A few years ago, I started making a conscious effort in stopping use of the phrase: I’m so busy. Because, like, we all are. We’re busy with what we choose to prioritize in our lives – and that is OK. It looks different on all of us. There is a negative connotation with explaining to the world and answering “how’s life?” with “BUSY!” And, well, I don’t like that trap. Also, no, I am not the type of person who will answer “I am happily prioritizing all my Life Things this month!”
I’m a work in progress.
There are seasons where prioritizing is difficult and there are more Life Things than usual and something has to give. The beginning of fall requires a LOT of time management (and packing extra clothes and changing in my car) because I am often bouncing from one thing to the next.
If I leave you with anything with this message, it’s: BE KIND TO YOURSELF. The corn will be planted before we know it.
basic bumpkin
Sweet Corn season is done. In fact, corn season is done completely. The final signal to summer’s end is the mowing down of the corn fields and eating pumpkin spice Cheerios.
There is only a week or two left of Farmer’s Market season. I had to wear fleece while I was coaching this week. The Harvest Moon is waning. This week also starts fall semester of my second week of grad school. Time to light up the fire pits and burn last year’s syllabi. 🤘
midwest shenanigans
A couple weeks ago, my husband and I took our first trip down to Lake Ozark in Missouri. It was so beautiful! And we really lucked out on finding an AirBnB (with a hot tub!) on the lake (though probably a little further from All the Fun than we’d stay again). Last weekend, I took my first trip to Mall of America, and I was so underwhelmed that I just ate lunch in the food court and never left. Like my dad’s favorite joke goes: If you’ve seen one mall, you’ve seen em’all.
(No, seriously, my dad actually told us that joke when I was a kid and I NEVER stop laughing at it when I’m in a mall. I also strongly dislike malls very very much, maybe because of all my retail management years?)
Is their motto, like, “all we need is u” because TRUST me, they have enough. Somewhat intuitively, however, I am able to spell “Dubuque” without the help of Google. I think…
Ahem.
Aside from passing over state lines on a drive to Wisconsin last summer and my initial entry into Iowa as a permanent resident, I never stopped to hang in Dubuque. That changed last weekend when a friend and I found a fun trail race located in the Mines of Spain park… recreation area. We decided to make a little overnight adventure out of it.
Dubuque is about a 3-hour drive from Des Moines. Much corn. Very Iowa Scenic. We got into town in the evening and had already settled on where we would have dinner: L.May Eatery.
Cutely and appropriately situated on Main Street, the restaurant was buzzing when we arrived. It was fairly busy for a Friday night and despite not having reservations, we were seated quickly. There was so much available for me in the way of gluten-free menu options: I started with a yogurt curry cauliflower appetizer, ate nearly a whole gluten-free pizza by myself titled “You’re in Dubuque” (natch), and a CHEESECAKE (yes, also gluten-free!) that I happily shared with my friends because it was a GIANT slice.
L.May also had a great wine list and an adorable outdoor dining arrangement (which was full on the evening we visited). Service was top notch – our server even entertained me by wanting to take pictures of all my food because ALL THE GLUTEN FREE FOODS! I would make a trip back to Dubuque purposely to eat here again.
Saturday morning was an early rise for the Mines of Spain trail races. We opted to drive to the start location (the race also offered a shuttle from a nearby hotel). Packet pick-up was available on race morning at EB Lyons Interpretive Center at the recreation area, and we found the parking to be plentiful.
Initially I had signed up for the half marathon distance, but since my training has been… well, total POOP, I dropped down to the 7-mile race. That was great foresight because while the Mines of Spain was beautiful, OMG there were so many steps. The elevation changes made for a fun and challenging race and I finished in 1:38 (my slow ass is merely enjoying the view and the glute burn these days).
The race had a super fun after party immediately afterward with free Zevia cans (yay!), free pizza (no gluten-free, far as I knew) and grapes (GRAPES! SO AMAZING!), and beer provided by 7 Hills Brewing (definitely not gluten-free, though that coffee beer smelled amazing). For some reason I opted out of the shirt again – and of COURSE I loved it (same thing happened to me at NewBo last year). Happily, I was able to pick up a MoSTR branded shirt from the “freebies” table post-race to commemorate my run. There were quite a few door prizes given away, too – no winner-winner brewery dinner for me. All runners also got a pair of free socks and a magnetic koozie!
We hung out for about an hour before a quick shower (and late check-out) at the hotel. On our drive home, we initially considered driving up to Dyersville to see Field of Dreams (something on my Iowa Bucket List!) but ultimately decided it was too much for our time-crunched and burning-glutes weekend. We opted for burgers in North Liberty at BeerBurger on the drive back to Des Moines. YES MORE GLUTEN-FREE NOMS. Not only did they have gluten-free buns for the burgers, let us not bypass the most amazing side dish: sweet potato waffle fries that is served with marshmallow fluff dipping sauce. If you know me, you know how important marshmallows are in my diet.
Shhhhhh, I was hungry. As immortalized in this “Yes, I am basically always eating” selfie.
I’m back from two weeks in the land of fires (aka: northern California) and past the seemingly never-ending barrage of stressors from preparing to leave for my internship. While I was staying a couple hours east of one of the major blazes, there was considerable smoke in my area and a few mornings where you could smell things burning. Thankfully my internship “abroad” went quickly, despite being emotionally and mentally exhausting. I’m happy to be home and settling back into my routine. Two weeks away, and the corn viewable from the fields at this stage is obviously not for human consumption, it looks positively BEAT. (And like it needs a haircut.)
I feel you corn. I feel you.
the sweetest corn.
Adel is my favorite sweet corn in the area (Grimes is 2nd). But NOTHING WILL BEAT OHIO SWEET CORN, DON’T @ ME. That said, I’m bummed to be missing the buttered-down goodness of this Saturday’s Adel Sweet Corn Festival. I mean, I suppose I might be able to get over there before midnight. Cross your kernels that there will be corn available that late.
brb. going to spanish mines. in iowa.
This weekend is the Mines of Spain trail race and my first race of the year. Remember when I used to write a lot about running?! My intent was to be ready for the half, but I’m dropping down to the 7-mile event because I’ve basically done 4 weeks of 6-mile long runs and unable to push myself into any further misery. Real talk: run training just hasn’t been gelling for me lately. So I’m being kind to myself and doing what I can to keep running fun and basically going for a weekend with friends. Also, it will be my first time exploring Spain Dubuque!
midwest shenanigans
I love to love on Iowa. Being around a bunch of east and west coasters the last couple weeks asking “tell me what it’s like” had me enthusiastically swooning over why I enjoy living here. ESPECIALLY after sitting in hours of traffic in California.
What would you tell someone who asked you to describe what’s so great about the Midwest – or Iowa, specifically?
Driving (the LONG way) out to run the inaugural Rockin’ Chocolate Half Marathon race was my first time in Wisconsin. I’ve crossed so many new states off my list since moving to Iowa! This was first of a double-header half weekend over Labor Day with my friend Chelsea (Pittsburgh City Girl) – who is on a 50-states quest. My intent was to have fun and spend time catching up and running with her.
For this recap, I’m going to start with the experience. Overall, we were a little disappointed as there was neither a whole lot of chocolate or a whole lot of rocking (I did enjoy greatly the guitar solo national anthem, however). Like, I get what the race was trying to accomplish – the idea of commingling the popular rock n’ roll and hot chocolate events – but I do not believe it was successfully executed. Our expectations were that there would be music and chocolate along the course (there was not) and a sinful amount of chocolate at the finish (there was not). I did respond to the post-race survey, so hopefully they take some of that feedback into account for future races (the 2018 date has already been announced). That said, they also messed up sending the surveys, so those of us who received survey links in email got error messages that we had already taken it. They did not resend the email, yet posted a corrected link on Facebook, which… not the same thing.
Cost and Registration: A Cyber Monday deal last year prompted us to register for this race – it was only $25! An excellent deal for a half marathon. HOWEVER, registration for the 2018 race right now is already $60, and goes up to $65 after January 1st. The race did sell out this year, so something to consider in planning your sign-up.
Expo and Packet Pick-up: The only reason why I took a half day’s PTO to drive to Madison on Friday was because of the promise of chocolate-filled goodie bags with early bib pick-up. Well, it was a package of toffee, which is quite possibly the WORST (and far as I’m concerned, NOT chocolate). And well, that set the tone for the race. The expo was super tiny, held in a community room at the Monona city building, and took all of 5 minutes to grab everything I needed.
Parking: Our hotel was about 20 minutes from the start. Despite getting to the race early, parking was already a little challenging, as we were not sure which streets were OK to park on – or on which side – and we were a couple miles out and seeing a lot of people walking in. People looked to be parking in bike lines, of which I am NOT AT ALL a proponent. There was parking information and maps provided by the race organizers via email, but street signs were confusing and/or conflicting and side street parking filled up quickly. Despite that, we parked on a main road about 3/4 mi. (or so) from the start line.
Start Line: I found another Pittsburgh friend wearing the SAME Pittsburgh Marathon shirt (who no longer lives in Pittsburgh either lol)! We were fast friends, of course, and reminisced on the city we missed.
I brought my own coffee.
A solo guitarist started us off with the national anthem, which was an awesome way to begin the race. Rock on! Also a bonus: the race started on time (you never know what to expect with a new or small race).
Weather: Race day was the first cool morning of a season of never-ending humidity. OMG, the weather was beautiful! I eventually had to shed my long-sleeve shirt when we left the shaded neighborhoods, but it still was a really lovely, sunny day.
Course: The course had a beautiful backdrop in downtown Madison and Lake Monona. We left the start area on the paved trails and ran throughout the surrounding Lake Monona neighborhoods near the shore, looped around the lake into downtown and back into Monona. The neighborhoods were GORGEOUS – and all the buildings and houses (even the park bathrooms!) felt Frank Lloyd Wright inspired. Outside of the Niagara Falls Marathon, this might have been my favorite course scenery.
I mean, even the Little Library drops were adorable!
I should also note that despite the music-forward implication, there was only one solo musician set up on the course. This was disappointing, particularly as there was zero crowd support on the course. Know that this will be a lonely race if you are doing it alone. The course elevation is not that challenging; there were a few climbs early in the race, but mostly just a bunch of rolling little bumps.
Finish Line: The finish line welcomed us with chocolate milk (yay!) and some kind of chocolate-covered strawberry local beer (I couldn’t have it, obvs) – which you needed your ticket to redeem (not attached to the bib as it is in other races). A tent was set up where the beer was served, with a live band playing, and there were a couple food trucks set up near the park. I believe there were also massage therapists on-site.
There were also a bunch of vendors SELLING sweets and goodies (yes, some were providing samples). Again, not much in the way of chocolate; which was not only irritating for its lack of playing to the theme of the race, but also for its money-grab on the participants. I’m more than happy to support local establishments (and I did); however, if you are going to call yourself a chocolate race THEN YOU BETTER HAVE CHOCOLATE.
The only chocolate on the course was chocolate milk (and chocolate animal crackers) at the finish line.
Swag and Medals: I love the race-branded t-shirt that came with registration (super soft!), even though it was unisex sizing; and the medal – while “rockin” in theme – was a little small and cheap compared to what the race appeared to be advertising through its social channels. This is the 3rd guitar-shaped medal in my collection, which is cool. I don’t really run for the medals anymore (though I do love to display them), so it’s not the biggest deal for me – but it might be for others.
After Party: Since this was a double-header weekend, we needed to get back to the hotel and check out – and also find somewhere to find some cheese (like you do in Wisconsin, right?). Which is randomly how we found the gluten-free awesomeness of Alt Brew. Not only did they have AMAZING beers (holy moly, the Kolsch was incredible!!! Yes, I brought some home with me), they had an awesome local cheese board. It was the first in a LONG time that I was able to have a flight of beers somewhere.
YAY, Madison! The great (gluten-free) beer redeemer!
OVERALL The Great: I loved the course – total visual overload looking at all the mid-century modern homes and views of the lake. *swoon* The Good: The race photographer took a BUNCH of great shots on the course, and I was excited to get a Black Friday discount code to download all my pictures. The Bad: A race capitalizing on the popularity of two other races… and not executing it well at all. The Ugly: Gross, toffee. Not worth 4 hours of PTO. Also, misspelling “marthon” in its emails. LORDY.
Finished! (Definitely not 6-minute miles as the sign suggests. 😆)
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Route 66 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!
Holy moly, I’m only 22 DAYS until the Chicago Marathon. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!
On the way to my ultra in December, I have a couple marathons (and a 50k) on my training schedule: Chicago Marathon and Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa. Chicago will be my first major marathon — and my first “big city” race since the Pittsburgh Half in 2015. To be honest, I’m a little nervous about how crowded the race is going to be and all the security checkpoints. And the idea of standing in a race corral for up to two hours positively enrages me.
It’s just a training run.
I don’t have any goals for Chicago aside from finishing in one piece (and without hip-checking someone). Though I’m going to have so many BibRave pals there — it’ll be quite the reunion — I do not at all feel as prepared to run this as I did Vermont City Marathon. It’s all just miles on my legs. 26.2 very slow, long miles. It’s hard not to be so serious about this race, as there are so many logistical nightmares and pre-planning annoyances that are already stressing me out. And while I could only hope for cool temps in October, the brisk Fall weather is gone… and we’re back to 90-degree days and hairdryer wind and super humidity.
Which gets me more all the more excited about racing in cooler temps come November for Route 66 (possible, maybe?).
More fun than an amusement park.
For Route 66, my motivation is FUN (because running an additional .3 miles after a marathon is one definition of fun, right?). This race will be my last big week of mileage before I start to taper for my 50-miler (which is still absolutely insane to think about a few months out). I have friends also making the road trip down to Oklahoma from Des Moines — it will be my first visit to Tulsa, and I get to cross off another race state — so that adds to the adventure of the weekend. It seems there’s a VERY party-atmosphere vibe down in Tulsa for this race weekend (uh, hello Jell-O shot aid station!), and I’m excited to be able to participate in the fun on behalf of BibRave.
By the way, have you seen the medal reveal? I cannot WAIT to put the Goddess of Speed on my marathon shelf.
Still looking for a Fall marathon? Register for the Route 66 Marathon and get $10 off your race entry with discount code 2017R66BR.
This week of training brought my first 20-mile run (I think I have seven 20+-mile runs on this plan). I swapped my long run to Sunday, so that I could run with my usual group — which meant waking up for a 6:30 am (!!!) trail run on Saturday at Jester Park. Once I was out, I didn’t mind one bit (added bonus of seeing the sun rise over Saylorville Lake).
When my 20-mile long run came on Sunday, I could barely eek out 17. It was a rough morning — and more than just a mental block. I was breathing WAY too heavy for an 11:30 pace and my legs felt like lead. Meh. Bad runs happen, right? I enjoyed the course my friend mapped out though; it took us on a loop around downtown’s paved trails. I did need an extra rest day this week after doing my back-to-back half marathons the previous weekend, so I took that on Tuesday (with a side of full body massage). Though even with four days of running, I completed 40 miles.
WEEK AT A GLANCE:
Monday – Rest Day
Tuesday – 4 miles Extra Rest Day / Massage
Wednesday – 6 miles (Trail)
Thursday – 8 miles (Treadmill)
Friday – Rest Day
Saturday – 10 miles (Trail)
Sunday – Long run, 20 miles 16.85 miles
Long runs are long.
Week 8 is my cutback week, and I’ll be focused on getting my strength training/cross-training back on track. I’m also signed up for an intro to kickboxing workout that is sponsored by our local lululemon. OMG am I going to start having nightmares about Billy Blanks again?!
WHAT’S ON TAP?
My road trip to Madison last weekend resulted in finding a gluten-free dedicated brewery called Alt Brew. It was so amazing to have a flight of beers! I brought home a sixer of their kolsch, which is so delicious that I wish I bought more. I wish one of the midwest gluten-free beer producers would distribute to Iowa! So if anyone is in Wisconsin and would like to send me some more of their delicious gluten-free beers, please message me! Also accepting any and all beers from Burning Brothers in St. Paul (particularly their IPA).
WHAT’S FUN?
The mid-week Trail Run Series with Fleet Feet and Des Moines Park & Rec has been SO FUN. It’s brought so many people out to the dirt and woods to play, and I just love seeing that enthusiasm from our local running communities. This Wednesday, we’ll be running out at Grandview. I also get to assist with marking the course, so you can officially blame me if you get lost! ?
Yep, that’s me! ?
SOMETHING, SOMETHING:
Well, my grad school application is submitted. Now I sit around and wait to see if I’m accepted for Fall semester (which starts on September 25 *gulp*).
AUGUST MILEAGE TOTAL: 116.2 total miles SEPTEMBER MILEAGE: 67.1 miles WEEKLY MILEAGE: 40.9 miles MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR: 723.71 miles LAST RACE: Haven’t had time to review my two Labor Day weekend races, but coming soon! UP NEXT:Capital Pursuit 10-mile race this weekend.
ULTRA UPDATES:
One week away from my official kickoff for Ultra training!
WHAT’S FUN:
I’m really excited about my weekend road trip to Chicago this weekend — it’s been a couple years since we’ve been, and the city holds a special place for us. That’s where I officially gave my now-husband my number on St. Patrick’s Day 8 years ago after rejecting him for 10 months. Our trip this time will be brief, but I’m pumped to “tailgate” with my fellow Buckeye fans (and BibRave Pros!) at the B1G 10K. I can be cordial to my fellow Iowa fans… but I will be poo-pooing my husband and his M*chigan cronies for most of the day’s events.
JULY MILEAGE UPDATE: 50.6 miles MILEAGE FOR THE WEEK: 25.0 miles MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR: 506.7 miles LAST RACE:Minnesota Nut House Challenge — Totally Nuts! (5k, 10k, Half Marathon) UP NEXT:B1G 10K this weekend in Chicago! Online registration is still open.
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Route 66 Marathon 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!
My race schedule for 2017 is officially full. Full marathon, that is. The Route 66 Marathon was one of those events that sounded like an absolute blast in recaps. The race takes place in Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 19, which also means I won’t be training for TOO long (hopefully) in the hottest part of summer.
And here’s 6 more reasons why I chose to do it:
1. I must be crazy, right?I could have come with 66 ways to answer that question. Signing up for another marathon when I haven’t even finished the one I’m currently training for? Don’t worry, I’m taking a little time off after VCM. But despite feeling exhausted and OVER everything related to marathons, I simply like to be in a structured training program that keeps me conditioned and is a challenge. Keeps me feeling like I could still be running with the 30-somethings. Or something.
2. My two favorite words: Fleece. Lined. Y’all know how much I love my cozy fabrics. This year’s finishers jackets match the color of the race branding and are fleece-lined performance. FLEEEEEEEECE. Bonus: it’s got pockets.
3. Cross another state off my map. Before registration for Route 66 Marathon, I was going to color in 6 new states; now, it’ll be 7 in 2017. I’ve been to Oklahoma once — about 15 years ago — on a cross-country road trip adventure with my sister. There was a lot of arguing in those days before Google Maps (we seriously drove cross country with a FLIPBOOK from AAA). This trip it will only be me yelling at the British lady who commands my car’s navigation system. And for more cowbell.
4. It’s ROUTE 66 — it’s iconic! Once of my favorite things about traveling for races is being able to see cities by foot. Tulsa is about a 6.5-hour drive from Des Moines, so I’ll get to map some fun roadside attractions — like driving by Pittsburg (without the “h”) in Kansas. Also, I am obsessed with seeing all this Art Deco architecture in Tulsa.
5. PARTY TIME. EXCELLENT. I tend to take myself too seriously in training — in life, too — but especially in races. I don’t know many races that actively promote the locations where you’ll find your first beer station (which means there are others???) or the #jelloshotscrew (wait… can we make that a hashtag?). Alls I’m saying is, someone running this race is gluten-free and requests a cider or a mimosa around Mile 20-ish (maybe I should have put that on my bib?). Also, orange jell-o is my favorite.
THAT LOOKS LIKE MIMOSAS!!!
6. The World’s Shortest Ultramarathon. There’s an option of adding the Center of the Universe Detour to your registration and run an extra .3 miles to complete the World’s Shortest Ultramarathon. There’s a beer reward (can I have wine yet?) and a special commemorative coin to acknowledge the achievement. Also, there’s some crazy-cool, freaky echo thing happening at the Center of the Universe, and that’s the perfect kind of quirk that I love to discover in my adventures.
This race has some good vibrations (wait… is that an acoustic pun?). I can’t wait to run with you in Tulsa and party like a marathoner (+.3).
DISCOUNT: I hear this race sells out every year — and with all the new race features for 2017 (jackets for relay runners, a really freaking awesome VIP package), now is the time to plan your Fall marathon. If you’re ready to register, use discount code 2017R66BR for $10 off entry.
the week:
Recovering from traveling, returned to my original office building (but in a new space), and roads closed on my usual route leaving my house THROUGH NOVEMBER (ugh).
weekend:
Another race weekend; this time a road trip to Solon, Iowa for the Hawkeye 25k trail race. Super excited for this one — spoiler alert: there’s a water crossing!
Though I have to wake up at, like, 4 am to drive east, and Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
seven things, seven days:
1. My sleep schedule is a MESS.
2. We saw Fun Home at the Des Moines Civic Center. I had a giant lump in my throat by the end and wanted an ugly, cathartic cry. It was such a beautiful show!
3. Also, enjoyed an awesome dinner at RoCA downtown. I loved my pasta dish so much (gluten-free!) — and there were a lot of choices for gluten-free dining.
5. Ugh, Runner Face. {via Women’s Running}
6. How much does it cost to be fit? (My percentage per my monthly income is pretty high!) {via Outside}
7. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
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!
