Boston Marathon 2022 RR: What if you fly?

There is freedom waiting for you,

On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask "What if I fall?"
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?
-Erin Hanson

Prerace

At the beginning of the year, my coach and I discussed my running plans for 2022. At the time, I had nothing on the calendar before Boston and it seems like the perfect time to just go for it in a marathon. But I love running in so many different ways that I am never just content with a classic 12 to 16 week training plan. I want to go run trails with my friends, run marathons as training runs, and drop into Ultras very last minute.

I'm sure that some of it forces me to never put myself in a place that I feel the pressure to succeed in just one thing. No one can hit their goals in every race and if you do, the saying goes that your goals aren't big enough. But I love the daily running enough and I've raced enough to find a balance that works for me. 

I'm sure I'd be a smidge faster if I focused on one type of running and I'm sure I'd be a smidge faster if I didn't race as much. Of course I'm competitive. You wouldn't be reading a race report about me running my 8th Boston if I wasn't. 

All that to say is that I felt a strange mix of calm, excitement, and fearlessness when I started my watch Monday morning.

Weekend events

Adam and I got a hotel room for the weekend with Roger in Seaport. It was a long day, but we flew in on Friday afternoon and hit the expo. Adam found a driver who transported him and the motorized scooter all weekend which meant that he could attend the expo and spectate the race - both of which would have been impossible with the rollator alone.

We all shared some pizza for dinner back at the hotel and then I laid out my flat girl for the 5k. I jogged the 2ish miles to the start in the morning and then proceeded to somehow get stuck in the 2nd of 2 waves. Oops.

It worked out though because I ended up running the slowest mile of the weekend at the beginning of the 5K and my fastest at the end. It actually ended up being the workout I was supposed to do on Thursday, haha.

After the 5k, I walked back to the hotel and got cleaned up. Adam was pooped from Friday so Roger and I went to snap some pictures at the finish line, grabbed some lunch at my favorite Irish pub, and got my breakfast for marathon morning.

We then came back to the hotel and rested a bit before going to dinner with my mom and cousin in the North End.

Having just turned 40 on Thursday, we were there to celebrate my birthday. I have long wanted to buy a fancy bottle of wine or champagne for my birthday at a restaurant and luckily, I had some volunteers to share it with. It was a lovely evening (aside from the cold rain at the end) and I really just felt so grateful for that exact moment in time. 

All of us went to Glenda's club for a fancy brunch the next day and then we went back to put our feet up. The 3 of us ordered some pasta and then tried to get some sleep.

Race morning

SOME people (cough, cough Roger) woke up at 4 am and loudly made oatmeal when others tried to sleep until the last possible moment. It was me, I was that person sleeping until 5:45. 

We went down to the lobby and met up with Strava-famous Craig and organizer Sarah to catch a cab to Boston Common. The cab was perfectly on time and we arrived when the buses had just started loading the red wave. Roger and I squeezed together in a seat for the long ride to Hopkinton, our plastic ponchos rustling with every bump. I nibbled on my Snickers, hungrier than I thought after my giant muffin for breakfast.

At the Athlete's Village, I got in the slow line for the porta-potty, but we weren't in any hurry at that point. After our pit stop, we sat on the lawn in our deeply opposite states of being. Roger wound tightly and chattering away. Myself soaking in the last moments quietly before the 3+ hours of work.

Gwen arrived at the Village not too long before the second wave was set to leave and she found us in the crowd of thousands. After a quick picture and a brief chat, we all wished each other luck as Roger and I headed out to line up.

Roger was in the first corral and I was in six so we parted ways shortly after we started walking towards where we lined up. I always cherish this part of the race. The walk to the start line with everyone full of nerves and excitement is palpable. No one in this group is nowhere near the podium, yet we all have put in the work to reach this level of amateur athleticism. I stopped at a house that had sunblock dispensers and liberally applied a gob of it on the back of my neck and shoulders.

As we got close to the intersection of the start corral, the group stopped and I saw people leaping over the barricades to my left towards the last set of porta-potties. I wavered a bit for a moment and then decided to crawl through and over, thankfully with the help of a fellow runner who helped me down. They opened the barricades not too long after I crawled over, but I was able to walk straight into a porta-potty without waiting in line. I normally don’t have a gel prerace, but since I ate my prerace Snickers on the bus and they were handing out Maurten gels, I decided to have one about 15 minutes prior to the gun.

Once I made my way to the start corral and ditched my poncho, I was only a few people back from the front of that particular group. However, with 5 other waves ahead, it wouldn’t make much of a difference. I felt comfortable in my tank and shorts standing in the sun and knew I had made the right call to leave the gloves and arm warmers back at the hotel. I fired up my EDM playlist and popped my headphones over my ears with the volume on the lowest setting.

Race

We heard the final announcements and inched our way forward once the gun was fired. Then I found myself on the start mat of the Boston Marathon once again, ready to see what I had in me for 26.2 miles.

I had no game plan really. I knew I wanted to be around 3:20 on a good day which was what my time was in October. But I also didn’t want to hold myself back if I felt good. So on my 45th marathon, I truly just ran as much by feel as I could. I peeked at my splits as my watch chirped for the first few miles, but then I really didn’t look at it too much until I got to the halfway mark. I didn’t want to feel bad if it wasn’t going great and I didn’t want to pull back if I thought I was going too fast.

As we rolled down the first few miles, I enjoyed the full Boston experience back in effect. The weather was cool, but sunny, and spectators were out in droves. It is like nothing else! I wasn’t feeling particularly good or bad, but I took that as a sign that I was relaxed enough.

In October 2021, there was a rolling start due to Covid and it seemed luxurious to have so much space in the beginning. But we returned to normal with this race and the first few miles were PACKED. I tried very hard to not weave too much though and waste time unless I absolutely had to pass someone. And I tried to remember just how freaking cool this experience is to run with people who are within SECONDS of your marathon pace, trusting that we will all keep going.

I was taking water and/or Gatorade at every stop after the first one and took my first gel right at the mile 4 mark. Everything felt very business as usual. 7:40, 7:27, 7:27, 7:17

Into Ashland and Framingham, I used the crowd to amp me up and high-fived a bunch of kids to remind myself that THIS was the celebration. If my day went south, I needed those reminders that there was so much more than the clock. I took my second gel at the mile 8 mark and was actively dousing myself with water over the head at this point (side note: Roger wore a long sleeve and gloves the entire race). 7:16, 7:23, 7:15, 7:26, 7:26

Past Framingham, the course flattens out a bit in Natick. It gets a little quieter near Fisk Pond and in my experience, this is where the race actually begins. The extra push of the start and downhills has now worn off and there are still 17 miles to go. I open my third gel at mile 12 and am starting to feel it harder to choke down. I know the calories are needed so I make myself swallow it. 7:14, 7:25, 7:20

As the course nears the infamous Wellesley section, I hear chatter from other runners around me about how they can hear it in the distance. I had turned up my music a bit at that point so I turned it back down to start anticipating the cheers myself. They were out in full force with their screaming, their signs, and energy. I veered over for a few high fives towards the end of the line, jumping in the fun, albeit briefly. 7:26

At the halfway point, I knew that I had a bit of a cushion now to hit the 3:20 mark and even if the race started to wear on me, I could run 9:00 minute miles and still BQ, But I definitely was feeling still in it and wanting to just seeing what I had. This is where the “but what if you fly?” phrase kept circling in my brain. When it started to hurt and I was mentally struggling, I thought about this. I’d back off a few strides, allow myself a bit of comfort and then push on. 7:22, 7:30

As I descended the last decline before the Newton Hills, I mustered up what I could to know that I just needed to get through the next 5 miles before the homestretch. I choked down another gel at mile 16 and knew that the last one was going to be a struggle (but also, yay, just one more gel!).  I typically have a spike of slower splits in the hills and didn’t want to feel discouraged if my paces slipped into the 8s. So I didn’t look at my watch at all during this time except for the occasional glance at the overall time. 7:21, 7:37, 7:40

The hills have plenty of downhills though and I was trying to remember to use these to my advantage. The sun was wearing on me and I started taking more than one cup of liquid when I could at each aid station. A sip or two of Gatorade and then a sip or two of water, dumping the remainder of water over my head. I swear this cooling effect shaved actual minutes off my race time as I always felt so much better a half mile or so after coming out of the water stop. 7:21, 7:36

Heading up the Heartbreak Hill, I craned my neck for the top the whole time. Once I finally saw the sign that I’d reached the top, it felt almost bittersweet. I was happy that there were just 5 more miles to race, but a part of me was a little sad that it was almost over. 7:41

But I still had work to do. The last 5 miles of the marathon can easily break even the strongest runner. I have felt great at mile 21 only to crash and burn at mile 24. But I glanced at the overall time on my watch at the mile markers, did some quick math, and realized that while a PR wasn’t on the table, a really freaking great marathon time was. I didn’t want to just let it slip away. I went into a flow state. I started shutting out the noise of the crowd, put my eyes down when I could, and worked. 7:21, 7:19

With just over 5k to go, I was ticking off the things to expect. The Citgo sign finally coming into sight, the 40km marker, the last water stop on the bridge. I saw the race photographers right after the sign and got my now-traditional pic. 7:33, 7:27

After the Citgo sign, I started looking for the Charlesgate Bridge, knowing that if all went well, my cheer squad would be waiting for me after I went under the bridge. I veered towards the left, positioning myself towards the far part of the turn of Commonwealth and Hereford. I was scanning the crowd and finally, heard them calling my name and waving wildly. I kissed Adam and hugged my mom and cousin Glenda. As I bounded away, I wore a giant grin and continued to keep it plastered across my face as I continued up Hereford. 7:28

Coming down Bolyston, I couldn’t believe that I was about to run my 3rd fastest marathon ever. Somehow it didn’t seem possible. But all race long, when I started to get wimpy, I remembered to ask myself “what if you fly?” and gave myself a chance. Maybe it’s Boston magic, maybe it’s knowing I’m being tracked, or maybe, it’s just believing that there is still a little something in these ol’ legs. 

I pushed the pace over the final hundreds of meters, soaking it all in and pumping my arms to try to entice the crowds to roar even louder. It would feel silly to do this anywhere else, but on Marathon Monday, it feels perfectly right. 7:11

3:16:58. What a day to fly.

When in LA: Griffith Park 50k RR

In January, we were supposed to go to Los Angeles for a bat mitzvah. But omicron had different plans and ultimately caused the event to be postponed until March. We were on the fence about rebooking everything for many various reasons, but decided about a month ago to go ahead and make the trek.

I was hoping I might drop into a shorter race that weekend, like a road 5k or 10k just as something fun to do that Saturday or Sunday morning. But lo and behold there was a trail race happening that weekend and very, very close to where we were staying. 

I kind of put the thought out of my head after I signed up for the Atlanta Marathon last minute and then saw the trail race was sold out the next time I checked. I mentioned that to Adam and he was actually sad that I hadn’t registered in time. I said I’d check if they had a waitlist just in case and when I looked at ultrasignup again, there was ONE spot open. It seemed serendipitous. So just like that, I was going to be running a 50k the morning of the bat mitzvah.

It was a long day on Friday. We got up at 5am, arrived in Los Angeles around noon and made it to our hotel around 2pm. Once we were finally in our hotel room and I started unpacking, it occurred to me that I hadn’t thought about my breakfast in the morning. I walked a few blocks to a bodega and picked up some packaged muffins and a bottle of cold brew. I also grabbed a Gatorade as I was also pretty dehydrated trying to avoid getting up a million times on the plane.

There was a family dinner at a nearby restaurant that evening and while relaxing and tasty, I was exhausted by the time my head hit the pillow. Luckily, I had no issue waking up just before 5am (thanks to my east coast body clock) and called an Uber when I got to the hotel lobby. It was an uneventful ride and there was no issue getting dropped off at the parking lot of the park. 

I picked up my bib and t-shirt and asked if I could leave my bag at the finish line as I didn’t have a car and didn’t know anyone racing. Then it was time to just sit around and wait for the race to start. I had no skin in the game so there were very little nerves, I was just ready to go! 

The RD gave a speech about how the trail was marked and stressed to not follow people on the trail blindly as there would be plenty of other people using these trails throughout the day. She said there would be volunteers at some of the more complicated intersections to direct us where to go. And then it was time to race!

I stayed in the front third of the pack as the 3 race distances (50k, marathon, & 30k) all started together. There were some decent climbs in the beginning and I switched to a power walk to save my legs. The weather was absolutely perfect in the first hour. Cool, sunny, no wind, and low humidity. It was a dream! 

The trails were actually really wide throughout the entire course save for maybe about 50 feet of single track. They were almost as wide as forest service roads in sections and very different terrain than east coast trails. We have lots of rocks, roots, dirt, etc. These were almost sandy and hardly any roots or rocks. I honestly could have worn road shoes with zero issues. The lack of tree cover was something I should have thought of and as the day wore on, I realized that I really should have worn sun block. Oops. 

I had no idea what kind of views we would have in the park, but it was absolutely spectacular. The skyscrapers of downtown peeked out in the distance and as I wove my way around the trails, I spotted the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign. In the spirit of keeping it fun and appreciating the moment, I stopped a few times to snap some photos.

The field spread out pretty quickly and I was alone within about 3 miles or so. People would pass me on occasion and I’d pass others, but soon I really was just relying on the course markings to figure out where to go. I skipped the first aid station as I had plenty of water, but topped off when I reached the mile 9 one.

The 50k course had a 2.5 mile out and back section to add the extra mileage needed. I saw runners ahead coming back towards me and everything seemed to be going well. I was expecting a person to be standing at the turnaround to get around bib numbers to ensure we covered the distance, but there was just a big folding board sign that said runner turnaround. I looked around for someone, but no one was around and I had the correct mileage at that point, so I headed back up the hill. I asked two runners coming down if they knew if someone was to be standing there and they assured me that I went to the correct spot.

Back at the aid station, I asked again to make sure I hadn’t cut any corners and they confirmed all was well. So off I went to the next section and pulled up the runner guide on my phone to finally look at the aid stations. It was warming up and I didn’t want to find myself in a place without water. I was eating every 30 minutes, picking away at the various snacks in my bag. 

The course was an out-and-back with other out-and-backs, but it went all the way back to the start/finish before you turned around to go back the other way. Definitely not a course for the weak-minded as you could just stop right there at 17 miles. Oof. I didn’t stay long and knew that I just needed to get to the next aid station where I’d have just single digits to go.

I wasn’t feeling so great in the next section and was just shuffling along baking in the sun. But I was trying to remember to just smile as much as possible and tell everyone great job as we passed on the out-and-backs. By the time I got to the mile 22 aid station, I decided to take an extra couple of minutes to top off my bottles, cool off with the sponge in the ice bucket (ahhhhhh!), and get hydrated.

Luckily, there was a pretty significant climb for about 2 miles out of the aid station so I was able to get the liquid settled. Plus, power hiking! I popped on my headphones at this point at a super lower volume and was now feeling really great. I started passing a bunch of people, checking in with the ones hunched over mid-climb. 

I wasn’t running super fast, but I was keeping a consistent pace and was surprised that I was still moving well even with the heat and miles on my legs. I topped off my bottles at the mile 26.3 aid station and then grabbed a piece of watermelon at the mile 28 one. The last few miles were very quiet in terms of other people. In the other sections of trail, hikers and other runners filled the trails enough that I was never truly alone for more than a minute or two. But in the final miles, the other humans were few and far between.

As with most trail races, my watch had been off from the mile markers all day. But I started to recognize some of landmarks as I came into the final mile and knew I was getting close. And then when the parking lot came into my vantage point, it was time to just push through whatever I had left. 

5:31:09!

Definitely much faster than I thought I was going to be with 6k worth of vert and a road marathon 2 weeks prior. Plus, I just felt happy all day. I was soaking in the views, remembering to just be in the moment, and enjoying the morning of getting to do the thing I love.

I sprawled out on the pavement and just existed for a few minutes before I eventually grabbed some food. Normally I am not hungry right after racing, but this was not the case this time. I plowed through a sub sandwich and an apple and then decided I needed to get back to the hotel to try to shower and rest a bit before the bat mitzvah. Let’s just say I slept very, very well that night!!!

Marathon #44: Splashing Through Atlanta

Race day conditions can be as finicky as the race day mind and body. On those rare instances that they all seem to align, it can be a magical day. But if you race enough, you’ll likely experience a little bit of everything. Cold rain is certainly not my favorite, but I’ll take it over heat and humidity any day. And if I’m racing for “fun” without any kind of goal in mind other than to finish and not die, it’s a good way to get in some mental fitness.

When I decided I wanted to run the local marathon a couple weeks ago, the rain hadn’t appeared in the forecast yet. In my head, I wanted to just go bebop around Atlanta for 4 hours, wear a fun costume, and get in an overdue long road run. I’d been doing long runs, but all on the trails and this would force me into getting a (really) long run on the road. 

I slept okay enough the night before and woke up to my 4:15 a.m. alarm without issue. Listening to Hayden Hawks on the I’ll Have Another podcast, I ate a muffin and drank coffee on the drive down. I pulled into the parking deck of the aquarium at 5:30 or so and then made a beeline for the porta potties in the park. When I got back, I had plenty of time to change into my arm warmers (instead of a long sleeve shirt), apply vast quantities of Squirrel’s Nut Butter, and eat a few bites of my traditional pre-race Snickers. 

I left the car around 6:30 or so and made another pit stop at the porta potties on my way to the corral. It was drizzling slightly, but not bad and I was actually pretty comfortable in just arm sleeves, tank top, and shorts. As I got up to the corrals, I spotted Allison with the pacer sign and we chatted for a few minutes before I headed back to corral B. I had a bib for A, but decided to start further back so as not to go out too fast. As I was walking back, out of thousands of people, I somehow spotted Andy. We yelled briefly over the loudspeakers and then wished each other luck.

The elites and corral A started and then I was standing on the starting line of marathon #44.

I didn’t feel great the first few miles. Nothing hurt and I didn’t feel bad, but I was definitely not super comfortable given the pace. I tried really hard to just run super relaxed. The 8:45 pace group went past me early on and I hung on towards the back of them for a while before deciding to just do my own thing.

 Thankfully, after I took a gel around mile 4, I started to feel a bit better. I’m not sure if it was because I was more warmed up or because it was finally daylight (albeit 0% sunny), but I finally started to fall into stride.

As I felt better, I pulled down my arm sleeves and rolled them around my wrists. At the time, I felt annoyed that I had even worn them as I thought I would need them any more and now had to run with them for another 20+ miles. Narrator voice: she would need them again.

I took a gel at mile 8 and was feeling better by each mile. I wasn’t looking at my pace, just focused on staying steady with many miles to go. Near mile 9 and inside the park, I caught up with the 8:45 group and then slowed to stay with them. I knew that in just a few miles, the marathon and half marathon course would split off and I’d feel very, very lonely. It was nice to let the pacers do the work for a bit and there is something really cool about running with a pack of people all at the same pace.

At mile 12, I took another gel and started craning my neck for the turnoff for the half marathon. The crowd near the finish would give a nice boost before heading out on the second half of the race. It was around this time that the rain started to pick up and I started to feel cold enough to pull my arm sleeves up. Even though the sleeves were soaking wet, they did provide a bit more warmth. 

The section after the turnoff is one of many weird parts of the full marathon course. There is a bit of running on the sidewalk near the stadium and then in order to cross the street you must run up and around a pedestrian bridge. It’s not as though Atlanta is a tiny town so I find it odd that there are sections of the course like this. 

After that, I decided I was feeling good and didn’t want to be running with the pace group any more. So I made the move to leave them behind and pushed to give myself a little bit of a gap. I knew the section near Spelman would give me a good boost as they always come out to cheer. Sure enough, for a few blocks, the girls stood in the cold rain screaming with their pom poms. I gave a few groups of them high fives and felt invigorated to cover the next 10ish miles.

Things were still clicking along near mile 16 and I took another gel, but it was getting harder to digest. I knew I still needed to take one more if I wanted to finish strong. 

With 10 miles to go, I started the countdown. Into the single digits, into the final hour, etc. I was definitely feeling everything wearing on me and while nothing had felt super easy all day, I had been feeling okay. The only good part was that I was still moving well. I was passing people and with each one that I caught and passed, it pushed me to keep going.

I tried to take the final gel at mile 20 and it was a fight. I had to run with it sitting in my mouth for a while before I finally was able to swallow it. The gag reflex hit hard as it went down my throat, but somehow I managed to keep it down. 

At just past the mile 22 marker, the course cuts across some grass and onto 1 lap of the Cheney Stadium track. It then cuts across more grass and does a weird out and back along a single block. Again, just seems like an odd choice for a large city marathon. 

As I made my way along Capitol Ave, I was keeping my out for the next mile marker sign so I could see where I was at timewise. The 4 hour fun run had turned into a gray area. Nowhere near my “usual” marathon pace, but not really easy either. Once I left the 3:45 pace group, I was just chipping away at seconds, mile by miles. When I realized I might go under 3:40 if I didn’t die in the final couple miles, I resolved to try to stick with it through the end. 

Finally, I found myself on Decatur St with less than a mile to go and pushed, letting whatever I had left in the tank go. Narrator voice: there was not much in the tank. 3:38:41

I was so cold and wet that I had zero fanfare for my finish. Just happy to be within 20ish minutes of getting into warm, dry clothes. I collected my medal and other various finisher goodies, snapped a quick video to show the ridiculous rain, and shuffled to my car. When I reached the parking deck and was finally out of the rain for the first time in 4 hours, I breathed a sigh of relief.

The good: finishing another marathon, running another BQ, running a marathon in less than ideal conditions, no real low parts, no walking, high fives, solid nutrition intake, very little soreness, very little chafing (which is SHOCKING considering how much it rained and how much I usually chafe), no tech malfunctions with my music, didn’t lose my car key, cold rain is better than heat and humidity, raced without Vaporflys (I will race with them for Boston, but wanted to run in something different)

The bad: cold rain is still more uncomfortable than sunny and chilly, fun costume run turned into weird gray area run, wore shoes that had 350+ miles, had not trained on the roads (re: my legs missed dirt & walking)

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!