24hr Race from Crew's Perspective

As most of you know I have been quite lucky with crew and pacers at my races.  The running mamas have come through for me each and every time.  Even when people have fallen out for different reasons they have managed to juggle kids, jobs, races, etc. to make it to the race and help me out.  I am one lucky girl to be a part of such an awesomely supportive group of women.  Us Running Moms come in all shapes in sizes,  all speeds, and  all distances, that if you ask me is why we ROCK!!!!! 

I wrote a Race Report from my perspective on the 24hr Race but here is a link to Kelly's perspective.  She and Candice came through big time when at the last minute one of the mom's had a medical emergency and wasn't sure if she could make it (and she shouldn't have but of course she (Denise) is a machine so she still made it to the race). 

I will post in the next few days about my latest training ideas.  I am doing an experiment.

North Coast 24hr Endurance Challenge Race Report

 Quick Details for all of you who don't want to read the entire Race Report: Made it the entire 24hrs (right up until the horn) and ran I think 97.8-98 miles (not sure because they haven't posted the last lap yet).

For those of you in for the long haul, buckle up...here we go!  "Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will land among the stars" -Litrell.  My Dad used to use that quote a lot.  It is a great way to live your life and it is the only way to be an ultra runner, right?  You have to dream big and go for it.  While I had a goal of hitting over 100 miles I only hit 98 (approximately) but if I hadn't shot for the moon I wouldn't have even run the race.  I ran a solid 98 mile race, I did the absolute best I could on that given day with the knowledge I had and I am happy/proud of myself.  Here is how it all began...

As most of you know this was my first time attempting two 100 mile events a month apart, actually this was my first time attempting two ultras a month apart (if you don't count 30 mile training runs back to back, and I don't).  I had no idea what to expect from my body.  After Headlands 100 I felt totally trashed, every part of my body hurt including my internal organs (I can elaborate on that later if anyone wants to know), I took a week and a half off from running, minus chasing Chloe around sandy beaches in CA.  Once I got back on the running bandwagon I didn't accumulate more than 40 miles in a given week and then it was time to race again.  Needless to say that left me feeling like non-ultra running blob heading into this race.  I had some other nagging injuries popping up and well I just didn't know what I could expect from my body but, I wanted to get out there and have some fun. 

I flew to Cleveland on Friday afternoon. I went to the grocery store (which was called the Giant Eagle, what the heck kind of name is that, who would know that was a grocery store, it sounds like a hunting store to me, sorry, I got off track) and bought my supplies, you know the ones for geriatrics and teens, a years supply of ensure and potato chips, lol, it is the fuel of champions.  Loaded up with supplies I went back to my room and packed everything in 100 calorie bags for the crew (ummmmm, I might be slightly OCD but hey if you think I am anal about this stuff you haven't met Kaci, bahahahaha, OMG we must have been separated at birth).  Kaci (Crew Chief extraordinaire) came in with her family on Friday night.  Saturday AM Kaci and I met in the lobby and headed to the race.  Of course Kaci had written down directions to everything so we found the course with only one wrong turn and that was google maps fault, truly.

Kaci and I arrived at the course way too early but, well, early is sort of my middle name.  I should have been named Tara Early Tosta, sort of has a ring to it.  So we got there and staked our claim to a nice camp site next to a .9 loop around a totally plain park and I thought "Oh My Frick'in God What Was I THINKING." We went and picked up my packet and then waited for the race to start.  About an hour before the race Jamie Donaldson marched down the path and struck claim to a site right across from ours, oh my I was in heaven.  To be so close to my idol.  It was even nice to be repeatedly lapped by her for the first 6hrs (she stopped at the 6hr mark).  Kaci and I set up my food and what not on a table right at the edge of the course.  She had everything, tent, blow up mattress, table, chairs, etc... it was plush, that is how we Running Moms roll :). 

Then it was 9am, time to roll those podcasts and get er done.  For a while I would keep track of how many laps I was doing an hour, I would do the math on distance, I would think about the people lapping me and wonder about those I passed, I would listen to part of a podcast and then repeat.  Really I just sort of ran and zoned.  It wasn't really as bad as you would think.  My body felt pretty darn good and it was amazing to see the best of the best go round and round.  Connie Gardner (who won with over 144 miles) was absolutely phenomenal to watch, she never wavered, she just ran and ran and ran.  when else can you see the super heros of your sport as often as on a nice cozy .9 mile loop, if you think of it that way it is lucky to be on a short course.  Not much happened between 0-50 miles, I ran, Kaci did an awesome job crewing, Denise (another awesome running mama) showed up to help crew and added to the camp site and then Kaci's family (Dynamo Dave and her kids) came for a while.  I let Kaci know that at 6pm I would stop to change my shoes and change to tights.  I stopped we got me changed and off I went.  I don't remember my foot hurting so bad in the first half of the race but, by 60 miles my dog was barking.  I wasn't sure what to make of it.  It was the same foot that has been giving me fits since Lone Ranger so...errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  I knew I might have to ice it or something. 

When mile 65 came along I hit medical, I figured they could ice it and maybe tape it or something.  The first Doc there said he thought I probably had a stress fracture but, he couldn't say without an x-ray, I could tape it and press on if I wanted but that could make a break worse, if it was a fracture.  I thought taping it sounded great (Duhhh I had already put in 65 miles stopping wasn't an option at that point).  Oh did I forget to say that since Headlands my 2nd Metatarsal had been hurting as well, he didn't like the sounds of that, that one was swollen and it hurt to move my toes down.  I said press with the taping.  While two girls (who seemed to be students???) taped my foot, a second doc came to see what they were doing and, she decided that that 2nd metatarsal was just dislocated (in the wrong spot, didn't know they could move) so she said "this might hurt" grabbed my foot and yanked on that area with a nice solid tug or two and then proudly stated she thought she got it as I withered in pain and the girls stared on in horror.  They ever so gently taped the whole area and sent me on my way.  I stopped told Kaci and Denise what had gone on and kept going but, now it was a walk/jog. 

As the night wore on my jogging got less and my walking more. At some point in there my ipod died and thank goodness for Dynamo Dave (yes that is how I will now and forever refer to Kaci's husband and if you ever meet him you will know why) he came through with his mp3 player and I got to listen to some of the funniest and greatest music.  Oh man the music had me laughing.  My caffeine intake increased as did my gingerale as my stomach went into the crapper (ummm literally, sorry TMI).  At around mile 85 I told the girls I had to ice the foot, I just couldn't take it anymore.  Oh dang I forgot, I don't know how because they were totally awesome, by this time Candice and Kelly had shown up as reinforcements and had been to Running Mom boot camp on how to crew (given my Denise and Kaci, they say they were scared but they loved it :)).  I sat down and I think at first we tried just elevating my foot, I took off and immediately turned around and that is when we got ice and wrapped the foot up.  After about 15-20 minutes of icing and elevating it, we got my shoe back on (note to self: don't have anyone else tie your shoe on a hurt foot, lol) and off I went.  From there on out I didn't stop again just cranked through the end of the race.  At one point the guy in charge of the scores told me I could make 100 miles if I ran 9mm or something and I tried, really I did, but I crashed and burned after two laps, gosh darn I was just done done done done done.  My legs were too pooped to pop and well my foot was stupid.  I just entered my pain cave and marched on until the horn blew, I decided I didn't care how much anything hurt I wasn't stopping for anything. 

All in all it was a GREAT race.  I am proud of it.  I worked so hard and I learned that even coming off a 100 miler my body will still hook me up with another hard core race.  My crew was beyond amazing.  I can't believe how awesome they were.  Kaci and her family were just beyond words, no honestly don't even know where to begin.  Denise was a fire cracker, despite having been in the hospital all week she came out and helped out, cheered me on and organized the rest of the crew.  Kelly and Candice showed up during the best time for me to have bright bubbly people around and just pushed me on.  The whole crew was just unbelievably amazing.  I only wish I could have spent more time with them.

There have been some points post race that I have been down about my mileage but then I think of a line from one of my favorite poems "never compare yourself to others for there will always be those that are greater and lesser than you" -Erhman.  True enough.  If I compare myself to the likes of Connie Gardner I look like a total wimp mileage wise but, if I look at me, me on that day, with my training, with my body, with my life, how did that person do, I know I did the best I could.  I worked so hard for every mile. 

I need to get some sleep so that is all for now.  I will post more later and maybe the crew will write up their thoughts on the race. 

Happy Running Everyone!  Be the best you can be.

Kaci and Denise

The Nash Clan

The Camp Site and Kaci looking on

Kaci and Candice

Headlands 100 - Race Report

I know I am super late getting this Race Report written but I was on the road and what not, blah, blah, blah...I will give you the quick and dirty first in case you don't want to read about a race at nauseum.  I did finish Headlands 100miler.  It was frickin ridiculously hard.  I was the second woman, 17th person overall, time was 26:56 and that is the 7th fastest time a woman has ever run that course. Each loop had 5,017 ft of elevation gain and loss multiply that by 4 and elevation gain was 20,068ft overall, HOLY CRAP! I DID THAT.  No wonder my quads hurt.

Jimmi and I getting my number

Oh dear was I praying already???

We left from Modesto at 3am on race day.  Jimmi drove since I was a basket case and wanted to try and rest.  Needless to day I didn't rest much but it felt good to just prattle on with Jimmi and Cathy.  Thank goodness another runner let us follow her to the course there is no way we would have found the starting line on our own.  We got to the race before they were set up so we just hunkered down in the car and waited.  It was cold outside.  Who knew San Fransisco was so dang cold in the middle of the summer.  I know I know, already heard the quote no need to leave me a commet.  After a while they set up the check in and we went and claimed my number and shirt (I had a picture with Cathy too but can't find it anywhere, errrr).  Next they had a prerace meeting 10 minutes before the start and then they sent us on our way.  I knew after the first 12 miles or so that this race was going to SERIOUSLY suck rocks.  Going up the hills wasn't nearly as bad as going down.  Each 25 mile loop basically consisted of climbing in and out of valleys and it was brutal. 

There were three spots on the course where we back tracked so I always knew how I was doing place wise.  That sort of rocked and sucked at the same time.  It was nice to know i was in second but sucked to see the first place girl charging up the mountains like she was part goat or something, lol.  I knew from the get go that the only way I would catch her was if she just stopped and she was a rock star so she just kept on going and won the sucker.  She was amazing. 

Ok back to my race.  We started off on a climb, ran over a ridge and down to Tennesee Valley, then back out of the Valley to the ridge and down to Pirates Cove, then back up to the ridge and all the way to the beach at Muir, then back to the top of the ridgeline and back to Tennesse Valley and then yep you guessed it, back to the top and over to the Golden Gate Bridge and all the way down to the base of the bridge and then finally back to the top and down the other side and around to the Start/Finish.  The climbing was no joke.  The entire trek down to the base of the bridge was single track and in some places stepping aside was stepping off the side of a cliff (that got dicey after dark).  I felt pretty great my first loop, I knew it was going to be hard but I was in great spirits.  I saw Jimmi and Cathy at the 12 mile mark and they quickly sent me on my way.  I cannot even express how much it lifted my spirits everytime I got to see the crew, it just made my heart happy.  I finished that loop with no issues. 

I met the crew (which now included my cousin Todd and his super star wife Kathrin) and we got me turned around quickly and off I went again.  With Todd there the crew could now navigate their way to multiple check points (they were tough to find but Todd was a navigation wiz).  I saw them at the base of the Golden Gate and then again at Tennesse Valley for both times I went through there.  I was feeling pretty good on this loop but dreaded right off the stupid climb and decent to the Golden Gate (remember I had just done that on teh last loop and then reversed course and immediatelly had to tackle it again, blechhhhhhhh). About half way through this loop I realized it was the more difficult direction of the two and knew I wouldl have to do it again during miles 75-100, that did bug me a bit.  I ran into some awesome folks on this loop and got to talk a little which was a nice change from the podcasts I had been listening too but, I have to say that if the other runners aren't talking like they plan to finish it can plant seeds in your head about that same sort of thing.  I ran into two of those types and tried to just push on so I didn't have to listen to anything negative.  I also was begginning to realize I was pretty dang good on the up hills, as we worked our way up the mountains, Ii would pass a few men but then they wouldl cruise by me by the end of the downhill sections (so I need to work on that).  As I climbed out of Pirates Cove (up a bajillion stairs and rocky slope) I was a bit freaked that I had to do this section again.  I got back to the Start/Finish and John (1st pacer) was there waiting.  We changed up my clothes (yes I changed right in the start/finish area in front of everyone, I just didn't care) and shoes and off we went. 

John was the superstar of pacers, oh man, he was amazing.  He has raced a ton of ultras and paced a ton too.  He knew just what to do and when.  I didn't have to say anything, he would just grab gear get it filled and meet me back up the road.  He knew when to bug me about eating, when to push me and when to just lay off.  He kept a constant flow of positive energy and focus.  I am not messing around he was extaordinary.  Even on this loop I was starting to loose focus on the 24hr goal and say it was ok just to finish.  I was letting myself be ok with being less, that actually kind of bugs me but honestly not sure if I couldl have given much more than I did at this race.  We ran into some issues getting down to othe base of the Golden Gate and back up.  People were no longer able or willing to step aside on the single track section therefore there was a lot of falling and slipping.  I was having trouble with my footing at this point anyway so, it certianly didn't help to have to be watching out for other runners.  The fog was brutal, our visability with multiple headlamps and hand helds was zero so, I just stumbled along watching every step.  Once I fell and twisted my bad ankle and I was freaked, it was throbbing but John got me up and told me to run and I did, he was right, I just needed to get er moving and loosen it up again.  We made it back to the Start Finish and I had plenty of time to make the 24hr time (I had just over 1 more hour than it had just taken me to complete the last loop so, everything should have gone great right???). 

Oh poor Jimmi.  She got stuck with me at the worst time, she was such a trooper.  I just have no words...Off we went.  I told her right off I just wanted to keep moving even if it meant walking and walk we did.  I tried to shuffle when I could but dang my legs were beginning to reallly really really hurt.  We had to tackle the Golden Gate section right off and I was freaked because of the ankle on the last go round.  We stopped for every runner both coming and going and carefully stood to the side.  we were taking no chances with getting bumped or falling.  We made our way to the aid station and YET AGAIN there WAS NO COFFEE.  What the HECK!!!! Who doesn't serve coffee at an ultra?  It was the evil race director who made up the sadistic course, had to be, probably thought that would make it even more challenging and it did, lol.   Did I forget to say that the last time we were at this aid station there were police all over the place with guns drawn?  well there were.  Jimmin knew but didn't tell me at the time that they were looking for some guy who was on the loose, ahhhhhhhhh.  So we hit the aid station, don't get coffee, don't see the crazy guy and tried to get m&m's (I know I am a nutrition freak, lol) but, instead they gave us m&m pretzels, you should have seen me try and spit those out, I didn't want any morsel of taht gluten in me.  Oh and as we headed down the hill tehre was some guy standing around and I asked if he was waiting for someone, he said yes, me...oh dang, it was John (1st pacer) and I didn't even recognize hime.  Maybe that should have been mine and Jimmi's first clue I wasn't doing so well.  Ok so we head back out of the aid station me trying to comb pretzels from my toungue and Jimmi looking for a crazy man that might jump out and attack us and here is where I decide to take a nap.  WHAT!!!! a nap you say. Yep, I told Jimmi I just need a break and took off my pack and layed down on the trail, right there in crazy escape man territory.  Not to worry, I couldn't rest so we just got up and kept going.  We came up with a paln that we would rest at Tennesee Valley, get me warmer clothes and then tackle the last half of the loop wit hsome warm food and clothes.  So we pressed.  we got to the top of the ridge and worked our way onto the pink loop, or did we???? No that is right the psycho Race Director marked two gates with pink glow sticks both were to the left and so of course Jimmi and I headed off track.  I said "Jimmi this doesn't look familiar" but hey I was totally out of it so I am sure she was thinking why would I trust her.  We marched on and it only looked more and more unfamiliar.  We got to the top and there was a sign about bears and Jimmi immediately led me back down the way we came up as fast as my two legs would let us go.  So one mile later we were back on track and headed to Tennesee Valley.  When we got there I tried to nap but after a minute or two I got up and said lets just go finish this sucker.  we tried to change my clothes and we changed into my old Mizuno's (poor poor decision in hind sight) and off we went without enough lights and with some borrowed coffee(thank you to the volunteer who gave up his personal stash).  We trudged along just talking and trying to get er done.  Man, jimmi was a trooper, she just guided me along and kept the mood up beat

I learned a lot at this race.  I do now have a renewed sense that I can conquer anything I put my mind too.  I need to work on my downhill running.  I need to stop wearing Mizunos period, they clearly do not work for me.  I have to get a better headlamp.  I need ot pay better attention to the course at night.  But you know overall most of the race went right.  The crew and pacers rocked, every single one of them just did an amazing job.  My training is working for me and lets face it with my top priority being: being a mom and wife, I don't see me finding any more time to train.  So if the best I can get is 2nd with that, I am pretty darn happy with that.  I worked my butt off and dang that race was great. 

So what is next you ask??? A 24 hr race next month.  I know I know....I said Ii wouldn't do one again but well, I have to give it a whirl. 

Both feet were pretty badly bruised, yuck!

Awesome Rumming Mamas.  The day after the race.  Love you both and can't thank you enough.