#37 of 52 - Winthrop Half Marathon and TRAVELING TO RACES

I loved this race. I highly recommend it! The Methow Valley is one of my favorite areas in Washington State. The course was on country roads with very, very little traffic. I like to stay off of pavement as much as possible and these roads had nice shoulders to run on. There were aid stations approximately every 2 to 3 miles and they were stocked with sports drink, water, Gu (even my favorite flavor--Salted Caramel!), and other goodies like red vines. I loved the volunteers, too, especially at the first aid station that I came to. My friends were manning that station!

My friend, Allison, and family volunteering at the first aid station that I ran by.

The rolling hills and green valleys were so tranquil. It didn't matter that I was having an "off" day. I just enjoyed the quiet scenery. The finish was a downhill slope into  the town of Winthrop. There were burritos, tacos, and enchiladas waiting for everyone at the finish line.

We ran along fields that were green and lush.

 

Other great parts of the weekend:
1) Stayed with Allison and her family. They have an apartment above their garage and it was all mine which leads into number 2.
2) Was by myself--no family--and it was very relaxing. Had an amazing meal of pasta, homemade sauce, chicken, and veggies with my friends Friday night, and then retired to the apartment for a shower and then to bed.
3) Met Heather "Anish" Anderson, an incredible young woman. She holds the record for speed hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 60 days without any outside help! She shared a few trail stories with us in the short time we chatted. Read an article about her in Backpacker magazine August 2014 here.

I met "Anish" at the finish line.

4) Saw my friend, Tina, at the finish line, too. And met her friend, Sarah, who ran 28 marathons in 6 months while traveling around the USA in a van recently. I might be a little jealous of Sarah.
5) Loved the drive to Winthrop on Friday over Blewett Pass and the drive back on Saturday over the North Cascades Highway. Did I mention I was alone? I got to listen to the music I wanted!

Washington Pass on the North Cascades Highway. It was a warm and beautiful day for a drive.

 

6) Found the letterbox by the Red Barn in Winthrop that I couldn't find the last time I was in town. If you want to learn more about letterboxing, check it out here. I love to look for letterboxes every chance I get.

TRAVELING TO RACES: Traveling can be exhausting. I don't know how this can be so true if you are just sitting in a car or an airplane. But it is!
My tips:
1) Don't sit for too long. Get up and walk for a bit every hour.
2) Bring water with and sip it. Stay hydrated, especially on an airplane where the air is very dry.
3) Get plenty of rest when you reach your destination. Don't go for a hike or bike ride or something stupid like that. Save it for after the race.
4) Try to arrive at the race destination few days early when possible. It can really help to get acclimated and settled into a routine. The longer the race, the more days you should consider arriving before the race. When I did my Ironmans, I arrived 4 days early. I would have done 5 days but couldn't afford it.
5) Don't forget your shoes! I had a friend who traveled to Las Vegas for a race and brought 2 left shoes (he borrowed his friend's pair that were too big and got blisters). I've traveled overnight for a race and forgot my jogbra (borrowed my friend's and she wouldn't take it back after the race, I wonder why??). I went to a triathlon once and forgot my swim suit and wet suit (believe it or not but 2 girls gave me a running top and running shorts, and guy lent me his wet suit that was brand new and he was at the lake just to try it out for the first time). The stories go on and on. So, just make a list and don't forget stuff!!