Sun Mountain 50K

(Photo by Ross Comer)

I was looking forward to this run for a looonnng time. I had never been to Sun Mountain. What better way to see it than to run the trails around it, right? And it is a Rainshadow Running race. That, alone is reason enough to do the race. They have the most scenic, challenging, and well organized races.

 

I drove to the Methow Valley the morning of the race. I had to get up really early because it was a 4 hour drive and the race started at 8 am. My plan was to check in at the campground in Winthrop after the race and drive home the next day. I figured I would be too exhausted to chauffer myself home.

 

Arrived at the start with a little time to spare. Wearing a jacket to keep warm.

 

It was overcast all day, so I didn't get those beautiful, sunny pictures that I had seen from other years. It was actually a very nice temperature for the run! The course was on dirt roads and trails. One trail was actually a mountain bike downhill single track trail with banked turns. We ran in the trees, in meadows, along a lake, up a mountain, down a mountain. And there were flowers. They were blooming purple and yellow.

 

The trail was lovely, running along the bluffs.

Aid station, my happy place.

Some fence crossings involved climbing a ladder.

Others used a more traditional method, a gate.

 

Photo by Ross Comer

 

A view from the top of Patterson Mountain.

 

Selfie with the Ross, the real photographer.

Selfie with James Varner, the race director.

 

I finished the race in 6:43, much faster than I expected. It was still early and I felt good, so I drove home rather then staying overnight at the campground. I made it in time to see my daughter's performance in the school play! My car has served me well for almost 30 years, and on the way home we hit the 300,000 mile mark!

 

 

My husband calls my car "Precious" and believes I regard it a little too highly. How could he think such a thing?! Ha, ha.

 

 

 

 

Mt Peak

It is time to start training for the White River 50 Mile Endurance Run. When I am in Buckley for the weekend (Dad lives in Buckley), what better place to train than on Mt Peak?! It is about 3.5 miles from Buckley, over the White River bridge, to Mt Peak. There is a 1 mile gravel road up the south side of the peak with a trail finishing the last quarter mile to the top. The ascent is about 900 feet. Then, I descend the 1 mile trail down the north side. From there, I either turn around and go back the way I came or I have to run a 3 mile loop around dairy farms on the road to get back on the path home. It's nice training grounds!

Starting out before the rest of my family wakes up.

Passing cow pastures on the way to Mt Peak. It was overcast this day and I was in the clouds at the top of the peak.

Columnar basalt right there on Mt Peak!

 

On this particular day, the view was clear and Mt Rainier was looking majestic.

Hero was enjoying the sun near the top of the peak.

Fiesta 5K

May 7, 2016

Running with the young 'uns.

 

Running with the young 'uns. The husband was out of town so I took the kids for a run. It was a brisk sunny morning on Capital Hill in Seattle. This race is an all day event because they have a whole bunch of yummy food trucks and a beer garden. Set in Volunteer Park, we looked out over the city while we ate lime chicken tacos.

Will definitely make time (a whole day!) to do this race again. Must sample food from every truck next time.

Running with Youngsters

 

I wrestle with how far my child should run, and how often, and on what surfaces.
 

My unscientific observations are these:
1) People who have run most of their life, aren't running when they are in their 60s, maybe even 50s. Maybe some of them quit running because are just burned out on running. But the people I know do not run because their body has suffered irreversible running injuries.
2) People I've met that are running in their senior years started running when they were 40 or 50 years old. They haven't yet worn their bodies out!

My un-researched belief is young bodies are growing and shouldn't be pushed to run very far. Take gymnasts, for example. It is not unusual to retire at 17 years old, because they have worn their bodies out (blown knees, blown backs, etc). Maybe I am comparing apples to oranges here. But I don't want my child to damage joints and tendons while they are still trying to grow and form.

I think 3 miles is far enough for any kid to run, and that includes high school kids. I often read on social media about pre-teens completing half marathons, and qualifying for the Half Fanatics. That is a big accomplishment! And I am excited for them, and I also cringe. I think the exercise is good but they could choose a lower-impact activity to get their cardio-vascular workout.

With all of that said, I've let my daughter run up to 5 miles on a trail with me. I am hoping the softer surface (vs. a paved rode) is more forgiving on her bod. Her training is minimal to avoid putting on too many miles. We run 1 to 2 miles together on a rubber track once a week.

I wonder if there is anyone else out there that thinks kids shouldn't run too many miles before they become adults.