The Icebreakers - Bringing Awareness to Mental Health and Addiction

Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness month? Unlike other common illnesses, such as breast cancer, who we all know has the month of October, this cause isn't getting nearly the attention it should, until this project came along.

Mental illness affects one in five of all Americans. Just under half of those people will seek help (National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 2016), namely due to the stigma that has been placed around mental health issues. I would guess the chances are likely, that you as a reader, know someone who has been afflicted with mental health issues, whether it be depression, addiction, anxiety or more serious illnesses. Addiction has touched my family several times, in fact it is not unusual for mental illness to run in families. Both my dear uncle and cousin, who are no longer with us, were both alcoholics at one time. My uncle was able to overcome his addiction and go on to help many others. He beat his illness and went on to live a pretty amazing life until cancer took his life.  My husband's brother lost his life 3 years ago due to health issues related to addiction. Personally, I have struggled with both anxiety and depression, after getting divorced in 2010. Anxiety has reared its ugly head a few times throughout my years of grad school. I feel it's impossible to know that someone who hasn't been touched.

As a health professional, I feel that mental illness is talked about more, but is still a completely underfunded and undertreated issue. I think more individuals are getting a little bit more comfortable talking with their health care providers about it, but don't take about it with the other people in their lives. Other people who could be support systems. Why is there still such a stigma around mental health? Why is it ok to take a sick day at work because of the flu, but not because you have anxiety?

Over the past week and a half, I have been following the journey of a group of runners who are canvasing the U.S. from the West coast to the East, ending in Washington D.C. where a mental health conference will be taking place. When I saw they were coming to Dallas, I really wanted to join in or meet them along the way somewhere, just to show support.  A new friend (and neighbor!) who saw that I had been thinking about meeting up with the group reached out to me to see if I wanted to ride with her Friday morning, but, work. When she text me again Friday evening, I briefly thought about it and again said probably not. Then thought a little bit more and thought, what the hell, I can sleep when I'm dead, I'm in. Emily had already left, but I was shortly behind.

We met the runners just past Sulphur Springs, TX. On my way there I had seen that Catra Corbett, an ultra runner who is pretty much my running hero, was currently running. I was going to get to run with her! I couldn't believe it. At this point I was so happy I had changed my mind and decided to go.

Catra has run over one hundred 100 milers, over 200 ultra marathons, sometimes week after week, she is a machine. She is a record holder on the John Muir Trail. And her dog TruMan? Well, he has a race resume that most runners would envy.

TruMan!!

The rest of the group was equally seasoned, book writers, ultrarunners, Badwater finishers, to call them elite seemed like an understatement. I was pretty much a starry eyed teenage fan girl all night. Emily joined me later in the night when we ran with Phil Nimmo, a friend of the group, whom they picked up in Mansfield, TX, because of an injury to one of the original six.

So what does the Icebreaker Run represent?

The inaugural run is supported by Mental Health America, The Herren Project and Break the Stigma Project.

"We are not a group of mental health professionals, but rather a reflection of mental illness. Our personal stories represent addiction, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety, among others. We know firsthand the barriers that exist between mental illness and mental health. More importantly, we know that taking the first step to overcome these barriers is often the toughest decision one ever makes." (Icebreakerrun.org, 2016)

The run will end on 6.9.16 in Alexandria, VA at Mental Health America's annual conference. Along the way, the team stops at schools and other community centers in an effort to break the stigma of mental illness. The runners will be running for 24 hours a day, for 24 days straight. When they came through the DFW area last week, there were some pretty wicked storms, rain, lightening and then heat and humidity - they still ran. On Monday, it was 103 degrees in Mississippi. The runners still run. 3,100 miles. About a marathon per runner, day after day (Icebreakerrun.org, 2016). 

I ran with Catra from a little after 10pm until around 11:30. We chatted the entire time. Both dog lovers, she told me about how she got TruMan, how they started running together, told me about some of her adventures and even gave me some very helpful advice about running Leadville. At a time when I was having a lot of doubts about the race, she really helped me maintain positivity. She too, has been affected deeply by mental illness, as has her puppy dog, TruMan, who had a great deal of anxiety when she adopted him. I could've listened to her stories all night, but it was time for her to rest.

While Catra and I were running, we were detoured only some back roads off of the frontage roads they had been using. All of a sudden we noticed flashing lights (like a cop car) and I was convinced it was policeman wondering why two young women were out running this late at night.  Instead, it was another group, doing nearly the same thing as the Icebreakers, walking across the country in the opposite direction. The young man we met was carrying an American flag for the cause "Carry the Load", honoring the people who keep us safe; military, firefighters and rescue personnel. It made this experience even more memorable. 

 

 

Phil Nimmo ran until 1am with both Emily and I and shared even more stories, had us cracking up and helped us fend off loose dogs running amuck across the East Texas countryside. By the time we were done, we had almost made it to Mt. Vernon. 

This was an incredible experience. To be even just a very small part of something really big doesn't happen everyday. Better yet, there are now more people to help this team spread the word. 

The Icebreaker Run still has a few days of travelling to go. You can continue to follow their journey on 

facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/icebreakerrun2016

Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/icebreaker_run/ 

On the Twitter at https://twitter.com/icebreaker_run

or visit their website to learn more about the team at icebreakerrun.org.

You can also support their cause by donating or by purchasing some of the cool gear that they have available. I scored an awesome tank from HERE that I can't wait to get!

 

Humpday Humblebrag 1.0

So the inspiration for this new, bi-weekly feature came to me when I was running 52 miles through the woods this past April. I had previously written something in the same format for a local running group and thought it might be fun to spotlight some of the runners I coach. They have done some pretty amazing things! Hence, the Humpday Humblebrag was born. I want to brag on these runners, because as I said in a post last week, their victories are little victories for me too!

This week's spotlight is on Jessica Bialowas. I started coaching Jessica last fall in preparation for her first marathon, which she ran in New Orleans, LA this past February. Jessica worked incredibly hard, made some huge gains in her running (she PR'd at a half marathon in the middle of training for a marathon!) and has already registered for marathon #2 in December! One of the things I admire about her is the example she is setting for her kiddos (twins!). Jessica runs 5ks with her daughter quite often and they always look like they are having so much fun. 

Tell me about when/why you started running.

First, let me make this clear, I am a  nerd. I was at a neuroscience conference listening to a presentation on ways to prevent cognitive degeneration. I was already doing all but one of the recommendations. The other one was exercise, but not just any exercise. It has to be exercise that increases the blood flow to the prefrontal cortex. The three best exercises for this are 1. professional soccer (recreational doesn't count) 2. running 3. ballroom dancing, but only if you are the person following. That's why I took up running. That was the Summer of 2013 and it took me weeks to build up to being able to run for one minute. I literally couldn't do the first day of the couch to 5K for almost a month.

What is your next race that you are going to crush?

Dallas Marathon hopefully!

Do you have a favorite distance?

Half - it's long enough to feel impressive, but not as painful as a full

3 words that describe your running...

Slow awkward jog, haha

What is your favorite thing about running?

Confidence. Running is something that has never come easily for me. It is something that has always seemed impossible. Each race or long run I do or new PR I set reminds me that I can do more than I ever thought possible.

What motivates you?

The crazy people around me who run ultras and my kids who run 5Ks.

Jessica with her daughter at this past year's New Year's Double

What has been your favorite race so far?

I like them all for different reasons. Resolution Run for my PR, Rock and Roll New Orleans for the random guy giving out jello shots, Fairview for the llamas

Bucket list race:

Wroclaw half (or full) marathon - which ever has the gnome medal that year. We visit Wroclaw every 2 years to visit family and the kids love to go hunting for the gnome statues that are hidden throughout the city.

I *had* to look this up...how adorable is this?!?!

Which event are you really looking forward to?

Dallas Marathon - I have two good friends who have promised to run it with me. :) They are both crazy ultra runners so if all else fails they can carry me over the finish line, right?

Show me your favorite bling: 

New Year's Double/Double 2014/2015 - 5K and a half marathon each day for 2 consecutive days. Somehow I don't have a picture. 

Don't worry...I do! This thing was H U G E!!
photo cred: New Year's Double/Active Joe

Do you have any pre-run/pre-race rituals?

Is freaking out considered a ritual?

Favorite gear?

Brooks Transcend 2

Outside of running, what are some of your hobbies/interests?

Music - I play trumpet. My kids - they are awesome.

I felt like a badass runner when....

I earned a new PR without trying at the Resolution Run half marathon this year.

What is your favorite post race treat?

Everything. All of it. Bonus if it is alcohol or chocolate.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give new runners?

If it seems impossible, you need to try harder. 

(I happen to love this! I'm stealing it as my new mantra - Jojo)

The Friday Five - Five Reasons to Hire a RRCA Coach

I think some runners think a coach is out of their league, that they are just for elite runners or runners who want to win races. Or that they are super expensive. What a lot of runners don't realize is that everyone can benefit from the use of a coach, whether you are a competitive runner or a mid to back of the pack runner.

The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) hosts running clinics that offer certification around the US a few times of year. They are very popular and usually quite difficult to get into. A couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to attend one of the clinics in Austin, TX. Initially, it was something I wanted to do to improve my own running, but soon realized that one of my passions was helping other runners. I was already mentoring a couple of my friends and helping them with marathon training plans, so I figured, why not branch out and help others as well? What started as helping a couple of my friends, shortly turned into coaching quite a few! I quickly realized that it was something I loved doing. I was living vicariously through these athletes and their triumphs became mine. When they met their big goals, it was like I was meeting mine too. To say this opportunity has been fulfilling would be an understatement. I saw one of my athletes (in fact, one of the originals!) cross the finish line of her first ultramarathon this past weekend. It. Was. Amazing.

So, for those of you who are on the fence or wondering why you may want to consider a RRCA certified coach, I present to you the Friday Five...

1. Knowledge and Ethics

The main purpose of the RRCA is to "create a national community of knowledgeable and ethical distance running coaches to work with runners at all levels of ability" (RRCA, 2016). 

They focus on lifelong learning of sports science, training methods, coaching fundamentals, as well as professional conduct and ethics. If you were to ask me what the difference is between an RRCA certified coach and someone who calls themselves a coach sans any kind of certification, I would say that this is the difference. 

While the coaching workshop is just two days, it is two days packed full of information and hands on learning,  The RRCA does not teach one specific method of coaching, but teaches their attendees to base their own coaching methods from research, a wide range of well versed coaches and personal experience. 

I wouldn't say that the seminar was life changing, but it did provide an excellent base of knowledge to build on. I am still learning new things from other coaches. It truly is a lifelong journey.

2. You've hit a plateau. 

Hiring a coach is an excellent way to get out of a rut. If you feel like the PRs aren't coming as quickly as you like, it might be that you need to change something up. 

A coach can help you figure out a ways to meet your goals and get you to a new level of running.

3. Speaking of goals...

Working with a coach can help you set both reasonable and stretch goals . I have athletes that want to complete a marathon now, but their stretch goal is to qualify for Boston. Even though they aren't working on their stretch goal specifically now, it's always in the scheme of things and we will continue to chip away at her marathon finish time. 

Basically, a coach can help you keep it real, but at the same time keep your big goals in the grand scheme of things.

4. Your plan will be more personal, fit to meet your needs.

I'm sure you've all seen the canned plans that are available through Runner's World, Hal Higdon and Jeff Galloway. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with those plans and they will help you finish your desired distance. That being said, that's about all they will do. There are no specific challenges within them other than to cover the distance given for that day. They don't allow for "life". When your kiddo gets sick, you have a family emergency or just can't get your runs in, they don't really allow for that and make you feel pressured to increase your miles before you might be ready to. I've used these plans. The first year or two I trained for marathons I used various plans and basically got the same results every year. It wasn't until I started changing things up, doing different things and then hiring a coach myself three years ago, did I make any change in my outcomes. When I did that, the PRs...well they came fast and furious. I think hiring a coach is what inspired me to be a coach. It certainly helped me see their value and purpose! A RRCA coach will push you to go farther, capitalize on your gains and change things up if they aren't working for you on an ongoing basis, canned plans don't do that. If you miss your 14 miler, well, next week you still have your 16 miler. 

5. Support and Motivation

Last and most importantly, you get your own personal cheerleader. While most of the athletes I coach are also good friends, whom I'd support regardless, I feel vested in all of their performances, whether it be a training run or a big race. I want them to do well because that directly reflects on me (and I surely don't want any of them to hate me!). Whether friends or not, this holds true. You can expect another level of support from a coach as well as a frequent source of motivation. 

I think that about sums it up! Hopefully I've given you a good look at why hiring a RRCA coach is a great idea! While I am a certified coach, there are many others, all around the United States. Most of us are available for online multi-distance coaching and some even for local in-person coaching. Here is a list of all of the certified coaches available. If you are interested in coaching, I suggest reaching out to a few, to see who you think will fit your specific needs and would work well with you!

If you'd like more information from me, feel free to hit me up via email: jolene.k.aden@gmail.com

Happy Friday!!

Thanks again to the ladies in DC for the Friday Five Linkup!  Check out more awesome Friday Fives over at Courtney at Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar at Mar on the Run and Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?!

References

Road Runners Club of America. (2016). Resources. 

Rocky Raccoon 100 - The Struggle Was Real

If you missed part one...

I had read in many race reports that loop 4 is the most difficult to start, and if you can start it, there's a good chance you will finish. I was determined to start loop 4. I got back to my bag, added more clothes as it was getting really cold (at one point I had on 4 hoodies), my mittens, my lucky headband (found by my friend Cory on the Verrazano-Narrows bridge when I lost mine in the wind) and a hat. I switched out my shoes one more time, going with the Olympus – max cushion for feet that were getting kind of tired. Before we headed out, we stopped to fuel up, this time on hot chocolate and chocolate covered strawberries. YUM.

Also....sorry for the lack of pictures here....it was dark!

The aide stations during ultra marathons and trail races compared to those at a road race are like night and day.  Instead of Gatorade and your occasional banana or orange slice, the aide stations are like buffets. So much food, so little time. Most of the volunteers are also ultra marathoners/trail runners, are so incredibly kind,caring and will do anything in their power to help. They are literally your trail angels and can make or break your race, but they always make it.  In the dead of the night they greet you with a smile, even though they are tired, likely cold and fatigued themselves, they look like they are having a blast (I have no doubt they are!) and do their best to see you on your way.  I truly think they are the reason most people finish the race.  I was so lucky that at the hardest point in the race, the long damnation loop, I had some local friends, Libby and Agustin, volunteering.  It was so great seeing familiar faces.  

Back to loop 4 in the dead of the night. So far, so good. Even though we were pretty much power hiking, we were making good time and the miles were rolling along. It was so nice to get to spend some time with Lisa. We don't get to see each other very often, but we have seen each other twice this year! She was the maid of honor at my wedding! We always pick up right where we left off. We were having so much fun chatting and laughing, that the first 10 miles of that loop flew by. We hit the first and second aide stations and then the damnation loop (which this time, really felt like damnation). Somewhere along that loop, I got really tired. I hadn't gotten a whole lot of sleep the night before because of that thunder, nerves and excitement. 

People had told me about hallucinations during 100 milers and it was one of those things that you don't really believe until you're experiencing it. It was happening. The ground seemed to be moving from side to side. I'm sure it was because of exhaustion, but it was getting more difficult to navigate when things weren't still looking through my eyeballs. It's really hard to explain. Then, some heavenly angel (another runner, I think - maybe it was an illusion) came by and offered me a caffeine tablet. Normally, I wouldn't take pills from strangers, but desperate times call for desperate measures and I've never met anyone out there that didn't seem trustworthy. That pretty much solved that problem and I felt pretty good again. We were slowing a little bit and getting really cold. We got back to damnation, sat under the heater for a bit, got our hot drinks,, which we later laughed about that we either needed sippy cups or straws to drink as half of the drinks were spilled all over our mittens, and headed back out.

Before long, we were at the dreaded rock road. Basically, it was a road that had been constructed for construction trucks, made of really sharp whitish rocks. This was and out and back portion, so I had already gone over it seven times and this would be my eighth. This blew. Looking back, I think it was where things really started to go wrong for me. My feel never really hurt the entire time (thanks Altra!), but those rocks felt like daggers this time. I could've swore I had spontaneously developed neuropathy. They didn't so much hurt my feet, but were making them feel like a pins and needles sensation. No bueno.

We were still doing ok on time, but I felt like I was consistently slowing, I feel like it was mostly because of the cold. I know I grew up in MN, but 30 degrees and 80% humidity makes for a very, very cold night for someone with thin Texas blood. There were people in the aide tents that looked hypothermic. At the very end of the rock road, I saw Lint again. He was out on his final loop and looked like he had just had a full night's sleep! He gave me a great pep talk and told me to get after it. It helped my spirits, a lot. Just before the final aide station prior the starting area, things really got bad. Now I had fully expected to endure a good amount of pain, tiredness and overall loathing for running during this race, but all of a sudden, my body just stopped working. We would stop and stretch. I kept trying to shake it out, but it just wasn't happening. I had poorly planned for cold weather and while I had on 4 jackets, mittens, a buff and a hat, all I had on my legs were a thin pair of barre tights and a running skirt. Just. Wasn't. Cutting. It. In hindsight, I'm pretty sure this is what earned me my DNF. The volunteers at the final aide station told me I still had 90 minutes to get back to the start to make the cut off, which was 4.5 miles away, something that would normally take me maybe an hour or a bit under. I just didn't see how it was going to happen, I could barely move. I tried to pick it up and run again, but that wasn't working either. Nothing really hurt, yet everything hurt. I was doing some kind of Frankenstein march. To make matters worse, I had started the race with a bit of a cough (the downfalls of doing a pediatric rotation – lots of sick kiddos spreading germs) and it was getting worse. I started getting teary about making it this far and considering stopping and could barely breathe. I started seeing things again. Buildings that were actually logs/trees. I was kind of delirious. Lisa did nothing but encourage me ,tell me I had this & couldn't stop, but I had already decided that this would be my last lap. I am pretty stubborn, but she just wasn't having it.  I couldn't have picked a better sidekick. We tried to get back to the start and were within just a few tenths of a mile, when we finally saw a road. I called Ryan and he came and got us.

at least we are still smiling!

I was crushed. I had made it 80 freaking miles and couldn't pull it off. I think it would've felt less painful had I only made it 40 or 50. I know running 80 miles is a feat in itself, but I didn't go there to run 80 miles, I went there to run 100, it just wasn't possible.

Ryan took my timing chip back to the start and handed it in. He collected my  parting gift as well. We were all exhausted. We chatted a bit with Lisa and Matt. I told all of them to promise that they would never let me do this again, no matter what and we said our good byes.

Ryan and I went back to the hotel for a little nap. Even the walk to the room was painful. A shower had never felt so incredibly good. Sleep was fitful and came in short spurts. I had started running a fever and my cough had gotten much, much worse. There were tears. At one point I woke up and couldn't stretch out my arms and convinced myself I had rhabdo (I didn't).  Sometimes knowing a lot of things about medicine can be a bad thing. 

while I slept, Lisa stayed up to catch the sunrise Sunday morning - isn't this gorgeous?

I was so mad and disappointed in myself over this. I feel like there could've been a much better outcome if only had I invested in some warmer tights, clothes, whatever. Over the days that followed, I feel like I went through stages of grief. I was angry, sad, angry again, but now? Now I am just more determined than ever. I had told all of my close friends that I was going to defer Leadville until 2017; that if I couldn't complete and “easier” 100 miler, how the hell would I be able to do one at 10-14k feet? Honestly, I really don't think any of them believed me, but being the great friends they are, went along with it anyway. I questioned my tenacity and toughness. Went over about 40 miles in my head over and over to figure out what I did wrong.

While I had been planning on this race since early fall, when I got into Leadville I had seriously questioned not doing it. My weekends are kind of precious to me right now, plus I had a crap ton of course work due that weekend. Yet after thinking about it for a day or two, I decided it would be a great confidence booster.  Like I said, I had put in all of the training, I didn't want that to go to waste.  Plus, I decided it would be really good experience to know what it feels like to pull a difficult all-nighter, which I hadn't done in over a decade. While I used to work nights as a nurse, this was nothing like working. Not even close. So after all of the anger passed, I really came to be at peace with the fact that I didn't finish. There were a lot of other people that dropped for the same reason I did, because it had gotten so cold and they weren't prepared for it. I learned A LOT and that made the entire experience worth it. I now know how to train myself better for Leadville.  I would've hated to be unprepared there (although I've done my fair share of research on that too). I think I'm even more excited now the DNF will make a Leadville finish even sweeter. 

So that's my long story...even though it didn't have an the outcome I desired, it was an adventure and that's what I want in my life - more adventure.

A HUGE thank you to everyone that helped me that weekend....Ryan, Lisa, Matt - their help was priceless. They all put up with my bossiness and grumpiness (especially Lisa). All of my friends who cheered my on virtually.  Going back and reading all of their messages made me cry happy tears. It is good to be loved. 

There is certainly more adventure to be had....

Rocky Raccoon 100 (Part One) - The Good Stuff

A DNF (sorry...spoiler!) is kind of like a grief process. It's nothing like a death of course, but I feel like I'm going through the motions. I was in the anger stage when I wrote this, now I have moved on to acceptance and moving forward.

Much to the surprise of a lot of people, I showed up at the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile race the weekend of 2/6/16. While this had been something on my schedule for months and I had been planning for it all along, I didn't tell very many people of my intentions for several very personal reasons.

PS I did not earn this buckle.

I put in (almost) all of the training. I did a 50 mile race, back to back marathons and a couple of 50ks thrown in for good measure to get ready for this. I felt really good about this race. I could only see myself crossing the finish line. I knew what it felt like to suffer (see Rough Creek 40). I felt tough. I fell a little off the plan after the holidays, with grad school deadlines and then a minor hip injury. I didn't get a lot of miles in those last few weeks leading up to Rocky, but I had already put in my dues.

Brazos Bend 50

The weather for the weekend was looking beautiful, heading into race weekend. One of my best and oldest friends from MN was driving down for the weekend just for this. I was incredibly honored. She and her boyfriend had never been to Texas and now they were coming for me?

This is not Lisa, this is a raccoon showing his glee!

Initially, I wasn't planning on having a pacer. I have these bizarre notions to do these things myself. I did a 50 miler on my own without a pacer (which was really never a question...it is kind of unusual for that to be allowed in the first place), but I couldn't wait to spend some time with Lisa in the dead of the night for 20 miles – everyone's girl's night out dream, right?! It was really a blessing in disguise.

Ryan and I had a fun little road trip down to Huntsville on Friday afternoon. We made a required pit stop at Buc ee's (a gas station mecca that all people must experience once in their lives) and made it to the park for packet pick up.

because, fudge n'more

I tried to get some sleep Friday night and was actually kind of successful until I heard the LOUD, BOOMING thunder! What. The. Ever. Living. Hell. I have had the worst luck with race weather over the last year or so....40 mph winds, rain, rain and swamp ass humidity. The forecast said NO RAIN. What was happening here? So it rained for a few minutes. Kind of a lot of bark with no bite, but unfortunately, that was at 0345. My alarm was set for 0440 and now I was wide awake listening for more rain.

We left for the park around 0510 and were met with a ginormous line-up, although it did start moving ok. When we got to the ranger station and got ready to pay, the ranger told us that the car in front of us had paid our fees for the day. Seriously, trail runners are a unique group. We decided to pay it forward and pay the entry for the car behind us as well. It was good karma.

I got to the start and it was a sea of headlamps and darkness. I had wanted to meet up with fellow Altra ambassador, Lint, and see Lisa before the race started and I had no idea how I was going to make this happen with just a few minutes until the start.

scared, ready and nervous, really about to cry

I no more dropped my bag at the drop site stood up, but heard someone call my name. It was Lint! He recognized my pink jacket! Have you ever met a total badass? Well I have. Lint has hiked the Pacific Coast Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and my dream, the Appalachian Trail all the way through, at one time, three separate times. Sometimes from North to South, sometimes the other way around. He referred to himself as the “everyday runner”. I laughed.

We said our hellos, I decided to stick with him for awhile so I wouldn't tear off like I'm good for and before I knew it, it was go time. Then out of nowhere...there's Lisa and Matt! I only got to say hello, and give Lisa a quick hug. They had also gotten up at the butt crack of dawn to see me cross the start. I almost cried I was so happy! A quick hug and I took off.

gorgeous, right? my friend Lisa took this as we were all plodding along in the forest. see more of her amazing photography here.

Lint kept telling me that he wasn't a fast runner. Ummmm....yeah. What he is, is a super fast walker (and a solid runner). We were hiking 14min/miles. The start was pretty congested, which was probably a good thing. One of my goals for the race was not to fall (plenty of you know why) and running in the dark on a rooty trail with lots of energy would've surely seen a face plant had I not held back some at the start.

what a gorgeous day to run 100 miles

The aide stations, very well stocked and as frequent as about 4 miles apart, with the exception of damnation, which proved to be the most challenging section of all the entire day, both physically and mentally, 7 miles in a loop. But, being the researcher I am, I knew this well ahead of time and had prepared my head for it.

We did a lot of talking about trails, friends, talked with lots of people along the way who had some really amazing stories. We caught up to Gunhild Swanson, a 70 year old spitfire who had an epic finish at Western States last summer. She was so nice, super positive and really funny too! It was an honor to meet her, even though it was brief. I met up with her a couple more times during the day, eventually she passed me one last time out on the damnation loop. She is crazy amazing!

Those first 20 miles flew by. Before I knew it, I was at my drop bag, changed my clothes and shoes, restocked and headed out for miles 20-40. I was still feeling really good, super fresh. I made a point to keep eating and more importantly drinking as this has been an issue for me in the past. Another goal: no puking.

I had started out wearing my Altra Superiors, which handled like a dream on the rooty parts of the trail. I knew I wanted them early on as they are light and fast, but also knew I didn't want to run the entire race in them as they don't have a lot of cushion and a rock road along the road could get pretty gnarly later on. So I switched up to my Lone Peaks, light with more cushion. Perfect for running and hiking.

These shoes have seen some adventure.

Most of this loop was really a blur. I met up with another girl about my age from Maryland and we shared some laughs and stories. This really helped this loop go along pretty quickly too.  Lisa, Matt and Ryan had also met me at one point along the way. I could see the boy's orange sweatshirts before they could see me!

twinsies! photo cred L. Groene

I was doing well on time, taking about 4:45 on loop one and just a bit over that on the second loop. My splits were still really nice. I was still running a good portion of the trail. While it was pretty rooty in a lot of place, it was still a beautiful, runable trail. It was a gorgeous day and the woods were bathed in sunshine, yet it never got too hot.

At the last aide station on loop 2 I had to stop and take care of my feet, or else I knew they would take care of my later in the day. I could feel a couple of hot spots creeping up between my toes, so the amazing volunteers helped me with getting them lubed up and made a good point about turning my compression socks inside out so the seam wouldn't rub on my toes.

a fallen tree with a root system as tall as me

Before I knew it, I was back at the staging area with my drop bag and amazing crew: Lisa, Matt and Ryan. They helped me do what seemed like a million things in about 10 minutes. I changed my clothes and socks again and felt ready to go again. I was doing really well with my nutrition, eating something substantial at every stop. It was hard not to turn down quesadillas, potato soup, mashed potatoes, hamburgers and so many other things. When it started getting dark, there was even hot chocolate, coffee and of course, chicken broth. I wasn't really hungry, but I knew I had to eat. Poor nutrition has gotten me into some bad situations in the past and I wasn't about to let that be my downfall this day.

I had my own personal paparazzi! phog credit to Lisa Groene

After I had passed the damnation station, my son called me. He told me he had wanted to call me to see how far I had gotten and how much further I had to go. At that point, I think I was 47 miles into the race. It was good to hear his voice. He had wanted to come with us, be he also had a birthday party he wanted to attend. He was pretty torn, but we decided the birthday party would be more fun for him this time (he is going to Leadville with us this summer and is super stoked!).

Soon after I hung up, it started getting dark. Headlamps on. This lap had been pretty lonely as runners were very spread out, some had already dropped and the really fast people were close to finishing. I started listening to one of my audible books, but later decided I really liked the silence of the woods. It was so peaceful. Even the sky was amazing, almost magical...so many bright stars that you just don't see in the city. I was still feeling really good and really positive, but I knew it was time to have Lisa come with me for a loop. At first we had discussed her doing miles 80-100 with me, but after this lonely loop and the fact that I was getting a little sleepy, I decided it was best she come with me for loop 4.  

I had to - #bearfact

How's that for a cliff hanger? 

Stay tuned for Rocky Raccoon....the not so good. 

The Friday Five - 2016 Goals

While 2016 is already about 1/10th over, I realized that I hadn't yet put my goals "out there". I'm not one to make resolutions at the start of the new year, but I've found that by telling others what my goals are, the more likely I am to meet them. Call it accountability, but I like having something to go back to and look at to see where I've been and where I'm going.

I looked back at my goals for 2015 and found that I was able to meet most of them.

Get closer to a 4:20 marathon time - I only did two marathons, one was basically a training run for my 100 mile race, so I really wasn't focusing on a goal time and the other was really early in the year and was consistent with my previous times in the 4:30s.

I didn't get to my sub 2 half marathon either. I ran one half, for which I was sorely undertrained for and tanked about half way through.

I didn't run any 5ks, so I have no sense of reference there!

What did I do in 2015?

I got this pretty little thing.

I made my second *100 club* at my local pure barre studio and am well on my way to 250.

I ran 5 ultra marathons! Many more than I actually thought I would, some just a few weeks apart. I did a 40 mile race that had been a goal for over a year.

As far as my personal goals....

I had a wonderful time with our friends and family in Mexico last summer and got married!

photo by Stephanie Davis Photography

I am two quarters away from finishing my graduate degree and becoming a nurse practitioner (officially 177 days, but who's counting?).

This old girl?  She's still with us & we celebrated her being a teenager on Monday.  I know she is biding time, but I love her as much as can every day.

My goal to get to bed earlier? Midnight isn't bad, right?

So what am I in for this year?

Last month was a pretty big milestone for me. I turned forty twenty-six! Therefore, I have decided that I am going to crush 2016.

These amazing friends and sisters threw me a "surprise" party.
I don't know what I did to deserve all of this love.

Epic starts now.

1. Complete 100 miles.

Yes. All at one time.  I had my first attempt at this two weeks ago (more to come on that soon) and (spoiler alert) I had to DNF at mile 80.  I was very discouraged by this initially and pleaded with Ryan to "never me do that again".

Of course, my story changed after just a few days...

Earlier this year, I had "won" an entry into Leadville 100 this August. I had briefly thought about calling it off after my first 100 experience, but then realized, I didn't necessarily need to finish that race, I needed to experience it in order to ready me for the huge challenge this summer.

I think my fate at Rocky only sweetened the pot for Leadville.

I also couldn't bear to tell my son that we might not be going to Colorado and I'm so glad I didn't share my moments of weakness with him. He is so excited about this trip and has really gotten into hiking.  I almost think I have him talked into doing a trail race with me this year!

Which brings me to goal 2.

2. Explore more with my family.

Ryan, Louis and I went out to a gorgeous state park near our home a few weeks ago and had so much fun.  We hiked for nearly 2 hours and Louis didn't want to leave! I tried taking him for a "shorter" hike a couple of weeks ago and declined, stating that 2 miles wasn't long enough for him.

We saw so many cool things including a few of these guys (which I have never actually seen alive in the wild).

3. Finish my slog through grad school.

At least that's what it feels like right now....I am just 25 weeks away, 177 days. 288 clinical hours.

I finished my pediatric rotation last week, which I had initially been kind of apprehensive about...and other than getting sick a couple of times, I really loved it.

Next up in women's health and I have no idea what to expect really as I've never working with that particular population. Then back to family practice at the same clinic where I did my rotation last summer, which I loved as well.  All of that will lead up to Leadville 100, my sadistic graduation gift to myself.

4. 250 Club at the barre.

I'm  already half way there! After 2 years and over 200 total pure barre classes (at two different studios), I still love my barre workouts. They keep me uninjured and give me some super strong legs. I attribute barre to the reason I recover from my ultras so quickly. My goal is 3 classes a week so that I get to my goal by the end of the year.

5. Make the most of my Altra ambassadorship.

Towards the end of last year, I found out that I was selected to be an Altra ambassador.  So what's that?

Altra is just the most awesome brand of shoes that I've ever worn (and I've worn a lot different shoes). Thy are shoes that are shaped like your foot (instead of super narrow squishing your toes together), with a zero drop, allowing for more of a natural run. I tried a pair out last spring and was pretty much in love. I professed my love for Altra to the company and was shocked that they chose me.  I have met so many awesome people and have gotten some really amazing advice from much more experienced trail runners. I met fellow ambassador, Lint, at Rocky 100, who called himself the "everyday runner".  So yeah...the everyday runner that has hiked the PCT, AT and CDT three times each. That must make me their hobby runner. Seriously though, that is how awesome all of these other people are! I am so humbled by this group; they are *truly* inspiring in so many ways, have so much knowledge to share and totally live the #zerolimits #embracethespace philosophy. I am seriously honored to be a part of it and have already had so many cool opportunities with them! All of Altras already have quite the story to tell.  They have gotten me through some pretty gnarly adventures already, yet somehow still manage to wash up looking like they're brand new...maybe I'm doing something wrong?

Thanks again to the ladies in DC for the Friday Five Linkup!  Check out more awesome race signage at Courtney at Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar at Mar on the Run and Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?!