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Showing posts from 2017

Race Recap: Redbird Crest 100k

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The idea of running a 100k scared me. A lot. I wasn't sure if I had it in me. This particular 100k was a new race, on terrain I had never seen before, with a race company I had no experience with (but came highly recommended). I was emotionally prepared for the possibility of a DNF (did not finish) but I refused to go into the race with the idea that I might not finish. For my own possibility of best success, I had to have the mindset that I would hit that trail and give my all and find my way to the end somehow. But I was really nervous. Preparing race packets for Mike and Amy, including maps, directions, and notes I "laminated" the aid station location info with my own notes and time predictions, to carry with me in my pocket.  On the back of my aid station carry-along, I wrote two running quotes to refer to when I needed them. Friday after work, My husband Mike and I drove to the cabin I had found on AirBnB. It was an hour from the race start, about as c

Preparing for Redbird Crest 100K

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The big race is coming up this Saturday! I've started packing. I've bought nutrition. I've picked up some sour patch kids. I'm caught up on laundry. I've planned the childcare and kid activities for the weekend. I've made my spreadsheet to predict when I'll arrive at each aid station. I've studied the maps and the elevation change. I’ve prepared my husband to crew me (first time!).  I’ve arranged for my friend Amy to pace me for the last 20 miles. I've packed my hydration pack and included all of the mandatory gear in it too. Pulling things together for the big day, and reviewing things from my 50-miler too. The course is hilly and has some very steep climbs, including a monster climb starting at around 11 miles. There are some other substantial climbs too. Overall, this will be similar to Siltstone and Superior. I train on Siltstone.  I’ll stick with my proven strategy for nutrition. One piece of nutrition (100 calories) ever

Wrapping Up 2017...and my 30s

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Last night I went on a quick happy hour run on the trails at Cherokee - our urban park not far from my house, which has a 5ish mile loop with some small hills. I was solo and I took the time to think. Which sometimes is not really thinking - it's a clearing of the head and focusing just on the task at hand. I enjoyed the sunset and pretty leaves and reflected on the beauty of this local park I have at my fingertips. Before it got dark, I stopped to revel in the dusk, by myself. And capture the moment. I don't usually run on Fridays but I had some mileage to catch up on from earlier in the week, and I had the time (and I had a rest day on Monday). I kept my pace easy, though I was underdressed for the cold temperature and had to go a bit faster just to stay warm enough. Anyway, I'm training again. After 3 weeks of mostly rest after the 50-miler, I decided it was time to plan what was next. 2018 is planned with two big races and a 24 week training plan was built fo

Harvest Homecoming Tour (Bike Ride!)

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Before I headed to MN to run the 50-miler in September, I thought a lot about what my recovery would look like. My next race was Bourbon Chase, which was not going to really require much more training, and I wasn't super excited about it this year, to be honest. But I was planning a trip to Costa Rica with my mom, where we would be doing quite a bit of biking, and I need to get some bike training in! So I signed up for the Harvest Homecoming Tour 40-mile ride in Lanesville, IN with my mom. I hadn't ridden that far since I was in college and worked at the Oberlin Bike Co-op as head mechanic and bookkeeper. It was a cool morning, and since I haven't been doing much biking, I wasn't sure how to dress. Glad I wore a jacket! The morning started with a pancake breakfast inside a heated lodge, and then we got our bikes ready - put air in the tires, put our clip-in shoes on, and my mom prepared her bags that she carries. (I am going to need to get some bags!). This was my

Race Recap: Superior Fall Trails 50 Miler (9/9/17)

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Travel Details Jeanette and I traveled together by car (my family's minivan) from Louisville, KY to Lutsen, MN where we were staying at the Caribou Highlands lodge, which was also the location of the finish line for the race. I was packed for the race the previous weekend, and had very little to take care of the night before the race. My mom brought me awesome chocolate chip cookies and folded laundry and reviewed my lists with me to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything. Mike was handling kid activities for the night. I got to bed at a reasonable hour, and planned to leave my house at 6:30 a.m. to pick up Jeanette from her house by 7am. At 4:30 a.m., I woke with an outrageous migraine. Ugh. I couldn't move or even ask for help until after 6am. It was almost 9am before I was able to drive, and I still felt pretty awful most of the day. Our drive was awesome though. We didn't need any distractions with all the fabulous conversation. We turned on a podcast around 6pm,