Ultramaraton Baja Trail

This last weekend March 17th I ran this race. In Tijuana Baja Calif. In Mexico. I just want to start by saying I was really nervous about this one . I had at least 4 people tell me how hard this race was going to be so I knew it was going to be a challenge but a new challenge is always welcome.
 The day started really early , I was up at 2 am and a friend picked me up on his way down to the border at 2:30am. The bus was scheduled to pick us up at 4:30. You would think we would have enough time to get everything done but we barely made it to the bus and then finding the bus was its own adventure.. By the time it found us we had walked 4 miles.

The race had 3 distances. My friend Louka ran the 80k and started at 6 am . The rest of our group  Kylee, Scott, Janell, Maria started at 6:30 we ran the 50k. So there we all are standing in the cold rain excited and ready to go. We all counted in Spanish and off we went. You start in a single conga line going up hill and make your way up a mountain. Then there was another and another. My friends did not lie to me this was a hard race but lets be honest whats the one thing that makes a hard race not so hard.....Perfect Weather
How can you complain when it is 60 degrees with a light mist. 

The views went on forever.

This is at the top of El Capitan. Getting up here was an adventure..

Seeing so many familiar face of friends I admire and call friends made the miles and hard work go by quickly. 

Another familiar happy face coming my way..

and another. Sometimes you run races and you know there are people you just admire and look up to because there so strong and have been killing it in this sport forever. There also so nice and wise and then You feel lucky just to able to share the trail with them. Even if your way behind them it is still special.

I loved the race and I didn't mind the climbs. You know how sometimes your just feeling it. I got lucky because this week I feel good and I went out at my pace and just ran my race and finished around 8:20 something. 

I really loved how the entire day unfolded. It was such great course and the rain all of it made it a special day.
I want to mention a couple things.. The course was so well marked. They did a great job marking it. The aid station and the volunteers so kind. They gave me hugs and food and so much encouragement . If you get chance to run the Baja Trail Maraton Just do it.
Be the girl who decided to go for it !!! That's it.... Happy running 

The Old West 50k race recap

I woke up at 4am so I could be in my car and on my way to pick up Phillip (my friend ) by 4:30am. When it comes to race day you should always plan on being there an hour early. We arrived at      6 am and I had plenty of time to check in and get dressed and have a cup of coffee. The race started right on time and off we went at 7am. 

This race is through Anza Borrego Desert in the spring. I never really thought I loved the desert but when I ran this race for the first time I feel in love. My pictures do not do it justice there is so much purple and the weather this year was what they call "perfect running weather".  

Throughout the entire 50k course there is only 2500 feet of elevation gain and loss. That makes running 31 miles a-lot easier.

I was so excited to run this year because last year the race was canceled. Lucky for us Pinnacle Endurance brought it back this year and did a wonderful job.
This is the best I have ever felt for 31 miles. I know the weather and sand helped. I really like running in sand I am not sure why but I really do. I have been trying to run everyday for the last 6 weeks I missed a day but what I have been trying to do is get used to running even when I feel like crap and when I do not want too. My reason for that is this. I am going  to run the San Diego 100 miler in June and I want to be a stronger runner. That for me means I do not want to chase cut offs. Chasing cut offs makes the race so intense for me and to be honest I would like to know what it is like to run 100 miles with out feeling like I am going to time out...I also figured out my nutrition and that really helps. 

I felt oddly strong the entire time. I was so happy too. I listened to the Gypsy Kings and sang the whole time. I chased a girl I knew I wouldn't catch but I loved trying. I finished in 5:21 that's my 50k PR and  26 minutes faster than my last 50k. Good Times !!

I feel really lucky and blessed to be healthy enough to run and to have such awesome friends to do it with.

Strength doesn't come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't .

Balance

March is already here. I am not sure what is going on but it feels crazy to think we are 3 months into 2018. My One little word this year is balance and that is what I am trying to accomplish. Finding balance and all I can say is these things take time.
I am on my second month of running daily. I missed 2 days because I had a cold . I was hoping that all this running would somehow help me feel stronger but NOPE.
Then that brings me back to finding balance. I am looking for that happy medium and I hope I can find it. I am going to try and stick to running  everyday but if I feel I need a break I will take it.
I am sitting here and today is a rest day. I made it a rest day !!!
This year I have ran 550 miles and its only March ..
I have three race I am looking forward to this month. The Old West in Julian is this Saturday and I am so looking forward to running 31 miles in the desert. I hope I can do a bit better than 2 years ago.
Ill keep you posted !!!!!