Race Report: Smith Rock Ascent 50k

The surreal Smith Rock State Park

Saturday, May 9th, 2015, marked the third 50k in each of the past 3 years to be ran on the second Saturday of May.  In 2013 and 2014, Brendan and I made our way down to Corvallis, Oregon for the well-respected McDonald Forest 50k Trail Run, part of the Oregon Trail 50k Ultramarathon Series.  This year we—well Brendan—made the decision at the end of April to register for the Smith Rock Ascent 50k through GoBeyond Racing while I stubbornly grounded myself in the thought of running the Mac 50 again in hopes of PRing on that course.  About a week later I succumbed to the pressure (that I placed on myself) to register for Smith Rock.  Brendan has been a tremendous support to me over the past few years as I've gone from non-runner to ultrarunner and while selfish, I wanted to celebrate our intense training together and run the race.  I'm happy I made that choice.

Pre-Race (5/7-5/8)
Brendan and I opted to get out to Redmond, Oregon, about 5 miles south of Smith Rock State Park on Thursday, May 7th, to give our bodies a chance to acclimate to the altitude (about 3077ft-relatively low, but much higher than 100ish feet my NE Portland residence finds itself at).  We rented a large house which we shared with 5 other friends/family for the weekend to make it easy on ourselves pre- and post-race.  After a Friday of hiking around Smith Rock, seeing the Swiss Machine Ueli Steck (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ueli_Steck) running trails, picking up our race bibs (and seeing Western States 2014 women's champion Stephanie Howe http://stephaniemariehowe.blogspot.com/), and stuffing our faces with tacos and burritos, the time to rest up for the big day ahead of us had come.  While a beer (for carbo-loading?) was consumed, my typical hydration routine of Nuun All Day in the morning, Nuun Active and Nuun Energy for the day's hike, and another Nuun All Day in the evening prior to bed allowed me to focus on my hydration sufficiently.

Race Day (5/9)
My typical race morning nutrition is typically 2 cups of dark-roasted coffee, 1 liter of water with 1 Nuun All Day tablet, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I've stuck to this for years! I have felt like this was always my go to and that there was no need to change even though I always felt like there was a brick in my stomach that would surely make its way out before the race was over.  This morning I chose to have 1 cup of my homemade granola (rolled oats, almond slivers, cashew pieces, coconut flakes, coconut oil, and agave syrup all roasted with a hearty helping of raisins) served with almond milk.  I definitely didn't feel that brick this time and believe this to be a good change to my typical routine.

Off we are to Smith Rock State Park...oops...I left my race bib in the other car!  Our (Brendan's) Smart Car Race Car—Brendan as our Mario Andretti—quickly turned around on Route 97 to dash back with only 40 minutes to spare until race time so that I could race. (We discussed it in this moment, but if we were any closer time-wise I would have been in full support mode and Brendan would have ran solo)

Fortunately my wonderful parents, whom had arrived the night before to indulge in tacos/burritos, had made it there before us and hailed us down to grab a spot about a quarter mile from the race start.  A quick U-y, and a heavy coating of Body Glide on to any chafable surface, we were off to the starting line...after one last trip to the latrine.

Post-forgetting race bib and finally parking.  We smile differently before races than we do after...

Smith Rock Ascent 50k
Once the cluster broke free—with Brendan and I splitting immediately—the course took us down from the parking lot over a small bridge over the Crooked River, and west around the surreal Smith Rock to start.  Shaded for the first few miles, the steady line of runners held strong.  By the time we could no longer escape the sunshine and were forever exposed (approximately mile 5?) we made our way up to the first aid station still in a steady stream of runners.  At this point I was feeling tremendous and felt like I could break free of my typical fear of burning out too soon.

I had packed along 3 sleeves of Clif Shot Bloks, 2 Clif Shots, a Stinger Waffle, a Picky Bar, and 70oz of Nuun in my hydration pack (2 Lemon Lime Nuun Energy, 2 Tri-Berry Nuun, 4 plus for nuun tablets) to start.  By the race's finish I had not consumed all of the race food, consuming aid station food along the way, but boy do I wish I had more plus for nuun with me along the race.  This was my first race testing out the new product while also reducing my need for other nutrients and I was noticeably stronger the first 15 miles of the race.

By the time I left the first aid station, I was still feeling fantastic but was headed for a major ascent.  After some significant gain we hit our first major downhill, cruising to the second aid station at 12.7 miles just under 2 hours (PR pace for me).  After a quick fill of the hydration pack, some pretzels, a douse of water over the head (again, we were exposed for the majority of the race in the dry, Central Oregon climate), I was off.

From the day before the race, May 8th, from Smith Rock State Park overlooking the Cascades

Running alongside a wonderful woman from Boise, we discussed life's possibilities and the plight of mankind...or we talked running, and the condition of our bodies in that very moment.  After a long, heavily exposed stretch of downhill, and an extreme incline, we found ourselves gradually making our way to the 3rd aid station.  Just shy of 12 miles to go! So close!  At this point I was feeling the tiredness, but still felt good.  I wish I had packed more plus for nuun and nuun active with me, but settled for whatever the aid station held for me.  The lovely woman from Boise asked if I was good to go (to continue running together), and I said I needed minute.

Leaving aid station 3 I took a few minutes to stroll, eat a Clif Shot, and a part of a PBJ before moving my legs a bit quicker.  That moment may have been the quickest I moved my legs for 7 miles.

The wall...I have never hit the wall so bad in a race thus far.  It tried to run...I tried to run on the slight downhill, and my body was just not moving.  I couldn't get going.  Funny thing is I knew when I was (power) hiking that I was solid, but the moment I attempted to quicken the pace I just felt like I wouldn't make it.  I wanted to finish. I wanted to cross that finish line.  And another runner jokingly told me that my walk was faster than his, so not to worry when he stopped to walk because I'd likely catch up.  That's not what I was worried about.  I hadn't gone to the bathroom in nearly 4 hours and I had consumed 8+ liters of fluids.

At one point, thinking I was still miles from the next aid station (about 5 miles from the finish), stopping to body glide my heels which were plagued with blood blisters, and asking the gentlemen strolling up alongside me how long he thought it was.  We both agreed it had to be at least another mile or 2....5 minutes later we were there!

After a couple cups of coke, some pretzels, some water, and some satirical chatter about wishing steak and eggs were at the aid station, I was off for the last (less than) 5 miles of the race.  I wish I was committed to taking race photos while running at this point because one of the most breathtaking sights of my young existence was seeing the Cascade range from atop the Gray Butte Trail.  After a couple of relatively flat miles we began our descent along Burma Rd back in to the Crooked River (Valley?).  This...was...brutal.  I met back up with the wonderful woman from Boise, and after running a few together jumped ahead to reach the finish on the Wolf Trail and back up to the start/finish line.  What a tease though!

As we crossed back over the bridge from the start we all found ourselves have to climb back up the hill to the finish, which most of us in sight walked up.  Just nearing the apex of this last ascent, I saw my mother peering over the cliff for me and yelled out to her while I was walking, struggling to make it up this last hill.  My mother proceeded to yell "run", and I then responded—sorry mother :(—with a "Don't tell me to run!"!  I had just ran 30 miles...I was spent!  I did though.  I guess I've done plenty of things that my mother has told me.  I ran to the finish, saw my father taking some pictures and starting strutting around like I had sticks attached to my legs with strong rubber bands.

I was done...I finished...a PR for a 50k and so glad to be done!

I'm so glad my parents support me in so many things I've set my mind to...even running 31+ miles.  Thanks mom and dad for being here at the finish!

Post-Race
While pacing around to keep my body moving, I ran in to the Swiss Machine himself, Ueli Steck and had a brief 'water-cooler' chat with him and proceeded to connect with him a bit later on about his time in Oregon.  Ueli was an incredibly friendly man and I am honored to have had a chance to meet him personally.  While I attempted to eat a burrito that was available at the finish, my stomach was just not ready for that heavy of nutrition.  Some of the excitement of races is not only finishing yourself, but cheering on all the others that have, and that will be finishing.  It is so rewarding to see the looks on folks' faces as they have accomplished such a feat (of running a race...really any race) that this may be one of my favorite parts of a race—aside from running and finish myself.

Ueli Steck was a fantastic individual and was more than willing to take a picture with me after we both were recovering from the race.

Brendan!  There he comes! Running through the finish.  We both made it, and while this year was very different than past Mac 50k races we had participated in, the Smith Rock Ascent 50k had its own unique advantages and disadvantages.  It may not have been the same elevation gain as previous races, the mild-altitude, and dry, warm, exposed sunshine made the race a challenge in its entirety.  Would I run the Smith Rock Ascent 50 again?  Yes.

Race Gear/Nutrients:
- Nuun Active, Energy, plus for nuun
- Clif Shot Bloks, Clif Shots
- Stinger Waffles
- Nathan Hydration Pack (w/ 70oz bladder)
- Saucony Peregrine 3 shoes

Race Rating (1 low-5 high):
- Communication/Organization: 5
- Course: 4 (if it was not so exposed it'd be a 5)
- Aid Stations: 4 (an additional water-only aid station could be beneficial)
- Course Markings: 4 
- Scenery: 5
- Post-Race Food: 3.5 (burrito bar is a bit heavy-this may be a personal preference, but I'm always much more of a fan of a large selection of fruits, breads, carbs, juices, sodas, soups and not a big heavy burrito)
- Overall: 4.5

Dakota, Brendan's daughter, proceeded to cover me up with blankets and stuffed toys as I rested my weary legs.

Part of the Nuuniverse + Plus for Nuun + Smith Rock Ascent 50k Preview

So after a long wait, our individual Team Nuun profile pages on the Nuun website went live!  This is very exciting to me, but not just because I'm on the 'Nuuniverse' now, but to also see all the other incredible folks working so hard to improve themselves through such a diverse range of activities!  While I've had opportunities to connect with folks here in the Portland, Oregon area over the past few months that are huge advocates of Nuun, and ultimately healthy-living through their activities (and of course properly staying hydrated), it is fantastic to be even more connected to folks across the country!

One of the fantastic benefits of Nuun historically is it's low caloric profile.  Now Nuun has come out with plus for nuun, which is an additional tablet that can be added to any of the other nuun tablets to introduce carbohydrates to one's workout.  Give it a go-I've given it a massive thumbs up after my inaugural trial.  Not only did I feel hydrated, and replenished from depleting my electrolyte levels, I was less fatigued throughout my training run and felt I was able to balance on the other foods that I would typically consume during a run by having a level of carbohydrates to slowly introduce in to my body.

plus for nuun, nuun energy, nuun active, and nuun all day.  Each product serves such a different purpose, sometimes within a single day depending on the level of activies

Smith Rock Ascent 50k-May 9th 2015 (preview)

I'm getting pretty darn stoked for this weekend.  Brendan Soule and I will be heading out to Redmond on Thursday, May 7th to begin our adjustment to Central Oregon in preparation for the Smith Rock Ascent 50k.  This trail combines 50k (31 miles) of trails around Oregon's Smith Rock State park while gaining approximately 4100ft of elevation throughout the course.  Please do cheer us on from your couch, or your car, or your weekend getaway, or really wherever you may be!  Look out for a race review some time next week!  A link to the race website is below if you are curious:

https://gobeyondracing.com/races/smith-rock-ascent/

Listening to your body

Those of us crazy enough to pound the pavement for miles upon miles have all likely burdened ourselves with the stubbornness to run through some fairly chronic pain.  Heck, depending on skill level, whether 1 mile, 3 miles, 10 miles, 31 miles, 50, or beyond, most of our bodies do not just happily go with our agenda to push ourselves further.  From shoes, to apparel, to terrain, I've ran over the years seeking that running niche.  Where am I at my best?  Where am I confident that I can push myself to that next level?

Post-Race for the Roses.  Always lovely to have folks to
run a good race with! (L to R) Myself, Whitney,
Adrian, and Erin.

I was once asked at work if I was to set a world record in something what would it be and without having to think Forrest Gump popped vividly in to my head and knew that it would be walking an incredibly distance.  My exact response was  walking from Portland, Oregon up to Alaska, and then walking on to a container ship crossing the Bering Strait and preceding to walk back and forth until making landfall on Russia and making my way through Siberia...crazy?  Yes.  Impossible? No!

So where am I going with this you may ask? Well now that we are in the middle of the running season, and I have not quite yet hit my stride, I'm becoming more and more eager to push myself, but I know I've held back some this year as I've been battling back from injuries.  This would not have always been the case.  

Fellow competitive athlete with Team Nuun Nikki
Gaudreault and I at the finish for the Race for the
Roses.  Nuun was at each aid station and Nikki
was running the finish line Nuun table.

I was never a 'runner' up until about 7 years ago.  A javelin, shotput, and discus thrower in high school, I was more keen to hide behind the bleachers eating a slice of pizza than running a few warm up laps around the track.  In 2008, while serving in Uganda, I jumped on the fad of wearing a pair of barefoot running toe shoes.  I have to admit they were fantastic!  I ran all up and down those dirt roads of rural Uganda without nothing more than a sharp stone to an arch here or there (which hurt like a *&%(&#$&).  I never trained for any sort of race, but just got in to running after a fellow volunteer suggested she had heard of a college course in the US that all but guaranteed every student would complete a marathon after taking the course.  Seven years after this moment I've found myself having completed a road marathon, a number of 10ks and half marathons, a couple of 50ks, a 50 miler, and numerous runs of distances that one should not think of being fun...but I find it to be.  But then the pain hits...

Sometimes a knee, sometimes an ankle, always a muscle, and somehow sometimes the brain, but I just kept going.  I didn't want any sort of pain to stop, so I figured I would not just run through the pain, but by running the pain would work itself out.  I changed from barefoot running toe shoes, to Nike Frees, and have now found that Brooks PureConnect respond to my body well for the roads.  Saucony Peregrines and Montrail Mountain Masochist respond well to trails.  Body Glide responds well everywhere...this never gets left behind.  Nuun-how could I ever get through the miles without it.  I never stretched-even through swimming, track, football, basketball, soccer, and rugby from high school through college did I stretch.  I was immune to this.  I didn't need to.  Again-I could just run through the pain and work the pain out.  Boy was I wrong.

Training for race sweeping for the Gorge Waterfalls 100k with fellow ultra-
running buddy Brendan Soule.  I can never get enough of the Columbia
River Gorge!

Yes, the worst pain I've dealt with in the past year was not from running, but from flipping over my handle bars avoiding a squirrel and fracturing my elbow.  This though did take me away from running...from exercising...and put a hold on my training at the end of 2014 and forcing me to miss the Elk-Kings Traverse in the Tillamook National Forest.  It was during this time, and the beginning of 2015 here that I've come to realize the power of not just stretching, or cross-training, but actually listening to one's body.  STOP when it hurts (yes...I will still run through pain, especially in a race, but there is a difference between pain that one can recover from and pain that could have a lasting impact).

Post-race beer before 9am after the Shamrock Run

Portland.  Never have beer and chowder prior to 9am

tasted so amazing.

Runner's knee developed for the first time in January of this year (2015), and in February I decided it was time to do something different.  It wasn't working to keep running through the pain and just assume it would get better.  Since starting to stretch, even a few stretches to the large muscle groups to balance out the dozens of miles I put on them each week helps.  While I am still not as committed to it as I'd like to be, since beginning a series of mountain athlete bodyweight workouts, I've noticed a significant difference in how my legs are being strengthened.  Lastly, since getting back in to yoga, even just a couple times a week at Hot Yoga for Life here in Portland, the runner's knee has disappeared, the hip pointers are history, and my confidence that I'm truly listening to my body's needs for the first time in my life is greater than ever.  The next step is really supporting and working out that core...oh that core...the beer doesn't help but it tastes so good...

Along the trail in the Columbia River Gorge while
scouting the trails for the Gorge Waterfalls 100k route.

Multiple times over the past couple of years I've internally pledged myself to deem the respective year my year of running.  Last year ended abruptly with a fractured elbow, but I can proudly say that prior to that in July of 2014 I did successfully complete my first 50 miler race, the Mt. Hood 50, which in 2008 I would have never imagined doing.  I pledged to myself that 2015 was going to be my year of really breaking out and taking that next step in running.  A very proud moment this year is when I was selected to be sponsored by Nuun (http://nuun.com/) on the competitive athlete Team Nuun.  For those who do not know, Nuun is effervescent tablets are added to water to support and increase hydration in not just athletes but for anyone!  I had used Nuun prior to this, and to me this selection was an acknowledgment to the hard work I had put in over the years.  That said, the chronic aches, and pains have taken a toll, but having learned to listen to my body's needs, and achieving a PR of 1:33:00 in the Race for the Roses were no small feats.  And it's only the end of April!

These pledges to myself and the accomplishments I've experienced remind me that patience pays off, and that one does not go from couch to 50 miler in a day, but it is a fine balance of commitment, training, support from others, and a huge dose of craziness that allows us to achieve and surpass the feats we never imagined do so.  Well...and listening to one's body of course.

Fight for Air Climb: Supporting the American Lung Association

Post in Progress: Pictures + Captions first; narrative to come

On my ride to the US Bancorp Tower in downtown Portland for the Fight for Air Climb in support of the American Lung Association.  Visibility seemed to be just a few hundred feet at best.  Good thing climbing 160 floors in a stairwell wasn't for the views.

Nikki Gaudreault (left), myself, and Brendan Soule (right) representing Nuun at the Fight for Air Climb.  We all rocked it climbing up 160 flights!  Photo Credit Team Nuun member Nikki Gaudreault. Stayed hydrated thanks to Nuun!

My results from the fundraiser.  Definitely surprised myself.  Having never done any sort of stair climb event, and probably not having climbed more than one flight in the past 3 years, placed 8th out of 116 total climbers of 160 floors with a time of 27:36. 

When the off season is a fractured elbow...

While the running 'season' may have begun last Saturday, December 20th, when I expressed such to Brendan, tomorrow may as well be more of a reality check.

Last week's 5.6ish mile headlamp run was essentially a bit of WD-40 on these rust ol' joints.  Tomorrow though is a true test of the past few years of rugged beating our bodies have taken.

Brendan glowing in the pre-dawn glow of my headlamp 12/20/14

The Wildwood Trail in Forest Park, Portland, Oregon should be a good jump in to the year of 2015 for running.

Wunderground.com tells me currently that at 10am there is a 96% chance of rain…I think it'll be a wet one.  I questioned Brendan's packing of what appears to be a $1 poncho but I think his head may be on a bit straighter than mine.  I've a Mountain Hardware jacket that should do the trick with light rain, but eventually the rain gets to me and I'll allow my body to pursue homeostatic conditions through its natural processes.

Prepping for our early run on 12/20/14 with a headlamp and Nuun

While the weather may provide a bit of its own fun, nutrition is always a point of contention.  Do you bring some sort of gel?  Trail mix?  Gummy bears?  Clif Bars?  Other granola bars?  Nuun is always a staple the day before, the morning before, and a diluted amount during a run to keep my electrolytes up and balanced.  Gel used to be my go to…it has become difficult to stomach it now, but in moderation I'm good to go.

It is amazing that with all of the preparation for weather and time on the feet, the excitement just builds! The trail provides so much for a mind and body to find focus.  Yes, the pounding of the soil does affect the muscles and the joints, but the mind has so much to give to the body if you let it.  Tomorrow will be the first time of the year (2015) to find myself back on the path that I strayed from when fracturing my arm in September of this year.  I have to remind myself that I took nearly 2 months off without even putting my running shoes on to heal-that wasn't supposed to be my off season but it turned in to it.  I can't explain the excitement that is inside me just thinking the that 8 hours and 14 minutes from right now I will be hopping out on to a trail to run/hike just around 30 mile, not because I have to, but because it is what my body is telling me I am to do to be me.

Preparations for Saturday, December 27th's 30ish Mile WildWood Trail run in Forest Park, Portland, Oregon

2015-The Year of the (uninterrupted motion of the legs)..Running

I've declared 2015 the Year of the (uninterrupted motion of the legs)…I attempted to search for a reasonable synonym to 'running' and I felt most were lackluster.  Therefore I've utilized a statement, opposed to a word, to describe the year to come.  That said, this post comes to announce that I am putting my foot down.  Just over 5 months ago when the clock ticked 30 regarding my years on this planet, I declared this the decade of all decades (yes…I may declare that when I hit the 40s, 50s, 60s, or 70s), but I mean it.  Great things are to come.

Back to the running…ahem…uninterrupted motion of the legs.  That is one small piece of the puzzle.  About three and a half months ago, September 2nd to be exact, I flipped over my handle bars avoiding a squirrel after volunteering at Oregon Public Broadcasting on their fundraising drive, broke my elbow, and my running took a backseat for a couple of months.  I backed out of one race, but inevitably ran the Klickitat Trail Half after months of not running and surprised myself with the effort.

This year, I am proud to announce that I have been invited to be part of Team Nuun for the 2015 season!  Nuun (http://www.nuun.com) has been a hydrating asset not only in my physical life over the years but as a regular part of my nutritional regiment in maintaining hydration, mental acuity, and physical endurance.

I am still finding out how to best utilize this blog regarding passions that I hold (running, beer brewing, educational policy-of course the profession comes out), but I figure word vomit is a way to start.

Back to running though.  So far this year my registration is:

- May 3rd-BMO Vancouver Marathon (Vancouver, BC, Canada)

- May 9th- Smith Rock Ascent 50k
- (Not registered-Volunteering to sweep the 2nd half of the 100k Gorge Waterfalls Race here in Oregon)

Stay Hydrated!

This is when things get exciting...

3 years ago today I awoke with terrible pains on the right side of my chest, a heightened pulse, and a high fever…the symptoms and subsequent physical and emotional challenges persisted for months.  I was removed from people and a place that I had fallen deeply in love with.   Healing of any sort takes time.  I believe it is time to move on.  It's time to celebrate…

Thank you to all those who have been there over the past 3 decades of my life and to those who were there for me 3 years ago in the midst of one of the most life-changing experience of my life.