On April 16, I participated in my fifth Blue Ridge Marathon event in Roanoke. For the past four years, I have run the half marathon distance at this race. It’s a doozy of a road race, packing nearly 3,800 feet in total elevation change in just 13 miles. This year, having just run my first ultra, I opted for the 10K option which ‘only’ has 2,000 feet in elevation change.

I went into the race with one main goal: have fun! And have fun I certainly did. It was a blast, and honestly I had more fun running the 10K than I have running the half in the past. Sure, you get some major bragging rights and you feel very accomplished at the finish line after running America’s Toughest Road Half Marathon. But for me it just isn’t as fun as the 10K was. Race day was simple: run up the mountain, say hello to the Roanoke star, run back down the mountain, and then head to the finish.

Race morning started early, since the race began at 7:35 AM and it’s about an hour drive to Roanoke. It was a smooth trip until Barry and I got to downtown Roanoke. We sat in some of the worst traffic I’ve ever been in for Blue Ridge waiting to get off of the interstate and into a parking garage near the start/finish. This usually goes smoothly, but the race has continued to grow and we did get there a bit later than we have in years past. By 7:15 we were parked on our our way to the start area. We hit the porta johns and then lined up with less than 10 minutes until go time.

As luck would have it, I ran into my Sole Sisters running group buddies. I’m not officially part of their group, but I am friends with all of them and we see each other at nearly every local race. I often end up running with them, too, which is always fun! They had the singing of the national anthem, and just after 7:35 we were on our way.

The race starts off running through downtown as you make your way towards the base of Mill Mountain. We ran over a bridge where we got a nice view of the star and where we were headed. It was a gorgeous day for a race – sunny and in the upper 40’s (it would later warm up to the 70’s by the afternoon). I was in capris, a long sleeve, and gloves, and honestly I was already feeling a bit warm during mile 1.

Barry took off right away, chasing a course PR for the half, and I stuck with my Sole Sister group (they were all also running the half). We were running easy and happily chatting away. Just before mile 1 we started a climb up a steep hill. You hit this hill before you actually start climbing up Mill Mountain. I could definitely feel it in my legs, but I still felt good. Our group split up a bit, and I continued on with Anita and Kim as we began the ascent up Mill Mountain.

Mile 1 – 11:11
Mile 2 – 12:02

After we passed mile 2, the climbing got steeper. I said goodbye to Anita and Kim as I decided to start mixing in some short walk breaks. I kept each walk break less than a tenth of a mile in length and focused on working on my power hiking. I was happy to find I was passing others who were walking – I guess I’m getting better at hiking quickly on inclines!

Just before mile 3, we reached the split where the full marathoners continue on to climb Roanoke Mountain and the half and 10K turn right to finish climbing Mill Mountain.

Mile 3 – 14:56

My legs were burning now and my walk breaks were becoming more frequent. I knew we were close and just before we hit mile 3.5 I got my first peek of the back of the Roanoke Star – a sure sign our climb was nearly complete!

We caught a little trail action before we found ourselves in front of the towering 90-foot-tall Roanoke Star at the top of Mill Mountain. It’s fun to look out at the overlook and see the valley floor, where we started just over 3 miles ago.

Then it was time to begin the screaming descent back to the valley floor! You would think the climbs in this race are what beat you up, but it’s actually the descents. When running the half in the past I have both trashed my legs and become physically ill during the run down Mill Mountain. After four previous Blue Ridge races, I have learned not to drink or eat anything until I’m off of Mill Mountain (my stomach gets upset from the sloshing) and I have learned how to run down a steep descent. The trick for me is to stay upright over my feet with my hips forward and allow gravity to push me. I don’t try to hold back a lot and I don’t try to push that hard.

Mile 4 – 11:33

On our way down the mountain we passed one of my favorite parts of the course: the folks who stand outside of their house to hand out “moo-mosas.” They have a cow statue at the front of their driveway, hence the cow theme.

 

From there we continued down the winding ‘old road’ on Mill Mountain, running through an old toll booth as we careened back to the valley floor.

Before I knew it we had made it back to the valley and we were on our way back towards the finish. My legs were ready to be done! We had to climb back over the bridge on Jefferson (I swear that thing is steeper on the backside!) and then up another hill. From there it was a smooth downhill to the finish.

Mile 5 – 8:33
Mile 6 – 9:13
Last 0.2 – 1:41

I cruised through the finish line in 1:09:08, meeting my unofficial time goal of sub-1:10. I had thrown that number out to Barry the night before, and I was happy to meet it. My other secret goal was to finish before the first half marathoner came through. I accomplished that as well, as the winner came in at 1:21:57 (which is insane on this course!).

After finishing I collected my medal and a bottle of water and walked back up towards the final stretch before the finish line to wait for Barry. Blue Ridge had a great app this year for tacking athletes, so I was able to keep tabs on him. Finally, I saw him coming down the road and cheered my head off for him! He ended up having a lot of cramping after the second mountain (Peakwood, mile 7-10). But he still finished in 1:55:56 – no course PR but still an excellent time on such a tough course. Not to mention he didn’t train for the race 🙂

Once Barry was done we got some post-race food, hung out in the shade for a bit, and then made our way over to the amphitheater area for some post-race refreshments. I had a smooth Belgian white – my favorite!

All in all, a great day and another Blue Ridge in the books.

This race report is part of the Weekly Wrap link up, hosted by the awesome MissSippiPiddlin’ and HoHo Runs. Be sure to click on over to their blogs and check out who else is joining in today!

Who else has raced recently?
Do you run the same races over and over again?

I know, I know. How can I possible have anything else to write about after that novel of a race report, right? Well, there’s a lot more because there was a lot that went into this race and hey, it was a long race. But most of those stories are going to stay on the trail. Here are a few extra details from race day that did not make it into my race report.

Fuel – I always think it’s interesting to read what people eat during long races

About two hours before the start I had my usual cup of coffee and two packets of apples & cinnamon instant oatmeal with milk. After arriving at the race I ate a banana (about 45 minutes before the start).

I had a fueling plan going into the race. I was going to consume 100-200 calories per hour, which had worked well for me during training. My plan was to drink plain water when consuming fuel and then drink Tailwind from my hydration pack in between. But I did a really bad job of fueling during the race. Time kept sneaking by and I forgot to eat as planned. Luckily, I got away with it somehow (probably thanks to my potatoes and salt).

It was hard to remember to eat and drink because I just never felt thirsty or hungry the entire race. I know that part of the problem was the weather. I never feel like eating or drinking when it’s cold and raining – that’s just the way it goes for me. Next time I definitely need to pay attention to fueling, because it’s important.

In total during the race I ate:

• 3 boiled potatoes with salt (they were those little white ones that come from a can)
• 3 orange slices
• 4 packs of Pro Bar chews
• 2 saltine crackers
• water and Tailwind

My appetite the day after the race was voracious, and I definitely made up for my lack of hunger on race day.

Random Race Stuff

Going into the race I had a plan to put a lot of emphasis on my heart rate and staying in the aerobic zone. This worked really well for me during my final long runs in training. However, despite my best efforts, my heart rate was never really where I wanted it to be. I think it stayed higher because of the extra effort running through the insane mud. So I ended up having to run mostly on perceived effort, and luckily it worked out.

A lot of people worry about getting lost in trail races. I wasn’t too worried about that going into this race, for whatever reason. During the race, I was happy to find the course was really well marked. Never once did I worry I was not on course. There were ribbons in the trees (the color corresponded to your race distance) and there were signs at trail intersections letting you know where to go.

The longest trail run I’ve ever done was a little over 4 hours, and the longest run I’ve ever done was just shy of 5 and a half. I think it’s pretty cool I could keep going for over 8 hours and still be running at the end.

I did not have any chaffing or blisters. That’s pretty good since it rained a few times and my feet were soaked for basically the entire race. Thank goodness for Vaseline!

This is a little thing, but my Fitbit broke the week of the race! It was a bummer, because I was looking forward to seeing how many steps I took during a 50K. Customer service has since replaced it with a new one. All the more reason to run another one!

Recovery

After my race I was pretty sore the next day, but that’s to be expected right? All of those little stabilizer muscles in my core, hips, and ankles were particularly sore from slipping and sliding in the mud for hours on end. However, I found that the more I moved the better I felt. By Wednesday (four days post-race) I pretty much felt back to normal. My recovery from a trail ultra was quicker than my recovery from either of my road marathons has been.

I’m An Ultrarunner

Before the race and during training I quietly worried to myself about being a slower runner. I worried that I didn’t belong out there if I couldn’t run faster. But being out at the North Face race showed me that it’s okay to be slower and still want to accomplish this type of distance. The ultrarunning and trail running community welcomed me with open arms.

I truly feel like I belong and I can’t wait to venture further into this crazy world.

What’s your typical pre-race/pre-long run breakfast?
Do you train by heart rate?
Roads or trails?

This post is part of the Wednesday Word link up, hosted by Debbie. Each week we get a word prompt to write about and this week’s word is energetic. Click on the button below to join in, too, and to see who else is linking up today!

Running gives me energy, which I’ve always thought was an odd phenomenon. I also all get my energy from sleep as my body recharges for the next day.

I like my sleep. I am not a morning person. I loathe getting up early. Or really, I loathe getting up at a time that requires me to use an alarm clock. Yet I chose a sport that often requires me to be up earlier on the weekends than during the work week. What?

When my alarm harshly pulls me out of my peaceful sleep, I’m quick to hit the snooze. I don’t like climbing out of my comfortable bed. I don’t want to come out from under my warm covers. But here’s the thing. Once I’m up, I kind of like it. The world is dark and quiet and I like that feeling of seeming to be the only one awake. The only one that can’t stop.

I don’t like being woken up early. But I do like being up early once I’m out of bed. Maybe that does make me a morning person after all.

Are you a morning person?

FYI: This is long (word count over 3,000). I tried my best to keep it as succinct as possible, but I wanted to do the day justice. You have been warned. Grab a fresh cup of coffee, tea, or a snack and settle in.

An ultramarathon is a big undertaking, especially when it’s your first. On April 9, I ran The North Face DC Endurance Challenge Series 50K. The day was made more difficult due to extremely muddy trail conditions and unfavorable weather. In all, we ran through 20+ miles of slick, shoe-sucking mud. Throughout the race we faced temperatures in the 30’s, rain, snow, sleet, and high winds. The trail conditions definitely slowed my pace, but overall none of it mattered. It was my ultra, my race, and my day and it didn’t matter what the conditions were. But it’s also really good that I had no idea what was in store for me.

Pre-race
The night before the race I slept really light, but when my alarm went off at 3:45 AM I was up and ready to go. I had plenty of time to get out the door by 5 AM, as planned. But for whatever reason, I was just being really laid back and did not hit the road until nearly 5:30 for the 30 minute drive to the shuttle area. I was cutting it a bit close for the race shuttles, which stopped at 6:15!

Luckily, I made it in time. The shuttle dropped me off at the race start/finish area in the pouring rain. I hit the porta potty, and then met up with Susan. We had communicated through social media prior to the race, but had never met in person. Since our paces were fairly close, we planned to start the race together. I checked my bag at bag drop, hung out talking to Susan and her husband, and before I knew it, it was time to line up!!

Start to Fraser Aid Station (mile 0 – 5.6)
At 7:03 AM we were off! We began by running through the squishy, sodden grass for about three-quarters of a mile.

Susan and I were running along together, chatting and trying to keep the excitement from affecting our pace. The first couple of miles were on grass, pavement, and then gravel. I was just ready to hit some trails, and finally after two miles I got my wish! Now things got interesting, as I found myself running on narrow, muddy singletrack through the dense riverside forest.

After we got on the trail, there were several creek crossings. Some had bridges, but the smaller ones did not. A lot of people slowed down to pick their way through on the rocks, but Susan and I just went straight through the water. Neither of us saw the point, since our feet were already wet and muddy. I thought going through the water felt pretty good, despite the cold weather!

We also got to run with Dean Karnazes for a hot minute during this section. It was all exciting, until we realized we had dropped to a 9 minute pace. Woah! We knew we needed to back the heck off and we slowed back down to a more reasonable pace.

Around mile 4.5, we encountered our first couple of hills of the day. They weren’t too long, but they were very steep! Add in the mud and it was slow going both on the way up and on the way down. There was definitely no making up time on the downhills during this race!

Before I knew it, we came into the first aid station. Susan and I said our goodbyes here. She had plans to run through the aid stations and my plan was to stop and eat at them. It was fun running with her and I would have liked to stay together longer. Ironically, we finished the race within 8 minutes of each other.

It was at this aid station that I discovered the magic of boiled potatoes with salt. Perfection! Then it was time to get back to work. As I left the aid station, I did feel a bit lonely hitting the trail solo. But I soon found myself surrounded by others and that feeling went away.

Fraser to Carwood Aid Station (mile 5.6 to 8.3)
I don’t remember much about this next section. We continued running along the trail, I think it was fairly flat, and there were a few more creek crossings. Some had steep banks, and it was slick from the mud, so you kind of had to pick your way down to the water carefully to avoid falling.

When I hit the Carwood AS I really needed a restroom break. I realize I was running in nature’s bathroom, but I wanted a real one. The volunteers told me it was nearly a quarter mile up a side trail and I decided it was worth it. What’s another half mile, right?

On my way back to the aid station, I freaked out about missing Barry, who was running towards me from mile 13.1 so we could run together. I suddenly realized it was possible he could have run through the AS while I was up the side trail. I sent a few quick text messages to him and my dad (so much time wasted at this AS). They had driven separately from me and had parked at the Great Falls AS. When I got back down to the AS I asked if anyone had run by in the other direction and they told me no. Phew! I grabbed some more boiled potatoes with salt and was on my way.

I headed back out on the trail still snacking on my potato, and I nearly ate a toothpick! I didn’t notice it was in there and I bit right into it.

Carwood to Great Falls Aid Station (mile 8.3 to 13.1)
I was still carrying a small piece of my potato about a half mile later, when I rounded a corner and saw Barry standing at the top of a small hill waiting for me. Yay! I’m so glad we didn’t miss each other. We started running together and that gave me a mental boost.

From mile 10 to 12.5 we encountered some big climbs. Again, they were super slick and the poor little trees on the side of the trail were really taking a beating from everyone hanging on to them. Sorry nature.

As Barry and I turned onto a trail called Bootlegger, we saw a sign warning of rabid animals in the area. Sweet. We also started seeing the lead 50K and then 50M runners headed back. We cheered them on and they cheered us on in return, which was cool. With the lolli pop style course (an out and back with a loop at the top – my favorite) the trails stayed pretty busy from there on. They never felt crowded to me, though.

We ran through some gorgeous sections of bluebells. I was still feeling good, but I was ready to get into the next aid station.

Great Falls to Old Dominion AS (mile 13.1 to 17.2)
Coming into Great Falls was so exciting. It’s a big aid station and the only one where you’re allowed crew access. The 50K runs through GF twice and the 50M runs through the aid station a total of four times, so it’s a big party. Here I got to see my dad and my childhood friend L and her fiance. She had taken off work just to come out and cheer me on! My dad and Barry helped me put more fuel in my pack while I babbled about the magic of boiled potatoes and recounted my close call with a toothpick. I also decided it was time to take off my rain jacket. Barry helped with that and then bungeed it to my pack.

There were hugs and kisses and then I was off on my way for the Great Falls loop. I was excited knowing I would get to see my crew again in only 6 miles.

The GF loop was busier with more runners, and it was fun to see them all. I got to cheer on my friend Trigg, who was running the 50M, and I also saw Susan. We shouted encouragement to each other as we passed.

I then had a really confusing (for him) conversation with this guy while running the loop. We had talked a bit but had lapsed into silence and were just running together. All of a sudden I blurted out “Oh no, I’ve lost my motivation!” What I meant to say was I didn’t know where my little paper with my motivational phrases went. It had been in my jacket pocket, but I thought I had taken it out when I took the jacket off. Now I couldn’t figure out where it went! The guy asked me what I was talking about. I replied “My motivation! I lost it. It was in my jacket, but I took that off.” After a beat, he said he hoped I would find it again, and then slowly distanced himself from me. It wasn’t until nearly the end of the GF loop that I realized how confusing that conversation must have been for anyone who wasn’t inside my head. When I completed the loop I got Barry to check the jacket and sure enough it was in there – just like I thought. Ha!

Old Dominion to Great Falls Aid Station (mile 17.2 to 19)
We had to run this little out and back before coming into Old Dominion. It was cruel – we went all the way down this big hill, only to have a volunteer mark our bibs and turn around to climb back up. The brave souls doing the 50M had to do that three times. After that, it wasn’t long before I found myself at the next aid station. I needed another restroom break, so I took care of that at the porta john (blessedly located right at the AS!). Then I grabbed some Saltines and had my bib marked again on my way back out. I made the guy mark my turnaround box darker, too, because I felt like you couldn’t see it that well. He assured me you could see it just fine, but obliged me anyway. I joked with him that I didn’t want to finish the loop and have them send me back out!

The GF loop absolutely flew by for me, despite taking about 90 minutes to complete. We had some amazing views of the Potomac River and Mathers Gorge towards the end of the loop.

Before I knew it I was done with the loop and back at the aid station. This time I decided to change into dry socks. Dad and Barry had a chair waiting for me and when I sat down I had some cramping in my upper legs. Barry ended up tending to my nasty feet and getting my dry socks and muddy shoes back on. The things you do for love. My dad simultaneously refilled my hydration pack and I grabbed a dry pair of gloves, a fresh buff, some more fuel, and my iPod.

Debbie showed up right as I was ready to head out of the aid station – perfect timing!! She had parked in nearby Riverbend Park (where the rabid animals supposedly live) and had run towards Great Falls to meet up.

Great Falls to Carwood Aid Station (Mile 19 to 23.8)
Deb and I ran through more gorgeous bluebells during this stretch. There were several sections just thick with bluebells throughout the race and it was breathtakingly gorgeous. The whole course was gorgeous, but these sections were my absolute favorite. Deb captured this awesome picture as we ran through one section.

We ran past where Debbie had parked, and she continued on with me for awhile. It wasn’t long before we hit the hills again. I started having cramping in my adductors. Debbie told me the actual name of the muscle, but (as she predicted) it did not stick in my foggy six-hours-of-running brain. Despite the cramping, I power hiked through and it usually stopped during the next flat/downhill section.

We started seeing marathoners on the course and I was excited to interact with more runners. Unfortunately, I found that most of them completely ignored me when I said good job or something similar. Not trying to hate on y’all, but that’s not very good etiquette!

Carwood to Fraser Aid Station (mile 23.8 to 26.5)
The Carwood AS still had potatoes but no salt! So I had a plain potato and a few orange slices. With about 8 miles left in the race, Debbie and I said goodbye. It was so awesome running with her and running with Barry earlier in the day. They both definitely helped keep my spirits up and I loved having company! Thanks guys!

During the final miles, my brain got really foggy. I kept thinking of things and then promptly forgetting them. For example, I would think about needing to eat, forget, and then some amount of time later I would remember again. But then I couldn’t figure out how long it had been since I last ate. I also kept thinking I had rocks in my shoes, but kept forgetting to check. At the finish when I took off my shoes I found the discomfort on the balls of my feet was from clumps of mud that were stuck inside my shoes.

I know I said some things to Debbie before we split about only having single digits left. But as soon as she headed back, I completely stopped paying attention to mileage. Since it was an out and back course, I had a general idea of where I was.

Fraser to Sugarland Aid Station (mile 26.5 to 30)
Just before I hit Sugarland, I turned on my iPod. I figured after 7+ hours of running I had earned it. It was a sweet reward (I seldom run with music, so it’s a special treat) and I was practically having a solo party on the trail.

I hit the Sugarland aid station and just cruised right through. I knew I was getting close! This was the only part of the race where I got a bit emotional. I got a hitch in my breath as I realized this was it, I was doing this.

Sugarland to Finish (mile 30 to 31.7)
I definitely got tired as the race went on, but in 8+ hours I never hit a low point. I also never needed my motivation that I had written down. I literally spent the entire race just marveling at the experience and loving it all. Seriously, I think I’ve found my niche.

I ran the entire final mile and a lot of it was on pavement which did not feel good. I knew I was getting close, then I looked up to see Barry in the distance cheering me on! This was it!! I followed the directions of the volunteers and turned left off of the path as the finish line loomed ahead of me. I saw my dad and then saw other people cheering me on and telling me to smile. I thought I was, but I guess not! And then… I crossed the finish line.

 

I finished the race in 8:11:54. Immediately after crossing the finish line I was handed my medal and a finisher’s water bottle. I stumbled through a food tent and took two orange slices (which I held on to for nearly 30 minutes before eating). The first person I met up with was Susan. We hugged, congratulated each other, and swapped a few brief stories. Then I saw Barry and my dad. There were hugs and congratulations and then the toughest part of my day: sitting down to take off my socks and shoes. There was a lot of cramping and I required help. I developed a good technique for putting dry socks on, though.

I was freezing so I put on more layers and then Barry’s coat. Eventually I got some postrace food (a hot dog with baked beans and slaw – the also had BBQ, salad, and I don’t know what else). I met back up with Susan and also got to meet Tai Fung from Twitter. Then I made my way into the beer tent with my crew for a well deserved refreshment. Here, I ran into Trigg and got to congratulate him as well. I partook in my beer, ate my hot dog, and froze for a bit before we decided it was time to go stand in line for the shuttle. While waiting for the shuttle, I ran into my high school friend (who I have not seen for probably 8-10 years)! Her husband was running the 50M and she was there crewing him. She said she had seen me in GF and cheered for me but I didn’t hear her. Oops! It was definitely a day of meeting new people and running into old friends.
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You are a rockstar if you have made it this far. If you have, I hope you have enjoyed the recap. Here are my closing thoughts:

I still can’t quite wrap my head around covering just under 32 miles on foot. But I guess that’s mainly because you really don’t think about these things as a whole. You just take it bit by bit. A lot of people talk about simply running from aid station to aid station. I did that, but I had a slightly different take on it. I looked at each aid station as a reset. A time to wipe the slate clean and focus on whatever mileage that lay ahead of me, without considering how far I had come or how far I had to go. It sounds crazy but I also never thought about how long I had been running and I never considered the fact that every step past 26.2 miles was a new personal distance record. I simply had tunnel vision on the task at hand and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I think that’s why I never hit a low. I just kept trucking along until it was done.

Looking back on that day I can’t believe I did it. I know a few things that helped, though. The race was well organized and the volunteers were top notch. I also received so much support, encouragement, and advice during training from both family and friends – in person and through social media. That makes a huge different on race day. I don’t have the words to fully capture my experience, but I’ve done my best. It was just so exhilarating. I definitely want to run another one! I mean, I’ve got to see if they’re all this muddy and crazy, right??

Well… have I convinced you to run an ultra?
What is the strangest/most unique thing you have eaten during a race?

This recap is part of the Weekly Wrap link up hosted by HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin’. I think they may penalize me for writing such a long blog post, though, and my ban me for the next two weeks to make up for it or something 😉

I had such a blast at my first ultramarathon last weekend, that I’m ready to do it again! But not this weekend. My body isn’t quite ready for that. Hopefully it is ready to cover a mountainous 10K though, because that’s exactly what I have on tap!

This weekend Barry and I will be participating in the Blue Ridge Marathon races in Roanoke for the fifth year in a row. Barry is signed up for the half. I was originally signed up for the half, but decided it was in my best interest to drop to the 10K. It still packs 2,000 feet in elevation change though! Barry will tackle a total elevation change of nearly 3,800 feet (pictured below from the 2015 race). I only have to deal with that first mountain. 😉

This race is so challenging, yet we keep going back year after year. It has grown a lot over the past few years, but it still has the feel of both a small race and a hometown race (despite Roanoke being an hour north of us). You just can’t beat that. My race will include a climb up Mill Mountain to get an up close view of the 90-foot-tall Mill Mountain Star, and then a descent back to the valley floor. Honestly, I think the descent is going to hurt more than the climb. All in good fun, though, and it should be a great day!

Who else is racing this weekend?

P.S. Tomorrow is also the ninth anniversary of April 16th. Nine years ago I was a freshman at Virginia Tech. One snowy April morning all hell broke loose on campus. Tomorrow we commemorate that awful day with a Day of Remembrance.

“Appreciate life a little more, take in every moment around you, count your blessings, tell the people around you that you love them, slow down, remember what’s truly important in life. And live for those 32 that do not have that chance anymore.”

We are Virginia Tech. We will prevail.