TransRockies Run 2009: We Rocked It!

Brian and I ran the TransRockies Run (TRR) last week, and I can honestly say it was by far the most physically and mentally challenging thing I have ever done -- but it was such a rewarding and amazing experience. We crossed that finish line hand-in-hand, with smiles on our faces, and then came the tears streaming down my face as the emotion overflowed from the last six days of learning more about myself and experiencing all the highs and lows -- I would not trade that exhilarating feeling for anything. It is something I will never forget. 6 days, 113+ miles up and down the mountains of beautiful Colorado, taking on this challenge with the love of my life as my teammate...just WOW. Here goes the long story...

Pre-Race
After spending a fun and relaxing five days with Brian's sister, Trish, and her family near Colorado Springs, we made our way to Buena Vista to get our race packet and go to the pre-race dinner. On the shuttle there, we rode with other TRR teams (Ashley and Fumi, Sarah and Elisa, Peter and Jeff, and Dan and Noel), which was fun and made the ride go by pretty quickly, filled with conversation about where we were from, our training, and our expectations for the race.

We walked to the race check-in from our hotel, and then began the swagfest, which would continue throughout the race, too. After we left check-in, we had our big duffle bags which we would be using for the race, a nice Windstopper jacket, 75-lap Timex watch, aluminum drink bottle, Nathan handheld bottle, race t-shirt, race hat, trail socks and a few nutrition goodies as well.

Race Swag = awesome!

Then, throughout the race we received Windstopper mittens, a metal Salomon mug, a cozy Windstopper scarf, lip balm and first-aid kit. They also gave out lots of swag to stage winners, middle-of-the-pack awards (sorry Team Perky dudes Dan and Noel , was really hoping you guys would win one of those days!! Loved the snarky Dan comments each day, though. ;-)), picture-taking prizes, free beer after each stage, and then some. This race has some pretty awesome sponsors and they really did take care of us.

A while later we returned to downtown Buena Vista to attend the pre-race dinner. Everything was really organized and the opening ceremony set the tone for all the rest of the nights -- very regimented with sponsor shout-outs, athlete recognition, and a course preview for each stage.

Brian and me at Pre-Race Dinner

Afterwards, Brian and I walked back to our hotel, got our stuff ready for the next morning, and then tried to sleep in spite of nerves.

Stage 1, Buena Vista to Railroad Bridge - 20.8 miles, 5hr 13min
One could definitely feel the nervous energy in the air on this first stage. The weather was starting to get warm and with a 10:00am start, we knew it would be a hot one today. The race organizers did not require us to have the safety items (jacket, hat, gloves, etc.) because the course was more desert-like and at a lower elevation (8000-9300ft), thus less likely to have extreme weather conditions. The starting gun goes off and off we go down Main Street, Buena Vista. We started out slow and then once we hit the trails, there was a little crowding but then we got into a decent rhythm. It was tough, though, right off the bat. I was hoping my legs would feel more fresh but then I realized that my legs normally don't feel "warmed up" until after few miles. The uphill section at the beginning was definitely an eye-opener and generated feelings of "holy @$&*!, what did we get ourselves into?!" much earlier than expected.

CHUGgin' uphill :-)

As the day progressed, the temperature went up, probably into the mid-80's. The sun felt HOT, and it was definitely affecting our progress. I started feeling better after about halfway, but then Brian felt worse because of the heat.

Goin' downhill, beautiful clouds!

We took more walking breaks approaching Checkpoint #2 (14mi), making sure to get fluids in us for the remaining ~7 miles. During the last stretch of 3+ miles, which was basically pavement, we alternated between walking and running. Brian was struggling while I felt ok, which was a stark contrast to earlier in the day. Finally we saw the finish line and ran across, hand in hand. Stage 1 = Done! After the stage, we were shuttled to our camp at Arrowhead Point, where the tents were all set up. We chatted with other teams about our day, showered, were fed a great dinner, followed by a race recap, awards, and course review for the next stage -- this was our routine throughout the rest of the stages. We actually sleep pretty well each night, getting at least 8 hours, and then waking up to zipper noises around 6am from people getting out of their sleeping bags and tents.

Stage 2, Vicksburg to Twin Lakes - 10 miles, 3hr 22min
So, we woke up around 6am for Stage 2, and my body definitely felt like it had run a hard marathon the previous day. This was the theme for the rest of the stages -- varying levels of soreness, mostly in my quads. But you learn how to deal with it and keep moving, however slow. I mentioned my soreness to Brian and he said he felt fine. Seriously?! This guy is not human. ;-) After breakfast we were shuttled to the Stage 2 start in Vicksburg. It was much colder than the previous day, and we ended up wearing our jackets (now required to have with us for the rest of the stages) for the beginning of the stage. After a flat-ish couple of miles to get the legs warmed up, we then started our ascent up to Hope Pass (12,538 ft). This trail is also part of the Leadville 100mi that occurred just a couple days prior. It blows my mind that the 100 milers (Ben, you rocked it!) run this part TWICE after 40 miles and I was struggling right off the bat! It was during this portion that we clocked a blazing 51min for mile 3. Nope, that is not a typo! Luckily we didn't have too many of those types of miles. :-)

Fun times UP ahead...

We and other teams took turns "leading" up the single-track trail, and it was during this part where we began our friendly "rivalry" with Team Rubicon (Jen and Nic), whom we affectionately called "Idaho" and they called us "Chicago." :-) They were fun to chat with during the race and we would see them several times during this and the rest of the stages. Towards the top we were leapfrogging with Team 101+ (Shelly and Dennis), another nice couple that we saw during some of the stages and around camp. While taking "breathing" breaks here and there going up, I made sure to look around and take in the beauty. It was just awesome!

Almost to Hope Pass (located near the center of this picture)

While the altitude definitely was a factor getting up to Hope Pass, as I was definitely breathing harder and could feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest, I felt pretty good -- I didn't feel dizzy or nauseous. I was definitely looking forward to some downhill, though!

Woo hoo! We made it to Hope Pass, now it's all downhill from here

Now it was time for some serious downhill running. The first section was actually pretty scary for me as it was pretty steep and I hadn't quite gotten comfortable navigating the loose rocks on the trail. Brian just flew down as I took my time trying to avoid falling and rolling down the mountain. :-) Past the checkpoint (5mi) we had some really great miles, running with Idaho for a few miles. I just loved running in the pines. :-) After the descent, we ran in grassy fields and had fun with a few water crossings in the last mile. That water was COLD but felt good!

Brian navigating the first of a few stream crossings this stage

It started to rain a little bit as we were finishing up the last mile, running across the finish line in Twin Lakes. We luckily didn't have to wait too long in the rain to catch the shuttle to Leadville, where we would be staying that night. During the shuttle ride we met Team GORE/City Sports (Chrissy and Martin), a super cute couple from Boston. This was turning out to be such a great experience, made even better by the people we were meeting along the way.

That afternoon the middle toes on my left foot felt a bit strange and thought I might have a blister under one of the nails, so I made a quick visit to the medical tent. After waiting for the other two people get treated for massive blisters on their feet, I felt a little wussy getting my super small blister taken care of. ;-) That was my first ever "blister under the toenail" -- which I am not surprised about considering how many rocks I kicked with my left foot. That also was a recurring theme for the rest of the stages -- my left foot really took a beating with all that rock-kicking but it luckily didn't slow me down too much!

At dinner that night I finally was able to meet Deb Russell, who is on Team Pine Line with her brother. We've kept tabs on each other via our blogs and Facebook and it was great to chat in person with her. She and her brother did really well each stage, finishing near the front of the pack and ended up third overall in the Open Mixed division -- awesome!

Stage 3, Leadville to Nova Guides - 24.3 miles, 5hr 46min
We were up and at 'em again for Stage 3, climbing out of our tents at the Leadville high school football field. I had a slight sense of dread of starting this day since it was the longest leg. On the other hand, after this stage, we'd be at the halfway point, which was a nice feeling. The race started promptly at 8am and we were off through downtown Leadville and then onto the shoulder Hwy. 24, a pretty big stretch of pavement for the first few miles.

Then we got to the first big ascent of the day which lasted for a couple miles followed by a descent with a couple of stream crossings, which, while early in the stage, didn't not cause too much of an issue. I think Brian was actually able to avoid getting his feet wet at all -- not only do the descents not affect his quads as they do mine, but he also happens to be a good rock jumper/navigator. :-)

Looking behind us - first climb of the stage

It was on the second ascent, near halfway, that I had a really low point. Our strategy, for the most part, was for Brian to lead us on the trail. We noticed that if we ran side-by-side, I would slow down, but would maintain pace or speed up if he was a little ahead. I pretended that were was an invisible tether between us, but unfortunately I was really struggling up this second ascent and Brian got further ahead, to the point that was no way I could catch up. I started to feel pissed that he wasn't looking back and frustrated at myself for not being able to maintain a good pace up this hill. I just felt....overwhelmed by it all. The emotions started to rush in, and I started hyperventilating. I stopped, hunched over, and tried to calm myself down and BREATHE. Chrissy and Martin were nearby and saw me, asking if I was ok. Chrissy said some really supportive words (thank you!!) while Martin caught up to Brian to let him know what was going on. After a few tears and calming down, I felt better and told Brian that we needed to stay closer together, even if that meant that he would have to stop and look back more often to make sure we weren't too far apart. We were a team after all, and we knew that going in to this race that we are at different levels physically, and that Brian would have to be patient. We got into a good rhythm with this, but it was a learning process that was really highlighted during this short moment, midway through Stage 3.

My meltdown was a turning point during this stage, and thereafter we did really well on the downhill towards Nova Guides. I felt really good past the second checkpoint, on the Colorado Trail crossing the Continental Divide. The trail was pretty smooth and really runable during this part and we had good momentum. I was in a happy place again. :-)

Fun downhill single track trail...weeeeeeee!

After we ran down the fun single track, the last part of the stage was on gravel road and for a couple miles we could see the finish area. We passed a couple of teams as we made the final turn and ran the final stretch to the finish.

Finish is in sight, the final stretch

Whew! That was a big one, but we did it! Afterwards we had a beer (so refreshing!) at the Salomon tent and took a much-needed leg dip in a nearby pond. It was good to be done with this stage!

Stage 4, Nova Guides to Red Cliff - 14.2 miles, 3hr 56min
Stage 4 was a "short" stage, but definitely not easy. This stage had us climbing up Hornsilver Mountain into Red Cliff. I woke up this morning to the worst quad soreness of the race, but after a few miles in I loosened up. It was sloooooow going as we neared the summit of the mountain, where the road seemed to have inclines near 45%. I can't imagine non-ATV vehicles getting up those roads, and ironically one of the TRR jeeps carrying supplies to checkpoint #1 broke down, so we had a mini-checkpoint there to fill our water bottles. We finally got past the really steep part in the woods and the trail opened up to awesome views as we approached checkpoint #1.  

A little downhill before some more uphill to the checkpoint

The views were just awesome here at 11600 ft. We filled our bottles once we got to the checkpoint and then continued on along the ridge, admiring what we were seeing. I just loved this part of the course!

Brian and me on Hornsilver Mountain

Pretty soon we were on our way back down the mountain toward Red Cliff. This section went well for us and while my quads were screaming on the downhill, I got some good momentum going and we passed many teams on the way down. We then hit the fun part of this stage -- where the trail is actually a stream! A little treacherous but I felt like a kid splashing around in the water. :-) 

Running down the stream on the way to Red Cliff

Once we were out of the stream, we made a quick stop at the last checkpoint and ran strong in the last few miles to the finish into downtown Red Cliff. From the finish we went to a nearby stream (freezing!) for a nice post-stage ice bath which really helped my sore legs. After a verrrrrry long lunch (lots of hungry runners but the restaurant was woefully short on staff) we were shuttled back to the Nova Guides camp as we were going to spend a second night there.

Now that we were finished with Stage 4, I felt a little relief that we "only" had two more stages (44 miles total) to go. I was getting used to my legs being sore and somehow still being able to run anyway, but it was nice to know that in a few days I would be able to rest. :-)

Stage 5, Red Cliff to Vail - 23.4 miles, 5hr 55min
We awoke on Stage 5 morning and it was REALLY cold getting out of our warm sleeping bags to get ready. Luckily we were strategic with our stage preparation and we always slept in our running clothes to make the morning easier. This morning it was probably in the low 30's, but the day would warm up to the upper 60's by midday. After breakfast we got on a shuttle to go back to Red Cliff for the start. We hung out in the nearby restaurant and waited until a few minutes before the start to get back out into the cold and line up. 

The race began and we re-traced our route from the previous stage for a couple miles, then went the opposite direction towards Vail this time.

Having a great time on Stage 5

Another beautiful day in the mountains, I felt pretty good and had a good feeling about this stage. After the first checkpoint we entered onto a lovely single track trail that would lead up Benchmark Mountain.

On Benchmark Mountain, enjoying the panoramic views

Then began many switchbacks to the top. We were moving along pretty well, and it was at this point when Brian would be further ahead, he'd stop, outstretch his arms and yell out "run to the hug!" which of course was pretty decent motivation to speed up a little. :-) I was really enjoying this trail and was looking forward to summiting (11555 ft) and then picking up speed going back down. 

Switch-backing single track to the summit...run to the hug!

Once we got to the summit, which was the second checkpoint, we got our bottles filled by the awesome volunteers, watched a few teams getting their "dance" on, and then started on our 10-mile descent into Vail.

All smiles at the summit of Benchmark Mountain

My legs took a little while to get into the groove of the downhill. My quads were still pretty sore but eventually they warmed up. The miles flew by quite well at this point and we were passing teams who were encouraging and supportive along the way. Since we were running among the same teams each day, there was definitely a rapport built -- not one of rivalry but almost of teamwork in a way. Good, positive vibes in the back of the pack. :-)

The last four miles were really blazing (relatively speaking, of course!), we were going on 90+ miles for the week, so 9 min/mile pace was pretty good. :-) We passed more teams in the last couple miles as Brian was really pushing the pace, and luckily I was able to respond pretty well. I felt GOOD! Then we got to the last part which was a little rocky twisty single track and we were still doing pretty well until I turn around a bend and see Brian lying on the ground. Oops! Luckily his trail tumble wasn't too bad! I helped him up, he brushed himself off, and we ran the last quarter mile into the finish chute in beautiful Vail, hand in hand, so happy to have run such a strong stage!

After another "ice bath" in a nearby stream and an amazing post-stage cheeseburger and Blue Moon (heaven!), we hopped on a shuttle to the nicest campsite in Ford Park. The only downside was that it was along I-70 so it was a little noisier than the other sites. TRR organizers got creative and actually positioned all the tents to form the letters "TRR" -- very cool!

TRR Tent Camp in Vail (photo by Dan Hudson)

It felt good knowing that this night would be the last night sleeping in a tent. While we slept pretty well during these stages, I was definitely looking forward to sleeping in a warm bed! After a great steak and potato dinner and then the awards ceremony, we went to sleep that night happy to know we had just one more stage to go! My legs were actually less sore and my left foot was ready to do some more rock kickin' on the last day. ;-)

Stage 6, Vail to Beaver Creek TRR Finish! - 21.2 miles, 5hr 41min 
The last stage! We rolled out of our tent on the last night feeling ready to run...it was almost hard to believe this was the last day! We headed back into downtown Vail and were on our way at 8am.

Running in Vail at beginning of Stage 6

The first part of the course is on pavement until we hit the single-track trailhead. We had a good start on this trail but then I started slowing down a bit as we got closer to the high point of this run at 10511 ft. I was definitely looking forward to making up some time on the downhill which started at around mile 10 and would last about 6 miles.

Loving this single track and the trees

Now on the descent, we were really doing well, with Brian passing several people on the somewhat treacherous rocky single track and I was happy to be able to do the same! I had a good rhythm and was navigating the trail pretty well.

Time to descend into the town of Avon

We made it into Avon, through town, quickly stopped at the last checkpoint, and then began another 3-4 mile climb towards Beaver Creek. This climb was ROUGH for me. It was starting to get hot and I was moving at a snail's pace. One of the volunteers was running from the last checkpoint to the finish and he goes "need a little push?" and actually pushed me a little (more of a symbolic gesture, hehe) up the hill bringing a smile to my face and I thanked him. I think this was the same volunteer who during an earlier stage actually ran up to us from a checkpoint to grab our bottles and fill them. The TRR volunteers were awesome!

Up ahead is some brutal switch-backing uphill...

Once we finally hit the top of the trail, I was so happy to get some speed going again on the downhill for the next couple of miles. Things were going really well, switch-backing down the mountain until we came screeching to a halt to the sound of a woman yelling from above about seeing black bears on the trail. Seriously?! A half mile to the finish?! Then suddenly, I stop on the trail, look at a lower switchback to Chrissy and Martin standing, frozen, watching a young black bear ambling across the field.

Eeek! A bear delay in the last stretch of the race!

Woah! None of us knew what to do, so we just waited until he was in the trees again before moving on. After some more warnings but then assurances there were no bears in the direction we were going, Brian continued on and I followed. During this time some of the other teams made the decision to cut the switchbacks for fear of encountering more bears, a decision I totally respect even if it meant that those teams were now ahead of us. At this point we could see the finish area, it was so close....then yet another warning about bears! We decided to cut the last switchback (maybe cutting .1mi), holding hands for support down the steep hill, I slipped on my butt once, got up, and awkwardly made our way down to the road to the finish.

After we crossed the bridge, grabbed each other's hands, and ran over that finish line with a huge rush of emotion, smiles, tears, and awe of what we accomplished. What an amazing feeling!

We are so happy to be TRR finishers!

Team New Leaf Ultra, 6 stages - 113 miles, 29:56...Party Time!
After taking more pictures and congratulating those who finished around us, we made our way to our hotel for check-in. During our walk, we just looked at each other and cried, then laughed...I was still feeling overwhelmed about the last six days. Wow. We did it! I felt so happy to share this experience with Brian. He is a great partner, and this event was further validation of that! Now it was time for us to rest and celebrate. :-) 

Yay for Team New Leaf Ultra :-)

The TRR awards banquet started at 6pm and it was a great time to eat good food, talk about bear sightings and our overall TRR experiences. The energy levels were high, especially as more free beers were passed out. ;-) After watching the awards being handed out, TRR staff recognitions, photo slideshow, and video, we mingled a bit more, saying goodbye to those we hung out with over the last 6 days. 

Brian was really attached to his sleeping bag, hehe

The next morning we got up leisurely, had breakfast, and then began the long commute home -- first by shuttle to the airport, waiting at the airport where we were able to chat with Team Hot Chicks, Darcy and Amy, and then finally getting back home at 10:30pm. Ahhh, so good to be home!

Now what?
Recovery is going well and I'll be back running this weekend. My legs feel surprisingly good and my left foot is still a little sore but not too bad. I've got a sprint triathlon on September 27 that will give me an opportunity to do some cross-training and mix things up a little bit. Then October will be a big month! I'll be running the Chicago Marathon on October 11, then my first 50k at the North Face Endurance Challenge (Wisconsin) on October 24, followed by pacing Brian at the Javelina Jundred. It's going be a great fall season of running and I'm pumped about it!

View our TransRockies Photos

Brian's TransRockies Run Report

Reaching New Heights…

As I was running on the treadmill yesterday, I watched the documentary movie called Spirit of the Marathon. This film chronicles a handful of runners that are training for the Chicago Marathon. I love that race. It made me think of my very first marathon, which was Chicago, back in 1997. I recall passing by the mile 26 marker, then around the corner with the finish line in view, I started hyperventilating. Um, yeah, can’t really “sprint” in for the finish if I can’t breathe! I was just so….excited, overwhelmed, and so full of accomplishment and pride that I did it! As I calmed down enough to breathe, I crossed the finish line with my arms in the air in victory and a big smile plastered on my face with tears of happiness starting to flow. Yesterday, I ended up having a great 10 mile run on the treadmill, thinking about that amazing moment back in 1997, and how I will feel crossing the finish line on Day 6 of TransRockies, with Brian, my best friend and love, at my side. I suspect that I will channel those feelings from my first marathon...it is going to be epic and amazing!

So, what is the TransRockies Run? Well, it is quite a bump up from a single day marathon. It is a stage run that is held in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. There are six point-to-point stages of varying distances on each of the six days. Brian and I run the race together as a team. The race organizers feed us breakfast and dinner, with the race in between. At night, we'll be sleeping in race-provided tents. We will take showers via a shower truck, dry our wet shoes with provided shoe driers, even stay "connected" by having charging stations for our techie devices. Granted, there may be a few stages where having a cell phone won't matter much! Here is the breakdown of each stage:

Sunday, August 23 - Stage 1
Buena Vista to Railroad Bridge
Distance: 20.4 miles
Climbing: 2721 feet / Descending: -2398 feet
Min/Max Elevation: 7919/9329

Monday, August 24 - Stage 2
Vicksburg to Twin Lakes
Distance: 10 miles
Climbing: 3098 feet / Descending: -3570 feet
Min/Max Elevation: 9203/12538

Tuesday, August 25 - Stage 3
Leadville to Nova Guides at Camp Hale
Distance: 24.3 miles
Climbing: 2930 feet / Descending: -3833 feet
Min/Max Elevation: 9200/10945

Wednesday, August 26 - Stage 4
Nova Guides at Camp Hale to Red Cliff
Distance: 14.2 miles
Climbing: 3009 feet / Descending: -3580 feet
Min/Max Elevation: 8650/11668

Thursday, August 27 - Stage 5
Red Cliff to Vail
Distance: 23.4 miles
Climbing: 4407 feet / Descending: -4868 feet
Min/Max Elevation: 8191/11787

Friday, August 28 - Stage 6
Vail to Beaver Creek
Distance: 20.2 miles
Climbing: 4623 feet / Descending: -4718 feet
Min/Max: 7420/10512

Total Miles - 113.5

View Elevation Profile (PDF)

Gosh, I look at that elevation profile and I still can't believe that I'm about to run it! I've been training for this event since about mid-May. Unfortunately, after the Elgin Valley Fox Trot 10mi on Memorial Day, I started to feel quad pain. I went to a sports med doc and he diagnosed a mild quad strain. I believe it was from going down that nasty, steep downhill around mile 5 without using proper form. I had to modify my training by reducing my mileage and doing physical therapy for until July. Luckily I managed to run the long runs on the weekend, but we unfortunately had to avoid hilly trails because my quad could not handle too much downhill. Ugh, talk about demoralizing -- training for a mountain race and having to avoid hills during training!

So, training brought ups and downs. The quad injury was definitely a down moment, but I'm grateful that it was minor and I was able to continue to run. I witnessed my body being able to handle bigger weekly mileage -- 40 miles, 60 miles, topping out at 72 miles. Quite a bit more than my 20-30 average over the last 12 years!

I recall a "character-building" 17 mile run, long run #3 of the weekend, and just feeling completely burnt out early in the run. I was near tears, feeling sorry for myself and really hating every step, wishing the miles would go by faster. Thankfully Brian was there, patient and supportive, to get me out of that nasty rough patch. It wasn't pretty that day, but we got it done!

There were many more highlights. I ran most of the long runs with Brian, my awesome training partner. :-) Most of the runs flew by, especially my 27-mile run at Sunburn Six in the Stix, which was part of the penultimate weekend of TransRockies training. That day, long run #2 of 3 for the weekend, had only 20 miles on the schedule, but it was so much fun to run with other CHUGs that I ran until the six hours was up, earning a mileage PR! I felt so strong and really acknowledged the results of the last few months of training. I know that TransRockies will bring much more challenging terrain at much higher elevations than where I've been training here in Chicagoland, but we will finish!

Our bags are all packed now and we are leaving to go to Colorado tomorrow morning. The first week we'll be getting used to the altitude and relaxing near Colorado Springs, staying with Brian's sister and her family. I'm looking forward to spending time with them, getting to know them! Then, on Saturday, we'll be hopping on a shuttle for Buena Vista for the race start on the following morning.

After these last couple of weeks of much-needed and much-enjoyed taper :-), I am excited and nervous. With this race, I am reaching new heights both figuratively and quite literally! I am going to enjoy every moment, with Brian, as we experience this amazing adventure. I predict some hyperventilation, a healthy dose of tears, and some major smiles, hugs, and kisses when we cross that finish line on Day 6, August 28! Go Team New Leaf Ultra! :-)

If you'd like to follow our progress throughout the race, Brian will be carrying the SPOT device with him:

Track Team New Leaf Ultra via SPOT

Triple at Tri-County for TransRockies = Training Triumph!

I survived TransRockies training "peak" week! Back in May I looked at this schedule and thought, oh my, 72 miles in one week?! Woah, that's a lot! I've run marathons almost every year since 1997, but my weekly mileage always hovered around 20-30 miles a week. This past weekend called for three solid days of long runs. It would be a big mileage weekend, but I also knew that everything is relative -- thinking waaaaay back years ago when a 10 mile run seemed long, with the progression of mileage during these last few months, I was ready to do it!

Friday, Long Run #1 - 18 miles before work
I wanted to run these 18 miles on Friday morning instead of after work in the evening, so I got my manager's blessing to start late on Friday and work from home (avoiding a lengthy commute downtown on a non-express train). At 5:30am I rolled out of bed and was out the door on my way to James "Pate" Phillip State Park (formerly Tri-County State Park, which is how I usually refer to it). Brian decided to sleep in and would run his miles later, so I brought music with me to pass the time by and wake me up a bit when I got on the trail. I decided to run the 4 miles to the park to save time. On my way there I left the back pocket of my hydration pack wide open and lost my bandanna that I have found to be quite the useful piece of fabric during warmer weather runs. Luckily later in the day Brian found it while he was running his long run in the afternoon. :-)

I got to the park and started listening to music. I kept the pace conservative knowing the next two days would be even longer runs. Lots of cute bunnies popping out from the prairie grasses to say hi. :-) The time really did fly by, 10 miles done, and then I was on my way back home. I got home in time to take an ice bath and then start work at 10am. #1 long run done!

Saturday, Long Run #2 - 27 fun miles at Sunburn Six in the Stix
The training schedule called for 20 miles for long run #2. I figured I might aim for 10 loops of the Sunburn Six course (2.28 mi for each loop) for 22.8 miles and then do a slightly shorter long run for #3. Brian Gaines dreamed up the idea of having a timed run in the Chicago area, considering the lack of Chicago area ultra races, so the Sunburn Six in the Stix was born. This run was a "fat ass" event which means it's no-frills, no entry fee -- just a group of runners coming together to run and support each other. Of course Brian added some great techie perks that made it feel more organized than some "official" events -- live results and a web cam. Very cool!

Before the start

The run started casually at 7:35am and would last for six hours until 1:35pm. I lingered around the start area and chatted since I wasn't planning on running the whole six hours. About 10 minutes later I decided to get going on my first loop. I ran the official clockwise direction of the main loop, so I didn't see anyone until later on when I passed by Connie and Ian. I snapped a few pictures with them and then went on my way back to the out-and-back part near the bridge where I saw runners starting their second loop. It was fun waving hi and taking pictures along the way.

Jerret and Louise

Torey, Deanna, and Jason

Amit, Leslie, and Bill

Pack 'o fast dudes - Ben, Geof, Matt, Jim, and Craig

The subsequent loops are kind of a blur. It was great to run full loops with Torey Jones, Ian Stevens, Rich Breaux, Leslie Lewinski, and of course Brian :-).

Me and Rich - Photo by Jim "Boombox" Simmons

I ran the big loop in the opposite direction a couple of times so that I could take more pictures of everyone. By the time I was on my 10th loop, about 22 miles, I was still feeling great and figured, why not run until time runs out? I did another loop (11 total), then switched to the small loop (.5mi) for the rest of the time. Right at 26.22mi I entered uncharted "ultra" territory and my smile that was planted on my face the whole day got a little bigger. :-D

One happy runner!

I had time for another small loop (4 total) and ran a total of 27 miles. I felt great in spite of running 18 miles the day before. Just crazy! Something that I could not really imagine, running these miles, became reality. Woo hoo! After hanging out at the pavilion for post-run cleanup, a group of us went to Nest Cafe for a hearty lunch. Yum! Such a fun day!

Brian "rocking out" during the run :-)

Here are some other Sunburn Six highlights/kudos:

• Congrats to Matt Condron for being the first overall with 43.82 miles. Awesome! Thanks for the encouragement along the way, too!
  
• Congrats to Sarah Jurgaitis for logging some major ultra mileage with 34.2 miles (and first female!). You rock, girl!
  
• Thanks to Tony for bringing his son, Nick, to help out. Tony, you had a great mileage day, too, nice job!
  
• GnP - You guys are always a highlight of any event. Great job on 35+ miles for the day, Geof, and thanks for being our cheerleader/photographer, Paige! Go Team Schmoopie! ;-)
  
• Congrats to Leslie Lewinski for winning the prize for most rockin' tan lines! ;-) Sorry you weren't able to even out the tan with all the cloudiness Saturday! Great running with you, though, and awesome job on running 30+ miles.
  
• Thanks again to Torey for starting the CHUGs (it cannot be said enough!), for the cool patch, and for running with me - that loop flew by!
  
• It was great seeing many fellow CHUGs again and meeting new faces on the trails. Waving hi and exchanging woo-hoos with all of you kept my energy levels high and made me want to keep on running until the end, past my goal!
  
  Brian and me after the run
  
  
• And of course, thank you, Brian, for organizing this event, being my training partner, inspiration, and my love. You inspire me to push myself to heights I never thought about reaching before. Go TransRockies Team New Leaf Ultra!
  

My Sunburn Six Photos

Sunday, Long Run #3 - 15 afternoon miles
How does one follow an amazing day of running at Sunburn Six? Well, after a fun-filled rest of the day on Saturday, Brian and I slept in on Sunday with plans to go back out to Tri-County in the early afternoon. We were in "get 'er done" mode and that's what we did. The sun was back out and while the first few miles were a little stiff, I was able to warm up and the miles went by. We ran the 4-mile loop four times, and I shortened the last loop to run 3 miles instead to make it 15 miles total for the day. As we crossed our training run "finish line" we held each other's hand in the air and celebrated the end of an epic week of training! Life is good! Now, it's taper time until TransRockies! :-)

Sea Legs, Kettles, and Slap Bracelets - Three Mini Race Reports in One Big Blog Post

Wow, it has been a busy month! I'm officially in training for the TransRockies Run, even though it doesn't quite feel like it yet since I'm a little injured. Luckily it's not severe, but I have had to cut down my runs and really listen to my body so that things don't get any worse (and hopefully I can get back 100% soon!) I figured I would play a little catch-up and post about the past few running events in which I've been involved. Here is what has been going on the last month, chock full of fun:

Elgin Valley Fox Trot 10 Mile (May 25 - Memorial Day)
This race is one of my favorites, one I've done the last four years in a row (six times total). After my Seven Bridges 10 Mile PR performance, the pressure was lifted for this race. Aside from that, I didn't realize I'd be getting home from a 7-day cruise the day before the race -- Memorial Day was earlier this year. I doubted I could PR, but was pretty proud of my performance for this one and came in at 1:37:25 (9:44mpm) in spite of having "sea legs." :-) Here were some other highlights:

• Some people don't like the long out-and-back section on Duncan, but I love it because I get to see everyone in the race. I was able to say hi to lots of people -- Tom, Katie, TonyG, Dave, Phil, Scott, Christie, Sarah, and Paul. It kept me honest by making sure I looked strong while we ran past each other in spite of the ground feeling like it was moving a bit. :-)
  
  
• Congrats to Christie for running her first 10-miler! She did awesome, too!! This was her longest distance race so far. I think I heard her mention something about running a half marathon...and even her husband James was inspired by the watching her race to start running again. Very cool!
  
  
  Christie and me at the finish
  
• Many thanks to Brian for being my "crew" and cheering for me at several parts of the course. It always gave bit a little boost every time I saw him during the race, which is pretty typical in general actually. :-)
  
  
• It was nice running through the my old 'hood (I lived near mile 9) and seeing some former neighbors. Go NENA!
  
  
  Running the last mile with Hulk Hogan ;-)
  
• There was one lowlight. While I was running like a crazy woman down the big steep hill around mile 4 I did something to my inner quad or surrounding tendon which had me hobbling a little bit but then it went away after about a quarter mile. Since then I have had problems (luckily minor, but still there!) with it and am hopeful it goes away completely soon!
  
  
• Just for the heck, here are my mile splits: 10:05, 10:01, 9:38, 9:54, 9:26, 9:50, 19:56 (missed mile 7 marker), 9:41, 8:55. Not too shabby!
  

After finishing, we hung out for a little bit and then I enjoyed a lovely post-race nap in the afternoon as I was still tired from the previous day of traveling home from the cruise. Ahhhh, I love my post-run naps!

Two weeks later, Brian and I drove to Wisconsin for his 100k race:

Kettle Moraine 100 (June 6-7)

I crewed Brian and cheered for lots of Chicago Ultrarunners (CHUGs) during the 100k/100mi trail race in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. It's so beautiful out there! Here are some highlights:

• It was great to meet more CHUGs before the start, and of course chat with those I have met recently on group runs and at the Ice Age Trail race last month. Such a fun group we have!
  
  
  A few of us CHUGs
  
• I was glad to be able to hang out and cheer with Torey (who would later pace Geof) and Geof's stepmom, Andrea, for much of the beginning of the race. It made the time really fly by. Fun people to be with for so many hours!
  
  
• In the later part of the race, I was able to cheer with Jonathon's wife, Jen, and their family and friends. Jen is such a doll, and her friend, Jen, is one of the loudest, awesomest cheerleaders around. Brian, coming into Emma Carlin towards the end of the race, was probably wondering how all the crazy people were cheering for him, hehe! Thanks to Friend Jen for offering to drive my car to the finish from Bluff Road. One of the many reasons why I love this ultra community. :-)
  
  
• While I was waiting to run with Brian (thanks for the bug spray, Michelle!), a runner came up to me and said, "Christine, did you win the race?!" I knew he was talking about Christine Crawford, and I was shocked I was mistaken for such an elite runner. :-) I replied back, "Sorry, I'm not Christine, but I sure wish I could run like she does!!" I heard that Christine actually had gotten injured during the race, hope she recovers quickly and gets back to tearing up those trails!
  
  
• Pacing Brian is always a highlight and it was good to be moving after many hours of standing and cheering. I got my first experience running in the dark on trails. Fun and different!
  
  
• We got to say hi to Master Volunteer Ian at Tamarack after a couple miles. It is a requirement that I must give a big bear hug to Ian every time I see him -- this night was no exception. :-) Ian was part of a great aid station and I can see why so many have mentioned it as a highlight during their race.
  
  
• Seeing Brian kick it in to high gear in the last half mile, dang! I had to sprint ahead so I could take a picture of him crossing the finish line! Congrats on the finish and earning your kettle, Sweetie! Awesome!
  
  Brian crossing the finish line
  
  
  Brian, his kettle, and me after he finished 100k
  
• Another big congrats to first-time 100-mile CHUG finishers Geof, Vishal, and Dominic. What a huge accomplishment! You guys did great out there!
  
  
• Kudos to über-volunteer Paige and über-pacer Gary for being at the race and helping out. Rock stars!

After finally getting home at 2am Sunday morning, we crashed and had a lovely lazy Sunday to rest and recuperate. I'm not sure who was more tired! ;-)

Most recently was the Madison to Chicago Relay (MC200) that was held on Friday and Saturday last weekend:

Madison - Chicago Relay (June 12-13)
I was part of the Chicago Area Dead Runners Society (ChiADeads) 12-person team for this 200-mile relay that started at the Sheraton Hotel in Madison, WI, and ended at Montrose Harbor in Chicago. Our team finished in 27 hours and 46 minutes (8:13mpm average pace), placing 38/115 overall and 14/61 in the Mixed Open division. Nice! It was such a fun time! Here are some details/highlights:

• I was runner #9 and ran legs 9 (6.20mi), 21 (6.27mi), and 33 (5.86mi). Being a little injured I needed to be careful so I maintained a manageable 9:45mpm-ish pace.
  


• On leg 9 (5:30pm), I ran down a rolling country road, said hi to (and smelled) some cows chillin' in a field near the road, and then ran the last 4 miles on the lovely Glacial Drumlin bike trail.
  The perfect relay transition! Handing off the slap bracelet, fanny pack, and a kiss. :-)
  
• It started raining later on in the evening while were were waiting for Debbie to come in so that Maggie could leg 19. Luckily the rain was not torrential!
  


• I started leg 21 at 3:00am, got a little confused on where to go initially but then was okay after that. I loved running in the dark in the middle of the night, with a little bit of rain thrown in for fun. ;-) I even had a couple of spectators out on their front porch cheer me on -- that was unexpected!
  


• My last leg (33) was mostly on the McClory bike path starting in Lake Bluff and finishing in Highwood. While on the path I was actually attacked by a red-winged blackbird -- it landed on my head and then luckily flew away without pecking my eyes out. 8-} After I was finished, I removed my shoe to find a bloody sock! Apparently my little toenail had a blister under it, I think. It didn't hurt at all. Weird!
  
  After my last run, I took off my shoe to discover this! I didn't feel any pain...there must have been a blister under my pinky toenail...
  
• It was great that last year's team members, Russ and Matt, came to watch us finish. Nice to see you guys!
  


• I really struggled to just include a handful of things here, there were so many fun times over the course of the 30+ hours we were together. :-) The pictures we took don't even do it justice!

Team ChiADeads - Ken, Angela, Eric, Paul, Gerry, Debbie, Maggie, Katie, Kelly, Brian, Janeth, Nathanael

Team Captain Brian and Team Turtle Kelly ;-)

ChiADead MC200 Team Site
MC200 Photos

Next up is hanging out with some CHUGs at the Beer Run 100 this weekend, a group fun run which starts at Goose Island Brewery in Chicago and ends nearly 100 miles later in Milwaukee. I'll be doing about 25 miles total and crewing the rest of the time. Oh yeah, I should also mention that we'll be wearing COSTUMES. Oy! Should be crazy and fun!8-)

2009 Seven Bridges Season Starters 10 Mile

Seven Bridges Season Starters 10 Mile
Woodridge, IL
May 3, 2009

Last Sunday I ran the Seven Bridges Season Starters 10 Mile race, a well-organized, small CARA race that I’ll definitely run again…especially since it’s now home to my 10-mile PR! For this race, my goal was to have something to aim for in between the March Madness Half, which was back in mid-March, and the Elgin Valley Fox Trot 10 mile on Memorial Day. I wasn’t expecting a PR, which was last set at 2006’s Park Forest Scenic 10 (1:35:48), but I was hoping to get under 1:40. I thought this was pretty doable, in spite of a bad 9 mile long run the previous weekend (on Saturday) at Poplar Creek. That day it was warm, so I was hoping my lack of warm weather acclimatization was at fault.

The day before the race I was feeling a little nervous and excited. Brian and I had fun with my dad and his girlfriend talking about our upcoming cruise vacation in a couple of weeks and ate a prime pre-race meal of pizza followed by cake and ice cream. Perfect! We got home early and were able to get to bed early, too. Unfortunately it wasn’t the best night of sleep…I actually had a nightmare that King Kong was standing over our house trying to get into our bedroom, through the window. He ended up getting into our attic and was trying to stick his arm through the attic hatch in my closet…weird dream!

Luckily the sound of the 5:30am alarm interrupted the King Kong attack. I got up, feeling pretty rested. I was glad that the day was sunny and supposed to be in the 50’s for the race. Brian and I got to the race start pretty early, which allowed for us to take our time getting my race packet, which was a nice reusable bag, tech shirt, water bottle, and about a million flyers from sponsors and other races. I made an early stop at the portajohns and picked the wobbliest one on the end…I seriously thought King Kong from my dreams came to knock it over (ugh!). All of them were in a row, butted up against the curb which caused them to tilt forward a little bit. Ironically enough, while waiting in line for a final pit stop, the same exact one (out of the 10 that were there) freed up for me to use. Lucky odds. ;-)

After warming up a little, we headed to the start of the race. With a little over 150 people for the 10 mile race (5k race started 15 minutes later), it was a pretty laid-back start.

Start line

My strategy was to start the first 2-3 miles at 10:00-10:15 pace and then try to go under 10:00 pace for the rest of the miles. My March Madness Half Marathon average page was 9:42, so I figured I could run 9:30-9:45. The first mile went by pretty fast, and my legs felt pretty good, which is rare since it usually takes me a couple of miles for my legs to warm up. I looked at my watch and it said 9:27. Woah! A bit faster than I expected but the pace felt ok so I decided to continue at that level. The first part of the course is on paved streets, which leads to the Greene Valley Forest Preserve trails, where most of the race was held. Brian was at the trail entrance, cheering me on and taking pictures. I didn’t expect to see him at that point, but it was a nice surprise!

The trail was a nicely groomed, wide crushed limestone trail and with the smaller number of participants, I didn’t have any issue with crowding, which was nice. I was able to maintain my pace and passed by mile 2 in 9:26, wow! I felt great and was really enjoying the trail, which was relatively flat and curvy during this segment. I cut the tangents as often as possible, in full-on racecar mode. ;-) I saw the omnipresent Brian again when I got back onto Greene Road and then to the trail on the other side of the street. This section had a couple of nice hills, but it didn’t seem to affect my pace too much as Mile 3 and 4 were 9:31 and 9:40. I was actually passing people here and there, enjoying the sunny day on the prairie trail. The volunteers at some of the trail junctions were the only spectators, but they were great and cheered us on. Mile 5 was a beautiful wooded section and mostly downhill. At the marker, Brian was there again, happy to see me hit the halfway at 47:07 with a split of 9:02! I still felt good and while this pace was pretty speedy for me, I felt I could hold it. I figured that even if I had to slow down in the last couple of miles, I would still make it under 1:40.

Mile 5

The course then led back to Greene Road for about a mile. I didn’t mind because the view was surprisingly pretty, looking toward Greene Hill, which is actually a former landfill. I think I’ll come back here and actually run up and down the hill (I think it’s maybe 300-400 ft high?) for TransRockies training -- there’s a road with a scenic overlook at the top. This was a nice downhill mile and I passed mile 6 in 9:10. From Greene Road we hopped back onto another part of the trail, and there were more rolling hills on this segment. I was thinking how well this day was going and how much I was enjoying this course. Brian, super spectator, was standing near mile 7, which was a 9:30 split, and he ran with me to get back to the car and cheered me on for the next mile or so, being the encouraging, wonderful boyfriend that he is. :-) I was definitely in the zone by then, trying to maintain pace, feeling really excited that barring any issues, I was on my way to not only sub 1:40, but a PR!

Just past mile 7

My mile 8 split was 9:17 (still holding!), and then shortly afterward Brian wished me well and told me he’d see me at the finish. Less than two miles to go! Mile 9 was pretty flat and curvy, my stomach was a little upset, maybe because I was nervous and excited about how well things were going, and my split was 9:23. Now we were back on the road and a nice downhill, I kept pushing, passing a couple more people before turning onto the final stretch, a little over half mile left! Ugh, keep pushing! I was starting to feel a little nauseous, but focused my attention to my legs, willing them to go faster…I passed a guy and then set my sights on a man and woman running together who were ahead of me. I pushed a little harder, and moved past them with less than a minute to go, ahhh, the finish line, Brian cheering, keep pushing! Then a few steps before the finish, I began to retch and nearly gave up my pre-race bagel to the pavement, but luckily the feeling passed and then I crossed the finish line. Whew! Last mile was 8:56, total time…1:33:23!! A new PR by over 2 minutes!! I walked through the chute, hunched over, out of breath, but SOOOO happy that I ran a great race. What an awesome feeling!

Heading for the finish

We hung out a little bit afterward and then headed home, stopping on the way to have breakfast, which was excellent. All in all, a great morning! After we got home, instead of taking the obligatory post-race nap, I had a date with my friend Christie to go rollerblading at Busse Woods. We ended up going for a leisurely 8 miles. In spite of racing hard in the morning, the rollerblading felt good and it was fun to be outside in the nice spring weather. Then later, I finally took my post-race nap. No dreams about King Kong attacks this time! ;-)

Brian's Photos:


Brian's Blog Post

Mile Splits and Course Map from my RunningAhead Log

Race Website

Results