It's on!

2013 Antelope Island Buffalo Run - 50 Miler Entry Invitation

Event Date: Friday March 22, 2013

A marathon and a half

No really.

We headed down to St George kind of on a whim (well we decided the week before) to go work the St George Half marathon expo. Seemed like it'd been forever since we traveled as a family and the kids even had that Friday and Monday off school so off we went!

I wanted to get as many miles as I could while the air was clean and a bit warmer. It didn't turn out to be warmer while I was running, only in the afternoon, but the air was delightfully clean! You see here in Utah, the valleys specifically get strong inversions which is just a strong low cloud cover that stays because our mountains hold it nicely like a big bowl. Pollution then has no where to go, the warm air can't get below it and we get stuck with very cold dirty air for weeks on end until another good storm comes. Sorry, I'm sidetracked. Moral of that story, St George doesn't have inversions like we do up north.

Friday I left dad and the kids to sleep in, get hotel breakfast that the kids love so much and go set up for the expo. That meant I had to leave on foot from the hotel. So at 6am I ran about 6 miles of paved trail and road to the Bearclaw trailhead. It was quiet and peaceful running under a dark sky with stars visible, just me and my headlamp. I got a little lost but finally arrived at the trail. Bearclaw is a fun little area for bikes and kids, but in the twilight light I missed the main trail and ended up running through roller after roller, think giant bmx track. Finally got out of it though and ran the Stucki Springs trail the rest of the way till my turn around and then basically came back the way I went out (minus some of the getting lost buisness).
It was really great but oh boy did it get cold, SO cold! I was dressed for winter like at home and was glad. I was only missing my neck gaiter and better gloves. Once the sun was finally up for good about 9am I was ok but during it's rising man it was cold. I did learn a few things though while my hands were too cold to function:
1. Don't untie your shoes to tighten the laces. You won't be able to retie them.
2. It's hard to squeeze cold gel without functional hands. Hold the package in your mouth with your teeth then squeeze from the bottom up with the outsides of your hands pressed together.
3. As much as I love my forested mountains I sure do love the scenery down there! Red rocks and dirt, ahhhhh.

I made a couple stops and got lost a little on the way out and realized I wouldn't get the mileage I wanted if I didn't hustle on the way back. No more picture breaks and luckily no more frozen hose leading me to stop and drink directly from the Ultrspire Surge bladder. It felt good to pick it up and I'm pleased with the effort. I really didn't feel it get wall like hard until about 23 miles in and that makes me happy, in my previous marathon races I've hit it at 16-18. Just turned on a couple songs and concentrated on keeping my cadence high and kept moving. 26.5 good quality miles. 

Don't you hate how cameras never quite capture the image your eye sees? 
Ok, maybe it's just because I only every use my phone as a camera, but this view was awesome!

 

Enjoyed the rest of the day with the kids and food and the pool. I wasn't planning to run the half the next day but my husband said he could get me in and a generous friend Cheri came with her two girls around my kids age and hung out at the hotel while we ran. We ran to the race as it was only 1/2 mile away or so and got there close to the start so I started back with the 2:15 or so pace group. I have never realized how beneficial it is to start where you want to finish. Anyway the first 6 or so miles were not so much fun. It felt hard, felt like speedwork and I couldn't have been running faster than 8:30. I could blame it on my legs but I still wasn't happy they, my legs, just weren't showing up for the party. Then around mile 7 things picked up. I felt better and started to push. One good thing I guess about starting in the back (and taking a bathroom stop) is that you have pace groups you can try to catch. So around mile 7 or 8 I finally passed the 1:55 group and had my eyes on 1:50. Well I couldn't see them but they were my next goal after I caught up with some friends who I lost on my earlier potty stop. I swear I ran forever looking for 1:50 and finally by about mile 12 I found them. Felt great to pass them after running so hard hoping I would! I would have loved to catch 1:45 as a friend of mine was pacing it but never did, probably finished about a minute behind them. Ended up running a 1:46 which includes my stop (I personally don't believe in claiming a time the clock doesn't say I ran unless it's in my own head). Totally negative splitted the second half for sure! I bet I was running 7:30 on average those last 6 miles. Very pleased considering how the first half went.
Waited for and found my husband who struggled a bit but did well considering his lack of road and pace work since the summer and we hobbled back to the hotel and enjoyed the rest of our trip including a little playtime at Bearclaw later that day with the kids and Cherie's girl Sky. What's 1 more right?

40 miles, I ran 40 miles in a 24 hour span. A marathon and then a half. And yes I was a bit stiff and sore but nothing horrible. I really love watching my mind and body stretch their limits. Doing things with 'relative' ease that were previously such a big deal. Really cool stuff


113 laps for 2013

On a 442 meter track  :)

In the past I've done the New Year's swim at Master's which would have been 113 x 50's this year, but I've turned my attention more to ultra running for 2013 and consequently haven't swam in a couple months (bad I know, I don't intend to ignore the pool all together, I still believe in cross training, I've just let life get in the way more than usual).  Anyway, a friend of mine Jared from Extra Mile Racing organizes some local races (including at Bear Lake) and this one, the New Year's Revolution Run was at the Olympic Oval where the speed skating took place for the 2002 Olympics.  They  have a 442 meter track around the ice that I've trained on before.  Temperature controlled 60 degrees, filtered air, music overhead - sounds good especially when it's 4 degrees and an inversion outside like we've had lately here in Salt Lake City.  You have from 8am-1pm to go as far (or as short) as you like.  Some people came soley to run a half marathon and then stop.  They even had a great spin area where you could bring your bike and trainer and spend up to 5 hours with great spin instructors. They looked like they were having a good time and got a great workout too.  A definite race you should consider for next year.

Per my usual behavior I decided the week of (more like days before).  Everyone started at 8am, and you have till 1pm to go as far as you can.  I started a few minutes late thanks to setting up an Altra table but what a few minutes in a 5 hour event?  I thought the whole thing was well organized.  People for the most part stayed out of lane 1 so passing wasn't difficult and while there were about 300 people there it never seemed over crowded.  There was an aid station every 442 meters which is awesome, but I had a handy alternate plan that worked great for me.  I filled up a 10oz Nathan water bottle that goes in my hydration belt and left it on the big pads that line the inside of the track, outside of the ice.  The flat back of the bottle was great to keep it there and not rolling off.  Then every 20 minutes I'd pick it up for a lap and drink 3-4 ounces with either taking a gel or electrolytes.  I only had to fill it up a couple times over the 5 hours and my 9 year old who hung out for the last couple hours took care of most of them.  I took a Vi Endurance gel every 40 minutes (really really happy with these gels, peach cobbler is amazing), a caffeinated GU gel as every 3rd gel and even had a few sips of coke the last 90 minutes. Took 2 SportLegs pills at 2 and 4 hours, and a Metasalt every hour till the last 2 hours when I started taking one closer to every 30-45 minutes.
I ran straight through at about a 9 min mile pace, no walking, except for the 3-4 stops at the bathroom also located conveniently ever 1/4 mile.  1 of those stops was to change from normal runing shorts into my CEP compression tri shorts hoping it my support my right ITband from the bit of annoyance I could feel from it.  I think it helped, didn't cure, but helped.  I really like those shorts, I have Zoot compression tri shorts too but I like the CEP's better.  I also stopped once to change shoes from my Altra Inuition 1.5's to the Altra Torin, a new, higher cushioned shoe.  The 1.5's upper is slightly snug on my and I wanted to try the Torin for this event anyway.  Both shoes worked nicely.  I appreciated the thicker cushion of the Torin, but wouldn't want to run in it everyday simply because the more cushion the less strength work my feet and ankles get.
Oh yeah, and then the stop I'm proud of - a nursing break for my sweet 11 month old Ella. I tried to be sneaky when changing shoes but she saw me and crawled over and really, who can refuse cuddle time like that with a sweet little baby?  NOT ME!  I actually dreampt of nursing like this during a race while I was pregnant with her, but it never worked out till now.  I'm proud to have stopped for her to have her aid station too  :)

So anyway, I was doing some math about 3.5 hours in and realized if I wanted to get to 113 laps (50k) I was going to have to push the rest of the race.  My kids wanted to run with my every couple laps for about an hour so that slowed things down a little, I was fatiguing a little so my husband ran with my a couple laps, but then they had to go.  My 9 year old stayed to play crewer handing my all my gels and coke and water right on the schedule I explained to her, she was great.  When the family left, I focused, put the music in, turned it on and it felt so great!!  That last hour I bet I ran 7-7:30 pace and it felt so good!  I love opening up the stride and moving fast.  It was so fun to feel like I was flying and chase a goal like that.  I didn't know I would feel that good, didn't save a lot to be able to do that, but it just worked out.  My only regret of the race is that I didn't get a picture of me running then.  Maybe vain yes, but it's a good to be reminded of times your body performed like you wanted it to.  And by the skin of my teeth I got my 113 laps at 1:00pm.  Yes!  With bathroom and the nursing break my moving time for those 31 miles was probably 4:35-40.  Good enough for 3rd place woman, and top 10 overall with the men.  Great way to start the new year! 

I was concerned about losing my mind or getting bored, but I never really did.  Ran with someone occasionally, but mostly it was just time to think, enjoy a good song on the PA system from time to time and focus on my nutrition.  Timing it like I did really helps me not feel like I have 5 hours, but lots of shorter segments.  I also worried about going in the same direction circle the whole time and my right side was more sore than the left that day and a little after but really not as bad as I thought.  My knees were fine, ITband was the most noticeable ailment.  I felt fatigued for a couple days, but not as bad as my first 50k.  I'm excited about this 2013 to come!  Looks like my first big race will be 50 miles on Antelope Island March 26th.  And while 50 miles does sound a bit daunting right now, I am so impressed with how the body and mind learn, adapt, and advance to farther and farther limits.  I never thought I could just jump into a 31 mile run a few days in advance and have it not be a super big deal.  I can do that distance and not die, not even suffer terribly!  Everyone can do this too, and not to this extreme.  Run a 10k and I bet a 5k will seem short, run a half marathon and you'll be able to run a marathon if you want.  Trust your body and mind, they are capable and will leave you in awe sometimes, especially when you challenge them!

Anyone want $15 to RoadID?

I have a $15 certificate to RoadID won this year and I'd like to pass it on. I'd like to email you the code or mail you the certificate for Christmas purposes by Wednesday, so post a comment and tomorrow, Tuesday night I'll choose a winner. Simple and sweet.

Leslie's Birthday Challenge

A fun video running partner Craig made of our urban birthday run yesterday.  4:39 running time

29 for my 29th

I finished my 29 mile run today for my birthday accompanied by good friend and great ultrarunner Craig as well as my husband for the last 6. 4:56 total, and somewhere around 9:30 pace when you take out wildlife sighting and picture time. We started at 5am, wasn't super cold but was a headwind for the first 13 or so. We ran a big canal road loop. I would have loved mountains but couldn't be away all day.  Stomach didn't feel good the whole first half basically then eased up, my pelvis hurt bad around miles 15-20 (can't put off core work any longer!) but the eased up as well (I did take 1 200mg ibuprofen which I've never done during anything but packed just in case, maybe it was that). Outside of my left knee was tight for a little bit and a funny sharp pain in my right knee for a few minutes.  Probably not stretching enough.... My husband met us around mile 23 after playing dad to 4 kids including taking the oldest to early morning choir practice, then our youngest 2 to preschool and the sitter, then our boy to school as well. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it...oh wait, I do it everyday :) Anyway, he met us with a bottle of coke that was nice to sip a little of too. Then the 3 of us ran the last 6 which actually felt really good! My 2nd farthest run ever. We went out to Kneaders after and I even got a nap, great day so far!

I LOVE llamas!

Another great video - determination

Saw this on Facebook, had to share.  I think what impresses me most about this man is his determination.  I am lucky to get 3-4 workouts in a week these days, seriously, for a few reasons.  It's the off season, life is busy, I'm not triahtlon training really and have never run every day, but mostly just because I come up with an excuse or am just too lazy.  I don't plan my days out well enough, and I'm not following a schedule which is really key for me (I want to blog about that soon), and it just doesn't get done.  When I do get out it's great and usually long, but I'm just not as committed as I should be.  I probably take my currently good health and fitness level for granted.  All that said, I am so impressed that a man with struggles so big as this, not just not having time or motivation, but having so much work to do, did it.  He put in the time and energy physically and more important mentally, and look what he accomplished!

Ultra running at it's best - a must watch video

A fellow ultrarunner friend of mine made this AMAZING video.  Seriously, it's awesome.  My mom doesn't understand why I want to do this ultra stuff. 
She clearly needs to see this video.  Enjoy!

And yes, I'm very behind on blogging and have every intention of catching up....sometime

 

 

How to be really sore for a week

Really, really sore.

Did around 200

Antelope Island 50k!

My first ultra!  As I said earlier it has been a goal of mine this year to run a 50k, so yesterday I did!  The Antelope Island 50k/100k.  Was lucky enough to have good friend Matt Williams to run most of the race with.  He talks like he was my pacer even though he was entered in the race too.  Thanks so much Matt for getting me through the hard stuff and teaching me a lot in those hours together. 
It was a neat experience.  I was glad to only be watching time and not distance, I think that would have distracted me more.  I simply listened for a 15 minute timer when I'd take more nutrition and that's about all I knew about where we were other than glancing at the overall time occasionally.  I was unfamiliar with the island so even more thankful for Matt who could kind of prepare me for what was next.
Speaking of nutrition, I took 7 gels, 2 cups of Coke (probably 4oz each), 6 salt pills (Salt Tabs I think, they were whatever my husband put in the pack last since procrastinator me was late getting ready and forgot to put any of my own in, haha).  I used 5 Vi gels, a new brand we've been testing and using and I'm happy with them.  Peach cobbler is the best!  Also took 1 Hammer for something different and 1 Roctane at 4:05 for the caffeine. Took the other gels at :40, 1:20, 2:00, 2:40, 3:20, 4:05, 4:35 and took a salt pill at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 4:20, 4:40.  Drank probably 60oz of water from my Ultrspire Surge pack.  I was torn there because I figured why carry the extra weight when I can fill up water at aid stations (in which their bottle pack would be awesome, or a handheld), but I was used to carrying all my own water so just went with it, and it was a good plan.  I always had enough and had it when I needed it.
Didn't run into any buffalo, saw a couple dozen of them, but never close enough to make me worry.  I did however consider riding one to the finish when I was about a mile out  :)  My friend Dianna had to wait 5 minutes or them to pass out of her way though, she took video of it if you're interested.  Also saw a herd of antelope and a few big black ravens.
My stomach didn't have any serious issues, but felt kind of hollow pains the first couple hours for some reason.  I left the race with a light vest, arm warmers, gloves, and a beanie and decided to shed it all about 2 hours in because I was feeling kind of clammy.  I think that helped.  My right hip flexor bugged me a little around that 2 hour point to, but went away eventually.  I was curious to see what it would feel like going that hour longer than I'd ever run (1:12 actually).  My hips and hamstrings were very tight like at the end of a road race and quite sore at times, but I luckily just got into a rhythm that last 8 or so miles and plugged along.  Only stopped to walk twice and skipped the last aid station because I was too afraid I wouldn't get going well again.  My legs for the first hour after the race were more sore than I think I've ever felt.  I just had to sit down, even took a couple ibuprofin's which I don't usually do.  And today upon waking up it's my back, shoulders, and triceps surprisingly enough that are the most sore.  My legs, not too bad.  I have however been eating everything in sight  :)
I finished the last mile or so really strong (thank you flat and downhill last mile) and that felt great.  I don't have any negatives coming out of this.  Yes it was hard and long, oh how long miles 25-28 were, and I'm very satisfied with my 5:12 time!  My goal was to be under 5:30, and 5:12 is closer to 5 so that's great.  I was 3rd place woman.  I was a little surprised at that because neither Matt nor I ever saw any other women in front of us and there are some looong open valley stretches you could see far.  Maybe it's because the lead woman beat me by a little over 30 minutes!  Wow!  Results and pictures (I'm hoping there's pictures) aren't actually up yet, so I'll post those if I see them. I'll also post more specifically about splits and times and such, but wanted to show my photos and experience. 

Driving in on the causeway was really cool.  It was dark, all I could see was the narrow road in front of me and the lake out to either side.  I could also see the sunrising in back of me and the mountain we'd run around to my left.  It was cool thinking there were already runners an hour into their race there for the 100k.

Buffalo crossing! 
Did I mention how cold it was at the start?  I mean not snow cold, but really chilly with a breeze.

Great friend Matt Williams on our first walking climb

This first side of the island (which I thought was west but may be north actually) was really cool scenery wise!  Big mountains off to the left with sweeping hills down

with the beautiful Great Salt Lake off to our right.  Love these long open valleys with the trail able to be seen the whole way

This was after a probably mile long section low on the shoreline with either big cobbly awkward rocks to run over, or loose deep sand to run on, not the funnest section.  Then we'd climb up high above the water, several times.
This side of the island is one people aren't typically allowed on because it is breeding ground for the animals.

This was the middle I believe of a long 1000 ft climb up to the second aid station 13.5 miles in.
Don't know if you can see them but there are 3 round bare dirt patches here.  They are where the buffalo roll around!
Thought of you here Sis :)
A mile or so after the top we headed down a steep long hill to the ranch where I ran off the trail to the bathrooms, which of course resulted in nothing except having to run fast to catch up with Matt over a mile, and pass 2 ladies that had passed me during my stop.

Once on the east side of the island the scenery wasn't amazing, kind of barren with the city in the background here).
And while the last 10 miles were flat, that doesn't necessarily mean easier.  They were monotonous on the legs and mind.  No real reason to walk, and no coasting down.  And everything was sore by this point.  This is about where I went on ahead of Matt at the 4th aid station because I was too worried I wouldn't keep moving well if I stopped long.  At this point I put music on to help keep me moving too.

Then finally I saw the fence I knew we went up along to the finish.  It was longer than expected, but we were finally headed in the right direction so I was positive and happy.  This was a neat view at the top of the hill before descending to the finish of the mountain we went around at the start and the beautiful lake.

And then finally my first glimpse of the finish line (all those cars and white tent down there)
Halleluiah!

I did it and was so happy to be done!  I came into the finish line all smiles, very happy with the day.  It was nice to have a small group cheering too, sometimes finish lines in ultra's can be pretty dead. 
Instead of a medal they give a mug.  Something new and useful.  Also got a tech shirt of course.

Probably the closest I got to the big furry beats...in the car on the drive home

Volunteers were great, race director is a hoot and does a very good job.  Sat at the finish with Matt in a nice comfy camp chair for about an hour cheering others in enjoying all the aid stations had to offer that I didn't partake of (fruit, chips, candy, cookies, soda), as well as some of the huge pot of buffalo chili they cook after every race.
It's so funny, my mentality.  I of course had a little bit of racing mentality when I thought I might be in first.  When I had to stop for that break I was really pushing to catch those ladies and was quite satisfied when I got back in front of them.  Even though I felt kind of wiped out when I caught up to Matt, it felt good to open up and go a little faster for a mile or so.
The other part of me that's funny, strange, masochist is wondering if I should really consider this a long race, an ultra (even though by definition it is).  Yes it was my longest run ever, longer than a marathon, yet I didn't get the night time, pacer, etc experience that I think of when I think of ultras.  But don't get me wrong, it was great and I'm proud of it!  Gotta start somewhere.  I'll just have to get a few of those additional ultra perks next year  :)