An Amazing Weekend

What an amazing weekend!! Seven years ago, urged by Jane, I entered the Pikes Peak Marathon. I wasn't a runner, I didn't consider myself a runner. I raced mountain bikes and loved it. I had the big quads and bulging forearms and was dead set on becoming a pro. Who knew that one race would change the course of everything. That year I had a miserable experience in the Pikes Peak Marathon. I didn't run much that summer, all my fitness came from mountain biking. I didn't think it would matter but I was sorely mistaken (literally). I made every mistake possible; took out way to hard, didn't fuel/hydrate, wore completely wrong shoes (this was the beginning of finding a shoe that I wouldn't lose every toenail with)...I walked, alot, and couldn't walk for the next week. Looking back now, it was this experience that fueled my running career. I had to prove that I could conquer Pikes Peak...I was entirely hooked on trail running.

In 2008 I did prove that I could conquer Pikes Peak by winning the marathon. I was extremely proud to join the ranks of Lyn Bjorklund, Angela Mudge, and most definetly Danelle Ballengee. But I knew then that I could do it faster and there was always that looming "double" that waited to be done. So when I heard that the Ascent was the World Mountain Running Challenge this year I bit the bullet and signed up for both.

The Ascent took me by suprise. The sheer number of people and the extreme amount of hype at the start forced me to spend alot of energy passing people in the first few miles...those people who feel they will win the race if they can post a sub six minute first mile. I went from 13th female to fourth by the finish and gave it everything I had. The last mile I could see fifth place closing in at a rapid pace and with an extreme grimmace on my face pushed through to the finish in 2:46. The amazing Brand Erholtz won and deservedly so! I wish I could say that I was excited for the marathon the next day but I spent all I had in the Ascent and wasn't confident I had what it would take. But once again I proved myself wrong. After the gun sounded on Sunday morning and my feet hit dirt there was no turning back. I found my stride and never once felt an urge to throw in the towel. I felt amazing; relaxed and smooth. At the turn around I knew, pending disaster, that the win was mine. And it was in 4:34, 5 minutes off my PR.

I never imagined I would be mingling with or even closely considered on the same level as Matt Carpenter. But yesterday I stood on top of the podium with the legend. I was honored to meet and have a conversation with the first lady to finish a marathon, the Pikes Peak Marathon in 1959. Her name is Arlene Peipper and is an inspiration to us all. A PPM veteran gave me a PPM hat from 1980 off his head and in return I signed my race bib for him. Experiences that will last a lifetime!

The AWESOME Bernie B. and I

Mind-Body Connection

First off a great big CONGRATS to Rebecca Rusch for ruling the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike race. New women's course record and many a man defeated! It's about time a woman made some commotion in Leadville seeing how Dave Wiens and Lance Armstrong have stolen the show the past couple years.

OK, enough of that. I remember reading a few years ago a book on the mind-body connection with running. Not until recently do I feel that I have really made this connection. In this book the author suggests that a runner cannot really be "in the zone" when distracted by things such as music, competition stress, traffic...so I experimented a bit this summer. I spent several days running with my music, which depending on my mood can provide inspiration. However spending several days running without my music I have come to realize that I truly cannot connect with my body to the same degree running with music as I can without. There really is nothing quite like feeling in tune with every muscle in your body, feeling each one contract and relax as you smoothly repeat leg stride after leg stride. I can feel the power orginate from my core and continue down through each leg. My arms flow unconciously in sync with each stride and it all comes together in perfect harmony. If you watch professional runners they seem to float effortlessly and eficiently even when posting sub 5 minute miles at mile 25 of a marathon. Perhaps it is a result of day after day of training their bodies, eventually they establish a completely relaxed flow. But there is no denying that alot of it is a natural talent that has been inherited through genetics. Some of us were not meant to be efficient runners and must work at it.

Anyways, can't believe Pikes is next week. Going for the double this year, something I have wanted to do for some time. Looking forward to seeing some long lost running pals!

That Extra Umph...

Once again the Speedgoat 50K threw a curve ball at me, but this time I was not defeated. You have to take someone like Karl Meltzer serious when he says that the race he is putting on is the toughest 50K in the country. I did not with my first attempt at the Speedgoat and paid dearly at mile 21 where I tucked my tail between my legs and called it a day. For two years I thought about what went wrong that day and my conclusion: to hard to early, not enough fuel, not enough fluids, and finally to hard on the downhill (all the no brainer mistakes for a seasoned trail runner). So I came prepared this year and it did pay off (literally, I received $500 for first place!!). However there was one slight "uh oh" that could have been detrimental if Karl were not such an awesome guy and Nick Pedatella had not been there to keep me motivated.

After pacing myself on the initial, heinous climb up to Hidden Peak and Mount Baldy I readied myself for the brutal downhill to Dutch Flat that outright destroyed me on my prior attempt. This year I came with stronger legs and a more sensible, relaxed approach that would have worked marvelously had myself and Nick not taken a wrong turn. Long story made short is our route to Dutch Flat was opposite of what we should have done, yet I believe the same distance. However, because of our carelessness we were asked to complete 3 penalty miles at Dutch Flat that dropped my position from sixth overall and first female to ~20th overall and second female. Despite the extra miles I felt peppy climbing out of Dutch Flat with Nick (fresh off a stellar Hardrock performance) by my side encouraging me and chose to see how hard I could push until I regained my lead. That I did at about mile 19 (22 for me). From there I went into survival mode and continue to choke down the fuel and fluids. I may never eat another Fig Newton in my life, but they did the trick. Thinking I was home free and able to coast in on the final 5 mile descent, I relaxed a bit and prepared myself for the rocky beating to the finish. Thankfully, I took on last glimpse above me as I entered the trees and saw Becky Wheeler (2nd place) a mere 3 switchbacks behind me. I dug deep one last time and hammered the downhill into the finish for the win, 35 miles and 6:34.

Word on the street is that Karl adjusted Nick and my times to reflect what he thought was fair. This puts me in 5th overall and 6:10, first female.

What can I say... this is an amazing race, and amazing people running it and in it! I love the trail running community, a great group of hardy souls with smiles across their sweaty, dusty faces. I can only speak for myself, but I do it to see what can be done. Just when you think you can go no more you find that extra drive that in the end provides a sense of accomplishment that can come from nothing else. Can't wait for PIKES!