Pigtails Challenge

My first attempt at a 100 mile race. Also, my first DNF. I would have loved to go through life without a DNF, but here it is. I have run Pigtails before. I did the 100K distance in 2015. Since I may not be in shape next summer to attempt this distance, and since Pigtails is a relatively easy way to do 100 miles, I decided to give it a try. It is a 9.2 mile lap around Lake Youngs Water Shed. There is an aid station every 9.2 miles, and one in between at approximately 4.5 miles. Each odd lap was clockwise and each even lap was counter-clockwise.

The race started at 6:00 am on Saturday. I had until Sunday at about 3:00 pm to finish. This was a very generous amount of time. And I could have made it at the pace I was going, if I hadn't just given up after 70 miles. Here are the highlights:

- Bear on trail mid-morning. Scared the shit out of me. Especially since there was a recent cougar attack and death not far away.

- After bear, ran with my new friend and also bear encounteree, Laurie for the rest of the daylight hours. We also planned to stay together all night. But her hip started hurting and she quit after about 55 miles.

- When Laurie quit, my friend, Sheila, arrived and took a lap with me! We finished the lap at 11:00 pm when it was dark out. Sheila was such a trouper to keep me distracted with conversation.

- Then, I took a lap with my husband. The kids were at the aid station and refused to sleep in the tent Husband set up. They were in their sleeping bags in the car. Daughter called Husband's cell phone every 30 to 60 minutes to ask when he would be back. We walked the lap and it took 4 hours. Ouch. It was now 3:00 am.

- I had 3 more laps to go. Husband agreed to do the next lap with me, and we knew it would be daylight when we finished it. At this rate, I had 12 hours to go. Or maybe less if I felt better again when the sun came up.

- I decided to quit. The race director, Terry Sentinella, was very gracious. He didn't shame me or tell me to get back out there and keep going. He said that it sounded like I just needed to do more mental training and gave me some helpful hints. He said to break the course down into small chunks. "I'll go to that next corner." Or, "I'll go to the next telephone pole." Really small chunks.

Going strong early Saturday morning.

Aid station at approximately 4.5 miles.

Wildlife that doesn't scare me. I did not take the time to pull my camera out to take a picture of the bear that was trotting down the trail at me.

My all-day running partner, Laurie.

Sheila was my night time company for one lap.

Aid station at approximately 4.5 miles at night.

Twilight 12 Hour

I ran the inaugural run of this race in 2016 when it was called Starlight Overnight. So glad I could come back to Flying Horseshoe Ranch and do it again. This time we rented a nicer cabin that had carpet and a heater! The run started at 7:00 pm Saturday night. The laps were 2.3 miles long.

 

After 10 laps, I found myself running all alone. Those next two laps were challenging as I was tired and lonely. Then, the next 2 laps I had runners in front of me and behind me. I passed some and some passed me. Those laps went by so quickly! I ran until about 3:45 am Sunday morning and stopped after surpassing the 50K mark. I showered in the community bathroom, went to bed (that bed was calling to me on the trail for hours), and got up a few hours later for a pot-luck breakfast.

 



Pre-run meeting with race director Gretchen.

We climbed the hill at 6:45 pm to arrive at the start of the race.

My family ran the first lap with me. Then, they came back at 10 pm with their headlamps on and ran another lap with me. It was so cool to run with them in the dark.

The moon came out, so it wasn't completely dark except when you were in the trees.

Some parts of the trail were in a deep rut. Here, it was easier to run beside the trail on the uneven ground than to stay on the trail. One part of the trail was really swampy. After a few laps, and after people tried going wide around it, it became a mud bog several yards wide.

Time to shower and go to bed for a few hours.

My support crew!

Earth Day Half Marathon

Just trying to get a training run in with some other runners and support. I found this half marathon at Magnuson Park. It was four 5K loops plus a 1 mile loop at the end. I have to admit that I just felt crappy on the run. I was running so hard and going nowhere fast. Maybe I have a touch of my son's cold.  Hero was with me and, unlike me, I think he loved every minute of it.

 

Cotton Tail 12 Hour

Last weekend, I ran the Cotton Tail 12 hour race. I did the 6 hour version of this race a few years ago. I intended to do 31 miles and quit for the day. When I reached that 50K goal, I realized I was in 1st place for the ladies. So, I kept running to the bitter end of 12 hours, for no other reason than bragging rights.

It rained. There were no opportunities for drying out, all day long. Yes, I wore my bunny ears every lap except the first.



Photo by: Glenn Tachiyama

Laps were counted with stickers - a rainbow for every fifth



Photo by: Glenn Tachiyama



Photo by: Glenn Tachiyama

 



My favorite fuel for the race was Tailwind in my water bottle, and Electo-Bites in my pockets.

Dizzy Daze

Three years ago, I ran Dizzy Daze. It was a great way to do some distance training with other runners, and with an aid station every 3 miles. So, I decided to do it again this year.

The morning started out with rain. The rain stopped just long enough for the puddles to start receding. And then it started raining again. Rain finally stopped again around lunch time for good. The food at the aid station was great again this year. Betsy (race co-director) made bacon and pancakes all morning. And then she made pizza all afternoon in a portable brick pizza oven! Kicking Horse Coffee has a trailer with a couple of fellows traveling the country and giving away free cups of coffee. We were lucky to have them set up their trailer at the aid station. I don't drink coffee but I decided to have a half a cup to get me wired up and running.

Race co-director, Matt, giving last minute instructions before the start.

At the start line, in the rain.

Betsy is making bacon!

The aid station. Behind it is the Kicking Horse Coffee black trailer giving out free coffee.

Daffodils are a sure sign that spring is coming!

I went 32 miles in 7 hours. That mileage was my goal for the day. Then, I headed to the stable to ride my horse.

St. Patrick's Day Dash

It's a Seattle tradition! We signed up last night and ran the 5K this morning. The St. Patrick's Day Dash is a very festive event. EVERYONE dresses up for it.

 

We ran in the second wave, the red wave, but there were a lot of walkers walking 3, 4, or 5 abreast. It was hard to get around them and keep running. We have agreed to sign up for the first wave, the green wave, next time.

 

The streets were full of runners!

The last time I ran this 5K was in 2015 with my daughter. It was a wet day that year and much different from this year.

Hot Chocolate 15K

Oh, why do I keep running the Hot Chocolate? This was my 5th year in a row. As a result, I joined the Silver club! They sure know how to lure me in with the bling. In addition to a delicious finisher's medal, I received a 5 year medal and some other bling, most of which I threw away.

Because I have run the Hot Chocolate 5 years in a row, I received this beautiful medal and stocking hat.