After a decade of 'one big race' a year, with multiple 'little' races along the way, this year I went a little willy nilly with my racing registrations (hence the look of fear in my picture).
Running my first ultra (Coastal 50km) back in Sept 2012 ruined me for road racing, so I've cut all road races out and am focusing purely on trails. Which, to be honest, I enjoy so much more. Actually, if I'm being honest, it was the aid stations that ruined me for road races. I admit it. Food rules my life. To go from water or gatorade and perhaps the odd bite sized piece of a Power Bar to watermelon, oranges, an endless supply of M&M's, chips and pretzels oh my! Wait, what? Pb & J's? Hell yeah. Soup, cakes, and coke. Ohhhh the coke. Plus, there's the added benefit of getting to frolic in the forest like a woodland nymph. To sum up, I eat like Hansel & Gretel when they first see the candy house and I get to play like Tinker Bell. It doesn't get better than that.
Coastal 50 took me 8:01 to finish, and I swore NEVER again. Yet within the hour I was planning the next race, which ended up being Diez Vista 50km in April 2013. Although it started out fabulous, with a pb & j pancake sammich at the start line, at around 10km in I had my most spectacular wipe out to date. Running downhill, the mud gave out, I went airborne, dropped 6 feet and landed on my ass. Let's just say it wasn't a soft landing. But this is a race, one must keep going. So I ran another 12 km with what I later discovered was a broken ass (aka tailbone), before pulling out in agony at conveniently the most spectacular aid station I've ever seen. Just try sitting in a car, with a broken ass, while going over endless speed bumps. #ultrarunnersaretough
This year, instead of spreading the love out to a few charities, I'm focusing on one. North Shore Search & Rescue. In all likelihood, they're the one I'll need the most because accidents do happen. People do get lost. Darkness does come, and even being prepared with a headlight, batteries do die. Backup batteries may not work. I can be prepared to the max, carrying my 10 essentials with me every time I step into the forest, and yet...one thing goes wrong, and suddenly I'm on the phone with 911 and they're calling North Shore Rescue to pluck my sorry ass off the mountain. These volunteers are the superheroes (capes optional, but highly recommended) of the Lower Mainland and we are so fortunate to have them. Even taking every precaution I can while doing a solo run, it's calming to myself and those who love me (and yes...there are one or two) to know there's such a capable group of souls out there who are willing to interrupt their plans, sacrifice their family time, in the hopefully slim chance that I need help.
In lieu of the Vancouver Marathon this year, I've signed up for 3 ultras. Along with several shorter (20-25km) races in the North Shore thru the spring and fall, I've put my name in the lottery for the Knee Knacker in July, 8000 feet of climbing. I'm running the Squamish 50km in August, with 8500 feet of climbing. And then in September, I'm heading back down to California for the Coastal 50km, a mere 6000 feet of elevation. It's going to be one crazy summer.
So please support me in supporting them. North Shore Search & Rescue needs and deserves some love.
Thanks!
https://events.helpforcharities.com/kk/profile.php?profile_id=633366061389906841
Running my first ultra (Coastal 50km) back in Sept 2012 ruined me for road racing, so I've cut all road races out and am focusing purely on trails. Which, to be honest, I enjoy so much more. Actually, if I'm being honest, it was the aid stations that ruined me for road races. I admit it. Food rules my life. To go from water or gatorade and perhaps the odd bite sized piece of a Power Bar to watermelon, oranges, an endless supply of M&M's, chips and pretzels oh my! Wait, what? Pb & J's? Hell yeah. Soup, cakes, and coke. Ohhhh the coke. Plus, there's the added benefit of getting to frolic in the forest like a woodland nymph. To sum up, I eat like Hansel & Gretel when they first see the candy house and I get to play like Tinker Bell. It doesn't get better than that.
Coastal 50 took me 8:01 to finish, and I swore NEVER again. Yet within the hour I was planning the next race, which ended up being Diez Vista 50km in April 2013. Although it started out fabulous, with a pb & j pancake sammich at the start line, at around 10km in I had my most spectacular wipe out to date. Running downhill, the mud gave out, I went airborne, dropped 6 feet and landed on my ass. Let's just say it wasn't a soft landing. But this is a race, one must keep going. So I ran another 12 km with what I later discovered was a broken ass (aka tailbone), before pulling out in agony at conveniently the most spectacular aid station I've ever seen. Just try sitting in a car, with a broken ass, while going over endless speed bumps. #ultrarunnersaretough
This year, instead of spreading the love out to a few charities, I'm focusing on one. North Shore Search & Rescue. In all likelihood, they're the one I'll need the most because accidents do happen. People do get lost. Darkness does come, and even being prepared with a headlight, batteries do die. Backup batteries may not work. I can be prepared to the max, carrying my 10 essentials with me every time I step into the forest, and yet...one thing goes wrong, and suddenly I'm on the phone with 911 and they're calling North Shore Rescue to pluck my sorry ass off the mountain. These volunteers are the superheroes (capes optional, but highly recommended) of the Lower Mainland and we are so fortunate to have them. Even taking every precaution I can while doing a solo run, it's calming to myself and those who love me (and yes...there are one or two) to know there's such a capable group of souls out there who are willing to interrupt their plans, sacrifice their family time, in the hopefully slim chance that I need help.
In lieu of the Vancouver Marathon this year, I've signed up for 3 ultras. Along with several shorter (20-25km) races in the North Shore thru the spring and fall, I've put my name in the lottery for the Knee Knacker in July, 8000 feet of climbing. I'm running the Squamish 50km in August, with 8500 feet of climbing. And then in September, I'm heading back down to California for the Coastal 50km, a mere 6000 feet of elevation. It's going to be one crazy summer.
So please support me in supporting them. North Shore Search & Rescue needs and deserves some love.
Thanks!
https://events.helpforcharities.com/kk/profile.php?profile_id=633366061389906841