Indiana Trail 100 Race Report

As with all 100-mile races there is always a story that brings me to the start line.  Last year I wrote an article about giving up my quest in chasing Western States that was published by Trail Sisters, that article is linked here https://trailsisters.net/2022/11/24/letting-go-of-western-states/.

2023 brought me into a new year, newly divorced after 30 years of marriage, and a major move from living in Georgia to Washington State where I grew up; my parents, siblings and many of my old friends all live.  I needed some healing and time to get my feet back under me so to speak. I had the support of my amazing family, great friends, support groups I joined and an incredibly wise therapist. I was finding myself, redefining who I was and wanted to be.  I had not yet fully found my way back to running that much, although I refused to give up what I loved to do.  Maybe instead of the big 100-mile races I loved, it would be just shorter runs and a few adventures thrown in.

Then just as l was finding deep healing in my life, making new friends, and settling into a life that I was loving, my life would take a drastic turn.  I was hospitalized in the middle of May 2023 with what would be diagnosed as a neuro immune disease that left me paralyzed and crippled.  While family and friends, both near and far rallied around me, I would leave the hospital 10 days later after 5 rounds of high dose steroid treatments and 5 rounds of immunoglobulin (or IVIG) treatments.  I was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM) which is caused by a large lesion in the spine that causes nerve and muscle damage.  Only time will tell if or how much your body recovers from it. I left the hospital doing better but still very unstable to walk and my hands very much crippled. I also left the hospital with the determination to work hard in therapy and other treatments to get back what I could, to not let this disease win. I decided that if this was the best I would recover and ever be, I would figure out how to live with it and succeed.  I have learned that most people with this disease are completely unable to walk or are extremely crippled, and I’m blessed to be able to not only walk but to run. I tried to keep a positive attitude and was determined not to let this disease define me or beat me!

My hand miraculously opens up spontaneously after being crippled!

Praising God!

My progress was slow and frustrating, but I celebrated each success I had.  My crippled hands began to open up and I was able to use them more and more. I would go out on the local trails and was able to hike and do a shuffle down them which I called running.  And if that was all I would ever be able to do, I would find peace and happiness with what I was given.  I would find other things I loved doing and embrace and be grateful beyond words for what I could do.

At the finishing track at Western States in June

In June I was able to travel to Western States Endurance Run100 (WSER) and be there as a spectator and to see my friends who had gotten into the lottery this year, cross the finish line.  My love for this race was still there and my desire to one day get a chance to run it once again burned deep down. It also felt like something that had been taken away, that would be impossible for me to do.  How would I get a qualifier and how would I ever finish this race if I did get into it?  I have always had incredible running friends and people that believed in me when I could not believe in myself, so I decided to find and signup for a 2023 WS qualifier.  With only a few choices late in the year, I had been told by other friends that the Indiana Trail 100 was a great race and picked that as my goal. I was still struggling to get in the training and runs that I needed, and in the end, I knew with all that I had been through even if I only got 40 miles at the race it would be a success for me.  One of my close friends told me, no matter how many miles I get, it won’t mean I will never run 100 miles again, just that I wasn’t trained and ready at this point in my recovery.

As the race got closer, I made plans to go to the race, and asked Stephanie, my UTMB buddy to come crew and help me at the race.  Another friend Tom signed up to run alongside me for 100 miles, but I also wanted some crew because I was unsure what my TM would look like in a 100-mile race. With all my plans in place I drove the Knoxville a few days before the race where Stephanie lives, then to head up to Indiana a couple days later.  It was then that unforeseeable circumstances wouldn’t allow Stephanie to come along and be my crew. Other close friends wanted to jump in trying to help at the last minute, but the race is so far away to drive to and flying there didn’t seem reasonable.  I had no idea if I could even finish this race, it had been a year since I had even run a 100-mile race, and my lack of good training and this disease could add additional factors. I had completed races with no crew before and knew in this 4-loop race, I could take care of myself if needed.  This could be my comeback race, or it might just be a foundation to build on, either way I was okay with however it went.

Race morning was cold and dreary with rain, my running friends all know cold is my least favorite thing.  I have also learned in my many years of running and races that being prepared with the right gear and clothing can make the difference of finishing or not. Staying warm was my biggest concern with my disease because of all the nerve damage. It’s hard to describe what my body feels like, but my body is not able to regulate temperatures, hot or cold and I live with constant muscle and nerve pain. So as the race started in cold rain conditions, I was determined to do what I always do, find my happy place, be grateful for each step and remind myself that I get to do this. This race is four 25-mile loops with most aid stations only 4-5 miles apart.  Very manageable.  I carried some extra warm clothes in my pack to manage my needs that might come up between loops and carried only one water bottle to keep my pack as light as possible. I have a lot of TM issues in the muscles in my back and wanted to keep my pack as light weight as possible.

Very quickly I could see how amazing the aid stations were going to be.  They were not only well staffed with excellent volunteers, but they also had so many food options; I would easily be able to manage things.  Tom was running with me, helping to set a steady pace and encourage me, and the company made the time go by quickly. We completed the first loop in just over 6 hours, and I had some hope that possibly I could make it to the finish.  As in all races, things ebb and flow, and I would not hold that optimism the entire race.

The second loop proved to be a lot muddier on the course.  Over 300 runners running over the same trails left us struggling with each step in the slippery mud and water as it continued to rain during that second loop until late in the day. I had put on a heated vest that Stephanie had lent to me while I was in Knoxville.  I was most concerned about getting cold and not being able to recover from that. I could now see that the vest was going to be a huge game changer for keeping me warm and moving well without getting overwhelmed in the cold rain of the day and night temperatures.  I also kept dry gloves on my hands the entire time to keep my hands warm.  At the end of loop 2 Tom needed to change shoes and fix his feet.  Knowing exactly what shoes to wear and how to manage your feet when they are wet and muddy all day is a challenge sometimes. I changed into warm dry clothing for the night, and we left for the 3^rd loop just around 14 hours into the race.  I kept my optimism that we were doing well, and I might in fact be able to make it to the finish.  So far, I had no major issues and we just kept moving forward.  The first half of each loop we felt like the mud was worse and did more power hiking on this section of each loop. After leaving the halfway aid station on that third loop I started to really feel strong and began to run and power hike a little ahead of Tom. I had also made a strategic decision to take my poles with me starting that 3^rd loop which again was another game changer in helping me move well through the mud and give me a little leverage to run stronger.

Proof of life photo, ready for loop 2!

I came into the Rally aid station just ahead of Tom and was soon completely surprised when my close friend, Rick showed up to surprise and support me.  He is not a runner, has never been to a race before, knew nothing about crewing or supporting at one (except from some coaching he got from my friend Ana) and he caught me completely off guard!  I was so happy to see him right at that moment, although I was feeling good at that point in the race. I knew a few of the volunteers at a couple of the aid stations where I saw friendly faces, but there’s nothing like having someone go to such effort to come support and surprise you!

Tom came in a few minutes later, we both got some food, and we were quickly off to the last 8 miles of that loop. We dealt with some headlamp difficulty that slowed our finish of that loop, but we came in off loop 3 to make a quick turn around before the final lap. I had been feeling good, but we were now left with 7.5 hrs. to complete the final loop.  That was going to be a tight one and I was beginning to feel like I might not make it across the finish line. As we started that loop Tom told me to go, don’t wait on him if he falls behind at all.  Our collective goal was to get me across the finish line and get to the Western States qualifier.  I’m normally sort of motivated by the buckle but honestly the buckle itself didn’t really get me excited. When I looked it up just before the race it didn’t seem like anything special, or that interesting and Tom and I would eventually call it the Butt Ugly Buckle or the BUB!  He told me to go get that BUB!

I ran that loop just ahead of Tom by only a few minutes, but I didn’t really take time to look back or wait on him as my focus was on getting to the finish and not wasting any time at aid stations or pausing.  As I got close to the Rally aid station one of the volunteers was out on the trail to meet me and accompany me into the aid station.  He had come out there to find me. He let me know I was moving at a good pace and that Rick was again waiting for me there and was worried as I was close to cutoffs.  By this point my body is really starting to hurt.  I’m starting to lean because of the muscle issues I’m having in my back due to the TM.  I try to keep myself as upright as possible, but the pain and weakness often got the best of me in the end.  Rick quickly helps me get my water bottle refilled and I head back out with him hiking and pacing with me for a half mile or so.  He kept encouraging me and telling me I could do it.  I had 5 miles to get to the last aid station and then 3 more to the finish. I wasn’t feeling like I could do it.  My body hurt, I was struggling to run and didn’t know if just my fast hike pace would be enough.  But Rick believed in me, and I am not someone who quits.  I might not make it to the finish but as long as I’m allowed to continue, I’ll keep moving.  As soon as Rick turns back to the aid station, he tells me he’ll see me at the finish, and I start to move a little faster and start praying out loud.  I had no idea if I could finish, and while I was totally OK with what I’ve accomplished, I asked the Lord to carry me.  He has gotten me through so much in the last months and years of my life and He’s brought me this far, if He will just carry me now to that finish, I will give Him all the glory!

Rick heading out of the aid station with me!

My watch had been dead for a long time at this point and my phone had only a small percentage of battery left; I could only move as fast as my legs could carry me. I had no way of knowing how far I had left to go or what time it was.  I felt certain I was going too slow to make the cutoff, but I would not quit. I rounded a corner and there in the middle of the trail I once again see Rick.  This time I’m certain he’s come out there to tell me I’ve missed the cutoff, console me and walk with me back to the aid station.  Instead, he tells me I got this!  The aid station was just ahead and then I had an hour to do the final 3 miles.  Twenty-minute miles, I can do it!  He and Tom (who has now dropped) helped me to quickly get my pack resupplied and I’m off to finish this thing. They will see me at the finish line.

Then Tom showed Rick where there is a road crossing, and he could again access the trail to meet me. A couple miles later Rick was on the trail to pace me to the upcoming road crossing where I was down to 1 mile left and about 17 minutes to get to the finish.  Even though I felt I could barely move and in pain, I knew I was close, and I stepped up my pace as best I could and kept moving forward.  As soon as I saw the grassy area where the trail comes out of the woods and hits the last little bit down to the finish, I once again saw Rick running up the hill to meet me. As soon as I reached him, he tells me the finish is right there around the corner. I got this; I now know I’m finishing this race!  I ran down the hill and crossed the finish line where I got a hug from the race director who gave me that buckle (the BUB!) that I now count as one of the most precious buckles I have! Each buckle has a story, each finish has its struggles and each one holds its own place in my journey!

With the Race Director, Nick Brandt, Rick and the sweet BUB!!!

It’s not a BUB at all, it’s a treasure! Thank you, Indiana Trail 100!!

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Letting Go of Western States!

I’ve tried to start this article many times. It’s been heavy on my mind for at least the past 6 to 12 months, and it just does not go away. So here it is, I am giving up on my quest for running the Western States® 100-Mile Endurance Race! That seems so hard and difficult for me to say, and it really hurts. It has been a thought on my mind for a while now and to be honest, something I have very mixed emotions about. 

Let me go back to the beginning of this journey because it is a rather long one. I started running when I was 48 years old and quickly found myself in the trail running community and running ultras. As a hiker turned runner, it was just a natural progression to running and training on trails; trails were my love. However, I did run a few road marathons before settling into the trail running community.

One of my first big races in ultra-running was the 73-mile Georgia Death Race.  It is a legendary local race and it felt like a healthy challenge. I was so new to running it didn’t even occur to me that this was probably not a good idea. When the race director sent out emails about getting your “Will” in order and how you would die, while I knew it was mostly in fun, I was also petrified of the race and the challenge I had taken on. The race weather that year was not great but I ended up having the best day on the course, met great new friends, and cemented my love for the trail running community. Along the way I also managed to pick up a qualifier for the notorious Western States lottery.

Georgia Death Race 2015

Western States is a race that even as a new ultra-runner I knew about. Not only is it known to be where the very first 100-mile race started, it’s famous as the biggest ultra-running event in North America. The race itself is in Northern California, traveling point to point from Olympic Valley and ending in Auburn on a local high school track. It’s a race that attracts elite runners. All of them after the win to prove they are worthy to be ranked among the best our sport has to offer. Top ten finishers are all revered and awarded a return trip to the race the following year if they so desire.  Spots to get into the race are also received in Golden Ticket races where the top 2 females and top 2 males also receive an automatic entry into the Western States race if they choose to accept it. At that time there were only a small handful of those Golden Ticket races (Georgia Death Race would become one of those races a year or so after I ran it that first time).

The Western States race itself has a limited number of entrants due to permits for the race and leaves the lottery numbers to only around 250 entrants to be lucky enough to have their names drawn. While that might sound like a fair number of runners, when you consider that more than 3,500 people are trying to get those few spots, the odds are not in your favor. Your chances do improve with each consecutive year in the lottery, as your number of tickets increase with each year’s entry. Each year you enter the lottery, your number of tickets double.  For example, the first year you get 1 ticket, the second year you get 2, the third year it doubles to 4 tickets, fourth year is 8 tickets etc. So certainly, it’s easy to see the advantage to continue each year to complete a qualifying race and go back into the lottery. The first 6 years of my entry into the lottery, you would lose your consecutive increased tickets if you failed to qualify each year, leaving you to drop back to only 1 ticket when you qualified once again, so the stress of completing a qualifying race was high.

Finishing UTMB with Stephanie who I met at my first GDR Race!

The lottery itself is a live event that many of us hardcore hopefuls watch for several hours early in December hoping with each draw that our name is called. Before you can even get a single ticket into the lottery you have to successfully run a qualifying race. The list of races in the United States isn’t that large and does not just include any 100-mile race. So, for anyone hoping to run this iconic race, you begin your running plans to qualify again, almost as soon as the lottery has occurred at the beginning of December for your qualifying race for the next year’s lottery.  

While I found the 100-mile race to be the distance that I absolutely love and the more challenging the race the more I seemed to love them. Over the years I created a long bucket list of races I wanted to run and one by one I would get them done along with at least one qualifier along the way. Now I find myself after a long 8-year quest (one year with no race due to Covid) it’s more than heartbreaking to step away from this quest.

Tahoe Rim Trail 2019

First, to say that each year and each qualifying race is stressful is a bit of an understatement. Your year is planned out around that one qualifier race. Initially, you had to get that qualifier or lose your existing tickets in the lottery and start over with only 1 ticket the next time you qualified. (Now the lottery has changed, and you retain your existing tickets if you miss a year and pick up once again where you left off when you do get a new qualifier). So, for 8 years my races and plans for the year are all focused around getting a qualifying race completed. And for fear of not getting the qualifying race completed, I tried to plan that race early in the year. Get it out of the way so to speak.  In case things didn’t go as planned, a backup plan had to always be in place. This has been the chase for several years now. Along with watching the lottery live each year and holding my breath as each ticket is drawn with hopes of getting in. Many times, I watched friends get in on just a single ticket or two, and while I was so happy for them, it left me a little envious to say the least. 

During my quest to run this iconic race, on two different occasions I went to Western States to help crew and pace. Being at the race only fueled the fire to one day run it myself. I have to say that I am more than just a little bit of an ultra-running junkie. I absolutely love to follow the elite runners, watch the Golden Ticket races and follow the big races live. I’ve met and talked to many of the elites at different races and have found my way into the heart of many ultra-running communities, been on a few Ultra-running Podcasts, meeting people and making friends all over the country. For me, it’s quite simply a sport that I love to be a part of.

As part of this quest to run Western States one day, I knew almost from year one that I really did want to have the respect this race deserved. I had been there and knew it was not an easy race. I also knew that I would probably only have one chance in my lifetime to run it if I could ever get drawn. Soon my goal became to run different races every year, marking off my long bucket list of races in hopes of one day standing on the Western States start line and look back at a long journey that got me there. I knew that while I really did want to run Western States one day, that was not the end all to end all. I love running! I love running ultra-distances and 100 milers are my favorite race distance. Combined with my love of travel and seeing new places, this is a sport I do not want to soon give up. I am in it for the long run, pun intended!

Black Canyon 100k 2021

How could I ever give up this quest that has lasted almost the entire time I’ve been an ultra-runner? Can I give it up? I find myself near the end of 2022 and I don’t have a qualifier. For the first time in my ultra-running, I have found myself with a string of painful DNFs. I would like to give a list of excuses, tell you of a big injury or some other justification but quite honestly, it’s just life. Life has thrown me some curveballs over the last few years and while running has always been a good way for me to process things and find myself, I simply could not make it out the door to train on many days. So here I am with no qualifier and entry into the lottery coming up for the 2023 year.  The next year I might possibly be able to get a spot would be 2024 when I will be 60 years old, and that would require another qualifier in 2023 and getting lucky in the lottery that same year.

Unfortunately, my life is currently filled with stress. Life stress and work stress. I could work harder to find some balance there but then I just don’t want to add running as a stressor, I want it to be fun. I want to continue to love running. I still want to challenge myself with difficult races, and I have a huge list of races I’d love to run, but it feels like something needs to give. Not as in give up, just give a little. Life is dictating this. I am more than sad to step back from my long quest for Western States as it has been a dream for so long now. Almost as long as I have been a runner, so in a way it has defined my running.  In reality, running is not the only thing that defines me as a person. It is not who I am.  In fact, I do not like talking about running with anyone who isn’t a runner. Ultra-running is just what I love to do. It is a challenge and it is an adventure.

As an ultra-runner we do not give up, we do not quit, we simply persevere. We keep moving forward. So, I will continue to move forward, leaving Western States behind. Maybe one day I will stand at that start line but for now I’m also okay with letting go. For all you Western States hopefuls out there, may the odds ever be in your favor! Enjoy the journey!

Orcas Island 100 Race Report

Orcas Island 100, another bucket list race of mine.  I don’t know how Orcas got on my list but often it’s the tougher races with lots of climbing that are also extremely beautiful.  Orcas normally takes place in February, with cold snowy weather making the race even more of a challenge. However, this year the February date got pushed back to October.  October sounded like a much better time of year as cold is not my favorite.  It also meant two other people I knew (Brigan and Ronnie) were running the race. We made some loose plans to try and run it together when we met earlier in July.

Unfortunately, my training fell off a cliff with a bout of Covid leading to one DNF and then another DNF about 6 weeks later when too much stress and lack of training just got the best of me.  I adjusted my thinking a bit going into Orcas to just enjoy the time I got on the course and have fun.  I went to the Island solo as one of my friend, Brigan ended up having an interview during the first day of the race and needed to drop.  Brigan connected me with Ronnie who was also going to run Orcas. I had met him previously at the Yeti Washington race in July. As luck would have it, Ronnie and I were on the same ferry ride from Anacortes to Orcas Island the morning before the race and sat down creating a plan of how we could run it together.  Honestly it was about the least prepared I have ever been going into any race, possibly because I really had not a single thought, I would finish it. I had done a little more training leading up to Orcas but way lacking for the difficulty of this race.

Pre-race meeting advice from a veteran of the race!

Ronnie and I connected again once on the island and went to our pre-race meeting, further detailing how we would “self-crew” the race and do the best we could.  Brigan had hoped to get to the island sometime later on Saturday and hopefully help crew us. Also, we had checked with the race director (RD) to see if she could run a lap or two at some point later in the race.  This race doesn’t allow pacers but since she was a signed-up participant that was just starting late, they put her bib aside for her to pick up when she got there.

Pre-race check in

Race morning, we were off right on time at 8am.  We hadn’t gotten any confirmation that Brigan would be able to come later, so we went with the plan of just taking care of ourselves.  The race is a 25-mile loop that you repeat 4 times. It sounds simple enough on paper until you start up the climbs, which is almost immediately within the first 5 miles.  When you have fresh legs, everything seems much easier and we felt our 15-minute miles on the first big climb was pretty strong.  The next section was a long 9 miles with what was called “rolling” hills but soon felt like the longest never-ending section of the course.  The only consolation to the end of that section was getting back to our vehicle where we could get to our things and crew ourselves.  I immediately found the aid stations not to have the things that I typically want to eat during a race. It’s not that they didn’t have options, just that nothing I really wanted so I had to make sure to get food at the vehicle.  With the tough climbs and hard work it takes to run this race, you have to eat well and get your calories in. 

View from the first climb, a bit foggy or smokey

Now the last section of the loop was just 10 miles, but it involved mostly uphill for the first five to the next aid station at the highest point called Constitution.  The first climb right after heading out is so steep in places, some say you have to practically put your hands on the ground and pull yourself up it.  It’s a steep never-ending grind for sure. Of course, the first loop always seems easier than the cumulative miles that each loop after brings you.  We knew after this first climb up to Constitution would be a struggle each loop. One rather fun challenge with Orcas 100 is doing the tower climb at the top of Constitution each loop.  It’s not required but if you choose to do it and complete the climb each loop you get to be a member of the “Tower Club”. Ronnie and I decided we would do the climb the first loop then after that we could decide, but the first climb of course seemed so easy.  

First climb and the views are still foggy or smokey

We managed to finish our first loop in about 7 ½ hrs. which we felt was pretty solid. The race has a 36-hour cut off, so that is 9 hours a loop but that would require being very consistent in our loops.

Ronnie’s parents were there to greet us after that first loop and we quickly crewed ourselves again with a sock change for Ronnie. That stop took us far too long and I knew we needed to step up our game on the aid station stops.

Crewing and being greeted by Ronnie’s parents!

We were off again on our second loop hoping it would go as smooth as the first one had.  Ultra-runners all know that isn’t how it works.  Each loop is usually slower and more of a struggle than the one before slowly eating away at our time on the clock.  Honestly, when we got to the top of that first big climb, I thought to myself, there’s no way I can imagine doing that climb two more times.  My mind was already leading to a huge mental struggle and this race required your mental A game.  I wouldn’t find out until later that Ronnie had the same thoughts.  We both kept our mental struggles to ourselves and just kept pushing each other.  We continued to push and finished the second loop around 17 hours into the race.  We had a hard cutoff to make at mile 75 of 11am Saturday which is 27 hours into the race. Coming in off that second loop we were both surprised and elated to see Brigan there.  She wasn’t sure if they would still let her take a late start and run a loop with us or just crew us, but we were all thrilled when they let her get her bib and start.  I’m not sure if we would have started it without her.  We were both already wrecked at 50 miles into the race.

Brigan led us with a strong push although I’m not sure if we really got much running in those first 15 miles in the dark night.  Once we hit the powerline climb for the 3^rd time and the sun came up, we started to pick up our pace. 

Brigan sees our struggle

It felt like one of my stronger climbs but still a long struggle, and even when we finally reached Constitution, I remember Brigan saying how terrible those climbs are.  We knew now that getting down before the cutoff was not going to be an issue.  Brigan now began to push us a little harder on the downhill trying to give us as much extra time as possible for the final loop.  While I knew we had to make the 11am cutoff, I had not looked ahead at any of the other cutoffs.  We were now slower, tired, and really struggling. 

Coming in off loop 3 with Brigan!
We only made it this far because of her!

We had to do the next big climb and make the mile 80 aid station cut off.  Brigan would now get in the car, quickly run to the store to get a couple items for us and meet us at that aid station. We pushed as best we could, but we were now within 15 minutes of those cutoffs and while we knew we could make the next hard cut at mile 90, we also knew it would not leave us time for the very rough climb up the powerline and to Constitution.  We made a plan to run every bit of the long 9 miles section we could to try and give us another 30 minutes to climb Constitution the last time, knowing we would need every minute of it. 

Ronnie and I talked several times very unsure we could do it.  We knew we were very close to cuts and that climb would be a fight.  We still had little confidence when we got to mile 90 with an extra 30-minutes gained, then again were surprised to see Brigan who kept encouraging us saying that we had time.   All the aid station workers on that final loop kept encouraging us too and saying we were doing great, just keep moving.  We really had no choice but to believe them and just go for it. 

Slow & Steady Powerline Fun!

With just over 2 ½ hrs. to make that last section of climbing to get to Constitution for the final cut it did not seem like enough time.  We chatted a bit about Ronnie going ahead of me if we got close and might miss the cutoff, as I struggled more than him on the climbs.  I was determined to keep up and we would make that call if we needed to. I certainly didn’t want to keep him from a buckle even though we had done the entire race together.  It was the breakup talk we didn’t want to have.  As we were grinding up the final tough climb knowing the cutoff was looming over our heads literally, we both kept a close eye on our time.  Finally, we could hear the aid station and knew we were close, we could make it and then Ronnie sees Brigan and I know we made it!  It was almost like we had finished because we were so happy to see her and arrive just a couple minutes before the final cutoff time. We had literally done the impossible. This time Brigan joins us in our climb to the top of the tower as we also secure our spots in the Tower Club! I was so thrilled for Ronnie to be completing his first 100 miler and that I got to be part of it.  Brigan bid us farewell as she did have to catch her ferry off the island. We could now finish the race in whatever time it took because we had made the final cutoff.

Top of the Tower to punch our bibs!

Forth climb complete! We are in the “club”!!

The final miles down to the finish became long and grueling for me. By now my quads were completely gone, my feet hurt, and I was getting the leans a bit as well.  While I wanted so badly to run it in and finish strong, I just couldn’t.  Ronnie patiently waited for me to make my way and we crossed the finish line together with a cheering crowd.  Ronnie’s parents again were there to see us finish. The race director James Varner along several volunteers and other finishers continued to tell us how great a job we did!  The volunteers had been telling us that all day even though we continually fought for every cutoff.  It’s not a fun place to be as an ultra-runner but you learn how deep you are able to dig and how you are able to push when you feel you have nothing left in you.

Not the photo finish I wanted but so happy for Ronnie on his first!

One of the best parts of Orcas Island 100 miler is the awards ceremony the day after!  The photographer put together an excellent slide show with some great shots from the race and James shared personal stories and words about each runner as he counts from the final finisher to the first.  Ronnie and I were given our buckles together which could not have been more fitting as it was a total team effort and working together that got us to that sweet finish line. And for the record we were not DFL!

We thought we might not finish but we wanted in the club!

Crewing Tahoe 200

Not only would this be my first experience at a 200-mile race it would be the first time I would have to coordinate so many things as a crew chief.

So, let’s back up just a little. I was introduced to Ana by a friend when he reached out because she was running a 200-miler in the North Georgia Mountains and needed some pacing help. That was an easy yes for me as I love helping others when I can. Unfortunately, while I would spend 2 different nights in the mountains pacing her, her race ended early when managing too many variables and the sleep deprivation made a finish impossible.

Ana had her sights ultimately set on Tahoe 200 and after a disappointing finish she hired me to coach her. After our time together we were now friends as well and we found a balance in a coaching relationship. While she put her trust in me to help coach her to a successful finish at Tahoe, I had to find a way to take an athlete who jumped straight into a 100-mile race that she did complete to a 200-miler finish in Tahoe. This was clearly not anything I would recommend anyone do but I accepted the challenge knowing how much Ana really wanted this.

Pre-race photo

The very first thing I wanted was for her to get more experienced at races and particularly a 100-miler. A few months later she attempted a local 100-mile race and while that race also didn’t end in success, it offered us both critical information on things we needed to do. It also offered Ana some much needed experience with other races. She would also run and successfully complete a 100k race just a month later. This was a win she needed, and I needed for her. More learning again for both of us.

Now we needed to get our Tahoe 200 details together. I would go with her to serve as her crew chief and pace her at some point. While she could have a pacer for 150 miles, I clearly couldn’t do that and manage all the details that this race required. Ana was able to secure 4 different local runners in the Tahoe area to help pace. We did a couple of zoom calls with them to work out details on their available timing, distance they were comfortable running and how to plug everyone into the plan. While a plan was coming together on one hand there were also huge pieces that were just not dialed in. Things for Ana like a shoe that worked and nutrition. These pieces to having a successful race are often critical.

Other things Ana did spend time on was reading articles and listening to lots of podcasts on running 200 races, how to manage sleep during them, taking care of blisters and mental toughness. She explored her why and found things to hang pure grit onto.

I could go into way too many details here about just getting to Tahoe, but we made it to the race start with Ana well rested and ready to see this race through.

Race Start, it’s an amazing scene!

They had trackers on each runner, and I was able to use that as my main guide to how she was moving and when I’d need to meet her at the next crew station. She would first have to run 30 miles and I would have no real idea how things were going until I saw her. Although one text from her at mile 10 to tell me that AS didn’t have food and the spring energy she needed to even resupply her pack. She had no food and was not happy about it. (Later I would learn some volunteers shared from their personal supplies to get her through)

First sight of Ana and she’s all smiles

So, the first critical thing was going to be nutrition and getting behind in that at by mile 30 wasn’t a good thing. At the first crew access AS in Tahoe City, I walked out to meet Ana about a 1/2 miles out. We were able to talk, and she caught me up on how things were going. We didn’t waste any time talking about the race itself, the stunningly beautiful course, or the new friends she had met along the journey so far but rather we got straight to what she needed and how she was feeling. My job was to see that I got every critical item she would need into her pack, as well as help her with any clothing charges needed. Putting on dry clothing and making sure she had a working headlamp heading into the night could not be overlooked. It would cost a runner their race and it’s not far into the race when your runner is not even able to think through some of these things. My job was more than chief cook, bottle and clothing washer but also to handle every decision and shield her from all the stress that she didn’t need. I would make decisions and Ana completely trusted me to do that.

Next crew stop would be mile 50. Here was when she would pick up her first pacer Kaytlen. Kaytlen and I met at the trail head along with her husband, Taylor who dropped her off and would be a pacer for Ana later in the race. We had to hike in a mile to get to the aid station, so I need to make decisions on what exactly I needed to take to her. Once again, I hiked out probably 3/4 a mile and met Ana on the trail so I could get an update on how she was doing and quickly make plans for what I would need to do at the AS to help her. One of the most important things I could do was to reassure her and give her lots of encouragement.  She was very close to our estimated pace at this point.

Her feet were doing well, and she was in good spirits after spending much of that section with a runner who she said saved her. Now however, a complete change in our plan needed to go down as Ana really wanted to try and sleep. She had also shared that she was struggling to breath and has a rough cough. First thing was to get one of the medics to listen to her lungs and make sure she was good. This could be anything from struggling with the altitude, dust that was on the trails and even the very dry air that we were both not used to. Or it could be a cold, COVID or the flu setting in. No matter what, now we would have to monitor and manage this carefully. (We would learn after the race that this is called the “Tahoe Cough” and many runners suffered from the same thing).

First up was to get her a quick nap. We had a Subaru Forrester as our crew vehicle and after the race started, I used blankets, pillows, padding and sleeping bags we borrowed from Kaytlen and Taylor to set up a sleep station for her. Complete with a sound machine that plugged into an outset in the back. Due to her labored coughing, she couldn’t get much sleep but after an hour and a half or so I needed to get her up and going to keep her well ahead of any cutoffs. When I did wake her and she got up, she got sick to her stomach and felt really bad. At mile 50 it was looking like her race once again would not see a successful outcome. While we lost a lot of time, Ana got on a change of clothes, was feeling better and was able to keep moving forward heading out with Kaytlen.

Ana just before dropping into Incline Village

I went back to our Airbnb that was located about midway on the out and back course. I would retreat here after each stop to take care of any things she would need the next time I would see Ana, coordinate with her next pacers, update her husband, Eric who would fly in late on Saturday, kept track of Ana and Kaytlen’s progress and try to get a little rest myself. I would get an update or two from the pacers so I could dial in any additional things to our plan that now looked nothing like our original one. We were now way off our plan due to the early rest we hadn’t planned for, and her pace had slowed as well, which I was sure was due to the cough and struggle breathing.

As I was getting an update from the tracker, I saw their course would literally take them right through the streets of Incline Village where our condo was located. While I was not allowed to crew here, I could drive along the course path to see if I could get a glimpse of Ana and Kaytlen, get any updates, and try to encourage them both. As I drove through Incline Village, I found the course route and saw them crossing the main highway right away.  I rolled down my window to encourage them as I had done all the other runners I passed before getting to them.  Ana was now really struggling with her breathing and coughing badly. I went to find a store where I could get some cough medicine for her and drop it back off to them. I was now growing pretty concerned about the cough and mostly just the difficulty it makes to breath which also makes all the climbing more difficult. It wasn’t a good combination and I wanted Ana to have the best chance of completing the race.

I went back to following the tracker to keep track of Ana when I got a couple of text updates from Kaytlen letting me know that things were going well. The main thing now was to keep her moving forward and in good spirits.  Attitude is everything!  I was now also in touch with her next pacer, Madeline.  We arranged a meet up time and got something to eat before heading to the next AS where we would change pacers. This was Spooner AS and you were very strictly not allowed to crew your runner here, but you could switch pacers.  Ana had slowed her pace significantly and my biggest concern was getting her to the halfway point at Heavenly so I could get her as much sleep as possible. Madeline and I discussed how I thought we were going to need to push Ana at this point a bit. We made a quick switch, and they were off toward the turnaround point but before long I would get a text from Madeline saying Ana wasn’t happy with her!  We needed to push Ana to keep her moving but careful that we don’t push too hard, and she isn’t able to keep the pace and get discouraged. If you have paced at all, you know that when things are tough it can be a delicate balance.

Madeline and Ana ready to roll

My next job was to head to the Reno Airport so I could pick up Eric, Ana’s husband who was flying in to help crew and be a support to Ana. As soon as we got back to the Airbnb it was time to check the tracker to get a progress update and figure out when they would get to Heavenly which was the turnaround point. Here I knew Ana would need as much sleep as we could afford to give her.  It seemed that the big struggle had become her getting in nutrition, and lack of sleep was not far behind. For Ana it started with aid stations not having what she wanted to eat, and it can be difficult to eat. We were now at the halfway point, and I felt I really needed to make sure Ana understood that she had to eat, we had to get calories in her. After Ana’s nap, she took care of patching her feet up with more tape, switched shoes, clothes, and got in some much-needed food. Madeline was going be sure to keep an eye on her drinking and eating. Eric and I headed back to the Airbnb confident she was in good spirits, well fed and ready to go. After a couple hours of sleep, myself, I was up to check on the tracker and get an update from Madeline that Ana was running hot, out of water and had dropped her! Ana also wanted pizza! I was busy trying to get pizza together when the next text is from Ana to meet her on the trail with Pizza and water because she doesn’t have any. I start moving to get what I could of the pizza ready and get out to the aid station.  Again, this was the Spooner Aid Station that strictly had no crew access. Joselio who was the next pacer met me at the AS and after the AS captain gave me approval, we both headed out on trails to find Ana and Madeline. We came to Ana first and she had been able to get water from a mountain biker on the trail and was only about a mile out from the aid station.  Joselio went back with Ana to the aid station while I kept going on the trail to find Madeline and get her back ok.

Those are some of the sweetest flowers Eric!!

Let me add this quick story here, which I still remember fondly. When Joselio and I got to Ana on the trails headed towards the Spooner aid station, I spot her coming towards us carrying a handful of yellow flowers. Like a scene from The Sound of Music, as if Ana had been frolicking in the flower fields picking flowers instead of moving down the trail. When we get up to her, she tells me she had forgotten it was Father’s Day!

Joselio and Ana heading out

After Ana spent more time getting some food in and having the medical person help retape her feet, a shoe change and she was off again with Joselio this time. This section would have some good climbs and heading into the 3rd night of the race. We needed to find a way to get Ana another nap even if it’s just a short one. The original plan was a couple long naps during the race, but early on when we got hours off schedule, I knew we couldn’t afford long naps, but we would have to find ways to get smaller short naps in. After letting Ana take another short nap on the side of the road just before heading up the big “Powerline” climb headed back to the Brockway Summit. I wanted to do the climb with Ana and Joselio to give Ana that extra support and see her to the top of what would be a tough climb.  As it started to warm up on the climb, Ana started to peel off layers of coats and long sleeve shirts and we tossed them onto bushes, knowing I could pick them all up on the way back down. Where the strength and grit came from, I have no idea!  Ana made that climb like she just started the race.

Taylor now jumps in and paces Ana for the 20 miles stretch between Brockway and Tahoe City. We are waiting to let her sleep again when she gets to Tahoe City AS and has only 30 miles to go.

Taylor and Ana

It still feels like a long way to the finish, but she is getting closer with each step. I feel like my job continues to make the decision that gives her the very best ability to get there. After getting to Tahoe City, we give her an hour nap and repack her pack getting her ready for the final push. While everyone is so vested in this journey of hers, we each played a role in getting her this far. Now it’s my turn to jump in and pace her home, and we all know there is little to no room for error. The whole team feels the stress of how close this might all be, and we all know it could be very close.

Headed out for the final 50K, we all know this is going to be close

After getting Ana up and ready we get right out of the aid station.  I had downloaded the course onto my phone, as Ana had asked all the pacers to do, but in the upcoming section there had been some vandalism and some flags were missing.  I was ready, until we got off course.  We were following flags and it took me a short distance to figure out we hadn’t seemed a flag recently and possible needed to check the app.  Sure enough we were off by maybe ½ miles or so. I was so frustrated with myself knowing I didn’t have time for that, and unfortunately Ana knew that. I didn’t want her to feel the stress as we quickly adjusted and were back on course. I texted the team to have someone check the tracker for me just to be sure. Taylor quickly replied letting me know we were showing on course!

We were also now on some smoother trails, and we did some running and moving much more quickly. Of course, there was plenty more climbing to come. I have to say the entire time, not just on the course with Ana but even during all my other interactions with Ana, she stayed positive.  Never once did anyone, her or the team ever suggest she wouldn’t or couldn’t make it. I never once heard the word “quit” from anyone.  As her coach I had told her you never give up!  It’s not over until they pull you from the course! Go down fighting if you must, and in the end a win is finishing strong!

Almost to the top!

During the early morning hours when Ana slowed down, I needed to let her take a short trail nap.  Something she didn’t want to do with anyone else, but she trusted me when I told her we were going to do that. She fell asleep about the time she asked me how long.  Fifteen minutes later my alarm went off, and she was back up on her feet with not a single complaint.  We were quickly back to a strong pace and way ahead of the time we thought we’d head into the next aid station even after taking the short nap.

The final aid station was just 10 miles from the finish, but it would not be 10 easy miles.  I knew this was an aid station with sleep stations, so Ana quickly headed off to get a little more sleep while I took care of her pack and got some food. Soon she was back up and, in a chair, next to me. They brough her some food from their extensive menu they had posted in this large warming tent with heaters, and I shared the last of the hashbrowns they had given to me.  Hashbrown had turned out to be a winner for her the second half of the race.

Homeward Bound!

Now we were off to get her to the finish line. The aid station worker briefed us on what the final climb was like, but the 1.5 miles of hard climbing was more of five miles of tough climbing.  Ana was again back to struggling with her “Tahoe Cough” and had to stop frequently trying to cough up what was in her lungs and keeping her from breathing.  Once to the top of that big climb and knowing we were now mostly going down, we didn’t want to miss taking it all in.  We now knew that a finish was not a question. We enjoyed the views and the scenery, the conversation of two friends who had experienced a major adventure together as we descended the final miles. I was in awe that the runners had gone up that same climb just days before to start off this race, I might have been ready to quit within the first 5 miles.  What an incredible journey! Literally against all odds with so many things that just didn’t stack up for a finish, here we were going in to see her cross that 200-mile finish line!  I literally had tear in my eyes as we both ran down to the finish with the crowds cheering and I could only imagine how amazing that must have felt for Ana!  Well done my friend!  Well done!

An amazing finish and flowers from Eric!
Total Badass with all Grit and no Quit!

Endurance Hunter 100 Race Report

In 2021, the first year of the race, I paced for a friend of mine, John Cremer.  We navigated through the last 45 miles, and I saw John to a strong finish. While it was an inaugural event and I could see a few things that could be improved upon, it did not stop me from wanting to sign up for the race almost as soon as registration opened. Running this race would complete the Pinhoti Slam for me, having already run Double Top 100 and Pinhoti 100 in other years. The point-to-point race starts in Blue Ridge, Georgia and ends in Chatsworth.  I immediately lined up Brad Goodridge as my trusted crew and Alex Anaya to pace me. I really didn’t give the race too much thought until much closer to the race.

Another fun fact about this race, my friend Ana Robbins was also going to run the race with me.  Well, the plan was to stay together if possible and I worked on trying to line up pacers for her in case we had to “break up”.  Getting additional pacers didn’t work out but more on that later.  We would plan to stay together if possible.

The race started at 7am on Saturday morning which is nice for not a crazy early wake up call.  Ana invited us to stay at her cabin in Suches the night before the race which helped us to make last minute plans for Brad to crew for us both. Although it was probably the least prepared I’d been before a race in a long time, I felt excited and confident going into it.

Let me first give you some details on the challenges of this race because compared to most 100 milers I’ve run in the past; this one had some unique challenges.  First off, the weather, which might ordinarily not be a challenge, but April in Georgia is unpredictable.  It called for cool temps during the day and freezing overnight. If you know me at all, you know cold is my least favorite temperature, but I’ve learned to bring the right gear and suck it up for the most part (minus a little complaining that is). The race director had already required that each runner carry a space blanket in their packs for emergency purposes.

Another huge challenge is there are only 9 aid stations in 100 miles and except for one, they are all between 8 and 15 miles apart. On a flatter or faster course, that might not be so bad but in the mountains with lots of climbing and obstacles to navigate, that can be a long time between aid, your crew and support. This meant carrying a little extra gear, water, and food.  The race was not that huge, but it did have 100 milers and 100K runners on the course, otherwise without the company of Ana, it would have been a long time between seeing anyone else.

Water Crossing at Mile 8

One of the rather big challenges that can be devastating for some runners, is lots and lots of water crossings.  The first one was at mile 8 in the race.  They were sometimes deep and extremely cold and while your feet would warm up within 50 yards or so, your socks and shoes did not dry out.  The first aid station that would give you a longer reprieve from the water crossings where you could put on dry shoes and socks was at mile 65.  Lest we be fooled into thinking they would stay dry the rest of the race; one final deep crossing would be around mile 96.

One final big challenge was a section of the course that had a significant number of blown down trees. This long section required you to go under, over, around, and sometimes climbing through these trees.  All of which took a significant amount of time, and you could not get into a good running rhythm with the constant stops to navigate. If you can imagine, being tall makes having to go under very hard, or if you are shorter, going over a little more difficult. Either way, it sucked a lot of time this course required from you.

Promptly at 7am we started our race from Downtown Blue Ridge where we ran out of town on paved roads and then followed the railroad tracks before we hit more roads to the first aid station at mile 8. I felt we had a very comfortable middle of the pack pace, although admittedly for Ana it was a bit faster than she would have liked.

 Shane Tucker and I chatting away

 After the first aid station we immediately hit our first deep water crossing and the trails quickly dropped us into a more reasonable pace for both of us. Not too long after we hit the trails, it also began to snow and covered the ground in beautiful white. This section was on the BMT (Benton MacKaye Trail), a section I had never been on.  At first there were a few runners around us but soon we hardly saw anyone as the race had spread out.  While the weather was pretty chilly and my fingers started to hurt from the cold, it was an extremely beautiful part of the course.  Nearly 13.6 miles later we cruised into the second aid station and our crew of Brad and Alex.

Enjoying the Beauty of the Course

I was able to get some warmer mittens for my hands along with some hand warmers, eat some food and head out for the next section.  This was one of the shorter sections at 8.4 miles that would put us onto the Pinhoti trail and where we would encounter at least 6 miles of navigating the downed trees.  Again, a beautiful section following the river, and we shared some of those miles with another runner, Todd, before he sped ahead of us.  Our race continued with us seeing our crew after long stretches and we kept up a steady pace. Alex took a break to get some sleep before jumping in to pace at mile 54 and Brad met us at mile 40 just before our long push for the next 15 miles. Ana and I had discussed breaking up before getting to Brad and I let Brad know that the new plan might be for Alex to pace only Ana starting at 54 if I went on ahead of her. It would get dark before we got to Alex to pace so we got our headlamps and hoped we would stay together. I had moments where I felt strong and wanted to move faster but I didn’t really want to be alone or leave Ana alone for this long stretch. We stayed together and got to Alex more than ready for him to pace.

Leaving the Mulberry Gap Aid Station at mile 54 and it’s always a nice feeling when you know you are over halfway.  Not to get too comfortable though because this course really starts here.  Well, the climbing does anyway. It feels like a long grind to the top of the first climb right after leaving the aid station with plenty more to come. We didn’t discuss it, but Ana slowed down and I knew she was struggling with feet or leg pain. It was time for me to get moving at my own pace, and as Alex and I were together slightly ahead of Ana, I told him that he should stay with her, and I was going to keep going at my pace. I headed down the trail at a late-night jogging pace and it seemed like it only took a few miles before I began seeing headlamps ahead and began to pass one runner after another. By the time I’d gotten to the next aid station, I had passed about 7 runners. It’s a large climb from this aid station and into Fort Mountain Park. More headlamps and eventually I passed a few more runners though this tough climbing and technical section before catching up to our earlier friend, Todd and finishing that Gahuti trail loop with him.

It was light out when I got to the aid station at mile 75, and I was well taken care of by Brad and the aid station crew as they fed me spaghetti. Now that I think of it, that might be my first ever spaghetti breakfast, but I needed food and it sounded so good.  Todd’s family had greeted him, and he indicated that he might like a nap.  Brad informed me that Ana had dropped from the race, and he was leaving to get her and bring Alex to pace me to the finish.  I tried to finish up and head right back out where I met Alex about a mile down the trail.  This was the long 301 loop in Fort Mountain Park that Alex and I knew so well and had been on way too many times together.  We stopped briefly so I could take off all my warm layers from the cold night as it had started to warm up in the morning sun.  We had just gotten to the bottom of the powerline switch backs when Alex told me he saw a carrot! If you’ve paced me in a race, you know I like to chase carrots late in a race.  My goal is always to try and take care of myself the first 2/3 of the race so I can finish strong the final third.  That’s when I like chasing people down. So, Alex thinks I’ll catch this person on the climb up the powerlines when I’m sure I’m almost on my last gasp of doing anything. Then just as Alex suggested, I’m easily able to pass and finish the huge powerline climb with Alex’s encouragement the whole way. After the climb we hit the aid station in the park one last time where I dumped everything from my pack, got more food to eat and headed out for the final stretch of the race. This time Erin Barbely joined Alex and me to pace the final miles.  Erin had come up last minute as we thought we’d want an additional pacer to help Ana.

Brad met us one last time at the next aid station and then it was downhill to the finish.  NO IT WASN’T!  But it wasn’t all uphill either. Erin led the way and kept me running when we weren’t climbing, we all got our feet wet at the last big water crossing and made our way to the final miles that were finally downhill.  Now Alex sees more carrots and I try to tell him I’m not vegetarian, but it was the motivation as I ran every bit of the final few miles passing at least 2 runners before crossing the finish line.  It was an amazing feeling having such a strong final 40 miles on this tough course!

Why coaching? Why now? Why not?

Coach Trena

Why coaching?

When I started running it wasn’t something I thought much about. It all sort of happened organically as I joined a hiking club to get in shape. From there I began to add running into my life regularly.

One thing I realized right away was there was so much that I didn’t know. For example, I didn’t know about the type of shoes to wear. Was I someone who pronates or was I a neutral runner? I picked shoes by what looked good. Because of course, if you know me, when I started running I quickly decided if I couldn’t be fast, I could at least look good. I did a fair share of 5k’s, 10k’s and half marathons leading up to running a marathon.

What I didn’t plan was that I would enjoy it so much. I not only enjoyed running but I also enjoyed the whole training process. I met friends and found running partners to train with.

It was really when I ran my first trail marathon a short time later that I knew immediately that was my true happy place. Being outside and out in nature was always part of my childhood. We didn’t watch much TV or play indoors; I spent my youth outdoors and in the mountains at on our large family property. I had enjoyed hiking and training on the trails and now I’d found a place where the two intersected. Welcome to the world of trail and ultrarunning!

One small step or one race later, I ran an ultramarathon on trails. The idea of “one and done” is not in my DNA! I very quickly learned that ultrarunning leads to running 100-mile races for some people. I couldn’t even wrap my head around that thought. I mean really, most people “don’t even like to drive that far” as the expression goes, which we hear all the time from everyone who isn’t an ultrarunner.

But just as my outlook with running began, my attitude was to Embrace the Journey. It was all an unknown, but I am also the type of person that wants to figure it all out. I launched my blog http://www.TrailRunning100.com so I could share all the things that I learned along the way. I knew nothing and didn’t know how many others knew nothing like me. I wanted to share all the ups and all the downs. What worked for me and what didn’t. I wanted to share the good, the bad and the really ugly of our sport.

After a couple years of running and sharing my journey on my blog, an online running magazine reached out to me asking if I’d write a regular article for them. For nearly two years I wrote articles for them on things like getting redemption after a DNF and how to overcome the post race blues and more. I have also written pieces for several other online sites such as the Human Potential Running Series Elevating Your Run Experience – Human Potential Running Series .  I have written and shared my personal journey to healing with Trail Sisters  Running Towards Healing | Trail Sisters®  as well as sharing my story on the Ten Junk Miles podcast.

So I guess the simple answer to “Why Coaching” is that I love to share with others and encourage them. I am naturally a person who likes to help and see others achieve great things.

Why now?

Now after about 10 years of running and after many ultramarathon of all distances including over 20 different 100-mile races, I’m still continuing to learn things.  I’ve run races in a lot of different states and made lots of friends across the US and in Canada. In the last six months or so I’ve had many random friends and people I’ve met running ask me if I coach or would I coach them. I’m always happy to share everything I’ve learned, and I guess it’s a natural question at this point for people to ask me.  But it also tends to send me down a road of the reasons I don’t coach.  Well, basically that was because I wasn’t sure I could create a plan to really help train someone else.  End of story.

Well maybe that was the end of the story, or so I thought it should be.  But, then I started to think about why couldn’t I coach.  What do I need to know beyond my experience as a seasoned ultrarunner?  How do I learn?  I spent some time talking to other coaches I knew on how they learned or what courses they took to be certified and started doing research on becoming a certified running coach.  The one program and certification that stood out to me was the one by UESCA (United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy) which is the only program that actually offers an Ultrarunning specific certification.  It’s a Certification that is the result of a joint partnership between renowned ultrarunning coach, Jason Koop and UESCA. The content of this certification was the highest quality training program in all areas including those that are unique to ultrarunning and based off of science.  They had me at Jason Koop!  Just the reputation of Jason Koop alone was enough to let me know that this was the certification that I wanted and the information that would best teach me how to coach others.

Why not?

I don’t believe that a certification alone makes someone a good coach. I’m going to combine what I’ve learned along my journey, my experiences as an ultra runner, what I learned from using professional coaches myself along with my certification program to coach and guide others to success.  I’m naturally a very encouraging person.  I love to talk to other runners and share with them.

I’ve talked to many of my friends who know me both from running and others who don’t know me at all as a runner.  I’ve asked them the question about me coaching.  Could I do it?  Would I be good at it?  It seems like a big scary step but one thing I’ve always been doing is to “Embrace the Journey”.  It’s part of my motto or my mantra so to speak.  So now I’m going to embrace the next step in my journey.  I’m going forward so I’m “Embracing Your Journey”!  Allow me to combine my experience as an ultra runner and the knowledge I’ve gained along the way as well as through my certification to help you reach your goals and dreams!  So why not?

www.embracingyourjourney.net

Javelina Jundred Race Report

First of all, loop races are not really appealing to me but because of the huge Jalloween Party at Javelina it has been one of my bucket list races for a while now. I’m also a huge fan of all the Aravaipa Running races. Earlier in the year when my friend Janice Anderson told me she was running the Javelina Jundred race and how it had been so easy to do as a solo runner with no crew, I figured I’d put my name on the long waitlist and hopefully get to join her for the big party in the Arizona desert.

Within a couple of months I was on the start list and friends of mine from Ten Junk Miles, Matt and Jenn Hoadley who had expressed an interest in going to the race were on board to come crew and pace me.

Now you have to know that Matt Hoadley knows everybody. And I mean EVERYBODY. I thought I knew lots of people but compared to him I don’t. Matt would be fine with me telling you that he’s a recovered alcoholic. He has an amazing story that he shares openly and has and continues to have a huge positive impact with his story. So, Matt not only has a huge list of friends he couldn’t wait to see at Javelina, he and Jenn are also well connected and experienced with the Javelina race.

The morning before the race Matt got up early and went with his friends to set up a canopy tent in one of the best locations (which I couldn’t even begin to know where the best place would be). Matt arrived back at the hotel telling Jenn and me how elite runner Devon Yanko was also sharing this canopy with us, along with her crew Corrine Malcolm. The ultimate men’s race winner Arlen Glick was in the canopy right next to us. Turns out Matt is as big an elite fan and follower as I am, so I was soon jealous that I was running the race and not hanging out at the main aid station (AS).

With crew and pacers Jenn and Matt Hoadley

If you don’t know anything about Javelina besides that it’s a big party, it is a 20-mile loop course around the trails of McDowell Mountain National Park that you complete 5 times. There’s a 100-mile distance, 100K and starting in the evening a 1 loop 20-mile race called Jackass 31K. This is the real party race event! The other thing you should know is that the 10-mile AS that you get to 5 times is another huge party. Jackass Junction is quite famous and possibly the most well known AS in all of the ultra running community and let me tell you, it doesn’t disappoint. If you like a good party, great food and awesome music in the middle of your race then this is for you. But, you have to be careful not to get too comfortable at this AS.

Janice and I at the start

The morning of the race, Janice and I both lined up in the sub 24-hr corral just behind the elite runners as race director Jubilee Paige builds the excitement and counts down the start. Sub 24 is not my normal pace but I was definitely hopeful going into the race. However, I did tell Matt and Jenn both that anything can go wrong and ultimately, I wanted to have fun and finish. I don’t want to spend my race stressing over a time or pace, I’ll run by feel and see how it goes.

By now you might also know this race is held in the Arizona desert over Halloween weekend. So, it is very HOT!!!!! Managing the heat is the biggest reason runners don’t finish this race and nearly half won’t. With a 6:00 am start time before the sun comes up, I quickly fall into to a comfortable pace to get some miles in before the sun and heat come out to play.

For the first 15 miles of that initial loop, I was doing really well. I had a comfortable pace and no real issues but that very quickly came to an end. On the first loop of the course, you take a different route from the 3rd AS back into the main crewing AS called Javelina Jeadquarters. This is not only the main AS but where crews are also taken care of with food vendors and even a mini store to buy ice for themselves or their runners.

It was in this section heading back to Javelina Jeadquarters in that first loop that the day started to really heat up in the sun. My stomach was already starting to feel rough which I’m not unfamiliar with. Then during that section my Piriformis issue that I dealt with a few years back also started to act up on those climbs. Right away I knew this might turn into a rough day ahead.

I came into my crew just a little ahead of my schedule. Once you get into the AS you do a little out and back to the finish line timing mat and back out. You do this short out and back all through what they call “tent city” and are cheered on by tons of people, many even lining the way to give you high fives. With Matt’s connections, our canopy was basically the very first one you came to as you entered the AS. Our plan was for me to drop my pack as I came in, (Matt and Jenn would restock it while I did the out and back) and they would hand me one of my cold drinks to drink while I ran the gauntlet. It was a great system that worked perfectly each loop.

Because Matt and Jenn had not crewed or run with me before I’m not sure what they thought after that first loop. I knew I felt pretty rough and can only imagine how I looked. After my gauntlet run, I came back to the canopy and mostly I think talking about the heat. They grabbed my ice bandana from my crew bag and got it filled with ice and put around my neck. Jenn had a cooling towel she laid across legs as I drank some ginger ale and when I left told me to take the cooling towel and that as long as it was wet it would stay cold. Life safer! Race safer and game changer!

Staying cool use the “cooling” towel Jenn gave me

My plan on the second loop was to slow myself down and get my overheating and stomach situation under control. Time to put my fast hiking skills to work. Every AS had buckets of cold ice water with sponges to put over your head and on your body and ice to put in your packs. The volunteers would soak the cooling towel and sponge cold water on my arms at each AS and for the next 8-10 hours that was my lifeline to keeping cool.

By the end of that second loop I had started to rebound well. I had just one more loop before Jenn would join and pace me. While my stomach never completely settled, it was at least under control. My nutrition plan was all liquids during the heat of the day and see how I felt at night to eat some food. My Piriformis had thankfully quickly settled down after that first loop and the climbs were shorter and gentler on it. At Jackass Junction on that third loop I was greeted by local Atlanta runners Cassy and Jared. It’s always a lift in the spirit to see friends you know on the course. I had mostly run the race alone even though it’s a big race. Unless you run someone else’s pace, you do not stay around anyone for too long. I ended the third loop feeling much better and was excited to hit the next loop with a pacer.

I picked up Jenn and it was so nice to talk to someone. She told me all about what was happening in the elite races and how many people had already dropped from the race. It made that loop seem to go by quickly. But before I could finish it up, my stomach that was still feeling rough had me puking at the final AS of the loop. Nothing sounded good to eat afterward, but the slightly cooler night weather helped.

Jenn and I got back to Javelina Jeadquarters, and I went to do my gauntlet run with a recovery drink Matt handed off to me. Almost every time, I would loop back around after the timing mat and would exchange words with RD Jubilee who greeted ever runner, every loop. One time she even poured ice water on my sleeves! This time I got my “final lap” glow in the dark wristband and headed back out with Matt. Because it was a rough day with the heat and my stomach, we never talked about my pace or my finishing time. I had early on thrown out any idea of a sub 24. This just did not seem like a course that me of all runners had a chance at that and I was totally ok with it. I did my best to keep up a good pace and run when I could but if you’ve ever tried to run when your stomach is upset, it is not really easy. When Matt and I got to Jackass Junction the final time, I was really wanting something sweet like Skittles to get a sugar buzz and finish the race. Honey Albrecht who I met at Mogollon the month prior went over to Matt and asked if I was Trena. Finally, I knew someone that Matt didn’t!  Honey came over and said hello and it was so nice so see another familiar friendly face with encouraging words.

When Matt and I got back in off the final lap I dropped my pack the last time and ran to the finish and was never so proud of a 24:16 finish and just finishing the race at all! Not long after I finished another guy, Fred Johnson who I had met and run with a little at Mogollon also finished (we shared a few Javelina miles on my second loop). I told race director Jubilee that Fred and I had both finished Mogollon last month. She told me that she knew we had. Jubilee is my girl crush! What a fantastic lady and race director!

With Race Director Jubilee Paige shortly after my finish

Joly Javelina what an amazing race! I’m not sure I could have just dropped a crew bag of stuff and completed this race solo. It turned out to be so much more mentally challenging than I could have anticipated. Matt and Jenn were the best! Did I mention that they also helped to crew my friend Janice during her race? They might be available for a fee, but I set the bar pretty high with this desert party fun!!!

View of “tent city” also known as Javelina Jeadquarters from above

Mogollon Monster 100 Race Report

I had decided early in the year that this would be my year to start checking off some of my bucket list races.  The west coast was really drawing me in with beautiful trails and views.  At the very beginning of 2021, I signed up for Pine to Palm 100 in Oregon.  I had this one on my list for several years and this seemed to be the year to do it.  My running friend and local Georgia runner, Rich also signed up for the race.  We were both excited about the challenge.  As September neared, we began watching the Oregon fires pretty closely and knew that fires had cancelled this race in the past.  Five days before the race and only just a couple days until I was going to get on a flight to Oregon, we received an email about the race cancellation.  Rich was quick on the draw and found another race that offered a similar profile with around 20,000 ft of gain and just happened to be a race on my bucket list.

The race director of Mogollon Monster 100 had purposefully extended the cutoff date to sign up for the race because they knew other races would likely cancel and runners would want to do this monster.  It played out just as they thought it might and there were lots of Pine to Palm runners who jumped into the Mogollon Monster race at the last minute.  Huge thank you to Aravaipa Running and RD Noah Dougherty!  I scrambled to change flights, cancel cars and lodging and rebook things in Payson, Arizona which is less than a two-hour drive from Phoenix. The next few days were a whirl wind at work and printing out the necessary information about the race so I could actually study it on the flight out.  It all seemed to happen so quickly I didn’t even have a chance to tell friends and family of the change in plans.

This is a little look at a small section of the Mogollon Rim or The Rim as the locals call it

Brad Goodridge had again agreed to the switch races and crew for me.  At the time, I had no idea how much one could really use a crew for this race.  I had also decided that I was going to run this race with no pacers.  This would be the first time I would take on a tough 100-miler and do so with no pacing help whatsoever. I knew I’d have crew to see me through with additional aid and provide encouragement along the way, but I’d have no one specifically with me during the long miles and overnight hours.  While I knew Rich was going to be on course, we didn’t make specific plans to run it together. 

This was the race’s 10th year and the first for it to be a point to point course.  Most of the aid stations were a good distance apart and crewing for it was said not to be easy with long drives in between sections on rough roads and virtually no cell service.  They also said that it was so difficult to crew because you most likely could not get to all the crew locations and still meet your runner at the next one. “It’s always helpful to read the small print” said by way too many runners after the fact.

“The race covers roughly 100 miles, climbing the Rim in six separate locations spending a lot of miles along the Rim, on top of the Rim and the challenging climbs up and down with climbs and descents at 30-45% grades at some points.  Expect to climb a total of approximately 20,000 feet along the way, never below 5,200 feet and never above 8,000 ft in elevation.  While other races are certainly at higher elevations, and/or with more climbing, they certainly do not contain as rugged a terrain that is found on this course.

“This is a VERY technical course in many areas, specifically the Highline Trail, Donahue and the soon to be revered Myrtle Trail.  The first 40 miles will have nearly 9,000 feet of elevation gain.  That coupled with the terrain, moderate elevation, and intense Arizona sun, this race will certainly take its toll on each runner.”

“This race and this terrain can destroy you. Nobody eases their way through the Monster.  Do not underestimate this race.  If you are not a self sufficient runner, you will fail here.  If you cannot find your way out of a paper bag, you will fail here.  If you cannot make it several hours safely on your own, you will fail here.  We do not mark this course like an Ironman.  We mark it appropriately for the turns necessary to follow the trail and to prevent runner confusion where necessary.  We’re not painting the trail in gold, you need to know the course, and you need to pay attention.”

“Do not be fooled though, this race course will absolutely make you earn every mile you traverse.  Come prepared, know your course, and tackle the Monster…”

We arrived in Arizona a day ahead of the race to get things sorted out and to go check out the course and crew locations as best we could.  I had done my best to be ready but my training had all been for a much different race.  Still, I felt confident that I was prepared as best I could be.  Due to limited space and parking, crew was not allowed at the starting line of the race.  It was a drop off or shuttle situation.  So, Brad dropped Rich and me off about 30 minutes before the start of the race. We took a few pictures and chatted with a couple of people before the race started at 6:00 AM. 

Race motto:  He’s out there…

We knew there would be very limited cell service, if any, so we couldn’t use the tracker on my phone for Brad to keep track of me.  The race started immediately with the first climb up to the Rim.  I knew I would have some service there, and quickly texted Brad so he’d have some reference as to how long that took. The first 10 miles of the race included the first climb up to the Rim and then a stretch across the top before going back down to the bottom to the first aid station.  This downhill section was one of the best running downhills on the course, and once I headed out of that first aid station and started up the second climb, I realized I had gone out way too fast on that first section.  My legs could really feel that second climb and I needed to make sure I managed things well from there on, or I would not make it.  That climb showed me just how rough the course was going to be.  This was definitely a race you needed to take seriously and manage yourself well.

I wouldn’t see Brad until almost mile 27 and after the first 3 climbs. We had heard that the toughest part of the course was the first 40 miles.  Thinking about it later, because this was the first year of this point to point course, I’m not sure anyone knew just how rough this would actually be. I don’t mind a technical course but just how technical would it be?  What is “their” definition of technical?  I would quickly find out. After the race, local runners who knew the trails and had run it other years said that this new course was probably at least 50% harder than in the past.  With no frame of reference as to the past races, that didn’t tell me much. I’ve run a handful of tough races including several Hardrock Qualifiers and this one was definitely topping that list.

I was mostly running solo as the runners spread out.  On some sections I would be around someone else for a short time, but quickly the terrain or climbs slowed one of us down and I kept telling myself I need to “run my own  race”.  Again, this was the first race that I was going solo with no pacers at all.  I always enjoy the company of pacers at night or late in the race, but it felt like time for me to tap into some confidence and see what I could do on my own.  As my crew, Brad was always encouraging me that I was tough, and I could do it.  It was just enough encouragement from an experienced runner like Brad who knew what it was all about out on a 100-mile course to give me that confidence I needed to not doubt myself. Usually once a race starts, I get into game mode and really focus on what I’m doing.  I want to enjoy the course and the race but also stay focused on my goal.

I saw Brad again at around 46 miles after completing four of the 6 climbs.  I managed to make it up the fourth just before the sun set.

Views like this are some of the best part of the races

This time when I reached Brad, I had to make sure I had my lights and put on some warm dry clothes for the night hours. I tried to make some mental notes as I got close to aid stations as to what I needed to do there. If you know me well, you know I always have a notebook for my crew.  In that notebook are notes for  each aid station that I will see them. There are reminders of things to ask me or check on, get weather updates so I’m prepared for what’s ahead, and based on miles and estimated times I know when I want to grab my lights, put on warm dry clothes or possibly change shoes.  When I see my crew, I also try to update them on how I’m doing eating and drinking so they can help me manage that as well.  Sometimes I need to sit and take in food even when I think I feel good.

Warm clothes and some broth!  I get chilled if I sit too long especially at night.

I had just completed a several mile road stretch that I was able to pick up some time on.  After getting ready for the night hours and some warm broth I headed out and wouldn’t see Brad again for another 15 miles.  This section of  the course was known as the cabin loop.  It offered a lot more runnable trails but still some rolling hills and climbs out of canyons.  The night temperature seemed to go from warm to very chilly.  I wore a long sleeve shirt with my Patagonia Houdini jacket and gloves that I took on and off.  I was around a few more runners in this section and enjoyed the company at night.  This was a nice section to be on at night as it wasn’t near as technical as the down hills off the Rim or the very technical up hills climbing back up to the Rim.  I tried to just focus on getting to the next aid station, although the miles between aid stations were mostly long with 9 – 10 mile stretches.  They had crew spots in between some of those long 10 mile sections which made having crew a huge help.  Normally a 10-mile stretch doesn’t feel so long but when you are covering large technical climbs and brutally technical downhills that are sometimes almost scree sections that are very slippery to go down or up, it seems like forever. For me, having my poles were not only a must on the climbs but also on the downs as well.  However, the toughness of the climbs was always surpassed by the sheer beauty of the Rim and surrounding mountains.  It was just gorgeous!  I didn’t stop to take many pictures, but I was always looking around at the extreme beauty of the Mogollon Mountain and the Rim.

It was still dark when I got to the General Springs Crew Only stop and see Brad once again.  I was in good spirits but knew I would have to go another 25 miles before getting to crew once again but a full aid station was only about 3 miles away.  I focused more on what I needed from my crew bag,  I don’t usually use any drop bags when I have crew, and I didn’t have any here.  Brad walked with me across the Rim Road where I dropped down the powerline section.  We had seen it the day before when we scouted out the course.  You saw where the course flagging crossed the road and just disappeared down the hill.  Now I had an idea of exactly where I was on the course and all I could do was go down what was for me the toughest downhill of the course.  Seemed like complete scree field and straight down loose rolling rocks that made going down and staying upright very difficult especially in the dark.

After leaving the next aid station I probably hit the most disliked section of the course for me.  It was still dark and night during most of it, but it was a lot of climbing up, coming down and climbing up again and we spent nearly 10 miles going along this Highline trail just below the Rim.  Finally getting to the next aid station at Geronimo, mile 72.4, was the best.  It had just gotten light out and they were serving up blueberry pancakes.  What could  be better?  I also got a huge hello and hug from my friend, John LaCroix.  After a long dark night, it was a perfect welcome to the daylight and seeing a familiar and friendly face was huge as well.  Now off to climb number 5 up the Rim.  It was now 8 miles to the next aid station and as I remember it, there were no easy climbs up the Rim and this one was one of the longest.  You begin climbing the moment you leave the aid station, but onward you must go.

Resting in some shade and taking in the views!

Once to the top at the Donahue aid station, I quickly tried to get what I needed, some broth and food to fuel the next section.  Five more miles and I would see Brad again at mile 84.2, but not without the final climb up the Rim.  It was a quick drop down and then back to climbing out.  It was still very early hours of the morning, but the heat was already beginning to be overwhelming with the exposure of the Rim and steep climbs.  I found myself climbing up the final climb to the top with a guy named Josh.  We were both struggling equally in the heat and with more than 80 miles on our legs.  We had to take short breaks under each small piece of shade we found to get our heart rates back down and cool down just a bit.  The thought of Brad being at the top of this climb where I would see him for the final time, was what got me to the top.  I told Josh that Brad would have plenty of cold drinks and ice for our packs there. I knew we had plenty to share and it was a life line for both of us.

Happy for some shade and clean clothes!

Josh and I showing our excitement for being so “close” to finishing!

I was finally able to get rid of my lights and pretty much everything I had been carrying in my pack.  I changed into clean dry clothes for the heat of the day and was ready to finish the final 17 miles.  Those were not at all easy miles with the final 12 having no aid stations.  It was hot and exposed and all I could do was just stay moving.  Definitely felt like some of the longest miles and again I spent it almost completely solo as Josh fell behind not long after we left Brad. 

I didn’t go into this race with goals or even expectations except to finish!  By the end, I felt pretty darn proud to have made it to the finish.  Josh also made it across that sweet finish line! There were 150 runners who started the race and only 88 of us made it over that finish line.  Aravaipa did an excellent job with this race but there was no handholding on this one although it did come with plenty of fair warning!  Read the small print!

I also got to spend some time with this local legend and total badass, Honey Albrecht! She runs these trails and climbs The Rim all the time!  I think she does hill repeats here for breakfast!!!

Amazing Views!

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Washington Yeti 100 Race Report

Spoiler alert here……a DNF is a DNF!  I wasn’t going to do a race report on my Washington Yeti 100 race but after several weeks of reflection I decided I would.  It wasn’t because I didn’t finish the race or not wanting to share failure. I personally enjoy hearing the stories of failure, picking oneself back up and keep chasing the dreams.  I always like to share authentically and while initially I was and basically still am totally okay with my decision to not complete the 100-mile race, but no matter what the reason is for dropping out of a race or not finishing, there always seems to be that regret after.

Explored the 2.5 mile “creepy” tunnel on the course the day before. We’d have to go through it four times.

Let me go back to the beginning.  I signed up for this race sometime in early 2020 or maybe even late 2019 long before Covid starting cancelling races.  I let a number of my races rollover which is what I did with the Washington Yeti 100.  I really wanted to run the course just outside of Issaquah Washington, in my home state.  So when July 2021 rolled around I was still very excited to go run the race although many of my Georgia friends who were also originally planning to run it, no longer were going.  I decided this would be the perfect race for me to run solo and without any crew. 

When I grew up in Washington, I was not a runner or even a much of a hiker.  However, I did enjoy outdoor activities, but never experienced the trails there.  It’s only been in more recent years as a runner that I’ve gotten on the trails in my home state. Of course being friends with Jason Green, the race director, and having run all of his other Yeti races, I had to go run this one as well.  With a little travel planning and not much race planning, I arrived in Snoqualmie, Washington the day before the race.  The race course was a couple of out and back sections of a rails to trails through what they call the Issy Alps that included a 2.5-mile long tunnel.  Very manageable with little planning.

Small race start with perfect weather

A month prior to this race I had run Bighorn 100 in Wyoming and felt I was in relatively good shape.  I had even shared with a couple friends and with Jason Green that my goal was to go Sub 24 hours in this race.  Now, I’m not a Sub 24 runner and I cannot by any means just jump in and run that pace.  I was in good shape and because I’d run only one other Sub 24 which was at the Yeti 100 in Virginia, I really wanted to do it here as well.  I had shared it with a few others to really hold myself accountable, and even Jason had said, “this isn’t like playing horseshoes!”  I knew almost would not count!

So, I found myself at the start line with a lofty goal for myself and a very small race field.  I didn’t really care about the size of the race or placing, my only goal and focus was getting my Sub 24. One thing going in to any 100-mile race, you have to know there is no such thing as an easy 100 miler. For me a flat course that doesn’t have a lot of climbing is almost the worst kind of race for me.  I like the natural breaks of hiking hills and running some good downhills.  Hence, a flat “easy” looking race doesn’t exactly play into my strength or appeal much to my sense of adventure.  For me a flatter course eventually causes a lot of hip discomfort and I have to really think about my pace and taking walk breaks.  I don’t train doing intervals so it’s not something I plan to do in races either. All that leaves me in a race where I have to do a little more thinking and very specific care of myself as the race progresses.

So here I was on a starting line where Jason gave us the “have a great day” speech which I always love to hear him give and making sure we all knew that we could drop down to the 100K midrace if we needed to.  Jason explained how many runners had waited 2 years to run the race but with Covid and shutdowns many were unable to train properly.  I have never been a big fan of offering drop down distances in races.  I always held the belief that you finish what you sign up for or you DNF it.  I try not to even allow myself to think about any other option but to finish. Well, those were judgments I held but would be humbled by those options later.  After Jason’s speech we were soon off. 

The first stretch was about 3 miles out and back.  Jason jumped on his bike and lead the way to the turnaround point.  Most of it followed next to a lake with some nice views, and out and backs always give you the chance to see other people to say hello, good job, way to go or any number of encouraging words.  This was a small race with very few runners between the two races, 100 mile and 100K.  I found myself running near the front of the group not because I’d gone out too fast, but I was running what I felt was very comfortable for me.  I tried to just focus on my race and not others but because the race was so small once we came back from the first out and back and then went the other way for a 20 mile out and back, I found myself mostly alone.  I went back and forth with one runner in those miles and our aid stations were a fairly long distance apart, so it made for mostly solo miles.  I turned on my music and just enjoyed the scenery.

I came in and left the next aid station without seeing any other runners around.  It would be another 7 miles or so to the turnaround point.  Then it was back to the start and repeat the out and backs once again.  There were a few runners ahead of me but most of the race was still behind me. My race was about to take a very unexpected turn.

First checking me out

Now on his hind feet taking a look

I was running along, listening to my music and taking in the scenery when from my right and just feet in front of me a bear jumps out of the woods/brushy area and onto the trail running several yards down the trail before jumping back into the brush on the right side.  It surprised me at first and I immediately stopped.  At this point he did not feel threatening to me and was far enough down the trail, maybe 20-30 yards away so I didn’t have any real fear of him/her at this point.  I stood there waiting for him to run off and go away so I could safely continue down the trail.  I didn’t want to move or at all be threatening towards him, while he made a couple of shorter runs out onto the trail and back into the brush.  I don’t have a lot of experience with bear encounters, although I did know it was a black bear and my first instincts are not that he is going to attack me.  That being said, I still did not trust him or want to give him any cause to come after me.  So, I continue to stand and just watch him.  Then he stood up on his hind legs and looked at me and my instincts started to change a little bit.  I thought he might feel threatened and even sort of wondering if this is a momma bear with some cubs nearby that I just didn’t see.

Then I started to get a little more nervous and not quite sure how to assess what’s up with this bear.  Then it decided to come back on the trail once again and began walking straight up the trail towards me.  Not fast but it was still not something I expected.  I start thinking to myself, “ok, what do I do?”  “I can’t run, he’ll chase me, I can’t out run him” “what do I do”.  “Do I wave me arms, make noise”.  I started immediately looking on my pack for a whistle, I thought was attached to it. No luck.  So what now?  He was still walking up the trail towards me, I was alone, no other runners were around.  Now I’m too afraid to even scream or make noise for fear I would upset him as he continued towards me.  I began walking very slowly backwards up the trail.  Then a couple of runners, one who I’d been around earlier in the race, came around the corner from behind me and could see me backing up the trail.  Immediately they knew something was wrong, although they couldn’t see the bear yet.  They simply saw me moving backwards up the trail and knew it was too early in the race for me to be acting “crazy”.  As soon as they came into view of the bear, they both immediately started waving their hands and making noise to scare him off.  They were both friends and runners from New York State and seemed to know what to do, and just having them there immediately made me feel safer.  It took what seemed like several minutes before even their noises and motions to shoe him off the trail and back into the woods was successful, and as soon as he went up into the woods we quickly got passed that section of the trail and on our way to the turnaround point.  I stayed with them until the turnaround point.

These two were my new heroes!

At the turnaround aid station runners began to come in behind us, also telling stories of seeing the bear.  They were all in groups and didn’t seem to have too much to say other than seeing it.  After a quick stop at the aid station, I was on the trail headed back to the first aid station where the race started, before I would do it all over again.  I had grabbed what I needed and headed back onto the trail as quickly as I could.  When once again, I found myself running pretty much solo and many of the runners who had been right behind me had now passed me and were just ahead.

Soon I came to the same section of trail where I’d encountered the bear on the way down.  I saw that what was now the left hand side of the trail, was a very large berry patch.  That explained why the bear had no intentions of leaving his feeding grounds.  It didn’t take too long after realizing I had interrupted this bear and the vision of him coming up the trail towards me that I began to relive it and have somewhat of a panic attack.  I knew black bears were not usually aggressive, but it’s a very large wild animal and I was literally on my own with no protection.  In another few miles I was back at an aid station where I’d see Samantha Taylor, Jason’s co-race director and friend of mine from Georgia, along with Stephanie McNamara who was also there from Georgia helping out with the race.  They both began cheering for me as I came closer to the aid station but by now I had pretty much lost it.

A very stressed look on my face as I got to Samantha and Stephanie

I had in just a few miles all but decided that I was not doing another solo out and back.  Jason had offered a drop down to the 100K race which would keep me from doing this section a third and fourth time.  I had never once considered dropping down in any other race I’d run.  When I get into my zone and running an event, I want to finish what I start.  Finish what I signed up for and what I trained for. In fact, I so disliked drop down options, I even frowned upon races that offered them.  So here I was deciding to drop down.

It was funny how quickly my thinking could change and I saw things from a different perspective.  Samantha said she wouldn’t change my race until I got back to the starting aid station and see how I felt then.  But 13 miles didn’t change my mind, as I was still a bit shaky just thinking of that bear still being there.  A couple other runners that I was with briefly over those miles shared that the bear was in fact still there just over the side of the trail.  That would confirm my decision.

Once I got back to the starting aid station, I retold my bear encounter a little more to Jason as he tried to make sure I did want to drop down.  He encouraged me at that point to get moving because I still had a good bit left of the 100K distance to run.  I now changed my thinking, adjusted my goal and just wanted to finish a strong 100K race.

The course was beautiful and felt so peaceful and comforting to be running there.  Well until it wasn’t.  While I could not take home any awards by dropping down to the shorter distance, I still managed to finish second place overall and first female.  I didn’t need an award, I just wanted to feel good about what I came to do.  I enjoyed the trails and while I didn’t complete a Sub-24 100 miler, I felt confident in what I had done.

I got some sleep that night and the next morning went up to the race finish to watch the final 100-mile finishers and even went out and briefly paced the final finisher in.  I’ll be back to finish what I started, hopefully next time with either friends to run with or a few more runners to keep me company during a few stretches of the course.  A DNF is still a DNF in my book, but I guess a win is also a win.  Sometimes we all need our thinking challenged a little bit.

Bighorn 100 Race Report

It is around December when I am usually considering what races I might do the next year. Looking ahead to 2021 was a little different as I had several races from 2020 that were rolled over to 2021 due to the pandemic. The biggest race on my rollover calendar was Lavaredo in Italy at the end of June.

But then many of my local friends started to talk about doing Bighorn in June offering a variety of distances from the 100 miler, 52 miler and 32 miler. While I really wanted to do Lavaredo, my family was not comfortable with me traveling to Italy and Bighorn was one of my bucket-list races, so the decision became easy. Then immediately my parents and my husband Ed all wanted to go to Wyoming to join me and the others at the Bighorn race.

Our Group from Georgia

My training leading up to the race was some of my strongest. I was feeling great but big mountain 100 milers which are some of my favorite races also scare me to death. DNFing a race does not scare me.  It is the unknown and all the things that can go wrong that scares me but excites me at the same time.

Knowing Brad Goodridge was going to be my crew chief takes a huge load off my mind. He takes care of all the details that are out of my control, and I know he will not miss a thing. He usually has much more confidence in me than I have in myself and lets me know when I need it most that I can do it!

Sherri was going to pace me as well as Ed. Both strong climbers and could join me on sections of the course that had the biggest climbing sections. Those are the plans I had laid out but when I say big mountain races scare me to death, it is largely because in 100-mile races, my experience says plans do not always go as expected. Bighorn 100 would be no exception.  If you have a run 100 miler, one thing that you learn is that they are a 100 miles of problem solving. Having a plan is great but being able to adjust your plan becomes the game changer that can save your race.

Group photo waiting for start

Rami, Troy and I enjoying a conversation
with John Fegyveresi (ok yes, we were fan stalking him)!

The Bighorn 100 has experienced rain the last several years of the race. That rain leads to lots and lots of shoe sucking mud. It also goes up to a fairly high altitude that is notoriously very cold and often snow covered during the over-night hours. All of this with around 22,000 feet of climbing and a 35-hour cutoff. I had an “A” goal of a 30-hour finish but really my main goal is always to finish and have fun. I love the mountains and enjoy the trails and scenery. God has created a beautiful masterpiece and it is an honor and privilege to be able to run in it and I never take that for granted! We do these races to go places few will see, experience limits few will push, and gain a perspective we would otherwise never have!

First big climb

The race starts off with a very large climb of over 4,000 feet in just the first few miles once you hit the single tracts. Due to logistics, Brad did not go to the start of the race, but Ed and the rest of the Atlanta crew saw us off. I knew Brad would be waiting for me at mile 13.5. Early in the race but after the race’s first major climbs so he would have a good gauge on how I was doing. From there it would be rolling hills and a good downhill drop into the 30-mile mark and picking up Sherri for the big 18-mile climb to the high point of the race.

Close to seeing Brad and dropping off my poles
for the next 20 mile section

Those first 30 miles seemed to go by quickly. The scenery was spectacular, and I shared some of the miles chatting with a couple guys from Denver. It was the final aid station (AS) before dropping into Sally’s Footbridge, the 26.5-mile AS where I came across the first of our Atlanta runners. The heat of the day had started to get him and slowing down some and cooling off at AS is definitely a key in the heat.

First Aid Station where I see Brad

I got to Brad at Sally’s Footbridge where I picked up Sherri. I was feeling great and ready to have company for the big climbs ahead. The course was so beautiful, and I was excited that Sherri was going to have lots of hours in the daylight to enjoy its beauty. She usually paces me during night hours and misses so much. I did not want her to miss this course. It is also here that you have to be sure to get your lights and warm clothes for the night. It is easy to see why people forget that because of how warm it is at this point in the race and nowhere near dark. This is always when my check list for Brad comes in handy. He makes sure I do not miss a thing especially later in the race when I can no longer think for myself. This next section as Sherri and I began the long climb toward the mile 48 turn around, was when I got my first punch in the face. So far, my race had been going perfectly as planned but those plans were beginning to be challenged. Living in Atlanta does not give us any altitude training although we had gotten heat in recent weeks, which would later prove to be helpful. As we quickly rose in altitude, I began struggling to breath. I knew it was the altitude, but it had caught me off guard as I have run at altitude in other races and never experienced any issues. Now it almost seemed the life was being sucked right out of me. All I knew to do was just keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. Sherri kept encouraging me saying that I was doing great.

Sherri and I just after she joined me

We finally got to the AS 8 miles from the turn around. It had seemed slow going but it was still a while before dark and so far, not gotten cold on us. I sat down a minute to reset things and take in some warm broth. Let me say here, that these AS were over the top and some of the very best. The volunteers were experienced and knew exactly what to ask and do for you. Some AS were so remote that they used horses to get the supplies into them. That is some dedication to help out runners!

So here I sat needing to reset things and get my mind into a positive mode instead of being discouraged. One of the AS workers must have immediately seen I was not doing well or in a good place. He began waiting on me and seemed to have taken me on as his personal project. He gave me a few minutes to drink my broth and then he came over with a pulseox tool to check my heart rate and oxygen levels. He knew right away I needed to recover some more before leaving. He would come back to check my oxygen levels again several more times before allowing me to leave when my readings got back into good ranges. Even though we continued to climb in altitude I had gotten over the hump and didn’t really struggle as much after that.

Where the altitude struggle started

The next AS was 4 miles from the top and turnaround. Sherri and I finally got out our lights and put on warm layers and jackets. It was dark and cold as we came into the Jaws AS at the turnaround. Brad was parked and waiting on the road just outside beyond the AS. As soon as Sherri and I walked in, one of the AS workers immediately came over and took hold of me. I wanted to use the porta-potty and get some more broth. Again, this worker took me on as her personal project not letting me out of her sight, even holding onto me to guide me. I must have looked worse than I felt. Soon I was out of there. Quick stop with Brad to drop Sherri off and adjust a few things before I was ready to take off getting down out of the cold and altitude. I ran on and off with other runners all the way down the mountain.

Brad and Sherri met me back at Sally’s Footbridge just before the sun came up. Sherri was originally planning to jump in here and pace me for the next brutal climb and about 17 miles. She hinted as we came into Jaws that she might not jump back in. She knew my goal of 30 hours was within my grasp and she did not want to slow me down. So, I had mentally prepared myself to finish solo.

I dumped a bunch of gear here to lighten my pack and knew I did not need all the extra things because it would soon be daylight and warm out. The next 3.5 miles was an unbelievably tough climb up at least 3,000 feet. Once I got there it felt like I was home free with a nice rolling section ahead. During this long 7-mile section, the day would start to heat up and by the end as I got to the next remote AS, the course was completely exposed and the sun was out in full force. The beauty of this course was also in full force.

I now had 6 miles and another rough climb leading into an AS and seeing Brad and Sherri one final time. Now the 32-mile runners were on the course and began giving encouragement to us 100-mile runners which was appreciated. The oven of the day began to really take its toll. Not just on my pace but my spirits as well. I knew I would see Brad very soon and knowing he had some cold drinks for me kept me moving forward when I did not think I could.

Brad came down the trail a bit and walked me into the AS. I know the look on my face might not have showed it but I am not sure I was ever so happy to see you Brad! Another fairly quick reset. I was anxious to get this race finished. Brad and Sherri updated me telling me that Ed wanted to pace me in the final 4 miles so now I had that to look forward to.

I’m definitely struggling in the heat of the day
but the views still did not suck

The next AS was another reset from the heat then on to the final big uphill push before a long decent and some flat miles to the finish. Rami Odeh was running the 32-mile race and as luck would have it, he was just behind me near the top of that final hard steep climb. I waited at the top for him. Rami had also been working with me as my coach on nutrition and weight training over the last few months. He had seen me through some extremely challenging times in my life and I was very happy to see him now. I was ready to have company and have him pace me to the finish.

I waited for Rami to get up the climb so he could pace me in

Even that plan was short lived. As we headed down, I took off running (well I called it running) and ended up dropping Rami. Just like our more recent training runs together, sorry coach, call it a testament to your good coaching! This long downhill that we came up just the morning before seemed way longer than I had remembered, even though it was endless going up. And as one plan falls through to have Rami pace me in, I see my husband, Ed coming up the trail towards me ready to pace me in the last 10 miles of the race. My legs felt great, my feet were in good shape, my stomach was doing okay but the heat had now just about brought me to my knees. It was midafternoon and not an ounce of shade anywhere.

A couple of more AS and a lot more heat, I finally crossed the finish line. As you come into Dayton, Wyoming, the finish line was in a packed park, the crowds were overwhelming. The long shoot to the finish was lined with people cheering in the runners. It was that 100-mile bib I wore that almost had crowds on their feet to cheer for you. It was all I could do to smile as I crossed the finish line. I would have been in tears but honestly, I think I was too dehydrated to produce any or they dried on my face in the heat. I nearly collapsed into a chair and needed several cold cups of water as Brad and Sherri were immediately at my side helping me.

We found a shady spot in the grass for me to lay down and recover. Sherri collected my buckle and finishers jacket for me. A little while later Rami came in and joined us and we all got a cold beer to drink.

So while my “A” goal didn’t happen as I missed it by about 45 minutes, my goal to finish and have fun was more than met.

Such a well put on race! I cannot express enough how great a job they did with this race. The pre-race activities, the swag, the RD’s, shuttle drivers, to all the many, many great volunteers. We do not run these races without a lot of people helping us along the way. I have run lots of beautiful courses and you really cannot compare them. Bighorn though was spectacular with its beauty and if you have to suffer on some mountains somewhere, this scenery will definitely keep you in good spirits. I feel blessed by all the great people helping me and to have finished when nearly half of the runners who started the race did not. Embrace the journey because every step is a blessing! Great friends and family are an even bigger blessing!

2nd in Age Group 50-59 Female

Rock, Buckle and finishers jacket