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!

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

The Footprints We Leave Behind

It seems like I hear a lot of talk about our carbon footprint. I’m not a political activist and don’t really have a “cause” that I have a connection to. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen someone so passionate about a cause that they broke down in tears crying. Their cause didn’t happen to grab me the same way it did them, but I’ve thought to myself many times since then, I wish I could be that passionate about a cause. About anything really.  While I might not find myself that passionate about a specific cause, I do have a natural inclination to want to take care of our planet and nature that I love and enjoy.

Let’s talk a minute about that carbon footprint of ours. What exactly is that? Wikipedia describes it this way, “A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event, organization, service, or product, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent.” As I started to look deep into this, it becomes an endless rabbit hole that quite frankly is way too complicated for me. I’m not a science person, talking about CO₂ and fossil fuel burning leaves me lost. It all leads to climate change and the short of it for me is that it all has to do with taking care of our planet. Finally, something I can understand and get behind.

I love our planet! I grew up as a kid loving the great outdoors. I could not get enough of it. As a child we were pretty much expected to play outside and no one worried about where we went or what we did, just be home by dark. So, enjoying our great earth is not something I have to think about wanting to take care of, it’s part of a logical belief that we should all do so.

As a hiker and trail runner, enjoying nature and being in that great outdoors is my love. Even my very life blood. The trails of nature are where I’m the happiest. “Leave no trace” is a phrase most every trail runner has heard and endorses. We can’t enjoy the trails if they are not taken care of by the very people who use them.

So, if we are going to take good care of Mother Earth and reduce our carbon footprint, what does that look like for the average person? The everyday trail runner? Are we going to get an electric car, never fly on a plane again or maybe ride a bike more and drive less? All these are great ways to reduce our carbon footprint but maybe not where we are going to jump in to start with.

Most of us have heard of the 5 R’s; refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot. It all starts by learning another R and that’s to rethink. Going zero waste is a great step towards making a positive impact on our environment so let’s look at each of these R’s from a trail runners perspective and see some simple ways we can impact the footprints we leave behind.

Refuse – The first step should be to reduce the amount of waste in the first place. Once it’s created it requires energy and resources to address it.  Use a reusable cup at races, even if they might provide paper cups, simply refusing to use them is a first step. We can refuse to use plastic disposable drop bags and instead use one that is reusable and retrieve it after the race, instead of disposing it.  Develop a simple mindset of refusing to use things that create waste if we can use another greener option.

Reduce – This is the simplest way to make small changes. Always be asking yourself, “what are ways we can reduce our waste?” Don’t buy small individually wrapped items to eat but rather buy in bulk size and put in a small bag to carry. Refilling a water bottle to drink from and avoid buying bottled water whenever possible. If you take a look around, you can find lots of simple ways to cut down and reduce the amount of waste you leave behind.

Reuse – This is also a fairly easy way to make an impact. Simply by reusing something, the affect can literally be having no waste at all. Those baggies we use to carry our food or snacks can be used again. Our water bottles can be refilled thus, used many more times. Even by donating our used running items allows them to be reused/repurposed rather than thrown into a landfill. Flagging used by Race Directors on a course can be reused. There are an endless number of small things we can do to have a positive impact. Think about what you throw in the trash and see if possibly there is a way to reuse it.

Recycle – For our part to recycle items it takes a bit more effort. Obvious things like cans and plastic bottles, or other plastic products, along with cardboard can all be recycled. It does require a little research as to where to recycle them and exactly what they take. A little effort on recycling goes a long way on the impact we can have on our planet.

Rot – Composting is a another option and is also great for gardens with a simple to set up compost bin. The old hikers’ motto “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints” doesn’t make an exception for food scraps. When we walk out of aid stations with food like apples, oranges and bananas we should not toss the peels but carry them out with us instead. An apple core can take up to two months to decompose and an orange peel or banana skin up to two years. It’s not only trash and an eye sore but also a cue to others that it’s not a big deal to litter. Natural litter is still litter and litter begets litter. Even if there is not an option to compost them, tossing them on the trails is not an alternative.

So, there you go. A few beginning ideas on how we can put the 5 R’s into action as trail runners. Challenge yourself to find many more ways. Sometimes taking care of Mother Earth is as close as picking up trash left behind by others and making sure we don’t inadvertently drop trash ourselves. Let’s challenge ourselves and consider what we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. The only footprints we leave behind should simply come from the bottom of our shoes.  Now, let’s go for a run.

Running Home in the Tri-Cities

The Tri-Cities, Washington is my hometown. West Richland is where I actually grew up right on the banks of the Yakima River.  Those were simpler days in a smaller town. Nevertheless, I call this home where most of my family and many of my friends still live. At times there is a tug at my heart to go back home to experience and embrace the changes since the days long ago.

Seeing the Columbia Valley, where the rivers that all join together at the very heart of this great community, I remember the many hours as a kid I spent enjoying all that it had to offer. I rode motorcycles in the hills, rode my bike freely in the streets, swam at the public pool and water skied on the rivers. It holds many fond memories of my younger years.

Starting in the 3rd grade I went to Hanford when it was at the time a K through 12 school, later graduating from Kamiakin High School in 1982. In high school I ran track one year but my love was playing JV and Varsity basketball. After graduation I went away to college because of course back then there was no way to get a 4-year degree locally. I never returned Tri-Cities to live.

It was much later in life, after my kids were grown that I took up trail running as a hobby. It wasn’t long before I found myself drawn back to the Tri-Cities to run the Badger Mountain Challenge Trail Race. To run the hills and mountains that surround the area where I grew up, I would see it all with a whole new perspective, a “Vantage” point if you will.

The Badger Mountain Challenge is put on by a local race director and draws runners not only from the local area but also from many other towns and states. The race is a one of a kind, top notch race experience. It’s held in the early Spring at the end of March and provides multiple running distances from 15K, 50K, 50 miles and 100 miles. My favorite distance is the 100-miler where you can go big or go home, and here I could do both!

The 50 and 100-mile distances start off at the base of Badger Mountain in Richland then the course takes you up and over the mountain, across to Candy Mountain where you again go up and over it.  You run alongside orchards as you travel out towards McBee Mountain in Benton City. Next, the course goes up the face of McBee and along one ridge line before coming back, circling across the other ridge and down, following the same path back to the start at Badger Mountain. The 100-mile runners do this twice. In addition to the long race distance, the challenge with this race is often the ever unpredictable weather that mostly includes very cold temperatures and wind that time of year, especially in the overnight hours.

For me it was a time to come home to see and experience my childhood stomping grounds more on foot. The mountain top views give you the chance to take in every part of this beautiful valley, appreciate all that it has to offer and really see how it has grown over the years. I was able to watch the sunrise over the Columbia River and see the surrounding mountains while running where my younger feet had not traveled before. I made many new friends during the race and walked away with an unforgettable experience when some of my family came to watch me finish a race for the first time.

There are several trail and ultra races of varying distances in and around the Tri-Cities area.  You can find them with a simple search on the UltraSignup.com website.

I ran the race a few years ago. Now when I’m in town, these mountains call me once again to come run and hike them, where I capture new memories and see my beautiful hometown from a whole new perspective all over again. This year’s Badger Mountain Challenge will take place March 26-27.  It just might be the perfect time for me to go home again.

A Well Planned Break

As I am writing this, I realize many of us are taking a break from running that we did not plan to take due to the Coronavirus or Covid-19. However, I started a break back in the late fall after I finished Grindstone 100 in early October and waited until after Christmas to really get back to things.

Not just a runner

Let me share with you why I decided to take a break and some thoughts I now have after trying to get back in shape. If you know me or have followed me for any period of time, you might be asking, “Why would you take a break?” My ultrasignup account shows that I completed some amazing races over the last couple of years, all of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. But just like you, I’m more than just a recreational runner, I’m a wife, mom, sister, daughter, friend to many, employee and so much more. Our lives are made up of so many parts, and honestly when real life hits hard, running is not at the top of my priority list. So, for the last year and half my family has been dealing with many life struggles that have not only been difficult to navigate through but have added an incredible amount of stress to my daily life.

Hellbender 100 Finish

It began when one of my daughters got married and after a magical wedding, their relationship quickly fell apart. We then began our journey through deep waters we had never tread before. The heartbreak and stress of that relationship ending took a serious toll on me just as I was about to go run UTMB. I had trained so hard for months and was able for the time to push everything down and move forward. Just a few months after UTMB I developed issues with my Piriformis. Trying to quickly resolve that issue, my coach at the time and I developed a plan to work through it with PT, strength training, deep massages and even dry needling, all of which got me through my next big race at the Hellbender 100. I could feel my Piriformis was not completely healed although it was much better and considerably improved.

I had several other big 100s left on my 2019 calendar and continued to move forward, still continuing to work on my piriformis and manage the ever-present stress that tugged at my heart as well. Then the unthinkable came crashing into my life. First, my biological mother who had been estranged from all three of her children for over 16 years, suddenly “surfaced” with major health issues and was unable to take care of herself in any way. My younger sister, who lived in the immediate area jumped in to try and help her, even though we both felt very distant and unsure about what that would look like. My sister, in her generosity, which frankly I didn’t feel at that moment, promised to help her get moved into a permanent assisted living facility. Our biological mother had suffered a massive stroke after a hip surgery and was paralyzed on one side, unable to speak well, walk, feed herself or care for herself in any way.

Some of my summer running fun at Lake Tahoe

Just when it seemed like my sister had it all under control, her husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away 10 days later. While I rushed to my sister’s side to help her, one thing that ended up on my to-do list was my biological mother’s care which included finding a place for her to live, dealing with her condo and belongings, and transitioning her into what was now her “new” reality as well as my sister’s. My biological mother was someone I distanced myself from when I was in my late teens because of her physical and emotional abuse. I maintained a relationship with her on a limited bases until she pushed all of her children away 16 years prior. Emotionally I had never dealt with her or my feelings regarding her. The moment I first saw her, a shell of a person, helpless and sitting in a wheelchair looking like no one that I knew, I realized that inside I was still very much afraid of her. Maybe not so frightened that she could reach out and hurt me physically but very much afraid that she was still verbally able to harm me.

The unbelievable amount of stress mounted as I was in Washington, away from my husband and immediate family, and trying to assist my sister with her husband’s final arrangements and taking over the details with our biological mother. When I did come home, I went on with my training and a summer of races that seemed to help me hold it all together. Then I got the call from my sister, who’s plate was full coping with her new reality, taking care of her immediate family, making major life decisions and grieving over the loss of her husband, that she was tapping out. Our biological mother had soon turned difficult to deal with, and I needed to now step in and take over completely from across the country.

Grindstone before my much needed break

I had run my big summer races and last on my schedule was Grindstone 100. I knew I was struggling to even get totally excited about it but I had planned it a year ago, knew I wanted to run it, and felt so close. Emotionally, I knew I was done as well. After finishing Grindstone, I told my coach I needed a break. I had been using a coach for 3 years and have loved it, but knew I didn’t want the stress of a schedule or being accountable at the time. After pacing at Pinhoti 100 the first weekend in November, I needed to go back out to Washington to handle things in person. What became the next most difficult thing for me was the clearing out of my biological mother’s condo. I had grown up with a completely different person in many ways, and what she had become in the past 16 years was unbelievable and something I was not able to process. She had become a hoarder on an extreme level and her condo was not safe to enter without a hazmat suit and face mask, and I was tasked to retrieve items before it was sold in “as is” condition. How I made it through that without completely falling apart was simply by the Grace of God, my family supporting me, friends by my side and some laughter. It brought back a childhood of memories I did not want to revisit or process.

There you go, I needed a break. The stress had mounted to a point that was affecting me on so many levels. My job gets very busy between Thanksgiving and Christmas and I saw this as a perfect time to take that break from running and reevaluate things after the first of the year.

My racing calendar for 2020 had already started to take shape, as I got into the Lavaredo Lottery and began making plans to run it along with a few other races. Lavaredo was on my bucket list after doing UTMB, and I knew I needed to get back to training after the holidays. That would not be quite as easy as I was expecting. I had taken a much needed mental break and cut way back on my running. I also put on several pounds thinking that it would be easy to drop it all in the new year and get back to my normal lifestyle. As a final gift to my already difficult time, I had slammed into menopause like a train wreck when all the stress started, making getting my personal health back under control one more hurdle.

Climbing my way back and enjoying the views more than ever!

Bring on a good challenge! If we didn’t like a little struggle and adversity, we wouldn’t be strong ultra runners. It’s not always pretty, but always worth it. So do I regret taking a break? It’s certainly not as easy to just get your fitness back as we like to think, and of course I’m not a young 30 or 40-year old either. The thing about ultra running, or even running in general, it’s all a journey. Life is a journey.  Sometimes we have to run to keep our sanity. Other times we can’t run due to injury and for me, I found a time that I mentally had to step back. Now as with everyone of us, we are finding a forced break due to a global pandemic. Who would have ever predicted this? After spending the last three months working my way back, I do know that we will all make it back, wherever back is. We will be more creative to stay active in the meantime and possibly do more strength training and core work. It may require a little more effort on our part, but I think we will also find a whole new appreciation for what we enjoy. The mountains will be more beautiful than ever! The views from the top of the climb may be the rewards we had never appreciated before! The sights and sounds around us will be seen and heard brand new. We won’t take for granted a single starting line again, and possibly not celebrate a finish line quite the same.

I’m not afraid and we are not alone!

Elevating Your Run Experience

New Year’s resolutions are not my thing.  I’ve made them over the years, but like most people, they are long forgotten after two weeks.  Resolutions like losing weight, lead to failure when there’s no specific plan to go along with the goal.  Instead of making a specific plan as to how I might change my diet or set up an exercise program to meet those goals, they’ve all ended miserably.  So I’ve long since given up on making resolutions.

At the beginning of the year, I was listening to an Ultra Stories podcast with Sherpa John Lacroix and found myself incredibly challenged.  It wasn’t about setting a resolution, but taking a whole new look at the year 2019 from a totally different perspective.  I’m a runner, and more specifically an ultra distance runner.  Over the last five years, most of my goals have focused on races I’d like to run or distances I’d like to complete.  As a runner, it would be very easy for me to focus my whole life on running, and it can become all-consuming.  It can be a very selfish and narcissistic sport where you draw a lot of attention to yourself and your accomplishments, while spending a lot of hours doing it.  But running isn’t my whole identity or how I define myself.  I’m so much more than that.

Listening to Sherpa John pose a couple of questions caused me to think a little harder and dive into it a little deeper.  He got my attention with the question:  Would you still run if there was no Strava to see what you’ve done and no likes on social media?  That’s easy for me! Absolutely!  I love the woods, the trails, and the freedom of being outdoors and exploring the mountains. For me, racing brings the extra challenge of a course and being able to do a long run with support along the way.  Finishing a difficult race leaves me with a huge sense of accomplishment of being able to work through issues and keep my focus on the journey to the end.

The more I thought about this question, I began to think about the role of social media.  We post about our races and accomplishments on social media, sharing pictures and looking for responses.  For some people, no run seems complete if they don’t post it to Facebook or Instagram.  Am I one of those people?  Could I be a little too addicted to following every race, elite athletes and others on social media?  The answer is probably going to sting a little bit.  In running, we sometimes say we had to dig deep.  We might need to dig a little deep here, too.

Before Sherpa John finished chewing me up and spitting me out, so to speak, he offered up a challenge to his listeners.  Okay, you’ve got me listening, let’s hear this challenge:  List 3 ways you can elevate your running experience in 2019 that have nothing to do with the following:  time, distance, elevation, race, external validation or how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop!  Then create a challenge for yourself that will help you obtain your goals.  Wow, you might need to re-read that and let it sink in for a while.   So as I accepted the challenge John put in front of me, it wasn’t hard to come up with a list of things I’d like to focus on in 2019.

1. 1. Focus on stretching and rolling to avoid injury, putting myself in a better place for running long-term. I’m going to be 55 years-old in a few months, and it’s often the accomplishments of the Grand Masters-level runners that inspire me more than anything.  Seeing the video of 70 year-old Gunhild Swanson’s epic finish at Western States in 2015 inspired me to be running for years to come.  I realized I could be in the sport for more than just a few years.  In order to do that, I’m finding I need to take care of my body and be very intentional about it.  I’m going to challenge myself to stretch and roll several times each week, especially following races or long runs
2. Plan an adventure run with friends this year, not just a race. I’ve run the Grand Canyon R2R2R and I count that experience as one of my favorite things I’ve done as an ultra runner. Being an ultra runner gives me the ability to see things that I may never be able to see any other way.  My legs have allowed me to experience incredible views.  So I’d like to plan an adventure that is not a race.  There are so many trails I’ve never run on, mountains I’ve never climbed, and views I haven’t seen.  I want to enjoy the beauty of creation and embrace the experience by enjoying it with friends, all without the pressure of a race.  My challenge is to pick that adventure, plan it, and do it.
3. Volunteer more. Not just at races, but also do trail maintenance work.  I value our trails and the freedom we have to use them to run and hike.  I want to make every effort to give back.  I’d like to learn how to be an advocate for saving our trails, and learn how to preserve and care for them.  I’m challenging myself to take a class to be certified in trail maintenance work and to volunteer more at races.  For every race I run, I will volunteer at another race.
4. Help others more. Ultra running sometimes takes many people to help you to complete your goals.  It’s a community that helps one another.  I love the friends I’ve made and the time I share with them on the trails.  I enjoy pacers in my races, not because I can’t finish without their help but because I truly enjoy being with them, and enjoy the conversation and experience.  I want to spend more time helping others by crewing, pacing or just encouraging them.  I want to focus on others so I can share things I’ve learned and help someone else in some small way.  I’m challenging myself to seek out people that might be in need of crew or pacing help.
5. Run more without a watch. Focus more on just finding my happy place on the trails and in the mountains, not caring about the distance or elevation, or uploading it to an app or spreadsheet.  Spend some time off the social media grid, so to speak.  I’m a numbers person, to some degree, and am always looking to see my distance or time.  I’m going to challenge myself that once a week I will run without my watch.  No Strava upload (sorry coach) and no data.  Crickets.  Off the grid at least once a week.

While that may have seemed like an easy list to compile, it’s going to be quite challenging to do.  Essentially I want to focus more on others and less on myself.  I want to enjoy the trails and give back what I can.  I don’t want to be just different, I want to make a difference.  It’s a tough challenge, Sherpa John, but I accept your challenge.  I hope others will join in, as well.  Dig deep.

Looking Back and Looking Ahead to 2019

 

I started this blog, along with my Trail Running 100 Facebook page, shortly after I finished my first ultramarathon. Somehow, I knew I was on a journey to run a 100-miler one day, but I had no idea what that would look like. How would I train, how would I find the time, and how would my body be able to handle it all? So I decided to start this blog and share exactly what it would be like and what I would learn along the way, because, I assure you, I knew absolutely nothing about what I was getting myself into. I thought if a married, working mom of 3 who didn’t start running until age 48 (and a middle-of-the-pack runner, at best) could go for big dreams and make them happen, then I could possibly inspire others along the way.

I wanted to be authentic and share the good with the bad. I’ve shared more than one DNF and I’m sure there will be more. I’ve tried to share what works and what doesn’t work for me. I’ve been blessed to have had excellent coaching along my journey – coaches who have kept me from running myself into the ground, taught me balance and how to recover well. I’ve been lucky not to have experienced any major injuries, although when I was first running road races, I had IT Band issues, but that was before my ultrarunning days. I’ve dealt with stomach issues and chaffing, along with an assortment of other issues like blisters and bonking – the things all ultrarunners will experience sooner or later.

Since my first ultramarathon in June 2014, I’ve been on an epic ride. I’ve run in some beautiful places, and races, such as The Georgia Death Race (twice), Cruel Jewel, Habanero, Pinhoti, Grand Canyon R2R2R, Zion, Badger Mountain, Vermont, Yeti 100, and this year got to experience UTMB. My favorite part of ultrarunning is the community of friends I’ve met and made along the way – the people who “get” me and my kind of crazy. I’ve found that some of my favorite experiences have been when I’ve crewed and paced others as they chased their dreams and goals. I’ve found that while ultrarunning is a solo sport, it’s often a whole community that gets each of us to a finish line. This community includes the volunteers along the course, the race directors, the people who crew for us, those who pace us, and even family and co-workers who hold things together while we are out doing our thing.

2018 has been a big year for me! I tried to plan my year in advance, but when I got drawn in the UTMB lottery, those plans quickly changed. As I look ahead to 2019 and the long list of races I’d like to run, it doesn’t seem so easy to make those race decisions. For me, I feel running three 100 milers in a year is about my maximum. Let’s be honest, this isn’t an inexpensive sport and that is a huge limiting factor. Time away from home and work is another limitation. I’m 54 years old and I figure I will only be able to run so many 100 milers on this journey. Many of the races on my list are far away and have lotteries, so they are much harder to plan. Many of my top picks fall in the same time window, forcing me to choose one over another.

Here’s the other thing I want to share as we enter the new year, because I want to share the whole journey and not just the good stuff – not just the successes but the tough stuff and things that make me step back and reevaluate. After UTMB, I started having an “issue.” It’s not an injury, and I don’t have any pain, or it didn’t start that way. While I was recovering right after the race, I noticed my big toes were tingly and numb. At first, I thought they were swollen and I could feel them rubbing together, but I realized that wasn’t it. I finally did what all good runners do, and Googled it. I found that the foot has lots of nerves, and tight shoes could be the cause. I wasn’t in any pain, and it wasn’t a problem to run, but it was annoying and continued to get worse. I was sure it would work itself out over time and I didn’t tell my coach for quite a while. I even ran another 100 miler with no problems. It was a few weeks after that, when it progressed to sciatic pain down my hamstrings and calves during hill climbs, I decided that I really needed to find a solution to this issue. With guidance from my coach, help from a Chiropractor along with a trainer, and after some awesome massages, I’ve had some improvement. I still have numbness in one of my toes but I’m making progress. I’m focused on building a strong core, which I failed to do during my UTMB training.

So again, here I am looking ahead at 2019! My goal is to be a smarter and more consistent runner, building a strong body that will allow me to be active for many years to come. I already have goals for 2020, along with a list of races I’d love to run in the coming years, including some international races, now that I got a taste of running overseas. I never want to take running for granted. It’s a gift and a blessing. So far, the lottery gods have not been with me in lining up my 2019 schedule, but there are so many great races to look forward to and experiences to have along the way. May 2019 surprise us all!

 

Two Women! Two Challenges! One Goal!

The Day we met “in the woods”!

Two Women – The bond between Cherie and Trena began when they literally met “in the woods!”, while running a trail marathon in 2014. Since then, the two have shared many miles, stories, and goals during their weekly runs. Cherie has played the role of motivator in her support of Trena, as well as many others looking to benefit from all-types of running. Cherie’s kindness and support for others consistently goes above and beyond.

Two-Challenges – When the two met, Cherie was on a journey to run a marathon in all 50 states, but now faces the most significant challenge of her life; having been diagnosed with a form of Kidney Cancer. She is now on the other side of surgery and faces six months of chemotherapy. Everyone knows someone who’s been through this difficult process. While Cherie and those around her face her next mountain head-on, Trena will be training for one of the world’s most challenging foot races. She is one of 2,500 runners chosen to run in the 105-mile Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), a race that crosses portions of the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps over 46 consecutive hours. This race is an experience of a life-time and Trena is hard at work preparing for the August 31st race date. She has dedicated all of her training miles and her UTMB race to Cherie, and her battle with cancer.

One Goal – As destiny would have it, shortly after Cherie finishes her journey through six months of Chemo, Trena hopes to be crossing the finish line of UTMB for her.  I kindly ask that you consider dedicating your miles, positive thoughts, and prayers to Cherie and her family during this difficult time. Be sure to check back for updates on their progress as these two women, with two challenges, reach one goal… success!

UPDATE

On July 18th, 2018 Cherie finished her last Chemo Treatment and “rang the bell”!  It was a long and sometimes difficult journey for her, but she says the support of her family and friends are what saw her through it all.  STRENGTH doesn’t come from what you can do, strength comes from overcoming the things you thought you couldn’t!

On September 2nd, 2018 Trena completed the UTMB race in Chamonix, France after 45 hrs and 52 minutes.  It’s considered the toughest trail race in the world!  It was during a very low point in the race, when Trena came into an aid station around mile 58 that a video cued up from the MARC running group.  Trena saw Cherie in the video and knew she couldn’t quit.  Just as Cherie had not quit, no matter how hard things were, quitting just was not an option.  Both had learned that STRENGTH doesn’t come from what you can do, strength comes from overcoming the things you thought you couldn’t!

Two Woman!  Two Challenges!  One Goal!  Success!

 

FROM COUCH TO COACH TO SUCCESS

Most of us are just average everyday amateur runners.  We all have a unique story about how we began running.  Most of them probably include putting on a pair of shoes and just heading out the door for a run.  We’ve had very little training, if any, and just fell into the activity.  The vast majority of us will never be anything more than just an amateur runner with simple goals of finishing races and maybe picking up an age-group award here and there along the way.  A few of us may have come from a high school track or cross-county background, have a trainer in a gym or do CrossFit, but aside from that have no experience with a coach.

KNOW YOUR GOALS

There are many reasons a coach might prove to be helpful, and lately it seems many either have a coach or are talking about hiring one.  When is the right time to consider hiring a personal coach for yourself and how do you know if it’s right for you?  Maybe you are just getting started in running and looking for guidance and help in avoiding newbie mistakes that can lead to injury and burnout.  You might be at a place in your running where you have plateaued and feel like you could get more out of yourself.  You believe you have the potential to do more and need help from someone with more experience to guide and push you a little.  You may just want a coach to help you with a specific race or upcoming event, and you’re looking for a training plan to get you to that finish line. Top-level athletes might be looking for that extra edge and close contact with a coach to propel you to the top of the podium.  Having an extra set of eyes on your running schedule, your workouts, your nutrition, and even your recovery days could be just what a runner needs.

So you think you might like to hire a coach, but where do you start?  How do we find the “perfect” coach that’s a fit for you?  A coach that offers you the right amount of hands-on help and will work well with  your running ability and schedule.  A coach that works with middle or back of the pack runners, not just elites.  You will probably need a coach who has a lot of experience with the type of events for which you are training.  A good 5k coach may not be the coach that’s going to help you cross the finish line of a tough mountain 50k race or Ironman event.  You also want someone who cares and believes in you, as you build a strong relationship of trust with them.  If we are going to invest money, time, and hard work into our training, we want to believe in our coach’s ability and we want them to believe in us.

KNOW YOUR COACHING OPTIONS

Unless you are in search of a coach who works with you one-on-one and supervises your workouts, coaching is usually done “virtually.” They often don’t live in the same area, and you likely have not even met them in person.  Virtual coaches use your GPS running watch or app to look at your data, as well as regular communication with you to see how you’re feeling and how your workouts are going.

You will have to do some homework to find a coach that feels right and will be a good fit.  Start by asking friends what type of experience they are having with their coach.   A quick google search will help you research coaches online.  Coaches are constantly interviewed on podcasts.  Listen and see if you believe they would be a good fit for you.  There are a variety of coaching options depending on the level of involvement you want from your coach.  Are you looking for weekly updates with your training schedule or do you want a coach who is available anytime to talk on the phone?  Do you need help with nutrition and want your coach involved in this aspect of your training?  Are you recovering from an injury, or have been injury-prone and are looking to avoid this in the future?  Are you interested not in a serious training plan, but rather have someone look over how you are currently doing things and make simple adjustments or suggestions?  These are some of the questions to consider when looking for a coach.

Begin by making a list of what you want from a coach.  What are your goals and what are you looking for in hiring a coach?  What is your goal race? Do you have access to a gym where you can do additional workouts your coach might suggest?  Be ready to share your recent race experiences and recent PR’s so they have an idea of your current fitness level.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

Take a look at things happening in your life outside of running that might be factors in your training schedule and share them. If you have a high stress job, work long hours, have an unusual schedule or have difficult family situations, these can all be important factors for a prospective coach to understand. How much time can you spend devoted to running during the week? These are likely to be some of the questions a coach will ask when you begin to interview with them. Be realistic, not idealistic, about your time.  You want to share honestly and begin to build a rapport.  It’s also a good idea to think about what you are willing to pay for a coach.  Prices can vary greatly, with more involvement from your coach costing more money.

INTERVIEW COACHES

Those are some things we might want to think about and be prepared to answer before talking with a coach.  But what about the things WE should be asking a coach?  Our goal is to find a qualified coach, but also one with specific experience with the type of races you are running. What is their background as a coach, and even as a personal athlete?  What kind of success stories do they have with athletes similar to yourself?  How do they structure training? How would they describe their coaching philosophy? Some coaches might emphasize high mileage, while others believe in more moderate mileage weeks mixed with tempo runs, core workouts, and more.  Understanding their philosophy and how it aligns with your thinking and training might give you an idea of whether or not you can work well with them.

WORKING WITH YOUR COACH

Is it worthwhile to hire a coach for just one race or period of time?  Can a coach truly make a difference in this scenario?  My personal experience with hiring and using a coach is that the longer I work with them, the more they are able to help me improve, push myself, and go beyond my own expectations.  Hiring a coach to cross a specific finish line might be successful, but you are barely getting to know each other if you’re working together for just a few short months.  It often takes longer for a coach to learn what really motives and drives their athletes forward so they can better understand how to help them reach their personal goals.  Often a long term relationship with a coach will have more success and be a more rewarding experience.

TRUST YOUR COACH

Coaches aren’t miracle workers, and we need to make sure our expectations are in line with our abilities.  A coach can’t get you from the couch to a marathon in 4 weeks.  We must also be willing to follow their training plan.  Put in the work, communicate with them honestly about how you feel, and share your workout data.  If not, why do we have a coach?  They want to be a successful coach for you, just as you want to be successful in your running.

Coaches can encourage and guide you, but we must have the motivation and desire to improve.  That desire is often what leads us to consider hiring a coach in the first place.  They can give you a plan, but you have to trust them and follow the plan.  A coach might not be able to motivate a runner, but sometimes the boost of confidence from a coach that believes in you can be all it takes to set an athlete on fire.

 

Taper Madness

I picked my “A” race at the beginning of the year, I trained for it during the past 6 months, and now it’s Taper Time.  Runners who train for a long distance race understand what tapering is all about, but for many it’s the hardest part of their training.  It’s the dreaded taper – those last few weeks leading up to the big race.  After months of high mileage running, long workouts, hill repeats, speed work and tough schedules, it all comes to a screeching halt.

We are anxious about our upcoming race, and all of the sudden it feels like we are letting things slip through our fingers.  You often hear complaints during the taper about gaining weight or being afraid of losing the fitness they have worked so hard to achieve.  Mastering the final few weeks before the race is trickier than it seems.

Tapering before a race has many benefits for our body as well as our mind.  It allows our muscles a chance to repair, as well as increase its glycogen.  Another benefit is reducing the risk of overtraining.  After months of hard work, we want to show up on race day with legs that are fresh and rested, not tired and heavy.

A balanced taper should consider important elements like duration, weekly mileage, and key workouts.  The duration of your taper can vary but the end goal is to arrive at the race well-rested and feeling strong.  Some runners may taper for two or three weeks while others may find that a 10-day taper works better for them.  The taper is important not just for our body to recover but for our minds to rest.  We need time to focus on our race and make sure we have everything in order; our nutrition, gear, shoes, crew, and pacers.  Look over your travel details, the course description, aid stations, drop bag points, and packing your gear.  Taking care of these details during the taper will allow your mind to rest and relax in the last few days before the race.

CUTTING BACK

Most all tapers will have a reduction in weekly mileage.  How much we reduce our mileage may depend on how hard our training has been and how we feel going into the taper period.  If you have a coach, they will plan the taper according to your overall training schedule.  Otherwise, it’s common to reduce your mileage by around 20% a week starting about two to three weeks out from the race.  You should experiment with what works best for you.  While we reduce our mileage we may still include some key workouts such as hill repeats, intervals, or other specific runs.  We want to maintain our fitness but keep our legs feeling loose as well as getting some rest.

So how can we make the dreaded taper time be more exciting for the runner?  The fact that our long-awaited race is quickly approaching brings its own level of excitement.  But this may also be a good time to experience a little extra pampering.  Getting a massage or a pedicure can be a treat and also work out some of the knots.  This might also be a good time to catch up with friends or family members you haven’t seen during your busy training season.  Just relaxing or enjoying a good distraction like a movie or book can take your mind off the taper.  Life is often hard to balance, and this could be the time to put a little more balance back into it.

The race will be here in no time and the taper will quickly be a thing of the past, but it could be the very thing that kicks off your race with your body feeling ready and strong.

Published September 2017