Eau Claire Marathon

“Everything you ever wanted to know about yourself you can learn in 26.2 miles,” as quoted by Lori Culnane.  I learned a few lessons today.  I’ll share those with you as we go along, but let’s start by saying today’s marathon did not go as I had hoped.

The Eau Claire Marathon is held in Eau Claire, WI, which is exactly 120 miles from my house.  When I registered, I didn’t give the location, race course or logistics much thought.  The timing fit my schedule, and it seemed like a nice low-key event.  I don’t care for big city marathons, the crowds, and lines give me the heeby-geebies, so this seemed like a nice road marathon to attempt a Boston qualifying time at.

As the week lead up to race day, I realized that logistically, it being 2 hours away, and a 7:30am start time wasn’t ideal.  Do I get up early, drive to the start or pay for a hotel nearby?  After a few nights of discussing our options, Matt & I decided that I’d just drive over race morning, and meet up with my friends, Steph & Joy.  The last few weeks I’ve been getting up at 4am anyway, so that shouldn’t be an issue. 

Race morning comes, and the alarm goes off, I hit snooze – maybe this should have been my first warning.  I NEVER hit snooze on a race morning.  I’m usually cranked to get up and get moving.  So when I do get up I’m about 15 min behind “schedule.”  Not a huge deal because I had worked in some additional time, just in case.  I brewed some coffee, got dressed, said good bye to Matt, grabbed my race breakfast and hit the road.

Pre-race selfie!

4:30am on a Sunday morning, there is NO traffic.  Awesome! Smooth sailing!  I got across town and into WI in record time.  One pit stop on the way, and I was there, finding a nice parking spot right on schedule.

Steph had warned me that the park start/finish area sat on top of a hill.  I grabbed a few things out of the car, and headed up.  It was about a 10 min walk… mostly up hill, to the start/finish area.  I easily found Steph & Joy & we picked up our race packets.  A quick stop at the porto-potty, which there were a ton of, luckily, and we headed to the start to line up.

Steph & I lined up together & soon we were on our way.  Music in my ears, plan set, mantras ready, I started the first mile.  There were some crowds & I was slightly behind the 3:45 pace group.  I checked my watch, and I was dead on 8:20.  That pace group went out too fast… Mile 2, still behind the 3:45 group, 8:10.  I backed it down a little.  The first 10k, was right on 8:20 pace average.  I was thrilled.  I was breathing a little hard, but if I turned up my music, I couldn’t hear myself panting, so therefore, I was fine, right??  The 3:45 group was behind me, and all was good.

Or was it… my pace started to falter with some hills, ok, no big deal, I’m fine, I told myself.  I started working on my mantras.  “Stay relaxed,” “keep your cadence high,” “pop!pop!pop!” as I marched up the hills.  But by mile 9, and this enormous hill that ended near the airport, I was spent.  I was over a 9min/per mile pace… “I didn’t come this far not to work,” I told myself, I tried to pick it up, another mile, 9:30.  Finally, I came to the conclusion I’d just do what I could.  Keep it under 4 hours? That seemed like a reasonable goal.

I hit the ½ marathon at 1:54.  Ok, that works, I told myself, just maintain this pace & you’ll break 4 hours.  It was getting hot.  I really was struggling.  I had no energy.  We turned into the wind, which on one hand was nice, as it kept you cooler, but on the other hand, it felt like it was literally sucking the life right out of me.  I contemplated sitting down in the shade, but kept pushing on.  I was carrying a hand held bottle, which I’m really grateful for, as I could drink between aid stations.  I refilled my bottle a total of 4 additional times.  I made sure I popped some salt tabs, and had a gel every hour or so (It ended up being miles 8, 14, 18, 22 for gels.)

I watched the 3:45 pace group move on by.  They were on track now.  Then shortly the 4:00 pace grouped moved past me.  I tried not to let that get to me.  I had pulled ahead of Steph, who was battling a cold, around mile 2 or 3.  She passed me too, definitely fighting the heat, about mile 16 or 17.  I tried to keep her in my sights, but that was a lost cause.  I kept moving, running, or walking when I was light headed and nauseous.  I was drinking well, but the heat was beating down on all the runners.  You could see it take it’s toll on many people today.  I just wanted to finish, standing up and breathing, at this point. 

At this point too, I changed my mindset.  It was no longer about meeting my goal of a Boston qualifying time, it was simply about finishing, and being grateful for this opportunity to run.  To be able to run, injury free, in a safe place, with gas in my car to drive me home, and food waiting for me at the finish.  I love running, and that’s what I was doing! This helped me get through a few more miles.

Mile 22 meltdown...

My lowest point was mile 22, it still felt like I had so far to go.  I texted Matt, and was on the verge of tears.  I talked myself out of crying, just wasted energy anyway, and I knew that the low point would pass.  Experience teaches you that if you wait it out, it will get better.  And it did.  Around mile 23, we came into the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire campus, and all the students were out.  There was so much energy, and it really helped pull me out of my slump.  Then it was only a 5k to go anyway.

I ran to the base of the hill at the park, and was starting to overheat after running the last couple miles without walking (not fast, mind you, but faster than walking!)  I walked/jogged up the final hill & into the finish area.  I was SO grateful to be done!   I found Steph, Joy & some additional friends that had ran the ½ marathon distance.  The heat blew us all up. I was in good company!

Finish line with Steph.

My official finish time was 4:16.  Not a personal best or a personal worst either, just another run on a hot day on a fairly hilly, and windy course.

Race Swag

Today’s marathon reminded me to respect the early season heat, wear sunscreen & use more body glide than you think you need.  :)

I don’t know if I’ll run another road marathon this year.  I may just stick to the trails for summer; my next events on the calendar include a 50k on July 4, a 50 miler the last weekend of July, and then the Superior 100 in September.  I have plenty to work towards, so we’ll see if it makes sense to do one once I’m recovered.

Thanks for taking the time to read my race ramblings.

Remember to:
*Be grateful.

*Respect the heat.

*Wear sunscreen.

*Use more body glide than you think you need.

*Thank your race volunteers.

Psycho-Wyco 50k 2015

Psycho-Wyco was my first trail and ultra-distance race of 2015.  I wasn’t sure what to expect regarding my performance.  Mostly, I was looking to enjoy myself, and I prayed for warmer temperatures and no ice.  I ran solid mileage in January, but only one 20 miler, which I did on snow covered trails at my local park.  I had been doing regular workouts with weights along with my running, but my nutrition the last couple weeks leading to race day had suffered.  I had no idea how the day would play out.

Kansas City is about a 7 hour drive from where I live.  I worked a few hours on Friday morning, and then we hit the road about noon.  I had packed a small cooler with some snacks, but nothing substantial.    It wasn’t quite dinner time when we cruised through Des Moines, Iowa, and we weren’t really hungry anyway.  It was still another couple hours to Kansas City.  I had hoped that we’d find something decent along the way.  As the sun went down and we started to get hungry, the towns got farther apart, and the food options got slimmer. I had been doing all the driving and I was ready for a break, I found an exit that looked promising… The signage at the exit pointed to a gas station, and a couple restaurants 2 miles off the interstate.  So we headed in that direction, the signs were somewhat misleading… There was a Pizza Hut, a local pizza place & the smallest Hy-Vee grocery store I’ve ever seen.  We opted to check out the grocery store.  We left with wraps, deli turkey, and some baby carrots.  This would have to do.  Matt took over driving, and I started putting our “dinner” together.  We made it into Kansas City about 9pm.  We were staying with some of Matt’s family, and we were welcomed into their home with hugs and the smell of something wonderful in the oven. 

We spent some time getting settled in and catching up and found that the wonderful smell from the oven was coming from stuffed jalapeños baking.  So at nearly 10pm on the night before my race I enjoyed stuffed jalapenos and a slice of chocolate cake.  Maybe not ideal, but certainly delicious! I hoped those jalapeños wouldn’t come back to haunt me!  It was nearly 11:30 before we hit the sack.  Morning would come early.

Morning did come early, but there always seems to be enough pre-race adrenaline to offset the lack of sleep.  Matt and I had our breakfast and headed off to the race.

I mingled with a few friends from Minnesota before the start, and it wasn’t long before we were off.

I found myself in a pack of runners early on, but it only took a mile or so before everyone started to get spread out.  After about 5 miles, I found myself running completely alone.  The course is a 3-loop course of just over 10 miles.  The first half is easier than the back half in my mind.  On the first loop the trail was frozen, but there was no snow, and it was really uneven. You had to be extra careful to watch your footing because there were so many frozen foot prints, and rolling an ankle became a very real hazard.  Add to that lots of leaves and rocks on the trail, and it made for some tricky places.  But this is why I love trail running. You just have to take what the trail gives you.  I found the most runnable sections were those areas on long up hills.  Now most ultra runners hike or walk the hills, I do too, on most days.  But because some of the areas that I’d have normally run, I needed to walk so I didn’t roll an ankle, I found that even if it was a hill and the footing was good, I ran it. 

Hiking up Dam Hill, this was a significant climb to an aid station.  Photo curtesy Matt Leis 

I finished the first loop in just over 2 hours, and I was pleased with that.  After a quick stop at the aid station, I started the second loop.  This was a whole new game.  The sun and earlier runners (there are 3 races, 10 mile, 20 mile & 50k on the same loop) had warmed up the trail, so now it was a mucky, slippery mess… The places that were frozen before were like grease.  So now I walked some of these same areas so I didn’t end up on my butt! Even on some of the hills that I had ran in the first loop, I was back to walking because it was so slippery.  I was starting to get frustrated, and my hips were starting to hurt from all the uneven terrain. 

The hills were starting to get to me on the second loop, but I just kept smiling! Photo curtesy Matt Leis

Every mile I watched my pace drop.  I didn't let it bother me, and just enjoyed the day for what it was.  I was running dirt trails, my body basically felt good, the sun was out, my wonderful hubby was out on the course taking pictures, life couldn’t be better!  I just kept reminding myself of all those blessings when I was slipping and sliding around.  Soon enough, lap 2 was done, and I was starting the third loop.

On the bridge to start the final loop.  Photo curtesy Matt Leis

There is something about the third loop that makes it special.  First of all, the trail had dried up a ton in the 2 plus hours I’d been making my way around it.  There was a little greasy mud in the first couple of miles, but then it was really nice.  I found myself running more, and running more of the hills.  Secondly, it’s the last loop.  You know you don’t have to climb those hills again; you won’t pass through that aid station again.  You’re like a horse headed for the barn.  Or at least I was.  I felt great.  With the better trail conditions, I could run, and running felt awesome.

 

Making my way down one of the many hills. Photo curtesy Mile 90 Photography

Headed for the finish line.  Photo curtesy Matt Leis

I ran it in as hard as I could.  I felt good.  I could hear the finish line before I saw it, and the music was pumping.  Finishing a race, whether it’s your first or your 100^th is something special.  That feeling never gets old.  I even did a little dance at the finish line.  Trail running is so much fun!! Being in nature, pushing yourself, and the thrill of a race simply makes me smile; I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Finish line!! Photo curtesy Mile 90 Photography

I am so blessed to be able to do what I love.  To have been able to take a short get away, enjoy a weekend with family, and run trails in the sunshine is a recipe for happiness.  I hope that you can find something that you enjoy, that makes you smile, and enjoy it as much as possible.

Finish line dance :)  Photo curtesy Mile 90 Photography

Superior 100 2014 - Redemption

It’s a little hard for me to write this race report, for the simple fact that by doing so, means it’s over.  It’s that strange sensation that you have after major life events when you feel changed on the inside, but the rest of the world is moving along as if nothing out of the ordinary ever happened.  It’s a little surreal. 

As most of you already know, I had attempted the Superior 100 in 2013, and had to drop at mile 85.  It wasn’t long after that I knew I needed to return this year and take care of some “unfinished business.”  Coming into the race this year, I felt stronger and more confident than I had in 2013.  My 2013 DNF (stands for “did not finish”) actually taught me a lot of really good lessons.  Many of which I hoped would keep me moving better this year.

Soon enough it was race week and I was excited to head north.  I had an awesome team of people that were going to be a part of my journey.  First, was my wonderful husband, Matt, who had seen last year’s DNF first hand.  Then there was my mother in law, my parents, my dear friend from Michigan, AnneMarie, my friend Tracy, who’s husband was running the marathon, and my two best running pals Colleen & Steph.  I was surrounded by love, friendship, and the best support a girl could ask for to get to the finish line.

On Thursday we hung out in Duluth and then had dinner at my parents camper in Two Harbors before the race meeting.  After the meeting Annemarie and I spent the night at the camper with my parents and everyone else headed up to the house in Lutsen.  Lucky for me I had earplugs – because sleeping on an air mattress listening to the sound of multiple people snoring was not allowing for the most restful night’s sleep…I tried not to stress about it, and just rest as best as I could.

Dinner at the Sierra Base Camp

Race morning arrived and we got up and moving.  I had some coffee, scrambled eggs, a banana and a muffin before heading to the start.   It was cool, sunny and dry.  Perfect conditions.  There was a lot of excitement surrounding the visitor’s center at Gooseberry Falls State Park.  And after a few pictures and some nervous chatter, it was time to get lined up to start.

 

Pre-race pic with my parents and Patch

And we're off!

I lined up near the back with my friends Kamie and Joli.  After a couple of announcements we were on our way.  As the runners got more spread out, I was leading a small train of runners – me, Joli, Kamie, and one or two others.  I hadn’t seen Joli in a year, and we had plenty to catch up on.  Kamie said we were going to eat every 30 min.  That sounded good to me, and every 30 min, we’d all have a snack.  We’d remind each other to drink, and the camaraderie was lovely. Those first 9-10 miles passed easily and we came into Split Rock aid station.  I grabbed ½ a pb&j sandwich, refilled my water and electrolyte drink and headed out.  Kamie was right behind me.  We were right on schedule.  It was 10:35am.   Kamie and I would be together for over 50 miles of the race, and there is no doubt in my mind that was a key to my success.

Kamie and I continued to work together, her reminding me to eat, and turn my toes forward (when I duck walk, my knees hurt…I had no idea, just that tip alone saved me a lot of pain!) and me keeping the pace conversational, and relaxed.   The day was perfect and we kept checking off the aid stations. 

The first place you can see your crew is at 20 miles at Beaver Bay.  We were a little ahead of schedule, it was 1:20pm.  It was great to see most everyone there, it’s hard not to get sucked into a lot of chatter at the aid stations, so I told my crew to “get me in and get me out.”  They did a great job.  Most of the time I could keep it to about 5 minutes.  Refill my pack, grab some food, pb&j or broth and get going.

Coming into Beaver Bay

It was great having Kamie for the first half – we knew that we’d each run our own race, but we figured we were closely enough matched that if we could get to County Rd 6 – or 43 miles to pick up our pacers together, that we’d be in good shape.

My goal was to get to County Road 6/43.5 miles before dark – the section leading up to that is long and challenging.  That coupled with the sun going down and being eager to reach the pacers, it can be a mental game.  This is where our pace started to slow some, even though I was motivated to get there before it was totally dark.  I finally had to break down and put on the headlamp.  Shoot. But eventually we made it to the paved road, and jogged down to the bright lights and excitement of the aid station.  We arrived there at 8:45pm, about 30 min behind my anticipated schedule.

One thing I really found interesting is how during this event I lost my sense of time.  Kamie and I were chatting at one point when we realized we’d been out there for over 11 hours… Didn’t feel like that at all.  I became more motivated by the rise and fall of the sun – Friday – get in as many miles before dark.  Then Friday night, get in as many miles in the dark as possible, because that will get you closer to the finish line.  Saturday, get as many miles done in the daylight, so you don’t have to put that darn headlamp on again!!!

At 43 miles, I picked up my first pacer, Colleen, and we headed off into the night.  She was excited to be pacing and there was a lot of fun chatter.  Pretty soon Kamie and her pacer were right behind us.  Having 2 new people to talk to was great.  I continued to lead the train and set the pace.  We were having a blast. 

The four of us rolled into Finland – 51 miles at 11:20pm, I was about an hour behind my “plan.”  I was starting to get some hot spots on my heals – so changed socks and added some tape to the heals to prevent more blisters.  This was my first long aid station – I think it was just over 10 minutes.  Colleen and I headed out and before too long Kamie and Sue were right behind us again.  Another 4 + miles and we were into Sonju Lake Road.  No crews here so we checked out the buffet of food and refilled our packs.  I was going to have some more pb&j, but a guy dry heaving right behind me into the bushes, turned my stomach… Let’s get out of here!

Off into the darkness the 4 of us went.  This was probably where I started to really notice some other runners not doing so well.  We offered salt tabs, and reminded them to keep eating.  We were still eating every 30 min – whether we liked it or not!! And there were times that I did NOT want to eat.  But we were moving right along.  Our pace continued to slow some – the trail can be really technical in places, plus it was dark, my headlamp sucked, and I was starting to get tired.  I still wanted to hold off on caffeine as long as possible.  It was during this section that Kamie & Sue pulled ahead.  I wouldn’t see Kamie again until the finish, but my crew kept close tabs on her & let me know she was moving well.

After another 4+ miles, we came into the Crosby Manitou aid station.  I was ahead of my time from last year at this point, but still falling behind my plan for this year.  It was 4am Saturday.  My crew was getting nervous.  I was still feeling better than I had a year ago, so I wasn’t too worried.  I love this aid station.  They have the “best worst” hamburgers ever.  It was the wee hours of the morning and I inhaled ½ a cheeseburger.  It was gross and delicious all at the same time.  I also changed pacers here, and Steph and I would share the next 27 miles together.

We moved out of the aid station and deep into the Manitou river gorge.  Down, down, down to the river, up, up, up to horseshoe ridge.  The stars were amazing!!! This is a long section –nearly 10 miles, but the sun started to come up and the end of it is pretty runnable.  So enough power hiking and on to some jogging… I called it “shuffle shuffle” – hardly a run.  Just using different muscles.  I wanted out of this section badly.  My feet were hurting like mad.  I was fighting the good fight, but it was definitely getting harder.

Morning Sunrise on the trail

Finally out of the woods to Sugarloaf aid station.  Matt, Sandy and Annemarie were there.  They were fresh after getting a good night’s sleep.  I needed to change shoes and address what was happening to my feet.  They pointed me towards a chair and covered me in a blanket.  I wasn’t cold, why would I need a blanket, I wondered.  And within a minute, I was shivering.  The wind was breezy, but it was another beautiful morning.  Matt took off my shoes and socks and we determined I had one large blister on my left heal and a small one on my right foot.  The right foot we’d leave be, but the one on the left was getting big.  I drank some soup and tried to eat while they worked on my feet.  Matt poured cold water on them, even though I was shaking the cold water felt awesome.  Annemarie handed me some alieve, and I washed that down with a V8.  After about 20 minutes, I was up and headed towards Cramer Road. 

 

Steph getting me moving after shoe change at Sugarloaf

My feet were KILLING me when I got out of that chair.  But I knew I needed to just put it out of my mind.  Steph pushed me along, and continued to remind me to eat and drink every 30 minutes.  Pretty soon the alieve kicked in and I felt great.  This was a short section and we cruised, even making up some time.

We arrived at Cramer Road feeling good.  It was 10:30am and I was still an hour behind my planned schedule.  I was excited that I was moving well again.  I passed on the eggs this year, (I was superstitious that the eggs I ate here last year were my demise… I know they weren’t but I couldn’t take that chance) filled up my pack and we were off again.  It was on to Temperance.  I had some demons to slay here.

Steph mentioned this was runnable so I put on some music and cruised – until the mud and the rocks and the climbing slowed us down.  Just get to the boards by the river she said – then you can run… It wasn’t quite that simple, but we got it done… There was more climbing than either of us remembered and the miles weren’t clicking by quite as quickly either.  I was motivated to get to Temperance and get out of this section; it just felt like it took forever.   Finally we were there.

We arrived at Temperance at 1:05pm.  Within 10 minutes I was headed back out.  The early miles out of Temperance are nice – runnable trail, you see some tourists, you realize there is life outside of the Superior Hiking Trail… but then you climb, and climb, and climb up to Carlton Peak.  This was the physical barrier I was worried about last year – Temperance was the emotional barrier I was worried about this year.  I was through Temperance, now I just needed to conquer Carlton Peak at nearly 88 miles on my legs… I get to the top and boom, the tears, the first and only tears of the race.  I had made it…. There was no stopping me now.  2 more aid stations and a half marathon to go.

At 3:15pm we pulled into Sawbill aid station.  I was back on my pre-planned schedule.  I was feeling good.  I was over 2 hours a head of the cut off time.  My parents were here, along with my crew.  It was refreshing to see everyone, and I get to change pacers.  Annemarie was joining me for the last 12 miles. 

Annemarie and I headed out of Sawbill and on to the mucky trail.  This section was so bad after the 100, 50 & marathoners had gone through here.  But we moved right along trying not to get our shoes sucked off in the mud. 

We arrived at the Oberg aid station at 5:25pm.  Plenty of time ahead of the cut off and maybe even enough time to get done before dark.  Maybe?  I was in and out of there in 2 minutes.  I didn’t have much left to do.  Make sure I have just enough calories to get there without bonking… I hadn’t really bonked yet – eating every 30 min was like magic!  Annemarie and I headed out.  I tried to keep power hiking to stay one step ahead of the sunset.  This section was a bit of a mental game, too, you are so close, but yet, still far enough out that it takes a couple of hours.  I wanted to get done before dark.  The sun was starting to set and I probably should have put on my headlamp, but we finally made it out on to the gravel road just before the river.  And once we were out of the woods, the moon was amazing.  We stopped on the bridge over the poplar river for a split second to take it all in and snap a couple pictures. 

Moon over the Poplar River.  I made it!

I ran up the hill to the paved road.  Then up the paved road and there was Steph, Colleen and Matt waiting for me.  I ran even faster, across the road back into the grass and around Caribou Highlands.  Just as I came up to the building I heard a deep voice from above, “Kate is that you?” I responded, “I think so!” For a split second I wondered if it was God, then I realized there were people standing on the balconies above me… I giggled and ran it on in to the finish line.  Kamie was standing there waiting for me, looking as fresh as a daisy.  She gave me a huge hug & my family escorted me to a chair along the side.  And just like that it was all said and done.

Post-race

Superior 2013

Writing this blog post is turning out to be more challenging that I would have initially thought.  It should be simple, embark on an epic adventure, finish, celebrate, share your story with others. Done.  This time however, it wasn't that simple... But that's ok, because that's how we learn, and grow.

This last weekend, I lined up with nearly 200 other runners at Gooseberry State Park to follow the Superior Hiking Trail 103 miles to the finish line at Lutsen Mountain.  We had 38 hours to get there.

By my side was my trail buddy, Steph, and we had agreed we'd run what we could together, but knowing that it was likely that we'd end up getting split up before the day(s) was over.  The morning air was warm, but I had goosebumps from my nerves.  After a few words from the race director, we were off.

In the beginning there were these single file packs of runners.  A train of people stretching down the trail, but as the miles wore on, it didn't take long for people to find their own pace & get more spread out.  Pretty soon you were with a group of maybe 3 or 4 people without being able to see anyone ahead or behind you.

It didn't take long before I noticed a steady drip of sweat off the right corner of my baseball hat.  One drop at a time, but at a regular rate of drip...drip...drip... My bandana that I carry with me was getting very wet from wiping my face & soon felt completely saturated.  I worked hard to keep drinking & eating & to remember to take a salt tab now & again.

Steph & I arrived into the first aid station, right on schedule.  I had put together a schedule for myself & my crew of what time I had "hoped" to arrive at each aid station & what the cut off times were for each one as well.  Staying one step ahead of the clean up crew was my goal.  I wanted to finish, but I wasn't out to set a land speed record!

At 20 miles, the next aid station, we got to see our crew.  That was exciting.  I was really hot, and I had ran out of water in the previous section.  I added a bottle of Heed (electrolyte replacement drink) to my pack along with 2 liters of water & a variety of bars, gels, & snacks.

As the days have passed since the race, some of the more finite details have faded.  But it was going into the County Road 6 aid station (about 43 miles) as one area that sticks out in my mind.  Steph was running strong & in the miles leading up to this aid station, we had gotten separated.  I was a little bummed, I'll admit it, but I totally understood.  When you need to fly, you fly! I would only see her 1 more time before the finish line.  My crew would update me along the way as to how she was doing.  The other thing that happened here, was it got dark.  In many ways, I think we, as runners were looking forward to it getting dark.  After sweltering through the day in the hot sun, we had all hoped nightfall would bring some relief.  I stopped for a brief moment to dig my headlamp out of my pack & turned it on.  It took a little while to get used to running in a small beam of light, but there I was alone on the trail with my light & having really no idea how much farther to the next aid station.  Soon I saw a sign that said 4 miles... 4 miles?!! Are you kidding?! I was sure I'd done at least that much.  Boo.  Ok, well, keep going I told myself.  Pretty soon another runner came up behind me & we ran together for those last 4 miles.  Another big bummer here, was you were up high on the ridgeline & all of a sudden you could see & hear the aid station below you.  So you knew, you just had to get down to it... It took another 45 minutes to get to that aid station!! Every descent I thought would take us there.  I was nearly on the verge of tears when I finally popped out of the woods to be greeted by my pacers, Colleen & Katie.

I refilled at the aid station here & Katie and I headed into the woods.  The runner I had met in the previous section was still with us & we had picked up another guy.  The four of us swapped stories & shared some laughs along the way.  It was so much fun!!! Such a change from the dark place I had been in earlier.

Before we knew it, we arrived at the Finland aid station.  51 miles.  HALF WAY!!! This was awesome.  Half way.  I changed my shoes & socks & Matt cleaned up my feet (he's a keeper!!) Then Dale & I headed off down the trail.  Dale was going to run with me for 3 sections & about 21 miles.  It started out well enough, but then my body wanted to shut down.  It was sometime after midnight.  Maybe 1am.. I'm really not sure.  We had 7+ miles to go to Sonjou Road aid station, where we would not have a crew.  I was spiraling into a hole.  Dale told me stories & encouraged me to eat & drink.  I was walking & but not really going anywhere.  We finally arrived into Sonjou Road & I wanted something salty.  So I sat in a chair by a fire for a few minutes & sipped on some broth.  This didn't taste nearly as good as I had hoped... I was getting shaky, but knew I wasn't getting anywhere sitting there.  So I picked myself up & moved on.  Dale picked up a baggie of potato chips for me & half a banana.  Off we went.  I felt awful.  I was barely moving.  Dale "forced" a couple potato chips into my hand & I would eat them one tiny bite at a time.  All I wanted to do was curl up in the fetal position & go to sleep.  But luckily for me, Dale wouldn't let me.  He kept pressuring me to eat the chips & drink water.  And believe it or not, I actually started to feel better.  Who knew the magic of potato chips?? Seriously! It was getting on to 5am by now & I could tell that it was getting lighter - maybe only by degrees of light, but morning was coming.  Soon we hit the road into Crosby Manitou State Park.  Matt & John were there & they helped me jog in.

At Crosby, there was a lot of activity.  I sat in a chair & somebody brought me a hamburger.  I'm not going to lie, that hamburger patty was pretty gross.  But I ate it anyway, and it too had some magical properties.  I picked up my trekking poles at this point, because I no longer could trust my legs.  And Dale and I were off for our final 9 miles together.

I had heard rumors of this section being very tough.  They were true.  A few minutes after leaving the aid station, I got stung by a bee.  It hurt like mad! But Dale took my bandana and dunked it a river & we tied the cold cloth to my arm.  That felt sooo much better.  The climbs & descents here were crazy.  I was actually really grateful the sun was coming up & I was reaching this in the daylight.  Speaking of the sun coming up.  That also proved to be magical.  As day broke over the woods, the song "Morning has Broken" came into my head.  I hummed the few words I could remember over and over as we made our way through the forest.  I was feeling good & we were almost done with this section.

We came into the next aid station & I was greeted by my crew.  Always a refreshing site.  I drank some perpetuem (protein, carb, caffeine mix), changed my socks & Katie & I were on our way.  I felt good.  I was picturing the finish line.  I had this in the bag.  Or so I thought.  We kept on cruising & the miles seemed to fly by.

Soon enough, we came into the next aid station & I was finally going to run with Colleen.  I think we were both pretty excited.  I said thank you and good bye to Katie, and Colleen & I were off.  Things started out ok here.  We chatted some, and she pulled me along down the trail.  But sooner than either of us would have liked, I started to spiral downhill.  I wasn't able to eat, nothing sounded good.  Nothing I had or Colleen had was appetizing.  She encouraged me to drink my Heed.  That tasted awful, too.  I wanted to puke.  I thought I was going to.  I was barely moving.  This went on for a long time.  One step at a time, Colleen encouraging me to eat or drink, anything.  Me barely able to get anything down.  Hardly moving.  Finally at one point I asked if I could sit down.  I sat in the middle of the trail & couldn't stop yawning.  I was done.  Colleen put her hand on my shoulder & said a prayer for me.  Something I will never, ever, forget.  With some encouragement & the truth that my day was over, I got up.  I still had to get off the trail.  No one was going to come in & carry me out.  I had 4 miles to go to the next aid station.  I don't have any idea how long it took me to finish those four miles.  Colleen had her phone and called Matt to come in and walk out with me.  By this point I was starting to see things (ok, truth is I was seeing stuff way before this too...) and the 3 of us were able to giggle about it now and again.  The sweepers (people who were volunteering to take the course down after the last runner) were following us.  I was it.  The last person on the course at this point.  I remember being able to crack a joke or two, and Colleen and Matt still trying to get me to eat or drink anything.  But I was barely moving.  But one foot in front of the other finally will lead you to where you need to go.

And after a total of 32 hours and 39 minutes of continuous forward progress, I found my finish line at 85 miles.  I sat in a camp chair by the car, and with that, the tears came.  There was no stopping them.  9 months of training, endless support from my wonderful husband, the encouragement from my friends, and the fact that I didn't make my goal all came flooding down around me.  

I don't know if I'll ever be able to express the love that I felt out there from my crew, pacers, and other runners - Joli & Scott, especially. 

After taking a shower & grabbing a bite to eat, we all went back to watch my friend, Steph, finish her 103 miles.  It was really impressive to see such grit, and determination on a hot, challenging course.  I am so impressed by her & grateful to call her a friend.

And now what?  Here I am with 85 miles under my belt, but the larger 100 mile goal is still out there.  I will achieve it.  But as I'm still nursing the occasional blister & stiff and sore muscles, I'm not willing to say when just yet.

Thanks for reading, and all of your support.  Here's to the next grand adventure!

Taper Time!

Dear Training Cycle,
I think it's time for us to take a break.  I've been following you day in and day out... You've knocked me down, you've built me up, but I've met someone else.  Your partner, the taper.  It's been a good ride, including new personal records at both 50k & 50 mile distances.  Now it's time to see how well you really did.  I'm going to go & enjoy tapering & I'll see you later.

Well, it's really here - 3 weeks to go until the Superior 100 mile.  If I haven't done it, it's not going to get done.  I've always been a fan of the 3 week taper - some people do 2 weeks, but 3weeks has always been successful for me.  Now it's time to dial it down gradually while leading up to race day.

Here's a little overview of the adventures I've had while training this season.

First race of the season.  50k finish at Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run in Kansas City.

Trail Mix 50k.  Snowy day in April, where I won my age group!

The following weekend was Chippewa Moraine 50k.  Snowy & muddy.  Steph & I were 2nd & 3rd in our age group! Another successful weekend!

Night runs at Afton with my 2 favorite trail ladies!!!

Afton Trail Race 50k.  36 min personal best over the previous year's race.

Lots and lots of miles logged at Lake Rebecca Park.  So grateful for this gem only a few miles from my house.

And of course a mid-summer training run on the Superior Hiking Trail.

Running adventures while on vacation in Michigan.  Always fun to find beautiful places to enjoy & explore!

It's been fun, but I couldn't have done it without a certain someone!

Until next time!! Catch y'all later!

Voyageur 50 Mile Trail Race

This weekend Matt & I headed to Duluth for a weekend of adventure.  I was joining my trail buddy, Steph, along with her husband, Chris, and friend, Joy, for the Voyageur 50 mile Trail Ultra.  While the ladies were running, Matt & Chris headed to Canal Park in Duluth to see the Tall Ships that were spending the weekend in the harbor.

We had elected to camp this weekend given the jacked up prices of area hotel rooms.  Plus camping always adds to the adventure anyway.  Ma Nature can be a finicky lady, and after a week of 90 + degree days here in the cities, she graced us with a week of 70's and a nearly picture perfect forecast for the weekend.

We packed the car for a casual summer adventure in the northland.  As we drove north, we checked the weather and found cooler than average temps & lots of rain forecasted... Probably would have been wise to check the forecast BEFORE we left the house, because we'd have likely tossed in rain gear...

We drove through patches of rain & arrived at the campground to chilly, cloudy temps, but no rain. Got the tent set up (which was a pain, given we were trying to stake into really rocky soil,) and enjoyed a lovely evening around the campfire with the gang.

Pretty soon it was time for bed & the alarm was set for 4am.  As luck would have it, our piece of ground wasn't nearly as flat as we'd have hoped, and I had a restless night's sleep.  I was cozy given I have the warmest mummy bag ever, but didn't sleep well.

The alarm went off & we got our stuff organized.  I had packed a tank top to run in along with my new favorite skirt.  I had tossed some arm sleeves & a long sleeve shirt in my bag, but managed to leave those in the tent, so I was stuck running in a tank at 48 degrees at the start...

Once we got moving, I was ok.  Luckily I had my buff, that I could make into a hat, so that really did help keep me warmer.

6am race start - short trip on the pavement to the trail, and right away we were greeted with some really technical, rocky stuff along the river.  It was slow going since all the runners were still in packs, and picking through the rocks takes time.  I made a mental note, that the last 3 miles could be slow, since the course was an out & back.

After the 2.9 mile aid station, things opened up & we had some very runnable sections.  Plus multiple creek crossing of ankle deep water, & river crossings with broken bridges... The race director did say "If it looks unsafe, you're in the right place."  He was definitely right.  But that just added to the adventure.

Steph, Joy & I stayed & worked together to make the miles pass quickly.  Some places I lead the way, other times it was Steph or Joy.  The hardest sections were miles 20-25 & 25-30.  On the way out, at about 19-20 miles, we hit the Powerlines.  It was overcast & cool - such a change from last year, where I felt like I was baking in the direct sun.  The powerlines are these rolling "hills" maybe 200-300 feet straight up - think steep enough that you are grabbing the ground in front of you, to help you lift yourself up.  And repeat it 4-5 times... Up, down, up, down, repeat...  

The next section was Jarrow's Beach... the farthest thing from a beach... about a mile long section of pointy rocks just waiting to grab an ankle.... Really slow going.

Just past the 25 mile turnaround, about the time we were heading back through Jarrow's Beach, it started to rain.... We got through the beach before the rocks got too wet, but not soon enough to get through the powerlines before they turned into a greasy mess.

It was insane on the return trip through the powerlines.  They were so slippery that once you scrambled your way to the top, attempting to grab anything, bush, root, bramble, anything, to get traction on, you then slid on your butt down the other side because if you didn't, you'd end up on your butt anyway.

All of us hit the ground at least a time or two.  But I keep saying, "It's not how many times you fall, but how many times you get up." I've come to learn that falling is a part of trail running & you just have to dust yourself off, and carry on.  

There were times on the return trip that it was really raining, and cold.  It was gross, but we just kept moving & working together.  My main goal for this event was to finish feeling strong enough to continue.  Given that I have Sawtooth 100 coming up in Sept, I wanted to know if I could keep going.  Mission accomplished.  I was happy to be done for today, but didn't feel totally trashed... I still have a lot of miles to log between now & September, but this gave me a good boost of confidence.  Plus Steph & I set nearly a 2 hour PR from our time last year.  11 hours & 31 minutes, compared to a slightly different course last year in 13 & 1/2 hours.  And we finished as 10, 11 & 12th women overall.  :-)

I love spending the day on the trail with these ladies.  Plus it was so fun to meet some new people along the way.  Even if it was cold & gross, it was an awesome day!!!!!

Why I Run

I've been doing some thinking lately about why I run.  Why would I register for an event that requires me to "run" 100 miles, if I didn't have a good reason lace up my shoes nearly every day.

Last week I registered for my "A" race of the season - a 100 mile trail race on the Superior Hiking Trail in Northern Minnesota held in early September.  Training for this event is going to require me to log hundreds of miles on my feet over the coming months.

So I asked myself, Kate, why DO you run?

Here are some reasons that I came up with:
* I always feel better when it's done.
* To catch up with girlfriends.
* To enjoy some alone time.
* To listen to music.
* To enjoy the solitude of the woods.
* To avoid becoming complacent.
* To watch the changing of the seasons.
* To enjoy a sunrise.
* To enjoy a sunset.
* To look at the stars.
* To explore new places.
* To push my limits.
* I enjoy food more.
* A hot shower never felt so good.
* It becomes meditative.
* To relieve stress.
* To solve a problem.
* It becomes an outlet for my competitive spirit.
* To meet new people.

These are just a few reasons I lace up my shoes nearly every day & head out the door.  As I came up with this list, what really became clear is that there is no 1 reason why I run.  And each run can start as one reason & morph into another.  There are as many reasons for me to run as workouts I need to log!

Each day is a new adventure & I'm really excited to dive into training for my 100 mile event.  I'm looking forward to exploring new trails & parks around Minnesota & meeting new people along the way.  I'm excited to share many of those miles with my good friends & enjoy their company on trails new & old.

Until next time.  Happy trails!

Psycho-Wyco Run Toto Run 50k

First race of 2013 is on the books.  Took a weekend road trip with Matt & my trail buddy, Steph, to Kansas City to run the Psycho-Wyco Run Toto Run 50k.  It was a really fun weekend!

Thanks to Matt's Uncle Marvin & Aunt Janece, we had our own private tour guides & a very comfortable place to stay.

After an easy drive down on Friday afternoon, and a gourmet dinner of homemade pasta reheated in a gas station microwave, we made it safely to KC.  Matt & his family headed out for a couple drinks while Steph & I got organized for our race the following morning.

Since we had arrived late on Friday, Steph & I were one of the first ones to arrive on race morning to pick up our race packets.  It was a chilly morning, but it smelled like spring, and birds were chirping! Ahh, what a nice change of scenery!!

After a few trips to the porta potty & leaving our drop bags, we were ready to go! In typical trail race fashion, all the racers were hanging out near the start line, and somebody says "Go" and we're off.  At least this time I didn't face plant!

The course consists of 3 10 mile loops.  The first loop felt good - footing was good, found the course surprisingly hilly, & rocky.  There was still some frost in the ground, so it wasn't muddy...yet...  Just over 2 hours later, we had finished the first loop, and found that the back half of the loop is much harder than the front half.

Navigating the hills & rocks

I dropped my jacket & refilled water, and we were off on the 2nd loop.  I was still feeling good & setting the pace for Steph & I.  We passed a few folks, and were passed by a few others.  However on this loop it had warmed up and the footing got so sloppy! I mean, mucky, sloppy, slippery, shoe-sucking mud! Both Steph & I managed to stay upright this time around.  I was worried about what the 3rd loop might bring!

We finished the 2nd loop in 2:20 or so - not bad given how sloppy the trail was.  I wasn't ready to drop another layer just yet, but it had warmed up enough that I was very comfortable in capris and a long sleeve top.

On to the 3rd loop & I was feeling great! I continued to set the pace & Steph & I continued to put one foot in front of the other.  We passed a few folks early on, and settled in to a comfortable pace.  Shockingly, the footing had improved.  There were still some mucky spots, but overall it was better.  About half way through the final loop, a root reached up and grabbed my toe, and I took a digger.  Lucky for me, the footing was soft, but not sloppy there! There were a few folks behind us that we'd see as we left the aid stations, but no one really in front of us.

We came out of the woods at one point, to a paved road, up a hill to an aid station.  We ran up the hill (probably 24 miles in) and the guys at the aid station said "We haven't seen anyone run this hill in a while."  I laughed and responded with, "Well, it is only a 3 loop course! We don't have to run this hill again!"

After the final aid station, Steph & I agree that we haven't seen anyone in quite awhile and were probably good to comfortably run to the finish.  We were so wrong!! Shortly thereafter, we were passed by another couple.... Where did they come from??? That lit a fire in me, and I put the hammer down.  We quickly came to another steep, sloppy, hill & the girl that had just passed me was covered in mud & she was struggling to get up the hill.  I scampered by her and just kept running.  I looked over my shoulder to see that Steph was hot on my heels.  That was all it took, I just kept pushing, no way were they going to re-pass us! After a day on the trail, I wasn't going to be out run in the last 2 miles!

Sprint finish

I kept pushing, and Steph was right there & the other couple was no where to be seen.  I was not willing to back off though!  All the way through the finishers chute! It was such a blast!!

Happy Finishers

What a fun day on the trail! 50 degrees, blue sky & sunshine, and good company, made for a wonderful adventure.

Matt was on the course, but not able to track us this time & sadly missed our sprint to the finish.  That's ok, since we were eager to recap our adventure immediately!

I'm excited for another year of ultra running with my trail buddy, Steph & #1 crew member, Matt!!

Happy trails, y'all!!