Three years ago I was handed a brochure and was given the challenge to run my first 5k. Keep in mind I was not a runner at the time. I rode my bike and played little rugby. I hadn’t really given running any thought since college and high school. Back then I was a sprinter so running 3 miles seemed like a distance run to me. I didn’t even know if I could do it. September 30th, 2010 I went out for a couple laps around the block, approximately 3miles. I was a little sore the next day but nothing major. I accepted the 5k challenge and showed up at the Hopkinton Lions Club annual 5k in Hopkinton NH ready to race. When it came time to run I just ran, no clue what I was doing. My shoe came untied and I tried to ignore it but eventually stopped to tie it. It was a small race, 51 people. I came in at number 27 but was 2nd in my age group. Voila…my first TROPHY. Whoa, you get trophies for running I said…game on..I am in. Time flies when your having fun! Three years later and I am running strong. Stronger than ever-physically, mentally, and spiritually. NO REGRETS!
This past weekend I was fortunate to be able to join the acidotic RACING Reach the Beach Relay team. We started out on a rainy Saturday morning at Cannon Mountain in Franconia NH. The rain was pouring as my friend and team mate Scott lined up at the start. It soon began to rain harder and he was off and running leading the pack and representing aR. This was my first experience running RTB, I had an idea of how it worked but the logistics were a bit of a mystery as we began our adventure. I didn’t really know anyone that I was going to spend the next 24+ hours with except for Scott. Good thing we had 3 RTB veterans in Van #1 as we set out to support our first runner and meet him at the next transition. By the time Scott reached transition #2 he had created a very strong lead and finished his leg less than a mile behind the runners of the group that started 20 minutes before us. He handed off to Bob who ended up passing a number of runners (“Roadkill”) on his leg. In the meantime I was waiting at transition #3 as the GI issues kicked in and I found myself vising the porta “Dave” several times. This is typical for me in any event that I participate in. Bob handed off to Austin with aR having a very strong start in the 2013 RTB, the bar was set high and I was next. My GI issues were under control as I waited at Transition #4 and I was excited to be able to run through anther one of my “happy places”-Crawford Notch. We transitioned at the AFC hut and I was to sprint just a little under 3 miles DOWN the notch to the Wiley house. About 50ft in I looked down at my watch…crap…no watch. I passed one person and was onto the next, she was fast and I ended up chasing her down the whole run. We passed one more runner and before I knew it the Wiley house was in site. Despite it being all down hill, this was a tough run, fast an furious. I handed off to the other Scott and chased down the runner who I had been chasing to see if she had recorded the time. Wouldn’t you know it she had watch issues but one of her team mates clocked her at 17:40. Sweet. I finished my 2.9 miles under 18 minutes. I was pretty happy about that!
After a couple pics we packed up and were off to support Scott on his run then hurried off to the transition point where he and Fab would hand off. Unfortunately I didn’t make it out of the van either times to get a picture for them. I am committed to speed up my run recovery/changing of the clothes so that I can get out for all the transitions next year. Scott made great time and handed off to Fab who was on a 9 mile run! She rocked her run as well and after a quick stop to give her some water we were off to the next transition at Attitash ski area. This is where Van #1 will be handing off to runner #7, the first runner of Van #2. Jay was ready and waiting and Fab came in strong, Jay was off and running and Van #1 was off to dinner at Moat Mountain Brewery-I love this place. It was hard not to order a beer and it even harder staying focused and gluten free/LowFODMAP but I did. While waiting for dinner my stomach started to go into motion and I became worried, all I could think was “Oh, no. Not now.” I had been sticking to my low FODMAP/Gluten-free diet and prepared accordingly with all safe foods. I don’t know why it was starting. I finished dinner, bun-less cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato and good French fries…not too greasy. I thought about a salad but sometimes salads trigger more grumbling and I need something hardy that would stay with me. We finished dinner and headed to the Tamworth where we would wait for the last runner in Van #2 (Nic) to hand off to Van #1 (Scott). We had some time at the transition area so I was able to get some coffee and do some stretching. After a slightly confusing handoff (it was now dark) Van #1 was off and running again. I wasn’t up for another 15 miles but I was nervous because my GI issues were making their presences known. Nothing was happening yet, but they were knocking on my door if you know what I mean 😉 I was given some advice about my leg and all the vets were talking it up-hills. It started out on one big hill…then I was to expect another one down the road. I was nursing my GI, took in some of my natural energy (baby food) stuffed the pouch into my hand held water bottle pocket and made my way to the transition. I was having issues getting my shoes tightened and feeling the way I wanted it to. I am super picky about my foot comfort. I tied and retied my shoes and as I was tying the right one again for the 3rd time I hear-he is coming. Crap. I quickly threw in a 3rd knot and was off. Crap…start the watch. Fiddled with my watch as I headed up the hill. BRING IT ON! I felt strong as I made it up the hill. It was dark and I love running at night. I could see a couple blinking runners ahead and set my targets. It was a long hill but I didn’t mid. I was loving it. Loving it until I got passed. Two men passed me at the same time. No biggie. I had my targets and that would pull me up the hill, that and the support of my team mates driving by and the party that happens every year about 700 ft from the top. We head right on a gradual down hill and I turned it up passing more and more blinking lights. We headed left and that was where I hit the second hill. Still feeling strong, still passing. What the heck was going on with me? I was running strong, passing peeps and pacing under 8 minutes, closer to 7 minute miles. Other than feeling like my right shoe was coming untied (even though it was triple knotted) I was feeling good. Another down hill then some more smaller down and ups. Wow. So much fun. As I was getting closer to the transition as I ran past a bank-1:30 a.m. Whoa, I was running super strong and having a great time and it was 1:30 in the morning! I had totally forgotten what time it was until then. As I was nearing the end of my leg I was focused on road kill #18. I never got her but I ran close to a 7 minute per mile pace in the last half mile. Not bad for 1:45 in the morning! 😉 I handed off to Scott and joined the team. Ah yeah. I was high. I couldn’t shake the smile from my face. My team mates were smiling and laughing…”You have a runner’s high, don’t you?” Yep. I have experienced it after a training run and after some races but never as strong as this. I couldn’t and didn’t want to shake it. Nothing like it! I have never been “high” off of drugs and don’t need to be-this is good enough for me!
After about 20 minutes I started to come down and quickly fell into a GI nightmare. Nausea and the urge to “go” set in. Nothing was really happening but I felt like crap. We finished our portion and I was still feeling ill. It lasted on and off all night and once we got settled at Bear Brook (the start of our 3rd leg and the handoff from van #2) I snuggled into my cozy back seat of the van where I layed awake in awkward pain and then managed about 3 hours of sleep. I got up in the morning and headed past the tent city and made it to the “Dave”. The place was much busier and the lines were a lot longer than they were when we arrived. I was worried. I couldn’t shake this feeling and I hoped I made it in time. I made several more visits, waited in long lines, and camped out for minutes on end in the nasty porta Daves. I was feeling dehydrated and tried eating but was afraid that I wasn’t able to keep up with my nutrients and electrolytes etc. My team mate Fab helped me form a plan to get me going again. She informed me that the sorbitol in my Nuun is often used in the health care field to get people to “go” so I was to stop drinking that immediately (I had been drinking more water and had only taken in about 10oz of nuun up till that point). I have used Nuun many times, and the amount of sorbitol wasnt high enough to have caused this issue, and have never had any side effects from drinking it before but it wasn’t going to help me get over the issues I was having. I have been trying to stay gel free for the past year but after reading ingredients of the different electrolyte and recovery items we collectively had in the van it was determined that I would eat a cliff shot block and mix up some of my cliff raspberry gel with some water. The maltodextrin would provide some fast absorption. I slowly came back to life and was starting to be able to eat some more real food without feeling nauseous. Thanks to Fab I was feeling okay by the time the transition was made to van #1. We were off again. There was about 14 miles of fast running before my transition. We stopped to support Nic and I got out to try to go for a warm-up run. Oye…my muscles were tight. No amount of running stick rolling and stretching was going to work this out. I expected that it would take at least a mile to work it out. We got to the transition spot and after another visit to the porta Dave, a quick warm-up, I decided I needed a lil more water in my bottle (it was getting hot). I jogged back to the transition area and I heard “Sarah, Sarah” Was that for me? yep, I missed Austin. I was being cheered on by strangers who now new my name as I headed out on my run. I was running strong but slow and felt okay. There were a few hills on the route and this run ended up being a little slower but I was able to gain some ground with about 11 road kills. I was passed by four men, I was “woofed” at by one of them (so strange) but overall I felt okay about the run. I managed to run all three races (around 15 miles) under an 8 minute mile pace. My GI issues were under control for now and we had 2 runners to go before we hit the beach. Both Scott and Fab had strong races and Fab walked off her run with the same runners high I had earlier in the morning. Perma-grin from ear to ear. She just set a 5k PR for herself. After Fabs run we made our way to the beach where we waited for Nic. We enjoyed a few beers, had lunch, and made our way to the beach. Van #2 could not get into the main parking lot and were worried they were not going to make it back to cross the finish line with Nic. We soon spotted Nic in his hot pink fish nets and wig supporting the aR buff. Around the same time we saw the rest of our team running to get to the finish. The whole team was able to come together and join Nic crossing the finish line. Bling was accepted, team pics were taken and RTB 2013 was in the books. What a great experience. Its funny how in a little over 24 hours, team mates that didn’t know each other were no longer strangers. Much laughter was shared, many memories were made. As a runner, I know I became stronger from this experience. I pushed myself harder than I thought I would and found out what my body can do. I told my body to do it and it didn’t let me down. I took away a little something from my team mates-running advice, health advice, words of wisdom, and a lot of positive energy. #RTBacidotic
Today I was feeling a little bogged down mentally and physically. I thought that this was strange since yesterday I was on a big high after my 13+ mile mountain/trail run. Tonight during my pre-run strength training workout I was so frustrated by my physical and mental weaknesses that I broke down crying. It took me a few minutes to snap out of it but of course I did and life went on. I changed into my running shorts and set out for a short recovery run (my legs were feeling a little like lead after yesterdays run). I set off on a slow pace. After dropping off the rent at my landlords I headed out on my typical “easy” run around town. About 1.5 miles in I hit Bridge St hill. This hill used to be a challenging hill for me. Its not a very long hill (but it used to be) and in the grand scheme of things its not all that steep of a hill (however, my mind has been warped by mountain running) but it was there and I threw out a challenge to myself. Do some hill repeats. Okay. How many? 2 or 3. Okay. After the first push up I felt okay. I looped around the bushes on the sidewalk and headed back down the hill and across the bridge for my cool down. Okay, this time push yourself a little faster. Got it. I picked up the pace across the bridge and hit the hill almost at a sprint. Nice. Next time-so I guess I am going to do 3…yes…3. Like I was saying, next time sprint that damn thing. Feel your lungs burn. Hmmm. Okay. (By this time a heavy set man decided to take his drink onto his porch and watch me beat myself up on the hill.) I picked up the pace and was almost at a full sprint as I headed up. Not good enough. Four times?! Yes. Four. Okay. The fourth time was glorious and I felt amazing afterwards. I have a hard time pushing myself, especially as hard I pushed that last time up. I didn’t care who was watching or what anyone thought. I was feeling strong. I needed that hill to remind me that I am strong. I finished my short but sweet run with a smile on my face feeling 110% stronger than I did when I set out that door. Negative thoughts be gone, you do not make me strong.
I need this…I need a reminder why I need to STOP making excuses. Its been a rough few weeks and I was determined to get my head on straight this week and to get on track with my training. Its been tough. I started back to work full time, started this Low FODMAP “diet”, and just when I think I am getting a handle on the GI issues its one step forward and two steps back. Bottom line is that I have to have a job so that is not changing and apparently these GI issues aren’t disappearing any time soon so I need to figure it out. I need to stop making excuses and start finding a way to make it happen! If I want to become a stronger runner I need to DO WORK. #noregrets
I cant get over how much running has enriched my life. Not only am I feeling fit and healthy, I have made some great friends and met some pretty amazing peeps. In the past 6-12 months I have branched out, stepped out of my comfort zone, and have made new acquaintances and friendships. I joined a team this past May and now I am almost never alone at events. I am starting to do more training runs with other people, inspirational people. I don’t know if they even realize how much I am inspired by them. I complain, I listen, I make excuses but when all is said in done I REALLY am listening and I take what they say to heart. I am an analyzer so when the run is over and I am on my way home or vegging out at night I replay conversations. I try to figure out what advice will work for me and I start to make plans. I am not kiddn’ just about every time I run with or hang out with someone from the running community, I take something away from the experience. I feel as though I am the person I am today because I have found something positive to take away from every relationship and friendship I have had. So…Thank you to my friends (new and old), running friends and otherwise. Thank you for being a part of my journey!
“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.” ~Buddha
I have been trying for years to be the “go with the flow” carefree woman that I have been fooling myself that I am. I am almost there. I try to live by the “everything happens for a reason” attitude and for the most part I do. I mean how else can I justify the fact that I am 40, still single, and have no children? I try to remain strong even when obstacles are thrown in my path. Okay, well maybe that is not totally true. On the OUTSIDE I am hurdling those obstacles on the inside I am tripping and falling.
I am pretty hard on my self. I am competitive and I am my toughest competitor. I want to be the best. Well, you know what I mean…the best that I can be yet better than other people. I like to win and am starting to be okay with losing, as long as I tried my best. Baby steps.
I am a “people pleaser”. I have known this for awhile. I dont like people mad at me and I want people to like me. I take things to heart and over analyze relationships and interactions. Hmmm…that Buddha is on to something. I need to make some changes.
I was told a long time ago that I have this “hero” complex- I feel the need to take care of everyone, need to be the best, failure is not an option. Yeah, I need to change. I want to change.
I am strong. At least that is what I want everyone to think. Isnt that what my facebook, twitter, and blog promote…”seeking physical, mental, and spiritual strength”?
I have a confession: Inside, I feel weak. Not always but often enough. I also feel guilty about feeling weak because I AM STRONG darn it! How can I be strong and weak at the same time!
I am starting to recognize that I might be a stronger person if I allow myself to feel weak every now and then, give up some control. Knowing when to let go and being able to truly believe in your heart that it wasnt meant to be-That takes a lot of strength!
Ways that I have been trying to let go…
1) I followed through with my plan to take the Bear Brook Marathon slow. Slow and steady so I wouldnt injure myself. It was slow. 12:12 slow. I am okay with that, sort of. I finished strong injury free! (I do wonder what I could have done if I wouldnt have held back but NO REGRETS)
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| Courtesy of SNAPacidotic |
2) I had a tentative itinerary for my second trip to the White Mountains (see my other blog for the details of the first trip, second trip details are on their way). The weather was less than spectacular as I headed up the Ammonoosuc Ravine trail to conquer my first mountian of the trip-Monroe. It was foggy. I thought about skipping the hike that day and doing a different hike but I REALLY wanted to hike more of the presidential range ASAP. So I went against my better judgement and banked on the fact it was supposed to clear up. It didnt. It was so foggy at the base of Monroe I couldnt see my hand in front of my face. It was so windy I thought I was going to be blown over. I turned around worked out Plan B for the day as I hiked back down the mountain. I was okay with not dying on the mountain that day and I had a great hike that afternoon.
3) Later that same week I had planned to head down to Northwood and run the second to last Harmony Hill race. I was going to place in the series if I made it to the race so I figured I might as well change campgrounds and head down. I loaded my car and was ready to hit the road and…my car wouldnt start. Dead battery. Change of plans. Got a new battery and decided NOT to waste the day driving. I let go of my opportunity to earn bling in the series and had an amazing day with two great hikes. Sounds silly but this was hard for me. Everything happens for a reason.
4) Final Harmony Hill race. I was feeling great until I couldnt run anymore. Stomach cramps and the urge to vomit wast too strong. I walked half of the race and I still managed to enjoy the cookout afterward. Again, not easy for me. In the past I would have been frustrated and upset. Not that night.
5)Training run- I challenged myself to run as far as I could at a nice steady pace for 3 hours. Speed didnt matter, distance didnt matter. I did it and felt good about it. I was kinda proud of myself. It was tough for me to hold back.
And the bigger stuff…
Its not really a secret that I have been dealing with some GI issues since March. I have lost 12 lbs without trying. I have been in pain. Not excruciating pain. Just annoying I gotta go to the bathroom type of pain (I will spare you the details). I was given a generic diagnosis that I refused to accept. I wasnt going to “let it go”. I dont want to be weak. I dont want to have this annoying somewhat debilitating issue. Not an option. Well, suck it up buttercup. I am now on this crazy diet to rule out what might be giving me issues-gluten free, lactose free, artificial sweetener free, chocolate free, date, coconut, and avacado free diet. There’s more but those are the biggies that I have been having a hard time letting go. I know in the grand scheme of things it could be worse but this has been a very emotional process. Its getting better. I am letting go of the things that I “cant” have and trying to make the best of what I can have. After all, its only 6 weeks and there are people out there who have to eat this way all of the time.
In my protest of the diagnosis, I was grasping for other answers to my problem. I pleaded to my primary physician, my GI doc, and to the dietician. Finally someone listened and a discovery was made. I now have some decisions to make. Decisions I wish I didnt have to make but at least I have some some answers AND options. There are people out there that don’t have options, I am grateful that I do. I am seeking professional consult to help me make the right choice. I am nervous. I might need to decide what is not meant for me… I cant help but wonder if I can do that gracefully, if I can know in my heart everything happens for a reason, if I can let go of the dream I once had. BUT…I have some time to research and decide so for now I am going to focus on this stupid diet.
I need and want to make changes. I want to be strong enough to allow myself to feel weak without guilt. I want to truly believe and feel that its okay to let go.
“Growth begins when we start to accept our own weakness”
~Jean Vanier
#lettinggo #noregrets @runstronginnh
Running has challenged me changed me! Never would I have imagined almost 3 years ago when I signed up for my first 5k that I would be running mountains for fun! (Keep in mind I was not a “runner” at the time I signed up for my first race, I did it b/c someone challenged me to.) My love-hate relationship with mountain running started when I decided to do the Winter Wild Series this past winter. (I first heard of Winter Wild after completing the Western NH Trail series last year.) I have grown fond of series and who doesn’t like a little challenge? The “perk” for running the USATF NE Mountain series is that everyone who runs the whole series gets to bypass the lottery for the Mt. Washington Auto Road race in 2014. *side note- for some strange reason, a couple races into the Winter Wild series, I decided to enter the lottery for the Mt. Washington race but unfortunately/fortunately for me I didn’t make the lottery for 2013.
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| J and I when we were still friends, just before the sprint to the finish! |
The series started at Sleepy Hollow Mountain Race. I had no idea what to expect. I headed up to VT, drove way out in the middle of no where (Huntington VT) to the Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski and Bike Center. For $15 I was able to camp onsite. I was joining about 10-15 other tent campers and the Inn that was booked with runners as well. I fell asleep listening to the sounds of the night-owls, howling animals, peepers etc. Woke up early, broke down camp, had some PBJ sandwhich and my favorite PB chocochip Lara bar. I wanted/needed coffee but that wasn’t happening. As the other racers were driving in I was getting nervous. This was my first mountain race and my first race where I was RACINGacidotic. I had finally joined the team that week and was meeting Chris to get my race shirt and buff. I proudly changed into my aR gear and headed for the start line. Yikes! I quickly found that I was able to make up time on the down hills and sucked wind on the uphills! In the end my downhill speed paid off and I did finish ahead of some of the runners I had been playing cat and mouse with. I noticed many aR racers on the course and made a friend who almost unfriended me as quickly as we became friends because I forgot to tell him I was going to sprint to the finish. It did make for an interesting finish and was a good ice breaker for me and my new aR team mates. I think I finished 3rd in my age group that race and of course I was excited to earn some bling (lemon bread) for my first mountain race.
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| I was happy I threw my gloves in my car at the last minute…brr |
Next up was Wachusett Mountain race. This race was all up hill to start as we ran up the auto road. It was a chilly/dreary morning and again I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had a strong finish since it was all down hill but didn’t earn any age group bling (place 4th for my age group)but I did stick around to get a raffle prize (subscription to NE Runner magazine).
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| The finish of the Fell race |
Wachusett was followed by
Bretton Woods Fell race which was probably my best race in the series. What a difference a week makes. It was the hottest race of the series with temps in the 90’s! We ran up and down the mountains at Bretton Woods ski resort 3 times. There was a safe marked course but you could also make your own course. I chose the safe route with 1 minor change that made a huge difference. I was actually thanked by a fellow runner for consulting with him and choosing that route. As I was heading UP one last time I was fortunate to see the legendary moose that ran across the course. He was just behind me and seconds before he darted out of the woods I could hear him tramping around in the woods, I just thought it was some rogue runners-nope, Bullwinkle wanted to play!
Then there was
Ascutney Mountain Run…ugh. All uphill on the road. My worst race but none the less it brought me closer to my coveted Mountain Goat Status. I was still in 3rd place overall at that point but I new I couldn’t hold onto that for long.
<–Thank goodness the camera was there or I would have continued to hike up that darn road.
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Hmmm…what was next? Ah yes,
LOON mountain race. I had heard all the hype about Loon and this legendary “Upper Walking Boss”…I had no clue! This race was definitely the most challenging for me-physically and mentally. I seriously considered quitting the sport as I was running this race. I had the same ole thoughts I normally do “what the heck was I thinking”, “I am outta my league” etc. BUT I had never wanted to throw in the towel as much as I did during this race. Talk about a love-hate relationship! This race finished on an uphill. I pushed as hard as I could to cross the finish line. I didn’t look around me when I finished and bee lined for my belongings and found the first quiet place I could, sat down and let the tears flow! I was a wreck! Finally I told myself to “suck it up buttercup” (not to mention, I was no longer alone in my quiet place) so I headed to the bathroom changed my clothes and tried real hard to change my attitude! It worked, no one was the wiser. I joined some team mates and we commiserated about the race. Most common theme-hated it but cant wait to do it again next year! Bring it Loon Mountain 2014!
One more race to go after Loon-
Cranmore Hill Climb! Cranmore was a multi-purpose race. Not only did it serve as the last race in the series when we would achieve Mountain Goat status, it served as the USA Mountain Running National Championship as well as the NACAC (North American, Caribbean, Central American) Mountain Championships. It was an amazing atmosphere at the race, being around the elite mountain racing athletes was pretty sweet. It was a tough course but Loon was tougher. This course was two loops with the start at the top of the mountain. The course mimicked the World Championship course in Poland since this race is where the USA team members will earn their spots on the team for the championship race. I started fairly strong on the downhill-go figure. I didn’t push it too much though because I knew the uphill would be tough. I ran portions of the first uphill push but I did do some walking…the second loop a lot more walking. My legs were so confused by the fast downhill and the uphill finish! Finishing the final uphill push I could hear the men lining up and cheering on the runners ahead of me…no walking now! I needed to climb that last little bit, no walking in front of the boys. As I entered the starting area I got chills the crowd of men split to let me through and I could hear my team members and 100+ other runners cheering me on. Keep running, Keep running, keep pushing yourself, final “sprint”…UP. I crossed the finish line much faster than I would have without the men cheering behind me, plus my goal was to finish before the men started. I did reach my goal, less than 5 minutes before the men’s start. I finished just under an hour at 58 minutes. What a rush! I ended up finishing 5th in the series for woman, and 3rd in my age group. Damn the women get faster as they get older! ha ha
Reality soon set in- I AM A MOUNTAN GOAT! I have to run Mount Washington next year! June 2014! I am looking forward to the mountain series next year. I am not sure I will do all of the races but Bretton Woods, Loon, and Canmore will definitely be on my “To Do” list! #RunStrong #NoRegrets
+USATF New England @acidoticRACING @runstronginnh
*All racing photos courtesy of Gianina Lindsey
SNAPacidotic
acidotic RACING won two team awards and I am proud to have been a part of the Masters (1st place )and Open (second place) teams!
Last weekend I had an opportunity to chat with Kristina Folcik at the top of Mt. Ascutney-the day after she won the inaugural Cayuga 50 trail race! We talked about how running a 50 miler is almost more mental than endurance. She was telling me how she visualizes herself as a deer or a mountain lion. I relate her explanation to the visualizations I use-targets.
You know… the big white target with the red rings. That’s the one. Either it’s on the back of the person in front of me or I am wearing it. Yesterday I ran the Six in the Stix trail race which is the second race in the Western NH trail series. My legs were tight but I surprisingly felt pretty good. This was the first time in 3 years I did not walk any part of the uphill (thank you Winter Wild and USATF NE Mountain Series). I passed a male friend of mine on the way up. He groaned and I said “I am sure you will pass me later” and his response was something about that is what I said last week and I ended up finishing ahead of him. Fast forward to about 2 miles left in the race. I had been hearing breathing behind me for a good portion of the race. It wasn’t feminine so I wasn’t too worried but I still felt as though I had a big ole’ target on my back. I kept pushing strong and the breathing and the footsteps continued to follow. Then came my “a-ha” moment…I am a deer. A little over a mile to go and my friend passed me. I shouted “I told ya” and he zoomed down the hill. I followed. He had a target and I was now a mountain lion…yet I was still a deer with a target on my back…I could still hear footsteps and breathing. Soon after he passed me the deer in front of me fell lame, he tripped…but jumped back up. I didn’t gain all that much ground. The last 100+ yards is on the track and every time I hit that section my high school track days come back to me and I run like the wind. I was gaining on him. He looked over his back and I yelled his name and told him he better kick it in. He won but I was close and we had fun reminiscing later about the experience. So fun! I also got to meet the mountain lion who put the target on my back. He laughed and joked with us and was impressed that I took off like I did at just about the time he thought he could take me. It was a great afternoon followed by a delicious pint of Switchback at Salt Hill tavern with a couple of runners.
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| Six in the Stix-More maple syrup! |
Then there was today’s race-10 miles on the trails at Fort Rock in Exeter. Last year was my first year running this race. I found out it was a part of a series and bam… I started running longer trail races and completed all four races in the Granite State Trail Series. But I digress… Today my legs were tired. Out of the past 4 weekends I have had double races three of them. I knew it would be rough for me and I intended to be okay with that but as soon as we were given the green light I ran like I was in it to win. I managed to not get caught in the bottle neck of racers heading onto the trail like I did last year. Instead I was rounding out the front of the pack. OH WAIT-this is 10 miles. I slowed a little but still wanted to keep a good pace, I didn’t really see any other female runners than the few ahead of me (that I could no longer see). I ended up running behind yesterday’s mountain lion and I told him I was there. He was on his home turf and I had no intention of keeping up with him. A little over a mile in I hear from behind me “Hey girl, you gonna keep that pace for 10 miles!” It was another friend I met on the trails who was running the 4+ mile race. I explained my strategy about going out past all the other runners then settling into my pace. He said he was doing the same thing until he saw me a head of him. Needless to say he zipped past me. Glad I could be his motivation. Then came the split that separated the short and long run. I crossed under the tunnel into the distant land and was there singing “all by myself”. No targets a head of me, no targets behind me. Not taking
any chances I went into deer mode. I was hoping the young girls I saw at the beginning of the race were in it for the short run. The elite runners that I normally see weren’t running today. I suddenly found myself pretending (dreaming, wishing, hoping) I was the first place female runner. I pretty much ran those 6 miles alone, hunting and feeling hunted. At about 8 miles in I was feeling wiped but there was the tunnel and the water station, I had to keep it together. I then heard “3rdfemale”. Pop…my bubble burst and I was feeling deflated. My legs instantly turned to bricks. I talked myself out of it and put it back into gear. I saw my friend the mountain lion ahead of me. Target mode. When I met him we was feeling like I was but he let me pass. I had less than 2 miles and tried to kick it in but still ran into no one. Still in 3rd place for the women. I finished strong but felt frustrated. I went back to my car had a pity party then shook it off and joined the post-race festivities where my bubble was burst again. I wasn’t 3rd. No pint glass and beer for me. I must have been fourth. Grrrrr. Its just not my time…yet.
Other race recaps…
Bretton Woods Fell race (June 2nd) HOT HOT HOT. Probably my best race in the mountain series. I did a lot of self-talk and talked myself out of being too hot. I got to see a moose on the course-So cool! Finished 22/131 finishers. (a large number of people did not finish due to the heat) I finished 4th female and felt pretty strong.
5 and Dime at Mt Ascutney MTB trails (June 8) such a fun race and beautiful with waterfalls! I finished 1stin my age group (since the 1st place woman was in my age group). Dad’s Father’s Day gift shopping was complete! Saturday night was perfect for camping.
I stayed at Wilgus State Park along the Conneticut River and had an beautiful view. Woke up to the birds chirping at 4am…what the heck…luckily I fell back asleep and woke up at a decent time ready to stretch, break down camp and get into Pre-Race mode.
Mt. Ascutney road race (June 9)…Brutal. All up hill, no down hill breaks. I knew it was going to be tough for me…I hated the outcome but none the less enjoyed the experience. That what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Finished something like 13th women. Lost some security in the USATF standings but still holding on to 3rd place female (by one point).
*Side note-All these races have post-race festivities with food, awards, and raffles (most of the time). I love hanging out with the racers sharing stories, comparing experiences, seeking advice, and just learning about people. Yesterday after Six in the Stix I had good conversation with quite a few different people and found myself thinking how lucky I am to have found such a great community. I have a lot of running “friends” out there and each race brings different people I look forward to seeing and connecting with. We might be competitors on the course but we are all on the same team afterwards. Such a great feeling!
Next up: Michigan Vacation June 22-July 6th (something like that). I need to be back to NH so I can compete in race #5 of the USATF NE Mountain series at Loon Mountain on July 7th.
* acidotic RACING photos on this page were taken by Gianina Lindsey
<—Yep it was one of those kind of weekends! It was a great weekend! The weekend started with Wachusett mountain run, the 2nd run in the USATF NE mountain series. I entered the race knowing it was going to be a tough field. We were in Massachusetts= more runners, fast runners. The race started-3 miles up on the paved road! I wore my Saucony Mirage 2 and they didn’t fail me even though they are near retirement age. I love those shoes! I found my pacers and my targets and chased them up. My goal was not to walk…and I didn’t. I couldn’t believe how strong I felt at times. I was relieved but still knew I wasn’t going to get bling this race! As the runners got to the top we had to loop the tower and made our way back down the paved access road. The down hills are my strength yet I still couldn’t catch my targets. Eventually we hit the dirt road which was really a fancy trail. I passed a strong runner and instantly knew I had a target on my back-yep she passed me again about 30 seconds later with her wheels on. I couldn’t keep up. At about 200 yards to go (according to one of the fast runners that was running back up the course after her race) I kicked it into high speed. Passed a target and several others. Oh looky, looky there-Its the fast girl. I knew she was in my age group, I scoped that out already as I always do. I don’t mind getting passed, as long as you are a male or a woman who is not in my age group! Ha! Anyhow, fast girl was making her way along all safe and comfortable when I tracked her down and passed her with about 4 feet to go to the finish-Gotcha! I mean oh, sorry, did you want to be 4th in our age group? Had I known I might not have passed you. Okay, okay, I am not really this cocky but it does strike me funny how people just casually make their way to the finish-You have to sprint to the finish, give it all you got people! So yes, I was 4th in my age group which didn’t earn me bling but I was pretty proud. 104 overall. Not bad, top 3rd of the runners.
I raced again today. I told myself I didn’t have to and that I could use it as a training run but yeah, that didn’t last long. What a crazy race it was. I was told that the Pineland Farm trails are a little muddy when its dry out. It had been raining for a couple of days so it was a lot muddy. I have never seen/ran in anything like it. The first 7-10 miles-mud and water. Which made the race that much harder!
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| My new Saucony Adapts |
I started out trying to get around all the runners as I normally do. I like to break away from the pack however today it was not easy! It was the worlds biggest slip and slide from the start. Actually, while I was waiting for the race to start my feet had formed a puddle. By mile 5-6 I was feeling pretty good. Mile 9 eh-not so much. 10-11 okay…but then I walked about 20 feet going up at about mile 12. My stomach was cramping and I was short of breath. Just needed a little breather. I did stop at a couple of water/food stops but again, my goal was not to stop on the course. Bummed but needed I quickly took some steps and was off and running. I ended up passing one of my female targets, she passed me again after a water stop, then I was back on the chase. At about mile 13.5 I reluctantly passed her. For some strange reason I was feeling okay and I kept my pace going. 2 Kilometers to go and it was game on. I passed another young girl who passed me at mile 12. Yeah, that felt good. I was able to sprint to the finish and was very happy with my time of 2:34:52. I thought I was going to die, I just kept walking, I was spent! I walked to my car sent some texts with my results, grabbed a jacket, some water, and made my way back to the party. Grabbed some grub and could barely eat it but choked it down. Did I mention I was spent? For kicks I decided to look at the over all results. What? 180 overall, 9th in my age group? Wow! Way better than I imagined! I cant believe how strong I am feeling. Sure my hamstrings are hating me right now but I am doing it. I am getting stronger as a runner! That is what really matters. Its not always the bling or who I am going to beat at the finish. Seriously-that stuff is all in fun. What it is really about is me and challenging myself. Determined to take risks and have no regrets!
After the race… The bling
After the two layers of socks came off -gross!
Rocking out on my way home!
Update: I forgot to mention all the great people I met last weekend! As I was walking back to the start area on Sunday I ran into a guy who was wearing a brand new pair of Adapts as well. He had the black and orange male version. “nice shoes” I shouted. He smiled and we walked together to the start area. I found out he was from Virginia and was working in the area and thought he should give this race a try. He committed to pacing a friend who was running a 100 ultra in a couple of weeks and figured he better do a trial run first. We chatted for a bit and headed our separate ways at the portapotties. I saw him after the race and he was just as happy with his shoes as I was with mine and he was feeling good about his finish and pacing his friend in a couple of weeks. I got to the start line and soon was surrounded by fellow aR racers. People I had never met before with some common interests-we were proudly RACING acidotic and we loved the trails. I passed a few more aR team mates on the trails and met some who were supporting the rest of us. I also ran into a fellow trail racer from the Meet Up group I run with. I met his wife and she too loves her Saucony’s but was forced to wear her Asics that day. I saw her after the race and she managed to get through with the asics, I am pretty sure she was happy she wasn’t wearing her Kinvara’s because the mud had all but destroyed our shoes and I would have been sad if I did that to a pair of Kinvaras!
I first posted info about my transformation on Facebook a few months ago.
Lately I have felt the need to blog another quick post about my evolution from
skinny kid to BIG girl and now- healthy, fit, and happy!
I ran track and played basketball in high school. Being active was easy for me. My metabolism must have been higher back then. I used to eat whatever I wanted and stayed “skinny”.
My mom would always tell me “Some day that will catch up with you”.
Pizza, Doritos, Coke…yummy.
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| Senior photos-Class of 1991 |
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| College Graduation |
Then came college. I stayed active and attempted to run indoor track my freshman year. That was an epic fail. Fitness wasn’t really a focus of mine, I focused on my studies and enjoying the experience (and made one too many bad choices). I did however make a good choice and transferred colleges my Junior year. Eventually I found rugby and a little bit of fitness. My weight gain didn’t really begin until after college.
I got to a point with my weight that I thought there was no turning back. So, what do you do at that point?
Cry, hate yourself, and eat some more!
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| October 1999 |
I married, divorced, and was trying to find my way in life. That “some day” my mom was referring to had arrived-I hate it when she is right! I tried Jenny Craig and a bunch of other gimmicky weight loss programs. My second time around on Jenny Craig I kept off 20 lbs. I eventually found rugby again. But I was still a big girl-bigger than I used to be anyhow. I did start to become fit through rugby but life was still stressful. Several failed relationships, uncomfortable in my own skin, and working a job I loved but a job that had me putting in some crazy hours. I knew I was depressed. I couldn’t snap out of it. I would cry at the drop of a hat. Not a good thing when you are on the administrative team. I asked my doctor for help, anti-depressants were prescribed. I requested counseling, I didn’t want to be on meds forever. I learned a lot from the experience. I started to figure out how to live life for me and tried not to worry about how my choices affected everyone around me. I lost a little more weight and started to recognize myself again but the real transformation didn’t happen till I threw caution into the wind and made the biggest decision of my life. I packed up and left my family and friends to live the simple life in New England. It was as though I had lived here my whole life. I instantly felt comfortable. I had instant happiness. I no longer needed therapy, no medications. I found great pleasure in hiking, photography, and exploring my new environment. I picked up mountain biking too. I tried one more diet-South Beach and lost another 10-20 lbs (I cant remember). I found rugby again. Fast forward passed a couple more failed relationships and bouts of sadness and self pity parties to when I found cycling. I was cycling and mountain biking and feeling better. Another couple years later I found running. I lost another 10lbs without even trying. My first 5k I won a trophy and it was all up hill from there. I was addicted to the challenge (and the bling)! Since I started running I have crossed a number of things off my bucket list-sprint triathlon, half marathon, marathon, 24 hour mountain bike racing, trail racing etc. Each year I set goals for myself. That is why I have that schedule over there ——>.
I seek challenges that make me physically, mentally, and spiritually strong.
Life is too short to have regrets. Do what makes you happy.
Be Strong. Run Strong. No Regrets!
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Three years ago I was handed a brochure and was given the challenge to run my first 5k. Keep in mind I was not a runner at the time. I rode my bike and played little rugby. I hadn’t really given running any thought since college and high school. Back then I was a sprinter so running 3 miles seemed like a distance run to me. I didn’t even know if I could do it. September 30th, 2010 I went out for a couple laps around the block, approximately 3miles. I was a little sore the next day but nothing major. I accepted the 5k challenge and showed up at the Hopkinton Lions Club annual 5k in Hopkinton NH ready to race. When it came time to run I just ran, no clue what I was doing. My shoe came untied and I tried to ignore it but eventually stopped to tie it. It was a small race, 51 people. I came in at number 27 but was 2nd in my age group. Voila…my first TROPHY. Whoa, you get trophies for running I said…game on..I am in. Time flies when your having fun! Three years later and I am running strong. Stronger than ever-physically, mentally, and spiritually. NO REGRETS!
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