Time To Tri

14 years ago, Barbara Schmidt Millar died of breast cancer. She was 42. A few of her friends decided to put together a little triathlon in her honor. Within a few years it had grown so they opened it up to the public. Now, 14 years later, about 400 women participate in this Celebration of Life Triathlon. Some do it to compete against themselves or others, others do it to honor a loved one lost to cancer.

My set-up, minus the running shoes because I was wearing them

I arrived early to Scott's Flat Lake in order to get a good spot in the transition which also let my family get a little more sleep then join me just before the start. There were already a few people there so I set up my stuff and made my way down to the lake. I'd never seen it so low but it wouldn't affect the swim. The water was calm and the sun was just hitting it making a beautiful sight. As I looked out at the buoys that we would swim around I thought "wow, they don't look too far away". I took that as a good sign because in years past my thoughts have always been "oh my god, are you kidding? We're going to swim that far?".

Beautiful morning for a race

Readying the support boats

I guess this is where I tell you what my goals for the race were and how I was feeling going into it. Last year I finished in 1:24:09 in 10th place over-all. This year I was just hoping to finish in the top 20. I felt over-weight, under-trained, and injured. Ideally, I wanted to do better than last year but I was realistic and knew I just hadn't done the training. I have been concentrating on my swimming (my weakest leg) so I knew my time would be faster there. The run would definitely be slower due to my legs hurting and I had no idea how I would fare on the bike.

The course is 1/2 mile swim, 11 mile bike, and 3 mile run. The kicker is the huge hill coming out of the lake. It's a couple hundred yards long and is STEEP. A lot of people are resigned to walking their bikes up it. It's important when you hit it that you don't let your heart rate red line but it's tough.

It was fun seeing familiar faces before the race. The race is great in how it brings so many women of the community together. Even my girls' pediatrician was there. I ran into 3 ladies from my "Mom's Group" who were competing as a team. It was their first time in a triathlon and welcomed any advice I could give them. After they got body marked I helped them pick out a good transition spot and offered a few words of advice but most important, just have fun.

Fellow "Moms" Erin, Kim, and Crystal

Pat and the girls showed up and we got to visit for a bit before I had to get in the water and "warm up". Actually, the weather was perfect, warmest it's been in the last 4 years. 2005 I competed as the bicyclist as part of a team. 2006 I did the whole thing 8 weeks after giving birth to Sara so I was just happy to finish.

My support crew

I lined up in the front of Wave 3. I don't remember if there was a horn or if they just said go but soon we were all splashing through the water. I tried to go out fast but not too fast so my heart rate would stay in control. I also tried to concentrate on my stroke, keeping it smooth and doing everything I had been practicing these last few months. Gradually I made it around the first buoy but the right turn had us facing directly into the sun for the next long leg. I didn't have many problems with others swimmers, occasionally someone would swim right in front of me heading sideways and I hoped they would look up pretty soon before they got too far off course. Towards the end I know my technique took a back seat to just trying to get back to the boat ramp. I concentrated on really kicking my legs, trying to get them warmed up for what was coming up next.

Does anyone look good coming out of the water? At least I'm smiling

I don't wear a wetsuit so the transition went fairly quickly and I was on the bike heading up the big hill. The bike is my strong suit so it wasn't long before I was passing people. A lot of people. I get a few "wows", "damn", "you go girl". But I also think I freak a few people out when they're not paying attention and aren't expecting me to come by. It's an out and back course with a few rollers. I tried to power up the hills and on the flats but my legs were screaming. I kept thinking I was going so slow compared to last year. Oh well, just do the best you can I kept telling myself.

Coming in from the bike

I got off the bike entering the transition area and tried not to fall on my butt with my shoe cleats. As I switched shoes I heard Pat and the girls cheering me on behind me. 29 seconds later I was headed back out but I forgot to turn around and wave to my family. Dummy.

Headed out for the run, forgot to wave

I started jogging up the hill (did I mention that it's STEEP?). I was quickly passed by 3 women and I had to slow to a walk. Depressing. Once I reached the top I started running again and boy, did my lower legs hurt. They were just so tight, especially my shins making it difficult to lift my toes and not fall flat on my face. I passed the 1 mile mark in 10:50, not good. I was suffering and it wasn't the good kind of suffering from pushing the pace. It was the suffering you experience when you haven't run a 5K in 5 months.

Somehow I managed to slog my way through the next couple miles. My friend Rose caught me and I tried to stay with her. She pulled away a little then another lady passed me. I checked her right calf and it said 38. 38 years old. My age group. Competition. My first thought was "Oh well, there goes another placing". And that pissed me off. Sorry, but it did. What kind of attitude is that? So I started to sprint. I figured if I could pass her quickly I would catch her by surprise and be able to stay in front of her. I did pass her and set my sights on Rose who was just a bit ahead. I caught her and we both cheered each other on. I felt my pace slow and I just knew "38" was right behind me. I dug deep, found another gear and gave it one final push to the finish line, ahead of Rose and "38". I was happy. Then I found out "38" was part of a team so she wasn't my competition. But I was still really happy she came by me because it forced me to dig deep within myself and remember what it's like to race and have the desire to win.

Sprinting in to the finish with my friend Rose

After the race, it was all about cheering each other on and comparing stories. The results were up quickly and to my utter shock, I finished in 1:24:36, 17 seconds slower than last year. Good enough for 11th place over-all, 1st in my age group. Wow. Considering how I felt during the race, I was really surprised. If anyone is interested, here are my splits.

Swim 1/2 mi: 20:38

T1 2:17

Bike 11 mi: 35:44

T2 :29

Run 5k: 25:39

Getting my hug from race founder and director, Cathy Anderson-Meyers

Studying the numbers from last year to this year, I was over a minute faster in the swim but a minute slower in the run. This year's bike was 4 seconds slower. My transitions were about the same. Pretty consistent. Now all I can say is, I can't wait til next year. With a little luck I'll be healthy and get in some consistent training and maybe I can break the top 5. After all, if you're going to dream, dream big.

Chocolate Rules!

I'm a chocoholic. So on Friday when my co-worker mentioned that the San Francisco Chocolate Festival was on Saturday, I just knew I had to go. I called Pat and he thought it was a great idea. I got off work at 0800 Sat, raced home, Pat had the girls ready to go and we jumped in the truck and headed to The City. Quite spontaneously.

Crowded Ghirardelli Square

After a few false starts (I got off a little late waiting for my relief, we had to get fuel, we got lunch at a freeway interchange with the mysteriously disappearing on-ramp back to the freeway), we were on our way. The girls have always been great travellers which comes in handy when you're having to deal with Saturday traffic heading into the city. I managed to keep myself calm and just enjoy the trip, even when it felt like a parking lot at times.


After a bit of searching, we got a parking spot near Fort Mason which requires a short walk up and over the hill to the Embarcadero and Ghiradelli Square. Cost Plus World Market sponsors the festival and this is the 13th year. It was quite crowded so I left Pat with the girls and scoped out where to buy the tasting tickets. $20 for 15 tastes. Let the tasting begin!!

Sweet Moment

We started out with a few standards, chocolate toffee and chocolate caramel down on Beach Street. Then we made our way up onto the square where I was able to find small milkshakes for the girls. They loved them. Aztec chocolate and chocolate chocolate chip gelato for me and Pat. Our biggest complaint would have to be that the samples are too small (especially when you're sharing with 2 kids) but I'm sure no matter how big they are, they wouldn't be big enough :) I could easily have gotten another 15 taster ticket but I'm feeling fat and this way I left feeling good about myself. Plus we had room for dinner.

Can you say "YUM"

After filling our card we headed down to the beach at Aquatic Park. The girls quickly took off their shoes and played in the sand. There were quite a few families out enjoying the absolutely perfect weather so it wasn't long before Caitlyn had made a new friend. After letting them burn off the chocolate we wiped them down as best we could and headed to the Embarcadero in search of dinner. The first place we passed had "kid friendly" written on the window so of course we went in. We were early enough that it wasn't crowded either. It was Capurro's and they have great food.

Enjoying the beach at Aquatic Park

Pat and I each ordered our own pizza, thin crust and delicious. The girls had noodles with butter sauce which they enjoyed after drawing on the paper picture mats with the crayons the restaurant provides. Even after no naps, chocolate, and playing in the sand, they were on their best behavior. I knew we were taking a chance on going to a restaurant but I was so impressed with them both. As they get older, it's getting easier and easier to take them places.

Back over the hill to Fort Mason (Caitlyn still running)

The walk back to the truck included going up and over the hill into Fort Mason. Caitlyn ran the whole way. Once we reached the Fort there are huge grassy areas that the girls ran and ran and ran on. It was wonderful family time that we don't appreciate enough sometimes. The freedom to just play, no worries on your mind. Yes, we still had a 2 1/2 hour drive home but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered except watching our girls frolick over the green hills, making friends, and soaking up the beautiful sunshine.

Airplane with Caitlyn

Sara and Pat

Eventually we made our way back to the truck and headed home. The girls were asleep before we hit the Bay Bridge. There wasn't much traffic and it was a quiet, enjoyable drive home. I'm back at work today and I keep thinking of the spontaneous, whirwind, trip to San Francisco to eat some chocolate that became so much more. And I smile.

A Family Affair

How I spent my Labor Day weekend......the best way ever: with my family and friends. With a little creative scheduling at work, Pat, the girls and I were able to take off for Morro Bay last Thursday evening at 7pm. We've really come to enjoy driving at night, especially around a holiday weekend. The girls sleep and Pat and I are able to talk and get caught up on things going on in our lives.

After arriving at my parents house about 12:30am, I was up at 7am heading out for an easy run on the beach with my dog. I've been doing a few miles a couple days a week trying to do a careful build up to the Montana de Oro 12KM trail race on Sunday. It was relaxing and beautiful running through the fog, a nice change from the hotter temperatures at home.

Pat, Ken, Vicki, my mom

Our friends Vicki, Ken and their 3 year old son Jacob drove down with their camper and were staying at Pismo Beach. We were all able to spend time at a park near my folks' house and Caitlyn was able to spend a lot of time on her bicycle.

Snack time

The highlight of the trip was Sunday morning. Pat and I were up early for the 20 minute drive to the start line of our first trail race together. My folks would head over a little later after the girls were up. Pacific Coast Trail Runs puts on a beautiful race through the Montana de Oro State Park with options of 8k, 12k, 25k, and 50k. Last March I did the 25k and it was incredibly tough. The first 7.5 mi loop wasn't bad but the second 8.5 mile loop really destroyed my quads. The first loop goes to the top of Valencia Peak and the second loop goes over Hazard Peak. Since I'm still dealing with an injury and Pat is just getting into running, we settled on the 12k with 1670 ft of climbing. Sarah and Wendell put on really nice races with good support.

Walking up to the start we ran into Nevada City local legend mountain biker Jason Moeschler. He said he hadn't gotten in much riding this weekend and felt guilty so he decided to sign up for the 8k race. He doesn't run much but when he does, he's just as successful as he is on the mountain bike. Turns out he won the 8K. Full results here.

Promptly at 8:30, Wendell sent us off. The first couple miles are a great, flat warm up on the Bluff Trail which offers stunning views of the ocean. Due to the fog, I chose not to take my camera which I regretted a bit but my dad was able to get a couple shots of us finishing. Soon enough we started climbing and it became apparent that Pat was stronger then me. I offered him the choice of going ahead but he wanted to run and finish together. I appreciated that. And it wasn't like he was having to wait long for me but it's still frustrating to be so out of shape.

Before we knew it, we were standing on Valencia Peak with a beautiful view of.........fog. Oh well. Last year was hot and clear. After reaching the top, it's literally all downhill to the finish and I was revived. I knew what to expect so I was able to let loose a bit and put a gap on Pat. But as we emerged out of the hills close to the finish he was right behind me and we were able to finish strong and together. We finished in 1:31:13 which is 3 minutes slower than I did the loop last year. Lots of snack food and wonderful hot soup awaited all the finishers. It was very special having my parents and kids there to see us finish. Nothing like family support when you're a runner.

Coming into the finish

That night Vicki and Ken brought their portable fire pit and we set it up in my parents driveway. Set the chairs up around the fire and got out the makings for s'mores. I must say it's the first time I've "camped" around a campfire in a driveway but it was a lot of fun and entertaining for people walking by. At one point we heard the sirens of a fire engine and joked that it would be funny if it were coming to our house. As the sirens got closer we started looking at each other like 'uh oh'. Fortunately for us, the firefighters weren't coming to inspect our 'cooking fire'. Unfortunately, they were going to a medical aid across the street.

Cooking s'mores around the fire

We spent most of Monday relaxing and getting in another bike ride and visit to the park with the girls. I was able to get up early and enjoy another very easy run on the beach. I was a bit sore but not too bad. We hit some pretty bad traffic heading east on Hwy 46 so we backtracked and went north on 101 which was a breeze. Overall the trip took longer but that was to be expected on the last day of the holiday weekend.

Next adventure is the Cascade Shores triathlon. I can't wait.

Fair Bound

(ed note: for an update on my cookie results, check the end of this entry)

Sorry for the long delay between posts but there's not much to write about on the running front. I was feeling pretty good after the Cool Night Run so I considered running the Wild West Outlook 10K at Donner Summit. The day before the race I did an easy 3 miler and it was pretty painful so I decided to forego the race. I haven't run since. I've decided to continue my pursuit of being seen by a sports doctor at UC Davis. Of course I was immediately greeted with red tape from the insurance companies but I think I can weed through it with some perseverance.



In the meantime, our local Nevada County fair came to town. I love the fair. Recently we've missed the fair because it falls during the Leadville 100 mountain bike race in Colorado. This year I found myself enjoying the sights and sounds (and smells) 3 out of the 5 days it was in town.

Fair Day: Sara, my mom, dad, Pat, and Caitlyn

One of the fun things about the fair is the local participation. I was never into 4H or anything but I decided to enter a few baked goods just for fun. Plus, you only have to turn in about 6 cookies for each entry so we all got to eat the rest :) I entered my traditional chocolate chip cookies (with a twist), my pumpkin cookies with chocolate and butterscotch chips, and my chocolate chip banana bread (notice the chocolate theme?)

It's all about the food!

I spent the Monday before the fair baking. I felt like little Suzy home-maker but it was fun. I got all my goodies packaged and delivered to the fairgrounds for Tuesday's judging. The fair doesn't officially start until Wednesday so we had to wait until then to find out the results. My folks, husband, and kids fanned out to find my entries but unfortunately, no little ribbons were attached to them. Oh well, it was fun just to enter. Some of the exhibits were really amazing.

Checking out the 2 day old piglets

Time spent at the fair now as a mom is vastly different then when I was a teenager. First of all, as a mom with kids your fair takes place during the day. As a teen-ager, it was all about going out at night with your friends, socializing, riding those sick rides. Now it's the Jumping Dumbos and merry-go-round. Cruising through the animal exhibits and petting the bunnies. We even saw barrel racing and sheep dog herding. We got lucky and it wasn't too hot and the crowds weren't bad during the day.










The only downside to the fair is it means summer is coming to a close and fall is just around the corner. You start to look back at how you spent your summer and wonder if you capitalized on the hot sunny days or let the summer get away from you. As a family, we were able to do a lot of fun things including days at the lake and local pool, farmer's markets, and hot summer nights in Nevada City. But due to my injury, my days of running on the high mountain trails were limited. I made up for it with some fun road and mountain bike rides but it's not the same.


Lately, my days have been filled with the excitement of the Olympics. Swimming has been amazing with Michael Phelps going for #8 tonight and track and field heating up. Now if I only could get some sleep instead of staying up until midnight every night watching Olympics!

8/21: Today I received a check in the mail from the Nevada County Fair for $1. Yes, $1. I guess it turns out my chocolate chip cookies took 3rd place! Now I can say I bake award winning chocolate chip cookies. Betcha want one :)

Finding My Groove at Cool

Results can be found here

I was a little nervous as I joined about 85 runners at the Cool 12 Hour Night Run Saturday evening. I watched the sun get closer to the horizon and it felt weird to be lining up to start a race. Never the less, after Nancy's pre-race speech, we headed off down the dusty trail.

Nancy giving the pre race briefing

Robert and Linda Mathis waiting to count laps for runners

This race date fell on one of my shift days but I decided to work until 4:00 then head over the summit down to Cool. I gave a lot of thought to what Gretchen wrote about last year regarding pre-race meals. It's a little harder to manage when the race starts at 7:00pm. But since this race (and I use that term loosely) was to be so low key for me, I decided to not sweat it and picked up some McDonalds on my way out of Reno. I figured I'd be running so slow that I wouldn't have any tummy troubles and I was right. Besides I'm with Steve, I try to eat right but I'm no purist. I eat my fair share of junk food so I would hate to shock my system by eating too healthy :)

Runners getting lined up for the start

Now with the disclaimers. After Big Sur, I didn't run the entire month of May and June. July saw only a few runs, nothing over a few miles. So my expectations for Cool were pretty low. My leg would hurt sometimes but didn't seem to get better when I didn't run and wasn't getting much worse when I did. So I figured what the heck, may as well run. I thought about my goals and first of all, I just wanted the experience of running in the dark, at least halfway thru the night. I wanted to test hydration systems and lights. Mileage-wise, I thought it would be great to do 4 laps for 36 miles but didn't know if that would be realistic. I would be happy with 3 laps, disappointed with just 2.

An old burn from earlier this

On the first lap, I brought 2 bottles and my lights, just in case I couldn't finish the first lap before dark. It was warm, as expected in that area in August. The trail was loose dust and it didn't take long before everyone's legs were covered in thick dirt. Before the start I saw Peter Lubbers and the Abbs (I'm still working on recognizing people and putting faces and names together). One thing nice about this format is I knew I'd be seeing the front runners again as they lapped me; I just hoped it wouldn't be before I finished my first loop!

My leg felt pretty good right from the start. I kept my pace slow but was surprised to find my heart rate climbing much higher then it should. Wow, it hit me just how out of running shape I am. I walked the hills and ran the flats and downhills easy. It was an enjoyable pace but tough for the competitor in me. It didn't take me long to realize 4 laps probably wasn't going to happen.

3.2 down, 5.8 to go, Lap 1

I reached the 5.5 mile aid station just as the sun was setting. This is the aid station where Norm and Helen Klein commit themselves to taking care of runners all night long. What amazing people and we're lucky to have them in the ultrarunning world.

Say Goodnight

Norm and Helen ready the aid station

I started on the last 3.5 miles back to the start and was surprised at all the uphill that I had to walk. It was more than I expected but then we got back up into the rollers and it was a great run back to the start/finish. The sun had set and it was getting dark but my eyes were adjusting and I didn't need my lights yet. Some other people were using theirs but I was able to (stubbornly) complete the first loop sans light.

I announced my number to Robert and Linda Mathis then some wonderful volunteers filled my bottles and made sure I had everything I wanted to eat. One thing I had heard about Nancy Warren's event was how wonderful the food is and I wasn't disappointed. I changed out my hydration pack for a fuel belt with 2 smaller bottles and one hand held bottle so I could use my other hand for my flashlight. It was completely dark when I headed out for lap 2 and I was feeling great. I wasn't sure how I would deal with the dark because strange noises and things that go bump in the night make me a bit nervous. Ok, I can be a scaredycat. But I was exhilarated running the trails in the dark, listening to the mysterious night creatures moving about. At one point a large mouse ran out on the trail in front of me. I think he was confused with my light so he kept running in front of me, looking back occasionally. Finally he got off the trail to see what had been following him. He was the only "wild animal" I saw but I heard plenty more rustling in the bushes, nothing big tho. No wild goats or skunks, thankfully.

Things started to get tough physically the second part of lap 2. The downhills were a killer and my right knee was bothering me a bit. I wasn't looking forward to the third lap. I check in with Robert and Linda again just before midnight and headed for my drop bag near the aid station. I've never done a race with a drop bag before and I had to laugh and what I did. After the first lap I had put my drop bag on a chair and got what I needed. It wasn't until I was a mile or so into my second loop that I realized I had walked away from my bag without putting it back with the others. I couldn't even remember if I had put my stuff back into it and closed it up. Brain fart. I was pleased to see I had zipped it back up and it was still sitting on the chair right where I had left it.

After getting more food and drink (and 500mg Tylenol) I headed out for my 3rd loop. My body was definitely feeling the miles but I was really enjoying myself. The second and third loop were run pretty much by myself. On the second loop, I was lapped by a handful of front runners who were already on their third loop including Bev Abbs (currently third overall) and Peter Lubbers. Everyone said something encouraging and I tried to reciprocate. I had my MP3 on by this time but I always made sure to pause the music when another runner went by. Everyone was so friendly and I didn't want to separate myself from that. I also stopped the music occasionally just to listen to the night sounds.

The Tylenol took the edge off the aches and pains and I was able to run quite a bit of the third loop. The downhills were painful but I was still enjoying myself. And I guess this is where I admit to everyone what I was listening to. I saw Mamma Mia a couple weeks ago and love it. I've already seen it 3 times and will see it again Wed with my mom. I got the soundtrack to the movie which is all ABBA tunes plus ABBA Gold and downloaded it. So, at 2:00 in the morning, pounding out the last mile of a 27 mile night run, Meryl Streep belting out "Winner Takes All" had me racing to the finish line. It was fantastic. I know, dorky. And I wasn't even 10 years old when ABBA debuted so all this music is new to me.

I was happy to finish up my third and final loop. I could have completed a fourth loop but I had already accomplished what I came here for. I had run my first ultra since the beginning of April and was feeling pretty good. The leg had held up and I was sore but not destroyed. It was a good time to stop. I visited with some other runners then had to change into warmer clothes. The temperature stayed warm while running but quickly cooled if you stopped. I stopped the shivering with some hot chocolate I had brought in a thermos. Finally, around 3:45am I headed home. Luckily, it's only about a 40 minute drive so it wasn't long before I was showered and tucked into bed.

Pat had to go on shift in the morning and I never heard him leave. Next thing I'm aware of is my 4 year old gently combing my hair. She then brought me breakfast in bed, 5 strawberries on a plate. My 2 year old was kind enough to play quietly in her crib so I was able to get a solid 4 hours of sleep. Luxury.

It's now been 2 days and I'm feeling pretty good. I did an hour long open water swim this morning and I'm feeling more comfortable with my swimming (that's good for my upcoming triathlon). I think the slow pace and running on trails helped me feel better than I did after running the Big Sur marathon. I'm also taking Hammer Nutrition supplements and I followed the regime for ultra events and recovery and I think that also helped.

I'm looking forward to getting on a running routine again. I have some events coming up this fall that I really want to do. If my leg continues to hold up I should be good to go. The results from Cool aren't up yet but when they are I'll add a link. I want to thank Nancy Warren and her merry band of volunteers for putting on a fun, low key, but very organized event. I would definitely like to push my limits a little further next year.

Anyone interested in stats:

Loop 1: 1:57:26

S/F Aid: 15:43

Loop 2: 2:17:43

S/F Aid: 20:43

Loop 3: 2:22:16

Total time: 7:13:44

Volunteering at TRT

Ed note: results for the TRT can be found here


Last week I finally made the decision to drop out of the 50 mile version of the TRT and sign up to volunteer instead. I guess in the back of my mind I kept hoping for a last minute miracle. It didn't happen.


I was signed up to help at the finish line so I didn't need to get up there until about 8am. I woke up at 4am and decided to head up to the lake early. I arrived just before 6am, quickly headed down the hill to the start line and had about 30 seconds to spare before the 50 milers and 50 km were sent off down the trail.

Mark Tanaka and Thomas Reiss in gold (center)

I had some time to kill so I checked in with the volunteer coordinator then changed into running clothes and headed out for an easy 2.5 mile trip around Spooner Lake. (Yes, I'm running, I'll have more about that later in the post). It was a beautiful early morning run but I could tell that I'm not in great running shape and I was also noticing the altitude. I was happy that I had dropped out of the run. I would have destroyed my body trying to do even the 50K. One thing I've discovered this year is that running gets you in good shape for cycling but cycling doesn't get you in shape for running. Only running gets you in shape for running.

Sunrise over Spooner Lake

After cooling down I helped set up the finish line chute, putting out cones and hanging sponsor banners, figuring out who will do what as the runners finish. I was selected to tear the tags off the numbers. A note to runners: I know it's nice to fold up your number but please don't pin that bottom tear off tag. You can still fold your number to make it smaller without pinning that tag. It sure makes it easier and faster if the finish line volunteers don't have to unpin your # to get to that tag. Thanks.



Race day turned out to be beautiful with no smoke in the air which sure made everyone happy. But it soon became apparent that times were going to be slower than last year due to higher temperatures. Peter Fain was the first male 50K finisher in 4:48:39 saying it was really difficult this year. He also mentioned that there was smoky air down in the Red House loop which probably accounted for some of the slower times. Maureen Shaheen was first female in 5:48:14.

Peter Fain finishes before lunch time. Wow

My husband and daughters showed up and set up a little picnic area near by. I was able to sit with them and eat lunch, getting up each time a runner came through. There was never a large group of runners, they seemed pretty well spaced out. It was great to see all the other families there supporting their runners.

My family enjoying lunch

The 100 milers started an hour ahead of the second group and the first 100 miler to come through the half way point was Jon Olsen in just under 8 hours. He was moving and looked great. Thomas Reiss was the first 50 mile finisher in 7:52, about the same time as Olsen came through and he still had another lap to do. Incredible.

Thomas Reiss stops his watch as he crosses the line

Jon Olsen coming through halfway point

Only 1 or 2 more 50 milers finished and only half the 50k runners had finished when I decided to head home about 3pm with my family. About 10-12 100 milers came through the half way point by that time as well including Nikki Kimball and Bev Abbs.

Nikki Kimball

Bev Anderson-Abbs

It was a great way to spend the day supporting a sport that I love.



Injury update: Some of you may have noticed in my training log that I've been running 1-2 miles here and there. Bottom line is I'm not convinced my doctor was correct in his diagnosis of a stress fracture. I've reviewed the test results and talked to other doctors and there is no evidence of a stress fracture in any of the tests. And earlier in the year I had ultrasound done on the sore spot and I've been told if you have a stress fracture, ultrasound will "light you up" with intense pain. That didn't happen to me. I believe I did have an over-use injury, perhaps even a partial stress fracture but that it's healed in the last 2 months of no running. I ran in San Francisco but I know I did too much too soon and it started hurting again. Well, that pain went away quickly and now I'm running 1 mile on the treadmill 1-2 times a week. Yesterday was my first trail run over 1.5 miles and it felt fine. I can feel the different tendons, ligaments, and muscles getting used to running again which creates a little soreness but there is no more pin-point pain on my shin. So bottom line is, I'm back to running if you can call it that. I'm taking it very slow and as soon as there is discomfort, I stop. So far so good.


I'm signed up to do 12 Hours of Cool but I'm still undecided about it. I would like to get some experience of being out there in the dark so I may do it and just walk most of it and quit when I don't want to do anymore. I know Peter and Gretchen really enjoyed doing it last year. It will probably be a last minute decision. Keep you posted.

Nope, Not Running Again

Well, it's official. I've been diagnosed with a stress fracture in the front part of my lower left shin. That means all of the running I did this spring (AR50, Daffodil 5K, Big Sur Marathon) was all done with a stress fracture. Wow. What a dummy. But I guess this is as good a time as any to take some time off running. With all the fires in the area the smoky skies are terrible.

I told the doctor about running in San Francisco because the leg had stopped hurting and he said that's a good sign. It's healing. However, 15 miles in 3 days is not the way to stage a come back. He thinks more along the lines of 1-2 miles on a treadmill would be more appropriate. Sounds boring to me. Last summer I had a torn calf and was much smarter about the recovery and easy come back and ended up doing some great runs in the fall. I'll work on doing that strategy again. But from the sounds of it I won't be doing any running for another 4-6 weeks, or longer. It's all based on pain: if it hurts, don't run on it. Ok.

It's been so long since I ran (end of April) that I've kind of gotten used to it. I still miss it, the simplicity of putting on a pair of shoes and heading out the door for an hour or so. But my focus has switched to the bike and that's not a bad thing. It was my original passion, starting with centuries and double centuries and moving up to 300K and 400K Brevets, even a couple 24 hour Fleche rides. My dad got me into bike riding so I don't have many memories of bike rides that don't include him. We've spent hours following and leading each other up mountain passes, across deserts, and along rivers, exploring the beautiful areas of this country. We don't ride much together anymore and I miss that very much. Life gets so busy, we live 6 hours apart, I'm busy with work and 2 little kids, and he's busy living the wonderful life of the retired with lots of travelling (and double knee surgery). But it's always there, in the back of my mind, the hope that our days of riding together will happen again. There are a few more roads left to explore.