Ridge Walk 2011

ahhhhh….

I love NY in the fall! 

“Nothing is weaker than water, yet for overcoming what is hard and strong, nothing surpasses it.” ~Lao-Tzu

“A man of wisdom delights in water.” ~Confucious

“A woodland in full color is awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart.” ~Hal Borland

Oh, who am I kidding?

It’s brutal and punishing.  And crossing the finish line is a big WIN!  And if you can cross the finish line without falling or breaking anything, it is a WIN, WIN!! 

One week after my 100K relay run in Hell, I found myself driving to Naples NY to run my second Out of Bounds Trail Half Marathon.  As I pulled into the venue and gazed up at the ski slope, I wondered to myself…

“What am I thinking?!”  The memory of last year’s race flooded back and I suddenly realized that it WAS going to hurt!  The recollection of slowly plodding up the side of the ski mountain with an elephant on my back while wearing lead shoes and cussing like a sailor made me shudder!

Having traveled an hour and 45 minutes to get to the venue, I had no intentions of turning back.  I was committed to running which meant that I’d have to smother the anxiety of being tested mentally and punished physically on this (insane) chaotic course!

At the top of the mountain waiting for the race to start, I kept thinking of how tired I felt.  My mind and body both.  I could only hope that I’d shake the tired feeling and indeed I did once I turned onto the first muddy single track.  It only takes a little bit of mud to help me find my energy.  The footing was technical and slippery as the course was VERY muddy.  The first mile was seriously fun and fast (for the conditions)!  The second mile was just as muddy and technical and FUN!  Rocks, mud and running water!  Wooo hoooo…   I was in my glory and finally found a comfortable pace.  With the third mile came the first elevation gain which was a treat compared to what was to come after the halfway mark.  I was simply enjoying it….

The first 3 miles rock!  Fast and fun. (8:09, 9:04 and 9:34 respectively)

Then comes mile 4… a long arduous climb up the face of a ski slope.  Waaaaaaa…  it’s tough and it’s long!  13:52 min/mile

After a mile of elevation gain, came a mile of fast descents.  I call them screamers because I tend to scream a lot little as I’m flailing out of control on the steep descent.  It’s scary, but fast.  Hard, but easy.  Short, but LONG!    And, it seriously hurts!  I was relieved to reach the bottom until I realized that I’ve just hit the half way mark and it’s time to hike back up the ski slope.  The very one that I rode up earlier on a lift and wondered… “What am I thinking?!”

Once on the wooded slope, It didn’t take long before the elephant jumped on my back.  I slowly trudged… up…  the…  slippery…  slope, making sure that my footing was firm and hoping that the summit would soon come.  It’s hard to describe this leg of the course except to say that in less than a mile you are climbing roughly 1100 ft of elevation, mostly straight up!  It’s hard and it’s punishing and here’s my proof:

Mile 5 split: 6:46 (those downhill screamers are FAST!)
Mile 6 split: 19:55 (the body taketh over!  Completely INSANE!)

Yeah, definitely the most insane section of this trail half.  From downhill screamer straight into an uphill battle.  It sucks the life out of you.  When I reached the summit, I felt as if I was on mile 28 of a 50K course.  Enervation covered me like a wet blanket as I willed myself to run from marker to marker hoping that I would find some extra energy…

Mile 7 was tough.  I was spent from the quad thrashing descents and the calf cramping elevations.  Each mile chime from the Garmin giving me hope that the finish was just that much closer with each step.  I felt like walking, but knew that if I did, I wouldn’t run again.  So, I forced myself to run and when I felt like slowing down, I willed my body to try and run faster.  Sometimes it worked, but most of the time, I just slowly plodded forward without slowing down too much.    13:05 min/mile

Mile 8 was much faster.  The single tracks were flowing with water and the banks were nothing more than slippery mud.  The roots, logs and water created a muddy obstacle that made me smile despite the fatigue I was feeling.  Running through water puddles that enveloped me up to my hips, sliding down muddy single tracks and leaping over fallen logs reminding me of why I run this course.  It really is a lot of fun when you get past all the ascents and descents.    I found a little energy on this section: 8:22 min/mile.

Mile 9 found me grinding up another hill.  It was so frustrating and exhausting to go from having serious fun on the previous mile to slugging up a tough incline.  I tried to walk/run.  For every one step I walked, I tried to run two.  It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t easy either.  I managed to maintain a pretty good pace despite the multitude of ascents.

Mile 10 was faster, and OMG it was seriously FUN!!  A single track that looked as if it was formed from water runoff from the top of the mountain that was lined with rocks.  In order to avoid a disastrous fall, I ran across the rocky waterfall and up the bank.  Along the muddy bank was serious fun.  All kinds of slippery mud. One misstep and I was sure to end up in the rocky wetness to my right.  It was such a rush that I found untapped energy in my legs!  I laughed and smiled along this section and someone, somewhere, has photo proof of this.  I had way too much fun at this spot of the course!! 

Mile 11 was fun even at a slower pace.  Another undulating mile that wasn’t too bad, but honestly, I was sick of the uphills.  I kept moving and making the most of the fantastic surroundings.  Mud, water, trees and squirrels… 9:48 min/mile

Mile 12 was when my eye lashes started to hurt from staring up the ridiculous incline AGAIN!  This becomes dauntingly long as the miles pile on.  Reduced to a walk, I tried to stay positive, but my calves were angry.  The left one hinting of a cramp.  Slogging up… up… up and wanting nothing more than to meet the happy side of Newton’s Law of Gravity once more, I started to sing in my head, “Something for the Pain” by Bon Jovi.  I really, REALLY wanted a chocolate milk and the finish line.    13:06 min/mile

Mile 13…  OMG.  6:20 min/mile!  And that was with me putting on the brakes!  ‘Nuff Said?!  Yeah, it was a painful downhill finish!!  Ow.  Ow.  Ow!!!!  And FAST… Wooo hoooo!

Once through the finish line, I was shaking so bad from the fatigue that it took me close to a minute to rip my bib tag off.  Then, I tried to walk and realized that my muscles were pushed to their limit.  Each fiber complaining about something and ready to seize at any moment.  The only thing that helped buffer the pain was knowing that I beat my time from last year by 3 minutes and I was covered in mud!

Awesome.

Just awesome!

If you’re ever in Bristol, NY, I highly recommend you give the Out of Bounds Trail Half Marathon a go.  It’s not about PRs so much as a true running challenge.  And, it’s a good excuse to take a few days off post race to recover as your body will require it.  It’s the only race that makes me hurt.  But in a good way! 

Overall Time: 2:14:54
16th/56 Overall
1/7 in AG W30
2nd female overall/21

“It takes something extra to be a runner. To willingly subjugate ones self to daily punishment for seemingly no reward.” ~Unknown

Overall Time: 2:14:55
16th/56 Overall
1/7 in AG W30
2nd female overall out of 21

Wow! I’m happy and absolutely surprised by my stats.  Especially since it was only a week ago that I ran a tough 3 legs of the 100K Dances with Dirt Relay in Hell, Michigan!  I must admit, it helps to buffer the sore/dead legs and stiff ankles!  Anyway, I’ll write a more detailed report soon to let you know how I managed my 2nd Out of Bounds Trail Half!  :)

Finishing out the first downhill leg at the halfway mark before starting the arduous climb back up!

“Your health is a gift, so live in the moment and do what you love!”

Mud! Mud!  Mud!

The only bright side to all this cold steady rain.

With that thought, I pulled into the parking lot and jumped out of the car just in time to hear the horn start the 100K race.  Oiy!  Pre-race anxiety washed over me again.  Taking a deep breathe, I decided to go get my bib and racing chip and use the bathroom one last time before setting up in the transition area.

I was sooooo cold as I stood waiting for the bathroom to become available and I regretted not bringing warmer clothes to run in.

Back at the car, I put on my sneakers, grabbed my cooler and bin and reminded myself that running in the rain is fun.  Really it is!  Even when it’s windy and cold…  I found a spot under a picnic bench to stash my bins.  Grabbed my hand bottle with Accelerade Tangy Orange sports drink and a chocolate Accel Gel to see me through the first 12.5 km (7.77 miles).

I was ready to start.

Wet.  Cold.  Nervous.

7 minutes later the race director gave the countdown and the horn blew.  A mass of people jolted forward towards the trail, smiling and laughing about the great weather we were having.  Nervous, but happy to finally be running, I decided to simply enjoy the trails.  With all the rain, they were wet and muddy, but not terrible.  I watched as people darted around puddles and sprinted ahead.  As runner after runner passed me, I reminded myself that starting out too fast, even though it feels easy, is a recipe for disaster.  I knew that if I were to be successful, I had to start out slow.

Thus was my plan…

The first mile was awkward.  Dodging puddles trying to keep the feet dry proved challenging.  Not because it was exhausting, but because I love tromping through them.  Especially during a race.  But, I still had a LONG way to go and there was plenty of time to plod through a puddle.  Moving forward, I found myself being pulled into a pace that was just too fast.  (9:33 min/mile)

It wasn’t until mile two that I finally fell into a comfortable rhythm and was able to relax.  I was running and that was all I needed to do.  The nervous energies dissipated with each step through the trees.  Running over roots, rocks and uneven terrain while jumping little rivulets and listening to the falling rain pounding the leaves of the canopy above became my serenity.  I forgot about being cold and reveled in the beauty, peace and challenge of trail running…

Mile 3 was so relaxed and enjoyable that I couldn’t stop smiling.  I was quite happy to run the Serengeti this year without the sun.  I have heard that in the past, it gets excruciatingly hot and it is the energy sapping portion of the race.  Not today.  Instead, raindrops kissed my bare shoulders keeping me from overheating.  Following the grassy trail, I fell into a comfortable pace behind three men who were zoned out listening to their mp3 players.  I did not miss mine at all!

The Serengeti went on.  And on.  And on.  The 5K trek on the Serengeti became the most arduous leg of the lap as it just went on for what seemed like forever…  Although, I must admit, that the rolling hills were fun.  At the end of the Serengeti leg was the last aid station that marked the half way point and the return to the forest.  I stopped for a few peanut M&Ms and a drink of water.  I really do enjoy eating M&Ms!  Yum.    With some chocolate for energy, I happily ran back into the woods with it’s roots, rocks and mud.  The downhill was slick.  The mud made this the most precarious section of the race.  Each step had to be deliberate so as to avoid a painful spill.  Not an easy task when you’re running downhill on a mud slick!  I managed to stay upright the entire way down.  Wooo hooo.  What a rush!!

Back at the transition area after 1 hour 22 minutes, I grabbed my second hand bottle and another Accel Gel and was back on the trail in less than two minutes.  One lap down, three to go…

The second lap was muddier and the Serengeti was noticeably colder as the wind started to pick up.  The puddles grew and skirting around them became more of a challenge to keep the feet “dry” (ha ha).  By the second lap, there was one spot on the course where you had no choice but to slog through ankle deep water and mud.  There was no way around it.  The feet drowning in water and sloshing with each step made the likelihood of blisters a mental monster.  Somewhere along the Serengeti on the second loop, I considered changing my shoes…

2 hours and 44 minutes later, I was back at the transition area to start lap 3, I made the decision to forge ahead in the same wet muddy shoes.  It would have taken way too long to change into a dry pair and my feet would have been in the same condition after the first mile anyway.  It wasn’t worth taking the time to struggle with forcing dry socks on wet feet, nor getting cold.  So, I refilled my hand bottle, grabbed another Gel and set off.  I was really excited by this point because the miles were ticking off quickly and I was already half way to being done!

The third lap was EVEN muddier.  The power hike uphill was a net loss as it was so slippery and muddy that for each step up, you slid back two.  It was fun!  There’s something about clawing your way up only to slide back down.  Talk about abusing yourself in the name of fitness and fun!    Despite the backwards feeling, my attitude was upbeat and I was feeling great.  I soon fell into stride beside a woman who had a pretty quick pace, but I was determined to stick with her.  I began talking to Greta and we would run together for much of the remaining distance.  I really enjoy these long distance trail runs because you get to meet and talk with people along the way which makes the time go by all that much quicker, which helps on the Serengeti! Trust me!!  Not to mention that it’s a good way to learn about various races and events that one would otherwise not hear about.  My pace was faster this lap and I was a little concerned that I would hit that feeling of tired and weak with little energy on the last lap.  I quickly put the thought out of my head and decided to keep the pace and deal with the last lap when it came.  I was feeling really GOOD!

Greta and I ran the remainder of the third lap together dodging puddles, slipping up and downhill and laughing about the crazy weather glad that there was only one more lap to go…

Back at the transition area, I refilled yet again and reluctantly took another Accel Gel.  They were starting to become disgusting.  The texture, the flavor and the stickiness, but I knew I needed the energy.  I sucked another one down as best I could and refilled the hand bottle.  I was back on the trail in under two minutes and feeling pretty good.  With just over 23 miles covered, my legs were starting to feel a little tired, but the effort didn’t seem immense.  To this point, I was still feeling strong.  This was a huge mental boost as I have never felt this good on the latter half of ANY race… and I only had 1 more lap to go!

The mud puddles now spanned the entire width of the trail and I plodded straight through them.  I figured that it was the last lap and there was no sense tiring myself out trying to avoid the unavoidable.  Less than a half mile down the trail, Greta passed me and I figured that I wouldn’t see her again until the finish.  I wished her luck and watched her run ahead.  While watching her run ahead something clicked in my mind that told me I had to stick to her.  It was time that my effort was governed by grit.  So, I resolved to catch up to her and stick to her like glue regardless of how immense the effort felt.  After all, it was the last lap and it was nearly over.  I would do it, or at least bonk trying! 

I caught up with her again just past the toughest uphill climb.  We fell into a pretty quick pace and kept it going until we hit the first aid station where we both stopped and grabbed a drink and some melon.  We set back off and tumbled over the rollers passing men and women like we were running a 10K.  It was almost insane.  I, for one, couldn’t believe it.  When Greta announced that we had less than a 10K left to run, I felt a jolt of energy take over my body and I just ran.  I could hear Greta’s feet squishing behind me and I was glad that she was there.  It kept me from slowing down and I hoped that she was benefiting from a draft.  We both agreed that the Serengeti seemed to go on forever…

At the last water stop, we encouraged each other to keep a good pace going.  All that was left was to turn into the forest, a downhill leg and a relatively flat stretch that ran along the lake to the finish.

The FINISH.  We were both ready to finish.

Grabbing a handful of M&Ms, I set off for the the last downhill slippery slide…  and slippery it was!  Greta and I barreled down the steep decent with “cautious wild abandon”.    Happy to be at the bottom in one piece, we plodded through muddy, shoe-sucking water puddles that had grown exponentially since the beginning of the race.  I had no reason to skirt around the puddles now.  I was less than a 5K away from the finish and I reveled in splashing through each and every puddle in the path and trying to catch any runner who was in front of me.  Each time I thought of slowing down, I went faster.  My mind reeling with disbelief while my body felt stronger and faster…

I was attacking mile 30 with a 9 min/mile pace!

What an amazing difference from my last race where I felt like a feeble elderly person with nary an ounce of energy.  All weak and tired with just enough energy to bargain with fairies, Gods and sprites to get me to the finish line: Alive!  All the while trying to will my body to maintain an 11 min/mile pace.

And here I was on the last lap with only a mile left to go and I had so much energy and strength that it seemed eerie.  Is this what it should feel like at the end of a 50K?  Did I run hard enough?  Probably not, but at that moment I didn’t care.  I was full of ENERGY and STRENGTH and CONFIDENCE!  And above all, Running HAPPY!

I crossed the finish at 5:24:19, with my last mile split clocking in at 6:53 min/mile!!  I shaved over an hour, HOUR, off my last 50K! Beaming from ear to ear, I allowed a friendly volunteer to take my chip as my hamstrings screamed when I tried to bend over.  Turning back to the finish, I waited for Greta, who wasn’t far behind, and cheered her across the finish line.  Muddy and wet, I walked back to the transition area in disbelief and awe of my second 50K finish and found myself contemplating the next step…

A 50 miler.

Damn those endorphins! 

Official Time: 5:24:19
Avg. Pace: 10:23 min/mile

Lap 1: 1:22:24
Lap 2: 1:22:12
Lap 3: 1:20:55
Lap 4: 1:18:48

32/85 finishers overall
6/26 female finisher
1st Open Female out of 13!

“We’ll tell you when to start and we’ll tell you when to stop.  In between, don’t think, just keep running.” ~Ken Chlouber at Leadville

Finished around 5 hours 25 minutes (official time not yet posted).  As luck would have it, that was good enough to get me a 1st place finish in my Age Group!  Wooo hoooo!  :)  And I loved it!  Despite the hurricane, downpour and mud…

Oh, wait?  Is that part of Ultrarunning?

I LOVE IT!!!

But, I’m chilled to the bone and hungry enough to eat a horse!  So, stay tuned for the long winded version of my race report that will outline my 50K run with rain and mud!

Until then, stay in and stay dry!!

Well, it was all for naught!

Once I started the race, I fell into a very comfortable 11:30ish min/mile pace, and had the best time ever!  I met new people and was rewarded with running through a beautiful forest on a gorgeous day.  The sun was climbing and the day was warming and I was running…

• through wide open cow pastures
• on shady single tracks riddled with rocks and roots (incredible fun!)
• down a looong dirt road
• through puddles of thick, energy sapping, mud
• under the sun along the searing Backbone Trail… my least favorite stretch as it was a long stretch in the blazing sun that just kept going… and going… and going…  UGH.
• along ponds
• over wooden boardwalks
• under pine trees

… like a kid. 

It doesn’t get much better than that!

Unless you count the handfuls of Peanut M&Ms that I devoured at the aid stations!  Definitely better than sucking down the contents of a GU pak any day!  :)

For 6 hours and 33 minutes, I ran confident and strong, and finished feeling like a deliriously silly kid.  A 30 something kid, who couldn’t stop sporting an ULTRA smile because she had just finished her FIRST 50K and still felt GREAT!

It was a good day!

I LOVE the Finger Lakes 50s course.  It IS my new favorite race! 

Finishing Time: 6:33:04
Overall: 29/109
Age Group: 1/10 F 30-39
Gender: 8/36

“The episodes in life that last so many years in memory are often measured in fleeting minutes as they happen.” ~Unknown

Now, for the run…  it wasn’t so cool.

I planned to run 6 miles, but the heat and humidity were so oppressive that when I hit my driveway at mile 5.5, I called it quits.  I have learned that running with sweat pouring into your eyes is a painful endeavor.  So as Kenny Rogers sang, “You gotta know when to fold”…  and fold I did after 43 minutes.  Trust me when I say I’m not the least bit disappointed.  On the contrary, I’m glad I was able to pull off 5.5 miles without succumbing to heat exhaustion!  :)

And to that turtle I passed at mile 2, whom I swear shed a little turtle tear as he was contemplating his trek across the great expanse of black asphalt, I hope you made it little buddy!

“One of the most tired complaints of daily life is not having enough time.  We talk about being slaves to the clock.  But my watch is a tool, an aid, not a master.  I have learned, as do most trail runners, to measure my outings not in miles but in minutes, and then back.” ~Rachel Toor

Thursday's Speed Splits

I was right on target!  And, I didn’t watch the Garmin at all.  I just ran based on feel and by mile 5, I was pushing a tough pace, but not so tough that I couldn’t sustain.

I won’t lie and say that it was all peaches and cream because it wasn’t.  I was working at mile 5 mentally and physically to maintain a constant pace.  Every time I felt like my lungs would collapse and my legs would buckle, I willed myself to speed up.  And, surprisingly, I actually sped up!  Not much, but enough to make getting back to the pace I had been running feel… dare I say it?… good! 

Luckily enough, mile 6 came.  Yay!  And the 7:29 min/mile pace felt like a stroll in the park.  I couldn’t believe that I had maintained a 7:29 min over that 6th mile on tired legs.  I honestly felt like I was struggling to keep my legs moving at an 8 min pace.  Happy and reinvigorated at seeing my mile split,  I enjoyed finishing out mile 7; immensely.  Probably because I knew it was the last mile and it was mostly uphill!  I’m a hill lover through and through.  Unless it’s on the face of a mountain!  In which case, the jury is still out on that one. 

Once I finished my 7 miles, I enjoyed a nice jog to the driveway where I thought about my run.  And the one thought that kept nagging me was this:

I wish I could run faster.

I do.  Probably because I can’t. I’m no different than most runners out there in that respect. I know that there’s no magic formula or workout to make me a faster runner, but I must admit workouts like the one today have a way of keeping me competitive and feeds my desire to run faster.  Someday it may happen, but for now, I’m hApPy dELiriOuS to have run a 7:39 min/mile pace for 7 miles and I did not collapse into a heap on the side of the road. 

Or am I hApPy dELiriOuS because of the oreos and milk?!

Run Happy!  Run Fast!!

“The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them.” – Anonymous

Seriously.  It’s hard, but it’s fun too!  It’s one of my favorite workouts and, in my case, one of the best ways to gain strength and mental confidence that running up hills isn’t so bad…

At least that is what I tell myself when I am considering running hill repeats.

Like today:

Hill repeats

After yesterday’s 14 miler, today’s workout would be short and sweet.  The warm up was nice.  A gentle run to warmup the legs.  I swear birds were everywhere!  Absolutely gorgeous really.  Red cardinals, blue starlings, robins, yellow finches (my favorite) and orioles!!  Wow.  They flitted all around me singing their song and making me feel like Snow White in a running skirt.  Minus the high pitched annoying voice and fine tuned domestic skills, of course.    It’s no secret that I’d rather be running than dusting. Duh!

At the bottom of the hill, I devised my game plan.  I wanted to maintain a strong effort and not worry about sprinting or focusing on a specific pace.  Just run steady.  No surging and tiring myself prematurely.  Goodness knows, I can do that any time!

Onto the first repeat…  it came and went quickly.  The legs felt heavy and a bit sluggish.  Or was that me feeling sluggish and my legs heavy?  Well, in either case, I felt like I was working to maintain any effort up the first time.  At the top, I found a crack in the road to serve as the finish line and was happy to turn around and start my recovery downhill while enjoying some well earned water…

It only took me 2:57 to return to the bottom of the hill to start my next repeat.  At seeing that number, I made a mental note to run downhill slower!  Yikes.  It took me 2:40 to get up the hill and that felt like an eternity.  The downhill 2:57 felt like a blink of an eye!  Such is the deceptive effects of running up and down hills!

Yes, fellow runners, running IS mostly MENTAL and a little bit physical!

Hill two felt good.  REALLY GOOD!  I must have found that steady pace and effort that makes hills dematerialize.  Now if I can only remember how I did that…

Hill three felt good too.  I’m really loving the hills today!

Hill four felt less good.  I was starting to feel the cumulative effects of hill repeats.  My legs tired and not wanting to run anymore, my calves entering the early stages of crampdom and my mental state could care less if I felt confident on hills in a race.  Four repeats would suffice is all I could hear myself muttering as I gasped for air…

No.  No it will not, responded a voice from somewhere within the recesses of my mind.  I want 6 hills!  Whatever part took over at that particular moment told the mind and body to follow… and follow they did, but not without protest!

Hill five was damn near exhausting!  Oiy and Yikes!!  But, I made it to the top without having to stop and I didn’t keel over so it must have been good.    Extremely happy to hit the lap button on the Garmin, I looked for cars as I made my turn around to slowly jog back down for one more repeat.  ONLY ONE MORE!  Woooo hoooo.  Now that is a serious confidence booster if ever I needed one!

ONLY ONE MORE!

I started up the hill one last time.  With nothing more than willpower and a pair of Brooks.  Half way up, I wished I had brought a GU pak or some quick energy shots.  I was sporting a lovely frock of enervation and it was weighing me down!  Looking up at the top from the halfway point only made things worse as the hill grew exponentially from the fatigue.  Funny how the mind plays tricks on the body when the body is tired and fighting just to stay strong, never mind that my mind is a circus anyway!

But seriously, how awesome is that?!  The mind plays tricks on your ever enervating body while your will power steps up and keeps you moving forward. I think that this is the real reason that I love hill repeats!  That, and it’s completely intoxicating and hellish!  :)

I know.  I’m a completely sane psycho with running sneakers!

Who knew?! 

Anyway, once over the last hill repeat, it was all easy running from there.  I fell into a very comfortable 8:46 pace and held it for 1.4 miles.  My legs and glutes forgiving me just as quickly as my breathing leveled out, while my mind began administering large doses of endorphins so that I would quickly forget my grueling hill work.  It seems to have worked as I have already planned my next set of hill repeats…

Shorter, steeper and faster x8!

It’s all good!

Run Happy!  Run Hills!!