tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73213544339120342022024-03-13T01:57:52.154-07:00Cheryl MovingInBalanceA runner writes about trailrunning, friends and family, racing and coaching in RenoCherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-905980752485489712018-02-15T11:23:00.001-08:002018-02-15T12:44:01.344-08:00Learning to Monoski on Valentine's Day<br />
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<b>I was a beginner yesterday</b>. <b>And it was a blast!</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I took my first step in learning how to Monoski. Monoskiing
is making its comeback. It's where you stand on a single board with your feet together facing forward. It
is only like snowboarding in that you have only one board. That’s where the
similarity ends. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbe2rJOUmVDUL39sZ3g6_cotAFzwWj7VwLa5bVksA6juo2rgwSA3YRb0CvJKu0p1dgXboM-5LCWZXqH_M_AGMX94szH8KbEmkGKZBOOAHJIWUTVulO6LSNkT5SaV5NMf7Ll8f3Y687DzI/s1600/monoski+on+snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbe2rJOUmVDUL39sZ3g6_cotAFzwWj7VwLa5bVksA6juo2rgwSA3YRb0CvJKu0p1dgXboM-5LCWZXqH_M_AGMX94szH8KbEmkGKZBOOAHJIWUTVulO6LSNkT5SaV5NMf7Ll8f3Y687DzI/s400/monoski+on+snow.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I have been "two plank" skiing with my mono friends for several years
now. And I've been skiing for over 50 years. I finally took the opportunity to teach myself monoskiing when I realized I was uninspired
to ski this week with the miserable conditions we’re having in the Tahoe Basin
this year. I had been planning on having a friend teach me but didn’t want to
impose so I kept putting it off. <b>Then someone posted a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20051027195208/http://monoski.net:80/howto.html" target="_blank">“how to monoski” on
Facebook</a></b><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20051027195208/http://monoski.net:80/howto.html" target="_blank"> </a>and I decided to teach myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It turned out to be a great day to learn with no crowds and
a recent inch of snow to keep things relatively fresh. It was firm though and I
worried that I’d be sore from falling. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I was a little nervous as I drove the 20 minutes up to Mt.Rose but chose to interpret that as
excitement. I was alone and would have to rely on myself for encouragement,
focus and persistence. Being alone would have its perks. I could progress at my pace,
gain confidence on my timeline and not feel pressure from anyone but myself. It's been a very long time since I learned something so complex so this would definitely be a test of my ability to focus and learn.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I walked to the base of the Magic Carpet at Mt. Rose where I
have a season pass and have skied many days there already this season. I found
a flat section and locked into the bindings on the monoboard. That was wierd. Gotta move my legs as one. I squeezed my
knees together and felt how angling them back and forth turned the ski on its
edge. I pushed forward to feel how my weight over my feet affected how the
board slid. I clicked out of the ski and walked a few feet up the slight
incline and stepped in again, letting myself slide down the hill after finding stability.
The urge to split my knees and desire to use my legs separately was strong! But
I persisted. I focused. Squeeze your knees together, I told myself. Stay aligned over the ski. Focus. If you fall it's not a big deal. Keep your hands in front of you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I walked higher up the hill and slid down. I walked almost
to the top of the Magic Carpet and carefully started initiating turns weighting
on the uphill edge and allowing the ski to turn. After 5 or 6 hikes up the hill
I felt comfortable enough to stand on the moving carpet to take me up the hill.
And I got off the carpet at the top without falling. Yay! A milestone.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3dUIkuR1mqF5ub73t9Izm9ma6x_xGqRnrmqmym4h-sbjzsUgNHWMlaU1vgZKKnjNEQMNh2NmtnSLO0vZkM9k3NFIzgWMescPQRyZLpVntwJgmIn4rE_BjRzudXnyY5TCXgNxbsKtCEU/s1600/magic+carpet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3dUIkuR1mqF5ub73t9Izm9ma6x_xGqRnrmqmym4h-sbjzsUgNHWMlaU1vgZKKnjNEQMNh2NmtnSLO0vZkM9k3NFIzgWMescPQRyZLpVntwJgmIn4rE_BjRzudXnyY5TCXgNxbsKtCEU/s320/magic+carpet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Magic Carpet at Rose</td></tr>
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I spent two hours on the Magic Carpet run. I fell a couple of
times and managed to get up successfully without clicking out of my bindings. The
slope didn’t allow me many turns and I soon got bored and realized I needed to
challenge myself with a steeper incline. My sources had told me that turning would be
easier on a steeper slope. That meant I’d have to get on the chair lift.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjCUDCJN7t1_MIRDAeHbjRwkbmNWBWyp7Lt6p-lZOpmjtU8dwKfvVmJI4uaQgXwLiTJ2fwWZ5tjHQ5XMK6CEBQfMawirsEyCi7aIAKUSOpiXPpjTT1FOUd_piho3HBp8yY69Mvcv_4aU/s1600/mono+on+the+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjCUDCJN7t1_MIRDAeHbjRwkbmNWBWyp7Lt6p-lZOpmjtU8dwKfvVmJI4uaQgXwLiTJ2fwWZ5tjHQ5XMK6CEBQfMawirsEyCi7aIAKUSOpiXPpjTT1FOUd_piho3HBp8yY69Mvcv_4aU/s400/mono+on+the+chair.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Wizard Chair!!</td></tr>
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I got on the lift – no problem. Got off the lift – no problem.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another milestone. Skied down the
steeper pitch off “Easy Street” and sure enough was able to turn the ski more
effectively. My experience as an accomplished two plank skier gave me the
confidence to feel how the ski wanted to turn and I let it. Ok, this is kinda fun!</div>
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I realized I could
do that this far into my learning because I had focused on the basics and was
beginning to get the hang of this weird feeling of having my feet stuck
together. I spent another hour on the lift before I quit for the day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>As a ChiRunning Instructor I tell my students that learning
a new movement takes time and focus and patience. </b>New movement feels weird. It’s
like brushing your teeth with your left hand (if you’re right handed). Yesterday
I set myself up for success by allowing myself the time to learn and being
patient with the process. I tell my ChiRunning students the same stuff.
Practice what you preach, I thought. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I re-read the “how to monoski” before I left for Mt Rose. I
memorized the key points that would be my focuses as I taught myself: Squeeze
the knees together, weight on the uphill ski, press the shins into the boot,
hands forward, use poles for balance and steering. The key focus, just as the tutorial had stated, was KEEP YOUR KNEES TOGETHER. I learned that when I was not sure what to do I'd focus on squeezing my knees together! Suddenly, the ski would do what I wanted (sorta) and I felt more in control. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, learning something new is tough and I’m far from
mastering this monoboard thing, but the process of learning was wonderful and satisfying.
For me, learning to monoski was and will continue to be a reinforcement in how
we learn a new movement. And how I teach ChiRunning. </div>
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<b>It’s all about focus. </b>When we focus our mind on the
body doing JUST ONE THING at a time the body learns what it feels like and can repeat the
movement easier with each attempt. This mindfulness is what learning and
progress in movement is all about. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Learning and teaching ChiRunning is where I
learned about focusing and the body mind connection. Learning to ChiMonoski
reinforced those principles and reminded me what it’s like to learn a new movement.
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
A website in progress and built by my friend and awesome Monoskier, Greg Spanel is<a href="http://monoski.net/" target="_blank"> monoski.net</a>. Monopalooza, the annual get together of all folks mono, will be the first weekend in March. The events are listed on monoski.net. If you want to learn to monoski, they will have a demo day to do it. </div>
<br />Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-65490980014668074162016-07-18T10:01:00.005-07:002016-07-23T16:20:53.672-07:00TRT 50 Miler Race Report July 16, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
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What an amazing day Saturday was! My first 50 miler in
nearly two years. My third time to run The Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs.
Although fit after a strong winter of skiing, I had not run much so training
was ramped up quickly in April. Not easy to do I noticed particularly this year
as another birthday passed. Very carefully I built my miles acutely aware of
how I had ramped up too quickly last year and suffered from some Achilles and
foot issues that lead to a DNF. I saw June this year with some good long
training miles, but lacking the big back to backs that usually define ultra
training that prepares me well.</div>
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Because of my minimal training, I planned a long taper with
4 days of rest the week before and very few miles. I call it the Mary Lindahl
training method (because she has mastered this hands down!), but most folks will
recognize it as common knowledge in the endurance training world: Training =
rest + running workouts. </div>
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One minor issue nagged at me, but I pushed it away believing
that I had it under control. In May I had some dizziness during
two long training runs at altitude. At the end of one, I thought I was going to
pass out. I didn’t but it scared me enough to look carefully at what might have been the
problem. I determined that it was from not running at altitude despite all
the skiing I had done that winter. But it was also because I had not fueled well during those
runs. I thought I had it resolved after training exclusively on the TRT through
June and July and making sure I ate well while running. Another new thing to
deal with at “my age”??? I’d never had issues with altititude before, so
hopefully I had resolved it. To top it off, one of those training runs where I
had almost passed out was with George, the Race Director of TRT! I hoped he
wouldn’t be worried about me and I hoped I would be ok.</div>
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My friend Cory Avery is a fast road runner who is dipping
her toes into ultra trail running. She is a few years younger than me and is
the epitome of sweetness. We went to packet pick up on Friday
then Saturday morning I picked her up to drive to the start. Her calm presence
and genuine caring helped to keep me focused and limited my usual pre-race
butterflies. Dave was in <st1:city w:st="on">Iowa City</st1:city>
attending his Stepdad’s funeral. I struggled with the decision as to whether to
race or not, but he and his mother didn’t want me to miss TRT and assured me
they were ok with me not attending. So this would be the first time I’d ever done
an ultra with no personal support. I prepared a drop bag for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
the 30 mile aid station, and a drop bag for the Finish Line.</div>
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My race strategy was to start slow, fuel and hydrate well,
focus on ChiRunning form always and as usual, remain uninjured and finish
strong and happy with a goal time of 14 hours. It would not be a PR day
(13:12), but it would be a finish and that’s all I was after.</div>
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I ate well that morning! Wow, what a surprise. And ate again
before the start. Also very unusual for me.
I saw Jill Trent, Stacie Riddle and Al Maestas at the starting line. Jill and
Al running the 55K and Stacie full of excitement to run 50 miles. Cory, I
predicted, would win our age group and place very well over all in the 55K. And
she did just that!</div>
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A slow start and controlled 6 miles to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place>
gave me confidence and time to get my head in the game. My ChiRunning focuses were relaxed ankles, cadence, passive and active pelvic rotation, and relaxed shoulders. Rolling
into Tunnel Creek around mile 12 at my planned time was a good sign. The steep,
rocky down hill at the beginning of the Red House loop reminded me to conserve
energy. Keeping my stride short with a focus of my feet underneath me kept me
from overstriding. My quads would thank me later. I pulled strength from high
energy hundred milers Jill Anderson and EJ Maldonado as we passed each other
while they were climbing out. A couple of creek crossings soaked my feet. A
quick water refill at the Red House aid station and I was on my way back to
Tunnel Creek. </div>
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<o:p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja59ud-EcUdRCMRbOPtJ_O_96pYnx1tFiAkzTeVAxMhkxGP_oWSlfcayM9DFI86ipLSOcvN1iVWZAijGl1RMF0gP3IJ0oEUC6ow9ziTxCuhXkCL9IvDX9AoeJcDSb0UBf5S9tm7FV7TVA/s1600/Marlette+w+Tahoe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja59ud-EcUdRCMRbOPtJ_O_96pYnx1tFiAkzTeVAxMhkxGP_oWSlfcayM9DFI86ipLSOcvN1iVWZAijGl1RMF0gP3IJ0oEUC6ow9ziTxCuhXkCL9IvDX9AoeJcDSb0UBf5S9tm7FV7TVA/s320/Marlette+w+Tahoe.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ever beautiful Marlette Lake with Tahoe behind.<br />
The view at about mile 10 and 38.</td></tr>
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On the wide road back up to Tunnel, I ran along contently
listening to music in one ear. All of a sudden, I heard a squeaky grunt to my
left, above me on the hillside. I looked up to see a medium size brown bear not
30 feet away! Surprised, I think he had been on his way to the road, saw me,
and turned back to run parallel to the road away from me. Scared me for a
moment for sure! But as he turned to run from me I realized he was probably
more afraid of me! I yelled down to the runners below me on the road so they
could see this magnificent creature – his light brown coat rippled as he
crashed through the woods. A little adrenaline rush gave me and the man behind
me some nice energy for the next mile or so!</div>
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As I ran the 6 mile Red House loop, I had some intermittent
nausea and decided to back off on eating aid station stuff. I think it was the Ensure at
Tunnel that wasn’t sitting well. (Too concentrated? It usually works well for me.) Arriving at Tunnel Aid Station I stopped briefly to
empty rocks out of my right shoe. My feet were in good shape. Another thank you
to Juan for taking care of me again, and a huge cup of ice poured into and held
in place by my running bra (“you better do that, my wife might not like it if I
did!” said the nice volunteer).</div>
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My good friend and ex-training partner, Ron, called me at
Tunnel just as I was leaving for Diamond. Hearing his voice and encouraging
words made all the difference. To my amazement, I ran out of Tunnel aid
station. Easily. It was then that I knew it was going to be a good day! I
smiled to myself. Yes, I remembered, you can do this.</div>
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I struggled with that wonky stomach, drank a lot of water
and ate nothing at the Bullwheel aid station, about mile 22. Maintaining a
regimen of VFuel every hour to hour and a half kept my energy high. My stomach
began to calm down.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvW1-6H2hW6Q_FT2ryyTfRpnw-zD_x-WBP5iCol5hDSK35ewsZ03r2GdE7pvnTzO4-SfYMxvwoQoLd9lPJKz1GFzCVM59Ri3hcY-6M8VS7AMPQuftcAwXng-RKR3RfG9HHKpMTT8EqNA/s1600/VFuel-Sampler-492x492.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvW1-6H2hW6Q_FT2ryyTfRpnw-zD_x-WBP5iCol5hDSK35ewsZ03r2GdE7pvnTzO4-SfYMxvwoQoLd9lPJKz1GFzCVM59Ri3hcY-6M8VS7AMPQuftcAwXng-RKR3RfG9HHKpMTT8EqNA/s200/VFuel-Sampler-492x492.png" width="200" /></a>Running down the <st1:place w:st="on">Tyrol</st1:place> was
controlled, but steady. A short stride, high cadence and relaxed ankles kept me
from tripping and I maneuvered easily through the technical sections. Mountain
bike riders passed me politely and expertly when I told them I wasn’t stopping
for them. I had marked this section of the course a few days before and took
pride in the fact that directions were clear and the flags and signs were still
intact. </div>
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I was thrilled to arrive at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
on pace and feeling strong. I passed hundred milers Chet Fairbanks and Kevin
Bigley as they strode into Diamond, Chet on his way to his 10<sup>th</sup> TRT
100 with Kevin, the original TRT Race Director. Chet yelled at me as I passed
and reassured me he was doing well.</div>
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Checking my watch, I was determined to get in and out of
Diamond quickly. I was on track with my goal time. A brief hello to Steve and
Louise Fellar manning the barbecue then I headed to retrieve my drop bag. Mark
Struble, master marathoner and past pres of TMM, quickly refilled my Camel with
water. I sat and restocked my pack with VFuel while Grayson, a volunteer,
supplied me with cold 7-UP. His helping arm up off the concrete, a cold spray
of water from the hose while I yelled from its shock, and I was on my way up
the monster hill that is the epitome of TRT’s “hell”. Although I didn’t spend any time talking to
anyone, I was happy I had gotten out of there quick. A 5 minute aid station
stop!</div>
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That climb is a real test of mental strength. Sure it’s a
tough physical hike, but it is seemingly endless with false summits that can demoralize.
I didn’t stop. Short strides, sideways at times, active pelvic rotation with
focused arm swing. Breathing. Relaxed abs, focus on belly breathing. Two miles
in 55 minutes and I was happily at the top. I swore loudly at the monster
having conquered it and trotted on trembling legs carefully down to the
bullwheel aid station. Three miles to Tunnel and I was on my way home!</div>
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Once again, I saw Juan at Tunnel. Disappointed not to see my
friend Ken (my pacer in my attempt at 100 in 2014 and one of the nicest people I know), I knew he was busy supporting the race so I moved through quickly,
only refilling for water. A few pieces of fruit tasted wonderful. My regimen of
hourly VFuel was keeping me moving well and my stomach was happy. </div>
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Next stop was <st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city> aid
station around mile 40, but first the climb up <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
I used several runners behind me as motivation to keep going steadily. I ran as
much as possible – always on the downhills and flats. The smoothies at <st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city> were tempting, but
I passed through quickly after a brief porta potty stop and a water refill. I
saw 100 miler Michelle Edmondson sitting in a chair looking like she was having
a low spot. She smiled brightly as she asked about my run though! I admired her
character to be with me for a moment when she was clearly struggling.</div>
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A strong climb up <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snow</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
and I began to feel the creeping joy of knowing that I would be done within the
next few hours. The welcome at the Snow Valley Peak aid station is always
unique – “Hi Cheryl, what can I help you with?” said the cute, young Boy Scout
as he walked the 50 feet up the trail to greet me. I quickly refilled for water
and took off. The run down this mountain is my most favorite part of this race.
It is a perfect pitch for running fast but in control and despite my quads
beginning to have a serious conversation with my head about continuing this
abuse, I eagerly pushed my speed and enjoyed the ride and the incredible views
of Tahoe to my west.</div>
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VFuel was going in easily every hour and my energy level was
outstanding. At the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Spooner</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> aid station, only 2
miles from the finish, I waved and smiled, ran through and focused on the
finish. The run around the lake can be painfully slow, but to my amazement, it
went by fast and soon I could see the finish line area. Running across the
bridge, I was so happy I could have cried. I suddenly realized that I hadn’t
looked at my watch in a while. Holy Molie I was going to finish faster than 14
hours! I rounded the last corner and there it was – Finish line! George gave me
a hug, Steve hugged me, Angela hugged me. Probably others, too. My friends. My
family. Ultra running. “The best sport in the world”, Ken later said to me.</div>
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Yes, the best people in the world to share it with!</div>
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And now it was over. I was done. Joy joy joy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6XT0sn3hqAj8RcryyzJ7FCXR5B-MdsNmFJuG9SjCOe0OgmflcznJECGqwCVa_5EYFg5rxr09R3Yz4TQ1nK5k2iryj82BIzxi2Ueh_JR2toZiwAWSuyLJkFGwZu-dw64LBSbNMlC7Zpw/s1600/TRT+Finish+w+George+2016+cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6XT0sn3hqAj8RcryyzJ7FCXR5B-MdsNmFJuG9SjCOe0OgmflcznJECGqwCVa_5EYFg5rxr09R3Yz4TQ1nK5k2iryj82BIzxi2Ueh_JR2toZiwAWSuyLJkFGwZu-dw64LBSbNMlC7Zpw/s320/TRT+Finish+w+George+2016+cropped.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Ruiz, RD w me at finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you to all who thought of me, texted me, phoned me, helped me during the race before, during and after. You know who you are and you truly made the difference for me while I ran.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>For the record:</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Total time was 13:32 something. 30 minutes faster than my
goal time. About 15 minutes slower than my PR for this course in 2013. Third in
AG, 21<sup>st</sup> out of 57 women, 64 out of 145 finishers. Not bad for an
old lady middle of the pack ultrarunner! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Lessons learned:</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. Vfuel is the bomb. Essentially, the only thing I took
after mile 20 except for a few pieces of fruit. This probably wouldn’t work for
a longer race as VFuel is only 100 calories per dose. And it was challenging to
do a VFuel every hour. I did no S caps. Had minimal hand swelling. Temps were
mild, so felt no need to supplement with salt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. My training leading up to this was minimal, but smart. I
started uninjured and that was important. My ChiRunning focuses were paramount
to my success. I passed many people who were inefficient yet clearly stronger and
younger than me. Once again, I am grateful to Danny Dreyer who created
ChiRunning and opened the door to the gift of pain free, joyful running. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. Altitude training is important for me now that I’m older
even though I ski at altitude and live at 5000 feet. I need to make sure I run at
least a few times per week during the winter while I ski. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. I do love ultras.<br />
<br />
More data from Garmin<br />
<a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1263044089">https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1263044089</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Scroll down for more pics....</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW09Ay8eWu-GWjuO1Yd4nR8IQNJXKo-cAGd4kOlmL_i0mQtUJaI2CBFObghpf7YzmGCLWuBiW0q__EOtP-P7KIxpH_WN8gNUQT2Y7uQyK82h-tUzepblmniTQJT5Y-u_diOfxddae6hQ/s1600/ChiRunning+Love+running+forever+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW09Ay8eWu-GWjuO1Yd4nR8IQNJXKo-cAGd4kOlmL_i0mQtUJaI2CBFObghpf7YzmGCLWuBiW0q__EOtP-P7KIxpH_WN8gNUQT2Y7uQyK82h-tUzepblmniTQJT5Y-u_diOfxddae6hQ/s200/ChiRunning+Love+running+forever+logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oMpy5iyeuLOQTCke4fsgTnc_eOu8mKct5x0l0bj_CzEVSpon9wQ6Kn6XPrmLmAQfUNqm3p3aBboyYlW1mfImfq7LVb0JhB1EX6SSC4U_wWielkr1_bN-Y2C43XXUIJcAHmBNCD-C0HI/s1600/Chet+finish+TRT+100M+7-17-16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oMpy5iyeuLOQTCke4fsgTnc_eOu8mKct5x0l0bj_CzEVSpon9wQ6Kn6XPrmLmAQfUNqm3p3aBboyYlW1mfImfq7LVb0JhB1EX6SSC4U_wWielkr1_bN-Y2C43XXUIJcAHmBNCD-C0HI/s400/Chet+finish+TRT+100M+7-17-16.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chet Fairbanks finishing his 10th TRT 100!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0uajbKYrWNrP2BjBoCr5aIAl0UvuI-hkZy0LaOj17H9g6m-FCWkYcBeKGk3r8VrbpdXP4M1t4TYhE_OTQaW4bZ-X9wl2neE6ZauY04KL2z04BY8ezPz_nozbrPbu0i0-IX1SRYD6R8g/s1600/TRT+2016+Leslie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0uajbKYrWNrP2BjBoCr5aIAl0UvuI-hkZy0LaOj17H9g6m-FCWkYcBeKGk3r8VrbpdXP4M1t4TYhE_OTQaW4bZ-X9wl2neE6ZauY04KL2z04BY8ezPz_nozbrPbu0i0-IX1SRYD6R8g/s320/TRT+2016+Leslie.JPG" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leslie Wunder, extraordinary ultrarunner and pacer at the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMwy6TJeFqcqlp7EFkgV0uOz0IRzNqtkRHsY9_NoeonoK_Q-N6L7Cp8woY-GbjiAEhyLebOWRQ30bocHXFvpXQEx7DHrgJbI_j003MDq0FKtm2TPBjjoW2Kz3z3YTfx4LG7wW8iPcu5U/s400/TRT+2016+Al+Lon+%2526+EJ.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Al, Lon and EJ (100 mile finisher)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR3TgJ0GLAnt-VrUPvbp9j_F-iL0rDYVG1nGJl0XwdNTIOcVeyaWr4b4B2rlNqTyQRx5iEgn3yTmK49E_HCY4nI2pf-VNmj-0r5ar6F90-m1Z2flIfW8eMxD36k-Y-xKRy8j8iiVl3ig/s400/TRT+2016+boys+at+the+finish.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron, Darren and Chris</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNikmiYlSfXnylP7jM6WOEo1vxxGsWMu1xIYvJEhEp8J0buiqUWXthyZ1YzQoWdwjceeFkOU-DSX2KsLeMe3vnEcNRAFeyrQ2YrSSnXKD3xaiH3QEdc4gZBIvWxe5s2yPvBMXmIYLExxs/s400/TRT+2016+George+%2526+Ken.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Ruiz, RD, being interviewed by Ken</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgLr0kz_ia6gO4QUEa9lnHSDw1-zYcERoYqeW47PK6mxCYGIiL7ZeVm7t8b7zxgZ7UCkUMi6KQHQdDnn0B8jY2Xx5BVu8PRLQ-ap-VC40-r5HtQvrL1wyYi29Z7jJtKNFkHVfY4XLf_4/s320/TRT+2016+Lindsey+and+Nora.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nora, finish line captain and Lindsey, 2nd place 50 miler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBLxkcDvfO2QXNJx6uILxyD_Zx1CnqQuIuWJEYvlnoWraJyWWBmIenYZDFPRuS1m3l36aVWhtd7_2erJw009Dgz4ZYKs9vrmS3Q8Iv3uy9LTdZ6lMLLkc_5sS9DK3UgHLbtkjWC-PcPU/s1600/TRT+2016+George+%2526+Mike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBLxkcDvfO2QXNJx6uILxyD_Zx1CnqQuIuWJEYvlnoWraJyWWBmIenYZDFPRuS1m3l36aVWhtd7_2erJw009Dgz4ZYKs9vrmS3Q8Iv3uy9LTdZ6lMLLkc_5sS9DK3UgHLbtkjWC-PcPU/s320/TRT+2016+George+%2526+Mike.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George and Mike</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMwy6TJeFqcqlp7EFkgV0uOz0IRzNqtkRHsY9_NoeonoK_Q-N6L7Cp8woY-GbjiAEhyLebOWRQ30bocHXFvpXQEx7DHrgJbI_j003MDq0FKtm2TPBjjoW2Kz3z3YTfx4LG7wW8iPcu5U/s1600/TRT+2016+Al+Lon+%2526+EJ.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR3TgJ0GLAnt-VrUPvbp9j_F-iL0rDYVG1nGJl0XwdNTIOcVeyaWr4b4B2rlNqTyQRx5iEgn3yTmK49E_HCY4nI2pf-VNmj-0r5ar6F90-m1Z2flIfW8eMxD36k-Y-xKRy8j8iiVl3ig/s1600/TRT+2016+boys+at+the+finish.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNikmiYlSfXnylP7jM6WOEo1vxxGsWMu1xIYvJEhEp8J0buiqUWXthyZ1YzQoWdwjceeFkOU-DSX2KsLeMe3vnEcNRAFeyrQ2YrSSnXKD3xaiH3QEdc4gZBIvWxe5s2yPvBMXmIYLExxs/s1600/TRT+2016+George+%2526+Ken.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgLr0kz_ia6gO4QUEa9lnHSDw1-zYcERoYqeW47PK6mxCYGIiL7ZeVm7t8b7zxgZ7UCkUMi6KQHQdDnn0B8jY2Xx5BVu8PRLQ-ap-VC40-r5HtQvrL1wyYi29Z7jJtKNFkHVfY4XLf_4/s1600/TRT+2016+Lindsey+and+Nora.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><br /></div>
Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-91323977450238152052016-07-18T10:01:00.004-07:002016-07-18T10:20:30.650-07:00TRT 50 Miler Race Report July 16, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What an amazing day Saturday was! My first 50 miler in
nearly two years. My third time to run The Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs.
Although fit after a strong winter of skiing, I had not run much so training
was ramped up quickly in April. Not easy to do I noticed particularly this year
as another birthday passed. Very carefully I built my miles acutely aware of
how I had ramped up too quickly last year and suffered from some Achilles and
foot issues that lead to a DNF. I saw June this year with some good long
training miles, but lacking the big back to backs that usually define ultra
training that prepares me well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because of my minimal training, I planned a long taper with
4 days of rest the week before and very few miles. I call it the Mary Lindahl
training method (because she has mastered this hands down!), but most folks will
recognize it as common knowledge in the endurance training world: Training =
rest + running workouts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One minor issue nagged at me, but I pushed it away believing
that I had it under control. In May I had some dizziness during
two long training runs at altitude. At the end of one, I thought I was going to
pass out. I didn’t but it scared me enough to look carefully at what might have been the
problem. I determined that it was from not running at altitude despite all
the skiing I had done that winter. But it was also because I had not fueled well during those
runs. I thought I had it resolved after training exclusively on the TRT through
June and July and making sure I ate well while running. Another new thing to
deal with at “my age”??? I’d never had issues with altititude before, so
hopefully I had resolved it. To top it off, one of those training runs where I
had almost passed out was with George, the Race Director of TRT! I hoped he
wouldn’t be worried about me and I hoped I would be ok.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My friend Cory Avery is a fast road runner who is dipping
her toes into ultra trail running. She is a few years younger than me and is
the epitome of sweetness. We went to packet pick up on Friday
then Saturday morning I picked her up to drive to the start. Her calm presence
and genuine caring helped to keep me focused and limited my usual pre-race
butterflies. Dave was in <st1:city w:st="on">Iowa City</st1:city>
attending his Stepdad’s funeral. I struggled with the decision as to whether to
race or not, but he and his mother didn’t want me to miss TRT and assured me
they were ok with me not attending. So this would be the first time I’d ever done
an ultra with no personal support. I prepared a drop bag for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
the 30 mile aid station, and a drop bag for the Finish Line.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My race strategy was to start slow, fuel and hydrate well,
focus on ChiRunning form always and as usual, remain uninjured and finish
strong and happy with a goal time of 14 hours. It would not be a PR day
(13:12), but it would be a finish and that’s all I was after.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ate well that morning! Wow, what a surprise. And ate again
before the start. Also very unusual for me.
I saw Jill Trent, Stacie Riddle and Al Maestas at the starting line. Jill and
Al running the 55K and Stacie full of excitement to run 50 miles. Cory, I
predicted, would win our age group and place very well over all in the 55K. And
she did just that!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A slow start and controlled 6 miles to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place>
gave me confidence and time to get my head in the game. My ChiRunning focuses were relaxed ankles, cadence, passive and active pelvic rotation, and relaxed shoulders. Rolling
into Tunnel Creek around mile 12 at my planned time was a good sign. The steep,
rocky down hill at the beginning of the Red House loop reminded me to conserve
energy. Keeping my stride short with a focus of my feet underneath me kept me
from overstriding. My quads would thank me later. I pulled strength from high
energy hundred milers Jill Anderson and EJ Maldonado as we passed each other
while they were climbing out. A couple of creek crossings soaked my feet. A
quick water refill at the Red House aid station and I was on my way back to
Tunnel Creek. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja59ud-EcUdRCMRbOPtJ_O_96pYnx1tFiAkzTeVAxMhkxGP_oWSlfcayM9DFI86ipLSOcvN1iVWZAijGl1RMF0gP3IJ0oEUC6ow9ziTxCuhXkCL9IvDX9AoeJcDSb0UBf5S9tm7FV7TVA/s1600/Marlette+w+Tahoe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja59ud-EcUdRCMRbOPtJ_O_96pYnx1tFiAkzTeVAxMhkxGP_oWSlfcayM9DFI86ipLSOcvN1iVWZAijGl1RMF0gP3IJ0oEUC6ow9ziTxCuhXkCL9IvDX9AoeJcDSb0UBf5S9tm7FV7TVA/s320/Marlette+w+Tahoe.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ever beautiful Marlette Lake with Tahoe behind.<br />
The view at about mile 10 and 38.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the wide road back up to Tunnel, I ran along contently
listening to music in one ear. All of a sudden, I heard a squeaky grunt to my
left, above me on the hillside. I looked up to see a medium size brown bear not
30 feet away! Surprised, I think he had been on his way to the road, saw me,
and turned back to run parallel to the road away from me. Scared me for a
moment for sure! But as he turned to run from me I realized he was probably
more afraid of me! I yelled down to the runners below me on the road so they
could see this magnificent creature – his light brown coat rippled as he
crashed through the woods. A little adrenaline rush gave me and the man behind
me some nice energy for the next mile or so!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I ran the 6 mile Red House loop, I had some intermittent
nausea and decided to back off on eating aid station stuff. I think it was the Ensure at
Tunnel that wasn’t sitting well. (Too concentrated? It usually works well for me.) Arriving at Tunnel Aid Station I stopped briefly to
empty rocks out of my right shoe. My feet were in good shape. Another thank you
to Juan for taking care of me again, and a huge cup of ice poured into and held
in place by my running bra (“you better do that, my wife might not like it if I
did!” said the nice volunteer).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My good friend and ex-training partner, Ron, called me at
Tunnel just as I was leaving for Diamond. Hearing his voice and encouraging
words made all the difference. To my amazement, I ran out of Tunnel aid
station. Easily. It was then that I knew it was going to be a good day! I
smiled to myself. Yes, I remembered, you can do this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I struggled with that wonky stomach, drank a lot of water
and ate nothing at the Bullwheel aid station, about mile 22. Maintaining a
regimen of VFuel every hour to hour and a half kept my energy high. My stomach
began to calm down.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvW1-6H2hW6Q_FT2ryyTfRpnw-zD_x-WBP5iCol5hDSK35ewsZ03r2GdE7pvnTzO4-SfYMxvwoQoLd9lPJKz1GFzCVM59Ri3hcY-6M8VS7AMPQuftcAwXng-RKR3RfG9HHKpMTT8EqNA/s1600/VFuel-Sampler-492x492.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvW1-6H2hW6Q_FT2ryyTfRpnw-zD_x-WBP5iCol5hDSK35ewsZ03r2GdE7pvnTzO4-SfYMxvwoQoLd9lPJKz1GFzCVM59Ri3hcY-6M8VS7AMPQuftcAwXng-RKR3RfG9HHKpMTT8EqNA/s200/VFuel-Sampler-492x492.png" width="200" /></a>Running down the <st1:place w:st="on">Tyrol</st1:place> was
controlled, but steady. A short stride, high cadence and relaxed ankles kept me
from tripping and I maneuvered easily through the technical sections. Mountain
bike riders passed me politely and expertly when I told them I wasn’t stopping
for them. I had marked this section of the course a few days before and took
pride in the fact that directions were clear and the flags and signs were still
intact. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was thrilled to arrive at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
on pace and feeling strong. I passed hundred milers Chet Fairbanks and Kevin
Bigley as they strode into Diamond, Chet on his way to his 10<sup>th</sup> TRT
100 with Kevin, the original TRT Race Director. Chet yelled at me as I passed
and reassured me he was doing well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Checking my watch, I was determined to get in and out of
Diamond quickly. I was on track with my goal time. A brief hello to Steve and
Louise Fellar manning the barbecue then I headed to retrieve my drop bag. Mark
Struble, master marathoner and past pres of TMM, quickly refilled my Camel with
water. I sat and restocked my pack with VFuel while Grayson, a volunteer,
supplied me with cold 7-UP. His helping arm up off the concrete, a cold spray
of water from the hose while I yelled from its shock, and I was on my way up
the monster hill that is the epitome of TRT’s “hell”. Although I didn’t spend any time talking to
anyone, I was happy I had gotten out of there quick. A 5 minute aid station
stop!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That climb is a real test of mental strength. Sure it’s a
tough physical hike, but it is seemingly endless with false summits that can demoralize.
I didn’t stop. Short strides, sideways at times, active pelvic rotation with
focused arm swing. Breathing. Relaxed abs, focus on belly breathing. Two miles
in 55 minutes and I was happily at the top. I swore loudly at the monster
having conquered it and trotted on trembling legs carefully down to the
bullwheel aid station. Three miles to Tunnel and I was on my way home!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once again, I saw Juan at Tunnel. Disappointed not to see my
friend Ken (my pacer in my attempt at 100 in 2014 and one of the nicest people I know), I knew he was busy supporting the race so I moved through quickly,
only refilling for water. A few pieces of fruit tasted wonderful. My regimen of
hourly VFuel was keeping me moving well and my stomach was happy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next stop was <st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city> aid
station around mile 40, but first the climb up <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
I used several runners behind me as motivation to keep going steadily. I ran as
much as possible – always on the downhills and flats. The smoothies at <st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city> were tempting, but
I passed through quickly after a brief porta potty stop and a water refill. I
saw 100 miler Michelle Edmondson sitting in a chair looking like she was having
a low spot. She smiled brightly as she asked about my run though! I admired her
character to be with me for a moment when she was clearly struggling.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A strong climb up <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snow</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
and I began to feel the creeping joy of knowing that I would be done within the
next few hours. The welcome at the Snow Valley Peak aid station is always
unique – “Hi Cheryl, what can I help you with?” said the cute, young Boy Scout
as he walked the 50 feet up the trail to greet me. I quickly refilled for water
and took off. The run down this mountain is my most favorite part of this race.
It is a perfect pitch for running fast but in control and despite my quads
beginning to have a serious conversation with my head about continuing this
abuse, I eagerly pushed my speed and enjoyed the ride and the incredible views
of Tahoe to my west.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
VFuel was going in easily every hour and my energy level was
outstanding. At the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Spooner</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> aid station, only 2
miles from the finish, I waved and smiled, ran through and focused on the
finish. The run around the lake can be painfully slow, but to my amazement, it
went by fast and soon I could see the finish line area. Running across the
bridge, I was so happy I could have cried. I suddenly realized that I hadn’t
looked at my watch in a while. Holy Molie I was going to finish faster than 14
hours! I rounded the last corner and there it was – Finish line! George gave me
a hug, Steve hugged me, Angela hugged me. Probably others, too. My friends. My
family. Ultra running. “The best sport in the world”, Ken later said to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, the best people in the world to share it with!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And now it was over. I was done. Joy joy joy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you to all who thought of me, texted me, phoned me, helped me during the race before, during and after. You know who you are and you truly made the difference for me while I ran.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>For the record:</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Total time was 13:32 something. 30 minutes faster than my
goal time. About 15 minutes slower than my PR for this course in 2013. Third in
AG, 21<sup>st</sup> out of 57 women, 64 out of 145 finishers. Not bad for an
old lady middle of the pack ultrarunner! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Lessons learned:</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. Vfuel is the bomb. Essentially, the only thing I took
after mile 20 except for a few pieces of fruit. This probably wouldn’t work for
a longer race as VFuel is only 100 calories per dose. And it was challenging to
do a VFuel every hour. I did no S caps. Had minimal hand swelling. Temps were
mild, so felt no need to supplement with salt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. My training leading up to this was minimal, but smart. I
started uninjured and that was important. My ChiRunning focuses were paramount
to my success. I passed many people who were inefficient yet clearly stronger and
younger than me. Once again, I am grateful to Danny Dreyer who created
ChiRunning and opened the door to the gift of pain free, joyful running. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. Altitude training is important for me now that I’m older
even though I ski at altitude and live at 5000 feet. I need to make sure I run at
least a few times per week during the winter while I ski. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. I do love ultras.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Scroll down for more pics....</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW09Ay8eWu-GWjuO1Yd4nR8IQNJXKo-cAGd4kOlmL_i0mQtUJaI2CBFObghpf7YzmGCLWuBiW0q__EOtP-P7KIxpH_WN8gNUQT2Y7uQyK82h-tUzepblmniTQJT5Y-u_diOfxddae6hQ/s1600/ChiRunning+Love+running+forever+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW09Ay8eWu-GWjuO1Yd4nR8IQNJXKo-cAGd4kOlmL_i0mQtUJaI2CBFObghpf7YzmGCLWuBiW0q__EOtP-P7KIxpH_WN8gNUQT2Y7uQyK82h-tUzepblmniTQJT5Y-u_diOfxddae6hQ/s200/ChiRunning+Love+running+forever+logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oMpy5iyeuLOQTCke4fsgTnc_eOu8mKct5x0l0bj_CzEVSpon9wQ6Kn6XPrmLmAQfUNqm3p3aBboyYlW1mfImfq7LVb0JhB1EX6SSC4U_wWielkr1_bN-Y2C43XXUIJcAHmBNCD-C0HI/s1600/Chet+finish+TRT+100M+7-17-16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oMpy5iyeuLOQTCke4fsgTnc_eOu8mKct5x0l0bj_CzEVSpon9wQ6Kn6XPrmLmAQfUNqm3p3aBboyYlW1mfImfq7LVb0JhB1EX6SSC4U_wWielkr1_bN-Y2C43XXUIJcAHmBNCD-C0HI/s400/Chet+finish+TRT+100M+7-17-16.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chet Fairbanks finishing his 10th TRT 100!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0uajbKYrWNrP2BjBoCr5aIAl0UvuI-hkZy0LaOj17H9g6m-FCWkYcBeKGk3r8VrbpdXP4M1t4TYhE_OTQaW4bZ-X9wl2neE6ZauY04KL2z04BY8ezPz_nozbrPbu0i0-IX1SRYD6R8g/s1600/TRT+2016+Leslie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0uajbKYrWNrP2BjBoCr5aIAl0UvuI-hkZy0LaOj17H9g6m-FCWkYcBeKGk3r8VrbpdXP4M1t4TYhE_OTQaW4bZ-X9wl2neE6ZauY04KL2z04BY8ezPz_nozbrPbu0i0-IX1SRYD6R8g/s320/TRT+2016+Leslie.JPG" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leslie Wunder, extraordinary ultrarunner and pacer at the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMwy6TJeFqcqlp7EFkgV0uOz0IRzNqtkRHsY9_NoeonoK_Q-N6L7Cp8woY-GbjiAEhyLebOWRQ30bocHXFvpXQEx7DHrgJbI_j003MDq0FKtm2TPBjjoW2Kz3z3YTfx4LG7wW8iPcu5U/s400/TRT+2016+Al+Lon+%2526+EJ.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Al, Lon and EJ (100 mile finisher)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR3TgJ0GLAnt-VrUPvbp9j_F-iL0rDYVG1nGJl0XwdNTIOcVeyaWr4b4B2rlNqTyQRx5iEgn3yTmK49E_HCY4nI2pf-VNmj-0r5ar6F90-m1Z2flIfW8eMxD36k-Y-xKRy8j8iiVl3ig/s400/TRT+2016+boys+at+the+finish.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron, Darren and Chris</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNikmiYlSfXnylP7jM6WOEo1vxxGsWMu1xIYvJEhEp8J0buiqUWXthyZ1YzQoWdwjceeFkOU-DSX2KsLeMe3vnEcNRAFeyrQ2YrSSnXKD3xaiH3QEdc4gZBIvWxe5s2yPvBMXmIYLExxs/s400/TRT+2016+George+%2526+Ken.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Ruiz, RD, being interviewed by Ken</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgLr0kz_ia6gO4QUEa9lnHSDw1-zYcERoYqeW47PK6mxCYGIiL7ZeVm7t8b7zxgZ7UCkUMi6KQHQdDnn0B8jY2Xx5BVu8PRLQ-ap-VC40-r5HtQvrL1wyYi29Z7jJtKNFkHVfY4XLf_4/s320/TRT+2016+Lindsey+and+Nora.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nora, finish line captain and Lindsey, 2nd place 50 miler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBLxkcDvfO2QXNJx6uILxyD_Zx1CnqQuIuWJEYvlnoWraJyWWBmIenYZDFPRuS1m3l36aVWhtd7_2erJw009Dgz4ZYKs9vrmS3Q8Iv3uy9LTdZ6lMLLkc_5sS9DK3UgHLbtkjWC-PcPU/s1600/TRT+2016+George+%2526+Mike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBLxkcDvfO2QXNJx6uILxyD_Zx1CnqQuIuWJEYvlnoWraJyWWBmIenYZDFPRuS1m3l36aVWhtd7_2erJw009Dgz4ZYKs9vrmS3Q8Iv3uy9LTdZ6lMLLkc_5sS9DK3UgHLbtkjWC-PcPU/s320/TRT+2016+George+%2526+Mike.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George and Mike</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMwy6TJeFqcqlp7EFkgV0uOz0IRzNqtkRHsY9_NoeonoK_Q-N6L7Cp8woY-GbjiAEhyLebOWRQ30bocHXFvpXQEx7DHrgJbI_j003MDq0FKtm2TPBjjoW2Kz3z3YTfx4LG7wW8iPcu5U/s1600/TRT+2016+Al+Lon+%2526+EJ.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR3TgJ0GLAnt-VrUPvbp9j_F-iL0rDYVG1nGJl0XwdNTIOcVeyaWr4b4B2rlNqTyQRx5iEgn3yTmK49E_HCY4nI2pf-VNmj-0r5ar6F90-m1Z2flIfW8eMxD36k-Y-xKRy8j8iiVl3ig/s1600/TRT+2016+boys+at+the+finish.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNikmiYlSfXnylP7jM6WOEo1vxxGsWMu1xIYvJEhEp8J0buiqUWXthyZ1YzQoWdwjceeFkOU-DSX2KsLeMe3vnEcNRAFeyrQ2YrSSnXKD3xaiH3QEdc4gZBIvWxe5s2yPvBMXmIYLExxs/s1600/TRT+2016+George+%2526+Ken.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgLr0kz_ia6gO4QUEa9lnHSDw1-zYcERoYqeW47PK6mxCYGIiL7ZeVm7t8b7zxgZ7UCkUMi6KQHQdDnn0B8jY2Xx5BVu8PRLQ-ap-VC40-r5HtQvrL1wyYi29Z7jJtKNFkHVfY4XLf_4/s1600/TRT+2016+Lindsey+and+Nora.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><br /></div>
Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-51176841251936118432016-07-18T10:01:00.003-07:002016-07-18T10:04:32.139-07:00TRT 50 Miler Race Report July 16, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What an amazing day Saturday was! My first 50 miler in
nearly two years. My third time to run The Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs.
Although fit after a strong winter of skiing, I had not run much so training
was ramped up quickly in April. Not easy to do I noticed particularly this year
as another birthday passed. Very carefully I built my miles acutely aware of
how I had ramped up too quickly last year and suffered from some Achilles and
foot issues that lead to a DNF. I saw June this year with some good long
training miles, but lacking the big back to backs that usually define ultra
training that prepares me well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because of my minimal training, I planned a long taper with
4 days of rest the week before and very few miles. I call it the Mary Lindahl
training method (because she has mastered this hands down!), but most folks will
recognize it as common knowledge in the endurance training world: Training =
rest + running workouts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One minor issue nagged at me, but I pushed it away believing
that I had it under control. In May I had some dizziness during
two long training runs at altitude. At the end of one, I thought I was going to
pass out. I didn’t but it scared me enough to look carefully at what might have been the
problem. I determined that it was from not running at altitude despite all
the skiing I had done that winter. But it was also because I had not fueled well during those
runs. I thought I had it resolved after training exclusively on the TRT through
June and July and making sure I ate well while running. Another new thing to
deal with at “my age”??? I’d never had issues with altititude before, so
hopefully I had resolved it. To top it off, one of those training runs where I
had almost passed out was with George, the Race Director of TRT! I hoped he
wouldn’t be worried about me and I hoped I would be ok.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My friend Cory Avery is a fast road runner who is dipping
her toes into ultra trail running. She is a few years younger than me and is
the epitome of sweetness. We went to packet pick up on Friday
then Saturday morning I picked her up to drive to the start. Her calm presence
and genuine caring helped to keep me focused and limited my usual pre-race
butterflies. Dave was in <st1:city w:st="on">Iowa City</st1:city>
attending his Stepdad’s funeral. I struggled with the decision as to whether to
race or not, but he and his mother didn’t want me to miss TRT and assured me
they were ok with me not attending. So this would be the first time I’d ever done
an ultra with no personal support. I prepared a drop bag for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
the 30 mile aid station, and a drop bag for the Finish Line.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My race strategy was to start slow, fuel and hydrate well,
focus on ChiRunning form always and as usual, remain uninjured and finish
strong and happy with a goal time of 14 hours. It would not be a PR day
(13:12), but it would be a finish and that’s all I was after.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ate well that morning! Wow, what a surprise. And ate again
before the start. Also very unusual for me.
I saw Jill Trent, Stacie Riddle and Al Maestas at the starting line. Jill and
Al running the 55K and Stacie full of excitement to run 50 miles. Cory, I
predicted, would win our age group and place very well over all in the 55K. And
she did just that!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A slow start and controlled 6 miles to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place>
gave me confidence and time to get my head in the game. My ChiRunning focuses were relaxed ankles, cadence, passive and active pelvic rotation, and relaxed shoulders. Rolling
into Tunnel Creek around mile 12 at my planned time was a good sign. The steep,
rocky down hill at the beginning of the Red House loop reminded me to conserve
energy. Keeping my stride short with a focus of my feet underneath me kept me
from overstriding. My quads would thank me later. I pulled strength from high
energy hundred milers Jill Anderson and EJ Maldonado as we passed each other
while they were climbing out. A couple of creek crossings soaked my feet. A
quick water refill at the Red House aid station and I was on my way back to
Tunnel Creek. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja59ud-EcUdRCMRbOPtJ_O_96pYnx1tFiAkzTeVAxMhkxGP_oWSlfcayM9DFI86ipLSOcvN1iVWZAijGl1RMF0gP3IJ0oEUC6ow9ziTxCuhXkCL9IvDX9AoeJcDSb0UBf5S9tm7FV7TVA/s1600/Marlette+w+Tahoe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja59ud-EcUdRCMRbOPtJ_O_96pYnx1tFiAkzTeVAxMhkxGP_oWSlfcayM9DFI86ipLSOcvN1iVWZAijGl1RMF0gP3IJ0oEUC6ow9ziTxCuhXkCL9IvDX9AoeJcDSb0UBf5S9tm7FV7TVA/s320/Marlette+w+Tahoe.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ever beautiful Marlette Lake with Tahoe behind.<br />
The view at about mile 10 and 38.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the wide road back up to Tunnel, I ran along contently
listening to music in one ear. All of a sudden, I heard a squeaky grunt to my
left, above me on the hillside. I looked up to see a medium size brown bear not
30 feet away! Surprised, I think he had been on his way to the road, saw me,
and turned back to run parallel to the road away from me. Scared me for a
moment for sure! But as he turned to run from me I realized he was probably
more afraid of me! I yelled down to the runners below me on the road so they
could see this magnificent creature – his light brown coat rippled as he
crashed through the woods. A little adrenaline rush gave me and the man behind
me some nice energy for the next mile or so!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I ran the 6 mile Red House loop, I had some intermittent
nausea and decided to back off on eating aid station stuff. I think it was the Ensure at
Tunnel that wasn’t sitting well. (Too concentrated? It usually works well for me.) Arriving at Tunnel Aid Station I stopped briefly to
empty rocks out of my right shoe. My feet were in good shape. Another thank you
to Juan for taking care of me again, and a huge cup of ice poured into and held
in place by my running bra (“you better do that, my wife might not like it if I
did!” said the nice volunteer).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My good friend and ex-training partner, Ron, called me at
Tunnel just as I was leaving for Diamond. Hearing his voice and encouraging
words made all the difference. To my amazement, I ran out of Tunnel aid
station. Easily. It was then that I knew it was going to be a good day! I
smiled to myself. Yes, I remembered, you can do this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I struggled with that wonky stomach, drank a lot of water
and ate nothing at the Bullwheel aid station, about mile 22. Maintaining a
regimen of VFuel every hour to hour and a half kept my energy high. My stomach
began to calm down.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvW1-6H2hW6Q_FT2ryyTfRpnw-zD_x-WBP5iCol5hDSK35ewsZ03r2GdE7pvnTzO4-SfYMxvwoQoLd9lPJKz1GFzCVM59Ri3hcY-6M8VS7AMPQuftcAwXng-RKR3RfG9HHKpMTT8EqNA/s1600/VFuel-Sampler-492x492.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvW1-6H2hW6Q_FT2ryyTfRpnw-zD_x-WBP5iCol5hDSK35ewsZ03r2GdE7pvnTzO4-SfYMxvwoQoLd9lPJKz1GFzCVM59Ri3hcY-6M8VS7AMPQuftcAwXng-RKR3RfG9HHKpMTT8EqNA/s200/VFuel-Sampler-492x492.png" width="200" /></a>Running down the <st1:place w:st="on">Tyrol</st1:place> was
controlled, but steady. A short stride, high cadence and relaxed ankles kept me
from tripping and I maneuvered easily through the technical sections. Mountain
bike riders passed me politely and expertly when I told them I wasn’t stopping
for them. I had marked this section of the course a few days before and took
pride in the fact that directions were clear and the flags and signs were still
intact. </div>
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I was thrilled to arrive at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
on pace and feeling strong. I passed hundred milers Chet Fairbanks and Kevin
Bigley as they strode into Diamond, Chet on his way to his 10<sup>th</sup> TRT
100 with Kevin, the original TRT Race Director. Chet yelled at me as I passed
and reassured me he was doing well.</div>
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Checking my watch, I was determined to get in and out of
Diamond quickly. I was on track with my goal time. A brief hello to Steve and
Louise Fellar manning the barbecue then I headed to retrieve my drop bag. Mark
Struble, master marathoner and past pres of TMM, quickly refilled my Camel with
water. I sat and restocked my pack with VFuel while Grayson, a volunteer,
supplied me with cold 7-UP. His helping arm up off the concrete, a cold spray
of water from the hose while I yelled from its shock, and I was on my way up
the monster hill that is the epitome of TRT’s “hell”. Although I didn’t spend any time talking to
anyone, I was happy I had gotten out of there quick. A 5 minute aid station
stop!</div>
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That climb is a real test of mental strength. Sure it’s a
tough physical hike, but it is seemingly endless with false summits that can demoralize.
I didn’t stop. Short strides, sideways at times, active pelvic rotation with
focused arm swing. Breathing. Relaxed abs, focus on belly breathing. Two miles
in 55 minutes and I was happily at the top. I swore loudly at the monster
having conquered it and trotted on trembling legs carefully down to the
bullwheel aid station. Three miles to Tunnel and I was on my way home!</div>
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Once again, I saw Juan at Tunnel. Disappointed not to see my
friend Ken (my pacer in my attempt at 100 in 2014 and one of the nicest people I know), I knew he was busy supporting the race so I moved through quickly,
only refilling for water. A few pieces of fruit tasted wonderful. My regimen of
hourly VFuel was keeping me moving well and my stomach was happy. </div>
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Next stop was <st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city> aid
station around mile 40, but first the climb up <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
I used several runners behind me as motivation to keep going steadily. I ran as
much as possible – always on the downhills and flats. The smoothies at <st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city> were tempting, but
I passed through quickly after a brief porta potty stop and a water refill. I
saw 100 miler Michelle Edmondson sitting in a chair looking like she was having
a low spot. She smiled brightly as she asked about my run though! I admired her
character to be with me for a moment when she was clearly struggling.</div>
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A strong climb up <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snow</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
and I began to feel the creeping joy of knowing that I would be done within the
next few hours. The welcome at the Snow Valley Peak aid station is always
unique – “Hi Cheryl, what can I help you with?” said the cute, young Boy Scout
as he walked the 50 feet up the trail to greet me. I quickly refilled for water
and took off. The run down this mountain is my most favorite part of this race.
It is a perfect pitch for running fast but in control and despite my quads
beginning to have a serious conversation with my head about continuing this
abuse, I eagerly pushed my speed and enjoyed the ride and the incredible views
of Tahoe to my west.</div>
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VFuel was going in easily every hour and my energy level was
outstanding. At the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Spooner</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> aid station, only 2
miles from the finish, I waved and smiled, ran through and focused on the
finish. The run around the lake can be painfully slow, but to my amazement, it
went by fast and soon I could see the finish line area. Running across the
bridge, I was so happy I could have cried. I suddenly realized that I hadn’t
looked at my watch in a while. Holy Molie I was going to finish faster than 14
hours! I rounded the last corner and there it was – Finish line! George gave me
a hug, Steve hugged me, Angela hugged me. Probably others, too. My friends. My
family. Ultra running. “The best sport in the world”, Ken later said to me.</div>
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Yes, the best people in the world to share it with!</div>
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And now it was over. I was done. Joy joy joy.</div>
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Thank you to all who thought of me, texted me, phoned me, helped me during the race before, during and after. You know who you are and you truly made the difference for me while I ran.</div>
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<u>For the record:</u></div>
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Total time was 13:32 something. 30 minutes faster than my
goal time. About 15 minutes slower than my PR for this course in 2013. Third in
AG, 21<sup>st</sup> out of 57 women, 64 out of 145 finishers. Not bad for an
old lady middle of the pack ultrarunner! </div>
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<u>Lessons learned:</u></div>
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1. Vfuel is the bomb. Essentially, the only thing I took
after mile 20 except for a few pieces of fruit. This probably wouldn’t work for
a longer race as VFuel is only 100 calories per dose. And it was challenging to
do a VFuel every hour. I did no S caps. Had minimal hand swelling. Temps were
mild, so felt no need to supplement with salt.</div>
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2. My training leading up to this was minimal, but smart. I
started uninjured and that was important. My ChiRunning focuses were paramount
to my success. I passed many people who were inefficient yet clearly stronger and
younger than me. Once again, I am grateful to Danny Dreyer who created
ChiRunning and opened the door to the gift of pain free, joyful running. </div>
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3. Altitude training is important for me now that I’m older
even though I ski at altitude and live at 5000 feet. I need to make sure I run at
least a few times per week during the winter while I ski. </div>
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3. I do love ultras.</div>
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Scroll down for more pics....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW09Ay8eWu-GWjuO1Yd4nR8IQNJXKo-cAGd4kOlmL_i0mQtUJaI2CBFObghpf7YzmGCLWuBiW0q__EOtP-P7KIxpH_WN8gNUQT2Y7uQyK82h-tUzepblmniTQJT5Y-u_diOfxddae6hQ/s1600/ChiRunning+Love+running+forever+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW09Ay8eWu-GWjuO1Yd4nR8IQNJXKo-cAGd4kOlmL_i0mQtUJaI2CBFObghpf7YzmGCLWuBiW0q__EOtP-P7KIxpH_WN8gNUQT2Y7uQyK82h-tUzepblmniTQJT5Y-u_diOfxddae6hQ/s200/ChiRunning+Love+running+forever+logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oMpy5iyeuLOQTCke4fsgTnc_eOu8mKct5x0l0bj_CzEVSpon9wQ6Kn6XPrmLmAQfUNqm3p3aBboyYlW1mfImfq7LVb0JhB1EX6SSC4U_wWielkr1_bN-Y2C43XXUIJcAHmBNCD-C0HI/s1600/Chet+finish+TRT+100M+7-17-16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oMpy5iyeuLOQTCke4fsgTnc_eOu8mKct5x0l0bj_CzEVSpon9wQ6Kn6XPrmLmAQfUNqm3p3aBboyYlW1mfImfq7LVb0JhB1EX6SSC4U_wWielkr1_bN-Y2C43XXUIJcAHmBNCD-C0HI/s320/Chet+finish+TRT+100M+7-17-16.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chet Fairbanks finishing his 10th TRT 100!!</td></tr>
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Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-52833329799043819532015-08-19T18:33:00.001-07:002015-08-19T18:34:59.877-07:00Kayak Trip July 27 to August 2, 2015 - Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska<div class="MsoNormal">
This was our third trip to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Glacier Bay</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Alaska</st1:state></st1:place>. Our first trip was in 2001 during our honeymoon and our second was in 2008. Kayaking in the icy cold waters of Glacier Bay surrounded by wildlife underneath and around me, has been the epitome of excitement, risk, adventure and beauty all rolled in to epic trips. Going back for a third chapter was a no brainer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHpqSYPUZFu4eXYbAvMf4mwDlbDlzsng0A-Ae2sp_sui6t5KJ2n6dK4sIhiLZ6OW-pSo4PFc4qD9mei1pbZi8V3GQig74vJDbffqtv3pDkDld_fmiNhWGk86qkv1cAXaU9I0Y2CQsf6s/s1600/Cheryl+at+Reid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHpqSYPUZFu4eXYbAvMf4mwDlbDlzsng0A-Ae2sp_sui6t5KJ2n6dK4sIhiLZ6OW-pSo4PFc4qD9mei1pbZi8V3GQig74vJDbffqtv3pDkDld_fmiNhWGk86qkv1cAXaU9I0Y2CQsf6s/s320/Cheryl+at+Reid.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheryl at Reid Glacier, Day 2</td></tr>
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<b><u>Saturday, Pre-trip
Day 1<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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We began our adventure on Saturday, flying out of the <st1:city w:st="on">Sacramento</st1:city> airport instead of <st1:place w:st="on">Reno</st1:place> as a convenience for Dave. We arrived in <st1:city w:st="on">Seattle</st1:city> uneventfully on Southwest Airlines, went to baggage claim to pick up our two 50 pound gear bags, re-checked them on Alaska Airlines and re-entered security. Our flight to <st1:city w:st="on">Juneau</st1:city> arrived on time that evening and we waited for our bags in the small baggage claims area of the <st1:place w:st="on">Juneau</st1:place> airport. We met Paul and Bryan at the airport and shared our excitement for the coming trip.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREwB0ziDTFml26JkD72iKdXyXajvCrOtDLE-K2qHaSo6XPAkqoKOC3cYvgiAJiNfxbQoWzuMOC65XJm39ztxOZVrqOsVyd19JfdK8FBmGBYi8W23fAxLrqcTluw2LjR_mImVVX2VA-0k/s1600/Dave+standing+in+Charpentier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREwB0ziDTFml26JkD72iKdXyXajvCrOtDLE-K2qHaSo6XPAkqoKOC3cYvgiAJiNfxbQoWzuMOC65XJm39ztxOZVrqOsVyd19JfdK8FBmGBYi8W23fAxLrqcTluw2LjR_mImVVX2VA-0k/s400/Dave+standing+in+Charpentier.JPG" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave in Charpentier Inlet, Day 4</td></tr>
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One of the 50 pound gear bags didn’t make it! Beside myself with panic, we filed a claim and anxiously explained that we had to have our bags the next day by 2 pm. I couldn’t believe that only one bag had made it! Dave was calm and optimistic that they would get our bag to us the next day. All I could think was that we would just have to book another flight home and call off the trip. The missing bag had our boots, tent, food and some other necessary gear for the trip. I couldn't imagine calling this off!</div>
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<b><u>Sunday, Pre-trip
Day 2<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Alaska Airlines called us the next morning. The bag had been flown from <st1:city w:st="on">Seattle</st1:city> to <st1:city w:st="on">Juneau</st1:city>. Phew! They gave us 2500 miles for the inconvenience. I want our $25 for the bag check back, too!</div>
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Sunday afternoon, we boarded a huge catamaran ferry with Doc Warner’s Fishing Lodge clients and headed out to Excursion Inlet, about a two hour cruise. Our plan was to stay Sunday night at Docs, then Doc Warner himself, would take us out to our starting point, high up in Tarr Inlet in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Glacier Bay</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">National Park</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Doc is Linda's father. Linda is Andy's wife. Andy had been on all three trips into GB with us and we were eager to see Doc Warner's Fishing Lodge - a unique fishing venue that offered no "guiding" but just provided the lodging, boats and gear to fish.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9e2sAJCvJhs6hF0AdU9BaAJT4UdDzFYWNnFvHjQQPhJ6sTcqC24HDrZeyare5c0ZQTfdwrVxyq22Sw1sUdlUfee71U4JMsqKkLz0mPU7rUjnnUwGFn30N7CekBAV-OfKlmtGVnGSWDI/s1600/Doc+Warners+family+on+the+pier+-+Andy+Lynda+Zach+Linda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9e2sAJCvJhs6hF0AdU9BaAJT4UdDzFYWNnFvHjQQPhJ6sTcqC24HDrZeyare5c0ZQTfdwrVxyq22Sw1sUdlUfee71U4JMsqKkLz0mPU7rUjnnUwGFn30N7CekBAV-OfKlmtGVnGSWDI/s400/Doc+Warners+family+on+the+pier+-+Andy+Lynda+Zach+Linda.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Zach (Andy & Linda's son), Lynda (Doc's
wife), Andy, Linda<br />
and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Doc on the pier at
Doc Warner's Fishing Lodge</span></td></tr>
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A lovely Sunday evening was spent at the Fishing Lodge – an excellent meal, a tour of the Lodge’s operations and meeting some of the staff preceded the tedious sorting of trip gear and food. All went into huge orange plastic garbage bags for the trip to Bartlett Cove the next day where we would rent our kayaks, attend a mandatory orientation to the park and pack up before we continued into <st1:place w:st="on">Glacier Bay</st1:place> with Doc and his small fishing boat, Big Blue.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUd-q95yAzCXflSiOozfWEZz_Zrj6rG2HE3J08Dq_9OcDH5fuhUEevO85SLlJ8K4qPpzhgqybprQqHD_P83YKuAlV3Cfjt-wMhnNOXgmhe6JgGu1nJ-nQ5UfcwTSfGWW1UmCND_5Nhqc/s1600/Doc+at+the+helm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUd-q95yAzCXflSiOozfWEZz_Zrj6rG2HE3J08Dq_9OcDH5fuhUEevO85SLlJ8K4qPpzhgqybprQqHD_P83YKuAlV3Cfjt-wMhnNOXgmhe6JgGu1nJ-nQ5UfcwTSfGWW1UmCND_5Nhqc/s200/Doc+at+the+helm.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doc Warner at the helm of Big Blue<br />
on our way out to Glacier Bay</td></tr>
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<b><u>Monday, Day 1</u></b></div>
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Monday morning was rainy and cold for a <st1:city w:st="on">Juneau</st1:city> summer – maybe 48 degrees, but the grey skies dampened our spirits. The sea was already choppy as we
departed that morning around 7:30 am. Doc and Linda, his daughter and the wife
of one of our five person group, Andy, traveled with us. So there were seven of us (Andy, Paul, Bryan, Dave and me plus Linda and Doc) in
a tiny cabin in a small fishing boat on what would soon become fairly rough seas.</div>
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We made it to Bartlett Cove where it was drizzling rain off
and on. Dismal. I tried to keep thoughts of a rainy week in the wilderness
distant, but our trip in 2008 had left a huge impression on me. That year we
had had rain for about 36 hours straight. By the third day, we were all
exhausted from the constant wet and effort to stay warm and dry. There had been an extraordinary amount of attention
to the details of keeping things as dry as possible. Nothing was dry except our
clothes from our dry bags, and our sleeping bags. We had paddled in the rain,
set up our tents in the rain, packed up in the rain and shivered despite the 50
degree temps. I dreaded having to go through that again. I remembered how hard
we worked to stay dry despite soaking wet tents and an ever-present dampness
next to our skin.</div>
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We sat through a mandatory orientation film with the Park
Service at the Ranger Station in Bartlett Cove. Leave no Trace, use of Bear
Canisters and bear and wildlife safety were covered. All things we were all too
familiar with. Brown bears (Grizzlies) were really the least of my worries. I
was more concerned with the rain and hypothermia from being wet all the time,
and some unexpected hazard like a whale or a sea lion capsizing my kayak!
Immersion in those icy waters was pretty much a guaranteed death.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lJ2X0IbMMm24kw5xUyiPZ0mROYELkmsnxoFnpJsuUJqtPO6R5jqKxyjVLeyrZyKuhmFYAngKJH0D4uP0eTR1mxDsOwgB31V2MRjt2-mGH_qYnJxqS0xtLS23vVBoqPJIwZGxb9WaLbQ/s1600/Andy+Dave+Paul+in+PS+office.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lJ2X0IbMMm24kw5xUyiPZ0mROYELkmsnxoFnpJsuUJqtPO6R5jqKxyjVLeyrZyKuhmFYAngKJH0D4uP0eTR1mxDsOwgB31V2MRjt2-mGH_qYnJxqS0xtLS23vVBoqPJIwZGxb9WaLbQ/s320/Andy+Dave+Paul+in+PS+office.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy, Dave and Paul at the Park Service Office in Bartlett <br />
Cove</td></tr>
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We loaded up our rented kayaks on the roof of Doc’s little
fishing boat. The “yaks” precariously tied down to the roof and top heavy, Big
Blue left the dock in gloomy, drizzling rain and headed out into the open sea
and to Glacier Bay.<br />
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Big Blue plowed through the rough water and bounced along
through the mist and rain. Doc had a GPS thankfully otherwise I don’t know how
we would have known where we were. When we noticed the straps flapping against
the back door we realized that the kayaks were coming loose. We stopped briefly
in Blue Mouse Cove to re-secure the kayaks. I held my breath as Dave and Andy
and Paul worked on the roof to tighten down the straps while Big </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQOmi_ITz2qd5JFmIWnhyJTlO2gIIHRrJSj84IMIjs97r0ZQ2lfbzYrvGhLTpMZNY5oveheNDfB0AnZCC282l-7RHqW-J2JJH_oMDDCJXQmTRJjjySPoaLnSQfqtz-sJ-lUiiRI2nEYg/s1600/PS+office+at+Bartlett.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQOmi_ITz2qd5JFmIWnhyJTlO2gIIHRrJSj84IMIjs97r0ZQ2lfbzYrvGhLTpMZNY5oveheNDfB0AnZCC282l-7RHqW-J2JJH_oMDDCJXQmTRJjjySPoaLnSQfqtz-sJ-lUiiRI2nEYg/s200/PS+office+at+Bartlett.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park Service Office in Bartlett</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Blue rolled on
the rough sea. All it would take would be one false move up there and someone
would slip and fall into the sea. Linda told me not to watch. So I moved back
into the tiny cabin and waited while they fixed the yaks.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The long trip wore on. The sea seemed to get rougher and Big
Blue had to slow down. Luckily none of us got sea sick. We began to realize
that we wouldn’t be able to get all the way into Tarr Inlet. It was getting
late and Linda and Doc still needed to get back to the Lodge, nearly 50 miles
away in seas that showed no sign of calming. So we went into Reid Inlet and
pulled up to the beach. We unloaded as quickly as possible, but the tide was
going out and as Linda had calmly warned us earlier, Big Blue became beached. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bebbEZcPd2EESNMilp0ANfv6dkxP7bsPnJMyJetmHg0dCdo3e_oQVO3PNkF6yivODidZtWlY5FgfLnx6tehGQnCZkQK44U1i3u6ISbGij745lvaPMxEaHDZA05Bk7yytpDqusqcuaUE/s1600/Big+Blue+at+Reid+Glacier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bebbEZcPd2EESNMilp0ANfv6dkxP7bsPnJMyJetmHg0dCdo3e_oQVO3PNkF6yivODidZtWlY5FgfLnx6tehGQnCZkQK44U1i3u6ISbGij745lvaPMxEaHDZA05Bk7yytpDqusqcuaUE/s400/Big+Blue+at+Reid+Glacier.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Blue beached at our Reid<br />
Inlet Beach with Reid Glacier in the distance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We set up camp while Doc and Linda waited for the tide to
come back up. We all went to pump water at a nearby stream and when we returned
they had been able to sail out of the Inlet. At the end of the week, when they
picked us up, they explained that their trip back to the Lodge was exciting
with 5 foot high seas and little visibility. They arrived back around 10 pm to
an anxious Doc’s wife and staff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Tuesday, Day 2<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That first night at Reid, it rained. All night. I
reluctantly began to psyche myself up for a rainy week. We woke up to a wet
tent after sleeping in until 8 am when the rain finally stopped. We were dry
inside. The rain did stop long enough for us to dry the tent, fly and ground
cloth out as well as our soaked rain jackets. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XYHgvs_7EFT67n0CgXpwsTcfWMRKZWS3XwWso78hrA8uCKsxARTji7f9K0PkuZ-JbkqXoeCCylR5exvj2ul_5KSCY-a0Opy2uCdxLz-avVAJWkaC4d9_FzZU2i99L1URmmWIbjlG1ho/s1600/Bryan+paul+Andy+Dave+Cheryl+at+Reid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XYHgvs_7EFT67n0CgXpwsTcfWMRKZWS3XwWso78hrA8uCKsxARTji7f9K0PkuZ-JbkqXoeCCylR5exvj2ul_5KSCY-a0Opy2uCdxLz-avVAJWkaC4d9_FzZU2i99L1URmmWIbjlG1ho/s400/Bryan+paul+Andy+Dave+Cheryl+at+Reid.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right: Bryan, Paul, Andy, Dave, Cheryl. Linda took this while<br />
she and Doc waited for the tide to come up to free Big Blue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We left our camp set up and started our first day of
paddling north up towards John Hopkins Glacier with our lightened kayaks. The
sea was calm and flat, it wasn’t raining although fairly overcast and there was
no wind. We were hopeful for a good day. A long paddle up to Jawbone point gave
us a good view of the Hopkins Glacier as we rounded the corner. Ice in the
inlet deceptively covered huge icebergs underneath, but there were few of them,
much less ice in the inlet than 7 years ago. A Bald Eagle watched us from high
on a cliff. Our first sighting of a harbor seal thrilled us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We paddled back to Reid stopping at Ptarmigan beach for
lunch where we met Julie and Sylvan who were also paddling the Bay. They were friendly and we exchanged our
stories. They </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLm4X4MnZ1hEKSYkqVLkYwGGLtdMJ9nf1aRWV0chSxbLqObz5oC8iQC-qcOy5o1efBCtSiJ_6Bwlp2QXO9yrQagRS4ErPwulia8x5v7o2PSGGnP03e9UBfrzIo0E49UdrzoIzaMs4Mvo/s1600/the+view+of+Topeka+glacier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLm4X4MnZ1hEKSYkqVLkYwGGLtdMJ9nf1aRWV0chSxbLqObz5oC8iQC-qcOy5o1efBCtSiJ_6Bwlp2QXO9yrQagRS4ErPwulia8x5v7o2PSGGnP03e9UBfrzIo0E49UdrzoIzaMs4Mvo/s400/the+view+of+Topeka+glacier.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jawbone point to left. Topeka Glacier to right<br />
of bow. My view on the way to Hopkins Glacier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
invited us for wine at their campsite at Reid. We arrived back at Reid late. About 18 miles and 7 hours of paddling. No
rain all day, thankfully. We had a good meal and walked over to meet our new
friends Julie and Sylvan. We begged off on the wine as it was late and we all
had big plans for the next day. They told us where the old ruins of a cabin
were under three Spruce trees and we walked over to look at a few rotting
pieces of timber on the ground where the Ibechs had built a cabin and lived for
30 years in the early part of the 20<sup>th</sup> century.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgX6t9579036ROh1Ff7GxI8XadXwXWOBHg_yDunVzorMDYDD99EnDaRLDcwWHJrm9uqrc7uPnH8pQRY1tQ50N5mdor-AiRB3xW613n0pgBGM90aKJ40Djrk67RkpLQRH2KDzaWmciOfuQ/s1600/Andy+paddling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgX6t9579036ROh1Ff7GxI8XadXwXWOBHg_yDunVzorMDYDD99EnDaRLDcwWHJrm9uqrc7uPnH8pQRY1tQ50N5mdor-AiRB3xW613n0pgBGM90aKJ40Djrk67RkpLQRH2KDzaWmciOfuQ/s400/Andy+paddling.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy paddles towards Jawbone point and the Hopkins Glacier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u></u></b></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QW8g7lNRAQbQ9XWXbYhubIkl2-ezG2itDw7LqjAms93MbSeaTkdN-ZeUEyJhvOeyZ6qmbtqEuQYurkrkcBYCpHZckZkpmA26G3Cor13uOxxaw5QlBG-B4zxL6Acshtt9Xm9qas_kQA8/s1600/kayak+in+front+of+Lamplugh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QW8g7lNRAQbQ9XWXbYhubIkl2-ezG2itDw7LqjAms93MbSeaTkdN-ZeUEyJhvOeyZ6qmbtqEuQYurkrkcBYCpHZckZkpmA26G3Cor13uOxxaw5QlBG-B4zxL6Acshtt9Xm9qas_kQA8/s400/kayak+in+front+of+Lamplugh.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul paddles near the Lamplugh Glacier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u></u></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWrkrLxh8Kwx5WX_gS49cHSPEXpE8d6emMC-F2UzMx2-7HQZZgf6CmMCIMq-b3JNMg9cOafGw4rkHnuY2ArKNGBOWkzDQHN6whpqlspB0HiZW1muXp9AmONa2Qt447_T0xZDq9-FCyBs/s1600/kayaks+on+beach+w+view.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWrkrLxh8Kwx5WX_gS49cHSPEXpE8d6emMC-F2UzMx2-7HQZZgf6CmMCIMq-b3JNMg9cOafGw4rkHnuY2ArKNGBOWkzDQHN6whpqlspB0HiZW1muXp9AmONa2Qt447_T0xZDq9-FCyBs/s640/kayaks+on+beach+w+view.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch spot with a view </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u></u></b><br />
<b><u></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Wednesday, Day 2</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wednesday we woke to rain but eventually it stopped. Able to dry the tent and gear, we packed up camp to head down to the Scidmore Cut which would be a portage into <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Scidmore</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Our plan was to camp at the entrance to the Cut. We met a young couple hanging out on the beach near the Cut who told us we could get thru with 12 feet of tide. This was an interesting bit of information as the Ranger had told us that we wouldn't be able to paddle through with less than 15 feet. As they drank sangria from metal camp cups (and shared!), they told us they had just paddled through most of the Cut with only 12 feet. They reassured us that we would not have to carry the kayaks very much. We bought that one hook line and sinker, as they say.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was rainy and wet as we searched for a decent campsite near the Cut. The beach was very rocky and the grass was thick and wet. We managed to find a suitable campsite and set up our tents when the rain slowed a bit. Wild strawberries carpeted the area and beautiful purple flowers were everywhere. There was no bear sign and that was reassuring.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It rained that night, but once again, stopped in the morning and we were able to pack up with relatively dry gear. Our trusty light fly that kept us dry while we cooked and hung out under when it was raining gave us confidence that we would get through the week dry and warm.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaer3Uq8-ww0CiLsqNaW9tBUtJb3EIBcSjKmz5bwRt3hiZY4ttTGsPuoOlHl86zeD0qmPsLkYY6Q5DY23wUyHd616n2KGI6tri8nR7wQKgHR5QrudKrTQxUkXIVhtdp9uAU7lI-AEKuiE/s1600/rainbow+on+the+beach+near+Cut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaer3Uq8-ww0CiLsqNaW9tBUtJb3EIBcSjKmz5bwRt3hiZY4ttTGsPuoOlHl86zeD0qmPsLkYY6Q5DY23wUyHd616n2KGI6tri8nR7wQKgHR5QrudKrTQxUkXIVhtdp9uAU7lI-AEKuiE/s400/rainbow+on+the+beach+near+Cut.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">A Rainbow camp near the cut Wednesday evening.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The red is seaweed. This is relatively low tide.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7w1zw-VppcxfQWfX1VnAOnPawBp_CiRWDUKnJMi33Dnf5jI9YLLmHochmnbgNPXYYmcX1Pmt61gfvBlebdglJdH5jLtbTsxpttsdqImWUephLk7UWFR3fSz8ljpCu8XA-B-PzzK17kM/s1600/the+trusty+tarp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7w1zw-VppcxfQWfX1VnAOnPawBp_CiRWDUKnJMi33Dnf5jI9YLLmHochmnbgNPXYYmcX1Pmt61gfvBlebdglJdH5jLtbTsxpttsdqImWUephLk7UWFR3fSz8ljpCu8XA-B-PzzK17kM/s320/the+trusty+tarp.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Andy's light weight tarp was easy to set up and saved us from the rain</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">while we ate and waited out any showers.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Thursday, Day 3</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thursday morning was gloomy and it rained off and on all morning as we ate
our breakfast and planned out our day. We packed the gear without rain but it
was a bit wet. We launched dry and headed to the cut, only a short paddle less
than a mile from our camp. We arrived at 11:45 or so well ahead of
the high tide to be at 2:00. High tide was a predicted 14 feet, a foot
under the 15 feet that the ranger felt was needed to paddle through the Cut.
But then we had talked with the young couple drinking sangria the night before
and chose to believe them about the 12 feet. We paddled in about a half mile
then were stopped. Only trickling water through a muddy creek bottom was in
front of us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We began the first of many carries thru rocks and mud. We
soon realized that we had been terribly misled, at our own choosing! The tide
was still coming up, but there was no way it would come up enough for us to
float through the mile long Cut. We often pulled the boats thru small pools of
water too shallow to paddle thru. The boats were very heavy with all the gear,
probably 150 pounds. It was hard work. The group was impatient to wait for the
water to rise higher. So we just carried the kayaks. One person on each end for
a 100 foot carry before needing to rest. It was very difficult. We finally got the last
boat through and settled to eat lunch on the beach in warm weather and
sunshine. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfToC4XLGvTH-qGANfbm434on60RnD1VQEJtFTT1dXsBhQVfc2T5v3kLe4Yse4wyXZPvZH7oZ0FQ_SIG70m2w-WvU8kcFU6_A8LsuYXp2lOmSXCs9K1Z1XHvD_BYq0Q8c_kG7_ONyRB0/s1600/carrying+the+kayaks+thru+the+Cut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfToC4XLGvTH-qGANfbm434on60RnD1VQEJtFTT1dXsBhQVfc2T5v3kLe4Yse4wyXZPvZH7oZ0FQ_SIG70m2w-WvU8kcFU6_A8LsuYXp2lOmSXCs9K1Z1XHvD_BYq0Q8c_kG7_ONyRB0/s320/carrying+the+kayaks+thru+the+Cut.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Dave (at the stern) and Paul (at the bow) carrying one of the kayaks</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> the last 100 yards thru the Cut to Scidmore Bay.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We gazed at the vast <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Scidmore</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>
ahead of us with its two large islands and green forested coastline. Scidmore
Glacier perched high above the west beach. After lunch we paddled another
couple hours through the bay. Packs of harbor seals everywhere. After about an
hour of paddling and passing a big island, we crossed over to the west side
through some rough water. After cruising the shore line for 45 minutes or so we
found an awesome campsite that sat on a large mound above the beach. This flat
area had nice trees and easily enough space for all three tents. Moose scat was
everywhere, but no bear sign. Streams ran down from the mountain behind us on
either side of the camp. The beach was steep enough so that the huge change in tide would make for a shorter carry of the kayaks at the end of the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiidVC8RDewAhqhRGX16IO2cjXgKNBmuD8kPIje1cZRSQ2hciEl3Z_hOQaaFwHaEVliQUC-vbFux8-1a9t9lWkpZ_LiyKZV0UQWeWDlGycy019e1NGN8JUYu0OYUuHYkXLekRbtZMqQJ8/s1600/Bryan+taking+a+break+after+the+portage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiidVC8RDewAhqhRGX16IO2cjXgKNBmuD8kPIje1cZRSQ2hciEl3Z_hOQaaFwHaEVliQUC-vbFux8-1a9t9lWkpZ_LiyKZV0UQWeWDlGycy019e1NGN8JUYu0OYUuHYkXLekRbtZMqQJ8/s320/Bryan+taking+a+break+after+the+portage.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Bryan enjoys a much deserved break and lunch on the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> north beach of Scidmore Bay after the portage through the Cut.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ALdRDxhZEZx0ZxbAw-xPHuR8dYupco8f7BTf4_R3ppU9MoSpdb92kMjzo6fWi0cn2z2TGRRTcEQZB1HBrybenGQZEd6SFj8iHJnaMksZ_-_h54cOpCpl9kVew9c0dHL9J8n7OZ1PB7c/s1600/Scidmore+Glacier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ALdRDxhZEZx0ZxbAw-xPHuR8dYupco8f7BTf4_R3ppU9MoSpdb92kMjzo6fWi0cn2z2TGRRTcEQZB1HBrybenGQZEd6SFj8iHJnaMksZ_-_h54cOpCpl9kVew9c0dHL9J8n7OZ1PB7c/s400/Scidmore+Glacier.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">We saw Scidmore hanging Glacier to our west after our</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">portage through the Cut.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We set up camp and soon heard wolves howling close by. They
started around 4 pm and at first it sounded like a lot of them. We
listened to the deep howl of one wolf who led several others who chorused with
yips and yowls. It was wild and eerie. They serenaded us all evening and we
decided that we should not go up either of the creeks into the woods behind us
alone.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I put shorts on and walked around in my Tevas. Paul hung a
clothes line and we dried socks, rain pants and jackets in the warm afternoon
sunshine. The views from our camp were spectacular with the snow covered high
mountains and the vast sea in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Scidmore</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>. It had been a
beautiful warm day and an amazingly calm and peaceful evening. We sat near our
tarp, enjoyed our hot Beef Stroganoff and watched the sunset around 9:30 pm.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u>Friday, Day 4</u></b></div>
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We woke up to a partly cloudy morning. No rain yesterday or
last night, but briefly it rained in the morning before we got out of our
tents. Sleep was easy in my Big Agnes sleeping bag and 3.25 inch pad. I was
warm and dry and comfy in my bag. It was hard to get up.We decided to do a day
paddle in to Charpentier Inlet then come back here to camp a second night. This
was my favorite camp and a day paddle without a fully loaded kayak was always a
good choice.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH3IVBzb4z1mERYPa6rBM-XwGdmaLVMvIPYHWvhPTF1d1fl4pzsd0VvTCy8N_CopfRiDxWm0mwA2M_cR5faaejmdQQzt2lx33pb4yGDAKVyfulkdgjrYPx8aYN5ZLEXHF7mw2zxa-ybA/s1600/paddling+in+Charpentier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH3IVBzb4z1mERYPa6rBM-XwGdmaLVMvIPYHWvhPTF1d1fl4pzsd0VvTCy8N_CopfRiDxWm0mwA2M_cR5faaejmdQQzt2lx33pb4yGDAKVyfulkdgjrYPx8aYN5ZLEXHF7mw2zxa-ybA/s400/paddling+in+Charpentier.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Paddling south into Charpentier Inlet. Calm, smooth</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">paddle going in. Different story on the way out,</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We ate breakfast and packed lunch. We began our paddle south to Charpentier Inlet. A long paddle but flat, glassy water. Steep cliffs with waterfalls everywhere. A few porpoises surfaced. Huge salmon jumped completely out of the water. We made it to the end of the inlet. Seemed like a fairly easy trek on the way out. The return back to camp was not so easy. A head wind made the paddling difficult and slow. The water got choppy at the crossing. The paddle across required focus and persistence. I was very tired when we finally rested at the beach near a beautiful waterfall. It was another hour of paddling before we finally made it back to camp. A beautiful evening. Two bald eagles in the trees nearby. An otter cruised by on his back and two loons sang as they motored thru. A pink and blue sunset topped the day. Chocolate pudding for dessert. Another glorious day. We are so blessed!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8VBlwAwUaGtNowzhofZlvgGSKXN55pnWp1FWet_VoAHO0gXOYMYAHreEsiT9DXrXsc6ykgiepGO7fwNRlqQ2_c8CqxtlaYW1YDFa9vUFgHD1Vp7Yqb7KLpdVsV-nGl-4ziLHlwFUPsk/s1600/view+from+Scidmore+camp+of+mtn+at+sunset+from.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8VBlwAwUaGtNowzhofZlvgGSKXN55pnWp1FWet_VoAHO0gXOYMYAHreEsiT9DXrXsc6ykgiepGO7fwNRlqQ2_c8CqxtlaYW1YDFa9vUFgHD1Vp7Yqb7KLpdVsV-nGl-4ziLHlwFUPsk/s640/view+from+Scidmore+camp+of+mtn+at+sunset+from.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">View from our camp at sunset in Scidmore Bay looking north up the Bay.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">My favorite camp, we stayed here two nights.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u>Saturday, Day 5</u></b></div>
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Saturday morning sparkled with promise. No rain last night. We packed
everything up and began our last day of paddling. Out towards Blue Mouse Cove
we headed. A stop on the opposite beach to pee and I was back in the boat
pushing away to see a Hump Back whale blowing three times not 50 yards away!
Wow. Four sea lions followed us. They raised as high as they could in the water
to watch us. Porpoise in pairs swam easily ahead of us. Otters and seals
everywhere. Andy banged on his kayak with his paddle to let them all know we
were on the water. The last thing I wanted was one of those creatures to breach
near or underneath me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3Mgeyqnzr19YZP_uB3iVJfC4R4CgPhAe2k79AGFxvYfl96Q0O6dCF26c9ndGy2LbZnsiLbEURO7t7N1Fe3RkAj_ySe-nTDS2Hjt1gYzh81VGAq1jpqDGAT9j5o5t8uoTvRQDOIZb_nU/s1600/near+Blue+Mouse+cove+where+we+saw+the+whale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3Mgeyqnzr19YZP_uB3iVJfC4R4CgPhAe2k79AGFxvYfl96Q0O6dCF26c9ndGy2LbZnsiLbEURO7t7N1Fe3RkAj_ySe-nTDS2Hjt1gYzh81VGAq1jpqDGAT9j5o5t8uoTvRQDOIZb_nU/s400/near+Blue+Mouse+cove+where+we+saw+the+whale.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaks beached near Blue Mouse Cove. This is Scidmore Bay where<br />
we paddled with a Hump Back whale</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UYyGUxlpfzdC8_ioeqmkJ6FQaB9E1O0IrELM39ApWhA1Aa32ySpdGiiQO8J5OKLM6Jxj8NI7pXnplGjdmN7PDx-xKWh99mIh_Ppba9W3tyiC-v_ERYc6sCFv_NQEn6pYOUWWWBHG6hU/s1600/Sundew+cove+pano+at+sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UYyGUxlpfzdC8_ioeqmkJ6FQaB9E1O0IrELM39ApWhA1Aa32ySpdGiiQO8J5OKLM6Jxj8NI7pXnplGjdmN7PDx-xKWh99mIh_Ppba9W3tyiC-v_ERYc6sCFv_NQEn6pYOUWWWBHG6hU/s640/Sundew+cove+pano+at+sunset.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Sundew Cove looking south from our campsite at low tide and sunset Saturday evening.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Doc, Linda and Big Blue would pick us up here on Sunday.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The whale showed us tail several times as he cruised through the Bay. What an
experience to be in the water with a whale. And it was a beautiful warm day
with puffy clouds and no threat of rain. The water was smooth and even though
we were paddling against the tide the boats cut thru the buttery water smooth
as silk. We beached for lunch after crossing over from the entrance to Blue
Mouse Cove. Two yakkers walked towards us. Gabriel and his son Raymond were on
Day 2 of their trip. Gabriel owns a restaurant in <st1:city w:st="on">San Diego</st1:city> called Chiquita. Like the banana.
He invited us to stop by and visit next time we were in the area. They were the
third couple and last people we saw that week.</div>
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<br />
We paddled in to the south side of Sundew Cove where the map indicated there
was water flowing from the hillside. We found water but also lots of bear sign
– flattened grass and fish heads and tails! Not going to camp there! We
eventually found a campsite with water and a good beach for Big Blue to pick us
up. The view and peace and sunshine were sublime. The water in the cove was glass
as we waited out the evening.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfirjB0PiDOeWSG37p4QdLzYw9UsRPQ_rda9eY5KreD5vN0qYqdrbgtygtbbGo2Bw2NpywDxaRUB2kxjP0F0aQbUgLF1FMPGjF7bWHIWIYO2pUcQvHalViguTTxqewyseDNWBVmny5Lo/s1600/camp+at+Sundew+cove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfirjB0PiDOeWSG37p4QdLzYw9UsRPQ_rda9eY5KreD5vN0qYqdrbgtygtbbGo2Bw2NpywDxaRUB2kxjP0F0aQbUgLF1FMPGjF7bWHIWIYO2pUcQvHalViguTTxqewyseDNWBVmny5Lo/s320/camp+at+Sundew+cove.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy, Paul and Bryan enjoying the afternoon in Sundew camp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYz4uDFbeHMyfaHDeN1aU7_eCgpr4ZQ5F3X38vnM4JrT_9FeorVytOKoo8YBITjMCzTIHjflljiOIFACPReSQN_B4iLz8z_DFc-i8gChu54Gh_B_9QkgkV6jaZ52OJJSSRIY2dbMnbUKQ/s1600/Sundew+cove+w+yaht.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYz4uDFbeHMyfaHDeN1aU7_eCgpr4ZQ5F3X38vnM4JrT_9FeorVytOKoo8YBITjMCzTIHjflljiOIFACPReSQN_B4iLz8z_DFc-i8gChu54Gh_B_9QkgkV6jaZ52OJJSSRIY2dbMnbUKQ/s400/Sundew+cove+w+yaht.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">A small yacht cruised in to Sundew Cove,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">parked for the night and left early Sunday</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">morning. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Sunday, Day 6<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday morning was gloomy. We got up early and began to
pack up. It began to rain despite my objections and loud assurances to everyone that it wouldn't! Not on our last day. We hastily set up our tarp and sat dejectedly
waiting to see Big Blue, Doc and Linda round the corner from the south.</div>
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<br />
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Then to our amazement, we saw Big Blue go right past the cove around 8:30 am. They eventually came back and found us because they saw Gabriel and Raymond in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Scidmore</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place> paddling. They told them where to find us in Sundew Cove. Around 10:00 we saw Big Blue round the north corner of Sundew Cove. Our ride home had arrived. And our adventure was nearly over.</div>
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It had stopped raining when they arrived and we quickly finished packing up. I helped raise the kayaks overhead as the boys pulled them to the roof of Big Blue where they lashed the boats to a more secure roof enhanced by another wood rail. While they worked I watched a seagull pull finger sized salmon from a small stream running into the cove. He must have eaten 15 or so while I stood there.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Then we sailed away to Bartlett Cove. Beautiful seas accompanied us. A much different ride than the one we took only 5 days earlier.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59L1YG8LQgL9yLXT831GMeNwcAbvAK0kswtrgKBgBoOi2hqdZ6l2ZNk7fEHKwn7nN_Eu8oP-ZOURkEhQ8Tp27dlbrJvUH6SpHl14Mcuu7o9Nfj5QIxhvnGUhcDLCteC_r_YCc9hTPa2A/s1600/loading+the+kayaks+at+Sundew+Cove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59L1YG8LQgL9yLXT831GMeNwcAbvAK0kswtrgKBgBoOi2hqdZ6l2ZNk7fEHKwn7nN_Eu8oP-ZOURkEhQ8Tp27dlbrJvUH6SpHl14Mcuu7o9Nfj5QIxhvnGUhcDLCteC_r_YCc9hTPa2A/s400/loading+the+kayaks+at+Sundew+Cove.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Loading the kayaks on Big Blue in Sundew Cove. The timing was perfect. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Tide began to come in just as they got the last one on.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxbtWAeb9sJD7eZRYh0lfy_4kbo_JbTaNwPctIjFhYEcIHXftF0X_TD7Yxnk5XMXGBTULqmffriBCknlUB9HHsiDMs2-rsrmSSTQV20Dffs5dI2IK8YJQq3sd0KOZvv_1OgeBZlvmqw8/s1600/the+group+on+Big+Blue+after+pick+up+at+Sundew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxbtWAeb9sJD7eZRYh0lfy_4kbo_JbTaNwPctIjFhYEcIHXftF0X_TD7Yxnk5XMXGBTULqmffriBCknlUB9HHsiDMs2-rsrmSSTQV20Dffs5dI2IK8YJQq3sd0KOZvv_1OgeBZlvmqw8/s400/the+group+on+Big+Blue+after+pick+up+at+Sundew.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Paul, Andy, Bryan, Dave and me on Big Blue as she pulls away from</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Sundew Cove. The orange "necklaces" are the keys to the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">bear canisters. We had 8 of them on this trip.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We showered at Doc's, had a good meal, then boarded the deadhead trip on the catamaran back to Juneau. Bedtime was early for a flight on Monday morning at 6 am. What a trip! What a memory!<br />
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<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10207484138570512&type=1&l=894f39044d" target="_blank"><b>Click here</b></a> for more pictures on my Facebook page. You can access this link even if you don't have a FB account.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Notes to remember for next time:</u></b><br />
Tortillas for cheese and bean dip and salmon for lunches was great. Bring packets of hot sauce. Bring more wheat thins.<br />
An apple split between the 5 of us a day with peanut butter cups X 2 per Apple.<br />
Pudding - we ate 3 for the week. Didn't need that much and it was definitely a hassle. Andy and Bryan didn't eat much pudding.<br />
We went thru 2 large summer sausages - 1.2 pounds each. good call. Didn't eat the two small ones.<br />
2 blocks (2.5 lbs. each) of Tilamook cheese was enough.<br />
One packet of Trader Joes trail mix in with the cereal. Did this the last day. Wished I'd done it every day.</div>
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Mountain House favorites: Beef Stroganoff, Beef Stew, Chicken Teriyaki. Chicken wraps with tortillas.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Clothes:</u></b><br />
2 pair of tights was good<br />
1 pair of shorts good.<br />
Two fleece, yellow kayak jacket, rain jacket and pants good. Need a better rain jacket with gortex or something similar. It got wet quickly both inside and out.<br />
3 pair of socks was good but bring 4 for a trip this long.<br />
Underwear every day good.<br />
Shammy important as well as bandana.<br />
Warm hat and CR Hat as well as purple rain hat all good.<br />
Bring a book!!<br />
No need for hand lotion. Small container of sunscreen worked fine. Used it just once.<br />
Never used a flashlight.<br />
Beef jerky good. Salmon packets good. Bring 3 salmon packets. Ate few snacks because lunches were so good.<br />
Tevas were great to have in camp.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Lodging:</u></b> extended Stay was $186 for one night! Yikes. Do something different next timed, like arrive the same day as leaving for Bartlett.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpejp2cUEEN3IX6tqDfk0EDkaOwJsm-yNTdGeIvEiWZbmOlfYrAMJxocZBmoK5Sx0E56Ca73oxjpxkjglF7r5enntZgFl5BeDDpXPzxWbw3Cby8Ayo3X9xWLcpHBgWoFBVWK7eYDxRxg/s1600/map+of+GB+w+group+image+and+route.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpejp2cUEEN3IX6tqDfk0EDkaOwJsm-yNTdGeIvEiWZbmOlfYrAMJxocZBmoK5Sx0E56Ca73oxjpxkjglF7r5enntZgFl5BeDDpXPzxWbw3Cby8Ayo3X9xWLcpHBgWoFBVWK7eYDxRxg/s640/map+of+GB+w+group+image+and+route.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryan, Paul, Andy, Dave and Cheryl on Reid Glacier.<br />
This map shows our route, in red, and camping spots for the week.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF1E8NyQpcVl0PRKwDS-jgpyQ3h2PM70NGuEVgknje3gi0l-ehWypdW6QhTXIk7UKuftxQ_d13wSRA07ucKUXTN6UHfWSUeBSuDw3YaioFSk7H_18sc28P8PHcSTjrxiUQBKW6sz6OTE/s1600/map+of+Glacier+Bay.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF1E8NyQpcVl0PRKwDS-jgpyQ3h2PM70NGuEVgknje3gi0l-ehWypdW6QhTXIk7UKuftxQ_d13wSRA07ucKUXTN6UHfWSUeBSuDw3YaioFSk7H_18sc28P8PHcSTjrxiUQBKW6sz6OTE/s640/map+of+Glacier+Bay.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This map shows the west and east arms of Glacier Bay National Park.<br />
We have been up the west arm twice. Our first trip, in 2001, was in the east arm.</td></tr>
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</div>
Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-63243203443210915772015-07-24T12:12:00.001-07:002015-07-24T12:12:04.635-07:00How I discovered that a DNS is worse than a DNF - TRT 50 Mile Race Report 7-18-15<div class="MsoNormal">
Every ultra is different for even the most experienced of ultrarunners. The Tahoe Rim Trail 50 Mile race was no exception for me. It was like no other in my experience. If you are interested in just the
race day report you can skip down to that section. But the lessons I learned
that day were more about what occurred the month before and the decisions I
made about my training approach in the final weeks before the race and during the race itself. I had never
arrived at the starting line this way before. This ultra would be different. And so this is a story about starting
a race with little confidence that I would finish knowing that the experience would be about getting to the starting line and discovering what I would learn as I ran.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Pre-race Drama<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was the end of April and the only race I had run this
season was the challenging Escape from Prison Hill Half Marathon in Carson City. Usually, by
this late in April I had run two ultras and had a solid training foundation, but
I chose a different training plan for the early spring that didn't include racing. I knew that I would
need to bank serious miles in May and June to make up for the base that I
didn’t create well enough in March and April. And so I did: modest weekly miles, but with
big back to backs - every week. No usual
10 to 14 day recovery. Instead, only 6 to 8 days of easy running between back to backs. I had paved the
road to over reaching my training and risking injury.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Fast Forward to Late
June<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A long easy run on the TRT left me feeling unusually tired.
I had felt pain in my left calf and soreness in my heel when I stood up out of
bed in the mornings leading up to this run. Suddenly, the heel pain was so sharp that I winced. I’d been
stiff in the morning with soreness, but never like this. I would groan as I limped to the bathroom. Massive trigger points throughout my left
soleus and gastroc muscles were the culprit. Foam rolling left me gritting my teeth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I cut my mileage to nearly a third of what I had been doing
the last week in June and continued to foam roll, use ice and cold water soaks,
and use trigger point therapy. (see <a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2012/04/recovering-from-ar50m-trigger-point.html" target="_blank"><b>"Recovering from AR50M - Trigger Point Therapy"</b>)</a> I had one
friend who found trigger points at the head of my gastroc and soleus that sent
me through the ceiling! The pain was incredibly stubborn and all I could do was
rest and wait for healing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>No Running the First Week in July<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A planned back packing trip over <st1:placename w:st="on">Kearsarge</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Pass</st1:placetype> out of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Independence</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">CA</st1:state></st1:place>
occupied the first week of July. A group of us packed food in for our friends
hiking the John Muir Trail from Tuolumne Meadows to Mt. Whitney Portal (over
Whitney summit). Sherpas with an extra 10 to 15 pounds of food in our already heavy
packs we labored up <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kearsarge</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Pass</st1:placetype></st1:place> – I had about 55 pounds on
my back. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We hiked about 30 miles that week and had a nice run during a day hike up Glenn Pass. My foot hurt a little the first day up the pass, but was ok as the week went on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTlXUY_SLtDp77eZ9uwQGmZ2sZWsrUhYZiSpIO0PudAjO8vPhhw7x6R9h_0MrVozYg1qF_-62QmUORolPAUdZ3E4Urjz9UF2sO51_ai3CDS2ffsHiNlI02XPJrqxzkCzRu2XC8zAenco/s1600/Cheryl+Rick+%2526+Jason+climbing+Kearsarge+7-1-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTlXUY_SLtDp77eZ9uwQGmZ2sZWsrUhYZiSpIO0PudAjO8vPhhw7x6R9h_0MrVozYg1qF_-62QmUORolPAUdZ3E4Urjz9UF2sO51_ai3CDS2ffsHiNlI02XPJrqxzkCzRu2XC8zAenco/s320/Cheryl+Rick+%2526+Jason+climbing+Kearsarge+7-1-15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking up Kearsarge Pass 6-29-15 with<br />
Jason and Rick. Photo by Shannon Hataway</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Tapering Continues with
a Race on the Fourth of July<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We hiked out of the beautiful <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kearsarge</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place>
region on July 3. The next morning, I ran Angel’s Ponderosa Ridge Run which is
an old fashioned race that starts at Spooner Summit and finishes
9.5 miles later at the Kingsbury North trail head. It’s mostly uphill and I knew
it would be a test for my leg. I
finished the fastest I'd ever done the course with minimal pain in my heel and calf at the end. But it was only a two hour race and I knew
that this was only a small test. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next two weeks consisted of short runs no longer than 2
hours. I began to realize that the only way I could even consider starting the race was to make sure I had no pain and rested as much as possible.
I thought about downgrading to the 55K, but just couldn’t believe that my risk
for not finishing 50 miles was that bad. And I had never been in this
circumstance before. What did I know? My ego told me to start 50 Miles.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another week went by and the race was only a week away. The trigger points in my leg began to subside and it was
easier to loosen up so I could walk without pain in my heel. I was hopeful
that I could attempt 50 miles. Instead of thinking I wouldn't start at all I thought I would start and see how far I could get.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Could I put my ego aside and stop if I began to have pain?
Or would I tough it out and finish anyway risking an injury, but not wanting to
be a “wimp”? I decided to start the race and pay attention to how the leg was
doing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4rf9aJKwQWGchaNDIjzX1EztnKKYRMU9m6oPbbCZi-rl1LnlPU22yDkg-y8mDBvrP6fh_CzH9TfbZOk1mMfHvdLx6YC32vImnUV7eu1kwcX4unp0tEqWLaJz-ho34yzqztE9ZsNKbjw/s1600/Peace+by+Wayne+Dyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4rf9aJKwQWGchaNDIjzX1EztnKKYRMU9m6oPbbCZi-rl1LnlPU22yDkg-y8mDBvrP6fh_CzH9TfbZOk1mMfHvdLx6YC32vImnUV7eu1kwcX4unp0tEqWLaJz-ho34yzqztE9ZsNKbjw/s400/Peace+by+Wayne+Dyer.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found this on FB 3 days before the race. Thanks David Stretanski for posting.<br />
Yes, I thought, I think I could be at peace with however this race turns out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Race Morning and the Questions Go On<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I awoke at 3:30 am after tossing for 3 hours. I think I
slept maybe 4 hours total that night. I kept dreaming about the different
sections of the course. I know the trail very well. I would visualize a section
as I lay there half asleep and realize how difficult it would be if I were in
pain. Was I crazy to think that I could run 50 miles today?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was calm at breakfast with my usual coffee with heavy
cream, a scrambled egg, toast with coconut oil and some instant oatmeal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My dad drove me to the start. I breathed slowly through my
nose to calm my nerves. Was I trained enough? (So who doesn't ask that question before a race?)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My husband Dave, said he would pace me the last 20 miles. I
told him I’d be surprised if I’d make it that far. At the same time I couldn’t
believe I was starting a 50 mile race knowing I might quit at 30 miles, or even 12! How
could I think that? Of course I could and would finish. This would be at
least my 10<sup>th</sup> 50 mile start. But maybe I wouldn't finish. What if the pain came
and I didn’t want to stop running? Would I? Would I let my ego take over and
pride keep me going despite the risk of serious injury? Or would I be smart and
graciously exit a race I thought I would easily complete a year ago when I
signed up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The day before the race, Irunfar.com published a blog about <b><a href="http://www.irunfar.com/2015/07/the-disappointment-muscle.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+irunfar%2FwAAy+%28iRunFar%29" target="_blank">“The Disappointment Muscle”</a> </b>written by AJ Wilkins. I recalled its main message as AJ
related in an article he read: “A psychologist friend of mine has spoken about
this ‘muscle’ and suggests that too many of us have poorly developed disappointment
muscles as a result of too many years of being shielded and protected from
adversity in an attempt to stay happy and content. …. we must be aware that our
kids need disappointment and adversity in order to find ultimate success.” Light bulb: My
disappointment in not finishing could ultimately be my success. I was determined to make my
experience be a positive one that would continue to build the foundation that I
would need to run and race for a very long time to come. I would learn much from starting a race I was not likely to finish.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Race<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sorry to take so long to get here, but this is the short
part of this report!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quite simply, I arrived at the start of the race undertrained, but pain
free. I was rested, but I could feel in my body the lack of long
runs in the past 4 weeks. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My strategy was to start much slower than I ever have for
this race and allow the legs to loosen and warm up. It took a lot of patience
to climb to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> walk / running and
holding back.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Running in to Tunnel Creek around 12 miles, my leg felt good
and I knew I would tackle the Red House loop. I was fueling well and despite
the undertrained feeling I felt strong and able to tackle whatever distance my
leg would let me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A conservative run down the long steep Red House loop hill
was also part of the plan. It paid off as I easily ran the gradual climb to the
Red House. I pulled a long train of runners through the flats after the climb
out of Red House and felt strong climbing back up to the Tunnel Creek Aid
Station. The sun began to come out after an unusually cloudy and cool morning and I could feel the first warmth of the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnwa9UhJOLVhiLL2Yj2qD3gXvMTQrxoKuoVC4PH21k4SUhrTKX_ajZz_eXDHvhyphenhyphenZT7OrZ_AlaZnX-ELU50oE6DnG4KAFjCtIPf45iQPLVOdUFemf8-9A7zkUn0xsrr9vrJmDol7FM38Q/s1600/Cheryl+running+up+towards+Marlette+7-18-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnwa9UhJOLVhiLL2Yj2qD3gXvMTQrxoKuoVC4PH21k4SUhrTKX_ajZz_eXDHvhyphenhyphenZT7OrZ_AlaZnX-ELU50oE6DnG4KAFjCtIPf45iQPLVOdUFemf8-9A7zkUn0xsrr9vrJmDol7FM38Q/s400/Cheryl+running+up+towards+Marlette+7-18-15.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail up to Marlette Peak, about mile 10, with Ken behind me.<br />
Photo by Sharon Fong</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back up to Tunnel Creek, and about 18 miles, I felt strong,
but my heel was beginning to feel the pull from the tightening Achilles/Soleus that
had been stretched on all the climbs. The hills were taking their toll and it
was as I had expected. I was pretty sure that I was not going to last the whole
50 miles.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I took my time in the Tunnel Creek Aid station chatting with
friends and volunteers and coming to grips with the fact that I would probably
just make it to Diamond and 30 miles where I would drop. I left the AS with a
slight limp having stood and not moved so that the left leg had stiffened. I
began a slow jog about a half mile down the trail letting my crew and friends
know how I was doing by phone. I ran
with Ken as we headed up the trail to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
It would be his first 50 miler and he was running strong mentally and
physically. His joy at running his first 50 kept me motivated and positive. He
has been my student of ChiRunning for several years and I was very proud to see him be successful in his first big ultra.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The descent down the Tirol to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
was enjoyable. I ran the first part with Ken, but then left him as he
slowed to deal with a sore ITB. My heel was hurting despite the two ibuprofen I
took and I knew my race was over. Despite my certainty that I should drop I
still fantasized that I could finish the 50 miles. I considered several times
that I would continue as I cruised through the technical <st1:place w:st="on">Tirol</st1:place>
turns. My fueling and hydration had been good and I knew that if my heel and
calf hadn't been a problem I could finish. My mind went back and forth between
the decision to stop or continue; acceptance of what was so to hoping for how I thought it should be. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I arrived at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
with little fanfare. No one was there waiting for me but thankfully I knew the
volunteers and some runners and crew. I was glad to be done,
disappointed to drop, and grateful that I had the experience and wisdom to know it
was the right decision.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Lessons learned:</b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">I made
a race plan and followed it. The slow start and conservative downhill run in to the Red House loop allowed me to have a nice 30
mile training run.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Although
I didn’t mention it in my report, my ChiRunning skills served me well in
keeping my lower legs relaxed and keeping impact to a minimum. I only took ibuprofen to take the edge off the pain once it was there. I paid close attention to how and when the pain was developing so I could mindfully cope with it by focusing on technique.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Anticipating an outcome that was less than ideal allowed me
to accept it in peace when it occurred.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">My
pride was not bruised. Instead I was proud of myself for listening to
my body and making the right decision to stop.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">I’m so glad that I started the race. If I had not started, I never would have known how my leg would feel, how I would behave and react psychologically, and what actions I would take. I would not have learned that a DNS can be worse than a DNF.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Follow up</b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I write this 6 days later, my leg is doing well. My right
quad was sore the next day possibly compensating for the left leg, but that was all. I have
had nice easy runs this week and my leg is continuing to recover, the pain lessening. I’ve decided not to pursue a 100 miler this year, but may do either
Firetrails 50M or Javelina 100K. We’ll see. Whatever I decide it will be what is supposed to be next! And that has left me in peace. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeouaoAjD2_0rp0K7aRDtkzlvanUjA1iwYVTcUMeBBpp_tADjGW2YtYaFWj90tIywljQ5cyKjMSPXjdk23UoL-M6XFo8LLpOqmypCgD4IHxf8213lr2ybCUehd7SSQGKDbv8N-vUEu8E/s1600/Cheryl+chillin+on+the+boat+after+TRT+7-18-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeouaoAjD2_0rp0K7aRDtkzlvanUjA1iwYVTcUMeBBpp_tADjGW2YtYaFWj90tIywljQ5cyKjMSPXjdk23UoL-M6XFo8LLpOqmypCgD4IHxf8213lr2ybCUehd7SSQGKDbv8N-vUEu8E/s320/Cheryl+chillin+on+the+boat+after+TRT+7-18-15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peacin out on our boat the next day </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-65050194990441235402014-10-14T10:57:00.002-07:002014-10-23T12:17:27.026-07:00Race Report Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile Race October 11, 2014 - Redemption<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><i>Redemption</i>: </b>“the act of saving something or somebody from a
declined, dilapidated, or corrupted state and restoring it, him, or her to a
better condition."</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I have heard some ultrarunners use the word redemption to
describe a race or run where they prove to themselves they have what it takes to get it done. It’s really
a religious word, but given how profound and spiritual it is to finish an ultra…
well, redemption doesn't seem to be too strong of a word to use. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><a href="http://www.firetrails50.com/" target="_blank">Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile race</a></b> was my redemption last weekend
when my ego got saved and returned to a better condition after a DNF at my <a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2014/07/race-report-2014-trt100-miles-july-19.html" target="_blank"><b>first attempt at 100 miles at the TRT</b></a> (Tahoe
Rim Trail Endurance Runs) this year. That was a tough day for me, but the
lessons learned were invaluable and I don’t regret a moment of those amazingly
difficult 29 hours. And I never would have finished as well as I did at
Firetrails without those lessons. Firetrails restored me to a better place after the misery of a DNF.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span id="goog_1433521778"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.firetrails50.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPHFd3oe33hJibCDVIIvNhTIk0N1t5SHLu-dE4in0a7LL0TMI1yYdhnIqBX-7K6F8flMLiTZrEkWimGVHLsiJt7GMWyX45hXNY2Em6HKTTfOQ8S_EIj4ym8Q886HocCLG6sFiDJIkkYM/s1600/Firetrails+50M+logo.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile is one of the oldest around. I ran it last year and found it to be a true challenge with its long climbs and steep downhills. In the bay area, with the highest elevation around 1800 feet above sea level, Firetrails is a joy to run for someone who lives in Reno and trains above 5000 feet most days.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj234V_xBA9qQ8DjjaHkq1t7WQTkEoYCtOiRXKxL_LQ_peMhHr-T19YROTGC_5nSEWWqeNOooDtGRMrDrf6LaJOond5PqmuW8lpCbo0uU0e938-awt1rfIrVX8X_6101mUuLeK-2bCWYxA/s1600/Firetrails+50+course+profile.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj234V_xBA9qQ8DjjaHkq1t7WQTkEoYCtOiRXKxL_LQ_peMhHr-T19YROTGC_5nSEWWqeNOooDtGRMrDrf6LaJOond5PqmuW8lpCbo0uU0e938-awt1rfIrVX8X_6101mUuLeK-2bCWYxA/s1600/Firetrails+50+course+profile.png" height="190" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Firetrails elevation profile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The months of training leading up to this race were unusual
and unlike anything I would normally do. I enjoyed a wonderful August, the two to six weeks after TRT, just enjoying myself with some challenging backpacking trips
and running as usual, but not focused on big, long runs. September came and I
got serious about mileage and long runs – a few 20’s and some big back to
backs, but no more than 55 miles per week. The week before the week of
Firetrails, I was very involved with the course marking and sweeping of a local
Half marathon, 10K and 5K trail race (Kokannee Runs) that had me running at
least 13 or 14 miles per day for 4 days in a row for a total of 65 miles for
the week. High for me and a little unnerving the week before a 50 mile race. So
much for a taper. I had to recover from the arduous days of course marking that
had utterly depleted me due to the long hours, poor nutrition and stress of
getting the job done with very few daylight hours and people to do it. Waking
up on Monday before Saturday’s race day, I knew I needed major recovery time.
As each day went by I felt I needed another day off. So, I took the 5 days
before the race off completely. NO RUNNING for 5 days before a 50 miler. My
intuition told me I was right to rest and, indeed I was. The shortest taper I
had ever done for such a big race. But back to the story.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Saturday morning, October 11, was dark, windless and cool, but not freezing when I got up at 4:30 am – a perfect day for running, I thought. I dressed in my favorite pink flowered Patagonia shorts, blue TRT tech tank, Brooks PureGrit 3 trail shoes; and body glide in all the essential spots; then ate two packets of instant oatmeal with coconut oil and cranberries and a 20 ounce cup of coffee re-heated in the microwave of our cheap hotel in Castro Valley, CA. Won’t stay there again, but that’s another story.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4x2sj5kuVBtEKnPOmOE6W0AwI8eSUN9BP6K4AGYZo6qtfy7_qIuDX-7sB7i6MAiSmmTwnjb7v5T8MuyJ4Xnnis8h2kqHgMMJ7gaCf5XfAeIH-lAl7kK0A7C8wpML-GgfXLE9FGJxDztU/s1600/Firetrails+feet+in+bathroom+before+race.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4x2sj5kuVBtEKnPOmOE6W0AwI8eSUN9BP6K4AGYZo6qtfy7_qIuDX-7sB7i6MAiSmmTwnjb7v5T8MuyJ4Xnnis8h2kqHgMMJ7gaCf5XfAeIH-lAl7kK0A7C8wpML-GgfXLE9FGJxDztU/s1600/Firetrails+feet+in+bathroom+before+race.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Brooks PureGrit 3's - <br />
bathroom jitters, not runs<br />
just jitters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ron drove me to the starting line at <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Chabot</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Regional</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Park</st1:placetype> in <st1:place w:st="on">Castro
Valley</st1:place> while Carol and Dave slept in for another hour before they
would begin getting ready for the marathon start at 9 am. We arrived by 6 am,
but the parking lot was already full so we parked on the street and walked the
¼ mile in. Picked up my bib and wrote down the cutoff times and AS mileages on
it.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I stretched and did my body looseners before the start using
Ron for balance. Ron, my long time running partner, recovering from knee
surgery and unable to run, kept me positive saying things I needed to hear,
smiling and giving me last minute pieces of advice. Camera in hand always, he
filmed and shot photos all day while he crewed me, Carol and Dave at a few of the aid stations - a logistical challenge for sure which had him driving all over the Berkeley Hills trying to find a gas station at one point!</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
About 250 of us lined up for the start and we all counted
down the last seconds to “go”. And just like so many starts, we were off without fanfare, chatting nervously, laughing and making snide remarks about how we only had another 49.8
miles to go. Some wore headlamps, but I knew that daylight would come in
about 10 minutes after the start, so just relied on those around me and the
bike path to be clean enough that I wouldn't trip over anything.<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDRx9mqVTJKpWw3EMC6Tn1so43uJjodcnaRQs-VwDwHBEoVs5LwDIEi38Iz3AoUHLAhX0j3WXOoSgguswMBmUcl2esiwVj3ZUlxt9oihVudXWJgsNziKXkOGFMA56zBrnd8gpkvYo6BE/s1600/Firetrails+start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDRx9mqVTJKpWw3EMC6Tn1so43uJjodcnaRQs-VwDwHBEoVs5LwDIEi38Iz3AoUHLAhX0j3WXOoSgguswMBmUcl2esiwVj3ZUlxt9oihVudXWJgsNziKXkOGFMA56zBrnd8gpkvYo6BE/s1600/Firetrails+start.jpg" height="200" width="120" /></a></div>
The first miles were quick and I knew I needed to hold the reins in tight so I wouldn't burn through fuel I would need later. I had run fast the
first few miles last year and didn't want to make that mistake again. My Garmin data showed that I ran an average of
a 9:40 pace that first mile this year. Good compared to the 8 minute pace I ran last
year. I ran a few minutes with Tony Nguyen – “Endorphin Dude”, also on a
mission of redemption for a failed 100 miler this summer. An inspiration
to so many, it was fun to run next to a famous local. We wished each other luck and a good day of running.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I climbed the first hills confidently sensing my body as it
warmed up and getting it accustomed to the idea of running all day. All systems go.
Nothing to be concerned about… especially, the short taper. I felt good. Darkness
turned to grey early morning light and the potential of the day was all around
us. The sun wouldn't show for a while with all the fog. I was grateful. It was
going to get into the 80s later in the day and the cool morning was a blessing.
Mile 3.2 and its aid station came quickly at the top of a hill. I stopped in briefly to fill my
water bottle, grab some potato chips for salt, take an S-cap and be on my way
quickly.</div>
<br />
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These first easy miles found us in big eucalyptus so typical
of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>’s
coast; their fragrance seemed calming and peaceful. Gordy Ansleigh, the guy who
started this crazy ultrarunning sport in 1974, caught up to me with his loping, and long pendulum stride. Bare chested already, he carried nothing in his hands or on his body. Our pace seemed
nicely matched and we ran easily together chatting and reminding each other
where we had last met which was up on <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snow</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place> during the TRT 100
in July. He was easy to talk to and I enjoyed his company of those first long miles. My 180 cadence must have drove him nuts.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We ran through beautiful rolling terrain, some of it in
Redwood forest with a soft carpet of pine needles amid the silence and dim
light. Much of this first section was on firetrails and dirt roads in the
scorched brown dryness of the <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>
hills. Gordy and I would get into an aid station and he would be there for a
few minutes eating and socializing and I would be on my way quickly. He would
eventually catch me and we’d run on together until the next aid station. We repeated
this until I finally left him at Sibley Preserve AS, around mile 18. He had
taken his third fall for the day, the second one had been the hardest when he
fell and hit his head on an exposed tree root. The gash bled badly for a few
minutes and when he arrived at Sibley, the volunteers at the AS tried to tend to him.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
By mile 18 I knew I was doing well. A glimmer of hope started to build inside my brain: had the changes I made as a result of my lessons learned
at TRT100 going to work?</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b>First there was my attention to fueling and electrolytes.</b> I
started using <b><a href="http://vfuel.com/" target="_blank">VFuel</a></b>, a gel that uses dextrose instead of fructose, as well as
MCT oil, a few months ago in training runs and was impressed with the results.
My head would clear and my ability to focus improve dramatically. It was as if
I got my youthful-start-of-a-run energy back three and four hours into a training run!
Was that in my head or was my body re-energized?? </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
For Firetrails, I could only carry 8 VFuel gel packets with
me in my waist pack. Since I had never used that many before I decided to go
conservative and do one per hour instead of the recommended one every 45
minutes. And I didn't start taking them until two hours in to the race (instead
of one right before the race.) The difference was dramatic. My energy levels
were stable and my motivation to push remained high throughout the race even
when past experience said that I should be tired and wanting to stop. As my ultrarunning friend
and Master ChiRunning Instructor David S. told me, “if the melon is not happy
it will tighten you up and slow you down.” Keep the melon happy and the
rest of the body will be too. So it really is true: ultrarunning is 90% mental and so is
the other 10%. Yep, gotta feed the melon.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img 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" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">melon brain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
I ate at each aid station – PB&J (at least 2 sandwiches
worth throughout the day, but very hard to get even ¼ sandwich down in the last
hours due to little saliva);<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>boiled
potato rolled in salt at EVERY aid station. I was religious about this since it
was lack of salt that helped to destroy me at TRT. I also had two grilled cheese
sandwiches (rolled in salt) and a cup of chicken soup at mile 26, the
turnaround. And 1-2 S-Caps every hour.<br />
<br />
The other major changes were made for my feet. Morton's Foot is common and I've got it. Since August, I had started wearing a 6 mm lift under my first metatarsal heads. I also started running in the PureGrit 3's, a stiffer sole in the rear foot that I hoped would give me a flatter platform over uneven trail so my arches wouldn't be working as hard. I hoped that the forefoot soreness that I experienced at TRT could be solved with these corrections. <b><a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2014/08/follow-up-to-trt-race-report-ok-maybe.html" target="_blank">More details about Morton's Foot here</a></b>.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The long climb up to mile 21 was grueling through technical
trail but with some downhills to relieve us. We began to see the marathoners
(Golden Hills Marathon) coming towards us. They had started at 9:00 am. Dave
(my husband) and Carol (Ron’s wife) ran up the hill towards me – their mile 6
and my mile 18. A quick hi, hugs and kisses, and best wishes (ha! That rhymed)
and we continued on our opposite, but so very similar journeys.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The fast 50 milers were coming back towards us too on their return trips; flying down
the hills at an unbelievable pace, their focus intense. Some relaxed and fresh
looking, others spent and on the edge of the envelope. It always amazes and
inspires me to see humans perform at max, to see what we are capable of doing. People like me are inspired to do our best even though we are not THE
best. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Mile 21.7 aid station is the “top” and the start of a long 5 mile
downhill to the turnaround. Steam Trains AS is aptly named for the real
miniature steam trains cruising around the park. You can hear them from a
distance away! Ron was there to greet me as I came up the hill. So glad to see
him there and weird to have him crewing for me instead of running with me. He
had his camera going as I helped myself to food and had my water bottle filled.
I started the long hike up the hill before heading downhill to the turnaround and he joined me to chat, encourage me and
check in with how I was doing. He promised to see me at the turnaround, mile
26, at the bottom of the hill. I looked forward to it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdMjLdsMjrCUHIkHt0pkzRMlCw-09HbhQ94nFXHacnzPDuIE8Gsg3BS3P3_f_54EZHpjsIjOeI8hICh8ysLzaiDW8RGsjzPCp0oHUsaUZaW6glsYiR4UjObUVsxVbUA_6wFz6UipXpTE/s1600/Firetrails+Steam+trains+AS+being+watched.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdMjLdsMjrCUHIkHt0pkzRMlCw-09HbhQ94nFXHacnzPDuIE8Gsg3BS3P3_f_54EZHpjsIjOeI8hICh8ysLzaiDW8RGsjzPCp0oHUsaUZaW6glsYiR4UjObUVsxVbUA_6wFz6UipXpTE/s1600/Firetrails+Steam+trains+AS+being+watched.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being watched at Steam Trains AS, Mile 21</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The sun was really beating down on us as we began the long descent on this side of the
mountain where the dirt road was exposed and open. I saw Chris Jones hiking
hard up the hill – another inspiring runner out there giving a high 5 to all
who know him. The first place woman was also climbing hard and looking strong.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I finally arrived at the bottom of the hill, mile 26, and there
was Ron waiting for me with grilled cheese sandwiches. I told Ron I was doing well, hot, but good. I had finished the last
of my ASEA before reaching this 26 mile mark, about 8 oz for the day, and
decided not to take any more with me for the remainder of the race mainly
because I didn’t have enough space in my pack. I thanked the AS volunteers
profusely for their service and especially for the grilled cheese sandwiches. The VFuel was working and I was
cautiously excited that my plan was going to get me the strong finish I so
wanted. I walked out of the AS back up the hill with a wad of grilled cheese
sandwiches rolled in salt in one hand and a cup of soup in the other. Ron
joined me for a half mile or so. As I
left the turn around, I saw Gordy running hard into the AS. I thought he would
catch me going up the hill, but I never saw him again. He still had blood on
his forehead. He wouldn't let anyone clean it for concern about infection.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKl5o1R5QFHuC-bftFtcEajkdol_yLZvFArPe2oZSAjb_GsBxpc3nQIQ-exexuontaNAeqeHA3J80f-3L5SHaNU_g_d6wujxzBZXwBUlFOkng69G02Z6WG-bSnkhvoaZ1rw-Acn0N96A/s1600/Firetrails+Gordy+at+Steam+Trains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKl5o1R5QFHuC-bftFtcEajkdol_yLZvFArPe2oZSAjb_GsBxpc3nQIQ-exexuontaNAeqeHA3J80f-3L5SHaNU_g_d6wujxzBZXwBUlFOkng69G02Z6WG-bSnkhvoaZ1rw-Acn0N96A/s1600/Firetrails+Gordy+at+Steam+Trains.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gordy & I at Steam Trains AS<br />
The blood from a gash on his head a few miles back<br />
from a fall on an exposed root </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EN2cX4Yp3zAO7PZCxvNd-x8lO48juwplf_An4fla-abt7H2289t9PRVD2nSX7YpVwYrnirgcbbdYiqKIizvXf1Yto_OvGG5TXYhK25tDYmajPpF23teYWtDROUQiNgSSs3JJ5fIujLk/s1600/Firetrails+and+grilled+cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EN2cX4Yp3zAO7PZCxvNd-x8lO48juwplf_An4fla-abt7H2289t9PRVD2nSX7YpVwYrnirgcbbdYiqKIizvXf1Yto_OvGG5TXYhK25tDYmajPpF23teYWtDROUQiNgSSs3JJ5fIujLk/s1600/Firetrails+and+grilled+cheese.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extolling the benefits of grilled cheese at mile 26</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last year when I climbed this dreaded hill, Ron kept
dropping me and I had a terrible time keeping up and staying motivated to push.
This time, I almost felt like I could have run it, but knew it was too steep
and too long and would be a waste of energy, so I hiked it pretty darn fast and
the time flew by. It was hardly the hill I remembered it to be from last year.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As I got to the top, I began to realize that today was my
day, my race that I had wanted all summer. I began to sing along with my iPod –
Shakira’s “Empire”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So here I am hiking up this ungodly long hill and singing. I felt great!
Tired, but energized. And passing people who were walking slowly, people who
had flown past me only 15 miles ago and now were staring at this woman, me, who
was singing phrases of songs between breaths. It seemed that I arrived back at
the Steam Trains AS really fast. 30 miles done. I was thrilled. Only 20 more
miles! Stop singing, Cheryl, I said to myself. You're wasting energy. Focus now. This is where the race starts.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
And my watch was at a little over 6 and a half hours total
time for these first 30. Could I do the last 20 in 5 hours???? Hell yes was my
thought. And then a tiny whisper in the back of my head, “what if I could do it
in 4 and a half hours?” Could I run that fast this far into an ultra?</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I ran hard on the downhills. The uphills were an exercise in
patience and focus on good ChiWalking technique – relaxed ankles, short
strides, pelvic rotation and driving arms. My obliques were getting sore. I
thought of George Ruiz, <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">TRT RD</st1:address></st1:street>,
advice he gave me at TRT – “let it come to you and it will.” This race was
coming to me and I let the thrill of success begin to roll over me in enjoyment
and appreciation for being given the gift to run like this.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The beautiful section of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Redwood</st1:placename> f<st1:placetype w:st="on">orest</st1:placetype></st1:place>
found me running 9 to 10 minute miles and once again catching and passing many
people who had passed me much earlier. I was on fire with energy. I couldn't
believe myself. When I put the pedal down, my body responded. When it hurt, I
just observed the pain, mostly in my quads, then relaxed some more. “Good” pain
would not kill me. This was a good pain, the kind that comes from pushing hard,
not the kind that says there’s something wrong. That was the kind of pain I had
at TRT and it was devastating.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I think it was at mile 37 and the Skyline Gate AS where I
first saw Helen Pelster, an amazing ultrarunner and ChiRunner who finished her
first 100 miler at TRT this year with an astounding 10<sup>th</sup> place for women, finish. She was crewing for her husband Javier who I taught ChiRunning to
several summers ago. She greeted me with a big smile and of course told me I
looked great. I was so happy to see her because I did feel great and here was a
person that knew me.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I saw her again at the next AS, mile 41.5, the Big Bear
Staging Area, and again she greeted me with a big hug and tons of cheers as I ran
through. My heart soared. A quick stop for more salted potatoes and a refill on
the water bottle and I was headed out for the last 10 miles. The voice in my
head was getting louder. “You could break 11 hours. You can do this. You are
strong. You will not tire. You got this.” What if? What if I really could?<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Ron called on the phone again. “Don’t give up.” “Keep pushing.”</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
It might have been at Bort Meadows, mile 44.5, where I was
greeted by AS volunteers dressed for the Oktoberfest theme. They were quick to serve me a shot of beer! It tasted soooo good!!!!! How cool is that??</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
It was hot and my skin was wet with sweat. A climb at about 42 miles that seemed
to last forever, but was only a mile and half and less than 500 feet of
elevation gain, almost took the wind out of my sails, but I
continued to pass people and realized that I was strong and had only 7 or 8
miles to go. I had one VFuel left when I got to mile 45.5 and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Clyde</st1:city> <st1:state w:st="on">AS.</st1:state></st1:place> My
watch said about 10 hours total time. What if I could do 4.5 miles in one hour
and do sub 11 hours? I had no idea what the terrain was like for these last
miles. I knew it would be rolling trail back to the finish, but how hard would it be and
especially how hard with 45 miles on my legs?</div>
<br />
I left that AS with a mission. I called Ron and told him how
much I had left to run. I don’t think he expected me to beat 11:15 and I didn’t
tell him I was after an 11 hour finish. I hung up quickly, knowing I had to
conserve energy and focus. It would take everything I had to go after my goal
and I didn’t want to regret anything.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I continued to drop and pass people again. I ran the flats and downhills strong.
I even ran the few slight uphills. My quads hurt especially when I started to
run after hiking uphill, but the pain was just that, pain. Nothing to get upset
over and especially no reason to walk or slow down. I just went faster and
focused. My respiratory rate was increasing and I knew my heart rate was up
there. My focus was narrow and intense. Y’chi.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
There was the dam for Lake Chabot, less than 2 miles out from the finish.
And the rolling bike path around the lake as it headed back to the finish line
in the distance. That sure looked like a very long way! My watch said 10:45.
What if I could run less than a mile and a half in 15 minutes? Ha! Going to try, I
thought. Tried to call Ron to let him know I was gonna be early, but my phone died. I knew they would not be expecting me this soon. Well, they were going
to be surprised. I was not going to give up. I could push hard now. It would be
over soon and I wanted no regrets.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I ran hard, pushed and focused in a way that I never thought
I could after running for so long and with so many miles on my legs. The
highlight of that section was seeing a group of about twenty kids ages 8 to 15
maybe, on the trail with a few adults. They excitedly shouted, “here comes a
runner”! They moved to the side as I ran towards them. All I could do was smile
and breathe. One by one they lined up and stuck their arms out with open hands
so that I could high-five each of them as I ran by. One of the adults said,
“wow, she’s really moving, I hope she can keep up that pace!” Too tired and focused to respond, I said to
myself, “yeah, me too!” I felt like a rock star! My adrenalin surged and I felt invincible. A couple of hills slowed me to a walk, but I kept pressing
hard determined to never give up. I was almost there and then it would be over.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Katra, in her famous pink hair in pigtails and multiple
facial piercings and body tats was out there sweeping in the last marathoner and I waved at
her to say hi. “Redemption for TRT” I yelled back at her. She smiled and
offered her understanding and congratulations. She would know.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
And then it was there. The finish line. The most
extraordinary feeling on the planet, in my opinion, is crossing the finish line
of a race, any race, and especially one where you gave everything and know that
it was the best you could give. A platitude for many an ultrarunning race
report, but incredibly true and moving for anyone who has ever experienced it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRwL9GgtRekUFT_WRq22YdHPLzckPos0cwZYSHVaMzzjeeIhOaAmSPFuUZcut6ncpcTZCUAcQFuUsTVZcjtzwUujRE8NEXZiC2gZ8_159q4mujqjWK1OYx-pER_-Qy3_boVTYPeGKV0k/s1600/Firetrails+finish+-+Carol+&+Dave+greet+met+at+the+finish+line+w+volunteer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRwL9GgtRekUFT_WRq22YdHPLzckPos0cwZYSHVaMzzjeeIhOaAmSPFuUZcut6ncpcTZCUAcQFuUsTVZcjtzwUujRE8NEXZiC2gZ8_159q4mujqjWK1OYx-pER_-Qy3_boVTYPeGKV0k/s1600/Firetrails+finish+-+Carol+&+Dave+greet+met+at+the+finish+line+w+volunteer.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carol and Dave and a volunteer greet me at the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
A big smile on my face, I ran through the finish line strong and
happy to the core of my being; fully present in the exhilaration and the moment.
I had finished in 11:02. A negative split for the second half. A full 30
minutes faster than last year and good enough for third in my age group. A solid middle of the pack performance - 122 out of 247 finishers and 27th out of 80 women. Ron
and Carol and Dave were surprised to see me so soon. Ron said at the finish,
“now you can start fast and then run faster.” Yes, that may be possible now.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZyJszUJhF3Kf9QIJ7-m-TY8z3xWaU4SQhunZOv30FO36aTr_djwFcRPYVA17u3FxYD8lhrEPm0EXxB4xl7ArKqkPvwTW2w6GEl93GPUrn4rPOr1kIzFATyK2Xt2qOA3JamwmAMm1miY/s1600/Firetrails+finish+line+by+Facchino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZyJszUJhF3Kf9QIJ7-m-TY8z3xWaU4SQhunZOv30FO36aTr_djwFcRPYVA17u3FxYD8lhrEPm0EXxB4xl7ArKqkPvwTW2w6GEl93GPUrn4rPOr1kIzFATyK2Xt2qOA3JamwmAMm1miY/s1600/Firetrails+finish+line+by+Facchino.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
Carol ran a PR, nearly 35 minutes faster than she did this
marathon last year. Dave ran 20 seconds faster in his second ever marathon. Ron
crewed us all and kept a smile on his face with the perfect words of
encouragement and congratulations even though I know in his heart of hearts he
wanted nothing more than to be racing himself. Next year, buddy, next year. Thanks for all the photos!<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Thank you to my core running family – Dave and Ron and
Carol, and my running friends who thought of me and posted on FB. Thanks to my
dad who taught me to love the outdoors and adventure and will always be proud
of me. He tracked me the whole way as he always does via “Find My Friends” app on iPhone, and
anxiously awaited the report of my finish from Dave. Thanks to Helen Pelster
for her cheering and rubbing magic lotion on my aching quads at mile 41. Thanks to the volunteers at the aid stations - quick to assist and costumed brilliantly! I am
forever thankful to my ChiRunning family especially Danny Dreyer who created
this ChiRunning thing so average people can do extraordinary running. And to my
dear friends, Master Instructor David Stretanski who turned me on to VFuel and
ASEA, and Master Instructor Mary Lindahl who always listens to me, encourages
me and coaches me.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1620909_10152780333969725_5060101698391618774_n.jpg?oh=e48f3a33af32395c8a4cd614a86fb16f&oe=54BD79DC&__gda__=1425409974_1608b4e33a11ed40f2314ce859a6d04f" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Redemption is Sweet and Life is Good<br />
at the finish line with Dave<br />
photo - Chris Jones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b>Lessons learned:</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
1) VFuel works!!! When the melon is happy, the body can
perform. Do more frequently, every 45 minutes, and pre-race.<br />
<br />
2) The shoes worked. My feet were tired, but not sore.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
3) I need lots of calories. At least 200 per hour. My best
races have always been when I eat a lot. The VFuel, 100 calories per, aided
absorption significantly.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
4) Can’t do too much salt. S-Caps, food with salt
frequently.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
5) I can push hard when fueled well. I am much stronger
mentally than I thought. Imagine success. Imagine outside of who I think I am. Pain is just pain. There is a difference between good and bad. Knowing which is which is the key. I get it now.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
6) "Start fast, then you can go faster. " Yes, this might be possible in the future, but always with the goal of running a negative split. I'll stick to start slow and taper when needed.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
7) Strength work – air squats and lunges will be high on the
agenda during the off season </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Fear and negativity is
imagination undisciplined… Faith is imagination directed.” – Tony Robbins.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<img height="239" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQziCLvTy3C92PS0dzOHXse-Hb0xcLJLFKFUqUeycNdeQgVT_fJ4w" width="320" /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
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Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-2260578580470888112014-08-04T22:45:00.000-07:002014-08-04T22:45:22.036-07:00Follow up to TRT Race Report: Ok, maybe it's not the shoes, it's.... Morton's Foot?I thought that my shoes had a lot to do with the reason why
my feet hurt so much during my attempt to run <b><a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2014/07/race-report-2014-trt100-miles-july-19.html" target="_blank">100 miles on July 19.</a> </b>Then I
talked with my good friend Mary and told her that maybe my shoes were too soft
and that I needed a firmer platform. Mary, a Master ChiRunning Instructor and
extremely knowledgeable about the mechanics of injury and running, and what to
do when things go wrong, not so gently suggested that it might not be my shoes
and that I should look in to other reasons. Specifically, what was happening
with my foot muscles and, as I learned later as I began my investigation, the
structure of my feet that could be causing the pain.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
So I began to re-think about all the pain I had in my feet and
legs during the TRT on July 19. I began to realize that I always had pain in my
feet especially after 50 milers when the trail was rocky and technical. I had
always accepted it as part of the deal, but then began to realize that if I
ever hoped to finish anything longer than 50 miles, I needed to re-examine my
logic. Sore feet and legs at mile 50 would not take me through another 14 hours. Maybe instead of a firmer shoe, specifically a stiffer rear shoe to support the arch over the uneven trail surface, I needed
to look at the mechanics of my feet and legs. What was I missing? I am a
ChiRunning Instructor and have decent mastery of the technique. Perhaps that
was what had been saving me these last 4 years of running ultras – my ability
to relax, use alignment, gravity and the road to move me forward instead of
power and lower leg muscles and strength – but now that I am fit enough to
increase the intensity, duration and frequency of my running, and attempt 100
miles, I am beginning to feel the stress of an imperfect body, of the running biomechanics I was not blessed with.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I picked up the <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment-ebook/dp/B00ECLGALG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407206052&sr=1-1&keywords=trigger+point+therapy" target="_blank">“Trigger Point Therapy Book”</a> </b>and began to
read about feet and their muscles and the trigger points in the lower leg that
can be used to relieve pain. I first learned about Trigger Point therapy from
Mary several years ago when I was trying to find a cause and a solution to pain
that I was having on the top of my foot after the particularly difficult <b><a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2012/03/way-too-cool-50k-race-report.html" target="_blank">Way Too Cool 50K</a></b> I ran. Finding trigger points in my lower leg relieved pain at
the top of my foot. I’ve been a fan of trigger point therapy ever since.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The Trigger Point Therapy Book described Morton’s Foot and
although I have always known I’ve had Morton’s toe, or Morton’s foot, I read
about it again with interest and a bit of amazement to discover that something
I thought was a minor issue all my life was, perhaps, much more. <br />
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeBRiCF3X7lea0m7AV758OTvMdzRon6N82XJtp3if44z49SEKStllrb5MWnRw71XU3jalumyW5n5xGmwCNV-L2cKjkbgpBQEC5iHGO44I9itz-6cKydOP7zqm-C1a14P85BZcEKAOZew/s1600/Mortons+foot+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeBRiCF3X7lea0m7AV758OTvMdzRon6N82XJtp3if44z49SEKStllrb5MWnRw71XU3jalumyW5n5xGmwCNV-L2cKjkbgpBQEC5iHGO44I9itz-6cKydOP7zqm-C1a14P85BZcEKAOZew/s1600/Mortons+foot+pic.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Description of Morton's Foot and The Elevated First<br />Metatarsal. The top picture shows the deeper space between the first<br />and second metatarsal and the longer second metatarsal.<br />The lower picture shows the elevated first metatarsal that 80% of the<br />population has according to Posture Dynamics.<br /><i>Taken from Posture Dynamics flier</i><br />I resemble these feet!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Morton’s foot occurs in about 25% of the population and is
defined by a longer second metatarsal than the first. It can cause many
different chronic problems and pain in the feet and lower legs including metatarsal head
soreness (soreness in the ball of the foot), Achilles tendonitis, and plantar
fasciitis. Not to mention problems in the knees such as runners’ knee from ITB
syndrome, internal tibial rotation (knock knees) that can stress the knee’s
ACL, hip problems, a forward tilt of the pelvis and upper body, and imbalances
in posture and gait, to name a few.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I googled Morton’s Toe/foot and found <a href="http://www.mortonsfoot.com/mortonsfoot.html" target="_blank"><b>Mortonsfoot.com</b></a> that details the definition and what the solution is. Here is how to determine Morton’s foot:</div>
<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Simply
measure the length of the second metatarsal and compare that to the first.
A longer second metatarsal is Morton’s toe. You can estimate the length by measuring the length of the toes from the heads of the first and second metatarsals.</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">If the
space between the first and second toe is deeper than the space between
the second and third toe, that is Morton’s toe/foot.</li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Do the
knee bend test: From<b> </b></span><i><a href="http://www.mortonsfoot.com/index.html" target="_blank"><b>Posture Dynamics</b></a></i> – “Without shoes, stand on a hard
floor – your feet shoulder width apart, feet parallel and toes pointing
straight forward. Do a ¼ knee bend. Keep your heels on the floor, and
force your knees to move straight forward over your third toes. (imagine an invisible line from the center of your knee cap to your third toe.) If you
have Morton’s foot you will feel your weight on the outside edges of your
feet and little or no pressure under your big toes. From this position,
move your knees slowly inward until you feel weight bearing pressure under
the balls of your feet behind your big toes and on the inside edges of your feet. Stop moving your knees together when you feel equal weight over your first and fifth metatarsal. If the center lines of your
knees moves past your third toes towards your big toes, you probably have Morton’s toe.” <span style="color: blue; font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.mortonsfoot.com/pickingrightpci.html"><b>http://www.mortonsfoot.com/pickingrightpci.html</b></a></span></li>
</ul>
Other physical signs of Morton’s foot include:<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">A hypermobile big toe - hard to see unless the foot is in motion.</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">An
elevated big toe compared to the other toes. “An elevated first metatarsal
can be observed when the feet are aligned so your knees travel straight
over the middle of your feet when you do a knee bend. While the second
through fifth metatarsals are firmly on the ground, the first, and strongest
metatarsal is not on the ground and properly weight bearing. It is
elevated.” </span><i>Posture Dynamics</i>.</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">A callous under the second and third metatarsals instead of the first
(normal when weight bearing is distributed over the first and fifth
metatarsal correctly.)</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Severe
Pronation as the foot attempts to ground the big toe leading to overworked
lower leg muscles, OR</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">In my
case, supination also leading to overworked lower leg muscles.</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">A duck
footed (everted feet or splayed feet) gait. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUms-XZsSzvuE3DcSUhdNwOZ8C5PjiEWLh4ffgTxbRVDT7UOEn8PReBh6hlN-sH_F8M5fwbzXH9Bddyw70wCI-faBJbBWIFP38_7RsPhdDXcYxq6hh6FygkmPumFAIiqr9y1Zv5EPbQLs/s1600/Cheryl+rear+R+foot+%2526+L+arm+splay+Asheville+11-13.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUms-XZsSzvuE3DcSUhdNwOZ8C5PjiEWLh4ffgTxbRVDT7UOEn8PReBh6hlN-sH_F8M5fwbzXH9Bddyw70wCI-faBJbBWIFP38_7RsPhdDXcYxq6hh6FygkmPumFAIiqr9y1Zv5EPbQLs/s1600/Cheryl+rear+R+foot+%2526+L+arm+splay+Asheville+11-13.PNG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right foot splay with compensatory left elbow and knock knees.<br />November 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
It began to dawn on me that my running gait and all my non-running and running injuries and pain might be related to Morton's Foot: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>My tibial torsioned lower legs (knock knees) could have lead to increased strain on my knees leading to the two ACL injuries and multiple meniscal tears I've had from skiing. </li>
<li>My life long duck footed stance and gait</li>
<li>The huge callouses under my second and third metatarsal heads.</li>
<li>The lower leg soreness and tightness, and sore feet at the metatarsal heads</li>
</ul>
<div>
I even wrote a blog about <a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2013/12/discovering-my-right-big-toe-so-its.html" target="_blank"><b>weighting my big toe back in December 2013</b></a> in order to fix my duck feet! I was able to focus on alignment and weighting my big toe, but it took months before it began to feel automatic. Perhaps, I had been forcing my feet to do something that would not help them compensate for the Morton's Foot which they had been doing my whole life through supination, foot splay and two point weighting. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The solution to “fixing” Morton’s foot is simple: place a
small pad under the first metatarsal to bring the first metatarsal to the
ground so that weighting is distributed equally over the first and fifth metatarsal instead of over the second and third. Instead of weighting on an ice skate blade (one point under my second and third metatarsals and one point under the heel), I'd be weighting on tripods like "normal" feet!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCukKsl9cnFQLWYb6w7jGXH53If-0hic4d_zxjy2Y5ez15TVbJiHEEknlKH97xjlyVUCxITsnOvADb8JESJqlu4h7LJUvVbnVxGxOxF33rp2gLQMdARUuvGDYJEo-DA5bjtia8quEcRo/s1600/stability_tripod.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCukKsl9cnFQLWYb6w7jGXH53If-0hic4d_zxjy2Y5ez15TVbJiHEEknlKH97xjlyVUCxITsnOvADb8JESJqlu4h7LJUvVbnVxGxOxF33rp2gLQMdARUuvGDYJEo-DA5bjtia8quEcRo/s1600/stability_tripod.gif" height="320" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Posture Dynamics</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyd52tql4fphm_Fr8x1vKhm52V0neYrgMOBKf1PpLpc80VZGKQSH60Qy61AbuTp7BgCujDL2rgEVpf5dzu43bZ42pcwsFAqSOItmlfC_frB-OVYHEb9_AgayujluVo1KlKLRTg56-f3Q/s1600/Feet+tripod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyd52tql4fphm_Fr8x1vKhm52V0neYrgMOBKf1PpLpc80VZGKQSH60Qy61AbuTp7BgCujDL2rgEVpf5dzu43bZ42pcwsFAqSOItmlfC_frB-OVYHEb9_AgayujluVo1KlKLRTg56-f3Q/s1600/Feet+tripod.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Correct distribution of weight over equal points over<br />the first and fifth metatarsal heads and the heel<br />forming a tripod</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
I cut out a small piece of an old shoe insert and taped it
to the bottom of my running shoe inserts with Duct tape. The Trigger Point
Therapy book said I only needed about 4 mm of padding to make a difference, but
I think the pad I made was less than that. I went for a couple of runs with my
home made inserts and really didn’t notice a difference. The balls of my feet didn't hurt though so this was good, I thought.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWGXRXsljKWIxB4kKWnRGuTEmyGd3y2ktxD9ZoXi7SI9le57XwftOQ6QJRyCn8lafrq1LBY1IYDmbV1bXj5BVb7LaBTyF_TW1mmkwAF4BVYP7u8rQJKDaxT2S46bmxC0p55ZZw3aWoo0/s1600/homemade+insert+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWGXRXsljKWIxB4kKWnRGuTEmyGd3y2ktxD9ZoXi7SI9le57XwftOQ6QJRyCn8lafrq1LBY1IYDmbV1bXj5BVb7LaBTyF_TW1mmkwAF4BVYP7u8rQJKDaxT2S46bmxC0p55ZZw3aWoo0/s1600/homemade+insert+pic.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My homemade version of a Morton's foot fix</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I went back to the internet and found <a href="http://Mortonsfoot.com/"><b>Mortonsfoot.com</b></a> and
Posture Dynamics. There, I read much more about Morton’s foot than what was in The Trigger Point Therapy Book, then called the owner of Posture
Dynamics and asked about their flexible, ultrathin inserts. She was certain that
I could relieve my symptoms with their inserts. I knew I was on the right track when she questioned me about my feet and running shoes. For the inserts to work correctly I would need to be wearing a neutral, non-motion controlled shoe without posting or a curved last. All my running shoes fit that description. The conversation made me hopeful and I was encouraged that I might be able to begin correcting a biomechanical issue that I had so far been lucky not to have debilitating injuries or pain from, but could possibly worsen as I age and continue to run. So I spent the $70 and bought them. She assured me that there was a 90 day trial period and money back guarantee.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I was to start with the insert with the 3.5 mm wedge under
the first metatarsal, then after about 10 days, move to the 6 mm size. I
ordered a pair and they arrived in time for me to do a 3 hour, 15 miler on
trails yesterday.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinUrU_HvFpr-3LM2_YwjWcdkVJrZK7zOLWGGGb3l7E1rhSB9wRuCS8i7pn_QL_3N5tWIltV2TDEZhkuutuXJPlrblBt44oKQmfV0I8eC3uaInIe3-RMoMktBZyF-vXyZtgxHKzpX4KI0/s1600/ultrathin_thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinUrU_HvFpr-3LM2_YwjWcdkVJrZK7zOLWGGGb3l7E1rhSB9wRuCS8i7pn_QL_3N5tWIltV2TDEZhkuutuXJPlrblBt44oKQmfV0I8eC3uaInIe3-RMoMktBZyF-vXyZtgxHKzpX4KI0/s1600/ultrathin_thumbnail.jpg" /></a></div>
I put them in my Skecher GoBionic Trails, a very soft,
flexible, cushioned, zero-drop, neutral last shoe and took off to run the
hilly, rocky trails behind my house.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I kept an intense focus on my feet for the whole run
making sure that I was relaxed and being sensitive to any pain or tension in my
feet or lower legs. I could feel the elevated pad under my first metatarsal head, but after a few minutes, the sensation disappeared and I relaxed into my run.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
About an hour in to my run, I noticed that my feet were easily relaxed and I was weighting the inside of my foot and the big toe with what seemed to be less mental focus and less effort! My legs felt good, my feet were relaxed and felt natural, not forced to be in a straight line position. Wow.<br />
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwter_HM3dg-IgRMuEl7QtyAsDlMIn5SPmU3t1pEWn3TqQmeF6-SqKYbeFCY6o7_WhmVoIP6JKczil-ke2ImYPd86MY9UbBfSnin4LOOEinZkwanQStEMKOMODLG7oxQUVjFwQnb0jWlY/s1600/solematelogofoot.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwter_HM3dg-IgRMuEl7QtyAsDlMIn5SPmU3t1pEWn3TqQmeF6-SqKYbeFCY6o7_WhmVoIP6JKczil-ke2ImYPd86MY9UbBfSnin4LOOEinZkwanQStEMKOMODLG7oxQUVjFwQnb0jWlY/s1600/solematelogofoot.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">oh geez is this geriatric?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
That afternoon, I pasted the Solemates (a thick pad with adhesive)
on to the bottom of my feet under the first metatarsals so I could wear my
Tevas. The folks at Posture Dynamics had kindly sent me a sample. I was reminded of my mother who used to put pads on her bunions! I felt like I had officially arrived on the geriatric doorstep.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
That night, we went to see The Doobie Brothers and <st1:city w:st="on">Boston</st1:city>
at <st1:city w:st="on">Harvey</st1:city>’s Outdoor Arena in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">South Lake Tahoe</st1:city></st1:place> and spent the whole evening
dancing on my feet. It was indeed a senior event. No one under 40 here!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvP8BIcAfwb_l736YYYAisCmeNb4PND-IJNaP8nmtcfovKDARmMidnU_rOhYf0wOtKEO5DKLxzIjdaArA0QXhvJ-FEkKRLiGkSGhrMru5AQq_Le5OPGButmPI76uxkoMVMncRNMXIcBGw/s1600/Boston+concert+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvP8BIcAfwb_l736YYYAisCmeNb4PND-IJNaP8nmtcfovKDARmMidnU_rOhYf0wOtKEO5DKLxzIjdaArA0QXhvJ-FEkKRLiGkSGhrMru5AQq_Le5OPGButmPI76uxkoMVMncRNMXIcBGw/s1600/Boston+concert+pic.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
This morning I woke up <b>without</b> soreness in my feet and my
calves were supple and soft. I cautiously stood up to get out of bed and my feet weren’t sore! Wow, could I have found a solution to my sore feet, knock knees and duck walk/run?<br />
I hope so.<br />
<br />
What's really cool is just being able to think this through and experiment to find out what will work. I want to keep running for a long time. This is just another piece of that journey.<br />
<br />
Oh and I signed up for Firetrails 50M October 11. So, as I begin to build mileage again for that little race for redemption I'll be interested to see how this "fix" helps my foot pain. I'm an experiment of one, so if needed I can go to a stiffer shoe, but for now, one variable at a time.<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-39527928667678814192014-07-22T15:09:00.002-07:002014-07-23T07:42:13.277-07:00RACE REPORT 2014 TRT100 Miles July 19... What? The ChiRunning Instructor blames the shoes???I didn’t finish. Did not run 100 miles. Didn’t make it. DNF.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
It was my shoes. Well one of the reasons anyway. A bit embarrassing to say, but yes, the ChiRunning Instructor who claims “it’s not
about the shoes” had a problem with the shoes in my attempt to run 100 miles for the
first time! There was another reason, too, that I’ll get into later. As I
struggled through the last 20 miles of the 80 I completed, I thought that I
would likely never ever try doing a 100 mile race again. And then, a few hours
later after a great breakfast in Incline with friends and family, a shower and
a few hours of sleep, remarkably, that thought changed. But I’m getting ahead of the
story. So I’ll start from the beginning. With the shoes.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In the weeks leading up to the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 mile
race, July 19, I was confident in my training and my fitness. I had had an excellent
month of long training runs in June and knew that I was ready to attempt my
first 100. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started running in my new
Go-Bionic Trail shoes by Skechers only a month before the race, and I loved
them despite the color- pink that actually I grew to like. The longest run I did in them was 34 miles and I had
less than 100 miles in them. I decided to use them for TRT – I loved the
cushion, the flexibility and the aggressive sole for trails. They were softer
than my Altras in the rear foot which didn’t seem significant to me at the
time. And anyway, it’s not really about the shoes, right? I was confident that
my running form was optimal and that my ability to focus would get me through
tough times, so why be concerned about making a minor change in my shoes.... right? This from someone who took 8 months of transitioning from a fully supported, posted, orthotic inserted, high heeled, stiff and heavy running shoe, to a "minimal" shoe with little cushion, maximal flexibility and zero drop, 4 years ago.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I still had doubts about my ability to complete 100 miles,
(who doesn’t?) and it seemed that other runners who know me had more confidence
in my ability than I did. I realized with great clarity that it would be my
mental preparation that would be critical to my race strategy and completion of
100 miles. I practiced visualization, positive affirmations and reviewed the
race in my head over and over again. I practiced what I would think about when
it would get “bad” and how I would express myself in a positive way. I
practiced gratitude and acknowledgement of the opportunity to get to do this
race. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWduG88tBWDSexmn36AjntBGCcmRHHqk-OuI-a_0Nor50itpiojbApMZcWhEp8RUnDwuZaFkS4LhQBRAW7NWySMPIb5sfB_NG2co9jY8j0rde0ViRrinjNAh2kCpkplgTWSqJIDHl7hs/s1600/the+Wed+before+TRT+at+the+falls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWduG88tBWDSexmn36AjntBGCcmRHHqk-OuI-a_0Nor50itpiojbApMZcWhEp8RUnDwuZaFkS4LhQBRAW7NWySMPIb5sfB_NG2co9jY8j0rde0ViRrinjNAh2kCpkplgTWSqJIDHl7hs/s1600/the+Wed+before+TRT+at+the+falls.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wednesday before the race I ran to the falls at Mt Rose.<br />
Feeling good, feeling ready.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I had my nutrition/fueling plan dialed in, or so I thought,
even though I had no experience over the 50 mile distance to test it. It was
probably my biggest concern and as it turned out, I was right about that, but
for reasons entirely different than I expected.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The week before the race I wrote out my race strategy and
shared it with my crew. My crew!! They were amazing!! If there’s one thing I
learned more than any other ultra, the 100 mile distance requires great people
to get one person to the finish. And I had a great crew. My training partner, Ron Nageotte, was my crew
leader. He has been my ultrarunning mentor, friend, and training partner for the last 4
years. We were going to train for and race TRT together, but in mid-May he
couldn’t run due to a torn medial meniscus (cartilage in his knee). As my
training intensity increased through June, he was there for me anyway,
encouraging, reassuring and advising despite his own disappointment and sadness
in not being able to train for, or run TRT. I knew I would be running TRT to
validate everything he believed in me as a runner. I couldn’t let him down.
It would be like letting me down.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Dave, my husband, was responsible for my supply bag and my
cooler. He had also planned to pace me the last 20 miles. He made sure I had
what I needed and I know that he had to bust butt to get to me when I came into
the 30 mile, Diamond Peak Aid station earlier than planned. He made it look easy
as he managed all my supplies and requests with unconditional support.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Carol Nageotte, the amazing 50 mile aid station captain,
Ron’s wife, and no stranger to finishing 100 miles sent me out of the 50 mile
aid station Saturday evening with an inspiring “you can do this”. With her bright
smile and the intensity in her eyes, I left feeling like I could do it just
because she said so!</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
My 81 year old dad has always been there for the biggest athletic challenges in my life. He decided to spend the weekend supporting me again. He also
volunteered to work the 50 mile aid station with Carol and her team all day and
had the time of his life. She put him to work and told me later that she wants
to hire him for next year.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Lastly, I cannot find words to express how grateful I am for
Ken Kasterko, my pacer. Ken learned ChiRunning from me in 2011 and has been
practicing those skills ever since. His journey in life as a runner, pacer,
ultrarunner volunteer/organizer, and friend of many, make him a jewel of our
crazy sport. I had no idea how blessed I was to have him until well into the
night when I couldn’t think anymore. Ken paced me from Spooner to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place> – all night and Sunday morning. He
was there at the start at 5 am on Saturday morning to see me off. He's also a Pastor ministering to churches in Reno and Tahoe. Right before
the start he took my hands and prayed to God for my safe travel. He worked all day helping to set up the 50 mile aid station and helping
runners, then when I came in around 7 pm he helped get me ready to head out
again with his gentle hands and serving presence that was powerful but never
pressuring. As we left the aid station to head out into the night, we gathered
ourselves alone in the fading light under the trees. He stopped me and took my hands in his and prayed for me again.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCia_7jaIR19jImqhty0rL-0ZLv9HKU8joaZlEni6nvmQaKjIIPd9hq-jhGrrpun07Jt4hZxnMv8rj8t_i291Zb1lVf_vWd8o6db8X13WyOdVj1HpRfpQp7Kq3_Q9MJ1Ce2ew-bAt8uk/s1600/Bib+for+TRT+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCia_7jaIR19jImqhty0rL-0ZLv9HKU8joaZlEni6nvmQaKjIIPd9hq-jhGrrpun07Jt4hZxnMv8rj8t_i291Zb1lVf_vWd8o6db8X13WyOdVj1HpRfpQp7Kq3_Q9MJ1Ce2ew-bAt8uk/s1600/Bib+for+TRT+2014.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Goddess of TRT Registration, Angela<br />
customized my bib</td></tr>
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<u><b>Back to the start of the race.</b></u></div>
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I ate well the day before and on race morning, I woke
feeling excited. The day was finally here! I ate my proven breakfast of instant
oatmeal and cranberries. My dad drove me to the start and we arrived by 4:30
am. I ate a banana along the way. I was glad to not have queasiness and knew
that I had under control any anxiety about the day. The starting area was full
of energy and hugs were everywhere as we met each other in the bright lights
and wished each other a great day of running.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-TiOWojQBDy4bYakVhwU1Ba665k84kg2N2twBDErZqvGzu58Fa0Xj1CjV8AAc1dnTym2TYGSryU6WW4VZz_zhrkinxUm-MxZuaNNwXBiv4-XPsbOm6hhFtzKXqcT3oxOmMsXyG4vPbk/s1600/Leslie+and+me+before+the+start+of+2014+TRT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-TiOWojQBDy4bYakVhwU1Ba665k84kg2N2twBDErZqvGzu58Fa0Xj1CjV8AAc1dnTym2TYGSryU6WW4VZz_zhrkinxUm-MxZuaNNwXBiv4-XPsbOm6hhFtzKXqcT3oxOmMsXyG4vPbk/s1600/Leslie+and+me+before+the+start+of+2014+TRT.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leslie and I before starting. She eventually met her goal to finish under 30 hours<br />
and take second in our age group<br />
- photo by Cheryl Surface</td></tr>
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Ron was filming every hug and
greeting and I was happy that he had found something meaningful to do to keep
his mind off not being in the race. Gracious and smiling behind the camera, he never showed his real feelings about not being able to run. A beautiful rendition of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
anthem was sung and then, we were off running into the early morning darkness
quickly turning light. Ron was at the edge of the group filming our start and I waived to
him and all the others who cheered us.</div>
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The run up to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> was a combination
run/hike as expected and I felt good as we all chatted our excitement and settled in to our
pace. I saw Leslie Wunder, a veteran of several 100’s and in my age group, and
Helen Pelster, a few years younger and in her first 100, and noted how strong
they looked. I was running with them and that helped my confidence.</div>
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The climb up to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city></st1:place>
was uneventful, running wise anyway. A man dressed in a red circus tux sat on an
eight foot high unicycle cracking a large bull whip near the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city></st1:place> aid station – Circus theme this year.
My friend Mary Berge-Hataway was bike patrolling for the race and she cheered as I ran by. A
few yards later I saw the sign that she had made for me hanging from a tree –
“Go Cheryl” in bright pink Jerry Garcia lettering. My adrenaline surged and my
hopes soared that this could be my day to finish 100. I arrived at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hobart</st1:place></st1:city> feeling strong and
I left quickly after eating some fruit, PB&J sandwich and filling my
plastic bag with more. I was drinking well, but it was cool and I didn't need to fill my pack to make it to Tunnel Creek, the aid station where I would visit 6 times if I completed the run. The climb to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place> was beautiful in the
early morning light, and the descent into Tunnel Creek was easy and fun. I met
and ran with Pedro, from southern Cal, into Tunnel – his easy, non-braking pace on the
downhill and smart hiking of the rollers made us a good match. Right before TC I drank a mouthful of ASEA (and continued to drink ASEA throughout the day
about every 4 hours.) Rolling in to Tunnel Creek around 11 miles, I felt good
and spent little time there eating fruit, Cosco’s version of Ensure, and
PB&J sandwiches. The RedHouse Loop, 6 miles, went by fast, thankfully. I ran it well, hiking only the steeps and long gradual uphills and running all the flats. I saw Jenny Capel fly by in
her 50 mile race where she eventually took second for women. When I climbed out
of Red House with Leslie and came in to Tunnel Creek (19 miles) for the second
time, I was well on schedule for my pacing goal and my weight was down only 1.2
pounds. I ate fruit and PB&J and
Ensure again.</div>
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Heading out to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place> on the rolling,
mostly uphill trail, I felt strong and was well settled into a comfortable
pace. I noticed about this time that my feet were a bit tender, especially my
left medial arch, but I didn’t think anything of it. I usually don’t have a
problem with my feet so I thought it wouldn’t get any worse. </div>
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At the top of <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mt.</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Rose</st1:placename>, about 3.5 miles from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
(30 miles), I realized that I was way ahead of my pace. I was running with
Pedro again and we began the descent on the Tyrolean downhill into Diamond. It
was somewhere during that descent that I realized I better call Dave and my
crew because I was going to get in much earlier than I had planned. “Sorry to
call so late, but I’m gonna get there sooner than 1:30 pm. I’m trying to go
slow, really!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "Take it easy, Cheri, you've got a long way ahead of you", my dad said over the phone. </span>Except for my slightly
sore left foot which I had been focusing on relaxing as much as I could, I felt
tremendous and was excited that this first 30 miles had gone by so well. I didn't feel like I was pushing and my energy was great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed Leslie running down Tyrolean and
thought that was a good sign for me that I was still running near her.</div>
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Dave had to scramble to get to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
Ron and my dad quickly left Spooner to drive up to help crew me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I was 45 minutes in earlier to Diamond
than expected, I took time to eat, change my socks and cool off with the cold
water from a hose that Mark was so generously spraying on the runners! Leslie
came into Diamond after me, but left a good 10 minutes before me. I was
confident I might see her again or at least be closely behind her. I had arrived at Diamond Peak 15 minutes faster than I did last year for the 50 mile race and yet I felt energized and not like I had pushed.</div>
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I hiked the 2 mile, 2400 foot climb out of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
at my goal pace and began the 3.5 mile descent in to the Tunnel Creek aid
station. I noticed that my quads were slightly tender and thought how unusual
that was. I shouldn’t feel any soreness this early. And my feet were getting sorer, too. I
took more ibuprofen. Not good signs and not typical for me at this distance,
this pace and this trail that I knew so well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran with a nice man from <st1:city w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:city>,
for a bit as we approached TC and he asked me if it was going to rain over <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snow</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>. “Nah, I don’t think
so,” I answered. The confident local who knows these mountains. Right.</div>
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I left <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">TC</st1:city>
<st1:state w:st="on">AS</st1:state></st1:place> quickly, once again eating
mostly fruit. I was still doing S Caps about one per hour. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started to sprinkle. I had not brought my
jacket that I had stashed in my drop bag at Tunnel. From behind me, I
heard a man’s voice, “Hey weather lady, it’s the guy from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:place></st1:city>, I thought you said it wasn’t going
to rain!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We laughed as we climbed <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak together</st1:placetype></st1:place>. It was a long hike, but I was
feeling ok except for my feet. I arrived at <st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city>
again, left there quickly taking <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kirkland</st1:place></st1:city>
“Ensure” once again for calories. A steady rain began to fall as we began the
long climb up to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snow</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
As I climbed out of tree-line, lightening lit up the late afternoon sky dark
with heavy black clouds – all very close. The lightening cracked loudly with
almost simultaneous thunder. It was enough to make me jump except I didn’t have
the energy. It was exciting and I was more thrilled at the incredible beauty of
a thunderstorm high on top of a ridge line than I was scared. Oh yeah, a little dangerous to be on a ridge at 9200 feet without cover in a lightening storm! But
what was I to do but keep moving forward and enjoy the show? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed several runners on the trail, a few were
terrified. Light rain still, but I was acutely aware that I had not picked up
my light jacket from my drop bag at TC. Damn. I hoped the rain wouldn’t get heavier. </div>
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As I approached the last climb before the Snow Valley Peak
AS it began to rain harder and I got drenched. Wearing only a singlet and
shorts, I got cold quickly as the slight breeze cooled my wet skin. A man
standing outside the Snow Valley Peak AS said, “m’am, we don’t advise you going into the
tent due to the lightening danger”. I just looked at him and thought, ok, but
I’m soaked and I need food and a trash bag to get off this mountain without hypothermia.
I ran into the AS tent. Mile 44 I think it is, and saw a few other runners
huddled in jackets and trash bags. The AS volunteers told me they didn’t have
any trash bags left. All the runners before me had taken all they had. I had
two choices; sit there and hope for the storm to pass and risk getting
hypothermic waiting there, or; take my chances and run down the mountain, get
below the ridge and in to the trees where it would hopefully be warmer and I
could dry off. After a few seconds of contemplation and not eating, but knowing
my water supply was good, I looked at no one in particular and said, “I’m outta
here, bye.”</div>
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I ran out of the tent into the downpour thoroughly soaked
with cold arms and legs, but my core was warm and I thought I would be ok. A little scared that I would get hypothermic, I
began to run and willed myself to stay warm. If the wind is blowing at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snow</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>, the few hundred feet
right after the AS is where it blows the hardest and indeed, as I left the
relative warmth of the tent, it hit me full force. Driving cold rain. BRRR, I
was cold. I ran, forgetting the pain in my feet and the growing pain in my legs
especially in my upper left quad. I ran past people struggling with their trash
bags or their jackets. I ran down my most favorite part of the TRT course and
for about 30 minutes forgot the rain, the cold and the pain. I was in the moment just loving that I could run on my beloved trail. The lightening and
thunder continued and I watched with excitement and wonderment at the beauty of
the mountains. Like a hero in a comic book, I thought I could outrun the
lightening and stay safe. So I did.</div>
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Below tree line, the warmth increased, the trees sheltered
me and my skin dried. I had escaped a hypothermic episode despite my stupidity
of not grabbing my jacket at TC. BUT the pain was increasing and I found myself
walking with about 4 miles left to go before Spooner (50 Miles). I called Ron
for some encouragement and to give him an update. He reassured me and told me
to just take it easy and that they would get me warm and take care of me when I
got in. It was good to hear his voice and I imagined he was running with me on the trail, happy and smiling at the "adversity" that we would surely overcome. But I was worried. I love this section of trail and I have always run it no
matter how tired I am. Now here I was walking because my feet and quads hurt
too much. Not good.</div>
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I arrived at Spooner on time! Well almost. Ron said, “You’re
a minute late!” My goal was 14 hours and I did it. Ok, 14:01. But in the back of my mind was the sobering thought that things weren't optimal. My legs and feet were not doing what I expected and I didn’t know how or if I could correct it. The cheers as I arrived at “Stone Henge”; the nickname
for the 50 mile aid station, were loud and uplifting. I smiled as I climbed the
few feet to my crew who surrounded me and led me to a chair.</div>
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I felt like a Ferrari in a NASCAR pit with all the people
helping me and asking me what I wanted to eat, drink and wear. I took all my clothes off under the cover of towels and blankets as a lot of people stared at the organized chaos of a crew trying to help their runner all at the same time. I stuck to my plan of tights and long sleeve Patagonia shirt with a light jacket despite the fact that I could tell it was warm from what people were wearing around me. New socks and a new pair of Gobionics. I packed my homemade coconut oil bars in my pack (coconut oil, rice bran solubles, activated barley, dates, almonds, dash of cinamon and salt) knowing that they would sustain me for much of the night.<br />
The energy was
high and I had no time to even consider how badly I felt. I just hoped that my
quads would recover and the sitting time would relieve the pain in my feet. Ken worked gently on my legs and silently prepared me for our night. Ron asked me four times if I wanted a potato with salt. I opted for broth and Ensure instead.</div>
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<b><u>The Second Half</u></b><br />
Ken and I left Spooner at 7:45 pm to start the second
50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was walking at a decent pace and
was grateful for the hills as an excuse. We dropped in to Marlette as the sun
was setting. Chet ran up to us from behind and I asked him how he was
doing. His back was really bothering him and I told him that my quads were
shot. He laughed and said "blown quads are nothing", to just keep moving. Then he was
gone with a wish to me for a good night.</div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The climb up to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hobart</st1:place></st1:city>
was accompanied by swarms of biting mosquitoes that kept my arms flying around my head and neck and my mind off the pain. We saw a couple of runners who
had turned around to go back to Spooner and drop. One told us she was terrified
of going back up on the ridges with the storms and lightening. Ken and I talked about
my feet and how I couldn’t figure out why I was having such soreness. It was
unusual and unexpected. Ken suggested that I put on my Altras that were in my
drop bag at Tunnel Creek. As we talked, it began to dawn on me that maybe my
Skechers were too soft for what I was used to.</div>
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We passed a runner going up the steep hill to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hobart</st1:place></st1:city>. Ken asked how he
was doing and he replied that he was “in a bit of a slump.” He didn’t have a
pacer and I invited him to join us if he could. I said I had a great pacer and
he was a pastor, too. He said, “well at least he can give last rites.” Too
funny. “Hey Ken, you can double bill yourself as a pacer who can give last
rites.” I’m not sure, but I think Ken thought it was funny. Maybe I was just
giddy, but it’s still funny to me even as I write this. Morbid runner humor.</div>
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Many times during the night, Ken gave his usual, “Great job
runner!” as they came towards us or passed us. One said, “You must be a pacer –
you’re too chipper!” Ken wanted to help everyone who seemed to need it and he did when he could catching up to me quickly as I plodded along.</div>
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We arrived at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Hobart</st1:city></st1:place>,
about mile 56 and I sat for a few minutes despite Ken telling me not to. Ensure
and broth and I was on my way again. Made it to the top of Marlette and began
the descent in to Tunnel Creek. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ken
tried to get me to run the easy downhill and I was able to shuffle a few steps.
It was not pretty. I so wanted to run and had so expected that I would be able
to on this section.</div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Arrived in Tunnel Creek for the fourth time and I sat to drink Ensure and broth.
John, Lon and Robert greeted me and asked how I was doing. I put on a good face
and we chatted about my chances of getting around the Red House Loop in time. I
put on my Altras to see if I could save my feet, but I didn’t notice a
difference and realized it was probably too late at this point. As we descended
in to the Red House loop, I saw Leslie coming out. She was at least 2 hours
ahead of me and looked great. She would go on to finish sub-30 hours and second
in our age group. It gave me hope to see her, but I could feel her energy was
strong and in comparison to mine, I was no where near that. </div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We walked the Red House Loop and arrived back at Tunnel
Creek, 6.3 miles and 3 hours later. Slow is hardly the word for it. My legs were spent. I sat. I was only 30 minutes ahead of the
cutoff to leave TC. John and Lon squatted down in front of me to be with me. I
told them about my painful quads and how every step was a knife. Lon massaged
my left leg and found a huge knot at the top. He asked me what I had been
eating all day. I told him fruit, Ensure, about one S-Cap an hour. He shook his
head sadly and said that I probably needed salt, S-Caps were often not absorbed
properly. I knew that, but the truth was now really beginning to hit home. He got up and came back with a potato covered with about a ¼ tsp of
salt and told me to eat it. It tasted good. It was then that I realized I had
not had any real salty food all dayexcept some broth. No potato chips, no pretzels, no potatoes.
AND, despite my instructions to my crew to ask me to eat potatoes with salt at
aid stations, I had refused their offers at every aid station. </div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
It was 3:53 am when John told me I had about 10 minutes to leave Tunnel Creek. The tears
came briefly as I realized in my heart of hearts that I could not possibly
finish. Anger. Saddness. Relief. Disappointment. Even embarrassment. I had two choices: drop and wait out an
agonizing few hours of disappointment at Tunnel before I could get driven out,
or continue to move forward knowing full well I would be fairly miserable and I
would drop for certain at Diamond. I chose the latter knowing I wanted to give
everything I had. The race would have to quit me. I was not going to quit.</div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I sat there for a few moments
struggling with this choice, as John and Lon stayed with me not encouraging me
either way. Then I said let’s go. Ken handed me my pack and I stood up and
began to walk. John said something like, “you’re a brave lady”, and “you have a
lot of courage” as I walked in to the darkness. So this is what courage is, I thought.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Arrived at the Bullwheel aid
station as the night became day and a volunteer had just crawled out of his tent to greet us. I still had about 8 miles to go to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>. My race was over and Ken and I both
knew it. We just weren't saying so. We should have taken a left turn and walked the 2 miles down the
mountain, but it didn’t occur to us to shorten the agony so we continued on the trail. The sweeps
caught us before we got to the top of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Mt.</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Rose</st1:placename></st1:place>
and, at my request, they followed us at a respectful distance cleaning the course. Ken called
my crew with an update and they began to hike up to meet us. They met us with
about 4 miles to go. Carol, Ron, my dad and Dave greeted us with warm smiles, high energy and laughter. I was thankful for their words of congratulations and encouragement instead of the somber looks of pity and sympathy that I imagined would be on their faces. Carol was thoughtful to bring me some hiking poles to help relieve
the downhill pressure on my screaming quads. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
And finally, it was over in the
parking lot at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Diamond</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>: 80 miles with the
last 15 hours of just my will moving me forward.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><u>So what did I learn? Two critical
amateur errors cost me the finish.</u></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
1) The longest run I did in my
Skechers was 34 miles and that was only 4 weeks before the race. I failed to
notice that they are more flexible in the rear foot than my Altras. My feet
weren’t strong enough for the more flexible shoe. I had violated a basic rule
in running – never, ever change something that close to a race (I didn't think it was that close, but this was 100 miles, not a 50K!) and even more
basic, always progress gradually with any kind of change. Not taking the time to
run many miles in a shoe over several months of training (I had less than 100 miles in
them) and thinking they would be good on my feet for 100 miles in 35 hours was a mistake.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think my quad cramping and pain was likely
due to not enough salt. I wouldn’t have realized this unless Lon had taken the
time to question me at Tunnel Creek. I have always eaten salty foods at aid
stations during my races for the last several years. Why I chose not to eat any
salty foods despite my past habit and my instructions to my crew to ask me to,
is beyond me. I went through aid stations quickly eating fruit and skipping the
munching on salty foods in order to keep moving and thinking this would help me to resist the chair in later
miles. And I took S-Caps during the day, but that was not enough. I skipped the eating routine at aid stations that made a bigger difference than I realized. Also, the fact that my feet hurt so badly probably changed my gait and form in ways that increased the tension in my calves and quads only exacerbating the altered electrophysiology in my muscles. Ken noted how my form had "gotten really bad" as we dropped in to Marlette Lake. I was reaching forward with my legs. It hurt my quads to bend my knees.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
3) Pacer and crew are incredibly
important. Ken never gave up on me even when I quietly realized that I would
not finish. I never doubted his genuine commitment to serve me. Tough love and compassion at just the right times throughout the night. His attention was always on me. The man has a gift. And my crew always made me believe that I was doing great and looking good. They followed my instructions to a T.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
4) I learned in a most profound
way how wonderful people are in their support and love for people who try. I
learned that trying is as satisfying as meeting the goal. Once again, I am
reminded that it is about the journey in life, not the end result. I am blown
away by how runners love each other out there. That alone was worth all that I
went through.<br />
<br />
5) I am brave. I can be with pain and still move, still have some grace and presence of mind.</div>
<br />
<b><u>Thank You</u></b><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I listened to lots of different people
before, during and after the race, and let them support me. All my running friends, FaceBook Friends, past students, very old friends and family - Thank you for sending me such good energy, taking the time to do that and think of me before, during and after my race.<br />
As my dear friend Ron has often told me, it is in the
face of adversity that your true character emerges and the satisfaction of
overcoming it is the greatest. He is right. I think I did ok, eh Ron?<br />
Danny, I think I did this run with poise, patience
and pace. Thank you for ChiRunning.<br />
George, I let the race come to me to the full extent that I could. I
only chased it when I wouldn’t quit.<br />
Mary Lindahl, your friendship has meant the world to me. You are an amazing role model for me.<br />
My aCHIeve group of ChiRunning Instructors
reminded me of my ChiRunning skills that are about more than just technique,
but the spirit and energy of running and the ability to figure out how to fix it when it goes wrong. Thank you.<br />
My family was there for me as they have
always been. I am blessed to have a father who still gets excited to see his daughter try something totally crazy. And dad, I wasn't even thinking about the Boogie man down in Red House!<br />
And the running community! It’s been said so many times before how amazing we are to love a sport that brings together people of all different
backgrounds, beliefs, ages, and abilities. The elites taking time to say "great job" as they ran past me at breathtaking speed and the ones struggling, like me, who wished me the best as I passed them despite their own pain.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Aid station volunteers are awesome. Unsung heroes all and critical to the success of a great race like the TRT Runs. Thank you for being out there. Thank you specifically to John Trent for being with me in that tough moment at Tunnel, Lon, Robert, Jill, Lief, Kathie, Tammy and others who paid special attention to me, and my needs. You cared.<br />
Thank you to George Ruiz for his remarkable poise in dealing with a truly challenging race weekend. People love to work for you, George, because you treat each person as special and important.</div>
<br />
<u><b>Finally and if you got this far, you have more endurance than you think!</b></u><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I want to believe that I am fit
enough to finish 100 miles and that my mistakes were ones that I can afford to
make at only lesser distances. I hope that I have figured out what might have
happened out there. Processing the experience has been good for me and I am in
a good place and quite ok with the result of my first attempt at 100 miles. I
would like to test my theories about why I didn’t finish in a future race some day and prove that I can narrow the range of error when running long.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In the mean time, I will focus on
recovering and running again simply for the love of it and not to train for
anything. Then I will decide what is next. I am so grateful for this experience and that I have the health and fitness to run long.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">"The difference in winning and
losing is most often... not quitting." </span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
-- Walt Disney, Animator, Film Producer <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 17.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">"I don't think anything is
unrealistic if you believe you can do it." </span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
-- Mike Ditka, Football Coach </div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-63856719640744313902014-03-10T21:08:00.000-07:002014-03-12T20:51:00.358-07:00Way Too Cool 50K March 8, 2014 Race Report<br />
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<i>This is a long race report, but I wanted to remember as many details as I could. I wrote it for me, but maybe you will get something out of it, too. So if you make it to the end, leave me a comment if you're so inclined.. I'd love to hear your feedback!</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3liiy-wirbRhdiokPM_nxf4no64_bbCzc8MI5SyIbXPj5C94Ah5XgQFekw3e8pkuKnc9YSkPMkRsBFD-hXUOaWLcIqnIfbxd-RQgmza6lfObOUA94pd4IA9MTCArkllqa8boJ1XiyqbM/s1600/Way+Too+Cool+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3liiy-wirbRhdiokPM_nxf4no64_bbCzc8MI5SyIbXPj5C94Ah5XgQFekw3e8pkuKnc9YSkPMkRsBFD-hXUOaWLcIqnIfbxd-RQgmza6lfObOUA94pd4IA9MTCArkllqa8boJ1XiyqbM/s1600/Way+Too+Cool+logo.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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Leading up to the 25th Way Too Cool 50K in Cool, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place> was three months of wishful thinking
that started after Thanksgiving.<i> I wish it would snow, I wish it would snow, I
wish it would snow!</i> But it just didn’t snow much and so the trails were dry and we
ran. But when it snowed, we skied. And it has snowed maybe 4 times this winter
for a total of maybe 5 feet of snow, about 40% of normal. Our preparation for Cool was grounded in the firm belief that the intensity of mogul skiing as much as four times per week was good enough cross training to get us through 50K. Running always comes
in second after skiing until mid-February when I realize that I had better get some
quality running in to prepare for Cool, March 8. So me and Ron stuck a few 20 milers in
there and I did some quality tempo runs. I think my longest week was 60 miles a few weeks before Cool. There was one week where I only ran 10 miles but skied 5 days in a row!</div>
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My last race had been the Apple Hill 8.5 mile run in
November, 2013 and my last ultra had been the Dick Collins Fire Trails 50 Mile
run in October, 2013. Cool would be my first race of the 2014 season and I was
a little anxious to get back in the game after taking a break from focusing on running for the 3 months from November to February.<br />
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i2_0roka-HLbeSIDFDrtpmDEf4eR5EpitzGcLMTSNmS-ti68gTl7ZAolt9Dta1cxdk0lBmU15umyQDnJSsEW3WAlqPipp_55OU4GQjLxqOWIhkDGBN840v-ZppOeu5qXVcLiQBE1kG8/s1600/WTC+25th+annual+washcloth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i2_0roka-HLbeSIDFDrtpmDEf4eR5EpitzGcLMTSNmS-ti68gTl7ZAolt9Dta1cxdk0lBmU15umyQDnJSsEW3WAlqPipp_55OU4GQjLxqOWIhkDGBN840v-ZppOeu5qXVcLiQBE1kG8/s1600/WTC+25th+annual+washcloth.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did this race when it was <br />
The Cool Canyon Crawl in 1991</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Day Before</span></i></b></div>
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My long time training partner, Ron, his wife Carol and I
drove to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Georgetown</st1:city></st1:place>
to stay at the American Inn the night before. A quaint Victorian Bed and
Breakfast where the beds are way off the floor and the décor is late 19<sup>th</sup>
century, the American Inn is classic. Betty, has been the Innkeeper there for 25 years. She took great care of us even accomodating our need for an early morning race breakfast with a nice spread at a neatly set table in the dining room near a fireplace. We were only 10 minutes from the race start so being in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Georgetown</st1:city></st1:place>, only 10 miles
away, we didn’t have to get up at 4 am to drive down the mountain to get to
Cool. Friday evening, before we drove into the American River Canyon and up the
windy road to Cool and beyond to Georgetown, we stopped in Auburn to pick up
our race packets at the Auburn Running Company and eat at MonkeyCat, a
wonderful Italian restaurant where I indulged in a pesto tortellini with
grilled salmon. A glass of red wine went nicely with it.</div>
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Desert was frozen yogurt at Tango, a little place down the
street. It was so warm we stood outside and listened to two kids playing
saxophone near a fire pit while we indulged in our desert.</div>
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When we arrived at the American Inn in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Georgetown</st1:city></st1:place> that evening, Betty had open
bottles of wine ready for us. We sat in the living area near a wood burning
fire and enjoyed the ambience of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Georgetown</st1:place></st1:city>’s
rich Victorian past. I didn’t drink anymore that night – one glass of wine at dinner was
enough.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOIxgMfGvrr5rAnCWP-2imV3I-TA05YA2V8pAJ8ogBkmXRQ4oy0z4BJHWrUpKL3718S5gkfJHkF-VfztO6CQBnzil8-vFGiZyqtL4xz8VXdTmlTzgE6kl71W3sSFF5QDUlN0BBQsvBRQ/s1600/WTC+3-1-14+at+American+Inn+feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOIxgMfGvrr5rAnCWP-2imV3I-TA05YA2V8pAJ8ogBkmXRQ4oy0z4BJHWrUpKL3718S5gkfJHkF-VfztO6CQBnzil8-vFGiZyqtL4xz8VXdTmlTzgE6kl71W3sSFF5QDUlN0BBQsvBRQ/s1600/WTC+3-1-14+at+American+Inn+feet.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kicking back at the American Inn in Georgetown<br />
thanks to Michael for the intro in 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I woke up race morning at 5:45 am before the alarm went off and got up. I
felt good having slept very well the night before and then a solid 5 hours
before I woke up that morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drank 4
oz of ASEA before I headed downstairs for breakfast. Race morning breakfast was
blueberries and melon slices covered with yogurt; a hard boiled egg, orange
juice and coffee. I was amazed that I could eat. No butterflies! I felt
strangely calm and relaxed. I practiced reduced breathing drills, nose and belly breathing to stay relaxed as we drove to the start.</div>
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We drove to Cool and parked on the road near the start. My
dad was there with Emily (his hyper Golden). Dave would drive down later to see
us at the finish. Start time was 8 am and of course, the porta potty lines were
very long. Ron and I found bushes nearby – the men took one side of a bank of brush and the women
were on the other. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb5SVIBgSprXC_rMHKLBeUbyAEW6o_KDBQ5Wj1mFnZ_TGTu23aAztr4TmZr-teo8QhG8dmEkGYIT4TntnmCWx7z08Kcg8xlio4smyxQYU18SPPSkXjNSOjwxPmia7x-8CNMG5usuevUY/s1600/WTC+3-8-14+portapotty+line.jpg" height="150" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the short line - Ken Katserko photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">Carol held our sweats as we waited for the start. The
weather was supposed to be sunny with a high of 68 for the day. It was around
50 at the start. I wore a ChiRunning tank with black sleeves for warmth during the first miles and
lycra shorts. My trusty Altra Superiors were my wheels. A 22 oz water bottle was held in my waist pack and I carried my iPhone,
S-Caps, a 4 oz bottle of ASEA and some dried fruit in the zipper pouch.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuEji7G6CqC95c6pzxNY4cz7oUUePuzStm_qpk3POd0bmUYbek_Cd27kx8hgNUIn8qEVtnr8FaRsLU19yvsVTt6zaozKKW4r1IwFg7U2TvlfeSFLFVHl8kAXi7bbANxra1bU9EK7by7I/s1600/WTC+cheryl+&+Ron+at+start.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuEji7G6CqC95c6pzxNY4cz7oUUePuzStm_qpk3POd0bmUYbek_Cd27kx8hgNUIn8qEVtnr8FaRsLU19yvsVTt6zaozKKW4r1IwFg7U2TvlfeSFLFVHl8kAXi7bbANxra1bU9EK7by7I/s1600/WTC+cheryl+&+Ron+at+start.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron and I at the start</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Race Strategy</span></i></b></div>
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I had given some thought to my race strategy and was excited
and anxious to see if it would work for me. I felt that I was fit enough and
experienced enough as an ultra runner to carry it out. But I was anxious
because my training had been so haphazard with skiing taking a priority over
the last few months. I had also suffered a minor right hamstring strain about 4
weeks earlier while skiing and was a bit concerned about that. Ironically, my
left hamstring had started talking to me Thursday morning and I had no idea
where that came from! I couldn’t identify a situation that would have
aggravated it and I rarely have issues with my hamstrings. (I did run a very fast
run with hill surges the Sunday before, but had no pain or issues with my
legs that day or in the days following.) Trigger point massage on both legs for the two days before Cool seemed
to relieve the tenderness. But I was a bit worried. Was this just an annoying
niggle, or something I really needed to pay attention to and not run? </div>
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<br /></div>
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For the last two months, I had scheduled my training around the good skiing conditions, or trained when the skiing was
poor. I was excited about this race because I knew I was fit and knew it was possible to
run a good race if I felt good. I also held the possibility that I would use
this as a training run if I didn’t feel good and my body wasn’t ready to push. I
would work it all out in the first 5 to 8 miles where I would body sense how
the hamstrings felt and how my overall energy was.</div>
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The last time I ran <a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2012/03/way-too-cool-50k-race-report.html" target="_blank"><b>Cool was in 2012</b></a>, I went out too fast and
paid dearly but still finished well despite having to walk for 3 miles. This time I wanted to hold back for the first 8 miles which is a
loop that takes you back to the Start/Finish line. After the 8 mile loop my
plan was to keep my effort and pace steady and push through perceived fatigue
through good ChiRunning technique so that I could really run the last 20 miles
at the edge of my envelope – third gear, race pace, not survival pace. My plan
was to gain every advantage I could by running mindfully fast downhill,
which is where I excel, run a strong third gear whenever I felt good, stay
steady on the flats and during low points focusing on relaxation and form, and efficiently transition back and forth from ChiWalk to ChiRun on the
uphills. Also, I wanted to waste no time in the aid stations. I planned to eat
salted potatoes, PB&J sandwiches, bananas and orange slices and refill my
22 oz water bottle as needed. I also had 4 oz of ASEA with me which I planned
to drink somewhere around mile 18 to 22.</div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Race</span></i></b></div>
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Timing was chip time so Ron and I ran across the start line about
2.5 minutes back of the leaders. Our pace was somewhere around 9:30 min/mile and it felt very easy
since it was a slight downhill. I could feel the jolt of pain in the knot in the middle of my left hamstring and hoped that it would work itself out as it got warmer. We knew it was a fast start, but let that
thought go and eventually eased into the 10 min/mile range. My hamstring eased and the legs felt good. Bottlenecks leading
into single track further kept my pace in check and I resisted the urge to bolt
around people as they slowed on up hills or crossing creeks.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzv0zroIxMxtVww0GiGFyEQVlMtdLywrMdpe1D0J3OF0Ggz4Q4v4-a4PLjpeO7-XqQmS7RT54kt7S09ropW89diqi9t6OlPxXhNOlb4v-qauuyHrR0AlEs5vn_DItRnoa-RCcL40kNeWg/s1600/WTC+3-14+Start+cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzv0zroIxMxtVww0GiGFyEQVlMtdLywrMdpe1D0J3OF0Ggz4Q4v4-a4PLjpeO7-XqQmS7RT54kt7S09ropW89diqi9t6OlPxXhNOlb4v-qauuyHrR0AlEs5vn_DItRnoa-RCcL40kNeWg/s1600/WTC+3-14+Start+cropped.JPG" height="400" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron and I less than a mile in<br />
photo by Kathy Duarte</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Cool is famous for its mud and multiple creek crossings. The
first creek was at mile 2. It was hilarious watching some runners pick their
way across the creek over the rocks in an effort to keep their feet dry.
Knowing that dry feet were an impossibility for today Ron and I ran through the
water feeling the icy cold splash on our legs and soaking our feet cold for the
first time that day. By the end of the day, I had crossed at least 20 creeks or
drainages, and ran through so much mud and mud puddles that I just really
didn’t care anymore! And that was so cool not to care how muddy I was! My feet
were never dry. Once they got warm after a dousing in a cold creek, there would
be another mud puddle or 20 foot stretch of muddy trail again or another creek
crossing and the feet would be soaked. It would take more energy to avoid the
water and the mud than just run through with a relaxed stride and steady
cadence. My Altra Superiors were fine, but did get a bit heavy with all the mud
and water.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJMBYjWFKg_Veue-GCB7-efXR7WuogK6UqxubxLWyKc5io3-rAXqDexA9emO57_kY2mg0pN9TpBNSRLaoSlhnxrI1-fFUeT0C0zrmWQUj5lJbTHcLIL4dnXEZAHDWY5KYyw5j0fuRa9Y/s1600/water+crossing+at+Cool+3-8-14.jpg" height="180" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Ron Nageotte took this after we crossed our first creek at mile 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first mile or so is on road and then it funnels into
single track. For the first 3 miles, my thoughts were all about how long a day
this would be; did I really want to do this? How was my body going to do? Were
my hamstrings going to flare up? Could I relax enough into my form to prevent
issues? Could I really do 6:30 again? And on and on and on in an endless stream of mind chatter!! Clearly not in the
present, I struggled with answers to my mind’s questions for the first hour.
Finally, by the fifth mile, I had settled in, warmed up and realized that yes,
Cheryl, you are a runner and this is what you are doing today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My focus on relaxing and positive talk about
my strength and confidence as a runner began to connect with my body. I
listened to music in one ear and smiled and chatted briefly with other runners
and Ron as we ran. I began to feel good and my legs were fine. I was in the
present and thoughts of the past and future were only brief intrusions. Soon,
they would disappear or change into happy thoughts about a strong finish.</div>
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At the end of the 8 mile loop is the first aid station (and
the finish line) and I was pleased with my time of 1:30. Slow enough to start
and yet fast enough to meet my goal to run under 6:30.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Running through that first aid station at mile 8 was quite a
boost with the music, all the people and the finish line right there. I barely
stopped as I glided past the tables, thanked volunteers for the first time of many times that day, filled my water bottle, and put a piece
of banana in my mouth, some PB&J sandwich in one hand and a potato dunked
in salt in the other. I smiled at my dad, glanced behind me to see Ron at the
aid station and decided that it was time to go. I left knowing that Ron would
either catch me or not, but also that he would want me to run my race and he
would be ok with me going ahead. Ron has been my ultrarunning mentor, training
and skiing partner and friend for several years. His experience and wisdom
around ultrarunning has been a gift. His friendship is one of the most valuable
I’ve ever had and I owe him much. I hope he knows how much he helped me get to be the ultrarunner I am today and how much gratitude I have for him that he has been there with me as I've progressed. Thank you Ron. I wrote about Ron a couple of years ago when
we first started running together. <a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2012/02/running-partner-essential-element.html" target="_blank"><b>A Running Partner - the Essential Element</b></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I left the 8 mile aid station I began to feel a growing
sense of confidence. I settled in and began the
middle portion of the race. I crossed Highway 49 at mile 11 arriving there just
as the aid station volunteer had stopped all the cars and allowed all the
runners waiting there to cross. Great timing for me! There was Carol, Ron’s
wife, cheering for me and snapping pictures.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgm5xMrMOjzI7N6gYSe4RQXqQ2aJb85fc4tHW8QNJhRJmr1ztlWPSqCQYyo5h5hEupmbJgCx2QPbtK59of5g2AQC0oNX-G2GternKHn4B87mNKYcY2-F4aCU_hYcYAHMp_N2kZHBgkU8/s1600/WTC+3-1-14+Cheryl+at+mile+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgm5xMrMOjzI7N6gYSe4RQXqQ2aJb85fc4tHW8QNJhRJmr1ztlWPSqCQYyo5h5hEupmbJgCx2QPbtK59of5g2AQC0oNX-G2GternKHn4B87mNKYcY2-F4aCU_hYcYAHMp_N2kZHBgkU8/s1600/WTC+3-1-14+Cheryl+at+mile+11.JPG" height="320" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeling great at Mile 11<br />photo by Carol Nageotte</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I ran down the hill to the aid
station, stopped briefly for water, another PB&J sandwich, potato with salt
and orange slices. The next miles were run on the gravel/dirt road next to the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place> and I relaxed into a comfortable
steady pace focusing on relaxed feet, engaged core and a nice easy second gear. The air was warming, the sun felt warm on my skin. My legs felt fine without tension or tightness, but I was wary and hyperfocused on relaxing my ankles, engaging my core and keeping my stride out behind me. As we moved over rolling hills and through single track, runners would pass me
going up hill and I would often pass them running down hill or on the flats. I
reminded myself that a steady efficient pace was important this early in the
race and that I would make up time later. A primary focus I used during a few
low points from miles 14 to 18 was <i>y’chi</i> where I focused my eyes on a point about 30 yards ahead
and allowed the energy of my focus to pull me towards it. The few low energy points quickly passed
because I was forced to put my mind into the present and focus on energy
outside of myself. I observed myself running smoothly following an endless energy stream ahead of me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As mile 18 approached, I realized I knew I was doing well. I
was able to stay steady and run the runnable uphills and fly down hills without
losing my quads. I wasn’t hungry and felt I was fueling and hydrating well. I
decided that I would take my 4 oz of ASEA. As mile 18 rolled into 19, I began to realize that
this was my day to do the race I wanted. I chuckled that maybe ASEA was just a
placebo, but 20 to 30 minutes after taking the ASEA and starting the long rolling climb up to the
base of Goat Hill, I realized that my energy had been kicked up to another
level! I felt a stability and uncanny feeling of unshakeable power that I just can't explain. I knew ASEA helped with fat burning. And because I had stayed away from pure sugar at aid stations, and hadn't felt hungry I figured I was burning fat for fuel instead of sugar and that my insulin levels must be stable. I wasn't experiencing roller coaster energy and that was very very cool. I cautiously began reeling people in and found myself leading long lines
of runners at a respectable speed. No one wanted to pass me. Transitioning back
and forth from ChiWalking to ChiRunning on the uphills, my pace was steady and efficient. My
nose breathing training kept my breath steady, efficient and aerobic. I felt
invincible, like I could run as hard as I wanted to the finish.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_CoBRIpeYFGv5r27SpilsAJEQjZVtgPN-EF_eMC4vW2H-jMgivLbKFV1MT1S2qiieDky-hqoRDKRyFDFk15aZ-26SAbZ50axVQkQxmfR7Xu6mFBM7EvvWUyKf6QuUVbYeIahpbYoFd8/s1600/WTC+3-14+Cheryl+on+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_CoBRIpeYFGv5r27SpilsAJEQjZVtgPN-EF_eMC4vW2H-jMgivLbKFV1MT1S2qiieDky-hqoRDKRyFDFk15aZ-26SAbZ50axVQkQxmfR7Xu6mFBM7EvvWUyKf6QuUVbYeIahpbYoFd8/s1600/WTC+3-14+Cheryl+on+trail.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by UltraSportsLiveTV</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The base of Goat hill is about mile 25.5. The next half mile
is a brutal 500 foot climb that goes straight up. I met a man my age trucking
along fairly well. We celebrated our achievement together noting that age makes
one appreciate the finer things in life like finishing ultras! We chatted about
how extreme fatigue forces you into the present where there is only the trail
and your feet on it and some weird thing that drives you to keep moving. We parted as I started up Goat Hill ahead of him, grateful for the brief meeting and bonding as kindred spirits. Thankfully
the trail was dry, but I’ve heard tales of it being so wet and slippery that
runners had to pull themselves up by the branches! In the last few hundred feet
of the climb, volunteers cheered and cajoled runners up the hill. Inspiring
signage marked the trail and one in particular hit home for me. It said
something like, “Don’t give up. Don’t sacrifice the gift.” I knew I would never
have this moment again in my life. I vowed that I would run as if it were the last time
because every time is a gift. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I crested Goat Hill, I looked at my watch and incredibly
saw 5:15. I could break 6:15 if I could run the last 5 miles in an hour. Could
I do it? YES! I spent only a few minutes at the aid station and succumbed to the sweetness of drinking 2 small cups of sprite. I downed some more orange slices, another
potato, and a piece of banana and took off.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The downhill out of Goat Hill is steep in places with off camber technical turns so requires a
bit of concentration and a lot of relaxation. It’s followed by some gently
rolling hills before dumping out onto Highway 49 again, the last aid station.
Dave wasn’t there and no one I knew was there, so again, I made a short stop
and got out of there quick. Only about 1.3 miles to go and I knew I could break
6:15. I turned again to a focused relaxation and constantly checking in with my
legs for tenseness and keeping them aligned (I have worked on my duck feet
forever). My legs were fine and my mind was screaming to be done, but it wasn’t up
to my head anymore; the chi was flowing, it was all about this day, this race,
this moment – because I would never have it again. I climbed out of the aid station pushing hard, my breath coming faster now. I needed to keep giving it everything I had. Only 20 more minutes of running left. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Running around the corner only 200 yards from the finish, it
is a slight up hill, then down steep, then slightly up hill to the finish. I
cruised down and focused on arm swing and letting my legs swing out behind me
as I ran the last hill and straight section to the finish. Cheers from spectators brought a huge smile to my face. Carol
screamed my name and cheered me in. I crossed the line with my heart full of happiness! The most I can remember since the last time I did an ultra! I looked at my time in
astonishment. It slowly dawned on me that it was only a few minutes slower than
I had run it in 1991 when I was only 32 years old. Wow. What a testament to ChiRunning and a mindful focus while racing. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZZ0HlPwmxGNMDxEBS_gBGxAbTB6Wl-VSidnHUGT0j1IBdsYXJWe0IpRtF02RkBa96ja-Kg-pLP_uMGJXSmS9pWmxeocLRy96CwVk80LBcj7kTwybrjo8486sEUtJaoXGMvw_3q9NSMU/s1600/Cheryl+at+Finish+of+Way+Too+cool+3-8-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZZ0HlPwmxGNMDxEBS_gBGxAbTB6Wl-VSidnHUGT0j1IBdsYXJWe0IpRtF02RkBa96ja-Kg-pLP_uMGJXSmS9pWmxeocLRy96CwVk80LBcj7kTwybrjo8486sEUtJaoXGMvw_3q9NSMU/s1600/Cheryl+at+Finish+of+Way+Too+cool+3-8-14.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moments after crossing the finish line and right before I gave Chris a big hug!<br />
photo by Chris Jones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After hugging Chris and my dad, I walked up the road to find Carol and Dave waiting for Ron near the trail. He finished in 6:35 looking strong and happy that he had finished 25 minutes faster than last year. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And thanks to the race organizers and all the volunteers! Julie Fingar and NorCal Ultras put on a first class event with first class people. Awesome job as always!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In looking at my <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/458339853" target="_blank"><b>Garmin data</b></a>, I see that I ran some very
fast sections and averaged about a 12 minute mile which is pretty great for me
for an ultra with nearly 4200 feet of elevation gain. I also spent very little time stopped in aid stations which I'm very pleased with. My official time was 6:07:50, only 3 minutes slower than 23 years ago.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Lessons learned</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Race strategies work. Visualization and mental rehearsal and
self talk works.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This race reinforced my tapering strategy – less is better.
My last run was Wednesday – a short 4 mile tempo run. My last intense run was
the Sunday before – a 10 mile hilly surge run. My last long run was 21 miles
about two weeks before which brought my mileage to a modest 44 miles that week.
Skiing moguls is good for running. Danny Dreyer, the Founder of ChiRunning,
describes this learning process as the “Upward Spiral of Chi” – building on
what is learned and starting the training cycle all over again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
ASEA works. Drink sooner - around 12 miles and every 10 to 12 after that when racing. Drink ASEA immediately at finish line. Thanks David Stretansky.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Skiing for cross training is great training for running.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Never give in to the mind. Always check in with the body
first.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Primary focus: Relax, relax, and relax.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Run my race.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t sacrifice the gift.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA90pjK1qWX8aX0F_2yLwYkzIhJThKavaBeVhSGlMZgCz-62peQl6Rqsu8AYC1ooJAehMUGeXMPSRtkXJPGfDGI4X-0SrDQglttuaSSFxpOE0aIi71reHxjJxLLkGX8i-6e0oTqoM0DC0/s1600/WTC+post+race+w+dad+Ron+%2526+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA90pjK1qWX8aX0F_2yLwYkzIhJThKavaBeVhSGlMZgCz-62peQl6Rqsu8AYC1ooJAehMUGeXMPSRtkXJPGfDGI4X-0SrDQglttuaSSFxpOE0aIi71reHxjJxLLkGX8i-6e0oTqoM0DC0/s1600/WTC+post+race+w+dad+Ron+%2526+me.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad, Emily, me and Ron post race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOA9TSt_Vkd44CVwqPXFj8Kt-yDrXGimZ6armREu0W0aEEuivbhT8nUGNLRnPbSepu_PjDmxUYzrqh3pzILRe6SAVLrL_h0yaGyGGUloJc2pWBw9U9-AT4ixKgUkJdL6e78pLfr2L-ps/s1600/WTC+3-1-14+Dave+Cheryl+Ron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOA9TSt_Vkd44CVwqPXFj8Kt-yDrXGimZ6armREu0W0aEEuivbhT8nUGNLRnPbSepu_PjDmxUYzrqh3pzILRe6SAVLrL_h0yaGyGGUloJc2pWBw9U9-AT4ixKgUkJdL6e78pLfr2L-ps/s1600/WTC+3-1-14+Dave+Cheryl+Ron.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron and I with Dave enjoying the best beer we've ever had! <br />
Thanks for bringing the beer to the finish line Dave!<br />
photo by Chris Jones<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxDYj1zbiAgDUWqlihUuTl_w-0dwCFBkPTthkOtJ9tjbVtaurbUxKY31ZveQkvlP-9yF94OyILLZqQIvFTEPPPmRgf4BmicmHF9dTGE6JYB5WxsdEJQyOf1eidBdpX7jQQqt8oGZIepg/s1600/WTC+frog+cupcakes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxDYj1zbiAgDUWqlihUuTl_w-0dwCFBkPTthkOtJ9tjbVtaurbUxKY31ZveQkvlP-9yF94OyILLZqQIvFTEPPPmRgf4BmicmHF9dTGE6JYB5WxsdEJQyOf1eidBdpX7jQQqt8oGZIepg/s1600/WTC+frog+cupcakes.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the famous WTC frog cupcakes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2rs1vPXdWIOfDFoFEfgDrLMAl9LDI3BF9Og3fmWU55yeEkp74Q-EN8-mcJJs4ZGSsArhTV0lYZqXm-7Pyl-0mEHzzkUnvL9WEuugraTy-pSkesEBK7fCgLjHM2T_tWML_U4HfZfsGsI/s1600/Skiing+after+WTC+3-14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2rs1vPXdWIOfDFoFEfgDrLMAl9LDI3BF9Og3fmWU55yeEkp74Q-EN8-mcJJs4ZGSsArhTV0lYZqXm-7Pyl-0mEHzzkUnvL9WEuugraTy-pSkesEBK7fCgLjHM2T_tWML_U4HfZfsGsI/s1600/Skiing+after+WTC+3-14.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We skied the next day and it felt GREAT!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a
new dream. </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>C.S. Lewis<o:p></o:p></b></div>
Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-39896668267558262112014-01-09T19:49:00.002-08:002014-01-09T19:49:59.501-08:00Confession Time, a Review of 2013 and Owning TRT100 <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last year was a breakthrough year for me in my progress as
an ultrarunner. I had some races where my performances surprised and delighted
me. Little did I know where it would lead me in 2014. So I'm fessing up and owning what's next for me. The journey that leads up to my confession is my 2013 running story: brieflly for each race, but long for this post, and a poor substitute for race reporting which I rarely have the patience to write about. (One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more frequently though, so I'm going to get better at writing race reports.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was the American River 50 Mile race on April 6; a
relatively easy 50 miles that takes runners along the American River bike trail
in Sacramento for the first 28 miles until it begins to climb out of the Folsom
Lake area and up to the Auburn Overlook Dam on beautiful single track trail.
The last 3 miles is a brutal up hill climb out of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place>
canyon to the finish. At mile 42 I knew I could beat 11 hours and I did,
qualifying me for the Western States 100 mile race. I PR’ed the course by a
full hour and felt strong and comfortable at the finish. It was a brilliant
running day for me, the day before my birthday!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zl2nxD9VUf3JJDehmf12kYPBJ8Hh2St7TRV3uDKBb89AoUG2FVi6r9-TtehL8X2LAU5uoS6KU9yAiV96carv78W5IEJ1lWusY8ior0bfGKB9jVKakiZFlffqmpmbk4lhK4Czg3BCOic/s1600/Cheryl+on+AR+trail+near+river+2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zl2nxD9VUf3JJDehmf12kYPBJ8Hh2St7TRV3uDKBb89AoUG2FVi6r9-TtehL8X2LAU5uoS6KU9yAiV96carv78W5IEJ1lWusY8ior0bfGKB9jVKakiZFlffqmpmbk4lhK4Czg3BCOic/s1600/Cheryl+on+AR+trail+near+river+2013.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">single track trail next to the American River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Miwok 100K race was four weeks later in May. The race
was shortened at the last minute to 60K due to severely dry weather and a high
risk of fire in the hills above <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San
Francisco</st1:place></st1:city>. The start of the race was delayed 3 hours.
I had a very tough day and was thankful that I was only running 60K! It felt
like a 50 mile race and my finish was dismal and uncomfortable. I attributed
the difficult experience to a lack of adequate recovery from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place>
and too much mileage between the two races. Lessons learned.</div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVwV_c14mD-09OACMPjRQ5JUJW0KWQTxS79b_fQ2uNsvIQChwMChFMPXEJWCL9bOzW_XcQrLTmaBkMJoNQJOEHfaBx595F1Mek6wWiQrzQPnfzq9fN34Uns_Cgd2YAJec79dO8XQ06Kk/s1600/View+of+the+Golden+Gate+Bridge+from+the+Miwok+trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVwV_c14mD-09OACMPjRQ5JUJW0KWQTxS79b_fQ2uNsvIQChwMChFMPXEJWCL9bOzW_XcQrLTmaBkMJoNQJOEHfaBx595F1Mek6wWiQrzQPnfzq9fN34Uns_Cgd2YAJec79dO8XQ06Kk/s1600/View+of+the+Golden+Gate+Bridge+from+the+Miwok+trail.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Miwok 60K (100K) trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
June was ushered in with big training weeks of 45 to 70
miles depending on when we did our long runs. The Tahoe Rim Trail training runs
on Father’s Day weekend were finished well and the anticipation of a strong
finish at the July TRT 50 Mile race was beginning to build.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The <a href="http://www.tahoemtnmilers.org/trt-endurance-runs.html">Tahoe Rim Trail endurance Races (50K, 50Mile and 100Mile)</a> started on a Saturday morning in late July with comfortable temps
before dawn at 7600 feet in the Sierras – an ominous warning of the record
highs all the runners would endure that day. Ron, my training partner, and I
cruised through the first 13 miles at an alarmingly fast pace, yet we felt
comfortable and within our abilities; we knew that the potential for a great
race was within our reach that day. Without going into too much detail, Ron and
I got separated very early on and I ran most of the race alone. As unexpected
as that was, I dug deep into my own mental and emotional strengths and finished
strong, once again taking more than an hour off my previous year’s finishing
time and winning my age group. Another lesson learned – I can drive my
performance with my mental strength and confidence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0jAaqDJp8d7TUD3RXHNtBHUaNPLokbhV4LyCIFvXDtEyVABiBTLbb95oYjVQERFuKVZ-n8ByNAWlwnnok6czPRySXzzqd8Od8f_pk4Lx1kdDwbm31WzJpHFkNy9zd-_lM66v0YZDr4Q/s1600/Marlette+Lake+from+the+peak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0jAaqDJp8d7TUD3RXHNtBHUaNPLokbhV4LyCIFvXDtEyVABiBTLbb95oYjVQERFuKVZ-n8ByNAWlwnnok6czPRySXzzqd8Od8f_pk4Lx1kdDwbm31WzJpHFkNy9zd-_lM66v0YZDr4Q/s1600/Marlette+Lake+from+the+peak.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marlette Lake from Marlette Peak on the Tahoe Rim Trail <br />with Lake Tahoe in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the finish, my exhaustion was profound. As I tried to eat
a little chicken noodle soup at the aid station, and relax into the realization
that I didn’t have to run anymore and what I had accomplished, I watched the
100 milers coming in and then leaving again to run their second 50 miles. I
tried to read their faces – some showed exhaustion, but would light up as
friends and supporters tended to their needs and acted as if finishing the
first 50 miles of one of the most difficult 100 mile races around was a normal
thing for a human being to do. Others sat huddled under blankets trying to get
warm and get some food in. Pacers and family whispered worriedly about the
conditions of runners – dehydrated, cold, hungry, weak, mentally spent and
begging to quit at 50 miles. Some did. Cajoled and coaxed by their pacers,
others trudged out of the aid station to embark on the long night ahead with
only their thoughts and pacers to keep them motivated.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I remember talking with George Ruiz, the Race Director for
the TRTs, while he watched the runners come into the aid station that night
with a trained eye. His concern for every runner is evident in every detail of
the race. You can feel it when you talk with him and watch him observing and
anticipating. His comments to me about finishing 100 miles on this course have
stayed with me to this day. But more on that later.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I recovered at the finish, I called my friend Mary, a
Master ChiRunning Instructor, my good friend and mentor. I always call her when
I finish an ultra because she gives me such great kudos for finishing and makes
me feel like a champion. It’s good to have people like that in your life! She
congratulated me on my finish as usual. I told her how hard it was, but how
strong I felt over the last miles. I also told her how I had been watching the
100 milers coming in to the aid station and how difficult it must be to realize
that they had to go out into the night to start a second 50 mile loop!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then I made her promise that she would remind me how I
felt at this moment so that I would never ever ever consider signing up for the
TRT 100. She promised.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
August arrived and I was recovering nicely. The Run on the
Sly 50K near <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Placerville</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">CA</st1:state></st1:place>, is a fun and hilly trail run with a lot
of single track and the usual warm temps. Smoke from the Rim Fire hovered in the trees and the woods were silent - the birds were as unhappy breathing the stuff as we were. Ron and I ran well although I kind of
tanked in the last 8 miles or so maybe because I fell twice and the second time scraped myself up pretty good. Ron had a good day and finished a few minutes ahead of me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEx7EajtCC22ByaWMQUl9jLmuy3hm_VBvUJtVgA2dQbiMJy46UD9dXo8hSWmga_91ldKLo9QNNtStaI4TgXWygBkV7KfHjzRkDALcdgLAqAhKrNNyGpjhq6p-DT9C0uVLyGFFiL9xUP8/s1600/Cheryl+after+fall+at+Run+on+the+Sly+2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEx7EajtCC22ByaWMQUl9jLmuy3hm_VBvUJtVgA2dQbiMJy46UD9dXo8hSWmga_91ldKLo9QNNtStaI4TgXWygBkV7KfHjzRkDALcdgLAqAhKrNNyGpjhq6p-DT9C0uVLyGFFiL9xUP8/s1600/Cheryl+after+fall+at+Run+on+the+Sly+2013.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18 miles into Run on the Sly 50K, I crashed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then it was September, I think, when, on some training run
high on the beautiful Tahoe Rim Trail near <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Marlette</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
Ron and I were trotting along enjoying the perfection of the running day, when
he suddenly said, out of the blue, “I’m going to make a commitment.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Ok, I
said”, thinking, this should be interesting. I wonder what he’s going to say. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m going to do the TRT 100 next July,” he said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh, really?” I said. He went on to say that he wasn’t
expecting me to make a decision about it and he would be happy to have me as a
pacer again, or not because he knew I’d probably want to do the 50 miler again.
I reminded him how I promised myself I would not do the TRT100…. Too too big
and scary. I must have gone on about it for a while as we trotted down my
favorite part of the TRT, from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snow</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peak</st1:placetype></st1:place>
into Spooner. But I have to admit I was thinking again about it. A little. I
was certain that I wouldn’t be racing 100 miles on the TRT. Ron just listened to me jabber away. Or maybe not. His ear buds were in.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
October 12 was Ron’s 64<sup>th</sup> birthday and we
celebrated at the Dick Collins 50 Mile race at <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Chabot</st1:placename> in the southeast Bay area of
northern <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>.
With the same elevation gain as the TRT 50 miler of around 9,000 feet, but at a
lower elevation, I was pleased with my faster time and strong finish at Dick
Collins. Three weeks later we ran the Apple Hill 8.5 mile race near Placerville
and I was astonished at the speed in my legs after only 3 weeks of recovery
from the Dick Collins 50M.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFED9lzbW5gGIPCQkzG8n8bCeeMcqLwYyjk8Yvk0USf9D9FFPNRkVfNKh2lWGabQLM_qPCHRCMnpJO3-z-hWgpZJ9Pd_gHWhUw2rfPBZv98Ais32wtYxpXwLLLiSLkuoooFaqd7f79sOM/s1600/Cheryl+smiles+at+DC50M.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFED9lzbW5gGIPCQkzG8n8bCeeMcqLwYyjk8Yvk0USf9D9FFPNRkVfNKh2lWGabQLM_qPCHRCMnpJO3-z-hWgpZJ9Pd_gHWhUw2rfPBZv98Ais32wtYxpXwLLLiSLkuoooFaqd7f79sOM/s1600/Cheryl+smiles+at+DC50M.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A much enjoyed beer after finishing the<br />Dick Collins 50 Mile October 12 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
November showed up with the anticipation of all the
lotteries for ultra races opening up in December. Western States 100 was one of
them and I put in my registration knowing that the chances of being pulled were
slim, about 7%: some 4,000 entries for less than 300 spots. Relieved when I
didn’t get pulled, Ron and I turned to Plan B. If I didn’t get in to WS100,
then it would change our training plans with the focus on the TRT races.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And of course, the question rose again, gently from Ron and
anxiously and surprisingly from within me – should I sign up for TRT100? Why
was I even thinking of considering it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I struggled with the question. Like a woman who swears she
will never get pregnant again because she never wants to experience that pain
again, and then forgets about it and decides to have another child, I found
that the profound fatigue and exhaustion I had experienced only a few months
earlier seemed to have faded from my memory. How could I possibly want to run
100 miles? By running it, I guessed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I talked with Ron a lot about it. His answers to my
persistent questions and expressions of doubt were simple and short – “you know
you can do this, you’re ready, you know how to run an ultra.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I kept remembering George’s (the <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">TRT RD</st1:address></st1:street>) comment to me at the aid station
that night when I finished my 50 miler. I had asked him how people continue
after that first 50. His answer was simple, too. He said something like, “it’s
all mental – you have prepared yourself knowing that you will do another 50 and
you just do it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I remembered my insistence that Mary promise me that she
would talk me out of doing the TRT 100. Oh dear. I didn’t want to talk with her
about it. I realized that I didn’t want to get talked out of it!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two days after the TRT100 miler registration opened in
December, I talked with Ron again. What is the one reason why I should do this,
I asked him. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQuXO112YDmv0773wwxo-KiXow4WuB2bkqqthWh-yuO-XwNFJa3rMn3hRZAWyB1Ufo9G1hi4STwxvIGI6rY5aF2DwARixqnGCIV2eGQU-bmVJxae2im0sEe3iiMUrrs9Ags8hIHRKEyw/s1600/Smilin+Ron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQuXO112YDmv0773wwxo-KiXow4WuB2bkqqthWh-yuO-XwNFJa3rMn3hRZAWyB1Ufo9G1hi4STwxvIGI6rY5aF2DwARixqnGCIV2eGQU-bmVJxae2im0sEe3iiMUrrs9Ags8hIHRKEyw/s1600/Smilin+Ron.JPG" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smilin Ron on the TRT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Because you can. You’re not getting any younger, you never
know what will happen next to you and you are ready and able to do this now.
Don’t pass up the opportunity that may not happen again.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was probably the best reason I’d heard yet. So I
registered. And on December 31 Ultrasignup charged my credit card for the registration fee of around $277.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m in the TRT100!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While everyone announced their excitement about getting in
to TRT on Facebook right before Christmas a few weeks ago, I held back. I’d
told a few people, but was reluctant to make it public. I just didn’t feel like
I owned my commitment to do the race, yet. I wanted to be fully in because of
me not because of something else. I also wanted to feel worthy of such an
effort, that I deserved the opportunity and that others would respect my
confidence and ambition whether or not they agreed with my decision.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I hadn’t confessed to one of my best friends, Mary that
I was in. I felt badly that I hadn’t included her in my deliberations because I
didn’t want her to talk me out of it as I made her promise. A huge loss on my
part and something I’ll never ask a good friend to do again. Her input has
always been important to me. Silly that I wouldn’t talk with her about it
because of my own lack of confidence and commitment; and grateful for Ron’s
counsel and friendship without pressure while I journeyed to the decision to
finish a 100 mile foot race, I resolved to be joyously and fully in before I
told everyone else.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I did tell Dave, my husband and unconditional supporter.
It hardly fazed him. He looked at me like, “Of course you would run 100 miles
some day.” Duh.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday, I finally called Mary and confessed that I had
registered for TRT back in December and that I was in. She laughed lightly –who
knows, perhaps she even forgot about how I made her promise me to talk me out
of it last July. Such a huge commitment on my part, she genuinely congratulated
me on my decision and let me know that she knew I could finish it, too. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcVyLubsMY0zMqS0IwOFw-Ly4rlAUEDntRU2c-09ONTO3zZ2zdbwzhxcWyRL5unYXGuje59pVOOzItDInXSQ2uNz2KUdJflzx7AdcRql4GCQJ2_0mdzCi5TovsWt6Xn0N_-AQs7Qs3jI/s1600/Mary+Lindahl+and+me+at+IW+11-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcVyLubsMY0zMqS0IwOFw-Ly4rlAUEDntRU2c-09ONTO3zZ2zdbwzhxcWyRL5unYXGuje59pVOOzItDInXSQ2uNz2KUdJflzx7AdcRql4GCQJ2_0mdzCi5TovsWt6Xn0N_-AQs7Qs3jI/s1600/Mary+Lindahl+and+me+at+IW+11-13.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Mary Lindahl at ChiRunning Instructor Weekend<br />November 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So this morning I awoke to write this story as the final
piece to owning my commitment to finishing the TRT100 miler. It’s mine. It
comes from my soul, that deep desire to reach for something that seems
unreachable. Like leaning from my dantien, my center to increase my running
speed effortlessly, my soul is at the finish of the TRT100 celebrating the
accomplishment with an “of course” nod to my body that carried it there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll start on July 19, 2014 at 5 am. My goal is to finish
that first 50 miles and get out of that aid station feeling well and confident
that I will finish that second 50 the next day without injury, without huge
distress and with complete soul satisfaction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that’s the end of this story for now. Bring it on 2014!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> "Until you commit your goals to paper, you have intentions that are seeds without soil." - Anonymous</o:p></div>
Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-64211306340530882452013-12-06T12:08:00.000-08:002013-12-07T09:01:01.852-08:00<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Discovering my Right Big Toe</span></h2>
<br />
So it’s been a while since I’ve written for my blog. April 2012 to be exact. But today
I discovered my right big toe. And I got inspired to write. It’s been there all
the time, of course, my right big toe, but I felt it there in a different way
today - fully weighted under my leg taking its share of the load as I ran. It
was a significant moment for me because for the first time in my life I felt
like I might be able to fix my duck feet. So that excitement was enough for me
to write again. My duck feet have dogged me (how’s that for a mixed metaphor!)
my entire life, so that’s a good reason to write about it. Linda Barsi and her
video blog about writing inspired me too. Check her out <a href="http://youtu.be/8nW0jEtHfs4"><span style="color: blue;">here!</span></a> She’s an aspiring
creative writer and the daughter of one of my best friends, <a href="http://www.chiliving.com/learn-it/certified-instructor/83622/"><span style="color: blue;">Mary Lindahl, a Master ChiRunning Instructor.</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
But I better back up because my big toe is way ahead of the
duck feet and I have to tell the story to connect them. I know it’s
complicated, but stay with me here.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As a ChiRunning Instructor and ultrarunner, I’ve been
working my form for several years now with the intention to stay injury free
and continue to enjoy running even as I age. I’ve made large, significant
changes in my running form that have allowed me to run long miles and actually
at a fairly decent speed for my age. Enter, the antagonist (how am I doing Linda?): my right foot splay
(everted, turned out, duck foot) has been with me since way before the first
time it was pointed out to me as a runner in my first Ironman in February 1982.
My dad followed me around the course at Kona with an 8 mm camera and went
through enough film to document much of my 11 and a half hours out there. It
was the first time I saw my duck feet and he was the one to point them out to
me. Horrors. I didn’t even look like a runner, let alone an Ironman!</div>
<br />
Since those Ironmans, I pretty much accepted the fact that I
couldn’t change my duck footed running and left it at that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, after all I had finished two Ironmans
– so why change what wasn’t hurting me. I couldn't have been more wrong. Three knee surgeries later from snow
skiing injuries and 20 pounds heavier and I arrived in 2010 feeling old and
unable to run more than 3 miles. Then I learned ChiRunning. By improving my
feet alignment a bit and relaxing my lower legs to reduce the effect of my
everted feet, I was able to fix the knee pain. And I began to run again. Joy!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qiCk8plnPKkNHR37JJGGVxMoyfViKygRwlp4zTxBmk-ar21a0yzpycbgiE9I3jz47g8YRFuQKx6MimWBKC5APvTVpJZnCUchqziINoT12Qp3UucUIlQ_cU6RmI8n-wV8ZXwKw-lAP9I/s1600/Cheryl+splayed+feet+and+chicken+wing+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qiCk8plnPKkNHR37JJGGVxMoyfViKygRwlp4zTxBmk-ar21a0yzpycbgiE9I3jz47g8YRFuQKx6MimWBKC5APvTVpJZnCUchqziINoT12Qp3UucUIlQ_cU6RmI8n-wV8ZXwKw-lAP9I/s200/Cheryl+splayed+feet+and+chicken+wing+cropped.jpg" width="99" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right foot eversion in the air with wide arms<br />
My first 50 Mile race October 2011<br />
14 months after learning ChiRunning</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I started racing in 2011 and have since completed six 50Ks
and the same number of 50 Mile races as well as shorter events where my speed
continues to improve. And I’ve remained uninjured despite my noticeable right
foot eversion. I’ve just accepted it as something I can’t do much about because
of my anatomy and knee surgeries.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZWlzY9RL5db8a4g-J5_GmHcq44-vy1AoXxJ8cu3OlLJxJeMh4Nbchxj_Z2o5sCvXEoTgbUWxtwwb7bScCQeyUaIDytlnWjcEhyphenhyphenUEmT2F5hiNKRkXpJ0v3SHYAmeBRheCBqVA78LdtWo/s1600/Posture+stance+showing+right+foot+splay+from+rear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZWlzY9RL5db8a4g-J5_GmHcq44-vy1AoXxJ8cu3OlLJxJeMh4Nbchxj_Z2o5sCvXEoTgbUWxtwwb7bScCQeyUaIDytlnWjcEhyphenhyphenUEmT2F5hiNKRkXpJ0v3SHYAmeBRheCBqVA78LdtWo/s200/Posture+stance+showing+right+foot+splay+from+rear.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right foot April 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Three weeks ago, mid-November, I attended ChiRunning
Instructor weekend, along with 62 other instructors from all over the world. We
met to learn from each other and work with Danny and Katherine Dreyer, the
founders of <a href="http://www.chirunning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">ChiRunning and ChiWalking</span></a>. It was an extraordinary weekend and I
learned so much! For me, the highlight of the weekend was the work we all did
around video analysis – learning more about how to film students and each
other; technology, angle analysis, causes of form problems and most
importantly, how to fix them.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-KweijnkvwOa3VvpKnZaKtxX4JPB1_VcrQbZBuA3KQH_m5aghDoR6hyphenhyphenTfVAAyKXUtNbtnpMygKI83dfTW2wdd6_OlHc26OoiTuzq-Vk2-sZ3epTdEbkBuZdXAPuDKAdmC2-RrilW7qs/s1600/Cheryl+lean+angle+Asheville+11-13.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-KweijnkvwOa3VvpKnZaKtxX4JPB1_VcrQbZBuA3KQH_m5aghDoR6hyphenhyphenTfVAAyKXUtNbtnpMygKI83dfTW2wdd6_OlHc26OoiTuzq-Vk2-sZ3epTdEbkBuZdXAPuDKAdmC2-RrilW7qs/s320/Cheryl+lean+angle+Asheville+11-13.PNG" title="Lean angle on weighted right foot" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lean Angle on right foot Asheville 11-2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I ran with Danny several
times that weekend and he definitely saw my splayed foot and my overstride on
hills. He graciously pointed out my form problems to me. About 3 days ago, I
had a long conversation with two Master Instructors about how to fix my right
foot splay. Mary Lindahl has been a Master since 2006 and <a href="http://www.chiliving.com/learn-it/certified-instructor/88075/"><span style="color: blue;">David Stretanski</span></a> has
been one for just a couple of months. Both are my friends and brilliant
teachers of ChiRunning. There are only 10 Master Instructors out of the over
200 on the planet, so working with David and Mary is like having the best of
the best to coach me.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGZEOESbtSJ_JpWtPW2fNs9hGfvGhjU1Li6LU4niG_bmMswtII_dqoIgLzuhIoKWXpBvgUlOxx8YZFIrWu5ID2ktPkXqq6JGVLJj8RmcnZdXb4bf-Sfxs1tq9v61rjaIbe1G2b0EOL7E/s1600/Cheryl+stride+angle+Asheville+11-13.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGZEOESbtSJ_JpWtPW2fNs9hGfvGhjU1Li6LU4niG_bmMswtII_dqoIgLzuhIoKWXpBvgUlOxx8YZFIrWu5ID2ktPkXqq6JGVLJj8RmcnZdXb4bf-Sfxs1tq9v61rjaIbe1G2b0EOL7E/s320/Cheryl+stride+angle+Asheville+11-13.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stride angle Asheville 11-2013</td></tr>
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After a beautiful run in the hills near Asheville, NC, we all filmed each other on the road. These are shot through Coach's Eye, a fantastic application that doesn't cost much through the App store.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7h_8YnCjKcMMy5cOHV3ihvWWPDC_LfayKq1D4IcCSdZ3dIVwHZ8qtLJlD4ECSTAT02tCS1u8iabUy8rLIwxu8_Gat8mvgVwpG1DFe5W_JYyFoNgoYglgJNB0p6irBkQGKfhfPHT7c88/s1600/Cheryl+rear+R+foot+&+L+arm+splay+Asheville+11-13.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7h_8YnCjKcMMy5cOHV3ihvWWPDC_LfayKq1D4IcCSdZ3dIVwHZ8qtLJlD4ECSTAT02tCS1u8iabUy8rLIwxu8_Gat8mvgVwpG1DFe5W_JYyFoNgoYglgJNB0p6irBkQGKfhfPHT7c88/s320/Cheryl+rear+R+foot+&+L+arm+splay+Asheville+11-13.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right foot splay in air on fully weighted<br />
left leg (with less splay) and left<br />
arm winging out more than right to <br />
compensate 11-2013<br />
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After talking with David and Mary, I went for a run yesterday for a
couple of miles after skiing. I <span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">focused on keeping my right foot relaxed and
straight forward when landing. Mary had commented that my left arm pops out
easily so I should focus on bringing it in next to my side – nix the chicken
wing. This would compensate for my right sided weakness/imbalance that was
causing the right foot to splay. I wasn’t convinced when we had talked the
night before, but when I focused on a relaxed arm swing and keeping my left arm
in, it worked! My right foot seemed to come in more readily. I was cautiously
optimistic and hopeful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Then today, I ran 6 miles and focused on my arms staying close to my sides,
especially the left one, just as I had done yesterday. </span></span><span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">As I brought my
left arm in and focused on feeling pigeon toed (which makes my feet point straight)
I suddenly discovered my right big toe. There it was waiting to be weighted!
So, I continued to focus on weighting my right big toe while I landed with my foot straight. I felt strength and
stability from my hip to my knee that I rarely feel and probably only by
accident, not through intention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">I could see it in the shadow as I ran with the sun behind me. I couldn’t
see the shadow of my foot splaying out to the side. Happy dance! Happy runner!</span></span><br />
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My right big toe. I e-mailed Mary the news
that I had discovered my right big toe with the same excitement I had after I
first met her when she taught me ChiRunning in August 2010 and I was learning pelvic rotation and relaxation. Mary e-mailed back to me: “<a href="http://naturalrunningcenter.com/2013/05/06/video-the-principles-natural-running/"><span style="color: blue;">MarkCuccuzzella</span></a> (very fast runner and running physician expert) said ‘I understood
Chi Running, but I didn't understand my big toe...’ Wow. I wasn’t alone. Maybe
I really can fix my duck feet with one of my focuses being on my big toe.</div>
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Ok, here’s the serious part. Correcting my feet, and
actually it’s my whole leg alignment, will take much more than just focusing on
my running form. Strengthening exercises will continue with focus on hip
stabilizers. Yoga and skiing are part of the mix to strengthen my quads and hip
extensors. I’m also going to check out Rolfing for some deep tissue realignment
work. </div>
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Ultimately, this challenge has re-focused me to a new level
of excitement about improving my running. I can spend the next few months
working exclusively on my running form in time for what could be a breakthrough
running season next year. I can get better. I can stay healthy and still run long and fast. I can run until I die.</div>
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So, here I am at the end of writing for my blog for the first time in
over a year. It feels good to get something out there about my running life.
2013 was kind of a bomb year, good running year, but challenging in other ways.
How did I do Linda? Dramatic question answered? And from draft to final. yay! here's to 2014 - it will be a great year!</div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey look! they're straight!</td></tr>
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Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-68310596144436213092012-04-23T21:10:00.000-07:002012-04-23T21:30:44.322-07:00Recovering from AR50M - Trigger Point therapyRecovering from the American River 50 Mile Run on April 7 has been a great experience for the most part. I experienced little fatigue, no exhaustion and very little soreness EXCEPT for the front of my right ankle. In a nutshell, I began having pain on the top of my foot in front of my ankle at about mile 12 of the run. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to deal with the sharp pain for the remaining 38 miles with max doses of Ibuprofen and some serious focusing on ankle lift and relaxation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d never had this pain before so really didn’t know what to think except that I had some serious dorsiflexion issues exacerbated by my right foot splay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2AQxrmi7ezhcIFOwaRMerzJpY1f_-sOpgugdlXqtdhBdUoeC4wTMEA0YZud-l0EojA9FjwmeTAe8MOfd4cC1kHSBxQHz80gZxWpsxN2b2wJuhAGkYEphQodh7mwyk2NSGU2i7UvKdHk/s1600/Posture+stance+showing+right+foot+splay+from+rear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2AQxrmi7ezhcIFOwaRMerzJpY1f_-sOpgugdlXqtdhBdUoeC4wTMEA0YZud-l0EojA9FjwmeTAe8MOfd4cC1kHSBxQHz80gZxWpsxN2b2wJuhAGkYEphQodh7mwyk2NSGU2i7UvKdHk/s400/Posture+stance+showing+right+foot+splay+from+rear.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right foot splay as seen from the rear - the foot is relaxed, but does not hang straight down</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My experience dealing with this pain for the last two weeks has been an interesting journey for me providing me with some valueable insights...so thought I would write about it. <br />
<br />
I iced the front of my foot for 4 days after the race with little relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was seriously jonesing to run, had normal energy and felt great within a few days after the AR50M except for my foot. I was getting desparate to recover from the pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been talking with Mary Lindahl, ChiRunning Master Instructor and one of my bestest friends, about my recovery and she encouraged me to consider that trigger points may be the problem and not necessarily injury.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv8tretiuWo9uL0kv2Y1ui4MTJ3f8otdzporOd558FNnPmyvG7Mza6Bksy_tv1qh4qT87TkYDJtxKC5baKYq7O8d-JJGPfmXC_DTSHxvhUjieDbHbZTdHJx6rl8hmTtnHKltjjflfQwU/s1600/Trigger+Point+Therapy+Book+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv8tretiuWo9uL0kv2Y1ui4MTJ3f8otdzporOd558FNnPmyvG7Mza6Bksy_tv1qh4qT87TkYDJtxKC5baKYq7O8d-JJGPfmXC_DTSHxvhUjieDbHbZTdHJx6rl8hmTtnHKltjjflfQwU/s400/Trigger+Point+Therapy+Book+pic.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trigger Point Therapy Book</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I knew Mary had had a great deal of success with trigger
points and she was the one who referred me to the book a while back. I found
the chapter that applied to my pain area and discovered the obvious dorsiflexion
muscle to be the source of the problem… Trigger points in the muscle belly of Anterior
Tibialis are the number one culprit for referred pain to the front of the
ankle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I started massaging the belly of the Anterior Tibialis,
found an excruciatingly tender point (trigger point by definition) and followed
the guidelines to massage it. As I massaged the area, the referred pain on the front of my foot flared! It was like an electrical current traveled directly from the muscle belly to my foot. The Trigger Point Therapy Book described this to be exactly the sensation I would feel if the pain was a result of a trigger point. In general, trigger points are usually in a muscle above the point of pain. The key is to find which one radiates to the painful area. Clearly, I had found it.<br />
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Within 24 hours the pain in the front of my foot had
lessened significantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enough so that I
was able to do a hilly 13 mile training run with little, if any pain only 36
hours after I began massaging the trigger points. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t iced since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have continued to massage the trigger
points which I’ve discovered to be in the entire length of the Anterior
Tibialis muscle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve also discovered
the same ones on the left side so I’m massaging them, too as preventive
maintenance/therapy.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuRnn1d4saYQjn3gj3YsCz_F3ddUezaj-RpQYOsKlZzcHG_Vcs8r5mvMMNRjWkjH_IVbnDyU2kP070FK8saJT4caUkM99cyphK2mfCqJ3mxGzcA_smTZlQIb1psJb3kJDzQq8axBvFZE/s1600/Trigger+points+on+right+leg+diagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuRnn1d4saYQjn3gj3YsCz_F3ddUezaj-RpQYOsKlZzcHG_Vcs8r5mvMMNRjWkjH_IVbnDyU2kP070FK8saJT4caUkM99cyphK2mfCqJ3mxGzcA_smTZlQIb1psJb3kJDzQq8axBvFZE/s640/Trigger+points+on+right+leg+diagram.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trigger points in Anterior Tibialis Muscle of right leg (that's trail dirt tan)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As a Registered Nurse and believer in traditional medical cures, the use of trigger point therapy is a big shift to believing in something that could work that is not part of that paradigm. I'm intrigued with the possibilities for me and for others who might be willing to be open to them. Wow, ice didn't work, but massaging a muscle above the point of pain did.</div>
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I know that we’re supposed to be pain free with ChiRunning,
and I'm a ChiRunning Certified Instructor. What could admitting that I have pain or am possibly injured do to my reputation as a credible Instructor? But I think it would be disingenuous to say that ChiRunning has solved all my problems for someone who wants to run long miles for many hours per week. I also think that anatomical dissymmetry can contribute to biomechanical
problems that eventually lead to pain and injury despite good technique especially if someone is running long distances every week. I don't know anyone who is anatomically perfect on one side let alone both sides. As a result of the “tibial torsion” (thank
you David Stretanski, CR Certified Instructor, for identifying the problem and assisting me with some corrective
exercises), my body is now showing the effects of dorsiflexion after putting in many miles.</div>
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ChiRunning has given me the gift of running. Learning about Trigger Points is keeping me running while I sort out the anatomical problems and focus on the Chirunning focuses that can keep me injury free.</div>
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This pain has a message for me and that is to:</div>
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<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
focus on rotating my pelvis more on the left side so it's equal to the right,</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
focus on
a full foot landing directly underneath me and my center of mass,</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
don't over stride by doing the above,</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
relax the lower legs more, and allow ankle lift to happen consistently especially on hills</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
focus on movement from my center </div>
</li>
</ul>
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I'll be running the Escape from Prison Hill Half Marathon on April 28, in 4 days. It has about 2500 feet of climb. Most of the uphills and downhills are barely runnable, so it will be challenging to keep relaxed lower legs. The following weekend on May 5 is the Lone Pine 50K, another hilly trail race. </div>
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So, I'll keep massaging and focusing. The process and learning is fascinating. And I get to run and be grateful for concepts like ChiRunning (for focuses), Trigger Point Therapy (for resolving pain) and western medicine (for ibuprofen). </div>
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On my short trail run today, I once again thanked God that I am able to run. </div>
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<br /></div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-69601191617539730982012-04-10T15:07:00.001-07:002012-04-11T07:48:50.392-07:00American River 50Mile Race Report April 7, 2012The American River 50 Mile race is one of the oldest ultras around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race is the reverse of the Rock ‘N River 50 Mile race that I <a href="http://movinginbalance.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-finished.html">finished</a> last October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>AR50M starts at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Sacramento</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> and ends at the Auburn Overlook Dam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first 27 miles are on the paved American River bike trail where you can run on dirt next to the bike path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last 24 miles are on beautiful single track that runs along the banks of Folsom Lake and then parallels the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place> and its dramatic cliffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The run is a gradual climb from start to finish with rolling trails through oak forests typical of the Sierra foothills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trails are rocky, are sometimes deep trenches through meadow areas, and rise and fall suddenly making it necessary to use all the hill running technique you know to lessen impact and improve efficiency. The poison oak is green and lush stretching its healthy green vines right into the trail at hip level!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was my second race at this distance and a memorable one for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each ultra has a theme with many sub plots that create a story making the day unforgettable. Today's theme was about being surprised and delighted with unexpected outcomes that brought tremendous satisfaction above and beyond the accomplisment of finishing a long run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The start was 6 am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was pleasantly cool and I wore my lycra/cotton blend shorts, a white sport tech ChiRunning t-shirt, arm warmers, light gloves and a <st1:place w:st="on">Patagonia</st1:place> long sleeved shirt over all that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My waist pack carried a nutrigrain bar, 22 oz of half strength NUNN solution, my ipod for use later, my phone and a baggie with ibuprofen and S caps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ron, my training partner and good friend, and I began the run towards the back middle third of the pack, passed a lot of people and ran through the start line nearly a minute and a half after the official start time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was dark and some people wore headlamps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The moon was full and low in the sky over the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a beautiful morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon the light of the early morning revealed white steam rising off the river and a big orange sun sat in front of us as we ran down the bike trail. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Our first ten miles didn’t go by well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of us felt achy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t get in a good rhythm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were running too slowly and walking too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron talked about not even being able to finish – he had been worried that he was seriously undertrained compared to the several previous times he had run this race, and now he was feeling badly way too early in the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Around 12 miles, I picked up the pace hoping that he would follow and that it would make us feel better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t follow and I slowly pulled away. I didn't even say good-bye. I paid for that later!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_kwgJnnlH1TSdAOUN9qQBhrHYCWOfif12ZmOOgzWrg7X0P9n2NbFiOyKDfQBIuzgorXweJMutkUoJZ1PAuuNjcyPCyK-F9zbl5Z0xcOGqzketsVw3QVFAybe_SjWReMtAkfxpA5uBgU/s1600/ron+&+cheryl+mile+2+of+AR50.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_kwgJnnlH1TSdAOUN9qQBhrHYCWOfif12ZmOOgzWrg7X0P9n2NbFiOyKDfQBIuzgorXweJMutkUoJZ1PAuuNjcyPCyK-F9zbl5Z0xcOGqzketsVw3QVFAybe_SjWReMtAkfxpA5uBgU/s320/ron+&+cheryl+mile+2+of+AR50.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first few miles on the AR bike trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I began to feel better and by the 14 mile mark at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sunrise</st1:place></st1:city> aid station I was in better rhythm through improved focus on my form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad was watching for me on the bridge just past <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sunrise</st1:place></st1:city>, but missed me going through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dave and Carol also missed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had hoped to give them my armwarmers and long sleeved shirt and gloves, but instead had to stuff them in my waist pack and tie the shirt around my waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No big deal, but I was disappointed not to see my crew.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A few miles later, I saw Dave and Carol in their cars on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They waved and my spirits rose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called Carol and asked her to tell Ron I was sorry for leaving him and not saying good bye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew she would understand because earlier she had reminded me to “run my own race.”</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Around mile 19, I recognized Kathy Griest, a Master ChiRunning Instructor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had never met in person, I knew her from Facebook and being on the ChiRunning DVD and videos, but we hugged each other like we were old friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I invited her to meet me at the finish to celebrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An accomplished ultrarunner herself, she made the trip up to the Overlook and greeted me at the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIU7fXKWLfocrbE5yjbEgxiIjGIyauYIjrnYdBcDLfQy6-fek5vttNTM-GpfXOhRNz_saTk3W0rrF4nfZfSg0i2EugJMqN_xradVBO40FzbywLq684gANMosJf9HGhgBXUyFUI_4xjU74/s1600/Kathy+G+at+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIU7fXKWLfocrbE5yjbEgxiIjGIyauYIjrnYdBcDLfQy6-fek5vttNTM-GpfXOhRNz_saTk3W0rrF4nfZfSg0i2EugJMqN_xradVBO40FzbywLq684gANMosJf9HGhgBXUyFUI_4xjU74/s400/Kathy+G+at+finish.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathy Griest, Master ChiRunning Instructor, at the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I moved through the aid station at Negro Bar, mile 22.4, in good shape barely making the cut off time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was feeling pretty good except for the nagging ache in the dorsum of my right foot between my ankle bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had noticed it around mile 14 and knew it would probably be an issue for the whole run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took some ibuprofen and focused on a relaxed ankle lift. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Beals Point is 26.53 miles and I arrived there an hour before the cut off point in about 5 hours, 23 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking through the aid station, I grabbed more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, orange slices and bananas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was definitely going to be a PB&J day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt low despite seeing my dad, Dave and hearing Carol’s “WAHOO!” when she spotted me trotting in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I might be alone for the next 24 miles and wasn’t looking forward to that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dave walked a half mile with me as we left Beals and then slowly trotted up the trail a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me Ron was only a few minutes behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I was hopeful that </span>he would catch me.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW7Cba7bX-10d7E6sQFIw6wxDEHmmWPnHJt9IvnmJmPRWMPiOIcB4ArYJRV8mo8l5Mo0E89_TOhEdcCifqF5VO18-ejL18wxy1YbiKRb7dC9ojqZiMfw5vXeS22N7QhSZPZq95nq9L10/s1600/Cheryl+at+Beale's+point+4-7-12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW7Cba7bX-10d7E6sQFIw6wxDEHmmWPnHJt9IvnmJmPRWMPiOIcB4ArYJRV8mo8l5Mo0E89_TOhEdcCifqF5VO18-ejL18wxy1YbiKRb7dC9ojqZiMfw5vXeS22N7QhSZPZq95nq9L10/s320/Cheryl+at+Beale's+point+4-7-12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving Beals Point at 26.5 miles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MrirD0DmaNv5cK4bqTZGTljFA-aCd5jsVVtW3nJDXW8DsVrnDGrFUdq7rdKKmjQIp0ngJprzgNS9RSsQrN-d5uPvSNA0xw4wWczscG_hzvdY-Q6uWuJcUas8bdd1dpHzI4KPQ_mwZAE/s1600/Cheryl+running+trail+around+mile+27+AR50M.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MrirD0DmaNv5cK4bqTZGTljFA-aCd5jsVVtW3nJDXW8DsVrnDGrFUdq7rdKKmjQIp0ngJprzgNS9RSsQrN-d5uPvSNA0xw4wWczscG_hzvdY-Q6uWuJcUas8bdd1dpHzI4KPQ_mwZAE/s320/Cheryl+running+trail+around+mile+27+AR50M.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the trail at last out of Beals around 27 miles</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Granite</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place> was the next aid at 31.7 miles and like Beals Point, is another spot along the edge of Folsom Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nearly there, I spotted Dave on the side of the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me that Ron was right behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, there he was bounding ahead of me on the trail!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where did he get that energy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were glad to see each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He obviously had begun to feel better and had picked up the pace to catch me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We arrived in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Granite</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place> in 6 hours, 38 minutes, which was only a few minutes slower than my 50K time 4 weeks ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less than 20 miles to go, Ron and I felt the best we’d felt all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ate heartily – chicken soup, lots of 7-up for me, PB& J sandwhiches and orange slices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More S caps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carol brought us Mango/watermelon popsicles and we relished in their sweet, cold moisture as we walked down the trail out of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Granite</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place> aid station!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were some envious runners around us.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqod3xJ632bkupmnxL4pwMANf6CElcUfuXJcxHwvkw8Y6kkuUcEpyW4O12_c-vKkI15lK7qgLPeRh1zbf-gik4U_cIUzPQgxeNjY6IT4r2xc-IJRMkC_1I9v50yu7cg_2poeech8R3zM/s1600/Cheryll+&+Ron+near+Granite+mile+31.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqod3xJ632bkupmnxL4pwMANf6CElcUfuXJcxHwvkw8Y6kkuUcEpyW4O12_c-vKkI15lK7qgLPeRh1zbf-gik4U_cIUzPQgxeNjY6IT4r2xc-IJRMkC_1I9v50yu7cg_2poeech8R3zM/s320/Cheryll+&+Ron+near+Granite+mile+31.JPG" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron and I running in to Granite Bay around 31 miles</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Once finished with our popsicles, we began to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron was feeling good and our pace felt normal and strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were on dirt and it finally felt like the run we’d been waiting for all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, Ron took off at a blistering 10 minute pace powering up hills and cruising easily down hill and on the flats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trail was rocky and technical and amazingly neither of us tripped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We slowed at one point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked back and saw I had hung on despite passing many people and running hills that I probably would have walked had I been alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m proud of you”, he said, “you’re doing well.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him he was killing me and promised I’d never ditch him again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed, but I think he was glad that he’d proven to himself and to me that he was strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was happy to be following him because I trust his pace and know his rhythm.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Buzzard’s Cove is the aid station at 34.6 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The volunteers bring food and fluids in by boat on Folsom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time they had ice cream cones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t feel like ice cream, but orange slices, 7-up, coke and of course, PB&J sandwiches were gobbled<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thanked them and left around 7 hours and 35 minutes.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The next miles were fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron pushed the pace several times and I hung on, inspired by my body’s ability to focus and respond despite my fatigue, the pain in my ankle and the long hours on my feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was running in the present moment; the trail and moving over it was my universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We joked that he was still making me pay for ditching him! He couldn't believe how good he felt despite his usual achey knees and back, and I was grateful to manage my ankle pain and keep going.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At Horseshoe Bar I called Mary and gave her an update.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thanked me for calling surprised that I would use the energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But her voice energized me and after grazing heavily on, you guessed it, PB&J sandwhiches, orange slices and more 7-up, filling our bottles and downing more S caps, Ron and I took off.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp4prSCG4h0eqbG2kOYHKgsPWxYJyfn9XKdX6eeXMN-s35Atby-PtX_MpwqSMR9VDGM7E-rH5yCrcqlHJqlzzHB54iGLmoBZNe-Z38Ciw01-AgUYm17PxmzDqG04S2CIcLnqbQi391fY/s1600/running+into+Rattlesnake+with+Ron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp4prSCG4h0eqbG2kOYHKgsPWxYJyfn9XKdX6eeXMN-s35Atby-PtX_MpwqSMR9VDGM7E-rH5yCrcqlHJqlzzHB54iGLmoBZNe-Z38Ciw01-AgUYm17PxmzDqG04S2CIcLnqbQi391fY/s400/running+into+Rattlesnake+with+Ron.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running down the trail into Rattlesnake around mile 40</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We met Dave at Rattlesnake Bar aid station, 40.94 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dave would run with us to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to drag Ron out of there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loves to eat at the aid stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started walking up the trail and Dave continued to coax Ron out of the buffet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he left, he turned back to Carol, who was taking video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “I love you”, then paused and turned again and said, “Will you marry me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said yes and then about three other women’s voices said, “I will!”<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">With less than 10 miles to go, our spirits were good and Ron again picked up the pace when a couple wanted to pass us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The five of us stuck together at a pace that I was pretty sure I couldn’t hold and sure enough after about 20 minutes I asked Ron to slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The couple passed us and we continued on at an easier pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I swear I'll never ditch him again! </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last Gasp aid station is a mile or so up the start of THE HILL and only about 2.5 miles from the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its volunteers are shirtless young male runners with gorgeous bodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would run down the hill towards us, take our bottles and run up the hill and have them filled and ready for us when we arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An enormous source of chi, oh and did I mention they were gorgeous?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, it was a great distraction from this 15% plus hill we just climbed!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We had more climbing ahead of us, not as steep and we started at a fast walk as we left Last Gasp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me to keep up with Ron’s long strides I had to ChiWalk at a high cadence or even run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron wanted to go faster and asked me to dig deep and pick it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to pass people in front of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him ok, but I needed to focus just on my running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No conversation except to talk about focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We picked up the pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran fast enough that he had to keep focused to keep up with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began to sound like a ChiRunner as he coached me, the Certified Instructor: swing your arms more, chin up, y’chi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I chanted, “relax” as I focused on running from my center, rotating my "cotton around the needle".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We zoomed up the hill and passed many people. Both of us surprised at our speed and power and delighted that we would finish under 12 hours and even break our last 50 mile time of 11:42.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After a steep 50 yard uphill, we turned the corner and there was the finishing chute, loud speakers announcing our arrival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our pace picked up to a normal run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We crossed in 11:40:43.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQlUP4ST4LWf1pEsA0Js_7Y63cw81WRyjPLAxVQ5nJzn_Ar9s0aYqcNtr8nz6Bj_bb1hdEkwYn_im6RacDl7j9So9CRKrKXa4hrMta_VeZQAOGMbSV1zpdcrBrkC2vjBklUczRcUHXWY/s1600/Finish+line+AR50+4-7-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQlUP4ST4LWf1pEsA0Js_7Y63cw81WRyjPLAxVQ5nJzn_Ar9s0aYqcNtr8nz6Bj_bb1hdEkwYn_im6RacDl7j9So9CRKrKXa4hrMta_VeZQAOGMbSV1zpdcrBrkC2vjBklUczRcUHXWY/s640/Finish+line+AR50+4-7-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My dad, Carol, sister and her family were at the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steve Mackel, another ChiRunning Instructor met me there, too, with Kathy Griest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never met Steve before either, but the three of us hugged and chatted like we were family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so great to see other ChiRunners out there besides me and Ron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOrQgiqf0psXzEWQUY179iLN_JrFMSHGnLKz6QuZJitmdv__HdSbpSTwkSpQH99IZhRkReWBQzCn5w4Iz7oObhkfytxhh6Cpx0XI00SuYFXjhN2e7hgAqCNEMvRtSqeG_iacBhJ37TR0/s1600/Ron+and+Cheryl+in+AR50+jackets+beer+and+rose+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOrQgiqf0psXzEWQUY179iLN_JrFMSHGnLKz6QuZJitmdv__HdSbpSTwkSpQH99IZhRkReWBQzCn5w4Iz7oObhkfytxhh6Cpx0XI00SuYFXjhN2e7hgAqCNEMvRtSqeG_iacBhJ37TR0/s400/Ron+and+Cheryl+in+AR50+jackets+beer+and+rose+compressed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool jackets! And Alaskan Amber!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron, me and Dave minutes after finishing</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What a memory this day made! Better yet, the whole weekend ended in a way I least expected. We all went skiing the next day at Heavenly, proudly wearing our new AR50 finishers' jackets and skiing moguls on the famous Little Dipper. The Comet Kats were out in force, the sun was bright and the snow perfect!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skiing Litter Dipper the day after AR50</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO5kJEc9Gqtnp99XLPPo_SLBjqzzJt8cN6OJFYmTBo3UI0LhK52q15TnGjq6c5RGbWEg6ZNO8CkJsrVf-xSmCFWeCV_EW2wirUrCZewlNMOF9PsTb-XIu1NRLJrnhaln9NWw-g18d-xM/s1600/Ron+on+comet+bumps+4-8-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO5kJEc9Gqtnp99XLPPo_SLBjqzzJt8cN6OJFYmTBo3UI0LhK52q15TnGjq6c5RGbWEg6ZNO8CkJsrVf-xSmCFWeCV_EW2wirUrCZewlNMOF9PsTb-XIu1NRLJrnhaln9NWw-g18d-xM/s400/Ron+on+comet+bumps+4-8-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron works the soft moguls on Little Dipper</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave shows some knee action on the bumps</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-42543707183219761592012-04-04T19:55:00.003-07:002012-04-05T21:09:41.172-07:00"Chi Marathon" and tapering for AR50MI recently listened to Danny Dreyer, Founder of ChiRunning and author of his new book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Chi Marathon, the Breakthrough Natural Running Program for a Pain-Free Half Marathon and Marathon”, </i>speak at a running store in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Asheville</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">North Carolina</st1:state></st1:place> last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His book, co-authored with his wife Katherine, is a wonderful next step to practicing the ChiRunning form and philosophy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I began studying ChiRunning in July, 2010, I knew that I would need to race in order to fully test it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the release of his book, Danny has validated advancing ChiRunning practice through training and racing long distance.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">ChiRunning, as many of you know, is more than just learning how to run properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s about living in those moments during a run where it is more than just putting one foot in front of the other or maximizing fitness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s about moving through space effortlessly and with such ease that your joy and energy is uncontainable and boundless. I'm sure others have said it more eloquently, but that's my version and I continue to struggle in describing what a huge impact it has had on my mental, spiritual and physical life.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In “Chi Marathon”, Danny and Katherine, write about the basic ChiRunning skills, and then they take it to the next level where the ChiRunning practitioner can refine their skills through training and racing in a half marathon, a full marathon or longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Danny writes about the Phases of training, preparation, racing and recovery in ways that have not been described before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And although many runners, me included, may have preconceived notions of what the following phases mean, the way those phases are described through the eyes of the Master of ChiRunning himself are unique. By the way, I have heard it said that Danny claims he is not a Master of ChiRunning. He is a practitioner like we all are.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phase I:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vision, Goals and Planning</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phase II:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Technique Phase</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phase III:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Conditioning Phase</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phase IV:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Mastery Phase</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phase V:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taper Time</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phase VI:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Race Weekend </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phase VII:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rest and Renewal </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I am currently tapering for the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place> 50Mile Endurance Run on April 7, my 53<sup>rd</sup> birthday, only two days away as of this writing.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, I thought I would write a bit about my experience of tapering as a way of reviewing <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Danny and Katherine’s book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I will write about Phase VI and VII in the next weeks.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Danny writes in the first paragraph of this chapter:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The main Chi focus during the taper phase is Containment – containing your energy, your enthusiasm, your nerves and your desire for a successful outcome.”</div>(page 142)<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Not an easy thing to do when I’m used to running 50 miles a week and now my longest run has been 10 miles in the last two weeks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so full of energy that I went skiing yesterday holding myself to two hours and long rests between 20 turns on the sweet steepness of the Chutes at Mt Rose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even that energy release barely appeased my fit legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called Mary and chattered on for five minutes about how great the snow was and how good it felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed and commented about how much energy there was in my voice.</div><br />
<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Intensity and Quality of runs during tapering:</h4><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Most runners understand that the tapering phase before a race consists of a decrease in mileage, but not a decrease in intensity and quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like how Danny writes about this distinction:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“… energy is like money in the bank. You only have so much, and the wise person spends that money carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During taper time, you are amassing your money in the bank.” (Page 143).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My runs have been shorter over the last two weeks, but they are at race pace (for 50 Miles that would be about 10:30 or slower for me.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although, I admit I’ve run a few 8’s and 9’s while in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Asheville</st1:place></st1:city> with runners 20 years younger than me! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Danny instructs, the quality of these runs should be about keeping your body and mind sharp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the time to focus and sharpen the ChiRunning focuses and “to allow all the good energy to be stored in your dantien”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The only thing to build in this phase is trust.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I use positive affirmations that improve trust in me, my training and my fitness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One phrase I began to use during my taper for the Way Too Cool 50K four weeks ago was, “I am confident in my skill, ability and fitness to run and finish the race strong.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was amazing how my nerves were calmed as I built my trust in my training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d never thought about it that way: to trust myself. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’m also very focused on pelvic rotation and relaxed ankles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More specifically, allowing my left hip to rotate back equal to my right hip in order to ensure that I’m not overstriding on my right side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also very focused on the light in my dantien that my needle rotates around creating a strong connection to my mind and Y’chi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Niggles:</h4>In “Chi Marathon”, Danny describes niggles as those little, unexplainable pains that have not been there before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They kind of nag at you like you hadn’t noticed them ever before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the funny knee pain I had never felt before in my left knee, I knew this was a niggle and it quickly disappeared after a few tenths of a mile running.<br />
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<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“No funny stuff” </h4><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">or what I call, don’t do anything stupid!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did ski yesterday and I did ski the Chutes, very steep runs where a fall would result in a 1000 foot slide with the potential to crash into some big rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I did it anyway and skied it fairly decent using the danger and risk to focus my mind and move from my dantien, my center.</div><br />
<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Pre race diet:</h4><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Having a steak tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do love beef.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Should have stuck to something lighter this close to the race, but it will be ok. </span> Nothing that I don’t know how my body responds to. Gathering energy. storing money in the bank, containing my enthusiasm to eat everything in sight.</div><br />
<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Pre race planning logistics:</h4><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Danny calls it “The big list”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I call it trying-to-decide-what- to-wear-and-put-in-my-fanny-pack-and- travel-bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m staying at the Quality Inn in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sacramento</st1:place></st1:city>; driving down Friday with my training partner Ron and his wife, Carol; picking up our race packets at Fleet Feet; then having dinner at the Spaghetti Factory on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">J Street</st1:address></st1:street>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad and Dave have all the logistical information for the aid stations and about what time I will arrive at them so they can cheer me on and offer me stuff the stations might not have.</div><br />
<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Finally:</h4><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Realize how much you have cultivated the intelligent athlete, knowing that you can rely on the wisdom of your mind and body to fully enjoy your event.” (page 148)</div><br />
Thanks Danny for the release of your book during this critical phase of my training! This race will be another "experiment" as Instructor Candidate, Glen said last week in Asheville. <br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-20994564507570468232012-03-11T14:30:00.000-07:002012-03-11T14:30:21.824-07:00Way Too Cool 50K Race ReportWhat a day for a trail run!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> P</span>erfect weather with a start in the high 40’s, no wind and perfect trail conditions all of which are unusual for this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Typically, The WTC, in Cool, CA, is a wet, muddy, often stormy race in the western foothills of the Sierra where only the most obsessed trail runners flock to test their skill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It is mostly single track through beautiful California woods with some steep climbs, but some gloriously long rolling trail along the contour lines of deep canyons and sometimes even paralleling the American River. </span>This year was ideal and for sure, a course record was set at 3:27 or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mere mortals like me were happy with an hour or several behind that! <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Typically nervous before any big race, I calmed myself with positive affirmations of confidence and visualized myself running through the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had slept very poorly the night before in a bad bed. I kept dreaming that I had woken up after the start of the race!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breakfast was minimal since the butterflies in my stomach refused to land. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose stretch shorts (lycra/cotton combo) and a long sleeved <st1:place w:st="on">Patagonia</st1:place> shirt, DryMax socks and New Balance 110s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Nathan waist pack with a 20 oz bottle filled with half strength Nunn solution to start, a bag of S caps in case they didn't have any at the aid stations and a couple of NutriGrain bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout the day, I filled my bottle with water and supplemented with S Caps (that were at the aid stations) about 1 to 2 per hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Temps rose into the 70s.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNC1Nc76cpTDaCXywqSUYjAYH86adicygsUMreNUYcKDEBhyvvQQNksAI0jhN0yxayYunTQ89N5iGMT2H2jJ3tktRXvFW6zV59AT2xl-h0yFSbz4_5Zggm5L7htUUXHfSzwTYD7Chq2U/s1600/Cheryl+w+WTC50K+frog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNC1Nc76cpTDaCXywqSUYjAYH86adicygsUMreNUYcKDEBhyvvQQNksAI0jhN0yxayYunTQ89N5iGMT2H2jJ3tktRXvFW6zV59AT2xl-h0yFSbz4_5Zggm5L7htUUXHfSzwTYD7Chq2U/s400/Cheryl+w+WTC50K+frog.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Me and the WTC Frog before the start</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A few minutes before the start, I positioned myself fairly far back in the pack with the intention to “start slow and taper off”, but my intentions faded quickly as I went out at a 9 minute pace feeling strong and relaxed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that this could be a great day. 10 minute miles? No way, I am strong, I am woman! yeah right.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The first miles were down hill on pavement, and then changed to dirt trail and steady uphill climbs on mostly single track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found myself hovering around an 8:30 min/mile pace and still felt fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first 8 miles is a loop that takes you back to the starting line and I found myself going through that 8.1 miles in 1:21.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, a bit fast, but I still felt good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even went through an ankle high stream to avoid the line of runners crossing over the rocks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minutes later, I hardly noticed that my feet had been wet.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I headed into the 11 mile aid station, I was still doing sub 9 min miles and was amazed at my speed given the terrain, however I began to feel some twinges in my right calf and hamstring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My focus intensified on relaxing my lower legs and allowing my pelvis to rotate easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized that even tho I was quite relaxed I had not done any real speed work, so the energy that was required for each foot fall at this speed and distance was beginning to take its toll.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sure enough, approaching 13 miles, the pain in my calf intensified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By mile 14, I was at a full blown hobble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if I would have to quit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could I possibly do another 17 miles?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard Ron’s voice in my head, “this too shall pass.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t quit, I can’t quit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can I get to the finish walking?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My slow pace eased my calf, but uphills were torture and even running the flats was painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could jog easily downhills, but the worst uphills were still ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pushed the thought of Goat Hill out of my mind for the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I have a strain or was this just a cramp that would pass?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I could do was wait for time to pass and see.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So a few miles went by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People passed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The calf pain backed off from 8 out of 10 to a mere 4 or 5 out of 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could run on the flats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uphills still hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By mile 19, I was moving better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hydration was good throughout, high energy bars and coke at all the aid stations kept me going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My stomach will take anything!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Around mile 20, I hooked up with another 5 runners who were averaging a nice 10 to 11 min pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The leader, Daniel, was walking in all the right places and running swiftly on the flats and downhills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together we ran about 5 miles to the base of Goat Hill, a ¾ mile slug up an extremely steep climb where the 26.3 mile aid station is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Short strides and big arm swing took me past my group that had pulled me for the last hour. </span>My calf pain had receded to a tolerable 3 or 4 out of 10 as long as I Chiwalked the uphills and ChiRan relaxed at a slower 10 min pace with a very short stride on the flats and downhills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Norm Klein was serving soup and celebrating his birthday at the top! (Norm was the Western States 100 Mile RD for many years.)</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I later found out that Dave, my husband, had run back from the start to the top of Goat Hill and missed me by 5 minutes or so!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had not seen him since the start and didn’t see him again until the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had underestimated my aid station times – I was running way faster than I told him I would!</div><br />
The last 5 miles were spent changing leads with a couple of young women who could fly uphill, but I passed them going down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I heard my phone go off and when I was walking up a hill, checked to see who it was. It was Mary so I called her back. She was amazed I called while I was "running" and it was good to hear her laugh as I told her I had about 3 miles to go, I was wiped and I'd call her at the finish! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The last aid station came and went in a blur and I was told there was only 1.4 miles to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Garmin was lying to me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happens when there are so many ups and downs on a trail; the Garmin loses a lot of distance.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The last hill was brutally short and steep, only 4 tenths from the finish. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A guy with a bullhorn at the top shouted encouragement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at my watch and realized, despite my calf pain, I was actually going to make my goal of finishing under 6:30!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I poured my mind into the present and focused on relaxation with every step and an arm swing that kept my pelvis rotating freely around my center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only a few more minutes to go!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The last 50 yards, a woman ahead of me slowed to a walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I touched her shoulder and said, “Come on girlfriend, let’s finish together!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began to run and followed me in across the line.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMKQ_VMCmBIhwa-8Rxv2uLdknIHtJLUyaBLp9jlEP_ADfiqQE06u2pegJBSlW7u1bq-0CtzF4UR1161E_MFzfkA4owZpuOJj13bww89nOJorz9cYyVdLeiVadGGM3OTQWK1jWdNfhyUo/s1600/Cheryl+finish+-+she+hugged+me+because+I+pulled+her+in!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMKQ_VMCmBIhwa-8Rxv2uLdknIHtJLUyaBLp9jlEP_ADfiqQE06u2pegJBSlW7u1bq-0CtzF4UR1161E_MFzfkA4owZpuOJj13bww89nOJorz9cYyVdLeiVadGGM3OTQWK1jWdNfhyUo/s640/Cheryl+finish+-+she+hugged+me+because+I+pulled+her+in!.jpg" width="361" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A woman hugged me for getting her to run to the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My dad and Dave were there waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad had dried blood all over his pants!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had fallen in the middle of Highway 49 when Emily (his Golden Lab) kind of got in his way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took himself to the ED, got a stitch in his finger, and an x-ray confirmed he broke a rib!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he drove himself back to see me finish!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad at the finish with me! Back from the ED, no less!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did it! Met my goal of under 6:30 with an official time of 6:27:44</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Lessons learned, notes to self:</div><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Do speed work if the goal is to go fast.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Skiing may not have been the best way to taper – I had been sick with a cold only 2 weeks ago as well so my last real training was the 26 miles 3 weeks before the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I had not been sick, a 15 miler would have been good in place of some of the skiing.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Don’t go out faster than you know you should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stick to the plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case, 10 min miles.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Have your dad take a picture of you before you start so he can remember what to look for as you come through aid stations and approaching the finish.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Remember that “this too, shall pass.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stick with it and remember that the goal is to finish and finish well, not hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only competition is me.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">S Caps worked well, again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Make sure the bed works for me before I settle in the room for the night before.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Stretch shorts work to prevent chaffing!!!</li>
</ul>A fabulous day despite the lows. I am so grateful for my friends and family support! When it gets dark, those are the ones you think about. It gives me a reason to never quit.Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-49068785061227693972012-02-08T12:50:00.000-08:002012-02-09T08:41:07.598-08:00A Running Partner - the essential element<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met him skiing on Little Dipper at Heavenly Ski Resort in Tahoe several years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His style in the moguls is unmistakable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s tall and lean and skis very upright and “stacked”, with great posture and alignment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His nickname is “smiley Ron”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His broad smile reveals gleaming white teeth under a shortly trimmed grey mustache framed usually with grey stubble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s always smiling when he skis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he’s gritting his teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His skiing is remarkably smooth yet fast and ambitious through the deepest and steepest of moguls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s one of the best mogul skiers on the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Amazingly, Ron Nageotte's youthful energy hardly reflects the 62 years he's been around.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4QV5OsmuD6Ds3zjFSM3tM3hxBgwiB3AiQb_RvvC26ZE7jHZELnh91u5vlWdSLx_k5s6hn2Mq7-suV8s5-ZaIvLVYzQerU0xSBzy7Gy72KyejD3_33ll7_x6GXIxEXTgK7Lj8e6uClZw/s1600/Ron+in+the+moguls+2-3-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4QV5OsmuD6Ds3zjFSM3tM3hxBgwiB3AiQb_RvvC26ZE7jHZELnh91u5vlWdSLx_k5s6hn2Mq7-suV8s5-ZaIvLVYzQerU0xSBzy7Gy72KyejD3_33ll7_x6GXIxEXTgK7Lj8e6uClZw/s400/Ron+in+the+moguls+2-3-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ron tears it up on Little Dipper - ChiSkiing!</span></td></tr>
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</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had always admired him from a distance believing that I wasn’t even on the same scale as he as a mogul skier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then one day in 2010 on Little Dipper, I overheard him say that he had just run a 50K the day before! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Intrigued, I got up the courage to talk to him about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not often that you meet an ultrarunner who skis, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron was gracious and humble about his experience and talking with him made me remember when I had once run long distances.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fast forward another 8 months and I had learned ChiRunning, was running long and injury free, and was well on my way to becoming a Certified Instructor in ChiRunning and ChiWalking.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 2011 skiing season was one of the most extraordinary for the Sierras in years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were so many powder days that mogul skiing was merely a distraction for days when there wasn’t deep powder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But mid January was the start of a dry spell that lasted about 6 weeks and as the trails dried up, running became the focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began to run with the Tahoe Mountain Milers where Ron introduced me to the group and their running routes which included the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.tahoemtnmilers.org/efph/efph.html">Escape from Prison Hill</a></b> Half Marathon course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was somewhere during that time that I learned that Ron had registered for the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.tahoemtnmilers.org/trter/trtindex.html">Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Mile</a></b> in July 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I boldly offered my assistance to him as a pacer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I barely knew him, but somehow realized that pacing him could help me to safely and confidently re-enter the running and racing world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had paced others before in big races so I knew I could do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what really intrigued me about Ron was his incredibly optimistic attitude about life, running, and working through pain and adversity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to learn how to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did he smile all the time?</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ron’s ability to run through physical pain is quite remarkable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty years ago, after a serious ski accident that involved a tree, a serious head injury and a close brush with death, Ron continues to deal with serious arthritis and chronic pain in his back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further, severe iliotibial band syndrome sidelined his running for years and only resolved with major surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He discovered<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.chirunning.com/">ChiRunning</a></b> several years ago and that has helped his running considerably.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has persisted through the physical challenges, but none probably as great as the challenge that he dealt with when his </span><a href="http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040908/News/109080008&SearchID=73183419474437"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">son died tragically in 2004</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>.</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eric was only 18 and one of the most gifted and promising mogul skiers in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ironically, it was Eric at the age of 5 who ensured that Ron received timely care when he hit that tree 20 years ago. "He saved my life that day," Ron told the <i>Tribune </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">after Eric’s death<i>.</i></span> "I only wish I could have been there to save his.”</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ron and his wife, Carol used their grief and the memory of Eric’s short but remarkable life to create a memorial fund benefitting young freestyle skiers through </span><a href="http://www.heavenlyfoundationteam.org/Home_Page.php"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>the</strong> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Heavenly Ski & Snowboard Foundation</b></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://tahoemtnmilers.org/freshtracks/2012FreshTracks5KRegForm.pdf"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TheEric Nageotte-Lowe Memorial Snowshoe 5K</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> benefits the foundation and is held each February at <st1:placetype w:st="on">Camp</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Richardson</st1:placename> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South Lake Tahoe</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Other freestyle and mogul events are held throughout the year as </span>fundraisers for the foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently, some of the top freestyle skiers in the country are funded through it.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fast forward to July, 2011 and Ron accomplished a long sought after goal of finishing a 100 mile trail race.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Mile run is a grueling event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paced him for 12 hours throughout the night from mile 50 to 80.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the early hours of the morning, from about 2 to 6 am, Ron demonstrated his remarkable ability to deal with adversity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His back pain had become intense and every 20 minutes or so, he would ask me to massage both sides of his spine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our pace had dropped to about 4 miles per hour, but he continued to run the downhills and flats despite his pain and the darkness of the Tahoe forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rarely spoke except to say that it really hurt a lot, his voice flat, but not whining. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept waiting for him to tell me he wanted to stop, lie down, to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face showed fatigue, but an intense determination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no sign of defeat or fear.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few months later, in October, 2011, Ron and I completed the Rock ‘N River 50 Mile race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was my first 50 mile attempt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Success would not have been possible without Ron’s encouragement, and Carol’s, my dad and Dave’s, aid station support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere in the last 10 miles of that run, I remember Ron laughingly asking me if I was hurting yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Duh. “It feels like someone’s hammering on my quads with a baseball bat every time I take a step.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nice analogy, Ron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He chuckled more, grinned widely with those big white teeth of his and said, “oh and it’ll only get worse.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great, I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so inspired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Typical Ron comment. And that smile again.</span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaw0TphSomDII8amObc_W1rnGC_orFPgSMVWRblxK7XKbXTOBjEKuDqy5oIzX8RyFn97z7XOFcV32YhTBpc4GJDVlhjfPLMP7fJFb4BR7h3kp-_5VB6NSkb8af51oaJ3yYuV30PFXTrIo/s1600/Ron+at+the+finish+2nd+in+age+group+medal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaw0TphSomDII8amObc_W1rnGC_orFPgSMVWRblxK7XKbXTOBjEKuDqy5oIzX8RyFn97z7XOFcV32YhTBpc4GJDVlhjfPLMP7fJFb4BR7h3kp-_5VB6NSkb8af51oaJ3yYuV30PFXTrIo/s400/Ron+at+the+finish+2nd+in+age+group+medal.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Classic Ron smile after finishing second in his age group at the Rock 'N River 50 Mile</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now it’s 2012 and a very dry winter has left us with some very good trail running conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our snow skiing is minimally satisfying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s February 8 and if it wasn’t for snowmaking we wouldn’t be skiing at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running training on the other hand, is in full swing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m registered for the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.wtc50k.com/course.aspx">Way Too Cool 50K</a> </b>on March 10 and the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.ar50mile.com/">American River 50 Mile</a></b> on April 7, my 53<sup>rd</sup> birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron helped me create my training plan last month at a Christmas party and it includes skiing as cross training, and running on the same day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says that after skiing moguls all day and then running for an hour afterwards is like you did a 20 miler that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it definitely felt that way last week!</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To finish this long story up and get to the point, I write this as both an acknowledgement of and thanks to a great man, friend and training partner, but also to demonstrate the value of finding the right person to run and train with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is what I’ve learned about what makes a great training partner:</span></div><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having the same pace and rhythm when running together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s critical to be able to run long distances and not feel pressured to run fast or slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Agreeing to a pace before the run is important so that goals of both people can be met.</span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being able to incorporate your runs together into your own training plan, i.e. time of day, time of week, distance and speed. </span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Agreeing to the type of run before you go – trails, roads, hills, flat, speed, or long slow distance.</span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Encouraging each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staying positive during rough spots.</span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being comfortable with each other during long periods of running silence, but also being able to put your mind on audio and chat about life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being comfortable enough to ask for help, to be “real” during the tough times that inevitably happen during many hours of running.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being willing to learn from each other.</span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After running a year with him, I recognize how blessed I am that I have found the essential element for successful training - my running partner, Ron. I'm thankful that Ron and I have enjoyed success in our running lives in 2011 as a result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m looking forward to 2012 being as successful and joyous as we both reach for new challenges in the coming racing season!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And may you, my friend, find a running partner who enhances your running life just as Ron has done mine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are blessed to have a running partner that you share that special bond with, I'd like to hear about it!</span></div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-84151591515966878402012-01-01T17:06:00.000-08:002012-01-01T17:06:05.668-08:002011: A Year of TransformationHappy New Year everyone! May your 2012 be memorable, healthy, happy and injury free!<br />
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This past week has been one of reflection and thanks for a most incredible year. There’s some irony there given that there was great tragedy and hardship in our nation and throughout the world. Our <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Reno</st1:place></st1:city> community suffered through some difficult times with senseless shootings during Hot August Nights, the tragic crash and loss of life at the Reno Air Races and then the frightening fire in November where 30 homes were lost and hundreds were threatened. <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Personally, I was affected by family tragedy with the horribly unnecessary death of my dad’s wife, Andrea. The bitter sweet is that my grief stricken father is reaching out to his family for support and love, a wonderful and comforting thing to be a part of.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Yet, despite all this, 2011 was one of the happiest for me in years; a transformation that began in July 2010 with the casual interest in a book a friend of mine was reading called “ChiRunning”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since that day in 2010, my life has not been the same. I went from painful knees when I ran more than 15 miles a week, to running 30 to 50 miles a week during 2011, racing for the first time in 15 years, and completing my first 50 mile race in October. My weight is close to what it was 15 years ago albeit my percent body fat is higher I’m sure, but my body does not feel like it’s been around for 50 plus years!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My spirit has soared and my love affair with running has resurfaced after being dormant for so many years.</div><br />
So what are the stats? I raced in trail runs of a ½ marathon, 10 mile, and a 20 mile; I ran 21 miles as part of our “Stupid Fast” team during the Hood To Coast Relay; I paced 20 miles of the American River 50Mile and 30 miles of the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 mile with my training buddy, Ron; and I completed my first 50 mile race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All with satisfactory times and performances, and most importantly injury free and happy.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My training log says I ran anywhere from 20 to 55 miles per week during the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> My self proclaimed </span>remarkable accomplishment for an injury prone runner and a "has been" triathlete.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And what did I learn? Reviewing my training log reveals so much! Food tolerances, or maybe that should be training food favs (very few intolerances) for pre-training, racing and post race (I will always love beer after a run!); shoe preferences – I now run 90% of my miles in a minimal shoe, the other 10 % is in my Saucony Kinvaras. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned that recovery and rest are more critical than miles, and that a training plan can be changed if my body says so. To that end, less is more – I can run a 50 mile race on 50 mile weeks especially with the ChiRunning skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of all, I learned that the joy of running is found in sharing the experience with others and being part of their accomplishments. From coaching to pacing and racing, the running experience offers so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am grateful for so many people for the life I have. You know who you are!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And, at the end of this year, I am without injury, am healthy and I still love running more than ever! Staying healthy, fit and injury free were my goals for 2011 and they won’t change for 2012. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll focus on nutrition and training recovery strategy to continue to optimize my training time and efficiency, and I’ll deepen the strengthening and maintenance of my core and upper body.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My race goals for 2011 are to:</div><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Complete the Way Too Cool 50K on March 10 in less than 6 ½ hours; </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Complete the Tahoe Rim Trail 50 mile on July 21 in less than 12 hours; and </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Complete the Rock ‘N River 50 mile in October in less than 11 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
</ul>Those are the biggies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other smaller races will be fun for training and repeats of last year – Escape from Prison Hill Half in April, Lone Pine Half or 50K in May, Ponderosa Ridge Run in June and Run on the Sly in August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, will it be the Reno Odyssey Relay or Hood to Coast Relay? Oh and there’s a new 50K and Half Marathon trail race inaugural happening in Grey Eagle in September which looks gorgeous…<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Lots to look forward to!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happy New Year everyone!<br />
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Next post, I promise pictures!</div><br />
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</div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-54669980143298866802011-12-27T17:04:00.000-08:002011-12-27T18:02:27.810-08:00New Goals, New Races and ChiRunning in Las Vegas for 2012!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I finished my last blog entry with the completion of the Rock ‘N River 50 mile race on October 15, 2011. After enjoying some time basking in my accomplishment, and recovering from the effort, I signed up for </span><a href="http://www.wtc50k.com/Default.aspx"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the Way Too Cool 50K</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> that will be March 10 in Cool, <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>, AND I got pulled in the lottery!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> So looks like I'm doing it!</span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suddenly, I realized that I would have to train during the coldest time of the year when my trails are covered in snow, the days are short and snow skiing is much more the priority!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHQ_rs6lqpo/TvpgMZmLzgI/AAAAAAAAALM/bEmdl8jo_pM/s1600/12-27-11+Dave+Cheryl+Mark+Elizabeth+at+top+of+comet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHQ_rs6lqpo/TvpgMZmLzgI/AAAAAAAAALM/bEmdl8jo_pM/s400/12-27-11+Dave+Cheryl+Mark+Elizabeth+at+top+of+comet.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Check out the snow cover! If it wasn't for man made snowmaking we wouldn't be skiing at all! My husband Dave on the far left with our friends Mark and his daughter, Elizabeth.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My training buddy Ron assured me that my new goal would keep me running fit for the winter and that this would be a good thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and he did NOT get pulled in the lottery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says he’ll run with me anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I detailed a training plan and calendared it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems to be even more rigorous than the one I made for myself when I was training for the 50 miler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It officially starts the week of January 9, but I’m gearing up for it by bringing my weekly mileage back up to 35 to 40 miles per week before then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel very fit and even though skiing is miserable right now, possibly the driest December on record, I’m enjoying my “rest days” on the hill doing laps on the blue runs with the manmade snow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p>O<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">h and also, I just expanded my ChiRunning business to include the Las Vegas market thanks to Mark Wallis, a veteran ChiRunning Instructor, who has been developing the market for several years. He now has a different life direction he's pursuing and graciously gave me first dibs on Las Vegas! I'll be traveling to Vegas in January and again in April! Very excited to do this work in the town that never sleeps!</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
Click on the dates to link to the description on the <a href="http://www.chirunning.com/"><span style="color: #660000;">ChiRunning website</span></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Las Vegas workshops:</span></o:p></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><a href="http://store.chiliving.com/Workshops/Half-day-ChiRunning-Workshop-W0285"><span style="color: #660000;">January 21, 2012 Las Vegas ChiRunning Half Day Workshop</span></a></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><a href="http://store.chiliving.com/Workshops/Half-day-ChiRunning-Workshop-W0286"><span style="color: #660000;">January 22, 2012 Las Vegas Half Day ChiRunning Workshop</span></a></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><a href="http://store.chiliving.com/Workshops/Half-day-ChiRunning-Workshop-W0287"><span style="color: #660000;">April 21, 2012 Las Vegas Half Day ChiRunning Workshop</span></a></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://store.chiliving.com/Workshops/ChiRunning-Workshops/Half-day-ChiRunning-Workshop-W0288"><span style="color: #660000;">April 22, 2012 Las Vegas Half Day ChiRunning Workshop</span></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Reno Workshop:</u></span><br />
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<a href="http://store.chiliving.com/Workshops/Half-day-ChiRunning-Workshop-W0331"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">January 14, 2012 Reno Half Day ChiRunning Workshop</span></a></div></div></div></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Here’s my training schedule:</u></span><br />
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<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All long runs are at an easy pace of no faster than 10 min/mile with average pace of 11:30 to 12:30 on hilly terrain.</span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mondays are rest days.</span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturdays and Sundays are ski days with short runs either before or after with Ron and/or Dave.</span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long runs will happen midweek, hopefully in the desert where there’s dry dirt</span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twice per week – BOSU ball work for core stability.</span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every other day – basic strength: sit-ups, pushups</span>.</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Week of January 9</u> – <b>one long run of 10 miles</b> (already doing this easily with a 30 mile week) 35 to 40 mile week.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Week of January 16</u> - <b>Back to back long runs: 12 to 15 miles followed by 8 miles at easy pace on hilly terrain.</b> 35 to 40 mile week.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Week of January 23</u> – <b>20 mile run easy pace.</b> 40 to 45 mile week.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Week of January 30</u> - <b>Back to back: 18 to 20 miles and follow with 12 to 15 miles.</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>40 to 45 mile week. One short tempo run of 3 to 4 miles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Week of February 6</u> – <b>Long run of 12 miles</b>. 40 to 45 mile week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One short tempo run of 4 to 5 miles.</span></span></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Week of February 13</u> – <b>Long run of 26 to 30 miles</b>. 45 to 50 mile week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One short tempo run of 4 to 5 miles.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Week of February 20</u> – 45 to 50 mile week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long run no more than 12 to 15 miles. One tempo run of 4 to 5 miles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Week of February 27</u> – begin taper.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Week of March 5</u> – continue taper with longest run of 6 to 9 miles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;"><u>March 10</u> – Race day<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd love to have your comments about your goals for 2012, the races you want to do and your training. Feedback about my training plan is definitely welcome, too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May your 2012 be filled with joyful, healthy running, and huge personal success!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">GET OUT THERE!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-27920392561082150182011-10-21T11:10:00.000-07:002011-10-21T11:11:33.669-07:00Recovery, Reflections and the ATRAIt’s Friday morning and I’ve had a good week of recovery. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much to my surprise, the soreness in my quads was almost completely gone by Monday morning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My body felt as if I had merely run a long run. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t debilitated. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My soreness and fatigue had been symmetrical, not isolated to a particular area or muscle group. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am pleased about this as it is further evidence that I had trained well and my running form hadn’t fallen apart too badly. <br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Speaking of my form, I saw a short video clip of Ron and I as we were running somewhere around 32 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was quite surprised and a little disappointed to see how some old habits had returned with the long miles. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My left arm was a chicken wing, swinging tensely out to my side and my feet were splayed through the swing through. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My ankles were low and I was the picture of the classic marathon shuffle!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I really was tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Splayed feet, low ankles and chicken wings!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I guess I did some things right with my ChiRunning technique though as I had not been injured and for that, I am thankful!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I ran 5 miles on Wednesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably should have stopped around 3, but I was eager to enjoy the trail. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My right hamstring began to tense up and I ended up walking a bit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked yesterday and will do the same today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No hurry. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be nice to enjoy this beautiful fall weather before it snows. One more good run on the TRT would be wonderful next week.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last night I wrote a letter to the Board of the <a href="http://www.trailrunner.com/">American Trail Running Association</a>. The October issue of the magazine, <em>Trailrunner</em>, had been included in the swag that was provided to the race’s runners. Ironically, there was an article in this particular issue about how the ATRA is working on “providing guidelines for a race-sanctioning system” to “help racers be reassured that the course will be vetted for things like safety, distance accuracy, placement and stocking of aid stations and course markings.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ATRA President Adam Chase also said, “There’s nothing worse than preparing for and traveling to a race, only to get lost because it was poorly marked.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In my letter to President Adam Chase, Vice President Ellen Miller and Executive Director Nancy Hobbs, I told them about my story with the Rock ‘N River 50 Mile – how Ron and I and 200 other runners took a wrong turn, how we felt little support from race management to get on the right course, and how little empathy was shown to the frustrated, angry and disappointed runners who had to abandon goals at the very beginning of a race.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was good to write about it to someone who has some authority in the trail running community, but mostly I wanted to let the Board know that sanctioning guidelines would be welcomed by this runner. I wrote:</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“I believe that standards in sport create respect between athletes and race organizations and make our commitment and accomplishments meaningful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Creating guidelines for trailrunning and ultrarunning race sanctions is personal for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's significant that as the representative of our trailrunning community, the ATRA let race organizers know that there is a standard that the trailrunning/ultrarunnning community expects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm counting on you.”</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I have had similar disappointment in sport before on a much bigger stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1982, I tied for fourth place in the Hawaii Ironman. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those of you old enough to remember, that was the year that Kathleen McCartney passed Julie Moss about 100 yards from the finish as Julie struggled, crawling across the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was this <a href="http://www.swimbikerunvideos.com/2011/06/10/historic-ironman-finishes/">dramatic finish</a> that ABC Wide World of Sports used to bring triathlon into the public spotlight creating a new passion in endurance sports. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have the t-shirts and the trophies for Fourth and Tenth that year</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Another woman and I crossed behind Julie and Kathleen soon after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julie stumbled and fell multiple times in those last yards.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There were 6 women in the top 5 places, two who had tied for third and two of us who had tied for fourth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the awards were given during a ceremony with around 1500 people in the audience, race management failed to consider the places and I was left out of the ceremony!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Devastating to my young, 21 year old ego, I left <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> in tears and failed to recognize the huge accomplishment of finishing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ironically, in October of that year, I placed 10<sup>th</sup> in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> (there were two events that year) and again, because of a disqualification that didn’t get acknowledged, I was left out of the ceremony! Amazing that it had happened twice to me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For many, many years, I have struggled to resolve these crushing disappointments knowing that I missed experiencing the significance of my accomplishments and wishing that I could go back and relive them.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, in many ways, what happened at the Rock ‘N River race last weekend was a completion and validation of emotions and maturity for me of those events in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> 30 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My return to running and racing this past year has been so much more than the ability to achieve something physically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting lost last weekend proved to be a wonderful experience – I got to enjoy the loving support of family and friends; I got to run the race with my running partner and wonderful friend;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to encourage others during the race to keep moving, walking with them, and talking to them; I allowed all the chi/energy to flow positively in every encounter and experience during the race. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, importantly, I enjoyed the race despite our poor start and was able to experience the enormous accomplishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything I set out to achieve with my journey to train for a 50 mile race had come to be and then some.</div><br />
I’m at peace with who I am as an athlete, but more importantly, who I am as a human being. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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</div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-73194505283203824142011-10-16T22:24:00.000-07:002011-10-16T22:24:20.792-07:00I FINISHED!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjcymkVtdMyMXKUyb1cGBMy_A3Y1GF6l7f8aYv3G-xJfYYjQmzedZtkxqq_gZHmZ7PgoN2lla3JI3Bzg7bnjTXoSj3ZMXHBWgHCJNfK0p-c3JgDSvZ415Io1S_0z9mOEd7_-HBJqXSBk/s1600/Dave+and+Cheryl+at+the+finish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjcymkVtdMyMXKUyb1cGBMy_A3Y1GF6l7f8aYv3G-xJfYYjQmzedZtkxqq_gZHmZ7PgoN2lla3JI3Bzg7bnjTXoSj3ZMXHBWgHCJNfK0p-c3JgDSvZ415Io1S_0z9mOEd7_-HBJqXSBk/s400/Dave+and+Cheryl+at+the+finish.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Dave at the finish</td></tr>
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What an experience! And I finished despite the adversity of the start. About 200 of us got lost immediately!! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, that’s no typo, about <u>200 people</u> missed the pink flagging at one of the first turns.<br />
It was dark and we missed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOWaZhyphenhyphenG65m73IAMlohRnY7ogp58UcoQ6lP0hEEKvk5jLxx8t-vAcvezZKMa5LAKdIqWgR7ZOhyphenhyphenT5MAy6BQB8NcWrJVKsRFwD9YZQsZ3Ii2uREfugCW3OXEPCZlC6OE9RxBKeEx4IgM8/s1600/Ron+and+Cheryl+at+the+starting+line.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOWaZhyphenhyphenG65m73IAMlohRnY7ogp58UcoQ6lP0hEEKvk5jLxx8t-vAcvezZKMa5LAKdIqWgR7ZOhyphenhyphenT5MAy6BQB8NcWrJVKsRFwD9YZQsZ3Ii2uREfugCW3OXEPCZlC6OE9RxBKeEx4IgM8/s400/Ron+and+Cheryl+at+the+starting+line.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron and I at the start - 6:30 am</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Ron and I were running in the middle of the pack, chatting away and just following the herd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no race volunteers to make sure we all turned where we were supposed to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half way down the 2000 foot descent to the river, we saw the lead group coming back up and yelling that we were all going the wrong way!!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Confusion, chaos described the scene on the steep paved hill we'd all just run down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people didn’t believe them, some tried alternative routes that ended in dead ends, some reluctantly climbed back to the start to find the right route. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After screwing around for 5 minutes, I called Dave on my cell phone, and he found the race director and told her what was happening. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was nonchalant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Said she was working on it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told us to continue our descent to the river and we would find the trail there. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NOT!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of us did just that and found there was no trail. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some turned around, and some, like Ron and I, decided to follow the shore of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place> to a dirt road that appeared to climb up to the trail at the top of the canyon where we could see runners who had apparently found the pink ribbon.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We slid down a shoulder off the road to the river where we began to pick our way through the shore rock and boulders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was slow going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We played catch with a tennis ball and joked about the golf ball we found half buried in the mud. Ron commented that the people who lost the flip flops that we found were probably worse off than us! Ha! </span>We finally found our way to the dirt road leading up to the first aid station which was officially 2.5 miles in to the race. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On our way up, Ralph, a volunteer sweeper, met us and told us we were indeed headed towards the aid station. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We climbed the 1000 feet up the dirt road to find ourselves an hour in to a 50 mile race and only had traveled two and half miles that was not supposed to have any climbing, let alone 1000 feet in the first hour. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should have taken us less than 25 minutes to get there!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was like having an hour handicap at the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The adversity of running a 50 mile race had been magnified with the demoralizing realization that we might not make the cut off time;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that we might have spent energy that would keep us from finishing;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that Ron would likely not PR or win his age group again, and that I might not be able to finish my first attempt at 50 miles.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The good news for me was that Ron realized he had little chance of meeting his goals so he committed to run the entire race with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little did I know how important his support would be until it started to get tough during those last miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not have finished strong without him.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The last 10 miles were tough. The ache in my quads was sharp with every step, especially starting to run again after walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron described it as if someone had taken a baseball bat to them and beaten them hard for an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in pain, too and reassured me that no matter how many times you do these things, they’re always tough.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was ChiRunning at its finest and the ultimate test of that technique, form, philosophy, whatever you want to call it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mind-body partnership, that is so critical to really running injury free and efficiently, was being put to its greatest test. I relaxed into my lean and it was truly easier to run than walk once I got over that initial quad pain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My quads screamed towards the end, but my calves, ankles, Achilles, back, everything else was fine. My abdominal obliques were sore at the end, a true testament to the use of pelvic rotation to manage my power without using my legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you Danny Dreyer for creating ChiRunning!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukdxErEzNBnbw_mDCfJk0kDb47hMxaGygA9BE0Lpg9RqovoyF68LwRpPMreElOxz3RgWhwJrUmL684_jMLRSZDXFopCaZJ63XdLnX3znyxGWQXDNhwEca462JcVb3wTB5jr1LOyOarDM/s1600/Ron+and+Cheryl+approach+an+aid+station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukdxErEzNBnbw_mDCfJk0kDb47hMxaGygA9BE0Lpg9RqovoyF68LwRpPMreElOxz3RgWhwJrUmL684_jMLRSZDXFopCaZJ63XdLnX3znyxGWQXDNhwEca462JcVb3wTB5jr1LOyOarDM/s400/Ron+and+Cheryl+approach+an+aid+station.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching an aid station around mile 32 - he always smiles when there's a camera around!</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We managed to maintain a 12 minute pace or less over the last 5 miles and finished under the cut off time in 11 hours and 42 minutes. I think if we’d had a better start I could have done it in 11 hours.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Amazing to me, we ended up doing about 52 miles total with the second marathon faster than the first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I write this Sunday evening. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My recovery is going well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sore, but the constant ache in my legs from last night is gone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it’s just hard to start moving, but once I get walking I’m ok. I'm having some delayed muscle soreness in places I didn't expect, like my shoulders. Now there's an interesting place to look at my form from a new perspective!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I will write more details about the race including lessons learned and funny moments about the run as I get more pictures from my dad and Carol, but for the moment, I just want to acknowledge how important the support of friends and family was to me! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My dad was there at every aid station with his dog, Emily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was wonderful to see him there cheering me on, just as he has done all my life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dave, my husband, paced us in the last two miles when I was really hurting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He calmed me the night before when my pre-race fears had me literally gagging over the toilet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I was that anxious!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I could not have finished as fast and as strong without Ron running next to me, behind me, in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admire his attitude and strength, his endurance and commitment to ultra running. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is my friend and mentor, and we share a special running bond that comes from long runs and races together. His wife, Carol, was tremendous at each aid station! She bought popsicles and we had a special treat that a few other runners got to enjoy, too as she gave them away to avoid having them melt in the cooler. It was 90 degrees!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An accomplished ultra runner herself, she greeted us at each aid station with a shout of “wahoo!” and seemed to know exactly what we needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first time I got to see Carol in action. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is amazing in her ability to support Ron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And since Ron was running with me, I got to experience some of that, too!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvenI2NIJCKKZuK5kkB7_cGM2FSoB-eTtSEwEjLfeOjsvj3x5hT91MJyQWMfntajK9DCRMw0S4TfOqRD6jJ-QjMj7bUWYFWM9P5r8gJY-v5bbo3ItXQM-kSw455FeEUAIMeuyF6Y-Azus/s1600/Carol+and+Ron+at+the+finish+of+Rock+n+River.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvenI2NIJCKKZuK5kkB7_cGM2FSoB-eTtSEwEjLfeOjsvj3x5hT91MJyQWMfntajK9DCRMw0S4TfOqRD6jJ-QjMj7bUWYFWM9P5r8gJY-v5bbo3ItXQM-kSw455FeEUAIMeuyF6Y-Azus/s400/Carol+and+Ron+at+the+finish+of+Rock+n+River.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carol and Ron at the finish with his 2nd place medal for his age group</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">All my friends and family who weren’t at the race were right there with me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad had my sister and my aunt and uncle on speaker phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My ChiRunning teacher, mentor and friend, Mary, was posting my progress on Facebook. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her last minute advice about rest, stretching and acknowledging my training got me through the last week of tapering, not to mention the fact that there is a rare time when I don’t hear her voice in my head when I’m focusing on my form! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I met new people, and got reacquainted with recent new and old friends, all wonderfully supportive and dedicated to the sport.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was truly a remarkable day that was about a running race, but it really was more than that, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was about who I am and overcoming adversities in life that aren't anticipated, and making the best out of it because of strength, commitment and endurance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was everything I wanted it to be and more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From all this adversity came an accomplishment I can be proud of:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran 50 miles in less than 12 hours!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I FINISHED!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOeCW6aZ0ab4hnh404bfUa4Bkv6HKQhWT1HRlI5EzN-sVwDBMamtuS80CvshjrEOYxawTUBNzgX7AgHGNm-TTHIq2IUdpHHsiFnbRrHXFAlYRiGQ1G9SDLxe5nRCKCRWt4wNZqB0dqT4/s1600/Ron+congratulates+Cheryl+at+the+finish+of+Rock+n+River.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOeCW6aZ0ab4hnh404bfUa4Bkv6HKQhWT1HRlI5EzN-sVwDBMamtuS80CvshjrEOYxawTUBNzgX7AgHGNm-TTHIq2IUdpHHsiFnbRrHXFAlYRiGQ1G9SDLxe5nRCKCRWt4wNZqB0dqT4/s400/Ron+congratulates+Cheryl+at+the+finish+of+Rock+n+River.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend and running buddy congratulates me on my accomplisment!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-34734100123522214352011-10-13T19:42:00.000-07:002011-10-13T19:42:43.429-07:00Last thoughts, the last weekI felt good last Sunday morning when I woke up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt rested. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d had three days of full rest this week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lay in bed, flexed my feet towards my knees and contracted my quads and all my leg muscles tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The contraction was quick and strong and the muscles felt taught and ready, not mushy and slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s almost a reflex to do this when I wake up and seems to be a good indicator of my legs’ recovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My body seemed like it wanted to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mind thought it could go along with that idea. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Dave and I drove to the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Thomas</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Creek</st1:placename></st1:place> trail head for the Dry Pond Loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were lots of people out on the trail enjoying the beautiful fall afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We negotiated around mountain bike riders, hikers with dogs and lots of kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a run with almost 2000 feet of climbing in the first two and half miles so I wanted to take it slow and not get my heart rate too high where I’d be anaerobic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the first mile, I was warmed up and the climb seemed fairly easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked a few feet of the really steep sections – there are three of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite my efforts to keep the pace down, we arrived at the top in record time much to my amazement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was surprised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My perceived exertion rate was only 5 or 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The time didn’t match my effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess the rest this past week did some good!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The run down was fast yet controlled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sailed through the woods and my body felt light and free! What a wonderful feeling to run this fast again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been weeks since I ran fast!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sunday was the last day of my training “week”, and like any obsessed runner, I added up my miles to see where I was at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It came to almost 29 miles including the day’s run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was no surprise that I felt so fresh. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Monday morning came and I read an article about training and recovery by Phil Maffetone – “The training schedule, balancing the catabolic and anabolic body”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The article talks about the uniqueness of each athlete’s needs and how training should be designed accordingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A central theme of Maffetone’s article and approach to training is about rest and how important it is to body sense and adjust training regimens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cookie cutter training schedules need to be used with a grain of salt. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, mileage may not be as important as the time spent training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cutting back on time spent running as opposed to mileage should be as much a consideration during a taper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listening to your body’s response to training and not ignoring red flags of overtraining is essential.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I reviewed my training log, I realized that time spent training was something that was more appropriate for my taper than miles because I was running so slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though my mileage seemed to be drastically decreased over the last two weeks, the time spent training on my feet now seemed reasonable for the taper. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I had spent half the time running as I did the week before. </span>I remembered that when I trained for events in my 30’s I rarely looked at my miles run each week. Back then, time on my feet was a much better indicator of my fitness and ability to tolerate long runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And now, my</span> age had not changed what my body knew best.</div><br />
Monday’s combined walk with easy running around the neighborhood was relaxing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I finished the easy workout, my iPod started to play two of my favorite songs – “Sweet Emotion” and “Solsbury Hill”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I danced on the porch and let my body move to the music, at first tentatively, then freely and uninhibited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cars drove by and I didn’t care how silly I might have looked. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized how lucky I am to have this tremendous feeling of health and well being in my body!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tuesday’s rest day felt right. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By Wednesday, I was restless and felt uneasy with the feeling of a growing anxiety about my preparedness. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided that I needed to run at least 30 to 45 minutes and do whatever felt right. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose a relatively flat four mile run around the neighborhood on pavement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quick, but not pushed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My perceived exertion was only a 5 or so on a scale of 1 to 10. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The run was reassuring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> M</span>y fitness was there, I need not worry about it.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today is Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will not run again until Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll admit that I’m nervous and a little scared about this. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My longest events have been 10 to 11 hours – two Ironmans and several double century bike rides, but those were 30 years ago. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would be 11 to 12 hours on my feet in a race, not a training run or as a pacer, but as an older adult who wants to prove it’s possible to be fit, healthy and enjoy a long run.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tomorrow, I'll drive down to Auburn with my best training buddy, Ron, his wife Carol, and another runner. We'll pick up our race packets, do some pasta at The Spaghetti Factory and visit the Nike Outlet store in Folsom. It will be good to spend the day with friends - keep me out of my head. Dave will drive down later and meet me at the hotel in Auburn which is only 4 miles from the start. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’ll let you know how it turned out next week. </div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-76471268211588746682011-10-08T12:38:00.000-07:002011-10-08T12:38:48.901-07:00An Unexpected Pleasant DiversionMy student, Alice, ran her first 5K this morning at a local race. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Alice</st1:place></st1:city> started working with me several months ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was determined to learn the ChiRunning form and hesitantly confessed that she wanted to be able to run a 5K some day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
Today was the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
The Cancer Firkin Sucks 5K Race is a flat, road run with a very slight hill at the beginning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The morning was cool and crisp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The perfect fall day for a fun race. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowd was a couple hundred runners and walkers, pink was the color for the day, of course, and tutus were everywhere.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0ZXaMHT6vuzHY12fqh7kVGmFM173SNQ2A8JiHd8820Jm6WByoeaBtiRoAOyChsHCVMNjcfAK0Tsk4hK8MoeO3sh-1FWXc50UYLQe3Gh6jPjdSjuqSMDBL1ZvCmOGVGfki9I5TAdhzPw/s1600/CFS+t-shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0ZXaMHT6vuzHY12fqh7kVGmFM173SNQ2A8JiHd8820Jm6WByoeaBtiRoAOyChsHCVMNjcfAK0Tsk4hK8MoeO3sh-1FWXc50UYLQe3Gh6jPjdSjuqSMDBL1ZvCmOGVGfki9I5TAdhzPw/s400/CFS+t-shirt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T-shirt for the Cancer Firkin Sucks Race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A line of about 15 young women spanned the start line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowd buzzed as the announcer counted down the seconds to the start. By the way, the black and white photos were not intentional. I think I pressed a menu button accidentally. They are kinda cool tho.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvJtc5wdBLzTk4otgJPGZjiQE56renhnf8gu62lLkiL9PTrSqJhsFTmx3Svec2vjmoCFbF_xT0MWjuEJ-6t8DYZmpRv9CPgG1F3ilamCxhw5Bb6DxQucI3Gq3q1iCM84kRF30k0Ci0c0/s1600/The+start+line+girls+with+arms+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvJtc5wdBLzTk4otgJPGZjiQE56renhnf8gu62lLkiL9PTrSqJhsFTmx3Svec2vjmoCFbF_xT0MWjuEJ-6t8DYZmpRv9CPgG1F3ilamCxhw5Bb6DxQucI3Gq3q1iCM84kRF30k0Ci0c0/s400/The+start+line+girls+with+arms+up.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The starting line</td></tr>
</tbody></table>They took off with speed and energy, some smiling, some serious, some laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t see Alice in the crowd, so after the last walkers crossed the starting line I found myself standing there staring after them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to trot at an easy pace and followed them down the street.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqh0ScRJgFB4KHlvrkHqiV0qa4pfVERNCpG4EQsKEkn7ElpiAupzEegicRxLd_kMn35UtrpIx4Cesf1CsJalUmXMYKFmFX20xiu66E594_UwimSePomYpGlPllFVi_gngTT2DjKQangk/s1600/The+start+of+the+Cancer+Firkin+Sucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqh0ScRJgFB4KHlvrkHqiV0qa4pfVERNCpG4EQsKEkn7ElpiAupzEegicRxLd_kMn35UtrpIx4Cesf1CsJalUmXMYKFmFX20xiu66E594_UwimSePomYpGlPllFVi_gngTT2DjKQangk/s400/The+start+of+the+Cancer+Firkin+Sucks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That kid in the front was cruising!</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
I paralleled the course for a block or two, took a wrong turn into a school parking lot, back tracked and worked my way back over to the course. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, I passed all the walkers and began to catch the runners. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
And there was <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Alice</st1:place></st1:city>, running happily along somewhere early in that easy uphill. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was wearing her long sleeved ChiRunning shirt and a straw hat with a pink scarf – very cute.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I ran alongside her and asked if she wanted me there or not. She enjoyed the company and the coaching and we ran the rest of the race together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was working hard, but was not out of breath and easily spoke back to me. I kept talking tho so she wouldn't have to.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCme08IUKVB4DKHRZkl1cWIC9u3RzT3d5kC-hdtJN_22lMvJ6P5OGT8_qfNgYZpSU6oaBTLPefBlbLu2edhobxjz6SUaBH1L5Q5id-S_KMda5nhVtQYKPBVesH5mJd1gag1LPJA2I6Bh8/s1600/Great+form+Alice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCme08IUKVB4DKHRZkl1cWIC9u3RzT3d5kC-hdtJN_22lMvJ6P5OGT8_qfNgYZpSU6oaBTLPefBlbLu2edhobxjz6SUaBH1L5Q5id-S_KMda5nhVtQYKPBVesH5mJd1gag1LPJA2I6Bh8/s400/Great+form+Alice.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alice near the end of the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>By the last mile, she knew she was home free and I ran ahead of her to get pictures of her coming in to the finish line. She finished well under the time she expected and felt like she had accomplished her goal. Her first race! I couldn't be prouder of her!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And, I felt wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A nice 3 mile trot with lots of people, lots of energy, lots of joy to be running. It was exactly what I needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so happy to be running! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what it’s supposed to feel like!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easy and joyful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was light and comfortable and flat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My legs wanted to keep going. That is a good thing!</div><br />
I will remember this feeling next Saturday!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No taper tantrums today! Yahoo!Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-74875230753294294552011-10-07T21:46:00.000-07:002011-10-07T21:46:57.348-07:00The Week Before the Week Before - Taper Tantrums!It snowed this week and once again, the mountains are white. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t believe summer is over. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My trails up on the TRT are covered with a few inches of snow and although it will warm up next week, there’s a good chance that I won’t see those trails again until next year. It might snow again, they're talking La Nina and a repeat of last year. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYfgA5PkZw_KssqpKfffzlvz-DzEA_5MhDmO-NXt7JFqpqT0Ba1PJqin4VNPb18jxQwLe3ArXkg_BNyjYv8DsnVP8-1LIKui6BE-Hly2jx0MEPEJmexnxhdNLANZHuIyvkRdgcylolPs/s1600/Mt+Rose+Ski+area.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYfgA5PkZw_KssqpKfffzlvz-DzEA_5MhDmO-NXt7JFqpqT0Ba1PJqin4VNPb18jxQwLe3ArXkg_BNyjYv8DsnVP8-1LIKui6BE-Hly2jx0MEPEJmexnxhdNLANZHuIyvkRdgcylolPs/s400/Mt+Rose+Ski+area.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Rose Ski Area - white again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Seven days until the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week I did only 43 miles at altitudes mostly above 7000 feet with over 8000 feet of climbing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By Sunday night after a 12 mile run on the TRT, I was ready for a rest day on Monday.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On Monday, I carefully plotted out my week thinking that I would run at least 32 miles which would be a 25% cut off my previous week’s mileage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tuesday morning came and 32 miles for the week ahead seemed daunting so close to race week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No worries, I thought, it’s a lot less than last week and 32 miles is nothing! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked Dave to drop me off at the Thomas Creek Trailhead and started the Dry Pond loop with the plan to run back to the house. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only 11 miles.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was a typical run on one of my favorite trail routes, but I arrived home with the realization that I wasn’t looking forward to another week of long miles. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still tired after my rest day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I seriously needed to back off my plan and rest much, much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time in a while, I didn’t want to run.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In the mean time, I was a bit anxious about a sold out audience for a free introductory talk about ChiRunning at the Reno REI, scheduled for Wednesday. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had anticipated the event for two months and was thrilled to bag what I considered, a highly coveted gig.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be the biggest audience I’d ever delivered a talk to about ChiRunning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I listened to Danny on his audio tapes, talked with my friend and mentor, Mary, one of a very few people in the world designated as a Master Instructor, and practiced the whole talk at least once a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The talk went fabulously well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The group of 40 people was engaged and fully participated! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People of all ages and running abilities. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a blast!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The REI guy was happy and it seemed like the group thought it was worth their time to come out on a cold fall evening.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I didn’t run that day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would be the second day this week that I took off. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t taken two days off in a week in months. Interesting. When I trained for the Ironman 30 years ago, I loved taking two days off a week. I needed it to continue with the grueling hours of cycling, swimming and running every day. What was different now? I was spending much more time on my feet, why wouldn't I take two days off? I also realized that my usual strategy of hard days followed by easy days and hard weeks followed by easy weeks had gotten very blurred over the last 6 weeks. I clearly was taking fewer easy days, doing back to back long distance days and definitely not alternating easy weeks with hard ones. They have all been hard.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Talking with Mary about my perceived need for rest due to a feeling of deep fatigue left me with the decision not to run again on Thursday, yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s good to have people who can see my circumstances and validate where I’m at. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary helped me to see that the miles are “in the bank” and if I didn’t run again between now and the race, I’d be fine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Thursday was a third rest day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I knew I needed it. I was realizing that I really need to rest more.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today is Friday and my mind yelled that I better run, that this really wasn’t a good idea to rest this much. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, after consulting with my body during a tentative session of body looseners, I decided to run.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So I did 8 miles for a grand total of about 19 for this week in two runs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran a route that has 1100 feet of climb, 4 miles up and 4 miles down. I started slow and realized I hadn't eaten for about 4 hours and my stomach was growling. Not good planning. Hhmm have to keep this one short. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKL-m6ds1uTI6iZnGAMpI6jYMKV8tiSFnI5bWySZhsDAH8LgPILVfu8cFXJi7OtsRZddAnkT2_J7DIvtrKBEdPqpPko_RbJCBeovjSvo0D_YnlvyEU52X9umDJZHMM4NI3S9uOtcevbVs/s1600/Trail+up+towards+Rose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKL-m6ds1uTI6iZnGAMpI6jYMKV8tiSFnI5bWySZhsDAH8LgPILVfu8cFXJi7OtsRZddAnkT2_J7DIvtrKBEdPqpPko_RbJCBeovjSvo0D_YnlvyEU52X9umDJZHMM4NI3S9uOtcevbVs/s400/Trail+up+towards+Rose.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail on the way up towards the foothills, Mt Rose ski area in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I ran it fast, well as fast as before I started doing these insane miles, anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And i</span>t felt good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My legs felt good, but my mind was anxious. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time, I could make the distinction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to be outside of myself observing the body-mind dance, truly body sensing the truth of my performance and not some interpretation dominated by my thoughts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clarity about the truth of the state of my body transformed my experience of the run from my interpretation to what was real. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could manage my thoughts because I was clear about the state of my body, which was quite happy, actually. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It loves to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mind was what needed to be trained and managed. I was just anxious, nervous about my readiness to run 50 miles. I acknowledged it, then enjoyed the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
I was having a taper tantrum and it had nothing to do with my body and everything to do with my head! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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It is good to rest tho. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My body is quite happy to do that and I know now that it will run when I ask it to. But, now I know I need to rest more this week than run. My mind is the boogey man and I just need to tell it to take a time out when it has a taper tantrum rather than buy into it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmm, daily meditation may be necessary to calm the tantrums:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have the ability to accomplish any task I set my mind to with ease and comfort,” a meditation from Wayne Dyer’s book, “Excuses Begone.”<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I don’t know if I’ll run tomorrow or not. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may rest again and then do a short, less than one hour run on Sunday and another on Monday. Or not. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may do very little from Tuesday through Friday next week.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I'll just listen to my body and let my mind chatter on, silly thing. </div><br />
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</div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321354433912034202.post-89250450214250319652011-10-01T20:59:00.000-07:002011-10-01T21:00:16.604-07:00Endurance and DogsScroll to the middle for pictures and a brief description of a beautiful run this week! but first, a brief venture into a book review and what endurance is....<br />
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I just finished reading Dean Karnaze’s book, "50/50 Secrets I learned running 50 marathons in 50 days - and how you too can achieve super endurance!"; his account of running 50 marathons in 50 days in 2006.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was struck by Dean’s amazing generosity, his resiliency and his flexibility to deal with the variety of conditions he and his support crew met each day for more than 7 weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mostly, though, I was impressed with this incredible athlete’s ability to endure day after day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His average marathon time was 3 hours and 53 minutes with his fastest time at the New York City Marathon, the 50<sup>th</sup> and last marathon in his adventure, at an astonishing 3 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each chapter is about the marathon run that day, but he also cleverly uses it to discuss many aspects of running such as training basics, nutrition, shoes, his sponsor North Face, and running form. Definitely one of my favorite books about running.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Dean was prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even with an amazing base and stellar resume as an ultramarathoner, his training leading up to his 50 day journey consisted of 6 months of 6 100 mile, or more races, 5 50 milers or 50Ks, 4 marathons and over 100 mile training weeks.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><strong>“Most people never get there. They're afraid or unwilling to demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least resistance. But struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not constantly demanding more from yourself—expanding and learning as you go—you're choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip.”</strong></em></div>Dean Karnazes<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p>My journey to run 50 miles has certainly been extraordinary!</o:p></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here’s another definition of endurance that I found on Facebook via the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=157001821057055&id=1499972413&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/benefitsofgivingpage:">"I love to run" </a>page:</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>ENDURANCE</em></span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> The ability to withstand hardship or adversity.</em></span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> The ability to sustain a prolonged and stressful effort or activity.<o:p></o:p></em></span></strong></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><span lang="EN" style="display: none; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-hide: all;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a prolonged and stressful effort or activity.<br />
To undergo without giving in.<br />
To regard with acceptance and tolerance.<br />
To continue in the same state.<br />
To remain firm without yielding.<br />
To la</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">To undergo without giving in.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> </em></span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>To regard with acceptance and tolerance.<o:p></o:p></em></span></strong></span></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> </em></span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>To continue in the same state.<o:p></o:p></em></span></strong></span></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> </em></span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>To remain firm without yielding.<o:p></o:p></em></span></strong></span></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> </em></span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>To Last.<o:p></o:p></em></span></strong></span></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On Wednesday, we ran to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Star</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> on the Tahoe Rim Trail – Ron and Ted and Carol and me with the three dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">This section of the TRT begins at the Stage Coach lift on the Nevada side of Heavenly Ski Area at about 7,500 feet and meanders south with steady climbing to Star Lake at over 9,000 feet<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> altitude</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Total elevation gain of almost 3000 feet over 18 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Beautiful rolling trail with views of South Lake Tahoe and Desolation Wilderness on the west side.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SQAdHnsJuA_OyiL_YZyelv5z80RAkrRo98uBSKEGPMnYsmyMlL6VxMwzJASbxFZHJA_rKubc7Ml_Ts03g8q6vbQkvcHPLS1FY8L_0iwuEiJnqn9ODCnmmcz8Q-tbVmaxOjkOgUxluQs/s1600/Baily+Juneau+and+Echo+at+Star+Lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SQAdHnsJuA_OyiL_YZyelv5z80RAkrRo98uBSKEGPMnYsmyMlL6VxMwzJASbxFZHJA_rKubc7Ml_Ts03g8q6vbQkvcHPLS1FY8L_0iwuEiJnqn9ODCnmmcz8Q-tbVmaxOjkOgUxluQs/s400/Baily+Juneau+and+Echo+at+Star+Lake.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Left to right - Baily, Juneau and Echo</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">One of these days I'm going to put my Garmin on Echo and see how many miles he actually runs that day. I know that we did 18, but between chasing squirrels, flushing grouse and just running wherever, I figure Echo did as much as 30 miles that day. Amazing for such a little dog - he's tough and I adore running with him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Juneau is Ron's new dog and is not even a year old yet. He has some behavior issues, but Ted, the dog whisperer, has been doing some great work with him. He's learned to run long with us and does quite well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_70n87WaIoazG7sSuGhnWviT5tj9sK8c9dNh8hPJDN0ofB0GUXPrZCz9ujb8CZKbTsAsFlf7WVjASjeZs1tG9cqD2JBnW9kSkj584BBdj0H05PmSVF407hVeO8b4iEBdccxZjv4mE1FQ/s1600/Cheryl+and+Baily+on+rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_70n87WaIoazG7sSuGhnWviT5tj9sK8c9dNh8hPJDN0ofB0GUXPrZCz9ujb8CZKbTsAsFlf7WVjASjeZs1tG9cqD2JBnW9kSkj584BBdj0H05PmSVF407hVeO8b4iEBdccxZjv4mE1FQ/s400/Cheryl+and+Baily+on+rock.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baily rests with me on the way back from Star Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Baily is the old man of the dog pack - 8 years old and still running the long miles with us. He runs between Ted and me on the trail. When I follow too far behind he stays right in front of me and looks back to see if I'm still there. If he goes too slow, I tell him to move up and he trots up to Ted. He's happiest when we stay closer together. That's a cooling vest he's wearing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EE-vFyjfHGqSV9hbDjOoe9jKPfTqbbuJVyAyC3q6MZMRXPjWMmauyYWmnSEXF_At0lVD1AcYQiDNcFWlKKIdkI-HQkiGIplAh1lEvRWYZowYCqRO-gacQlAOxnOVN_681rnFthJR8dY/s1600/Star+Lake+with+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EE-vFyjfHGqSV9hbDjOoe9jKPfTqbbuJVyAyC3q6MZMRXPjWMmauyYWmnSEXF_At0lVD1AcYQiDNcFWlKKIdkI-HQkiGIplAh1lEvRWYZowYCqRO-gacQlAOxnOVN_681rnFthJR8dY/s400/Star+Lake+with+trees.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">west end of Star Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The interesting part of this run was that at about 6 miles into it we decided to run to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Star</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> which would be another 3 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think much of it, what's 18 miles versus 15 for the day? I decided that the Nature Valley Bar I had in my pack would probably be enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, it really wasn’t, but my improved ability to endure and continue to run saved me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another milestone for sure.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4W7juWvqZHq1iqgQsaLr6cnVN8rO34CxIYP7MIDHnvD39llJ8470EeDt1MyKym4-QOtKxabEBMOdRIbUpwKnx23vrqT_e9IuwGbvFrzSFNU2-10EbVTVlb-xxq6iakiDWasc_MB4_i4/s1600/Baily+swimming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4W7juWvqZHq1iqgQsaLr6cnVN8rO34CxIYP7MIDHnvD39llJ8470EeDt1MyKym4-QOtKxabEBMOdRIbUpwKnx23vrqT_e9IuwGbvFrzSFNU2-10EbVTVlb-xxq6iakiDWasc_MB4_i4/s400/Baily+swimming.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baily swims in Star Lake - what he didn't know was that he had 9 miles to run home afterwards!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>An awesome day on the trail. Baily was so tired that Ted had to lift him into the back of Ron's Subaru. I had to drive Ron's Subaru which really wasn't a problem, but it was the first time and it's a manual transmission. Ted made sure I missed the orange pylons in the parking lot while I figured out where first was.<br />
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When we got to Ted's house, Echo went to bed, Baily and Juneau crashed on the deck and Ted and I had juice, fruit and beer, in that order. <br />
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</div>Cherylrunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130901018749350790noreply@blogger.com0