tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36268543534171291572024-03-05T17:02:36.573-07:00A Hill of A Good TimeMiles of trails, trails of miles with E & BeeEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-33852821238172220262017-11-30T15:48:00.001-07:002017-11-30T15:48:58.071-07:002017 (55th Annual) JFK 50 Mile: RedemptionI've started JFK 50 Mile in Boonsboro, Maryland five times, but it hasn't been a story of champagne and roses each time. For the past couple years, I've dropped from JFK with back issues. I was determined to not let that happen this year. Determination paid off with a win in 6:27. I now hold two of the top four women's times on the course (three in the top ten).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmos387cTqMdWe6tHRtYJRBisa0xNEVk9CyWh_YfJUOmWWwFtpzMJWbn6IUuhJQuX3JWUvAwMCJjobTLeCxhDNG4u6Q3rV1QQ6oNKZCFPW-yte4yPBVjvCyrH8ocBdQFQtbKVYjADtFtvw/s1600/JFK+2017_George+Banker2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmos387cTqMdWe6tHRtYJRBisa0xNEVk9CyWh_YfJUOmWWwFtpzMJWbn6IUuhJQuX3JWUvAwMCJjobTLeCxhDNG4u6Q3rV1QQ6oNKZCFPW-yte4yPBVjvCyrH8ocBdQFQtbKVYjADtFtvw/s400/JFK+2017_George+Banker2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">JFK Finish Line.<br />Photo by George Banker</span></td></tr>
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The resolution to not having a repeat of the past couple years meant I needed to figure out what was continually not allowing me to train properly. Long story short, allergies abound, I've been figuring out the solution. This year has allowed me to train like myself again and I've been happy to see my training coming together each month.<br />
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After recovering from Western States 100 Mile, Ian put together my training for JFK. My usual response at first was "this isn't hard enough" but I quickly changed my tune. Ian always has a grand plan and I knew he'd get me to the starting line healthy, fit and not burned out. He also knew I needed to start out reasonably since I've struggled in the recent past to hit training paces, and to train in general. He made training more challenging when the time was appropriate and his plan worked fabulously.<br />
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I used a few local races in my build-up as well:<br />
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<a href="https://nahealth.com/events/machine-solutions-run-walk-kids" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Machine Solutions 10k</span></a> - 1st<br />
<a href="http://flagstaffbigs.org/dave-mckay-run.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Big Brothers Big Sisters Half Marathon</span></a> - 1st<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.aztrail.org/northrimtrailrun/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">AZ Trail North Rim Marathon</span></a> </span>- 1st, 2nd overall<br />
<a href="http://arizonaroadracers.com/portfolio-item/jerome-hill-climb/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Jerome Hill Climb</span></a> - 1st<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><a href="https://flagstaffmarathon.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Flagstaff Marathon</span></a> </span>- 1st overall, CR<br />
<a href="http://www.natra.org/soulstice" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Soulstice Mountain Trail Run</span></a> (long course) - 1st<br />
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I felt the first step to not repeating the past couple years was to get fitness back, but not to leave any stone unturned, I diligently got back into my strength work starting with once per week, then moving to two times per week with Dr AJ Gregg. AJ has almost moved me beyond my fear of box jumps....almost. This was the most solid I've felt in a while so I was excited but still hesitant.<br />
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Race day. You never know who's going to show up to JFK. As Ian put it, there's always a ringer. This year saw two well-known ultra runners, Jackie Merritt and Sabrina Little, on the starting line. No matter who is there though, I always feel you have to run your own race. I wasn't exactly sure how my race was going to play out on the day, but I just had to trust I had prepared as best I could. By the time we reached the Appalachian Trail, I found myself in the lead. I am usually comfortable running in the lead, but I was also battling some self-doubt for obvious reasons. I shared some early miles with Anthony Kunkle before he moved on and I figured that was not a bad place to be in. We saw an amazing sunrise, but "red sky in morning, sailors warning." I knew bad weather was on its way, it was just a question of when. I came through the first aid station at Gathland in 19th place overall.<br />
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Once I exchanged bottles with my parents and Mema at the base of Weverton Cliffs, I hit the C&O canal. I was cautious of pushing too soon, so I just tried to settle into a rhythm behind the lead bicycle. My motto quickly became "relax and no fear." At this point, the rain was starting but it was light and we had some protection from the tree-lined canal.<br />
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There were a lot of lonely miles on the canal, but the aid stations and volunteers were a nice break in the repetitiveness of the canal. I saw my family again at Antietam (mile 27) and restocked my nutrition. It was a good sign that I still felt controlled and my low back was holding steady, phew. I was still trying to remain relaxed but got in a few quick miles with another fellow runner after leaving Antietam. This surprisingly felt better than the slower miles and had I been more confident, I probably should have tried to stick in that pace range. No regrets though.<br />
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I clocked off another ~11 miles and met my crew at 38 Special. At this point, the weather was really starting to take a turn. Once I got onto the road for the last 8.5 miles, the rain was coming down hard and the temperatures were dropping. Freezing rain was reported but I think I was getting too cold/wet to notice the difference. There were more quiet miles on the road with the exception of the lead bike and a police escort. With ~5.5 miles to go, Mike Wardian made a come back and went by. It was nice to have him to key off of for those final few miles and made the miles click off relatively quickly. Ultimately, I was able to break into the top ten overall. I'm always amazed by the attrition over the second half of this race, but having experienced it myself, I feel for the runners who experience it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3MMUDItJDu5qUyg8uoIyRVwc6MKmLH5x9wLVKriP-AkJOXOqK8UEP4dZcgCc0UEtp4SYJW24o3qasaVwcAbTPWsglspYDiESG89E4jkM1a5z6DMDUcBofWjuysdLOw1dJ9al86mB_hxb/s1600/JFK+2017_Andy+Mason_Wardian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1547" data-original-width="1600" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3MMUDItJDu5qUyg8uoIyRVwc6MKmLH5x9wLVKriP-AkJOXOqK8UEP4dZcgCc0UEtp4SYJW24o3qasaVwcAbTPWsglspYDiESG89E4jkM1a5z6DMDUcBofWjuysdLOw1dJ9al86mB_hxb/s320/JFK+2017_Andy+Mason_Wardian.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Celebrating finisher's medals with Michael Wardian.<br />Photo by Andy Mason</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgbtpnfKQkh3t1jPf-9heO7EGlnANhU-AV3_HVZ_Rlhyphenhyphen7ErXlXt_I-C3aCD1M9TyuvOYMjm1ZBgpu6WmFA0YPXALHpw_BDyEg5vR2xHVMzzuG1ponVIGs0MwYzktV6luIohfsvLbBW50n/s1600/2017+JFK_Ray+Jackson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgbtpnfKQkh3t1jPf-9heO7EGlnANhU-AV3_HVZ_Rlhyphenhyphen7ErXlXt_I-C3aCD1M9TyuvOYMjm1ZBgpu6WmFA0YPXALHpw_BDyEg5vR2xHVMzzuG1ponVIGs0MwYzktV6luIohfsvLbBW50n/s400/2017+JFK_Ray+Jackson.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coming down the finish chute.<br />Photo by Ray Jackson Jr. </span></td></tr>
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I was excited to hear fellow Flagstaff resident Eric Senseman achieved his long time goal of winning JFK. Eric also ran a commanding race from start to finish and continued to build his lead the whole way. Here's an article by Andy Mason of the Herald-Mail documenting the event: <span style="color: magenta;">https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/sports/senseman-joins-jfk-s-elite-with-victory/article_8f4a0646-ccd3-11e7-ab99-a3af51c94721.html</span><br />
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More coverage by Jamil in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mountainoutpost/videos/1506514199427708/?hc_ref=ARTDCFbUzdC4oeIWoXjGKeGFvSafo9zNV5GeJGgUkeStbHlGK0yuqjwPVkBRpqNV4AU&pnref=story" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">episode 68</span></a> of Mountain Outhouse News.<br />
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My fueling was a huge improvement this race. No stomach issues and I was able to fuel regularly, on schedule all the way to the finish line. It took some interesting experimentation this fall, but basically a rice milk concoction and Mexican Coke were my staples from start to finish.<br />
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At the awards ceremony we had a special guest handing out awards. Army Specialist Grant Long, whose younger brother was running the race, was present to assist Mike Spinnler. Long made a miraculous recovery after his crew's Blackhawk went down during a training exercise earlier this year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYkW8-B7ir6MSfA3DpEfkEb2LgkN6zIYxLcilnkfYWpW2RBWYHVHht2np9W78uhTKIqeIFWLgrfpodaz0zbh2yacxR0VbdSISMEb134I2oPrVTAselO_4Z2fTQNb551O_sKh7FkokFeRu/s1600/military_JFK+2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYkW8-B7ir6MSfA3DpEfkEb2LgkN6zIYxLcilnkfYWpW2RBWYHVHht2np9W78uhTKIqeIFWLgrfpodaz0zbh2yacxR0VbdSISMEb134I2oPrVTAselO_4Z2fTQNb551O_sKh7FkokFeRu/s400/military_JFK+2017.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Army Specialist Grant Long with Race Director Mike Spinnler</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXp5xB0V_qVoKx9jURzxWebD8Kc9dOPd-JM71Rh63oRv8Fku2m01h4p8A2YFM4fvldVs23kl_0AeqIfhlbH51oGThYo-jG1wkmfNVH-l5DXq0mM1VAB7sjcN1qXIz9wAyUtj3_4PXTSfG/s1600/2017+JFK+Women%2527s+Podium_JFK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1440" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXp5xB0V_qVoKx9jURzxWebD8Kc9dOPd-JM71Rh63oRv8Fku2m01h4p8A2YFM4fvldVs23kl_0AeqIfhlbH51oGThYo-jG1wkmfNVH-l5DXq0mM1VAB7sjcN1qXIz9wAyUtj3_4PXTSfG/s400/2017+JFK+Women%2527s+Podium_JFK.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Women's 2017 Podium</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHkIHi7Vd6gwqSqep4QdrU-0IjF78aojiCbRnUzPDdR1ZCrbmU44zZAvXoOiK8U74OaNkk1tPnN5xw9OBhu8OoBVmbMJCfqak0B2aLYLHr9UhOgldPTb0zgZEdaISDXv0_z9SB9K99gbs/s1600/Men%2527s+podium+2017+JFK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHkIHi7Vd6gwqSqep4QdrU-0IjF78aojiCbRnUzPDdR1ZCrbmU44zZAvXoOiK8U74OaNkk1tPnN5xw9OBhu8OoBVmbMJCfqak0B2aLYLHr9UhOgldPTb0zgZEdaISDXv0_z9SB9K99gbs/s400/Men%2527s+podium+2017+JFK.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Men's 2017 Podium</span></td></tr>
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JFK always has numerous inspiring people and stories. Just attend the Legends Dinner and you'll see a lot of history in one room. This year, George Banker, who has always been a presence at JFK since I started running here, underwent heart surgery this summer and has already made his return to running and plans to line up for his 8th JFK next year. Read more about his story <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GreaterWashingtonAHA/photos/a.10154802448505021.1073741906.103420135020/10156404069990021/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">here</span></a>.<br />
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Also of note this year, Ian and I became the official coaches of JFK. It was great to see a handful of athletes finish their first 50 miler. We're looking forward to helping more runners in the future meet their goals at America's oldest ultra marathon.<br />
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<b><u>Special Thank You's:</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Ian Torrence (Training and Support)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Mom, Dad and Mema (Crew and Support)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Mike Spinnler (JFK Race Director)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Dr AJ Gregg of Hypo2 Chiropractic</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Shea Tinder of Tinder Touch Massage</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Nathan Hydration</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Squirrels Nut Butter</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Dr Cully of Woodstock Chiropractic </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Team Run Flagstaff Pro</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This should become tradition to capture a photo each year with Ray Jackson Jr's always-smiling girls.<br />It helps two of us share a name!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-34292408593391815952017-07-12T10:22:00.001-07:002017-07-12T10:22:30.084-07:002017 Western States 100 MileLining up for a Golden Ticket opportunity was not my main motivator in running Sean O Brien 100k, but once I secured a Golden Ticket I had to a decision to make. Initially, I didn't feel ready to take another stab at Western but ultimately I would take the ticket.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Ian for making your hundredth trip back to WS!</td></tr>
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Training has gone so much better this year which is very exciting and also a relief. For the first time since 2012, I've been able to touch on triple digit mileage weeks. I was still conservative with certain aspects of my build-up but not having to adjust training for injury or fatigue was a great feeling. I knew I was in a respectable position in terms of preparation heading into June but I was still wasn't mentally ready to go in guns blazing. Let's call it cautious optimism for my approach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yes, and we got married too! May 20th, 2017.</td></tr>
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<u>Travel to Western States</u><br />
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Before we arrived in Tahoe City for Western States, we made the trek to Big Horn 100 Mile in Wyoming. Everyone said Western brought tough conditions with a 67.2% finish rate (4th toughest year) but Big Horn posted a whopping 40% drop rate this year. Of 437 starters, only 175 would reach the finish line mainly due to low evening temperatures, pouring rain and loads of mud. Add in that crew access is minimal and you have the makings for a long night. When you consider that there are less starters at WS than Big Horn, that makes the Big Horn stat even more astounding. Before conditions deteriorated though, it was fun to chat with Nikki Kimball and Johanna Blanchard at the first aid station while we waited for our runners to arrive.<br />
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Not to be outdone by the race excitement, we also had to schedule an emergency visit with the Ford mechanic for our F150 that had not been properly reassembled by a different mechanic before we left. Note: having the steering column bolted down fully is a must for safety and drivability! Luckily, we were able to secure a rental car last minute in Sheridan to having during the race and they were able to fix the truck in time for us to hit the road again.<br />
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Even though Ian's race didn't go to plan, we got to see a lot of awesome scenery along the way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUzdNwwfEt-L9hA0vC1Uebn-bd2jQ0W_Ep1ubj0BrT0OCEpOycQg5hVs6_7OhKZvI9n4g9zQ7gKjaulogn8WnJPD037Ieptokw-jET0CJ9AW5VGLNRHJaGqVbbYrpUYfUxvE3SGEqPmhH/s1600/Sheridan+Rainbow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUzdNwwfEt-L9hA0vC1Uebn-bd2jQ0W_Ep1ubj0BrT0OCEpOycQg5hVs6_7OhKZvI9n4g9zQ7gKjaulogn8WnJPD037Ieptokw-jET0CJ9AW5VGLNRHJaGqVbbYrpUYfUxvE3SGEqPmhH/s640/Sheridan+Rainbow.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheridan, WY rainbow. Our home base the week of Big Horn.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabAQ5DllsLS989a1em6WkQVeFvqjt_zy5cu-jAAF6ap15X8ZLpLVXOdSde-ruoDESAxDppFCMdIPRnJ-Z4xxa8AlkYmD0-FCC-dVB01cxgeBo8zgzykTjmtRlOFGH5psEcxDTFYvtmtMZ/s1600/Cedar+Breaks+National+Monument.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabAQ5DllsLS989a1em6WkQVeFvqjt_zy5cu-jAAF6ap15X8ZLpLVXOdSde-ruoDESAxDppFCMdIPRnJ-Z4xxa8AlkYmD0-FCC-dVB01cxgeBo8zgzykTjmtRlOFGH5psEcxDTFYvtmtMZ/s640/Cedar+Breaks+National+Monument.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah</td></tr>
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<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuEIq5WX70-ZVbnXGc4_5R3LyZPPDdrnxCWFPPRNNsfuheWrBscP0DmmsFf_Ai7QJHsYNVKwL7gk195xsT6AkSDK48-7m4suMNGwQcz9zTfZ2y0230P_BPMKQJGsCc53p0Nhcg9jvTna0/s1600/Grand+Tetons.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuEIq5WX70-ZVbnXGc4_5R3LyZPPDdrnxCWFPPRNNsfuheWrBscP0DmmsFf_Ai7QJHsYNVKwL7gk195xsT6AkSDK48-7m4suMNGwQcz9zTfZ2y0230P_BPMKQJGsCc53p0Nhcg9jvTna0/s640/Grand+Tetons.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stormy day in Grand Teton National Park</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2CuidZTU2pYiAKVbY7y504k_CoNzEqU9mtYjzIinaW4035XzDp9vc7E4LEnFWTGFMm2CXTDBWoO7vJ6HyHTHik3m_pahcYBBp7hCJlVvg_lcmxIGS-3TUGDl3hhcyA96iOJU4rQI-C0d/s1600/Colter+Bay+Tetons_Singletrack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2CuidZTU2pYiAKVbY7y504k_CoNzEqU9mtYjzIinaW4035XzDp9vc7E4LEnFWTGFMm2CXTDBWoO7vJ6HyHTHik3m_pahcYBBp7hCJlVvg_lcmxIGS-3TUGDl3hhcyA96iOJU4rQI-C0d/s640/Colter+Bay+Tetons_Singletrack.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Tetons: Colter Bay single track running<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_FQBfKLqk4DeVgiVTqek3wOrpuKV_Pf4Zwh_g-3MuzQJ_uFXm5K3JgFlMTFhXX-5bk5rgKCAsvcgPHhjmV3nJ7QBwKM6e8wwU2YKa8ahByewl3EzAA-EN27pE0jcuiUR4fICyEXHpmw2/s1600/Yellowstone.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_FQBfKLqk4DeVgiVTqek3wOrpuKV_Pf4Zwh_g-3MuzQJ_uFXm5K3JgFlMTFhXX-5bk5rgKCAsvcgPHhjmV3nJ7QBwKM6e8wwU2YKa8ahByewl3EzAA-EN27pE0jcuiUR4fICyEXHpmw2/s640/Yellowstone.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellowstone National Park: The start of truck woes but at least we got to see a few geysers<br />in between storms.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBbVyhENCrCQ-XX2mtG_YkuD3ySB2WYNIJxAzsoEL1LSuFTQmgUGGaQgJPO64QmjCRm0Ruv0bfUqWm6O5GWObKYcIMz-YogQDrRx8X6o-eYocs1G1sDbghELqTSI_oyLVroPUzhgd3Ylr/s1600/Ruby+Mountains.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBbVyhENCrCQ-XX2mtG_YkuD3ySB2WYNIJxAzsoEL1LSuFTQmgUGGaQgJPO64QmjCRm0Ruv0bfUqWm6O5GWObKYcIMz-YogQDrRx8X6o-eYocs1G1sDbghELqTSI_oyLVroPUzhgd3Ylr/s640/Ruby+Mountains.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camping in the Ruby Mountains on the way to Reno to pick up my Dad who<br />
flew in from Virginia to help dog-sit and crew. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<u>Race Day</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMO7DwOKrXi6OcoZhPmZMGpayN0fiju3oObeUcXEINTwBb837foSSxv3u62C4x6ZUExy4X901YuYfR1aFm-_fDyuzXV0RDaKp0N91fM_SPVHaz0Gcd5Gwwjw3Aw4LkTojLXXIdpcCGnVg/s1600/Dad+and+I_Squaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMO7DwOKrXi6OcoZhPmZMGpayN0fiju3oObeUcXEINTwBb837foSSxv3u62C4x6ZUExy4X901YuYfR1aFm-_fDyuzXV0RDaKp0N91fM_SPVHaz0Gcd5Gwwjw3Aw4LkTojLXXIdpcCGnVg/s640/Dad+and+I_Squaw.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and I before the start. Can you tell it's 4:45 a.m.?</td></tr>
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<br />
With the heavy snowfall this winter, that meant we had to navigate snow on the course from Squaw to a little past Red Star Ridge. I enjoy mud and water, but I'm not a natural on the snow and find my self outside my comfort zone. On the climb out of Squaw before we hit the snow line, I got to meet Nathan's Maggie Guterl in person which was a lot of fun. I then quickly found myself behind Amy Sproston. Amy is so consistent at this race that I figured this was not a bad place to be. My goal for the snow section was to not get overly frustrated since that will kill your race quicker than anything. I thought I managed myself well and was able to keep up my fueling throughout. A few us quickly found that sliding down on our butts was the best way to make time. There was a good reminder to not blindly follow the line of runners in front of you. A couple times, the train would start to derail before someone realized they were off course. Course marking was getting knocked over which meant you really had to look ahead. Luckily, I was able to stay on route for the most part.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixBmMRp4c4De1QiWTGIEhuJm4pQVPGOjWsWPlQzByhwy6XrP9GP4DINQZZQQ40iCrU9IR2QVNxKc44dn7TJFSnT8nOCgzSRx45GS7VjwltLrccGtTsfBvxw0FnooywJgox1Im5Uos12V0/s1600/Paul+Nelson%253A+17+WS+Escarpment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixBmMRp4c4De1QiWTGIEhuJm4pQVPGOjWsWPlQzByhwy6XrP9GP4DINQZZQQ40iCrU9IR2QVNxKc44dn7TJFSnT8nOCgzSRx45GS7VjwltLrccGtTsfBvxw0FnooywJgox1Im5Uos12V0/s640/Paul+Nelson%253A+17+WS+Escarpment.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Escarpment...snow...<br />Photo Credit: Paul Nelson</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_eRGYioc-SeTlhdtq6plPvhbM5GhGXtJHImhcBG_VUmegFrkoAy6NrZfa62gDU77mMEg0svcrSJejbEM_yIzWauW9ilkaJaT6MQdvm5qKFbqw5JnQ8dysfXj4104sTk6L453PWiaDmoM/s1600/Swiss+Ultra+Trail_17+WS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_eRGYioc-SeTlhdtq6plPvhbM5GhGXtJHImhcBG_VUmegFrkoAy6NrZfa62gDU77mMEg0svcrSJejbEM_yIzWauW9ilkaJaT6MQdvm5qKFbqw5JnQ8dysfXj4104sTk6L453PWiaDmoM/s640/Swiss+Ultra+Trail_17+WS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Swiss Ultra Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Goal two was to really focus on maintaining decent form on the non-snowy downhill sections so as to not destroy my quads. That's been an issue for me in the past and I didn't wish to have a repeat. At Red Star, I grabbed my first drop bag and moved along. Coming into Duncan Canyon, I was still doing okay and felt I was managing everything well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_nuoDqzzlalOPy2GhwY77wHl06p_1VBpma06mwKZzm7gT2yTViKam3UiWyaaUU4CYv01aeJnMOr1Pq8Bvri-TtIzoLha0xA_69N-FwBxglgNyAxVI5XtY0-uPw2Jtcg5O6_IerCwWNsb/s1600/Tonya+Perme2_Duncan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_nuoDqzzlalOPy2GhwY77wHl06p_1VBpma06mwKZzm7gT2yTViKam3UiWyaaUU4CYv01aeJnMOr1Pq8Bvri-TtIzoLha0xA_69N-FwBxglgNyAxVI5XtY0-uPw2Jtcg5O6_IerCwWNsb/s640/Tonya+Perme2_Duncan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bradley helping the volunteers ice me down at Duncan Canyon.<br />Photo Credit: Tonya Perme</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Coming into Robinson Flat, so far so good. I had been starting to make up ground on some other runners, still running well within myself. I found my crew, Ian and Chris Rennaker (Dad was on dog duty), and went ahead and decided to sit down and change shoes and socks. I typically don't have too many issues with my feet but there was a lot of sand and grit inside my socks so we figured it wasn't a bad idea to make the switch.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3ckZV0jwx5dE0Dvnrh3ooeCEmxPLpBF-50XbgS4-_u65Guu7apBIJkhpwE7YZ5buvAJ-w9Ufo8pQnP6FncZmfNhQifnUkpMVwv_TZaJlQwvrLu9SPqUQyNA71sbo_m_pciqSkC715Ian/s1600/Robinson+Flat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="759" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3ckZV0jwx5dE0Dvnrh3ooeCEmxPLpBF-50XbgS4-_u65Guu7apBIJkhpwE7YZ5buvAJ-w9Ufo8pQnP6FncZmfNhQifnUkpMVwv_TZaJlQwvrLu9SPqUQyNA71sbo_m_pciqSkC715Ian/s640/Robinson+Flat1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robinson Flat: First time in chair changing shoes with Ian's help.<br />Photo Credit: Chris Rennaker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I had not seen the road route leaving Robinson but it may have been my favorite section...the exception being the nausea. I still can't pin point what triggered the intense nausea that hit coming out of Robinson Flat. I wasn't overheating (training in 100+ degrees will help with that), I was eating, drinking and taking sodium. There is a possibility I was over fueling up to that point and the body was rebelling a bit or I was indeed starting to dehydrate even though I still felt okay. I slowed my effort down even more and tried to keep taking in the calories but as it turns out, the nausea would continue to come and go the remainder of the race but never to the point of making me stop completely. My hands were also starting to get puffy so in my attempt to problem solve, I upped my sodium intake to no avail. The plus was I got to chat for a few minutes with John Andersen who owns Crozet Running, a small town I know well from my college days in Charlottesville.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9CApWS3_gd_JtoGjMN6F3B9uV208CNEfd3SNZMh1X7HxAX-EWjVGidr7_Mo2QvCMMUbsHCiGoKHjIyfDOpuanZE7EEd3Bzvcsy-2pySJCSnuLfXeEoZ4N8-VnXOB8XP9VdkCoTuuzZ4o/s1600/SweetMImages_Leaving+Robinson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9CApWS3_gd_JtoGjMN6F3B9uV208CNEfd3SNZMh1X7HxAX-EWjVGidr7_Mo2QvCMMUbsHCiGoKHjIyfDOpuanZE7EEd3Bzvcsy-2pySJCSnuLfXeEoZ4N8-VnXOB8XP9VdkCoTuuzZ4o/s640/SweetMImages_Leaving+Robinson.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving Robinson, bottle of exploding soda in hand (the norm!), literally <br />minutes before I started feeling off.<br />Photo Credit: SweetMImages</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Coming into Dusty Corners, I wasn't completely discouraged yet. I saw Bradley again, told him what was going on but that I was working through it. I doused with ice water and kept on moving.<br />
<br />
From there the fight to quell the nausea continued. I came into Last Chance, grabbed my drop bag, topped off water, iced down and took come ginger chews and along I went. <br />
<br />
Here's where the quads really started to rebel. In hindsight, I needed to do a lot more downhill conditioning but I was well-aware of that potentially being an issue going into the race. After being injured after my first WS with IT band and having cranky quads again this year, I think it's fair to say I really have to focus on conditioning my quads better in the future.<br />
<br />
Western States becomes a very frustrating race when you're unable to efficiently make time down hill. Uphills and flats, yes please!<br />
<br />
On top of this, I had slowed down my caloric intake so which came first the chicken or the egg? Did I set my quads back early because I wasn't eating much or were my quads going to fatigue in the canyons no matter what?<br />
<br />
After making my way through the canyons, I finally dragged myself into Michigan Bluff. I sat in the chair for longer than is advised (which I'd do from then on every time I saw my crew). We changed shoes and socks for the second time because my other shoes were giving me hot spots on my forefeet. Changing shoes is not something I've really ever had to consider doing before so this was a new one for me. I really didn't want to leave Michigan Bluff but Ian says "you know the drill" to which I replied "no, I don't." Ian clarifies, "you have to make it to Foresthill." Oh yes, that drill. So off I went to Foresthill.<br />
<br />
My crew was lucky they missed my breakdown in Volcano Canyon. After my legs giving out about the third time going downhill to the creek and sliding onto by bottom, I lost it. I continued to move forward but not without some glorious tears. I'd only let a few more out when Ian and I left Foresthill but otherwise that was the end of that drama.<br />
<br />
Once I got to Foresthill, I was determined to be done but Rennaker encouraged me to continue and said we had nothing else to do tonight. My Dad and Ian of course just let me stew in my chair and make my own decision. Ian had his pacer bib on and was ready to go, so after eating a couple cookies,drinking more soda, and gathering headlamps, eventually I stood up. Once I finally got moving again, we told my Dad and Renn to wait at Cal Street in case it was indeed a no-go situation but we continued on and Ian began the trudge into the night with me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMSdTbjPk7tTrCJa-nQYYc3MGEqCuiFCo8zfsNpYQsVQDtG2ozgAHMMQMrMDhErdIshJDqFIu2ZxUAYS-0KKdWC-blVWdWmSvNXVtb5iJPj0xHwLuGdyf2ScuZNFknqn2fi4tOFDHfXY1/s1600/Ian_Forest+Hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="487" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMSdTbjPk7tTrCJa-nQYYc3MGEqCuiFCo8zfsNpYQsVQDtG2ozgAHMMQMrMDhErdIshJDqFIu2ZxUAYS-0KKdWC-blVWdWmSvNXVtb5iJPj0xHwLuGdyf2ScuZNFknqn2fi4tOFDHfXY1/s640/Ian_Forest+Hill.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drive to Auburn or run to Auburn? Bumming at Foresthill.<br />Photo Credit: Ian Torrence<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I had some decent sections throughout the next several miles on Cal Street, albeit still not amazing. Ian may disagree but I thought my mood and energy levels really weren't doing too poorly especially considering I was still a little nauseous (came and went in waves) and wasn't eating much. I will say I recall saying a lot of those downhills were"stupid" though, in particular elevator shaft.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBe2VMIxCkwYQ2lZn8-_qVnafk5tHcsq6p4eUmT6H9f97sCa40ZEvo7U_lKd-m9GHWNbev0uPpzc8vrDtojjXEh_Ny7t-_UC_ujpn8V41i5XEjkF20Blr5_HEaN3QP7Amm6j8khgnPHQh/s1600/Cal+Street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBe2VMIxCkwYQ2lZn8-_qVnafk5tHcsq6p4eUmT6H9f97sCa40ZEvo7U_lKd-m9GHWNbev0uPpzc8vrDtojjXEh_Ny7t-_UC_ujpn8V41i5XEjkF20Blr5_HEaN3QP7Amm6j8khgnPHQh/s640/Cal+Street.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cal Street Running<br />Photo Credit: Ian Torrence</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SL56G7lSm5-5ebRH1SFubsxEpUkVY29Ii1dVX4RLf_iYGXbzIlNn2e5MInYBV5G9DcjTsGK31GxcJWsRVKpg6AFBkc1eNQh9JWfNnyb_-v0Zw5slwbm4dST5enL0Mpc2bPZgwDukTei9/s1600/Darnelles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SL56G7lSm5-5ebRH1SFubsxEpUkVY29Ii1dVX4RLf_iYGXbzIlNn2e5MInYBV5G9DcjTsGK31GxcJWsRVKpg6AFBkc1eNQh9JWfNnyb_-v0Zw5slwbm4dST5enL0Mpc2bPZgwDukTei9/s640/Darnelles.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dardanelles Aid Station. Potatoes and fruit were the go to.<br />Photo Credit: Ian Torrence</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Once we finally made it to the river, the lights looked surreal. It was a highlight of this section that Chris Thornley of Flagstaff and Squirrels Nut Butter was the one to raft us across the river. Climbing out onto the steep, sandy riverbank was interesting though but it ended up not being as bad as it looked.<br />
<br />
Arriving at Green Gate, I picked up my new pacer Eric Senseman. I was a little nervous about this because Ian's the only person who had ever paced me before. I know Eric well but would he get frustrated if I couldn't navigate the downhills? Would my mood turn sour and he'd have to deal with it? Ultimately, I feel it worked out well. He was always patient with my downhill crawl and we were able to carry on varying conversations in the wee morning hours. He even helped me take off my nasty sock and shoe, likely standing in poison oak, when I exclaimed that something felt like it was stinging my toe. Later on post-race, I realized it was a blister that was on the inside of each pinky toe. We arrived into Quarry Rocks Aid Station where we chatted with Hal Koerner and the other costumed volunteers who were really trying to get us to take as much watermelon as we possibly could. Too bad Ian wasn't there because I know he would have wanted some (not!).<br />
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Upon arriving at Pointed Rocks, there was the prospect of the sunrise coming soon. We switched out pacers again and Ian took me in the rest of the way. After what felt like a million runners passed me on the downhill going into No Hands, from No Hands to the finish we didn't see another runner. It was eerily quiet post-sunrise and a very calm finish.<br />
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I hadn't planned on seeing another sunrise or being on course for 25.5 hours but at least there were neat photos from it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinN-gtJGsr6q1ZpFVzukjOMKV18Z73aqXNHsJ1eUz_08HfXUrROmGKW5HvZneEFBI5zHuTH1GloMBVtSqC0ZLgiDJ7k56cnz0fNtph6fUDwhJKFW7yCpw3KYM6rJ0WyuGKAOanFx4YnB2u/s1600/Ian_No+Hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="487" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinN-gtJGsr6q1ZpFVzukjOMKV18Z73aqXNHsJ1eUz_08HfXUrROmGKW5HvZneEFBI5zHuTH1GloMBVtSqC0ZLgiDJ7k56cnz0fNtph6fUDwhJKFW7yCpw3KYM6rJ0WyuGKAOanFx4YnB2u/s640/Ian_No+Hands.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Hands Bridge. Ian had plenty of time to take photo ops while pacing. And who wears a jacket<br />
at Western States after going through triple digit temps?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFx-tYY43kMc9ColHwFrlmbEzY85cFuWalslnnStkI2oqt1CgYpkG0KgfKi6mVJ5Eny1JwOhlT3BUe0wE7qh_qhEHLC7F08Ss4iLriCcSoB0OK1ix_OpZqif4pGI0CxJzIMkhbmUDg6sf/s1600/Robie+Point.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFx-tYY43kMc9ColHwFrlmbEzY85cFuWalslnnStkI2oqt1CgYpkG0KgfKi6mVJ5Eny1JwOhlT3BUe0wE7qh_qhEHLC7F08Ss4iLriCcSoB0OK1ix_OpZqif4pGI0CxJzIMkhbmUDg6sf/s640/Robie+Point.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving Robie Point. And Robie Point is not actually the top of the climb...<br />Photo Credit: Ian Torrence</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iXDZ6eFGo5kSOx-SUaZ4_Ncc5lB1DtlcK-Goozk-7ujVcpO8lJofwF2x-a-Dl7BYAzHfoXvJ_4ozuVLQJPSfBKZ7-QcImsCnoNUsHmK_47Ve_uqkYNHTugY6rm2-FOhCpS_VH7lf7FXo/s1600/Ian_Finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="759" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iXDZ6eFGo5kSOx-SUaZ4_Ncc5lB1DtlcK-Goozk-7ujVcpO8lJofwF2x-a-Dl7BYAzHfoXvJ_4ozuVLQJPSfBKZ7-QcImsCnoNUsHmK_47Ve_uqkYNHTugY6rm2-FOhCpS_VH7lf7FXo/s640/Ian_Finish.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish!<br />Photo Credit: Ian Torrence</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzcn3ITozHFGFDh7t61z3YWVtNn76QNjUbJqsPL3AfbOYSrU-45T2-a2rw_24z3Tuh401PCpO4AWn3a-3CKIYnG4V5-z_A4L2toNJj0QzRfuJfIkAiFSZQ9gR3Xrbfao1w_VTveuDvtmq/s1600/Larry+Gassan_2017+WS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzcn3ITozHFGFDh7t61z3YWVtNn76QNjUbJqsPL3AfbOYSrU-45T2-a2rw_24z3Tuh401PCpO4AWn3a-3CKIYnG4V5-z_A4L2toNJj0QzRfuJfIkAiFSZQ9gR3Xrbfao1w_VTveuDvtmq/s640/Larry+Gassan_2017+WS.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The infamous Larry Gassan post-race photo op</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKE1LitwCE_jnlX2eSqcskNmlIOPtj1dTjFSGsQ_vZ9b9lvADa9TdvqDdaAw_Rim-uddPuPU-UNGxXM1U3UEELvhWyC-l2QUFJYFaKCzoqI3X64xS-AYwgnmlex4GLMzLM7EfzrOrQqLt/s1600/IMG_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKE1LitwCE_jnlX2eSqcskNmlIOPtj1dTjFSGsQ_vZ9b9lvADa9TdvqDdaAw_Rim-uddPuPU-UNGxXM1U3UEELvhWyC-l2QUFJYFaKCzoqI3X64xS-AYwgnmlex4GLMzLM7EfzrOrQqLt/s400/IMG_1030.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What your feet look like after 25+ hours being soaking wet even with two shoe and sock changes.<br />I also came away with several shiny new blisters.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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A special thanks to my Dad who not only crewed but was on dog-sitting duty and made sure Bee & Sycamore were well tended to over the course of the race. They liked having their own personal attendee 😊. We know Sycamore only tolerates a few people so thankfully she likes him and he knows how she ticks. Bee of course loves my Dad so she was easy! My Mom had to channel her nervous energy from long-distance. She knows firsthand what the WS experience is like.<br />
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Also a special thank you to Ian for going through yet another Western States and another sleep deprived 100 miler. I guess this is what happens when both of you are ultra runners! Many more to come...<br />
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Thanks to Renn and Senseman for taking the load off Ian and my Dad and for being supportive the entire way. Thank you to Bradley Fenner for also jumping in spur of the moment at Duncan and Dusty Corners to make sure I had everything I needed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjm858dp-YX4yVwkYNX-reR-8egn-wx3zMK9VNpGoHHLf9FB4yhfM_f2qdIH3fh_hf8tTo8gI2EVT7c0qyAeZ3RTnzIiqNN_qB2dZKd5hgrsNxnT8sYBXnMx75kjKZ1saySliEERb9Ty_m/s1600/Crew.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1334" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjm858dp-YX4yVwkYNX-reR-8egn-wx3zMK9VNpGoHHLf9FB4yhfM_f2qdIH3fh_hf8tTo8gI2EVT7c0qyAeZ3RTnzIiqNN_qB2dZKd5hgrsNxnT8sYBXnMx75kjKZ1saySliEERb9Ty_m/s640/Crew.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sleep-deprived support team that got me to the finish line: <br />
Eric Senseman, Ian, my Dad, and Chris Rennaker. I couldn't have done without you all!<br />
I thought it was appropriate we took this photo in front of the cross country building.</td></tr>
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-28396642384802489652016-05-29T08:37:00.002-07:002016-05-29T08:37:48.369-07:002016 Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.vhtrc.org/mmt/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">The Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile</span></a> put on by the
<span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.vhtrc.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Virginia Happy Trails Running Club</span></a> </span>takes place in the George Washington
National Forest, which also happens to be where I grew up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course has gone through changes over the
years but at one point in time, the race started and finished a mere half mile
from our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, I finally hit
the button and registered for the lottery for the 22<sup>nd</sup> edition of
MMT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lo and behold I made it in. This year there were still runners on the waitlist so I was lucky to get in my first time entering the lottery. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You get bonus mileage with a course total of 103.7 miles. Some of my Strava segments of the course: </div>
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<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/577999925"><span style="color: magenta;">https://www.strava.com/activities/577999925</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/578008607"><span style="color: magenta;">https://www.strava.com/activities/578008607</span></a></div>
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I haven’t considered myself a natural 100-miler and I also
don’t consider myself a naturally strong technical runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the perfect race for me then!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard to quell my competitive nature,
but I knew my best approach to having an enjoyable day was to put competition
aside and focus instead on taking my time and making sure I was staying on top
of my nutrition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian also recommended I
take walk breaks downhill (run 5 minutes, walk 30 steps) to preserve my quads since this has been an issue
for me in the past.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While training had gone well this year, races had not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This threw another doubt into my
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Combine this with the fact that
labwork before and after Lake Sonoma 50 Mile showed something wasn’t right
(chronic sinus infection?), I confirmed to myself that a relaxed approach was
the best approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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We did our usual and took a family road trip to the east
coast, first stopping in New York to see Ian's family and then to New Hampshire/Massachusetts for Wapack and Back 50 Mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian’s race report here: <o:p></o:p><a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/2016/05/toughest-50-mile-zane-grey-vs-wapack.html"><span style="color: magenta;">http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/2016/05/toughest-50-mile-zane-grey-vs-wapack.html</span></a>. After Wapack, we headed down to Virginia just in time for Mother's Day. </div>
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Race week was spent making flourless peanut butter cookies
and rice krispie treats, formulating my fueling plan, and organizing aid
station stops for my crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to
rely on my crew for almost all of my race day nutrition, so I wanted to have everything
as organized as possible for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Thanks to <a href="http://eatingandlivinghealthy.com/meredith" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Meredith Terranova</span></a> for brainstorming some awesome
fueling alternatives (cookies and rice krispies).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They worked wonderfully!<o:p></o:p></div>
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By the end of 27 hours, I consumed almost all of a batch of cookies and over two-packs of cane sugar soda, not including my other sources of fuel. The goal was to take in more solid food than I usually do.</div>
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Fueling plan (*Note Meredith did not review this, so she may have changed things drastically!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KhOJIwaUeF0Jdw0SdvSl9PIaQNOjvggKhCl83HwqDIRiQAmxL9CkAFBCpj0T2RcaV18TQXMYnZGO4Lwv7nV1vPYkpuqCujTMRRHCl5-M4cnvzxvwP90oSW-zN5mHLlHwgd9CEGYGAAIb/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-28+at+3.49.22+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KhOJIwaUeF0Jdw0SdvSl9PIaQNOjvggKhCl83HwqDIRiQAmxL9CkAFBCpj0T2RcaV18TQXMYnZGO4Lwv7nV1vPYkpuqCujTMRRHCl5-M4cnvzxvwP90oSW-zN5mHLlHwgd9CEGYGAAIb/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-28+at+3.49.22+PM.png" width="235" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Xli4ZuANMfi79h1UaEwh4_26P4WGArxiGqg-99B4qE7MDay5vLaJCcmGP0JgVHfsgledophtIuGwaOmLFGrI8z9vSZsXLW31_adSm3B7idJ7Y7VkLyLiI6KhwerFH0PccizU4rWWlFrl/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-28+at+3.49.35+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Xli4ZuANMfi79h1UaEwh4_26P4WGArxiGqg-99B4qE7MDay5vLaJCcmGP0JgVHfsgledophtIuGwaOmLFGrI8z9vSZsXLW31_adSm3B7idJ7Y7VkLyLiI6KhwerFH0PccizU4rWWlFrl/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-28+at+3.49.35+PM.png" width="237" /></a></div>
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On Friday, my parents, Ian and I made the trek out to the
start line about 30 minutes down Fort Valley for check-in and the pre-race
meeting. Then it was back home for a
quick dinner and to catch a few hours of sleep. We had to be up at 2 a.m. for a 4 a.m. race
start. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5wqbg7If_0cL-ytSudzmTNRow-RDxf_uFL5RTZClizh9TeADia6KNW7x1m-ELA0BvC2ilKAQw8fy0i26KHtpJDMJv0nDO12JTgfb-fcijAvGh0QLWkMW0hPzpryccKJ4-A_5TkqwOMeq/s1600/MMT16_B067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5wqbg7If_0cL-ytSudzmTNRow-RDxf_uFL5RTZClizh9TeADia6KNW7x1m-ELA0BvC2ilKAQw8fy0i26KHtpJDMJv0nDO12JTgfb-fcijAvGh0QLWkMW0hPzpryccKJ4-A_5TkqwOMeq/s320/MMT16_B067.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race Check-In.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><b>4 a.m.:</b> </span>Go time! The
first four miles are on road before hitting the single track and taking on Short
Mountain. Short Mountain is no joke and
immediately the slogan “Massanutten Rocks” came to fruition. The race was still bunched together and I
reminded myself to be patient through here.
A) I didn’t need to fall in the dark and; B) it was a long way to
go. Eventual race winner and 8-time finisher, Kathleen
Cusick came rolling by early and I could tell she wasn’t messing around that
day. I was already focusing on putting
the calories in but I think I did a bit much because my stomach started to get
wonky an hour in. I’m sure my crew of
Mom, Dad, Mema and Ian (plus Super Bee and Sycamore) were excited to hear me
whining about this at the first stop, Edinburg Gap. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edinburgh Gap Aid Station<br />
Photo by Paul Encarnación</td></tr>
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Following, I break down the course based on when I saw my crew. There were plenty of other aid stations between these listed. </div>
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<b><span style="color: cyan;">Edinburg Gap (Mile 12.1) to Elizabeth Furnace (Mile 33.3):</span></b> I slowed down even more
and let my stomach settle. By Woodstock
Tower aid station (Mile 20.3), I was feeling good again and started making time on the
ridgeline. This was a very nice section of trail. After leaving Powell’s Fort
aid station (Mile 25.8), we started into sections of the course familiar to me. We started a gentle uphill on a gravel road, which I've run many times, and my
left IT band started aching. I became
even more diligent walk/run breaks on all the downhills. Going into Elizabeth Furnace, my knee was
getting worse.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had to say hi to the dog leaving Powell's Fort.<br />
Photo by Paul Encarnación</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering Powell's Fort<br />
Photo by Paul Encarnación</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCvqyxH7FFn5euZpIjBGhU6u9TwBTg25XCZZC5ER2uCfbNHWKWyOYLUa8hhLohKr120IbF4OBe3uAPLM37-17gs-saRKcy5tfRpXr_1v5Wl4VjJyiIlSKzSTChrm363Vioi_E70uYbRlf/s1600/27063669275_12ab76a8b3_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCvqyxH7FFn5euZpIjBGhU6u9TwBTg25XCZZC5ER2uCfbNHWKWyOYLUa8hhLohKr120IbF4OBe3uAPLM37-17gs-saRKcy5tfRpXr_1v5Wl4VjJyiIlSKzSTChrm363Vioi_E70uYbRlf/s1600/27063669275_12ab76a8b3_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Furnace<br />
Photo by Tim Toogood</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan;"><b>Elizabeth Furnace (Mile 33.3) to Shawl Gap (Mile 38):</b> </span> I quickly saw my crew at Elizabeth Furnace
and made the climb back up to the ridge.
Then it was down Shawl Gap, a very well known section for me, also known as "the bus hill." After a few miles, Shawl Gap comes out on Panhandle Road. Memories of tall grass and chiggers on the last 1/4 mile of the trail are never forgotten. The race goes right on Panhandle, but I joked I was going
to go left and be back home in less than a mile and a half…or was I joking?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shawl Gap Aid Station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeZEw0qE98eGkbIL8obdJF8R2U_Sy_5zgVhV6DmAtEkeoPLcLdsbnZrNCOb2WxAWvxss51N0VLeG6GvEPVTQg1M9cgC1PrHhi-Gun0T5k-8Dyzg0jvabhRIiurlCAH7lqCl5Z13ir0X_4/s1600/em+at+Shawl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeZEw0qE98eGkbIL8obdJF8R2U_Sy_5zgVhV6DmAtEkeoPLcLdsbnZrNCOb2WxAWvxss51N0VLeG6GvEPVTQg1M9cgC1PrHhi-Gun0T5k-8Dyzg0jvabhRIiurlCAH7lqCl5Z13ir0X_4/s320/em+at+Shawl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite photos from the day! My parents, Ian, Grandad and<br />
good neighbors, John and Nancy, were all there to show there support.<br />
Mema is standing just outside the photo.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><b>Shawl Gap (Mile 38) to Habron Gap (Mile 54):</b> </span>I saw my crew again at Shawl Gap, along
with my Grandad and our good neighbors John and Nancy. I left the aid station and turned onto Panhandle Road, the road I’ve been
running since middle school and have logged countless miles on. It was both nice and frustrating to be on
familiar ground…frustrating in the way that I felt like I should be making
better time on this 3-mile road section even if it is ridiculously hilly. At Veach Gap aid station (mile 41.1) we were back on the
trail and set in for a 2-mile climb back up to the ridge. The pity party was building but once I got
going on the ridge, I felt okay. We also
got hit with a big thunderstorm. It got chilly but I was fine with the rain, at
least until I stopped moving later on. </div>
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The ultimate low point was going down the purple trail to
the aptly named Indian Grave aid station (mile 50).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Lots of runners passed on the 4-mile stretch of road between Indian Grave and Habron Gap. </span>Once I got to Habron Gap and my crew, I was convinced I was done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what the pity party surrounding an aching knee looks like. <br />
The rain from earlier also caught up to me and the shaking started.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="color: cyan;">Habron Gap (Mile 54) to Camp Roosevelt (Mile 63.9):</span> </b>After a long pity party of
sitting in a chair, freezing and getting my IT band rubbed out by my Dad (thanks Dad!), Ian
and I walked over to the trail and I contemplated further whether I wanted to
go on. I can say that I didn’t want to continue, but I took the first step up the next climb.
I’m glad I did! This ended up being
one of the best sections of the day. My IT band was looser and I could run. I
also spent a few miles chatting with last year's runner-up, Amy Rusiecki, which was a lot of fun and
good distraction. Everyone was surprised
to see me at Camp Roosevelt in a timely fashion. Here, Ian joined me for the long haul to the
finish line. </div>
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<b><span style="color: cyan;">Camp Roosevelt (Mile 63.9) to Gap Creek I (Mile 69.6):</span></b> I continued to feel okay and
we were covering ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most
notable aspect of this section was that we were basically running in a creek
bed there was so much water flowing down the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We arrived into Gap Creek I just as the sun
was setting. Perfect timing! We donned our head lamps and moved on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><b>Gap Creek I (Mile 69.6) to Visitor Center (Mile 78.1):</b> </span>Leaving Gap Creek was one of the rockier sections of the course after you climbed Jawbone Gap Trail. Other than Short Mountain, up until now the ridge lines had been fairly smooth. Not this one! We were still making time but the terrain definitely slowed us a bit. The road coming into the Visitor Center was nice to see even if I couldn't run too quickly down it. At the Visitor Center, my crew loaded me up again. It was getting chilly now so a few minutes by the fire were key. </div>
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<b><span style="color: cyan;">Visitor Center (Mile 78.1) to Picnic Area (Mile 87.9):</span> </b>Infamous Bird Knob takes place on this section. Ian had run this section a few days prior, so having someone who knew the route and could tell me what was up ahead kept this section from being too daunting. Otherwise, I can see how many runners would have a difficult time with this section at night. It's quiet and you don't see many other people, if any. The tater tots and strawberries were awesome at the Bird Knob aid station! </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8th-JJudGXD7HAHVjt1g83tiT_BZWYckh0HbtrFmtaLie40vcKr-HyaMHWXUJnBDrI12KZaaSOZbVbLErPqoBbJGXtsKmH0IHOOrZ1QVoiPCv0dgqYQ6Z_BgF6llJ_RCy2HsGQKCxFvoI/s1600/rocky-uphill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8th-JJudGXD7HAHVjt1g83tiT_BZWYckh0HbtrFmtaLie40vcKr-HyaMHWXUJnBDrI12KZaaSOZbVbLErPqoBbJGXtsKmH0IHOOrZ1QVoiPCv0dgqYQ6Z_BgF6llJ_RCy2HsGQKCxFvoI/s320/rocky-uphill.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A section of Bird Knob Trail<br />
Photo credit: <a href="https://virginiatrails.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/rocky-uphill.jpg">https://virginiatrails.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/rocky-uphill.jpg</a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: cyan;">Picnic Area (Mile 87.9) to Gap Creek II (Mile 96.8):</span></b> Everything was still moving right along when we left our crew at the picnic area (while at this aid station, 2nd place woman got ahead of me)...then we hit Scothorn Gap. This was the never-ending, backsliding climb that I started to have another break down on. Like most of the course, this was a very wet section of trail. Where the heck was the top!? It was only a 1.5 mile, but it felt like 5. Once we crested, I lost more time on the downhill section into Gap Creek II. My IT bands weren't having it. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghg9um4EdYG109H8YEDolGDzlB2mjEUaPXc4p7KbWv47AWXBHMmCBlQWypx3dk-hBWhatd-9lNQhZdQE5EJKT6KsFxzNSF8vbPci2t37PV62ne3rM88va-n4jCKe2uV3F6IQy-_zWwLg3k/s1600/sign.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghg9um4EdYG109H8YEDolGDzlB2mjEUaPXc4p7KbWv47AWXBHMmCBlQWypx3dk-hBWhatd-9lNQhZdQE5EJKT6KsFxzNSF8vbPci2t37PV62ne3rM88va-n4jCKe2uV3F6IQy-_zWwLg3k/s1600/sign.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A classic George Washington National Forest sign. </td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: cyan;">Gap Creek II (Mile 96.8) to the Finish (Mile 103.7):</span></b> I was tired at Gap Creek II and frustrated I couldn't move quicker, but overall I was still okay. We were so close to the finish line now, 7 miles to go, and I knew the sun would be rising soon. We saw our crew one last time, sat by the fire for a few minutes and went back out to take on Jawbone Gap Trail climb one more time. Once again coming down off the ridge, I was barely making forward progress. The road was a welcome sight, but it was also the longest 5k ever when you're slogging. Not to make it too easy, there was one more small climb on the dirt on the backside of the camp. I think it was a mountain! Across the bridge to the finish and through the field, we were there!</div>
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Thank you again to my crew: Mom, Dad, and Mema. And to my fiancé, Ian, for doing double duty of crewing and pacing. I couldn't have and wouldn't have wanted to do it without you all! Also a thank you to Dr. AJ Gregg for working with me to get my body stronger since my last 100 mile attempt. Things weren't perfect but it was a vast improvement.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKj3UA5pzMEWRmi_1iTUpS63OgaJTlyeQmk2yOmp0FUHYI3uBC8CoDHGIq9-GRCgxf3XqaxYxLwHBBlo1EBKxIkQ_mgh15lrwTRmy5pYMH7oyT7I5RcKa6ci9ozhGhUBblpCRG03OQFA0/s1600/Finish+Line+Area.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKj3UA5pzMEWRmi_1iTUpS63OgaJTlyeQmk2yOmp0FUHYI3uBC8CoDHGIq9-GRCgxf3XqaxYxLwHBBlo1EBKxIkQ_mgh15lrwTRmy5pYMH7oyT7I5RcKa6ci9ozhGhUBblpCRG03OQFA0/s320/Finish+Line+Area.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish line area on Sunday morning</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWspu9uBOU7MrNcLk_3MbBnYGebQVYRbDrsjm8lSqkm5FGVbybc_-V6hOHnyLOuLszXcWlM_prIsN0jhKhhox93_VkIXDY_ll2NsF2a9IKW7N-bTvk5j_WuEczHTPzn5ORCQrJsZC-VYd/s1600/Finish+Banner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWspu9uBOU7MrNcLk_3MbBnYGebQVYRbDrsjm8lSqkm5FGVbybc_-V6hOHnyLOuLszXcWlM_prIsN0jhKhhox93_VkIXDY_ll2NsF2a9IKW7N-bTvk5j_WuEczHTPzn5ORCQrJsZC-VYd/s320/Finish+Banner.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodUqk9O4h_0Rs6OrHBI5pJZxjSluddHgP1g8QQsqW8eBcFy6M-24nsv39hSgPbcTHRwmaW-R7o47Pd0_mpqmE9LiYAlBZn6326Qf1RTiPjZCR-t6Jz4B7YojF-TCcE87AK2efcog9lX0R/s1600/MMT+Buckle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodUqk9O4h_0Rs6OrHBI5pJZxjSluddHgP1g8QQsqW8eBcFy6M-24nsv39hSgPbcTHRwmaW-R7o47Pd0_mpqmE9LiYAlBZn6326Qf1RTiPjZCR-t6Jz4B7YojF-TCcE87AK2efcog9lX0R/s320/MMT+Buckle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile belt buckle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQl0B8_xOp6p7FzaDRtQS8ORu0QJXB8Th-EdD8Yf8wrP5OyBW4IJJgAorSIpJzW_UceZtdYcIDJMGc9i-MrxZH8pNSEnRolP_zyLyMonZ-6C6w4cL27pZNO7J3i3d4JfU_lPLPAUrK5Sm/s1600/Delirious.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQl0B8_xOp6p7FzaDRtQS8ORu0QJXB8Th-EdD8Yf8wrP5OyBW4IJJgAorSIpJzW_UceZtdYcIDJMGc9i-MrxZH8pNSEnRolP_zyLyMonZ-6C6w4cL27pZNO7J3i3d4JfU_lPLPAUrK5Sm/s320/Delirious.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We might both be a little delirious</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv95Xwqzu1RGoTMX6fNu1F1I5BorqVHoQxG5bgcmDLajio9sKlrBdnc_ODZBzXvt8eJY6i3g6GJCfIR8XqMTVlV10SvPLqegTI0bCqvzs1_SH24KIcb2_4XYlvPF8lg6xC13gp_5WS6LD6/s1600/Finish+with+RD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv95Xwqzu1RGoTMX6fNu1F1I5BorqVHoQxG5bgcmDLajio9sKlrBdnc_ODZBzXvt8eJY6i3g6GJCfIR8XqMTVlV10SvPLqegTI0bCqvzs1_SH24KIcb2_4XYlvPF8lg6xC13gp_5WS6LD6/s320/Finish+with+RD.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With RD Kevin Sayers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlaRjTEeJ_vrFTejjIo5o7QDK3XnJBlUzZJJibY5a2V-vr9DAAuobqlOZMHRuKxjRpfy_rSpuDJZ_7qvfY-zhKM0KbX0EPbHX9gjvysNL4lKzD4hQ0nJzPW9YeEkfwUcFJXBYByJ_Ha6i/s1600/Paul+Encarnacion1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlaRjTEeJ_vrFTejjIo5o7QDK3XnJBlUzZJJibY5a2V-vr9DAAuobqlOZMHRuKxjRpfy_rSpuDJZ_7qvfY-zhKM0KbX0EPbHX9gjvysNL4lKzD4hQ0nJzPW9YeEkfwUcFJXBYByJ_Ha6i/s320/Paul+Encarnacion1.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot from the day<br />
Photo by Paul Encarnación</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-69700372579354357872016-02-29T16:23:00.001-07:002016-02-29T17:12:52.473-07:002016 Olympic Trials Marathon WeekendThe lead up to the 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon was much different than in 2012. I was coming into the<span style="color: magenta;"> <a href="http://emilyandbee.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-olympic-marathon-trials-reflection.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">2012 Olympic Trials Marathon</span></a> </span>with a recent 2:32:55 PR and was running for adidas-McMillanElite, so there was greater pressure to perform well. It ended up that I raced in 2012 with a gnarly head cold, but it was still a solid performance for me despite feeling rough. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXQs5EqAM_Twl54J8pFdVQ4ToSlaqtfVTw_QlmZPd3w8tiXmSySO6-UkrgJnQbxEAFLA9B44lkrLqIrv642iNAFJzlA6DFUC5L8517mSGqgnTBJAPtZUO68svHMI-BuYVYf1ilpx6OGph/s1600/10562697_1667839726808795_5639749550400572665_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXQs5EqAM_Twl54J8pFdVQ4ToSlaqtfVTw_QlmZPd3w8tiXmSySO6-UkrgJnQbxEAFLA9B44lkrLqIrv642iNAFJzlA6DFUC5L8517mSGqgnTBJAPtZUO68svHMI-BuYVYf1ilpx6OGph/s320/10562697_1667839726808795_5639749550400572665_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Competing at the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fast forward to November 2015 and I still didn't have a qualifier for the 2016 Trials. I had run Eugene Marathon earlier in the year with the intention of securing my qualifier. I ended up 2nd in the race, but only ran 2:44. As soon as I had decided I wouldn't go for a last chance qualifier in January, USA Track and Field released the <span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/12/usatf-acts-swiftly-relaxes-standards-2016-olympic-trials-219-men-245-women-match-olympic-standards/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: magenta;">in</span> <span style="color: magenta;">qualifying</span> <span style="color: magenta;">standards</span></a> </span>on December 11th, meaning I was now in. I was now entering the Trials as one of the last qualifiers, a far different position from 2012. <br />
<br />
Ian quickly put together 9-weeks of marathon training and I hit the pavement running by the following Monday. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUfJ0hRgd9kq0ZHnhrL3_UMRm_qZbZEw3323QUqEI0Jqvq6vUxrUc6ntII-mqPJXpjx1knNABet9i6qUmxPdEygp484FZ073qekEMCZgX1FDW5hNCLNmUKyniUaTliPVQ15rV1OStgQxB/s1600/IMG_1023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUfJ0hRgd9kq0ZHnhrL3_UMRm_qZbZEw3323QUqEI0Jqvq6vUxrUc6ntII-mqPJXpjx1knNABet9i6qUmxPdEygp484FZ073qekEMCZgX1FDW5hNCLNmUKyniUaTliPVQ15rV1OStgQxB/s320/IMG_1023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-Trials mandatory technical meeting.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9z26WAzGa68MQ5uY3AzFHwRFRQzWuSE396wuX5w5tB-aChePVInCs5tidVI847WxQLE0way2Cl63bKwbw3dseWSeMCkvwD_Gru6Rw0oGiU_WfPqycZsU41i8OAbPF3Jn_uivT2De0S9m/s1600/IMG_1022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9z26WAzGa68MQ5uY3AzFHwRFRQzWuSE396wuX5w5tB-aChePVInCs5tidVI847WxQLE0way2Cl63bKwbw3dseWSeMCkvwD_Gru6Rw0oGiU_WfPqycZsU41i8OAbPF3Jn_uivT2De0S9m/s320/IMG_1022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The calm before the storm. The start line the day before the race.</td></tr>
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<br />
By race day, I had put in a strong 9-weeks of training compared to my last couple years. I was thrilled to have been able to complete all of the training (exception of when Super Bee took off, frightened of gun shots) and to have hit training paces closer to where I feel I should be. Granted, I wasn't logging the 100+ mile weeks that every other Trials qualifier in Flagstaff was doing, but it's all relative and I was happy with where I was at. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxazpY76_tzNsy5Yyi1D3KQrfTZx5FWaGb_MbLkEhgpn6uVicid-87oBQlenhA1OwiFueFmbIv9gg47ZKNJAa1PTYICK2zmgay4lFQzUUO_TcVIfcEwG0s84GO4GsX7gVnuLQaXqpwYCwb/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxazpY76_tzNsy5Yyi1D3KQrfTZx5FWaGb_MbLkEhgpn6uVicid-87oBQlenhA1OwiFueFmbIv9gg47ZKNJAa1PTYICK2zmgay4lFQzUUO_TcVIfcEwG0s84GO4GsX7gVnuLQaXqpwYCwb/s320/IMG_1020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottles for race day.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZR0FQo4E_AucBeT2m5GGj6B4Q__T-aOdJASnbLVRFwyK_vkVkskckcze0P0Rmu5CgciIg15q7IMnFi84P6EBD_fMD44VIT-Hr1Gn5ik3NzU8e-x8IeRKG9KIAnL8G2bSnUwAoASr7Q2G/s1600/IMG_1029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZR0FQo4E_AucBeT2m5GGj6B4Q__T-aOdJASnbLVRFwyK_vkVkskckcze0P0Rmu5CgciIg15q7IMnFi84P6EBD_fMD44VIT-Hr1Gn5ik3NzU8e-x8IeRKG9KIAnL8G2bSnUwAoASr7Q2G/s320/IMG_1029.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee and Sycamore helping me gather my race day necessities.</td></tr>
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<br />
Originally, I wanted to aim for a sub-2:40 at Trials. As we got closer to race day and the forecast for temperatures in the high-70's to low-80's became certain, Ian strongly advised I back off that goal time and start much more conservatively. This was the best decision. When the gun went off, I just felt out of sorts but not terrible. By half-way, it wasn't coming together despite starting conservative and my pace started slipping. In the middle two 6-mile loops, I'd walk every time I saw Ian and confirm that I should finish out the race even though I wasn't competing anymore. I had some nausea that was coming in waves, but otherwise I was physically fine. Let the trudging continue!<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09hp2yiRb0FcGOjG_BRSWKF-fbzE_jnvKNeulX3-ocVcL4IAbRzaSrcTRbZqc63dw35_EPSV59pm-F_kS4TzeyGZOVB-Fphd2qbPyYBffJN-wRi2tLc14gZ22AJf0liRUPDPCWpqG6VHw/s1600/IMG_0889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09hp2yiRb0FcGOjG_BRSWKF-fbzE_jnvKNeulX3-ocVcL4IAbRzaSrcTRbZqc63dw35_EPSV59pm-F_kS4TzeyGZOVB-Fphd2qbPyYBffJN-wRi2tLc14gZ22AJf0liRUPDPCWpqG6VHw/s320/IMG_0889.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still competing at this point.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8E25Q1j12u9rCS7kVhq9H3r7_mYkNs8lWuwhFGQ2WGeBM3k5A6qrJnQchdZwMsXAlCkx6zv1kKLev-w0J_4vhPc6ySh6O-1TJhZN1JjXc-2D4TdYP_A274gJ63tEAzoUdGURvCsWaufrt/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8E25Q1j12u9rCS7kVhq9H3r7_mYkNs8lWuwhFGQ2WGeBM3k5A6qrJnQchdZwMsXAlCkx6zv1kKLev-w0J_4vhPc6ySh6O-1TJhZN1JjXc-2D4TdYP_A274gJ63tEAzoUdGURvCsWaufrt/s320/IMG_0940.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How can you find yourself alone among over 200 runners?<br />
The loneliness of the long distance runner...not to mention it's quite warm at this point.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioY3_W5LI7TsBY2ajFIvAYvSTsw9gteG0E-X-D6BoniSL09pI9LGFNlFXhS0zHqBuS5c0KxqE06qE4PCYSUhcSih-2X4Opx-B4pIM7PeNdsu5reVYgdWj7xLa0aFlHSC8HLMmHJW9yFFPm/s1600/IMG_1026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioY3_W5LI7TsBY2ajFIvAYvSTsw9gteG0E-X-D6BoniSL09pI9LGFNlFXhS0zHqBuS5c0KxqE06qE4PCYSUhcSih-2X4Opx-B4pIM7PeNdsu5reVYgdWj7xLa0aFlHSC8HLMmHJW9yFFPm/s320/IMG_1026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day of the Trials also happened to be my 30th birthday! <br />
Birthday roses from my parents were delivered to our hotel room the evening before. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Many runners had to drop or ended up in the medical tent receiving IV's due to the crazy warm conditions, all spurred by the first ever live television coverage of the Olympic Trials Marathon. I was very happy to have finished in one piece in 2:54 and 100th place, 66 spots ahead of my starting position. This was my slowest marathon ever, but not every one can be a PR. Overall, I was grateful to have been a part of this year's Olympic Trials once again. Sure, there were some organizational issues that have been discussed post-event, but that's a whole other blog, and there are others who have already addressed these issues in their own blogs. <br />
<br />
I like this graphic by <a href="https://tracyfgreen.wordpress.com/2016/02/15/thoughts-on-the-marathon-trials/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Tracy Green</span></a> of the stats from the race:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5Fns6Ls22nwAcZgZDBjJVByDFWAw-BXTBXk-cMAzTppvG_U6J6z7vDnTi9U3zSSB7FD0CbtvTEkyNyETn0Y82kObacnor5_XyYkzJCqN-Y1L_NHZU5J6UBkYtO4Fs7cc9p08p4-uy33B/s1600/olympictrialsgraphicTracy+Green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5Fns6Ls22nwAcZgZDBjJVByDFWAw-BXTBXk-cMAzTppvG_U6J6z7vDnTi9U3zSSB7FD0CbtvTEkyNyETn0Y82kObacnor5_XyYkzJCqN-Y1L_NHZU5J6UBkYtO4Fs7cc9p08p4-uy33B/s320/olympictrialsgraphicTracy+Green.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic by Tracy Green.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
One of the neatest aspects of this Trials, was the huge representation by Flagstaff runners. We had at least 13 runners (I know I'm missing someone) who live and train in Flagstaff year round qualify for the Trials. For a smaller mountain town at 7,000 feet that's pretty impressive. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCth5z_85or7wjNwezVdKaHegvmn7tX6FQiPc3Zzdsr3lYF4SG1qUPGMI2EFaAQL0JXfMOfMm9V5Jk6YXcBrigq9g-zmXLc6igg7xY8Sgf6KHMP6Q9iJPXkReOzh9EqHNk-Yy-buVDyon/s1600/combine_images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCth5z_85or7wjNwezVdKaHegvmn7tX6FQiPc3Zzdsr3lYF4SG1qUPGMI2EFaAQL0JXfMOfMm9V5Jk6YXcBrigq9g-zmXLc6igg7xY8Sgf6KHMP6Q9iJPXkReOzh9EqHNk-Yy-buVDyon/s400/combine_images.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few of the Flagstaff athletes: <br />
Matt Llano and Kellyn Taylor of HOKA NAZ Elite. TRF PRO members Nick Arciniaga,<br />
Danny Mercado, Nick Hilton and Tyler Jermann.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
With the Trials being held in Los Angeles, we had a huge support system make the trip to cheer on the athletes in person. Thanks to them for bringing more of Flagstaff to the streets of LA! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yIU35w460B61x5RvSEtK-DwV0i7Hwsvk2vXMKiSitnRzyCgLMyGRim21ZwsYgU6UBkSBt_zLUy5mxLeIK3rJM6lsOPJmp_94JxQar3jhz6Csix2Xno5VO_P-xkqG5AawNj1vZdAUTV8K/s320/12715707_10207498328089282_8992974631630325046_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flagstaff getting ready for a day of cheering!<br />
Group photos by Stephanie Del Giorgio.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkS8EHqiL7yJXaEKRq3kTIuFxoYyV7xmmhe_Y1REWnmHMgbFVqk74EQoZycSCyn9XC_ifvPx64Gyfh61AQczl-0_BRhH-iBGQcVpf2uJHi_zpueaZ3sH4RWbYDXz_TLEO8lQoLARx4OVBQ/s1600/GroupTrials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkS8EHqiL7yJXaEKRq3kTIuFxoYyV7xmmhe_Y1REWnmHMgbFVqk74EQoZycSCyn9XC_ifvPx64Gyfh61AQczl-0_BRhH-iBGQcVpf2uJHi_zpueaZ3sH4RWbYDXz_TLEO8lQoLARx4OVBQ/s320/GroupTrials.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can tell hard work went into these signs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA0MCobMvrWiVtAkoXDvPnSRzQBFeesi1rZHFYKqbPD0y_hJIN3T4RB_gJqEMg59t1Cut27YuBvdrtGyW7IzQi1us8yo_jmvdEe6uANfsNh-VGbDwxpJryXz-UhJjKLOy_IcQntHR6Loj/s1600/Bee+Super.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA0MCobMvrWiVtAkoXDvPnSRzQBFeesi1rZHFYKqbPD0y_hJIN3T4RB_gJqEMg59t1Cut27YuBvdrtGyW7IzQi1us8yo_jmvdEe6uANfsNh-VGbDwxpJryXz-UhJjKLOy_IcQntHR6Loj/s320/Bee+Super.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course my personal favorite is "Bee Super," a play on my Border Collie Super Bee.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWqAHHXudsy7UCTo0_Va6qP5Ea3ufIvY5duN2CXfr5SkQBWZuEckntj4iXYlK-lLJm1PlpiOsftMx-6jE0dyE_I720-qIbQGQKsaRY7dl293TMjPIYRBqPVGUgkjMhyphenhyphenVJP5V9CO7U3UjT/s1600/12744488_10207498327329263_1874367485279981217_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWqAHHXudsy7UCTo0_Va6qP5Ea3ufIvY5duN2CXfr5SkQBWZuEckntj4iXYlK-lLJm1PlpiOsftMx-6jE0dyE_I720-qIbQGQKsaRY7dl293TMjPIYRBqPVGUgkjMhyphenhyphenVJP5V9CO7U3UjT/s320/12744488_10207498327329263_1874367485279981217_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian completing his dual role of boyfriend and coach on the course.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuEd0KyAkB3jEZfgUF_7gOAyhPqfLlHUL6ylRHcixCQ-XvnMVqT99yhAJ61vgNmjmbfHD-DC9nDHUNZ_lXUHbz2S48-BP0IISL0BbeHLaoG4wHLez_cO2PpP9tIItjvRpp_bjQvyzbbql6/s1600/IMG_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuEd0KyAkB3jEZfgUF_7gOAyhPqfLlHUL6ylRHcixCQ-XvnMVqT99yhAJ61vgNmjmbfHD-DC9nDHUNZ_lXUHbz2S48-BP0IISL0BbeHLaoG4wHLez_cO2PpP9tIItjvRpp_bjQvyzbbql6/s320/IMG_1035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee representing the finishers medal while Sycamore looks on.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClFVvVBsPGNy6UBflBjdH7_i-E3feYjf5gZh1PLy-WJ3hnlTGSmiyyd6nY2y1ke9u9pA3PXuGeZDoi-f2J_B5slqUPmP5RaGAhNXS0Q2uHSL_Pkk-zLdCqqBOK39hTVT79ixEhF9P3Dvs/s1600/IMG_1031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClFVvVBsPGNy6UBflBjdH7_i-E3feYjf5gZh1PLy-WJ3hnlTGSmiyyd6nY2y1ke9u9pA3PXuGeZDoi-f2J_B5slqUPmP5RaGAhNXS0Q2uHSL_Pkk-zLdCqqBOK39hTVT79ixEhF9P3Dvs/s320/IMG_1031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nap time post-trials.<br />
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If a birthday and running in the Olympic Trials wasn't enough, how about a fender bender trying to get out of LA. We were so close to surviving the big city....to make it even better, it was a hit and run. The other car sped off and didn't even hesitate to stop. Thankfully everyone was okay and once the wrecker pulled the fender off the tire and the police report filed, we were on our way again. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor truck has been through a lot!</td></tr>
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Wait...we're not done yet! The weekend had yet more to bring in terms of excitement. After we got mobile again, we headed to our original destination of Joshua Tree National Park....</div>
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Where Ian proposed!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engagement ring next to a Joshua tree. </td></tr>
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I had no idea this was coming so it really was a big surprise. I had never been to Joshua Tree and we've talked about taking a trip, so I assumed it was a typical detour on the trip like we are apt to do. It wasn't planned to happen on Valentine's Day but that's the way it unfolded. The best part was, no one knew beforehand except for my parents. That's a big secret to keep!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos from Joshua Tree National Park.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skull Rock in Joshua Tree.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired dogs after a short run in Joshua Tree.</td></tr>
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This will certainly never be a weekend I'll forget! There was intrigue around every corner. Next up will be a return to the trails and ultras this spring. </div>
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A big thank you to Ian for getting me to the start line and to HYPO2 and Dr. AJ Gregg for keeping the body healthy and strong. </div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-4759200164539579392015-09-10T15:06:00.000-07:002015-09-10T15:06:41.419-07:00From Eugene Marathon to a Grand Canyon Double Crossing to 50k Trail Championships<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From 3 camps to 12 races to traveling, it's been a busy spring and summer. There's still much more to go!<br /><br />
<u><b><span style="color: lime;">May</span></b></u><br />
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I kicked off the spring with an attempt at the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier ('B' standard: 2:43, 'A' Standard: 2:37) at <span style="color: magenta;">Eugene Marathon</span> in May. Nothing went terribly wrong during the race, but I somehow managed to run my slowest marathon to date, 2:44, and missed the qualifier. On the flip side, this was by far the best I've ever recovered post-marathon. I did 99% of my training solo, and I believe part of the issue was that I got too comfortable in my day to day runs and workouts. Let the speed games begin! I've since dedicated the next months to working on challenging myself again. <br />
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But not quite yet! First, time for a Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim with Ian Torrence (part with Chris Rennaker). This was only my second time running in the canyon, the first being in 2010 after I ran my first marathon (Houston). With temps topping out at triple digits, stomach issues and a challenging route, needless to say it felt like a death march coming up South Kaibab at the end of the day. Thankfully we made it out before sunset even with my slow hike.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finish to the Rim to Rim to Rim. At least we're</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">still smiling!</span></td></tr>
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<u><b><span style="color: lime;">June</span></b></u><br />
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Next up the <a href="https://mcmillanrunning.com/getaways#" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">McMillan Running Ultra and Trail Camp</span></a> headed by non other than Ian Torrence. We had a fun few days talking and running all things trail.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Campers and counselors at Schultz Tank.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Super Bee made sure everyone did their extra curricular</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">stick throwing. Nicolas excelled at this activity!</span></td></tr>
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First local race of the summer was Aravaipa's inauguaral <a href="http://www.aravaiparunning.com/big-pine/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Flagstaff Extreme Big Pine</span></a> out at Fort Tuthill. I opted for the two-loop 27km option. After running with one of the guys for a loop, I found myself on my own the second loop but still came away with the women's win. <br />
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<a href="http://www.teamrunflagstaff.com/races/hot-summer-nights/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">HOT SUMMER NIGHTS! </span></a> This was also a new race series that was the brainchild of Ian, but is backed by Team Run Flagstaff. Over June, July and August there were three Wednesday night trail races consisting of a 7k, 5k and 3k. I tied with Nick Arciniaga for the overall win at the 7k (even though he could have buried me) but word got out and the last two races were more competitive. First female for the series!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTestKL7b6xy5QnVokklIA5IP-jVKhCgwDIBzn9mck_xSA-W4njBgt-4ZydkHqA_FCMNZg7a4ZESeQ-5oXqPuCyuNlu25661IYAPt5y5-H5F4FWmjlTVo6o5KKS4kbsBurdIZZ-ayXyvY/s1600/HotSummerNights7k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTestKL7b6xy5QnVokklIA5IP-jVKhCgwDIBzn9mck_xSA-W4njBgt-4ZydkHqA_FCMNZg7a4ZESeQ-5oXqPuCyuNlu25661IYAPt5y5-H5F4FWmjlTVo6o5KKS4kbsBurdIZZ-ayXyvY/s320/HotSummerNights7k.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">June's 7k with Nick.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">July's 5k.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyxEfQW-JiH-xE9gJuB9Ns5h9YcM9iqTtKbh2CMjPXpZ2Zggsbd9zSEes5v1ptOg021DWCsM7Sn67rXl0K5rbIDEMY31rRNDBcIq40pGB25Gq7P1v0b97v_kSyxiCGIzs8va4JEbiY4TZ/s1600/HSN3k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyxEfQW-JiH-xE9gJuB9Ns5h9YcM9iqTtKbh2CMjPXpZ2Zggsbd9zSEes5v1ptOg021DWCsM7Sn67rXl0K5rbIDEMY31rRNDBcIq40pGB25Gq7P1v0b97v_kSyxiCGIzs8va4JEbiY4TZ/s320/HSN3k.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">August. Trying to keep up with Nick Arciniaga </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">and Brian Tinder.</span><br />
Photo by Martos Hoffman.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ki0N4TcTNk7IJnZlAZ9A0Zl8IbJR_YNGQ1bDdk6BjT95p87IVvkS_ATG8EK0MsbZN2IKOZry-cSaTbuPbPG75WtxCfGEbmOZsE2kmD2ANgsaHUvzpfqEoexXxXz2yDvPnPKZRpprrxQL/s1600/HSN+3k-Martos+Hoffman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ki0N4TcTNk7IJnZlAZ9A0Zl8IbJR_YNGQ1bDdk6BjT95p87IVvkS_ATG8EK0MsbZN2IKOZry-cSaTbuPbPG75WtxCfGEbmOZsE2kmD2ANgsaHUvzpfqEoexXxXz2yDvPnPKZRpprrxQL/s320/HSN+3k-Martos+Hoffman.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">August 3k. </span>Photo by Martos Hoffman.</td></tr>
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<b>Western States Uphill Challenge.</b> This year they rerouted the course to go up the trail. Not having done much bouldering and trail climbs recently, it was a bit of a shock to the system. The cool thing was this was the first race my Mom has been able to do in years, which was really awesome. Not an easy first choice!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mom and I at the top of the summit.</span></td></tr>
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<u><b><span style="color: lime;">July</span></b></u><br />
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In July, I decided it would be a good idea to run the <a href="http://www.teamrunflagstaff.com/races/downtown-mile/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Fourth of July Downtown Mile</span></a>. The course is at 7,000 ft., consists of two loops and is not void of hills. I was 3rd female in 5:11 which I will take since I haven't done any specific training for a mile. Always feels good to run fast and make it hurt!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLDZrA7mBRbKL5SZsBr9ujHdM7YbQkgiYLfHPhHc_4ySG9m_h1byKZBpUIzbwpGxUa5T6lIUv8fsn6DuLKeB8dIJq3o5PhtAJAk3O88kmoIyfVlg1jZ8ONN3Xx9AAlAH_wfkfvplSwcpV/s1600/Downtown+Mile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLDZrA7mBRbKL5SZsBr9ujHdM7YbQkgiYLfHPhHc_4ySG9m_h1byKZBpUIzbwpGxUa5T6lIUv8fsn6DuLKeB8dIJq3o5PhtAJAk3O88kmoIyfVlg1jZ8ONN3Xx9AAlAH_wfkfvplSwcpV/s320/Downtown+Mile.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fourth of July Downtown Mile.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The following weekend was <a href="http://www.shadowsfoundation.org/hearts-911-run/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Hearts 911</span></a>. This year they reversed the course, so we climbed the very technical and rocky Heart Trail to the top of Mt. Elden then descended down Elden Lookout Road (dirt) to the finish. I much preferred this direction since I'm not a fan of technical descents. Not one of my stronger days, but I worked the downhill much better than in the past.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQxIX8nzxCGcrx-SKNDGsyO2u9dV0q7upI6AZqf0lTYIpi6RogPr0UIT8_HsUKy8m2hrAGN_USNzjf-U5oYC_I2qbN69RKrD7Va2nVPLJ-DdDrnFFZ0GKkybKdQpOVs0ujo3pa2E82f5v/s1600/Hearts911+Growler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQxIX8nzxCGcrx-SKNDGsyO2u9dV0q7upI6AZqf0lTYIpi6RogPr0UIT8_HsUKy8m2hrAGN_USNzjf-U5oYC_I2qbN69RKrD7Va2nVPLJ-DdDrnFFZ0GKkybKdQpOVs0ujo3pa2E82f5v/s320/Hearts911+Growler.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Growler refill for the win for my Dad and Ian to enjoy.</span></td></tr>
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<br />
Between Downtown Mile and Hearts 911, Ian and I helped out at the <a href="http://www.robkrarultracamp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Rob Krar Ultra Camp</span></a>. <br />
<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWuARrKQzxNlscT-PrUJJEmwYqnsGiJQLXrkZX4h7mIZky6WZWq1-T6Du0yc3xgZ-knfEpQX9MzG5pU7G1mnQ_ZwtA7DrkQTFSq_dkFNqLMSeh9w0O-OMlOmBEAGeAi7Xas_eJ6fcykF6/s1600/KrarCampHumphreys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWuARrKQzxNlscT-PrUJJEmwYqnsGiJQLXrkZX4h7mIZky6WZWq1-T6Du0yc3xgZ-knfEpQX9MzG5pU7G1mnQ_ZwtA7DrkQTFSq_dkFNqLMSeh9w0O-OMlOmBEAGeAi7Xas_eJ6fcykF6/s320/KrarCampHumphreys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saddle of Mount Humphreys - 11,800 feet. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_joGqkSACJ1z6a0INjF536TBOnTWvRJZCimUxJ9qXKsx9X-gC-_k0vcOQSGX5Re4pb2rK_LpS5tkCH8gVUwJ6qpVk2Dd8E1liBWJJoj6ia-0EqwXpLr9duoU_QA2wc7eVJmL-yfalToa4/s1600/KrarCamp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_joGqkSACJ1z6a0INjF536TBOnTWvRJZCimUxJ9qXKsx9X-gC-_k0vcOQSGX5Re4pb2rK_LpS5tkCH8gVUwJ6qpVk2Dd8E1liBWJJoj6ia-0EqwXpLr9duoU_QA2wc7eVJmL-yfalToa4/s320/KrarCamp2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Me, Ian, John Onate, Rob and Stephanie Howe.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2PbISVen_psamdCf0qe2CR41pxX3eWk9ihaWNZaSsCX8eVrM4US7Cw-8xqia_dmpg_3k0kdpzYJwrMzO5oss_ukZUkT6k9sUOSSW2wae1mZCJTpZSgI0xhms8-rydHwr6hgb8IFgKxzN/s1600/Super+Bee+puddles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2PbISVen_psamdCf0qe2CR41pxX3eWk9ihaWNZaSsCX8eVrM4US7Cw-8xqia_dmpg_3k0kdpzYJwrMzO5oss_ukZUkT6k9sUOSSW2wae1mZCJTpZSgI0xhms8-rydHwr6hgb8IFgKxzN/s320/Super+Bee+puddles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Super Bee also had a birthday during Rob's camp. 5 years old</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">and loving life!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Because I couldn't get enough climbing....Team Run Flagstaff's <a href="http://www.teamrunflagstaff.com/races/snowbowl-hill-climb/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Snowbowl Hill Climb</span></a>. Seven miles of ascending up Snowbowl Road with no breaks. I was 2nd to Janet Cherobon but we both ran under her previous course record. This was not an easy one!<br />
<br />
Back to Virginia for Coach Tanner's high school camp. Our cross country programs in Warren County have come a long way and this was Coach Tanner's first year putting on a high school camp. I was honored to come back and give a talk to the runners. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgcrOj-kPZbCXTczFNuXHuuK6PXLNA8bwPBNeH_xkJYsD5dCi80MKm3ASTQpcWYkiAtC0Ma8NEvWdGN02pMvL0VlxbT39mxh3kmVCQXaHbA7DcjO6r4e1W_Qhyphenhyphen4Dt22tgkHhhGH34jgz0/s1600/WCdrills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgcrOj-kPZbCXTczFNuXHuuK6PXLNA8bwPBNeH_xkJYsD5dCi80MKm3ASTQpcWYkiAtC0Ma8NEvWdGN02pMvL0VlxbT39mxh3kmVCQXaHbA7DcjO6r4e1W_Qhyphenhyphen4Dt22tgkHhhGH34jgz0/s320/WCdrills.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leading the campers through drills at Skyline High School.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QcmCklsGgaxKodEuPv226U5ZdCn-Yzr9uXPJiVlcmQviGTLC4qa7vEaIjPyntbWdt5V4wA2tEvDMy1NmkixupnUPbtKOh_H-6Ppudii09b3HSjHUM3nagV6k_wcI4q2DTez1yxLnT_o5/s1600/Coaches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QcmCklsGgaxKodEuPv226U5ZdCn-Yzr9uXPJiVlcmQviGTLC4qa7vEaIjPyntbWdt5V4wA2tEvDMy1NmkixupnUPbtKOh_H-6Ppudii09b3HSjHUM3nagV6k_wcI4q2DTez1yxLnT_o5/s320/Coaches.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the left, high school teammates Joseph and Amanda who are now coaches in Warren County.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Our high school coaches, Coach Tanner (Right) and Coach B (Front).</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfF-aIuJ4tYTD69RzOUx76V0CM9QYrUiQoBlz-bMikw6vN4yc5tVWir5wIdAd3dEAHqLdDXM_HxUrBTW83dYBeJ1d4WyX-lPgywuVxB5CKYF5IlLx3TmBpOmbeqvamz2msRJ8s6fW1bobi/s1600/state+champs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfF-aIuJ4tYTD69RzOUx76V0CM9QYrUiQoBlz-bMikw6vN4yc5tVWir5wIdAd3dEAHqLdDXM_HxUrBTW83dYBeJ1d4WyX-lPgywuVxB5CKYF5IlLx3TmBpOmbeqvamz2msRJ8s6fW1bobi/s320/state+champs.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">State Champs flashback! Joseph was State Champion in the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">high jump. I was State Champion in the 3200m. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b><span style="color: lime;">August</span></b></u><br />
<br />
August kicked off with the finale race of the Hot Summer Nights series. After that it was <a href="http://www.bbbsf.com/events/half-marathon/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Big Brothers Big Sisters Half Marathon</span></a>. There was a lot of rain the night before which made for a very muddy course, but I still went for the course record. I did get the record by a few minutes and was 3rd overall. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaKc3ms71KPeZoRpPFY8hl1t4OIeWWIxgrJDCpwwZZO9pOBns-rv3611xcYULgdfPgakTETSaV_8egvr5PfxlmUE9a5IgrSM1sUP0B72x9iB44-_FBvFdksEd-bZ6RfNx3HNNV_IbXi1l/s1600/Retake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaKc3ms71KPeZoRpPFY8hl1t4OIeWWIxgrJDCpwwZZO9pOBns-rv3611xcYULgdfPgakTETSaV_8egvr5PfxlmUE9a5IgrSM1sUP0B72x9iB44-_FBvFdksEd-bZ6RfNx3HNNV_IbXi1l/s320/Retake.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">They made us redo the pre-race kiss so it could be captured on film.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8JLB8WFQmfvKp0_l32J_ybJLiJz5k19xNvox7o4gkV9Q-o4QIlOJWEAIyraV355HAtBmEed2Yndxr_QIh6vd0ckuyrcy4O2QzS-a_XUwelQ_bEzzNPv2BFHD-54Wf0xpKzVEpCz9kFtq/s1600/Showing+Mud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8JLB8WFQmfvKp0_l32J_ybJLiJz5k19xNvox7o4gkV9Q-o4QIlOJWEAIyraV355HAtBmEed2Yndxr_QIh6vd0ckuyrcy4O2QzS-a_XUwelQ_bEzzNPv2BFHD-54Wf0xpKzVEpCz9kFtq/s320/Showing+Mud.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our uncoordinated decisions to wear black were good ones!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Displaying the mud we collected along the way.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Another year of fun at <span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.flagstaffnordiccenter.com/gaspin-in-the-aspen-summer-woods-run-2015/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Gaspin' in the Aspen 15k</span></a> </span>and another event Ian RD's. I was a minute off my CR from last year but it was still a fun day. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BY_1c_VkcTWhISXn6AXK2AHnA0N0ikyY_q8IBTWG3OwihMV8Hm-_Cok7hZNDrhAKatCr7aXgB7hfIS__Mr2ZafOR-crWs_CBMHuObrC4preioMMmana3UrLv5aVl3vCZlOHk2KqEvZia/s1600/Gaspin+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BY_1c_VkcTWhISXn6AXK2AHnA0N0ikyY_q8IBTWG3OwihMV8Hm-_Cok7hZNDrhAKatCr7aXgB7hfIS__Mr2ZafOR-crWs_CBMHuObrC4preioMMmana3UrLv5aVl3vCZlOHk2KqEvZia/s320/Gaspin+2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Running through the meadows at Gaspin'. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Kristin Wilson.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Did I mention my Dad also came out this month and helped us with house projects? House projects also included clearing trees off the Gaspin' course with Ian.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcgS7BVtZ5svFEn24LXWSIGW7pvd2TDbaOD4PpH7KKGldBFkRIClsLmPCkpYHaw-dilR-BXdo9xU62-rOLYjO_Ars6_nuQ8Ny9wzfTBeiag7zPhuu1T_g3Xuhjh3b8BljHJX6cdEZUAHT/s1600/dad+working.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcgS7BVtZ5svFEn24LXWSIGW7pvd2TDbaOD4PpH7KKGldBFkRIClsLmPCkpYHaw-dilR-BXdo9xU62-rOLYjO_Ars6_nuQ8Ny9wzfTBeiag7zPhuu1T_g3Xuhjh3b8BljHJX6cdEZUAHT/s320/dad+working.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad ripping up laminate for the new tile floor.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Last but certainly not least were the <b>USATF 50k Trail Championships</b> which were hosted by <a href="http://www.headlands50k.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Tamalpa Headlands 50k</span></a> this year. Thanks to Diana and Tim Fitzpatrick for putting on a great event. <br />
<br />
I had never been to the Marin Headlands before, so this was a new experience. All I knew going into the race was to expect a lot of climbing and descending. I don't worry so much with climbing but I knew the downhills would be a personal challenge for me. I've been working all year with <a href="http://www.drajgregg.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Dr. AJ Gregg at HYPO2</span></a> on my strength and I have gotten a lot stronger especially with my quad control, so I had that extra piece of confidence going into the weekend. I felt I was lacking some on my course-specific training, but that was my own fault and something I was aware of going into the weekend. <br />
<br />
Race day brought rain and heavy fogs, which is one my most favorite racing conditions. I really had to pay attention to course marking though so I didn't miss one of the turns early on. Megan Roche took the race out hard, but stopped to tie her shoe a few miles in. I wasn't planning on being in the lead that early but I had no choice once she stepped off. By mile 8 though, Caitlin Smith had passed me on one of the descents. From there I was hovering 1-2 minutes back until the very end of the race. For some reason, my legs were getting sore by 4-5 miles in (maybe that course specific-training?). Ultimately this slowed me down, but I was very happy with my nutrition (thanks Meredith Terranova!) and with my effort and energy levels. Energy-wise I never tanked or hit a rough patch. Both energy and nutrition (day to day and in racing) was a big struggle last year, so this is great progress for me. So far, Tailwind has been working well and fingers are crossed this continues. <br />
<br />
At the end of the day, I was second to Caitlin, which is my second time finishing runner-up at the 50k Trail Championships. The first time was at the 2013 Bootlegger 50k to Michelle Yates. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0w4q5W_xEaRByn0ITvQizo7T6oVs0ySlPqCLGnxBfdiWK8mDZMb5V_hGAzi65UEiHfcmfehUeYe_Qj4v_djp9j3Ho1AgtDtLOC_X6d8nvHP42m_rrUXMVzy7EwIGSOnPXIHPSm8iPBml/s1600/Top+10+Headlands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0w4q5W_xEaRByn0ITvQizo7T6oVs0ySlPqCLGnxBfdiWK8mDZMb5V_hGAzi65UEiHfcmfehUeYe_Qj4v_djp9j3Ho1AgtDtLOC_X6d8nvHP42m_rrUXMVzy7EwIGSOnPXIHPSm8iPBml/s320/Top+10+Headlands.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Women's Top Ten including Nike Trail teammate Lindsay Tollefsen (3rd).</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCezhTiVTSWkUb7zP5fkbFIXI8yclQPnY0hd2kVN-KSVCLfoqfyfTLKBAXby-R6lCTeafkg7-8BSgmFx2zUiqZYu87-NwtVf4jEJUXhmHhGnN96Xe_ZXBtddGY_-4I1oF1YsSPPAVzNWO0/s1600/Tieri+-+Headlands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCezhTiVTSWkUb7zP5fkbFIXI8yclQPnY0hd2kVN-KSVCLfoqfyfTLKBAXby-R6lCTeafkg7-8BSgmFx2zUiqZYu87-NwtVf4jEJUXhmHhGnN96Xe_ZXBtddGY_-4I1oF1YsSPPAVzNWO0/s320/Tieri+-+Headlands.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">With Angela Tieri who placed 5th. I have been honored to </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">work with Angela through McMillan Running and to see her achieve </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">her well-earned goals this year.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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All of these running camps and races make Super Bee and Sycamore very tired! A big thank you to Ian for the support and for doing all the driving on our long road trips. Also thank you to Dr. AJ Gregg, Meredith Terranova, Nike Trail Running, Nathan Hydration and Team Run Flagstaff Pro.<br />
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-32270960508627134422015-03-08T13:49:00.003-07:002015-03-08T15:51:25.319-07:00Dusting Off the Blog: 2015 GLIRC Caumsett 50k (USATF 50k Road Championships)2nd place, 3:33....This wasn't the result I was going for, but the positives from this race and the past couple months by far outweigh the negatives. <br />
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The night before the race, Ian got a call from our dog sitter that Sycamore, our puppy, was at the vet with parvo. Parvo is prevalent in Northern Arizona and can result in death. Needless to say, we were both not in the frame of mind to race Sunday morning. At a couple points in the race, I saw Mom and broke down. About 9 miles to go, I shut down the race and decided I was jogging it in. That evening Ian got the call that Sycamore was in the clear...yay! It was a mild case and because Karen got her to the vet immediately and hospitalized her, they were able to give Sycamore the best chance of fighting off the virus. She should now be immune to the virus since her antibodies are built up.<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: cyan;">The Negatives:</span></b></u><br />
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1) Didn't meet my goal of a win and a time of ~3:20.<br />
2) Mentally wasn't in the moment, which cost me the race.<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: cyan;">The Positives:</span></b></u><br />
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1) I was able to take in the most calories during a race, ever, and had minimal stomach issues. A first! <br />
2) My energy levels during training and on race day held steady.<br />
3) Recovery from training and post-race recovery has been great.<br />
4) The past couple days have been the most pain-free my hip has been in over a year.<br />
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Last year, I was fighting variable energy levels, stomach issues and had to keep training volume very low. Ian challenged me again with higher weekly mileage starting in January, and so far I have been able to handle it. Energy has been much better with no fluctuations day to day and week to week. My daily nutrition and race nutrition is still a work in progress in terms of figuring of what I can and can't handle, but this race was a huge move in the right direction.<br />
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Going forward, <a href="https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/ultra" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Ian</span></a> is going to take the challenges a step further for Eugene Marathon training. It's now time to see if I can get back to my previous high levels of training. I will also be challenging my strength work more than I've ever done in the past (<a href="http://www.drajgregg.com/" style="color: magenta;" target="_blank">thanks, AJ</a>!), so I'm excited to see what the rest of this year brings. <br />
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Thanks to my Mom, Dad and Mema for coming to crew for us at <a href="http://www.glirc.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Caumsett</span></a> in even colder and snowier conditions than last year. And as always, Race Director Carl Grossbad offered us impeccable hospitality and put on a class act event. I know he spent a lot of time and effort ensuring the course was as clear as possible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwvH3x69ydxFcOqAmU1R6VSGzONcm0rVRHztELMkMqEyG7ijacAGzA7jOUTk17oGETmW6bgBefZT-esV4nlVprnu2ZmWMsAju_5TjupYt1enYY7CfUZxBkG_K6SkGROl3IqYepm9fQD-W/s1600/Ian_Caumsett+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwvH3x69ydxFcOqAmU1R6VSGzONcm0rVRHztELMkMqEyG7ijacAGzA7jOUTk17oGETmW6bgBefZT-esV4nlVprnu2ZmWMsAju_5TjupYt1enYY7CfUZxBkG_K6SkGROl3IqYepm9fQD-W/s1600/Ian_Caumsett+2015.jpg" height="311" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian was able to channel his energy into a 3:36 finish, faster than last year,<br />
and a win in the USATF 40-44 Championship division. Not bad for emotional<br />
stress and an icy out and back section! As always, I am impressed with his toughness <br />
and ability to get the job done no matter what.</td></tr>
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Congratulations to overall race winners Sarah Bard and Zachary Ornelas. Zachary also set a course record in tough conditions. Both ran impressive races!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWNWGdgSCahrBScimjBiuSl2-K4qRgUi7Wi_F_uzeLcmEvJHLNq_SxcECrE9zc_YGjoS4T_eK-RRLIFpjGnGzcWqexfkoGNAX3Bzl3GX3of5PHrSwjKHb6U3GE2w3IhsQamHAQTlab1SJ/s1600/Em+finishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWNWGdgSCahrBScimjBiuSl2-K4qRgUi7Wi_F_uzeLcmEvJHLNq_SxcECrE9zc_YGjoS4T_eK-RRLIFpjGnGzcWqexfkoGNAX3Bzl3GX3of5PHrSwjKHb6U3GE2w3IhsQamHAQTlab1SJ/s1600/Em+finishes.jpg" height="400" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My face pretty much sums up the day thus far.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31oBficlNv4H8KYXfJe7gOiTuyGlpvnfym9M4OFN_yGvuUY_EDjDX3qI2V1I0a1nVf8dyzMcrRWp2RZteEQ4zBcP6KyjC9wB-5fca-a4VzAs_A1NfDFzLkDdQC2kDLA2W7FYkEHcskUja/s1600/Emily+and+Karl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31oBficlNv4H8KYXfJe7gOiTuyGlpvnfym9M4OFN_yGvuUY_EDjDX3qI2V1I0a1nVf8dyzMcrRWp2RZteEQ4zBcP6KyjC9wB-5fca-a4VzAs_A1NfDFzLkDdQC2kDLA2W7FYkEHcskUja/s1600/Emily+and+Karl.jpg" height="400" width="391" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the Race Director post-race.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjAgvsYixrIyFp13Co_hHU6iBqNjSYBNru7gKsCjQhENZpZ9mQ10vip4XgV-WVWpPv0_s6lv2ViRas_9Od5PQJG8xFGHj0mTawPnmY-KYk6PgcMMdblUTYkmZ9UV1F9-FzPBv8dp5pj8a/s1600/Sycamore+with+Ian.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjAgvsYixrIyFp13Co_hHU6iBqNjSYBNru7gKsCjQhENZpZ9mQ10vip4XgV-WVWpPv0_s6lv2ViRas_9Od5PQJG8xFGHj0mTawPnmY-KYk6PgcMMdblUTYkmZ9UV1F9-FzPBv8dp5pj8a/s1600/Sycamore+with+Ian.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sycamore healthy, happy and helping Ian with his work.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxtZEWbtH6wkS2aU0P04o5NyKFRLApOF10YsYYCRX1gvysi7eUUg8ilDKd0vliDpoKCu6-NikyIa5rhmQqU6QXjtlEUbitxHBsxTXs13iK3O01OdGvZfwwLrd5UrvjFRUJJYn2tqnGeES/s1600/BEE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxtZEWbtH6wkS2aU0P04o5NyKFRLApOF10YsYYCRX1gvysi7eUUg8ilDKd0vliDpoKCu6-NikyIa5rhmQqU6QXjtlEUbitxHBsxTXs13iK3O01OdGvZfwwLrd5UrvjFRUJJYn2tqnGeES/s1600/BEE.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee had a fabulous vacation playing in the snow with<br />
Karen and family.</td></tr>
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Another thank you to <span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://thebark.com/content/karen-b-london-phd" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Karen London</span></a> </span>and her family for taking such great care of Sycamore and Bee while we were in Long Island. The care provided is second to none. <br />
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I'm looking forward to what the next couple months bring!<br />
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-13406214036677573342014-09-10T16:47:00.000-07:002014-09-10T17:36:51.119-07:002014 PepsiCo TransRockies Run - A Team Win!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After having very up and down training cycles since last fall, culminating in several doctor visits this spring and a Western States DNF, it was needless to say I was nervous about lining up for a 6-day stage race consisting of 120-miles. I was very afraid that I'd hit one of my unexpected low points at some point during the week and hold back my partner Ian. Ultimately, I only ended up having one of these days and overall we had a solid week of running! More on the current approach to figuring out these weird issues I've been having below....</div>
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This year I lined up with <a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Ian Torrence</span></a> in the Open Mixed Division for the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://transrockies-run.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Pepsico TransRockies Run</span></a> </span>representing <a href="http://adidasultra.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">adidas Ultra Team</span></a> and <a href="http://www.nathansports.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Nathan Hydration</span></a>. Luckily, Ian had run the race previously so it was nice having the word of experience along the way. </div>
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All photos are courtesy of Chris Hunter (<a href="http://hunterimagery.photoshelter.com/portfolio" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Hunter Imagery</span></a>) unless otherwise noted. </div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Stage One: Buena Vista to Railroad Bridge - 20.9 Miles</span></u></b></div>
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Get ready for a week of camping! Day one went well for us, as we were the first team across the line and was the first day we earned our leader's jerseys. Ian is very good at being able to run hard every day and I expected him to get stronger as the week went on. On the other hand, I've never done a race like this before so I was a little unsure of how hard to push.</div>
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Coming up the biggest climb of the day:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkv_Ol0JBEJUpYRJikENA77_qz5HqyYX3gJW356HpLQU_qpTPgsNrmkwzN23rV__w1xVUub1nJV8zh0A81dJM4FV3byIzvEZkZz__XsAyYs1tw2BX9TUtdZ8kTzABSdDbbaj6BYRAcFWq/s1600/Stage-One.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkv_Ol0JBEJUpYRJikENA77_qz5HqyYX3gJW356HpLQU_qpTPgsNrmkwzN23rV__w1xVUub1nJV8zh0A81dJM4FV3byIzvEZkZz__XsAyYs1tw2BX9TUtdZ8kTzABSdDbbaj6BYRAcFWq/s1600/Stage-One.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hill being a dirt road was conducive for<br />
shuffling.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixk49rIg7BnVdA0ICWPbrGBI4M-j5zH69FZpeSRqa8TH2KQJnQcFoqF_uf24GMCbLCChOy4XrzfQKcx3t4kt0uzo_cmAsX87p8MjoOPNeR-hs-AT-WYY4RTgrUzsJC1XeZ9y8Cxi5e9wcb/s1600/Stage-One-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixk49rIg7BnVdA0ICWPbrGBI4M-j5zH69FZpeSRqa8TH2KQJnQcFoqF_uf24GMCbLCChOy4XrzfQKcx3t4kt0uzo_cmAsX87p8MjoOPNeR-hs-AT-WYY4RTgrUzsJC1XeZ9y8Cxi5e9wcb/s1600/Stage-One-19.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian looking to see how much further<br />
till the aid station and top of the hill.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56yYPGxpHz4C0ZybB-BuXx-z9FdFI9ftkbkthR_xNXbVAQ1RNvsFg1kk55iY5s4v2UxVyph8ZSLr66GxtqlTkZX70p6O7pC02h5lCTpuwR232hTcuV1ssERDyBcbqkQJdqoLRGiQsUlEc/s1600/Stage-One+Scenery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56yYPGxpHz4C0ZybB-BuXx-z9FdFI9ftkbkthR_xNXbVAQ1RNvsFg1kk55iY5s4v2UxVyph8ZSLr66GxtqlTkZX70p6O7pC02h5lCTpuwR232hTcuV1ssERDyBcbqkQJdqoLRGiQsUlEc/s1600/Stage-One+Scenery.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views from Stage One.</td></tr>
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Today's podium prizes came from Nathan Hydration, which happened to be the hydration systems Ian and I used all week.</div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Stage Two: Oh Sh*# Day! In reality, Hope Pass - 13.3 Miles</span></u></b></div>
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My first time over Hope Pass and unfortunately the day I was dreading already came on day 2....the awful flatline happened. Ian had to wait for me as I was struggling to even run the final flat miles. </div>
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Luckily, we still held onto the leader's jerseys and my SNAFU didn't cost us the day's lead. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96FAMcGqhJoUFNt4OdFno_SGgNMLcRIVGE_Qv5Ft6zazNd1_1OF8Jplsn1M7CtmnRdpEl55Y0Jo90FW3N2Lgm-k8SWnRM6MzOUIu3W4ljkvoutKmpMuW1q0e-msZIgsGVQMlVDs5DFVsN/s1600/Hope+Pass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96FAMcGqhJoUFNt4OdFno_SGgNMLcRIVGE_Qv5Ft6zazNd1_1OF8Jplsn1M7CtmnRdpEl55Y0Jo90FW3N2Lgm-k8SWnRM6MzOUIu3W4ljkvoutKmpMuW1q0e-msZIgsGVQMlVDs5DFVsN/s1600/Hope+Pass.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope Pass. My appreciation for Leadville 100 Mile went up.<br />
Leadville 100M goes over this twice at the half way point.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McMillan Running athlete Mary Haskins (in green) is all<br />
smiles at the end of Stage 2.</td></tr>
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We camped in Leadville this evening which meant gluten-free pizza and real coffee for an afternoon snack. The mission was also to find a deck of cards, which was harder than you'd think. Fellow McMillan Running Coach and Altra athlete Jacob Puzey saved the day by scrounging up some cards. </div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Stage Three: Leadville to Camp Hale - 24.2 Miles</span></u></b></div>
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Thank goodness Stage 3 was better for me than Stage 2. I actually felt like a runner again! Stage 3 is a long day complete with a lot of rolling terrain. Similar to day one, this stage ended with a few miles on a dirt road....a slightly-uphill-into-the-head-wind dirt road. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69xbkJ0DJd5u7x24Dvu_sn-Kb7fuNcsm9_aFUAD3-EfjbZ1n5RAxGId-uehboqOge_lmg_NwI_U6eQvbfXNNP4g5CT5YVw2zKdrQm3pI7TIyFmOT7f5mgAVD4Jm4VFrqz6OcXoUfc6d2Q/s1600/Stage-Three-0130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69xbkJ0DJd5u7x24Dvu_sn-Kb7fuNcsm9_aFUAD3-EfjbZ1n5RAxGId-uehboqOge_lmg_NwI_U6eQvbfXNNP4g5CT5YVw2zKdrQm3pI7TIyFmOT7f5mgAVD4Jm4VFrqz6OcXoUfc6d2Q/s1600/Stage-Three-0130.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All smiles at the start in Leadville and rocking our leader's jerseys.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvIA9h83VC4K8oRCF9dwri18t1MeL6ArnvvYIkhsxD3xF3yvdIGu7LuIy-at5RJgVkTaj1okOoaRgCunQ8IQhMD1MpPZeMOtGo3N4g3zShMSCF9q2G47ASPQBjHnQr5TV5Riab4zvAplN/s1600/Stage-Three+Finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvIA9h83VC4K8oRCF9dwri18t1MeL6ArnvvYIkhsxD3xF3yvdIGu7LuIy-at5RJgVkTaj1okOoaRgCunQ8IQhMD1MpPZeMOtGo3N4g3zShMSCF9q2G47ASPQBjHnQr5TV5Riab4zvAplN/s1600/Stage-Three+Finish.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woops, we lost the jerseys along the way! Happy to be done<br />
at the finish line in Camp Hale.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We spent the next two nights in Camp Hale. Only fitting it to it's name, we actually did get a hail storm one afternoon that nearly flooded our tent. </div>
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<div>
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Stage Four: Camp Hale to Red Cliff - 14.1 Miles</span></u></b></div>
<div>
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div>
Finally, Ian and I were both on fire on the same day! Besides Stage One, I consider this one of our strongest stages. The lingering soreness I'd had was gone, more than likely due to the massage I got the day before. This stage is another long climb and descent similar to Hope Pass. To my favor, this was more two-track/road running compared to Hope Pass so I was able to make better time. </div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vbhTo0Dmdw4WOykWajKvL9RKCVBIxI1wW1hG7I2gSOGCJWiudYtFYpRB9EM55euEVUPa1-G7IEnrFLwFTcZc0Cw9NCQLpCgf2RBRsvjqUzAiHM0uJm16kO-DN77hs9gsHo-veW_dI77g/s1600/Stage-Four.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vbhTo0Dmdw4WOykWajKvL9RKCVBIxI1wW1hG7I2gSOGCJWiudYtFYpRB9EM55euEVUPa1-G7IEnrFLwFTcZc0Cw9NCQLpCgf2RBRsvjqUzAiHM0uJm16kO-DN77hs9gsHo-veW_dI77g/s1600/Stage-Four.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Stage Four.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZyQSBu_lPjHRuVbXSVHGOVWPQfPY6tvPIg1Xtm-hsbf7M10YNwMiJMTSa8xbtmhzNAgFUzkNS5T8dSxALz2f75rdCDfyQ_Dpu7hqCwSogfwraiVEhOH7DMI_OcWh03qMG3pyFVbIJrvy/s1600/08_15_14_TRR04T_0063-ZF-4932-37643-1-001-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZyQSBu_lPjHRuVbXSVHGOVWPQfPY6tvPIg1Xtm-hsbf7M10YNwMiJMTSa8xbtmhzNAgFUzkNS5T8dSxALz2f75rdCDfyQ_Dpu7hqCwSogfwraiVEhOH7DMI_OcWh03qMG3pyFVbIJrvy/s1600/08_15_14_TRR04T_0063-ZF-4932-37643-1-001-002.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running as a team. <br />
Photo by <a href="http://www.raveneyephotography.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Raven Eye Photography</span></a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
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<div>
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Stage Five: Red Cliff to Vail - 23.6 Miles</span></u></b></div>
<div>
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div>
So close yet so far to the final finish line. The majority of the runners loathed the long, gradual uphill start on a dirt road, but this was my bread and butter. But they all got their just revenge as we had another long descent into Vail...that was hard! Today was filled with more awesome views of the Rockies.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Just awesome pics of things other than us for this stage:</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3I86yUzFe3iWMw69oBrLlaoCEba-DRD4vR_szN0DqqdBfVAhduJWpSqrbL5xjbWdFa2-_DRtKU6Ibpt4VEy_rnsI3KNGizsHlm3TPwJgcZLbyOYg6m3-2T5QgYRx5apErnVEqP_Akyvc/s1600/Stage-Five.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3I86yUzFe3iWMw69oBrLlaoCEba-DRD4vR_szN0DqqdBfVAhduJWpSqrbL5xjbWdFa2-_DRtKU6Ibpt4VEy_rnsI3KNGizsHlm3TPwJgcZLbyOYg6m3-2T5QgYRx5apErnVEqP_Akyvc/s1600/Stage-Five.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUihw6OZJ2dWzpGVM1I31vIDDKm4Oyu__B83tm8r4g2WhUR9xXNE2LSmoBLR2XPKHQpYPtS7kokl2eYNkjKsrmxdmWPBWAfVCS0OMY6cQPJ8aIjSpE-MpfS91KSWakEJ744g2YHKzeei2r/s1600/so+cute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUihw6OZJ2dWzpGVM1I31vIDDKm4Oyu__B83tm8r4g2WhUR9xXNE2LSmoBLR2XPKHQpYPtS7kokl2eYNkjKsrmxdmWPBWAfVCS0OMY6cQPJ8aIjSpE-MpfS91KSWakEJ744g2YHKzeei2r/s1600/so+cute.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cute fuzzy critter on the slideshow made miss<br />
Bee and Zoroaster who had to stay at home this trip.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Stage 6: Vail to Beaver Creek - ???? Miles</span></u></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Apparently it's becoming tradition that the final stage keeps changing and subsequently the mileage seems to vary. At the briefing the night before, it turned out today was going to be longer than originally planned. It was a little rough. I had gotten the creeping crud in Leadville and it finally caught up to me. Plus, it was the last day and we were ready to see the finish line. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We successfully held on to our leader's jerseys each day and came away with the win in the Open Mixed Division! I'm not sure which was more difficult, the running or trying to zip and carry my huge duffel bag each morning.</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOU42iZGGWH6FJNwcEIw-b5HGqZclOCwFNPbUv2OLjEeVZ5r6K04q2JHKt0g60czleDDwpUm0yiCKeYYKhDJeAPq038JiZnjLrIsGu9ZyjqbR_vArLkrmOueLQuYjS8R_lMJSAz6Ii_6F/s1600/08_17_14_TRR_6M_0331-ZF-4932-37643-1-001-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOU42iZGGWH6FJNwcEIw-b5HGqZclOCwFNPbUv2OLjEeVZ5r6K04q2JHKt0g60czleDDwpUm0yiCKeYYKhDJeAPq038JiZnjLrIsGu9ZyjqbR_vArLkrmOueLQuYjS8R_lMJSAz6Ii_6F/s1600/08_17_14_TRR_6M_0331-ZF-4932-37643-1-001-003.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome shot, but I was not feeling the love.<br />
Photo by Raven Eye Photography.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1nWC7PYB1BguSjNpzDDYwBNSxX-Fyg-1MTLE21G4CnDMBxkxieUAlfvcDV28Bqexc7TL2B_sNRpGwZ5sbHMdWhpYTcSR5cvMWdCVc1cIKA_p15Hyc7Wx0yqQ4Viorl660_sAm4yTsPsQ/s1600/Stage-Six.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1nWC7PYB1BguSjNpzDDYwBNSxX-Fyg-1MTLE21G4CnDMBxkxieUAlfvcDV28Bqexc7TL2B_sNRpGwZ5sbHMdWhpYTcSR5cvMWdCVc1cIKA_p15Hyc7Wx0yqQ4Viorl660_sAm4yTsPsQ/s1600/Stage-Six.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaver Creek!! We did it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgRW-CYY_yUkQTl7PrJZS-q2z4_cup0GfUqZmCp4MS5wEjfNt_4Qs2Lg1wQ5hyBmy9rnjB-29Km-zDYX08VpBlm0X50_SWWnKH99ANO1aEMH6sem7z-PKnfhjNrcNM0F14oPewXFsy0qi/s1600/08_17_14_TRR06T_0298-ZF-4932-37643-1-001-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgRW-CYY_yUkQTl7PrJZS-q2z4_cup0GfUqZmCp4MS5wEjfNt_4Qs2Lg1wQ5hyBmy9rnjB-29Km-zDYX08VpBlm0X50_SWWnKH99ANO1aEMH6sem7z-PKnfhjNrcNM0F14oPewXFsy0qi/s1600/08_17_14_TRR06T_0298-ZF-4932-37643-1-001-001.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And we're still talking to each other. Added bonus points!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
This was a great event and we will probably be next year to take on another six days of TransRockies. </div>
<div>
Thanks to all the wonderful volunteers and race management who made each day go smoothly for all the runners. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Elimination Diet</span></u></b></div>
<div>
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div>
After having another up and down training cycle leading into Western States, I started be more aggressive with my approach to resolving the issue. Before WS, I had blood work done that showed my ferritin had dropped again and also indicated low B12, a long-standing norm in my lab results over the years. We addressed these in the typical manner with increased B12 and iron. My menstrual cycle had also been worse than usual and really took a toll on me. Loe and behold, it was that time of the month right smack on WS weekend. I started the race according to plan (run by my own effort), and started tanking well before Robinson Flat. Upon leaving Robinson, I began hiking....downhill. I was ready to drop at Dusty Corners, but logistically it was a nightmare. When I saw Ian at Michigan Bluff, he persuaded me to keep going to Foresthill and had me hammer the calories. The calories helped some but I was mentally done and <a href="http://www.irunfar.com/2014/08/your-ultra-training-bag-of-tricks-handling-the-dreaded-dnf.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">had no desire to be on the course anymore.</span></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Post-WS, we did extensive blood work-ups that showed some numbers were off, but nothing too severe. The next step has been to go with an elimination diet. Currently, I'm two weeks in and feeling like a runner again. Already the GI has improved and energy levels are increasing. I don't think I realized how bad I truly felt again...the last time I had this realization was when I went gluten-free after a massive body shut down. Going gluten-free took time, but the difference was night and day. The same process seems to be taking place again. Fingers are crossed this helps me be more consistent with my training and with less frustrations. </div>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltj_NrwMMV12fzVcRHfF-pHhm458JzTV6leperxljbQRuSJ8CbGfZHEhrz39ZMobMZwVA8KlHOC_SNEYqWtLRHL1CeEk2pEgbqgKjZF45tDTjtRFo4BvKo2JRwCjrIZZL_tzt25tz0pZm/s1600/Gaspin2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltj_NrwMMV12fzVcRHfF-pHhm458JzTV6leperxljbQRuSJ8CbGfZHEhrz39ZMobMZwVA8KlHOC_SNEYqWtLRHL1CeEk2pEgbqgKjZF45tDTjtRFo4BvKo2JRwCjrIZZL_tzt25tz0pZm/s1600/Gaspin2014.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last race before the elimination diet, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://azdailysun.com/sports/running/new-course-records-set-for-flagstaff-s-gaspin-in-the/article_8165e3be-2b56-11e4-b724-0019bb2963f4.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Gaspin in the Aspen 15k</span></a>.</span><br />
I came away with the win and unexpectedly lowered my<br />
Course Record from last year under new RD Ian Torrence.<br />
Photo by Neil Weintraub. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Upcoming Race Schedule</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
9/20 - Flagstaff Half Marathon<br />
9/27 - Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Stagecoach Line 100M Relay<br />
10/11 - Soulstice Trail Race<br />
10/18 - NAU Parkinson's 10k<br />
10/31 - <b>50km World Trophy Final</b><br />
11/21 - <b>IAU 100km World Championships</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWarrfb2fx0_N29pQreC_8e03AsC2RatzMXRWB7_0NgWpDDL5NjWwQiqmMQLTUYyM3podlOWv-1XmiUKSt2LAL5GA-AB4pzJR1DzLc1taoSxapnOMY-WtOucbeJkPCDAgJk8O5VUyD2R3P/s1600/beezkaren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWarrfb2fx0_N29pQreC_8e03AsC2RatzMXRWB7_0NgWpDDL5NjWwQiqmMQLTUYyM3podlOWv-1XmiUKSt2LAL5GA-AB4pzJR1DzLc1taoSxapnOMY-WtOucbeJkPCDAgJk8O5VUyD2R3P/s1600/beezkaren.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee and Zoroaster waiting for the ball from<br />
their babysitter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-21815872703377853882014-04-25T13:14:00.001-07:002014-04-25T13:18:56.142-07:002014 Lake Sonoma 50 MileAfter Caumsett 50k, the focus switched to Lake Sonoma 50 Mile. With only six weeks between ultras, there was no set training plan for Sonoma. The first priority was recovery from the 50k, then it was back to the trails for a month for a crash course in uphills and downhills. <br />
<br />
Lake Sonoma was lining up to be one of the most competitive 50 mile races of the year for both the men and women. I wanted to be ready to compete at the front, but in order to do that I knew I needed to improve my fueling. Overall, I was very pleased to have finally been diligent about my nutrition and hydration. It's amazing how much better my energy levels were in the final miles of the race. Maybe now I'll stop being so hardheaded to my own detriment?<br />
<br />
The day before, Ian and I met with Matt Trappe for a quick and dirty <a href="https://www.nathansports.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nathan Hydration</span></a> photo shoot. Not a bad view!<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouYwq83YeZHz128Vd1weaakHe3tyWGNOH1S4_ped4uFyy43Bn9QzjufJ1BOXgOrTO6uiptZ71eMg_agMlEA2ctkSLArvdHD0x8b0c0AKFOOS5gvmT1lHx4YcxoPXATkgX2sNoAcZbxtxP/s1600/MattTrappe_Nathan+Shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouYwq83YeZHz128Vd1weaakHe3tyWGNOH1S4_ped4uFyy43Bn9QzjufJ1BOXgOrTO6uiptZ71eMg_agMlEA2ctkSLArvdHD0x8b0c0AKFOOS5gvmT1lHx4YcxoPXATkgX2sNoAcZbxtxP/s1600/MattTrappe_Nathan+Shoot.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Race day!<br />
<br />
During the first couple miles on the road, Sally McRae, <a href="http://stephaniemariehowe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Stephanie Howe</span></a>, Jodie Adams-Moore and I quickly found each other. When we hit the trail, runners all around took advantage of the first major downhill and bombed down the trail. The next several miles were comprised of several lead changes and chit chat with Stephanie. She had run Sonoma before, so she shared some tips of the trade about the course.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjj0vplQ0Op6F4xOjm4ZUGpJGc03ANp-MuPjFZrzTA2BOqwQ9V5GqYukB_fenb-csUHCoahFQb740_8faG0xcxWqVJm2HjoS9Ny-uwYdvbB_0PbrC7L1y6YG-1E-pDqU0jFENcGj7u1gb/s1600/SonomaClark_NateDunn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjj0vplQ0Op6F4xOjm4ZUGpJGc03ANp-MuPjFZrzTA2BOqwQ9V5GqYukB_fenb-csUHCoahFQb740_8faG0xcxWqVJm2HjoS9Ny-uwYdvbB_0PbrC7L1y6YG-1E-pDqU0jFENcGj7u1gb/s1600/SonomaClark_NateDunn.jpg" height="193" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running with Nick Clark. Stephanie and Jodie are also<br />
close by.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4-AlgSMLmCS70iFrF8fg2Y9DvgK2x2uy-1UzHsXvXTryk_T9FiPpejhIQVpZoYvmvmGr7ufqArS419rS2Y4IUzr2zvgIkpPCbTyFzMpjpZ8273Ktoapm6qIyaaVeheqHKnDrJ4Svo0cZ/s1600/SonomaCreek_JosephCondon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4-AlgSMLmCS70iFrF8fg2Y9DvgK2x2uy-1UzHsXvXTryk_T9FiPpejhIQVpZoYvmvmGr7ufqArS419rS2Y4IUzr2zvgIkpPCbTyFzMpjpZ8273Ktoapm6qIyaaVeheqHKnDrJ4Svo0cZ/s1600/SonomaCreek_JosephCondon.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creek crossing! The creeks were low this year, but still<br />
had enough water to get your feet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
At the Wulfow aid station (about 17 miles in), the break from the pack happened. It wasn't planned and at first I hoped it wasn't a fatal flaw. I made the rookie mistakes at 2012 JFK of pushing too hard too early, combined with no caloric intake. I did not want a repeat of that on a course I wasn't familiar with and with women waiting to pick up the pieces. I quickly did a systems check, felt I was still running comfortable, plus I had found a rhythm which is when I run best. I decided at this point I had to go with it. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYwVLkuQSlPEkY8r1Ev0UL9kkkRqws6o3rjMJOdGGmIuAr7kuZisjmFR-3oSsn8tjKmWeT1TwIu6sj72GS_Bj2bZNaeWWhs6DphrUVvxTKwffMzAb1i7E2M9VNn1NgwcjiVFD3N0La2J-/s1600/Truckin_IanTorrence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYwVLkuQSlPEkY8r1Ev0UL9kkkRqws6o3rjMJOdGGmIuAr7kuZisjmFR-3oSsn8tjKmWeT1TwIu6sj72GS_Bj2bZNaeWWhs6DphrUVvxTKwffMzAb1i7E2M9VNn1NgwcjiVFD3N0La2J-/s1600/Truckin_IanTorrence.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruising on smooth trail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The rough patch. Not that it has to happen, but I'm not surprised it happened. I was started to feel my quads going a little before halfway, but otherwise I was doing fine. I saw Ian again at No Name Flat (25 mi) and we quickly did the bottle swap and got reloaded. It was foggy which was awesome to run through. The day before, this section of the course was sunny and warm. I was thankful that the sun hadn't come through yet, making it much cooler. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2_y01tdTWq0Gr3BkT36j3qrnZ1YM7wdvsNQhIxla7XSkQpL75kl2IodFD_KVDVLnGyz_8kkw47obu_PvXx66iQPrK7adnAGtV5qZbVRUEVxhVtNraQwXiIg0JmyiEF6lfBkhzPKcFb5U/s1600/SonomaDown_ChihpingFu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2_y01tdTWq0Gr3BkT36j3qrnZ1YM7wdvsNQhIxla7XSkQpL75kl2IodFD_KVDVLnGyz_8kkw47obu_PvXx66iQPrK7adnAGtV5qZbVRUEVxhVtNraQwXiIg0JmyiEF6lfBkhzPKcFb5U/s1600/SonomaDown_ChihpingFu.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a lot of activity around No Name Flat. I could<br />
also get a feel for where the other runners were on the 1.5 mile loop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Then I left No Name Flat and things started to fall apart a bit. For some reason, I struggled from No Name Flat to Madrone Point (30.9 mi). Twenty miles is a long way to go! After I saw Ian again at Madrone Point, I found my rhythm again and felt much better. My quads weren't getting any better, but there was nothing I could do about that. <br />
<br />
All in all, I wanted to keep running smooth and effortless for as long as possible. If I had to respond, I wanted to be able to. After Warm Springs Creek aid station, it's a long 12 miles without seeing your crew. It was nice to see a familiar face in adiultra teammate <a href="http://adidasultra.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Brian Tinder</span></a> at the small out and back at 45.5 miles. Joe Uhan was also hot on my heels and ended flying past me a couple miles from the finish. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lkXMdhEpij9B8-o0tWrtRrEQ6gVD5-DhiRRr_xAFtOBaiK9PiHz4ardyZyLeUeZtEBPF5VC0dkGiapbimeRwBCtmNcqFiBJO7D8z5qVBZrv4kWYuA2BDKIlbFUHYReRrtE7fhJRyFvHS/s1600/Woods_TannerVonJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lkXMdhEpij9B8-o0tWrtRrEQ6gVD5-DhiRRr_xAFtOBaiK9PiHz4ardyZyLeUeZtEBPF5VC0dkGiapbimeRwBCtmNcqFiBJO7D8z5qVBZrv4kWYuA2BDKIlbFUHYReRrtE7fhJRyFvHS/s1600/Woods_TannerVonJ.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More beautiful scenery of the course.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The day finished with a win and new course record of 7:26:15. I was very happy with day! Race Director John Medinger, his wife Lisa, and all of their volunteers provided outstanding accommodations for the weekend. Thanks to Ian for crewing and making the whole process seamless.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwIy_taJAdgHSosjcFLdDhEY9H0OaIko_sbN9CZYvyW4Ujq_18G9-Dv4Fkb3Q3g_fzIlD1sVpo7997QWZeATR40pCsZASUTd93Rj5HitZbXKs9COym4FvoC06f3MWlTl6WxH_7rfEVp0R/s1600/Howe&I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwIy_taJAdgHSosjcFLdDhEY9H0OaIko_sbN9CZYvyW4Ujq_18G9-Dv4Fkb3Q3g_fzIlD1sVpo7997QWZeATR40pCsZASUTd93Rj5HitZbXKs9COym4FvoC06f3MWlTl6WxH_7rfEVp0R/s1600/Howe&I.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephanie Howe and I post-race.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMX-2zaA_yCLzlGbiSEKHHuJPVI2KAxD51_PTzuhYh9DAPQW9FBj8alFy-WhCqX0j8C97c5y2Phd2kGzRCg2qalUtldM4-DdMqXoBv9AmNJzJ-JGxNljvC3g246fdivribRqGYGy2zhD2/s1600/MikeShaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMX-2zaA_yCLzlGbiSEKHHuJPVI2KAxD51_PTzuhYh9DAPQW9FBj8alFy-WhCqX0j8C97c5y2Phd2kGzRCg2qalUtldM4-DdMqXoBv9AmNJzJ-JGxNljvC3g246fdivribRqGYGy2zhD2/s1600/MikeShaw.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out with Mike (my Mom's HS swim coach) post-race.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<u>Gear of the day:</u><br />
<a href="http://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/adidas-adios-boost/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">adidas adios boost</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.injinji.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Injinji medium-weight sock</span></a><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.nathansports.com/hydration/race-vests/firecatcher" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nathan Fire Catcher vest</span></a></span><br />
<a href="https://www.nathansports.com/hydration/handhelds/speeddraw-plus-insulated" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nathan SpeedDraw Plus Insulated handheld</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
To top to it all off, I received the biggest bottle of wine I've ever seen!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6itSl2eC4LSKGU8WJtAzbpno0CgsWp5BP_MktwQCIwUF3oUITw0rclcsyQbTbHhBdxExG2JsMLGLPu3prr0viwwqY3tMLook_ZyoqEdFWdrBlrmtfoaeQx6YdqDzERkjO-s3vuUSEZFHm/s1600/BigwineLittlewine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6itSl2eC4LSKGU8WJtAzbpno0CgsWp5BP_MktwQCIwUF3oUITw0rclcsyQbTbHhBdxExG2JsMLGLPu3prr0viwwqY3tMLook_ZyoqEdFWdrBlrmtfoaeQx6YdqDzERkjO-s3vuUSEZFHm/s1600/BigwineLittlewine.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWyPyhHMmr1n82XHOSfHMmy7E7MEbDmZR1I3chFVEJhco2LFB1T78kCg_OI4s0VTcHQQRhhjFe_DcCLkNaB1NM9HdcjNDAE0NI4kY61CojvnLKX410T7KesDQuyw-fsHBXK9X2wEV3XSK/s1600/Bee&ZBigWine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWyPyhHMmr1n82XHOSfHMmy7E7MEbDmZR1I3chFVEJhco2LFB1T78kCg_OI4s0VTcHQQRhhjFe_DcCLkNaB1NM9HdcjNDAE0NI4kY61CojvnLKX410T7KesDQuyw-fsHBXK9X2wEV3XSK/s1600/Bee&ZBigWine.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee and Z really only care about the ball in my hand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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A bonus photo of an awesome sunset in Flagstaff on Earth Day.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8X43qsUCgsmuHYd7YjrodCtfdPXdx0pHIzFyyKTQnxTyoOJEkvaoweAp6b2E58k72jH0hIo-A9-Enx8rKCVIuSQGDNlceSg1xXonRRte9lJ596XABQAHm_JP-9NDvqumuTN4UlwMvzTI/s1600/Earth+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8X43qsUCgsmuHYd7YjrodCtfdPXdx0pHIzFyyKTQnxTyoOJEkvaoweAp6b2E58k72jH0hIo-A9-Enx8rKCVIuSQGDNlceSg1xXonRRte9lJ596XABQAHm_JP-9NDvqumuTN4UlwMvzTI/s1600/Earth+Day.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from the back deck. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Photo credits: Chihping Fu, Ian Torrence, Joseph Condon, Matt Trappe, and Nate Dunn.<br />
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-6273414702007258992014-03-11T19:45:00.000-07:002014-03-11T19:45:43.643-07:00USA 50km Road Championships (Caumsett 50k)<div>
1st Place Female, 4th Overall. My final time of 3:15 is the second-fastest 50k by a North American and was 69-seconds off Janis Klecker's American Record (3:13:51) from 1983. </div>
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I don't really have any revelations for this blog since most of the race highlights and details have been covered in <a href="http://www.irunfar.com/2014/03/emily-harrison-usatf-50k-road-championshipscaumsett-50k-champion-interview.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">iRunFar's article</span> </a>and <a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-50k-national-road-championship.html" style="color: magenta;" target="_blank">Ian Torrence's blog</a>, covering the two months of training leading into the race.<div>
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<div>
Racy day! While temperatures were brisk, we got lucky that the impending snow storm held off. The heated tent at the start/finish line was a welcome sight!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjco_326gUrw3FWNSj3dhZoXu8QBQAkvXTjrBViFafq53N3r7tJGrKYXiQG5ZATn7wlp0KLW9KA-YlSrkazXVUG6XnxF3miCbsvMaeM62_Hxc_YOekhF_-5DlcWbhoZimXhTp0sH-ph4R/s1600/Heated+Tent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjco_326gUrw3FWNSj3dhZoXu8QBQAkvXTjrBViFafq53N3r7tJGrKYXiQG5ZATn7wlp0KLW9KA-YlSrkazXVUG6XnxF3miCbsvMaeM62_Hxc_YOekhF_-5DlcWbhoZimXhTp0sH-ph4R/s1600/Heated+Tent.jpg" height="320" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by GLIRC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUGn4qnW8niQjyN85UMXKQTB5e1Q2O4AjUfb6WCj1iE8sN5pN6If28Ce-1nC2TEO_ZtQJ_qH6dd87saR8ybJpdo0AULS8r6PNrFxlLyuRYZf7BgGSMVj3fgRvqsWseHkGnjTta9Rr6pd5/s1600/Start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUGn4qnW8niQjyN85UMXKQTB5e1Q2O4AjUfb6WCj1iE8sN5pN6If28Ce-1nC2TEO_ZtQJ_qH6dd87saR8ybJpdo0AULS8r6PNrFxlLyuRYZf7BgGSMVj3fgRvqsWseHkGnjTta9Rr6pd5/s1600/Start.jpg" height="277" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And we're off!<br />Photo by GLIRC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
The lead men wasted no time in settling into a quick pace. Ethan Coffey would go on to set a new course record, while Michael Wardian finished a strong second with a sub-3 hour run.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTH-eLt83MPs3kRHXt9lOms3adXG1AdiMcjOjjQsSwEWpJcauY1NIN8fOL5QUG0W0_yuR3XI_AMsr8eNrOkeYHKsAdDwyFlW7-j0UFP09Dx8MuSEYFK9w4DtN6L-6OHudcowAiGnpP37e/s1600/Caumsett+Lead+Men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTH-eLt83MPs3kRHXt9lOms3adXG1AdiMcjOjjQsSwEWpJcauY1NIN8fOL5QUG0W0_yuR3XI_AMsr8eNrOkeYHKsAdDwyFlW7-j0UFP09Dx8MuSEYFK9w4DtN6L-6OHudcowAiGnpP37e/s1600/Caumsett+Lead+Men.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ethan Coffey, Michael Wardian and Joseph Gray.<br />Photo by GLIRC.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<div>
My family stationed themselves at the beginning of the out-and-back section of the loop, so I saw them twice on each 5k loop. This worked perfectly for my nutrition plan...I'd grab my <a href="https://www.nathansports.com/hydration/handhelds/quickshot-plus-insulated" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Nathan QuickShot Plus Insulated</span></a>, carry it for the out and back, drop it, and take a gel for the rest of the loop.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgeF6Yj6vDOF2Tl29QWxE7vyEoILO8jci9X1TMR2XemIln5rELQgU1CExdxoyJGcEodCD3M1ZNnsmnGFtvL9DmAtLfSpwN7es0l7qEyQakhstWou6OvHuAjSvTTap6ZzuTrui0aCLUd7k/s1600/Em+50K+Road+Champ+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgeF6Yj6vDOF2Tl29QWxE7vyEoILO8jci9X1TMR2XemIln5rELQgU1CExdxoyJGcEodCD3M1ZNnsmnGFtvL9DmAtLfSpwN7es0l7qEyQakhstWou6OvHuAjSvTTap6ZzuTrui0aCLUd7k/s1600/Em+50K+Road+Champ+5.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking my bottle from Mema for the out-and-back.<br />Photo by Sandra Morris.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnCq9Nl7xyoOSfVVutex-VsvkJQVFljqc0tIS4cnETO94_o94XBODZ2kcRSJ4W2uo5aP29fG4I3elhz8G0KLHHUtJTnPcuj6JluXC-9WUcTANeUc-AFhzk1JfQVHC9v8GV-LA4e9pTqMd/s1600/Looping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnCq9Nl7xyoOSfVVutex-VsvkJQVFljqc0tIS4cnETO94_o94XBODZ2kcRSJ4W2uo5aP29fG4I3elhz8G0KLHHUtJTnPcuj6JluXC-9WUcTANeUc-AFhzk1JfQVHC9v8GV-LA4e9pTqMd/s1600/Looping.jpg" height="320" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading out for another loop. Other than passing through<br />other runners, I ran the race solo from the gun.<br />Photo by GLIRC.<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Cx59_43McK432KM0Uc5N6muRU0HaGIA57dsUCOOeR0rRJMEPiK_niCsFibnwL1yXTus0Hs_y5-zzEmUb-za_SCFbLqncoD1XT7P07Sja-MtHFouETG4-NIgbhtBOFK6hCrWyBL4NdNM2/s1600/Emily+50k+Road+Champ+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Cx59_43McK432KM0Uc5N6muRU0HaGIA57dsUCOOeR0rRJMEPiK_niCsFibnwL1yXTus0Hs_y5-zzEmUb-za_SCFbLqncoD1XT7P07Sja-MtHFouETG4-NIgbhtBOFK6hCrWyBL4NdNM2/s1600/Emily+50k+Road+Champ+2014.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running relaxed.<br />Photo by Sandra Morris.</td></tr>
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<div>
What Ian didn't say in his blog, is that Caumsett marked his 179th ultra finish!! His marathon split was only a couple minutes off his 2013 Boston Marathon time, but this time he kept going to finish 50k in 3:38 for 11th place. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWLaivYXJYOvJxAfx9y60Jm-ePXTEV-DmIkh5EjXVL0wmIT_VZLBAnmppZVgHpm7wa7BHM1sqsbSOVdS3T0WwYAsk5t5N786bzM7moR2dyhVyq0dVb-L2hfF5kFX9wAKnMTxXggzkLo5S/s1600/IanCaumsett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWLaivYXJYOvJxAfx9y60Jm-ePXTEV-DmIkh5EjXVL0wmIT_VZLBAnmppZVgHpm7wa7BHM1sqsbSOVdS3T0WwYAsk5t5N786bzM7moR2dyhVyq0dVb-L2hfF5kFX9wAKnMTxXggzkLo5S/s1600/IanCaumsett.jpg" height="320" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running with a pack in the early miles.<br />Photo by GLIRC.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1fgz9aOXPPbloF3fbi_bDB37OWIox7GVKlBD8ucPw_EJ7b2jYqgWitFrhCqoN3QFxdLUjxAfL60l_gWlFeDt5sNPzz1zfwbfjh0BGfcF1DZO7oQCKen4kxNp45jVEvY0slOmX-H9STri/s1600/Ian+Caumsett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1fgz9aOXPPbloF3fbi_bDB37OWIox7GVKlBD8ucPw_EJ7b2jYqgWitFrhCqoN3QFxdLUjxAfL60l_gWlFeDt5sNPzz1zfwbfjh0BGfcF1DZO7oQCKen4kxNp45jVEvY0slOmX-H9STri/s1600/Ian+Caumsett.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming off the out-and-back section.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6ZjMvjQ9AxFbdKnAaY1KalahjGUGXgmHUazi2CEmAG18_-v1Uw5YDDq4WCsbpSELHAzKq-Xp3XSJq2c-9kc44w2Ild-aixQ2xq0RB0IShAspVYNMMbQSmJ9JGp3ihWXk-pJES03QvU6_/s1600/Big+Check.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6ZjMvjQ9AxFbdKnAaY1KalahjGUGXgmHUazi2CEmAG18_-v1Uw5YDDq4WCsbpSELHAzKq-Xp3XSJq2c-9kc44w2Ild-aixQ2xq0RB0IShAspVYNMMbQSmJ9JGp3ihWXk-pJES03QvU6_/s1600/Big+Check.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receiving awards from Carl, the Race Director.<br />Photo by Cheryl & David Harrison.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmcVDZFQM-Xdt6FuN6tmWWYZKvctyFhcuj5mV-IBvXIaRhPt2rsTiSb83E9eLkmeH5kqod5S9G7SxT_DA8uxVf2PoNRWOHwqR_X13AnF89_JclmNzzamJMYAZK0afOriCFsFhcLqDbQ_g/s1600/Ian+&+RDCarl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmcVDZFQM-Xdt6FuN6tmWWYZKvctyFhcuj5mV-IBvXIaRhPt2rsTiSb83E9eLkmeH5kqod5S9G7SxT_DA8uxVf2PoNRWOHwqR_X13AnF89_JclmNzzamJMYAZK0afOriCFsFhcLqDbQ_g/s1600/Ian+&+RDCarl.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian also receives his medal from the RD.<br />Photo by Cheryl & David Harrison.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lWKnfnWUeedSzgsSsGfMthoSQ0Ty_rkEsv_0PWODt99SCiHn-d4KhnmE55Fy_tNeL_kTyldBeSwfrD5BhAXej23Gld5qCa3IFn34SGKDkKUdhtXTQSiZG23M0IXDbh-_LgmtAIhy1-dQ/s1600/Ian+&+Emily+Caumsett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lWKnfnWUeedSzgsSsGfMthoSQ0Ty_rkEsv_0PWODt99SCiHn-d4KhnmE55Fy_tNeL_kTyldBeSwfrD5BhAXej23Gld5qCa3IFn34SGKDkKUdhtXTQSiZG23M0IXDbh-_LgmtAIhy1-dQ/s1600/Ian+&+Emily+Caumsett.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-race. Trust me, we're colder than we look!</td></tr>
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The following day we joined New York Running Company's Ultra Sexy Pace for a run and Q&A. Nathan and adidas were also in attendance, getting runners outfitted in Nathan reflective gear and adidas Boosts for our night run through Central Park. Thankfully I was able to squeak out 2.75 miles with the group even if I did almost get dropped.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUGnE52gSbrQHN_IayhRglSVVg2PQQ9BkxnSztzD1KvCx8eA5PyBKkjG-SAFi2SLQLBNIOlgjuwRE45GT7Be064iVngnX3ebYsefoeWKt3jmLwhWUwZUCVdLfhwIUtwC5QjqcpaiXhbEK/s1600/NY+Running+Co.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUGnE52gSbrQHN_IayhRglSVVg2PQQ9BkxnSztzD1KvCx8eA5PyBKkjG-SAFi2SLQLBNIOlgjuwRE45GT7Be064iVngnX3ebYsefoeWKt3jmLwhWUwZUCVdLfhwIUtwC5QjqcpaiXhbEK/s1600/NY+Running+Co.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Mary Arnold.</td></tr>
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A big thank you to <a href="http://www.drajgregg.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Dr. AJ Gregg</span></a> for keeping me healthy along the way. To Ian for providing training and moral support to help me reach my goals. To my family for driving 7+ hours to see me race. And to all the sponsors who complete the package: <a href="http://adidasultra.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">adidas Ultra Team</span></a>, <a href="https://www.nathansports.com/" style="color: magenta;" target="_blank">Nathan Performance</a>, <a href="http://www.injinji.com/" style="color: magenta;" target="_blank">Injinji</a>, <a href="http://www.teamrunflagstaff.com/programs/trf-pro/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Team Run Flagstaff Pro</span></a>, and <a href="http://www.newbelgium.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">New Belgium Brewing</span></a>. </div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-4825403730206713192013-12-22T15:48:00.001-07:002013-12-22T15:48:54.414-07:005 Weeks - A Road Trip and Three Races<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It all started back at Bootlegger 50k and ended just in time for Christmas. <a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Ian</span></a> and I left Las Vegas and proceeded to cover 21 states from east coast to west coast (driving of course!) over 5 weeks. We saw -23 degree temps, ice and snow. Needless to say, there was no camping on this trip. Oh, and there was some racing along the way! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnlTcMzz1Gf_7fgjsq3jE7rb4nYtjge19cYAyLlL8FrIBAa-UScy5NVMXJdB8wfdbLIQ2AqzFVK9dJZbXxy112DZJ8xgeq-TZlvvbLiHCXfXsGo33Ix21JIx28yPsLWmyLIxrAOx1kn9P/s1600/BeerMile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnlTcMzz1Gf_7fgjsq3jE7rb4nYtjge19cYAyLlL8FrIBAa-UScy5NVMXJdB8wfdbLIQ2AqzFVK9dJZbXxy112DZJ8xgeq-TZlvvbLiHCXfXsGo33Ix21JIx28yPsLWmyLIxrAOx1kn9P/s1600/BeerMile.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian's Beer Mile at the cinder pit. Everyone is all smiles beforehand.</td></tr>
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Next....back to Vegas for the Rock 'N Roll Las Vegas Marathon Expo to help out adiultra teammate <a href="http://adidasultra.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Josh Brimhall</span></a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKkugBvUhldw_KsDMEDgvvbxRqWiu66fGkZCGhIQQj8nve3TB8FkGniZvD_Fqs9rcVAn5u8FO1B9S6_XOFKp4HSLVL-qLZAdg1OQ_Qfvmdc6lvb0RsfbPyZVhJBwnd72gz6f32thC7Jkj/s1600/2xu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKkugBvUhldw_KsDMEDgvvbxRqWiu66fGkZCGhIQQj8nve3TB8FkGniZvD_Fqs9rcVAn5u8FO1B9S6_XOFKp4HSLVL-qLZAdg1OQ_Qfvmdc6lvb0RsfbPyZVhJBwnd72gz6f32thC7Jkj/s1600/2xu.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helping out Red Rock Running Company at the 2xu<br />compression booth. Lots of product to learn!</td></tr>
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To the east coast!!<br />
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After Bootlegger 50k (race report <span style="color: magenta;">here</span>), it was off to the 51st Annual JFK 50 Mile. While my time was off my PR from last year, I was very happy to come away with the win this year. I wouldn't say race conditions were bad, but they were less than ideal with increasing winds and dropping temperatures as the day went on. <br />
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Thanks to my grandparents and parents for being there to crew for us. It's always nice to see familiar faces along the lonely stretches of the C&O Canal and for being able to witness my Dad blowing by the traffic jam. After all, he "had runners to meet!"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqrnEi98BPy5ERtyL0SfA-4jZicU6kjSEa79rpkmyoKmx3mX1pgH7yE1O0E1uYyLLAfUb6Po9ztuc9PnQnMx6ZiHLRKG7AnMZntWkd0VtW87yir9qdDHj4JjhL4Pdi102Cfvbj9Fy-HqE/s1600/Trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqrnEi98BPy5ERtyL0SfA-4jZicU6kjSEa79rpkmyoKmx3mX1pgH7yE1O0E1uYyLLAfUb6Po9ztuc9PnQnMx6ZiHLRKG7AnMZntWkd0VtW87yir9qdDHj4JjhL4Pdi102Cfvbj9Fy-HqE/s1600/Trail.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Navigating the Appalachian Trail.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0gQ53zoDJLjTYXp_s4-93kZJgVi9kakCv29BxhLh9CNrVgyXketmqC1l1Bi05MIdfE0UYBJr3zhCClvxOklagcu9tPdSpAFGTA4ixfizXJuTtkgOm3pYQp266YliWhX_DjMOJymZRwVN/s1600/FinishJFK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0gQ53zoDJLjTYXp_s4-93kZJgVi9kakCv29BxhLh9CNrVgyXketmqC1l1Bi05MIdfE0UYBJr3zhCClvxOklagcu9tPdSpAFGTA4ixfizXJuTtkgOm3pYQp266YliWhX_DjMOJymZRwVN/s1600/FinishJFK.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish in 1st and 6:35.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xtFVkWY0flgKPX0myeZLob-89QBBU8CVb2tbpa2VE9N1FBVSTVxC-lvQjFOoPIwEieG5wKjjVMCnQuRqae0ce0TrC6UtJfLSAsEUs8x05In1OIadn1B6uuVOhbvtH99_b4sWDjo1VgHJ/s1600/Ian19thJFK.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xtFVkWY0flgKPX0myeZLob-89QBBU8CVb2tbpa2VE9N1FBVSTVxC-lvQjFOoPIwEieG5wKjjVMCnQuRqae0ce0TrC6UtJfLSAsEUs8x05In1OIadn1B6uuVOhbvtH99_b4sWDjo1VgHJ/s1600/Ian19thJFK.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian finishes his 19th JFK!</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPOSYLWpfS5ZT1_cwHJPfYpfuBfyVXClBzWIdeVSHkM3ozrTdW0qMbmO6Qt7ZjE8g_j2YgdyCaqv5s8jhtOgbGAAuJLHGk_zyzLRVbmv_RhWuXhi3MqY4IYYXashCB3MbLyz4-ByyYmiP/s1600/Spinnler2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPOSYLWpfS5ZT1_cwHJPfYpfuBfyVXClBzWIdeVSHkM3ozrTdW0qMbmO6Qt7ZjE8g_j2YgdyCaqv5s8jhtOgbGAAuJLHGk_zyzLRVbmv_RhWuXhi3MqY4IYYXashCB3MbLyz4-ByyYmiP/s1600/Spinnler2013.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Congratulations from RD Mike Spinnler.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxgocU8wtd61YxU9_TfLYI5nEYpPAemjA2yg-BZTPDXOjwATCxdPeJKZBezjC4WW867DDhdKH6tqxB2mvqjNUT_jD5xh1hPaGbT6M8z8xRnxP_A05lafGA3H1vCWROvBfe7iKowFiWWst/s1600/top+JFK+women.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxgocU8wtd61YxU9_TfLYI5nEYpPAemjA2yg-BZTPDXOjwATCxdPeJKZBezjC4WW867DDhdKH6tqxB2mvqjNUT_jD5xh1hPaGbT6M8z8xRnxP_A05lafGA3H1vCWROvBfe7iKowFiWWst/s1600/top+JFK+women.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten Women.</td></tr>
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A few days later, it was time to defend my title at the Pie and Glove 5k. It's becoming tradition to be here, so hopefully we'll be back in 2014!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcWuuP0jm-RDrEI_Gs7f-yI6W6b35V62p37ZvCY5NGf87PngviHlo_ocnw8w0Ec9Go2E8jrqdn6aPn_wTvRdi_qLgCb93_9wSod7-_7biG-A2wzBLJvKUjq_Ig5wAO9c1aT3gMjQlYuxy/s1600/2013Pie&Glove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcWuuP0jm-RDrEI_Gs7f-yI6W6b35V62p37ZvCY5NGf87PngviHlo_ocnw8w0Ec9Go2E8jrqdn6aPn_wTvRdi_qLgCb93_9wSod7-_7biG-A2wzBLJvKUjq_Ig5wAO9c1aT3gMjQlYuxy/s1600/2013Pie&Glove.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee and Z helping show off my pie.</td></tr>
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We had to travel from New York to Oregon to hit up the next race of the trip. Here were some of the sights along the way.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gZs6KNbI8LwKF6N1l_loA-a1U9Wr6c_W6ReuE76SRms5Giw1bPMkAWMfptsKm7HToRrR4F5qvFu6OcjjH0g5fffQdGCzCcnFoQZU07i3ymYMjRI97Wryox6d8R_4lfWjRbms5vnj3PtU/s1600/FamilyVacationBus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gZs6KNbI8LwKF6N1l_loA-a1U9Wr6c_W6ReuE76SRms5Giw1bPMkAWMfptsKm7HToRrR4F5qvFu6OcjjH0g5fffQdGCzCcnFoQZU07i3ymYMjRI97Wryox6d8R_4lfWjRbms5vnj3PtU/s1600/FamilyVacationBus.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who would have thought we'd get to see Uncle Eddie's RV from<br />National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?</td></tr>
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<div>
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<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUGOt6ovZbmgC3M6rqtp25VaaoTAbexqhAN9QeCGHIYewpgeeS1KoCG0nJPsiyiXoLBzE7QO6NSY0bv1xpokEEYFjxg8bEDvrpv1nCWJGnVsSRyG_ZiHWOE5Jo7jIpjn4HmR5ZR7QRo95/s1600/BonnevilleSaltFlats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUGOt6ovZbmgC3M6rqtp25VaaoTAbexqhAN9QeCGHIYewpgeeS1KoCG0nJPsiyiXoLBzE7QO6NSY0bv1xpokEEYFjxg8bEDvrpv1nCWJGnVsSRyG_ZiHWOE5Jo7jIpjn4HmR5ZR7QRo95/s1600/BonnevilleSaltFlats.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving by the Bonneville Salt Flats. Maybe one day I can<br />witness a land speed record attempt here. <br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Last race of the trip....USATF National Club XC Championships in Bend, Oregon. This was another location on the map that I got to see for the first time. I was honored to race for Team Run Flagstaff with Amy Val Alstine (2nd place!), Kellyn Johnson (5th place), Trina Painter, Leah Rosenfeld, and Hillary Hayes. We came away with a 6th place team finish. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxtp-cSeOsCQ5xWXuegPbeCyInDdkthyphenhyphenEVKAP4qPZD3x8Hq210ppeHCeWYQjz_Cpei-Hro-UajHrsXppYxoYxO2KX3LGXzJEAnNfHaENBrVWkkl_FFf5FnLO8bxI4rSaHIKexJqoDcJxD/s1600/TeamRunFlagstaffClubXC2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxtp-cSeOsCQ5xWXuegPbeCyInDdkthyphenhyphenEVKAP4qPZD3x8Hq210ppeHCeWYQjz_Cpei-Hro-UajHrsXppYxoYxO2KX3LGXzJEAnNfHaENBrVWkkl_FFf5FnLO8bxI4rSaHIKexJqoDcJxD/s1600/TeamRunFlagstaffClubXC2013.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the starting line moments before the gun went off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After a couple more says in Oregon, it was time to head back to Flagstaff.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UzOH621oX-uDy_kyUzz9i0kmyhRBVKtrwZOKg53Lk4ibg76d7ljW6FpFthYHBP6ZpNxOXSPQAydkmZDRXB0EgZKUyfZ8S1gaMZXzGBfp8kwqmvI9deGm9DoxOOMc7LAMIFzmXrbU5gSt/s1600/black-butte-mount-shasta-by-john-soares-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UzOH621oX-uDy_kyUzz9i0kmyhRBVKtrwZOKg53Lk4ibg76d7ljW6FpFthYHBP6ZpNxOXSPQAydkmZDRXB0EgZKUyfZ8S1gaMZXzGBfp8kwqmvI9deGm9DoxOOMc7LAMIFzmXrbU5gSt/s1600/black-butte-mount-shasta-by-john-soares-02.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the way, we went to the top of Black Butte near Mount Shasta.<br />Photo by John Soares</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LiwB98L-ylmMZW0RFBLf-9bqgXkiXENIeif54Vtj6QAz3UCfEB14V9U2hG9bEDbQBJvoKTtsroWd1-ZbFhzwP7CCWVYgRvW3st-bhRbxjWj6zzIgZ2JhH8-3HW0t1Y6lL0YRuqqrbxwy/s1600/Sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LiwB98L-ylmMZW0RFBLf-9bqgXkiXENIeif54Vtj6QAz3UCfEB14V9U2hG9bEDbQBJvoKTtsroWd1-ZbFhzwP7CCWVYgRvW3st-bhRbxjWj6zzIgZ2JhH8-3HW0t1Y6lL0YRuqqrbxwy/s1600/Sunset.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">California sunset!</td></tr>
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Thank you to all of our family and friends who let us stay with them on this trip! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQU38BCbigc2u8Z8EwRYtIK2sDEjafzlj9VS6ZqxXhdmRHgCUxRo6fVNUTm4BHEDIpRFy0fu_IPyZ2R80U84NoT6EemNfZLIQe9SYOIqEpEs6hGnRY38fkAsAXTqCVDz6Q26FyNSt2kkg/s1600/BEE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQU38BCbigc2u8Z8EwRYtIK2sDEjafzlj9VS6ZqxXhdmRHgCUxRo6fVNUTm4BHEDIpRFy0fu_IPyZ2R80U84NoT6EemNfZLIQe9SYOIqEpEs6hGnRY38fkAsAXTqCVDz6Q26FyNSt2kkg/s1600/BEE.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least through all of the travels, Bee was able<br />to get her beauty rest.</td></tr>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-22127326804477295482013-11-24T12:09:00.000-07:002013-11-24T12:09:07.923-07:00Last Minute Racing: Stagecoach Line 100 Mile and Bootlegger 50kI had to take more time off than originally planned after Western States this summer, which put a kink in racing plans. After weekly visits to <a href="http://www.drajgregg.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Dr. AJ Gregg</span></a> for Graston work and time off, I was finally able to get out the door again. I was worried about fitness not being there, but after a few weeks I was starting to feel like a runner again.<br />
<br />
In October, I got to be part of the race management crew headed by Ian Torrence for the inaugural <a href="http://www.aztrail.org/ultrarun/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Stagecoach Line 100 Mile and Relay</span></a>. On Friday before the race I got a call from Vince, owner of <a href="http://www.runflagstaff.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Run Flagstaff</span></a>, asking if I'd like to be on their relay team. I couldn't pass up on the chance to race, so after my post-race duties were done I got ready to race...at 9pm.<br />
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Photos by <a href="http://kristinwilsonphotography.smugmug.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Kristin Wilson</span></a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCYR-12JAU68pwI0Bl5AeTAEkcHSxYnA7M1ioLa2Vx5Ic3g317EQekMMUMEygNc247K2J2qCXd_fvoCWi76A20WDR6p6KWjCxVIGX8pCr3HQMjP6q4IiO1eNDI2LlFizqpWm7VwUGVjES/s1600/BriefingStagecoach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCYR-12JAU68pwI0Bl5AeTAEkcHSxYnA7M1ioLa2Vx5Ic3g317EQekMMUMEygNc247K2J2qCXd_fvoCWi76A20WDR6p6KWjCxVIGX8pCr3HQMjP6q4IiO1eNDI2LlFizqpWm7VwUGVjES/s1600/BriefingStagecoach.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tailgate pre-race briefing by Race Director Ian Torrence and<br />
AZ Trail's Matt Nelson.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZsSAwJUE67wjoMlAF3nycQhiCwOHrKNwe2Jop999jFMqq04SpdFcjyDoZxPThhgFhyQsy0oomBTAvpbhmwYFpa1p2lZ6yO1Q38O4aBEpFwBb38kzfZCk-D_4gSU5uCDCguWuAp5L_i3E/s1600/LeadMen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZsSAwJUE67wjoMlAF3nycQhiCwOHrKNwe2Jop999jFMqq04SpdFcjyDoZxPThhgFhyQsy0oomBTAvpbhmwYFpa1p2lZ6yO1Q38O4aBEpFwBb38kzfZCk-D_4gSU5uCDCguWuAp5L_i3E/s1600/LeadMen.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early leaders running as a pack.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPdzGdwsoE_Lpyv4FJADb9e1BnJkuGtuEzeTvOIxGF8huuOH21DwArnqxncrhXv37oZieZM3biGqeZ1op1yqQT6B80HMQCdDplRO5f9FWmxZLBbqRZLV7_rkWZXwpFaoCyQiPIy7ZUMNh/s1600/FullMoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPdzGdwsoE_Lpyv4FJADb9e1BnJkuGtuEzeTvOIxGF8huuOH21DwArnqxncrhXv37oZieZM3biGqeZ1op1yqQT6B80HMQCdDplRO5f9FWmxZLBbqRZLV7_rkWZXwpFaoCyQiPIy7ZUMNh/s1600/FullMoon.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night falls for solo and relay runners alike.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kygqVstQglYKynLF2jLD48ye0-Opz_2LLeJFjulb2Tzh78nIm-6zf__EcCTJdBlWesQ_-IVESG2qDcm9bl45zZF3_Ny82up-GC0hN3wif2qbEcBm4oSAjGpTBXX-DWOiS4r6vtspOA5T/s1600/RD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kygqVstQglYKynLF2jLD48ye0-Opz_2LLeJFjulb2Tzh78nIm-6zf__EcCTJdBlWesQ_-IVESG2qDcm9bl45zZF3_Ny82up-GC0hN3wif2qbEcBm4oSAjGpTBXX-DWOiS4r6vtspOA5T/s1600/RD.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Race Management Team</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><u>US 50k Trail Championships - <a href="http://www.bootlegger50k.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Bootlegger 50k</span></a></u></b><br />
<br />
On the Tuesday before the race, the question of running Bootlegger came up. We had already decided not to race, so it was another last minute decision to ponder. With JFK two weeks away, I wanted to make sure I made the correct decision. While at packet pick-up on Friday, I went ahead and registered to run the next day.<br />
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I ended up 2nd place in 4:22 to Winner Michelle Yates (4:19).<br />
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Photos by Kristin Wilson.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgP2y8viG_lfTgfgkyXDfUdiTKbfC2O4RjB3HMFbtBIy-yyM7x2yEehbVPXY8jsQ0iPZPSRZkdTTF-aQvfZIWVjihrYrziV99tZoNUBlqR5IU-axZeb9f-78hvL4UzHh5JoQuJLpimF-R/s1600/BootleggerKW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgP2y8viG_lfTgfgkyXDfUdiTKbfC2O4RjB3HMFbtBIy-yyM7x2yEehbVPXY8jsQ0iPZPSRZkdTTF-aQvfZIWVjihrYrziV99tZoNUBlqR5IU-axZeb9f-78hvL4UzHh5JoQuJLpimF-R/s1600/BootleggerKW.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In an early pack climbing the canyon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtyR4lJ0wZ0-4inunqHX4vixB2A3UuJkFdU4aeOHparkiwUOCRA7LDQf6YDUHE6ZS1DE7aGrJhYa8FSZ4Cx2DOo_9OuTlOGGqywHQMbehf_jiEpVsKjmyTgK37kq4ij3dbM1kpOM3h1EY/s1600/SoloBootlegger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtyR4lJ0wZ0-4inunqHX4vixB2A3UuJkFdU4aeOHparkiwUOCRA7LDQf6YDUHE6ZS1DE7aGrJhYa8FSZ4Cx2DOo_9OuTlOGGqywHQMbehf_jiEpVsKjmyTgK37kq4ij3dbM1kpOM3h1EY/s1600/SoloBootlegger.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I ran much of the race solo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixy69dVUFpdXaiPvFsR4gv2RHEkfP7GRCN87wpL0W3q-xnRTrgxJDS2dkfaSmPQgwyrKCHMTg1CNMqtq3EROxTljdKdsPndwYMPnPgq0NT-NV-uT5P0lw8vnHrqqoKiBBCjnuDxnvI9aKB/s1600/BootleggerFinishKW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixy69dVUFpdXaiPvFsR4gv2RHEkfP7GRCN87wpL0W3q-xnRTrgxJDS2dkfaSmPQgwyrKCHMTg1CNMqtq3EROxTljdKdsPndwYMPnPgq0NT-NV-uT5P0lw8vnHrqqoKiBBCjnuDxnvI9aKB/s1600/BootleggerFinishKW.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing in 2nd place with a time of 4:22.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmNuoR70vpMiwoR64X4NsaIyHtm3O7XRFAc1z72OMLLOE_A0Hq3t_U6oDPyNlUi6HJsERtJBjw22AWz-LYurX05wtsbJhFh2VzITLDdQHFGztp_34ZB7oDtxJ-9QzN5XCpUIXpP-tg1xk/s1600/YatesBootlegger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmNuoR70vpMiwoR64X4NsaIyHtm3O7XRFAc1z72OMLLOE_A0Hq3t_U6oDPyNlUi6HJsERtJBjw22AWz-LYurX05wtsbJhFh2VzITLDdQHFGztp_34ZB7oDtxJ-9QzN5XCpUIXpP-tg1xk/s1600/YatesBootlegger.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champion Michelle Yates in 4:19.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPgrM6GR7lgLshMmekAnLlYwxl9YvtKJzQui87TLbIPF0Czgi2nvIxPFSDUIR7fr_ASNq__DYh8-O66bWpCfN4uqA_2qVkh3XjKwRPI2wldD46QWRskB6l6YPRs_E1JX390RrpYvCD84F/s1600/VarnerBootlegger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPgrM6GR7lgLshMmekAnLlYwxl9YvtKJzQui87TLbIPF0Czgi2nvIxPFSDUIR7fr_ASNq__DYh8-O66bWpCfN4uqA_2qVkh3XjKwRPI2wldD46QWRskB6l6YPRs_E1JX390RrpYvCD84F/s1600/VarnerBootlegger.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Men's Champion Alex Varner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4rk-8cRiP7LlfbRB_4UfR0k6zsZ8aU-XNCr9MsJXrd_pdKP_jhNN1N6NOkIRoi5460mxxruO5Z-eND5casqRH9SbPv6MBZIIyuiflmkK9H-lQZpjFJOW6FfhuVKAYSUJDXbj4MGVWuSh/s1600/AwardsBootlegger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4rk-8cRiP7LlfbRB_4UfR0k6zsZ8aU-XNCr9MsJXrd_pdKP_jhNN1N6NOkIRoi5460mxxruO5Z-eND5casqRH9SbPv6MBZIIyuiflmkK9H-lQZpjFJOW6FfhuVKAYSUJDXbj4MGVWuSh/s1600/AwardsBootlegger.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing our medals on the grandstand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxytgVvUjRf61XMKB6XMI9pcshhbf6I_WtJZp9HIzxsCTbaxanS1MlIVcBLrns9JkOKbt6nZObpfXYC4ruZeM8XyV_iSl5j4ToEOTAmMF0rbzOmL0HnaSTCKZ56uyjCFi03R__yEZSWuZx/s1600/BTBootlegger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxytgVvUjRf61XMKB6XMI9pcshhbf6I_WtJZp9HIzxsCTbaxanS1MlIVcBLrns9JkOKbt6nZObpfXYC4ruZeM8XyV_iSl5j4ToEOTAmMF0rbzOmL0HnaSTCKZ56uyjCFi03R__yEZSWuZx/s1600/BTBootlegger.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">adiultra teammate Brian Tinder wins the 25k race.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIHp3IJ8S_gU1eOaq5raXGZVB909OU6718CCAx3C0c7WBveV_yx_9ksWaEE7iQbcIp66hynkU9KcfXzsQNY0LpEIMfgwuROGOfVuWzbEBoCF9XhWX93kE-uGcxDK4RwJ1LiloS5B7W5B5/s1600/adidasBootlegger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIHp3IJ8S_gU1eOaq5raXGZVB909OU6718CCAx3C0c7WBveV_yx_9ksWaEE7iQbcIp66hynkU9KcfXzsQNY0LpEIMfgwuROGOfVuWzbEBoCF9XhWX93kE-uGcxDK4RwJ1LiloS5B7W5B5/s1600/adidasBootlegger.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">adidas footwear making a presence in the desert!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kjuKaiNRpLPZeS7Oixweu0_w47DxPhB4iTV7kfqOzRFqZ-4Sbvk8mJeMWGaHBmyZ_L8yATajCM8m1lFBEQJWU3j-fvY5I3MwcFjd7q4vEtl9Lp_JyEH4tiQDvpWQqy9LiDUip79JO6xg/s1600/FlagCrewBootlegger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kjuKaiNRpLPZeS7Oixweu0_w47DxPhB4iTV7kfqOzRFqZ-4Sbvk8mJeMWGaHBmyZ_L8yATajCM8m1lFBEQJWU3j-fvY5I3MwcFjd7q4vEtl9Lp_JyEH4tiQDvpWQqy9LiDUip79JO6xg/s1600/FlagCrewBootlegger.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flagstaff runners hanging out post-race.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5bCsnJd9M12cJdDfIi55LBNy_o3WdBQGo22fK-L-q_-8cPfJ221NoU4pEUmq604a5RkETHpdkbBU-N3D0kbZZWfF9ZE8td3WoOSuIWDnSuHp754fEZxUY9Co1voDapQ-6cfUg1-ZmAH_/s1600/Josh&Ian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5bCsnJd9M12cJdDfIi55LBNy_o3WdBQGo22fK-L-q_-8cPfJ221NoU4pEUmq604a5RkETHpdkbBU-N3D0kbZZWfF9ZE8td3WoOSuIWDnSuHp754fEZxUY9Co1voDapQ-6cfUg1-ZmAH_/s1600/Josh&Ian.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">adiultra teammates Josh Brimhall and Ian Torrence celebrating<br />a successful day of RD duties.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11nygE_GphnYFg5sabMzqeL7kZlv_bxdrw6F9FrYze7rkR0-zXYAkh17iLwpNMewxy4HxJlfXSS23SIcRPVMWDyAAan5rJxHlYy6A7HDw7g5GInkwXqKj_kWXK8JijF-zdvERnf5z9JD7/s1600/BootleggerMugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11nygE_GphnYFg5sabMzqeL7kZlv_bxdrw6F9FrYze7rkR0-zXYAkh17iLwpNMewxy4HxJlfXSS23SIcRPVMWDyAAan5rJxHlYy6A7HDw7g5GInkwXqKj_kWXK8JijF-zdvERnf5z9JD7/s1600/BootleggerMugs.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bootlegger mason jars!</td></tr>
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JFK 50 Mile race report coming soon!!Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-15758303081668956392013-07-11T19:49:00.000-07:002013-07-11T19:49:20.555-07:002013 Western States 100 Mile - Lining Up For the Unknown<div>
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<b><a href="http://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=17746" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">20:28:40, 7<sup>th</sup> place female, 26th overall</span></a></b></div>
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Less than one year before the start of the 2013 Western
States 100 Mile, I had never done an ultra, was playing with the idea, but
distinctly told some friends that even if I did do an ultra, it would be a long
time before I’d be signing up for a 100 miler. And how wrong I was!</div>
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When I lined up at <a href="http://www.irunfar.com/2012/11/emily-harrison-2012-jfk-50-mile-second-place-woman-interview.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">JFK 50 Mile</span></a> this past November, I was so
focused on racing my first ultra successfully that I didn’t even realize the
top 2 finishers earned an entry into Western States. Needless to say, I would never have overlooked something so
pertinent in a road marathon, but this was unfamiliar territory, so immediately
after the race when people asked if I’d take my Montrail spot at Western, I was
a little speechless. </div>
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While I was still trying to let the reality of JFK settle
in, I had to make a decision about committing to WS. Next thing I knew, I was setting up an account with
ultrasignup and clicking on the button to register. </div>
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For many, every step they take is to prepare for the big
dance. At that time, I had (and
still do) big road marathon goals, so I really had to shift gears in March
after a stint of marathon-specific work and start hitting the trails hard. <a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Ian Torrence</span></a> did a great job of
preparing me and at no time during the race did I feel that my fitness or
training was lacking to get me to the finish line. I will be the first to admit that the training was
challenging for me. I wasn’t used
to running on fatigued legs and getting dropped on runs. Welcome to a crash course in ultra training! I had several internal battles with
myself, but ultimately on race day I was prepared both mentally and physically
for what would come my way.</div>
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Race day! I
knew I was prepared, but I’m still a rookie. Did I have nutrition dialed in? Drop bags? How
is this going to feel? Will I be able to handle the heat? Oh, how about
running in the dark? So many
questions...so much time.</div>
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Goal 1: Get to the finish line</div>
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Goal 2: Top 10 </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmEyFAUsUX3XhT04XgNxCBDHpR17lZysbhEg9dOWZ7JHW_6hm9bX8PdocsgMpARTPUK2MxI-RqNHvj5MR5uAy9Ln-lQ4sBohgO34k8qQwMLXZltZSF83DObyC-AeYc-86QD61H99LiZKu/s1600/WSMeetingBee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmEyFAUsUX3XhT04XgNxCBDHpR17lZysbhEg9dOWZ7JHW_6hm9bX8PdocsgMpARTPUK2MxI-RqNHvj5MR5uAy9Ln-lQ4sBohgO34k8qQwMLXZltZSF83DObyC-AeYc-86QD61H99LiZKu/s1600/WSMeetingBee.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee is listening intently to the<br />mandatory pre-race meeting (or maybe to the kids with sticks!).<br />Photo by Cheryl Harrison.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbKqZcAvD3oYICT9igwp7FwWHPZg9TRLe9xttQCGIDNx-5gRyeX4nF-2NPGxJGe5v-5ytLrTpRedDyow8a6RAKnmkRF5g1Ks0YdRwVqk6txj2ZAyuH5uFs_Sfo49T-YfL7mquSNaR9sCl/s1600/WSStartErinStrout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbKqZcAvD3oYICT9igwp7FwWHPZg9TRLe9xttQCGIDNx-5gRyeX4nF-2NPGxJGe5v-5ytLrTpRedDyow8a6RAKnmkRF5g1Ks0YdRwVqk6txj2ZAyuH5uFs_Sfo49T-YfL7mquSNaR9sCl/s1600/WSStartErinStrout.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The calm before the storm. The start line of WS. <br />Photo by Erin Strout.</td></tr>
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Overall, I’m happy with my race. I went out very conservative and never saw the top women as
soon as we crested the first climb, but I wanted to play it safe instead of
blowing up halfway through. My
goal was to focus on running my own race and to take care of myself early
on. This seemed to pay off, as I
handled the heat well (2nd hottest year on record), a surprise to me, and I feel a lot of this was because
I was smart early on and didn't run out of my comfort zone. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzS4PyINqUvTDJukxqM5R-uc6pMl_CDaKnX5dkV3tm1GBZmkXCYo191euYw2lraocpLRD0gzkt5ccazP6x57UrG2v5ZpR4ZLqKZVOsXl1Aok_aASoOquA98bf3FZJQEP92IMHsVNzo5Ivj/s1600/WS2013GaryWang2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzS4PyINqUvTDJukxqM5R-uc6pMl_CDaKnX5dkV3tm1GBZmkXCYo191euYw2lraocpLRD0gzkt5ccazP6x57UrG2v5ZpR4ZLqKZVOsXl1Aok_aASoOquA98bf3FZJQEP92IMHsVNzo5Ivj/s1600/WS2013GaryWang2.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moving along.<br />Photo by Gary Wang.</td></tr>
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One of the tricks of Western is all the downhill running to
be had. This happens to be my
weakest aspect, whether it be on a road course or a trail, so I was most
nervous about this. Leaving
Robinson Flat my quads were already in trouble. I welcomed climbs and flats with open arms all the way to
the finish. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZ6b5NdFPcbBPXReDfRn-dfHbNkViLuI0dvlcXJzmxeUMxwQocL8OgGVhuG3GWnpREp9BQsiiMA3Dtazek9mEKcNVVpWIF3xnAVLi5SvVhIszt9Irq76cBTdI6TwchnVYBTrdg4AXydU9/s1600/RobinsonFlat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZ6b5NdFPcbBPXReDfRn-dfHbNkViLuI0dvlcXJzmxeUMxwQocL8OgGVhuG3GWnpREp9BQsiiMA3Dtazek9mEKcNVVpWIF3xnAVLi5SvVhIszt9Irq76cBTdI6TwchnVYBTrdg4AXydU9/s1600/RobinsonFlat.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crews had great views at Robinson Flat.<br />Photo by Cheryl Harrison.</td></tr>
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My support crew of Ian Torrence and my Mom really got me
through. My Mom, Cheryl Harrison,
was key to making the whole operation work. Once Ian met me at Forest Hill, she continued on to meet us
and to take care of the pups (I’m pretty sure they know the course better than
I do!) Ian was essential to
getting me to the finish line, especially in the later miles when running
downhill was almost a joke. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqyeRdtTwOlv8nJqADktZWCUdkD-JSCLnL-08wqHVyI-G27QkuO3Bg1oyGi9peIzXM70X0a5qAhE-FF1bCO4ylwXMIkI3BYuuuTr96r4iuFSgXpuAUCo_aYgjRlKhh1U0gXtWKfKqydZ_/s1600/2013WSForestHill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqyeRdtTwOlv8nJqADktZWCUdkD-JSCLnL-08wqHVyI-G27QkuO3Bg1oyGi9peIzXM70X0a5qAhE-FF1bCO4ylwXMIkI3BYuuuTr96r4iuFSgXpuAUCo_aYgjRlKhh1U0gXtWKfKqydZ_/s1600/2013WSForestHill.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian Torrence meeting me at Forest Hill, ready to pace me to the finish. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZV1CzfSF9_4ASAnZ0fWBKsdfmwJwgpl3WZco6vVM0s6wBpUkn3sbnzOLF3-Ayg6ALIF_QTDpYoNxnK-3j3Hp3iVkujtzhtSomLimeIP7OC5f7AOW_guaJV1QJhF8hnpqzYcxm8GWVOzm/s1600/WSLuisEscobar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZV1CzfSF9_4ASAnZ0fWBKsdfmwJwgpl3WZco6vVM0s6wBpUkn3sbnzOLF3-Ayg6ALIF_QTDpYoNxnK-3j3Hp3iVkujtzhtSomLimeIP7OC5f7AOW_guaJV1QJhF8hnpqzYcxm8GWVOzm/s1600/WSLuisEscobar.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the river.<br />Photo by Luis Escobar.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMYYdGpz3XRJPtUtuTuyAWqpHgYITPqDEOUIPrnP_WWUcBArz0pZt02fqPeexnRMAteH4xW_Eg4HE8S_r3-5hQX4S3t5LwrviLlc_vcvko_DQ4LUwz_7QuR2C8P3B5gzla-zXE-N2_206/s1600/WS2013Hwy49irunfar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMYYdGpz3XRJPtUtuTuyAWqpHgYITPqDEOUIPrnP_WWUcBArz0pZt02fqPeexnRMAteH4xW_Eg4HE8S_r3-5hQX4S3t5LwrviLlc_vcvko_DQ4LUwz_7QuR2C8P3B5gzla-zXE-N2_206/s1600/WS2013Hwy49irunfar.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still eating solid food at Highway 49.<br />Photo by irunfar.</td></tr>
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I met my goals for the race, and I’m sure I will be finding
myself clicking on that register button once again and lining up for the 2014
WS100 Mile.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEPP8ZxdgrilUr_ujD-SlV9KIUG7NKC5oKhqxDBLLn_B9HzNVtjuX1r3JqKBfDC52rS_-EYST5ZnCNcAuJ_iMKiqn5vCNyTFFSax5_4umysT-cQdLb9dMsSbQ8AI-_-FkeR-_eFoBxiyh/s1600/WSFinishLarryGassen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEPP8ZxdgrilUr_ujD-SlV9KIUG7NKC5oKhqxDBLLn_B9HzNVtjuX1r3JqKBfDC52rS_-EYST5ZnCNcAuJ_iMKiqn5vCNyTFFSax5_4umysT-cQdLb9dMsSbQ8AI-_-FkeR-_eFoBxiyh/s1600/WSFinishLarryGassen.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian and I are both still smiling. A good sign!<br />Photo by Larry Gassan.</td></tr>
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A big thank you to my Mom, Ian Torrence, <a href="http://adidasultra.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">adidas</span></a>, <a href="http://www.injinji.com/team" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">injinji</span></a>, and Brent Hallowell of
<a href="http://www.nathansports.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Nathan Sports</span></a> for all of their support.</div>
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Next up, <a href="http://transrockies-run.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Transrockies Run</span></a> with Ian…another new experience
for me!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee had a long day, too. She's too tired to eat oatmeal!<br />Photo by Cheryl Harrison.</td></tr>
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<!--EndFragment-->Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-15510489846102930282013-03-21T21:31:00.001-07:002013-03-21T21:31:25.277-07:00adiUltra Team Introduction<div style="text-align: center;">
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/62313585" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/62313585">adiUltra: Becoming a Team</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/briannatorres">Brianna Torres</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-74614020909674258302013-02-26T10:39:00.000-07:002013-02-26T10:39:02.994-07:002013 Moab's Red Hot 55k<br />
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Not only was this my Red Hot 55k debut, but it was also my first race representing the adidas <a href="http://adidasultra.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">adiUltra Team</span></a> and <a href="http://injinji.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Injinji</span></a>. </div>
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Going into Red Hot, I wasn't really sure what the end result would be. I did know that realistically I wanted to aim for the win, ideally break the course record. The reason I wasn't sure if this was feasible, was that I haven't been doing a lot of training. Sure, I've been going out for runs, but mileage was iffy and workouts were almost non-existent. On top of that, I'm still working through some nagging hip issues. </div>
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It turns out, I was able to pull off both of my goals. I came away with a win (8th overall) and a new course record of 4:24.02. I can pick apart the race, but at the end of they day, I'm pleased with the end result. </div>
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It was a record setting day in the men's race as well. Robbie Krar of Flagstaff, Az handedly took the win and shattered the course record by 14 minutes. </div>
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Heading into the race, I was nervous about making a wrong turn on the course. I'd heard some stories about the slick rock, but Race Director <a href="http://grassrootsevents.net/home/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Chris Martinez</span></a> did a wonderful job of marking the course. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A snowy, uphill first mile. Luckily this was the snowiest <br />section of the race. Photo by Jo Agnew.</td></tr>
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The first half of the course was quite fast. After leaving the halfway aid station, my spirits were high. This would quickly changed once we merged onto the 33k course, where we were quickly faced with the infamous slick rock of Moab. This would prove to be the hardest section for me. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some beautiful scenery in the background. Of course, I<br />loved turning the wheels on these road sections.<br />Photo by Jo Agnew.</td></tr>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">After a hectic weekend of activities, the solitude of the race was a welcome site. The only task at hand was pushing yourself to the finish line as quickly as possible.</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0KkXW2sRh159PZ8oSYaonlXeBVlYVDQXo4ak08ahZ7F3TtsbxTcYavSMSEW3-vFKWwPLYFZKsg92PZjoNl7qUnE0ZfH1noquyxaaPr0x4_F8_wmi8CtH-XLyxLxMjCIaf2j2aSG0B9R-/s1600/RedHotKWilson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0KkXW2sRh159PZ8oSYaonlXeBVlYVDQXo4ak08ahZ7F3TtsbxTcYavSMSEW3-vFKWwPLYFZKsg92PZjoNl7qUnE0ZfH1noquyxaaPr0x4_F8_wmi8CtH-XLyxLxMjCIaf2j2aSG0B9R-/s320/RedHotKWilson.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, the slick rock....<br />Photo by Kristin Wilson.</td></tr>
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Well after mile 21, I was able to catch up to adiUltra team member<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> <a href="http://adidasultra.com/brian-tinder" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Brian Tinder</span></a></span>. Contrasting my last statement, late in the race it was welcome company to run with a familiar face for several miles.</div>
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Fighting illnesses and tight race schedules, a rare occasion occurred where the entire adiUltra Team convened in Moab. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great backdrop for a team photo. Believe it or not, I'm<br />tucked in behind those guys.<br />Photo by Brianna Torres.</td></tr>
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<u><b>adiUltra Team Results</b></u>:</div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">55k</span></div>
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Brian Tinder - 9th, 4:25:42</div>
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<a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Ian Torrence</span></a> - 4:43:57</div>
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<a href="http://runwithrainbows.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Paulette Zillmer</span></a> - 6:09:19</div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">33k</span></div>
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<a href="http://trentbriney.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Trent Briney </span></a>- 3rd, 2:16:30</div>
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Josh Brimhall - 5th, 2:17:16</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.aravaiparunning.com/crown-king-scramble/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">James Bonnett</span></a> </span>- 6th, 2:17:57 </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-race interview. Photo by Ian Torrence.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Alicia Shay, women's winner of the Red Hot 33k.<br />Photo by Erin Strout.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because I like this pic...the weekend before, adiUltra Team Members (myself, James Bonnett, and Ian Torrence)<br />at the Pemberton 50k aid station. I thought Fountain Hills was supposed to be warm?! <br />Photo by Ian Torrence.</td></tr>
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Now it's back to the roads before rolling into Western States training. More than likely not the conventional preparation for WS, but I don't always play by the rules....</div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-66396339559272266622012-12-15T09:28:00.000-07:002012-12-15T09:28:27.131-07:0050th Annual JFK 50 Mile<div>
2nd Place Female, 13th Overall </div>
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6:17:16, 2nd fastest course time. </div>
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My reflection on my first ultra is a little late in black and white, but has been frequently on my mind since I crossed the finish line. <br />
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First and foremost, the people who got me to the finish line: I owe many thanks to <a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Ian Torrence</span></a> for preparing me for my first ultra. Ian completed his 18th JFK this year! </div>
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My Mom, Dad, and Super Bee for accompanying me on the many miles of canal training (and Bee on the trails too!). Wayne Kretzer and Andrew Dumm for making sure I had enough gels. </div>
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Last, but most importantly, my grandparents Pat and Hal Burba for crewing. I know they were nervous and that crewing can be one of the most stressful aspects of the race, but they made the day go very smoothly. I couldn't have done it without them! </div>
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Many have asked "Why JFK?" for my ultra debut. There are few reasons. First, it runs in the family. My Mom has completed JFK twice when I was in high school. Second, I've gotten to do many a trail run in Flagstaff with Ian Torrence. Being around several ultra runners in Flagstaff got me to thinking I'd like to give it a go. </div>
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<a href="http://www.jfk50mile.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">JFK</span></a> seemed the perfect debut (never mind I was skipping 50k and going straight to 50 miles) because although it starts on the Appalachian Trail, the race is made or broken on the C&O Canal. The canal would ideally cater to my road background. </div>
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On to race day! Standing on the start line, I was asking myself "what the heck am I doing?" I knew I was physically prepared, but how are you supposed to feel at mile 35? I also knew that if anything held me back, it would be not taking in enough nutrition.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfa6kMcg5m14EXzpyz-F1G63aFVJk5faQ1CeVp4VL_MsnhFz-0-HJOBJfSaKJWpLOepDXAV713IoOYs8JJu5dH9sHiNc81D5iQehjtMItgsA9ZeYYfqOxRCN1dQIC5ri3BsKjo2jWqDmHQ/s1600/StartRayJacksonJr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfa6kMcg5m14EXzpyz-F1G63aFVJk5faQ1CeVp4VL_MsnhFz-0-HJOBJfSaKJWpLOepDXAV713IoOYs8JJu5dH9sHiNc81D5iQehjtMItgsA9ZeYYfqOxRCN1dQIC5ri3BsKjo2jWqDmHQ/s320/StartRayJacksonJr.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By far the most relaxed starting line<br />
I've ever been on.</td></tr>
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I had lofty goals going into the race, as well: a win and a new course record. A win this year would be a dogfight though. Probably the best female ultra runner currently, <a href="http://elliegreenwood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Ellie Greenwood</span></a> is not a competitor to be taken lightly. This year, she smashed the unbreakable Western States 100 course record. </div>
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I made sure to stay behind Ellie on the AT and to stay as relaxed as possible. Most important was to stay on my feet. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rmpdTTnEZ8B67uUrhvufaDdCOeKZboVvuuOdCfyuEvGszWPChNN5EeGWiM342XuHsRppT5yTof_y4lPGHtufhGkph-zTCGWybLodc1O9sjzoxtHw8WcWfW3SnS5Q46B-hWXnD3qAv8FG/s1600/105709-010-008f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rmpdTTnEZ8B67uUrhvufaDdCOeKZboVvuuOdCfyuEvGszWPChNN5EeGWiM342XuHsRppT5yTof_y4lPGHtufhGkph-zTCGWybLodc1O9sjzoxtHw8WcWfW3SnS5Q46B-hWXnD3qAv8FG/s320/105709-010-008f.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Appalachian Trail.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLO6VCcWwIbffFDJ8dY_6_j7yxMdjWXez6hulUpVJP8esgzsHUmxNpA-ppshue4ddAx7avHLwfVWULvJOYHNiuQvbfZFHxi5rYk5tlPa6KJHc_L0ty-NKK7VGzm-vRs4019kENmHKQnTX/s1600/JoshCanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLO6VCcWwIbffFDJ8dY_6_j7yxMdjWXez6hulUpVJP8esgzsHUmxNpA-ppshue4ddAx7avHLwfVWULvJOYHNiuQvbfZFHxi5rYk5tlPa6KJHc_L0ty-NKK7VGzm-vRs4019kENmHKQnTX/s320/JoshCanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming off the Appalachian Trail with Josh Brimhall. <br />
Rocking the adidas gear! </td></tr>
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<div>
At mile 21 I made my move past Ellie on the canal. Ellie and I would change leads a couple times, but sure enough my lack of nutrition intake caught up to me around 29 miles. I had about 10 rough miles, which allowed Ellie to make up the gap that would stay for the remainder of the race, before I was able to drop my pace back to where it should be.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CMECHLrGpLmawjgtvrOHldyB5SL2ewGxoytk_nS4uIwWiCKT9JHJUDJQj8xSixkF1u7-XvPlKJtiFP86B5MawDKKzQGokiFwwJwwdlr1vVyx_mqaRSN7c4vjdqeVAZ-oA5aksHyvqeZe/s1600/105709-118-001f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CMECHLrGpLmawjgtvrOHldyB5SL2ewGxoytk_nS4uIwWiCKT9JHJUDJQj8xSixkF1u7-XvPlKJtiFP86B5MawDKKzQGokiFwwJwwdlr1vVyx_mqaRSN7c4vjdqeVAZ-oA5aksHyvqeZe/s320/105709-118-001f.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grooving on the C&O Canal.</td></tr>
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<div>
I would have rather not had the rough stretch (I can only blame myself), but if I have to take a positive note from my "bonk" it's that I was able to "unbonk." I forced down the nutrition and once I hit the road, I was able to bring my pace back down.</div>
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<div>
Ellie would go on to win a new course record of 6:12, breaking the old course record of 6:29. I didn't meet my goal of winning, but I did meet my goal of getting under the course record with my 6:17.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hmTqFCjZytr_qzN8W_rr-6aUHGlecvR9Oyd2mbzrT5sLVhcXujuNIamNCPjdeFqhGuiJEkkaZvAxVXgtt0g9MpYEeJTM4k0GNjSRPRATaAVfvRIyB0xUsJgYrgINk762M8efePM5GV9W/s1600/EllieFinish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hmTqFCjZytr_qzN8W_rr-6aUHGlecvR9Oyd2mbzrT5sLVhcXujuNIamNCPjdeFqhGuiJEkkaZvAxVXgtt0g9MpYEeJTM4k0GNjSRPRATaAVfvRIyB0xUsJgYrgINk762M8efePM5GV9W/s320/EllieFinish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Ellie Greenwood at the finish.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_lQVOrTrvlJt8u1a94TV5S2W2d6Cn5Ib1JDLApCeXDFfmsiJZ5X-3t8mAQd5DvtMkx0l82CpDFbEZbTqIv8tCpNetZS5jYu4fJE8qylZ4cljnPl008DI3onMwJL2-11voV7sKxNelCPn/s1600/Podium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_lQVOrTrvlJt8u1a94TV5S2W2d6Cn5Ib1JDLApCeXDFfmsiJZ5X-3t8mAQd5DvtMkx0l82CpDFbEZbTqIv8tCpNetZS5jYu4fJE8qylZ4cljnPl008DI3onMwJL2-11voV7sKxNelCPn/s320/Podium.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top Ten women receiving our awards.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
My<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> <a href="http://www.irunfar.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">irunfar</span></a></span> post-race interview can be seen <a href="http://www.irunfar.com/2012/11/emily-harrison-2012-jfk-50-mile-second-place-woman-interview.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">here</span></a>.<br />
<br />
The women's race was not the only one to see record-breaking performances. The men's side also saw the top two finishers go under the course record. <a href="http://blog.montrail.com/athletes/maxking/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Max King</span></a> made his first appearance at JFK this year and came away with a new course record of 5:34:58, but he had a challenger for the title. My former adidas-McMillanElite teammate <a href="http://trentbriney.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Trent Briney</span></a> also made his ultra debut November 17th and had much success. Trent finished a close second to Max in 5:37:56.<br />
<br />
A big thank you to Mike Spinnler for putting on an excellent race, and I am glad I chose the 50th Annual for my ultra debut.<br />
<br />
With 2013 right around the corner, I have a couple big goal races on tap: Brighton Marathon in April and Western States 100 in June.<br />
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Photo Credits: Brightroom Photography and Ray Jackson Jr.</div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-41952586371168911272012-05-20T15:18:00.000-07:002012-05-20T15:18:36.957-07:002012 Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational & US 25k Championships2012 has been filled with frustrating races...I've been either sick or not fully recovered going into each race, therefore performances have come up short. On the positive note, I know my fitness is in a good place, so I can't wait to step on the line a hundred percent.<br />
<br />
April 29th - Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational 10k<br />
<br />
A PR of 33:23, but not the race I was looking for. Alvina Begay won section 2 with a huge PR of 32:32!
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" src="http://www.flotrack.org/embed/ODQ5NjMyNDI3?related=1" title="W 10k H02 (Begay 32:32, 2012 Payton Jordan Invite)" width="480"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/248561-2012-Stanford-Payton-Jordan-Cardinal-Invitational">Watch more video of 2012 Stanford Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational on flotrack.org</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
May 12th - US 25k Championships<br />
<br />
The Payton Jordan 10k too more of a toll on my body than I expected. My hamstrings were locked up so tight that I contemplated not racing the 25k, even though it was one of my big goal races of the spring. I decided to race, but from the gun the hamstrings weren't happy. I had to shut it down by half way. It was hard to accept, as I was in 3rd place through over half way.<br />
<br />
I came away with a 10th place finish, much lower than I was capable of.<br />
<br />
Brett Gotcher finished 4th overall, 3rd American. Joseph Chirlee and Janet Cherobon-Bawcom were the top American finishers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?embedCode=N5a2FvNDrP4jyH0I_Sb6sjY4diMz0Ov_&height=360&deepLinkEmbedCode=N5a2FvNDrP4jyH0I_Sb6sjY4diMz0Ov_&width=540&video_pcode=Z4czQ66lxE1C4He_FQjEFj_WPElY">
</script>
<br />
Pre-race interview with Runnerspace.com
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<br />
<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?height=360&video_pcode=Z4czQ66lxE1C4He_FQjEFj_WPElY&embedCode=4xbGFvNDqQfeR508eIERmX2ZVlD5aYt0&width=540&deepLinkEmbedCode=4xbGFvNDqQfeR508eIERmX2ZVlD5aYt0">
</script>
<br />
Brett Gotcher pre-race interview with Runnerspace.com
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<br />
<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?height=360&video_pcode=Z4czQ66lxE1C4He_FQjEFj_WPElY&embedCode=MyNmtvNDqIMssRsAneotAcVpxQAqFIf8&width=540&deepLinkEmbedCode=MyNmtvNDqIMssRsAneotAcVpxQAqFIf8">
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<br />
Race highlights by Runnerspace.com
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<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?height=360&video_pcode=Z4czQ66lxE1C4He_FQjEFj_WPElY&embedCode=Z0bWZvNDoHLMJLhc5w71szC37612sRcI&width=540&deepLinkEmbedCode=Z0bWZvNDoHLMJLhc5w71szC37612sRcI">
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<br />
Women's finish line video.
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<br />
This past week has been spent getting my hamstrings recovered, and now it's time to look forward to the US Half Marathon Championships in June.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-54515640255575089582012-04-23T21:00:00.000-07:002012-04-23T21:00:53.210-07:00Madison Square Garden<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Madison Square Garden, New York city. If walls could talk, you'd hear whispers of prestige and awe. The blood, sweat and tears of championships won and dreams lost add to the aura. The countless hours of work and dedication all lead to this one moment.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Garden first opened in 1879 and has since changed venues four times. Regardless of the location change, the Garden has been host to everything from political conventions to boxing championships. What I enjoy most are the competitions held here to determine the best of the best, earning it the status of "the world's greatest sports arena."</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6gJCULOSepFQxMPK282YJr_K8smxBC2_-v_WuvikAhalYY4t9FRR6Mb2FghhO1hkE70tXFuwcnXT2_cGAW-pHGD5HU1z4-U6m-Dl1k1-mMGfo8wn8LpMHwuZnkyi980MgHz8fqf5K8X6/s1600/madison-square-garden-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6gJCULOSepFQxMPK282YJr_K8smxBC2_-v_WuvikAhalYY4t9FRR6Mb2FghhO1hkE70tXFuwcnXT2_cGAW-pHGD5HU1z4-U6m-Dl1k1-mMGfo8wn8LpMHwuZnkyi980MgHz8fqf5K8X6/s320/madison-square-garden-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madison Square Garden at night.<br />
Photo by cityprofile.com</td></tr>
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My first exposure to the Garden was in high school when I competed as a junior handler at the <a href="http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Westminster Dog Show</span></a>. Not lacking in prestige, Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show began in 1877 and is "America's second longest continuously held sporting event" with the Kentucky Derby being the longest.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Qthm1ULEjILPAWZaUP2whyAU-M9t01MM4lSjXJKpRz_znZ2toYtlYn3JQWjCLDQsRSh9rDoIAt392dngNphImcYno4QPBMK2nvI6MEOlLCbwzzmzj-xyK0istQagJiGDVpmMhRfssFzv/s1600/Westminster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Qthm1ULEjILPAWZaUP2whyAU-M9t01MM4lSjXJKpRz_znZ2toYtlYn3JQWjCLDQsRSh9rDoIAt392dngNphImcYno4QPBMK2nvI6MEOlLCbwzzmzj-xyK0istQagJiGDVpmMhRfssFzv/s400/Westminster.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Westminster Dog Show qualifying Junior Handlers at</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Madison Square Garden.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I was showing a dog I had just met because my dog was unable</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">to show for medical reasons.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Can you find me?</div></td></tr>
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To show at Westminster, your dog must be a top-ranking member of its breed. The purpose of the Junior Handler dividion is to prepare you to become a professional handler. As a junior handler, your dog is not judged, but instead you are judged on your handling skills and how well you present your breed accordingly. To enter Westminster, you must qualify with 10 first place wins within the year in the Open division and be 9-18 years old (you have to qualify to compete in the Open division, as well).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9EUlddZ7fMSWJcEk7gDA0H_9BPEoSAIfU3nPhxArcxoRVDY2hQwOMxIgpvLVHCzoFfs0-X5wYnqNe0QrBcVvRCbFeWdEn4gBluga98Ofa44ReBlIStd9aOGXVo647TS1-fRNvJr1x-Wh/s1600/Chamois.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9EUlddZ7fMSWJcEk7gDA0H_9BPEoSAIfU3nPhxArcxoRVDY2hQwOMxIgpvLVHCzoFfs0-X5wYnqNe0QrBcVvRCbFeWdEn4gBluga98Ofa44ReBlIStd9aOGXVo647TS1-fRNvJr1x-Wh/s400/Chamois.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Pride N Joys Clean N Up, aka "Chamois."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Chamois was my juniors dog for a long time. She showed so</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">well she brought tears to my eyes.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This was one of the qualifying wins to show at The Garden.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Chamois is now 14 years old.</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPhtjNEW2nfwIdli_1Df7yhDLt4AKB7i4AlO1kuc-QHqrGQ0tPu0Wm8KXYdSlV8gfnsGt1rqR7WOtfwNMhMWa9y9QdZV0oTQ0U1s1eu5pfXrCZ4Ad8khm70rC-ArZZuzs3vrwMMqNwnmS/s1600/IMG_2098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPhtjNEW2nfwIdli_1Df7yhDLt4AKB7i4AlO1kuc-QHqrGQ0tPu0Wm8KXYdSlV8gfnsGt1rqR7WOtfwNMhMWa9y9QdZV0oTQ0U1s1eu5pfXrCZ4Ad8khm70rC-ArZZuzs3vrwMMqNwnmS/s400/IMG_2098.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side note...meet Pride N Joys Summer Glory TD RN OA, aka "Glory."<br />
Glory was Chamois' mother, my best friend and the best creek buddy you<br />
could ask for growing up. <br />
Here we just earned a new title in Open Agility with 3 qualifying runs, at the National Specialty no less!<br />
<br />
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</tbody></table></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It just happens that my next passion would also hold a premier event at the Madison Square Garden. This year, there was much controversy over the decision to move the <a href="http://www.armorytrack.com/Meet/50/The-Millrose-Games-at-The-Armory" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Millrose Games to the Armory</span></a> after 98 years at the Garden. While the Armory boasts fast times, one of the biggest draws of Millrose is to race where so many other great athletic accomplishments have taken place. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For example, while he did race at Millrose, Bernard Lagat, 8-time Wanamaker Mile Champion did not have a presence in the historic Wanamaker Mile this year at the Armory.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97ykRSZOhZlY9bnb9BSx6LuoEpWcRO4vbXFs-QCuxQXKiLuBqLmE74RR0mNvs0mrxSam-K2AWKOFzTypy5TKlCIdOjzh_ImlsyFt0TQ8a-Aroly77blrEwSMFuFfAuW8cQdbQictdtNba/s1600/MSGLagatPreRaceJitters.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97ykRSZOhZlY9bnb9BSx6LuoEpWcRO4vbXFs-QCuxQXKiLuBqLmE74RR0mNvs0mrxSam-K2AWKOFzTypy5TKlCIdOjzh_ImlsyFt0TQ8a-Aroly77blrEwSMFuFfAuW8cQdbQictdtNba/s320/MSGLagatPreRaceJitters.com.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bernard Lagat takes the win.<br />
Photo by PreRacejitters.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Millrose Games is not the only sporting event to leave the Garden. The Alltech National Horse Show began in 1883 and first made its appearance at the Garden in 1926. Since then it has moved from the Garden a few times, most recently in 2011. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One of the greatest examples of hard work and believing came in 1958 when Snowman, a horse destined for slaughter, won the Triple Crown at the National Horse Show. Bought for <a href="http://www.elizabethletts.com/eighty-dollar-champion/" style="color: magenta;" target="_blank">eighty dollars</a>, the old plow horse nurtured back to vitality by Harry de Leyer, became a legend.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cjnrkhRQe8EcVyCTiPeQWmoaulDofKSIEloBtbOtbS9VW3dyLlZPjkAigvBSTy5ymH3jJHvbeIpuHlB07h1slhm5kJYOzppOTx7WnjpU3-Jxhm5pAe2Y0pEDd1aaGYceinf9OnyUxc66/s1600/Snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cjnrkhRQe8EcVyCTiPeQWmoaulDofKSIEloBtbOtbS9VW3dyLlZPjkAigvBSTy5ymH3jJHvbeIpuHlB07h1slhm5kJYOzppOTx7WnjpU3-Jxhm5pAe2Y0pEDd1aaGYceinf9OnyUxc66/s320/Snowman.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowman easily clearing a jump.<br />
Photo by <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.elizabethletts.com/elizabeths-blog/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">www.elizabethletts.com/elizabeths-blog/</span></a> </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Just a couple of the many memorable athletic moments that have taken place at The Garden.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTZgseeA0n66fgc9ccHeP-982ERQQgiD84CdPXxu6ix5KWlJXY7lxUv8T_JX0VmlDZcRpdxc1AMZRzr4zkc3mtGZiSxN9ahVL7gSyIP9Z8BMngwjEnOuvRxgQQY0DhxfoMcxMnt-2E-ij/s1600/ali-frazier2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTZgseeA0n66fgc9ccHeP-982ERQQgiD84CdPXxu6ix5KWlJXY7lxUv8T_JX0VmlDZcRpdxc1AMZRzr4zkc3mtGZiSxN9ahVL7gSyIP9Z8BMngwjEnOuvRxgQQY0DhxfoMcxMnt-2E-ij/s320/ali-frazier2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fight of the Century. <br />
1971...Joe Frazier versus Muhammad Ali. <br />
In our country at this time, tensions were high and <br />
each fighter essentially represented opposing opinions on the Vietam War.<br />
Photo by www.berfrois.com/2011/03/fight-of-the-century/</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/90" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Reggie Miller</span></a> scored 8 points in 9 seconds in 1995 to lead the Indiana Paces to an upset win over the New York Knicks. In the final 18.7 seconds, the New York Knicks had the lead 105-99.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Cz8g6O85j4Y" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Of course great sports accomplishments happen all over the world, but one can't argue against the special atmosphere the Garden has established in over a century's worth of competitions.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span id="goog_402129016"></span><span id="goog_402129017"></span></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtRq9jpIxv-Hg-cdRT6U2N2EF03bTRjmiVX4zg986jExBXA50mn-BzONmG8EYXeSB_rPpbf1NMDYsEcYsihlrfwENpMSNmHefo3u9J5EjSsqUB5-c8dQHxgsLh7oYbhClJeddmW3VctKP/s1600/IMG_2061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtRq9jpIxv-Hg-cdRT6U2N2EF03bTRjmiVX4zg986jExBXA50mn-BzONmG8EYXeSB_rPpbf1NMDYsEcYsihlrfwENpMSNmHefo3u9J5EjSsqUB5-c8dQHxgsLh7oYbhClJeddmW3VctKP/s400/IMG_2061.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee is glad she doesn't have to be <br />
groomed & fluffed for hours.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-30382612845428156942012-04-09T20:23:00.000-07:002012-04-09T20:23:12.531-07:002012 Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">This year, I had the opportunity to race in the 40th Cherry Blossom 10 mile on April 1st in Washington D.C. The race is part of the larger National Cherry Blossom Festival, which celebrates the blooming of the 3,000 cherry blossom trees that were given to D.C. by Tokyo, Japan in 1912. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT_Iu5PJYxJq4sMJsHBxBIPguhjWk2db2giCf2lYeSDqUbU__bvRxfzxCYMbIW3-nSguITFsV0a_Q8j4clLkMhFYlio-tiSTbJQCwwo6P50-CDdGktJ1b5ZXVJGlZbLrryZWCnae44a56/s1600/cherryblossomswashmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT_Iu5PJYxJq4sMJsHBxBIPguhjWk2db2giCf2lYeSDqUbU__bvRxfzxCYMbIW3-nSguITFsV0a_Q8j4clLkMhFYlio-tiSTbJQCwwo6P50-CDdGktJ1b5ZXVJGlZbLrryZWCnae44a56/s1600/cherryblossomswashmon.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfortunately, with the warm weather <br />
the cherry blossoms bloomed a week or two before race weekend.<br />
Photo by National Cherry Blossom Festival.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">This year, almost 17,000 runners completed the 10 miler. Pre-race interview by runnerspace.com:</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
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<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?embedCode=5pdHBjNDqmCBsJ5p92t5hRpztVNHmYqB&width=500&height=360&deepLinkEmbedCode=5pdHBjNDqmCBsJ5p92t5hRpztVNHmYqB">
</script><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Once again, I was number F8....once again spelling fate. This time however, I took it one step further by finishing 8th place overall. This was my first race back since the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials, so I was looking to kick off spring racing with an effort outside of marathon pace. I ended up settling into a pace too comfortable for the distance, but it was still a strong opener.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OezUDGie8LujZzoSFMZreGtNDITmNybqPqyu1cW-F3xO1m5v8ADHqcNS0P5c1esL6XdIe1F7d-oaeCWBRN5RKcF8uoB1YYuwXhX4701M2l_Vu7XLnj6oFWa5pBtRtkb9rmjZ88pMkYSY/s1600/monument1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OezUDGie8LujZzoSFMZreGtNDITmNybqPqyu1cW-F3xO1m5v8ADHqcNS0P5c1esL6XdIe1F7d-oaeCWBRN5RKcF8uoB1YYuwXhX4701M2l_Vu7XLnj6oFWa5pBtRtkb9rmjZ88pMkYSY/s320/monument1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start and finish of the race at Washington<br />
National Monument.<br />
Photo by Cheryl Harrison (my Mom).</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYjE8p2FDqXEjazYexzSXhPKSnmJDeHcigcw-AWZhkZ3P87YbkyV3zn6KeTSthJLjI7Unzxllr3Y-OQez5GuhJeq-A7AOcFI8AxL1GanmKzf7FTArOM1KCr_FvaPxYnTCSZy4NVuRjN8P/s1600/runnerspace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYjE8p2FDqXEjazYexzSXhPKSnmJDeHcigcw-AWZhkZ3P87YbkyV3zn6KeTSthJLjI7Unzxllr3Y-OQez5GuhJeq-A7AOcFI8AxL1GanmKzf7FTArOM1KCr_FvaPxYnTCSZy4NVuRjN8P/s320/runnerspace.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://runnerspace.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">runnerspace.com</span></a> </span>catching some pre-race footage.<br />
Photo by Cheryl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><br />
</b><br />
A lot of times, the elite runners are considering inspiring. However, I met someone at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run who's story far out-shines our stories. Meet <a href="http://gregwagnerdetermination.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Greg Wagner</span></a>, who as a three-year old survived a ruptured brain aneurysm and stroke and has since gone on to complete five marathons, twice qualifying for the Boston Marathon (among many other accomplishments). He was the poster child for Children's Hospital and paced this year's Children's Hospital representative, a 12 -year old cancer survivor, in the 5k. Greg's story is a great example of how powerful not only the body is, but mainly the mind. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6qooY7VRkpDGLjMd7TP8porBbr5bS-9G3E2F6Bju9_Zfu5yIEoXD3qW1DDkghvTJZd5lIBchOH0JfvuNgKJJw-U5elRFtDVIsQPOVwH7BUD5OD-iL0QZd6Uc4pzKlInTcgHlbsqJfQwN/s1600/finishline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6qooY7VRkpDGLjMd7TP8porBbr5bS-9G3E2F6Bju9_Zfu5yIEoXD3qW1DDkghvTJZd5lIBchOH0JfvuNgKJJw-U5elRFtDVIsQPOVwH7BUD5OD-iL0QZd6Uc4pzKlInTcgHlbsqJfQwN/s320/finishline.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A finish line that won't stay empty for long.<br />
Photo by Cheryl.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sEuqjOdUMS7D0e18whvMy2-y2TyzHnAWWmb_xZD5FMaAEesJ50bhp9ohb0_-tsXc54GHJ-xcBioDe2vodOglPfbt0zqfvGIgl4y0s45RzXmd4uaFlYOJi3rO0bL5pHLHkysmTtSj3uEF/s1600/finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sEuqjOdUMS7D0e18whvMy2-y2TyzHnAWWmb_xZD5FMaAEesJ50bhp9ohb0_-tsXc54GHJ-xcBioDe2vodOglPfbt0zqfvGIgl4y0s45RzXmd4uaFlYOJi3rO0bL5pHLHkysmTtSj3uEF/s320/finish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing up. 8th place, 3rd American in <a href="http://cherryblossom.org/aboutus/results.php" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">56:04</span></a>.<br />
Photo by Cheryl.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtoS4fiP7Fvfqn8o3KqeX-55RFtBhgSIZDjCQdU45eP6HvADHXplHzdQgKNSAOS0s-7a1bhHAOL43buYfwH2AMNS5PKw4H-ljl3lvSTIhUT0Lo-uOD9IHQcNGUbVZYQez4OokytNM5oKP/s1600/awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtoS4fiP7Fvfqn8o3KqeX-55RFtBhgSIZDjCQdU45eP6HvADHXplHzdQgKNSAOS0s-7a1bhHAOL43buYfwH2AMNS5PKw4H-ljl3lvSTIhUT0Lo-uOD9IHQcNGUbVZYQez4OokytNM5oKP/s320/awards.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top ten women receiving awards.<br />
Photo by Cheryl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><br />
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It's always nice to race near home, so that my family can easily watch me race. I was reminded though, that it's not just my family watching. On the start line, I met a gentleman who has been following my career since high school. Hopefully, I am still making my hometown proud!</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><b></b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><br />
<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?width=500&deepLinkEmbedCode=42dXdjNDoD_6FhZkHHL5nybLGVkbjma1&height=360&embedCode=42dXdjNDoD_6FhZkHHL5nybLGVkbjma1">
</script><br />
</b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">A big thank you to Bill Orr, the Elite Coordinator, for making the weekend seamless and a pleasure. I look forward to returning to the <a href="http://cherryblossom.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run</span></a>. <b> </b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">To see more pictures of the race go to <a href="http://MarathonFoto.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Marathonfoto.com</span></a>. </div><div><b><br />
</b></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-5117702448415040282012-03-05T12:28:00.000-07:002012-03-05T12:28:20.725-07:00A Spring in Your Step<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">It's that time of year again when runners are dreaming of warm weather and fast times...Track season is upon us. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">After a year of marathon training and of staying healthy, I decided that Spring of 2012 would be focused on getting fast again and bringing that "pop" back into my legs. While I'm not having a full track season, I am stepping away from the marathon (until the fall) to focus on shorter distances: 10k to half-marathon. I plan to step foot on the track for the first time since 2008 for the Payton Jordan Cardinal 10k.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Yp5yUrIQSnMhcofLhtFnDYEpg-y7VbXmVE_eH9R2QZ5OvB2YnOGNJBzfs8n0lpyOStt60HUEEb1tvYwst_Xs6e8sUM8c7cuYxXkxD-pVjMCXQynt9mDOufBoMb8pacFpr3S3oY88jL7o/s1600/IMG_2038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Yp5yUrIQSnMhcofLhtFnDYEpg-y7VbXmVE_eH9R2QZ5OvB2YnOGNJBzfs8n0lpyOStt60HUEEb1tvYwst_Xs6e8sUM8c7cuYxXkxD-pVjMCXQynt9mDOufBoMb8pacFpr3S3oY88jL7o/s320/IMG_2038.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A big thank you to Eric Heins and Mike Smith for<br />
access to NAU's indoor track.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4ji88GOWb2vd1M_bNbQug4ZvtA0g2pMlkOnsTr-u_o6zd1pDHQZlqvwlyE9h2L2H2_iqAp9YTUtAFcE5eciKCPpwLss2Qwk1cBGEAK24B8NnfgjyVSfUz004Nlx_Dqia9iPfK23FoyFw/s1600/Mutts+-+for+blog.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4ji88GOWb2vd1M_bNbQug4ZvtA0g2pMlkOnsTr-u_o6zd1pDHQZlqvwlyE9h2L2H2_iqAp9YTUtAFcE5eciKCPpwLss2Qwk1cBGEAK24B8NnfgjyVSfUz004Nlx_Dqia9iPfK23FoyFw/s320/Mutts+-+for+blog.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfortunately, this was our last week on the indoor track.<br />
Now it will be outside with the Flagstaff spring winds!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I've realized that four years away from speed work and intensity makes it that much harder to return, especially after coming out of my sweet spot in marathon training. Training for marathons comes easily and naturally. I find myself reminiscing life as a first-year at UVa when I was never quite sure I'd be able to make it up the stairs to our 3rd story dorm room after practice. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I appreciate and welcome a revisit to the intensity. It will be fun to see how it translates to the roads. First up is Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. The cherry blossoms are <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dcs-cherry-blossoms-will-turn-100-with-birthday-bash/2012/02/28/gIQAxkEtiR_story.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">predicted to be in full bloom</span></a> and I look forward to the trip back home to see college teammates and family. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUdfxq6Sk_XcnFQfYXWChFEfe1i2q7vjk_mAr1KthoOveNoCyC9F8BDmKDGRDNFq2BwRFeuZwYFnkEd2wiHUz036zaL3Fbx5cntbnq3QGCxxOwRSwkyQ_Hdr0lmBxB1_spL5XqtN1EZ8K/s1600/IMG_2039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUdfxq6Sk_XcnFQfYXWChFEfe1i2q7vjk_mAr1KthoOveNoCyC9F8BDmKDGRDNFq2BwRFeuZwYFnkEd2wiHUz036zaL3Fbx5cntbnq3QGCxxOwRSwkyQ_Hdr0lmBxB1_spL5XqtN1EZ8K/s320/IMG_2039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new 2012 adidas race kits.<br />
Be on the look out for the red and purple.<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZHoI629SkZZicmuaiCAqkvWX4P2zUTZ1rmIQbwCWdrR875qU3P57v_XvT4m37CuE7VmqfNsmAUgpN7HLSFbLzYAbjNjmPmZiNxUvwtezP8kIiK1PeB_jV4gUrRRjSvpy6UlyKqNDI9RP/s1600/IMG_2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZHoI629SkZZicmuaiCAqkvWX4P2zUTZ1rmIQbwCWdrR875qU3P57v_XvT4m37CuE7VmqfNsmAUgpN7HLSFbLzYAbjNjmPmZiNxUvwtezP8kIiK1PeB_jV4gUrRRjSvpy6UlyKqNDI9RP/s320/IMG_2022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee already has the natural balance of<br />
speed and endurance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Spring racing kicks off this coming weekend with the adidas-McMillanElite men (Nick Arciniaga, Scott Smith, Ben Bruce and Danny Mercado) going for a team title at the Gate River 15k, a US Championship race. Coaches Greg McMillan and Trina Painter will be racing more locally in the Mountain to Fountain 15k. </div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-17124872126467547562012-01-25T11:02:00.000-07:002012-01-25T11:02:48.165-07:002012 Olympic Marathon Trials Reflection<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">It's now a little over a week after the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials. Looking back, I'm still torn on how I felt about the race itself, but overall I had a great weekend.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluYLXQR68mWO263OOxR-aCPAma13L_zg1YZQTyfl9TbMJ2cTkWQeoa6ZVUflI7Q3bA85gymr9_VfOCW3_CF7Ark_ijSHhdyRwXIo1cq5SbKhPUSERm_d0HRc8KTHSGw3m3QHUR2CUKrCP/s1600/Olympic+Trials+Marathon+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluYLXQR68mWO263OOxR-aCPAma13L_zg1YZQTyfl9TbMJ2cTkWQeoa6ZVUflI7Q3bA85gymr9_VfOCW3_CF7Ark_ijSHhdyRwXIo1cq5SbKhPUSERm_d0HRc8KTHSGw3m3QHUR2CUKrCP/s320/Olympic+Trials+Marathon+2012.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy Nicole Luque.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">We got there on Wednesday, but Friday was by far the craziest day. We had to drop off our fluid bottles, go through a rigorous uniform check, and attend the technical meeting. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">After all this, Ian Torrence and I did a talk with Katy High School students. Many of them have been training since September to run the Houston Half for the very first time. Kudos to these runners, as I never ran anything over 10k in high school.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_zQCsGrrVXBPkerkgEeYeXffGUuoGWrnUnnHTW7Eub_CR_ZQC19gYpuVD6VUujTCAs4FjlrHzv0bxHAha4wanf3-r0eaYfO7juO5FF1UIicT-G9Rtyhpg_kI58JfyCxDnZg5ZWIPUGpg/s1600/Katy+Student+Run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_zQCsGrrVXBPkerkgEeYeXffGUuoGWrnUnnHTW7Eub_CR_ZQC19gYpuVD6VUujTCAs4FjlrHzv0bxHAha4wanf3-r0eaYfO7juO5FF1UIicT-G9Rtyhpg_kI58JfyCxDnZg5ZWIPUGpg/s1600/Katy+Student+Run.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian and I after our talk with Katy Student Run. <br />
Photo by Ian Torrence.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">On to race day...</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I contracted a cold the night before I left for Houston. I was hopeful it would pass by Saturday, but as the week went on I got more nervous about its affect on my race. Looking back, I was definitely disappointed with my race. I didn't expect to shut down like I did at mile 19. It wasn't a great day from the gun, but you never know when it might turn around out there. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BbTSxl3nCNUFYbh0PKjsEf6hYuKOee16lgLx6GmwZ06kMYj9lnR6x14dwbeHfGjd3nIA1R0j9CcjYsD7VtxyDo6_GNUgQI_PqXms5jOSTdMyEwXtLABvMXcXCdWaSHG3lnFrpgyg7awK/s1600/Trials1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BbTSxl3nCNUFYbh0PKjsEf6hYuKOee16lgLx6GmwZ06kMYj9lnR6x14dwbeHfGjd3nIA1R0j9CcjYsD7VtxyDo6_GNUgQI_PqXms5jOSTdMyEwXtLABvMXcXCdWaSHG3lnFrpgyg7awK/s320/Trials1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I give the illusion of fueling, however we've determined<br />
part of my cause for shut down was due to inadequate caloric intake<br />
on my part. Rookie mistake.<br />
Photo courtesy Nicole Anderson.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">On the other hand, I did run 2:37, my second-best time out of three marathons. As ugly as it was, it's also encouraging that I still ran under the A-standard on an off-day. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVpvhi0RzQyHxWbdsH5PkbCQ9sG4OUQ7D19FPshxgoCmo3IVBb2-LfR7olb_PZWdyz9Mrxf4OM1aWrLxYIE5CjfDqOzHgua-ueX7R1EMbQDUngtXdpJa6P99eamIIo9TFYHt4cLtSQ-pl/s1600/Trials2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVpvhi0RzQyHxWbdsH5PkbCQ9sG4OUQ7D19FPshxgoCmo3IVBb2-LfR7olb_PZWdyz9Mrxf4OM1aWrLxYIE5CjfDqOzHgua-ueX7R1EMbQDUngtXdpJa6P99eamIIo9TFYHt4cLtSQ-pl/s320/Trials2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A large pack approaching the fluid tables early on. They had<br />
over 40 tables on the course, but their system seemed to work<br />
well. Photo courtesy Nicole Anderson.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">Along the way, it was great to hear my college teammate, Trey, yelling out "Go Virginia, Wahoo-Wa!" It made me think back to watching <a href="http://www.raggedmountainracing.org/about-us/#ourCoaches" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Dana (Coons) Thiele</span></a> go through marathon training while I was at UVA and wondering how in the world she managed it. Now I know! I'm grateful to be following in her footsteps as the next Cavalier to represent in the Olympic Marathon Trials.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsgb9OLMiKqRCjlxtPSA9-Nghsanujd7BiKNtLTQbTeCJeDE8hkKoREdqHBKiGCg_BXi7Fnt2ZUlr_QEtgq9xn5OhDG4IlQffQcYGpNYm-n1EA4XDPYlCqS1bhfJ7xxvfyS0ToPnsgYJQ/s1600/coons_dana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsgb9OLMiKqRCjlxtPSA9-Nghsanujd7BiKNtLTQbTeCJeDE8hkKoREdqHBKiGCg_BXi7Fnt2ZUlr_QEtgq9xn5OhDG4IlQffQcYGpNYm-n1EA4XDPYlCqS1bhfJ7xxvfyS0ToPnsgYJQ/s320/coons_dana.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dana Coons rocking adidas. <br />
Photo from racingnews.runnersworld.com and Victah Sailer</td></tr>
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">Congrats to my current McMillanElite teammates Brett Gotcher, Nick Arciniaga, and Jordan Horn for having strong races.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">A big thank you to<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> <a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Ian Torrence</span></a></span> for being my AS (athlete support) all weekend and for keeping it all in perspective. And as always, to my parents for being out there along the course cheering me on. They've been through all the ups and downs with me from the beginning. <br />
<br />
It's on to some shorter races this spring before tackling another marathon later this year.</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-14323282090466009212012-01-12T22:00:00.000-07:002012-01-12T22:00:24.829-07:00Perfect Practice<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">It’s only a couple days out from the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon and I can safely say that 2011 was the year of the marathon for me. As I’ve been perusing the many blogs and articles on this coming weekend, I’ve seen the word “perfect” bounced around quite a bit. Usually it’s pertaining to the “perfect race” or the “perfect weather,” but whether it be the 800 or the marathon, getting to that perfect race requires countless hours of preparation. The catch: that preparation has to count. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">The following sums it up nicely:<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">~Vince Lombardi</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Oh, how true this is. Everyone knows how easy it is to develop those bad habits...and how hard it is to break them. This is where the perfect practice comes in. If you continually practice those bad habits, chances are greater your perfect race will elude you.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARCsYbwjIrqB8aPg1UPWWTWNhYh6khR9VFMI_IWlhcFc8j0Jh9qBMug6eKKKCh0pv-bfBmXr8kOOguvr-padiqdzsfVXI7nl1fCfgpSj58XSVUk2Ua3HQJYwIppKZJnOE5XeLvBnannwa/s1600/IMG_2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARCsYbwjIrqB8aPg1UPWWTWNhYh6khR9VFMI_IWlhcFc8j0Jh9qBMug6eKKKCh0pv-bfBmXr8kOOguvr-padiqdzsfVXI7nl1fCfgpSj58XSVUk2Ua3HQJYwIppKZJnOE5XeLvBnannwa/s320/IMG_2013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view I pass almost every day on my<br />
second run.</td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Back to marathon training. That’s why we practice taking fluids and fueling every few miles on long tempo runs when you’re tired and hurting, to perfect grabbing and carrying your bottle and most importantly taking those fluids in. There are so many variables over 26.2 miles. Our goal is to minimize those variables by perfecting training.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAewYkWrwYbwrW6QFMyZypq1ErlPY6Y9lm4O4vDzKUcR2kzZE9O9TOf-zVHNaZIANjC-NiSF6LH0zCdcOx5I1SOC9r-kAIkDLhjUfF9EdlzSMaX0xeC_XItuSb0KEZn_qJD1jZb_Xb94gC/s1600/lakemary2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAewYkWrwYbwrW6QFMyZypq1ErlPY6Y9lm4O4vDzKUcR2kzZE9O9TOf-zVHNaZIANjC-NiSF6LH0zCdcOx5I1SOC9r-kAIkDLhjUfF9EdlzSMaX0xeC_XItuSb0KEZn_qJD1jZb_Xb94gC/s320/lakemary2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephanie and I during a 15 mile tempo<br />
on Lake Mary Road.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxz3APYl-MpWFfgFfSQ5pN10OFDcnzjiOU7a-9h-yOYalh9E0UJsXYAUc5-H5lgD555fwjQpovzaI7S1nneLEiZeWGFqjffqA76B92Aay1X6QWafqaYVhB0AKLXhU8gHtH93wFBTCdTil/s1600/lakemary1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxz3APYl-MpWFfgFfSQ5pN10OFDcnzjiOU7a-9h-yOYalh9E0UJsXYAUc5-H5lgD555fwjQpovzaI7S1nneLEiZeWGFqjffqA76B92Aay1X6QWafqaYVhB0AKLXhU8gHtH93wFBTCdTil/s320/lakemary1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-15 mile tempo.</td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The list goes on for everything we can work on perfecting in practice. I wouldn’t be surprised if for most of us, the perfect practice pertains not to the physical act, but to our mental outlook each day. I’ve watched those around me have good workouts, but they didn’t perfectly practice believing every day that come race day, they were going to succeed. Many will be distinguished by this come Saturday, January 14th 2012.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dLE-eTuKch07EdBxxTtfGkC_I-qXpw8YdqUk3Q-2CTy5PKUmwNpqRCtu-o6IEUoIPtYd3ghTBBNNAmEDxaOkS12JAighP8CzNRBLvoyYGW6_MwhfB-Z7PbzLVk3oaW8K3-AIldhCBgsC/s1600/IMG_2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dLE-eTuKch07EdBxxTtfGkC_I-qXpw8YdqUk3Q-2CTy5PKUmwNpqRCtu-o6IEUoIPtYd3ghTBBNNAmEDxaOkS12JAighP8CzNRBLvoyYGW6_MwhfB-Z7PbzLVk3oaW8K3-AIldhCBgsC/s320/IMG_2018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee has been tapering, too.</td></tr>
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</span></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-87132592821313466212011-12-04T14:18:00.000-07:002011-12-04T14:18:28.931-07:00Travels, Thanks and TrotsI had the opportunity to road trip back to Virginia for Thanksgiving, which I'd certainly do again. Along the way I not only got to experience new runs, but I also got to revisit others.<br />
<br />
We took an early detour to see the sights in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The run took place on the Santa Fe Rails to Trails system. We avoided the paved sections and stuck to the dirt. It was quite windy and chilly, but the troop toughed it out. A couple other elite runners were spotted on the trail, so we must have been in the right spot.<br />
<br />
Next stop was Lake Hefner just outside Oklahoma City, where I did a 6 mile Steady State. It was another windy day, but Bee and I got it done. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-5ZnnMZuIb2IXbN5THPfjMdVEWcZSh5fJzWsFnlX9ZfxPEmwp2mniddPHOff1N4bvBWn_l8PhQL8j9BrZJNonBlemEJ8bUrHiv17zZOCYbNvDErcn1h5ESK0N-v9vXRA2UhcNfC9uHGM/s1600/hefner_map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-5ZnnMZuIb2IXbN5THPfjMdVEWcZSh5fJzWsFnlX9ZfxPEmwp2mniddPHOff1N4bvBWn_l8PhQL8j9BrZJNonBlemEJ8bUrHiv17zZOCYbNvDErcn1h5ESK0N-v9vXRA2UhcNfC9uHGM/s320/hefner_map.gif" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flat, 9.8 mile paved loop around the lake was<br />
ideal for a steady state effort. <br />
Photo courtesy okc.gov</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6UyYrAnOA2P7YqGF7p9eI3TALn9L8KATKWleuylxyIIrCDQ6cNWnTsJhrCuhUfWLUsxeS-bYspgAtXtSvJgXGsjFaru0pwoqdQJP-pWBbDjqAHIZEXFjUTFeECuI-oZePks9a6D9oovX/s1600/IMG_2005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6UyYrAnOA2P7YqGF7p9eI3TALn9L8KATKWleuylxyIIrCDQ6cNWnTsJhrCuhUfWLUsxeS-bYspgAtXtSvJgXGsjFaru0pwoqdQJP-pWBbDjqAHIZEXFjUTFeECuI-oZePks9a6D9oovX/s320/IMG_2005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Treadmill anyone? <br />
Only a runner would appreciate this scene.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Next was the <a href="http://www.buckeyetrail.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Buckeye Trail</span></a> in Ohio, totaling 1,444 miles around Ohio. We ran on a western portion of the trail. Unfortunately, a good part of the trail was flooded, which meant lots of repeat running.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8gEJx2dNgcbuXwwzp6E4saZChvv147EbzSGJopwvvOy7w6xFTMxoagHoYoWEJrEHcU-O1NOpBz5lPuyPRVFm3Scdk4A4CyY0QampWHkoG5UCISCFGM7NACxQhM1v790ZFvAc3yssCp_9/s1600/btmap2-new.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8gEJx2dNgcbuXwwzp6E4saZChvv147EbzSGJopwvvOy7w6xFTMxoagHoYoWEJrEHcU-O1NOpBz5lPuyPRVFm3Scdk4A4CyY0QampWHkoG5UCISCFGM7NACxQhM1v790ZFvAc3yssCp_9/s320/btmap2-new.gif" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy buckeyetrail.org</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
My first revisit of the trip was to the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal towpath</span></a> in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. When I'm home, I will occasionally make the hour-plus trek to the C&O for flat, soft long runs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEiAxCdlQHdGGM_a7loi6-RKvzLA5Nbqo4DpURjeiWrLZOMXWNBOqs9K52QvftPfk57UDvfrzpGIbHaCTMHChXy-Z6W3YmnX8DFiBq-7-JsJfRbfJPwKawjmmzlkXLMw99hSiZT_JOsad/s1600/bike-c%2526o-canal-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEiAxCdlQHdGGM_a7loi6-RKvzLA5Nbqo4DpURjeiWrLZOMXWNBOqs9K52QvftPfk57UDvfrzpGIbHaCTMHChXy-Z6W3YmnX8DFiBq-7-JsJfRbfJPwKawjmmzlkXLMw99hSiZT_JOsad/s320/bike-c%2526o-canal-03.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C&O Canal. <br />
Photo courtesy rivertrail.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Next stop: <a href="http://www.jfk50mile.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">JFK 50 Miler</span></a>. JFK also takes place on the C&O, which spans 184.5 miles in length, as well as on a portion of the Appalachian Trail.<br />
<br />
Flagstaff's<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> </span><a href="http://iantorrence.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Ian Torrence</span></a> completed his 17th JFK 50 Miler, and Brian Tinder returned for his second year. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhkEyPb8W_4ofWlSGNno5rx_ZAJuZX2iFQ-L-RhbdqFnOiSYXHtVdQQju_4MPrDRYCmxqG5xK-qOM_oFMKK04MGJimxgOdRq4N1Zsqz3avYAgbfwvQEmVnDHj7tCpdfFUAcSIN36Rrftt/s1600/IMG_2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhkEyPb8W_4ofWlSGNno5rx_ZAJuZX2iFQ-L-RhbdqFnOiSYXHtVdQQju_4MPrDRYCmxqG5xK-qOM_oFMKK04MGJimxgOdRq4N1Zsqz3avYAgbfwvQEmVnDHj7tCpdfFUAcSIN36Rrftt/s320/IMG_2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian Tinder, in white, fresh off the Appalachian<br />
and beginning the long C&O portion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
I had the pleasure of seeing these guys come through the aid stations and also of acompanying Ian for the last 6 miles or so, undoubtedly the hardest part of the race, as they've already been at it for several hours and the body is exhausted.<br />
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Then it was on to Virginia for Thanksgiving with my family and my own race. <br />
<br />
The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.alexandriaturkeytrot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">2011 Alexandria Turkey Trot</span></a>,</span> a 5 mile race in Northern Virginia, proved to be a good time. I came away with a win and a new course record of 27:13. A big thank you to Brian Danza and the DC Road Runners.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ct-_ClKo8iH7cl6sA4DYptAVL6PxqFtqsK6QkrVJ0VAZ1zWhmqNAq9eQhqLZDJwHj0kn-TwM8AtKxmY5S3kiRBr7iqaFV1GS1oTYMK7_dTmnoySYNq2yS6dz9Pd6BYzEsdVsBEHJTmbH/s1600/Alexandria+TT2+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ct-_ClKo8iH7cl6sA4DYptAVL6PxqFtqsK6QkrVJ0VAZ1zWhmqNAq9eQhqLZDJwHj0kn-TwM8AtKxmY5S3kiRBr7iqaFV1GS1oTYMK7_dTmnoySYNq2yS6dz9Pd6BYzEsdVsBEHJTmbH/s1600/Alexandria+TT2+2011.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the start line with my UVa teammate. <br />
Photo courtesy Sandra Morris.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU0bbQ3fNGEkA6zFnW1nWYJkfEPExjDi93DaFPWcEmuCj6XEMV2NLsxIeNEbMnI9cagA_fRLUJ6g1uhTLs_6Zxv9twx0L6xwPdBDwVZ5hvL4J4XoF_dVtB3mGcXMOdkMLeTSGBbtPW7D-/s1600/Alexandria+TT+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU0bbQ3fNGEkA6zFnW1nWYJkfEPExjDi93DaFPWcEmuCj6XEMV2NLsxIeNEbMnI9cagA_fRLUJ6g1uhTLs_6Zxv9twx0L6xwPdBDwVZ5hvL4J4XoF_dVtB3mGcXMOdkMLeTSGBbtPW7D-/s1600/Alexandria+TT+2011.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receiving awards at the Alexandria Turkey Trot.</td></tr>
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</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I revisited the Massanutten Trail in Fort Valley, a mere few miles from my house before hitting the road back west. The ruggedness of the trails makes the trails in Flagstaff seem pristine. Over the span of 10.5 miles, we gained 2,600 ft in elevation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtuxUuVpGa-B3AHe7rw6gRJX3GW06RIGPD8Q939xeIQRJMhQGf7OJt985EXNDIq5wpVf1AmbKQd0DwqqbODEUuVJg8EYjS4lYABlDiG2UnxApofKxYBzu5G1gOBg3L44ndKEBv_ZJJCpO/s1600/massanutten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtuxUuVpGa-B3AHe7rw6gRJX3GW06RIGPD8Q939xeIQRJMhQGf7OJt985EXNDIq5wpVf1AmbKQd0DwqqbODEUuVJg8EYjS4lYABlDiG2UnxApofKxYBzu5G1gOBg3L44ndKEBv_ZJJCpO/s1600/massanutten.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of Fort Valley from the top.<br />
Courtesy of hikingupward.com</td></tr>
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The final new run was the La Luz Trail in the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It's over 7 miles to the top, but due to ice I only made it a little over 5 miles. The run starts at just over 7,000 ft and climbs to over 10,000 ft.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkE7u0mxsHWoi0e6V0xCHZOReCAGp0UwkTHQ5URUatgOy8q-Pei-Ec1d-goxBpG0bHYaDU13y_SZQj5mnuTDFuXvVbgu0Jw51mm-5N3QIbvALCQFQbcA61jf_Udw446dAEUNdhBs8DA5q/s1600/la+luz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkE7u0mxsHWoi0e6V0xCHZOReCAGp0UwkTHQ5URUatgOy8q-Pei-Ec1d-goxBpG0bHYaDU13y_SZQj5mnuTDFuXvVbgu0Jw51mm-5N3QIbvALCQFQbcA61jf_Udw446dAEUNdhBs8DA5q/s1600/la+luz.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Luz Trail.<br />
Courtesy of summitpost.org</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And for the bucket list: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/pohe/index.htm" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.</span></a><br />
<br />
Official 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon has commenced. It kicked off with a 19-20 mile long run a couple days after Thanksgiving. On Saturday, we did our first long tempo of the training cycle, an ice breaker 20k. We had to travel down to Camp Verde to a 3-mile loop in order to escape the snow of Flagstaff.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-85157364144159304262011-11-11T19:28:00.000-07:002011-11-11T19:28:12.124-07:00Extra, extra...Read all about it! This is a bit of a hodge podge on all the happenings since Twin Cities. For being a rest and recovery month, October has been quite busy. <br />
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Sometimes I feel like I'm beating a dead horse with this, but I truly appreciate all of the hometown support I still have. After the Twin Cities Marathon, I received a lot of coverage in two of the local newspapers. This was great, but the neatest aspect to me was that both reporters have been interviewing me since my high school days. Kip Ritenour of <a href="http://www.thewarrensentinel.com/editions/view/home_default.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The Warren Sentinel</span></a> has always been a constant supporter and Jeff Nations of <a href="http://www.nvdaily.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The Northern Virginia Daily</span></a> hadn't interviewed me in about 10 years since writing for <a href="http://www.winchesterstar.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The Winchester Star</span></a>.<br />
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Emily Harrison, a Warren County graduate, is preparing to run in the Olympic trials for the 2012 Olympics. Courtesy photo</span></span></span></span></span></div></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">By Jeff Nations - jnations@nvdaily.com</span><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Emily Harrison is right where her coaches predicted she'd be all along, from high school to college and now as an elite distance runner.<br />
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Maybe Harrison didn't even believe it herself, not all the time, not on some of those grueling training sessions as the miles piled up and up and up.<br />
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For years, the former Warren County High School and University of Virginia cross country and track standout had been told the same thing -- eventually, someday, she could become a first-rate marathoner.<br />
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That day has arrived, and then some. On Oct. 2, Harrison ran in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in St. Paul, Minn. She finished third overall among women, the fastest American runner in the field of 3,675 women in the race.<br />
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Impressive enough, but then consider this -- in just her second complete marathon ever, Harrison clocked a 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials "A" qualifying time of 2 hours, 32 minutes and 55 seconds over the 26.2-mile road course.<br />
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Harrison's time was nearly 10 minutes faster than her previous best -- and first -- marathon, when she ran a 2:42.27 in the Chevron Houston Marathon on Jan. 30. In between, she tweaked a hamstring while leading the race midway through the Pittsburgh Marathon in May, and since then had been building toward the Twin Cities race.<br />
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"I'd say it's not a surprise in one sense, but in another it is a surprise," said the 25-year-old Harrison. "It's one of those things where I've been building towards it with my workouts, but anything can happen in a race. It's a marathon; I knew it was possible, but until you have that time on paper you didn't quite believe it."<br />
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Harrison projected to have an even faster time, had conditions been just perfect, but the 2:32.55 was a solid effort nonetheless and vaulted her into "'A" qualifying status after she hit the "B" standard for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials during that Houston debut.<br />
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Running for the Flagstaff, Ariz.-based McMillanElite team, Harrison has set her sights on at least contending for a top-10 finish -- maybe, just maybe, top five -- at the Olympic trials coming up Jan. 14, back in Houston. Only the top three runners will represent the U.S. in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, and Harrison isn't banking on making that short list this time.<br />
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"I think it's going to be tough to make the team. We'll see what happens," Harrison said. "It was a good decision to move up in distance [to marathons]. If you look at a lot of the top American marathoners, they're older, they're in their 30s. I'm glad to get an early start."<br />
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What Harrison will be shooting for is another personal record time, right around the 2:30.00 range. That should be good enough for a top-10 finish, at least.<br />
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The road to Houston is still a long way off, and these days Harrison spends the long hours of running the trails of northern Arizona mostly with her indefatigable training partner, her 1-year-old border collie named Super Bee.<br />
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Like Harrison, Super Bee is a Virginia native who made the trip West as a puppy riding snugly under her future running partner's airplane seat. Like Harrison, Super Bee soon caught the running bug and has been a constant presence ever since during training sessions.<br />
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"She's always ready to run," Harrison said. "She's excited when she sees the running shoes come out. She's even started doing some of the longer runs with me."<br />
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A long run by Harrison's estimation has few parallels, not when an average week of training consists of 90 miles of running. It soon will be more, as Harrison begins training in earnest for Houston with weeks topping 100 and perhaps even 110 miles.<br />
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That daunting mileage figure is not so challenging these days for Harrison. Following her standout career at Warren County under coach Mike Tanner, Harrison went on to become one of the University of Virginia's best distance runners. A three-time All-American (twice in cross country, once in the indoor 5K), Harrison was All-ACC and All-Southeast Region four straight years for the Cavaliers.<br />
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A variety of injuries slowed Harrison somewhat on the track, among them a nagging shin problem and a bruised knee, but she still qualified twice for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 10K.<br />
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Harrison drew McMillanElite head coach and director Greg McMillan's attention while at Virginia, and he offered her a spot on his team following her 2008 graduation. Harrison had been all set to stay in Charlottesville and continue training with Virginia coach Jason Dunn, but his decision to take a job at Stanford meant Harrison had a decision of her own to make. A quick call to McMillan, and Harrison was starting to pack for the trek to the high elevations of Flagstaff.<br />
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"It definitely was kind of a big change," Harrison said. "I could get home pretty easily for holidays in Charlottesville. I've spent the last couple Thanksgivings out here, and the last Christmas."<br />
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Harrison relies on the support of her McMillanElite teammates, often training up to six days a week with them. That training schedule is demanding, but Harrison still has time available to work with area schools and youth programs as a volunteer coach. Eventually, she might like to get into coaching full-time.<br />
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Right now, Harrison is focused on the next mile, the next milestone -- and trying to keep her mind off ice cream. A recently discovered gluten sensitivity issue that had plagued Harrison the past couple years has led to a diet change, including an avoidance of wheat and some dairy products.<br />
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"They have some sort of substitute for ice cream, but it's not the same," Harrison said.<br />
It's a price to pay, but a small one for Harrison's improved energy level. The Olympic trials are firmly in Harrison's focus, and beyond that perhaps the Boston Marathon or New York Marathon.<br />
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"It's still very different, stepping on that start line," Harrison said. "In that instant, you're thinking, 'Wow, I'm really prepared for this.' And at the same time you get the feeling that 'I'm totally unprepared for this.'<br />
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"The second one did come easier than my first one, just because I felt more fit and mentally prepared. But the end of the race is still hard.</span>"<br />
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<i><img src="webkit-fake-url://68A7BAF5-729B-429B-B36D-B24A159F2F61/image.tiff" /></i></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From the same edition of The Warren Sentinel, Kip talks about my high school career breaking the way for our running programs in Warren County.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As covered in a previous blog, I am proud of Warren County running and how far they've come. Seamus, a Warren County Wildcat, just won the Region II Cross Country Championships this past weekend and has goals of a State Title this coming weekend. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Speaking of high school running, part of why October has been so busy is that I have been in Phoenix almost every weekend either for a <a href="http://johnballdc.com/about/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Dr. John Ball</span> </a>visit or for a high school cross country meet. It's that time of year for spreading the word about the <a href="http://mcmillanelite.com/highschoolcamp/home.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">2012 adidas-McMillanElite High School Training Camp</span></a>. Our inaugural year was a hit, and we're looking to make 2012 even better!</span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bee was admittedly the bigger draw at the<br />
2011 Doug Conley Invitational. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLL_OTYj1mUVkqmm6NlKFX9B5JLvb-d8xd-HB06qHcPITfR7zG4F5j03sF25v9t7zU1seJLTthNa95T6B8uAj9WeyWABvciR-0MCpyZXX1Ce8E0UKE6FNShMS6X9-M50d3vDbzxbnpfDXD/s1600/IMG_1921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLL_OTYj1mUVkqmm6NlKFX9B5JLvb-d8xd-HB06qHcPITfR7zG4F5j03sF25v9t7zU1seJLTthNa95T6B8uAj9WeyWABvciR-0MCpyZXX1Ce8E0UKE6FNShMS6X9-M50d3vDbzxbnpfDXD/s320/IMG_1921.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An evening run in <a href="http://phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/south/index.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">South Mountain Preserve</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">. </span><br />
At the top of Dobbins Lookout.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The 2011 Arizona State Cross Country Meet, put on by <a href="http://www.aia365.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Arizona Interscholastic Association</span></a>, was a success in many ways. First off, the adidas tent was a hit....</span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNA5HG82wupFdKcBLWafEgJDdc4O7wrHHEY5D2Aeont0ZtBCLY_ljat9H79bqWGPy4d-D6s6uDML53umHcE1gG92-Q3Lqxi5VX6Uptd8oZwZp5ZWiAcz4kGE8ZTgI3xg_lDjdi-iKhfko/s1600/IMG_1966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNA5HG82wupFdKcBLWafEgJDdc4O7wrHHEY5D2Aeont0ZtBCLY_ljat9H79bqWGPy4d-D6s6uDML53umHcE1gG92-Q3Lqxi5VX6Uptd8oZwZp5ZWiAcz4kGE8ZTgI3xg_lDjdi-iKhfko/s320/IMG_1966.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">At the 2011 Arizona State Cross Country meet.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Secondly, despite heavy storms the night before, course flooding that delayed the meet a full hour, and cooler temperatures, there were plenty of strong performances from the athletes. Bernie Montoya of Cibola, a 2011 adidas-McMillanElite Camp attendee, won the Division I race for the second year in a row as junior.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5TVxWE8LR_LNv8SwxhM9rACnH-IphhydYNK9vEfeFOusdOsxPnBSy9Kh3Ny1j6nofjwfXTC780fSnLNLz9MwPX0fsk820xA5MhjpmcwiCTo6CkRjkfBtUZxESmn30lhZFPP4A6lsk93Y/s1600/IMG_1972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5TVxWE8LR_LNv8SwxhM9rACnH-IphhydYNK9vEfeFOusdOsxPnBSy9Kh3Ny1j6nofjwfXTC780fSnLNLz9MwPX0fsk820xA5MhjpmcwiCTo6CkRjkfBtUZxESmn30lhZFPP4A6lsk93Y/s320/IMG_1972.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the adidas tent at<br />
the Cave Creek Golf Course, site of the State Meet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The biggest news of the day was <a href="http://azdailysun.com/sports/high-school/the-secret-is-out-on-trina-painter/article_e4a48344-5ecc-5e37-9dd9-7b5a50a15615.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Coach Trina Painter</span></a> and the Flagstaff High School ladies. Tatiana Gillick, only a sophomore, is now the Division II Champion. Not only was Tatiana a champion, but her entire team was as well. After winning their state sectional meet in a record low 19 points, they continued their winning streak with a very young squad. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Also, a big thank you to Coach Painter and her athletes for helping with our camp promotion this fall.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I mentioned visits to John Ball and cross country meets, but Super Bee also had an adventurous October. On two weekends we made the trip to Florence, Az, where Bee got in touch with her roots...</span></span></span></span><br />
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<div>On the way back from Phoenix this weekend, I was met with snow on the approach to Flagstaff.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDW_cKo4Qb1HSvO085U1lGmXFwPGorgwy5Q5V0APUL0DOvq62jWCoGI9qEF30vLV1OymsQmEzZEIeVSQtGeR3ZPccgpHKGpvACZYRKPWS0Eb3AYlBlpMwQBKgn4Hu6Elgwoj7kxW4ZnLb/s1600/IMG_1974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDW_cKo4Qb1HSvO085U1lGmXFwPGorgwy5Q5V0APUL0DOvq62jWCoGI9qEF30vLV1OymsQmEzZEIeVSQtGeR3ZPccgpHKGpvACZYRKPWS0Eb3AYlBlpMwQBKgn4Hu6Elgwoj7kxW4ZnLb/s320/IMG_1974.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching Flagstaff.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-20209111780546918912011-10-12T10:49:00.002-07:002011-10-12T11:01:06.840-07:00F8 Spells...Fate<a href="http://www.tcmevents.org/events/medtronic_twin_cities_marathon_weekend/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">2011 Twin Cities Marathon</span></a> - 2:32.55<br />
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A fews days after I ran Twin Cities Marathon, my Dad asks "You know what F8 sounds like, don't you?" Me, "Um, no..." He says, "Fate." <br />
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F8 was my bib number for TCM. I thought that people rhyming "eight" with "great" during the race was clever, but now I know it was fate to run a 10 minute PR, finish top 3, and be top American.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaIpcLJUCAtT9cgLljzHcZPgKiu2Anl93-AYDyjq1mhSdm8e5mTewfXaluBCMknfpN_GcnnYQJc2tLiQC4_t2cqrOHlHjSZ_xn7JbtnHP1rLyMVWODpEkRZ3Y6s4vtl6jtYfG5j3in7tp/s1600/IMG_1901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaIpcLJUCAtT9cgLljzHcZPgKiu2Anl93-AYDyjq1mhSdm8e5mTewfXaluBCMknfpN_GcnnYQJc2tLiQC4_t2cqrOHlHjSZ_xn7JbtnHP1rLyMVWODpEkRZ3Y6s4vtl6jtYfG5j3in7tp/s320/IMG_1901.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Race weekend started out as a whirlwind. Stephanie Rothstein, Ben Bruce and I arrived on Thursday night for the Friday press conference (Steph for the USA 10 mile Champs). This was my first press conference, so not only did I have to represent myself well during, but I also had to not let any extra pressure get to me. Greg and I talked all week leading into the race about staying relaxed and not letting myself sabotage my race before I even stepped on the starting line.<br />
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On Friday, the majority of our team and Greg arrived. Another added element to the weekend was that Twin Cities was also playing host to the men's and women's USA 10 mile Championships, creating even more excitement with lots of USATF officials and elite athlete events to attend. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise to be so busy and with little time to ponder the upcoming race.<br />
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Saturday brought the technical meeting, finishing my fluid bottles, and a personal course tour with Nobi and Greg. It was nice not having to view the course from a big yellow school bus for 3 hours. Thank you Nobi! The course was winding for a majority of the race, so running tangents would be of upmost importance. And let's not forget the last 10k, which begins a 5 mile climb before plummeting to the finish at the capitol. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZGDrhMuhBJvHi8g_laMFSIGEaJEdYNb7s4SS3tOkWjhf6Zwq3nX5UNY-LQ7mwP3o8G9k4E2gzf-DTmbvo_OTdrxu0O2llhfhKv7_hXVdzOwDWUNVXjPXeuWP-4opiX_cLD5eZLxR-yF4/s1600/IMG_1904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZGDrhMuhBJvHi8g_laMFSIGEaJEdYNb7s4SS3tOkWjhf6Zwq3nX5UNY-LQ7mwP3o8G9k4E2gzf-DTmbvo_OTdrxu0O2llhfhKv7_hXVdzOwDWUNVXjPXeuWP-4opiX_cLD5eZLxR-yF4/s320/IMG_1904.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My standard Barbie fluid bottle. I use a combination of </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Hammer </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">products throughout the race. I actually missed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">my bottle at mile 12, but I couldn't let that enter my mind.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Sunday Funday!! Note: I stole that from a good friend. It was a typical race morning in many ways...catch the bus to shuttle to the start, yep the big yellow one, then sit downstairs in a large room until it's time to warm up. Luckily, I had a partner in crime. Katie Koski and I kept each other company and warmed up together. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqqTeRhc7wifMbOLwt8ILISJEKwwXpe1f9sd4i8SC7S66Dg-hkyTjkUnySyCyhJ4_SAIOyUxdZOEumXQAP7Ru7qX_2AShUHoB1kaGIe0L5s3-Ld9RsD4lkt5wzfDfESJu-nuyCi28TJ3r/s1600/tcm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqqTeRhc7wifMbOLwt8ILISJEKwwXpe1f9sd4i8SC7S66Dg-hkyTjkUnySyCyhJ4_SAIOyUxdZOEumXQAP7Ru7qX_2AShUHoB1kaGIe0L5s3-Ld9RsD4lkt5wzfDfESJu-nuyCi28TJ3r/s320/tcm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see why this is "The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon<br />
in America." Photo by TCM.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After the gun went off, I quickly found myself in 8th place. I started slower than I expected the first couple of miles, just under 6 min pace, but I found my groove and locked in for the long haul. The fun part was, after mile 1, I started passing people with the occasional race with a masters male. I'm confident that from mile 1 to mile 26.2 no one passed me (with the exception of the sprint finish).<br />
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I had to have faith that the women in front of me would come back. This didn't start happening until a little over halfway. My pace seemed quick, but I kept telling myself to stay relaxed and roll with it. Eventually, I was locked into 4th place. I figured that was where I'd stay, as it was nearing the last 10k and I hadn't seen any women in a while, although Greg told me around mile 20 there was someone up ahead slowing. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0G_nS4N3_PMxaCWTFEnLy6PJolRI_Sx7UJGxmFe4rDB9YhrAt2hGJf2HSEVc_RiVGACk5vHJlAuwDQ6yWT7CmxD-5cEJTeQsbnWJoaDulHrS7xQBTLR3Lcg1BajoV_8W1I8tbG12ZE4e4/s1600/harrison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0G_nS4N3_PMxaCWTFEnLy6PJolRI_Sx7UJGxmFe4rDB9YhrAt2hGJf2HSEVc_RiVGACk5vHJlAuwDQ6yWT7CmxD-5cEJTeQsbnWJoaDulHrS7xQBTLR3Lcg1BajoV_8W1I8tbG12ZE4e4/s320/harrison.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing staying calm, cool and collected.<br />
Photo by TCM.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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I continued to pass the men, and finally I caught the 3rd place woman after mile 23. To everyone's surprise, I was also closing on 2nd place. With a mile to go, she was in my sights. I caught and passed her at the crest of the hill with less than 800m to go. She fought back though and just out-kicked me right before the line. Afterwards, I was thinking, "really, 26.2 miles and it comes to a sprint finish?"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZL_kHiqv6NRBGhKeoayJL2Bq_HGeagyfYe0yD_ifTjmwiN-yFWAu2obZUuu6JCyAt4WLkPxqtT-BO65X1ag7SIJ8FSAyxyzAcgCf0WpzvvswqwZGwFmdQlm1nE9U5xTp4jXqONIG_ZVoI/s1600/greg+%2526+i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZL_kHiqv6NRBGhKeoayJL2Bq_HGeagyfYe0yD_ifTjmwiN-yFWAu2obZUuu6JCyAt4WLkPxqtT-BO65X1ag7SIJ8FSAyxyzAcgCf0WpzvvswqwZGwFmdQlm1nE9U5xTp4jXqONIG_ZVoI/s320/greg+%2526+i.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greg and I post-race in the elite tent.<br />
Photo by Stephanie Rothstein.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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Going into the race we had a time range we knew was possible and a goal of finishing on the podium. After awards, there was no time to stop. It was back to the hotel, shower and off to the airport. A side note, as soon as I crossed the finish line, I had a TCM volunteer stuck to my side. For a while, I didn't know if it was for drug testing or something else. It turns out, he had to make sure I made it to the awards stand. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCWkNJKv_0SQWEPSlwN7IT0K3YArZdqj7PUlPVw1xhODaFeB7aZNUA_JKNC40ju3CgOfzohayS27mcHjRCM2AgapNMBm8VKHDcyl9yuUPk6XcYUryMpEN3Q8qYi0ee3pAXziPcUqxY8_w/s1600/reporter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCWkNJKv_0SQWEPSlwN7IT0K3YArZdqj7PUlPVw1xhODaFeB7aZNUA_JKNC40ju3CgOfzohayS27mcHjRCM2AgapNMBm8VKHDcyl9yuUPk6XcYUryMpEN3Q8qYi0ee3pAXziPcUqxY8_w/s320/reporter.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for awards and being interviewed.<br />
Photo by Stephanie Rothstein.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Brett Gotcher, Aaron Braun, and Scott Smith represented adidas well with everyone finishing in the top 10 in the USA 10 miles Champs. Brett was 3rd and Aaron finished his season 2nd overall in the USA Running Circuit. Jordan Horn and Danny Mercado also qualified for the marathon Olympic Trials with their sub-65 half-marathons the same day at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon in Virginia. Kellyn Johnson won the Jim Click 8k as a tune-up for Tufts 10k. A solid day!<br />
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Fate was indeed at work on October 2nd, 2011.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626854353417129157.post-2644318397744890722011-09-21T16:21:00.000-07:002011-09-21T16:21:08.690-07:00The Quest for Water<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The quest for water...<br />
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Nope, not the cattle tank water Super Bee likes to play in on our runs, but the water you find upon going to the well. This next statement is a coaches nightmare, but to me it's also a motivator to keep pushing toward the next goal. I am confident I can count on both hands the number of times I've truly crossed that line during a race and discovered the success that lies on the other side. Typically, I'm the one playing it safe, not tempting that line. If you're competitive in any aspect of sports or life, you know that line I speak of. Or to some, they refer to it as going to the well, seeing how far they can push beyond their "limits."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDIghfaEnb0598UMvQJQbiPnH7YeVCIrjzhy3arat_YtLKwVhxAa1PqKeJVHvXLnBlw18134S7xVssgpMYS66n1VhXsaH194bIzH79guDIKZzLxaegPhClfgThwZd0pI3PURwucYqgkim9/s1600/IMG_1866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDIghfaEnb0598UMvQJQbiPnH7YeVCIrjzhy3arat_YtLKwVhxAa1PqKeJVHvXLnBlw18134S7xVssgpMYS66n1VhXsaH194bIzH79guDIKZzLxaegPhClfgThwZd0pI3PURwucYqgkim9/s320/IMG_1866.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Super Bee enjoying the muddy water at Pipeline Tank.</span></span></span></td></tr>
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Many argue running is more a mental act than a physical one. I believe running is greatly physical and there is such a thing as talent, however I do argue that racing is more mental than physical. Ironically, I have been known to say "I wish I could just turn off my brain during a race." Turning off your brain is still a mental act though. Banishing those demons and negative thoughts takes just as much practice as going out and logging mile after mile, day after day.<br />
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<blockquote><i>It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.</i> ~Muhammad Ali</blockquote><br />
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During those handful of times I went to the well, I have experienced first-hand the exhilaration and confidence that occurs. And also the rewards that followed. Because along with the decision to dig just a little deeper, came a break-through race, a championship title, or an opportunity to advance in my running career. <br />
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What's interesting is that upon looking back on these races, I remember exactly what was going through my head. I distinctly remember making a decision, deciding that I had not gone to the well and that there was a lot of fight left in me. So, I ask myself constantly why do I not do this more often? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUtwqDSLnu6xw8wwfEL-ehHssoT7LalkyzaEh6R55rSw1gPEwexpAR0kErb1gMN4DVgpnfQH7AQgprzIF_m6yflDrUt5DGJIb3IWFzeTHfrQ7rS1wD6VwCTFvMroTmqy2rioVjjm9QWEN/s1600/IMG_1851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUtwqDSLnu6xw8wwfEL-ehHssoT7LalkyzaEh6R55rSw1gPEwexpAR0kErb1gMN4DVgpnfQH7AQgprzIF_m6yflDrUt5DGJIb3IWFzeTHfrQ7rS1wD6VwCTFvMroTmqy2rioVjjm9QWEN/s320/IMG_1851.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A perk of living at 7,000 feet is feeling like you can reach up and touch the clouds. <br />
A scene like this will quickly lift your spirits.</span></td></tr>
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There's a delicate balance between racing smart and racing recklessly, between being too conservative and taking that risk that could lead you to greatness. Why are we so afraid to cross over into the unknown in a race? Is it fear of failure? Or a fear of being great?<br />
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My high school athletic director sent this to me about a year ago, and I can't help but think this has merit. At the time, I was struggling to find the runner I once was.<br />
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<blockquote><i>Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you </i><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i>not</i></span><i> to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~Marianne Williamson</i></blockquote><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9Qsjq17Xnk86RSSX05AMvdMD1iQ8jRMyusm27IlgpFPlw3lUUARXbwh0uq_7giPrLNm6u5vFuB13V6mjGRoWcwDKU-mGyKU-ehIEQ_V75XISGAf3iw2LBuOekkCE0moZ0TogHvmVdn8A/s1600/IMG_1854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9Qsjq17Xnk86RSSX05AMvdMD1iQ8jRMyusm27IlgpFPlw3lUUARXbwh0uq_7giPrLNm6u5vFuB13V6mjGRoWcwDKU-mGyKU-ehIEQ_V75XISGAf3iw2LBuOekkCE0moZ0TogHvmVdn8A/s320/IMG_1854.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second run with Bee paralleling Wing Mountain.</td></tr>
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And now I'm more than the runner I once was. Enough philosophy! Training is dialed in and going very well. I did a 5 x mile workout starting at 5:43 and ending at 5:24 (road loop averaging 7300'). Last year at this time, I couldn't finish the workout and the times were slower.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpN377j9shUHa5rg6trW0azpHfa1EqI084wd66HsWstTihFp_-ErP7MMIgPt7i0kWQdGrBKKSNm6dPIDNU3E-LFDPwJkja0cpWS9VCGYtG4e0i8PxGAaQfIN8UGYcuLo_mgfoYKKwa8yu/s1600/IMG_1870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpN377j9shUHa5rg6trW0azpHfa1EqI084wd66HsWstTihFp_-ErP7MMIgPt7i0kWQdGrBKKSNm6dPIDNU3E-LFDPwJkja0cpWS9VCGYtG4e0i8PxGAaQfIN8UGYcuLo_mgfoYKKwa8yu/s320/IMG_1870.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mistakenly named A1, this is where many a long run<br />
happen. Last weekend saw a Fast Finish 18 miler.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonMq-HGnKIiDvOgcDFM7nK2cQCYtPPQI3AsCeXsSu0safdRKJBnwnVogFbqndvRSop4rst9Y0Eb9eLp3-CpE_DZo9dp6WRDZcmP8Y_u1kAc96l93KPpJxjhZ4v6kDg7SYpdNgcU509NIF/s1600/IMG_1871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonMq-HGnKIiDvOgcDFM7nK2cQCYtPPQI3AsCeXsSu0safdRKJBnwnVogFbqndvRSop4rst9Y0Eb9eLp3-CpE_DZo9dp6WRDZcmP8Y_u1kAc96l93KPpJxjhZ4v6kDg7SYpdNgcU509NIF/s320/IMG_1871.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Palatino, 'New Century Schoolbook', 'Book Antiqua', 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Part of the above run, you can do what is called the Lollipop<br />
around Wing Mountain. The loop is 7 miles for a total of 21 miles.<br />
This is marathon training at its best. As I say, sugar is a silent killer.</span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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So I ask, is the over-used, cliche quote <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">"</span><a href="http://www.prefontainerun.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">"</span> really cliche? The search for water continues at Twin Cities...Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13313819333340517875noreply@blogger.com3