Focus on the Moment – Tor des Geants 2014

Dave and I at the start. He cheered me on at the start and then headed over to Switzerland to bike for five days. He surprised me on the trail late Thursday night/early Friday morning.

738 athletes from 60 countries toed the line for the fifth annual Tor des Geants trail race. The Tor is a single stage, 330km, trail run on the “Alte Vie trails” 1 and 2. It is a counterclockwise loop starting and ending in Courmayeur. Courmayeur is located in the Aosta Valley, Italy’s smallest region. It is surrounded by Europe’s tallest peaks (the four giants of the Alps): the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, Gran Paradiso, and Mont Blanc.  The trail takes you over 25 mountain passes totaling 78,000 feet of vertical gain. This single stage race must be completed in 150 hours and due to the massive elevation gain/loss, sleep deprivation, and mental fatigue the dropout rate is 40% to 45%.

There are 7 life bases: Valgrisenche, Cogne, Donnas, Gressoney, Valtournenche, Ollomont and Courmayeur. At each life base a pin (see pic below) is awarded to the runner. The life bases are usually sport complex centers – big gyms with cots spread throughout the gymnasium or wherever there is open space, an array of food (pasta, soup, bread, crackers), medical staff, and lots of volunteers. You are allowed to recover and sleep as long as you want at a life base but at all other aid stations or mountain huts (Rifugios) you are only allowed to sleep two hours.

Col Crosatie -9,281 feet

Start – Sunday @ 10:00am

The locals of Valle d’Aosta are genuine, kind and beautiful people; they know how to host a major sporting event. Hundreds of locals and spectators lined the cobblestone streets through the town of Courmayeur (and all the villages along the route) rang cowbells, cheered, and offered high fives. The first 20 miles were breathtaking and steep but uneventful until running down the backside of Col Crosatie. Out of nowhere, overlooking a beautiful mountain lake, there stood a massive stone memorial for Yuan Yang. It stopped me in my tracks. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. Yuan Yang died in last year’s race (2013) when he slipped on a rock and hit his head. I stood there looking at the memorial and looked at the stunning terrain that surrounded it. I thought about his family and friends and as cliché as it may sound, I had a feeling he was doing what he loved in a very beautiful part of the world. My mantra going into the race: Focus on the moment – Live/Be in the Moment -and seeing his memorial reinforced my desire to enjoy each minute of this journey.

Valgrisenche – The 1st Life Base. Section stats: 30.6 miles and 13,500 vertical gain.

The first life base: Valgrisenche (30.6 miles) – Sunday

I arrived at the first life base at 9:55pm; just under twelve hours. I went out very slow, in retrospect probably too slow. I had a goal. I wanted to finish in 120 hours. I followed a racer whose bib number was #90 meaning he finished in 90^th place last year. I stayed behind him for the majority of the day. He was slogging. He was going so slow but I figured he knew what he was doing! I kept repeating to myself, ‘patience’ because the theme of The Tor is straight the ‘effing up and straight the ‘effing down, hours and hours of steep rocky ascents (one peak is a stair step to the next peak) and hours and hours of steep gnarly descents, then repeat day after day for 332 km (206 miles) on very little sleep.

I devoured some food and headed out solo into the night. I missed the turn onto the singletrack trail and luckily another racer behind me shouted.  I was so grateful; this was my second time missing a turn and both incidences a racer in the distance shouted at me. The course is marked incredibly well, the two turns I missed were because it was dark and I was looking at the ground versus paying attention.

I leapfrogged other racers throughout the night and when I arrived at Rhemes at 2:44am; I decided to have my first two-hour sleep. I slept pretty solidly then woke up just shy of the two hours and continued on throughout the night- ascend, ascend, ascend…descend, descend, descend…. I got into a rhythm and enjoyed the solitude.

An aid station flown in via helicopter.

Col Loson 10,823 feet

Cogne: 2nd Life Base – Section stats: 34 miles & 13,600 vertical gain.

The second life base: Cogne (63.44 miles) – Monday 3:47pm

I arrived at Cogne and had a quick 30 minute transition. As I departed, I met Valerie, a strong, fast, mid-50’s, French badass. I only mention her age because I hope I’m as strong and just as much a badass in ten years. I was struggling to keep up with her. She had completed numerous races all over the world.  We ran together to Rifugio Sogno di Berdze and planned to sleep there for two hours. We arrived at the Rifugio around midnight. Valerie ordered a delicious plate of polenta and we shared it (some mountain huts offered food for purchase). We attempted to sleep for two hours but there was a generator right outside the door and it was roaring loud. I slept on the top bunk next to the door and every time the door opened, the cold air and generator woke me up. (Looking back, I should of made an effort and moved to an empty bed in the back of the room.) Valerie didn’t have her bib number visible on the bed (the rules are to display your bib number so the volunteers know who to wake up because there is a two-hour maximum sleep rule at the Rifugios). Valerie was woken up early by mistake and headed out. I continued to sleep but was freezing. I headed out about 30 minutes after Valerie.

I spent most of the evening solo. As I hiked up a to 9,000 feet at 2 a.m. from Rifugio Songno di Berdze to Fenetre di Champorhcer, there was an amazing lightning storm in the distance that went on for hours. It was spectacular. As I dropped down into the valley headed toward Chardonney, there was a section which was pretty technical in the wet and dark. I stopped and put one headlamp around my waist and one on my head in hopes of picking up my pace. I arrived at the aid station and the weather turned for the worse — a torrential downpour. Martha and Bruce were at the aid station hanging out. I met Bruce a couple of months before The Tor when we attempted a 100 mile run from Bellingham Bay to the summit of Mt. Baker. I chatted with Bruce and his wife Martha and we contemplated sleeping in the lounge chairs in the corner instead of heading out in the torrential rain but then we thought twice about trying to sleep in an open tent that was loud and cold. It’d be a waste of time. We put on our rain gear and headed out….luckily the rain didn’t last long. I spent the rest of the night running with Martha, Bruce and a guy from Belgium.

Just outside of Cogne

Another beautiful summit

Donnas – The 3rd Life Base. Section stats: 29 miles 11k gain.

The third life base: Donnas (92.39 miles) – Tuesday 7:35am

A couple of miles shy of Donnas, I ran into Gretel, a badass lady from Australia. Prior to the race, I had met her in Courmayeur and we stayed at the same hotel — Hotel Croux — which is the most friendly  hotel in all of Courmayeur. We chatted and shared stories and then went our separate ways once we arrived at the life base. I spent three hours and forty-five minutes at this life base and I have no clue what the hell I did for that long. This was the first time I wished I had a crew. I wished I had real food to eat, I wished I had someone to help reorganize my drop bag because it was a mess, someone to help re-tape my feet and someone to monitor the time I spent at the life base. I was definitely starting to feel fatigued because the little tasks started to feel like a lot of work. I spent twenty minutes just staring at my feet in the bathroom. I finally changed my clothes, brushed my teeth, washed my face, re-taped my feet, ate some food (mainly soup), and slept for 40 minutes. It was hot and noisy, making it near impossible to sleep but I did fall asleep because I woke myself up with a huge body spasm. I left Donnas at 10:11 am (11 minutes behind my pacing chart, my goal of 120 hours) and shortly afterwards I ran into Graham (Anacortes, WA) who I emailed back and forth for months prior to the Tor and who I’d met the night before the Tor. It was rejuvenating to hike with him and we took a few pictures before he went on his way. He attempted The Tor last year but did not finish; this year he was determined to finish ( And, he did! 126:51 ) but his main goal was to truly enjoy himself.  I took 130 pictures and I bet he took close to 1,000. He literally stopped to smell the roses and took pictures of all the flowers along the never-ending climb up and out of Donnas. His enthusiasm was contagious.

Etoile du Berger – Aid station

never-ending beauty

Gressoney – The 4th Life Base. Section stats: 32 miles and 15,000 vertical gain.

The fourth life base: Gressoney (124.5 miles) -Wed 7:22am

Donnas to Gressoney was the most difficult part of the course: 32 miles and 15k vertical gain in the dark and in nasty weather. It was wet, muddy, slippery, slimy, and a nightmare. I would take two or three steps and fall on my arse. I was having PTSD flash backs of my Adventure Racing days, slogging for hours on end, and not making much progress. I was so frustrated. My base layers were already wet by the time I stopped to put on my Outdoor Research rain gear. Regardless of wet layers my OR rain gear kept me warm while I was moving.

I was running with Jackie at this point. I met Jackie the same weekend I met Bruce, attempting the Mt. Baker run.  We decided to sleep at Niel. There were no beds available so we had to sleep in the two huge tents outside that the race organization had set up. There were two cots available, one in each tent. At 6,000 feet it was effing cold outside and I was freezing. I took off all my wet clothes, which was pretty much everything, wrapped a wool blanket around my body and slept on a cot that had cold air blowing up from the ground. I was shivering uncontrollably. But, I thought, if this was an adventure race, I’d be sleeping on the ground in a bivy sack. So suck it up.  I slept for (I think) 1 ½ hours. I put back on my wet, soggy, muddy clothes and went to the other tent to wake Jackie up.  She wanted another half hour of sleep and I agreed. I went back into the tent, took off my wet shoes and clothes again, and tried to sleep for an additional half hour; a total waste of time.

We left Niel around 3am for another long steep ascent to the summit. We were almost at the summit of Col Lasoney when we heard and then saw a woman lying on the ground on her back. It was Valerie! Valerie was having heart issues and she asked us to raise her feet in the air. I grabbed her feet or Jackie grabbed her feet (one of us did) and she told us to hold her feet for twenty seconds then lower them. We did this twice. It wasn’t working. She was on her phone, talking to her husband (I was shocked she had cell service) and he told her to take her medication. She told us she’d be fine and to continue on with our race. I did not want to leave her; I offered to stay with her. She was adamant and convinced us she was totally fine, it wasn’t a big deal.  She insisted that we continue. She said it had happened before, she would take her medication and wait a few minutes and then she would be recovered. I was not comfortable leaving her on top of the mountain pass. I looked backed at her; she saw me look back and shouted…. ‘Go, I’ll be fine.’ I ran with Valerie for seven hours earlier in the race and I knew this was her third Tor and that she was a very experienced ultra runner (she had travelled around the world racing) and she had a PhD in Pharmaceutical Science. With a knot in my stomach, I took her advice, and continued on. I saw her at the finish line and she had to be evacuated by helicopter off the mountain. It brought me to tears when she told me she had to be evacuated. I can justify the hell out of it and say she convinced me she was okay, she was adamant and/or I wasn’t thinking straight, I’ve been racing for 58 hours on less than five hours of sleep – but there is no justification – it wasn’t right! I should have stayed with her until help arrived.

I loved seeing the moon every morning, this is at sunrise! Absolutely stunning.

Rifugio Alpenzu

Valtourneche – The 5th Life Base. Section stats: 24 miles and 8,500 vertical gain.

The fifth life base: Valtournenche (146.83 miles) -Wed 7:54pm

When I arrived at Valtournenche, Jackie and I realized our drop bags  had not arrived and it was our fault. (The race organizations hands out a duffel bag “drop bag” to each racer, you are only allowed to use this bag; they transport the bag to each life base). Back at Gressoney, the last life base, we didn’t leave our bags in the proper spot. When you check out of each life base, you drop your bag next to the checkout. Sleep deprivation and fatigue caused this screw up. We found a volunteer who spoke English and he did some research to see if our bags would be delivered before we headed out to the next life base. The volunteer said they’d be there by midnight (it was only 8pm).  While we waited for our bags, I slept for two and half hours. Besides my down jacket, I had to sleep naked because all my clothes were wet but I was happy that I was not at 6,000 feet freezing my arse off in a tent. I was in a warm gym, on a cot, with a wool blanket. After waking up, we finally found out the bags were transported to Ollomont, the next life base. Beside dry clothes and other necessities, my spare food was in my drop bag so I had to fill up a plastic zip lock with food from the table – potatoes and bread. Jackie had to borrow batteries and then we finally headed out after midnight.

From Valtournenche to Ollomont was a slog. I started to hallucinate.  My favorite hallucination was a panda bear standing on the trail wearing a red stripe tie. I was stoked to see the panda bear and wanted to see him again. My other hallucinations throughout the Tor included rocks that turned into families huddled together in fetal positions, tree trunks turned into people, cars, or huts and a little girl standing alone on a hillside cheering for me (my favorite).  She was a cute little girl and I thought it was so sweet she was cheering for me but then I thought ‘what is she doing out in the middle of nowhere by herself?’ By the time I reached the hillside, she was gone!

This panda bear needs a red stripe tie.

One of my favorite memories of the race.

This guy was awesome. We shared a bunch of dried sausages and he had a glass of wine. I wanted a glass of wine but thought twice. I’d probably fall on my face and pass out for days because I was so tired.

Ollomont – Life Base # 6.
Section stats: 29 miles & 8,900 vertical gain.

The sixth life base: Ollomont (176.1 miles) Thursday 5:18pm

Jackie was having intestinal problems at this point in the race. We hung out at Ollomont for an additional 45 minutes, figuring out if she wanted to continue. She text messaged a friend back home (Canada) who she trusted and asked his opinion. She decided to continue and she struggled up Col Champillon. We stopped at the first Rifugio on the way up to Col Champillon to eat more food (broth with orzo) hoping that she would recover. However, she didn’t. We finally summited Col Champillon and then faced a dark, gnarly, steep, overgrown downhill into Pollimont. We arrived around 1am.

Seeing Dave for the first time! Mile 181.

As I neared the Ponteille aid station, I saw Dave. I was totally surprised and so happy. He had been waiting there for two hours eating and drinking nettle whiskey (or something like that) with the aid station crew. The mountain hut crew stated only nine or ten women had been through the aid station. Dave was biking in Switzerland for the past five days while I raced. I knew I’d see him at some point along the course but I had no idea I’d see him at Ponteille. I was beyond excited. Dave and I chatted as we waited for Jackie to eat more food, in hopes it was going to make her feel better, but nothing was working. She was still experiencing intestinal problems.  Dave offered to walk with Jackie to St. Rhemy’s, the next aid station that offered medical assistance. I took Dave up on his offer and sadly said good-bye to Jackie.  I ran most of the way down to St. Rhemy but then the sleep monsters hit big time a few miles before the aid station. I was so tired; I was swerving all over the road.  I arrived at St. Rhemy, the only racer at the aid station tent. I put on my down jacket, ski mittens, and started shoveling pasta into my mouth while I tried to sleep. The aid station volunteer kept swatting me, shaking his finger at me, and telling me ‘no’ in Italian that I’m not allowed to sleep at the table. He did this three or four times, it became a joke. But I couldn’t keep my eyes open; I thought please let me eat a spoonful of pasta, sleep for a couple of minutes then eat another spoonful….but no — he kept swatting me.  I finally finished my pasta which felt like forever and then Jackie and Dave arrived. At this point, Jackie was sick and the medical staff strongly advised, if not insisted, that she drop from the race. After running 300km (186.5 miles) she dropped and the next day was admitted to the hospital for a few hours for blood test and IVs.

Beautiful sunrise. Heading up to Col Malatra – 9,632 feet.

Almost to the summit

After chatting with Jackie and wishing her well, I decided to take a 20 minute nap to fend off the sleep monsters. I had 18 miles left including one steep technical climb. Dave decided to wait for me and then hike with me (he was still in his mountain biking shoes) to the summit, the last summit of the race: Col Malatra. We hiked in the dark for a few hours and gradually a beautiful sunrise appeared on our ascent up to 9,632 feet. I had been waiting for this moment, I talked to a handful of Tor finishers prior to the race, and they all said the same thing – just get to Col Malatra! And, when you get there, stand at the summit and savor the moment because your journey is coming to a close. So, I did. I stood there looking around at the beautiful terrain then I looked down.

Col Malatra

Now….down, down and more down.

Looking up….. you can see a racer at the summit.

And, more down….almost there.

Holy crap, I have to descend THAT! I descended the steep rocky scree trail for miles (which felt like days) until I reached Rifugio Bonatti, the second to last aid station and about two and half hours to the finish. I was so impatient. I wanted to be done. I was still running or shuffling the flats and downhills but even the slightest incline in the trail brought me to a crawl and almost to tears. This was my lowest moment in the race. I was struggling to hold back the tears. If Dave wasn’t with me, I would have sat on a rock and cried. I didn’t realize it would take this long to get to the finish. I did not want to see one more uphill or one more downhill and definitely no more rocks. I had climbed 78,000 vertical feet and descended probably the same on loose crappy steep gnarly trails. After reaching Bertone, the very last aid station, I still had 45 minutes to the finish. I felt like this death march was never going to end. After 332.3km (206 miles), 122 hours and only 10 hours of sleep I finally reached Courmayeur and the red carpet I had dreamt about for eight months.

11th place (F) 122 hours and 7 minutes. 
                             2nd place age group and 1st (F) American                        99 women started and 44 finished.

Holy Crap! That.was.hard!

Courmayeur – The finish and last Life Base – Section stats: 30 miles and 9,500 gain. Total: 206 miles and 78,000 vertical gain.

The 2014 Tor results:  Results

The Bear 100

The Bear 100 Profile

The Bear 100 is a tough point to point race from Logan, Utah to Fish Haven, Idaho. It is held in late September when the fall colors are in their glory. The elevation gain is just shy of 22,000. The average elevation is 7,350 topping out twice at 9,000 feet; tough for a flatlander.

(Photo by Guy Mawson)

The 2013 course was absolutely stunning; fall colors were out in full force with various shades of red, orange, gold, and yellow. Everywhere you looked there were vibrant colors. The high mountain peaks covered in snow made a stunning contrast with the autumn colors.

As with most 100 mile races, The Bear 100 start was uneventful. A bunch of runners stood around an imaginary start line, in the dark and cold and waited for the race director to holler, “Go!” The race started on pavement and then filtered into a single track trail and a congo line of 260+ runners formed.

Kelly, Linda, and Deb at the start.

I ran with ALM (a dear friend who I trained with all year) for the first 50 miles at a good solid pace and it was super fun. Our split for the first 50 miles was 12hrs 18mins with over 14,000 vertical. We did our own thing at the aid stations and then caught up to each other on the trail. But, unfortunately, around mile 50 ALM was having trouble w/her stomach. She arrived at Tony Grove aid station (51.84) as I was leaving and expressed that she was “soooo sick!” At that point, the temperature dropped significantly and I was freezing; my broth splashed out of my cup because my hand shook uncontrollably. I asked if there was anything I could do for her and she said, “No.” She was going to change her clothes in the tent and drink some broth. I felt guilty leaving but there were a ton of volunteers, a tent, a fire and I knew Owen, her husband & also my training partner all year, wasn’t far behind us. (She finished even though she spent the next 50 miles puking; one tough chick!)

(Photo by Guy Mawson)

I left the aid station and encountered snow, wind and iced trails. One section (downhill single track) was sheer ice and at that point, I knew it was going to be a long cold race. The race was no longer a race against the clock or other competitors it was a race against the elements.

(Photo by Guy Mawson)

I caught up to two other runners and chatted with them until the next aid station. When I arrived at mile 61, it was dark and I was freezing. I could not find my bestie and pacer, MM, because there were so many people. A nice volunteer helped me; she picked up my drop bag, gave me soup and hollered for MM.I dumped everything out of my drop bag and put on all my warm clothes. As I layered up, I realized my down jacket was not in my drop bag. I panicked. My OR down jacket had saved me in many adventure races, the temps were in the low 20s, I was headed up to near 9,000 feet in the mountains, I had to have my OR jacket. I added layers and put on my Swix xc ski pants over my tights but my hands were so cold I could not zip or button my pants; after I struggled, I finally asked for help from volunteers sitting around the fire. Just as I finished getting bundled up and contemplating the risk of traveling through the night w/o my down jacket my bestie appeared and informed me she couldn’t pace me until mile 75 but she had my OR jacket! She explained she left the car key at the hotel, she did a shuttle earlier in the day to drop the car at the finish, but when she dropped the car, she put the key in her purse and left her purse at the hotel which was an hour from the finish. I was disappointed b/c I bonking. But in retrospect, I’m glad she left the key in Logan and had to go back b/c the next 15 miles were very slow and she would have been freezing and miserable.

 (Photo by Guy Mawson)

I finally reached mile 75 and MM was there waiting for me (she had to wait 3 or 4 hours!) At that point, I couldn’t talk. I was tired, my lungs were on fire, and I was wheezing. It was difficult to breathe. This happened at Wasatch Front 100, too. I was wheezing and felt like I was having an asthma attack. Other PNW’ers also experienced the same thing. It was scary and it sucked. I presumed it was due to the combination of cold temperatures and altitude.

We finally reached mile 92, climbed the last climb, or should I say, I crawled the last climb and then we managed to run the last six miles. I had to stop occasionally to catch my breath but we managed to at least run. MM is the best pacer and I seriously finished because of her. She was solid, beyond patient and supportive even though I’m sure she was freezing cold for most of those 25 miles.

I finished in 28:24 good enough for 9^th place female and 59^th overall. I took off my shoes and my feet were totally clean and I had no blisters! I did not change my shoes or socks the entire race – amazed – Drymax socks rock! http://www.drymaxsocks.com/extremerunning.php  plus, I’m sure the freezing temperatures played a role, too! Besides loving my Drymax socks, I also LOVE my Suunto watch! I charged it twice during the race and I captured the entire 100.7 miles!

Finally done – 28:24 / 9th place female / 59th overall

“Grizzly Club”

MM, my rock star pacer who paced me from mile 75-100!

The plaque with the elevation outline.

Food Consumption during the race:
I ate one Clif bar the entire 100 miles, zero gels, and ate two packets of Clif Shot Bloks. All other food was aid station food: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and lots of noodles and broth. From mile 51, I ate or drank broth at every aid station with a handful of salty potato chips. I had a small grilled cheese sandwich which was the best sandwich ever! Luckily, I had no stomach issues or leg cramps throughout the race. I took three packets of Sustain electrolytes and had about 20 ounces of Heed throughout the race.

Bear 100 was one tough course! I don’t think the course is harder than Wasatch Front 100 but the freezing temperatures, snow, and iced trails made it interesting and comparable. Bring lots of warm clothes, hand warmers, body warmers, hat, gloves, and a down jacket for the night section. 76 people did not finish and I presume it was due to the cold weather.

Fat Dog 50 Mile

Profile in meters

Wow, FD 50 blew my mind. I went into the race thinking it was going to be super tough on many levels: not only was there a mandatory gear list for a 50 miler but the predicted finish times were in the 15 hour range; meant finishing at midnight. I heard the course was non-runnable, overgrown, poorly marked, technical & gnarly!

Fat Dog was the same weekend as Waldo 100km which I was originally signed up to run but bailed in June due to painful tight tendons in my feet. It was painful to walk & run. In June, after Squaw Peak 50 I went to see Chris Hall, DC and he performed active release therapy (ART) and the next day I was in so much pain I had to cancel my morning run. I continued to see Chris on a regular basis; he loaned me his calf Trigger Point roller, showed me stretching and strengthening exercises, told me to ice after every run and to buy arch supports.I did what was prescribed for six weeks: kept my ART appointments, diligently rolled out, did the exercises, iced (heat & ice, too) and wore arch supports. Race day was near and the true test would come after running 50 miles in the Canadian backcountry.

The race started outside of Hope, BC; a point to point race with an elevation gain of over 10,000 feet. The course was incredibly well marked; the first 30 miles, to my surprise, were fast & flowy and the last 20 were remote, technical & challenging but rewarded with stunning views. The last 20 miles had 7,000 + gain with most of the gain in the first 12 miles, four of the last eight were short steep rolling climbs (hardest part of the course for me) and the last four ended with a fast sweet single track down to Lightening Lake where my hubby and dog were waiting for me.

My feet felt great most of the race besides the usual beating of running 50 miles. I finished in 9 hour and 57 minutes good enough for 1^st place female, course record, and 3rd overall.

Fat Dog is a very low key race & a small field of runners but they offer multiple distances: 20, 30, 50, 70, & 120 mile, as well as a relay, all point to point. The trail maintenance was evident throughout the 50 miles; volunteers obviously spent many days and hours clearing the course. The race was incredible well marked, well organized and the course is absolutely stunning.

I’m stoked to have been able to run and play in the mountains pain-free thanks to doctor Chris and Aylin at North Bend Therapeutic Massage, my summer is much more fulfilled now that I can go out and play w/o pain! And, I’m sure my husband is happy he doesn’t have to listen to me whine anymore.

  1st Place Female / 3rd Overall

As a nutritionist, I’m asked all the time what I eat before, during and after a race. In addition to the Clif Mojo bars, I like to make my own protein bars, too. Everyone is different, what works for me, might not work for you.

Pre-race: Homemade kefir with almonds, walnuts, oats, and banana.

During the race:

• 2 Clif Bloks packets (I rely on Clif Bloks for instant energy and easy consumption.)
• 4 Clif Mojo bars.
• 1 homemade peanut butter and honey sandwich.
• ½ a grilled cheese from the awesome volunteers at Skyline Aid Station -mile 30.
• Handful of Pringles from the amazing volunteers at Skyline Junction- mile 42.
• 3 packets of Sustain – 9am, Noon, and 3pm.
• Lots and lots of water.

Post-race: Thorne protein powder recovery drink, hamburger with avocado, water and a beer.

Squaw Peak 50 Mile

June 1st, 2013 I ran the Squaw Peak 50 mile trail race in Provo Canyon, Utah. The course had 14,000 +/- gain and loss and the highest point on the course was 9,300 feet; a little thin for a flatlander. The day was near perfect, although a tad hot for a Seattleite and hot enough to get some wicked sunburns in spots I couldn’t reach or missed with the sunscreen.

The race started in the dark at 5am with a 2.1 mile pavement section which helped spread the runners out a little before the first single track climb. Around mile three I was putting my headlamp away and my iPod fell out of my pack. I noticed almost immediately and went back to look for it but going against traffic with 230+ runners coming at me it was near impossible, not to mention it was still a little dark. I finally gave up! Total bummer, not only do I use my iPod for most of my training runs, I now had to run 47 miles w/o music!
I continued on and I met some cool ultra ladies from California. We chatted on and off all day and hung out after the race. The aid stations were well stocked and the volunteers were helpful and friendly. The course was pretty cool with some amazing views and a spectacular sunrise. However, the course did consist of 38% dirt roads and 19% of pavement my two least favorite things. The first section of pavement was the first 2.1 miles, second section was 3.7 miles long (mile 22-26) slightly uphill and hot and the third section was 3.3 miles to the finish which I dreaded.
My strategy for the course was to chill for the first 30 miles and then pick up the pace the last twenty, the last twenty had about 4,000 gain and 4,600 loss. At around mile 39, Berryport Pass, the trail climbed 1,300 feet in 1.25 miles. I wanted to save my legs & lungs for this climb topping out at 9,300 feet and then bomb the last 10 miles to the finish which was mostly downhill w/a few rolling hills.  My strategy worked, I passed seven women between miles 30-40. I arrived at aid station 9 (40.4 miles) in 9 hours and 23 minutes and at the point realized I could go under 11 hours and possibly beat my husband’s time of 10:47 (which was actually 10:42 back in 2000 and the one who talked me into doing this race). I grabbed a potato at AS 9 and ran as fast as I could on tired legs down the rocky, steep terrain knowing that I’d be slower on the last 3.3 miles of pavement and would have to walk some of that stretch (my weakness is running on pavement). The last 3.3 miles were not well-marked so I kept asking people if I was going the correct way. There were numerous sections that had sticks with flags but the flags were blue and pink and not blue and orange (like on the course). Near the end, there was one section that I nearly turned right and up a logging road b/c there were two sticks w/flags and it looked like they were for the race, luckily a cyclist came by and said to continue on the road to the finish. However, if I would have read the course instructions I would have known there were no turnings on the home stretch!  I ran the last ten miles in 88 minutes for a time of 10:51.
Overall, I had a great day both mentally and physically, the race was well-organized and well-marked, the race director was very nice and friendly and the sunrise and scenery was beautiful.

Results: 5th place Female/1st Master’s Female. Overall 31/266 starters.

My Suunto Ambit stats:
http://app.strava.com/activities/57704665/overview
Strava: Overall time: 10:49, Mileage: 52.2; Elevation gain 10,197
Movescount: Overall time: 10:51, Mileage 50.87; Elevation gain 9259.

Race day food –
Travel breakfast: banana + Greek yogurt (normally this would be homemade kefir w/raw milk, berries, and nuts)
During the race
1 peanut butter and jelly sandwich (cut into fours)
2 packets of Clif Shot Bloks
1 Clif caffeinated gel (this is only the second time I’ve used a gel during a race and it went down well)
4 red potatoes with salt
1 Mojo Clif bar
1 Kind bar
1 cup Heed @ an aid station
½ banana
6 Sustain electrolyte tablets
Felt great all race –no bonking, cramping, bloating, or stomach issues.

Wasatch Front 100 Miles

September 7th @ 5am, I toed the line for Wasatch 100, one of the toughest ultra runs in America. Wasatch Front started in Kaysville, Utah and finished in Midway, Utah covering 100 miles of the most beautiful scenery in the Wasatch Mountains.  Wasatch Front’s reputation as one of the toughest ultras comes from the technical terrain, heat and altitude; there was a cumulative elevation gain of approximately 26,882 feet. The majority of the race was between 6000 feet and 10,000 feet with lots of steep and rocky decents.

My goal was slow and steady; with the mentality the race doesn’t start until mile 75.  Around mile 4, I chatted with a racer in front of me; he had finished Wasatch 18 times all under 32ish hours; I decided to stay on his heels for the first 14 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing. The pace was super slow but I figured he was experienced and he knew this mountain range, I was glad I did, it paid off later in the day when the heat was unbearable.  The first 53 miles of the course was open and exposed; the sun was beating down and there was nowhere to hide. Around 5pm I was begging for the sun to go down, for a Seattleite, the sun was blazing.

5am start –Picture by Lori Burlisons

Before the race, I created a pacing chart in hopes it would help me achieve my goals: my first goal was to finish under 36 hours, my second goal was to finish between 30-32 hours and my ultimate goal was to finish under 30 hours. Numerous times during the race I wanted to push harder, especially early on, but kept to my pacing chart knowing the last 25 miles were brutal. My pacer, Michelle, was awesome; she kept us steady even though at times I wanted to go faster or times I wanted to go slower. I was in and out of most aid stations relatively quick with the exceptions of Lamb’s Canyon (15 minutes; mile 53.13) where I changed my shoes and socks and Millcreek (17 minutes; mile 61.68) where I ate spaghetti and changed into warm clothes. Millcreek was a dangerous aid station at this point in the race it was dark and cold and there were heaters, cots and blankets; not to mention a ton of yummy food.

I trekked from Millcreek to Desolation Lake to Scotts Pass to Brighton. I was in and out of Brighton (mile 75.61) in 7 minutes after I weighed in, grabbed hash browns and brushed my teeth. I was on pace, within minutes of my pacing chart,  until mile 83, Pole Line Pass! I was three minutes off the last possible time for a sub-30. I struggled from Pole Line Pass (mile 83) to Pot Bottom (mile 93) on the climbs. My lungs were packed full of dust I had difficulty breathing. I’m humbled by athletes who struggle with asthma; I don’t know how they do it. Wheezing and constantly trying to catch my breath was scary. I was able to run most of the down hills and shuffle some of the flats, my legs and feet were in good condition, but climbing even the slightest uphill I struggled. I was moving slowly during this section; it was one of the longest 10 miles I had experienced. It was frustrating because I wanted to push harder mentally and physically (feet/legs) but my lungs were shot. The dust and altitude (Pole Line Pass 9,000 feet and up to Rock Springs 9,445) definitely took its toll. At the time, I didn’t know I was at 9,000 + feet – Pole Line Pass to Rock Springs; I think mentally it would have helped if I had known.

I arrived at Pot Bottom aid station (altitude 7380; mile 93), I was in and out of the aid station in four minutes and continued to walk the uphill sections and run all the downhills. The finish line was 7 miles away. I knew once I hit the paved road, I had only a couple of miles to the finish, it was actually .7 miles to the finish.

When I arrived at the finish line my friends (Steve, Ted, Baron, Jen, Hunter, and Nick) held a big sign for me, took pictures, and cheered me on – so thankful to have such amazing friends who were so thoughtful to come out and spend their Saturday cheering me on. In addition, I’m incredibly thankful for my pacer, Michelle, who was my brain during the run, filled my water bladder, made sure I had plenty of food, kept me company, and most importantly kept me safe and on pace; having Michelle out there definitely made Wasatch a more memorable experience.

I was hoping for a sub-30 but will take 30 hours and 11 minutes. Overall, beside a significant bloody nose between miles 28-30 and difficulty breathing between 83-93; I felt great with no major signs or symptoms of stomach issues, heat exhaustion, leg cramps, debilitating blisters, and no major bonking. My nutrition was perfect, I was never hungry, never bonked, and ate mostly whole food (noodles, broth, mac and cheese) I ate very few bars (maybe two), no gu shots but a significant amount of Clif Shot Bloks. I have no idea how many I ate during the race (that is why I brushed my teeth at Brighton) but they prevented me from bonking, kept me going, and were easy to stomach after 20+ hours of racing.

My Fans!

Here are pictures from a July training -this is the most beautiful part of the course and you run through it at night.

 Desolation Lake – Mile 66.93

Scotts Pass – Mile 72.14

Brighton Lodge -Moose Mile 75.61

Baby Moose!

Lake Martha – Mile 77.13

Sunset Peak – 10,648 (the course heads down Great Western before Sunset Peak summit)

Great Western – Mile 80 -ish

 Wasatch Front was truly a great experience. The race organizers (especially Claude Grant), the volunteers, and the aid station crews were top-notch. The folks at the aid stations were incredibly nice, helpful, and encouraging! The course was well-marked. Wasatch 100 is a catered run (popsicles, pancakes, eggs, hash browns, mac and cheese, spaghetti, soup, broth) through one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in America.

The Finish – 100 Miles!

30 hours 11 minutes; 17th Female; 100th Overall

289 starters / 77 DNF’s

Colorado 50 Mile Race

North Fork 50 Mile Profile

                    North Fork 50 Miler Finisher Award – 3rd place Female Overall

The North Fork 50 Mile race was much harder than I expected. I flew (solo) into Denver, Colorado the night before the race; Denver was experiencing record high temperatures and I felt like I was in a sauna, it was suffocating. (The locals at packet pick-up were laughing at me.) I did the necessary pre-race preparation (Cobb Salad and a beer), had a great night sleep and woke up at 4:30am (3:30am Seattle time) to eat, tape my feet and drive to the start (45 min.) I arrived at the start around 6am and my stomach was, “off!” I do not recall ever having stomach issues in past races including adventure races in the French Alps and The Canadian Rockies. It was a different feeling than altitude issues or nerves.

The race started and I figured the stomach upset would go away, but it didn’t; it didn’t go away all day. My game plan for the race was to go out “steady” and stay “steady” all day! “5 rounds of 10 miles,” if you do CrossFit you’ll understand. I wanted to run a consistent race; a training race for Wasatch 100 www.wasatch100.com. The race started off with a climb and everyone started running up the mountain. I was being passed left and right. I hiked. It was not fun being passed but I knew it was going to be a long day. I did not want to waste my energy this early in the race, especially with an upset stomach. I stuck to my strategy and continued to power walk up this climb and all the climbs. Once up the first climb, it was sweet single track, fast and flowy…that was pretty much the course…a climb and sweet single track with a few logging roads thrown in. I was envious every time I saw a mountain biker.

The heat at times was unbearable, but luckily the clouds rolled in a few times over the day threatening thunder showers. The volunteers at the aid stations were amazing; they took my pack and filled it with water & ice while I grabbed food. I have never experienced this much assistance at a race; they were encouraging, energetic and friendly. One aid station offered me a beer; do you know how hard it was to pass up a cold beer at mile 40 when it was so bloody hot out?

The race was a suffer-fest for me because I didn’t feel very well. As I crossed the finish line I was handed a 2nd place plaque for my age group and told I placed 3rd Overall Female. Although, it made me feel a little better; it was a tough race mentally and physically. I’m not sure how to describe it, even though I placed, the race personally was not very rewarding and made me second guess my decision to run Wasatch 100.

I trying to put this race behind me and start mentally preparing for Wasatch 100 (Utah). Wasatch 100 has 26,882 feet of climbing and tops out around 11,000 feet.  I have 36 hours to run the 100 miles. I feel if I go out slow and stay steady…I can finish in the allotted time.  (I’m mentally working on “I hope I can finish” to “I will finish!”)

Above: Wasatch 100 Course Profile

Pictures below: North Fork 50 Mile Endurance Run; Pine, Colorado

      2nd place age group; 3rd place Female Overall.

*Thanks Tony Maldonado for the pictures.

The Truth about Lactic Acid

The other day, I did a presentation on Sports Nutrition and I realized most athletes still believe that lactic acid or more specifically, lactate, is a villain. Athletes still believe their muscles are filled with lactic acid after a hard workout. However, lactic acid leaves your body within an hour if not within in minutes after exercise. Lactate is a fuel for your muscles, muscles make it deliberately. A well-trained athlete is more efficient at storing muscle glycogen and more efficient at producing and absorbing lactic acid. A simplistic explanation is lactate is the middle man; it is used as a building block in the liver to produce more liver glycogen. Liver glycogen is broken down into glucose, glucose is used as energy, and the utilization of glucose for energy creates lactic acid. (For a more thorough explanation, Google, Cori Cycle)
Lactic acid is not the cause of your muscles burning, it is not the cause of soreness, and it is not a waste product. Muscle soreness is due to damaged muscle cells, calcium leakage, and post exercise inflammation due to damaged muscle cells during intense exercise. The “burn” you feel is caused by hydrogen ions which are determined by which fuel source you are using: glycogen or glucose. If your body is using glycogen (glycogen is stored in your muscles and is broken down to glucose for energy) only one unit of hydrogen is released. If glucose is used as fuel, than your body releases two units of hydrogen; this doubling of hydrogen ions creates a huge acidic swing resulting in a burning sensation in your muscles and ultimately causing fatigue. This fatigue occurs when glucose is called on to produce energy when your glycogen stores are low or the exercise is so intense that your glycogen stores cannot keep up with the demand. Regardless of which fuel source your body is using, glycogen or glucose, the same amount of lactic acid is released. Bottom line, lactic acid is your friend and a source of fuel for your body during intense exercise.
“The world’s best athletes stay competitive by interval training. The intense exercise generates big lactate loads, and the body adapts by building up mitochondria to clear lactic acid quickly. If you use it up [as an energy source], it doesn’t accumulate.” ~ George A. Brooks, UC Berkley Professor of integrative biology. Dr. Brooks has been researching lactate and the lactate shuttle for years, for more information on Dr. Brooks http://ib.berkeley.edu/people/faculty/profiles/more/gbrooks.php.

You cannot Out Exercise an Unhealthy Diet!

Real Food Workshop

Nutrition Workshop & 30 Day Real Food Challenge

Presented by Deb McInally, MS, CN & Lisa Fligor, MS, RD

Did you know that food can be the difference between feeling energetic and alive or stressed and depleted?

Come join us for a fun, interactive workshop that will inspire you to choose whole, fresh, and real foods!  Learn the basics and beyond about how food affects your body. Leave knowing how to use food to maximize your workouts, lean out, and have more energy. Together, we will complete a 30-day real food challenge — Discovering which foods help you to feel your best.

Workshop & 30 Day Real Food Challenge

Location: 4915 25th Avenue NE, Suite 107, Seattle, WA 98105

Date: First Four Tuesday’s in January 3rd, 10th, 17th, & 24th.

Time: 7:00-8:30pm

Workshop Topics:

January 10th:  Why Good Nutrition Matters! Introduction to 30 Day Challenge with Menu Planning and Recipes. Grocery Shopping, Cooking and Eating Out Tips. How to avoid Marketing Traps.

January 17th: The Low-Down on Protein, Carbs and Fats. Healthy Digestion for Optimal Health — Including Discovering Your Food Sensitivities. (Insulin, gluten, lectins, and anti-nutrients)

January 24th: Maximize your workouts with Sports Nutrition How To’s.  And solve the mystery of supplements.

January 31st: Wrap up! Reintroducing Foods & Tips for Continued Success.

Cost: $125.00 per person or $200.00 a pair (bring a buddy)

Pre-Registration required: Contact Deb McInally deb@debsholisticnutrition.com or Lisa Fligor  lisa@newplatenutrition.com

My first 100 miler.

Plain 100

I spent most of the winter training for Raid the North Extreme which is a 6 day, 500km, non-stop Adventure race in the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia. Our team raced for 5 days (that’s 126 hours) on 12 hours of sleep and ended up not finishing (DNF’ing). After all the time spent training, the gear, the money spent, and all the logistics that were involved, I was left feeling flat and unfulfilled. I wanted some redemption. I wanted something long, tough, and epic. I immediately thought about the PLAIN 100! Plain is one of the most epic 100 milers in the country with an unmarked course, no aid stations, and no pacers. You are expected to carry your own food, fetch water from streams and rivers, climb 24,000ft of cumulative elevation, and race in 95+ temperatures.

However, I had two issues. 1) I never ran a 100 miler and 2) I did not know the course. I would not have time to pre run the course and didn’t feel comfortable running it without proper preparation. So, I talked my good friend and adventure racing partner, Michelle, into running Plain with me. Michelle ran Plain back in 2007 and was the 3rd woman to ever finish, not only did she know the course she smoked the course in 31:55. (To this day, only 10 Women have finished Plain)

The race started at 5am on Saturday. Michelle set a strong pace from the beginning. We ran all the flats and downhill’s, and powered walked all the climbs. By early afternoon we came to the first Search and Rescue point, stated our number, and continued on track. We decided to put on our music for the long slog on the paved road and this is where we made our first navigation error. We missed the hairpin turn onto FS road 112. We continued to run down the road and came to a sign that said, “One Lane Bridge,” Oh crap! We checked the map and realized we missed our turn about 2 miles back! We looked at each other, turned around, and without saying a word, started power walking back uphill to FS road 112. Admittedly, I was pretty bummed. I thought to myself, “Not another DNF!”

If making that mistake wasn’t enough, we immediately made another mistake. After entering the cul-de-sac on FS Road 112, we went directly onto Hunter’s trail even though the instructions specifically stated “Do not take Hunter’s Trail!” We were so frustrated and flustered from our first error, that we didn’t double check the instructions. Not realizing our error, we filled our bladders at the river, and started climbing up Hunter’s trail. We both had our music on and after a few minutes I asked Michelle, “Is this the big climb?” She started to explain that we are supposed to go down a dusty climb and wind around a sharp bend before beginning the long climb. Something didn’t add up. She double checked the instructions and realized that we were supposed to turn LEFT in the cul-de-sac vs. right, and that we are (once again) on the wrong trail!

We were both totally frustrated and demoralized having lost quite a bit of time due to both errors. I wanted to finish this race more than anything. I did not want a DNF, and I especially did not want a DNF due to navigation errors….. “please….not a repeat of Raid the North Extreme”.

We found the correct trail and started the long climb up to Tyee Ridge. I knew going into the race that Michelle had a bad chest cold, and sleeping in the back of the truck the night before didn’t help. Even though she didn’t say as much, I knew that Michelle was doing this race for me. As such, I knew I might be running solo at some point and was mentally prepared if it came to that.  Michelle struggled up the ridge and her chest cold got worse. ¾ of the way up the climb, she was so congested that she couldn’t even speak. Her voice was gone, and she didn’t feel well. For me, loop 2 was questionable at this point. At the summit, we decided that I should take off to make the cut-off time, and I knew that I would be pushing it. Between our navigation errors, the struggle up Tyee Ridge, dusk quickly approaching and never having run the course before, I wasn’t sure if it was possible.

Once the decision was made for us to split, I took off running, At this point, I had 18.5 miles left of loop 1 and about 67 miles total. I kept thinking to myself, “you are going to blow up”, but I was so determined to finish this race, that I gave it everything I had.  I passed 9 people and thought, “Okay I have made up the time we lost (1:40) so I should be able to make it to the first cut-off time.” (Note – I was excited to pass people because I knew that I had made up time, not because of placing. This race was not about placing for me. This race was about finishing.) I was almost done with the first loop when three racers passed me. I was thankful because it showed that I had to continue at a steady, fast pace if I was going to make the cut-off.

At the end of loop 1, I ran to my truck, grabbed my Adventure Racing backpack (which was actually too big for a 100 miler) and stuffed it with warm clothing and gear for the next 15 hours. I knew I didn’t need all that gear, but from my past racing experiences, I knew that anything could happen in the mountains. I had no way of communicating with the race directors, so I packed for safety.  I started loop 2 at 1:15 am hoping for the best. To officially finish, I had 15 hours and 45 minutes to complete loop 2.

During the 2^nd loop, I made one more navigational error. I crossed road 62. I spent some time on the other side of the road looking for tracks and then I heard Tom’s voice in the back of my head from the race briefing the night before, “…If you cross road 62, you are going the wrong way. Backtrack a few hundred feet and you will find the trail.” I backtracked, looked at the map, and saw that the trail actually did take a hard right, so I continued up to Pond Camp Trail. Running solo through the night was my favorite part of the race.

I arrived at FR 6210 a little after sunrise. I was so thankful to see Tom, Chris, and some of the other volunteers waiting there. My first question to them was, “Do you think I have enough time to finish?” Tom & Chris said, “Yes, if you keep up the pace you’re going at…you can DO IT!” I looked at them and searched for reassurance.

I started the climb up to Pond Camp trail, and after about 15 minutes, I saw another racer. I asked, “Do you think we have enough time to finish?” He replied, “I am going to give it my best shot!” I continued past him and finally came to my next turn, Mad River. I was thankful for two reasons 1) because I was out of water and 2) that the trails had signs! My goal was to get to Alder Ridge and run as fast as I could down to Lower Chiwawa. I knew if I hit Lower Chiwawa by 2pm (without injuries) I would be able to finish. But, as I ran down Alder Ridge, I found myself stopping to grab food out of my pack, to splash water on my face from the streams, to put on Chap Stick, to fix my hat, etc. I was justifying reasons to stop every few seconds. From my adventure racing experience, I knew that little stops here and there add up, and that you must keep moving. Once I realized what I was doing, I was determined not to stop again until I reached Lower Chiwawa.

The heat was absolutely unbearable.  I constantly looked at my watch and tried to add numbers in my head. “Can I finish on time?” This race was becoming a mental nightmare for me. I kept running the numbers in my head over and over and over.

It was about 1:15pm (18 hours after leaving Michelle) and I had 4 hours to finish. I popped out of Alder Ridge trail and thought, “Oh Crap!” because I thought I was going to pop out at Lower Chiwawa. I started to panic. I cannot have another DNF after my experience at Raid the North Extreme.  As I looked at my notes and map, it said, “…cross this road, pop into this trail, and run this road for 2 miles.” My heart sunk because I realized that I had a lot farther to go than I had originally thought. Then, all of a sudden, I heard a “woot woot!” and looked up to see three racers who had been on my tail the entire time without my knowing. Thank God!  It was such a relief to connect up with these guys for the last part of the run. I followed them into the trail, and over the next 12 miles, we stuck together.  It was so hot that we splashed water over our heads at every water source, knowing we were close to finishing.  All of a sudden, we rounded a turn, and there were all of the volunteers shouting and clapping for us. The four of us ran down the last section of the road into Deep Creek campground and the finish.  We had FINISHED the Plain 100 in 35:11! (48 minutes to spare)

 Thank you so much, Van, Erik, and Pat for your company during the race. I don’t think I would have finished Plain without you guys!

  

Below is a short blog about our DNF at Raid the North Extreme.

https://debsholisticnutrition.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/mt-dorval-day-5-the-importance-of-sleep/

Vitamin D -20% off Coupon

It’s that time of year….start taking your vitamin D supplements!

Visit Deb’s Holistic Nutrition store and receive 20% off your entire order!  Enter coupon code: DDSZ  *clients only.

http://shop.debsholisticnutrition.com/

The five most important reasons to supplement with Vitamin D:

1. Reduces inflammation especially important for athletes.

2. Help keep your bones and teeth strong and healthy.

3. Help prevent a growing list of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, breast cancer, colon cancer, and ovarian cancer.

4. Maintains the function of muscle fibers thus preserving muscle strength resulting in stronger muscles, improved muscle function, and better balance.

5. Regulate the growth and activity of your cells.