Moebius - Green Monster Trail 50k: Runnable 50k = lots of running

Moebius - Green Monster Trail 50k on August 27th 2016

Goal: 4:30s and first female

Result: first overall in 4:17:27, women's course record

     I think this is the quickest I've ever written a race report after a race but I want to get this down while it's fresh in my memory. I learned a lot about running a trail 50k yesterday and I don't want to forget! 

     A few quick observations on the race and the course. This is a small race put on by Steve Godale (yes, that Steve Godale) and is staged at the Sunny Lake Park picnic shelter. Runners navigate through five 10k loops that roughly loop around the lake on single track trails, cross country-type grass paths and some paved bike path. I've heard nothing but good things about the race and Steve let me know that it was a fast course. He estimated about 20 minutes faster than the Buckeye Trail 50k. So my goal was to run about a 4:30. I thought I might be able to average around 8:30s on a very good day, which would put me in the 4:20s. 

     This week's mileage goal was 90. Because I did my long run of 22 miles on Sunday (7:20 average) I would be putting in 111 miles in 7 days after completing this race on Saturday. I wasn't worried about mileage fatigue during a 50k though. The effort is not hard, simply long lasting and I knew as long as I didn't push the first 20 miles that I would feel strong to the finish. That is if I kept up on my nutrition! What it comes down to is I can run 8:30 pace for a long, long time as long as I feed myself. I'm not even sure how long I could go but by the end of this race I knew I could have kept going for another loop if I needed to. The day before the race as I was getting through my busy day of work, practice and taking care of my kidlets, I was so excited to wake up the next day and go race this. I swam a mile at Lake Medina in the a.m. with Todd and then ran a 6 mile recovery run with drills and strides and felt amaze. 

     I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and had my usual pre-race meal of cold cereal (raisin bran this time) and half a cup of coffee. I got on the road by 5:15 and arrived at Sunny Lake by 6:15. Did a quick 2 mile warmup, talked with a few people and then headed to the starting line.

Do we all look properly chill? Photo credit: Dawn Harrison-Drasner

     I immediately zeroed in on the veterans in the field and built my race plan around pacing with them for as long as possible. Mike Ryan and Mike Epp are local ultra legends with many 50 and 100 mile top finishes and Mike Ryan has run one of the fastest times on this course (4:10 in 2015). He recently ran 35 minutes for a track 10k at the master's championships so I knew he was in good shape. The race started and I fell into step with "the Mikes." Another rookie ultra runner named Andy went with us. Starting fast and far ahead of us was Brian, who put 10 minutes on us by the second loop. 

Loop 1: 8:28 7:49 8:08 9:22 (aid station) 8:38 7:43

We had a nice little group with the four of us and we started talking about running, goals for running, past running adventures...ha what would you expect? I mentioned that I was very curious to see how the fast start for the lead male would turn out. The Mikes didn't know him, and that is usually a sign that someone is a rookie. We made our way through the single track, the grass path around the pond and then into the wooded roller coaster path that I love. My least favorite section is the grass path after the roller coaster. It was hot in this section and I felt like I had to push as if I was in a cross country race. We took turns leading throughout this loop. At the middle aid station at mile 3.5 I drank one cup of Gatorade and one cup of water. I did not carry a handheld for this race.

Loop 2: 9:23 (aid station) 8:22 8:10 9:33 (aid station) 8:15 7:26

At the start/finish aid station our group was still tight. We all waited for everyone to finish getting their nutrition. I drank one small cup of Gatorade and a cup of ice water, water over my neck and face. I realized during this loop that I felt good. We were maintaining a pretty ridiculous pace for a trail 50k and yet I felt relaxed and easy. Mike Ryan dropped back during this loop and I was sad to see our group lose a person. Mike Epp led most of this loop and I paid attention to where he placed his feet on the path in case I lost him soon. I thought that I would be the one to drop back next but I was still fast through the rollercoaster. At the middle aid station I ate a small fig newton, one cup of Gatorade, one cup of water and water over my neck and face. During the last stretch of grass before the loop ends, I realized that the soft grass was a relief to my feet and I decided to embrace the grass sections as places to relax and rest my feet. Not easy when your mindset is "race the cross country course!"

Loop 3: 9:21 (aid station) 8:25 8:16 10:16 (long aid station, waited for Mike) 8:33 7:39

Start/finish aid station: Gatorade, ice water, grabbed a Powerbar gel for later. Our group was still together and I commented that I was afraid I was going too fast. The splits were so much faster than Buckeye trail. But this makes sense. There is no place where walking is needed. The course is very gently rolling and the hills are so short that you can tip toe up them quite quickly. Andy took over the lead during this loop and Mike began to drop back from me. I realized that we might not be able to stay together for too much longer. The middle aid station took a while because Mike had to get extra nutrition and I waited for him. I took the gel and washed it down with two cups of water. Mike stayed right behind me all the way to the following loop. We lapped a bunch of people during this loop and they were all great, moving to the right so we could pass and yelling "nice job!" 

Loop 4: 9:31 (aid station) 7:46 8:15 9:08 (aid station) 8:25 7:46

More Gatorade, water and ice in my sports bra at start/finish aid station. Grabbed a gel for later. I can't remember if Mike left this aid station with me but I was pretty much alone as I got into this loop. At about mile 19 I realized that I felt really good. I felt much better than I had on the previous loop. I decided to go with it and pick up the pace. During the 7:46 20th mile I caught Andy and he commented that I was really moving. I let him know I was going to pick up the pace for a while but he didn't go with me. I rolled into the aid station in straight up marathon mode, inhaling my gel and washing it down with two cups of water. I still felt good all the way through the sun-exposed bike path and grass sections. I relished the grass now that my feet were feeling a bit bruised. All through this loop I told myself I would only see these places once more. I made a pact with myself that I would not walk once during the final loop.

Loop 5: 8:44 (aid station) 8:32 8:28 9:30 (aid station) 8:42 7:39

I decided to not get any more gel and stick with Gatorade for the final loop. More ice water and ice in my sports bra. There was no one in sight in front or behind. I found out later that Brian still had eight minutes on me heading into the final loop. As I approached each landmark I told them goodbye. Some sections I was sad about, but that awful grass section was hotter than ever and I was glad I wasn't coming through there again! I did not second guess my energy and let myself keep the pace strong. I was not going to bonk. I felt fine and had plenty of energy. As I came into the last aid station I was shocked to see Brian, the male lead runner, leaving. I grabbed half a cup of coke, Gatorade and water and booked it after him. I think I also told this aid station that they were the best. I passed him in the next few minutes. "Try to stay with me, less than three miles," I shouted to him. "No way! I'm done for," he replied. I felt bad that he was struggling so much but I didn't slow down. At this point I was in full on finish mode. I get very focused and pretty much nothing is going to stop my relentless drive to be done. As I came into the final grass section a mile from the finish I started to push pretty hard. My last mile was 7:39 and my last stretch to the finish was at 6:38 pace. I felt good! There was definitely more in the tank but I was happy to be done. It was getting hot. The first thing I said when I finished was "I broke 4:20!"

Incredulous at the time. Photo credit: Dawn Harrison-Drasner

     I waited for Andy (just two minutes behind me), Brian and Mike to come in and then went to my car to get dry clothes on. I was a little in shock at what I had just done. I had no idea I was physically capable of being this strong in a 50k. My overwhelming sense though was that this was the type of race I belong in. I loved every step, even when I was feeling tired. Every time I entered the single track trail I felt like I was going home. Apparently if you win this race you get comped entries for life, so it looks like I'll be running it again!

Check out this unique finisher's token! Absolutely love.

2016 Buckeye Trail 50k: one foot in front of the other until you're done

Goal: sub 5:00 and defend win 
Result: 4:50:54, first female, 5th overall
2016 results

     First of all I need to add in that I love anything and everything Peter Pan related. I've had much more focus on this childhood fairytale in past years but my love for it is still there. Here's a great quote for why Peter Pan is so beloved from The Gods Are Bored blog: "Now I know, of course, that Peter Pan exists in the ethereal world, that many cultures have met him and befriended him, and that he's ancient as the universe but still playing, playing like a happy child, mothered by Goddesses when necessary. Always his band of Lost Boys grows larger, because you see, they aren't lost at all. They're saved." So far I think the best movie adaptation is Peter Pan from 2003. The movie from last year was a little too elaborate with it's back story but it was quite good as well. There is also a very cool Syfy mini series called Neverland. More on this later.
      Twelve days before this race I did my final "long run" in preparation by summiting Pikes Peak. I absolutely counted this as a long run because I was on my feet for nearly 4.5 hours and was working hard the whole time. I also had run a 5k pr at the Twin Sizzler just six days before, so I knew I was a bit faster than the year before. Adding to these positives, the trails were in excellent condition compared to last year. The calf deep mud was all I knew of the Buckeye Trail with last year being my first time on it. There was so little mud this year that I almost felt like I had to run too fast. 
      We started promptly at 7 a.m. and I tucked in behind the lead men, which included David, the men's winner from the year before and Steve, the experienced ultra runner that I had paced with. They announced before the start that he had run every one of the Buckeye Trail 50ks! It was warm out at about 70 degrees but not oppressively hot yet.

Nice, conservative start. Photo credit: Steve Pierce Photography

   Start to Snowville:  I had decided to wear my Garmin 220 for this race even though I knew it would not be completely accurate after a few miles. I had low 8s for the first three miles, just trailing behind the guys. On the steep downhill in the second mile, still on the bridle path, I passed a guy and another guy came up from behind and passed me. At this point I was in 5th place overall and that is where I would finish. As we dropped into the technical portion I started my evaluation of effort and commanded myself to stay easy. One of these days I will be more aggressive with this distance, but for now I am cautious. Especially after the epic bonk of last year at mile 29. I love the section before the Snowville aid station. Lots of technical downhill and few ups and the bog is in there too. It was hardly a bog this year! There's also creek crossings, which are my favorite. The only thing that I dislike about this race is those goddamned stairs. I hate those stairs so much. Somewhere in this section I passed Steve and put a little bit of distance between us. I took a Gu, filled my water bottle and drank a Tailwind at the Snowville aid station and also stopped to tie my shoe. My Pinkie Saucony Peregrines were working beautifully besides untying in the thick, long grass that leads to the aid station. 
     Snowville to Boston: This is the toughest section for me on the way out and on the way in. The ups and downs are longer and mostly all runnable so I'm moving at a good pace through changing elevation. I started catching early starters in this section and they were all awesome, stepping off the trail when it was too narrow for me to pass. I tried to talk to most of them. Steve started catching me in here but stayed right behind. I had my only near fall in here. I tripped on a root and launched myself onto and around a tree with both arms to keep myself from falling. I hopped off the tree and kept moving but it probably looked pretty silly. I constantly turn my ankles while running this pace. My ankles are used to it and the only result is a little soreness in the tendons on the outside of them. My stomach started turning on me in this section. I felt nauseous and the thought of ingesting another Gu at Boston was revolting. 
     Boston to Pine Lane: I skipped my Gu at Boston but I filled my water bottle with half Tailwind and half water. I did not feel good. I was soaked with sweat from the warm temps and I knew I wasn't taking in enough electrolytes or calories. Sure enough as I worked my way through the up of the next section I began to feel weak and depleted. I had 20 miles to go! As I followed along behind Steve, who had passed me in the aid station, I promised myself that I would force down a Gu at the turnaround. I seriously questioned if I would make it there without puking or just laying down on the side of the trail to take a nap. I copied Steve's every step, knowing he was more familiar with this trail than anyone. Before I knew it we were passing through the meadow where the black raspberries grow. There were piles of them just asking to be picked. No time right now! I stayed right behind Steve and even talked with him a bit. I told him my goal was to run the last two miles instead of walk so I was staying conservative on effort. "We are going pretty fast," he warned me. I had been looking at my watch at every mile but by this point it was about a half a mile off. I came into the turnaround at 2:17 elapsed.
     Pine Lane to Boston: Steve observed that the third place guy was not very far ahead of us and took off like a bat out of hell after the turnaround. I forced down an entire Gu and filled my water bottle, momentarily losing my lid as I threw it in the trash bag with my used Gu pack. As I started off I resigned myself to the fact that I might not be feeling great for this effort today. This was fine. This type of distance and terrain is all about putting one foot in front of the other until you're done. I described it to my sister, Amelia, as any other type of hard labor. The job has to be done, so you finish it. You don't have to feel great doing it. I began passing all of the people that were coming the other direction. My Gu kicked in. Suddenly I was feeling the best I had felt all race and was smiling and waving to the people I passed. I love the huge amount of downhill in this section and my knees had not even started wrenching yet. My stomach still felt sick but I had energy. I also started experimenting with getting a song in my head, which is very important for when things get hard. I rejected a few and finally landed on "Lost Boy" by Ruth B. This is where Peter Pan comes in.
Lost Boy by Ruth B

Speeding on the down to the creek crossing after Pine Lane. Photo Credit: Steve Pierce Photography

     Boston to Snowville: This was the toughest section. I blew through Boston aid station, forcing down half a Gu and re-filling my water bottle. I was well into the 8s for this mile while most of my miles stayed in the low to mid 9s, with hiking sections in the low to mid 10s. I lost satellites for this entire section so these miles are not accurate on pace but the 220 can pick up my stride and approximate the split. I was getting tired despite having a good amount of calories in me. I tried to appreciate how beautiful the trail was and how much I love running through the woods. Not only was I singing "Lost Boy" in my head I was working up an entire story about being a lost boy and running through the forests of Neverland. The mind does strange things to cope when it gets tired. I felt like I would never reach Snowville. I had completely forgotten about the other road crossings, so when I reached one, I thought it was Snowville but then realized I still had to pass Blue Hen Falls! Talk about discouraging. I was being very careful about not falling during this time and hiking every steep climb. 
     Snowville to Finish at Oak Grove: I was in and out of this aid station quickly. I forced down an entire Gu and filled my bottle with full strength Tailwind. I also ate a slice of water melon and this was heaven. The volunteers at Snowville are especially awesome. Their theme was "highway to hell" and I laughed when I saw this because it is the clear truth. I felt pretty good leaving this station. That confusing puddle from last year...I hopped right over it. No crashing today. I was plenty tired but at this point I was focused on finishing strong. Even though I had about six miles to go! I was moving at a great pace on the downs, gradual ups and flats and hiking the steep ups. I refused to feel guilty for hiking these. I needed the break and the hamstring and calf stretch that it provided me with. My knees started wrenching in this section and I noticed it as I tried to accelerate on the downs. Before I knew it I was plowing through the light mud of the bog of despair. It smelled beautiful and I always love running straight through the mud, like I'm walking on water. At one of the creek crossings I gave into the heat and dunked my head in but I resisted the other creek crossings.

Always jump the logs! Photo credit: Mark Godale

     I had been alone since I passed the last place runner back before Snowville. I actually was not looking forward to seeing people at the finish. But I would be able to stop running there. I reached the split rail fence and ran down the road to the turn off where Steve's last water jugs are. Last year my race pretty much ended here. I started walking and struggled to finish. This year I ran the last two miles right around 9 min pace and kept looking for the pink ribbons to make sure I didn't take a wrong turn. I wasn't overworking the effort in fear of suddenly bonking. "Stop thinking that! You feel fine!" I really did feel fine! Finally I crossed the road, ran up the path and heard the finisher bell start ringing. I looked at my watch for the first time in miles. No way. 4:49? I started kicking and ran about 6:40 pace for the final stretch, so happy to be done and to have crushed my goal time. I was elated at the finish and probably spewed my good feelings all over the place. David had taken his third win in 3:57, just minutes off the course record and Steve had finished in 4:45, not quite overtaking third place. 

I look way too happy. Photo credit: George Themelis

     I stayed just for a little bit after the race (forget cooling down), just enough to see the 5:30 people come in. The second female came in right around this time. I got introduced to Bill of Bill's Bad Ass 50k fame and as a result I'm now entered in that race as my fall 50k. I had to book it home to the kids who were waiting patiently for me. My muscles recovered quickly but eight days later I still have lingering fatigue and some blood sugar issues. I only ran 42 miles this week. The lowest mileage week I've had since 2014. The next goal race is the Akron full on September 24th. Can't wait to give that course another try!

Summiting Pikes Peak

Route: Barr Trail from the Barr Trail trailhead entrance

Time for summit: 4:28:49

     The one thing I wanted to do while I was on this year's Colorado running vacation was summit Pikes Peak. It is a fourteener that is good for a flatland runner to attempt because it is all trail from bottom to top. Even though it's long, there's the option to summit and then take the COG railway back down or, as we did, have friends drive to the top and pick you up. Mike was my hiking companion for this and pretty much dragged me up the mountain for 11 miles until we hit 13,000 feet. I wasn't convinced that I would be able to do this. Every time I attempt something that I've never done before I stay cautiously optimistic that I can actually reach my goal. Most people who hike this trail will split it into two days. Like Mike said on the drive down the mountain "who are you calling most people?" So true!

From the barrtrail.net site.

     The day before we did this summit we ran five trail miles at 8,600 feet and hiked 12 miles round trip to reach Lake of the Clouds in the Rocky Mountain National Park. We didn't end up at Lake of the Clouds, rather a smaller lake just below it, but it was an epic hike. You would think that we'd be tired from that day but what it did for me was give me confidence that I could actually survive a mountain hike of that length.

     The guys dropped us off at the Barr Trail entrance and after securing our food in the pack and making sure we had our water bottles filled we started off up the trail. I was carrying the pack for the first three miles but ended up giving it to poor Mike for the next nine miles. Those three miles with it made me so sore that I couldn't imagine carrying it any farther. If this had been on my own I would have taken it off my back and dragged it behind me. 

     The first three miles of the trail are a series of constant, punishingly steep switchbacks that were crowded with hikers. We tried to run here and there but as soon as I started running I quickly approached oxygen debt. The grade is an average of 13 percent here and it took a lot of effort just to hike fast. And hiking fast we were. We were under 19 min miles for that section and I ended up with some Strava top overalls for these segments. I would say we hit the first section pretty hard. It was very hot too. About 85 degrees when we started. After we went through the keyhole at around mile 2.5 the people traffic slowed down a lot and by four miles there was barely anyone else on the trail. Miles four and five were straight up easy and we ran sections of these miles. I had given Mike the pack by now and felt much better without that weight on my back. We took one quick break at three miles, if I'm recalling correctly. Just to switch packs and eat a half a granola bar each. I took on the camelback and continued carrying my lifestraw filter water bottle. 

     As we approached Barr camp we came up on a creek to the right that was a good spot to fill up the filter. We stopped for only four or five minutes to eat another half granola bar, drink some Gatorade and fill the water bottle. The creek water was beautifully cool. We were low enough that it was still very hot out. We didn't stop at Barr camp at all but I was refreshed by the short break. Every once in a while we would catch a glimpse of the peak through the trees. It seemed impossibly far away. 

Yup, we're going there. From barrtrail.net

     The next three miles were tough for me physically. I kept lagging behind Mike who would stop every once in a while and let me catch up. We did stop for a couple breaks in here. Once to fill the water bottle again and eat the last snack and drink the last of the Gatorade. The switchbacks were never ending and we started running into large rocks that were difficult to get up and over. My effort was quite pronounced. If I was moving, I was breathing hard. We began catching hikers and blowing by them as if we were flying. This was a good confidence booster for us. 

     As we got over 10,000 feet the air started to cool and this was so, so welcome. I didn't feel any altitude sickness, just a persistent fatigue and inability to move fast up the trail. The fauna changes as you go up. Near the bottom there were plenty of aspen trees but as we got higher this mostly changed over to scrubby pines that seemed to be clinging onto the mountain for dear life. As we approached 12,000 even these hardy trees thinned out and before we knew it, we were to the A-Frame shelter just below the treeline. There's a sign that says "Three miles to the summit."

     The last three miles are kind of a blur but I'll try to pick out moments. The trail is very soft, crushed rock and you slide back with every step. As the altitude goes up you increasingly get the feeling that you're walking through water that is up to your waist. We maintained about 25 min hiking miles all the way to the summit and that includes a couple of breaks, so we were moving well. We started catching and passing groups of people who had hiked down from the summit and were making their way back. Mike observed that there was a clear short cut straight up the scree field. We didn't take the shortcut but it sure was tempting. We passed the memorial to Inestine Roberts, an 88 year old lady who died near the tree line on her fourteenth hike to the summit. Talk about inspiring. Not a bad way to die! In the last mile there was this long, flat switchback that led to "The Cirque," which is an overlook that drops 1500 feet straight down to the mountain floor. It looks like a great place to base jump. Or if that last mile was too much to face I suppose you could launch off sans parachute. Around this time Mike started feeling the 13,000 plus feet of altitude and dropped back a bit. Just by a few yards and I didn't have to stop and wait for him to catch up. I was basically into the "last stretch of a race" mode and was forging ahead with obsessed determination. As we got close to the summit we saw Dylan, Evan and Ian waving at us. We were pretty short with them when they started asking us questions. We weren't to the top yet! I ran the last couple of short switchbacks, elated that I had actually summited my first fourteener. It was an incredible high that is even better than pr'ing in a race. I can't wait to summit my next one. 
     After sitting for a bit to catch our breath we took pictures, including the one below and then I headed to the summit base to use the bathroom. The place was crowded with people and I felt claustrophobic weaving among them to get the bathroom. I could get used to the mountain solitude that was just a couple of miles below. I went back out to the parking lot to the wait by the car and realized I was FREEZING. It was in the low 40s at the summit. Evan had given me his coat to wear and the car keys were in the pocket so I had access to the warm car and my clothes in the car but I didn't realize this. I sat outside the car waiting for the guys to get back and in that short amount time I nearly got hypothermia. I just wanted to go to sleep so badly. Once I got into the warm car I felt fine and started drinking Powerade to get my electrolytes back in balance. I felt fine the next day and even did a short interval workout on the dirt roads behind our condo at 9,000 feet elevation.

We don't look tired enough! Photo credit: Dylan Dombi

2016 Medina Half Marathon

Goal: run by feel and stay hydrated but...go out with Chelsea initially and see if you can hang
Result: 1:27:34 for second female, 39:54 at 10k
2016 Medina Half Results

     Where to start with this race? I love it and hope it continues to be held every year as long as I'm still racing. It's a reasonable price, very well organized, has great aid stations every 1.5 miles, provides all the post-race food you could ask for and even provides pacers from 1:30 to 3:20 pace ranges. In the last couple of years I've been happy to have good races and I was hoping to have a decent one again, especially after the Cap City Half debacle. Just like last year, I had regionals to get to directly after the race. I had even less time to get to the bus this year and didn't even stay to see Todd finish just minutes after me.
     I know the course like the back of my hand after running it in full at least five times, most times with Todd dragging me along at a healthy tempo. My fastest training run on the new and improved course was 1:32 (that time mostly with Evan while Todd ran 1:30). The first 10k is deceptively easy with a net downhill of around 180 feet. Then the hill on Foote Road hits, then another couple miles of gradual uphill and then the fun really starts. Miles 7-12 have net gains with the exception of a few sharp downhills in mile 10. If you can get up the hill right before mile 12 with some pep left in your legs, the final mile can really be torched with a nice three quarter of a mile downhill. Of course you still have to climb the hill to the square, but you can see the finish line by then so it doesn't really count. The main thing about this course is that it has personality. It is a very Medina course.

I'm not usually a medal hound but these are cool.

     Chelsea, the women's winner from last year was back for the race this year. I had two goals that were actually incongruous with each other. I wasn't going to wear a watch so I could run by feel but at the same time I wanted to see if I could stay with Chelsea and have her drag me along to a fast time. I knew this was a long shot and I probably wouldn't be able to pace with her but I wanted to try. I got to warm up with my friend Amanda who is 26 weeks pregnant and still ran a 2:00 half marathon! I did very light drills in my favorite back parking lot spot. I felt pretty good and not nervous. Maybe if you run a race enough times the nerves go away.

2016 start. Photo credit: Jim Blake

     I started very reasonably this year. No dragging off the back of the male lead pack! I fell into step with Chelsea just for the first downhill. There was a young girl running way out ahead at about 5:30 pace and by the time we turned down my street Chelsea caught her and was moving ahead quickly. I wasn't wearing my watch but Jeff's watch had us at 6:07 for the first mile. This is probably slower than last year, but still too fast. I knew there was no way I should be keeping this pace and when I went through the 2 mile in 12:13 I backed off to about a 6:30 pace. One of these days I will run an evenly paced half marathon. I think that will be the key to breaking my half pr. Steady 6:20s from start to finish. I caught the young girl by mile three and passed her quickly even though I was slowing down considerably myself. On the Reagan Parkway bunny hills I made sure I didn't expend too much energy going up them fast. I had a quick mile on Granger Road since that is a good opportunity to pick it up. The Lake Medina mile was pretty quick as well and I went through the 10k in 39:56, actually a decent 10k time for me. I saw a bunch of people cheering at points throughout this first section and tried to wave and smile. By this point I was running completely alone. From 3 miles to the finish I didn't pass anyone and no one passed me. The closest person behind me was the first 1:30 pacer guy who came in at 1:29. He and Todd were pretty close behind me at 10k so I knew I wasn't running that much below 1:30 pace. This is the one thing that kept me from completely relaxing for the second half. I didn't want to run over 1:30 no matter what!
     The best way to describe the way I approached the rest of the race was that I stayed in control of the effort. I accepted one of the Carb Boom! packets just before 10k and used every aid station to either drink water or Gatorade or splash water on my face. I stayed quite cool and hydrated and never felt thirsty or hot. Every once and while I felt guilty about staying in control and not going after Evan and Ian who were running close ahead of me, but then I would look behind me and see nothing but a desert with not a person in sight and feel okay with my decision. If there had been a woman close behind me I would have raced harder, of this I am sure, but as it was I had a long day ahead of me and I just wanted to have a positive race where I felt good. The hills were still hard and I had to use some self talk to get up the 12 mile hill at a decent pace. I skipped the final aid station and started the long decent down route 3. There were a ton of friendly 5k runners coming down at the same time and a lot of them cheered me on. I did not blaze this final mile. In one of the training runs I had 6:21 13th mile but I'd say this was more like a 6:30. Before I knew it I could see the finish line and all of the awesome MCRR volunteers including Dan, Angie and of course race director Beth! I congratulated Chelsea at the finish and got my medal from Angie. I waited for just a few minutes to see if the third place girl would come in but by the time the clock got to 1:30 I started feeling frantic about missing the bus and booked it up to Second Sole to get my stuff and head over to Buckeye.

I saw the clock and was going to make sure I finished in the 1:27s. Photo credit: Black and White Photography

     I recovered from this race really quickly, just in time for my first week of training with my new coach. I was able to do a track workout, a tempo run and a long run in a 79 mile week after this race. My endurance is THERE, now I just want some more speed to bring me those prs!

Check out these adorable awards!

Run Ytown 10 miler and Cap City Half/USATF Half Champs: a good race and a really, really bad one

Run Ytown 10 miler
Goal: beat 10 mile pr of 1:06:14
 Result: first female in 1:03:57
 results link

     Second Sole Youngstown gave me the opportunity to race at this event. I love racing in Youngstown and I heard that the course is beautiful, running through Mill Creek park for the majority of it. I decided not to taper and came in with a 70 mile week, a short track workout of 6x600s (ranged from 2:07-2:01) and a short 5k tempo at 6:17 average. I wasn't sure who I might be racing, but I figured that a couple Second Sole ladies would show up. I was right! Sara and Molly from the Canton store raced.
     I warmed up three miles, did drills and a last minute pre-race pee and tried to stay warm by running a couple of circuits around the Second Sole building. At the starting line I asked Molly and Sara what their race goals were. It turned out that they were using the race as a workout, where they went out around 7:00 average for the first half and then dropped to goal half pace for the second half. I knew I couldn't do this and realized I might be pushing by myself for a good amount of the race. I didn't ask what the goal pace for the second half of the race was, but I figured it was fast enough that they might catch me. I definitely didn't want this to happen!
     The race started on a nice gradual downhill. All races need to start this way. I went out at what I thought was a reasonable effort and was in third place overall. Really?! I didn't have my watch but I knew I wasn't going that fast. By the time we turned onto the all purpose path into Mill Creek, a fast masters runner named Todd caught up to me and I decided I would pace with him. He turned out to be a perfect pacer and kept the miles smooth all the way to the hills in mile six. We also had a friendly Second Sole employee with us on a bike. After Todd dropped me in mile six the bike guy stayed with me and I realized he was supposed to pace the lead female.
     The first five miles had a nice net downhill with some rolling hills scattered throughout. These miles felt good, yet honest and Todd kept starting up a conversation, which I haltingly tried to participate in. I was moving pretty fast for me and had a hard time talking! We came down to the five mile clock at 31:26, which is a 6:17 average. I tried not to get too excited and refused to mentally double that time. I knew there were hills lying in wait in the second half. Sure enough the hills started as soon as we turned around. There were some good rolls in mile six and seven and I watched Todd fade away in front of me. He ended up with very close to even splits while I averaged about 6:28 pace for the second half. I went very slowly up the hills and then worked hard on the downhill and flat. I tried to stay positive and be as honest with my effort as I could. I grabbed water at the 7 mile water stop and waved hi to Doug from Boardman. Seriously, this is what I refer to him as! I was starting to really hurt on the last big hill approaching mile 8. The bike guy let me know that was the last big hill and as we passed the 8 mile marker, I started to feel pretty good. The next couple of miles are a gradual uphill as we come back to the finish line. I looked behind me once to make sure Sara and Molly were not right on my tail. I couldn't see them so I figured I was safe to bring it into the finish smoothly and not overwork my kick. When I came off the path into the neighborhood there was a half mile left and I started to work a little harder. I took a hard right turn to the finish line and when the clock came into view I realized I was barely going to be under 1:04 so I started to move with a couple hundred meters to go. Just barely made it in the 1:03s! This is about a two minute pr so I was thrilled! I was looking forward to Cap City and taking down my half marathon pr.

Cap City Half Marathon/USATF Half Marathon Championships
Goal: "A" 1:21:56 "B" 1:23 "C" just pr (sub 1:24:42)
Result: 1:27:56

     I'm keeping this short because I don't want to dwell on it too much. I'll be honest, I'm only writing a blog about it because my pics are dope. I sure look like I'm in good shape. That counts for something right? Um, no it doesn't! But seriously, my Team Ohio uni is really cute (see below). Thanks Oiselle and Fleet Feet Sports!

Staying warm in the starting area. Photo credit: Salty Running

     I had to leave our home relay meet a bit early to book it down to Columbus in time to get to bed at reasonable hour. I shared a hotel room with my awesome teammates, Amanda, Scott and Jeff. I got an okay amount of sleep, probably six hours worth. I woke up just after 5 a.m. and was pretty excited. I honestly had no fore-warning of the race carnage I was to become. I'm thankful for that! After a light breakfast of cornflakes and coffee (and some star sighting in the elite athlete lounge) I changed into my uniform and pulled out my last pair of beautiful Virratas. I was hoping they would bring me luck, a pr and a respectable performance at my first ever national championships.
     I warmed up for two miles with Amanda. I really felt fine on the warmup, though my watch was not accurate so I decided to turn off the gps and just split my miles. The only slightly concerning thing was that I was just getting my period. This hasn't been problem in the past so I thought nothing of it. I was able to use our hotel room for one last pre-race pee and then I booked it down to the starting line to do some quick drills. There were lots of guys milling around but not many women. I kept wondering when all the women would show up. We were on the starting line with our fingers hovering over our watches before I realized that this was all of us. A very tiny field of 26 women. A feeling of dread swept over me during the countdown to the gun. I was standing awkwardly at the back and was certain I was going to get swept into a very uncomfortable and very long sprint. Sure enough everyone took off at a crazy pace and not wanting to drag along behind with my lonely self, I hung onto the back of the pack. I knew it was too fast but I figured I could settle down in a bit and hang out with one of the slower ladies. I passed the first mile clock in 5:58 and really started to panic. My race plan was to strictly stick to a 6:15-6:20 pace and I already felt like I was in over my head. I passed the two mile clock in 12:10 so my second mile was still too fast. I saw Shari and her daughter cheering at this point and waved and smiled, trying to look like I had things under control. It honestly was so nice to hear people cheer, even when I was completely over this race.
     I watched as the one lady who I was near faded away during the third mile, which I slowed down to about a 6:30. It was all over after that. I kept trying to convince myself to bring the effort back up but even when a lady passed me at mile six I couldn't summon the energy to pick it up and go with her. By mile 8 we came back into the square and I could see my hotel. I wanted to drop out so badly and I was oh so close to doing just that. Each clock showed an increasingly slower time and I was sure I was running in last place. Cap City men and and even a few women from the regular field were flying by me like I was standing still. Instead of dropping out I let myself completely cash it in. I fell into about a marathon effort and told myself to imagine a full marathon ahead of me. Easing up on the effort worked and I got past the mile where it was easy to drop out. I went through the motions of taking water and my Gu Roctane but I didn't feel like that helped much. It did help to have a few turns and hills. The worst part of this race was the long, flat straightaways. I felt like they would never end. At about mile 11 point something I was passed by a couple of Cap City men who were running 1:22. I latched onto them and told myself that I wasn't going to keep running 6:50 to finish. I just needed to work for a little over a mile and I would have this horrific ordeal over with. So my last mile was one of my faster ones. I actually felt fine coming into the finish. I welcomed the final uphills and turns that broke up the relative monotony of the course. I saw John and Shari at the finish, where I'm afraid I was quite shell shocked and kept saying "That was so bad."

See? Somehow this is a good pic. I'd take a pr over a good pic any day.

     After the race I tried to cheer in Amanda but somehow missed her. I kept waiting as people streamed in over the finish line but I finally went back to the hotel. As it turned out, none of us had a good race. Amanda was just as disappointed with her time as I was with mine. Before I went back up to the room to take a consolation bath, I introduced myself to Esther Erb (Atkins). I am a huge fan of her and love following her training log on running2win.com. She was so friendly and of course asked how I did, which I wasn't prepared for!
     This race was a huge lesson. I do not belong in a national championship field. I don't think anyone with a pr in the mid 1:20s belongs in a field like that. If Team Ohio is offered entry into this race next year I will come back and run in the regular Cap City field where I'll have plenty of company from people at my pace.
     Oh and this just in: I'm going to have a coach starting in June! Becki Spellman will be guiding my summer training and hopefully beyond.

Shamrock 15k: Some pain is good, so a lot of pain must be better, right?

Goal: pr for the course (1:01:55) and race for the win
Result: 1:02:15 and first female
Splits: 6:06, 6:12, 6:10, 6:28, 7:43, 7:05, 6:57, 6:46, 6:47, 0.3 @ 6:04 pace
Results: 2016 Shamrock 15k Results
     I think if you spend much time in the endurance running world you'll grow to embrace a fair amount of physical pain. Real, muscle burning, lung-searing pain that doesn't go away until the finish line because you can't stop and walk or you'll lose your place, pr or sense of pride. The Summit Athletic Running Club Shamrock 15k is set on the type of course that is notorious for offering up pain in spades to those who dare to actually race it.
     I didn't race much over the winter. One indoor 5k at Kent State in January. I pulled off a 5k track pr of 18:42, so I knew I was a bit faster than last year. I stayed away from the track for weeks leading up to this race though. Concentrating on tempos and hill repeats in order to lay a strong base for half marathon training. My goal race is the Capital City half marathon in Columbus at the end of April. I'm in the USATF half championship field along with my Team Ohio teammates, so I'm feeling the pressure to run a time that warrants that spot.
     I did a mini taper to get myself ready for this race. I had a cold earlier in the week and had to delay my tempo run to Wednesday. Todd and I knocked out a four mile tempo at 6:28 pace. Then I ran easy 6 milers up until Sunday, hoping to rest my legs. On race morning I arrived without much time to spare and only got in a two mile warmup. This meant I needed at least four miles after the race to get a decent long run in. I saw a few people I knew. Bryan, Alex my teammate, Teresa and Debbie. Teresa had raced the year before and ran about a 1:04, but I knew not to count her out. She's run some really fast races in the past year, including 3:04 at Akron. I did not see Kelly Green, the female winner from the previous two years.
     My main goal was to not get as hyped up as I did the year before and take it easier on the downhill portion of the race. This is the first three miles. Then it levels out a bit in the fourth mile before heading into a nasty net uphill until nine miles. The fifth and sixth miles are brutal, with 254 feet of gain, 172 of that in mile 5. So you rip your quads to shreds for three miles before asking them to work way more than they want to for the next five miles. I remember driving home last year, shell shocked at just how hard this course is. The drive home this year was deja vu.

Nice, relaxed start. Photo credit: Summit Athletic Running Club

     I started conservatively and was immediately first female and third overall. This was not as fast a field as last year. David Ryland pulled away quickly, but the second male was not that far ahead of me through the first few miles. I tried to stay very calm and run easily. My first three miles were 6:06, 6:12, 6:10, so about 19:07 through the 5k, a number of seconds slower than last year. It felt easier than last year too. The fourth mile passed in 6:28 and even in this mile I felt the drain in my legs from the downhill start. I hit "the hill" on Northhampton Road and every muscle in my legs wanted to stop working. Two men passed me on this hill and just like last year I walked a few steps in the middle. As we went up the next hill I tried my best to stay positive. Last year I was passed by Kelly in this mile and though I didn't look behind me, I didn't think there were any women close behind. I told myself that no one in this race feels good during miles five and six. I just had to keep moving forward and no more walking! I barely made it under 7:50 for mile five and was over 7:00 for mile six, then I was able to come back down in the high 6s. I saw George, a well-known local runner, during mile six and I smiled and waved, faking a pleasant racing attitude. Rolling into mile seven I started to feel a little better. I kept trying to pick up the pace but my legs were just not responding. I stopped looking at my watch after mile five, but I knew I was not running any faster than last year. At the switch back right before mile eight, I saw that Teresa was closing in on me. She was about 30 seconds behind me and looked strong. "You have to pick it up, or she will catch you," I told myself. I dug deep for a 6:47 ninth mile but that was all I had left. There is a cruel, long uphill at the tail end of the ninth mile, just to drill home the pain. I turned onto the final stretch and did my best to kick. The last 0.3 was about 6:04 pace. Ironically, my time was almost the exact amount of time that I held back in the first 5k. Perhaps I just have to go crazy in that first 5k to run a fast time on this course? I was convinced Teresa was on my heels but I had to wait a while in the finish chute for her to come in. She ran about two minutes faster than last year!

I'm just not gonna look great at the end of this race. Photo credit: Summit Athletic Running Club

     We thanked each other for pushing each other and I waited around to see a few more people finish and hear that Alex had won the 5k. Team Ohio sweep! I then went and got a snack from inside the high school and without cooling down, booked it home to the kids. I did get a cooldown in after I checked in on the kids but at 2:00 in the afternoon with very little nutrition and coffee in me, I bonked hard and had to walk more than a mile home. I had some dizziness and lethargy for a few hours after this. I've noticed that my nutrition issues are worse this year than they have been in the previous two years. I run out of fuel fast and when it's gone, it's gone. My body won't function. It's just something I have to keep up on.

Fall Trail Races: Fuzzy Fandango 25k and Buckeye Woods 25k

Fuzzy Fandango 25k
Goal: Somewhere between 2:00 and 2:30 (not sure of the terrain) and race for the win
Result: 2:23:01 and first female

     I heard about this race via a Facebook post by Brian Polen in Medina County Road Runners. This was just a week or so before I was due to chase after a new 10k road pr. I was feeling immense pressure (from myself of course) to pr in my last road race for the year. I was kind of hating the stressful feeling of needing to perform and run fast and I jumped at the opportunity to get back on the trails and have some fun on my favorite running surface. When I say have some fun, I don't mean that I don't race hard in a trail race. It's just that the whole environment is different. More low key. It's like the attitude matches the racing surface: soft but deceptively tough. I don't think anyone thinks it's easy to race more than 15 miles on technical, leaf-covered trails with thousands of feet of elevation change. But somehow it is more fun than hammering out asphalt miles.
     It was staged at Camp Nuhop in the Mohican State Park. The camp provides services for developmentally challenged kids and the race was a benefit for it. I heard that the start took you up something called "mount Nuhop" and then on a nice 25k loop through the tough trails of the Mohican State Forest. These trails are typical Ohio trails. Single track, lots of roots, rocks and it being full blown autumn, piles of fallen leaves. Snow in the winter, mud in the spring and summer and leaves in the fall. Never think you're going to run fast on Ohio trails. I prepared for the race by switching completely to trail tempos. I extended them up to 45 minutes straight through. I used the 5 mile loop on the Medina Reagan trails for these. There is very little true elevation change but the sharp turns and narrow path mimic a technical trail. It serves it's purpose to keep me close to home but working on trails.
     Race day came and I realized it was going to be perfect weather. Low 40s, no wind or rain and especially no snow. I do not want to race in the snow on anything but skis! Margaret followed me out to the location. She was running the 25k as well and we did a warmup together on the road that leads down from the camp. We got a taste of what kind of hills were in store for us. Good ones! I decided not to wear a watch because my Garmin has been very unreliable under tree cover. I didn't want to get caught up in what pace I was running in a race like this. I had a plan to try and hang with Brian Polen, who was running the 50k. I learned quickly after the start that I wouldn't be able to do that without going into oxygen debt in the first few miles.
     I love the low key start of trail ultra races. The 25k and the 50k went off together at 8 a.m. Everyone was in a good mood and ready to enjoy some trails. I started hard to see if I could go with the front 50k guys. The problem was that the front 50k guys and the front 25k guys were hanging together and running about 7:00-7:30 pace. Uphill. Nope, that would not be wise. So I hung back and settled into a good effort. Around 8:00 on the flat, 7:30 on the downhill and 9:00 or slower on the uphill. In the first five miles I actually hiked plenty of the steep hills. This terrain was proving to be no joke and I was using a lot of effort from my whole body. I noticed too that the stress of watching for rocks and roots under the piled leaves was causing quite a strain. There was no taking my eyes off the ground for this race. And even then, I fell hard twice.
     In the first three miles I followed three men off course. Instead of going in the direction that I knew matched the pre-race directions, I followed them. I added about a half a mile to my race by doing this. I felt sick when I realized that people had passed me during this mistake. I was sure a woman must have passed and I worked hard the next three miles to a catch the men that had passed and hopefully the women. I finally found out at about mile 8 that no women had passed me. After I heard this, I felt relieved and started to really concentrate on making this a good race. I took advantage of the flats and started pushing the pace on them. I also began to run the hills instead of hiking them. I ran them slowly, tip toeing to the top, but I submitted to the lung-searing, butt-seizing pain that comes with uphill running and told myself to get to the top without stopping. These trails were stunningly beautiful. I especially loved the sections in the pine forest. Pines are always my favorite. I had decided not to carry nutrition with me. I stopped at each of the four aid stations and drank one cup of water and one cup of electrolyte. Between the first and second aid station I began to feel very depleted and I barely made it to the next aid station without crashing. I felt fine after I got in some calories though. At about mile 5 I slid on some mud that was hidden under a foot of leaves and fell. I caught myself before going over an embankment that would have cost me many minutes crawling back up it. I told myself to focus on the ground. Unfortunately I fell again, this time harder, right before the second aid station. My left knee took most of the fall and I scraped up my palms. After this fall the downhills started to wrench my knees. It was about this time when I heard someone coming up behind me.
"This was not how I pictured us running together," Brian told me as he passed. Poor guy had taken a wrong turn and added at least a mile to his distance. Believe me, this route doesn't need an extra mile added to it! He moved ahead very quickly after I commiserated with him over going off course. He was still able to pull off the win in a very solid time.
As I approached the third aid station I realized that I was feeling really good. I was working hard, no doubt, but I felt like I could work a little harder. From there to the finish, everything except the falls with those god awful stairs is a blur. I scrambled up those stairs as fast as I could, hauling my body up with my arms. After the stairs came a truly dangerous section near the cliffs. People have died falling from there. I began to gain on a number of male runners from the 8.5 mile race and some 25kers that were dying. I started feel like I was hunting people down and really got in a rhythm hawking them down. I distinctly remember a point after climbing the stairs where I was going up a technical climb with large rocks and no clear path. I was in full race/hunt mode and grabbed sapplings around me to help pull myself up the hill. At one point I was basically crawling over rocks, scraping up my hands even more, eyes ahead on those in front of me. That is my favorite memory from from this race. I've used that memory ever since then, to get myself through workouts. For your best race, maintain a single-minded focus on what lies ahead. Never look back. It doesn't even have to be people that you focus on, but points on the course, trees or landmarks.
     I felt so great on that final stretch of road before dropping back down into camp Nuhop. I was actually wishing that I had more miles to run so I could keep getting faster. But it was time to be done for the day. And once I finished I was glad that I wasn't running the 50k like Ladd and Brian. Ladd came through the first loop soon after I finished and all I could think and say was "good luck." I waited for Margaret to finish and ate some delicious chili and coffee in the lodge. I also chatted with the male winner of the 25k who is a local high school coach. His wife was third female in the 25k. And Stephanie Hillman, the Hoka rep, was second female!
     This race is a definite keeper. I plan to return here next year and possibly tackle the 50k if the timing is right in my training. It is for a great cause and was so well run. And who can pass up running on these beautiful trails?!

25k results

Buckeye Woods 25k
Goal: beat men's course record of 1:53
Result: 1:50:20 for first overall

     This is an MCRR club race only open to club members. This is so much fun and because I'm already a club member, it's free. For the past three years I have come out and raced it with a serious goal in mind. The first year I was happy to finish a 16 mile race on 30 miles a week and a long run of 10 miles. I realized after that race that I still had endurance and would be fine to tackle longer distances. Last year I aimed to take down the women's course record of 2:06 and was able to crush that with a 1:54. I flirted with the idea of doing the 50k this year but I simply wasn't able to put the long runs in. I would want a 20 miler on the 5 mile loop in order to mentally train myself to get through that kind of monotony. I do not prefer loop courses. So I decided to go after the men's 25k course record. That was just one minute faster than what I ran last year. I knew it would be a serious grind, but wanted to give it my best try.

Buckeye Woods 50k Blog

     Evan offered to pace me for 10-12 miles of the race. This was his long run and the pace was going to be about perfect for him. I'm so grateful that he did this as I believe it made the difference of minutes. In any other race setting I would feel guilty for having a pacer, but there was nearly a guarantee that I would be all alone otherwise.

Start of the 25k/50k. Photo credit: John J. McCarroll

     I headed out on the first paved mile at about 6:50 pace. I didn't want to push the effort in the early miles but they needed to be 6:40-6:50 for the paved and crushed limestone before going into the woods, where they would naturally slow to over 7:00. Or at least they do for me. After the second mile I noticed that my watch didn't beep for the longest time after Evan's did. It fell back more and more throughout the race and I ended up losing 0.9 miles over the course of the race. Because I had Evan running with me, I knew this and refused to look at my watch. I used it for total time at the check ins only. To be honest, I didn't feel good. I was cold and lethargic at the beginning and then hot and depleted feeling until the final four miles. I was moving at the right pace though, and refused to give into the fatigue. Evan was the perfect pacer. He was moving easily, obviously, but he kept the chatting to a minimum. He even went an extra mile past what he needed for his long run.
     My nutrition was pretty light for this. I stopped at the two pavilion check ins and spent 30 and 50 seconds getting down Gatorade and water. I had to hydrate a lot throughout the day after this effort.
     The one nice thing about loops is that you see so many people, either by lapping them or passing them coming the other direction. I tried to say hi to people as I saw them, even though I was in race mode. I'm telling you, the 50kers KILLED it this year. There were so many finishers and Nicole got the women's course record in 4:19. As usual, I didn't have time to stick around and watch, but there were some major celebrations going on at the pavilion in early afternoon hours.

My favorite pic from the race. Yes, it was hot enough to run shirtless after we warmed up and Evan didn't care about the tights/no shirt faux pas. Photo credit: John J. McCarroll

     The first loop (6 miles) was a bit fast at 40:26 but I knew I just needed to maintain a 7:00 average on the next two loops. On that second loop I was only able to do this because Evan was pacing me. During the woods section he went slightly ahead of me and I had the illusion of chasing him, as if I was actually racing. This was a huge mental boost. We made it back to the pavilion the second time at 1:15:22. Perfect. Just maintain. But I was feeling tired. My least favorite mile is the one right after the pavilion check in. The crushed limestone is soft and I feel like I'm going uphill, though it's quite flat. Then my favorite section is the short paved one right before we head into the woods. I was picking it up to about 6:20 pace in there and those were the miles that saved the overall average. Evan headed back to the pavilion right before I went back to the woods for the final time. I told myself that this was no excuse to drop off the pace and made sure I worked those final miles. Every time I gave in and backed off, I told myself "no, make it hurt" and got going again. I started feeling really good in the final mile as I was coming back to the pavilion. I didn't look at my watch, but I knew I'd worked hard for that last bit and was going to get a pr for the course. I kicked it in at about 5:10 pace coming around the lake. I felt so good! Then I saw that the clock had a 1:50 and I could hardly believe it. This was a strong effort for me. I'm hoping it points to many strong efforts for the half marathon and marathon in 2016.

Finishing up! Soaked in sweat. Photo credit: John J. McCarroll