Stage 1 was changed from the previous years. I am not sure exactly why but we moved the start location.
Stage 1:
19.5 miles/31.5 kilometres & 2300 ft/700 m gain. Note the elevation profile at the bottom of the picture. Great visual of the course from a few views.Before we started the race on Monday though, we had a few days in Buena Vista. We learned it’s not pronounced the way you would say it in Spanish but ““BEW-na Vista”. The town’s name has been pronounced “BEW-na Vista” instead of the Spanish “BWAY-na Vista” ever since it was founded.” Apparently this is still debate about this but….we learned this because every night after the race briefing, we’d get to hear the history of the stage we were doing the next day. I loved this!
We got to do a shake out run with Trail Sisters and hang out with Gina (the founder), get all of our goodies at the expo and then pack all of our stuff in our TransRockies duffle.
Tents were our home away from home for 5 nights to add more challenge to the run.
PINCH ME!
It’s been a week since I crossed the Stage 6 finish line and I still can’t believe I finally did it!
Finish line Stage 6!
What is the TransRockies run?
120 miles in 6 days, in over 8K+ feet of elevation with 20K+ feet of elevation gain!
“The route of the Run will take place at elevations between 7,400 and 12,600 feet above sea level. Based on the preliminary route proposal (subject to change and approval by the U.S. Forest Service), the percent of distance at various elevations is as follows:
7,000′ to 8,000′ – 3%
8,000′ to 9,000′ – 31%
9,000′ to 10,000′ – 28%
10,000′ to 11,000′ – 27%
11,000′ to 12,000′ – 10%
12,000′ to 13,000′ – 1%”
Here is the 6 day course!
This was one of the most epic and memorable experiences of my life!
Although I had it on my bucket list for years, it wasn’t until February of 2019 when it started becoming a reality. It was definitely out of my budget (totally worth every single penny!). My friend Joan sent me an email asking if I knew anything about this race. They needed volunteers for 6 days. I was beside myself as I would be able to get race credits for volunteering and finally do the race! I wrote about my volunteer experience here. We were supposed to do the race in 2020 but….
COVID. 🙄
2020 came and went and it finally got approved for 2021! It was finally happening! 😊
The AZ Girls (as Houda, the race director, nicknamed us while volunteering), started training in early April. We followed a plan that was recommended in the TransRockies Facebook Group. As you might imagine, the training was not easy. It was a decent amount of mileage but we also had to do it in the heat. Not only because we didn’t have a choice with our AZ summer but also because they recommend heat training to replace elevation if you don’t have it available.
Because this was a 6 day stage race, there are too many things to share and I don’t want this blog to be a bazillion words. I am recapping here. I plan on writing a blog series which will include a recap of each stage of the race over the next 6 weeks (hopefully! 🤞).
What went well….
I can’t believe how great I felt overall over the 6 days. We averaged 20 miles a day with some days being harder than other depending on the elevation gain and elevation we were in. I attribute feeling great to:
ChiRunning/ChiWalking: Technique is always one of the biggest factors that contribute to MY running success. I am pretty sure I power hiked over 50% of the race due to the elevation gain but technique was always at my forefront. Not only does it make it easier to move when you are in proper form but your recovery time is less because you are moving more efficiently. I only took 4 Advil during the entire week. One of them was for a headache and 2 of them were on the last day when I could feel a twinge in my left knee (more on that below)
Training: This is not a race you can get by without training. We found a training plan and I was able to complete 86% of the mileage in the plan. Ideally this would be higher but happy that I was able to get this in considering my crazy schedule lately.
Poles: I’ve always thought of getting running poles but never did. They were recommended for this race so I finally got some and trained with them. These were a game changer. Poles definitely helped with efficiency. I also had some great technique aha moments with them. I can’t help it, I geek out on technique. 🤣 I didn’t have a great way to store them when I didn’t need them. I held them horizontally (still full length) and kept my arms at a 90 degree angle as I swung my elbows back. I couldn’t rotate my upper body (waste of energy and a lot of people do this) so my arms actually swung freely from my shoulders while staying stable. The length of the poles must’ve assisted in balancing my movement because I could really feel my pelvic rotation happening. This was fantastic for some fast ChiWalking but even more effective when running down hills. I was flying! I used the Black Diamond DISTANCE FLZ TREKKING POLES – WOMEN’S.
Elevated Legs: They were one of the race sponsors. I did some stretching in the evening but on I decided to use these on Day 3-5. I did 10 min on Day 3, 20 min on Day 4 and 30 min on Day 5. The idea is that the compression increases blood flow and helps to clear fatigue causing metabolites and reduce inflammation.
My Why?: I always have my athletes write down their Why? when they start training for an event. It’s important to know why you want to do something. It must be a strong Why too…..one that will help you get motivated when the going gets tough. I had 2 major Whys. Both of these motivated me to complete that 86% of my training plan (I am sure it would’ve been a lower percentage) and also helped me through some rough spots while on the course:
I wanted to see 120 miles of trails I’ve never been on before!
I wanted to push outside my comfort zone. The longest I’ve ever done is 100K in one day but I’ve never done this much mileage at this high of elevation in this amount of time.
Altra Running Shoes: I am an ambassador and these are the only shoes I wear for all my running. I brought the Timps 3 (first time using this model and loved them!) and the Lone Peaks 5 (a regular shoe for trails). I love everything about my Altra shoes.
Daily strategy: I was not in a hurry to get through the day! I had no to do list other than get the mileage done every day! It took me 46 hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds. I came in 9th to last....and I don’t care! My plan was to enjoy all those miles of trails that I’ve never been on. I probably ChiWalked/Hiked 50% of the run (note it’s called the TransRockies Run and not Race. Although it is a race, they are strategic with that title). I have no interest in racing. As a matter of fact, 4 of the 6 days, I did Dawn Patrol. This was created for people (thank to Mirna the Mirnavator) who wanted some extra time. I was able to start earlier and not worry about the daily cutoff. I ran on flats and the downhills and ChiWalked the hills. I just wanted to enjoy this different nature landscape and I wasn’t in a hurry to get through it.
What I could’ve done better…
While I am very happy with how the week went because I felt so good, there is always room for improvement:
Specific Training: While I followed the mileage on the plan, and did a decent amount of hill training, I could’ve done a better job doing steeper hills (up and down). On Day 5 I felt a slight twinge in my left knee. I am great at body sensing (we teach this in ChiRunning) and I knew exactly what it was. It was overuse of the steep downhill technique. Even though I had my poles and ChiRunning to help me, I didn’t do enough of this movement in my training so I wasn’t used to all of it. While I wasn’t able to get it to go away, I was able to alleviate it by focusing on my alignment, increasing my cadence and focusing on pelvic rotation. The training also called for Stairs. I did the elliptical a handful of times but could’ve used more hill work and stairs.
Strength Training: This is one of my weaknesses even though I am a personal trainer. I did more than usual but more wouldn’t hurt.
Camping Prep/Weather: Part of the race is camping out for all 5 nights (there is a hotel package option as well). While I enjoy camping, this added a level of difficulty. It really wasn’t necessarily the camping but the weather during the 1st few days. I managed to keep my stuff mostly dry but the grass was wet and cold. I didn’t sleep as well as I would’ve liked and waking up in the middle of the night to use the porta potties when the ground is wet and cold is no fun. But I sucked it all up because I was living my dash!
Be more social? One of the things I love most in life (and about TransRockies) is community. I am an extrovert in general and I LOVE people. I got to see a lot of people I met in 2019 as well as meet some new friends. I used a question mark because this was fairly strategic for me too. I love running but it’s also what I do a for a living. I love cheering on my athletes and helping them celebrate finish lines they never thought possible. I issue a lot of energy with my job and this was my time to renew before my Fall programs started. This race was all about me and for me. I was in a much more self reflective mode during this week…I couldn’t believe it was finally happening. While I spent several miles with friends, I spent many miles alone. I didn’t listen to any music and tried to be “in the moment” as much possible. These were some of my most enjoyable moments during the race.
Bottom line
This event helped me realize that I can do anything I put my mind to. I can’t even explain how driven I was every day to get out there and enjoy 7ish hours of new trails, even with bad weather! It was almost like I was in a weird trance.
This race strengthened my love for trails and endurance running. It’s one of the best well run events that I’ve been part of (as a volunteer and runner). Huge props and thanks to the TransRockies team! Kevin “Houda”, the Race Director, is one of the best leaders and coolest humans I know! Also a HUGE thanks to all the volunteers!
So the big question is…….. Will I do it again? 🤔
It’s honestly too early for me to say. 2022 is the 15th Anniversary and it’s already sold out! I could still volunteer? I can’t really make any commitments right now but I am pretty sure that this year was not the last time I’ll be there…whether it’s as a volunteer or a runner, who knows but I am sure I’ll be back!
Who celebrates a DNF with a shot of Fireball?THIS girl!
DNF stands for Did Not Finish and can be a runners worst nightmare.
Some runners put a lot of time into training for an event, money into gear, traveling etc. Making a call to DNF can seem like you’re making a decision to QUIT.
Depending on what race it is, a DNF shows on your “official” record and drops your overall “score”down.Some sponsored athletes are “forced” to DNF if it looks like they won’t place well at a race because it may make the company they are representing look bad.
So there are a lot of negative emotions around DNFing.
Several of my athletes have DNFd races before.Some were “valid” reason while some were not (in my opinion).
Making the decision to DNF is a big one because it could be construed as quitting and most people don’t like to be quitters.
While the reason to DNF is personal, hereare a few reasons why it would be a consideration in the middle of a race:
you got injured during the race and continuing to run could cause surgery or not running again for awhile
you’re not feeling good (sick to stomach, etc) and you could be in further danger of hurting yourself
you’re putting yourself in harms way
you die (morbid idea but possible!)
at some point you decide it’s ok to make the call to quit because you’re not having fun anymore, it’s not your A race or it just doesn’t matter and the world won’t end because you have a DNF 😃 (THIS!!)
I went into this race knowing the very top of it was going to be a big challenge for me. A few friends did it last year and the last 500 so feet is scrambling on hands and knees to the very top. I have no problem scrambling but it was at high elevation and I’m deathly afraid of heights.
Heading to the top of that mountain behind us! 3500 feet of elevation gain in 6 miles!
I signed up for this race because it was perfect timing for some altitude and elevation training for TransRockies (my bucket list and A race of the year!).I had never done it before. One of my #trurribeteam members Jan, did it last year and said it was the hardest yet best thing she had ever done.I decided to make it a Ladies Training Program and a few of us decided to get out of our comfort zone.
When I picked up my race bib, it was number 252. This is a special number for Greg and I. It was our first apartment number. When we moved into it, we found 2 quarters and 2 pennies! (coincidentally Sunset Point of the I-17 is Exit #252 too)
Anyways….it was a lucky number for me.
As I started climbing up, I had the voice in the back of my head whispering about that final scramble.From the start, this race was no joke.First of all I was tired from my cumulative training which included doing the 2nd hardest race I’ve ever done the day before (Silverton Alpine Marathon).Add the altitude and hard climb and I was averaging 35-45 min miles.I checked the cutoff the day before and say that I had 5.5 hours to complete it.The higher I climbed, the less likely it looked like I could finish in that time.Mind you, it was an out and back so the return would be downhill but it was also a pretty steep downhill so not as runnable for me. I finally got the “top” and was greeted by 2 of my friends who were volunteering at the aid station.I looked at the scramble and my first thought was:
I told them I was thinking of DNFing right away.They encouraged me to go so I figured I’d put in my big grill panties and suck it up. While I looked up at everyone on their hands and knees scrambling on loose rock, my heart was pounding as I made the attempt. My feet kept slipping and I really wanted to be one of those people doing it….but I realized I was completely miserable in that moment, was not having fun, I was more than likely not going to finish on the 530 hrs AND my A race was happening in 3 weeks!
I laid there for a few minutes with my face inches from the dirt, got really present and debated sucking it up or DNFing.
One of the things I ask my athletes right away when they are signing up for a race is what’s your Why?My why for this race was strictly getting a good training run in.
TRR has been in my bucket list for years, I volunteered a few years ago and was supposed to run it last year but Covid…there was no way in hell I was letting this race get in the way.Anything could’ve happened and I wasn’t about to really to take the risk.
I turned around and told my friends I was making the call.They were so sweet.They tried to convince me not to DNF and offered to help me up the mountain but I had already made up my mind.I was making a very mindful choice to take the DNF. Once the decision was made, a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could relax.I “celebrated” with an Instagram live and a shot of fireball and starts climbing back down.Good news is that I wasn’t swept off the mountain so I only missed about .4 miles of the 12 and still got a great day of training done.
I won’t lie and say I was a little bit disappointed in myself…. however Kendall Mtn was not my A race and I truly believe that I made the right decision.
The key was getting present, think about my WHY, being mindful and not letting my ego get the best of me!
I remember listening to a podcast from Trail Runner Nation awhile ago and one thing stuck in my head. Coach Jimmy Dean Freeman used these words instead for the acronym: Do Nothing Foolish.
I am super proud of myself for not doing anything foolish and at the end of the day, I still had an epic weekend of training mileage at altitude with elevation gain so I’d say it was a success in my book!
Last ultra in my 40s 3 years older than my last 100K
24 minutes and 33 seconds faster
But this race was so much more than this! I can’t believe that I finished 63 miles in 19:22:34 this year and felt amazing the whole way. I honestly still feel a little guilty about saying this but it’s true!
As a quick reminder:
I always like to do races that challenge me out of my comfort zone in February because it’s my birthday month. Turning 50 this year made it even more epic (I was supposed to do my first 100 miler in January of 2021 but it got canceled due to COVID)
I’ll share my post race reflections on why this race was so amazing for me in hopes that I can inspire you to have some of these amazing experiences too…..then a quick recap of how my day went.
6 feet apart at the start line with a wave start
Jubilee! One of my favorite Race Directors 💜
This race was close to being canceled due to the escalated COVID cases in AZ, more specifically Yavapai County which is where most of the race is located. I kept my fingers crossed until we received the email that IT WAS HAPPENING! On 2/2 (11 days before the race) we found out that there would be wave starts (standard with COVID now) AND that I would only be able to have one pacer (instead of 2) and no crew. This threw a wrench into my excitement about the race.
Since I am a back of the packer, they try to avoid having people pass you on the trail (COVID) which meant my wave start was 10am rather than 7am. This news hit me because it meant I would be spending more time at night. Don’t get me wrong, I love night trail running but I’ve been lost on this course before. It’s also pretty remote so this just added some anxiety now.
For most ultras, you can have a crew and pacers. They are there to help keep you focused, moving forward and taking care of the details when your sole focus as the runner is to get to the finish line. In the original race, you can have a pacer for the last 25 miles (two different segments). With the new rules, I would only get one for the last 12 miles. This added stress because it meant more running in the dark alone.
At this point I had the option to not accept these changes and post pone it until next year. My first reaction was to do that. I was really bummed about these changes (although I absolutely understood them to be necessary for the race to happen safely).
Not gonna lie, I was freaking out about them! But thanks to my meditation practice which helped me go from REACTING to RESPONDING and a few texts from friends, I made the decision to go for it. If I tell my athletes that the magic happens when you get out of your comfort zone, I had to practice what I preach!
Key Lessons
One of the reasons I love running is because it provides an avenue to learn more about myself.
Things that went well:
I canceled track the Thursday before. I didn’t want to have an alarm clock wake me up during that whole week. Thankfully I can do this since I’m self employed. I used to underestimate resting and learned how important it is. I allowed my body to wake up whenever it wanted to the week before knowing I’d be on my feet and awake for 18-20 hours on race day.
I was prepared! Speed is not a way I measure my running success but this time around I wanted to be faster so I knew I had to do some different things. I followed a training plan from McMillan Running to try something new and then added my ChiRunning/ChiWalking form focuses. Due to COVID, I was able to do more running alone which allows me to train at my pace. My training plan had various types of runs that I had never really focused on before because I run so much with my TRU TRIBE. I found these challenging and fun. I also happened to do more road running due to my Every Damn Street Virtual race and I feel that helped me build my stamina in a different way. There is no doubt that being prepared had a huge impact on how I felt on race morning: prepared and ready to go!
I followed my nutrition plan from Sparks Systems. I am fat adapted and my body felt like a well oiled machine. I’ve never had any gut issues when running long distances so I keep doing what’s worked for me.
What surprised me the most was how good I felt the entire time! We always say that there are many highs and lows during an ultra race and you learn to “ride the wave”. The wind, the rain, the dark….none of it brought me down. I brought my Noxgear 39g and was prepared with music, podcasts, audiobooks to keep me company.(Use code RUNNINGU1 for 35% off the Noxgear 39g. I love mine!) I may have listened to these for maybe 3-4 hours during the entire race. My goal was to be alone as much as possible. I run with people all the time (and I love it!) but this was my race, my pilgrimage, if you will, into my 50th birthday year. I was really looking forward to just being alone, out in nature for a “few” hours by myself…and that’s exactly what I did.
The week before I started working on visualizations of the course and seeing myself out there having a great time. I meditate daily with the Insight Timer app. That week I found meditations about grounding, receiving and gathering energy. My plan was to take in as much as I could and conserve it until race day. Sounds almost cheesy but I believe this really worked for me. In addition, the week before, I was getting so many texts, emails, social media comments from people wishing me well and I took all of those in. I kept mentally conserving all that positive energy I was receiving. I felt it really propelled me on race day and was literally drawing me towards the finish line…like I almost had no control over it. We call this YChi in ChiRunning and I don’t ever think I felt it as strong as I did on this day. I could definitely feel the energy of my TRU TRIBE with me too. Here is just one of the positive messages I received that week:
I’m glad I decided to have a pacer for that last 12 miles! I had left it to my friend and colleague Henry Walker to decide between him and his girlfriend. I trained Henry last year to become a ChiRunning/ChiWalking instructor (the only other one in AZ!). He pulled his calf muscle lightly the week of the race so they decided it would make most sense for Laura to pace me. As much as I know I could’ve done it by myself, she helped me stay focused on moving forward. I would’ve slowed down for sure if I was alone.
I always have to mention ChiRunning/ChiWalking because I would never consider doing these distances without it. I was lucky enough to get to zoom with my mentor and founder, Danny Dreyer, the week of the race. He gave me some last minute tips. I focused on my technique quite a bit during the race. While I was pretty sore the first few days after the race, I felt great after that! I swear by ChiWalking especially during my ultras. There is a big difference in regular walking and I believe this also had a huge impact on my energy levels all day. The goal is always conserving energy and one can waste a lot of energy when running and walking. In addition to technique, several time during my race I visualized gathering energy from the earth every time my foot hit the ground.
I PRd by 24 minutes and 33 seconds! That’s about 24 seconds per mile faster for 62 miles! My technique, training and mindset all came together that day and I rocked it!
Things that didn’t go so well (yes there were a few things)
I always say never try new things on race day. This is common knowledge. While I was trying not to freak out about being in the dark longer by myself, this was one thing that was giving me anxiety. Most of my TRU TRIBE uses the Kogalla light for night running. I’ll be honest, I haven’t been crazy about these because they can be pretty bright and if someone is coming towards you, it can be annoying. (come to find out there are actually 20 brightness settings!) A few of them suggested I should try one out. I bought one the weekend before the race hoping it would get to me on time. I borrowed Jan’s the Tuesday of race week so I could try it out. It really did light the trail up quite a bit and she let me borrow it in case I didn’t get mine in the mail. I happened to get mine before the race but only tried it that one time. I have an entire different view on these now. The light was awesome and really increased my confidence of being out there alone. Since I only tried it that one time, I didn’t know how it would effect me on the switchbacks going uphill in the canyon. I am afraid of heights and used to having a headlamp. When you have a headlamp, it points wherever your point your head so although you have more limited lighting, it’s focused in the direction your heading which is in front of you. Well, the Kogalla, was on my waist (race belt) and lit up the entire trail in front of me (that’s the point!). What this meant that when I was going up a single track uphill, I could see the periphery which meant the slope down into the abyss and bottom of the canyon. It didn’t dawn on me to move my race belt towards the mountain side more (which I would’ve figured it out had I practiced with it more) so this slowed me down. I was more tired, it was dark so I really had to focus on looking ahead and not letting the ledge of canyon effect me. Aside from that, I am new fan of the Kogalla!
Kogalla lighting up the water crossing
Not having crew there until the last aid station effected me. Your crew will normally be able to meet you at various aid stations. They are there to help you make whatever changes and help you get in and out of the aid stations as quickly and efficiently as possible. I tell my runners all the time: DFA (Don’t F*#k Around) at the aid stations. You can waste a lot of time if you are not focused and the clock is ticking (only important if you care about your time and I was trying to PR). I really could’ve used a crew at Black Canyon City. This was mile 39 of 62 and I had been in the dark already for several hours. I was getting tired (I was about a little over half way) and I had ultra brain. I fumbled around with my drop bags, trying to figure out what I needed and what I could get rid of. I had to change my shoes and get into some warmer clothes, refill my pack, eat some food…it was a lot to handle on my own and if I had someone there with me, I probably would’ve saved at least 10 minutes. I stayed here longer than I anticipated. I didn’t have a choice as crew was not allowed there but I felt the loss of not having one.
I second guessed myself at one spot that ate up about another 15 minutes. I’ve gotten lost on this trail several times although only during training runs. The course was well marked! There is a point as you head in and out of Black Canyon City that you have to take a different way so you don’t go back the way you came. The course was well marked but I was paranoid about going back the wrong way. At one point I was feeling like maybe I missed it so I turned back around to that spot. Then I stopped, pulled out my All Trails app (where I had downloaded the course map in case something like this would happen) and realized I was going the right way. Better be safe than sorry but this “cost” me another 10-15 minutes.
Race Day
The silver lining about starting at 10am, meant that Greg (my boyfriend) could actually drive me to Mayer High School to drop me off at the start (this is a point to point race which means you start at one location and finish at another.) This adds some additional logistics to the day. The race offered a shuttle for the runners. I have a thing about shuttles and buses before a race. It depends on the race but I really like to be in my own space and energy before a race, especially a big one like this one. The erratic energy of a bunch of people in a shuttle tends to mess with me so I was grateful that I could be in the car with my honey for about 90 minutes getting myself psyched up.
I had created a spreadsheet like last time with my tentative pace from each aid station, taking into consideration the course profile, my strengths, time of day, etc. The first time I did this race, I finished in 19:46:01. The cutoff was 20 hours. For any first time experience, I never focus on speed. I know it’s my first time doing that distance, it’s all about enjoying it as much as possible. I was messing around at the aid stations, drinking some beer here and there, and just having a good ole time. This time would be a bit different. I wanted to have a PR (personal record) so I needed to be more focused. I felt stronger going into this race (I had just PRd the Coldwater 52K race the month before by 52 minutes!) so I had two different goals. First goal was to beat my time by an hour and the stretch goal was to finish in 18 hours (1hr 45min PR). I knew this was aggressive but I wasn’t attached to it…just hoping I could do it.
Fifteen minutes before my start, I got this text message from my buddy Archie (one of our TRU TRIBE mascots)
As usual, I started faster than my predicted time. I knew this would happen but I was still holding back knowing I had a lot of miles ahead of me. The course has a negative profile (more downhill than uphill) which is deceiving. Downhills are my jam but this time we had some serious head and cross wind. While I love downhills, I am afraid of heights too. These downhills are single track and so much fun but the wind added an element of uneasiness as I was cruising down. Probably a good thing that it slowed me a down. Click here for the live video where you can hear the wind.
One of my favorite spots: the iconic windmill
downhill!
In addition to the wind, there were some pretty big clouds looming around. On the drive up, I had noticed that now the weather app was showing possibility of rain. Ugh! Not the biggest fan but this race has been unpredictable (I dropped to the 60K at my first 100K attempt due to some serious bad weather) so I was prepared. I already had packed an extra pair of socks in each drop bag (in ultras you get to have drop bags at specific aid stations where you can have extra stuff you need so you don’t have to carry it all while you are running) and had a poncho in my hydration pack and thankfully brought my purple wind breaker. I lucked out and got sprinkled on a few times during the day. I stayed ahead of my predicted time until about mile 35. Night had already started to fall so I slowed down as I expected I would. I approached my first water crossing which was a few miles before the Black Canyon Aid station which is where I planned to change as much of my apparel as possible as it was getting colder. One of the hardest parts of an ultra in my opinion is dealing with the major temperature change between night and day. Especially here in AZ. I attempted not to get my feet wet in the water crossing but then remembered I was going to change my shoes and socks anyways so I just walked right through it…it was barely covering my ankles so it was uneventful. Oddly the cold water felt good on my feet and climbed out of the canyon. I was looking forward to this aid station. I have to give a shout out to Altra Running shoes! I’ve been a sponsored athlete for 3 years now and I can never say enough about them. It’s all I wear! I chose my Superior 4.5 for the first part because they are more minimal and flexible and my Lone Peaks 4.5 for the second part as they have a bit more cushion.
One major thing I love about our trail/ultra community is the most amazing people you meet. Even if you only see people at races a few times a year, they are your friends. As much as I was bummed that I was losing time at this aid station, it was great to see some familiar races. Huge thanks to Dawn. She works with Medstar Solutions and was at the medical tent. She popped over to say hi and I was venting about having to go change my wet bra in a porta potty. She was so sweet and let me go into the medical trailer to take care of that! It was also great to see Crystal volunteering who I know from Girls On The Run. So I changed everything except my pants, refilled my pack and got some hot potato soup which was exactly what I needed. I headed back out and now I was 40 minutes behind my predicted time. Changing into warmer clothes, socks and shoes and that potato soup totally reenergized me and I felt great.
The rest of the race was a meditative trance. I can’t even explain it. It was dark and I was just following my light and moving forward. I was alone pretty much most of this time in the dark. I remember thinking this was going to be the hardest part but I was actually enjoying the peacefulness of the night. I could see this huge big black cloud that I was running towards and I was hoping that I wouldn’t get rained on. I got lucky again and only a few drops.
I approached Table Mesa Aid Station where I would either pick up Henry or Laura to pace me the rest of the 11ish miles. I could see them both as I approached and Henry had jeans on so I knew right away who was pacing me. He also had a thermos and filled my cup up with one of the best things I had tasted: Hot Apple Cider Skratch.(electrolytes) OMG, I couldn’t get enough! Not only was it nice and warm but it tasted so good! Between that and having Laura for company, those last miles flew by. We chatted and of course I bitched about the rocks. This is my least favorite part of this course. There are several parts that are pretty rocky so it’s hard to get any momentum forward while running. We passed an awesome Saguaro forest that I didn’t remember from the year before, hit the last aid station and were almost there! I had been in great spirits all day but the only time I would get slightly irritated is when I knew I should be approaching an aid station and I couldn’t see it. We starting seeing lights but couldn’t tell if that was the finish. Finally, there it was! Due to COVID restrictions, no one could be at the finish line. I was so happy to know that I had 3 of my TRU TRIBE members who had volunteered that night so they could be at my finish! (Alina had to leave because she drove from Tucson to volunteer and I didn’t get back in as early as I was hoping) I could see Jubilee, the race director, and I jumped up as I crossed the finish line. Even though I knew I hadn’t met my original goal to PR by an hour, I still had a PR and felt amazing!
Small section of the saguaro forest at night lit by my Kogalla
I walked to the aid station to see Mindy and Catherine. They had a birthday goodie bag for me and I got to hang out with them for a few minutes. They offered me alcohol to celebrate (because this is what I would normally do) but I just wasn’t feeling it. I never had a beer until later that evening!
As I reflect on my journey to that finish line, I am 100% sure that my attitude and mental state going into this day were THE biggest key to my success. Being trained and using good technique of course go without saying. I was so excited about this race and this day, I couldn’t wait to get out there and have that experience all to myself. I am so thankful that everything flowed for me that day. As I was finishing, 19 hours plus into the race, I knew that if I had to, I could keep going……..and you know what that means?! Hmmmm ?! 😁
Sorry not sorry for picking on you today🤣 ….but as a running coach, this is one of my biggest peeves! I really want to understand you!
This seems to be a big thing as it feels like there are more of you that don’t train for races than people who do. These two groups couldn’t be any more different. I read about this in online forums, hear people talking about it after races…like it’s actually cool to go just run a half marathon (or any distance) without any training? I am really surprised at how so many of you “brag” about this?? We all run for different reasons so maybe you just really like to just show up on race day, hope for the best and see what your body/mind can do with no training?! 🤷♀️ I still don’t get it….
NOOOOOOO! Running is NOT hard, it’s NOT painful, it’s NOT unenjoyable!
I have never not trained for a race. Mind you, that my idea of racing is different than most people but for the purposes of this letter, let’s go with the meaning of the race in the true sense of the word. Dictionary.com describes a race as: a contest of speed, as in running, riding, driving, or sailing.
Before I give you some food for thought on why you should train for a race, the first and foremost reason is:
Crossing that finish line will have an entirely different meaning if you train for it!
We may all get the same swag and medal at the end of any race but I guarantee you, the experience will be entirely different!
Why? Imagine you have a half marathon in 3 months that you train for……this half marathon program has you running 4 days a week with long runs on the weekend…..
Your body won’t hurt and/or you won’t get injured. Running 13.1 miles with little to no training could have some serious consequences on your body. I’ve heard of people getting injured to the point that they won’t get to run ever again. Outside of learning running technique (like ChiRunning), training for a race gets your body prepared for it. Your muscles, joints, ligaments get used to the load that you add incrementally making race day so much more enjoyable! I love to hear my athletes say the day after a race how surprised they are that their body feels so good! Enough to get out dancing that same evening or another hike/run the next day.
You will be mentally stronger. When you have to get up 3-4 days a week to train, there will be plenty of days that you won’t want to for so many reasons: “it’s too early”, “I didn’t get enough sleep”,” it’s too hot”…… But guess what, every day that you go out and follow your training plan when you don’t want to, you are building your mental toughness muscle. Your mind, like your body, needs to be “worked”. You can pushing through on race day one time vs having 3 months worth of days of pushing through….seems pretty obvious who will be mentally stronger. When you build your mental strength muscle, not only does it make you stronger for running but you are able to use these same skills in your life!
You are more likely to make running more of a lifestyle than a fad. Habits build with consistency. If you get into a habit of training for a race, you are burning more calories on a daily basis, getting healthier….I really don’t need to list all the many benefits of running/exercising consistently vs not. I see it happen too many times. You half ass or don’t train for a race, have a miserable time and say running must not be for me and quit after that one experience….or you are a masochist and just like to run races every once in awhile with little to no training. Hopefully you are getting physical and mental exercise in other ways.
You are missing the journey! As cliche as this sounds, the race is the goal….what’s the point of getting to the destination if you don’t have all the struggles, wins and learning experiences from the journey? Feels like an easy way out…like you’re cheating yourself of so many experiences…
You are missing the camaraderie! You can certainly train for a race by yourself. This is better than not training for a race! In my case, I do Ladies Training Programs so part of the training, means going out on group runs together. We explore new locations together, we get to know each other better, have way more fun, support and encourage each other. It’s better together!
COVID-19 won’t impact your running journey. If you are reading this now, all races have been canceled for the last 3 months….many of them continue to get canceled. I’ve had a few of my Ladies Training Program start and continue during these times even if we knew the race may not even happen. As a matter of fact, we went and made our own race last weekend in Flagstaff.
Start the race confident and prepared. There is no better feeling than showing up for a race being prepared. I always say some good nervous excitement is a good thing (I love this video from Simon Sinek on this subject). I love being at the start line feeling confident that I have trained the miles and I am ready for whatever will happen that day. Since we get that mental toughness training for months, we are more likely to handle anything thrown our way with more grace and mindfulness on race day.
Bottom line: You will grow in so many more ways
that will impact your running and life!
I always say, you do you when it comes to running (and life). If running a race with little to no training works for you, keep doing you! But if you want to have an entirely different experience, get a coach and train for a race!
I thought I’d heard them all but yesterday, I almost spit out my drink when I read this tip! It’s in a training log of all places! Are you kidding me?
From a training log! 😡
We are having a 7-Day Photo Challenge in my TRU TRIBE Run Team this week. The challenge is to take a photo each day and describe what feelings you are having at that moment (part of our focus on Mental Health Awareness month). One of my members, who happens to be a personal trainer as well, posted this picture along with this comment: “Dismayed! I saw this in my runner’s log book. Don’t they know about Lisa?”
Or any other running coaches?!
If any running population needs a coach, beginners would be the first group I would recommend get one! Running keeps becoming more and more popular. Although it seems like putting one foot in front of the other is all you need to know, there wouldn’t be a 65% injury rate if that were true! (I don’t know what it is exactly but numbers I see range from 60-70%)
What’s one of the first things someone tells you when they find out you are going to start running or are a runner? You shouldn’t run…it’s bad for your knees (or name any other body part.) RUNNING DOESN’T HURT YOUR BODY, HOW YOU RUN HURTS YOUR BODY! What you do with your body when you are not running has an impact on how you run too (for example, sitting at your desk all day).
We take golf, swimming and tennis lessons, cooking classes, but rarely do people consider taking a class to learn how to run…or at least find a coach that can help them with this. As much as I love social media, that’s a whole other blog post for another day. I’m all for people sharing their experiences in facebook groups but I’ve seen some of the worst advice given about running there too. Just because people run, it doesn’t make them experts.
I’ve been teaching ChiRunning for 10 years and coached many runners of ALL levels. Bottom line, it’s worth the investment regardless of what level runner you are to have a coach! There are many different coaches out there and it’s important that you find one that works for YOU. Here are some key things that I would look for when hiring a coach, in order of importance:
Education and credentials: Do they have the proper knowledge required to teach you how to run properly and increase your mileage safely? Being a runner isn’t enough. Many of us have spent quite a bit of money for the education we have. There is a reason there are coaching agencies and certifications.
Experience: how long have they been coaching? More experience means they’ve dealt with more scenarios and have more tools in their toolbox. What type/level of athlete do they coach?
Personality: are they a good match for you? This is more important than you realize. Some people like the hardcore, drill sergeant personality while others might prefer someone who is more of a cheerleader.
Does their speed matter? Absolutely not! While there may be some great coaches out there that are fast runners, this is not something I would consider. If you’re goal is to learn to run fast and they meet the qualifications above, great!
Does their “celebrity” status matter? Absolutely not! While there may be some great coaches out there that have a celebrity status because they are really good with social media, this is not something I would consider. If they meet the qualifications above, great!
Will they give you a good hug at the finish line? 🥰 While there is nothing better than a good hug, this is not something I would take into consideration…unless they meet the qualifications above.
You don’t have to take this advice from me though! Here are some of the answers to this question “What advice would you give a beginner runner?” from TRU TRIBE Run Team Member Spotlights:
“I had to start with alternating walking and running. At the time I felt like I wasn’t a “runner.” Now I realize that the moment I transitioned from a walk to a run, I became a runner! So, I would advise a beginner to think of herself as a runner, regardless of speed, body type, age or experience. I also recommend getting a running coach to help you with your mechanics. You probably ran very naturally as a child, but as an adult you may need to re-learn good form. It may be the key to staying injury-free. Lastly, find a running group! I love my time alone when I run, but I also love running with my Tribe!” Barbara B.
“Start with a good coach. Learn the right form right out of the shoot. But most importantly, just start.” Andrea T
“Do not worry about your speed or what other people may think. Take your time, build up slowly, focus on your form, get some strength training in to smooth out any imbalances. Hire a coach to help you with all this so you don’t fall into bad (injury producing) habits!”Karla H
“Find a coach to help you with your running journey. Learn the correct running form to prevent injuries along your way. Strength training is such important element to help you get stronger, prevent injuries, and improves your performance as an athlete.” Sonia G
Guess what, Bill Gates thinks you should have a coach too! If you plan on making running a lifestyle, getting a coach is one of the best things you can do for yourself!
Every Saturday we highlight one of our members from theTRU Tribe Running Club . Meet Sonia! If we can do it, so can you!
Sonia’s 1st 100K!
Why did you start running?
My grandma was into fitness and healthy eating. I was a chubby kid so my grandma would take me to the elementary track and make me run to lose weight. She thought I hated it, but I loved it. Because of her I love to run.
What age did you start running?
I started when I was seven years old.
How old are you now? (to inspire the others! but you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to)
41 years old
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far from your running journey?How fast I run does NOT define me as a great runner. It’s not all about speed. It’s about doing your best and achieving your running goals.
What advice would you give a beginner runner?
Find a coach to help you with your running journey. Learn the correct running form to prevent injuries along your way. Strength training is such important element to help you get stronger, prevent injuries, and improves your performance as an athlete.
What would you do differently knowing what you know now?
I would have definitely done the following before I started to race: find a coach, taken a chi running workshop, and strength training to prevent all of the running injuries
What is your longest race distance and why?
My longest race was the Javalina Jundred 100k. I like to challenge myself. Whenever I cross a finish line I know I CAN do more.
Do you have a bucket list race or distance?
I want to do a 100 miler at the Copper Canyons Endurance Run in Mexico. I want to run with the Tarahumara my people.
What has been your favorite race and/or distance so far?
My favorite race has been the Javalina Jundred 100k and the New York City Marathon.
What is your favorite color?
I don’t have a favorite color. 🤓
What is your favorite post race food and drink?
I love coconut water and a good old bison burger.
Anything else you want to share with the TRU TRIBE 😀
I am so grateful for having you all in my running journey. Thank you so much for all of your support.
This race is one of the main reasons I love running! This was my most favorite race experience that I’ve had to date! (so hard to say this as I’ve had so many but overall, this one takes it!)
“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.
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
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.
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!)
