Darn Ankles

The brusing

 I sprain my ankles multiple times a year and rarely do I get to tell a good story along with it.  This weekends is no exception:  Running down Nettleton road talking to Gaby and...."Ugh not again.  On the stupid road even."  There wasn't even anything to twist my ankle on.  This time I heard the pop felt the searing heat and immediately decided I didn't care.  I'd walk it off and then finish my 13 mile run.  (I was about 2 miles in).  I have a race next weekend Orca's Island 50k and I'm still going to go despite the brusing and swelling.  I've been RIICEing like crazy this week I just can't let these cheap models slow me down.  Maybe in my next life I'll get better ones. 

Diesel and Sophie are so not impressed by the swelling.

2010 in Review

Last day Hiking on the Appalachian Trail

What is life like when you return from hiking 1600 miles and are unemployed? Its pretty lazy.  While I did run the first 4 months of 2010 I didn’t really run anything planned.  I just ran when I felt like it.  So I ran Hagg Lake 50k while still coming off of my thru hiker high.  Meaning I was still in good enough shape from hiking everyday that I could just decide to run 31 miles, and like it afterwards.  Chuckanut 50k soon followed and with my Mom volunteering at the bottom of chin scraper I had a blast! Then Peterson Ridge Rumble 60k happened at me.  While it was a stunning course and I had a lot of fun I realized that If I was really going to run this much I needed to get organized.  So a week after Peterson I started my running schedule for the year. 

Hagg Lake

Craig, my Mom and I before Chuckanut

Anna and I before Peterson Ridge Rumble

So my real planning for the year began on April 19^th.   You can see from the following graph that I did a pretty good job sticking to my plan for about 5 months, until September. Funny that this also correlated with Craig leaving for Switzerland.  My sticking to a schedule was pretty much all over the place from there. 

Table 1. I want to be centered on 0 meaning I stuck to my scheduled plan(Injuries: 2 weeks in May 3 weeks in September)

Mac Forest 50k

The Mac celebrated my one year anniversary of running ultras, and I PR’d.  This PR still stand’s despite running a much flatter race later in the year.  This was surprising to me since the Mac
has the most cumulative elevation gain of all the 50k’s in the Oregon trail series.

Pacing Craig as he finishes Western States!

Earlier in the year Craig asked me if I would pace him at Western States.  After much shuffling of feet becuase I'd never run 38 miles before I agreed.  So in June I was ready to run my farthest run to date, and it was a good thing I decided to do it because we got engaged during the race. Read about it here: The engagement!

 

After Western States came SOB.  I was really excited to run this race not only because I knew I’d ordered a mug that said SOB, and was going to Ashland to see a play with my friend Susan afterwards, but also because Nalisha and Porter were going to be there.  Nalisha and Porter got engaged the same week Craig and I did.  The gun goes off and Nalisha and I started hashing engagement stories and wedding gossip,  then I looked at my watch and Holy Crap how did we just run 4 hours of a race and not realize it.  Sorry Nalisha I gots ta go! I had planned on PRing in this race, is there some kind of award for most wedding talk during a race?  Because we totally won that in the pairs division.

I'm engaged!  I'm engaged too!  AAAAHHHHH!!!!!

My first 50 miler.  Can we just say that my stomach hurt for at least 2 weeks leading up to Mt. Hood PCT 50 miler.  Craig had planned on volunteering but couldn’t help but bring his running clothes, just in case.  Sure enough, there was an empty spot, with one signed check he was in.  The gun goes off and 100 yards later the entire field turns around.  We’d all gone the wrong way!  After some laughter from the middle of the pack, and crankiness from the front and back, both of which were exactly opposite from where they wanted to be, the race started.   

It was awesome!  I stayed in front of Dave Bateham, Erik Bateham, and Craig until around mile 28.  Craig yelled at me a half a mile before the S/F aid station and I tried to take off, but didn't really have the energy too.  I just blew through the aid station to stay in front of them. 2 miles down the trail they passed me. 

I was so proud of myself, my finish time was 10:11:27!!

I had a strange experience in this race: for the first time ever I felt like peeing, went to do my thing, and nothing happened!  I was pretty nervous about that.  But there was only 8 miles left in the race at that point and I still had one more aid station to down a bunch of water.  I was clear and copious within 45 minutes of finishing!  It was such a weird feeling!


By the southern turn around I was counting ladies and realized I was in 17th place womens, including all the early starts.  So I guzzled a bunch of water to get back up that hill.  Took the popsicle out if its wrapper and holding it in my hand took off from that aid station, the women all came back to me one at a time until I knew I was in 10th place womens!  Turns out two of them were an early starts so I finished 8th womens!


I also had three new compliments I've never gotten before: 1. "You've got nice legs."  2. a guy turned around, saw me and yelled "Shit!" and 3. "I've been following your running career online!"  That was Cheri Redwine, now I totally know the PC way to say- I stalk you on ultrasignup!

In August I ran Where's Waldo 100k.This was such a tough race for me that it get’s its own blog entry.

Craig ran Where's Waldo with his camera!!  Somewhere near the summit of Mt. Fuji.

Three miles into the final race of the Oregon Trail Series, BK, I sprained my ankle.  I would have been one of 3 to run the entire series in 2010 and the only female.  Such a letdown. But I still placed first in my age group for the Oregon Trail Series which was ubber exciting! 

Finish line for the 4 miler at the TRTF!

4 weeks after the sprain I decided I was healed enough to go to the Triple Ripple Trail Fest.  3 races, 2 days, 2 nights, 1 band, and all the beer you can drink. I was an awesome race put on by Susannah Beck and Jen Vollme. It was by far the best race weekend I’ve ever had.  This is a must do for race all calendars! The first race is 4 miles around a lake, the second is a 10k point to point to the top of Mt. Constitution, and the third was a 30k through the forests of the island!

After the trail fest my races were done for the year.  I attempted a few personal goals: 200 miles in one month.  Did 171 which was still my highest mileage month ever. Another goal was my 8 summits run.  3^rd goal was to get into Western States.  Accomplished that one.  I signed up for the lottery at 10pm on the final day.  While I did feel unsure pushing that enter button that evening, I have no doubts now I am so excited!!!

Bring it 2011!