Read on to see what SRC’s Brooks team has been up to in the first half of the year!
Adam Hewey
This year started off with horrible weather! The solution? A race in Arizona!
February I ran the Elephant Mt. 50k just outside of Phoenix. Sun, huge cacti and desert running was just the ticket to dry off after such a winter. I ran well in my Brooks Catamounts and finished with a smile on my face and only a few cramps in my calves.
I have been racing for twenty years. This year I decided to give back more and focus on volunteering. I was the aid station captain at the Chuckanut 50k, worked Two Cougar Mt/SRC races, Bridle Trails 50k, White River 50Mile and was the Assistant RD again at Cascade Crest 100 Mile.
My racing may have taken a step back but my heart is full. I have been enjoying running socially and feeling less pressure to perform. The redesigned Brooks Cascadia has been my best friend on big trail runs and the Brooks Launch still has my back and feet on in city commutes.
Katelen Miller
Putting Fitness to the Test
The first half of my 2022 race calendar was full of surprises. I raced the January 29th Tukwila to Alki Half with expectations simply of logging miles, competing with a friend, and exploring my current fitness. Unexpectedly, I got a 2 minute half-marathon personal record (PR), 20k PR, 10 mile PR, and 15k PR! A few weeks later I had low back and nerve pain due to excessive gardening and a weak core. While wallowing in my upset about the back pain and it’s impact on my training, I volunteered at the Chuckanut 50k with the Seattle Running Club Aid Station. The weather was cold, the snacks were plentiful, and the runners were inspiring! I was getting cautiously optimistic about my early April 50k.
Come spring, I had two big races: the Gorge Waterfalls 50k and the Eugene Marathon. Fresh off the back/nerve injury, I was nervous, so felt grateful for the support I got from friends and family. The Gorge Waterfalls 50k course was stunning! I finished with a ~45 minute PR and fueled consistently throughout. The Eugene Marathon on May 1st was yet another PR and Boston qualifier for me! I raced it in the speedy Brooks Hyperion Elite 2 shoes, cut ~ 10 minutes off my time, and somehow got a half marathon PR in the mix. Summer volunteering looked like Cougar Mountain trail work and race day registration help. I also got to lead several runs at Greenlake as a part of the Brooks Mobile Tour. My favorite Brooks Running shoes this spring have been the Adrenaline GTS (road) and Catamount (trail).
Chris Hoffman
The two themes for first half of 2022 for me were recovery and staying local. I spent time in early 2022 recovering from a cardiac ablation, which is a fairly minor procedure, but it sidelined me for a couple weeks. The good news is I haven’t had an atrial fibrillation episode since the procedure; I was able to slowly resume running and felt good as I trained myself back into shape. Just as I was at a high point in my training, I got the dreaded COVID in May which knocked me down pretty hard, even with two vaccinations and two boosters. I had to drop out of a planned 50k and had a lingering cough that made running no fun.
My local activities included volunteering at several local races and events, including the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival, the Chukanut 50k, several Cougar Mountain races, and the Brooks Run Club Mobile Tour. My biggest news on the volunteering front was taking on the role of coordinating volunteers at Cougar Mountain work parties. We typically maintain trails one week before each of our Cougar Mountain races, but this year we were also able to help King County Parks remove over 900 pounds of Blackberries. This, and working with all the Seattle Running Club’s committed volunteers, is a really rewarding way to give back.
My racing also had a local flavor. I started the year off running the Yakima Skyline 25k, which is a great race to use as an emergence from the winter doldrums. I was only 16 minutes slower than the last time I ran it in 2015, which, as a guy in my middle 50’s I will definitely take! I followed up that by running three of the four Cougar Race series, running identical times in the 10-mile race in May and July (at least I didn’t get slower!) and taking third – and winning a little cash prize – in the men’s masters race at the 14-mile race in August. Not a bad start to 2022. I hope to get at least one long race in before the end of the year and I’m looking forward to hitting the trails in the Cascades this fall.
Trisha Steidl
At the end of October, I had PRP injections in both of my hamstring tendon insertion points. What I thought was going to be a few months of recovery and progressing back to normal training ended up being a few months completely off from running and a much longer progression that still isn’t fully back to normal.
Fortunately, I was able to skate ski during the winter in addition to doing a whole lot of PT exercises, which was helpful for re-building my aerobic capacity as well as gaining lots of leg and core strength.
During this time, I enjoyed volunteer at the registration table at the club’s Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival in January and at the SRC aid station at the Chuckanut 50k in March.
In May I joined the SRC trail work party at Cougar Mountain and, the following weekend, was able to run the Cougar Mountain Trail Series 5 mile race, wearing Catamounts. While I can’t say it felt great to race with so little running under my belt, it was nice to be back out there with my teammates and the camaraderie races bring.
My big goal this summer was to climb all five Washington state volcanoes in five days or less. That meant focusing in on hilly climbs, so I took my trusty Cascadia 16s up and down Mt. Si and Camp Muir, climbed Mt. Baker/Koma Kulshan two days in a row (one day wearing my Cascadia 15s), and did some other steep hikes and runs off the Cascade River Road, wearing a variety of shoes, including the Adrenaline GTS. I wasn’t sure I had done enough training as it was the least amount of running I had done in over 15 years, but in July I was able to make it happen!
During my recovery after the volcanoes, I volunteered at the Brooks Mobile Tour at Green Lake. I got to facilitate a track workout and trail running cool down for one group, take another for a stroll around the lake, as well as introduce folks to some of the awesome, new(er) Brooks shoes – Hyperion Tempo, Glycerin 20, and Caldera.
I’m now finally getting back into more focused running training. It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I’m slowly progressing back to mileage that is more normal for me and it feels good to get back at it.
Part of this progression included deciding a little more than an hour before the start of the Cougar Mountain 14.5 mile race – which was also the Pacific Northwest Track & Field association trail championships! – to represent my club. I ended up 3rd woman overall and 1stmaster! I also volunteered at the food table shortly after finishing my race, which is a fun way to give back and chat with others about how their races went.
I’m looking forward to racing more later this year and, hopefully, getting into a place of good enough fitness to go after some big running goals.
HUGE thanks to the Seattle Running Club and Brooks for their wonderful support of me and my goals!
Barrett Gray
My main running goals this year were to run my first 50-mile trail race and to run my first FKT (fastest known time), and I have accomplished both those goals so far this year! I started the year running some shorter trail races around the PNW. I raced with some teammates at the local Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival, where I won the 5-mile race. My work then took me to Oregon for part of the spring where I ran a couple races. I placed 3rd in the Mastondon 10 milerand placed 1st in the Peterson Ridge Rumble 20 miler, where the top 3 women finished within a minute of each other. I spent most of the race in 3rd place but paced myself well and was able to pull ahead in the last few miles. It felt good to run a smart race! I then had a blast racing the Sun Mountain 50 miler in May, where I finished as the 1st female and ran over an hour faster than my time goal.
In addition to racing, I have started to explore the world of FKTs this year. I set my first FKT up Mount Teneriffe in June by running the fastest known female ascent time. I then decided I wanted to go for a longer FKT and did the Cushman Six Peaks route in the Olympic mountains with a friend in early August. The route linked up six peaks over 23 miles and involved trail running, bushwhacking, and rock scrambling. We finished in just over 12 hours and set the overall FKT by over 4 hours.
I have also had a blast volunteering with my teammates at SRC events this year and have done a little of everything. I did trail work at the Cougar Mountain trails in preparation for the May SRC race, I helped with registration and at the food tent at the June Cougar race, and I helped at an aid station at the August Cougar race. I always enjoy giving back to such a supportive running community through volunteering!
Kristi Williams
It feels good to be back at it! After endless hours of pelvic floor therapy, lots of lifting and alternating pool running with actual running, I finally am back in tip top shape! In fact, with the addition of lots of B.O.B. stroller jogging with a baby in tow, my strength and stamina have reached new heights. Now when I run, I feel grateful for having a body that literally went through the ringer and proud of what I accomplished both mentally and physically.
I have been racing quite a bit with some notable mentions including winning the Whidbey Island Half Marathon, winning the Cougar Mountain short series with a second place open women finish for the PNTF 14.5 mile trail championships, winning the San Francisco 10k, winning the Bill Burby 5k on Vashon Island, and winning a few races put on by Sammamish Running. Though I have truly enjoyed being back in the saddle in the racing world, the role of lactating mother has had its difficulties when trying to figure when and where to pump prior or after races. Often hiding in my car, I find myself taking care of this seemingly natural thing, but often feeling alienated because of it. It makes me hope that in the future, there will be a place for mothers to go to pump at race events!
Footwear wise, I have found a new love in the Brooks Hyperion Tempo. This shoe is so versatile in that it can be used not only for workouts but also for racing. I have raced a variety of distances in the Hyperion Tempo ranging from 5k all the way up to half marathon and found that, regardless of the distance, my feet were happy and well taken care of! On the trail side of running, I have grown fond of Brooks Catamount for trail racing, but still stick to the Brooks Caldera for my weekly ventures into the woods. For my daily run or jog with Felix, I stick to the ooey gooey cushioned world of the Brooks Glycerin. I thoroughly enjoy the ahhhh inducing result of these squishy shoes!
Though racing is a focus for me, volunteering for SRC has been just as fulfilling and fun! I love helping out at the Cougar Mountain Series with registration, food tent, and parking. It fills me with joy seeing all the runners full of excitement and anticipation of the race ahead! In addition, I volunteered at a Brooks running club event where I ran with fellow athletes who got the opportunity to test run the glycerins and the new cushioning system they recently developed. It is was fun to talk shoes, give prizes, and share my knowledge of Brooks and their amazing shoes!
I am truly grateful to be a part of Seattle Running Club and indebted to Brooks for investing in local athletes who not only play hard, but work hard with jobs, families, and lives outside of the running world. I have found, in this newly embarked role as parent and working mother, that balance is necessary for happiness and success. Running is a part of me as much as the blood that runs through my veins and I will always make sure that I find a moment in time to engage in what I love and share about it to anyone who will listen.
Alex Kylyukh
So far this year, I have run more miles than I initially believed I could. Why? You may ask.
The first reason is that I got new running shoes and running clothes. I used to find every possible excuse not to run in cold or rainy weather. This year, I learned I could change that with proper running gear. I now have pants, a fleece, a running jacket, gloves, and running hats. I wear a tank top and shorts when it’s too warm outside and hydrate myself more. I bring a headlamp and wear bright-colored clothes when it’s dark. And when I get bored, I start switching things up, like getting new running shoes or running in unfamiliar neighborhoods.
The second reason is my dog, who loves to run even more than I do. When I run slow, the dog pulls me and helps me to speed up. When I don’t feel like going outside to run, the dog never forgets to remind me to put my shoes on and take us out.
The third reason is that I joined a club and made more friends who run. I volunteered at races, set up aid stations, wheelbarrowed supplies, and helped maintain trails. We ran at parks, on tracks, beaches, and trails. We’ve had adventure runs when it was too hot to run. After some of our weekly workouts, we grabbed dinners, ate ice cream, and even went swimming at the beach. Running is much more fun when doing it with others or in a group or community, so I’m glad I joined one this year.
Lastly, I ran more this year because I started working with a running coach. I find it valuable to work with someone who helps me set my running goals, plan my runs and workouts and keep myself accountable. In addition, the coach provides personalized feedback, which is sometimes critical and honest but offers the opportunity to learn, grow, and adjust the course as needed.
I intend to continue running as I have been through the rest of the year and beyond, and I can’t wait to continue to learn and share the new lessons learned.
Aaron Roche
For the first half of 2022, my running adventures as part of the SRC-Brooks team have been quite rewarding! I’m now on my way to chasing down some exciting goals for the second half of 2022. As always, I appreciate the support of those on my team and for Brooks Running who provide our gear and shoes that allow us to pursue our passion.
Here’s a brief, month-by-month summary of the histrionics.
January through March stats. Volunteering: two events for a total of 7hrs. Training and competing: 100hrs across 780mi (1252km).
Highlights!
• Winter Running Festival at Bridle Trails in Kirkland. For the second year in a row, I worked as a volunteer parking lot attendant before racing and winning the 2-lap, 10-mile race.
• Meeting up with our new pals in the Seattle Running Collective for a group run in Magnuson Park.
• Training for my A-race of the season – March’s Lake Sammamish Half Marathon. I did the bulk of my runs in the cushy Glycerin 19s and the reliable Ghost 14s. The workouts were split between the zoomy Hyperion Elites and the Tempos.
• Another volunteer outing with the team! The Chuckanut volunteer squad returned to Bellingham for our annual visit to the SRC aid station. I don’t recall the exact pair of Brooks trail runners I was wearing at the time, but they did not keep me warm!!
April through June stats. Volunteering: 3 events for a total of 9hrs. Training and competing: 90hrs across 690mi (1115km).
Highlights!
• Solid training days with my main dude Johnny in the build up to his marathon.
• Enjoying the cherry blossoms during runs along the lake.
• Flying down to Eugene with my other run buds for the Eugene Marathon weekend.
• Running the last half mile with Katelen as she finished her epic, 20-minute P.B. in the marathon!
• May trail work par-TAY at Cougar Mountain. Teammate Alex and I ran half of the short series course and trimmed and cleared some obstructions from the trail.
• Volunteering at COO-gah May races! Here, I helped by volunteering at aid station #1! It was fun supporting the event *AND* keeping warm for a change.
• Global Running *Week*. This was another opportunity to hang out with our pals in the Running Collective.
• June trail work party! There was a lot more to clear this time around from the recent storms that came through the region.
• As for training and competing, I hopped in the Fall City Days 10k for a fifth-place finish. I ran about a minute faster than my last time there in 2018.
• It was back to the track! For workouts and for actual races!! For the first time, I made it up to Shoreline for a Club Northwest All-Comers meet. I went full-on dual meet style and raced the 1500 and doubled back in the 3k. 4:32.5 in the 1500 and 9:55 in 3k.
• After a quick trip down to SoCal for my cousin’s high school graduation, I was back at the last all-comers in June. I won’t bore you with the deets here. I got a race report for that one up on my workout webblog. Anyway, long story short, I did the damn thing – 16:36.77. It was another super fun and rewarding evening at the All-Comers meet.
Super fun and rewarding! That is the underlying theme of all of my endeavors with the SRC-Brooks team. One half of 2022 down and another half to go, full of potential! Thanks for the love!
Breathe. Hydrate. Eat your veggies. And Run Happy!
Jenny Easterberg
The first half of 2022 has actually felt somewhat more normal compared to the previous couple of years. The highlight for me has been finally getting back into a regular running plan with actual race goals. After having mono in December, and then Covid in January, my return to fitness has been a painfully slow process. Through this I have learned to have an incredible amount of patience with myself. I realized I lost touch with my inner runner, and now have been focused on tapping into my why and what really drives my passion of running. It isn’t about speed or placement in a race at this point in my recovery. It is simply about getting out and enjoying the process of a run; the mental, emotional and physical aspects. There are so many components that factor into what being an athlete really feels like!
I have also had a superb time this year being on the other side of the finish line by volunteering. It’s great to have an opportunity like the Cougar Mountain Series to volunteer at. I have honed my cheerleading skills nicely at this point! It is always a true pleasure to give back to the running community because I know at some point these roles will be reversed and soon someone will be there cheering for me as I run through the aid stations and finish line.
Dave Kwiatkowski
The first couple of months of the year started with some wins for me. In January, I ran a 5K time trial with the club, running a 16:35 which was one second from my PR from high school. In February, I ran a new overall and unsupported FKT of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. I ran this 50K in 3:06:46, beating the previous supported time by about 2 ½ minutes. It has since been reclaimed by Ben Brown, but records were meant to be broken! After this, I focused more on the marathon.
In March, I volunteered at the Chuckanut 50K and witnessed some tough and fast athletes running on a beautiful course in Bellingham, WA. This gave me some extra motivation for my marathon training, and it was going super well; I had some of the best workouts I ever had. Everything was looking green for a 2:35:00. However, my races did not go as well as I hoped. In March, I ran the crowded Cherry Blossom Half in 1:16:41 and was not satisfied with my result. In April, I ran the Boston Marathon and had a blast with my family! It was an experience I’ll never forget. It was like running through a parade! That being said, with nutrition problems, I bonked at mile 16 and my pace fell off considerably from my goal pace and finished with a 2:43:25. Once Boston was over, I was psyched to get back into ultra training.
Once I recovered from Boston at the end of April, I got the overall and unsupported Burke-Gilman Trail out and back FKT, which was 40 miles in 4:37:13. I ran it as a progression run, averaging 7:25 pace for the first half and 6:30 pace for the second half. Next, I had a blast cleaning up the trails on Cougar Mountain with the Seattle Running Club. At the end of May, I reached a new personal best of 37 yards (37 hours in 154.1 miles) in the Capital Backyard Ultra. I ran 4.17 miles every hour on the hour until “I forgot how to run.” I finished the first half of the year with a long recovery in June!
