I have no idea how the bulk of the year will unfold as far as running this year, but I have settled on two races to train for: Drake Road Races half marathon (in April) and DAM TO DSM 20k (in June).
I am 0 for 2 on Drake. The first time I was supposed to run it, I took a DNS because of weather. Last year, I took a DNS because I injured my Achilles during training. Will the third time be the charm this year?
I’ll start a 10-week half marathon training plan in early February for Drake. Follow me on Instagram if you’re interested in that journey.
Dam to Dam was the first race I did after moving to Iowa. (DAM TO DSM, is the fka: Dam to Dam, now under new management.) There is a lot of history and heart eye emojis surrounding the original Dam to Dam. For me, however… I won’t sugar coat things: it was awful. The uncomfortableness of summer temperatures and humidity here was unexpected, and I was ill-prepared to thrive in those conditions. Read my 2016 race report of Dam to Dam. I volunteered at the race the following year and downright swore off ever participating in it again because standing in the heat serving tacos was just as miserable as running through cornfields and streets smelling of stale beer (*puke*).
I like eating words, however, so here I am registered (thanks, DSM Hummingbirds!). With a few Iowa summers now under my belt, I’m hoping that I will be able to manage whatever weather conditions are thrown my way.
Bee tee dubs: if you’re interested in running DAM TO DSM, I have a $5 discount! Use promo code HUMMINGBIRD at registration (before February 1, 2019). Thanks again to DAM TO DSM for providing me entry to check out their inaugural race event.
Subtitled: That time I talked to my Dead Nana — or: How not to make a race playlist.
This post is a long time coming. I ran the GOATz 50k trail run in October 2017 (GOATz = Greater Omaha Area Trail runnerZ) and I still have a strong emotional reaction to my memories of the race. I guess if we’re going for spoiler alerts (ha, TOO LATE if you follow me on Instagram or are one of my running friends), I finished. I also completed it in an hour-and-a-half longer than I estimated. So there’s that. Since it was my first ultramarathon I wasn’t sure what to expect (suffice to say is to expect nothing and everything), but I thought I was better trained to at least finish a marathon distance before I hit the struggle bus.
Flat Mel ready for her 1st ultra!
No. No, that is not at all what happened. Completing two loops was itself a feat – AND I STILL HAD ONE MORE TO GO. So, I continued. But let’s back up…
Am I ready for this, really?
Lots of open sun and beautiful skies, which you will see as a common backdrop to the pictures. The morning started off chilly, which called for arm sleeves worn with my short-sleeve short. (I wore shorts and my LEGEND compression socks on the bottom and my Under Armour trail shoes). I didn’t get too warm until the 3rd loop.
Is it a bad omen for a race that not even a mile into it that WE MISSED OUR TURN. I understand shit happens on race day and we’re ultimately responsible for knowing the course, but a Volunteer standing at that intersection clapped and cheered as we passed by where she was supposed to direct us up the hill. I mistakingly followed the herd until reaching a clearing where everyone was stopped trying to figure out where we went next. We retraced our steps back to where we missed the turn. Nobody who is already running 30 miles needs to run EVEN MORE. So I was already a little irritated early on not knowing how far off course we went. (I ended up logging 31.37 miles for this 50k per my Garmin, so overall not really that far off.)
Physically, I held up for the race and was mostly fatigued. But by the 3rd loop my calf was cramping (can’t remember which one now), then I was getting a Charlie horse in my arch (left side). I was feeling a lot of discomfort in my hip area and top of thighs — it wasn’t pain; it kind of felt like menstrual cramps but definitely not where my uterus is. Sooooo, cramping I guess? Needless to say, I was barely running on the 3rd loop – it was more like a death shuffle.
There were moments were I got a “second wind” (and a third, fourth, etc…. so many winds). Around mile 17, Kaci Lickteig looped me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ — though it was a boost to my spirit! She’s so dang stealthy, and I was listening to my music at the time, but it’s like I could FEEL her coming up behind me. And just as quickly as I could pay myself a deprecating compliment in her honor, she cheered me on and was gone.
I was having difficulty eating during this race and my usual fueling wasn’t working. This was something that I feared and probably something I should have practice more in hindsight. What worked for me on the marathon distance did not for this race. I couldn’t eat anything at the end of that 2nd loop — I tried pickles with salt and pickle juice at the aid stations; then I swapped to Tailwind in my hydration flask just for the calories (no stomach upset, thankfully; just couldn’t… chew). At the mid-loop aid station, around Mile 25, I finally had some jelly beans and felt little better. I dreamed about sitting down for majority of that second lap. And sit I did when I reached that aid station. For at least 5 minutes. And then I continued on. But not without considering drowning myself in swimming across Lake Cunningham. There was one aid station on the course and then the usual stock of snacks and drank at the start/end of each loop. I think it was manned by volunteers from Runner’s Church (?), if I recall correctly, and those ladies were the best at keeping the mood cheery and the food filled. Before their stop, there was a single kybo – which I had to use on my 1st loop (so random; I almost never have to use the toilets during a race). The background ambiance was set by vuvuzela noises. I liked the variety of food options since I was having trouble eating and wasn’t sure what I could eat as the race progressed.
I remember being super annoyed with my hydration vest (I ran in my Orange Mud Phone.Flask.Vest) and by the 3rd loop, it was basically just flopping off of me, hanging on by my shoulders. I no longer liked the compression on my chest and the side straps were aggravating me. I would definitely run in a different vest for my next trail or ultra race.
Another mistake that I made during this race was to leave my music playlist up for chance. I shuffled ALL MUSIC and was initially pleased at the variety (singing out loud and having fun like I usually do). And then Mary J. Blige came on, and I started crying a bit. The next song? “Fix You” by Coldplay. I fucking lost it. I was a crying sobbing MESS.
I mean, seriously guys, these lyrics:
When you try your best but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse
When the tears come streaming down your face
‘Cause you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
What could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
But high up above or down below
When you are too in love to let it show
Oh but if you never try you’ll never know
Just what you’re worth
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
Tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
oh and tears come streaming down your face
And I
Tears streaming down your face
I promise you I will learn from all my mistakes
oh and the tears streaming down your face
And I
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
“If you never try you’ll never know just what you’re worth”
Inspiring, no. No no no no this is not what you should be hearing while you are attempting to do one of the hardest things in your life which is so obviously tied to your worth and identity. *sobs again*
If I were to pick a place to die on the course, it would be here.
And then because I was sad, I started thinking about all the other things that made me sad. This routed my thoughts somehow to my grandmother who passed away a few years ago and I guess I was kind of talking to her about my race and how I was feeling and how I missed her and OMG THIS WAS SO HARD. So very, very hard. One could say that I still had some open wound that I healed during that race.
From talking to some of my ultra-running friends, these variations in mood come with the terrority – particularly when it’s your first and you are so fatigued you just don’t know what to do or feel.
My solution at the time? Get angry. Yin-yang. And then there was that time that I thought this couple out walking the course (non-runners) were there to kidnap me and I went into a really weird flight-or-fight response.
So then I started fantasizing about punching Deadpool. This might sound a little weird, but there was a volunteer actually dressed as Deadpool and I knew where he would be sitting on my last loop, so I started hashing a plan to beat him up when I passed. Totally normal. Until he wasn’t there and I was filled with the most unholy of run rage that I have ever experienced. I think it was another 3 miles (?) of running so mad that I wanted to throw gravel rocks.
THE RAGE.
All that said, Lake Cunningham is a beautiful place to run around (maybe a bit too open sun for this sort of distance though). The weather was amazing, and there were small sailboats on the water, which was neat. My favorite part was what I called the Magical Christmas Trees section of the trail – it was so pretty and peaceful! There were plenty of hills to run on this course, many of which I walked, but none so crazy as running over at Hitchcock.
And I shit you not, as I was approaching the finish line, Bob-fucking-Seger was playing. My favorite song at that: Roll Me Away. I could not believe it (and I’m pretty sure I yelled-asked someone near the finish line if it was really playing because it wouldn’t be the first time that day that I was hallucinating). Naturally, I started scream-singing as the race director placed that finishers medal around my neck.
OMG THEY’RE PLAYING BOB SEGER!
My friends all talked me into signing up for this race because: a) the GOATz put on awesome races (figured this out early on with my Hitchcock experience) and b) this was a beginner-friendly course. The GOATz community knows how to party! And their race support and pre-race communication was top-notch. Love the GOATz. For this race, finishers get an awesome medal carved from wood, a race branded drop bag and a super cozy long-sleeved hoodie (bag and hoodie not pictured). The bag came in handy at the loop start/end point, but many racers also used the same bag so it’s important to distinguish your bag in some way from the others. I liked the convenience of being able to grab or stow something in my bag when I came in to finish a loop.
Besides having enough energy to sing at the finish, I was pretty depleted energy-wise. I was kind of limping back to the car (thankfully, the husband was driving the hour-and-a-half trek home) — my feet and hips HURT when I was done. Also, my two big toenails had this weird yellowy bloody viscous liquid covering them as I took off my socks, but no visible cuts or active bleeding, and I never had any bruised toenails. Weird. By the time I got home, I had to crawl upstairs to the shower (where I sat on my shower bench lol). I took PTO the day following the race (thank Baby Jesus that was a good choice) and used the elevators at work when I returned a day later. Three days after the race I was back to climbing four flights to my office. I was pleased at my recovery, and I was fine by Saturday to run a 10k trail race. When I said this was my 1st ultra experience and despite some of my low points and frustration with how I performed, I’m definitely training for another (planning on Doggone Tired 50k in October, pending my Achilles recovery continues to improve).
Registration is already open for the GOATz Trail Runs occurring on October 21, 2018 — there are 5m, 10.5m, 21m, and 50k options for this particular race series.
I took a road trip to Rochester, Minnesota a few weeks ago — my first time to the state of Minnesota — to run the TOTALLY NUTS! challenge series of the Minnesota Nut House Challenge. The drive was just over 3 hours from the Des Moines area.
I love multi-event challenge races, so I was ready to get some miles on my legs in my build-up to ultra-marathon training. The half marathon would be my 12th — AND I got to color in another state on my map.
This was the 3rd year for the Nut House series; it’s a small local race put on by Triton Events and sponsored by Active PT & Sports. There are several races that made up the weekend of events: a 5k, 10k, and half marathon; there was a children’s/fun mile run before each of those races, too. While I knew what kind of mileage I was getting myself into by running all three (22.4), I’m SO GLAD that they were not in the order of 5k/10k/half.
The 10k was up first on Saturday morning, followed by the 5k Saturday evening, and the half marathon on Sunday morning. Participants had the option of running a single race or completing one of two challenges: Half Cracked (I couldn’t find on the race website which two events were included for this race but I assume the 5k and half marathon) or Totally Nuts (all three). Before each race, the event also hosted a 1 Mile / Kids Challenge. Kinda wonder if I should have signed up to run a mile, too.
I was working HARD in my 10k in hopes of getting that elusive sub-hour PR (my PR from 2014 is 1:00:39). It was not to be. And then I had to walk during my 5k and was all kinds of miserable (I found a place with gluten-free carrot cake, so I’LL BE FINE). Sunday’s half marathon was no better. But I just needed to finish before it was time to check out of my hotel.
Registration + Cost: I registered in December, and with online fees, all three races cost me $107.75.
Expo + Packet Pick-up: Pick-up was at local running store TerraLoco on Friday (I drove in that afternoon). There was also bib pick-up on race day. No expo for this race, but I enjoyed browsing the shop. For runners doing the challenge races, the same bib was used (thank you!!!). Naturally, I forgot to pick up course maps when I grabbed my bib; thankfully, I remembered to get the safety pins.
Weather: IT WAS HOT. Like, sincerely the hottest weather I think that I’ve ever raced in (if I’ve said that before, I was lying). The “real feel” temp at start time of the 5k on Saturday evening was 92. I set my limit after completing that evening’s race that I wouldn’t run the half on Sunday if it was over 80 degrees. It was close.
Saturday morning wasn’t overly-warm, but the humidity made my palms sweat within the first mile. It was the kind of thickness in the air that sucked all your energy away.
Looks beautiful – but it was HOT!
Start Line + Parking: My hotel was about .3 miles away from the start (and finish) line at Soldiers Field Memorial Park. It wasn’t crowded at all, which is always nice. I explored the memorial and then found a shade of tree to hang out and watch the kid’s mile challenge around the track before race start.
Oh, hey – that’s me!
Course + Elevation: This race series was all on paved trails. The 10K went one direction and several points was in the woods, so it was peaceful (there was also a portion of the trail that ran along a major road, which was not). The 5K started from the same place, but turned towards the city on the trails. The half marathon was kind of a combination of them both (a little more extended into the parks/woods areas portion of the 10K route).
Aid Stations: Considering this was a small race, I was impressed at how the RD and organizers STEPPED UP to make sure runners were properly hydrated. There was Gatorade available at almost every water stop (if not all of them), AND during the half marathon, there were 11 total stations AND had GU available. Even when there weren’t enough volunteers to support an extra manned water station during the 5K, they left a giant water cooler and disposable cups so runners could self-support.
There’s a giant pool at the Finish Line!
Finish Line + After Party: Guys. There was a POOL at the finish line. There also was a bunch of kids lined up with super-soakers as you approached the finish chute — THANK YOU!!! There was complimentary bottles of water and Gatorade, and free beer from Grand Rounds (a local brewery; nothing gluten-free in the alcoholic department). Also, also: there were Pearson’s Salted NUT ROLLS candy bars (somehow I went my whole life having never had one!). AND there was hot nuts from a local company (wish I caught their name!).
The races were all timed by MTEC Results — and I got the results emailed to me within an hour of finishing, which included a BUNCH of fun stats! There was a restaurant called Twigs that had a gluten-free menu — I’m talking 4 PAGES FULL of gluten-free options PLUS DESSERTS. I was in fried green beans heaven. I was able to even order a Minnesota-made gluten-free IPA. On my second visit, I had a local cider made with Honeycrisp apples.
Fans + Experience + Charity: With small races, you don’t get much crowd support, but I did meet some wonderful runners on my trip — including a beautiful woman from the Carolinas (doing a cross-country trip with her kids) who told me all about the race’s charity partner, Inheritance of Hope. She adamantly expressed her desire to never run another half marathon ever (she was doing the entire challenge as well). Sadly, she lost her husband to MLS a few years ago and truthfully, I haven’t stopped thinking about her and her family since the race. I didn’t know anything about this charity before meeting her, and I’m so appreciative of her sharing her story. I could tell that she was emotionally connected to the purpose, and she really made me think about “why I run” — prompting me to plan to do another fundraise run for charity next year.
Triton Events gives a portion of each registration to Inheritance of Hope — a non-profit organization that inspires hope in young families facing the loss of a parent to a terminal illness. Through these partnerships with endurance events, athletes can raise funds to support Inheritance of Hope and send these families to Legacy Retreats.
Swag + Medals: There was an individual medal received for each race, and they’re pretty sweet. Though I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t an additional medal for completing the entirety of the challenge (I’m so spoiled), the uniqueness of these medals more than made up for it.
Also, while the t-shirt is a really nice design and SUPER comfy (also, it fits!), I was really hoping for something with the crazy squirrel logo that’s used all over the other race branding because, well… because it’s crazy and I love crazy.
OVERALL The Great: LOVED the near-instant results email with access to a bunch of race stats. The Good: Overall, a really fun event – with that “small race vibe.” The Bad: If I really had to complain about something, it’s that there’s not a lot of the necessary race info on the website — and while this out-of-towner figured things out (and asked questions on their FB page), it could have been better. Also, I almost deleted the race day email because the subject line was about online registration closing. The Ugly: Another race, another event complaining about the weather. Though this race really stepped up to support the heat!
OFFICIAL RESULTS: 10K: 1:01:12 5K: 31:19 Half Marathon: 2:23:57 Totally Nuts Challenge Cumulative: 3:56:28 — 58th Overall; 5th in my AG
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the BTN Big 10K race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!
Most of you know that I’m originally from the Buckeye State. I did not attend THE Ohio State University (I received my undergrad from another Columbus-based college), though I had many friends who did attend. Because of that, I visited OSU frequently in my early 20s and went to games (when I could get tickets) and tailgated nearly every home game. I became something of an OSU alum by proxy. The BTN Big10k event was ALL about school spirit… and many “Go Bucks!” and “O-H!” chants were shared. I was with my people.
The BTN Big10K race overall was an awesome time, and I enjoyed expressing my OSU Love and hanging with my fellow Pros. I didn’t have the best race — once again the sub-hour 10k alluded me. The humidity once again didn’t give me a dang chance and sapped up all my energy, so I had to walk quite a bit to get my heart rate down. Ah, well. Another race down.
Flat Mel ready to run with the Buckeyes!
Registration + Cost: My race entry was provided by BibRave. The 10K price starts at $50 for early bird registration, and has incremental price increases up to race day registration for $60 (if spots are available). The MC said that some 10,000 people were registered — approx 6,000 of those finished the 10k (there was also a 5k option, which I don’t cover in my review).
Expo + Packet Pick-up: One of my favorite features of Ram Racing events is the option to have your packet and bib mailed to you before race day. I will happily fork over extra dollars for this benefit (which was not included in my race comp).
Weather: UGH. Over it. But sincerely, I want to know why I cannot perform in the heat AT ALL.
Start Line + Parking: Chicago parking is insane, so I was happy for a hotel within walking distance of the start and finish lines — with valet parking… which I found out a day later cost me $70 for one night. OOOF. Anyways. The corrals opened way late, but the mascots were out mingling before the race.
Course + Elevation: This was my first time running in Chicago. The city is pretty flat; though in the heat, the inclines felt like I was climbing Everest. It was lovely to be on the lake again (no thanks for the added humidity) and seeing the tall buildings looming around us was pretty neat. I absolutely hated running in the underground tunnel spaces. That said, I cannot wait to run the marathon here in October!
Aid Stations: Not enough! If you send out warnings on social media about the heat and the addition of fluid stations, then you need to have more aid stations. I didn’t think there was enough, particularly for a larger race that seems to draw a LOT of participants who aren’t regular racers (there were more water stops in the small race that I did the previous weekend).
Personal preference I guess, but I’d rather have an extra water stop in the first two miles than having one within the last mile of a race. Also, despite fervently hating nuun, I used it during this race. At the first aid station — which wasn’t until 2 miles into the course — the volunteer told us that it was the only electrolyte stop on the course (it wasn’t… but wtf?!).
Finish Line + After Party: Special Olympics kids high-fiving at the finish line OMGGGGGG. ???
The usual bottled water (but also cupped water and nuun) and bananas were available in the finish line chute, but also ice cold towels (my line ran out, so thankfully there were more on the opposite side). The chute opens up to basically a block-long tailgate party in the street — each school had its own booth and tent, and there was food and drinks and live music. It was a lot of fun.
I was SUPER pumped about eating some sausage at the finish line, especially because Sausages by Amylu are gluten-free. But the runners food box came with sausage wrapped in a bun — and there were no NON-bun options. The “hot dog” came alongside a bag of pretzels and wafer cookies (neither of those I could eat). Thankfully, Sausages by Amylu had its own tent with ALL THE SAMPLES of its product. Beer was provided by Revolution Brewing, which I gave to my husband because there were no non-beer alcoholic options (man, can a girl get a cider???).
After hanging for a bit eating sausage and taking selfies and posing with All Things School Spirit, it was time to pack up and grab my special order from Do-Rite Donuts (not affiliated with the race, but some of the best gluten-free doughnuts I’ve had ever) and drive the roads back to Des Moines.
SAUSAGE!
Fans + Entertainment: The Finish Line Tailgate party was legit awesome. Though I guess that I was expecting a little bit more in terms of course entertainment. Maybe a marching band or something? Cheerleaders throughout the course rather than all smooshed in at the start line?
I did go through the first water slide, though maybe THREE people before me stopped over to do the same (one person in front of me did the second slide). More than anything, I just wanted to cool down my body temperature. But I’m glad that I participated in some silliness. There should have been a photographer there!
Lame: My Big 10 school had no swag at its booth. I thought that at the very least I would get a pair of Buckeyes sunglasses or a pom-pom or sticker or something (like the other schools’ booths). I don’t know if there were that many Ohio State fans running and they ran out of stuff… but by the time I arrived, they were only selling a t-shirt. SUPER LAME!
Swag + Medals: Keeping with the Team Spirit theme of the race, participants get to select a technical jersey in their school colors during registration. Likewise, at the end of the race, you visit your school’s booth to get a coin that fastens to the front of the medal by magnet. It was a lot of fun to cheer with (and snarl at) all the different schools. Because of my partnership with BibRave for this race, I sadly couldn’t wear my OSU shirt; I added in a few scarlet and gray pieces and school-branded temporary tattoos.
Awesome: Within hours of the race finish, I had an email with my race results and photos. Like this one…
????
Hey, it was free!
BONUS: Picture with the championship trophy – HOLLA!
OVERALL The Great: I loved being able to personalize my race shirt and hang with other Buckeye fans. The Good: SAUSAGE! This after party was legit the best. The Bad: Not enough hydration stations. The Ugly: Why do I keep signing up for races in the summer??????? [enter weather expletive here]
OFFICIAL RESULTS:
1:08:28
3,547th out of 5,945
66th in 40-44 age group
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to Vermont City Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
Made it to Church Street!
TWENTY WEEKS of sweat and tears and complaining about the weather brought me to Burlington, Vermont to take on my second full marathon on Memorial Day weekend. After getting over the last few weeks of my training slump — alongside that confidence-building 22-miler — I was ready to do this race. I had no anxiety going into race week and wasn’t wishing for the moment to be over (not until mile 25 at least). And what I learned on race day was that I could push myself… and still have a blast. By no means is marathon training all fun. But if you’ve already seen my finish chute spoiler from Instagram, you could see the joy all over my face on a race well run.
Registration and Cost: I was comped a race entry through BibRave, though prices for the marathon range from $99 when registration first opens to $135 on race weekend. There is a relay option, too. It’s unclear if the half marathon was part of one of the relays — there are 2- to 5-person relay options, so probably the 2-person? There were 13.1 medals — but I don’t see the half as an option for registration.
Expo and Bib Pick-Up: I opted to book a hotel close to the start/finish lines, but the expo was held outside the downtown area about 2 miles away at the Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center. It’s probably walkable — but I didn’t want to do that the day before a marathon (we ended up renting a car for the weekend to explore some things outside of town anyways).
There were footprint stickers leading runners from the entry to the correct bib pick-up line — you then needed to take your bib over to the t-shirt tables to have activated. A clear plastic bag and matching bib number sticker was given for checking any items on race day — but no usual race branded cinch bag.
I liked the selection of vendors at this expo, which seemed to be more focused on local Vermont brands (including Cabot cheese samples and beer tastings from a local brewery). I got a ton of free things from Kinney Drug booth — several packs of K-tape and face wipes and lotion — holy moly! I discovered the Darn Tough sock brand at the Expo, too; and I am already obsessed with these merino wool socks. I bought a pair of their short Coolmax running socks too.
Swag: To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed with the race swag, given what some other races do for runners completing a full marathon (there was also a virtual “swag bag”). Though I have to keep perspective on how small this race is. The race shirt was a performance short sleeve with gender-specific colors; the women’s shirt was maroon, which was a nice change of (color) pace. I searched the expo to buy some kind of marathoner finisher jacket, and I found a nearly empty rack. There were no women’s size small in the race branded zip jacket. Only 3 mediums left. And I was at the expo an hour and a half after opening on Saturday. That’s NUTS that there wasn’t enough. The race sweatshirt was one of the thinner and cuter fit ones (no zip front), but I really wanted a jacket. Bummer about that. I also loved the Run the 802 branding for the local race series, but maybe I was so blinded by the other issue that I somehow missed those items? I also missed buying a 26.2 sticker for my car, and I have all the sads. ?
Course: Think of this course like a clover – it starts near Battery Park and takes four loops out of downtown Burlington and back, and then loops around another side of town (and repeat. and repeat). The first few miles were inside town and included our first pass down Church Street; the next few miles were out-and-back on open highway and it was BORING. I was happy to loop back into town again and end that portion.
I looked at the course elevation earlier in training and wasn’t dreading any real hills except for one. And that was Mile 15: The Assault on Battery. Somehow, when that hill happened, I had enough energy to keep running. Majority of VCM was flat, though there were some elevation changes. My quads are certainly telling the story of continuous rolling hills, however. Even a massage didn’t help. Woof.
So, this is why my quads are wrecked!
The best parts of the course BY FAR were in the neighborhoods between Miles 18-21. More on that later. At Mile 22, the race hits the Burlington Bike Trail and continues to the finish at Waterfront Park. The trail portion was not as shaded as I had hoped and only had a glimpse of the lake view every so often. This was where the crowd support seriously dwindled and shit gets hard. I finally turned on my music.
Weather: The forecast 15 days out from the race called for rain, so I was delighted that awfulness had passed through early. However, the temps were expected to get pretty warm by the time I finished. Given that the race was “black-flagged” last year, this made me nervous (some runners I chatted with throughout the race had already finished 22-24 miles by the time the race was cancelled at 4 hours in, and no results were recorded beyond 4:30). We had a nice cool (but humid feeling) 54 degrees to start. The sun started to get very warm near the end and reached around 75 degrees. Naturally, the back part of the course is full sun. When I noticed that the red flags were up around mile 21, those thoughts kept creeping in and I was getting pissed (and nervous).
Note: This was partly why the Race Directors moved the start time to 7am this year.
Start line: I was a little overwhelmed and confused by the start area — despite the beautiful backdrop of Lake Champlain. I only found the starting corrals by stroke of luck (and walking around). I didn’t see any directional signage and thought the start was actually in the park (it was on the street next to). No corral assignments, so runners lined up by their expected pace — there was pace signage and pacers holding finish time signs. The course felt really crowded for the first few miles, and there was brick-paved roads, so it was a constant look down-look up to make sure that I wouldn’t trip over anything (like, a giant pedestrian walk sign in the middle of the road; why wouldn’t they remove that?) or run into another participant. The actual start line was around the corner from the corrals.
Aid Stations: All the aid stations were manned by WONDERFUL volunteers and it seemed all of the stations had water-Gatorade-water (perfect trifecta!). There was also a bonus candy aid station near the mid-point of the course, where I grabbed a cup of Skittles (YASSS!), and an ice pop station at the back portion of the course (I think I had 3 different ice pops throughout the back half of the race — thank you, Vermonters!). Clif shots and gels were provided at two different points, and there looked to be plenty of Kybos along the course, too.
Fans and entertainment: The race had some designated spots for course entertainment, but most of the fun came from the neighborhoods getting together to cheer and party. On our Church Street pass-throughs, there were drag queens giving high fives and many of the bars and restaurants seemed to be supporting the race by having their patios open earlier to spectators. The best section of the race, as I mentioned above, was after leaving the city and that awful hill on Battery Street. Starting with the 16.fun party on North Ave.
I was regularly dumping water on myself to keep cool as the temperatures were going up — and SO MANY neighbors set up sprinklers and spray hoses for us to run through (one kid even had a super soaker). THANK YOU! This was so appreciated. I wasn’t sure if my phone would be alive afterward, but I didn’t care.
Also in this neighborhood (I think I might have seen a sign that it was Lakewood? Not certain.): watermelon slices, oranges, bananas, candy, ice pops, neighborhood kids passing out drinks from their lemonade stands (adorable!)… a Tyrannosaurs running through sprinklers (I nearly had to stop from laughing so hard). And then by far one of the best things I’ve ever seen on a race course — shots of maple syrup. SHOTS OF MAPLE SYRUP. My race mantra was “Eat the Popsicle!” and I sure as hell was having a maple syrup shot. Isn’t that just so quintessentially Vermont?
Around mile 23, I started to feel tired and stiff. At 24, I was on the brink of having an emotional breakdown, feeling tears well up in my eyes and cursing myself for signing up for another marathon in the fall. Don’t know what that was all about; it wasn’t a wall — I knew that I could run more. I felt like I was on the brink of hyperventilating from choking back a big ugly cry. I pulled myself together.
Somehow.
Like I said earlier, this is where the crowd support thinned out, and it got hard; mile 25 was my wall. That’s when I felt done and ready to finish. Though as Forrest Gump says: I just kept running.
Best sign: You could have played chess
Or maybe the Vaseline signs? ? (you had to be there)
Finish line: The chute seemed to last forever, and I kept going back to memories of my first marathon. That extra .2 feels like a lifetime!
And then came the tears and hyperventilating. The outburst of emotion actually made me a little nervous. But I walked around for a bit and calmed down by the time I found the chocolate milk (and I guess I looked messed up enough that the volunteer gave me an extra one).
Chocolate Milk!
The finish area was just as confusing as the start. The volunteers handed us a bottled water and a bag (awesome!) to carry athlete food (fruit and chocolate milk… and I think there was free pizza). I didn’t automatically get a foil blanket, maybe Because of the heat, though I did see a few runners with them. I also didn’t see the results tent or a beer tent (was there one?). There were no chips left at Moe’s. All these things kind of fueled whatever emotional exhaustion I was feeling. And I had no idea where to go.
At that moment, my finish time notification from RaceJoy popped up on my Garmin. The reminder of all that hard training showed in a new marathon PR and my expected finish time based on my training.
The Medal: I love that the face of the medal has the infamous scene (and part of the VCM race logo) of the runners on Church Street and the sparkle is fun… but mine has a defect on it. Whomp, whomp..
After party: After a shower (and carefully looking for chafing and blisters), we walked down a few blocks to Citizen Cider for our own post-race celebration. They had gluten-free poutine and corn dogs and my day was complete.
Cider flight from Citizen Cider (they also had gluten-free corn dogs and poutine!)
Splits: Something wonky happened to my recorded watch splits after Mile 10 (it’s possible that I hit the lap button on my watch when removing my arm sleeves? At least it restarted!); I have the 10th lap at a .41 mile. Seems like I ran some long tangents too, with my Garmin clocking me at a total of 26.4 miles.
These are the official race splits:
10k: 1:04:34
10m: 1:43:31
Half: 2:15:24 (average pace 10:20)
20m: 3:30:11 (average pace 10:30)
OVERALL The Great: Burlington is such an amazing place to go for a destination race. Also great if you love smaller races. The Good: Vermont City Marathon has FREE race photos, which is AWESOME. I saw several photogs out on the course. The Bad: Running in red flag conditions is scary. Find ways to stay cool! The Ugly: I got some new chafing spots (ahem, butt crack) that I never experienced before. Must be from purposely getting wet throughout the race?
BibRave!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
4:39:12
Average 10:39 pace
1327 overall place (out of 1985)
536 overall Female (out of 918)
My first entry in the 40-44 age group — 62 in that division (out of 110).
I completed the Des Moines Women’s Half Marathon (my 11th half marathon) as part of my (re)scheduled 20-mile training run. This race was a bit momentous for me, as it was my LAST race in the 30-something age group. Admittedly, I got a little choked up that morning. After finishing my 7 miles on the paved trails in Water Works Park, I lined up with the 1,800 other runners to start the half marathon.
Flat Melinda ready for Half Marathon #11
Registration and Cost: Registration was online. I was nervous the event would sell out, considering how late I signed up (only after my original weekend plans were canceled). There was an option to purchase an extra glass of wine with registration for $5 (yes, please). My cost after fees and extra booze was $81.12.
Packet Pick-up: I had a bad feeling when I got an extra email this week AFTER the “this is the last athlete email” was in my inbox (the “last athlete email” where the participant guides were also not hyperlinked). It was about parking, and that’s something that stresses me out more than it should. But since I am still unfamiliar with most of Des Moines (and still have to use my GPS to get anywhere), it’s always a concern — particularly for races. They also urged participants to pick up their bibs on Saturday; despite my plans to go early on race day, I decided to make the extra trip out to Jasper Winery.
Well, parking was annoying — mostly because it seemed no one really knew where to go; once I found the grassy lot behind the winery, I was OK. But people were parking on the front road and side road and trying to parallel park. And there were a lot of people walking in the road (wtf?!). Because I parked in the back of the building, there were no signs directing me where to go — I had never been to Jasper Winery. I saw a bunch of tents and went in that direction (even though I entered the wrong way, seemingly).
And then I realized that there was a line around the front side of the building for packet pick-up. The backup was because we had to sign TWO waivers before picking up our bib. WAIVERS. When registration was ONLINE. It was a little ridiculous.
My gut feeling was proving to be right — and this was a case where I didn’t want to be right!
Registrants then went to a separate table to pick up their bibs; the lines were formed by bib numbers. And then there was a third set of tables to pick up the swag bag. I also got my extra wine ticket, and took that immediately to the winery so I could relax and enjoy (it really was a beautiful day!).
All that said, I really, REALLY loved the bib design!
Expo: There were a couple tents set up outside for the race promoter and Girls on the Run, and the rest of the “expo” was inside the winery. SHAPE is a sponsor of the event and had a mini-shop with its workout apparel. There was also a giant display with every runner’s name printed. I noticed on my way out that the banners on the way out ALSO had names printed on them. I liked the integration!
That’s me!
As you exit, you can grab a glass of wine (I think they also had beer) and sit outside and enjoy the weather. My Front Porch Rosé was a perfect complement to the weather.
Swag and Medals: The half zip, a branded wine glass, the medal. Yeah, this swag is pretty awesome.
Weather: The weather, honestly, could not have been more perfect. It was 57 degrees and sunny at the start — warming up to low 70s by the time I finished.
Course and Elevation: Extremely flat — really, a perfect race for any first-time half marathoners. The start was in front of Jasper Winery and continued past Gray’s Lake into downtown, around Principal Park, connecting to the paved trails that lead back to Gray’s Lake again, and finishing the last miles on the trails at Water Works Park.
Ready to go! (I took advantage of a delayed start by getting all my extra miles in BEFORE the race)
Start Line and Parking: The race was delayed by 15 minutes BECAUSE OF PARKING. There were no corral openings — at least none that I could see walking up as far as I could fit to the 11-minute pace sign; runners filtered in from the back. They ended up having to start two different waves because they couldn’t get runners all filed in. Also, I never saw anything posted that parking was at Water Works — everything said the winery. I guess it could be assumed if you are familiar with the area… but I’m not.
Aid Stations: I was happy with the spacing of the water stops, but not too happy to get to the one at 3 miles and find it not have Gatorade as promised in the Athlete Guide that was provided the week of the race (when we got the actual email where the links worked). In fact, there was supposed to be Gatorade at the Mile 6.5 aid station (there was not); there was also definitely no “athlete nutrition in the form of bananas, Clif Bars, Fruit Strips and Twizzlers” at Miles 7.5 or 11. Those aid stations DID have Gatorade though (grape, gross).
Fans and Experience: There were EXCELLENT cheer sections and “fans” along the course, and some of my favorites were the Girls on the Run (who were volunteering at the aid stations; definitely not their fault AT ALL that the stops were not stocked as promised), the Velorosa cyclists, the lululemon Des Moines cheer squad, and the Pure Barre West Des Moines (they’re opening next week!) ladies near the finish line. I saw a lot of repeat spectators who moved along the course, spotting them again-and-again and exchanging “woos.”
Total Bullshit: I have a list of things per this race experience, but overhearing runners NOT be cool to cyclists was stoking my Run Rage. In fact, there was a lot of race etiquette lost on many of the participants of this race. They’ll learn; I can’t fault them for being new to the race mores. BUT DON’T BE DICKS TO CYCLISTS. Because you’re racing on the trails does not mean the outdoor world shuts down for you.
Finish Line and After Party: The race ended where we started — at Jasper Winery. Our finisher medals were handed to us at the end of the “chute” and volunteers passed out bottles of water. You could get individual printed results outside the finisher area — where they also had a live band, food tents, food TRUCKS… and wine. Did I mention that free glass of wine for finishers? They did one better by me by having FREE SANGRIA. Which was a good thing because the athlete food line was SO LONG, I didn’t bother. I guess that was free, too, per the tab on my bib.
And then I waited in my car for a half hour trying to exit the park because the race didn’t keep any traffic volunteers or cops on duty to assist with getting everyone out of the parking area (one giant grass lot and one light that let out about 5 cars at a time). Parking sucks. The end.
OVERALL THE GREAT: Free sangria! THE GOOD: Great weather and awesome swag. THE BAD: If the lack of race etiquette bothers you, this is not the race for you. THE UGLY: I wrote four paragraphs complaining about parking. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
TL;DR: I didn’t hate this race… but I didn’t love it. There are definitely improvements to make for next year.
Hey baby, nice swag!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
2:15:19
Overall: 461 out of 948
Last race in the 30-something age group!
Females 35-39: 90 out of 161
Wow, it’s been almost 4 months since I’ve posted a race recap! Ragnar Luckenbach was my first race of 2017. I didn’t sign up for any races at the beginning of this year, as I wanted to focus on my base fitness for marathon training. Ragnar was a fun break away from usual weekend long runs, while still getting in my mileage.
My trip to Texas didn’t start at all how I expected — I got a really awful migraine as we were descending into Austin and ended up really nauseous during the cab ride to the hotel. I ended up spending nearly the entire first day in Austin curled up in a ball in a hotel bed cursing the light and that the water was turned off in our hotel for a few hours due to maintenance.
And puking.
Like I said: not a great start to a long weekend of running in the Texas heat.
I opted to stay in our downtown hotel room instead of joining the group — just in case I didn’t get better. I was pissed that I traveled all the way down to Texas, and I wouldn’t be able to run. By nighttime, I was finally starting to feel OK and could keep some Gatorade and plain Cheerios down. Then I knew I could rally and Ragnar would happen.
A few weeks prior to race day, our team lost someone due to deployment — and we had to find a new teammate (which we did), but I got switched from Runner 12 to Runner 10. I was OK with the additional mileage (see: marathon training), and I was still in Van 2 (still all strangers to me!). And then Ragnar changed the legs/mileage on us a few times before race day. And then the rental company didn’t save us a van, so we ended up in an Infiniti SUV. And then Ragnar cut 2 legs off the last day of the race, and we had run a leg with one of our van-mates. One of our teammates missed her 2nd leg at a major exchange because the race book was super confusing in our delirious and exhausted state (we were at the wrong stop).
There was a lot of shit happening and changing, and I was doing my best to adjust. But it all felt very chaotic!
Location: We started outside of Austin in Bastrop, Texas and ended 200-some miles later in Luckenbach.
Registration and Cost: This was a pricy trip for me, considering travel costs (flights) and hotels and gas/rental splits and team t-shirts. And two days of PTO. My portion of the relay registration was $48.04 for a 12-person team.
Packet Pick-Up: Captains/van leaders picked up our “packets” which mostly included our Ragnar t-shirts, snacks and temporary tattoos (this was at the first main van exchange on the route). We were part of some bib tracking testing program, which we picked up at the start line — so the team shared a belt for the duration of the race (and changed it out with the slap bracelet at the exchanges). Together, we had to watch a 10-minute video about safety and the Ragnar Rules (no pooping in yards, OK?). Twice, because a couple of us had to meet our van mates at the start line.
Swag: I love the Reebok t-shirts — so soft and comfortable; I’ll actually use it. I got an extra one at the finish line in a larger size, which will be awesome for sleeping. I was also able to grab an extra for my husband.
Weather: Oh god, where do I begin. This was probably not the right race event for me, considering how awful I perform in the heat. To be honest, I didn’t realize how far south Austin was and also didn’t know that peak heat in Texas is in late afternoon/early evening (corresponding with my legs of the race, naturally).
Scenes of Texas: Lots of farm animal sightings on these open lands — and yes, Texas has hills.
IT WAS SO HOT, IT WAS MISERABLE. On my first leg the temps reached 91 degrees and I super bonked out only 4 miles into my run. I wanted to quit and roll up in a ball on the side of the road (all gravel roads, btw). I walked a lot and was in full sun for the entirety of that leg. I’m pretty sure I said out loud that I wouldn’t run the marathon if it was that hot. :-/
And you can basically repeat that for my 3rd leg on Saturday, which was also warm and I was legit wishing for rain — and add in 600+ ft of elevation gain.
Course and Elevation: I’ll just let these elevation maps speak for themselves.
Whose idea of fun was this?!
First leg (3:56 pm): 7.6 miles / 1:27:39 / 11:21 average pace / 214 ft elevation gain
2nd leg (3:19 am): 2.75 miles / 26:18 / 9:33 average pace
YAY! Nighttime run – this was fun and though it was still humid, I felt good and fast. And I got some real food before our nighttime legs started; we found a Longhorn restaurant that could seat 6 of us quickly on a Friday night. A loaded sweet potato and grilled chicken salad never tasted so good. AND I got some actual sleep (at least a couple hours worth). Outside. On a sidewalk.
Splits: 9:32, 9:30, 9:38 [.75]
3rd leg (12:55 pm): 6.85 / 1:18:23 / 11:26 avg pace / 661 ft elevation gain
Another hot, sunny day – Ragnar ended up cutting my original leg, so this was my partner run. The elevation was brutal and basically all uphill. I had to walk quite a bit.
Splits: 10:56, 10:46, 10:51, 11:05, 11:16, 13:01, 12:15 [.85]
Ragnar van life — and my Iowa tan.
Aid Stations: Unless you were on an unsupported (or no van access) portion of the course, your aid station was your van. And if your van didn’t meet you somewhere on your leg, you were basically supporting yourself (or relying on the kindness of strangers for ice when you were seriously overheated).
Finish Line: The finish felt very… uninspired. The announcers called our team name as we ran in together and there was a photographer taking staged pictures and some vendors were set up (most looked to be closing down), but it was honestly the most boring race finish ever. There was a booth giving out free pizza (I couldn’t have any, obviously), and I was STARVING. I didn’t see anywhere else where I could purchase food. Since Van 1 had been hanging out all day, they were ready to leave (and was my ride back to Austin), so I didn’t even get to explore Luckenbach at all. I guess that’s a potential downside of being in the second van — I get it, it’s an exhausting adventure.
The team captain handed out the medals, which all had something unique on the back. I liked that mine read “Ragnar Thing.”
After party: An hour ride back to my Austin hotel, where my husband was waiting for me with a tub of pulled pork from a local BBQ joint and some ciders. That shower was probably the most amazing I’ve ever had. The next morning, we found an ALL GLUTEN-FREE cafe with an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and OMG that capped off an awesome weekend.
Total bullshit: At one of our runner exchanges, a wasp crawled up my long-sleeve shirt and stung me on the forearm. It hurt like a mother, and I was trying not to be a huge baby about it because I was with people I didn’t know at all. There were a lot of times that I felt isolated on this trip, and this was one of them. I had no access to soap and water or Benadryl or medics. One of my teammates in the van was a school teacher, so I got a little comfort and aid from her — immediately icing the place where I got stung. I ended up having a large local reaction with a considerable amount of swelling. All I could think about was how thankful I wasn’t allergic.
Experience: Ragnar is something completely out of my comfort zone, and exactly why I had it on my Goal List for 2017. There were some lessons learned (I should have brought a yoga mat or sleeping bag and an extra water bottle — not just my handheld for running) and definitely things I disliked (I didn’t like not having my own bib — I keep all of mine and display on my bib wall, but another teammate had already claimed it); though there was definitely a lasting confirmation that I would probably do another one (just… probably not in Texas).
OVERALL THE GREAT: My first Ragnar race! THE GOOD: Cowboy Camping and nighttime running. I sincerely loved being outdoors in the dark. THE BAD: Getting stung is certainly memorable… and not in a good way. THE UGLY: Ugh, the heat. I can’t.
TL;DR: Consider your location and your van mates when planning to do your first Ragnar. I think those things can definitely make or break your experience. Not having an actual van can increase the negative consequences exponentially.
The Tipsy Crew!
OFFICIAL TEAM RESULTS
The Tipsy Crew
33:58:46.7 (+6:57:07.9)
22nd place in the Mixed Open division
This has been a pretty full year of running! I started off the year thinking that I would be playing roller derby again (even trying out and making our A-level travel team in Pittsburgh), and then we made a fairly quick and sudden move to Iowa (less than 2 months to visit, shop houses, get job offers, and actually relocate) kind of threw havoc into all areas of my life — particularly my marathon training (I ended up not completing training for the Pittsburgh marathon).
But the year started off with some highlights and ended with some amazing experiences — with, naturally, some awful things in-between. If I’m counting correctly, I did 16 races this year. Still standing at only 1 marathon since 2015 but my half marathon tally grew to 9. Let’s reflect, shall we?
Best Mileage Month: 101.74 miles in November — my 1st 100 Mile Monthly Challenge!
Worst Mileage Month: Only 14.6 miles in June. Woof.
By the way, my total mileage for 2016 was 512.97!
New States Run in 2016: Florida, Iowa, Nebraska
Furthest Race I Traveled to — and My First Multi-Day Challenge Race: Gasparilla (Florida) [recaps here: Gasparilla Day #1 (15k and 5k) and Day #2 of the Ultra Challenge (half marathon and 8k)]
Worst Race Experience:Dam to Dam — I was completely and totally unprepared for this race and swore it off for my lifetime because I’ve never felt so awful. Though now that I’ve had some distance, I’m willing to eat my words and run it again.
Best Run (not a Race): One that sticks out for me – when I returned to Pittsburgh over the summer. I unleashed a lot of emotions on that run; it was cathartic and bittersweet and a nice reprieve from the super humid summer.
Worst Run: UGH, basically any of my tempo long runs from the summer during my IMT Half Marathon training. I don’t think I finished any of them to plan.
Worst Piece of Running Gear: Nathan hydration belt. It doesn’t work well on my body shape for running (wayyyyyy too much bounce and movement); though I may end up using it for hiking and trail-skating.
Best Piece of Advice I Received this Year: Though it’s spoken often in running circles to “run the mile you’re in,” this was really drilled in with my coach over the summer with focusing on the current moment and not thinking ahead. That’s something that has held me back a lot, and it’s been refreshing to just trust my body that it knows what to do and what I can handle AT THAT MOMENT.
Best Thing I Learned: Running by feel or effort level
Favorite Picture from a Race or Run this Year (TIE!):
The Hitchcock Experience‘s inaugural event created by the Greater Omaha Area Trail Runners (G.O.A.T.z) opened up last year with 50- and 100-mile distances; this year, a 13.1 distance was added. I found out about this race through the local trail running groups and knew immediately that I needed to add to my winter schedule. Hitchcock was my 9th half marathon distance, my 4th trail race and my last race of 2016.
Flat Mel: SO MUCH GEAR!
There’s a reason that the word “experience” is in this event — it’s much more than a trail race. I experienced many moments throughout; least of which were:
Unabashed fits of joy.
One of our pre-race emails included that phrase, which is spot-on and absolutely sums up my personal experience with Hitchcock. I’ve felt many emotions during my races — particularly in completing my first marathon — but this race transformed everything that’s fun about trail running into something that deeply affected my soul. Can you find yourself in the Loess Hills? It’s quite possible that I did just that.
I knew going in that Hitchcock would be my most challenging race thus far. For starters, throw out everything you might think about Iowa: IT IS NOT FLAT.
Elevation change for the half marathon is just under 6,000 ft.
Location: The Hitchcock Experience takes place entirely within the Hitchcock Nature Center — located north of Council Bluffs — and its adjoining private property. The nature center exists to develop and foster appreciation and understanding of the Loess Hills as a globally significant landform through land management, environmental education and low-impact recreation.
Registration and Cost: Because the half was capped at only 50 runners, I stayed up until midnight when registration opened up on September 2 (at exactly 12:01am). I even set an alarm to make sure that I didn’t fall asleep. The race cost $65 (+fees for online registration).
Packet Pick-Up: I had to leave work early the day before the race to pick up my bib in Omaha — which is two hours away. Packet pick-up was held at Canfield’s Sporting Goods from 2-6pm OR you could do pick up on race day at 4am (uhhhhh, no). It wasn’t obvious where the pick-up was once you entered the store (it was in the shoe section at the back), so I had to ask an employee (who didn’t understand why I was there at first either). I love that the bib is event specific, featuring an awesome nighttime picture of the course from last year’s race.
Swag: We received a branded cinch race bag with a long-sleeved cotton shirt, extra reflective keepsake bib, Hitchcock patch and sticker, and finisher medals! (100-mile finishers under the time limit get a belt buckle, as is tradition with ultra distances.)
Weather: Having a race in December, you’re almost guaranteed SOME level of winter weather; the race started in the low 20s. But as we were running, we got SNOW!!!!! I never really felt cold though until the last 1/4 mile or so when my gloves got damp from the constant snow and chilled over; my nose was running constantly throughout the race, so I also had a frozen patch on my BUFF. It actually snowed quite a bit and was so beautiful. There was a section where it was near white out and I was catching snowflakes on my tongue like a literal crazy person. I loved it!
Course: Not your usual out-and-back, this trail race is a 12.5-mile loop on varied terrain (alfalfa fields?!) with challenging elevation gains, and great technical difficulty. I went out a couple weekends before for a race preview run with the GOATZ, so I already knew which sections I would hate — thankfully, due to the weather, the much-cursed sandy sections and aforementioned alfalfa fields were frozen over (but severely lumpy!). There’s an addition at the beginning of the first loop for each race, and there are a few places on the course of two-way traffic.
Oh, yeah… and most of it is run in the dark.
There was something positively magical about being in complete darkness in the middle of the woods though. At certain sections, I was entirely alone. I could see headlamps in the distance — some at much higher elevations than where I stood.
Headlamps required!
For this race headlamps and hydration bottles/packs were required. The course was marked extremely well and had reflective orange flags, plenty of colored signs with arrows and/or ground markings to aid in course direction. Even in the dark, I could always see where the next trail marker was. The two-way traffic areas were also marked well, but I had a few moments wondering if I was moving in the right direction.
When the sun rose, I was in a rolling section of the trails in the woods and any description I attempt to use just underestimates the incredible experience. Powerful.
Start Line: Speaking of the dark, start time for the Hitchcock half distance was 5am (!!!). We got to share the start line with the 100-milers in the morning; the 50-milers started at 9pm (so everyone runs in the dark at some point). Oh, and the news was there to broadcast all the crazy! While there were time limits for the 50 and 100 runners, there was only a “just finish” for half marathoners (the last finisher came in just shy of 8 hours).
Aid Stations: An integral part of ultra races is the aid station; there were three stations per loop, and we were all required to check in at each. I used the stops for a quick fuel break; at the Oasis I was strangely craving hot coffee (perhaps because of how early it was?) and had that. Aid stations had a bunch of food and drink options, including: water, Tailwind, pop, coffee, soup, peanut butter sandwiches, chips, fruits, candy and various Honey Stinger gels and waffles.
There was also a fourth aid station located near mile 9.5 and manned by volunteers from Loess Hills Nordic Ski Patrol; they had a giant bonfire, which made it difficult not to stay longer to hang out. One of the kind gentlemen volunteers allowed me to drink from his water bottle, since my hydration pack hose froze over and there weren’t any beverage cups at this station.
Stations included:
The Lodge aka: Beacon of Hope/Despair (start/finish)
Ralph’s (the campground) at approximately 3.65 miles. Named in honor of Ralph Hohneke, who has so graciously allowed us to run on his property on race weekend.
The Oasis at approximately 6.75 miles
Loess Hills Nordic Ski Patrol near the 9.5-mile mark
Finish Line: To add to the physical and mental torture of the event, the finish line was uphill; it was nearly impossible to run at that point, and it seemed most of the finishers around me walked that last part of the course. Good thing, because my dang shoe came untied near the final climb (and was frozen). There was a volunteer who placed the medals around our necks and a photographer who snapped several finish line photos.
After Party: My after party consisted of a gigantic omelet at Henry’s Diner in Crescent, Iowa. After a ride back to my hotel room, a hot shower, and a glass of wine (since I wasn’t driving home), it was then a two-hour trip back home to Des Moines.
Experience: Something that I want to emphasize in this race is the amazingness of all the people — including the volunteers. Everyone involved in race day was so helpful and positively excited to have us there; fellow runners were equally as encouraging, and I loved the spirit of the two-way passes with everyone congratulating one another. By the way, the race communication for this event was The Best — I received no fewer than 3 emails following up to race day with all the info that I needed to know and their Facebook page was a great source of additional info and finishers updates.
Extra Awesome: The race directors sent out a post-event runner survey “thank you” email within a couple days, which also included official results and a link to FREE race photos, where I found this gem:
SO EXCITE!
OVERALL The Great: UNABASHED FITS OF JOY The Good: Snow! The Bad: In the last mile, I slipped going downhill and fell backwards – somehow catching myself on my right elbow and not my butt. Luckily, I did not get injured. The Ugly: My Camelback hose froze; thankfully, a nice volunteer at the Ski Patrol let me drink from his bottle.
TL;DR: Thank you, GOATZ and thank you, Hitchcock for just an incredible event. I will remember this experience forever. I fully intend to run this again next year; though the distance is still to be determined. 😉
OFFICIAL RESULTS
3:16:44
29th finisher in the half
8th female finisher overall in the half — I made the Top 10 Females leaderboard!
As I’m making friends in the run community here in Des Moines, trail running has become much more fun. Since I’ve joined up on some Capital Turkeys group runs, I have familiar faces that I can locate beforehand — and that’s added a new level of relaxation and joy to my race day. The Sycamore 8 trail race is a Capital Striders event, taking place the first weekend in December, and following the Sycamore Trail along the Des Moines River.
An 8-miler is a new distance for me — and the course ended up being about a half mile short… so, still a new distance. Though, they weren’t kidding when they said Sycamore 8 was FAST! I was pushing a pretty decent pace for it being a trail race — just a little faster than my comfort zone; since I was unfamiliar with this section of the trail system, I didn’t want to completely overdo it. I paced the first half with some of my fellow lady Turkeys, and only fell behind when I walked through a water stop (I needed Gatorade, as my fingers were starting to swell on me). It wasn’t a big deal, as I did my best to catch back up — and ended up finishing only a couple minutes behind.
The energy surrounding the race (and the question as to what the weather will be in early December) is understandably why runners who love winter trail running come back to do this one every year. No question, I enjoyed myself immensely, and intend to make Sycamore 8 a part of my own yearly circuit of trail races.
Registration and Cost: Race registration was online with GetMeRegistered, and after a Capital Striders member discount and fees cost only $33.07 ($30 base cost; $35 for non Striders members). Race entries are capped at 300. If spots are available, day of registration is an extra 10 bucks.
Adapted Flat Mel
Packet Pick-Up: My first trek into the Beaverdale neighborhood, packet pick-up was the night before the race at local coffee shop (and sponsor), Grounds for Celebration. It’s a super adorable place, and I want to go back and hang out.
Swag: Probably some of my favorite swag from any race — a branded 2016 Sycamore 8 trucker hat and small bag of Grounds for Celebration signature “Sycamore Single Track” coffee. No medals for this race; but if you’re fast enough to place in an age group, the handmade awards are really sweet.
Weather: Around 30 degrees at start time; I definitely warmed up by mid-race. There’s such a difference in temperature here when there’s wind and when there’s not. On race day we had the latter, with moderate sun.
Course: This race is a point-to-point course, on mostly single dirt trails — starting at the Johnston Soccer Complex and ending in Des Moines at the Polk County building. A good portion of the course is in the woods, with one section of paved bike path for about a mile or so; since it had been dry for a while, there wasn’t really any mud, and we didn’t cross any water. The course is also mostly flat with only one big climb — which coincided with the one water stop on the course (about Mile 4). For a still-beginner trail runner, the course was marked pretty well. There was only one part where I wasn’t sure to go right or left (though both pathways went around to the same place).
Bag Drop: You could self-tag a bag to be bussed back to the finish line. Unclaimed or dropped clothing items were donated to the Central Iowa Shelter.
Start Line: I always get a little bummed out about having to take a bus — the race info stated there was no other way to get to the start line — but at least this time I had some friends! I was dropped off at the finish line around 8am; the busses left around 8:20. There were a few Kybos at the bus meeting point (the finish) and another set at the actual start line.
Hot chocolate season!
Finish Line: It’s hot chocolate season! There was also some kind of vegetarian chili and chicken noodle soup, and the usual hot coffee and Gatorade. A rep from Merrell was set up, passing out free stickers and branded tubular headwear (don’t mind more of these in my collection!). They were also giving away shoes from previous test runs — but nothing in my size. Whomp whomp.
Fans and Experience: Some kind of holiday mascot at the sole water stop on the course was giving high fives along with the water and Gatorade volunteers. There were a couple (and I mean, two) people at the end of the paved section of trail leading back into the woods — and they were cheering as though they were 10x more people. It was awesome.
It kind of felt like a tailgate wrapped around a running event at the finish line, which made for a really entertaining experience. Though, I was kinda bummed about there not being any of that supposed Fireball at the aid station. ?
After Party: The After Party was at Goodsons in Beaverdale — with a free Shock Top beer for all 21+ runners. There were a bunch of raffle prizes given out from sponsors; sadly, I had to miss the post-race celebration, as we had to prepare for another holiday party.
OVERALL The Great: Best swag ever! The Good: Making it up that steep hill without any help. The Bad: I got lost on my way to pick up my bib. Stupid GPS. The Ugly: Swollen fingers again. 🙁
OFFICIAL RESULTS
1:17:01
161th Overall
24th in Women 30-39
As I’m making friends in the run community here in Des Moines, trail running has become much more fun. Since I’ve joined up on some Capital Turkeys group runs, I have familiar faces that I can locate beforehand — and that’s added a new level of relaxation and joy to my race day. The 
