Friday, July 1, 2016

Preggo Week 6 Recap: Western States

Preggo Week 6 Recap

Western States

Last weekend was the Western States 100.  I helped crew Gunhild Swanson.  If you hadn't heard of Gunhild by now, she was the last finisher at Western States last year and was the first 70 year old female to finish that race.  She also finished in seconds before cutoff and definitely one of the most exciting race finishes I have ever witnessed.  

My coach Ann Trason was going to crew her so I offered to help crew too.  Crewing is exhausting (extra exhausting for the preggo gal).  I was up all day with the kid and going to a birthday party and tracking runners online.  In the evening, I started crewing Gunhild.  Crewing involves a lot of waiting around, rushing around, then waiting around. 

We got Gunhild through Michigan Bluff and Foresthill.  I hit a drive thru for some food (as I was starving! Must remember to have food for oneself).  Then, I napped on my couch for about an hour before heading to Rucky Chucky (at the river crossing) in the wee hours of the morning.  

Gunhild arrived about 10 minutes before the cutoff.  She refused to go any further.  We got her down to the river and just urged her to go to Green Gate, just a couple miles away.  She did not want to go anymore.  I stood back as many folks, including Gordy Ansleigh, Ann Trason, and others tried to urge her to at least cross the river and see how things go.  But, she would not go any further.  


Gordy, Gunhild, and Ann sitting at the River of Western States.  
I was amazed to be in the presence of such greatness!  

After we all accepted that Gunhild was going to be dropped, I tried to help console Ann, who was very upset (she really cares so much for people).  We all then found out that at 5am, the cutoff for Rucky Chucky, is when the shuttles to take people out of Rucky Chucky stopped running.  This makes no freakin' sense as there are volunteers, crew, and runners who don't make the cutoff that need to be able to get out.  Instead, we are told we need to hike the 2 miles back up to Driver's Flat!  How does that make any sense?!  

My friend Scott and hiked our way up the climb and luckily a super kind stranger driving a pickup truck drove by and let us hop in the back with some others.  There was two volunteers who had spent all night working in the river and were told they had to hike back out.   

After that, I went back home to see my baby.  I took her with me to Placer High School to watch people finish.  It was a fun morning seeing many friends finish.  Ah, just being at the race finish always makes me wish for my day to run the race!   Seeing some finishers finish with their kids made me extra emotional.  I can't wait to hold the hands of my kids when I cross that finish line.  


Post-Western States

After States, being up all weekend with little sleep all caught up to me and I felt completely worn out for days.  Post-States hangover was rough.  And add the exhaustion of first trimester pregnancy, I didn't have any energy for anything, especially running.

I did get out for a fun birthday run with some of my MRTT friends.  I'm grateful to have this running group of fellow moms.

Birthday Run with friends


For week 6 of pregnancy, I got in a total of 5.15 miles.
Total miles for this pregnancy (not counting first 2 weeks) = 127.45 miles
(At this time last pregnancy, had only 18.15 miles so doing pretty good compared to last time)









No comments:

Post a Comment