My last long race at Leona Divide 50m was less than ideal. I
had worked very hard focused a lot of energy on that being my A race. Long
story short, it was a shit show and I stopped at an aid station halfway wanting
to quit for 45 minutes. Now that I am training for a 100 miles, which is more
of a mental marathon than physical, I wanted to have a race in between Leona
Divide and Pine to Palm 100. I wanted a good memory and something positive to
fall back on in moments of self doubt and negativity, as I would be dumb to say
those won’t happen.
 |
| Bend... Just stop. |
 |
| Running with Steph, Riley & Jack |
This summer I have been kept super busy working in the lab
and running a lot with friends over the weekends. So, I hadn’t thought much
about my impending, redeeming, 50 mile race: White River. Last weekend I went
on some really quality training runs near Bend, OR. Every time I go, I fall
more in love with that area. On Saturday, I ran around Green Lakes and Soda
Creek trails on a gorgeous day; I felt like I was floating. Sunday I ran with
Stephanie (Howe) & Zach Violett and their super in shape dog, Riley.
Seriously, Riley can definitely kick my butt any day. We ran this awesome loop
around 3 Finger Jack. It was gorgeous but I bonked so hard as it was 100%
exposed and very hot.
The day before the race, I got off work early and drove to
Crystal Mountain Resort in Mt Rainier Natl Park, WA. The drive through gorgeous
mountains alone had me drooling and wishing for a 48 hour adventure run rather
than a race. I got to the resort in time to hear a course briefing from Scott
McCoubrey, RD, and get checked in. I ate my Tupperware dinner and crawled
into my sleeping bag in the back of my car.
 |
| Off & Running! PC Glenn Tachiyama |
 |
| Love this girl! |
6 am the race was off. For some odd reason, I led the women’s
pack at mile 1. I did not intend to go out any faster than I felt was good for
me. I got passed by a LOT of people in the first couple miles. Whatever, I
thought, I’ll catch back up, they’ll fade back, we still have 46 more miles to
go… After 5k, the course started winding up, up, up. For ten miles, I had my
hands on my knees and huffed around switchbacks on the first climb. It was
cold, wet, windy, and I felt like I was sucking supremely. Not again, I
thought, why can’t I nail the 50 mile distance? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed
running along huge cliffs, by waterfalls, up steep stairs, and through the mud.
The forest in the rain and fog is one of my favorite spots to be. However, for
that climb, I was not having a good day. I felt so tired, heavy and slow. It
was very frustrating. I didn’t let the thought of quitting enter my mind, but
by the time we started heading back on the OAB section, I had decided today
would be good 100 mile practice: long time on my feet, not feeling good, and
just getting it done. Sigh.
 |
| Scott's Course Map |
Fortunately, at that point, I had started running with two
other women, Monica Ochs & Sarah Parker. We commiserated that we weren’t
having the days we had hoped for, but filled that whole downhill with great
conversation. Both women were nurses and so I had a lot of questions for them
as well. By the time we hit mile 27 Aid station, my outlook had become a lot
more positive. Unfortunately, I had become happy and fine with just running to
finish the darn thing, but then a volunteer had to go and tell me I was 12th
woman. Drat. Now that the possibility of making top ten entered my mind, I
dropped my complacent attitude and started running a little faster.
We had another long climb and I surprised myself by running
most of the way up it. I knew we had a downhill then 10km to the finish, both
things I estimated I could coast on, so I had to really put in the work on the
hill. On the way up, I passed a lot of people to the tune of David Guetta and
Spanish flamenco. Near the top of the hill, I came upon a woman in blue. I
hiked/ran behind her for quite some time. Neither of us giving an inch. We went
on like this for a long while until we came to a little bit of a downhill (a
major fakeout before a steep pitch to Suntop- the last bit of the climb). I
burst around her and sprinted as hard as I could down the trail. The mud made
it a bit of an extreme slip n slide, but I made it upright, with grace and
poise. I also gapped her a little. However, she very persistently followed me
on that steep part to the aid station. We arrived at the same time and she
opened her pack to have her bladder filled. Seizing this opportunity, I grabbed
one gel and took off.
 |
| Course profile. I clocked it at 9500' gain. |
This is where I put on the hurt. From Suntop, the course
winds down a fire road for several miles to the last aid station. I hurled
myself as fast as I could down the road. I kept looking over my shoulder and
would see a blue figure emerging from the white mist. I hugged the turns as
best I could to try to put physical objects like trees, in between us. Usually,
when one loses sight of a competitor they are chasing, they start to give up. This
downhill was painful, I was running as fast as I could and already had 37-44
miles on my legs. A bit of the way down, I really had to go to the bathroom. I
weighed my options: A. I could quickly put on the brakes and pull over. Ouch.
B. I could pull over, but then the girls I had just passed would catch up. Or
C, my most appealing option, just pee my pants. I mean, it was raining after
all, and I thought it would only be just a tinkle… Well. At least I was hydrating!
 |
| What we should have seen at Suntop. PC Seattle Running Club |
 |
| I was pretty happy to be done with that first climb... |
The road started to flatten out and I caught sight of
another woman. I don’t know why, but I had kept telling myself that each time I
caught someone, I had just gotten 10
th place; I would need to
seriously work hard to not let top ten slip… In reality, I had no idea what
place I was in. This mindset kept me edging closer to her. We came into the
final AS together, and once again, I took off. However, she stayed right behind
me. We managed a couple sentences here and there before she gapped me a bit. I
switched my ipod until it came to Taylor Swift and put my head down. I had made
a goal for myself that I needed to break 9 hours. Suddenly, my head was filled
with Swiftian boy rage and calculating exactly what my maximum pace had to be in order
to break 9. I caught up to the woman in yellow and passed her. Soon, another
woman. Taylor Swift kept lamenting about how she knows places as I wound my
way alone through the woods. This last 10km really was a kick in the balls with
wet rock, logs, roots, and constant up and down. I had no idea where I was
directionally, geographically, and if I was near the finish. The rushing of the
White River (it really is white) and the soft crunching of moss and leaves
underfoot and the swirling wind and rain in the canopy was peaceful. It was
like a metronome consistently pulling me through the never-ending forest.
 |
| All business |
As the clock ticked on, I grew more and more agitated that I
wouldn’t make the cutoff I had set for myself. I made little promises to
myself- okay, you can hike ten steps here, you can have oreos when you are
done, you can accomplish one of your goals for the day… (Because
apparently I was still thinking I wasn’t top ten). Just before the trail
emptied out onto the familiar road leading into the campground, I saw another
woman. FML. Now I was gonna have to sprint for it. I let it out. I put
everything I had into that last half mile, and not an ounce less. I crossed the
line at 8:56 in 5
th place (33
rd overall and 3
rd
in my 20-29 age group). I was so happy to be done.
The more I think about this race, the more proud I am over
how hard I pushed and raced the second half. I passed at least 7 women in the last
20 miles and didn’t let up. I am so fortunate to have met some awesome people
at the race- I love new friends! And experience a super tough course with
amazing volunteers and atmosphere. Once again, the people in this community
make every experience a happy, positive, and humble one! Super grateful for my coach,
Meghan, giving me a ton of last minute words of wisdom and getting me to the start AND finish line. I would be
still lost in the fog without her (literally and figuratively).
Gear used:
-TNF Stow N Go Bra, BTN shorts/ singlet, visor, arm sleeves
-Stance socks & Pearl Izumi Trail N2
-Garmin 910XT
-Salomon Sense vest
-1 Gu gel every thirty minutes, including on the start line,
3 S! caps, & approx. 10 dixie cups of coke
Gear I wish I used:
-gloves & buff
