QC's 2021 Recap

It’s 9 days early to post a recap, but my head is thinking about wrapping 2021 up already. Plus, I don’t have any grandiose last minute plans to race or do adventure runs in the next week. Well, take that back, I want to go do an adventure run, but logistics just seem too complicated without a willing and able partner.


Anyway, back to the recap. I did a lot of really rad stuff this year. And different stuff which always makes the year seem extra great when I look back and feel proud about things for different reasons. As a lifelong runner, it gets pretty hard to PR year over year so finding other goals has kept me from feeling like I’m stuck on a plateau.


January


In January, I was racking up the weekly miles in my first-ever attempt to run 100 miles in a training week. I’d run 100 miles in a week before, but always with a race on the schedule. I wanted to hit this arbitrary mark outside racing and respect the discipline it took to manage those miles while staying injury-free, working, etc. The actual week itself went off smashingly.

As with most things that require a process, it was the 70-80 mile weeks leading up to it that felt the most difficult. Kind of like being deep in a training cycle, but the 100 mile week was the “race” instead of an actual race.


I was really enjoying all the “short” adventure runs with the RT group on the weekends during this time as a break from the monotonous road miles from the week. We did a 50k along the AT/DRT for New Year’s, a winter wonderland run around Springer Mountain, a snowy/icy run up to Blood Mountain, and a new-to-me loop in the Cohuttas.

 

February


After the 100 mile week buildup, I was ready to put my fitness to good use and set my sights on the Silver Comet FKT. When Eli asked me about it in late 2020, I wasn’t in a place to try to go after it yet myself, but was happy to crew his group’s effort. Unbeknownst to me, I also picked up a ton of intel along the way and used that when planning my own attempt. The weather was looking pretty dicey in the days leading up to it (re: cold & rainy), but I was determined to make a go for it unless it looked downright awful (re: downpour).


Luckily, it never rained on the day of the attempt. It was cloudy and kind of misty, but it was pretty perfect all things considered. The RT crew came out and offered massive support for me, crewing and pacing the entire stretch. Aaron even biked the entire thing next to me, foreshadowing the many hours we would spend suffering together in the spring.


My first goal was to get the FKT which seemed incredibly reasonable given my prior performances at the distance, but I also wanted to try to get under 10 hours and cut off as much time under that as I could. I finished in 9:47:18, fully spent and very satisfied.

I spent the remainder of February recovering and running easy, enjoying a little down time after a couple of big efforts. The RT group went to NC for Cassy’s 30th weekend and it was a perfect 48 hours of running, eating, drinking, and shenanigans.

March


In early March, a small group was running the Georgia section of the Bartram trail and I hopped on their adventure. Katherine and I camped at the trailhead overnight and met the group in the morning for a 35-40 mile adventure (depending on who’s GPS you refer to). We had great weather and I felt happy and strong all day. Plus, it was fun to run with new people, hearing their stories and enjoying lots of belly laughs.

The next day, out of sheer stupidity, I had planned to do a pie 5k and backwards beer mile. It was funny, but did not feel great. It was a warmer day and the pie did not go down as easily as it did when I attempted it a few years prior. The backwards beer mile ended up being mostly a walk for me and forced me into a few days of rest after feeling jostled from the odd movement.

April


April brought the last birthday of my 30s and the Foothills Trail adventure. I was still running long on the weekend and putting in some decent mileage during the week, but tapered off a bit towards the end of April to run the Foothills Trail. We blocked off a weekend, booked a campsite (that ultimately went unused because of all the snafus), and found ourselves running in the cold rain for the first 10 hours of the run.

 

I wanted to quit at the mile 46ish mark, but somehow rallied myself to keep going and set a new time-on-feet PR of 26+ hours. Running through 2 sunrises is well, an experience. I had some good takeaways though from the adventure and though I hit plenty of low points, I also was pretty stoked that I covered 78ish miles and 15,000+ gain without a race setting. The Sullivans crewing definitely made this possible!

May


The marg mile kicked off the month with one of the shortest, but arguably, most fun events of the year. This one might have to be a repeat!


Cassy and I volunteered together for 14+ hours at Deep Gap for Cruel Jewel. It was a long night even “just” volunteering, but rewarding to see people rally and move forward.

With 1 of the BRUTES (Blue Ridge Ultra Trail Endurance Slam) courses now completed (Foothills being the first), Aaron and I started to look for when and where we would tackle the next one. The Georgia Loop being the closest, shortest, and logistically easiest, we chose to go after it next. Honestly, I’m still a bit surprised at how good this day went. I was in good spirits all day, ran really strong, and ate like a champ. Of course, there were some harder sections than others, but overall, it was a great run.


Katherine was the real MVP of the day by both crewing in the morning while we were along the DRT and then coming back at night to run us in. Might I also add that she crushed some Strava crowns while pregnant coming out from Woody Gap.

 

Chantal & Chris came to town at the end of the month and while I did get to run with them one day, I tweaked something in my hip and had to take a few days off.


June


I knew I had 5 months of 5 ultra distances in a row, but my body said it was time for rest. I was a little disappointed to not keep the momentum going, but also, respectful of the fact that long-term health > streak.


Towards the end of the month with the hip feeling better, I had a couple of good workouts and was excited to sign up for the 12 hours Merrill’s Mile with all that happened since I raced last. Mentally, I felt ready to go race and get uncomfortable.


July


My mind felt ready to race, but my body apparently did not. Something just felt awful from about mile 4 on and I couldn’t shake that it just felt hard. Even slowing down and walking felt bad. So I decided to get to the 50k mark and call it quits. I was definitely disappointed, but tried to not let it get to me the way that JJ 2019 did.

 

I traveled a few weekends in July and had some horrible sciatic pain sitting on the plane/in cars for an extended period of time. Running was hot, humid, and I wondered if I was ever going to feel like a decent runner again.

August


Aside from my Rad Plaid 52k loop, August was pretty horrible running-wise. I did a 52k solo around Springer Mountain and lucked out with decent weather for August. However, it seemed as though almost every other run this month was horrible.

Boston training was ramping up and while I really wanted to just go run long and easy in the woods, I knew that I needed to put in the miles on the road if I was going to have a good race. The good news is that they forced me to go early and a road 20 miler is much faster than a trail one so I was done by 10am most Saturdays.


But dang, road marathon training is hard! Especially in August in the south.


September


I totally (& distinctly) bombed a workout in early September, but then I guess it was the intersection of fall and fitness that made the rest of the month a billion times better than August. I had a few great trail runs including a section of the Bartram Trail with Cassy & Jared, pacing David’s first 100 miler at Georgia Jewel, and a solo Blood Mountain effort.

 

October


Might be hard to top this October. The Boston Marathon returned with a fall edition of the event (thanks Covid) after bypassing 2020 altogether and skipping the traditional spring race. I was emotional about returning and raced really well - I think large in part because I was so thrilled to return. My mom came to watch for the first time and it was incredibly special to share that with her.

No rest for the weary though, I had DNF demons to conquer at JJ! I did a few tune-ups between Boston and JJ and headed out to the desert for redemption. It wasn’t a perfect day, but as far as ultras go and especially at the 100 distance, I felt pretty darn proud of my 22 hour performance. Plus, I got to spend the weekend with Adam, Roger, Cassy, Jared, Chantal, Chris, Megan, Laura, and Kynan.

 

November


I took 2 complete weeks off running, just walking 30-60 minutes a day and enjoying down time after a monster October. I had a chance to go to a resort compliments of my work right after JJ so wine and massages nicely coincided with my recovery.


Roger came to visit Moe over Thanksgiving and I suggested that we do the local “Feast Mode” race where you run a 10k followed by a 5k. I wasn’t really sure what to expect a few weeks after a 100 miler, but put in a solid effort for the 10k and then elbowed Roger for 3.1 miles. Then it was taper time again!

December


Of all the races cancelled in 2020, this was the saddest. I think mostly because we thought it would happen for such a long time and that surely Covid couldn’t last THAT long (hahahahaha, joke’s on us). But it did happen for 2021 and it was good for many reasons. I ran well in Boston so I didn’t feel the (self-imposed) pressure to hit a certain time. But I kept my head in the game and ran a 3:24, my 22nd BQ! Also, I really was looking forward to friends I hadn’t seen since 2019. The group was a little smaller than usual, but we had fun nonetheless.

As for 2022, it’s anyone’s guess. I am registered for Boston (April), Eiger 100k (July), and Chicago (October) currently. Hopefully Covid will stay at bay and allow these events to happen. I’m in the Leadville (August) lottery and will find out in January if I am in or not. I’d love to complete the other 3 BRUTES courses, but logistics and time off to do them are a bit tough.


My running goals for 2022 are:


1) To requalify for Boston in the fall for hopefully (fingers & toes crossed!!!) my 10th in a row (to be run in April 2024).

2) Complete another Western States qualifier to keep my ticket count going.

3) Figure out if Antarctica 2023 can happen - with Covid delaying lots of trips and waitlists being pushed out, I might have to wait another year or two.

Rehoboth Runparty #8

I said my good lucks and stepped out of the house by myself. In years past, I waited for the group to head to the start, but it was getting a little too close for my liking. Superstitiously, I worried for a moment if this would have any impact on my race. But there weren't too many expectations going in so I quickly pushed the thought aside. 

The last time I raced Rehoboth, it was the first race I did after Javelina. I remember feeling extremely sick the morning of the race, later realizing that the nerves of stepping on the start line created actual physical pain. This year, I was able to drink a cup of coffee, eat a muffin, and a small bite of a Snickers bar (more race superstitions) without issue. 

I almost immediately regretted wearing arm warmers walking to the start line because I knew I'd be pulling them down shortly after starting (spoiler alert, it was mile 3). The weather has usually been in the 30s in years past and I could definitely tell it was at least 10-15 degrees warmer. Which is not to say it wasn't chilly, but my preferred racing weather is being able to wear gloves the whole time!

I left my headphones around my neck while I stood in start corral, soaking in the moments of waiting for the race to start. It's a strange mix of feeling both excited and terrified in the final countdown, like climbing into the rollercoaster and feeling the bar being locked across your lap.

The 3:25 full marathon pacer and 1:40 half marathon pacer were nearby and I wanted to at least keep them in my sight. When the gun went off, I managed to position myself behind the 3:25 pace group within the first few minutes and tried to settle in as much as possible. My legs felt pretty good from the start and I was comfortable, enjoying the first few miles of the new course.

There was a bit of a squeeze on the boardwalk, but it was fun to run past all the spectators who had congregated along the side after seeing their runners off at the start. After the boardwalk, we linked back up with the old course, albeit with a little more distance under our belts.

I tried to stay within a few runners of the pacers, often running directly behind or to the left of them. There were people chatting around me, but I was content with just listening to music and putting in the work. I did have to fumble once with my phone to restart the playlist and there was a brief worry that I would have to do without my jams. 

It's funny (interesting? weird?) that I loathe running without music during a marathon, but perfectly content to do without it during longer races. Sorrynotsorry that I'm the runner listening to music and wearing carbon-plated shoes. I'll take all the advantages I can get!

I took a strawberry kiwi GU around the same time I saw a few of the half marathoners coming back towards us. It was nice to know we were inching towards the marathon turn-off. The clumps of runners grew bigger and bigger and soon thereafter, we turned right and it got much quieter. I always enjoy the section going out through Gordon Pond State Park. My legs are fresh and there is something just incredibly peaceful and beautiful about running through this section. 

The 3:25 pack continued to jostle a bit for placement within the group and I noticed there was a bit more surging and pulling back than I prefer. I wasn't checking my splits, just hoping to run by feel and see where the day took me. But things didn't feel steady within the pack and I was ready to push on if needed. 

In the next few miles, it just organically happened as I had a stretch that I felt like I was keeping the same pace and they were falling back. I took a pineapple GU near mile 8 and was happy my stomach was cooperating for the time being. Over miles 8 through 12ish, I was feeling great. I was remembering to thank the traffic volunteers, smiling at the spectators, and just in a really good spot. 

As I popped out onto the highway section, I heard my Aunt Mary yelling! I was expecting to look for her near the turnaround and was excited that I was not only seeing her once, but that I'd be able to wave once I came back. It definitely put me in a very happy headspace for the next couple of miles. Once I saw her again, I knew I was almost near the halfway point. 

I’d been thirsty since the beginning (blame it on the long day of travel Friday) and I took a few extra seconds to make sure I got all the water in my mouth near mile 12. It sat in my stomach a bit so I waited a few minutes before I took another gel, cola this time. The pace groups behind me were passing in the opposite direction along the other side and I began to scan the crowds for Angie. Luckily, we both spotted each other and were in a spot to high five!

With the course change this year, I was happy that we wouldn't have to run up the hill near the lighthouse. However, unfortunately, we did have to run up the stupid road near the Post and it took me a couple of minutes to find a groove again. I very, very slowly started to close the gap on a girl ahead of me and once I was within about 10 seconds of her, I stayed just behind her on the trail section. 

The race was beginning to wear on me and I fought off the feeling to slow down. I kept repeating to myself sit with the pain, sit with the pain, sit with the pain. I was acknowledging it was there, but I was trying to be okay with it. 

My stomach had started to turn with the culmination of miles and for me at least, the temperature. I took a toasted marshmallow GU around mile 16 and it took me far longer to get down than the first 3. I knew the calories would help me feel better in the final miles so I was kind of glad I was nowhere near a trash can. I just slurped it every few minutes and eventually got through it.

Once we hit the road section again, I started to look forward to the extra burst of energy I’d get by going through town. It’s always a bit mean to run by the finish line near mile 19, but I know I only have about an hour’s worth of work to go before I get back to celebrate. 

This year, we ran through a little park before popping back out onto the familiar road. I took my final pineapple GU and much like the prior one, had to spend a few minutes trying to get it down. By this point in the race, I was warm and dumping water over my head to cool off. There were people still in gloves and long sleeves, but I was hot!

As I hit the Junction and Breakwater Trail, I checked my watch to see how much time was on the clock. I hadn’t been passed by the 3:25 group yet, but I felt like maybe I wasn’t running quite as fast as when I broke away. Doing a few quick calculations, I figured I would be coming in around 3:24:XX assuming my pace stayed around 7:45-8:00. I was working for every step, but happy that even if I hit a rough patch at the end, it would still be a solid day for me. I was so in the zone that I barely saw Paul who was head back to the finish in his own race. 

There is a section on the trail where a group hangs tons of countries’ flags across the course and there are tons of spectators (for this sized race) and music playing. It’s always a pick-me-up with only a few miles to go. I started craning my neck for the flags as I made the turns on the trail and felt relieved when I saw them finally. It was shortly after that section that we made the last little loop to head back to the finish line. 

I was excited to come back a different way in the final couple of miles and run on a new-to-me section of trail. There were a few half marathon walkers to dodge, but people overall were very respectful of the narrower space. It shot us out onto a sidewalk and I lost my bearings for a moment until we came back to where it intersected with the outbound portion of the course.

The course was slightly different in the final mile. Though I had been hitting the mile markers pretty perfectly all day, which is super odd in a marathon, I was looking for the visual cues that I had grown used to. Another runner who I’d been playing leapfrog with half the race told me I was looking strong as I came by with a half mile to go. 

A girl started to pass me, but then sat only a few steps ahead of me as we came around to the final turn of the finish chute area. I was content to let her go at first, but then I felt ready to give it what I had for the last couple of minutes. I may have misjudged my “sprinting” ability in the final 0.2 miles, but I brought it home as hard as I could. The crowd seemed muffled as I went by as though I was tuning everything else out. And then there was the sweet relief of stepping over the mat and allowing myself to come to a stop. 

Ahhhhh.

For once in a very long time, I didn’t have the urge to puke after this race. I wandered slowly with my space blank and collected my medal. Gwen and John were waiting nearby, showered and happy about their respective races. We talked for a few minutes and then I grabbed a carton of chocolate milk, taking a chance that my good stomach would stay good. Everything seemed to feel okay as I walked back to the house and though I was still dehydrated, I actually felt not completely destroyed. Just mildly. 

Once I took a shower and changed into dry clothes, it was time for the actual reason I go to Rehoboth Beach every December - the post-race party!