Trail Time and Smiles

I've finally made my return to the trails! I'm so excited I can't contain myself. I am hopeful that this time the return is for good and I will keep this grin on my face forever! I've been having so much fun and all the sights seem brand new when you haven't seen them for ages! Since I take a lot of pictures on my runs I thought I'd share them. They serve a double purpose - they make me remember why I fought so hard all winter and never gave up (because I love the trails so much) and they also force me to slow down and not push myself too fast quite yet. And why not share them with my readers! :)

Hope you are all having fun - that's what this is all about, right?

Feed the Beast - A product review of Core Bars

Organic Raw Vegan Energy Bars that taste GREAT? Not a believer? Read on!

For those of you that know me, you know I’m passionate about eating well, eating clean and fueling my body with the right stuff.  I’m not perfect but I strive to improve all the time.  Yes, I think nutrition books are fun to read.  I’ve been reading nutrition books for fun for at least 20 years.  I firmly believe in quality nutrition as a pathway to good health and better athletic performances.  The body can do amazing things, but it cannot do them effectively unless you fuel it correctly. 

As my life and athletic endeavors keep me on the go more and more (two young boys, a full time job and ultra training will do that), I’ve sought quality nutrition that can keep up with my active lifestyle.  We’ve all seen the myriad of energy bars on the market, and I am no stranger to any of them.  If I haven’t tried it, I’ve read the label and considered trying it.  I’ve tried a lot.  While they all have different ingredients and a different claim to fame, they have one thing in common:  they aren’t perfect and leave me coming back searching again.  Usually on a sugar crash that leaves me thinking I’m hungry.   Almost all of them are filled with sweetener that lead to the sugar crash.  The more health conscious use agave as a sweetener and claim this is healthier because of the lower glycemic index of agave.  I know, real food is better, and I completely agree.  I’ve made my own bars and energy balls and I love them.  (See Recipe Below)  But they don’t exactly travel very well.  So you’re left with a conundrum – real food that isn’t very portable or convenience food that lacks real nutrition.  Well, I’m happy to report that I’ve found a solution.  They are called Core Bars. http://www.corefoods.com/   They use real food and make a bar that will leave your body and your conscience smiling.  No sugar crash and you really will feel satisfied for hours. 

First thing is first – what’s in these things? Check out this ingredient list.  Simple, pure, delicious.

Raw Almond Raisin (All Organic):  Whole Oats, Almonds, Raisins, Flax, Ground Spices.

Raw Walnut Banana (All Organic):  Whole Oats, Walnuts, Bananas, Raisins, Flax, Ground Spices.

Raw Cashew Cacao (All Organic):  Whole Oats, Cashews, Cacao, Raisins, Flax, Ground Spices.

Enviably simple, right?  And eating them isn't like eating cardboard.  It's like eating real food.  Stick with you, fill you up kind of food.  They aren't overly sweet, which I love.  You can actually SEE the ingredients in the bars.  So you know what you're eating.  I am thrilled to have found these bars... My confession?  I ordered a box of 10 in a variety of flavors and I gobbled them up in less than 10 days.  They are that good.  And I didn't feel the least bit guilty about eating them because of all the pure ingredients. 

Not only does Core make great bars, but they have a company structure that will leave you smiling as well.  This is the mission statement from their site:

1. We make only the healthiest, produce-based foods--no syrups, salts, flours, oils, or additives. "CORE Foods" are foods that you can count on to be the foundation of health.

2. We've created an innovative new not-for-profit business model that both out-competes traditional for-profit businesses and makes the world a better place. We do this by committing to 4 standards:

A. Not-for-profit: 100% of profit is reinvested in CORE and the community--not taken by shareholders.

B. All employees earn a living wage.

C. Executive salaries are capped at the industry average.

D. Environmental impact is calculated and held accountable. All carbon is reduced or offset.

More Questions?  Check out their FAQ page:   http://www.corefoods.com/pages/faq

________________________________________________________

As a Post Script - here is the recipe for Jen's Raw energy balls.  These pack a great punch and are awesome for stashing in your pack for a trail run.  Sweet and healthy!

1 C raw walnuts
1 C of raw cashews, sunflower seeds, pecans - mix it up, just make one cup total so you have 2 cups of nuts

Blend in a food processor until grainy

Add 2 C of pitted dates (I use medjool)
1/2 cup of raw rolled oats
a handful of organic raisins or dried cranberries
1-2 tsp of quality vanilla extract (depends how much you like vanilla)
1 tsp good cinnamon (more if you like cinnamon)
pinch of sea salt

Process until the dough comes together and all the fruit is mixed and incorporated.  Remove from the food processor and add about a cup of raisins to the dough and mix. 
Dough will be sticky but able to be formed into balls.  I usually eat it with a spoon! 

Joy

For the first time in 7 months I actually have joy in my "running" heart.  It's been a long time coming... but I finally feel like I am making my comeback.  It's been a long roller-coaster of finding what I thought was the answer and suffering yet another setback.  I went through 4 PT's - who each told me something different was the source of my Achilles pain.  But I found someone who actually helped me.  Found a legitimate issue that made sense for my body and its history.  Gave me a solution and, more importantly, hope.  I'd all but lost it before I saw the "leg whisperer" in early March.  But it's back, and "Beast" Jen is slowly emerging once again.  :) 

I know you're curious - the problem appears to stem from the fact that my injured leg is shorter than the other.  By a centimeter.  I wore corrective orthotics for about 20 years until a PT in November told me they were wrong for me.  But more importantly, ALL of my orthotics had a lift on the right side until about 18 months ago.  Somehow the lift got left off on a reorder and I never noticed it.  (yes, I'm a fool)  The sad part is that all of the PT's I've seen for this issue have checked my leg lengths and NOT ONE of them caught it.  The Leg Whisperer caught it immediately.  Once I got home from that initial visit where he found it, I pulled out my old orthotics and BAM there it was.  Of course my leg is going to complain - I took out the lift and it's shorter!  I am amazed it took 18 months to catch me.  The whole time I've been running trails and ultras - averaging probably 90 miles a week - and my leg just couldn't handle it anymore.  I'm not surprised! 

The lift has been restored.  And my leg and body are finding a happy place once again.  My calf is no longer in knots and I just FEEL more balanced.  Let's just say I won't make this mistake again. 

Although the injury road has been long - it has brought many positive things. 
1.  I know my weak spots now.  I know all the corrective and strength exercises I need to do to be stronger, better and faster.  And I'm doing them. 

2.  I've learned to enjoy the pool and other forms of cross training.  Almost 300 hours of running in the pool will do that.  And my arms are ripped. 

3.  I'm humbled.  I never took things for granted before but I really won't now.  Seize the day.  (see the rest of my story below)

4.  To borrow from Phil Liggett - my suitcase of courage is enormous.  I've always known I'm one tough cookie.  But this injury has shown me that I have reserves I never knew I even had.  Things just got worse and worse there for months - and there's nothing worse than watching your passion slip away while you feel powerless against it.  I rallied every time and I followed my heart - I knew the answer was out there somewhere.  In a way, I've been running an ultra for 7 months.  I'm going to draw on this for every race to come and you can bet I won't ever give up. 

5.  Sometimes in life you meet unexpected people who have a big impact on your life.  The Leg Whisperer is one of those people.  I have enormous respect for this guy and  in awe of his skills.  He has helped me not only get hope back again but also get excited about how much better I can be.  From our first meeting I've felt like I was supposed to meet him - for a lot of reasons, but mainly because I was ready to accept his advice and his ideas.  (this goes beyond the fact that I needed to add the lift back in my shoe)  I'm excited to say that he's going to be my coach!  I've been considering a coach for a while but I didn't want just any coach (I didn't think I could listen to someone who'd never met me in person) and I think it was the idea of a coach that I liked more than anything (you know, someone to remove that guilt so you don't have to run as far as you think you should).  But after I met Tim I just knew, it's not the idea of a coach - it's actually him.  I'm very excited about where this will lead and what I can learn! 

All that leads into the good part - the return to the trails!  I decided to celebrate my birthday today by a return to the trails.  I've been testing my leg on short trail runs on trails right by my house - but it's not the same as going to the forest where I used to train all the time.  Well, what better birthday present to myself?  So I went today.  And it was better than I imagined.  Sure, I can't run far and I can't run fast yet - but it's a start.  And a damn fun one it was.  I got muddy, I got wet, I peed in the woods... I had a freaking fantastic time.  I didn't see a single person (just some deer)... and I've had a grin on my face all day.  I savored every moment, every step felt awesome.  I wanted to take pictures of everything - it felt like I was seeing things for the first time again.  I know I'm a cheeseball, but I honestly love it. 

Here's hoping the injury is finally in the rear view mirror!

Here are some pictures from my day - Thank you all for the birthday wishes! 

I'd give you the shirt off my back...

Recently I was selected to be an Ambassador for Ink N Burn – a totally rad athletic clothing company out of California.  www.inknburn.com  I feel a deep connection to this company that continues to grow every day.  And I couldn’t be happier to be supporting and promoting them. 

The way I found Ink N Burn was during my quest for the best running skirt.  It’s pretty funny – if you ask any of my friends they will tell you I’m not a “girlie” girl.  I don’t wear makeup or get dressed up unless I’m forced to.  (another reason I feel like I belong in the PNW…)  But now that I have 2 young boys in my house I’m completely outnumbered by boys (3 to 1 counting my husband).  Somehow that’s turned me into a girl who wears skirts to run.  When I put on my first running skirt and did a long training run I knew I’d never go back.  Sure, I wear shorts too, but I always race in a skirt now and I do most of my training runs in skirts.  But it seemed I couldn’t find the RIGHT skirt.  They were either too baggy and unflattering or too fitted and bunched up.  Both are not good when you’re out on the trail for 50-100 miles.  I think I tried 5 or 6 brands of skirts last year.  Ink N Burn was the last one I tried.  I needn’t look any further.  PERFECTION.  The fit is perfect, the design is killer and they are so comfortable I forget I’m wearing them.  And when I learned about the company itself – a small company who hand makes everything and provides the best customer service out there – I was sold.  As I said, couldn’t be happier to be spreading the Ink N Burn love! 

As an Ambassador, I’ve got a SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE that I’m allowed to share with friends – which includes YOU!  All you need to do is set up an account on www.inknburn.com (go to Login on the top corner) – super easy and it gets you a $10 off credit for spending your minute this way.  Then as you checkout, use ‘JenToldMe’ to get you an additional 15% off your order!  You will love anything you choose… I promise!  If you want some inspiration, read on…

When I came on board with Ink N Burn, they asked me to choose a design that I identify with, something that has special meaning to me.  Care to guess which one I chose?  (answer coming later)  As it turns out, this question is like peeling away the layers of an onion.  I think every day I identify with a different design – and for very different reasons. 

Lately I’ve been coping with a pretty debilitating injury, which has left me mentally and physically frustrated beyond anything I’ve ever experienced in my life.  5 months and counting, with no end in sight.  As my hopes rise and fall seeming with the changing tides, I am challenged to stay strong and persevere.  I get conflicting advice from doctors, PTs and therapists and I’m not going to lie, it’s been very hard to keep my faith in myself.  At times I feel like I’m faltering.  Running is so much of who I am and what moves me… it’s very hard to keep believing I’ll get it back, let alone knowing when I will.  My internal struggle has been huge.  The Adversity design really speaks to me right now.  It reminds me to stay strong.  It never always gets worse, right?  Tough as these waves are that keep crashing over my ship, I will persevere.  Adversity is my middle name right now.  And I wear this shirt to remind me to fight.  And fight hard for what I love. 

I also really love the design of the dragonfly tee (and matching skirt).  The dragonfly is such a beautiful creature, and flies faster than another other insect!  On the tee, the dragonfly is perched on your back, as if she is hitching a ride with you as you run.  I definitely like to think my wings are faster than hers!  :)

 So many of the designs strike me even stronger as soon as I see them in person.  The butterfly tee, for example.  I loved the design and had to have it… but when it arrived I was smitten.  The colors are so bright and the design fits along your body in such a way that makes you feel like your arms are wings.  Butterflies migrate long distances like an ultrarunner, and they are seen to bring good luck in many cultures.  Each wing design is so unique, much like our own personalities.  It’s a perfect shirt for race day, and it looks FABULOUS on you. 

With my passion as an ultrarunner, I can’t help but identify with the Gordy tee.  Who doesn’t want to pay homage to the founder of their sport?  Exactly.  And the shirt really looks good – the colors are perfect and complement his image perfectly.  I admit, I’ve actually slept in this shirt hoping for good luck to heal my leg. :)

So which shirt did I pick for Ink N Burn at the beginning?  The Dark Forest Tee.  This design was inspired by a photographer I know who covers all the local races, Glenn Tachiyama.  It reminds me of the wonderful forests we have here in the PNW – the tall trees and the pine needles on the ground.  The winding and climbing trails.  The rare glimpse of sunlight that we see here in the winter.  The rising sun that greets me on a summer trail run as it peeks through the trees.  When I look at this shirt I can honestly smell the forest.  Because I didn’t start trail running until I moved to the PNW, this shirt embodies everything that I love about trail running and the mighty PNW. 

I had an interesting back and forth with a running friend about which shirt he identifies with.  We guessed at which shirt the other would choose.  I admit, I guessed wrong but I got it on the 2^nd try!  The Zen philosophy and Buddhism resonates with him strongly.  He is introspective, knows himself and has confidence in himself and is comfortable being alone in the darkness of the mountains in the middle of nowhere.  So the Zen Tech is his pick… and I don’t think I’ll ever see that shirt without thinking of him now.  He and I have only met in person once but we are so much alike it’s scary.  But very cool.  And no surprise he’s been one of my biggest supporters during my injury.  He makes my life better every day and I am truly grateful for his faith in me.

What other company gives you the opportunity to express yourself?  And these are just the shirts! So much of our sport is mental… and what shirt you don in the morning says a lot about what kind of day it’s going to be.  Take charge of your day – wear your true colors!!

I’ll be posting product reviews and answering any questions you have – so please let me know what you’d like to see!  And contact me anytime with questions about any of their products, I’d be more than happy to help! 

You live, you learn

I know, I know.  I've neglected the blog.  For those of you who check back regularly and found no new adventures, I do apologize.  For those of you just tuning in, I promise to be better going forward.  There was some method to my madness.  Well, there was/is definitely madness. 

Things all started to fall apart shortly after my last post - the run around St. Helen's.  I did a fabulous training run on the Wonderland Trail and felt... you guessed it... pain.  It wasn't bad pain, but it was ACHILLES pain.  It scared me to death.  I was looking at views like the one below, though, so how can one really complain? 

See, even now I'm doing everything I can to avoid talking about the injury.  I refused to acknowledge it in public thinking it would just go away.  I'd never had Achilles pain before but I knew enough to know it's not something you mess around with.  I took a rest week and hoped that would fix me up and well, it didn't.  I sucked it up and went to the dreaded doctor.  Achilles tendonitis, or more accurately, Achilles tenosynovitis.  I had fluid in the sheath around the tendon.  Tendon itself looked to be in good shape (so little chance of a rupture), but the fluid would take 6 weeks or so to go away.  For this little tiny bit of fluid? You must be joking.  As it turned out, my journey was just beginning. 

I spent the month of October and November doing some intense deep water running and PT.  When I say intense deep water running, I mean it.  I was in the pool at least 2 hours a day for those 2 months, running without a flotation vest and keeping my heart rate high.  This usually required intervals.  It wasn't fun by any means.  I used to run in the pool in college as a 2nd workout but the maximum time was 30 minutes.  2 hours is a long haul in the pool.  Especially day after day.  I got a waterproof Ipod and I honestly think it saved my life.  I did all this because I planned on running the HURT 100 in January and I desperately wanted to keep my fitness and hope alive that I'd still be racing.  Tickets were purchased and I was very excited to run that race. 

Come mid-November I had to face reality.  I still wasn't running, the Achilles was taking its sweet time to heal and someone else deserved my spot at HURT.  I agonized over it for days because it meant giving up.  I'm not a quitter and I worked so hard to stay fit... but reality was my body was telling me something and I needed to listen.  My Achilles wasn't ready to train and if I pushed it too soon I would pay a hefty price I was sure.  I cried for days.  My pool workouts were insanely good, though, that week as I worked out my frustration.  I got my heart rate up near 200, where my usual high was in the mid 180s.  I still get teary thinking about how hard that was. 

As I started running again in small amounts I wanted to believe all was well.  It wasn't.  I'd fixed the "symptoms" but not the cause.  It came back when I put it under any load in November.  To say I was crushed was an understatement.  I immediately sought out another opinion from a PT in Seattle.  He quickly determined my corrective orthotics were sending me the WRONG way when my foot struck the ground.  With some stretching, strengthening and abandonment of my orthotics, I thought all was good.  And it was... for a while. 

I got up to some reasonably good amount of mileage in December and January as I built slowly from some easy base running.  Things looked to be back on track and I was flying high.  I felt surprisingly good when I ran road miles, the pool workouts really do keep your aerobic fitness.  I did a few trail runs and the anaerobic fitness isn't there but that returns fairly quickly.  I was/am hoping to run a 100 in June and I thought things were looking way way up. 

However, about 2 weeks ago I had another setback.  I am not sure if I increased too much too soon (I doubt this highly because I really was being smart - honest!) or if I torqued it funny on a trail run.  But I'm seeing a new PT who has some ideas about my body being out of alignment.  From her evaluation I think she's on to something.  With some realignment and strengthening I think I might FINALLY be on the road to recovery.  Hope is hard to come by sometimes when things keep going as they have been, but I've gotta keep it alive.  I'm an ultrarunner and that's what we do.  We never give up. 

Injury teaches you an awful lot.  Some lessons are easier than others.  I've learned so much about myself... who I really am, what my tolerance levels are, what really motivates me and most importantly, that I can take one hell of a beating.  But I've also learned that I need to be even stronger.  I'm not perfect.  My body needs things and listening to it is the only way you're ever going to get where you want to be.  The mind is a powerful thing but the body has to be healthy and ready to go before limits can be crushed.  And finally, I've learned a lot about who my real friends are.  I've had several people just totally surprise me with their kindness, their support, their compassion and their never-ending faith in me.  I've had some very rough days lately and I feel truly blessed to have these magnificent people in my life.  These kind of surprises - where people love you enough to be there when times are hard - are gems in life.  I will never forget the people who have touched me and helped me beyond words. 

Stay tuned for the injury finale.  :)

And watch out - many more blog posts coming soon with some EXCITING stuff. 

Volcanic 50k - Mount St. Helens - September 15, 2012

In the spring, I saw a new race advertised that would circumnavigate Mount St. Helens.  I didn't know yet which races I'd be doing in the late summer but I jumped at the chance to sign up for this unique event.  The Volcanic 50 would be the first of its kind - a 50k+ race around the challenging and wild Loowit trail circumnavigating St Helens.  http://www.volcanic50.com/  There was no doubt, this was my kind of race!

After running Cascade Crest and pacing at Wasatch 2 weeks later, I wasn't sure if I should be doing this race one week after Wasatch.  But my legs felt good and I really wanted to see St. Helens.  I decided to do the race but not race it, if that makes sense.  Use the race as a marked and guided tour around the volcano... Enjoy the company of many friends along the way... Soak in the scenery... Having 2 aid stations certainly didn't hurt!

I opted to drive down the morning-of to the race site.  It meant a 3am wake up call and on the road by 3:15.  I packed the car the night before and set off as planned about 3:20.  I arrived at the Marble Mountain Sno Park with plenty of time to spare and even had time to meet some new friends before it was time to start!  I also met up with a friend, Jason, who ended up winning the race.  He has a tremendous story of perseverance this year and I am super happy for him that things are back on track in a big way.  http://jasonleman.blogspot.com/

The race started at 7am and it wasn't long before we were treated to some gorgeous views.  I took my camera along and made sure to pause and enjoy all the sights this magnificent volcano has to offer. The race circled the mountain in a clockwise direction starting on the south side. 

My first view of St Helens as I approached the Loowit trail

Shortly after the picture above, about 200 yards from the Loowit trail

At this point, about 2 miles into the race, I'd been cruising up the gradual uphill towards the Loowit trail.  If you are a frequent reader of my blog you know that I love to run uphill.  This uphill was not very steep but found me flexing my legs a bit.  I got caught up in the "race" idea a bit along here and found myself near the front of the women's field.  I followed a group of guys up this large field of large lava rocks.  After about 10 minutes of hard climbing we heard some shouts and whistles below us.  We'd gone the wrong way.  We were all frustrated with ourselves - I even remember the pre-race meeting warning us to turn LEFT at the waterfall - but we'd still gone to the right.  By the time we navigated back down these large lava rocks (boulders is more like it), we were in the back of the field.  It was a good reminder - I'm not here to race!

A waterfall so beautiful that I forgot directions to turn left

The course continued to climb and we passed through several wooded sections.  I enjoyed meeting and chatting with runners as I moved up from the back after the directional mishap.  I got to spend some time with a new friend I'd met at Wasatch.  I brought her some Cookie Butter to take home to a mutual friend! Everyone was in good spirits and really enjoying this unique race experience. 

Photo by Takao Suzuki

As I was running along, I remembered this television program I'd seen about St Helens and the aftermath of the eruption.  I was shocked at how varied the landscape was.  The wooded sections looked much like any other trail I run in the Pacific Northwest.  But with every turn there was different terrain and different obstacles.  The landscape changed in a matter of minutes from dense forest to large fields of lava rocks/boulders and I found myself navigating over these enormous rocks.  It was easy to do on fresh legs but I still found myself almost losing my balance several times.  One fall could be devastating on these large rocks.  It was difficult to follow the route through these lava fields - the course was well marked but I spent so much time looking down that I'd easily get off course as I tried to stay upright. 

Views of the surrounding mountains were hazy that day.  There were several wildfires burning - one as close as Mount Adams - and the smoke was clearly hazing the views.  The wildfires served as yet another reminder of the power forces of nature at work all around us. 

It wasn't long before the landscape changed again and we were soon navigating large washout sections.  There were several major washouts, as pictured below, along the west side of the volcano.  Each one required sliding down some loose scree, crossing a river or riverbed at the bottom, and then climbing back up the loose scree to the trail above.  With each scree descent I acquired more debris in my shoes.  It didn't seem to bother me much, so I left it in my shoes.  By the end of the race, I had a beach in each shoe!

The west side of the volcano afforded some amazing views.  Unfortunately the sun seemed to obscure the photo opportunities somewhat.  It was amazing to me to see how altered this landscape has become since the eruption. 

It's not hard to imagine how much destruction the eruption caused

The washout sections seemed to grow as we progressed north along the west side of the volcano.  Below you can see a huge section we navigated with the trail on the far left of the picture.  We snaked our way up this loose rock/gravel to the top of the ridge.  I could hear loose rock sliding down the slopes as runners ahead of me moved along. 

Once we reached the top of the ridge, the landscape made yet another change.  This time we entered a mostly lifeless area.  Trees that were taken down in the eruption still lay prone on the ground, a reminder of the damage done.  Small grasses and shrubs grew along this section, but little else.  The trail was visible for miles and the gullies we navigated weren't as pronounced as along the west side. 

A plume of gas escaping from the volcano can be seen in the bottom left side of the crater

The north side of the volcano is referred to as the "blast zone."  Here there were very few signs of life.  I saw ants along the trail and a few plants congregated near water sources, but little else.  It was hot along this section and I stopped at each of the creek crossings to splash my face and arms with the cool water.  The water was filled with silt and debris, but it sure felt refreshing on a warm day!

Spirit Lake in the distance

Spirit Lake

The barren landscape continued for much of the remainder of the run.  On the east side the trail became much less technical for several miles and we were able to cruise along.  That is, if you can stop staring at the mountain so close on your right!  As I was snapping the picture below, I was taken back by the beauty of being able to see a mountain so exposed and close-up.

The trail once again navigated through many wash-out sections and gullies.  They seemed less pronounced than on the west side but much more frequent.  The scree was ever-present and shade was hard to come by.  The wind was blowing from behind us and several times we ran through a mini "dust storm". 

View of Rainier from one of the washout sections

As we neared the south side of the volcano, we once again encountered large lava rocks.  These seemed more challenging than the first round, but that was probably because my legs were more tired and I was doing it in the heat of the day.  I teamed up with a friend I'd met during the race and we joked and tried to keep the mood light as we moved at a painstakingly slow pace through here.  We helped each other spot markers and stay on track.  I'd run out of water as well and he graciously gave me a swig from his bladder.  (Trail buddies are the best!)

Soon after the lava rocks I spotted the infamous waterfall pictured above where I took the wrong turn at the start.  I knew we were close.  We made the turn back to the Marble Mountain Sno Park and relished in a nice 2 mile downhill to the finish.  I bombed down this section, enjoying the shade and the promise of a drink when I finished.  I finished in 8:22, 5th place woman. 

At the end of the day I had a race finish and a fabulous day on the trails.  Nature astounded me with her beauty and I greatly enjoyed navigating through the varied terrain of the volcano.  I marveled in nature the entire day, constantly reminded of her powerful forces and feeling darn glad to be there.  The Volcanic 50k+ course is simply amazing and Trevor and Todd put on a fabulous class act event.  Circumnavigating St. Helens is a run a highly recommend, and the Volcanic 50k is a way to do that in style. 

Cascade Crest 2012

© Glenn Tachiyama

Cascade Crest holds a special place in my heart.  You could say it was love at first finish.  I started and finished my first 100 at Cascade Crest last year (2011) and I've wanted to run this race again ever since that finish. Things are never that simple - I had the "lottery" hurdle to clear for 2012.  Lottery gods weren't kind to me and I landed #30 on the wait list back in February.  Everyone was optimistic and I hoped it would all work out.  I spent many months checking the list and wishing it would move faster, but as of July 1st I was still sitting #15.  I started to lose hope that I'd actually get in.  My luck changed on August 3rd when I got the email that I'd been accepted into the race.  (And the good luck continued through August 5th when I got selected in the HURT lottery on my first entry!)

With only 3 weeks until the race, I got together with a few friends for a training run on the course.  I did a similar run last year and felt that it helped a lot on race day.  Plus, it's just good fun.  This year I paid much more attention to pace and time between landmarks to prepare for race day.  Logistics were a slight challenge with such short notice before the race.  I had no crew.  I had to find a place to stay the night before the race (2+ hours is a little too far to drive the morning before a 100).  I had a few offers from friends willing to pace me but I wanted one friend in particular and hoped he would consent now that I was in. 

Fortunately, it all came together and things seemed to click.  My friend, Josh, volunteered at the event this year and he graciously offered to help be a supplement to drop bags at two of the aid stations.  I found a hotel in Cle Elum.  My friend was ready and willing to pace and on board from Hyak to the finish. 

As with any big race, my body threw a few wrenches at me.  Taper was particularly unkind to me this time around and left me feeling like I had a head cold coming on.  I shrugged it off and thankfully it never seemed to take hold.  The day before the race my hip started giving me pain.  I hoped it wouldn't get worse during the race.  Emotionally I was great.  I made a conscious effort to not over-think the race and wear my brain out ahead of time.  My pacer and I had a general plan and beyond that he told me to just worry about running, not about logistics or pace.  Just run.  I was thrilled to have such a strong runner as a pacer, I knew he would push me and I felt ready to see what my body could do.  A little scared, but ready.

I drove to Cle Elum after dinner on Friday night.  I wanted to see my kids as long as possible and avoid traffic.  And there seemed to be no rush as I'd be sitting around alone all night after I arrived.  I felt strangely calm on the drive north.  My legs felt better than ever (minus the hip pain) and I knew I was physically ready.  The calm was a good kind of calm.  A ready calm. 

Race morning felt like a big reunion.  In the last year I've met a lot of local ultrarunners and it was awesome to see so many friendly faces at the check-in.  I paused for the traditional photo under the start banner along with touching the "foot" for good luck.  Love that blue sky!

My race plan was fairly simple.  No splits.  Just run easy the first half, eat well, and deliver myself to Hyak and my pacer with plenty of gas in the tank.  My "pie in the sky" goal was to go under 24 and I aimed to be at Hyak around 9:30pm.  I knew if I went much faster or slower than this I'd have no chance of breaking 24 so I made this my target to Hyak.  The first climb up Goat Peak is not to be taken lightly and I vowed to hike this no matter how easy it seemed. 

As we started off, I began in the back of the pack and slowly moved my way up.  I latched onto some local friends who were keeping a pace that I liked and stuck with them.  We talked about staying ahead of the "gravy train" before the climb so we didn't get stuck behind a huge line of people hiking that wouldn't allow us to hike comfortably.  We succeeded in reaching the switchbacks before the huge crowd and we talked and enjoyed ourselves up this first climb.  I could feel my hip but it wasn't painful and not getting worse, which pleased me.  By mile 10 the discomfort in my hip disappeared. 

The plan to go out slow turned out to be very easy to execute.  I had trouble getting into a groove early on and although my legs felt fine I just felt sleepy.  Like I wanted to take a nap instead of race.  It was irritating but not debilitating.  I didn't feel particularly hot (temperature in the 70's), it must have been humid.  I couldn't seem to get enough water.  I had my 2 liter bladder filled at almost every aid station because I was drinking so much.  I drank almost 12 liters of water in the first 8 hours of the race.  And I was hydrated at the start!  My stomach was feeling fine and I was taking in calories along with the water, so I didn't worry about it too much.  When thirsty, drink.

© Glenn Tachiyama

In true ultrarunner fashion, my legs finally felt warmed up around mile 28.  There was a nice rolling section coming into Stampede Pass and I felt like I was flying through here.  Although I was pleased to get to Stampede Pass aid station at mile 33, I wished this section went on longer as the aid station broke my momentum.  I saw Josh at this aid station, swapped out my pack for a new one and grabbed a lot of food to go.  I'm not sure what I'm doing below, I seem to be stuffing my face and contemplating the meaning of life...

The section after Stampede felt long to me last year and I turned on some music for the first time to help pass the section more quickly.  John Pearch, Heidi Perry and Herb Reeves were working the Meadow Mountain aid station at mile 41 and I couldn't wait to see them.  I kept smelling bacon or something cooking for what seemed like miles before I actually arrived at the Meadow Mountain aid station.  They were all smiles and encouragement - which I greatly appreciated.  They told me I was looking great and that the leading women weren't too far ahead. 

Last year I made it to Mirror Lake before needing my lights.  This year I hoped to make it to Ollalie and the greatest perogies ever before needing my lights.  I really enjoyed running this section and seeing the beautiful scenery that I missed last year in the dark.  I "almost" made it to Scott's perogies before turning on lights but the wooded sections were too dark and I feared tripping over something.  I came into Ollalie and Scott and his crew were prepared to do whatever I needed.  I replied "I need perogies!"  Scott tried to plate me up a few but I insisted on carrying them away, remarking that I was late to meet my pacer at Hyak and needed to keep going. 

The next section went faster than I remember, except for the tunnel.  I aimed to get to Hyak at 9:30 pm and I knew at the ropes section that I wasn't going to make it.  I ran through the tunnel hoping the end was near and it never seemed to be.  I probably used a bit too much energy trying to move quickly along this section because I needed time to recover after leaving Hyak... but a time bogey is a time bogey.  I rolled into Hyak just after 9:40, feeling a little deflated.  I was in 5th place woman at this point. 

My pacer, Mike, and Gwen Scott greeted me with smiles and hugs.  They took care of filling my pack while I took ages to go through my bag and decide what I needed.  I took some warm soup to go and Mike and I set off down the road.  I'd been running alone for hours and it was really nice to have someone to talk to again.  Mike was ready to run but I felt tired from the section leading into Hyak and also felt quite cold, so we hiked.  The climb here is mostly runnable but I think I wimped out and hiked more than I should on this section.  When we reached the summit, Mike insisted that we run down the 5 mile descent.  My legs screamed in disapproval but I stuck with it.  It took a while, but after about a mile or so I finally felt my mojo again.  Mike even remarked about me having my running legs back.  We cruised this downhill and along this section caught up with several runners.  Everyone was very friendly and we had a quick conversation with each person before continuing our pace.  We came up to Hannah, who was leading the women's race.  Mike knew her from previous races and they started catching up about old times.  She has a great energy and I was happy to listen to all their adventures.  We chatted about the HURT race and I already couldn't wait to see her again sometime. 

I came into the Kachess Lake aid station in the lead for the women, only by a few minutes.  My friend Josh was here again and he was so excited to see me in first place.  It gave me a huge boost and got me excited about the next section, the Trail from Hell.  I again switched out my packs and loaded up with a grilled cheese sandwich and hit the trail.  The trail from hell is about 6 miles long and it's very slow.  For the most part it's not runnable.  We started the section down to the river as I finished my sandwich.  At the bottom we missed the river crossing and had to double back.  Hannah was back up with us now and we all made the river crossing together.  The logs were tough on unstable legs but thankfully Mike had a steady hand which helped a lot.  I tried to run every step I could on this section, but I was bettered by Hannah and Missy on this trail.  I was moving as fast as I was comfortable doing so I just had to let them go. 

The trail finally ended and yielded to a climb up a gravel road to No Name Ridge.  Miles 73-80 are all uphill on this road.  I initially tried to run parts of this climb but couldn't get into a good rhythm on the climb, so I settled on power hiking.  I felt like I was hiking at a decent clip and we caught several people on this climb.  Near the top we came up to Hannah and Missy, who were hiking together.  I was happy I had caught such good climbers on a climb and we were all in good spirits.  I came into the No Name aid station at mile 80 in first place again, but only by seconds.  We all headed off to the needles together around 5am. 

I started running the trail along the needles whenever possible, and again it took my legs ages to feel like they had their mojo back.  Hannah was moving well and forged on ahead almost immediately.  Missy was behind, but not by far.  I tackled the needles one-by-one, and soon the sky started changing color with the sunrise.  Mike and I made it to Thorp as the sun was rising and it was a sight to behold.  The sun crested the top of Rainier to make it look like it was on fire.  Magnificent. 

© Glenn Tachiyama

And the view to our left where the sun was rising looked amazing as well.  It truly was a breathtaking sunrise that morning.  It bolstered my spirits that I had only 15 or so miles to go in the race. 

© Glenn Tachiyama

The climb up Thorp gave me a chance to see the leaders again.  Hannah looked great and Missy seemed to be on the hunt.  I felt strong but I think mentally I gave up a little at that point.  I typically struggle with downhill and these ladies were bounding down them much faster than I usually do.  I stayed within myself and hoped I could hold on for 3rd. Even on the Thorp descent I still managed a smile. 

© Glenn Tachiyama

The rest of the needles seemed to go on forever and I kept thinking "this must be the last one."  I started having trouble recovering from each one before the next one hit and I started really wishing for the race to be over.  The descent into French Cabin was slow for me and I found myself starting to calculate what my finish time would be.  Mike and I talked about it and I knew I would be under 25, we just didn't know by how much.  I decided to run as much as possible from here on out no matter how tired I felt.  I think I ran just about everything after the climb past French Cabin, except my run was very slow in spots, including the steep downhill.  I felt better than I ever had at the end of a 100 and was pleased my legs continued to run. 

We came through Silver Creek (mile 95-96) around 9:30am.  At this point I really wanted to be done.  I ran this section to the finish, slowing for a few episodes where it was hard to catch my breath.  I finished in 24:16, 3rd place female. 

Conclusions from this race... there are many.  I want to pay huge respect and thanks to my competitors and other runners.  The camaraderie among the women was just amazing and I feel so honored to know such wonderful people.  The ultra world never ceases to impress me.  Charlie and all the volunteers put on a stellar event and one that has won my heart for sure.  I might just have to go over that 5 year in a row buckle...

As far as my own lessons... it's hard to know where to start.  Criticism of myself comes easily and especially when I finished a stone's throw from my pie-in-the-sky goal.  I should have run more of the road sections.  I know from previous races that I can do this and it doesn't expend any more energy, it just seemed like it did.  I also felt like I gave up on my sub-24 potential early on and I shouldn't have done that.  Positives are easy to come by too.  I PR'd by 3:35 on this course over last year.  (27:51 last year)  I ran almost even splits for the two halves of the course, which I never imagined possible on such a tough course.  I recovered very quickly after the race.  All good signs for the future. 

I did not do this alone and the experience wouldn't have been the same without Mike.  It takes a special person to pace during a 100 and Mike is simply outstanding.  He was a perfect compliment to my personality during races - seemingly filling gaps for all my weaknesses.  He was meticulous and reminded me to eat like clockwork.  I know this paid huge dividends at the end.  He was firm but not pushy, which made it hard to argue. (something I can do quite well)  He took unspoken cues from me and reacted on the fly to support me.  In a long race we all hope for our better half to shine and in this race Mike was that half and I know it's what allowed me to have such a good day and a solid finish.  I joke that I want to get him under exclusive contract to pace me (I am an attorney so this could be done with ease), and he doesn't realize that I'm actually quite serious.  Amazing person, phenomenal pacer and I'm super glad he's my friend. 




**Many thanks to Glenn Tachiyama, Josh and Eric for the great photos!

Joy at White River 50

My overall race experience at the White River 50 last weekend can be expressed in 2 words – sheer joy.  I can honestly say it is the most fun I’ve ever had at a race. 

So… what made it so fun? 

Camping with friends can’t be beat.  It’s nothing but you, clean mountain air, campfires, talking about running (and other things) and laughing together.  Obligations slide for the evening and you go to bed knowing you get to run in the woods all day the next day.  Honestly, I still have trouble sleeping the night before trail runs because I’m so excited for the fun!  I went to bed with my jaw aching from all the smiling.  And the race hadn’t even started yet!   

All the people at the race were amazing.  Old friends, new friends, volunteers, runners, race director and staff, random people on the trail… they all were awesome.  Everyone was so happy and smiling and having fun and if you can’t smile along with them you can’t fully enjoy the experience.  Aid stations were stocked with food and packed with volunteers ready to fill your pack or get you some grub.  And they filled your pack with ice water! A little taste of heaven on a warm day on the trail!

I hadn’t rested or tapered for this race in the least.  (I ran 120 miles last week including the race)  When your legs are tired from training and not rested for a race you don’t expect much.  I expected the race to hurt and push my limits.  But the race felt easy.  I felt strong.  My legs never felt wiped out and my mind was fully engaged the whole race.  Climbing was easy – I was able to run (slowly) 90-95% of both major climbs.  Running them slowly felt easier than hiking and expended less energy.  I’m really psyched that my climbing has come this far.  I couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off my face the whole day, including when I was racing.  I know I can run that course faster, but I was pleased with what I accomplished on such tired legs.

The VIEWS!  We started the race under a blanket of clouds.  About half way up the first climb we found ourselves above the clouds and Mt. Rainier was RIGHT THERE staring at you.  Although I live near Rainier I never get tired of seeing her.  I expressed my awe when I saw her and thought to myself “this is why I run mountains.”  Well, one reason anyway…

The post-race food and socializing was amazing.  Scott McCoubrey does an amazing job making a finish line in the middle of nowhere seem like the place to be.  That’s because it is.  The food is great and the atmosphere of all the happy runners just can’t be matched.  Everyone brings a camp chair and cheers for incoming finishers, talking about their day and other running adventures. 

Last year I met Dr. David Horton at this race and somehow he took me under his wing.  The great ultrarunners are like that – it’s part of what makes our sport so awesome.  Dr. Horton has given me advice and smiles this past year and I don’t know how I deserve to know him.  He’s a legend!  It made my weekend to see him at the race again.  He truly brings out the best in our sport and when I’m around him I really feel like I can be myself.  Happy and just oozing my love of running. 

When it was all said and done I finished in 9:21, 6th place female.  Over an hour ahead of my time from last year.  I look forward to seeing what I can do someday on this course with rested legs!

There’s only one way to find out what I’m talking about… Run the White River 50.  And see if you can wipe the smile off your face.  I dare you.