Knickerbocker Trail Half Marathon (3/26/16)

Knickerbocker Half

March 26, 2016

I had originally signed up to run the Knickerbocker 35k.  However, I changed some things in my race calendar and since the next two weekends will be big mileage weekends, I decided to drop down to the Knickerbocker half instead.  I did run the Knickerbocker 35k course (and a little extra) on my own as my long training run this past Monday so I didn't completely miss out on the "fun" of the 35k. ;-)

After dropping down to the half, I almost wasn't sure if I would race today or not.  On Tuesday night, my baby came down with the stomach flu.  And then on Thursday evening, I came down with it.  On Friday, I was miserably sick all day and even went to bed feeling horrible.  

But in the morning, I felt a lot better and at least well enough to race.  I also thought getting outside onto the trails with some fresh air and sunshine would make me feel better too.  And, what a beautiful day it was out today!  

Pre-race with Heather & Jackie

The race ran from the Auburn Overlook down to No Hands Bridge, mostly downhill for about 4 miles.  I enjoyed running the first few miles with many friends (Scott, Jackie, Heather, and Johanna).  Had some amusing conversations with some and made it to No Hands Bridge in good time.

After No Hands, we headed up K2 (aka Training Hill).  I powered my way up K2 and passed many runners on my way up.  Climbing K2 is one of my strengths so I used it to my advantage.  A lot of people went flying down from the Overlook past me down to No Hands.  I felt like this climb was my opportunity to catch back up to some folks.  I ended up getting a PR on my K2 climb today (17:18).  

After the top of K2, we run down the Western States Trail back to No Hands bridge.  It's about 3 miles of downhill.  I'm normally slow on the downhills.  In races, I usually feel like I pass a few folks on the uphill and three times as many go flying past me on the downhills.  But, I've been working on bettering my downhill running, trying to be quick on my feet (as my coach says). And this section, I'm familiar with so I pushed it today and only let two guys pass me.  There was a third guy hot on my heels but I kept pushing my way down and made it to No Hands without him passing me.   

From No Hands, you climb back to the Overlook on some technical trails that descend back down to the river (literally next to it) and then make a steep climb back up to the finish.  I pushed my way up the first part pretty good, even passing a couple folks.  Around mile 10-11, there is a single track section. I am not sure exactly what happened but maybe I took a curve too fast or slipped on something but next thing I know I'm flying off the side of the trail, basically down a cliff.  I think I somersault over and slide down a bit.  I land/slide about 6-8 feet down the side of the trail.  I think I flipped over because I bumped my head, my shoulders and elbow are a little scraped up but my legs have no scrapes/bruises/etc on them.  My left palm had a big cut up the middle and aches badly.

Right before falling, I had passed a few hikers and when I fell, I had screamed pretty loudly.  One girl came running up to help me.  I had to climb my way back up to get back onto the trail.  After walking a bit to shake it off, I continued on running/hiking my way back to the finish.  I used my buff to wrap my bloody hand.  I pushed on.  A few runners had passed me right after my fall but I caught back up to them and passed them.  When we hit the steep climbs, I power hiked with a vengeance.  I think the only person that passed me from then on was the super fast winner of the 35k race.  

I finished in 2:36:15.  I'm pretty happy with that finish time as I felt strong out there.  I did good on both the uphills and downhills (other than my stupid fall).  I ran almost an hour faster than I did last year (though last year I was 30 weeks pregnant).

finish last year and finish this year (photo credit Hassan Aboukadijeh)

Three Things That Went Well:

1.  My descending went really well today.  I think my descent down from K2 down the Western States trail was my fastest this year.  I've really been thinking about being quick on my feet when I go down.  

2.  Power hiking on the uphills went well. It helped I had done the big climbs earlier in the week too.  I'm really happy I got a PR on my K2 climb!  

  

3.  Getting back into the race after my fall.  Even though my fall shook me up a bit, I took a moment to collect myself and then got back into the race.  I didn't let it throw me off my game or set me back.  I was glad I was able to catch back up to the three guys who had passed me right after I had fallen.  I think the fall maybe even fueled me to push a little harder the last couple miles.  

Three Things That Went Not-So-Well:

1.  Falling (and flipping over) off the trail.  Still not quite sure how it happened but need to pay attention better I guess, especially on those narrow, technical sections. 

2.  Getting my soft water bottles out of my pack.  I'm still getting used to having the soft water bottles but today, I don't know what it was but I just was struggling trying to pull the bottle out of my pack.  I even wasted a few extra seconds at the aid station just struggling to pull the bottle out for the guy to refill.  I ended up holding the bottle in my hand for a bit to avoid struggling getting it in and out of my pack.  I think I need to practice more or try different bottles.  

3.  Too short of socks.  I wore different socks today than I have been and they're a little shorter than my usual socks.  That was not good as they sank too low and my shoe and back of my heel got rubbed a bit.  Didn't cause a major problem today but in a long race, that would have definitely become a problem.   

Three Things I Learned:

1.  Right before going into the aid station, pull out my water bottle so it'll be ready to refilled.  I got there and the guy was ready to refill my water bottle but I had to struggle for a moment to get the bottle out of my pack.  

2.  Try to be friendly to everyone you see on the trails as it's nice to be nice but also, you never know when you might need someone's help.  When I passed the three hiker women, I said thanks as they moved over for me.  Moments later, I'm screaming as I'm flying off the trail.  And one of the hikers ran up to try to help me back up onto the trail.  Sometimes I get into my own zone and maybe not as friendly as I could be.  Fortunately, I was friendly to these women as I had passed them and glad for that as one came to help me.  

3.  If you're not feeling well, rest is best.  I started feeling awful on Thursday and called out sick on Friday.  I'm glad for that.  I ended up napping a lot of the day, trying to rest and recover.  Glad I rested as by Saturday, I felt better.  I think if I had worked or tried to do too much, it would have made it worse.  (I'm also extra grateful to an amazing husband who's been taking care of sick baby and sick wife all week and then let's the wife go run a race while he takes care of baby for the morning.)   

Three Tidbits about the Knickerbocker Racer and/or Inside Trail

1.  The race is a good challenging race with some tough climbs for all the race distances!  

2.  Race organization is fantastic.  Course is marked very well including signs and markers to tell you when you might be going on the wrong way.  And, great volunteers!  Thanks to all the volunteers today!  

3.  Awesome medical tent at the finish.  The medical "team" helped clean and bandage up my hand after I finished.  They were great!

another day, another race, and another medal for the wee one to play with

Next up, American River 50. . . .

Skunk Hollow 10k (March 19, 2016)

Skunk Hollow 10k

March 19, 2016

Decided to run the Skunk Hollow 10k today.  

Skunk Hollow 2015

I ran this race last year (while pregnant).  Last year, I felt good for the first mile then my legs were struggling after that.  I was slowly running and mostly hiking the rest of the way.  Luckily, I met two kind ladies who stuck with me the last half of the race.  I finished third to last (probably would have been last if the two ladies hadn't hung back with me).  My finish time was 1:36:36.

Skunk Hollow 2016 (post race with Jenna)

Today, I enjoyed this nice little race on a beautiful, sunny day.  The race starts at Magnolia Ranch (near Pilot Hill) and goes out and back along some rolling trails near the South Fork American River.  Funnily, they warn you about a creek crossing and at first, you jump over a tiny little stream of water thinking that was hardly anything.  And, a few minutes later, you come to a sizeable creek thinking oh, this is what they were talking about.  Today, the creek went up to my knees but it wasn't too cold. 

This year, with no extra person and extra weight to carry, the race went much better.  I ran pretty much all of it, except for the creek crossing (I prefer walking across for safety reasons).  The course was a bit hillier than I remembered and a little long (6.6 miles).  My A goal was to finish under an hour but ended up finishing in 1:04ish.  But, I averaged 9:43 min/mile and I'm happy with that as my B goal was to have my average pace be under 10 min/mile.  

The race was pretty small so I ended up finishing 2nd female overall and 1st in my age group.  So, that was nice.  

wore the same outfit as last year except I wore my Singletrack Running hat today.
Must be a lucky hat as I won my AG. ;-)

Three Things that Went Well

1.  Ran at a consistent effort the whole way.  I ran pretty even splits.  32-ish minutes the first half and 32-ish minutes the second half.  

2.  Pushed myself well on the uphills.  It helped that this was a short race but I ran all the uphills even though one section seemed to go a little awhile.  I know in a longer race, I would have hiked a bit more but since this was only a 10k, I made myself run all the way up the hills. 

3.  Ran well on the downhills.  Downhills are a weakness but today, I pushed myself on the downhills. Normally, I run trail downhills over a 10 min/mile pace but today, I was able to run under a 10 min/mile on the downhills, which is really good for me.  

Three Things I Learned

1.  Around mile 6, I made mental note do not run this fast in an ultra!  I knew I could push the pace a bit today since I only had to run 6.6 miles.  Towards the end, I was glad the race was short as this was definitely not a pace I could maintain for much longer.  If I ever find myself running as fast as I did today in a longer event, I must slow down or I'll really burn out.   

2.  Short, faster races can really make your legs ache.  I'm not as tired as after an ultra but my legs feel more sore after today's 10k than I did after Salmon Falls 50k (or maybe I forgot just how sore I was after that race).  Don't think a shorter race is necessarily easier than a longer race.  They are just different challenges and effort levels are different.  

3.  Great thing about a shorter race is you still have the rest of the day to do stuff.  After the race, I was able to get home and it was still morning.  And, I got to take my baby to the park to play for a bit. I think after I finish Canyons 100k, I'm going to do more shorter races for a bit.  

Three Tidbits about the Race and the Race Organizers (One10Trail)

1.  Tiny tiny race.  Just a handful of people run this race.  It was the same last year.  I like the smaller races but this one is really small.  But, I like that it's low key.  

2.  Despite not that many runners in the race, One10Trail put on a great event.  I think more people should be running this race (there's a 30k option too for those that want something longer).  The trails are well marked.  Everyone is super friendly.  There isn't an aid station for the 10k race but the finish had nice food there.  And, there are cupcakes at the end for everyone!  Yum!    

3.  The trails out here are beautiful.  Such a beautiful day today too!  

Salmon Falls 50k (February 27, 2016)

Salmon Falls 50k

February 27, 2016

After I finished RDL last November, someone from Coloma River Races contacted me wanting to share my RDL story.  After being interviewed by them, I felt I should probably run their race so I signed up for the Salmon Falls 50k.

Here's the blog story they posted on me:
http://www.colomariverraces.com/#!Ultra-Mom-Runs-Postpartum-100miler/cmbz/565d27670cf2c000e9291f3f)

February has consisted of some tough Saturday long runs as I continue building up to Canyons 100k.  After doing the American Canyon 25k, the Western States Training Run, and the Fourmidable 35k, I ended this month running the Salmon Falls 50k race.  I set a goal of running about a 12:00 min/mile pace for the race, hoping to finish between 6- 6 1/2 hours.  

The race went from Magnolia Ranch in Coloma, CA to Folsom, CA, running a good portion along the single track trails along Folsom Lake.  The trails were beautiful and the weather perfect (dry and not too hot!).    

photo credit: Captivating Sports

The first 13 miles went relatively quickly due to a lot of downhill.  I remembered this section was the hilliest part of the course so I was ready for the climbs but I forgot just how much downhill there was.  On the ups, I went up feeling strong and passing lots of people.  On the downs, everyone would go flying past me.  I felt a little discouraged watching all these people pass me on the downhills but I remembered what my friend Ohnmar said in her last race report from Fourmidable:  "Exploit your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Face your fears."  For her, she had the opposite problem of people passing her on the uphills but she would pass the on the downhills (and flats) as well as be more efficient in the aid stations.  So, I kept that in mind as people were passing me and focused on improving my own downhill running.  Knowing uphills are my strengths, I exploited that and went up strong, passing folks on the way up.  And, I tried not to worry too much about all the people passing me on the downhills and focused on facing my fears of downhills and running down faster for me, trying to do more quicker smaller steps.  The last descent into the mile 13 aid station was my fastest mile during the race so I am making some improvement in my descents.

After 13, the course runs along the lake and it's mostly rollers the rest of the way.  A lot of the runners are starting to spread themselves out so I ran mostly alone the rest of the way.  I kept a pretty consistent pace though I slowed down a little in the mid teenage miles (which always seem to be tough for me; I usually call them the terrible teens).  Mile 17 to 24 was also the longest stretch between aid stations.  It seemed especially long to get to the mile 24 aid station.  

I was pretty quick through the aid stations but I spent a little longer at the mile 24 aid station as I needed to refill both my bottles and dig out more gels from my pack.  Mentally, I felt relieved to have finally gotten to this aid station and know I had less than 10 miles to go.  

After that aid station, I was able to pick up the pace a little bit.  I knew I was running right at target pace so wanted to keep that up.  After Brown's Ravine (the last aid station), I pushed myself a bit and passed some folks on my way to the last levee.  I was running at a pace close to the pace I had started the day with.   

  

photo credit: Matt Brayton

At mile 30, I hit the levee before the finish line and even though it's flat, it seems like the longest stretch to the finish line.  You can see the finish line but it is SO far away.  I remember Roger telling me that it's 0.9 miles from gate to gate so just watch each 0.1 mile slowly tick over on my Garmin.  This is like running on the treadmill and watching each minute click over ever so slowly.

I eventually get across the levee and hit some trails again towards the finish line.  I manage to do a little kick before crossing the finish line, ever so grateful to be done.  Then, I'm even more grateful to look up and see my husband and baby there to greet me.  

photo credit Janae Patja

I ended up finishing in 6:15 for 31.5 miles, averaging 11:53 min/mile so right in the middle of my target goal.  I was pretty happy that I've been able to maintain that consistent pace throughout the race. This 50k race would be my 3rd fastest 50k (my two fastest 50k races are both at Way Too Cool, where the course is only about 30 miles).   I'm really happy that I'm able to average just under 12 min/miles on my long runs this month as I remember I was averaging 14-15 min/mile pace when I was training for RDL last fall.  It's nice seeing and feeling the results from the serious training I've been doing since the start of the year.  

The races this month have been fun to do.  For March, I don't have any races on the agenda.  I plan to do a step-back week to recover a little then looking to do some more serious training in the canyons.

Three Favorite Moments:

(1)  Stopping on top of a hill in the morning sometime to take in the views.

(2)  Running and chatting with Roger, Lindsay and Melanie for a bit.  Had some amusing conversations and running with friends makes some miles go by quickly.

(3) Giving my finisher's medal to my baby after the race for her play with afterwards.

Three Things That Went Well:  

1.  Having a race plan and following through on it.  Kept the steady pace according to my plan and fueled according to plan (eat a gel at the first hour and then every 30 minutes afterwards).  So, race was well executed.

2.  Efficient through the aid stations.  There were six aid stations and I spent a total of 3:22 in all the aid stations.  I went in, got what I needed, and got right back out.

3.  Making the most of my strengths -- my uphill running.  While lots of people were passing me on the downhills, I made up for some of that on the uphills.  I would catch up with a lot of folks who passed me earlier when we hit a climb.

Three Things I Could Do Better:
1.  Try not worry too much about all the people passing me as I run downhill and focus more on my own downhill running.  Need to remember to be quick on my feet as I descend.  When I do that, I see that I do go a little faster.

2.  Remember to drink more water after the race is over.  I did better eating afterwards but wasn't the best at the post-race hydration.

3.  Pay attention more to my heart rate.  I've been wearing a heart rate monitor lately on my runs but haven't really been checking my heart rate as I run.  I need to learn ways to utilize it more effectively in my runs/races, especially as the weather gets warmer.

Three Things I Learned: 
1.  Check your shoes before you run a race.  Right before I started the race, my friend pointed out how there were big holes on the sides of my shoes.  And sure enough, they were tearing at the sides.  Fortunately, my shoes held up for the race and are now retired but I was reminded I should inspect my shoes every so often, especially before a big run.  

2.  Stick with the stuff you know already works.  I got a new pack the week of the race and debated wearing it for the race.  I ended up putting it aside and going with my old reliable pack that I've been training in (the Ultimate Direction AK Vest).  The new pack may have been fine during the race but it was just ease of mind to go with something you already know is reliable.  I've also been training with Salted Watermelon GUs, which have worked well for me.  I filled my pack with a bunch of those gels to last through the race and I had no stomach issues.  I used to just eat whatever gels and food I could get at the aid stations but I used to sometimes get bad stomach issues too.  I had to carry a lot of the Watermelon GUs to last me 50k but carrying that extra weight (of gels I know work for me) were worth it.

3.  Reading other runner's race reports are always helpful.  I read a number of friend's race reports about Fourmidable.  Got some good tidbits from them which helped me in this race.  :) 

photo credit: Captivating Sports

Three tidbits about the race and the race organizers (Coloma River Races)
1.  The organizers put on a quality event.  The course is fun and beautiful.  The race was well supported and well marked.  Great aid stations and volunteers.  The post-run food was fantastic too. And, they provided the runners with free race photos (a nice extra bonus).

2.  They give you the "finisher's" jacket at packet pick up.  In past ultras where jackets are given, I usually got the jacket after finishing the race -- after "earning" the jacket.  It was a bit of a surprise to get it before the race.  The jacket itself was a really nice jacket.

3.  Race also supports a great cause -- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Fourmidable 35k (February 20, 2016)

Fourmidable 35k

February 20, 2016

Did the Fourmidable 35k race as another build-up/training race.  I wasn't sure how the week was going to go as the week leading up to it had it's own challenges.  I had a pretty busy week at work.  My baby and husband have been sick so that's been tough.  Luckily, baby started sleeping through the night again the days before the race so I've been able to sleep okay.  Though, I've been feeling like I'm starting to come down with the cold.  I felt pretty congested the morning of the race.  And, on top of that, my period started the day before the race (sorry if that's TMI).  Though, having such a busy week, it was easy to keep a relatively light week of training leading up to the race and allowing my legs to recover from a hard run the weekend prior.

But despite having a challenging week leading up to the race, the race went very well for me.  The race was a tough course with a lot of uphills and downhills.  I felt strong on the uphills, especially climbing up K2 (aka Training Hill).  My downhills were okay.  Not very fast but not super slow either.  The weather was perfect!  And, I had fun seeing so many friends at the race either racing or volunteering.

During the race, around mile 7 or so, I met Sarah, who recognized me from the MRTT (Mothers Run This Town) group.  We started chatting and ran the rest of the race together.  Nice having a friend to run with as it makes the miles go by seemingly faster.  Towards the end, when we were getting tired of all the hills, it was nice co-miserating with another.

Overall, race execution went well.  I wasn't sure if I'd be able to maintain a steady pace given the climbs but I did keep it very even throughout.  My last couple miles were a bit slower mainly because there were some tough climbs to the finish line (where I cursed a lot at Paulo, the RD).  I definitely feel like all my training the past couple months are paying off.

I finished in 4:32:44.  3rd in my age group and 8th female overall.  I haven't seen an AG win in years so that was a nice surprise.  The past few years, I've been at the back of the pack.  It's nice to feel like I'm back in the middle of the pack (and towards the front in smaller events).

My friends Roger and Veronica said to me how "Helen's back!"  I definitely feel like I'm almost back to my pre-baby racing self.


Three Favorite Moments:
1.  The K2 Climb.  Most people hate this climb but I know this hill so well now that I've come to love it and during the race, I climbed it well.  I know where to push it and where to ease up.  On the Monday before the race, I hiked up K2 carrying my baby in a baby carrier on my back.  During the race, with 16 lbs less weight, it felt less challenging.  Maybe I should train on hills with the baby more. ;-)  During the race, I felt my strongest climbing up this hill.  I passed a number of racers on the climb.  And, it was my second fastest time up it (fastest is in 2013).

days before the race hiking with the baby up K2

2.  Befriending, running and chatting with Sarah.  One thing I love about running is that you can just make friends in the middle of a run at any time.  And, during this race, I made a great new friend.  Around mile 7, I met Sarah.  She recognized me and introduced herself.  Then, we started chatting while we ran and we ran the rest of the race together.  We had many conversations about our own running, our children, our birth experiences, breastfeeding, training, food, music, beer, etc. . . The miles passed by quickly having her company.  I think we both pushed each other a little bit and may have been a little slower if were just running alone.

Sarah and I after we finished, seconds apart. :) 

3.  Seeing SO many friends out at this race both running the race and volunteering.  I enjoyed seeing my friends from my different running groups.  Every aid station had some familiar faces there.  I felt like I had a fun day hanging with many friends with a little bit of running.

with fellow FTRs before the race

with fellow Circle Cats after the race

Three Things That Went Well:
Think these are the same as my last race.
1.  Kept a steady, consistent pace/effort throughout the race.  Every hour, I looked down at my watch and I consistently hit every hour at about a 5mph pace (12 min/mile).

2.  My uphills.  K2 was my best climb of the race but I felt strong on all the uphills.  I moved up with purpose.  If I wasn't running, I was power hiking well.  I am a little slow going downhill but I felt like I could catch back up to people on the uphill.

3.  Efficient through the aid stations.  Forgot to time myself through the aid stations but I know I didn't waste any time in the aid stations.  I got in and out.

Three Things I Could Do Better: 
1.  Downhill running.  I need to practice more.  I don't think I was as slow downhill as I sometimes am but I know I could be faster.  I watch others pass me on the way down but I generally was able to catch back up once we hit the climbs.  My feet also got a little cramp-ish on the downhills near the end of the race making me dislike the downhills even more.

2.  Post-Run Hydration/Fueling.  I did better with hydration and fueling during the race.  But afterwards, I didn't drink enough water/fluids and eat enough after and it hit me later in the afternoon.

3.  Need to organize the stuff in my pack better and be better about carrying things I need and not carrying things I don't need.  I have a random assortment of crap in my pack and when I needed to get something, I had to fish around for it.  I have bars in there that I never eat that are just taking up space. I should toss them.

Three Things I Learned: 
1.  Carry and consume fuel I know works for me.  I fortunately put enough of the GUs I prefer as there were these other gels at the aid stations that I don't like.  I also carried one bottle of Tailwind.  I think sticking to the fuel I know has been working for me has been helpful in me not getting any GI problems in my races.  I used to just eat and drink whatever was at the aid stations that suited my fancy.  But, I used to have major stomach issues in races at times.  Lately, I haven't had any stomach issues (hopefully it stays that way) as I don't just eat and drink whatever anymore.  I stick with what I know works.

2.  It helps to do course-specific training.  I've run all over the course many times but I knew this race was a hilly course so I made sure I did a few K2 hikes in training, including hiking up with my baby on the Monday before the race.  And, a couple weekends ago, knowing the finish to this race had a tough climb, I took the dog and ran from finish location down a couple miles out and hiked back up the steep hill the race finished with.  Even though during the race, I was cursing the RD for throwing such a tough climb at the end, it did help me mentally at the end of the race to be familiar with the climb.  I not only knew going into the last few miles that I was going to be hit with a brutal climb, but I also knew exactly how long I had left to go.  This race has me thinking how I want to do a lot more training in the canyons to prepare myself for Canyons 100k.  This has also got me re-thinking about running Lake Sonoma 50.  While I'd like to run that race, Canyons is my A race and I'm thinking my preparation for Canyons may be better if I run out here (on the course) than at Lake Sonoma.  Still thinking on this though.

3.  Embrace the foam roller.  It's a necessary evil.  Rolling regularly is not something I'm good at doing, even though I know it'll be good for me.  Last week, my legs were feeling a bit fatigued after running the WS training run.  So, I made an effort to roll more this week.  And, it helped a lot.  My calves have been a little tender lately but rolling has helped.  And, during the race, my legs felt pretty good and strong during the race.  I'm going to try to be better about rolling more regularly.

Three Things About Fourmidable and Singletrack Running:
1.  Tough, challenging course but I like Paulo likes putting you on new trails.  And, he marked the course very well!

2.  Great support and swag!  Aid stations were well stocked with excellent volunteers.  There was great energy at all of them.  The finish party was a blast.  I always love the post-run tamales Singeltrack Running has at their events.  Yum!  And, I love the trucker hats instead of the shirts (which I have more than enough of already).

3.  Only complaint I have for the race is get better safety pins!  ;-P

finishing strong (photo credit: Matt Brayton)

American Canyon 25k (February 6, 2016)

American Canyon 25k

February 6, 2016

For the first race of the year, I did the American Canyon 25k.  The race went well and it was nice to get redemption after a DNF I got at the race in 2014.   Two years ago, it rained like crazy.  After slowly trudging through the mud and streams of water all over the trails, I turned around early and called it quits.  That year, it had hardly rained at all that winter so when the rain came, I wasn't used to running in rain.  This year, it rained nearly every weekend in January so I got lots of mud/rain running training.  But, on the day of the race this year, it was a sunny, beautiful day making for a great race!  

This race would be a first of a series of training races leading up to my A race, Canyons 100k, in May.  As a training race, it was a great training run for me.  I finished in 2:58:06 (and 4th in my age group).  I was really happy to have gotten under 3 hours.  I've been starting to feel some of my ol' pre-baby speed and strength starting to come back and definitely felt it during the race.  I felt like all the strength exercises and treadmill running I've been doing the past month was paying off.  I felt really strong out there.  

Three Favorite Moments:

1.  Running down to No Hands Bridge with Jackie and Heather.  We are pretty new friends through Ann's Running Circle so it was nice to get to know them a little better while we ran together.  I really enjoyed their company for the first few miles.

2.  Seeing my husband at the race too.  The past month, we've been doing most of our long runs together (we have a babysitter watch the baby) and that's been a lot of fun.  He did fairly well in this race. And, I had fun seeing him at various spots during the race. He had a few more challenges than me towards the end but he finished well.  And, I'll admit that it's kind of nice to have finished before him. ;-)











3. Hanging out at the finish seeing a number of other friends out at the race.  Even though it was a small race and not too many of the usual suspects were out, it was nice being out in the racing scene again. :)

Three Things I That Went Well:

1.  Paced myself really well.  I ran the first half in about 1:28-1:29.  And, I ran the second half in almost the exact same time.  I was a little surprised I was so even between the two halves.  I felt overall I put a good strong, consistently steady effort throughout the race.  

2.  My uphill running/hiking.  I felt great on all the up hills.  I ran a lot more than I expected to.  I didn't run all the hills but I also didn't just power hike them all either, which is what I was doing for some time.  It was nice to be able to run well on some of the not-too-steep hills. And, on the steeper hills, I felt like I was hiking faster up them than a month or so ago (all those treadmill inclines workouts helped).  The last few miles climbing back to ADO, I was able to really push it up the climb and passed a number of runners.  

3.  I was efficient at the aid stations.  I spent less than a minute overall at the aid stations.  I skipped the first one and hit up the 2nd and 3rd one.  I got it and out really quickly.  In the past, I have lost a lot of time at aid stations.  This time, I used my garmin lap button to time when I got in and out of the aid stations.  I think that was good in keeping me in check and not wasting time at the aid stations.  

Three Things I Need to Do Better:

1.   Running technical downhill.  My downhill running is one of my weaknesses.  I'm getting a little better at the smoother trails but if it's a bit more technical, rocky, I slow down to nearly a crawl.  I sometimes feel like some spots (like the section from Cool down to Highway 49 aid station), I go faster uphill than downhill.   

2.  Need to drink more water/electrolytes. I carried two 20 oz Ultimate Direction bottles of water and I barely drank half of that during the race.  I drank a bit more towards the end realizing I hadn't been drinking too much during the first half.  This didn't end up affecting my performance as I was only running 25k but I think if I had been going longer, it would have been.  After the race, I felt pretty dehydrated the rest of the day.  

3.  Pay attention to the trail.  I rolled my ankle (mildly) on a rock and nearly tripped another time because I was looking back and not looking at the trail.  I've had some bad ankle rolls and falls on the trails in the past so need to remember to pay attention better (especially if I start feeling tired).

California International Marathon (CIM) 2015

California International Marathon (CIM) 2015

December, 6, 2015

The marathon went well for my 5th (4th official) CIM.  I had three goals:  (1) beat my last year's time; (2) break 5 hours; and (3) have fun.  I met all three goals with a finish of 4:48 (beating last year's time by about an hour).  I had a lot of fun running the whole thing with my friend Cathy.  I ran some parts with other friends too and saw many friends along the course (either in the race, volunteering, or just out cheering).  I ran a lot more than I expected too (thought I'd walk more) but it helped having Cathy's company with me.  And, at mile 26, my sister-in-law handed me my baby, who I carried the last 0.2 mile to the finish.  I do enjoy sharing special finishes with her!

3 favorite moments:

(1) Heading to the start with my husband and running friends.  Diane, Cathy and I have done this together five years in a row and nice to see our CIM group has grown.  Also, nice having my husband Craig with me at the start (he ran the relay).
(2) Stopping at the "unofficial" FTR cheering spot (set up by my friend Clint and Matt) at around mile 16.5.  Seeing so many friends there wearing silly costumes and/or hats brought a big smile.  Clint gave me a Coke here, which gave me the perfect boost to get me through the terrible teenage miles.  

(2) Carrying my baby the last 0.2 miles.  Even though, we walked that last part, it was fun seeing her excitement at the cheering crowds and carrying her across the finish line.

3 things I did right: 

(1) ran a steady even pace throughout the race.  I was happy I did not go out to fast and maintained a pretty consistent pace throughout the whole race (not counting the 0.2 at the end).  I ran even slightly faster in the second half than the first half -- a surprisingly negative split.

(2) did good with fueling.  Ate gels about every 4-5 miles.  Around mile 15, felt a slight pre-cramp twinge in my leg and immediately took a gel.  And, I was fortunate that no cramping happened and my legs felt great.
(3) went with my older comfy shoes rather not than the new ones.  I had ordered new road shoes, which arrived a little later than expected.  They were the same brand as my older road shoes so figured it would be fine.  However, I did a test run on the treadmill for a mile the night before and they just didn't feel right.  I went with my gut and wore my Altra Superiors instead.  Even though it's a trail shoe, they feel comfy and have an extra big toe box.  For the race, I had no feet issues so I'm glad I went with my gut on what shoes to wear.

3 Things I Learned:
(1) I've got to do a lot more road specific training if I want to ever get back to my old marathon speed.  While I was happy with my time, it crossed my mind many times that my marathon PR (3:48) is an hour faster.  I have a hard time imagining how I used to run that fast.  I know running on the trails has slowed me down (not to mention having a baby six months ago).  While I have my endurance back, to get my speed back, I will need to do more road-specific training.
(2) Need to remember to eat after a hard run.  Went a bit too long after the race before getting food and definitely was feeling it in the afternoon/evening.
(3) Motherhood is way harder than running a marathon.  Before the marathon, my baby kept waking up crying throughout the night (she normally sleeps through the night).  After finishing the marathon, on my drive home, my baby started wailing in the car.  So, I pulled over into a parking lot thinking she needed her diaper change.  I found out that she had an enormous poop explosion all over herself, her clothes, and her car seat.  While she was screaming at full on level 10 melt down, I was scrambling to clean that all up.  Then I worked to console her enough to get her back into the car to drive home.  Motherhood is like a marathon in that there are many ups and downs. However, in a marathon, I can tell myself how much farther to go.  At 20 miles, I know there's only a 10k left.  Motherhood, there is no end and no knowing when things will go up or down.

My journey from having a baby to finishing RDL!

My journey from having a baby to finishing RDL!    

At five months postpartum, I finished the Rio Del Lago 100 Mile Endurance Run (RDL) in 29:41

Labor/Delivery
A few days before my baby was due, I went into what I thought would be a routine prenatal appointment.  My blood pressure was concerningly high so I was admitted for induction.

The next few days would be filled with various complications before (high blood pressure leading to pre-eclamsia, painful swelling), during (vomitting, two hours of pushing, tearing), and after (excessive bleeding, blood clot, blood transfusion) the birth of my baby.  While there were many complications, I did manage to have a vaginal birth to a healthy baby girl.  All the complications were mostly with me, not the baby.

Labor was very long.  I went in on a Thursday afternoon and my baby was born just after midnight on Saturday, June 6, 2015.  And, I wasn't released from the hospital until Monday.  My body was put through the wringer with the whole process.  I feel fortunate I was already an endurance athlete as the whole experience was certainly a test of endurance.

Postpartum Running and Training for RDL
After my name was pulled in the Western States lottery last December and I had recovered from all the heartbreaking tears as to not being able to train or race in the 2015 Western States, I signed up for Rio Del Lago 100 in my early pregnancy knowing the race would be the last Western States qualifying race for the 2016 Western States.  I was (and still am) determined to run and finish Western States some day.  I knew that I would have five months after giving birth to my baby to do RDL.  I believed that would be enough time for me to train and fortunately, the race was local.

The training was harder than anticipated.

First, I thought I would be running sooner than I did.  I waited nearly two weeks before my first attempt to run.  I was taking a walk with my baby in the stroller around the neighborhood.  I decided to run down the street a little bit to see how it felt.  After only a few strides, I felt so weird that I immediately stopped and walked.  I did not feel pain. I just felt like everything down under was so loose and ready to fall out.  After that, I chose to wait a bit longer before starting to run.  I wouldn't begin to really run until after a month postpartum.

However, I did do a lot of hiking around as it was easy enough to bring along the baby.  I frequently hiked on Stagecoach trail near my house.  The trail is two miles long with a decent, steady incline (or decline if you're running down).  Hiking on Stagecoach made me feel like I could get a little hill work done.













Western States 

At three weeks postpartum, I would go to Squaw Valley for the start of Western States.  The day before the race, my husband, baby and I did the Montrail 6k Uphill Challenge.  We hiked three miles up the mountain to high camp.  The elevation really kicked my butt.  I also found I no longer had my cardio.  That experience along with a "talk" someone had with me earlier in the day about starting the race as well as my baby having some feeding issues made me decide to not toe the start line as I had originally intended.  Instead, I watched the start and the following day, I watched some of the finishes including an amazing finish by a 70-year old woman within seconds of the cutoff.



After Western States, I was determined to get back into ultra running shape.



Treadmill Running 

I invested in a quality treadmill (PROFORM 995i) knowing that having a baby would make it difficult to get training runs done. The treadmill has a fan (while it is helpful but I still sweat like crazy), quick speed buttons (which I love, especially when doing intervals), quick incline buttons (great for hill workouts), speakers, and other bells and whistles I haven't quite figured out yet.  The treadmill ended up being very key to my training.  I put a few hundred miles on it training for RDL.

Around one month pp, I did my first run on the treadmill.  I walked for a bit and did a few one minute runs.  From there, I built up my time running.  My cardio was very weak initially so I did a lot of walking and running.  And, when I was running, the pace was fairly slow.  When I tried to run a little faster, even at a 10 minute pace, my heart rate would skyrocket and my lungs would burn.  My legs felt like they could still run fairly well but my heart and lungs struggled during my workouts.

Initially, I tried running on the treadmill while the baby was napping or sitting in the car seat next to the treadmill.  Those workouts started out okay as my workouts were fairly short in time.  However, it eventually got frustrating as the baby would always cry and interrupt my run.  I'd stop and go change her diaper and get back on the treadmill.  A little bit later, she'd cry and I'd have to go feed her and/or get her to nap.  I'd get back on the treadmill for a little bit and she'd cry.  And so the cycle continued.

Later on, when my baby started sleeping longer in the night, I started doing my treadmill workouts shortly after I put her to bed.  I'd put the baby monitor screen on the treadmill so I could see monitor her while running.  These night runs were much better as the baby would generally not interrupt me.  I ended up developing a good night time routine of putting baby down to sleep, running on the treadmill, showering, tidying up the house, and going to bed.  While treadmill running isn't that appealing generally, I did start to really enjoy my night time treadmill runs.  It was the time of the day where I could get my "me" time. I'd like escaping from mommy-hood for a bit to listen to my podcasts and just run. I also found doing my night time runs regularly helped give me more energy and definitely helped me unwind.

As RDL got closer, I started focusing on more quality workouts on the treadmill.  I did a lot of speed work.  I liked doing intervals on the treadmill.  I did slowly get some speed back but I'm still a ways from being as fast as I used to be.  I did a few long runs (2+ hours) on the treadmill too.  Those long runs were really tough mentally but I stuck them out believing it was really good mental training for the late stages of an ultra.  My longest treadmill run was 12 miles and I think it was harder than running 20 miles outside.  But, I felt like this is what is going to make me mentally strong 80 miles into a 100 mile race when I want to quit but I keep grinding it out.  I did a few hill workouts too including just hiking at steep inclines.

Stroller Strides and Stroller Running 

Around 4 weeks postpartum, I started going to Stroller Strides classes at a park in Auburn.  This is a boot camp-like class done with your little ones.  These classes were great workouts, working the whole body.  It was also really fun meeting other active moms with babies.  I also found the strength exercises done in the classes were helpful to my running (I was not good about doing strength work before with my running).  When I went back to work at 12 weeks pp, I wasn't able to keep going to Stroller Strides due to my schedule, but I continued doing strength exercises at home.

Around 6 weeks pp, I joined the Auburn Moms Run This Town running group for their summer running event.   I pushed my baby around in the stroller for our first 5k run together.  Auburn is not flat and pushing a stroller up a hill is quite the workout.  Running with the stroller also worked additional muscles (the core and arms) that normal running does not.  I was super sore from this run.  Some postpartum bleeding came back after this run so I had to ease up a week before I went back to running.

 At 9 weeks postpartum, I ran pushing the baby in the Stroller around Lake Natoma (11.5ish miles).  Being able to complete a lake loop was a big milestone of my return to running. In my early days of running (especially when I was training for my first marathon), I did a lot of running around Lake Natoma.  To me, a lake loop is a good foundation to my running training.  Getting my first postpartum lake loop was a good feeling.  Now, running that long with the baby was not so easy.  She does initially enjoy being outside and checking things out as I run.  Sometimes, she'll nap.  But, she fussed a few other times.  Towards the end, she was tired of being pushed and had to be carried back to the car.  After this run, I kept my runs with her for shorter distances.

Building Up the Miles

At 7 weeks postpartum, I ran Blood Sweat Beers 10 miler.  This would be my first double-digit run.  I was nervous since I had a few not so great runs beforehand.  The race would go on some Auburn trails that I have run a lot on pre-baby.  When I started the race, it was as if my running legs remembered those trails and I felt wonderful being out on the trails again.  I even felt strong running up the hills.  However, I only felt great for about 9 miles when I started cramping and bonking a bit.  Luckily, I only had a mile to the finish.  But, I realized that I would need to re-learn how to fuel on the long runs.

With the help and support of my amazing husband taking on daddy duty, I got more long training runs out on the trails after that.  Most of my weekday running was on the treadmill but I could usually get one long run in on the weekend.  Planning some of the long runs was challenging with the baby.  I couldn't go to many group training runs as they usually started around the time I would need to be feeding my baby.  So, I did do a lot of training alone.  I did a lot of my long training runs later in the morning, or in the middle of the day.  I continued to struggle with cramping and fueling as I built up my mileage. But, it usually happened when I started going farther in my distance.

At 10 weeks pp, I did my first 20 mile training run on the RDL course.  I pumped in my car mid-way through the run.  This would be my first run where I pumped during the run.  I used a manual pump and pumped in the backseat of my car (usually with the car -- and AC-- running).  As I built up my mileage, I not only had to figure out when to do my long runs that would work with my husband/baby but also pick locations where I could loop back to my car to pump.  The good thing about these pump breaks is that I could refuel at the same time.

At 15 weeks pp, I ran a 26.2 mile training run, my first pp marathon run.  Things were progressing along, a little slower than anticipated but I was feeling good that I was getting some longer runs under my belt.

FLUT

At 18 weeks pp, I lined up for my first pp ultra -- the Folsom Lake Ultra Trail (FLUT).

For the first 20-something miles, I felt great running on the trails.  I was going faster than I had anticipated I would be going but wanted to put a little extra in my pace knowing I would lose some time pumping at the aid station.  Around mile 20-something, I pumped (with a double electric pump) at the aid station.

After that, the course got a lot harder, the day got a lot hotter, and the wheels started to come off.  I started cramping around mile 26.  My calves, quads, and hips were screaming in pain going up and down all the hills.  My feet started to blister too.  And, I didn't carry enough water so was just wilting in the heat.  A few friends who volunteered at the aid stations were fantastic in helping me keep going through this tough section.

I made it to Cool, 40ish miles in, to see my husband and baby as I pumped again.  Seeing my family gave me a bit of a boost as I continued on.

As I left Cool, my legs cramped up some more.  I knew I was getting close to the cutoff.  I debated whether I should just call it quits in Auburn.  My legs had been cramping for nearly 20 miles and not getting any better.  I didn't want to compromise my legs for RDL.  I knew a part of me is stubborn and didn't want to quit and wanted to keep going.  But, another part of me felt said my legs are SO done and I needed to remember that this is not the A race.

After No Hands Bridge, as I climbed up to ADO (not the usual way but another crazy route that goes down some steep technical trails to the river and back up a brutal climb), I decided I was done.  13 hours with nearly 50 miles was a good long day on my feet.  This was a good training day for RDL.  So, I slowed down to get there just after the cutoff.  I probably could have made it there before the cutoff if I had wanted to.  But, I knew if I got there before cutoff, I would have been tempted to keep going.  So, I arrived two minutes after the cutoff happy to call it a day.

I did not feel disappointed in FLUT.  It actually made me feel good about RDL.  A friend told me the bad training runs or races you have before a hundred are great training for the big day.  You put yourself through some suffering and you learn what things need to be adjusted for the A race.  Before Zion 100, I DNF'd two races and I thought they helped me get the finish at Zion.  So, I looked at me getting a DNF at FLUT as a good sign for me being able to finish RDL.

Also, I took a number of lessons learned from FLUT with me into RDL: start SLOWER, carry more water/fluids, eat more, do a little more strength work, and take care of blisters/feet issues early on.

After FLUT, I tapered down my running.  I would run the Overlook 30k as my last long run.  I started doing more strength exercises (squats, planks, lunges, push-ups, etc) and yoga more frequently in the weeks leading up to RDL.  And, I continued getting my massages at Massage Vudoo, including getting one the day before RDL.  The massages helped keep the body was in good working order.

I sometimes wished I had run more miles but I couldn't change that.  I think I did enough quality training.  I was as ready as I could be.

RIO DEL LAGO

In the wee hours of the morning, I wake up and get ready for the race.  My baby must have known something was up as she woke up early too.  I breastfeed her and get some morning snuggles before I head out to the race.

At the start, there are many friends gathered around ready to start on our big adventure!  There's a lot of excitement in the air!

Lake Natoma Loop - first 19 miles
5 am, everyone takes off from Beals Point.  I run a little bit with some friends but watch many of them drift off ahead.  I learned my lesson from FLUT that I would not start out too fast.  This first section is dangerous for people starting out too fast as it's mostly on paved bike trail and relatively flat terrain.

I run mostly with Edd but do see a few other friends too (Samantha, Patty, Gail, and Lisa).  Edd jokes that he is a smart guy as he's with all the girls at the back of the pack.

Other than a few chilly patches, this first section goes by fairly easily.  I have some good laughs with Edd.  We see a few non-racing friends out along the way, either out on a morning run or just out spectating.  

I arrive back at Beals Point around 9:30ish in 303rd place.

Theresa (my super star crew person) has set everything up so I can pump (with the double electric pump).  I pump while chatting with Theresa and my husband.  My baby is asleep in the baby carrier so I don't get any baby snuggles. :(

Beals to Rattlensake Bar (Mile 35.8)
I leave Beals running alone and continue at my conservative pace.


My feet had blistered badly at FLUT and the skin on the bottom of my feet has not quite recovered so I can tell my feet are ready to blister again.  When I arrive into Granite Beach, I change my socks.  The feet feel much better in the new socks.  I also see many of my FTR friends at the Granite Beach aid station too and that gives me a little boost.

I continue running along and run a bit with my friend Lisa as we head through Granite Bay dodging many mountain bikers zipping by us.  We eventually get into the meat grinder where there are no more mountain bikes.

In the meat grinder, I get a little ahead of Lisa and run alone for a bit.  It's very quiet and peaceful out here.  I think about how I was out in civilization earlier running around Lake Natoma and now, I'm all alone in nature.

As I'm moving along, I catch a glimpse of Edd so I scramble to catch up to him.  Happy to have his company again, we get through the rest of the meat grinder and most of the way to Rattlesnake Bar together.

I arrive at Rattlesnake Bar around 1:36 p.m. in 282nd place.


At Rattlesnake Bar, a lot of people are there.  Theresa has set up my breast pump for me again.  However, I see my baby with my husband.  She's awake this time.  So, I take her and breastfeed her as it's much easier to breastfeed her than to pump.  It's also nice getting to hold and snuggle with her.

Theresa helps me to get fueled up and prepares me for sundown as I won't get to the next crew stop until dark.

After feeding my baby, I tape up my feet with duct tape trying to get ahead of my blister problem.


I head out a little bit later feeling happy to have seen my baby.  











Rattlesnake to Cool (Mile 52)
From Rattlesnake, I continue my way towards Auburn running mostly alone.  I see Lisa occasionally ahead or behind me.  But, Edd has disappeared ahead of me (he didn't take as long at the aid station as I did).

I arrive to the bottom of Cardiac and start climbing the bypass.  I see one guy sitting on the ground slowly picking himself up.  I ask if he's okay.  He says he's feeling light headed.  I climb up to the Last Gasp aid station and tell the volunteers there about the guy.  A couple guys go running down to tend to him.  I hope he is okay.

At the Last Gasp aid station, there's all kinds of food.  I eat part of a grilled cheese sandwich and part of a breakfast burrito.  I know I haven't been eating quite enough (mostly munching on peanut butter crackers and gels so far) so try to eat some more food here.

I then climb my way up to Auburn.  Here, this is home turf for me.  While I know the entire course, here in Auburn, it is where I have spent the most amount of time running since I live nearby.  Being back in Auburn is comforting.

I hike fairly briskly up to the Flint Gate, next to the Auburn Overlook.  When I arrive up there, I see a whole slew of posters my FTR friends have put together for all the FTRs racing.  Each poster is a picture of each one of us but on silly drawings.  My face is plastered on a flower.  All the posters give me a big smile and laugh.  I am grateful for having such amazing friends!

While heading down to No Hands Bridge, I start seeing a few of the front runners starting their way back to Beals Point.  The sun starts to set and it's nearly dark by the time I reach the bridge.


From the bridge, I power hike my way up to Cool.  It's three miles there but nearly all uphill.  I want to get up there in less than an hour so I power hike away in the dark.  I hear some rustling in the trees/bushes near me and this makes me a little anxious but I keep powering on up.  Try not to think about.  Just get to Cool.

I arrive in Cool at 6:32 p.m. in 262nd place.

A lot of people are at Cool so it is fun to see a whole village of runners have gathered in Cool.  My crew as well as many of my friends' crews are there as well and everyone is ready to help each runner out.

My husband and baby are there as well.  I take my baby and breastfeed her while I eat a burrito my husband has gotten me.  He wants to make sure I eat enough.

After baby and I have eaten, I layer up. The temperature is dropping and everyone is getting cold.

Olmstead Loops 

I leave the Cool Fire Station with David pacing me.  We walk and shuffle along as best as I can.  My feet are blistering on the pads of my feet so it's starting to get uncomfortable but I am still able to move at a relatively decent pace.  David and I chat about various things from travel, food, our friends, running, etc. . . . I always enjoy David's company and it's nice having him with me now.  David trips a number of times on the trails (loose rocks, tree roots, etc).  He doesn't fall but each time he trips, he fumbles a little that it makes me laugh.  He's so graceful.  Hehehe

In the race, you do the Olmstead loop twice but in opposite directions.  So, you get to see other racers on this section, which I normally enjoy.  It gets a little tricky trying to move off the trail for incoming runners but it's nice as I get to see a few of my running friends.  There are a number of people who run by saying "Hi Helen!" but it's too dark for me to see who it is.  Fortunately, I do recognize some (some I recognize by their voice).  About half the people who passed me and called out my name, I have no idea who they are.

As we loop back to the Cool Fire Station, it starts to get even colder.  By the time I return back to the aid station, I am freezing and ready to put on my fleece sweatshirt and sweat pants over my running clothes.  My pacer Adam is there wearing some interesting knit shorts.  He says they are warm.



After bundling up and eating more, I drink some of my Starbucks frappicino as I can feel myself getting tired.  Paulo lets me hold his white mocha which feels so warm in my hands.  He lets me take a sip and it's the most wonderful, warm tasting white mocha I have ever tasted.

Adam and I head back out to the Olmstead Loop (in the reverse direction).  We move along at an okay pace.  I knew I would slow down at night but I am feeling decent as to my time.  I've been going almost exactly to my projected times and I had anticipated slowing down at night.

Adam and I chit chat about various things from babies, the holidays, future races, etc. . .  At some point, he comments on how cool the stars look and just as we are looking up, we see what we think is a shooting star (it is later determined to be something else, a rocket maybe?).

The blisters on the bottom of my feet start to bother me when I run downhills but I push through the pain and keep trudging along.  I can tell my feet are starting to swell up and starting to press up against the side of my shoes.  It is usually at 60-ish miles when my feet start to go south.  I can feel the duct tape is somewhat holding things in place.  At least keeping things from getting worse.

We get back to Cool at 12:11 a.m.  I am in 242nd place.

Theresa asks if I want to pump.  I am too cold to pump and don't want to lose time to pumping so I tell her to not worry about it the rest of the way.

Clint helps changes my socks and shoes (the new shoes are the Altra Superiors which are bigger than my Altra Lonepeaks).  I drink more coffee as I feel the sleep monster coming to get me.  I feel so tired and rub my face trying to wake up.  I think Clint thinks I'm upset (like I'm about to cry or something) as he mumbles "uh-oh" or something.  I see his look of concern but I can also hear his voice from previous conversations we've had telling me how I'm mentally tough.  I am tired but I tell myself I can do this.  Just keep going.  Theresa gives me a baby wipe to wipe my face down, which helps.

I get back up and head on out into the toughest part of the night.

Cool to Rattlesnake Bar (Mile 84)

When I leave Cool, the wind blows and my face starts to freeze.  I tell Adam how my arms and legs are warm but my face is so cold.  Adam runs back to Cool to get my buff for me to cover my face.  There is a very cold chill in the air.  I'm glad I have a lot of layers on.  At times when I am running, I feel a little warm but when I hit the cold sections, I am grateful to have all the extra layers.

When I did RDL a couple years ago, I ended up falling asleep on my feet and sleep walking at a very slow pace for a few miles.  As it gets later into the night, I can feel myself getting tired and I try my best to keep focused so I don't fall asleep.  I cannot afford to slow down too much.

The run down from Cool to No Hands goes relatively quickly.  I am able to get a good shuffling run going and we make it down there in a relatively decent time.  I drink some hot chocolate and continue my way up to the Overlook.

I start paying more attention to the time.  I do a lot of thinking ahead as to how fast I can do each section and what the cutoff times are.  I make goals for myself as to when I want to reach each aid station.  I tell myself I need to get to Flint Gate by 2:30 a.m.

My feet are hurting so that's making me cranky.  Adam tries to push me to run at times and sometimes I go, sometimes I tell him no.  He tells me that Clint told him to make sure I keep moving.  Adam starts to kind of annoy me.  He keeps saying "You're doing great" which I am tired of hearing.  So, I tell him to stop.  I tell him to read me facebook messages to help motivate me.  He reads a few which is nice but I wish he would read more.

The climb up from No Hands back to Flint Gate gets tough.  At 70 miles, climbing is hard.  I know they say the new RDL course is "easier" but is it really?  I'm doing these climbs later in the race on much more tired legs.  I try to keep moving as best as I can but climbing is really exhausting.  The good thing is I know this climb to the Overlook like the back of my hand, even in the dark.  So, I just keep looking at little things to mark my way, knowing I am getting close to the top.

Right before getting up to the Overlook, my headlamp dies.  Luckily, I have my other headlamp which Theresa had put new batteries in me for.  I remember my headlamp dying at Zion and having to go in the dark for a couple miles to the aid station.  Glad I was prepared this time.

We make it to Flint Gate sometime after 2 am.  They have already started packing things up.  I quickly grab more gels and move quickly through the aid station wanting to get to the next one as quickly as possible.  I briefly think about how my house is nearby and how nice it would be to be back at home.  But, I continue moving down to Last Gasp.

From there, we mostly run (shuffle run) down to Last Gasp since it's mostly downhill.  Adam asks me if I feel excited that we are heading back to Beals.  I say no.  Beals is still a long way to go.  He talks about how it must feel good knowing I'm on my way back and I get very upset at him that I can't think about how far Beals is.  To him, it doesn't seem that far but to me, it is.  While I have gone 3/4 of the way there, 25 miles is still too far to wrap my brain around right now.  It is too much to think about.  I think how far away 11 a.m. is and that's over 8 hours from now.  It upsets me to think that I have to be out here for 8 more hours.  I go back to focusing on getting aid station to aid station, bite sized portions.

I get to the aid station, eat a little pizza and move quickly out of the aid station again.  No time to waste dilly dallying.  I am thinking about the time a lot.  I start doing time calculations as to where I want to be the rest of the race.  Doing these time calculations (which I did in Zion) are good in keeping my mind focused so I don't fall asleep.  I want to get to Rattlesnake Bar (in 6 miles) before 5:30 a.m., then to Horsehoe Bar before 6:30 a.m., to Granite Beach by 9:30 a.m., which should give me enough time to finish before the 11 am cutoff.  I think about these things and think if I can get a little ahead of these times to give me more cushion at the end, that will be good.

Adam runs a little bit ahead of me when we hit the single track.  We aren't talking too much now.  I kind of just want my own space and he seems to be getting that.  He does annoy me sometimes as he will slow down and I will get behind him and have to snap at him to "Move!" or he'll run too fast and disappear ahead of me.   I am shuffling along fairly well considering I have blisters on my feet.  I pass a number of people as I really want to get to Rattlesnake as far ahead of 5:45 am as possible.  I know I can make the cutoff but I want to have some cushion as I know the stretch from Horseshoe Bar to Granite Beach (almost 9 miles) will be a long one.  Luckily, if I am running, I can run at a decent pace.  Almost the same pace that I was running during the start.  I just happen to walk a little more now.  But when I walk, I try to walk briskly.  I make a goal to get to Rattlesnake and be out of there by 5:30 a.m.

We run what seems like forever to get to the Powerhouse.  There's a port-a-potty there which I am making myself get to.  I feel like it's getting close but each bend comes and it still isn't here.  I argue and whine with Adam as to where the hell is the Powerhouse!  I am getting so frustrated.  I am so tired.  I just want to get to Rattlesnake.  I want to see Theresa who will comfort me.  I want to see Cathy who will find a way to make me smile.  I want to see Clint who will give me the pep talk that I need.  I can hear Clint's voice in my head urging me to keep going.

After awhile, we finally get to the Powerhouse.  I take a relatively quick potty break and we continue on.  I know Rattlesnake is nearby.  I argue with Adam some more when I think the aid station should be here by now but I don't see it.  He chuckles at me, amused at my grumpiness.  That annoys me more.  I think I have reached my limit of my time with Adam.  I am ready for my next pacer.

We eventually arrive at Rattlesnake Bar at 5:19 a.m.  I am in 227th place.    

I get here and with the help of Theresa, I take off some of my layers preparing for the morning. Theresa restocks my pack and Clint offers to help with my feet but I tell him there's nothing to be done to make it better.  It is what it is.  Painful but tolerable and I don't want to mess with it to make it worse.

I get some food in me including a cold pancake that Clint managed to find at the aid station.  Theresa and Clint being there give me the comfort I needed.  They just seem to know what I want or what to say to make me feel better.

I get up to head out.  There's no more crew from here to the finish so I tell my friends I will see them at the finish.  I am determined to get there.

Rattlesnake to the Finish (101.4 miles)
Cathy and I climb out of Rattlesnake Bar back onto the trail.  Once back onto the trail, I am able to get a good run/shuffle going on the flatter sections.  We get into a pretty decent running groove with a few walking moments.

I am happy to have Cathy's company.  You can never be really that grumpy around Cathy.  She's such a happy, sweet person.  We talk about various things from our friends, cooking shows, food, funny race moments, etc. . . .and we have many laughs.

The sun begins to rise as we near Horseshoe Bar.  I feel more energy as the sun rises and able to run a little more than before.  But then, we hit the meat grinder.  And what a grind it is!  My time really slows down through this section but I push through as best as I can.  I really want to get to Granite Beach before 9:30 a.m.

My husband texts me in the morning asking for an update.  He sends a picture of my baby saying "Go Mommy Go!"  This gives me a nice boost.  I get a little emotional thinking about seeing my baby at the finish.  I must get there.    

As we near the Granite Bay aid station, which seems to take forever, I start losing energy.  I start getting drowsy again.  We run a little less and walk more.  But, time is still looking okay.  I tell Cathy how I look forward to getting to the aid station as Steve will be there and he will give me some shit, as that's what he does.

We finally arrive at Granite Beach around 9:15 a.m. and sure enough, Steve is there yelling something at me.  I can't quite hear him but I know he's giving me some shit of some sort.  I get into the aid station seeing some more friendly faces of fellow FTRs.


Seeing my friends peps me up a little but I end up forgetting to grab more gels.  As I head towards Cavitt, I realize I forgot to grab more gels.  My energy is fading but I keep pushing on knowing the finish is near.  And, this last section, I know all too well.

I let my husband know that I am getting close and he tells me him and the baby are waiting for me.  Cathy and I trudge along the last couple miles.  I slow down more, not really in a hurry anymore.  I know I can get there in time so I don't feel compelled to push anymore.  I actually think it'd be kind of fun to be DFL.  I let some folks pass me as they head to the finish.

It begins to rain on us, just lightly.  The rain does not bother me.  It's quite refreshing.  But, this makes me worry about my baby being out in the rain.  I still hope to see her.

I climb my way up to the last levee and there is my husband with our baby in the stroller (nicely covered from the rain).  He had dressed our baby in her giraffe costume as I had suggested since it's warm and fuzzy and has a hood.  I'm so happy to see them, especially my little girl.  A few other friends are there on the levee too to cheer me on.

I push the stroller across the levee running and walking a bit.  As I near the end of the levee, I start running more thinking again this is like the old course where you just run to the end of the levee and down into the finish.  Nope, I reach the end of the levee and I am told I still have to do a loop around the parking lot.



Good grief.  Do you really need to have this extra loop?  Does the course really need to be 101.4 miles?  Can't you just leave it at 100?!

My husband, baby and I go around the parking lot.  My husband takes the baby over to some covered picnic tables to change her diaper.  I slowly walk and kind of wait for him to get back to me.  I've got more than enough time to finish so am really taking my time now as I want to finish with my baby.

My husband, baby and I come along the final stretch (the real final stretch now).  We are walking along but I can hear my friends at the finish line urging me on.  So, I start pushing the stroller towards the finish chute.  When I get to the finish chute, I take the baby out of the stroller and carry her across the finish line while my many friends cheer!

And, I feel overjoyed that I did it and got to share in the special moment with my wonderful baby girl.  :)

Official Finish Time 29:41:48

After Thoughts

For my third 100 miler, I think this one went as well executed as I could have hoped.  My pace was mostly right on par with the pace chart I had put together.  It's been tough accepting that I am slower than I used to be.  But, I am glad I played it smart and started slow, which did pay off later in the race.  I moved from 303rd place to 227th place from the beginning to the end so that makes me feel good I paced myself as I should have.  

I am happy I did not cramp at all during the race.  I think doing the extra strength work and yoga the weeks leading up to the race helped a lot. I am glad I finally got my fueling down.  At least I managed things better.  I was surprised how well my stomach held up during the race.  GI issues is usually my biggest struggle in ultras.  I started eating more gels and less of the snacky foods so who knows if that's the case or not.  

My biggest issue was the blisters on my feet, which I knew were going to happen.  I used duct tape like I did at Zion.  It didn't work quite as well as Zion but I think it helped keep things from getting into a bigger problem.  I managed to still move at a relatively decent pace.  

Pumping and breastfeeding didn't end up adding too much time to my race as I tried to be more efficient at the other aid stations.  I did enjoy breastfeeding more than pumping as that's me getting to be snuggled up with my baby.  It was an interesting element to add to my racing.  

Finishing RDL, I qualified to enter the lottery for Western States again.  I put my name back into the hat and we will see what happens in 2016.  I hope to get in as I dream of taking my baby across the finish line at Placer High School.  If I don't get in next year, I will continue to qualify and keep at it until my day comes.  :) 

 Acknowledgements

As always, I am grateful to the trail running community for all their love and support.  I am grateful to everyone who's extended kind, supportive words to me before, during, or after.  

And, I personally want to thank:

-NorCal Ultras, all the organizers and volunteers for putting on a fantastic event as always.  The course was marked well.  I really liked the giant "NO" at the bottom of Cardiac making sure you did not go the wrong way.  The aid stations all were fantastic.

-Java Joggers - You were the group that made me into a runner and have remained always there to support me.  It was great running with you when I was working on getting my running base back.  And, thank you for all the love and support you have always given me.  

-Folsom Trail Runners - Love our FTR family!  Thank you to those who put together those great posters for us FTR runners.  Thank you for those working the aid stations, especially Steve Godfrey for organizing the Granite Bay aid station.  Thanks for all your support in everything I do, both in the ups and downs.  I also thank you for the wonderful finish line cheer I received from you all!  

-Congratulations to all the race finishers especially Edd, Jerry S, and Roger who I was grateful to share in this adventure with you guys.  Thanks for your encouragement during my training and during the race.  You were part of my last two hundos and glad you were there in my third hundo. 

-Thanks Edd, Samantha, Lisa, Patty, and Gail for sharing some of the miles with me.  I enjoyed being able to run with you and chat with you for some of it.  

-Thank you to Theresa for being an awesome crew person and tending to my every need!  You are the best!!  You always knew what I needed and anticipating what I might need ahead!  Love you!  

-Thank you Clint for your treadmill advice.  I followed your example with my treadmill training.  Also, thanks for reminding me that I'm mentally tough.  Your voice definitely helped me keep going through some tough parts.  And, thanks for your help during the race, be it changing my sock/shoes, finding me a pancake, etc. . . 

-Thank you Rebecca, Paulo, and Zena for helping me out in the middle of the night as well.  

-Thank you David, Adam, and Cathy for pacing me.  The night part is not easy for me and having your company was helpful (even if I did get annoyed with you Adam =P).  I'm grateful to have shared my adventure with you!  

-Thank you Tom for all the awesome massages that keep my body in working order so I can accomplish these amazing events.     

-Thank you MRTT (Mothers Run This Town).  The running while pregnant and/or nursing group has provided a lot of inspiration and support.  And, the Auburn chapter has been a wonderful group cheering this mama on!  I hope to be able to run more with you all in the future!  

-Thank you ultrarunningpodcast, Talk Ultra, Ginger Runner, and Trail Runner Nation for your awesome podcasts.  I spent many many hours listening to the podcasts while on the treadmill or out on a long training run!  

-Thank you Liza Howard and Jennifer Benna, elite female runners who ran while pregnant and after having a baby, came back stronger.  I am inspired by all elite runners but you two were ones I read more about when I was pregnant.  I read your stories and gained a lot of inspiration from you and women like you.  Stories of how you still kicked butt in your races where you had to pump really made me believe I could do RDL while pumping/breastfeeding.  

-Thank you Paul for driving my car back home after the race.  Glad to have seen you out there on the course!  

-Thank you Carolyn for helping watch Ellie after I finished the race so I could take a shower.  

-Thank you Valerie for helping watch Ellie during the race day/night.  

-Last of all, thank you Craig for being an amazing husband and father to our baby girl.  I could not have done this without all your support.  You stepping up with the daddy duty so I could get my training in and race really made it possible.  You bringing our baby to me during the race made things extra special.  I am so lucky to have you and love you so much.  Thank you for everything!