Boston Harvest 2013

This story starts with last year's Boston Harvest 5k. Shane has been working around the clock since about 3 days after the 2012 race ended to make this year's version bigger and better. He added a 10k option and got more sponsors, more donations, more door prizes, and just more everything. The goal this year was to have 300 participants. Thanks to an estimated 800 man-hours we reached, and possibly exceeded, this goal.

Friday night we packed up the kids and sent them off to Shane's parents for the night. Then we frantically packed vehicles and double checked mile markers and signs. We had caught a teenager stealing the handmade scarecrow mile markers from the trail so we had to check every last detail ten times over to be sure everything was perfect. Shane picked up cookies, cake, chips, and made Gatorade while I made parking signs and buckets for door prize drawings.

Parking signs

My car

Shane's car

 

Handmade mile markers

 

By the time we made it to bed Friday night I had no idea how we would make it through race morning. However, we were up and moving shortly after 5am and we got everything set up right on schedule. We never could have done it without all of our wonderful volunteers. They erected tents, set up tables, registered runners, handed out packets, and generally turned chaos into calm.

 

Food table

 

Cake with a certain child's fingerprints

 

 

At 9am we were ready to launch the 10k runners. I was originally registered for the 10k but I developed a bad cold in the days leading up to the race and I didn't want to be MIA for over an hour so I dropped to the 5k. As the 10k began I rushed to set up the awards table, food table, and door prizes for the runners upon their return. A short 15 minutes later it was my turn to toe the line.

 



Big Beaver Big Dawgs

 

As we took off I tried to hold back. I was breathing okay and I began to hope I might do okay despite my cold. I was running with our friend's son and we put down a 7:40 mile. I felt fine and wasn't even breathing hard. I started to get excited but I guess it was premature. As we approached the turn around I began to feel my chest tighten up. I kept pushing but quickly went from congestion to pain so I pulled way back. My friend's son kept up the strong pace while I struggled to breathe coming in at 8:30 for mile 2. In mile 3 I began to assume I was going to have to walk. I really eased up and trotted while a few men passed me. As soon as a woman passed me I pulled it together and sped up again. I managed to fend off all of the other approaching women. Mile 3 ticked off in 8:48. I held steady for the last .12 miles and just crossed before the next woman.

 

Waving to our amazing photographer, Jesse Meyers

 

 

Finishing

 

My chip didn't register as I crossed the mat and I forgot to stop my Garmin so my time is off. But the official results are listed as 25:54 for 24th overall, 7th woman, and 1st in my age group. I'll take that for being sick, up all night, and stressed all morning!

 

Boston Harvest swag

 

As soon as I finished I stumbled up to the finish area to get back to work. My mom and the other volunteers had set out the door prizes and drawn bib numbers while the races were happening so I spent the next half hour handing out 130 prizes to the lucky winners. Meanwhile Shane was getting the official results printed out and the clown and Kona Ice truck entertained the kids. Unfortunately, our scheduled band did not show up so the adults were less entertained.

 

Lulu the Clown was a hit again

 

As soon as the results were available we handed out plaques plus gift certificates to the top 3 men and women in each race plus the top master man and woman. The top 3 men and women in each 5 year age group each received a medal. Every kid got a finisher medal on top of being eligible for an age group award. And there was a midpack award for each race as well. Our hope was that everyone would go home with something between awards and door prizes.

 

Age group awards

 

Kids' medals

 

Midpack awards

 

Overall awards

 

Even the dogs got medals

 

It began to rain as we started the awards ceremony. Thankfully it stayed at a light drizzle until we were just finishing cleaning up. Everyone except our most loyal volunteers and friends had left by the time it really poured. We quickly broke down the tents and tables and cleaned up the garbage and signs. Before we knew it the ballfield looked like we had never been there and the trail was empty. We were left with 3 vehicles to unload in a downpour but it didn't put a damper on what turned out to be a really great day!

 

There is no official total yet but we feel confident we exceeded the $4,000+ we raised for Rex's fight against Batten's Disease last year. As soon as the final bills (port-o-john rentals, timing fees, etc) are paid and the final registration check comes in we will be able to give Rex and his family the proceeds from the race. Seeing Rex's face light up at the race made it worth all the time and effort and frustration. He is such a sweetheart!

 

Rex and his family and friends

 

Overall, I don't think we could have asked for a better day. The course was dead on accurate, the weather was great until the very end, the volunteers were amazing, the participants were cheerful and patient, and everything just went according to plan. We are so blessed to be part of such an amazing community and running family!

Walking on Water

Okay, so not really walking on water. More like water mixed with dirt (and other nasty things).

I set out to complete my last 20+ mile run before Burning River 100 on Sunday. I started out in North Park on the Rachel Carson Trail and got a few miles out when I got the message that there was going to be a training run on the Burning River course in a few hours. I aborted my current run, jumped in my Jeep, and drove to Ohio as fast as I could. I pulled into Station Road (the checkpoint where I began my course sweeping experience last year) right as the run was scheduled to begin.

I threw on my pack and joined Kevin, George, Randy, Johnathan, and Joshua as they headed out. The first portion was paved and pleasant. Then we turned onto the bridle paths and the Buckeye Trail and encountered the consequences of weeks of rain in the Cuyahoga River Valley.

Muddy legs post-run

For the next 15 miles we slipped and slid and cursed. At first I tried to pick my way around the puddles or find the shallowest path through them but after a few miles it didn't matter anymore. My feet were soaked and I was splattered from head to toe. After that I just splashed right through and didn't give it a second thought beyond hoping it will be drier on race day.

After a few miles we reached a Y in the trail. The directions seemed to point us one way but the locals thought it should go the other way. We ended up running a loop three or four times before we finally found the right direction and got back on track. Shortly after this one of the members of our band headed back to Station Rd. Can't say I blame him for thinking we were a lost cause (literally). One of the last things he said before he ran off was, "You'll never see the stables that way".

Posing with the stables sign

Thankfully, our pessimistic runner was mistaken and the directions took us right to the stables where we were able to use a real bathroom and get some cold water from the fountain. We couldn't help posing with the sign so we could poke fun later. After an all too short break we continued on towards the Boston Store. George had thankfully dropped a cooler of cold water at a road crossing a few miles later and we were able to refill one more time.

The last few miles were brutal. The mud and flies and ascents/descents were beginning to wear on me. I really hope it's less gross out there in two weeks or the middle 40-50 miles are going to be awful! We finally emerged onto a road and I could see the store just ahead across a bridge over the Cuyahoga. The water looked wonderful and inviting after 17.5 miles of slop!

Legs from the back

As soon as I reached the other side I dropped my pack and my Garmin onto the grass and waded right into the river, shoes and all. It felt so good to wash away the layers of grime and sweat and soak my tired legs in the cool water. I can only hope that the Cuyahoga will be as kind to me in two and a half weeks when I see her again! 

Love the Run

Recently I was asked, "Do you love where you live for running?" I wanted to respond with a resounding NO. I dream about living in Colorado or California and running in the mountains. I imagine being trapped between the mountains and the sea so I can run along both. I want altitude and heat and technical trails.

And then I realized.... A lot of people would love to live (and run) right where I'm at. So I decided to capture why western Pennsylvania and, especially our little slice of the Yough River, is so cool.


How many places can you run for tens of miles and catch glimpses like this the entire way?

 

Where else can I appreciate the destructive beauty of an acid mine drainage waterfall?

 

I eagerly anticipate the day I catch a glimpse of the beavers who built this dam.

 

 

I can run 10 miles and treat myself to an icy treat and then run back, all without touching a road.

 

And as Independence Day approaches I am reminded just how much history lies in these lands. In this ancient, forgotten cemetery lies soldiers of both the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Alongside them lay the family members who suffered through food shortages, loss of their men, disease, and war.

Some monuments remain tall while others are broken or missing completely.

Margaret E. aged 1 year, 1 month, and 10 days.

List of the soldiers from both wars interred here.

 

Yes, it's true. Pennsylvania is a beautiful place to live and run. It doesn't change my desire to explore far off places but it does remind me just how lucky I am to have all of this just outside my back door.

Alpha Fitness 5k

After the Laurel Highlands Ultra relay yesterday (where I ran 24.5 miles of brutal, technical trail) my plan was to rest, nap, hydrate, eat, and pretty much do nothing today. I had gotten home somewhere around 1am and by the time I showered and crawled into bed it was nearly 2. I woke up to Shane getting ready for a local 5k at around 6:30 and rolled right back over. About an hour later my phone wouldn't stop ringing and I finally gave in and answered.

Shane begged me to come down to the Alpha Fitness Highway to Healthy 5k. There were only 20-some people there and he thought I could win. I told him he was nuts since I already had major mileage on my legs from the All Stars Week mileage game. I was just ready to go back to bed when the little voice in the back of my mind said, "Three more miles could only help your miles game team. You don't have to race."

So I threw on some clothes and my trusty Altra Torins. I didn't have time to do anything with my hair so I added a hat as well. No phone, keys, water, or anything besides my cup of coffee. I walked out the door and jogged down to the path. I found Shane and we got me registered. I drank my coffee and fretted about the burning scrapes on my leg from yesterday's relay tumble and the aches I've already accumulated this week.

The race started a few minutes late and I lined up right up front. So much for not racing huh? I know from past experience that sometimes just showing up is enough to win in a small race. So I went for it. The horn sounded and I took off with the front pack. There were two men and a woman just in front of me. The men were pulling away but the woman was running my pace. I pulled up shoulder to shoulder with her and just hoped to hang on.

Mile 1: 7:50

As we approached the turn around I could feel the fatigue of all the heavy mileage settling in. It didn't seem to matter how hard I pushed or how fast I turned over my legs. There was just no power left in my toe off and my pace began to slip. I high-fived my husband, who was leading, and then turned back toward the start. I saw the third woman was about a minute behind me and that gave me enough of a rush to keep moving despite slowly losing the lead woman.

Mile 2: 8:30

In the third mile I would have walked if our friend, Jennifer, hadn't been in third place and gaining on me. I kept glancing over my shoulder and she would be a little closer every time. The jolt of adrenaline would improve my pace for a moment and then my body would begin to shut down again. I told myself I just had to hang on for second place. I would never forgive myself if I let Jennifer catch me now.

Mile 3: 8:50

I saw the finish line ahead and I took one more glance over my shoulder. Jennifer was only 20 or so seconds back now so I pushed as best as I could. That ended up being 8:30 pace for the last .13 miles but it was just enough. Jennifer finished 8 seconds behind me.

Final time: 26:21

5th overall, 2nd woman, 1st in the 20-29 age group. I also won a gift card for a manicure and pedicure in the chinese auction. They only give awards for the 1st overalls and the first in each age group so I got a smaller trophy for my age group win. Shane won overall and got a huge trophy!

Just goes to show it's all about who shows up!

Our friends

(Shane and Emory in the back. Me, Jennifer, Lukas, Melanie, and Carina in the front.)

Got trophy?

Swag

Burning River

This weekend was amazing! I volunteered for the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run in Ohio. My job was course sweeping from Station Road (mile 40) to Pine Lane (mile 60). I got to run with a local man named Glenn and we picked up course markings, garbage, and did our best to help runners who were at risk of missing cutoffs.

I left home at around 11:45am on Saturday and drove about 2.5 hours to meet Glenn at the mile 60 aid station. There we helped the volunteers and cheered in the lead runners. It was amazing to see the front of the pack in action! I recognized Connie Gardner when she came through. What an outstanding athlete! She finished in 17:46 for first woman.

Connie at mile 60

The Pine Lane aid station was decked out for race director, Joe Jurczyk's, birthday. There was even cake! I was a little sad to leave to start sweeping but I met a lot of really great people and got to see some of what it takes to make an ultra happen.

Glenn and I left his car at mile 60 and headed out to Station Rd. When we arrived there were only 3 runners left to come through. We assisted by eating up a lot of the remaining food so the volunteers wouldn't have to pack it out! When the first of the remaining runners came through he was in bad shape. I didn't get his name but he was having cramps all through his legs. I helped him into a chair and got him food, drink, and massaged his calves. I'm in awe of the fact that he got back up not 5 minutes later and continued the race. Two more runners came in but dropped. It broke my heart but I know that feeling of being totally spent. Glenn and I waited to let the gentleman who had continued get well ahead of us before starting out.

We took our time, collecting course markings and Glenn told me about the history of the trail and the race. I had brought a couple bags and Glenn had brought a giant plastic sack. We began splitting up the course markings by type. I carried the flags, plates and paper signs while Glenn collected the wooden stakes the plates had been stapled to. I'm not sure it was totally fair for Glenn to carry all the weight but I'm not sure I could have done 20 miles with all those stakes! As we reached each aid station we emptied our goods (and their last food supplies!) before moving on.

A runner entering Pine Lane, mile 60.

The gentleman with the cramping issue unfortunately missed the cutoff at the next aid station by only a few minutes. We encountered him a few hundred yards out getting sick in the woods. Thankfully a volunteer had come out to meet him and help him in. Once he was comfortably settled at the aid station I gave him a high five and told him how much I admired his tenacity. It was a little like meeting a celebrity in my mind.

Glenn and I continued on and were thankful not to have to sweep anymore runners. At each aid station we always encountered one or two drops and I continued to feel the sting of those three letters every runner hates, DNF - Did Not Finish. I sincerely wished I could somehow give them my energy, fresh legs, or just a hug.

As night fell I started to struggle with the familiar demons in my mind. I have no idea why I get so stressed out by night running but I do. Glenn and I knew that the last runner was 45 minutes ahead of us so we wanted to do some actual running instead of hiking. Throughout the twilight period we got in some good miles and I realized Glenn is a lot faster than I am. As darkness fell I ran by the light of the moon for awhile and I was enjoying myself, which surprised me. Then Glenn began to pull ahead and I got a little freaked out being out there 'alone' knowing that he was pulling the course markers ahead of me. I pushed a little too hard and wiped out. It was then that I finally pulled out my headlamp and turned it on the medium setting. It helped immensely.

I remembered that Glenn had told me the course followe the blue blazes from the last aid station on to 60 miles. I felt a little better realizing I wouldn't get lost so I slowed down to a comfortable pace. Thankfully Glenn realized I had fallen off the back only a little while later and came back for me. We went a little slower from there on out, only running on towpath and road sections.

During the last section I finally felt the joy of night running. I wasn't scared anymore and I began to have more confidence in my ability to navigate the tougher singletrack sections. Shortly before mile 60 we encountered our last runner. He was being paced by a woman, his wife I think, and he was surly at best. His wife told us that they had missed a turn and gone several extra miles. I didn't have the heart to tell them they had already missed the cutoff. I asked if they needed anything and they said they were okay. I told them we were going to take a break to rearrange our packs and they should continue on.

Glenn and I rested and reorganized for 10 or 15 minutes and then continued on more slowly than before. A mile out from the aid station we caught the pair again. This time the runner turned on Glenn and I and went spastic. He told us to 'quit riding his @$$' and several other not-so-nice things. I knew he was tired and feeling the strain so I assured him that Glenn and I needed another break to rearrange the markings we were carrying. Glenn told me, "Don't worry, they aren't going anywhere." He meant the aid station but the runner and his pacer turned on us again. I really thought this bear of a man was going to strangle Glenn and I right there in the woods. I tried to placate him and tell him that Glenn meant the aid station people wouldn't leave without everyone coming in and they would be waiting for Glenn and I. I told him it was my first time on the trail and Glenn knew I was worried about getting lost. It didn't really calm down the runner but his pacer turned him around and they left. Glenn and I spent another 15 minutes carefully going through all our marking and organizing them into neat bundles for the aid station drop.

Thankfully we didn't run into the runner and pacer again until the aid station but when we did they ripped into us again. I quickly ducked into the restroom and stayed there until Glenn was ready to drive me to my car. When I emerged the runner and his pacer were gone and I was able to chat with some of the volunteers about my first experience on the trail and what I thought about it. I let them know about the unclear markings that led the runner astray and they said a couple people had issues in the same spot. They promised to let the RD know so it would be better next year. The encounters with the angry runner are the only bad memories of this experience and, since I understand missing a cutoff and getting lost, I still don't view it as too bad, just a little scary being confronted like that in the middle of the night in the deep woods.

Another runner at mile 60.

Glenn drove me back to mile 40 to pick up my car and then I followed him to mile 80, the covered bridge aid station, to help out there. I wish I would have taken some pictures during our sweep but my arms were loaded with markers and I didn't want to kill my phone battery in case we needed to call for assistance for an injured runner.

At the mile 80 aid station I was introduced to the aid station captain, Heidi. I told her I still felt pretty good and would be willing to pace if a runner needed it. Maybe it was coincidence or maybe providence but a runner sitting next to us looked up and asked, "Would you pace me?" I told him sure and he told me he was slow. I assured him slow was good for me. He introduced himself as Enoch and told me he had been having stomach issues since mile 60. I immediately went to work asking him about his food, hydration and energy levels. He assured me he was eating and drinking and was okay to continue. We waited a few minutes to let his cup of soup settle and then headed out.

From mile 80 the course makes a 4.7 mile loop that brings runners back to within a quarter mile of the covered bridge. At first Enoch was walking but soon he was jogging. I felt in awe of his ability to keep moving after covering 80 miles, 20 of them without being able to keep much down. During a steep climb he was able to take a gel and keep it down. I chatted away about meaningless things: how much I want to do a 100, work, school, kids, etc. It seemed like he got sick less if I kept him talking. I don't know if it was the right or wrong thing but it seemed to work and soon enough we were entering the next aid station. I got Enoch into a chair and made him promise to sit until he had eaten and drank something and let it settle. He promised me he wouldn't drop there. I wasn't willing to leave if he might drop. After he was comfortable I headed down the road back to the covered bridge.

Covered Bridge aid station, mile 80.

Glenn and I hung out with Julia (@ROJrunning) and cheered on runners. I started to stiffen up and get cold after an hour or two though. I wasn't really ready to go but I wanted my bed. I made my way to the parking lot and headed home thinking about what an amazing feat all of the runners were accomplishing. I also felt even more determined to be among them someday.

I now know that I have to dig a lot deeper and train harder than I ever could fathom. I saw runners with blood running from cuts, chafing and blisters. I saw runners whose feet looked like shriveled marshmallows and who couldn't hold down food but still didn't quit. It was really amazing to take part in something so much bigger than myself, to get outside of my own training and see what the toughest of the tough can do. Hopefully I'll be counting myself a member of this elite circle in 2013!

All total, I ran/hiked about 25 miles and got 8.5 hours on my feet!