What the heck did I do this summer?

If you haven't figured it out I freakin' LOVE running and my daughter is the GREATEST thing that has happened in my life. I'm a mother runner. Try as I might I can't separate myself from this form of identity and that became glaringly apparent to me this summer. It's so much a part of my life and consumes just about all of my free time. Somehow my girl turned from a baby into a rambunctious toddler, and it blows my mind. Just last week we weaned naturally. I nursed (or pumped) every day for the past 630 days. That's 1 year, 8 months, 22 days! Yup...I kind of rock for that as well as other nursing mother runners out there making it work!

Sooooo.....as the title of this post asks....what the heck did I do this summer? I took back control of my own life. I'm not there 100% and am relying on family for help but that infamous light at the end of the tunnel is getting bigger, and I'm positive it's not the kind that Wile E. Coyote sees right before he smashes face first into a wall. Be as it may, when it comes to what I love second most, which is running --first most would be my daughter-- here's a look at my summer.

Chula Vista Community Fun Run (5K) - With my bestie who's a BAMR with her duallie

Lactic Edge Triathlon - I PR'd my 5k as the relay runner and cheered my niece on for her first finish

5k Walk/Run for Breastfeeding and Tour de Boys and Girls Club Bike-a-thon - This was my first time doing back-to-back racing. Not sure I'll do it again. Placed 3rd in my age group and first overall stroller runner for the 5k.

Kolor for Kids 5k - To be honest I think these kind of races are really hyped up but nevertheless had a good time

The Green Circle Trail Colorama Marathon - This wasn't anything official, actually it was spur of the moment on my part, but I'm determined to make it an annual event. Check out the entire album here.

Kickapoo Reserve Dam Challenge (aka dry triathlon) - 7 mile kayak, 14 mile bike, 3 mile run. This is MY kind of triathlon. This is also the one that I showed up at with a lame bike.

With the end of summer and fall being in full frosty effect, I'm forcing myself to look forward to winter for a change. I've got my first winter ultramarathon at the end of the year and I splurged on all sorts of gear for it. I might actually train for it too!

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Looking Back: Belly Blessing

It's 4:39 a.m. and I'm waiting for the marathon to start at the London Olympics 2012. While I wait I start zoning out on Pinterest which brings me to looking up tattoos and henna. Before I know it I'm looking back at pictures of my belly blessing when I was pregnant with Milla.

Belly blessings are simply prenatal henna (henna is also called mehndi) and are believed to protect and bless the mother and child, specifically from any evil or malicious spirits that may be near during delivery. I was hoping for a water birth and decided on a water themed blessing. I contacted Crescent Moon Henna in San Diego, CA and gave her artistic freedom as long as it involved a fish with it's head facing down (this was to encourage my daughter to remain head down as a baby's head needed to be down in order for my birthing place to allow a water delivery). She thought it over, gave me a general idea what she was thinking then free-hand applied henna on my belly.

It was quite an experience. Milla normally was a very active baby (I have belly videos that prove she moved nonstop!). But during the henna session she remained quite calm while the henna artist, Natasha, started painting my belly with paste made from powdered leaves from the henna plant. The henna paste gives off such a wonderful smell. I was a little worried that I would be overcome with morning sickness but I had no queasiness over the strong smell. Natasha finished painting then tossed glitter all over and took a warm dryer to it. Oftentimes henna then gets wrapped in saran wrap for about 4-6 hours to allow maximum henna exposure on the skin. But I had scheduled my maternity photos right after because I needed the henna to be visible. I was about to move out of the state in about a week and I didn't have time to allow the normal 2-3 days for the dye to naturally darken and then have photos taken. I needed them NOW. Natasha handed me some of her homemade oil lotion (which to this day has been my favorite lotion ever and was the best lotion I had used for my stretched out belly--both prenatal and postpartum) and I was out the door and off to La Jolla Shores.

At Crescent Moon Henna

Natasha warned me not to be disappointed if the henna dye didn't turn out like I imagined. She said that on some ladies the stretched out skin doesn't take to henna too well. This was my henna 5 days later and it lasted for 2 weeks. I thought it took it well enough but I'm glad I got my photos taken with the henna still applied.

5 days later

I just had to go back with Milla and get some more. She was about 4.5 months old at the time. Natasha is always so nice and has been great at fitting me in. Again I just gave her general guidelines--all I wanted was flowers around Milla's name--and she goes along with it and does her thing. This stuff is seriously addicting and a great relief if you get the tattoo itch often (like I do!) but can't or don't want to commit to a real one at the moment.

Fresh henna

1 day after henna dried and flaked off

Getting that itch again....


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R.I.P. Mocha

Today my dog, Mocha, was put down. This day was two years coming and not a surprise but still hurts very much. I was looking for a running companion and her previous owner was looking for a new owner who could meet her energy demands. We were a match! This dog loved to run and lived for it. She was hesitant to get to know me at first but then I ran about 20 miles with her that first week and everything changed. We logged a lot of miles together. She was my protection against anything out on the trail. She was my training partner. She was sometimes a pain in the ass. But when I think back on her time in my life I most fondly remember running in the black of night with her with our path lit by nothing but the light of a full moon. 

Finally finding a home
A man was working on a construction project up in Oregon where he found two puppies abandoned in a ditch. One was an apparently healthy female and the other was a male who had a gunshot wound. The man took the two puppies and brought them from Oregon to Orange County, California. His wife was a vet tech. It is unknown what happened to the brother puppy, but the sister puppy was given the name Hulu and was eventually adopted. Upon adoption her name was changed to Violet. Violet was a rambunctious puppy who like most puppies loved to chew things up. Her owner left her alone most of the day and often came home to a backyard that was dug up to pieces. She took Violet on walks but not many. She contacted the vet tech who set up the adoption and together they put up a new adoption ad looking for a ranch home for Violet. A woman who had just finished her first marathon earlier that year just happened to be looking for a running dog and came across the ad for a "perfect ranch dog" who would "only be considered for ranch farms." Although it was thought a long shot, she answered the ad and explained that she lived in an apartment without a yard but she was a marathoner looking for a running companion to join her for 20+ miles of running a week and specifically was looking for a catahoula leopard dog. They answered the ad back and after a brief phone call felt that this might be a suitable match. The potential owner drove from San Diego to L.A., about two hours north, with plans only to meet the dog. She ended up driving home with her. On the car ride back Violet was renamed to Mocha.

Mocha was now my new running partner.

Mocha's first night in her new home and very cautious of us

Battle against pemphigus
We got Mocha in March 2009 and for a solid year Mocha proved herself to be the best running partner I've ever had. She never complained, waited eagerly to run every day, and pushed me faster and farther than I anticipated on going each and every run. And she was the BEST deterrent against the crazies out there. I seriously think this dog is incapable of biting a human, but no one out on the trail knew that. They just took one look and hightailed it far away from us. Perfect.

Waiting for Dave to whip the ball right before the beach crash

In May 2010 it all started. Mocha was playing fetch with her dog brother from another mother and her fave guy, Dave, on Fiesta Island in San Diego. One far, and I mean far, fling from Dave sent both dogs reeling down the beach. Mocha, like always, beat Cooper to the ball and all we could see was ass over head as she slammed her muzzle into the ground and flipped over herself. She slowly hobbled back but came back ready for another go. Her muzzle was wickedly swollen by the time she got back to us.

2.5 weeks after beach crash, notice the scab on top of her nose?

We went home and her muzzle eventually returned to normal size but there was a small wound on top of her nose. It scabbed over repeatedly. We got some topical medicine but it kept scabbing over. I also noticed some similar scabbing around her left eye. This was troubling and both her and her brother needed updated shots so I took them to the vet. The vet did a scraping for mites, negative, and prescribed vitamins to include in her food. Diagnosis #1: Extreme sun sensitivity. They had hinted that this would never go away but didn't offer any ways to help her condition. Basically I was told Mocha would not heal unless we kept her out of the sun. We live in San Diego. How in the world was I suppose to do that? We tried to keep her locked up inside and only let her out when it was gloomy or in early morning and evening hours but her sores never healed.

This is when the licking started.

The licking never ended. Never, ever, ever. She was licking the pads right off her paws. She was also rubbing her nose against the floor, the couch, anything nearby. We figured this was why her nose never healed in the first place so I went to Petsmart and got a cone. When we were gone for work the cone went on. She got a break when we got home but it would go right back on when she started messing with her scabs again. We also started using bag balm on her nose and her feet. We would hold her muzzle closed to let the balm soak into the crusty lesion while we wrapped socks around her feet to let the balm soak into her pads. She was a mess. But for the first time her nose started healing. Progress! Just when we thought we got a firm grasp of the situation we would discover a new spot she had licked off on her pads or we would see her rubbing her nose until it was a bloody mess. This was an ongoing problem with no end in sight.

I took her to a different vet. Diagnosis #2: Lick granuloma. I was pregnant at this point and therefore had decreased my (aka our) mileage and was getting slower. The vet suggested that Mocha was getting stressed out that I wasn't running as much with her anymore and offered an anti-depressant. I was not gonna drug my dog up. Looking back maybe I should have but I was stubborn and I had MAJOR dog-mom guilt and put it on me to "fix" this without letting drug therapy do it for me. I ended up making a lot more trips to the beach and playing fetch. When my husband was gone for periods of time for work I went to Balboa Park or the beach as often as morning sickness allowed.

We quit trying to keep her out of the sun and kept her skin conditioned with bag balm. The constant exposure to salt from the ocean didn't seem to hurt her condition but almost seemed to help it. With this stagnation in the healing process we even were able to keep the cone off for days at a time.

Nov 2010 - scabby muzzle, swollen/scabby/raw paws

Dec 2010 - muzzle clearing up, scabs around eyes yet, paws getting better

Caring hands

In December 2010 I moved across country with two dogs back to Wisconsin. My mother-in-law was so incredibly generous to watch over our dogs during the cold winter months while I focused on giving birth and subsequently adjusting to life with a newborn. My mother-in-law even brought Mocha with her during her first visit to meet her new grand-daughter.

Mocha meets Milla

She watched over Mocha and tended to her lesions until I was able to come get her at the end of spring to come live on my parent's farm. I took Mocha for a run while up north and after 3 miles she suffered a cracked paw. I wanted to vomit. I had never seen this happen before and felt terrible. My mother-in-law gave me some bandages to wrap the paw up and showed me how best to care for it. 

Mocha's boyfriend, Jake, who belongs to my mother-in-law

I didn't have Mocha for very long before a scary event happened. Her paws swelled up to twice the normal size and were incredibly hot to the touch. I freaked out! I called my step-sister-in-law who is a vet tech and she recommended I soak her paws in the cold bath water and bring her in in the morning. The hotness went away after about half an hour and the swelling was gone an hour or two later. The next day I brought Mocha in to vet number three. Diagnosis #3: Well....... I don't really recall the vet given Mocha any diagnosis but she did mention that perhaps something environmental might have triggered the latest event and could also explain some of the other conditions. She wanted to see what a topical steroid would do for the lesions and also prescribed an antibiotic. I felt hopeful that the steroid would help. Turns out it was the worst thing we could have done to Mocha. The lesions all tripled in size and Mocha basically attacked her own feet. I called the vet who said to immediately stop the topical steroid. 

We left things alone, sans medicine, and went back to using bag balm. 

Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and chin even ickier, can barely walk on her paws from pain/swelling 

By June 2011 Mocha's eyes had almost closed up completely and she wasn't able to tolerate walking on her paws. I called another vet in tears not knowing what to do for her. They said bring her in right away. So I did. The new vet looked at her, was very kind to her, looked her all up and down, asked to do another mite scraping just in case it was missed before (negative), did an ultraviolet light check for fungus which no other vet did (negative), and gave a I-see kind of "hmph" when I told her about the topical steroid. With a knowing confidence she went on to gave us a diagnosis. Diagnosis #4: Pemphigus. More specifically the vet said "She probably has pemphigus." The only thing she didn't know was which type of pemphigus she had although she guessed she had the more mild kind. She offered an expensive biopsy in order to determine which one but ultimately agreed to treat on her hunch. Mocha was started on a high dose of the steroid prednisone. Three weeks later I was astounded.

Finally a diagnosis of pemphigus after 2 years! This is 3 weeks after starting treatment..

Strict orders from the vet not to go running much less walking yet because the pads were extremely fragile. Notice the yellow color to them? All of that yellow is a hard damaged layer that has to slough off before given the green light to run.

Starting to look normal again

The next battle: There's a runner in there somewhere

It was almost a year ago that we first started prednisone. Mocha gained about 30 pounds since starting it. Mocha used to be a lean 55-57 pounds. I never thought she would end up a porker! She was getting quite lazy too. But she was healing. I was even able to start running with her again but she never got back to 100%. We enjoyed short runs at a much slower pace. Too fast would leave her limping. And for the first time in a looooong time I saw her wag her tail and want to go for runs again. There was a runner in her yet but there was also a constant struggle with letting her test out her re-found strength versus not letting her overdo it. More mom-dog guilt. There were days when even a mile walk/run would do her in for a couple days. Short rounds of fetch and walks became her new favorite past time. 

On July 20, 2012 Mocha left us. I will always cherish the miles we logged together. Love you Mocha!

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Even the Great Fall...Please Get Back Up!

In the first few months after giving birth I was up late one night nursing my daughter and fantasizing about my return to running. That ultra goal was constantly nagging me, and I was trying to figure out if I could continue the demands of nursing while taking on an ultramarathon training schedule. It just had to be possible. To my delight I came across two women who proved to be the very inspiration I was seeking.

Shannon Farar-Griefer....man I love this woman's story. She was very much a non-runner until an ah-ha moment while nursing her child started her on the path to becoming the woman she is today. I dove into her life story and tried finding more info specifically on if she did ultras while nursing. I found that she continued running long distances while pregnant (wish I had seen her website when I was pregnant--that would have made me a lot less anxious!) but no answer to my question.

Then I came across Robyn Flores. Her tiny little TMI paragraph at the end of her Keys 100 Mile Report gave me the inspiration I needed. I contacted her and she was nice enough to specifically answer my questions about running ultras and breastfeeding. She never responded to my followup email but that first email was practically gold to me. Her advice was a great starting point to my return to running.

After relaxin stopped making my hips feel like they would slide apart, I dove into getting my running legs back. These two women are very dear inspirations to me. I think of them constantly throughout training. I've meet only one of them. Shannon was at a health expo and introduced me to her Moeben line, probably my favorite race gear in my possession. Her Moeben line, much to my dismay, seems to be non-active as I never received responses to inquiries about starting a charity campaign with them for Team BfB, and there has been no recent activity about the company for the past 2 years.

Thanks to Facebook though I've been able to get my Shannon-fix (personal page only, Moeben appears dead with only me posting lately) and my Robyn-fix for the past year.  I have eagerly followed Shannon's quest for the Grand Slam. I was constantly checking the live feed yesterday to see her progress but she suffered a bad fall during the Western States 100 and had to drop. Love you Shannon! Heal up and get back out there! My Robyn-fix is momentarily dead too since after announcing she would again attempt the Keys 100 (very much to my excitement) she has deactivated her Facebook account.    


I wonder if either of these women ever realize how much of an inspiration they are to others?  I would probably faint if I ever got the chance to run with either of them. 

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National Running Day 2012

This is my 2^nd year celebrating National Running Day. Last year I ran it by myself. This year I was determined to involve others. I handed a few brochures around local businesses and asked my family and friends to help spread the word. Before I go any further, let me address a couple of FAQs. 

What is National Running Day? “National Running Day, held annually on the first Wednesday in June, is a day when runners everywhere declare their passion for running. Wherever we are and whomever we’re with, we run—fast or slow, alone or with others, all over town or just around the block. It is a coast-to-coast celebration of a sport and activity that’s simple, inexpensive, and fun. It’s the perfect way for longtime runners to reaffirm their love of running and for beginners to kick off a lifetime and life-changing commitment.” - www.runningday.org/about/about-national-running-day

When did National Running Day start? Who started it? This one is tricky. They do not address this very well on NRD’s site but after some Googling I found another blogger who claims he received a response from NRD stating it started back in 2009 as a collaborative effort of the organizations listed on their “About” page.

What do I have to do? The core purpose is to get out and run, but part of the fun of NRD is to reflect on why you run. Their “I run…” bib logo offers a fun way to put those thoughts down in words and show others. On their website I was able to download a blank bib which I printed and brought to our local meetup as an icebreaker. There also was the option to fill out the bib virtually and share on your Facebook wall. Here was my virtual bib.

Do I have to run? No, you don’t. I encouraged people to join along for a walk. I started my running career as a walker. The running community is very friendly and having a couple people along with you and encouraging you may be just the push you need to try running.  Never judge a walker. Once during a marathon I ran I was passed by a walker. It’s true!

How did you get involved? This is a nationwide community effort so anyone, anywhere can host their own meetup. Runningday.org has all the info on what to do. Next year, go ahead and give hosting your own local meetup a go. It’s free so you have nothing to lose!

The Local Scoop

On June 6^th at 6 p.m. a group of walkers and runners joined together at Bukolt Park to run the Riverfront Trail. A total of 12 people participated: 7 adults and 5 children (3 of these children were pushed along in strollers). After taking a moment to introduce ourselves and fill out our “I run…” bibs we headed north for a 0.75 mile loop. Then we headed south and made a 1.75 mile loop.  With the loop design of this run we were able to reconnect the runners with the walkers throughout the run. The asphalt trail offered a nice flat run with beautiful river views. Along the way there were friendly people speckled all along the trail, ducks were nearby with their ducklings, a few dogs and one scared puppy were playing together along the path, and we also saw what appeared to be the start of a concert in Pioneer Park.

Meet and greet while filling out their "I run..." bibs

Local meetup at Bukolt Park for National Running Day

"I run because it's fun!" - Halie

After talking with the group I have officially decided to launch a running group here in Stevens Point, WI. Come out for a run, meet some new friends, share your stories and achieve your running goals! For more details, email me at lacidtoes@gmail.com

So, why do YOU run?

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New Kicks

A couple months ago I entered into "The World's Greatest Trail Competition" by Ecco Biom. I was chosen as a finalist with a photo from the Oriflamme preview run and a short description of my journey to becoming an ultramarathoner (or would that be ultramarathonist? haha). I didn't win the competition but I did score some new kicks and a voucher for Gore Running Wear. Check out my new kicks!

Love the reuseable canvas box

The goods 

Love the black and purple - how did they know I love these colors together?!

The heel looks crazy to me! This is very different from the minimalist shoes I've been sporting lately. But mama needed new trail shoes.

My new signature shoe pose! 

I never truly liked the traditional view of showing off your kicks from your own personal view. You only get to see the top of the shoe and as we all know the real story of the shoe is in it's sole. Here is the description of the shoe from www.eccousa.com.

• Biomechanical flexible midsole construction allows a natural running motion and perfect ground adaption
• Construction offers a perfect balance of flexibility and support
• Direct-injected PU midsole
• Excellent grip and traction on loose and muddy surfaces for the everyday adventurer
• Offers the support the foot needs combined with superb sock-like fit
• Rugged rubber outsole with specially designed traction pattern
• Stable for tough terrain without compromising on flexibility
• Yak leather uppers with a reinforced midfoot

I'm pretty excited to test these tonight. It is National Running Day afterall and I'm hosting a run in Stevens Point, WI. Hope to see you there! 

In stride with all my love,

Lacy

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PCT 50 Mile Trail Race: Getting My Hike On

Total Distance: 50 miles

Course Description (from PCT50.com): Out-and-back course mostly on single track trail along the Pacific Crest Trail in east San Diego County.  The trail features numerous climbs, particularly on the “out” portion, as well as some rocky sections.  It begins at an elevation of approximately 3,000 feet, reaching 6,000 feet in the Laguna Mountains.

Elevation Profile (from PCT50.com): 7,500 feet of elevation gain, with about 2,500 gain within the first part of the run. 

Time: 13:45

Racers: 142 Starters/117 Finishers, 82.4%

Almost two weeks after running my first 50 mile trail race I am finally getting around to posting about it. Calling it a “run” is misleading seeing as how I ran no more than 40% of it. No matter what you call it though I still covered 50 miles of trail in one day on my own two feet. I have never gone that sort of distance unless on a bike. It was exhilarating, challenging, but most notably it was fun!

Prerace

The race was only an hour away but we drove over the night before and stayed in a cabin at Lake Morena. . The cabin was an instant hit. My little girl loved the built-in bunk beds, and I loved the smell of lumber that engulfed you when you stepped in. We drove around the area a little bit, checked out the starting point, fueled up and then spent $30 on supplies to roast up some killer smores. Man, those little local shops sure can jack prices up, can’t they? We hiked a little bit around the lake which was downright lovely. I set up my racing mama flat, munched as much as my nerves would allow and tried to settle into a relaxing evening before my big day.

Milla fought sleep pretty hard and went to bed later than I preferred. We eventually all settled down to sleep only to wake up at about 1 in the morning to find out our air mattress had a leak. Milla was having problems getting comfy (who could blame her though) so slept on top of me most of the night. I woke up at 3 AM with a pain in my neck from the poor sleeping position I was in. I wasn’t planning on getting up for another half an hour but at least I didn’t oversleep. On the way to the way back from the bathroom I was already shivering. Good thing I packed several layers to wear. I was taking the early 5 AM start option and knew I would have a flare up of Raynaud’s phenomenon in the first hour of running. I grabbed some more snuggle time before waking Milla up and heading to the start.

Race start

I eagerly waited in line to collect my race number and shirt. After collecting and stating I was opting in for the early start I dashed back to the truck. I was a messy bunch of nerves as I finished getting dressed and then nursed Milla for the last time that morning making sure to drain both sides and not block feed like normal. Milla has always been good at helping me out with those kinds of things. Before I was up to the starting line (actually still sitting in the truck) the countdown started just like at Oriflamme. I had to go. Maybe next time I’ll be better prepared. Probably not though. I looked back at him and Milla one last time and was the last one in the early start option to hit the trail. It was very dark and using a light was a must. Love, love, LOVE my knuckle lights!

Sure enough before I even finished the first half mile my toes turned cold and stung. Damn Raynaud’s…I hate it. I walked with a purpose over the first climb trying to pump blood as I wiggled my toes with each step. My fingers were wiggling away without me thinking about it. When I get nervous I often find myself moving my fingers up and down the euphonium scale even though I haven’t touched the instrument in about 7 years. Sometimes when the cold sets in the only way to warm up is direct heat contact, but I didn’t really want to sit on the side of the PCT pressing my feet and hands against my belly to warm them up. I had a nice distraction from the stinging when I passed my ultra running guru, Vick (aka the old guy on the course). I had first met him during Oriflamme and here we were again. We chatted for a ways then parted.

The stinging went away though as soon as the sun came up and hit me. There is such a calm that comes about me when I run into a sunrise. Moments like these make dealing with the vasoconstriction of my digits much easier.

I might have shaved some minutes off my finishing time if I would stop taking pictures but I can’t help it! It’s so beautiful out there!

Electrolytes do the body good

The old saying “Walk the ups, run the flats and downs” or whatever version you come across is golden advice for an ultra virgin and exactly what I did for this race. I was not toying around with the possibility of muscle cramps again and knew the desert heat was yet to come. I also remembered I would not be drenched in sweat as the heat would wick it away. I also stuck to the often heard advice of “Drink early, drink often.” Since Oriflamme I have changed up my electrolyte intake. I still use Metasalt pills (I did have half a bottle left after all) but instead of three pills every hour I took two pills every 30-45 minutes and brought a watch with me so I could keep an eye on how much time has passed. I’m still learning to get a feel for times while running on trails. It’s not natural to me yet to know how much time has passed and how far I’ve run. In addition to using Metasalt while drinking water from my waterpack, I also brought along O.N.E. Coconut Water with a Splash of Mango and drank 4 of them over the course of 50 miles. If you don’t already know, coconut water is the trump card when it comes to consuming electrolytes. I’ve been experimenting for months with it and was having a hard time stomaching it. But with O.N.E.’s newest mango flavor I finally found coconut water that I not only could stand to stomach but that I really, truly enjoyed. This combination of electrolytes proved itself worthy and did not fail me. In fact, I did not have one muscle cramp the entire race. This was a huge change from the 50K.

Halfway

When I hit the halfway point I was feeling a bit tired but overall quite amazing. I needed some clarity so I threw my card in the bucket and had a Mayesa for a pick-me-up during the charge back to Penny Pines. Knowing my little girl was waiting for me this time made the trail zip by as I was super eager to see her. I needed her help to finish this one pain-free.

I had a lovely entourage waiting for me at Penny Pines. I probably would have cried if the massive task ahead of me wasn’t already weighing heavily on my mind. My bestie, Megan, had come with her family and were all standing there waiting with my daughter. I waved and said hi to the group and called Milla’s name but she was busy playing with her boys, Jack and Maddox. I wasn’t missed quite yet.

I was hungry and told them I would be right back after grabbing some food. Somewhere I saw the big grin of one of the Dirt Devils, David. It was kind of bewildering seeing him. Although he told me he and his family were going to be there I had forgotten. My brain felt out of focus again so I felt that meant I needed more calories. I can’t remember what all I ate throughout the day but oranges were my first grab followed by potatoes or potato chips if they had them.  There is such a wide assortment of food choices at these aid stations it’s overwhelming trying to choose. With two handfuls of potato chips I returned to my family and friends. Still slightly bewildered and with muscle soreness starting to creep up my legs I knew I better get a move on. I chatted between bites and then reached for Milla so she could help her mama out. Thank goodness Milla will still nurse even when I’m a sweaty monster. Megan captured the picture below of my nursing session at mile 27, and it is hands-down my favorite picture of Milla and I together. The lady has got a good eye for these sorts of things.

I was sad to leave them behind but, dang, there were still 23 miles to go. I wish I had changed socks. I was feeling hot spots all over my right foot but for some reason I had a silly fear that my foot would swell when I took my shoe off and I wouldn’t be able to put my shoe back on. I should have listened to the early warning signs and changed socks because those little hot spots turned into big problems later. Oh well!

Minor freak out

It was hot out. I could see heat radiating off the boulders. Yikes! I was getting familiar with the faces of the others who were holding my pace. One chick in particular with long braids made some wonderful conversation. Oh, here’s an interesting thing I never realized about, well, me…I think I have a fear of rattlesnakes, particularly when I’m alone. Snakes that are caged up in an aquarium or as a pet being held by their owner don't freak me out, but snakes out in nature apparently scare me. I will jump out of my skin if I see something slither away (big bugs also do this to me). I may even let out a yelp. Somewhere between mile 28 and mile 34 (like I said, I’m not good with knowing distances yet) I heard the familiar rattle. I immediately stopped in my tracks and saw the rattler slide under a bush. Okay not a problem, I was willing to wait for him to move on like every other time I’ve come across a rattler. Except, he didn’t move on. He just stayed nestled under the bush with his tail sticking out. No one was ahead and no one was behind me. I started breathing a little quicker and then before I knew it I was about to cry over this stupid snake. What if he never moves?! What if I try to pass him and he gets mad and strikes me? 

Thinking back on it I was being ridiculous. Clearly I had enough room to pass but on race day I was freaking out. Before I got too crazy in the head two other girls followed up on my trail. I looked behind me at them and immediately they slowed, eyes wide, and asked, “Snake?” "Yup," I said. The weird thing was as soon as there was someone else around I didn’t feel scared of this snake anymore. We start talking and the one girl asks if we can just walk around it. I told her she could try but I’m gonna wait until it moves. Neither of them couldn’t see it. One of the girls took a couple steps forward, saw it, then backtracked behind me. The girl with the braids was one of the two girls and  started commenting on my good observation skills just as the snake moved, very slowly, further into the bush. I bent over, drew the word SNAKE in the sand with my finger and with that we passed. I highly doubt anyone saw my scribble, but it made me feel better attempting to warn the next passerby.

Trail demons aren't gonna stop this chick!

I kept up well with electrolytes and calories but those hot spots were hurting bad. I was feeling mad that something so little was slowing me down. Each step hurt. I must have been comprising my gait because my left fascia started cramping a little bit until I evened out my stride. Sometime after passing what would have been 50K I realized how good I felt. This was so unlike Oriflamme, and I was having fun testing out my legs knowing this was the furthest I’ve pushed them. I was also excited that after years of talking to other runners I had finally run around Penny Pines and been to Todd’s Cabin and run past Dale’s Kitchen. I had no trail demons to battle this race. I’ve accepted certain changes in my life so they left me alone today. Other than a 5 mile stretch of loneliness and pissiness while dealing with being bit repeatedly by flies, I was having an awesome time. I was more than happy to arrive at the last aid station and leave those damn flies behind. A kilted man claimed the title of my favorite trail aid of the day with his quirkiness. Actually, now that I think of it, he reminded me an awful lot of my friend, Charlie.

I had a painful time running the last section to the end. I knew there were blisters popping up on my foot and again I should have taken the opportunity to tend to them at the last aid station but forgot all about them until I started running again. They were hurting. But I did make it to the end. I was continuously being applauded for smiling. I didn’t really get why that was such an “amazing” thing until I saw some dehydrated guys at the last aid station. I got it then…they looked rough. And by the way, where did my love handles go? When I walk with a purpose on the trail but am getting tired I tend to ball my hands into fists and dig them comfortably into my squishy sides. I tried that during this race and it felt awkward. I just couldn't get my hands nestled. Then it dawned on me that I was digging my hands into hip bones. I couldn't help but get ecstatic over this. These love handles have been jiggling on my sides for years, and I was finally burning that fat away. Not only was I on cloud nine but the realization that my stride was longer from being forced to swing my arms at my sides just added to my good mood. I was getting my hike on and nothing was going to stop me! 

Finish

One thing I remember specifically about the end of Oriflamme was the blind finish. I couldn’t tell which bend was the last, and it was pissing me off (of course my attitude that race was rotten). The PCT50, however, had an amazing view of where the end is. It was exhilarating watching it get closer and closer as I made my tender-footed way down to the bottom. The sun was giving up for the day, and it was finally getting comfortable out. I was passed by a lot of runners near the end but I didn’t care. I was proud of myself and damn proud to be a back of the packer. At one point I heard, "Hey, weren't you pregnant?" I turned around and there was Trasie, a chick I ran with just a few times back when I was in my first trimester. What a blast chatting with her. After the last bend I saw my daughter who was helping pass out the medals to the runners at the end which I thought was pretty cool. I can say it now, I am an ultramarathoner!

Milla was begging for a booby snack, but I had to get those socks and shoes off first. Look at those feet, yuck! I often here women say “don’t bother with a pedicure before the race” but I say get some paint on those toenails anyways. The hot pink contrasted nicely to the plastered dirt on my feet. When I finally washed my feet the nail polish held up well anyways. So go for it if you want to. Oh! And the Dirty Girl Gaiters did their job and kept rocks and sand out. I can’t imagine running trails without them now.

Aftermath

After a well deserved shower I inspected the damage to my feet. Left foot: 0 blisters. Right foot: 5 blisters (2 tiny ones on my heel, 1 huge blister under my pinkie toe, a mess of rubbed off skin on my fourth toe, 1 on my second toe, and 2 nasty ones on my big toe). I am still not sure what happened with this foot. Neither my shoe nor sock was wet. I didn't notice any rocks stuck in my shoe. It was just a weird thing. I haven't had a blister in years. All I know is that it was painful enough to stop me from running when I could have. Two weeks later and the skin on my toes is still raw and tender to the touch. Don't ignore hotspots!

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