Mount Laguna marathon 2018

This race seemed like a reach but last year I missed it because I was sick so this year even if I had to hike it I wanted to be a part of it. We started of on time 7am and The running of the 6th Mount Laguna was off. November in Cuyamaca is amazing. Its not to cold but the leaves are changing and its a beautiful. 

The best part is seeing everyone out there. Hugging your fiends and hearing all the stories from every ones latest adventure. The race was not hard but I was tired and my legs were tired from Javalina. I found a nice steady pace that worked for me and just stayed at it . I didn't hike to much instead I opted for a steady pace. I think finding a pace and staying at it is a great thing to learn to do well,  Slow or fast.

The medals are always awesome. There hand made.

I was happy with my time and I was happier I could jog up that last climb. This is my last race for 2018 and it was a great year. Everything about it was good. The biggest thanks has to go to my husband because he makes all this possible and he loves hearing about my adventures. 

Javalina !00 mile race recap

The week before this race, I felt like a mess. I was nervous and excited and had so many vivid dreams about this race. My daughter, Isabella,  drove 6 hours to Arizona with me and she was also excited to be able to share this with me. She was my weekend helper. This would be her first big 100 mile experience with her mom.
When we got to McDowell Park I was impressed by how well this race was set up. They made dropping off all your stuff really easy. The parking was easy and the showers and bathrooms were all easy to get too and clean.

we got our tent right away and unloaded. Bella would have one night of camping alone while I ran we set up her sleeping bag. Then we set up all my race stuff and the cooler. Teenagers need lots of snacks after  we drove to packet pick up about 20 minutes away and that was easy too. We ate a Freak Brothers Pizza hung around bought some T-shirts for my kids and then we saw Catra and a-lot of Hoka athletes. I got the number 46 because I am 46 !
After that we drove to Scottsdale  to our hotel so we could be back at the race by 5am. We fell asleep by 9pm.

Race morning went as planned and I was ready. The music was loud and the excitement was all over. I was excited to try for 27 hours.  That was my huge goal. That would take 3 hours off my PR and I had done the math and thought maybe I could pull it off. Plan B was 29 hours. That would still be a PR and so those where the numbers flying around in my head. Robert convinced me to start with the first group. I was nervous I wouldn't be able to keep up. Robert said to just do it and I did and it was great. 

The race start felt awesome. There was music the Race Director was our DJ. She did a great job getting everyone excited. It was a very different race start and I really enjoyed the whole thing. Runners dressed in costumes and techno was playing. I think it is the coolest race start I have been a part of. 

The race started and I felt great. A couple things I have been working on for this race. I started using carbo-pro for all my runs. I also have been cross training consistently. I felt great I told myself that when I finished the second loop I could listen to my music and I made new play list with Elton John and Kanye. I don't know why, but these songs worked for me.

The first 3 loops I ran with Robert. To my surprise I was able to keep up with him. I just kept a steady pace and we didn't talk we just did our thing. Slow and consistent. I kept waiting for the shit to hit to fan right?? I was thinking Omg why do I feel so good and should I slow down. I kept checking in with myself and everything was fine. Yes my feet where sore and my arms where tired but I felt great for 60 something miles. I ran the first 50 miles in 12 hours. I was doing the math and at mile 70 If I just kept it together I could have had a sub 23 hour 100 mile race!! Lets just say never ever ever would I even think I could do that. Why ?? All my 4 other 100's I have been really close to 30 and between 30 and 31. I know you do not do math while you run so even though I was doing the math my main focus was finishing and I think the numbers thing was a great way to pass the time. I felt so good at one point I had Rocket man playing the sun was setting my heart was bursting with gratitude . Big thoughts I had I am so grateful that I am healthy enough to run 100 miles fallowed by I miss my sister. Then I always go back to how amazing are my fiends and daughter sitting there and waiting with open hearts to help me. A good crew is priceless. I always think about how lucky I am to have good people .. Then I check in with myself. I do a full body scan. I always find something that hurts but pain during an ultra is always changing so when my feet felt so sore I just remind myself that in 10 minutes that will change..so just hang in there.

The night came and before I knew it..my wheels feel off. ( I was doing so well) I started feeling sick and cold. I was tired and the GU would not stay down. I was dehydrated from only drinking carbo pro and no water. ( what was I thinking) That was the problem and consequently my diagnosing skills where left at mile 60. The next lap I lost a ton of time but I also knew that my friend Colleen was  here to pace me. I also knew that everything I was feeling my friends where feeling too. Hey G your not alone in this suffering, this is not easy for anyone so just keep fighting and sooner or later you will finish. Any hope of sub 24 were put down to rest and now it was about keeping my shit together. If you ask my pacer I failed at that too. I am really so grateful for Colleen she took care of me when I was barfing and freezing and at my worst. Thank you Colleen and thank God for good girl friends that are patient and strong.
The sun came out and something in me woke up. Then we ran the last 3 miles in. Ran ran not jogged but 3 miles running.

My time was 24:57. Yes, 24 hours, 57 minutes. 4 hours off my PR!! That was at Western 29:56

Let me just say for the record that even writing that seems crazy to me. How did that happen? It must be all the training.

I had a full range of emotions. Next up? Sub-24. 

I agree

The Beer Half Marathon

There was a half marathon 6 miles for my house a could weeks ago. You know when you find out there is a race really close to you. You have to go . I wa also able to talk my husband into running the 10k. The race was the beer half marathon. 

Here we are some of my peeps representing the San Diego trail crashers. Humans that run are my favorite kinda people.

The race was actually really challenging . I ran 20 the day before and I just thought this would be easy but it was really hilly and there was trails and lots of street running. I really had fun and had a better second half than first. I was able to catch a couple of my friends and we all ran in with in a mile of each other. Mike got 7th over all for the 10k . I was excited for him and I ran a 1:49 . 

Friends that run together stay together. There was beer and food trucks . I also saw some really good friends I had not seen in years.

I ended up with first in my age group . I think this was a first for me. I had a blast and it was a perfect Sunday. 

Noble Canyon 50k race review

Early this Saturday morning I stood in a crowd of excited runners in a parking lot surrounded by beautiful mountains. We had perfect weather. It was not to cold and not warm at all.  I also love when you can park a couple hundred feet from the start of the race. There was plenty of parking and lots of bathrooms and it was just easy. I made my way to the registration and got my bib #121.
In 2012 I ran this race for the first time it was my first 50k and I remember I was so excited. 

The race started right on time and the course was so well marked. I never really got nervous about making a wrong turn because every where I ran I saw a ribbon. The first 8 miles are challenging.  I was told this so I just put my head down and kept moving. 

Preparing is the way to go.  The race was a blast and the races in San Diego have the best volutes and that leads to amazing aid stations .. You need it they have it. You might even know you need it but guess what they do.  I think this is an awesome 50K and if you have not run it you should. 

So with the help of the Trail Crasher and making sure we train I made it to the finish line with a huge smile. Lets be honest I threw up at the finish line but thats because I pushed the last 3 miles . I love the feeling of leaving it all out there. 

Yup, I kissed the rat.  7 hours 11 minutes 

Noble Canyon and my favorite community The San Diego ultra running friends made this day so good for so so many runners.... Thank you.

Mt.Baldy and a bad stomach

This Labor Day was really special. My friend Becca got the ball rolling she signed up for The Mt. Baldy run so as a good friend a bunch of us decided to join her. The more the merrier right ? My husband  Jack and I drove up the night before to Ontario and got a hotel room. This way it would just make life easier.
First I need to start with this on Sunday morning we went out to eat at this place I really like but this Sunday It didn't like me. I don't ever get stomach stuff but what ever I ate hurt so much. I had the worst cramps and just so much pain. I felt horrible but I was hoping it would go away and it didn't.

Here is our crew before we started the race to the top. 

Then it was ready set and go !!!

This race starts at 6000 feet and finishes on the summit of the third highest mountain in California- Mt Baldy 10,064 feet.  That's 4000 feet of gain in 7 miles. 

the views where spectacular and I think thats why we do it . To be out in a beautiful place and push yourself in nature. Oh yeah and there is always the fact that your favorite runners are there with you.

Here we are ..and yes there is Robert !! I love 

 I felt horrible for most of the run /hike my stomach was hurting me so I totally slowed my friends down but there was not much else I could do I just moved slowly and we made it ..

This is my I feel like crap but I am still here pushing pose. 

The race had a lot of single track and the drops where awesome. I loved it but I really want to go back next year and see how I do with out pain. It was hard and fun but so so pretty.

The greatest gift in life is friendship and I have that... ..

The AFC Half marathon

I was not going to run the AFC half marathon my son was going to run it this year and I was so excited for him. He did all the training but unfortunately he was not able to go and this year it just was not in the cards for him.  I ran in his place and I do love the race. I have ran this race with my dad 5 times and with my husbands twice and alone 3 times. This was my 10th AfC. How fun right ??

During the race I saw a couple of friends and Juliann ran a couple miles with me . That was so much fun we talked and hung out and ran. I wanted to run it under 2 hours because I just think that's a good time . I was getting close to the finish and my dad jumped in and ran half mile with me and I got in at 1:58. That's perfect 

My super sweet people . My dad came to see my son run but instead he got me and Juliann ran a couple miles with me and other friends but it was nice to get to see her. It was a great Sunday and I do love this race. Getting up at 4 am maybe nit so much but after the race is over all the inconveniences are so worth it.

A couple new summer races

• I feel like sometimes for me after running 100 miles I am done for a while. I feel like I got kicked of a horse and getting back on seems like a lot of work. I guess the way to get back on and train with purpose is to find a race and sign up. 
• I signed up for another 100 miler in October. My biggest reason was because I get to spend time with my friends and it looks like a fun race and one I would not try alone. The Javalina 100 miler in Arizona. I am worried about the heat but my thoughts are if I just manage myself and keep ice on myself I should be okay.
•  Then while going Ultra sign up I saw run to the top of        Mt. Baldy 7 miler.  I have always wanted to try this one I signed up last year but was unable to attend so this year I hope to be there.
• I almost forgot Noble Canyon Sept 22nd. I love this because it hard and hot but the perfect distance 31 miles and its local. 
• That's my summer runs I have to look forward too. 
  Its always fun to get out there for the whole day and just enjoy life. 

Summer check in

This last I went on vacation with my family. The whole family and I know when I am with them I am right where I am supposed to be. Its an easy time. 20 people and we all get along . Everyone is really good about compromising too. It was so pretty and warm and all those tings you just love about Mexico. I just love the feeling of being away on a beach get away. 

Everything was going really nicely until I got this bad pain in my mouth. I had an implant put in and it was infected. I had told my dentist several times that it felt wrong but he did not listen so while in Mexico it got real. I went to pharmacy and got medication not pain medication because I am not big on taking stuff for pain but I did get medication for the infection.
I got back Sunday and Wednesday morning I had to have surgery in the hospital to clean out the infection. It was brutal and one of those holy crap this hurts surgeries. Its now Sunday and I do feel so much better . I cant smile yet and I have to eat soft food due to all the stitches in my mouth but I can feel my body is healing. I have not really ran for almost 12 days either.. (aaarrgghhhh)
This makes me very anxious and I am hoping that by Tuesday I can go for a 10 mile run. It is crazy how much more in balance with my body and mind I feel when I run and move. This year has been full of doctor stuff and I am hoping this will be last of it for a while.  I would like to get back to my running life instead of eating and sitting around life. 

This is from our vacation. All the girls doing girl things.
Shopping please :).   How is your summer so far ?? Any Plans

My friend ran Western

I was lucky enough to be able to attend Western states last week. My girl friend Julianne got in and she asked me to pace her for a 20 mile leg. My friend Ricky also got in so I got to hang out with a bunch of the Trail Crashers in Auburn. It was an exciting time . I love watching the race it is so much easier than running the race. It was another hot day in Auburn and the race course its just hard. Those canyons are a killer. I stayed with Julianne and her family and at 5 am we where at the starting line. My girl friend seemed calm and I never had any doubt she would finish. 

This was my first time crewing from beginning to end and I was worried the entire time. You get worried you won't get to the aid station on time. You get worried about your runner, Your worried there eating or that you brought everything they might need every time see them. I never stopped being worried and that was a different kind of stress. 

Robert paced her the last 20 and it was awesome to be a part of her succesful Western States.

Strength grows in the moment when you think you cant go on but you find a way to keep going anyway.

My San Diego 100 mile race report

I had planned on running this race last year but life had other plans. Fast-forward to 2018 and I found myself at the runners briefing last Thursday with butterflies in my tummy and so much excitement. One of the best parts about signing up for a 100 mile race is the journey you take to get there. I find that, for me, in order to have a shot at completing a 100 mile race it's the journey that teaches me all about my destination. Unless I show up for almost every training run and put all my miles in my chances of holding a buckle are slim. When you have a running group like ours that is easy. Becca tells us where we are meeting and what time to be there so all that is needed is to show up and run.

I love the journey. I choose to train with the Trail Crashers. I spent   hours and hours training  with them and so many of us signed up for the San Diego 100 miler. 

The race started at 6 am. I went and took my place near the back of the conga line as the race started. I like starting near the back because for me slow and steady is the way it is going to go. I loved catching up with old friends like Chipping Fu . Last time we saw each other was on the trails at Western States where we finished with a seven second difference .
Now here we where at mile 1 of the San Diego 100 catching up. That felt really cool. 
I could feel it was going to be a warm day really early on. It was more of a feeling of 'take it easy G its gonna get warm and stay that way all day so take it easy'.  Just feel this one out as you go. When the weather is like it is in a-lot of San Diego races hot and dry you really need to learn to listen to your body and keep checking in with yourself. 

My plan was to eat as much as I could . I made some really dense bars and cut them into small pieces and just had maybe one an hour. I also made rice but I put a couple spoons of it in a baggie w gee butter the night before and crushed some bacon bits and mixed it up and had a baggie of the every other hour. Then I had a  chia gel  every hour, I had lemon Skratch in my pack half of what they tell you to drink for the first 40 miles and then just water the gel and the food and pure water. I usually throw up at least once during a long race so I am trying to figure out how to help my tummy not hurt. This race I felt full most of the time but I still threw up about 6 times. I do feel way better after and I kinda feel like I can start over.

I love this picture because this tree has so many memories for me. We have had lots of training runs and all Trail Crashers  stop and hang out under that tree. This tree is also the part of Lost Boys course that tells me I only have 23 miles left. The Cuyamacas are magical and will kick your ass if you do not prepare. One the bright side nothing like getting your ass kicked on a beautiful mountain right ?

I get to see so many friends and I made new ones too. The race was hard and hot and meeting people out here is fun because there is no time for bullshit. It's more 'hi how are you'?? The person replies, 'I feel like shit'. You try and help them and talk for a bit and become friends. I love the fun personalities I get to hang out with. 

I just took it easy and ran at my pace. Slow and steady. I was extra careful on the super technical parts because my feet are always what hurts the most. The views did not disappoint either. On my way to meadows was all kinda  crazy. I got to run with my new friend Alex and his friend Ben that was fun because they're great storytellers.  I started seeing people just sitting down and I thought it was kind of early for that but it was hot and not everyone had a pack. Going into Noble canyon was hot and I had lots of water and decided it would be smart to carry an extra bottle just in case. I am so glad I did there where so many guys who had ran out of water who were seriously hurting. I gave two of them some water and convinced one of the to just start walking with me back to the aid station and once we got there it was way better the aid station crew took care of him. I also got to run a little bit with my friend Spring and that was great too.   The canyon consisted of me telling myself every single reason I could think of that it would be okay to stop here. This works for because I give myself time during these races to mope. Then when I can't come up with any reasons I mentally tell myself Ok G. You're done now let's keep going. I had so much to look forward too. My husband was driving my pacers and crew so I would get to see him for maybe 4 min and Julianne was going to pace me for the next 20 miles. 

Here we are. I was tired but coming into the aid stations at this race is just awesome. Everyone wants you to succeed. I had Nartaya waiting for me with my night time clothes, chicken soup and my light. My husband and his friend Doug with words of encouragement. Nartaya told me when she would see me next and that it would fine and Cinda told me I will pace you after Julianne. Having new goals of seeing my crew again and running with Julianne gave me a great boost. When we left the aid station I was doing okay for about  6 miles after that I felt like my body hit a wall. It was like a huge woosh feeling of its time for bed G. Poor Julianne went from jogging to walking and I couldn't seem to wake up. Then it hit me all the gels I was eating do not have caffeine! I forgot I had a plan no caffeine until the evening. So
I found them and took one and started jogging then Julianne got me down to Cubbits and there I picked up Cinda.
When I got down there I saw Phillip and he was hurting and I saw Mark Daniels pacer . He told me Daniel was in an ambulance so I was worried about him but I also knew there was no way that they would let anything happen to him. He was in good hands. Nartaya gave me some soup. I think I did something with my shoes and I put on a jacket. I was feeling to comfortable at this station and there was so many people that had dropped and I was just thinking about the fact that they didn't have to run anymore and that made me want to get out of there faster because not running sounded good but it was not an option. I got the coolest new light too. 

Hurkins Orbit, 180˚ wide angle rechargeable LED on amazon but you do need two batteries bc they only last 7 hours .

 for the night time. This thing is as bright as the UFO light in ET.
It was so great I took my headlight off . I forgot to tell you I had a toothache going into this race and it was messing with my head so not having a headlamp helped enough that I could deal with it. Cinda was a great pacer we didn't really know each other but by the time we were done we bonded. Man I have so much respect for her. At one point, she fell so hard her head bounced and, yes, she landed on her eyebrow...on a rock! A big Rock. There was a ton of blood and I felt so bad I can't imagine how much her head hurt because of course she never once complained and ended up running 25 more miles with me this way. In her words we are on a mission and it's the finish line so let's go. I never gave up and I knew it was hard but I always think to myself when I feel like shit. Yes it's hard but I am doing hard just keep doing hard. Bad English an all. It is also comforting to know I am not the only one feeling like this. All the runners / survivors still out here where suffering too. 

We ended up running the last 9 miles with Louka and Cinda and what a treat that was. We ran the last mile in and I just wish I would of had the real energy to tell everyone how freaking grateful I felt. I was so tired I didn't even take pictures. The race is put on by such a good runners ( Scott and Angie S) legends  people that really want you to succeed. The volunteers are amazing and I mean that.  One volunteer, Guillermo, held my face when I felt like shit and looked me in the eye and told me: 'You can do this you just need to patient with yourself ride out this shitty place your in and keep moving'. Be patient it's a 100 miles. I know you can be patient. That stayed with me the whole time. If it's one thing I have, it's patience. ( I have 4 kids and they teach me to be patient everyday) I was so glad to be done. Cinda was too. I have a whole new appreciation for the length of one mile. One mile is a long way when your tired. I was hungry ,thirsty dirty chafed but so freaking happy to have finished. When your a back of the pack kind of gal and you know your going to be out there 30 hours but of course you hope that by some kind of magic you might do 29 hours you mentally have to get ready to just hurt but when you cross that finish line its like a magic wand just blessed you with this feeling of YES that was all worth it. Yes that was all worth it....

I ended up finishing at 30 hours 48 minutes. I will take that. I heard that the more difficult it is to reach your destination the more you remember your journey. That is so true.

Getting my ass to the finish line was a group effort. Starting with the Trail Crashers sending out the emails telling us where we needed to be every Saturday. To following the training plan Robert gave me. Eating healthier and having amazing crew and pacers. I feel like just showing up and towing the line takes guts. Lots of us didn't make it to the finish line at this race but as corny as this sounds we really are all winners. We have our health and we found something that we are passionate about. That's huge.
I am so happy I was able to grit it out and yes that is a lovely buckle right ?? Thank you to all my people that helped me during this journey to complete this hard ass race. Sneaky hard is what it is.