A Running Year Worth Remembering

Prologue: Over a thousand miles of trail, countless hours, and hundreds of thousands of feet of elevation gained and logged in a variety of beautiful places and events--Lake Sonoma 50, The Grand Canyon R2R2R, Canyons 50K, The Tahoe Rim Trail, and the entire length of the Western States Trail as well as up and down Stagecoach and around and around the Clementine Loop, some at night but mostly by day--since the day my name was drawn; I finally finished off the year with three Hundos: WS100, Pine to Palm 100, and Rio Del Lago 100.

It all started in the month of December in a dimly lit auditorium, over a year ago. After five long years of waiting, my name was finally drawn in the WS100 lottery. Let the training runs begin....

Beaming from ear to ear...lucky entrants for the WS100. 

 We could finally run to the bottom of Devils Thumb.

My first glimpse of the "missing" bridge.

Next, in April, I ran part of the AR50 course as a Safety Runner, enjoying helping runners along the way and giving back to the trail running community.  A week later I completed my first Lake Sonoma 50 in 10:34, and only six days after that, I did the Grand Canyon R2R2R with a side trip to Ribbon Falls in 13:16.  The Grand Canyon is a trip I will repeat.  From these adventures, I gained a little more insight into what I could possibly do as an athlete.

My "Popeye" pose 'cause I eats me spinach.

Hurting with stomach problems but getting LS50 done.

Happy to be finished in the daylight.

Heading Back from North Kaibab.

After the Grand Canyon, I switched to running in Hoka Stinsons.  They really helped my downhill running, saved my knee joints, and gave me more speed and endurance.  Soon after I started incorporating VESPA into my training runs as well.  Then, in May I ran the Canyons 50K, curious to see what I could do from Foresthill School to the bottom of Devils Thumb and back.  Training runs on this trail had always taken the whole morning and early afternoon, but this would be different, a benchmark I could set for my WS training.  On the day of the race, the weather was perfect. I ran to the
swinging bridge in 3:05 and finished in 6:46, 24th overall.

Through the month of May, other training runs helped me better prepare for WS100.  Including the "Over the Top" run organized by Jack Meyer.  We ran from Squaw Valley to Robinson Flat with one helpful aid station supplied by awesome trail friends.  A few other runs on the PCT trail helped as well.  Staying up at elevation for a week or more before WS100 helped acclimate me too.

Group photo at Robinson Flat finish.

Last climb to over the top.

Look out from Little Bald Mountain

Mt. Judah Trail

On the morning of June 28th, I was ready to give a sub-24 my best shot.  I trained smart, lost the excess weight through diet and training, and toed the line in my best shape ever.  The weather looked favorable, and I was lean and hungry.  I was suffering through the first half of the race; the Western States "killing machine" was doing its job on me.  At Devils Thumb, I was 35 minutes behind the 24 hour pace.  That gap increased to 40 minutes by the time I left Foresthill. Hurting, puking, and trying to keep moving, Helen Pelster pushed me along.  She guided me expertly through the last 38 miles in which I made up an hour's time to finish sub-24.  I completed a dream.

The cougar rock iconic photo.

The finish line.

At the 51 mile mark at P2P.  Smoke fills the valley below.

In September, I volunteered to help with the Overlook Endurance Run.  With a few other trail friends, we managed the river crossing.  The morning was beautiful and the water flowed peacefully, but by the end of the afternoon duty, the river had risen and the current was making it difficult for runners to traverse it. 

A week later I teamed up with my pacer Helen Pelster to complete the Pine to Palm 100.  It would be a qualifier for the Hardrock 100.  During the first half of the race I was having a little trouble moving quickly.  Also, the trail was smokey from forest fires and the dust from cars on the fire roads was wreaking havoc on my sinuses.  Yet, somehow the magic always happens.  My body comes alive again.  For the last 15 miles, mostly downhill, I ran as fast as I could, doing 8:30 minute miles all the way in to the finish.  My time was 26:46.


In October I had the pleasure of pacing  my friend Gail Pugh to her first 50 mile finish in the Pioneer Spirit 50 miler.  She did an awesome job, finishing strong, now ready for her first hundo.

Heading out of the Horseshoe Bar Aid Station.

My final hundred was Rio Del Lago. It would be my 14th hundred mile race, third of the year, and 6th time I completed it since 2005.  However, this was a new course, with a final out and back from Beals Point to Horseshoe Bar (the meat grinder) to complete the last 21 miles.  My previous best finish was on the old course in 2007, when the weather was unusually cool in September (21:50).  I had a great start, getting to the Auburn Overlook in 4 hours.  My two loops around Cool went rather quickly thanks to my crew of Helen Pelster, Gail Pugh, and Mark Meyer.  When I got back to Auburn Overlook, Karen Framnes met me and paced me back to Beals.  I was there around 8:40 PM. At that point, Gail took over and got me through the out and back in about 6 hours time. I struggled. I puked. But I never complained (never). I finished in 21:53, which I will count as my PR for the difficulty of this favorite race.  I was 17th overall and 1st in my age group.

Running through the gnarled brush on the single track trail.

Deep in concentration

Karen hands me off to Gail at Beals Point.

Contentment at the Finish line!

 
Epilogue: So where do I go from here?  I learned some things about preparation, training, and diet. I had great success training in the gym, doing Stagecoach repeats, and with adjustments in shoes.  However, I need to figure out my diet so it fits my lifestyle and provides balance to my life.  Now, I am looking for that elusive lottery entry into another hundred miler. No matter what the future holds, I love trail running; it's part of who I am.  The beauty of nature inspires me, and I love how my body feels as I push it as far as it can go.  In addition, sharing time talking with friends makes the miles easier and more meaningful.  I hope to stay healthy and run with my trail friends for years to come.  Unfortunately, I will be sidelined for a month or so recuperating from minor surgery, but after that I will be back to enjoy the sublime beauty of God's creation.