him. But, I can't think about that right now and I tell myself that he fell asleep. I did tell him before we started not to worry about me, I would be fine. As I grab food and head back down the trail I was still in good spirits and still just cruising along. I had to make up music in my head. There were times out there when I wouldn't see anyone for a really long time so coming into an aid station was nice! As I rolled into Chapas Ahhh..... there he is! Thank goodness! Brian! and who's that with him??? He had Scout with him. She was so happy to see her mama! I looked at her and said you aren't supposed to be here. The aid station workers set me straight and told us how they just loved her! While my backpack was being filled they asked what they could get me. I said whatcha got to eat. The normal pbj, grilled cheese, cheese quesidilla all of these I said no to along with the soup. But then someone piped up hey we've got hamburgers! I said really??? Do you have ketchup and mustard?? She said absolutely! I'll take that! She got them ready for me and Brian asked if I wanted warmer clothes since the sun was going down and it was cooling off. I said no I'm fine and remember boasting I'm from Michigan! As I began eating the burgers another guy came up to me and said those are buffalo burgers. I said all the better! He was just kidding. So I was headed back down the trail after I gave Brian a list of things to bring to the next aid station. One being a fully charged mp3 player for me.
COOOOOLLLLLLDDDDDDD!!!!! BRRRRRRR!!!!!
Heading out I was okay but I made a huge mistake! I had slowed to a walk for most of this section. I didn't understand what was going on. I looked at my hands and they were bright red! I tucked them inside my long sleeve shirt. What I didn't know was why was I feeling so low and walking seemed like that was all I could do at the moment. I ended up walking most of this section, which I should have been running it! It seemed as if it took forever to get to the next aid station!! When I did get there I was shivering and a bit dizzy. Dizzy enough that I leaned into Brian as I came in. This alerted the aid station captain and I knew I was being watched!!! Brian said lets get you into some warmer clothes. Okay this pit stop was rather long! I changed out of my shorts and into some tights. That was a trip in itself. I was unstable and trying to get the tights on. So bare butted outside I'm changing. I finally got them on put on a couple of shirts and we went back inside the tent to get food. I was warned that I need to drink more and I was made to take a salt cap while there. I was all set more grilled cheese, one in each hand, a half of almond joy and another cup of Coke and I was headed down the trail. Oh yeah, don't forget a new fully charged mp3 player. Okay I ate while walking and once my food was gone I concentrated on getting warm. As I warmed up the life was slowly coming back. Plus, on top of it all it is now dark and I'm all alone! Shadows will play alot of mind games with you especially when you're alone and tired. There were some big sticks on the ground from the cactus and the first time saw one I thought it was a big snake! I freaked out but then I'm telling myself its way too cold for snakes to be out. It took a little while but I did get over it! The really cool part was I saw the most spectacular sunset while on on of the big hills. The other scary part was I looked way down at the bottom of the hill to see a tiny aid station!!! That's where I'm headed! I knew going in the dark was going to be slower, that's why I busted my butt earlier in the day. As I came back into the aid station Brian was hiking backwards of the trail looking for me. Only I was just finishing. He was surprised to see me. His comment was you look 100% better! And I was smiling again! As I went into the aid station I was telling him about my earlier low and how I thought about quitting only to know in my head that I wouldn't do that. His comment was you only have 10 more miles to go!!! And I didn't drive all the way down here to Texas for you to quit! I knew that! I was in and out of the aid station. I knew this next part had alot of cruising I could do in the dark! My power was back and I was taking full advantage of it. Climbing the hills and hopping over rocks once again. Plus, the music really helped!!!! Before getting to the last aid station I had the death defying hill climb and descent!!! But as I was climbing near the top of the hill I looked up at the sky! It was incredible and the stars were so beautiful! I felt as if I could reach out and touch them! The sky was so clear!!! I cruised into Last chance aid station knowing this is the last one before the finish line!!!! I really think that helped pump me up!
LAST CHANCE AID STATION!
I got there and Brian was waiting for me there. I didn't want to waste alot of time there because I only had 5 miles to go! I got my final cheese quesidilla and one last coke. One of the things they had there was a fifth of bourbon. I looked at it, tempted to drink a shot but then quickly dismissed it knowing that if I even sniffed the cap I would be loaded! I told Brian see you at the finish line!!! I started on my way only to be told turn right!!!! I was going straight. If I went straight I could be at the finish line in less than a 1/2 mile! But, they all set me on the right course and I had to go 5 more miles! But I really wanted the short cut!!!! I was good, I choked down that cheese quesidilla ( I don't want to see grilled cheese or cheese quesidillas for a long time) and was good to go! I was humming along more hills, more rocks! But, I was so revved up that I was passing people on my journey to the finish!!! I think I passed 5-6 people along the way. As I came down the final stretch I was still running a nice pace. I came around the corner and saw the clock hmmm.... 15 hours and 7 mins! I was happy to be done and the race director was there. He congratulated me and handed me my belt buckle! I asked him if next time they could clear some of the rocks on the course. He did laugh!!!!! I really enjoyed this race. I think this race is one of my favorites now and ranks near the top!!
We walked back to the camper and relaxed. We got a few hours of sleep and then woke up to head home. As we left people were still out there running and finishing. Time to start focusing on the next big race!!!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Oil Creek 50 miler, October 10th 2009
Gnarly, Unforgiving and Historic!!!!
We're back from Oil Creek!!! I'm still a little sore but as the days go by it is getting better. I'm taking a little extra time before putting my running shoes back on. Okay, race synopsis …. It rained for a couple of days before the race and it rained all Friday night. We got up race morning at 3:30 a.m. and headed to the start finish line. The start finish was at a middle school where the accommodations were perfect! We were able to stay in the school right up until just minutes before we were told to go. It was dark and lightly raining for the beginning of the race. At 5:00 Matt began his journey on his 100 mile race! Then it was back in the school to stay warm and dry until 6:00 a.m.!
Time to get this show on the road!!!
The time flew by and before I knew it I was toeing the start line! We had a 3.50 mile run on pavement to get to the trail head. I felt good and tried to hold the pace back. Nobody was very chatty and it was pretty quiet. Once I got to the trail head I was caught up in a large group of people so the climb up was a bit harder than it should have been. I was sucking wind at one point but concentrating on keeping my feet under me and looking for rocks. As soon as I could I stepped aside to let a few people go by. There were also trees down on the course from a wind storm a few days before the race. I was keeping an eye on the trail but, happened to look up just in time for a tree that was at head level for me and ducked down at the last minute! Whew! About 8 miles into my run a guy following me started talking. At first I was enjoying a conversation with somebody!!! But, it didn't take long for him to start annoying me!! Grr.. I came into the first aid station and it was entertaining! They had a Halloween theme with these awesome carved pumpkins lit along the trail. I got in and out of that aid station quickly, knowing that I had a big switchback climb! During this climb the aid station workers had tombstones up! They were fun to read and took my mind off of what I was doing.
Onto the next Aid Station!!!
I was able to finally turn my headlamp off and enjoy the daylight. I knew this section well and cruised along running towards the derricks. Before I knew it I was cruising into the next aid station and the first 50k runner was catching me. As I arrived at the aid station these people really knew what they were doing!!! They grabbed my backpack and refilled it for me, got my drop bag out for me and grabbed things I wanted. I grabbed a couple of things to eat and got out of there fast! I had another big climb ahead.
Over the river!!!
I took off and with food in hand (my turkey sandwich). Once I was climbing I put my headphones on to find out my I-Pod wasn't working!! Grr... I was at a low point and I was only at 14 miles! So I put the I-Pod away and settled in. We had some out and backs to make up mileage that the 50k and 100 milers didn't have. The first out and back was lonely with no one around!! I came into the next section which was a loop. I turned a corner to find a huge uphill climb!! I got through it but, was surprised with a third out and back thrown in that was not discussed (or I didn't hear it). At this point I had hooked up with another runner and we began chatting. We were a great match!!! We worked together and finally ditched the annoying guy!! This next section seemed to take forever. We had a lot of long hill climbs that kicked my butt! There were also many bridges that were also treacherous!! After almost falling on my ass I decided all bridge crossings would be walked over! The mud was slick! I had areas that I wanted to run but the rocks were holding me back. When I came into the school aid station it was mile 35, I was starving and grabbed a hot BBQ beef sandwich, chips and Mt. Dew. I spent a little longer in the aid station than I should have (Maybe 5 mins), but then, set out to finish the last 15 miles.
Getting there
The last section was tough and the climbs seemed endless! We had a 1.5 mile run back to the trail head on the bike path. Upon getting to the trail head another guy that had been running near me all day was walking back towards me. I thought something was wrong. He informed me that he thought he was on the wrong trail and was coming back. I told him I knew where I was going and he could follow along. The first 7.5 miles seemed to go by quickly and before I knew it I was back at the Halloween aid station. I had a grilled cheese sandwich there and my plan was to cruise through the next aid station, since all I had to do was cross the river to get to it.
Homeward Bound!!!!!
As I crossed the river I could see my friends were there waiting for me. They were going to pace me for the last 7.5 miles but, noticed I looked good and seemed happy. I asked as I came in what time Brian had been through there since I was looking forward to passing him on the homeward bound leg!!! They told me he had already been through and should be finishing at any minute. You don’t want to know what my choice words were, not once but several times!!!! I was actually happy for him, knowing that he was accomplishing a big goal! But, I was also disappointed knowing that I wouldn’t see him until I finished. I started the homeward bound section with another huge hill climb past a cemetery. It was an effort to climb these big hills and my hamstrings were letting me know it! Just before getting off the trail I had a long downhill, which was fun! Getting off the trail I knew the last 1.5 mile homestretch was in sight and I was anxious to get to the finish. The bike path seemed like it took forever but, soon I was rounding the corner and heading toward that finish line! As I got closer I could see Brian and he was yelling for me to move my butt a little faster! The pedal was all the way down and I was giving it all the gas I had, which was nothing. I crossed the finish and gave Brian a big huge hug!!!! After standing for a few minutes Brian went over and got my finishers buckle for me since the race director was not at the finish. We went inside the school where I was able to get warm and get something to eat. As I was eating about 20 minutes later the guy that was struggling crossed the finish line. I was happy to see he made it!
Let the post race celebration begin!!!
I will say, Brian is not letting me forget that he beat me to the finish line! It’s all in good fun! We both will be running again in Texas!
We're back from Oil Creek!!! I'm still a little sore but as the days go by it is getting better. I'm taking a little extra time before putting my running shoes back on. Okay, race synopsis …. It rained for a couple of days before the race and it rained all Friday night. We got up race morning at 3:30 a.m. and headed to the start finish line. The start finish was at a middle school where the accommodations were perfect! We were able to stay in the school right up until just minutes before we were told to go. It was dark and lightly raining for the beginning of the race. At 5:00 Matt began his journey on his 100 mile race! Then it was back in the school to stay warm and dry until 6:00 a.m.!
Time to get this show on the road!!!
The time flew by and before I knew it I was toeing the start line! We had a 3.50 mile run on pavement to get to the trail head. I felt good and tried to hold the pace back. Nobody was very chatty and it was pretty quiet. Once I got to the trail head I was caught up in a large group of people so the climb up was a bit harder than it should have been. I was sucking wind at one point but concentrating on keeping my feet under me and looking for rocks. As soon as I could I stepped aside to let a few people go by. There were also trees down on the course from a wind storm a few days before the race. I was keeping an eye on the trail but, happened to look up just in time for a tree that was at head level for me and ducked down at the last minute! Whew! About 8 miles into my run a guy following me started talking. At first I was enjoying a conversation with somebody!!! But, it didn't take long for him to start annoying me!! Grr.. I came into the first aid station and it was entertaining! They had a Halloween theme with these awesome carved pumpkins lit along the trail. I got in and out of that aid station quickly, knowing that I had a big switchback climb! During this climb the aid station workers had tombstones up! They were fun to read and took my mind off of what I was doing.
Onto the next Aid Station!!!
I was able to finally turn my headlamp off and enjoy the daylight. I knew this section well and cruised along running towards the derricks. Before I knew it I was cruising into the next aid station and the first 50k runner was catching me. As I arrived at the aid station these people really knew what they were doing!!! They grabbed my backpack and refilled it for me, got my drop bag out for me and grabbed things I wanted. I grabbed a couple of things to eat and got out of there fast! I had another big climb ahead.
Over the river!!!
I took off and with food in hand (my turkey sandwich). Once I was climbing I put my headphones on to find out my I-Pod wasn't working!! Grr... I was at a low point and I was only at 14 miles! So I put the I-Pod away and settled in. We had some out and backs to make up mileage that the 50k and 100 milers didn't have. The first out and back was lonely with no one around!! I came into the next section which was a loop. I turned a corner to find a huge uphill climb!! I got through it but, was surprised with a third out and back thrown in that was not discussed (or I didn't hear it). At this point I had hooked up with another runner and we began chatting. We were a great match!!! We worked together and finally ditched the annoying guy!! This next section seemed to take forever. We had a lot of long hill climbs that kicked my butt! There were also many bridges that were also treacherous!! After almost falling on my ass I decided all bridge crossings would be walked over! The mud was slick! I had areas that I wanted to run but the rocks were holding me back. When I came into the school aid station it was mile 35, I was starving and grabbed a hot BBQ beef sandwich, chips and Mt. Dew. I spent a little longer in the aid station than I should have (Maybe 5 mins), but then, set out to finish the last 15 miles.
Getting there
The last section was tough and the climbs seemed endless! We had a 1.5 mile run back to the trail head on the bike path. Upon getting to the trail head another guy that had been running near me all day was walking back towards me. I thought something was wrong. He informed me that he thought he was on the wrong trail and was coming back. I told him I knew where I was going and he could follow along. The first 7.5 miles seemed to go by quickly and before I knew it I was back at the Halloween aid station. I had a grilled cheese sandwich there and my plan was to cruise through the next aid station, since all I had to do was cross the river to get to it.
Homeward Bound!!!!!
As I crossed the river I could see my friends were there waiting for me. They were going to pace me for the last 7.5 miles but, noticed I looked good and seemed happy. I asked as I came in what time Brian had been through there since I was looking forward to passing him on the homeward bound leg!!! They told me he had already been through and should be finishing at any minute. You don’t want to know what my choice words were, not once but several times!!!! I was actually happy for him, knowing that he was accomplishing a big goal! But, I was also disappointed knowing that I wouldn’t see him until I finished. I started the homeward bound section with another huge hill climb past a cemetery. It was an effort to climb these big hills and my hamstrings were letting me know it! Just before getting off the trail I had a long downhill, which was fun! Getting off the trail I knew the last 1.5 mile homestretch was in sight and I was anxious to get to the finish. The bike path seemed like it took forever but, soon I was rounding the corner and heading toward that finish line! As I got closer I could see Brian and he was yelling for me to move my butt a little faster! The pedal was all the way down and I was giving it all the gas I had, which was nothing. I crossed the finish and gave Brian a big huge hug!!!! After standing for a few minutes Brian went over and got my finishers buckle for me since the race director was not at the finish. We went inside the school where I was able to get warm and get something to eat. As I was eating about 20 minutes later the guy that was struggling crossed the finish line. I was happy to see he made it!
Let the post race celebration begin!!!
I will say, Brian is not letting me forget that he beat me to the finish line! It’s all in good fun! We both will be running again in Texas!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Onward and upward!!!!
Well, it's time to start looking forward to the next adventure!!I have a very busy couple of months coming up. I will be trying to balance family, work and getting my training in.
August is full of long training runs. The longest being a 7 hour trail run!! But, I also have weekends where I'm on the trails both Saturday and Sunday for 3 hours each day!!! Whew! By Sunday night I'll be stretched out on the couch resting my legs.
September is when things start getting fired up! Football season is here and we have to squeeze home games in with everything else. September 12th I have Dances with Dirt 50k in Hell. I look forward to this run and my mom will be there! She looks forward to this every year, it's the closest race that she can make it to. September 17-22 we will be camping near Oil Creek State Park in PA. I am really looking forward to this since we haven't been able to camp all summer. We are going here to check out the race course for October when I will be doing my last 50 mile race of the year. We return in time for me to pace my friend Paul running a 100 miler.
October rounds out with the Oil Creek 50 miler, I'm hoping to run strong and smash 10:30! I have been training hard for this and hoping it all pays off. Lastly, October 22 is a big day for our daughter Cara! My baby will turn 16, where has the time gone?
August is full of long training runs. The longest being a 7 hour trail run!! But, I also have weekends where I'm on the trails both Saturday and Sunday for 3 hours each day!!! Whew! By Sunday night I'll be stretched out on the couch resting my legs.
September is when things start getting fired up! Football season is here and we have to squeeze home games in with everything else. September 12th I have Dances with Dirt 50k in Hell. I look forward to this run and my mom will be there! She looks forward to this every year, it's the closest race that she can make it to. September 17-22 we will be camping near Oil Creek State Park in PA. I am really looking forward to this since we haven't been able to camp all summer. We are going here to check out the race course for October when I will be doing my last 50 mile race of the year. We return in time for me to pace my friend Paul running a 100 miler.
October rounds out with the Oil Creek 50 miler, I'm hoping to run strong and smash 10:30! I have been training hard for this and hoping it all pays off. Lastly, October 22 is a big day for our daughter Cara! My baby will turn 16, where has the time gone?
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
MOHICAN 100 WHAT AN ADVENTURE ALL THE WAY TO THE END!!!
Well, the weekend is here and gone. I have to start from the beginning so that you can get a feel for everything that happened leading up to and after the race. The action was non-stop and I'm sure down the road I will laugh about all of this but, not right now.
GETTING THERE WAS ONLY HALF THE FUN!
Friday morning arrived and I was ready to go! Everything was packed in the motor home and all we had to do was jump in. Cara will tell you it all started when we went out for doughnuts and I saw a penny on the ground. Of course it was heads up and I picked it up! Knowing that good luck will be had. The plan was to pick up Matt and Jimmy and Matt' s boys they would ride down with us and Julie would arrive down there later. Everyone was picked up and we were on our way, I was excited! Lunch plans were made to stop in Dundee and get Applebee's. We made it to Findley before Brian had asked me to find a rest area. I looked on the map, no rest areas for a long way! I asked why and Brian said a light was on and he needed to figure out what was going on. We ended up stopping on an exit ramp. Diagnositics were being done and nothing was found. When the RV was put into drive it no longer moved forward. Time for a pow wow to discuss the next move. While we were discussing this a state trooper knocked on the door to tell us we could not have lunch here. After explaining what was going on he gave us a number for the post and they found a tow truck for us.
While waiting for a tow truck the decision was made that Matt, Jimmy, Matt's boys and I would continue to Mohican in my car that was being towed by the motorhome. We grabbed everything we thought we would absolutely have to have for the race! My car was packed to capacity.
We jumped in, I kissed Brian goodbye and away we went with Matt behind the wheel. After about an hour and a half Matt says nothing looks familiar to him. This led to the discovery that we were officially lost! We got out to get directions only to find we are somewhere near Columbus! Way south of where we need to be. We did finally make it to the race to pick up our numbers and drop off our drop bags. Craig was there waiting for my arrival. We ate the pasta dinner and left to find a room for the night. Julie had made reservations at the Mohican Lodge. We arrived there only to find it was $230.00 a night! Yikes and it was way out of the way from the race. After a short discussion I found a Chuckwagon that would sleep 16 people for a more reasonable price. We did have a laugh about staying in a chuckwagon! The accomodations were fine and we may even consider it for future Mohicans! We finally climbed into bed by 11:00p.m. knowing that we had to be up by 3:30 a.m.
RACE DAY!
Race day came with warm temps and lots of humidity! The air was so humid you could see the wetness in the air. Julie drove us to the start line and saw us off! Once we began the journey it was an easy jog thru the campground and up to the road to begin the first of many climbs. THe morning was easy and the first 10 miles were spent chatting and getting used to the heat and humidity! Within the first 10 miles I was soaked from sweating! We arrived at Rock Point and would begin the journey on the trails!! Yes! People were starting to spread out now but, it was still crowded. The red trail was greasy, wet, muddy and there was no avoiding it! It was amazing that I was able to keep upright! The next check point was called South Park, I still pretty much sailed thru here just grabbing water and a PBJ sandwich and I was back on the trail.
The morning was pretty much uneventful. I kept trying to hold back the pace and remembering all the advice that was given to me from friends. When I arrived at Fire Tower Craigs wife Pam was there and I was able to exchange out hydration packs with her. I had a 2 mile downhill run to get to the Covered Bridge, this went by rather quickly and before I knew it I was there and headed for the purple loop! This is my favorite part of the whole race. Alot of people got lost on this trail and had trouble navigating their way around because the rains had washed away the lime markings on the trail. I had no problems and made it thru.
Arriving back at Covered bridge and grabbing more water since I was craving ice cold water. I saw that Brian was up and was there!! I told Craig that Brian was there and he went over to introduce himself to him only to see he was talking to the wrong person! I said NO, he's over here!! That gave me a big laugh!!! Brian asked how things were going and I said good. He saw me off and I knew he'd be waiting at the Grist Mill for me. This is where I really started having fun! NOT! My stomach was starting to act up and I felt as if I was going to be sick.
On my way to Grist Mill I ran out of GU and Gatorade about a mile to 1 1/2 miles out. All I wanted was a drink of water! I heard of others running into the same problem. I got to Grist Mill and sat at a picnic table trying to get a glass of water down but, my stomach was not happy! As I sat there someone came up to me asking if I would like a ice cold bottle of Ensure. I have never tried this but he was pretty convincing saying it was loaded with calories and good for me. Okay, I took one swig and was headed for the grass. My stomach had had enough! I was throwing up and my abs cramped. I got done and knew I had enough time to let things calm down. I sat at this check point for about a 1/2 hour and yes, I did get the ensure down. Craig had waited for me and I said it was time to get moving. He was right there with me! But, I think I only made it a mile before I told him to go on without me and I took care of business. This is where I did the rest of the race alone.
I was on the yellow trail headed back to covered bridge and the river crossing. I power hiked a good portion of this section. Once I arrived at the river crossing I knew the cool water would feel good! This river is hard to negotiate with big rocks on the bottom. Yep, I went down and got totally soaked! I will say it felt really good!
Lots of lonely miles ahead!!!
I grabbed some food and was quickly headed to the red trail! I know this is a tough section and it's a 2 mile climb all uphill to the next check point. As I power hiked along I chatted with a young guy, he was asking me if there were bears here. I could have played this up soooo good but I didn't want to scare him and told him he has nothing to worry about. No bears! After what seemed like forever climbing the hill I notice a 10 time Mohican finisher behind me. I asked him how much further we had to go. You would think he would know by heart but his reply was let me get my map out! I laughed at this response. We chatted briefly but, I was out power hiking him and continued on my way. I was hitting another low and saw I was still climbing! I really wanted my dog with me or at least my I-pod, I had neither. I looked up and saw Brian at the top of the hill! Yeah! He was glad he didn't have to go any further also! I said how much further to the next check point. Brian's reply was about 20 mins. Okay, let's go! I was walking pretty fast and have gotten efficient at this. His comment after a few minutes was holy cow, you can walk fast! Yes, I can! We talked and walked it in.
He got my pack ready while I changed clothes and shoes. I also got the biggest turkey sandwich here. I got back on the trail headed for Rock Point and the halfway mark of the race! Woo Hoo! Before getting there I had three river crossings. This was also the area last year I got caught in the storm! No storm this year just lots of heat. I went by the cemetery and looked down on the ground to see a huge snake! Good thing it was dead because I would have freaked! I felt good again and was able to run a bit of the trail. I guess more than I thought because I came into Rock Point right behind Brian! He was surprised to see me come in so early and looking good! I sat down to make some more adjustments and I had some potato soup (probably the best on the course!) and I was off to Fire Tower and meet my pacer.
I was feeling okay and came into the check point before Fire Tower happy! I yelled my number so they could check me off and the guy says I didn't ask for your weight, I need your number! I could have kissed him! I smiled and they said I looked good. I said at least I didn't come in crying like I did last year! I grabbed some things and got out of there headed for my pacer, Julie!! I was ready for some company and someone I could talk to.
Now, the work begins and it's getting harder!
I made it to Fire Tower in plenty of time before dark and was able to grab my headlamp. I sat in a chair just relaxing for a minute. I was asked what I wanted and I wasn't sure. Julie asked if I wanted pizza and I said sure there it was a slice of pizza, it wasn't really hitting the spot and so Brian asked if I wanted a cheeseburger. I tried that and got more of that eaten. I just wanted to sit!!! I didn't seem like long before Julie was pressing on me to get moving. We got up and walked out of the check point. She asked how things were going and I was close to tears! but, the walking helped and before I knew it I was back to myself and we were chatting it up! We made it to the covered bridge and I knew one more time thru here and I would be on my way to the finish! It was so dark!!! We had a long hill to climb again and once we reached the top I got a second wind and was able to run again. Almost all the way to the next check point!
On our way we did something special that we do every time Julie and I run Mohican together. We stop for a minute and turn all the lights off and look at the stars!! It's just so awesome! And it's almost an expected thing to do now. We arrive at the check point and I grab another sandwich and watermelon. Julie spots a new bag of peanut butter M & M's and opens them! I think if she could she would have taken the entire bag! Now we are headed for Grist Mill the place I dropped last year. My feet are sore and blistered and I'm hitting another low again but, I'm still moving forward.
Now it's tough!!!
We make it to grist mill and I sit down once again! Only this time I have my head in my hands really having to think about getting up to continue one again! Brian gets me some Potato soup to eat, it's okay just not as good as Rock Points was. My feet really hurt and even the slightest touch hurts. Brian decides maybe to help get me going again he duct tapes my feet for protection. Brian knows, Julie knows and even though I'm not thinking clearly I know I cannot drop here, I have to keep moving! Julie grabs my arm and says come on, we're going for a walk. She promises me that if I can't make the first mile then I can drop but I NEED to get out of that aid station! We start walking and Brian is very concerned and tells Julie he is going to drive to the mountain biking parking area. She says okay and we are on our way! It's painful at first but once I get my feet moving I can keep them going. Somehow we get on the subject of childbirth. I am preoccupied and not even thinking about what I'm doing. Thanks Julie! Brian is waiting for us and asks Julie how I'm doing, Julie says she's fine meet us at the covered bridge.
He takes off and we get on the scary yellow trail. This is the same trail that Julie freaked out on when she ran he 100 miler he a couple of years ago. We both were looking for rodents, snakes and trying not to fall into the river. None of that happened!!!Once we got off the technical part of the yellow trail we had to go thru a campground and a parking lot. I was hurting but, made mention that I wasn't wasn't sleepy tired at all! Once we made it to the parking lot and I saw Brian's truck I pretty much threw in the towel. Had the truck not been there I would have felt pressured to keep going since I was stuck! I went to the aid station captain and told him I was dropping. He told me to wait before I tore my tag off. He asked once again, are you sure you want to drop? I said yes, and tore my tag off, handed it to him and we climbed into the truck at around 4:00 a.m.
After picking Matt up at the finish line we all headed for the chuck wagon to get some sleep.
We all fell asleep just as the sun was coming up. I didn't sleep very well, my legs and feet were very tender. I did get a couple hours of sleep before we all were up and packing the cars for the long ride home. Once everything was packed we headed to the finish line, Matt got his finishers buckle and I had my feet tended to by the podiatrists.
HEADED HOME!!
The ride home was somewhat uneventful. Brian drove his truck while Cara drove my car. I was sleeping off and on the whole way home. I did wake up a couple of times to eat but, was fast asleep soon after. We arrived home, tired and worn out. So relaxation was on the schedule for the rest of the day. That is until Cara went to the basement for something. We heard her say "Dad, there's water in the basement". You don't want to know what Brian muttered!!! We are hoping that this is the end of our bad luck. I woke up on Monday only to find every muscle in my body had froze up and my feet tender. By Wednesday I was feeling better and by Thursday I had a pair of running shoes on and was back out and walking!! And thinking about the next adventure in store for me!!!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
IT'S RACE WEEK!!!!!
Well.... Here it is, race week! I am down to the final stretch. On Saturday while most of you are still all snuggled down in your beds I will be be up and toeing the start line with Craig to begin our incredible adventure!
My feelings right now are excitement and anticipation but, I also feel prepared, confident and relaxed.
Saturday's final last long 2 hour run was spent reflecting on what I have learned over the past year with the support of friends, family and co-workers. I'm so lucky to have Brian fully supporting my habit! He is ALWAYS at the checkpoints ready to get me whatever I need. YES, I am spoiled and I know it! Matt was the one who told me I needed to give ultras a try. After Pacing him at Mohican 4 years ago, I haven't left the trails. My mom is very supportive and loves to hear the stories after I get back, even if she hears them 10 times she loves listening. Andrew and Cara act as if mom's just at another race but, they always ask how the run went and call while I'm out there racing to check on my progress. I know deep down they do care!Dave and Paul have taught me so many invaluable lessons that I will use at Mohican. My co-workers have put up with me during taper time and tiring weeks of heavy training. But I also, have my coach, Paul DeWitt to thank! I began training under him at the very end of March. He took me on with events that I already had stacked up. His reply was I will have you ready. Because of him keeping tabs on my training and tweaking runs weekly I am ready. He has made me feel confident and relaxed!I can't wait to continue training under him! I know he has just scratched the surface on my abilities! Then there is Craig, an awesome friend that started out offering to pace me and now will be with me the entire way. I will be thinking of everyone on Saturday.
All I have left is some last minute packing and deciding what clothes I will be wearing. The weather looks good. At least we won't have to worry about SNOW!
Craig and I are going to have the time of our life! I can't wait to tell the story.... Stay tuned!
My feelings right now are excitement and anticipation but, I also feel prepared, confident and relaxed.
Saturday's final last long 2 hour run was spent reflecting on what I have learned over the past year with the support of friends, family and co-workers. I'm so lucky to have Brian fully supporting my habit! He is ALWAYS at the checkpoints ready to get me whatever I need. YES, I am spoiled and I know it! Matt was the one who told me I needed to give ultras a try. After Pacing him at Mohican 4 years ago, I haven't left the trails. My mom is very supportive and loves to hear the stories after I get back, even if she hears them 10 times she loves listening. Andrew and Cara act as if mom's just at another race but, they always ask how the run went and call while I'm out there racing to check on my progress. I know deep down they do care!Dave and Paul have taught me so many invaluable lessons that I will use at Mohican. My co-workers have put up with me during taper time and tiring weeks of heavy training. But I also, have my coach, Paul DeWitt to thank! I began training under him at the very end of March. He took me on with events that I already had stacked up. His reply was I will have you ready. Because of him keeping tabs on my training and tweaking runs weekly I am ready. He has made me feel confident and relaxed!I can't wait to continue training under him! I know he has just scratched the surface on my abilities! Then there is Craig, an awesome friend that started out offering to pace me and now will be with me the entire way. I will be thinking of everyone on Saturday.
All I have left is some last minute packing and deciding what clothes I will be wearing. The weather looks good. At least we won't have to worry about SNOW!
Craig and I are going to have the time of our life! I can't wait to tell the story.... Stay tuned!
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