A rock-strewn climb at the halfway point felt as steep as climbing a multi-story ladder, and the loose-dirt descent that followed felt as frightening as surfing a landslide, hence my feeling of being a pawn in an evil game of Chutes and Ladders.
Tag Archives | 50-mile race report
Running the Rimrocker: My Own Ultra to Kick Off Summer
Of all the injuries and hazards I prepared for—bloody knees, sprained ankle, heat exhaustion—the threat of cows never crossed my mind.
Four Reasons to Race
Racing four very different races in a six-week period gave me a lot of time to ask “Why?” Why do I repeatedly register for something that sort of feels like taking a test? This post recaps the races and gives four reasons why.
Lake Sonoma 50 Race Report: It Worked!
It really mattered to me to have a strong, solid 50-miler this season to build confidence in advance of the 100-miler this September. If I had another inordinately difficult 50-mile effort, then I might pull the plug on the 100-mile-debut plan. This post details the key things that worked for me for the Lake Sonoma […]
2012 North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile Race Report: From Reroute to Burnout and Back
How a disappointing day turned worthwhile after all.
Lessons Learned from the 2011 North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile Championship
My legs cramped, toes bruised, gut blew up and skin chafed over the 50 miles. My mind sunk into a funk of negativity and aimlessness, but strong running and a steely determination book-ended those dark middle miles. Throughout this past week, I pondered questions about what went right and wrong, reflecting on how much I […]
Getting Ready for the Ultimate Day Trip: The North Face Endurance Challenge 50M
My thoughts the day before attempting The North Face Endurance Challenge 50M (gulp).
Your Training Plan Fell Apart and You’re Not Ready to Race. What Should You Do?
The best-laid plans of runners oft go awry. The other day I studied the American River 50 Endurance Run website and had a minor freak-out because I felt woefully unprepared, under-trained, and uninformed about this race on April 9. Then I made a list of do’s and don’ts to get ready and banish the thought […]
Baptism by Firetrails: A Debut 50-Miler Through the East Bay Hills
Being a student and groupie of ultrarunning for several years could not prepare me for what I had to learn firsthand. I felt baptized into the sport when I said in my head, “Oh, so this is what it’s all about—this is what I signed up for. It’s supposed to hurt. It’s supposed to be […]