Category Archives: First Experiences

Behind The Scenes: TransRockies Run Volunteer Gig

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

“I’m on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I’m on the highway to hell”……

This AC/DC song will never be the same for me after the last 9 days of my life! I’ll tell you why in a minute….

I remember hearing about the TransRockies Run several years back.  I remember talking to my friend Diane about it and I put it loosely on my bucket list.  With all the new adventures in my life, I kind of just forgot about it…..until my friend Joan heard about some volunteering opportunities with the race this summer. August is my slowest time of the year and I figured it would be nice to get out of the Arizona heat and go to CO.  (I always tell my peeps that they should volunteer for races. It’s just good karma and so much fun.) I usually volunteer locally but this seemed like a fun summer adventure….and now that I was going to see what it was about, maybe I’d consider putting it back on the bucket list.

In the interest of time, I will try to summarize my experience with some quick comments and photos 😉

Race Summary
A 6 day stage race in the Rocky Mountains of CO totaling 120 miles (13-24 miles daily) with 20,000 feet of elevation gain.  Runners have the option to camp or stay in hotels as the start and finish line move just about every single day for these point to point runs.

Map of TRR 2019

120 miles!

My Volunteer Gig
I went up with some friends and we were assigned to Start and Finish Line Catering & Timing (aid station for the runners before they left that stage and at the end of it).  This might seem pretty easy but consider that the start line and finish line were usually in two different locations (and sometimes so was camp!). We have all been trained and volunteered with Pati Coury from Aravaipa Running and were very confident in our aid station skills. As said by Justin, a fellow volunteer: “ It was the easiest week of working hard that I can ever remember.”  I am not kidding when I say I don’t think I have worked that hard for that many days in a row EVER!  We started at 6am getting the Start Line Aid Station ready, then normally drove to the finish line, helped the Start/Finish line crew put the finish line up and then set up our aid station.  We were there all day until the last runner came in. Then we cleaned everything all up, loaded it back in the cargo van, maybe had time to get some dinner, attend the mandatory end-of-day staff meeting, then go refill our van with supplies for the next day. We normally ended our day at 8:30pmish.

Day 1 we went to “HQ” to fill up our cargo van

We emptied and reloaded this van twice a day and it always full (not like this picture!)

GU was a sponsor and we had plenty of products!

This is the start/finish line that goes up and down every day! (those are metal panels on the side that come apart!)

We were nicknamed the AZ Girls. We strategically brought our AZ Sole Sports shirts to represent! We had our Run Steep Get High shirts for one day too but forgot to take a picture!

Behind The Scenes
I titled this blog Behind the Scenes for a reason.  Never ever have I seen this big of a group of volunteers work so hard and so well together. It’s hard to describe in writing. Just about every day, the camp crew took tents down and put them back up at another location, the luggage crew moved all the runner’s luggage, and the shuttle drivers shuttled runners to and from start/finish lines and camp. And when you were done with your “job”, you just moved around and asked others if they needed help.  I don’t know what the return rate of volunteers is but I will guess it’s about 80%.  We walked right into a big TransRockies family.  The first evening was a bit weird because it was a reunion for most of them. By the next day, we were welcomed and brought in like we belonged.  I met so many wonderful people.  There is no doubt that there is a very strong sense of community with this race and it felt so good to be part of it!

Back to AC/DC..and Right Said Fred
The count down song at every start line (6 days in a row!) was Highway to Hell. I can play the song now and close my eyes and feel the energy of the runners.  There is nothing like the energy of a start line!  The other great thing you could see and feel throughout the week was the camaraderie.  Not only of the volunteers but the runners too.  Many of them knew each other as repeat runners as well but if they didn’t, they had 6 days on the course and in camp to become friends.  The closest thing I can compare it to is my Breast Cancer 3-Day experience only this was more days and more moving around.
The other song that I will never forget now is Stand Up (for the champions) by Right Said Fred.They played this every night after dinner with all the winners for the various categories in the front of the audience. They all stood up and jumped to this song. Again, lots of good energy.

The Runners
We were there for them!  Our goal was to make sure they all had a great experience.  If you are a runner, I highly recommend taking time to volunteer at races.  Such a rewarding experience! Since we were at the finish line, we got to see every single runner!  We got to watch the elites come in with some super strong finish times and then…..my favorites, the back of the packers.  I got to meet some of the coolest people! From Mirna Valerio, The Mirnavator  to Gordy Ainsleigh, the “father of ultramarathoning”, to Gina Lucrezi, the founder of Trail Sisters.
As much as it was great to meet the famous runners, I also got to meet so many other runners from all walks of life.  There were many international runners, elite runners and back of the packers.  I really think I met every single runner but didn’t really get to know many of them as they came through tired from their run and ready to go sit down with some GU Protein Recovery Drink (which by the way was all the rage!).  I watched so many people do some epic shit and that is what inspired me every morning to get up and take care of them.
Some TransRockies runners  were also supporting charities: First Descents (they provide life-changing outdoor adventures for young adults (ages 18 – 39) impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions) and Mito Canada (Canada’s only not-for-profit organization focused on mitochondrial disease).

The first time I hugged him I had no idea who he was…then I found he was Gordy Ainsleigh 😉

Best photo bomb ever with #themirnavator Mirna Valerio trying to drink my beer 😉

First Descent charity guys! Love what people do to raise money for charity!

On Day 3 they added an early start for the back of the packers, led by the awesome Mirna Valerio!

Love that these 2 were a team and were giving these cards away to people coming in after them 😉 It’s never too late and you are never too old!

The Man!
HOU-DA! HOU-DA! HOU-DA!


We all shouted his name when all the volunteers were called on the “stage” at the awards ceremony: Kevin Houda McDonald, race director.
What can I say about this guy?  My first impressions were his email responses when I was inquiring about the volunteer gig: short and sweet….then I had a chance to talk to him on the phone before we left to get more details and he was like a ping pong ball all over the place. I was writing as fast as I could trying to keep up as he changed his stream of thought what seemed like a million times. Even when I finally met him, he was doing 5 things at one time….but….:

  • he was always present when engaged in a conversation
  • he had no problem diving in any areas where help was needed at any time
  • he thanked his volunteers daily and acknowledged everyone’s hard efforts in our nightly staff meetings from the porta-potty people to the sweepers
  • he backed up his staff when needed
  • he gets a high return rate of volunteers (and it’s a long tough week of volunteering)
  • he keeps this huge team of volunteers motivated while there are so many moving parts to this race

I swear I am not kissing ass but as someone who has quite a bit of leadership experience from the corporate to the non profit world, this guy knows how to make it happen. This was one of the most well run events I’ve ever been part of it. There are many people who make this all happen but it requires a good leader too.

As much as I worked my ass off in those 10 days, I wouldn’t change a thing!  It was an awesome experience and I have a whole new running family too! There were so many more memories and pictures and beautiful views….but the next blog I write about this race will be as a runner when I do it next year! 

Special thanks to the Start/Finish Line crew who took us under their wing and the team we worked the closest with….seriously too many people to thank for this amazing experience!

Last day with our team: Big G, Rachel and Doug (missing Keon and Bruce)

Last day with our team: Big G, Rachel (missing Keon, Bruce and Doug). Joan and I manned the aid station and Elaine and Lori were timers and backed us up too.

If you want to find out more about running or volunteering, here is the website where you can find all their social media handles (go check out some of the pictures from the race!)

If you were a runner or volunteer and made it this far in reading my blog, you can find me, The Running University on Facebook and Instagram.  Stay in touch and see you next year!

THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS AND RUNNERS FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE!

Edited on 8/22/19 with this video from We Run 4 Fun

I am recapping my TransRockies Run Experience (titles are clickable links):
Behind the Scenes: TransRockies Run Volunteer Gig (2019)
TransRockies Run: View from the Back of the Pack (Recap)
TransRockies 2021: Stage 0 & 1 Shenanigans 
TransRockies Run Stage 2: Iconic Hope Pass!
TransRockies Run Stage 3: My favorite? 🤷🏽‍♀️
TransRockies Run Stage 4: Just Keep Swimming….
TransRockies Run Stage 5: One More Day 😥😁
TransRockies Run Stage 6: I did it! 🎉🍾

What is Lisa up to?

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

This could be dangerous because I’m about to loosely lay out some goals for the next two years.  Between people asking me what my next big race is and the fact that I turn 50 on February 19th 2021, I figured I’d share some of my upcoming adventures (and this will help keep me accountable as I am putting it in writing now.)  LOL

Personal Shenanigans

  • August 11th-18th I am excited to be volunteering for the TransRockies Race!  This is a 125 mile stage race over 6 days in the Rockies.  I’ll be volunteering at the Finish Line with a few good friends.  It will be great to break out of this heat and give back to the running community.  Selfishly checking this out as it’s been on my mind for many years and I am considering doing this race next summer.
  • August 24th I am doing a timed event at Jackrabbit Jubilee. This is a 12 hour event going around a 500m track. I will admit these are not my favorite as they can be vary monotonous but they serve a different purpose (read more here).  The fun thing about this one is that my #trutribe is having an informal running party at this race. I did not do a program for this event but many of them are trying this out for their first time.  We will all be going around in circles (there is a 6 hour and 12 hour option).
  • September 6-8th 2019 I am participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day in Boston.  Many of you know the history of my Las Bombas team but I haven’t walked in several years and MA is my home state.  I am grateful to have been able to raise the $2300 with some help from you!
  • October 12th 2019  my BUCKET LIST race!  I just started training for the Canyon De Chelly 55K.  I was on the waiting list last year and got in on the lottery this year.  I was #149 of #150 to be picked!  I’ll get to be one of the few people to get in to this canyon that is protected Navajo land.  I am beyond excited!
  • Summer 2020 is still a bit up in the air but planning on that TransRockies race in August and considering some of the Aravaipa races in July in the Silverton area as well.
  • I am saying it out loud and in writing finally but I am ready to tackle my next biggest distance which will be 100 miles.  Yikes, just writing it is scary but I have been mulling this around for quite some time.  I am debating in between 2 races.  I want it to be local race with Aravaipa Running since I “grew up” as a trail runner, ultra runner  and coach thanks to them. The options are the Javelina Jundred or Coldwater Rumble.  At this point it’s possible that I could do the 100K at Javelina in November 2020 and then Coldwater 100 miler in 2021 which would be a month before I turn 50.
  • I’ve always said that I will never qualify for the Boston Marathon because I am not a fast runner nor do I want to work that hard to qualify.  It would be amazing to experience this race though since it’s in my home state. I am considering doing it in 2021 and I would opt to raise money for it while I’m training for my 100 miler.

Professional Shenanigans

My life motto is: do the things I love to do with the people I love to do them with, whenever I want.  I am pretty much living this right now. I can’t do things whenever I want but if I plan in advance enough, I can certainly try….thus this blog post 😉  I am blessed that I love what I do and get to combine my passion with my career.

  • August 2019 Roll out Ladies Training Programs for Fall/Winter 
  • September 2019 stay tuned for TRU TRIBE Online. That’s all I am saying right now 😉 (TRU 2.0)
  • September 25th-30th 2019 I’ll be in Asheville NC assisting Danny Dreyer (founder of ChiRunning) with a ChiRunning Instructor Training class.  I can train individuals privately to become instructors but I couldn’t pass up the chance to assist Danny.  I am constantly stalking him and try to work with him at least once a year.  Not only to get time with him but he’s continuously working on his running practice and who better to follow than the guru himself?
  • May 17th-22 2020 I’ll be assisting Danny and Katherine at Kripalu for a 5 Day ChiRunning/ChiWalking Retreat!  Mark your calendars!
  • Continue to expand on the ladies training programs.  Work on TRU 3.0 which will include more traveling:  running retreats and more racecations (races out of town or out of the country)

What are your goals for the next year or two?

 

 

 

From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

Race Report

Race Report: Old Port Shipyard Half Marathon

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

Another first time experience in Portland ME running in a new place!  I love having the opportunity to run in new places and the only reason I was there was because of my running friends.

Quick history on why I was there because it wouldn’t have happened for any other reason.  I was promoting my Moab Ladies Training Program and Amy, who comes to Running for Brews, emailed me and asked if she could join the program but not do the Moab race. She wanted the benefits of the program but was already committed to running this half marathon in ME because she was on a trip with her husband.  First time this happened so I figured why not.  I asked her to send me the race info so I could adjust her training plan accordingly to include hills or whatever the race profile looked like.  When I looked at it, I realized I was going to be back east during this weekend and only 2 hours away…….HMMMMM….I marked “Interested” in the facebook event and then a friend that I met while I was teaching at Kripalu with Danny last year, saw it and said that it wasn’t too far from her and maybe she would come too. Well before you know it, 3 friends from the Kripalu trip were doing the race too….so why not?!

Race Report

As you know, I love trails so another road half marathon 3 weeks after Moab may have been the only reason I wouldn’t have done the race.  But to be able to see Amy through her training and then get to be at the finish line and see my other friends was a huge motivator for me.

This was one of the most organized races I’ve attended.  As an out of towner, I got enough updates via email with info for the event. I was able to find an AirBnb for Laurie and I (that was another crazy experience that I can’t even begin to address here but nonetheless part of our adventure).  The race directors even did a facebook survey at one point to decide if people wanted t-shirts or tank tops.  Tank tops won!

The race website had all the info from addresses of the parking areas to how much each one cost. I was a little disappointed on race morning that the weather was cloudy.  I am not crazy about running in the rain but I was so excited to be running a new route, in a new city, with friends even if it was road!

We got to the start line early enough and all of the sudden I could hear the MC of the race motivating people!  OMG, this is the start line I was missing since Moab!  Completely opposite experience!  This guy was awesome!  So many motivating words to get us pumped up…and he looked so cool!  Dreads and barefoot…..Here is a quick video of him at the finish line doing his thing!  I would go to a race just to hear this guy do his thing!  His name is Michael Bernier and apparently he MCs many races and does some pretty cool stuff.

I usually always encourage people to run their own race and this is what I normally do.  Amy was doing her thing and the other girls said they were going to do Galloway for 1 min run and 30 sec walk intervals.  They hadn’t trained as much as they normally would like so seemed like a good idea for them.  They said they probably would finish in 2.5 hours.  I had no goals for this race at all. I just did the Moab Half in about that time frame 3 weeks ago (still haven’t officially checked my results LOL because it doesn’t matter).  I’ve never done intervals that short before so I told them I would start with them and see what happened.

At the start line all pumped up!

We started out together and it the first part of the race was in neighborhoods.  Apparently they changed the route but it was all new to me.  We had a few rolling hills and since I hadn’t seen these ladies since their ChiRunning training in Kripalu, I was able to share some reminders from class about hill technique and give them a few pointers on their form.  Then it started raining!  To my surprise, I was not concerned in the least bit!  Might be because it was a very light drizzle or because I was in good company or because it’s been awhile since I’ve had this opportunity so I went with it and enjoyed every minute of it.

Then we got seaside.  I was bummed that it wasn’t sunnier as I think it would’ve been a bit prettier but it was still beautiful.  Here are a few photos:

Beautiful views!

More beautiful views!

Was going to be a selfie but a runner insisted to take the photo!

Time was flying!  We hadn’t seen each other in a year and had a lot to catch up on.  We leap frogged here and there but I mostly stayed with them doing these intervals.  I’ll admit I wasn’t too crazy about them.  We skipped some when we went downhill or uphill going more on body sensing than timing (the ChiWalkChiRun way). By the end of the race,  I felt like Pavlov’s dog waiting for the walk intervals.

At about mile 10 I had an awesome surprise!  Vince (a ChiRunning Master Instructor from NH) was there cheering me on!  He drove an hour to do this!  Most of ChiRunning instructors work on our own so when we have a chance to see each other (we are like family!), we try to make it happen.

Here are a few more pics from the route:

Vince!!

Wish I could get a better pic of this but it just looked cool..

Always have to have some selfies 😉

Cool graffiti on a wall…

and on the ground!

and we were on this trail for a bit!

More graffiti on the ground…

We had a few more hills and could hear the finish line approaching.  The last 1/4 mile was on cobblestone and my least favorite part. I believe there was more cobblestone in previous years and this was one of the big changes they made.  I am happy for that because it was uneven and uncomfortable but as ChiRunners learn to do, we figure out how to neutralize our “opponent” rather than meeting a force with a force.  (In Tai Chi, warriors always neutralize their opponent rather than meeting a force with a force….in ChiRunning, our “opponent” is the environment so we use technique to help us flow with it rather than fight it). So, I picked up my feet a little faster while staying slightly on the forefront of my feet (I’m normally mid foot) to avoid the dips.  Vince was there again and cheered me on and I could hear Michael, the MC, doing his thing which completely drew me to the finish line (my audio ychi rather than visual!)

Unfortunately a few of the ladies had to leave right after the race so they missed one of the best race after parties!  As part of our race entry, we got a slice of pizza, an ice cream and two beers from Shipyard Brewing Company…..you know where I went first, right?!  BEER! and I had extra tickets for Vince too.  There were 2 beer gardens!  After the first one, we decided to go to the second one because a disco tribute band, Motor Booty Affair, was playing and they were awesome!  I did a facebook live from there and I clearly had a few beers 😉  While I was on the coast, I had to get some clam chowder and try some lobster so we did that and called it a day.  Here are a few more pictures:

Amy finished and PRd!! So proud of her!

Kripalu gang finishers!

Cool signs! https://www.runawaysrunclub.com

Best name for a porta potty company ever!! Genius marketing!

Lobster traps

Yummy oysters!

Motor Booty Affair! This band was covering 70s music and were killing it!

Laurie and I…one of the official race pics…they won’t let me post the others ;(

Aha moment: An interesting side bar on my soreness a few days after the race….I was sore on both legs in a place I am never sore:  the bottom of my hamstrings, close to the back of my knee. I was trying to figure it out and I was talking to Danny about it and eureka!  In ChiWalking, you straighten your leg behind you not in front of you.  Because I walked much more in this race and changed my form frequently from ChiRunning to ChiWalking, I was extending my leg back which caused this to happen.

So do I recommend this race?  Hell yes!  I am posting this blog 5 days after the race and they already sent a survey to get feedback.  Beautiful half marathon course, very organized event, amazing MC and the best after party!  If I happen to be back east at this time of the year again, I would definitely redo it!

From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

Measuring Your Running Success: (HINT) Speed Has Nothing To Do With It

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

What?  Not use speed or pace to measure your running success???!!!  That’s just crazy talk…..

Maybe for some people but not for me!  First of all, let me put you at ease if you do measure your running success based on speed.  This is probably the most common way most runners do it.  Again, not a bad way but also not the only way.

As a running coach, I hear this all the time with beginner and recreational runners.  They are constantly deflated because they are not “fast” enough or “I’ll be the slowest runner out there” and apply a lot of pressure on themselves because speed is what everyone talks about when it comes to running. This could ultimately lead to big disappointments because they get injured from trying to get fast or just decide to quit because “running is not for me”.

WHAT IF……
What if there were other ways to measure your running success?  Guess what? There are! Here are some of the ways I measure my success after a race, not in any order as they are all equally important (for me!):

  1. FEEL GOOD FACTOR:  my goal for just about any race is to feel good the entire time. This goes against the competitive grain of “go all out” and “give it all you got”.  Again, nothing wrong with this at all, but this doesn’t sounds like a way I want to spend my time. When I can finish a race and feel like a million bucks, that is a GOOD race!  Don’t get me wrong, I like to push myself here and there.  But generally speaking, I like to get into my body when I’m running.  I like to have my mind and body connected so I can feel what is happening. I like to see what kind of adjustments I can make to make it more effortless and feel good.  I don’t understand this idea of “suffering” through a run that many people talk about.  I’ve learned to respect that every runner has different goals.  If I’m suffering, I’m not having fun and what’s the point?  My first 100K is a great example.  I used the word epic to describe it.  My goal the entire time was to feel good and have fun….and I did! (by the way a much easier goal to achieve than worrying about speed!)

    My 100K took me 19 hours and 46 minutes. The cutoff was 20 hours. And here I am still smiling at the end….affirming that I was going to have fun and feel good, and making it so, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! If I would’ve set a speed goal for this, it would’ve changed everything for me.

  2. FUN!:  If a race is not going to be fun for me, why bother.  Many people don’t consider running fun but I do (of course there is a love/hate relationship with it!). If I’m not going to have fun, why do it?  Strictly my opinion but pushing myself to a point of complete exhaustion doesn’t sounds fun to me at all.  This means I’ll stop and smell the roses. I love to take pictures, especially if I’m in a new location.  I’ve hung out with friends I haven’t seen in awhile volunteering at aid stations . Heck, I even stopped at an aid station for 20 minutes because they had some good alcohol!

    Crown King Scramble 50K, getting ready to climb a big hill…yes, I’ll hang out and have a few drinks before I do that. Some people say why, but I say why not?

  3. LACK OF INJURIES:  If I can run as much as I want, have fun and enjoy it, and not get injured too?  Well, that’s just the icing on the cake!   Now I can keep doing what I love to do and not get sidelined by injures.  Last time I had a running injury that kept me from running was in 2014.  Keep in mind that I’ve done one 100K, one 50 miler, one 40 miler and a bunch of marathons and 50Ks along with many miles since then.  I give the biggest credit to ChiRunning as it’s completely changed my life.  Poor running technique is one of the reasons runners (especially newer ones)  get injured.  Everyone assumes you put one foot in front of the other and you are good to go.  If that were true, 65% of runners wouldn’t be injured every year. It’s not running that causes injuries, it’s HOW you run that does!  I also stretch regularly, strength train and follow a training plan which are all factors in my running success.

    Writing this post on 5/9/18 and this is how long I’ve been running (ultra running) without injuries…

Running has always been a competitive sport due to speed.  No matter how long you go, there will always be a first place winner.  Technology doesn’t help either.  Now there are software programs/websites like Strava, Athlinks and UltraSignup that keep public records of your race performance.  I’ve seen people have to explain on Strava posts why their run might’ve been slower because they were running with someone slower than them.  Heck, Ultrasignup even ranks you and forecasts how you will finish based on past performances.  This is a lot of pressure for beginner and recreational runners and it doesn’t have to be this way!

Imagine going into a race with no major nervousness about how you’re going to perform?   Imagine going into it thinking about how much fun you’re going to have and how good it’s going to feel?  Huge weight lifted off the shoulders!   This is how I go into just about any race and it’s almost never failed me!  When I go into a race thinking about PRing (setting a personal record), it changes everything.

So how do I do it?

My number one strategy is detachment and making a conscious choice not to care about how fast I finish a race.  I first heard about the Law of Detachment when I started meditating.  Definitely not the easiest thing to do in the world but like everything else, it takes practice and is great because it effects all other areas in my life as well.  I basically go into a race being detached from any speed goals. I may say “I’d like to PR this race” but if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world and I’ll focus on celebrating what I did do well which usually ends up being the 3 bullet points above.  This just happened to me at the Sinister Night Runs.  I LOVE this course!  I figured I had plenty of training since ultra season just ended for me and I’ve been feeling great. I pulled up my stats for the last few years and knew what I had to finish with.  However I also decided I wasn’t going to look at my Garmin watch once to see where I was (I’ve done this before and it causes a lot of stress when you keep looking at your average pace and how far you still have to go.  Then I tense up, I’m not relaxed AND I’m not having any fun again).  I had one of the best races as far as Fun and Feel Good Factor!  I mean I felt so amazing the entire time!  Imagine my disappointment when I crossed the finish line 3 minutes later than my PR! Yes, I went there.  I started getting a little bummed. But according to the Law of Detachment, another factor is dealing with uncertainty.  Who would’ve known that I replaced my headlamp batteries with old ones so my light was so dim that I could barely see the ground (this was a night trail race).  I was grateful for other people’s headlamps and the full moon that night. I couldn’t account for that.  How many times do things not go as planned that you had no control over what so ever?  So even though I didn’t PR, and I started with a bit of disappointment, I knew that I had a fabulous race that night and did not let my speed (or lack thereof) bring me down and suck the fun out of it for me.

So if you measure your running success based on your speed, I challenge you to take your Garmin off and go on a run without caring about how far or how fast you go.  Just go run and see if any of the measures above work for you.

If you are a beginner or recreational runner, take a big sigh of relief now!  It’s your running story and you can do what you want.  I am a coach and say this! As someone who does this for a living and has finished DFL (Dead Effin Last) before and is a back of the pack runner in general, trust me, you can make our own rules!

I would love to hear how you measure your running success!  Please share!

(This post was inspired by one of my recent Facebook Lives called: Why I’ll Never Qualify for Boston)

I love this!

From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

Race Report

Race Report: Black Canyon 100K & My First Buckle

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

I DID IT!!! And it was the amazing experience I absolutely expected it to be!  Where to even begin?!  It’s been 3 days and I am still flying high from completing this race!  My longest distance ever and one of the most amazing experiences of my life! (WARNING: there may be a lot of exclamation points in this blog and maybe some swear words too)

I’ve been wanting to cross this finish line for the last two years and I finally did it.  You may recall that last year I attempted it and had to drop to the 60K due to the awful weather.  I was disappointed but it was the right call and I don’t have any regrets.  I will share some learning lessons and then a race report with pictures sprinkled in between 😉

My favorite picture of all! This at about 3am with my pace/crew team that helped make it all possible! I love that we are still laughing at the end!

Learning Lessons….

Be prepared:  Leading up to the race, I had logged about 900 miles, completed two marathons, two 50Ks and one 40 miler as part of my training. The longest I had been on my feet was a little over 11 hours for the 40 miler at Across The Years in December.  Needless to say, I felt ready going into it.  This is a great feeling to have and something I try to impart with my runners.  When you follow a training plan, and do all the work, there is nothing else to worry about but do the race!  The week before was strange as I never got nervous…I had never really felt this prepared for a race.  I also ran on the entire course on 3 different occasions so this helped. However, running each leg on 3 separate occasions (a month apart each time) was definitely not the same as running it all back to back (and at night time).  This was more challenging than I expected and caused me to finish 2 hours longer than I expected.  I also prepared a detailed spreadsheet with my expected arrival times to each aid station and finish and met with my crew/pace team. There is no better feeling for me than going into a race feeling prepared.

Get technique down:  No way I would ever be doing ultra marathons if it weren’t for ChiRunning.  This course had a negative elevation profile but still had some good amount of uphills too (while I was running, it did feel like there were more uphills than downhills though).  I focused on my technique on many of my training runs (I purposely did some races that had more hills).  I am a geek about running technique.  I love being present and focused on what my body is doing and how can I tackle the environment coming at me as efficiently as possible.  One of the things I love most about ChiRunning is I get to constantly get better the more I practice. This keeps me more process oriented vs goal oriented. Even though I had a finish goal, I was not attached to it. So long as I finished and got my buckle!

Have fun:  I can’t stress this enough!  The week before I was visualizing and I kept telling myself that I GET TO go run around our gorgeous desert for a “few” hours.  I was not attached to any expectations and truly just wanted to enjoy every minute of my event. I know that if I get too focused on time, it starts sucking the fun out of a race for me and why bother? I am never going to win the race…and personally I run because I truly enjoy it and have fun so I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.  If it starts feeling not fun, I won’t do it, bottom line.  Fun factor is a huge necessity for me during  a race, especially one this long!

Race Report:

Even though I had paid for the shuttle to take me to the start line (the race was a point to point which means we were dropped off at Mayer High School and then ran 62 miles south), I decided not to take it.  I would’ve had to wake up an hour earlier (3am vs 4am) and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be in a bus with a bunch of excited runners. I know I need some quiet time before an event this big so I can get centered and relax.  The 1 hour and 20 minute drive was a perfect way to do this.

Jubilee, the race director, giving the pre race briefing before the start

I arrived with 30 minutes to go, did a facebook live in my car and then headed to get my bib.  I saw several friends who were running as well.  After the race briefing, we headed to the track to start.

Startline selfie!

I knew the first part of the course had more downhills and I wanted to take advantage of that but also need to make sure to conserve energy for later in the day.  I started at the back of the pack (as usual).  I had projected finishing around 12:30 in the morning. I had my spreadsheet in my pocket so I could check it at each aid station and text my team to keep them posted. At this point, I was loving this trail.

So much fun running down switch backs.  I also welcomed the uphills as that’s where I tend to rest more with ChiWalking/Hiking.  One of the things I don’t like about this trail is that it’s a single track. The 60K runners started an hour after us but the faster runners quickly caught up to me.  I had to move over to the side of the trail many times to let them pass by me so that was a bit annoying. I’d get some momentum down hill and then would hear footsteps behind me and have to stop and let them pass. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of their race but it got old after awhile.

I was so focused on the trail that it took a few moos from the cows to get my attention and notice them!

Part of the jeep road trail…then we would go down the canyon on some fun switchbacks and up again…and repeat…

Ran into one of the Aravaipa race directors, Noah, who was running the 60K with his brother. Love the night Insomniac Series that are part of his races!

One of my favorite parts of the trail is seeing the windmill that is pictured on the belt buckle

I was tracking 30 minutes ahead of schedule at each aid station (my estimates were conservative so I knew this would happen at the beginning).  During this time I kept myself entertained several ways:

  • I love being in nature so I started and spent quite a bit of time just being present, focusing on my technique and enjoying the scenery.
  • I listened to a few motivating podcasts:  Trail Runner Nation’s Intuitive Training with Courtney Dauwalter and Final Surge’s with Camille Herron.  I was hoping to see Courtney at the start as I was lucky enough to get a picture with her in the middle of her course record on the Coldwater 50 mile course. Huge amount of respect for both of these ladies and love that they both mentioned beer as part of their nutrition (more on this later!)  I couldn’t get beer out of my head after these podcasts!
  • I went back to nothing and then decided to listen to some ChiSchool to keep me focused on technique again. I have about 105 lessons on shuffle on my phone and ironicallly, the first one that came on was the lesson called, Dealing with Fatigue.  Perfect timing to get refocused.

In between this, I got to the Bumble Bee Aid station ( Mile 19) and it was great to see some familiar faces there. The key at aid stations is not to spend too much time there.

So great to see my friend Nancy at Bumble Aid station with her husband Bill. Also some Surprise Running Club peeps!

This was an awesome aid station (I think Bumble Ranch..maybe a dude ranch?) At any rate, they had a bar that was open! So tempted but too early in the game!

Had to get a photo opp with the “man eating cows” for my Run Heifer Run friends!

My next aid station was 4.5 miles away and my new friend Denise was there with Will and Mike. I switched my socks out here because they were rubbing (they were a new brand and I know better than not to try new stuff on race day but I brought a back up pair in case. Glad I switched when I did because I did end up getting some hot spots that impacted me later in the day).  Another couple volunteering at this aid station were asking me about Girls On The Run (I had my hat and shirt on) and I started getting into it when Denise said to me “This is about you today, you need to keep moving.”  As much as I love talking about GOTR, she was right and I need to stay focused (one of the hardest things for me to do at aid stations LOL).  By the way, icing on the cake, thanks to all of you that donated in one way or another to Girls On The Run!  I raised about $2,600 for our local council!

Getting into the aid station to change out my socks that were rubbing and bugging me. Glad I planned ahead and brought an extra pair with me!

I look at my pictures and love that I truly was smiling and having a good time pretty much the entire time! Taking a break at the aid station for sock exchange 😉

At the next aid station (last one before picking up my pacer at the 60K exchange), I was still 30 minutes ahead of schedule so I decided to take my time here.  My Garmin was running out of juice and I had brought a charger for it. I put it on the charger and put it in my pocket. I also choose to do another facebook live here.

I knew all I had to do was get to the 60K aid station and that’s where I would pick up my first pacer, Elaine.  I took my Garmin out of my pocket and realized it had paused.  Ugh, not sure how long it was paused but now I couldn’t update my crew on where I was.  This leg was harder than I remember so that ended up taking me 15 minutes later than I expected.  Good news is that I was able to text them when I was a mile away due to a course sign. I have to admit, the markings on the course were great!  One of my biggest fears in ultras is getting lost.  I’m not even sure how at one point in my life, I was actually an Underwater Navigation instructor! (yes I used to teach scuba diving!).  Navigation is definitely not my strong point.

Part of the single track uphill trail…this was one was clean with rocks on the side but a lot of it, especially towards the end, had lots of rocks filling the trail.

River crossing before the 60K aid station. The cold water felt good on my feet…I didn’t even try to keep them dry…I knew I would be at the next aid station soon to change shoes and socks again.

I was excited about seeing my team at the aid station…and what an amazing surprise when I got there!  In addition to my crew, there were several other friends that came out to cheer me on!  At first I saw my friend Heather and her daughter who were waiting a big ahead and ran in with me…As soon as I crossed the mat, I noticed the bigger group. I was so excited that I stopped and took this picture of them!

A picture of my crew/pace team and friends waiting to cheer me on! Wasn’t expecting this (and there are more friends not pictured like Heather and her daughter)…Elaine is already yelling at me to hurry! LOL

Got a little chaotic here because of all the excitement but I needed to stay focused.  I changed my shoes, socks and got some warmer clothes. One of the things that I had been thinking about for awhile was a cold beer!  Both Courtney and Camille had mentioned beers in their podcasts and I figured a little beer would keep me relaxed.  My friends had one in the car but further away…and this is what I love about trail runners…all of the sudden, this girl I’ve never met before walked up to me and brought me two Lagunitas! I only drank half of one but it was the best beer ever! I stayed a little longer than I projected but it was so re-energizing to see my friends. And I have to admit, I still felt pretty darn good!

That was one of the best beers I tasted! Only had half of one but was perfect! Cheers to Courtney and Camille!

They finally kicked me out with Elaine.

Not before I could try to get another selfie with my friends!

OK Elaine and I are finally really leaving!

I’ve blogged about Elaine before here as she did my first 50 miler with me.  We were 30 minutes behind my projected time but at this point, I didn’t care at all.  We started running but this is when the trail started getting rockier than I remember.  It was single track with lots of loose rocks so it was hard to get any momentum going.  Plus those hot spots on my feet seemed worse when I was walking but I just couldn’t get any momentum and run on those rocks.  Even though we were hiking mostly at this point, we were still keeping a good pace.  Any time the trail got smooth with no rocks, we’d start running (which felt so much better) but we would literally go for 20 feet and then ….the Mother Effin’ rocks again!!  This happened a lot on this last 25 mile stretch!  OMG, it was getting frustrating but Elaine kept telling me not to focus on them.  As much as I love running alone, having Elaine to talk to really helped time go by! At one point she said, we’ve been out for 4 hours!  I couldn’t believe that much time had gone by because it only felt like one.  We hit one of the aid stations and I had the best tortilla filled with peanut butter, some coke and M + Ms.  It was night and getting cold and there were several people at the aid station that looked like death warmed over.  I was grateful that I was feeling pretty darn good still at this point! Elaine did about 13 miles with me which included a few river crossings but they were not bad at all.  At one point we stopped and turned our headlamps off to enjoy the night sky!  What a trip to be out in the middle of the desert running a 100K!  We reached the next aid station and she switched out with Lori.

This aid station had sausages and Somoas!  So crazy how you never know what your body is craving under these conditions!.  It was great to see my honey again and my friend Vicki who kept me on track and filled my water pack at the aid stations so I could focus on food and clothing.  Lori paced me for the last 12 miles.  How can I be at mile 50ish of a 100K and talking about upcoming races?  I think I had this conversation with Elaine too.  Weird thing about ultra running is that it can get addicting.  The terrain was the same…..we’d get a little momentum running and the Mother Effin’ rocks again!

My crew/pace team did it again with an awesome cake the next day with my Mother Effin’ Rocks on it!  They added candy rocks and love the purple sneakers to match my favorite color and business logos!

Of course I was using the real word and our joke is how much I swear.  Lori was trying to count them but she must be used to hearing me swear because at one point she said I was at 4 and I know I had to have least swore 10 times.  I was really surprised at how good I felt considering I had been on my feet for 15 hours (this is how long my 50 miler took me).  My original goal was to finish by about 12:30 am but that last 25 miles was so rocky that it slowed us down considerably.  At one point I realized my food alarms were not going off.

I set food alarms to remind me to eat 150-200 calories every 90 minutes. I’ve posted about this before and thanks to Fuel To The Finish (Brooke Schohl) who changed my nutrition world when it comes to ultra running and my regular diet. http://www.therunninguniversity.com/2016/02/25/50-miles-of-gratitude-2-nutrition/

I had set them to go off every 90 minutes as a reminder to get 150-200 calories in me.  I looked at the time and I realized it was 1am and I had only set them through 11 with the assumption I was coming in at 12:30.  This is when I started to panic. I looked at my spreadsheet and we were cutting it close.  We could barely see the the last aid station…a light far away…a mirage and depending on how we were winding on the road, it would disappear and reappear.  It seemed like it was not getting closer.  I was worrying because the last leg was showing to be 4.8 miles and we were really cutting it close. There was no way I was going to be able to run 5 miles in the last hour…not with those rocks!  I am sure I could’ve done it on smooth trail because running felt pretty good still.  Thankfully when we reached that aid station, they told us it was only 3.5 miles and we finally got more relief with less rocks so we could run more.  This last section was surreal…I couldn’t believe I was doing it and almost done!  In a weird way I didn’t want it to end….but a the same time I was ready for it to end too.  I kept looking at my watch and was saying “I really don’t want to have the same dramatic finish from my 50 miler”! (I came in with 12 seconds to spare on the clock!).  We could see the lights where the finish line was and I was starting to get excited.  We could hear Elaine calling out to us and I knew we were going to make it in time.  And before you know it, there was the finish line!  Before getting there, I was trying to figure out how I would feel when I crossed…would I cry, get emotional?  I was surprised at how excited I was to cross it….as a matter of fact, when I crossed the finish line, the official picture didn’t come out so my friend Kisha (who volunteered at the finish line just to see me finish!) had me run back through it for the picture. She also gave the buckle to my honey so he could give it to me.  I did a Facebook live in my car on the way back home!

Still smiling big at the finish with my first belt buckle! I finished in 19:46:01 with 14 minutes to spare on the cutoff! I was out there from 7am Saturday to 2:26am on Sunday. And I loved every minute of it! (mostly, except for the mother effin’ rocks!) There was a 20% DNF (Did Not Finish) rate so pretty proud that I finished!

with Jubilee, the race director! What an amazing, well organized race!

This blog took me several days to write.  It’s 5 days after the race and I am still on cloud nine!  I describe it as one of the most epic experiences of my life…part of it is because I affirmed that and wanted it to be that way!  I know they can’t always be this way but one of the pieces of advice I received from fellow ultra runner and Chirunning Instructor from WI was “You’ll have highs and you’ll have lows, just ride the waves.”  Greatest thing about this event is that I never really had a low.  Don’t get me wrong, those Mother Effin’ rocks were getting on my last nerve but I kept a positive attitude all day and felt great the whole time!  Of course I was sore for a few days afterwards and I know it will take me a few weeks to truly recover but today I feel great!  And no injuries during my 900+ miles of training or at the race! Thank you ChiRunning!

A huge thank you to all the aid station volunteers, Aravaipa Running and race director Jubilee for making it a great event, and most importantly to my crew:  my best friends Lori, Elaine and Vicki for crewing and pacing me and my boyfriend for crewing as well but also for supporting me throughout my crazy training schedule.  I seriously don’t know that I would’ve made the cutoff without my pace/crew team keeping focused and moving!

I DID IT!!

I celebrated my finish and 47th birthday the next day. NO one escapes a cake in the face from Erica! And yes, I AM WEARING THAT BUCKLE!

Yep, I’ll show my buckle off! Hanging with fellow 100K finisher Chris Worden. He was the last one to come in to get the lottery entry for the Western States!

Wearing the buckle a few days later with my shirt at Running for Brews. I’m the Organizer so I picked the theme: Favorite Medal 😉 Hehehe (funny is that I don’t wear buckles so I had to buy a belt for one. I did it last minute and it arrived 30 minutes before my party….then I realized I got the wrong size so Greg had to make a new whole it in for me too)

From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

She’s such a loser!

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

I wrote this original blog post on 9/9/2014.  I am updating it because it’s 3 years later and Diane is still rocking it!  I am sure she will agree when I say running is a great way to not only lose weight but keep it off.

“Nearly 65 percent of dieters return to their pre-dieting weight within three years, according to Gary Foster, Ph.D., clinical director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania. The statistics for dieters who lose weight rapidly, according to Wellsphere, a website sponsored by Stanford University, is worse. Only 5 percent of people who lose weight on a crash diet will keep the weight off. ” (Livestrong.com)

Since the interview on 9/9/2014, Diane completed 2 marathons, 15 half marathons and “lots of 5ks and 10ks”..

This weekend she is completing her 16th half marathon at the Arizona Rock N Roll and she’s been on TV inspiring a lot more people!  Check out Part 1 (3 min 48 sec) where she talks about what propelled her to start running even though she felt like she was never athletic,  Part 2 (4 min 17 sec) where she talks about what running has done for her and shares inspirational tips for weight loss.  And another one here too!

As a ChiRunner, Diane has been able to keep running and stay injury free and not become one of the 65% of people to regain the weight back.  It keeps her consistently active and it’s become part of her lifestyle now (only way to keep it off is to make it a lifestyle).  And she’s met so many new friends since she started running it’s almost impossible not to keep running when you have fun friends to do it with.

Read the original blog below:

__________________________

9/9/2014

No, I’m not about ready to start bashing anyone but just wanted to get your attention. Honestly, this will be probably my favorite blog post yet…Why?  Because this story is EXACTLY why I do what I do.

Meet Diane.  I met her in March this year when she attended Danny Dreyer‘s ChiRunning workshop.  I remember hearing her say at one point that she lost 100 lbs. As a fitness trainer, I always love to hear these stories. We became facebook friends and she joined my Running for Brews group a few times and met at other running events across the valley.  This weekend, I had the honor of being with her on her longest run to date. Not only was it her longest run (15.5 miles) but she did it on a trail…and at night time!  Let’s go back a bit though…

Here is a before/after picture of Diane:

dianepotterpic2

Since my passion in life is to help more people get into walking and running because it’s one of the easiest things you can do for weight loss/maintenance (if done correctly), I asked Diane if she could answer a few questions for me.  I was in tears reading her answers and I asked her permission to blog about it because I know she can inspire others!

How much weight did you lose?  
“I lost 100 lbs in a year and 105 lbs to date.”

When did you realize you need to make a change in your life?
“I was lying in bed one night and I was concerned because my heart was beating really hard and fast. It had been doing that for a couple months and I was scared I was going to have a heart attack and have my daughters find me. So that was my defining moment of when I decided to make a lifestyle change.”

What did you do?
“I was very strict with my diet by cutting out fast food, junk food, and sweets–I basically detoxed. I allowed myself to have one splurge meal a week.” (if you calculate it, she lost about 8-10 lbs a month which is healthy amount to lose)

When did you start running? Why?  When was your first 5K?
“I started running in September 2013. Even though I had lost a lot of weight, I felt like something was missing in my life. I decided to start walking. One night on a walk I started wondering if I could run. So I tried it–it was really tough and I could only do it for maybe 30 seconds at a time. Three weeks later I ran my first 5K.”  (I love that running can provide people with so many first time experiences: distances, trail, night trail, triathlons, etc. I see people pushing their boundaries all the time!)

Why did you keep doing it if it was hard?
“I was hooked on the race experience and found that I could channel my stress and anxiety through running. I ran my first half in May 2014 and am currently training for my first full in January. I’m still pretty careful about what I eat, but running allows me to enjoy brownies every once in awhile!”

What else has running done for you?
“Running and losing weight have given me the confidence and inner peace that helps me to be successful in all areas of my life, personally and professionally. The best part is I have become a good role model for my daughters, and they’re very proud of me!”

Any advice for anyone who would say to you “I could never be a runner”
“My advice to those who feel they could never be a runner is to take it slowly in the beginning with both pace and distance. If you try to do too much too soon, you could injure yourself or get burned out. Running is a huge lesson in patience. Accept the days when running feels impossible, and embrace the days when running feels effortless. Progress is gradual so don’t give up!”

Any advice for anyone who would say to you “I’m too overweight to be a runner”
“As far as those who think they’re too overweight to run, not true! Runners come in all shapes and sizes. There are plenty of amazing runners who don’t fit the mold. Fear is a prison. Don’t let it hold you back from being successful and accomplishing your dreams! It’s also important to focus on good running form so you learn how to run with minimal impact to the joints. I haven’t had shin splints, foot pain, or muscle pain since I started ChiRunning in March.

And for all new runners–don’t get hung up on being fast. Just get out there and enjoy it!”

Thanks so much to Diane for sharing a very brief summary of how weight loss and running has changed her life!

Here is a picture of us from this weekend.

javelinajangover

Both of these ladies broke records by surpassing their longest runs to date.
Both of these ladies never thought they would be running 15 miles on a trail at night (same goes for me!).
Both of these ladies never thought they’d be running a full marathon!
But both of these ladies had the courage to listen to their heart (don’t listen to your mind because it will tell you otherwise!) and just go for it.

So whether it’s weight loss or starting a walking/running program, remember this:

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” ~Brian Tracy

“If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.” ~Thomas Edison

From My Running Story to Yours….

(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

Race Report

Race Report: Across The Years-Miles are Miles!

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

Yesterday I had the opportunity to run in the 24-hr Across The Years race. This is my 2nd year in a row and I get a free entry by filing up a 24 hour shift of volunteers from 12/31-1/1.

Before I started, I read the race report I did last year.

I was pretty excited as I knew what I was getting into.  One of the days I will use the full 24 hours but my goal was to stick to my training plan and get my 40 miles in. This would be 2nd longest distance to date with the 50 miler being my first.

As a quick reminder, this is a 1-mile course and you go around it as many times as you can for the amount of time that you have. Basically it’s truly your race to do whatever you want.  There are people our there setting aggressive mileage goals and trying to break records but bottom line, you do what you want. You can take as many breaks as you want, I know people that leave and come back….and the longest event here is 6 days!  Not sure how people do that but there are plenty that do! Some people seek these types of races out specifically.

How I passed the time:

I’m always working on my ChiRunning technique so focused on that of course. 40 miles went by talking to old friends and new friends, listening to a few podcasts and some music.  Was over before I knew it!  There were times that it did get harder but overall I stayed focused on my goal.

What I like about this event:

  • Such a fun social event if you are not on a mission with aggressive goals. I can’t tell you the amount of friends I saw that were either doing the event, volunteering or just hanging out to cheer their friends on.
  • No pressure!  (unless it’s self imposed!)  I knew I had plenty of time to reach my goal of 40 miles and I was in no rush. I ran, I walked, I stopped and talked to friends and just kept moving.  No need to prepare a ton because there is an aid station on the course (remember it’s a mile course…people have been know to gain weight because it’s too easy to stop every mile) and a water station at the other end. No need for hydration pack or anything because it’s all there.  I think this a perfect event for anyone wanting to do a longer distance (marathon and above) and is worried about cutoffs or getting lost on a trail.  You have plenty of time and pretty impossible to get lost on a mile course 😉

What I don’t like:

  • The course is pretty but it’s a bit monotonous. I much rather be on a trail. They do change the direction every 4 hours so it’s look a bit different.  I am actually considering Aravaipa’s Silverton event in 2018.  The website is not updated yet but it’s the same concept: 1 mile course but you are on a trail in Silverton CO with 250ft of gain every mile.  Dates are changing to 7/6-7/12 2018.  So a bit more challenging but I am sure it’s gorgeous!  This may even end up being a Group Training program I am considering to offer.
  • People attend this event to get mileage but are not necessarily trained for that mileage. I’m all for pushing your body and mind to the limit but I’ve seen people take this to a level that can be dangerous as far as injuries go.  As much as I wanted to do more miles because I had the time, I stuck to my training plan and didn’t want to push it.

Biggest takeaway:

It doesn’t matter if you run a 50K or 50 miler on trail or this event.  Miles are miles!  It’s so easy to “downplay” the mileage at this event.  Maybe because trails are “harder” or because it’s a one mile course but it doesn’t matter!!  This is a whole different kind of hard!   I’m planning on getting more people to check this out (and/or Silverton!)

Some highlights from my run yesterday:

Thank you to everyone who has been donating to my Girls On The Run fundraiser for my first 100K!  Means so much to me!  I almost doubled where I was in the last few days!

I did 4 short Facebook Lives from the event and you can see them here:

Right before the start and already hanging with some friends!

More friends! Tommy is one of the most positive people I know in our running community!

More friends!

Minion on the course!

Minion and Pikachu on the course!

Cheryl Miller from Miller Coaching out on the course with this awesome shirt!

My friend Lori at this point had surpassed her longest run ever which was a marathon!

Motivation!

New friend! Frederick Davis III He will be 70 on January 2nd and does many of these timed events. He was telling me about 15 day events and he recently completed one in South Africa: 1,000 km (620 miles) in 15 days!

Friends know my Fireball history 😉 There was a Fireball station that I had been eyeing out before the race even started but waited until mile 38 to make sure I would complete my goal. Freddy joined me and told me he usually does a shot for breakfast on these events. Love this guy!

Every time you go through the start/finish line you can see where you are. Here is my last lap!

Just a few steps 😉

Lori completes her first 50K

From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

WTF is FOMO & Getting Over It

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

You know that feeling when you’re scrolling on facebook and it seems like very single runner you know is at an event and you’re not.  Happened this weekend for me with Ragnar Trail McDowell Mountain.  It wasn’t that long ago that I learned of the phrase FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and it’s a new common ‘illness’ for many people. Not sure this was a thing before social media though. Seems like the biggest reason people have it is because they are scrolling on facebook/social media and watching other people “have all the fun”.  Let’s face it, no one is going to post when they are not having fun!

So I figured out how to get over FOMO…but first a few personal experiences that helped me get over it…. 😉

The first time I recall it happening to me (I didn’t know there was a phrase for it) was when several of my running peeps that I had been coaching, decided to schedule their first marathon. I was ready to do my first too but had a particular one in mind for me since it was going to be on my 41st birthday. I love doing races on my birthday! Unfortunately they had picked the Rock N Roll which was a month before mine. What should I do? I really wanted to be with them when they ran their first marathon as that was such a big deal…..but selfishly, I didn’t want them to complete their first marathon before me! I contemplated changing mine but…..

Another time I was struck with FOMO, was last year when several of my running friends got into the Chicago Marathon.  Most of them had put their name in for the lottery and pretty much all of them got in.  Seems like everyone and their mother had got into the race. This is my original group of running friends that mainly met through me and I was feeling really left out…but wait, I didn’t even put my name in for the lottery so why was I so bummed out?  I was going to miss out on the fun with them……

This last time was this weekend with Ragnar Trail.  I have a love/hate relationship with this race honestly.  The first time we did it we had 2 teams that had never done one before. We had a blast!  Did it the 2nd year and wasn’t quite as fun and then the 3rd year I went up and ran a few legs to help a few teams and then came back home.  This year, I couldn’t commit because I was in the middle of my Toastmaster competition and if I won, I would be in Flagstaff competing the Friday of Ragnar. Well, last Saturday, I lost that competition so there was still an opportunity to go.  Heard from a few teams that needed runners (I wouldn’t even have to pay to be on one team!) but as much as the FOMO was setting in, something was telling me not to do it……

I know you are all looking for a good sexy answer that will help you get over FOMO (whether it’s from running or not) but as I tried to analyze how I got over it with all three of these scenarios, I realized it was really pretty simple…well, seemingly simple but not really easy to implement. I just made a conscious choice to be OK with not being there.  This is a skill I’ve learned directly from my daily meditation practice. People ask me what I’ve learned from meditation and sometimes I can’t really quantify it.  I realized as I was still going through this yesterday, how I was learning to get over it.  By becoming self aware (that I was feeling FOMO), focusing on the present moment (being happy in this moment), detaching from the outcome , I was able to get my ego out of the decision making process and go by what my body (or spirit if you will) really wanted to do (our bodies always know best but our ego is the one that gets us in trouble). So here is how I got over the examples above. Mind you, I didn’t realize I was using this for the first two examples but it all made sense yesterday when I was trying to analyze this situation.

So my friends wanted to do another marathon and not the one that I picked?  Once I focused on them and not me (ego), I was so excited for them to complete their first marathon before their coach!  And I was able to be there for every single one of them and watch them cross that finish line!  If I were running the same one, I would’ve missed out on that opportunity. Plus I had to remember what my goal was and I really wanted to run my first on my birthday (the picture in my header of them cheering is my first marathon and one of my favorite pics ever).  I made a conscious choice and was happy with my final decision.

For Chicago, I had my ego take a step back and the first realization was that I don’t even like running road anymore!  Why would I want to train for a road marathon even if many of my friends were doing this race…that’s a lot of energy AND money to put into something that I really don’t enjoy doing anymore.  Even if I had the money, training for a full marathon is a big deal and I’ve learned through ChiRunning that you have to have a goal/vision as to why you want to do a big event like a marathon, ultra, etc because that’s what will keep you going when the going gets tough and you want to quit. Once I took my ego out of the way, I made a conscious choice to be OK with not being there and loved seeing their posts on facebook during race day!

For Ragnar this year it was a bit tougher which really prompted this blog post.  I’ve always wanted to do an Ultra Ragnar and had a few opportunities but was still committed to my Toastmaster contest so I couldn’t agree to help out either team that reached out to me.  Once I found out that I lost, I thought I could go up like I did a few years ago and just cover some legs for teams, etc.  But then I started remembering the atmosphere at Ragnar and that I would have sooo many friends up there and it’s so easy to get caught up in partying, etc. (yes, there is a good Fireball story there but just know it wasn’t pretty).  Mind you, I am not an alcoholic or anything but I am self aware enough (see a trend with being self aware?)  to know that I may not be able to contain myself and could get caught up in some not so good things.  Plus I really needed to get a long run in this weekend and I had no guarantee I would get that if I showed up at Ragnar.  Last but not least, as much as I am an extrovert and love being around so many friends, a quiet weekend mainly to myself sounded really good!

So next time you are feeling left out of something or are feeling “jealous” because all your friends are doing something that you can’t (or on the fence about it and the major thing pushing you is “because everyone else is doing it”), try these steps:

  1.  Be self aware and admit that you have FOMO 😉 sounds basic but self awareness is the key.   I am very aware of FOMO when it’s happening to me.
  2. Get centered and present.  To get your ego out of the way, you have to be in the present moment and be mindful.  If you are not used to this, a good way to do it is to sit quietly and start focusing on your breath. Being present means not thinking about the past or the future but being in the current moment that is happening. Breathing helps with this…start counting your breaths or saying IN and OUT as you are breathing.
  3. Ask yourself why you are feeling it.  More than likely you will find that ego is the one causing you to be jealous of what others are doing.  Do you really want to do it because everyone else is? What will happen by you not doing it?  Go so far as to write the pros and cons down if you need to. Usually by this point, your gut feeling (true self) will kick in and let you know what is right for you.
  4. Make a conscious choice.  At this point you are either deciding to jump off the bridge with everyone else or not.  Do you want to do this for you or are you doing it because everyone else is doing it?  If you go for it, at least you can say that you know exactly why you are making that choice because it wasn’t an overreaction but a conscious decision.  If you decide not to, you also made a conscious decision and can be happy with it.  (Doesn’t mean you still may not feel the FOMO but you will be comfortable knowing that it wasn’t an overreaction and a solid decision on your part.)

In my first two examples above, I didn’t realize I was following this process.  I had just started my meditation practice before my first marathon.  As I struggled over the last week with my Ragnar FOMO (on Friday night I was still contemplating going up to camp to hang out with friends for a few hours), I realized I had a process and put into effect which led to this blog.

Was it easy?  Of course not…but by not doing Ragnar this weekend: I got a 16 mile run in (may not have been able to get this in at Ragnar), I was able to sleep 9 hours and 5 minutes (I would’ve never got this at Ragnar!), get some time in with my family and had a very relaxing weekend (saved myself quite a bit of money and time!)

Would I have had a blast if I went to Ragnar?   No doubt about it!  But the only reason I wanted to be there was because everyone else was doing it….and that is no reason to do anything.  Love this picture I found from The Oatmeal as I was looking for images for this post!

Use These 3 Tips To Have Your Best First Race Ever

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

It’s easy to get freaked out when you are running your first race ever (or first race distance ever).  All these questions rolling around in your head:

  • Am I prepared enough?
  • Will I be the last person to cross the finish line?
  • Do I have everything I need?
  • and the list can go on and on IF you let it…..

So my quick advice for you, whether it’s your first race ever, or your first distance ever is to follow these three tips (works for me every time!)

  1. Don’t stress out! Getting a bit nervous about the unknown is normal, trust me! But don’t let that bit of nervousness get you so worked up that it consumes you so you don’t sleep the night before and you use up so much unnecessary mental energy you won’t have any for the race.  There is no need to get yourself worked up!
  2. Don’t go out too fast!  One of the most common mistakes for a first time race is to get excited that you start out way faster than you should.  Your adrenaline is pumping and so is everyone else’s and it’s easy to get caught up and rush out too soon. Let everyone go because you will see most of them later.  One of my other tricks is to start nose breathing as it immediately slows me down or just start in a nice warm up pace. Once you are half way through the distance, you can check in and if you are feeling good, then you can speed it up.  Trust me, it feels worse to go out too fast and then get half way through and feel like shi*t…your mind will start playing tricks on you and the negative self talk will start.  I’ve learned this the hard way!
  3. Be present!  You only get your first time once! Enjoy every single moment and stay as present as possible.  You are going to PR it (have a personal record) so make it a point to have fun and enjoy it! Thank the volunteers and the people cheering on the side line, meet people on the course, and take pictures to capture your first time experience.

More than likely if you are reading this, you are not an elite athlete, an Olympian or someone who is going to win the race. So just go out and have FUN!  You want to have a great experience so you can do it again!

This video pretty much says the same thing 😉

 

Race Report

Monument Valley 50K: Race Report

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

Wow! Where to even begin?  I know I have to keep this succinct but very hard to do, especially for those of you that want to get a detailed report about the race and what to expect if you plan on doing it. Continue Reading →