Monday, October 14, 2013

adventures in race directing and pinhoti training



I can't believe it's been three months since my last blog post!! Oops! I have been so busy! Since my last post- didn't get to run imtr due to a back Injury the Tuesday before the race. (It was from tripping and falling into a weight machine in the weight room) bummer after training all summer long on the iron Mtn trails. I was really fit and ready for the race.

So after that was out, I readjusted my goals. I ran blue ridge relay (gently) a week after for fun. Running on pavement was easier than running on trails for a bit because of all the agility movement of trail running- as opposed to the same repetitive motion. Blue ridge relay was such a fun experience. I was on a great 12 man team from Bristol called "12 pk of pbrs" would love to run with this team again! (Hint hint gene!)










I also have been working a lot more at Mtn sports( which has been wonderful) I got to go to EORA in August, and did all the spring 14 buying cycle
For women's apparel and accessories.
so excited about all the new changes with the store. The clothes on the women side are so awesome!! If you haven't been to Mtn sports in awhile, PLEASE go in there and check out all the new changes! We now carry kavu accessories.





We already have a bunch of new salomons on the wall, in the spring will have mantras, mission xr and xt wings. I'm so excited about the Salomon presence in the store, as Salomon has been so good to me this yr.

also I have gotten montrails back to Mtn sports!! Starting in January, Montrail will be available!! :) we are going to have a Montrail shoe demo event to launch and also a Salomon demo is planned for the spring.

And lastly Mtn sports is considering having new balance shoes in the store. This will be a great fit because we are going to have some road running shoes on the wall (for the first time ever!)

I also have race directed three races over the past couple months:
my brothers memorial race- Christopher Todd Richardson memorial 10k on the virginia creeper trail august 10th. It went very well we raised enough money for two annual scholarships for this year, and it was a great evening spent with family and friends, running community celebrating my brother Todd's life.



- then on September 14 I race directed the first annual
Sullins 5k and kids mile at sugar hollow park in Bristol, va. This race was a fundraiser for need based scholarships extended to students who attend Sullins academy. While the turn out was small for this first time event, we netted $4,000 for the scholarship fund. I felt great about that!! I have a great vision for this race and the kids mile. I feel this a running start for the event and it will only grow and flourish. Very happy to get to race direct this race. Both my boys attend Sullins. This is a great school with a very active parent involvement- with my schedule and training many times I felt like I wasn't able
To contribute my time
The way I wished I could. The Sullins 5k was a way for
Me to contribute utilizing my knowledge and talents.


The next race I directed was this past weekend. It was another first year event but this race became "my baby" for the summer. I got
The idea to have a race within my neighborhood. I love running my morning runs where I live. It's so beautiful and challenging place to run. I wanted to be able
To share it with other runners, and create an event to benefit a local charity where I really made a difference in others lives. I originally thought I needed to have another 5k but struggled laying out the course. I couldn't figure out how to accomplish having a 5k without shuttling runners because the start and finish would be so far apart!! I was thinking all inside the box-- when a good friend suggested I have a 4 mile race- why did it HAVE to be a traditional 5k?? The light bulb came on and thus the idea for it to be an "extra mile" 6.6k was born. My neighbor and golf course manager here at the Virginian Kenny Kerr helped me so much by getting approval for the race and hooking me up with Wellmont and the Nicewonder cancer center here in Bristol, to benefit from the race. The cancer center treats patients from southwest va and northeast tn, and the funds from the race are ear marked for hospice care and cancer patient assistance. This was a cause that was easy to get sponsors, runners, walkers, momentum and excitement. The committee I worked with from Wellmont were amazing. Such a positive experience. I hired state of Franklin track club to manage and time the race, fleet feet sports of Kingsport/ Phil Horner was my back bone for so much of the promotion and was kind enough for us to use his finish line, pa equipment, and he essentially co- RDed with me on race day. I truly appreciate all his hard work and jumping on board to help make the Virginian extra mile 6.6k a great event. We had 70 runners, 53 walkers and so far we netted $19,000 for the cancer center!!!!! For a first yr event I'm just blown away by people's generosity, humbled by the support and enthusiasm of my neighboorhood!











So other than that-- I turned another year older!  I've been focusing on being an awesome mom and training for pinhoti 100 and enjoying fall weather. I've ran a lot, camped a lot, kayaked and I got a new specialized road bike from Mtn sports and I have been cross training a lot!! And also enjoying good food and making jewelry-- even survival bracelets for my boys and their friends and painting some:)





















So I hope that catches everyone up to speed!! Super excited for taper for Pinhoti100- it's in three weeks!! Super ready to just do my thing all day and all night and get the finish:) I truly just want to focus on doing something I love for 24 hrs and feel so extremely blessed to have such a full life and having all the love and support that I do--my family, friends Mtn sports, salomon, gu-- all have helped me so much this year achieve so much. While it completely hasn't been what I visualized for myself 2013- (rd ing three races, struggling with fatigue after OD, and hurting my back the week of ImTR 50/- soo much good, personal
Growth and maturation has occurred. I'm so lucky thankful and happy to just be on the journey I'm on. Cheers y'all!!
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Wednesday, July 3, 2013

IMTR 50 Training, the bear, crazy 8's pacing and wolf run around the corner

Well slowly but surely I've been recovering from my botched attempt at OD 100. I really thought I would of bounced back sooner, but running the 75 miles I did-- I felt it the weeks afterward. It only took a couple of days for the soreness to go away and my blisters to dry up, but my energy level was just terrible.

I was very very tired. So I slept alot. I felt really fatigued and slow when I tried to run; So I just put running on hold. and ate way more. ( I lost about 10 lbs post old dominion-- and while yep, i looked fit and cut up-- i FELT LIKE CRAP) I was determined to dig myself out of the hole of energy debt I was in.
so after what seemed like weeks of barely if any running I ran 13 miles on the huckleberry trail ( parked in christiansburg and ran to VT campus and back with some bonus miles on some side trails and a lil ways down 460 so I would get the 13. I didn't push just stayed patient and felt pretty solid





So FINALLY!!! this week, I decided it was time to resume serious training so I went for a 15 mile run on the IMT. and I FELT GREAT. It was SO nice to just cruise along super familiar trails. Essentially WHERE I began trail and ultra running. While I was running, I could feel the excitement build HOW cool it was going to be for me to run IMTR 50. THIS IS A HARD 50. That is one reason why I have never ran it in years past. I have only ran the 16 and then volunteered at the mile 29 AS. BECAUSE I knew EXACTLY what it WAS!! I very difficult, technical 50 with tons of big climbs and it's VERY hot and humid. the finish rate is not that awesome for this race. Course awareness-- it can be such an advantage. however for IMTR, one reason I never entered before was because I have suffered on these trails SO MUCH for my own training. I used to say : "i can only IMAGINE how overwhelming it would feel during a race -- getting to the top of rowland falls and then having the knowledge of exactly what you have to do to get back to damascus." NOW - I'm thinking-- YEAH! I can get to the top of rowland falls and I know every rock, root and bump in the trail to get back to damascus. So yes, I'm excited about IMTR50. I just want to have a solid run before pinhoti 100, I'm running Blue Ridge Relay the week after ( 3 legs) so no biggie. and yes, it was a confidence builder and just what I need to have a GOOD run on the IMT. It was heaven to feel energetic and bounce in my legs again.











during my run, I got to demo the new salted carmel GU. ITS AMAZING!!! My new favorite flavor!! I'm so thankful and appreciative to GU energy for all their support, being apart of the GU crew has been such a great experience. Good products, Good people who work for the company; and I'm super proud to represent for them:)
Also very thankful to Salomon for all their support of my ultrarunning this year. I love salmon shoes and gear so much, I really feel they are a tier above the rest. ( no, I'm not biased) but I am a HUGE shoe geek, and have been for almost 9 yrs. When it comes to running shoes, I KNOW THEM VERY VERY WELL. I also know what works for me, and so elated that I really haven't found a salomon shoe from this year's line up, that wouldn't work. I really feel there is a shoe for everyone in the salomon line up.

And lastly Mountain Sports, LTD. These guys have been my rock this year. They have believed in me and my abilities, without fail. Even when my confidence has been shattered, and I don't even have faith in myself. They build me up, and send me out the door to go conquer. :) LOVE my Mtn Sports family so much. I am in the middle of the spring 2014 buying cycle and it's been a blast working with the cheers, going to meetings, doing the ordering. I'm SO excited about the gear Mtn sports is going to have coming in for spring 2014. LADIES: SUPER CUTE running, yoga, mtn lifestyle apparel. I think everyone will be SO happy when they come in the store. I have worked so hard on these orders!! Also super excited about some new things patagonia has coming down the road for spring 2014 running related.
Also, Jesse Cheers ( who is an amazing photographer and I look to see big things from him and his talent) and I did a photoshoot for mtn sports showcasing patagonia running clothes and salomon shoes that are available in the store. We went out to damascus on the AT and the creeper trail, and I ran with maverick and we got some GREAT shots. AS soon as I get my hands on some of the pictures I will share them!! The magazine I think will be ready in a couple of weeks too.

Other than that, I have been spending tons of quality time with my boys:)




















training: running 30 miles on saturday in damascus starting at 8 am- running IMTR 30 course ( dtown to skulls gap and back)

racing: this upcoming week is SHORT RACES on tap--- YAY! it's my favorite week of summer!!! going to run the bear at boone NC, pace the 9 min pace group at Crazy 8's with jamie mains, and then run wolf run at bays mtn:)
really looking forward to my favorite week of summer.

Lastly, I have some new adventures in the the works!! fingers crossed it all works out- but in addition to running in the woods for long periods of time, working out, mommying, working for mtn sports, race directing ( YES! CTR 10k is a month away and I have been working hard!! ) I think I may have managed to add a couple more irons to the fire- details soon ( if it works out)

Location:Glory Ln,Abingdon,United States