RACE TIME

Today marks the official start of CARBO LOADING!!! Three days left until race day and yesterday I admit I went into the freak out mode for just a bit.

The Mountain Masochist Trail Race is 50 plus miles with a cutoff time of 12 hours. To some that may seem like a ton of time but factor in elevation changes, terrain, and darkness at the beginning and end and you can eat up minutes before you know it. What sent me into freak out mode was an email from the race director stating a long list of last minutes details and the addition to a “new rule.” SO here it is….
Before AS(Aid Station)10, if you are 1 to 10 minutes over the 12 hour pace, you are warned that you need to pick it up or be cut off. If you are over 10 minutes late at any AS before 10, you must stop at that point. AfterAS 10, if you are over 12 hour pace at any AS, you must stop there.

What we knew during all of these months of training was that when you made it to the marathon point you were safe from being pulled and would be allowed to finish no matter what the time. I think this stinks to spring this on us at the last minute. Basically if you run into any problems along the way you could be in real trouble. So my plan it to focus on what time I need to reach the next station and then move on to the next one from there. Keeping moving no matter what!!

My husband is going to pace me the last 14 to 10 miles which will just top off everything. What a wonderful supporter he is. My father and step-mother will also be there to follow along the course from one aid station to the next. Our two boys will not make the trip but I have no doubt that they will be checking in with Scott throughout the day.

Final race info:
Race Start 6:30am
Temps: Low 33 / High 60 PERFECT!!
Sunrise: 7:44am
Sunset: 6:14pm
Runners:300
Net Altitude Gain: 9,000 feet
Net Altitude Loss: 7,000 feet
Net gain from Start to Finish: 2,000 feet
Numbers of Aid Stations: 17

Thanks for all of the encouraging comments along the way. What a dream to share this with you all. This is what we are all about. Now it is time to get out there and get moving.

I promise a great race report with plenty of pictures. See you at the finish!!

Robin

The work is almost done and I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. With days left until I venture into new mysterious territory I find myself excited, worried, and anxious all at once. Just 10 months ago I found myself at my first marathon at Disney World with the best running group of friends around. Now 4 marathons and 1 ultra later I realize what an amazing year I have had. Sure there have been some tears and heart ache along the way but none of that takes away from the excitement of doing something you love.

I am somewhat lost at what direction I will take following this event. I do know that I will taper back the miles for November and December and enjoy some good family time. Normally I always have a new goal in mind. Something in the distance that keeps my focus and training on track. Right now I am blank at what would be next but I am certain that it will include trail running and road cycling. Last night at the gym I signed up for a body assessment following the race. Maybe once that takes place I will have a better plan.

This weekend my husband is joining me on a 10 mile trail run. How nice does that sound? Both the 10 miles and having my husband with me. The weather should be perfect!! Sunday is 6 miles. Should have plenty of time to relax and maybe take in a good movie.

Thank you all for your awesome comments during all of this training. How great is it to share it with others that dream as much as I do. What a way to live!!

Robin

Taper Time!!!!

I have always thought it is crazy that after all of the miles and miles of training when you finally reach a point that you can begin tapering it is somewhat difficult and you long for what has become normal. Hanging on to these 50 plus mileage weeks over the past few months have been a challenge but I also know that dropping back to the 30 mile range is going to just be down right weird.

Over these next two weeks it will only be clean eating for this girl. No alcohol. No unnecessary sugar. No candy. This will be very difficult!! Now don't think I have gone completely off the deep end... this girl is not giving up her morning coffee. I have to have some comfort.

So in a nut shell I am getting my runs in. I am getting plenty of rest. I am scheduled for an hour massage to flush the legs on Thursday. I am ready.

Robin

Snakes on the Trails :)

Last night my husband joined me for some trail running at a local College following work. Not far into the run I just about stepped on a snake that was about 15 inches in length. As we started running again we had gotten maybe another 200 yards down the trail and there was another one but only this one was about a yard stick in length. Not good. Both times I was less than an inch from stepping on it. After some freaking out and then some laughs we headed to another section of trails that appeared to be snake free. It was a good run but very humid!! My legs are still heavy and weak from the marathon this past weekend. Kind of surprised about that. Managed between 10-11 miles and then enjoyed a sandwich with my hubby at ABC Bread Company before heading home for a nice hot bath.

This week I have been off on my nutrition. Really craving junk but trying to limit my intake. I know I am running a ton so I am not worried about gaining weight from my bad choices but I know that junk in is simply junk out. With that said the candy I am eating right now will have to be my last for a while. Halloween kills me every year. I am just so weak!!

So this weekend we have 16 miles on the trail tomorrow and then 10 on the trails for Sunday.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Robin

Energy On The Run

Shout Out ToMy Girls!!! You ROCK!!

First a correction must be made. I had posted earlier that my finish time was 4:35:13 for the marathon this past weekend. In my joy this was incorrect and is actually was 4:25:34!!! My husband pointed this out to me and the updated has now been made.

Now I must move forward and start preparing my mind for this weeks runs. I should be thrilled that it is only 48 miles but I am finding it harder with the darkness setting in so much earlier. The temps are at least coming down and most of our days are in the middle to high 70’s. I’ll take that!!

So this week I also must focus and start putting a plan together for these darn drop bags for the MMTR race. One thing I continue to struggle with during each event is being able to take in enough food for energy. Gels are out of the question so my main calories will have to come from food or my sports drink. Pepto pills taken along the course has kept me from throwing up but still I have a problem with the texture of the food and getting it down. What to do?

Any known tricks out there?

Robin

Marathon PR!!!!!!!!

I can still hardly believe that a training run ended up being a marathon PR for me. The DuPont Marathon was one of the best supported, well organized events I have been in... to date!! Temps were perfect and the weather stayed rather cool the entire day. My race was dedicated to my sister who I love so very much for all the great support she gives me every day.

So my plan was to do my best but keep myself at a training run level. With the BiG race in just a few weeks I did not want to do anything dumb. The trails were perfect and at the half marathon point I was at 2:03. Much faster than planned but I decided to just keep moving forward. I knew the hills ahead would eat up some time so I kind of used it as a sand bag. As I made the last turn to run the last 2 miles UP HILL I felt like my goal of under 5 hours would be reached. As I ran closer to the finish line I could hardly believe that I crossed at 4:25:34!!!!

What a great feeling. Now I know what a PR feels like and I am still enjoying the feeling from such a great day of running with the girls. Our families gave up their entire day to support our dream and I just love them for all that they do. What a perfect day!!

MMTR here we come!!!

Robin

Drop Bags

Off to the DuPont Marathon on Sunday. Temps are much better than last weekend so I am not worried about my outcome as much in this event. We are also using this one as a training run just to change things up a bit. I managed my 4, 8, and 11 mile runs fine this week. Last night my husband joined me for 6 of the 11 and we enjoyed running through neighborhoods looking at all the pretty homes and old trees that line the streets.

Really starting to get excited and nervous about the Mount Masochist Race on Nov.3rd. Has anyone out there in blogland run this race in the past? This will be the first race that I will actually use drop bags and have no clue how to go about figuring out what should go in them and which station I should drop them at. Other than an extra pair of shoes and a few pairs of socks what would any of you suggest that I might be over looking. Since the race begins in the dark I will have a headlamp for just the first part of it and also towards the end since it does get dark a bit earlier on the trails.

Welcoming your thoughts. All of your comments have just been great!! Thanks a bunch!!

Robin

I'll take a Marathon

Night before the Race

The Chattanooga, TN Stump Jump 50k proved to be the most technically challenging trail run that we have ran to date. This being a training run leading up to MMTR 54 mile Ultra would be our longest training run.
Fun facts about the race:

Temp: 89 degrees with 90% humidity

Number of Runners: 419 with 11 milers and 50k runners combined

Swag: Technical Shirt, North Face Mini Bag, Smart Wool Socks (ALL REALLY COOL)

To make a long story short, the race was going well and at one point I even began passing other runners one by one until I reached a girlfriend of mine that had ran ahead of us. I was feeling good and on track until... I ran out of water. An aid station ran out of WATER!! How could I continue in heat conditions like this without water? A headache had already set in and shortly after that I had stopped sweating all together. Not a good sign. To that point I had taken in electrolyte tablets and had eaten at each station. Without liquids I knew I was in trouble. So finally at mile 26 another girlfriend and I were pulled from the race. We had not met the cutoff and we were done. My first DNF. It was sad and there tears but now as I type this I am even more proud of myself than yesterday. I am such a small part of the population that would even consider attempted anything like this. We never quit and we are stronger for the experience of all the highs and lows we experienced.
I train with 3 other amazingly strong ladies that dream just as I do. Yes it may seem nuts that in less than a month we will set out to tackle the hills in Lynchburg, VA but who are we without ours dreams. I am living my dreams and stronger for it. I am so proud of the two girls that completed the entire course. We all rock in my book!!!

Robin

Final Note: It was not until after I put this post together that I learned about the events from the Chicago Marathon. The gentleman that died is the same age as I am. So sad that a life is lost. Please take caution in this heat. Once you have been affected by heat exhaustion you are more susceptible to the effects of it in the future. Most never know how close they come to suffering from this. My heart goes out to this family and other families that experience a loss of a loved one.

No Guts No Glory... right??

I am still here but feel like a mess. I have been hesitant to post this week because I have been taking drugs and my post would have been questionable.

In just about 24 hours I will be leaving for Chattanooga, TN for the 50k Stump Jump Trail Race. As I posted earlier this week I have a knot right in my right shoulder blade and after some massage therapy earlier this week along with 3 days of muscle relaxers it is still there. It has been a challenge to stay awake during the day and then sleep well at night. Last night I was determined to run since I had missed some miles this week. I am glad to report that after about a mile or two the pain eased enough that I was able to get the 8 miles in that we set out to complete. This morning I woke up with … how do I say it…. DIARRHEA of all things. What is happening to me? I have stopped all meds at this point and so badly just want to RUN!!!! I am trying my hardest to remain up beat. This will pass and at least this weekend is just a training run and not the MMTR 54 mile Ultra race.

Wish me luck!!! I promise to catch up on all of your post now that my thoughts are clearer.

What an adventure!!

Robin

BED SPIDER

What a fantastic weekend. Not only was the overnight visit from my brother and his family so much fun but Scott and I also were able to make it to the mountains for an overnight stay. Friday was a blast and we set around the dinning room table until 10pm laughing so hard we were crying with tears. The stories were just priceless and the time zoomed by.

Saturday Scott and I arrived at the mountain house around 3pm and within an hour we had a fire going and were settling in with a good game of cards. We enjoyed having cheese and crackers with a glass of wine late in the afternoon and just pretty much vegged. It was so nice and relaxing. When it was time for bed we pulled back the sheets to reveal a HUGE spider. I am no fan of spiders and by the time Scott convinced me that there were no more I was major tense. I could not relax and the result is a painful knot in my shoulder. With a race this weekend I will have to address this fast and make it vanish. Last night I took a sleep aid and now I can barely keep my eyes open. Seriously I would give a $100 to take a nap right now!! Today at lunch I did squeeze in a 30 minute massage and did receive a little pain relief. Tomorrow will be much better.

So at the advice of the massage therapist I will run my scheduled 4 miles today. Then tomorrow will bring 12 miles and Wednesday will be 8 miles. This will be it until the 50k in Chattanooga, TN on Saturday. Looking so forward to running somewhere new. Since this is being used as a training run rather than a race I am going to try and really enjoy the event. Focus is time on feet and that is what this girl plans on doing.

Robin