So I'm obviously sort of partial to trail events, usually choosing to save my $ and skip road races altogether....However, even I can't deny when a road race really has it going on. This morning's 36th Annual Stratford Hills 10k in Richmond's South Side really had it going on. I ran this race a few years ago but haven't yet made it a tradition...I've been missing out! I won't skip this one again if I can help it...Here's why:
6 Groovy things about this 10k
1. It cost me $10. Doesn't get much better than that, folks.
2. Smaller is better. The more low-key the event, the more fun I have. This event has enough of a turnout to make it fun & challenging without the traffic and headaches that come with a larger event. There's enough of a crowd to offer a nice dose of that camaraderie stuff we runners love, without the fuss of wave starts or bag checks.
3. The James River. Dude, I really love that river. The course starts at the Stratford Hills Shopping center (plenty of parking, YAY!) and goes down towards the James through a neighborhood, along Riverside Drive for a nice out & back. I love running and hanging out anywhere near the river. It really is beautiful.
4. Fast & Flat...Until that last hill. What goes up must come down, and this race course is no exception. From the shopping center, we darted downhill to the river for about a mile before hitting the flat road to the turnaround and back. At about mile 5, the hill we flew down at the start was patiently waiting for our return. The last leg of the race ascended in that gradual, slow, painful sort of way that runners just love. 5. Richmond Rules. I love Richmond and I really dig the Richmond Road Runners Club. We are so lucky to have such an awesome club to call our own right here in RVA. This race was super well-organized and really fun, while showcasing the welcoming, easy-going vibe that Richmond is known for.
6. Prizes! So I didn't run fast enough to snag a sweet new hand-carved wooden winners plaque, but they gave away a few stellar door prizes, including one for Yours Truly! I hardly ever win anything, so this is actually a pretty huge deal. I snagged a sweet $50 gift card to the Positive Vibe Café, located right in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center. Not being one to let it burn a hole in my pocket, you know I'm gonna go spend that sucker ASAP.
Being a grown-up is hard. Being a parent is both amazing and impossible. All of a sudden, you're handed this tiny person and with a slap on the back (Good Luck!), you embark on the journey of parenthood. No one calls your references or runs a background check. Overnight and without any real preparation whatsoever, you're completely in charge of a tiny, precious human being. I remember leaving the hospital after Lucy was born, getting into the car and somehow expecting somebody to come barreling out of the front doors, yelling "Wait! There's a mistake! These people are NOT qualified to be parents!" Or something like that.
Ok, she's cute. Now what do we do?
Anyway, we've somehow managed to raise a pretty awesome person so far (jury's still out, she's not even 4 yet). Here's hoping she won't turn out to be a total snob, or worse, like someone who drives in the left lane of a 2-way highway, going under the speed limit for absolutely no reason other than to annoy everyone around her. Now that would be a bummer.
Anyway, being a parent can be really tough, especially when it comes to making major decisions for your child that she can't yet make for herself.
We're in the middle of that decision-making parental responsibility zone right now as we make decisions about school for our kiddo. Long story short, we are facing some choices that will likely not make a giant difference when she's 35, but seem pretty dang important right now. Kindergarten. We've been visiting schools, meeting with administrators and trying to navigate through the decision-making process for our future grade-schooler (and President of the United States, of course).
For me, my best thinking, praying and decision-making happens where most of the magic usually happens...out on the trail.
Old Westham Bridge, Huguenot Flatwater Park
This morning, I headed down to the river for some dirt therapy. I started on the trails at Huguenot Flatwater, then trotted along Riverside Drive to Pony Pasture. After looping around the main trail at PP I headed back to Flatwater, finishing up at around 5 miles. It was an especially beautiful Spring morning in RVA, and I couldn't help but feel like Mother Nature was plain showing off. It was that pretty. I needed some quiet time and the trail delivered. Big time.
If you've ever wondered what a real "Secret Garden," feels like, check this out.
Did I solve the world's problems in my hour on the trail? Of course not. Did I come to any major conclusions about the future of my kid's education? Not really. But, I did leave with a sense of that everything will be okay, that she'll probably go to college and that she'll definitely be a total jerk when she's 13 no matter where she goes to Kindergarten.
Today's trail run was a shining example of why I LOVE trail running. I headed down to Pony Pasture Park, along the James River for a little exploring this morning, and I wasn't disappointed. Usually, when I head to the river, I run the Buttermilk/Northbank trail loop a little closer to the city. Today I wanted to keep it close to home and was in the mood to get lost. Well, a little lost, anyway...It would be pretty embarrassing to be late to pick up my kid from preschool because I was literally lost in the woods.
I count myself as a very lucky person when it comes to seasonal allergies...today was one of the worst day for pollen so far, and I was able to get out and enjoy the park without suffering from the coughing, sneezing and itchy eyes that are plaguing so many Richmonders right now. That being said, it was pretty awesome to have the trails to myself this morning....Sorry, allergy sufferers...Ya'll hang in there ;)
I parked at the main Pony Pasture area and noticed immediately that the river is RAGING right now. The James is over 9ft, with no river use allowed without a permit. I geared up for a wet, muddy run; the trails delivered. The main trail at Pony Pasture is a loop that comes in just under 2 miles. My plan was to hit that loop a couple of times and spend a little time exploring the cut-through trails that are a little rougher (and more interesting). About halfway through my first trek around the loop, I hit some ankle-deep water that covered the trail for about 25 yards or so. Keeping an eye out for snakes and critters along the side of the swampy trail, I was loving the mud and the cool water,
because I'm a trail runner and we dig stuff like that.
Cut-through trail from Pony Pasture to the James.
After a couple of trips around the Pony Pasture loop, I decided to check out the trails at the adjacent James River flat-water area. Crossing the bridge that connects the two areas, I made mental notes about which direction I was heading and physical markers along the way. This would have been a pretty inconvenient time to get lost. My sense of direction is light-years better than it used to be, but that's not really saying much. The flat-water area was super fun. I hit a sweet little single-track trail that ran right along the river bank before heading back along a few cut-through trails, totally impressing myself with my navigational skills.
There's something magical about running on unfamiliar trails that surprise you and leave you wondering what's around the next turn. These trails are awesome because they are super flat/fast, they dart along by the river and the terrain is simply beautiful. Definitely not as challenging as Buttermilk or Northbank, but sometimes that's a good thing.
Pony Pasture Park, RVA. Doesn't get much prettier than this.
I know this area is super popular and crowded on nice weeked days, so getting the opportunity to explore solo was pretty amazing. I'll be back on those trails soon. Like tomorrow.
I don't know about you, but I tend to be a completely helpless pain in the ass when I'm sick. Some people can power through, getting their to-do list checked off with little to no bitching and moaning. Not this gal. If I'm sick, you're probably gonna know about it. I might even ask you to go fetch me some socks and a Sprite.
I've been pretty lucky this cold and flu season so far. Last week, my number finally came up. I started feeling bad last Monday, and felt pretty crappy for almost a week (which is like a year in whimpy sick-person time). During my whiny and pitiful sick-week, I managed to trudge through a painful and sloooow 32 miles, leaving a nice little snot-trail along the way. After wasting $125 at the doctors office just so he could tell me, "It just has to run its course," and supplying my husband with enough germs for him to also fall victim to the bug, I'm BACK!
Today's run at Pocahontas was a breath of fresh air after a week of BLAH.
Qualla connector, Pocahontas State Park
It was a little drizzly/icy early this morning. I flipped on the news and almost had a panic attack as I saw a few school delays scrolling across the bottom of the screen. Dodged that bullet, school is ON. YES....time for a date with the dirt.
Its pretty funny to see the drastic difference in in the parking lot over at Pocahontas on a pretty day, versus a nasty weather day. If its a nice day, good luck finding somewhere to park. On a cold/ rainy day, you're lucky if you see a squirrel out on the trail, let alone another human. Todays weather provided ample parking and beautiful, fresh, muddy trails.
As I pulled into the lot, I noticed another lone runner gearing up for a trek and we started chatting. Turns out he was supposed to meet up with a running buddy, but his fair-weather partner bailed, leaving him to tackle his 3-hour run solo. Lame.
Anyway, we ended up hitting the trails together; I was happy to score some company. One of my favorite things about trail runners is the instant kindred-spirit connection we share. I love any opportunity to swap stories and share some miles with someone who loves trail running as much as I do. We spent the next hour talking about races (turns out we've done a bunch of the same ones), laughing about funny shit that happens out on the trail and trading info about our favorite running routes.
Our trek took us from the Qualla lot down Fendley Station and around Beaver Lake before my new buddy Mike took off for the rest of his long run while I headed back toward the lot to finish up my much shorter route. I finished up on the mountain bike trails near Qualla Road, picking up the pace as I darted through the muddy single-track back to the (still empty) parking lot.
Now there's a cheerful, non-whiny, non-snotty runner! YES!
With the Holiday Lake 50k coming up this weekend, it felt SO good to feel good today. After a week of running while coughing, snotting and feeling AWFUL all-around, today's easy 5 1/2 miles were amazing.
I'm so grateful for my health, for good company and as always, for sweet trails.
Today's theme song- Robert Earl Keen, Feelin' Good Again
The 2015 edition of the Willis River Trail race was slightly less eventful than last year, but just as memorable and way more fun. Check out last year's race report here, you'll see what I mean. http://www.trailmixrva.blogspot.com/2014/01/willis-river-35k.html
This was my second 50k, my first being just three weeks ago at Seashore.
The Willis River 35k/50k races are held at Bear Creek Lake State Park in Cumberland, VA. The route is pretty difficult, not because of elevation changes (although there are a few big hills), but because of numerous creek/river crossings and tricky footing the whole way. Sounds like fun to me!
Running a 50k is definitely a huge accomplishment, and to now have 2 under my belt feels pretty awesome. For this race, the weather was gorgeous, super sunny and ridiculously COLD.
Congratulations! Your body just ran over 31 miles! Way to go, Legs!
Here's a question.
What on EARTH was your brain doing that whole time?! 6+ hours is a LOT of quiet time. Every person is different and every race unique, but here's a little break-down of what went through this ultra-runner's brain during my second 50k trail race.
Mile 0. I've got the jitters. Am I wearing enough clothes? I think so. Should I wear my camelback? Nah, that's what aid stations are for. Should I shove my phone in my bra so I can have music? Eh, keep it simple. You got this. Damn, its cold.
1-3mi. Cold hands. My hands are cold. My hands are cold. Can NOT stop thinking about how cold my hands are. When I get home, I'm ordering new gloves.
Mile 5. Ok, I'm half-way to the half-way point of first part of the race. SO, almost there. Totally.
Mile 6. Aid station 1. Yay, there's candy! Candy, candy, CANDY!
7-8mi. Try not to fall down. Everyone is falling down. The trail is covered in leaves, making it impossible to see roots, rocks or anything that will trip you and lead to a total face-plant. Pick up your feet, lady!
9-10 mi. Chatty chatty. Make new friends. Meet a chick who has chosen THIS race as her first race. EVER. Now that took some gusto. Conversation makes the miles go by quickly, trail runners are great at small-talk.
Mile 11. Aid station 2. YES! More candy! 35k turnaround. This is EASY!
Heading up the hill to the 35k turnaround, around mile 11
Mile 12. Crap, now I have to go back to the start, then run 10 more miles. This is NOT easy! Why didn't I bring music? I think I'm getting a blister. Ewwww
13-15mi. Didn't bring music. SO dumb. Start singing Whitney Houstons "I wanna dance with somebody" in my head. At least I think it was in my head. Wait, it totally might have been out loud.
16-18 mi. Help save fellow trail runners from impending doom. Catch up with a group of 6-7 runners who look on the verge of total panic. Luckily, I had actually been paying attention (for ONCE!), was able to back-track quickly, find the trail. Getting sort of lost is part of the experience. Welcome to trail running.
19-21mi. Feeling awesome. Resist the urge to sprint to the finish. You're not finished yet!
Feeling great @ 35k finish line
Mile 21+. 35k Finish. They ask if I'm done yet, FAT chance! I'm getting my money's worth on this one. Feeling pumped heading back out to tackle the final 10 miles, blister hurts, oh well! Pipe down, I got this.
Mile 22. A marathon really is far enough. Why, WHY am I doing this? Two 50k races in a 3-week period? You are SO dumb.
Mile 23. I think I'm lost. I'm pretty sure I'm totally lost. Haven't seen a white flag/marker thing for a while....oh, no. Why didn't I carry my own water? How long before dehydration sets in and I start hallucinating?
23-24mi. YAY! I'm NOT lost! I was on the right trail the whole time. Duh! Learn that there are only 3 chicks doing the 50k. We are BAD asses! Hmm...I know there's a super speedy lady way in front of me. Can't catch her. I'm in second. I wonder how far back the other chick is. I think I'll speed up a little. This IS a race, duh.
Mile 25. SPLAT! As I glance backwards (just a little), to see how far ahead of the other girl I am, my foot catches a root and BOOM! I'm in the dirt. I land like a water buffalo on top of a huge root; it smashes into my outer thigh and left arm as I topple to the ground. Oh SNAP, that hurt. I get up slowly, trying to figure out if I'm actually hurt or not. That's definitely gonna leave a mark, but looks like I'm alright.
Mile 26. Walking/hobbling. Wishing I'd brought my own water. Yep, there goes the other chick. Just got passed. SUPER! Decide to walk to the turnaround, this SUCKS!
Mile 27. 50k turnaround. Water, YES. Grab more candy, drink some Mountain Dew. Delicious. Feeling better, shake it off. Almost there.
28-29mi. Ok, I'm getting pretty tired.
30-31mi. Run with a couple of dudes whose chatter and jokes keep the mood light. I pick up the pace as the last mile unfolds, one hollers, "Finish strong!" as I pull away from them. I love trail runners.
50k #2- FINISHED! Another adventure complete. I LOVE this! So, I came in last place for the women, but still got a prize. You betcha!
WILLIS RIVER 50k
Time: 6:30:14
Place (overall): 13/27
3rd/LAST for the women
All 3 of us gals finished in the top 50%. I'll call that a WIN!
Located about twenty minutes west of RVA, the Powhatan Wildlife Management Area is slightly off the trail-running beaten path. More popular with hunters, fisherman and horseback riders, this spot isn't one that attracts a ton of trail runners. The WMA is easily accessible from Route 60 (Midlo Turnpike) or Route 13 (Old Buckingham Rd). I haven't done a ton of exploring over there, even though I grew up basically down the street.
The WMA is busy with hunters this time of year and most of the trails are fire-roads, better suited for 4-wheelers and jacked-up pickup trucks than for trail-running. Yesterday I wanted to get in a quick 6-miler in-between work and a family get-together out at my folks place in Powhatan. It was a Sunday, so I knew hunters wouldn't be around; I decided to knock out my trail-run over at the WMA.
There's a small parking area off Route 13, on the way to my parent's place in Belona. I pulled in and decided to go for an out & back, my go-to route style when I really do not have time to get lost.
From the parking area, the beginning of my trek was on a long dirt road, which led to a private residence. There were NO TRESSPASSING signs all around the driveway leading to the house, so I veered to the left, looking for anything that looked remotely like a trail. I found Dogwood trail and set off down a little hill, deeper into the woods.
I had 2 goals.
1. Run for a while.
2. Don't get lost.
Pretty simple; I just needed to knock this one out so that I could get to my Mom's house for our family shindig, with enough time to shower and throw my veggie tray on the table before all the fam started arriving.
The Powhatan WMA covers 4,462 acres of forests, open fields, lakes and streams. The wildlife is super diverse back there; they even have different areas that have been "cultivated for habitat enhancement,"(from PWMA website). I passed by the area that's been devoted to quails, right next to the safety zone and the private residence. Not sure what other species they've created an area like this for, but I'd love to spend more time back there checking that stuff out.
The online map doesn't list the names of the trails (first sign that an area is NOT geared towards trail-runners), but the map onsite is better. Being slightly directionally challenged, I snapped a photo of the map to take along with me on my run.
I only covered a tiny portion of the vast acreage back there, trekking down Dogwood trail for a 2-mile out and back, then turning down Holly trail for a mile or so before heading back down the dirt road to wrap up my 6-miler. Both Dogwood and Holly trails were super wide, fire-road style trails. There were a few creek crossings and a couple of GIANT, muddy hills to climb.
This hill is MUCH bigger in person.
Nice creek to jump through, Holly Trail @ the Powhatan WMA
With just a couple of weeks before my 2nd 50k at Willis River, I'm in totally unchartered territory as far as training goes. The Seashore 50k was just last weekend; trying to recover from that while getting geared up to tackle another 31+-miler in just 12 days has been tricky. Yesterday's trek was a nice medium-effort run over new a new route with some nice views.
I didn't get lost, I didn't encounter any disgruntled hunters and I made it back to the car in time to enjoy a nice long stretch before heading out. I'll call that one a winner.
@ the finish line, Seashore Nature Trail 50k
12/20/14
Three years ago, I had a brand new itty bitty baby who didn't sleep much. I had just been handed the most amazing gift and biggest challenge of my life. I was 50 pounds overweight. My only fitness goal was to somehow shed the pregnancy weight and maybe one day fit into my regular clothes again. If you'd told me then that I'd ever run a 50k (31.06 miles!), I would have laughed in your face.
For real.
September 2011. Fat, tired and happy.
It started with the jogging stroller. I didn't have a gym membership, so the most convenient way for me to get a sweat was to hit the pavement. I snagged a $25 stroller on Craigslist and made a goal: Run a 5k before her first birthday. I started pushing my new munchkin around the neighborhood in what I like to call the three-wheeled "Triangle of Pain." Running with the jogging stroller is one of the hardest athletic challenges I've experienced. Learning how to maneuver around turns and trying to adjust to the weight of the stroller (not to mention my own extra pounds), whilewatching out for traffic and making sure my kid hadn't pooped her pants somehow proved to be even harder than I had imagined. I started with walking, then jogging a little, then a little more. Within a few months, I was running 4 days a week with my new exercise buddy and finally starting to feel like myself again.
Eager to get back into the racing scene, I signed up for my first post-baby 5k when Lu was about 6 months old. That day, I was happy just to cross the finish line, exhausted and elated to be wearing a racing bib. Three years, 22 races 50 pounds later, I can't imagine a life without trail running and racing. Its my therapy, my quiet time, my drug of choice.
Last weekend I completed my longest distance to date at the Seashore Nature Trail 50k in Virginia Beach. In three years' time, an Ultra-Marathon has gone from a totally ridiculous, unreachable, unnecessary goal to one that I've actually conquered. Crazy.
What a great introduction to the world of Trail Ultra-Running this race is. The course is a double-lap out and back with a little 3-mile loop at the turnaround. There are 2 (very well-stocked) aid stations that runners pass multiple times, never going more than 4.5 miles between pit stops. Perfect course for an ultra-newbie like me. Check out the map HERE.
The race takes place at First Landing State Park, a spot I hadn't visited before. I'll definitely be heading back sometime; the park is packed with great trails, tons of wildlife and some nice sandy areas on the water. Just a 2-hour drive from RVA, it would be perfect for a day trip with the fam.
On the morning of the race, the weather looked perfect; chilly but not raining, cloudy but no thunderstorms on the radar. I woke up early in my hotel room, had some coffee, a banana and a giant bagel (my go-to race breakfast), gearing up for what would be an awesome day out on the trails.
I was lucky that one of my best girlfriends agreed to make the trip with me and be my chauffeur/cheerleader/dinner date. She woke up early, drove me to the start-line, gave me a hug and promised to be there at the finish. Thank God for good friends.
After a quick bathroom break and some last minute jitters, we were off and running. I settled in near the back of the pack. My goal was to finish and to finish strong; going out too fast would wreck everything very quickly. So, I went out slow, slow, slow. I found some new friends and chatted as the first few miles unfolded, noticing the wildlife and some of the weird beachy trees along the trail. I decided that since the race was a 2-lap out and back, I'd go the first half of the race sans music, then plug in my tunes around the mid-way point at mile 17 or so. Something to look forward to.
I stayed on top of my food/fuel situation better than I usually do, eating every hour whether I felt like it or not. I fueled with Gu Salted Caramel (YUM.), a few M&Ms and a slice of peanut butter sandwich near mile 20 or so. I drank mostly water and had a little Gatorade too, mostly because its delicious.
The course is almost ALL flat. Pancake flat. Beach flat. This actually proved to be more challenging for me than a hilly course because I'm accustomed to ups and downs; a variety of elevation changes engages more muscle groups and keeps things a little more interesting. Over a long, flat route, my legs tend to get a little cranky, but it was still a great course, especially for a beginner at that distance.
As we neared the mid-way point, about 3 hours into the race, I began to really look forward to turning my music on. Those nature sounds DO get a little boring after 3 hours....I plugged into my playlist and as Bruno Mars' new jam UPTown Funk came on, I couldn't help picking up my pace.
That's my JAM!
I played this song at least 3 times during the race....I. Love. Bruno.
As I sped up a little, I noticed that my legs still felt pretty fresh and was immediately glad that I'd kept it slow and steady for the first half of the race. I felt good enough to keep a slightly quicker pace throughout the second half, passing a few people and just having FUN.
As I passed the sign that marked the marathon distance, the realization hit that in just 5 miles, the race would be over. Right on cue, I felt a surge of endorphins; that amazing, whole body, runners-high magic. The good stuff. I enjoyed an incredible burst of energy that carried me through the remainder of the race.
Before I knew it, I was rounding the corner to the finish line. I spotted Sarah and couldn't resist the urge to squeal, wave like a wild person and give her a giant, bouncy, sweaty hug. Yippee!!
2. Smaller is better. The more low-key the event, the more fun I have. This event has enough of a turnout to make it fun & challenging without the traffic and headaches that come with a larger event. There's enough of a crowd to offer a nice dose of that camaraderie stuff we runners love, without the fuss of wave starts or bag checks. 
