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#SRCBROOKS 2019 So-Far Update!

Once again thanks to Brooks Running for keeping our children shoe’d and warm! Be it dirt, grass, mud, gravel, or the occasional foray onto concrete, the Beast B-Teamers have been everywhere in 2019!

Somer Kreisman


In 2019 I finally joined the trail running and racing party. My first race ever—the Fort Ebey Kettles Trail Run half—was the ugliest race I’ve run (in a while). Being absolutely new at something is both exciting and terrifying. During the warmup I asked my training partner how the course was marked, like how do you know where to go at a split. I think he laughed. My only goal when the gun went off was 100% self-extraction. Based on the scant training I had done for this, I knew anything beyond nine miles was going to be a mystery. Sure enough, at Mile 9 four women blew past me like I was standing still. I probably was.

The good things that happened from this experience was that I was able to finish under my own power, I didn’t get hurt, and I learned where I needed to really lean-into training. I needed to focus on both ascending and descending hills, getting more distance on trail under my belt, breaking in my trail shoes before racing in them, and running without headphones.

Over the next two months I put in all that work and more. The second trail half came around, the Deception Pass Half, and it turned out there was still more lessons to learn. This race was the first—and unfortunately not the last—time I would get lost on course. Somehow with a bonus mile and plenty of anxiety, I managed to finish fourth. Next lesson: maps. Read them. I would go on to relearn the need for this lesson in June at the Cougar Mountain Series 8.2 miler.

I retreated back to my comfort zone on the road in March on familiar course, the Kirkland Shamrock Run. This brought more success. I was able to win on the lady side for the third time, but lost to a guy wearing a leprechaun hat, so there’s that. I ran the Big Backyard in June, and it is the fastest 5K I’ve done in three years. Maybe there is something to be said for all this newfound trail strength.

Currently, I’m still below-average at downhill running and map reading. I’m hovering around 30 MPW, and for the first time in a long time I’m excited about the training and racing I’m doing. Next up is Oregon Coast 30K.

Outside of running and racing, I’ve been able to volunteer at the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival and the Cougar Mountain Series with my SRC teammates, as well as at the Rock n’ Roll Expo with Brooks, and a Brooks PR event. Giving back to the running community I get so much from has been both fun and fulfilling.

2019 results through June:
-23F: Tunnel to Viaduct 8K, Feb
-8F: Fort Ebey half, Feb
-1F: Kirkland Shamrock 5K, March
-4F: Deception Pass 1/2, April
-3F: Snohomish Women’s Run 13.1, May
-16F: Beat the Bridge 8K, May
-2F: Cougar Mountain 5.1, May
-2F: Big Backyard 5K, June
-LOST: Cougar Mountain 8.2, June

Katelen Phelan


2019 was my year to finally go after my goal of a Boston Qualifying (BQ) marathon time. My goal marathon day was the Jack and Jill Downhill Marathon along the John Wayne Trail on July 28th. This was a lofty goal, since my prior marathon time was 25 minutes slower than the current qualifying time for my gender and age group. Along the way I raced quite a few tune up and fun races (Bridle Trails 5 miler, Redmond Rain Run half marathon, Blooms to Brews Marathon, Carnation Run for the Pies 5k, and a couple Cougar Mountain series races). I got a 3+ minute PR at my half marathon in January, cut 15 minutes from my prior marathon time at Blooms to Brews in April and had a 43 second PR in my 5k time on July fourth at Run for the Pies (I also won a pie!). When my July marathon race rolled around, I had to cut 10+ minutes from my April marathon time. All the nervous energy and uncertainty that I felt at the start of my April marathon was gone. I knew my body better and how to maximize race day success. My approach was: get to bed early, download Podrunner episodes that compliment my goal race pace in bpms and add to podcast cue, get dropped off at the start to maximize sleep, get into bathroom line early before race, use handheld water bottle with attached pouch full of energy chews, request cheers and support from loved ones/friends along the route. How it went down: smooth cruising to start, so smooth that I toned it down a bit once I realized, a boost of energy at halfway where Thomas (my fiancé) cheered me on, and then I picked up the pace a wee bit to stay on track. At mile 21 I was anticipating Herb Sitz would be on the trail to run alongside me (only if race officials approved). This gave me a mental goal to focus on when I was no longer amused by the gravel trail and bridge crossings. I found Herb (race official-approved) with 4.5 miles to go. He reminded me a) I needed to pick up my pace to make that BQ time, b) that I shouldn’t be able to talk if I’m trying my hardest, and c) that it would all work out. I then felt the most pained finish of my life thus far, rolling in 2:13 mins faster than my necessary Boston Qualifying time and a new marathon PR!

I took a lot of rest from running after that race to recover and do some traveling. To gear up for cross country and to enjoy time with Seattle Running Club folks, I ran the Backcountry Rise 20 miler at Mount St. Helens this past weekend. The views were stellar, while my trail running fitness was suboptimal. Volunteering as an SRC Brooks runner was a blast so far this year. There’s nothing like cheering on fellow SRC folks mid-race and bragging to other runners at a race that you know those people who just placed in the top 10. As a volunteer, this happened at Bridle Trails, the one and only Tunnel to Viaduct, Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series, and White River 50-Miler (the day before my BQ). While the bulk of day-to-day runs are on my own, I cherish the Monday Flying Lion Brewing runs, Wednesday workouts and tempo runs I’m able to make. I continue to become a stronger runner and that is only possible with the right gear, mindset, support and ambition.

Olin Berger

Races

  • Bandera 100k: 9:59:51, 13th OA
  • Chuckanut 50k: 4:05:42, 5th OA
  • The Canyons 100k: 10:17:46, 6th OA
  • White River 50 mile: DNF
  • Cougar Mt. 14.5 mile: 2:02:06, 10th OA
  • CCC-UTMB 100k: DNF

It’s been a busy year. And not one is which I’ve been that happy with performance; correlation? I’m not sure, but it does look like a full schedule. There’ve also been some rough conditions. A freezing, sleepless pre-race night at Bandera. Snow at Chuckanut. Heat in the Canyons. Injured for White River. And a mix of pretty much everything at CCC.

I am certainly trying to appreciate context when thinking about my races and goals this year. I haven’t achieved a lot of the goals that I set out for myself. But they’ve been admittedly lofty goals. After all, even Joe Creighton cannot achieve 100 push-ups in Week 1 of his “100 Push-ups” training program (please ask him about it). But, remove those high level goals from consideration, and I’ve been able to run in some very beautiful places and experience a large range of courses, competition, and community in this sport. It’s been a rough year, but varied and exciting. Certainly enough to keep my interest. I’m ready to see what the remainder of the year will bring at the TNF50, Cougar 50k, and Deception Pass 50k.

Of course, the highlight of any racing season has been representing the team at Aid Station 2 for the Cougar Mt. Trail Race Series. No finer place for PB&J and a drink in Western Washington.

Katy Gifford


The first half of 2019 was marked with many new experiences. I moved to the Seattle area in January 2018, and had yet to truly experience all this area has to offer, especially WINTER! I was fortunate that I still travel to Northern California frequently, so I was able to maintain some semblance of training. But, unfortunately, when winter really hit, I was unable to get the quality of running that I should have. I’ve since learned that it is, indeed, possible to run in snow; I need more acclimatization!

I was very happy to finally run Chuckanut 50k in March; it had been on my radar for quite some time. Great race and people! In mid-April, I ran Lake Sonoma 50M. This was my seventh finish and is probably my favorite race; amazing crew and volunteers. The best part of LS50 was running with my running partner since 2014; this was her 10th LS50 finish!

In late April, I ran Canyons 100k, to ensure I had a qualifier for Western States (6 years of tickets for 2020!). I took it easy early, knowing it was going to be a long day. Unfortunately, at about Mile 26, my knee started to bother me; IT pain perhaps? I walked a bit, and ran when I could. There was a lot of runnable section of the second half that I needed to walk. I had finished every race I started prior to this, and I really didn’t want a DNF that day! I power hiked and made my way back to the finish before cut-off and under the WS Qualifying time. My fourth Canyons finish and continued my 0-DNF trend! The race crew and volunteers are top-notch here; highly recommend!

An added bonus race (WS Qualifier) was Siskiyou Outback 100k. It was the inaugural year, and it was tough! Beautiful first half, very difficult second. I was extremely happy to finish!

Between racing, I had the opportunity to get to know more SRC members and other runners in the community. What I really love about the running community is that it’s just that – a community! So much camaraderie, no matter where you are. Everyone has been so welcoming. Volunteering at Tunnel to Viaduct, RnR Expo, the PR Invitational, and trailwork really gave me the best opportunity to make new connections.

I’m looking forward to the rest of 2019; new experiences and time with our community!

Tyler Vasquez


This year, I wanted to race with more of a sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the trails, friendship, and my body to push through. Through friendship, being mindful, and grit, I was able to have a zest for each race that I took on. This zest had many shapes in sizes but in all the zest allowed for an immense amount of gratitude for the ultra running community.

Chuckanut 50k had the theme of friendship. I was able to run the course and share the ultra-community with my friend Aaron who came up from San Diego. We ran the trails of Larrabee State Park strong, and I was able to PR this course by 1 hour and 10 mins. In addition to setting my own personal record, the ultra-trail running community welcomed Aaron full heartedly.

Yakima Skyline Rim Races had the theme of mindfulness. My dear friend Adam and I were embarking on the back to back (50k and 25k). In order to do this, we needed to be mindful of every aspect of the weekend. Quantity of sleep, warming up, food intake, and ease of the self-critic and ego during the race. We both understood that these races were about finishing, not placement and that is what we did. We both finished the races. To top it off, I finished 30th in both races.

Sun Mountain 50miler had the theme of grit. This race was a test for my overall fitness. I wanted to see if I could hang with the fast people. I ran the first 20 miles with the top 10 participants, but as day went by my miles and my lactic acid began to build up. I bonked and walked from mile 20 to 31. This experience gave me the confidence to head into my 100-mile race with a sense of humility.

San Diego 100miler combined all these things. Aaron and Adam made an appearance at my 100miler and were my team. I was eternally grateful for their effort and sacrifice to help me accomplish this goal. Lessons were learned, grit surfaced, and memories were made. During this race, I was able to learn how running and being a part of the ultra-community has aided in my overall development of myself as a whole person.

Races and Ultra Runs
Chuckanut 50k 5hrs 16 min- 5k of Vert
Yakima Skyline 50k- 6 hours 37 min- 10k of Vert
Yakima Skyline 25k- 3 Hours 4 min- 5k of Vert
Sun Mountain 50miler- 10 hours 37 min 7500k of Vert
San Diego 100miler- 29 hours 34min 14k of Vert
Timberline Trail- 41+ Miles 10k of Vert

Next up
CIM- BQ Attempt3
Ironman St. George Utah- May 2020

Trisha Steidl


The first half of 2019 was full of fun and challenging races. Things started off well as I managed to defend my masters title and represent SRC and Brooks well at the US 50k Trail Championships in California. After some “roller coaster” training and racing, I found some level ground so-to-speak and was able to finish off the first half of the year with a couple of wins. While it wasn’t my own race, I had a ton of fun pacing a friend for 50 miles of her 100 mile race!

I also spent a good chunk of time volunteering at the Bridle Trails Running Festival, SRC aid station at the Chuckanut 50k, working with young athletes at the Brooks PR Invitational, and helping out at our club’s Cougar race series. Giving back to my club and our community, especially when it’s alongside my teammates, is not only helpful to those putting on and participating in local events, it’s also nourishing to the soul…and fun!

So far this year I’ve enjoyed training, racing, and volunteering with many of my teammates. The best part of being a SRC-Brooks Team member is having awesome teammates to cheer on and who support one another. I’m thankful to Brooks and the Seattle Running Club for providing this opportunity to our club and, specifically, for their support of me and my goals over the years. That support means more to me than I can effectively convey. Here’s to a great second half of the year!

RACES THROUGH JUNE 2019:
US 50k Trail National Championship (FOURmidable 50k) – 7th woman, 1st master (overall women’s masters and age group)
Mercer Island Half Marathon – 6th woman, 2nd master
Whidbey Island Half Marathon – 2nd woman, 1st master
Vancouver Marathon – 10th woman, 2nd master
Rhody Run 12k – 6th woman, 1st master
Whistler 30k – 1st woman, 1st master
Fragrance Lake Half Marathon – 1st woman, 1st master

Tyler Cox


In 2019 I wanted to really dive into trail running and racing. I started off running my second 50k ever at the Chuckanut 50k, and it went far better than I could have expected as I placed 8th overall and actually felt strong the last 6 miles (a flat gravel path likely helped with this). The next month I followed that up with a trip out to Yakima for the Yakima Skyline 25k. The course follows a ridgeline for much of it and was more scenic and rugged than I expected. In May I trekked out to Winthrop to run the Sun Mountain 50k. This may have been a bit too ambitious of a racing schedule for me as a newbie trail/ultra runner, as I felt gassed at Sun Mountain, but thankfully still held on for a 2nd place finish. The race finishes by a lovely lake, which was the second nicest body of water I’ve jumped in this year.

This summer I spent more time running trails along the I-90 corridor and volunteering with Seattle Running Club than I did racing. I had a blast volunteering and watching some high schoolers run faster than I ever will at the Brooks PR invite and got my first taste of a 50 mile race at the White River 50 Miler SRC aid station. To close out summer I took on two last big endeavors. The first was the Volcanic 50k, and wild and awesome race that takes you all around Mt. St. Helens. I was afraid of the heat going in, but a relatively cool day helped propel me to another 2nd place finish. I then found a divine river to go cool off in, making this the nicest body of water I’ve jumped in this year.

Finally, I challenged myself, and somehow survived, a 2-day trail run around the Wonderland Trail. I saw gorgeous terrain and found my legs have more strength in them than I previously thought.

Jenny Easterberg


Once again, the first half of this year had many fun running and racing experiences! I have had a great time on both familiar trails and a good number of new ones as well.

I ran several of my favorite races, such as Eldrith’s 25k at the start of January, where I placed 2nd for the women. My biggest venture was running the inaugural Tiger Claw in May, which was a grueling 22 miler and a total body test. This race certainly pushed me way out of my comfort zone. I have also already done 3 Ragnars this year simply to get out and truly soak in the experience of a 30 hour team race. Very fun to meet people from all over the country. The same goes for the volunteering I did with Brooks at the Seattle R&R marathon expo. So many interesting people of all different backgrounds who came to our beautiful city to experience the wonderful running community we are so fortunate to have.

The highlight of my running and racing remains the sharing of my recovery story of surviving an eating disorder. I love to give hope and inspiration to anyone who struggles with chronic illness. I will say it again that people still find it difficult to believe I went from a wheelchair to podium finishes. I couldn’t have done this without the support of the running community and SRCBrooks. Brooks, a nationally known running company, supports the most modest of runners and continues to impress me daily by providing encouragement and sponsorship to everyday athletes. I never thought my survival story would be powerful enough to make my dream of being sponsored come true, but here I am. Hence I am a firm believer that sharing my recovery story is paramount and that anyone who truly desires to accomplish something can indeed do so despite the odds.

That being said, my biggest running accomplishment this year was doing a solo run down into the Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch and back out in roughly 4 hours. Not the fastest but certainly an epic adventure. I learned about pacing, hydration, and fueling in such a dry and rugged climate. Most importantly, I took the time to thoroughly enjoy being in the moment. It was a true test of body, mind and spirit. Such a challenging yet truly amazing experience!

For the remainder of the year I plan to stick closer to home and enjoy the glorious fall the PNW provides. Many more adventure stories to come, just ask! Fun running to all and see you on the trails!

Rob Bond

Photo Credit: ironadventureworks.com
Ups and Downs. Lots and lots of ups and downs. The first half of 2019 involved more training in the mountains than I have ever done before. The big goals were the mountainous Catamount 50k and White River 50 mile so I had to head to the hills. The King County Trailhead Express bus to Cougar Mountain was to be my chariot to get me there. The year’s racing started on the dirt with a repeat victory at the Bridle Trails 50k race. The soft dirt and friendly faces on that 5 mile loop made it seem like a nice rust buster. It’s the only 50k I know that deliberately runs through sunset. This turned out to be great as no one could see my grimace on the second half. 50k is too long for rust busting.

The Trailhead Direct doesn’t start running until April 20th, so the only thing to do to pass the time was train on some roads for the Boston Marathon. Like most of the Seattle running community, I celebrated the opening of the new Route 99 car tunnel by running the Tunnel to Viaduct 8k. It was quite an experience to run through a loud echo-y tunnel with thousands of other runners. I’ve also never ran up such a long, steep slope entirely underground. After that, me any my trusty Brooks Hyperions had a string of PRs and 2nd place finishes with the silver spot at the Lake Sammish Half, the Love em’ or Leave em’ 10k (I left em’), and the Cambridge Spring Classic 5k. Gotta love the consistency, but I’ll admit finishing 2nd three races in a row was a little frustrating. No danger of that in my next race, however, as I ran my 5th consecutive Boston Marathon on April 15th. It’s my hometown race and it means a lot to me to travel back and run that course. It wasn’t the PR I was hoping for, but I had a good solid day and saw a lot of friends and family along the way.

After the Boston Marathon, I transitioned to the mountains for some dirt practice. Volunteering at the Chuckanut 50k Aid Station showed me what real speed on the trails can look like, so I spent a lot of time practicing hills in the Issaquah Alps. I had a great spring training with my friends and going on adventures in the woods I ran a great race to set the Course Record at the Stowe, VT Catamount 50k in June. The course, people, and beer were all wonderful. The big test of the summer came at White River. It was my first crack at a 50 mile race in 3 years but I had put together a really solid block of training including a few Cougar Mountain trail races, of course. Race day was a beautiful one at Crystal Mountain. I was having a great time running on some amazing trails. I tried to push for my familiar 2nd place, but I made a mistake with my nutrition and ran out of water up the second big climb. The last 2 hours were pretty miserable but I held it together and finished in 7th. Rare are the days where everything goes right, but it was still quite an adventure. I hope to be back in the future. Up next, it’s back to the roads to train for the California International Marathon.

Thanks to the King County Metro Trail Head Express for the rides!

Results
Bridle Trails 50k – 3:34 – 1st
Tunnel to Viaduct 8k – 25:42 – 5th
Love ’em or Leave ’em 10k – 32:20 – 2nd PR
Lake Sammamish Half Marathon 1:09:10 – 2nd PR
Cambridge Spring Classic – 15:38 – 2nd PR
Boston Marathon – 2:32:45
Catamount 50k – 3:46:52 – 1st CR
Cougar Mountain 20 miler – 1st
White River 50 mile – 7:49 – 7th

Adam Hewey


2019 has been a year of growth and getting back to what I love to do. Last February I did in my MCL while ski racing which derailed my entire race season. I cobbled together a few good races at the end of the year but also appreciated the time to let my body recover.

2019 started off great with a 4th place at the Capitol Forest FA 55k. It was great to be back running an ultra after such a long break. I followed this up with a fun trip to Whidby Island and the Fort Ebey trail Marathon. It was fast! It was fun! I got 2nd place!

Next up was a volunteering gig at the Chuckanut 50k with the SRC crew. I brought my daughter and we had a blast cheering on runners and feeding them while chatting it up with teammates.

2018 was the first year since 2008 in which I did not run a 100 mile race. I was antsy so I signed up for the Badger Mt. Challenge 100 Mile in Richland, Washington. The race started on Friday morning, my divorce finalized on Thursday before I left town to drive to Richland. I ran light. I ran happy. I ran smart. I ran to a 4th place finish. It felt great to be back. It was fun to know I was running not only for myself but also for the team SRC Brooks.

The rest of the spring was a mix of recovery blending into training. I also put in a crazy amount of time planning and organizing the two races I put on: Needles 50k and Cascade Crest 100 mile.

July started with putting on Needles 50k and ended with my running White River 50 mile. Needles went great, White River not so much. I blew up tremendously and managed to glue the wheels back on for the final 12 miles to finish in my slowest WR50 time ever. Lessons were learned and fun was had. It was comforting to commiserate with fellow SRC Brooks runners at the finish festivities.

August is filled with Cascade Crest 100 prep. I am on the board of directors and hold two positions on the race committee. Luckily, the race went really well for the 21st running of this classic event. Again, the SRC Brooks members were out in force pacing, crewing and volunteering. GO BLUE!

All those months of training and racing lead to the race I’m most excited about. My marquis 100 mile of the season The IMTUF 100 in Idaho. Gulp. The race starts next Saturday at 6:00AM. I am not sure if I have done enough or too much training. I have questions which only the course and weather will answer. Tonight I will pack and tomorrow I’ll drive to Idaho and see what happens.

Huge thanks to Brooks for supporting the SRC team. I have become enamored with the Brooks Caldera for trail runs and races. I have put in hundreds of miles in the Launch and Ghost on the sidewalks of Seattle. I have worn my blue kit with pride.

Joe Kelly


I had big racing aspirations coming into 2019 but unfortunately my body had other plans. I entered the year ready to improve upon my strong 2018 Chuckanut 50k performance and then race my first 50 miler at the Tillamook Burn. Instead, a nagging Achilles injury from the fall XC season limited my training for over 4 months. I managed to get to the start line for Chuckanut but stomach issues lead to an epic scream vomit and a DNF. I subsequently took a couple weeks off to heal and slowly worked my way back into shape. My new goal race was the White River 50. I spent most of the summer rocking my Caldera’s (my new favorite trail shoes) all over the Cascades and Olympics. Highlights include a win at Cougar #2, a double out and back to Kendall Katwalk, and Mt. Townsend with SRC Brooks teammate Rob Bond.

White River started out great as the weather was pretty ideal. Unfortunately, the rest of my first 50 miler didn’t go as planned. I was plagued with leg cramps for the entire second half and finished over an hour slower than expected. I was disappointed with the time but happy that I was able to tough it out.

This fall I plan on running as many SRC XC as I can as well as the Philadelphia Marathon in November. This will be my first road marathon in over 3.5 years so it’ll be interesting to see if I can regain any of my speed back!

Kristi Houk


2019 has proven itself to be a year of rediscovering the joy of running. I have taken this year to step back from an uptight and anxious competitive mindset to heal not only body but also, mind. I have spent the majority of the year spending an ungodly amount of hours in rehab for my brain and body after a traumatic collision with a van the previous summer. After said event, I decided that running is a gift and not granted. I would choose to find joy in running regardless of times, progress, and pride.

I have found myself with a lovely group of runners who value not only running but also commitment, sportsmanship, volunteering, and beer. Seattle Running Club has put no pressure on my performance but rather has been my biggest fan. SRC keeps me motivated, excited, and thrilled to be running. I love the camaraderie I feel with my teammates; acceptance, love, encouragement, and amazing conversations are normal and consistent traits I experience. I have found volunteering to be fun as well. I do enjoy being bossy and loud as my Kindergarten teacher background kicks in. Getting people oriented and excited at races has been a blast. I have volunteered at all the Cougar Mountain Trail Races and the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival as well.

Race wise, I am loving to explore my options with trails. I ran the Cougar Mountain series this year with bated breath and nerves. I, though wanting to call myself a trail runner, am a novice when it comes to the techniques (and sometimes etiquette) of trail running. Nevertheless, wipeouts, bee stings, and blisters did not stop me from completing all the short series and…..winning it! I feel such pride to represent my team in trail racing (especially the Cougar Series) because trail running is a world of its own. Grit and determination are more important than times or speed. Despite my budding love for trail running, I do often find myself running road races. I took many weekends competing in several road races including the Viaduct race, St. Patrick’s Day Dash, Whidbey Island half marathon, Rhody run, Mt. Si relay, Hood to Coast relay, and many others.

Here is a look into my world of racing for 2019:
Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival 1/12/19 1st F 10 miler
Viaduct Race 2/2/19 10th F 8k
Sam 6k Corporate Challenge 3/10/19 1st F 6k
St. Patrick’s Day Dash 3/17/19 13th F 5k
Whidbey Island Half Marathon 4/14/19 1st F Half Marathon
Mt. Si Relays 4/28/19 No Brain, No Pain mixed masters team 1st masters team, 3rd overall
Cougar Series #1 5/11/19 1st F 5.3 miler
Rhody Run 5/19/19 3rd F 12k
Big Backyard 10k 6/2/19 1st F 10k
Cougar Series #2 6/8/19 1st 8 miler
Zintel Canyon 4k 6/29/19 1st F 4k
Yukon Do It Half Marathon Summer Series 7/7/19 1st F Half Marathon
Cougar Series #3 7/13/19 4th F 10.8 miler
West Seattle Float Dodger 4th F 5k
Cougar Series #4 8/10/19 3rd F 14.5 miler (1st PNTF open woman)
Chief Seattle Days 5k 8/18/19 1st F 5k
Hood to Coast Relays 8/24-25/19 3rd Open Women’s team: Team Joha
Alki Sunset Run 9/6/19 1st F 5k

Upcoming Races:
I am planning to participate in as many XC races as I can this season. In addition, I plan to run the Seattle Sounders 5k, the Don Diablo 35k (in Mexico), the Burien Brat Trot, and a myriad of other fun runs in the area (the more the merrier)!

Thank you for supporting the SRC elite and keeping us well dressed, shoed, and championed. I love Brooks and appreciate their efforts in keeping their local athletes supported. If anything, I use my running shoes to help herd my wild group of kindergarteners. My Ks are the fasted in Seattle…watch out!

Alex Bowns


2019 has been a fun one for mixing up my running and other outdoor activities. I’ve done a good mix of running between the trails, roads, and track. Along with that I’ve been staying active with skiing and cycling too.

I took a long break from racing during the start of 2019, getting in some skiing while I took it easy on my legs. After some time off, I hopped in last minute to the Viaduct 8k race in February. I ended up having a great run despite not feeling very prepared. Most importantly my legs had no aches or pains and I felt mentally refreshed from my break.

After the Viaduct run, I decided I was ready to slowly build up my fitness. After a few months of light training and staying injury free, I ran the 14 mile Cougar Mountain race. The week before some SRC members and myself volunteered and went out and cleaned up the trails so they were in great shape. I ended up winning the race and felt great on my new Cascadia trail shoes. I hadn’t ran in many trail shoes before so it was really noticeable feeling the extra grip on big descents.

Feeling pretty fit and healthy I thought it’d be fun to hop in a half marathon and see what I could run. I signed up for the Evergreen Half in Snohomish in June. I was running by myself but my fiancee was out on her bike pacing me through the whole run. I had never ran a half before so I knew I was going to get a PR, but with the help of my fiancee, I broke 70 minutes! Right after the run I hopped in my car and drove to the Brooks PR invite to volunteer. I thought I was fast and then I saw those high schoolers, they can fly!

Knowing I was pretty fit, I thought it would be fun to go to the track and run a 10k. So at the very end of June I went over to the track and ran a time trial by myself. I ran even splits and broke 32 minutes! Another PR since I had never ran a 10k on a track before. After that, it was time for me to take another break so I could recover my legs and focus on my wedding (which went perfectly!).

So here I am now at the start of September, feeling mentally refreshed and very strong in the legs. I’m about to start my 12 week training cycle for the California International Marathon where I have a stretch goal of running an Olympic Trials qualifying time. Here’s to the next pursuit!

Categories
Featured Member Information Race Reports Uncategorized

SRC Member Race Reports – October 2018

Once a month we’d like to showcase the races for members courageous enough to spend a few minutes filling out a Google Form, and until we get that sick shout-out from the CEO himself on Twitter or, preferably, Instagram®, we will *NOT* promote Run Gum!

First-placers, mid-packers, sweepers, we want to hear all the tales: heroism, zeroism, and everything in between. And as you see below, your submission can be as brief, or *long* as you’d like!

Are you racing this November? Probably! Here’s an incomplete list of “races” I accept:

  1. Real races! (road, track, trail, relays, obstacle courses, chasing that teen around the track after his friend Todd dared you to race him)
  2. Not really races(?) (stair climbs for cancer research, color runs, certain Mario Kart levels)
  3. Strava CRs! (no bikes)
  4. Strava CR attempts! (definitely no bikes)
  5. Beer Miles (5% abv or even PBR beer miles!)
  6. Beer ultras

In order to receive more reports in the coming months, I’d like to offer the following perks to becoming race reporters!*

  1. I’ll go with you to the nearest QFC and buy you a 6 pack of Leinenkugel.
  2. I’ll go with you to the nearest QFC and you can see what happens when I offer to buy a random #teen a 6 pack of Leinenkugel.
  3. We’ll go to the nearest Target and I’ll ask the nearest non-male cashier if they have “condoms for virgins” and if so “I’ll buy 3.”
  4. I’ll email Ginger Runner over and over until he agrees to check out my Pliny The Elder bottle collection and do a Shoeless Joe interview.
  5. I’ll race in my favorite Big Dogs shirt at whatever the next Rainshadow Running race I’m allowed to enter the lottery for.

*Perks will not be honored

Submit Your Race Report!

Let’s hand it off to OCTOBER 2018’s CAVALCADE OF ONE FUCK*NG BOSS HOSS WHOSE NAME IS BRYAN LION!
🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻

Bryan Hamilton

Member #: 1733
Race name: West Seattle Monster Dash
When was this race? 10/27/2018
How did you place?! I won
Race website: westseattlemonsterdash.com

At the 7th annual West Seattle Monster Dash, SRC members had a clean sweep with Bryan Hamilton and Kristi Houk nabbing the top spots as The Flash and Batgirl, respectively. Kristi is recovering from a car accident/back injury. Bryan, I am not sure what his excuse is–maybe old age.

Here is my (Bryan’s) account:

After two years of racing this event in Lincoln Park and being beaten by Dan Sloat, I have finally been victorious. I woke up race day. It was a typical Seattle fall morning. The air was crisp, the fog was shining and leaves were blowing in the wind. Oh yeah, and three little birds were by my doorstep. I toe’d the start line, looked around, and there was no sign of Dan Sloat. The start gun went off and still there was no sign of Dan Sloat. I took off like a Flash; I knew this year would be the year. I swung my arms, engaged my glutes, and never looked back until I crossed the finish line.

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No
Race image(s):

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“At the 7th annual West Seattle Monster Dash”

7 years?! If this race has been around *seven* years, I’ll donate my back catalog of WWF Magazines to the local high school (while wearing a Club Northwest singlet, of course)

“After 2 years of racing this event in Lincoln Park and being beaten by Dan Sloat, I have finally been victorious.”

I can confirm that Bryan got jobbed out by Dan Sloat last year, evidenced by this gif of Dan in his gorgeous SRC singlet slash terrible Halloween costume getting ready to SLAY those 8 year-olds in their T-Rex costumes.

Wouldn’t surprise me if he also stole candy from a little girl and (barely) beat up a 10 year-old in the parking lot afterward.

“three little birds were by my doorstep”

One of my favorite Maroon 5 tracks!

“I toe’d the start line, looked around, and there was no sign of Dan Sloat.”

Hard to race 5Ks against 5 year-olds whilst also arguing on your Slack workspace full of run nerds about Strava GPS inaccuracies!

“I swung my arms”

Good thing Dan Sloat wasn’t nearby or you might have grazed him in the arms and given those pipe-cleaners a visible bruise and he woulda said “own my arm!”

Congrats Bryan and Kristi! From the advanced research I did on your photograph, I can say with 95% certainty (and happiness) that it appears you’re *not* chewing Run Gum, so hands in the air!

(Leaves to Google “cheap Maroon 5 concert tickets”)

Archived Member Race Reports

Categories
Featured Member Information Race Reports Uncategorized

SRC Member Race Reports – July 2018

Once a month we’d like to showcase the races for members courageous enough to spend a few minutes filling out a Google Form, and until we get that sick shout-out from the CEO himself on Twitter or, preferably, Instagram®, we will *NOT* promote Run Gum!

First-placers, mid-packers, sweepers, we want to hear all the tales: heroism, zeroism, and everything in between. And as you see below, your submission can be as brief, or *long* as you’d like!

Are you racing this August? Probably! Here’s an incomplete list of “races” I accept:

  1. Real races! (road, track, trail, relays, obstacle courses, chasing that teen around the track after his friend Todd dared you to race him)
  2. Not really races(?) (stair climbs for cancer research, color runs, certain Mario Kart levels)
  3. Strava CRs! (no bikes)
  4. Strava CR attempts! (definitely no bikes)
  5. Beer Miles (5% abv or even PBR beer miles!)
  6. Beer ultras (Fat Glass is coming 9/22!)

Submit Your Race Report!

Let’s hand it off to July 2018’s, SIGH, FOUR BOSS HOSSES!
🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻

Katelen Phelan

Member #: 1578
Race name: Carnation Run for the Pies 5k
When was this race? July 4th
How did you place?! 2nd in my age group (aka won my pie)
Race website: Run For the Pies 5K
Race report:

11 SRC runners turned up at this small town 5k on the 4th. We city slickers came hoping to win pies as one of the top 3 in our various age groups. While scoping out the competition for Club NW folks, I only noticed 3 orange singlets, but also a surplus of a new-to-me running group- ERC (Eastside Running Club). Competition looked high and I was instantly regretting my decision to run a 16 mile trail run with 4,000 ft. elevation gain the day prior. I started my race at a very fast clip, breezing past little kids who ran like zigzagging bumblebees. Noticing my high speed, I turned it down a notch, still managing to pass a CNW runner. The road section transitioned to gravel at a righthand turn. Some (perhaps) well-meaning volunteer decided to walk across the path to cheer folks on from that side just as I was making my turn. A quick “Woah, lady!” slipped out of my mouth. That fury fueled me for the gravel stretch. I finally slid past a teenage runner who had closed me off several times at 2 miles. At 2.4 miles, I passed a few more runners, including a Oiselle lady, then two guys who began a chorus of heavy breathing upon my passing, motivating me to run even faster. The finish line was closing in and I was neck and neck with a young man. Seconds to the finish line I was sure he would beat me, but I kicked it into high gear and beat him by 1 second on the clock… though his chip time was ahead of me by 1 second. Thanks to the flat course, competition, months of high mileage, and promise of a pie, I had myself a 38 second 5k PR! I got my lovely winning pie as 2nd in my age group, along with 7 other SRC runners. I think we have ourselves a new 4th July tradition!

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No
Race image(s):

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“11 SRC runners turned up at this small town 5k on the 4th.”

Nice, look forward to 10 more race reports from this race!

“While scoping out the competition for Club NW folks, I only noticed 3 orange singlets”

The rest of their club was washing my car that day 😏

(Looks around expectantly for a high-five, spills ice cream on shirt)

“I turned it down a notch, still managing to pass a CNW runner.”

“I kicked it into high gear and beat him by 1 second on the clock… though his chip time was ahead of me by 1 second.”

Ugh, the only thing I can think of off the top of my head that is more disappointing than finding out later you got chip-time’d at the finish line is that day you find out as a dad that your #teen son is going through his dog collar phase.

“…and promise of a pie, I had myself a 38 second 5k PR!”

Congrats Katelen; free pie and a PR is great way to start this post off on a high note! I can’t wait for the other 10 members to tell me their tales of glory!

Dan Sloat (also Evan Williams and Joe Kelly and Kevin Lin)

Member #: 1955
Race name: Ragnar NW Passage
When was this race? July 13-14
How did you place?! 2nd Overall, 1st Ultra
Race website: Ragnar Site
Race report:

I’ve been wanting to try out NW Passage for a couple years. I could only find 5 runners and thought “hey, 34 miles isn’t that bad and I hate sleep” so we did an ultra. The team also included SRC members Evan “tempos in crocs” Williams, Joe “Willing to do an ultra on a week’s notice” Kelly, and Kevin Lin!

We started in the last wave and began what would be a 20+ hour struggle for the overall race lead with a 12-person team. Fast forward to 4:30am. Lining up for my third double leg, I contemplated how many more 6 minute miles I had in me. The answer was 9. Unfortunately, it was a 14 mile leg. Check out my Strava if you want to see my gradual descent into death. Shout out to the Club NW guys on the rival team who ran alongside me to give me water as I staggered through an epic bonk.

We held on to the overall race lead as late as 188 miles into the 200 mile race, but sleep deprivation and huge mileage took its toll. We shocked ourselves with our 6:08 average pace – a solid effort all around. The course was beautiful and the race well organized. We had a great time despite (because of?) the suffering. We swore we’ll never do it again, but I’m sure I’ll find myself fighting sleep to drive Evan’s little Honda along a country road while chugging a tailwind and luna bar smoothie again next year.

Heard at an exchange, as Evan flew by shirtless at 5:10 mile pace: “Man, that guy is in way too good of shape. He’s making us look bad.”

Also check out Joe’s face of regret upon shotgunning a 16oz beer.

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No
Race image(s):

ALL TEH RACE IMAGES

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“I contemplated how many more 6 minute miles I had in me. The answer was 9.”

Whoa that’s great! Congrats!

“Unfortunately, it was a 14 mile leg.”

Oh sorry, I suppose I should have read ahead.

“a solid effort all around.”

Don’t be so humble, Dan! “A solid effort all around” is how I describe to QFC employees my cat’s typically-unsuccessful attempts to pee in his litter box. As my 10th grade PE coach would put it, you 6 were the first losers in a 199-mile relay race!

“We swore we’ll never do it again”

I’ve lost track how many times I’ve said this about Hot Pockets and/or Hazy IPAs…

“…while chugging a tailwind and luna bar smoothie again”

It’s just us Dan, you can call it “beer.”

“Heard at an exchange, as Evan flew by shirtless at 5:10 mile pace: ‘Man, that guy is in way too good of shape. He’s making us look bad.'”

Evan used to chew on my farts during races. Now I sit in my underwear and comment on other people’s races on SRC.org while he runs 5min mile repeats in Crocs and elicits this reaction from anyone he runs by:

Olin Berger

Member #: 1579
Race name: White River 50
When was this race? July 28th 2018
How did you place?! Who cares?
Race website: http://www.whiteriver50.com
*Your* website URL: https://www.monsterenergy.com/us/en/gaming
Race report:

Last year’s race wasn’t enough of a challenge, especially with the highly crushable, high-octane, beast-unleasher (TM) of Monster Hydro. That’s why this year I put the choke slam on the Enumclaw Safeway’s pesto pasta salad pre-race. Could the relentless climbs of WR50 and butt eruption be enough to hold back the Blonde Beast (unleashed by highly crushable, high-octane Monster Hydro)?

One mile into the race and the rest of the pack was already just a speck in my rear-view mirror, which I had torn off since I don’t care about the past, I only rage forward into the future. By the first aid station, Sage Canaday’s CR split was so far behind me I’d have time to watch all-time Rob Schneider classic, The Benchwarmers, before his ghost caught up. Then, nearing the top of the summit, I reached the area devastated by last year’s fire and had to reassess my priorities. Clearly, who the ultimate competitor was had been proven at this point of the race, but there were plenty of other problems out there to crush; what would Rodney Sacks, CEO of Monster Beverage do?

While the other racers blindly ran on, not yet accepting they’d already lost to the undeniable hydrating flavors and unique energy blend of Monster Hydro, I selflessly did what I could to refertilize the fire-damaged areas around Norse Peak. And because Monster Hydro doesn’t let you quit, even though I never quit, I kept up crushing this service to nature all the way back down the mountain. The rest of the race, which was over in my mind, having won, is history, which I don’t pay attention to since I only rage forward into the future fueled by the chakra-blasting, career-boosting, near-death, best-life experience of Monster Hydro.

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No
Race image(s):

Rodney Sacks, CEO of Monster Energy Sez!

Young man, I don’t know who you are, but my youngest son Bllevyn from my 3rd marriage linked to me to this post and I just wanted to say that I think your exactly what were looking for here at Monster Energy . Fit blond and pony-tailed. Your right, Monster Hydro is non-carbonated and lightly sweetened with natural flavors to make it thirst quenching and easy drinking i’m excited your a fan! If your on Snapgram or Timber like my son Hammyr from my 2nd marriage, I hope your exuding that “to the future!” spirit to the masses as well Only because my eldest son Ron from my 1st marriage tells me these blogs don’t do really do anything for our social media efforts cause noone read’s them they’d rather tap on pics on there phone..speaking of phones call me Olin thanks -Rodney

Adam Hicks

Member #: 2019
Race name: Burning River 100
When was this race? 7/28/2018
How did you place?! 28 OA, 5 AG
Race website: Link
Race report:

This one is a bit long, but It covers 100 miles, so…

Shortly after running my first 50k last fall, I signed up for a 50 miler as a winter getaway. Of course, I didn’t even wait to experience that before signing up for my first 100 miler: Burning River. At the time, I was still living in Cleveland and could get to any section of the course within a 40 minute drive, so I spent the winter running portions of the course in the snow.

Having about 3 months in Seattle to complete my training made me much stronger on the hills and gave me practice on more technical trails. I’m not sure how much better I am with technical trails, given how much blood I’ve left out on those trails since April…

Race day had nearly perfect weather. It rained overnight and was very humid at the start, but it was only 65 in the early hours and the high for the day was 75 with sun. I started out in road shoes as the first 11 miles were on road with fairly easy trails after that to the first drop bag at mile 21. There were 2 creek crossings in there that required going ankle-deep, so a shoe change was in order by that point anyway. I had a pacing plan for each major section and was doing pretty well. I was very close for the first 11, though I came into mile 21 10 minutes early after misreading the wrist band I had my pacing strategy noted on. I used some of that extra time for my shoe change and a bathroom break without feeling rushed.

The next 20 or so miles were pleasant, running through the woods and sharing miles with other runners when our paces aligned. It was mile 45 where things turned. I was feeling good about my hydration and calorie consumption, but I started getting nauseous and was having trouble taking water. The gels, shot blocs, and sport beans I was carrying suddenly all sounded awful. I had trained with these items up to 33 miles (and used them in my 50 miler), so I was in foreign territory without any experience with fixing tummy issues. I was still about 10 min ahead though and figured I could take it easy into mile 50 with hopes that I would feel better then.

My pacing plan had me finishing around 20 hours, 30 minutes (which was crazy ambitious for hundo #1), but I came into the 50 mile station at 9h30m, having given up my 10 min time bank. Unfortunately, I was still having trouble eating. I took about 20 minutes to slowly try different food and rest. My mind started to despair here, which was probably a mix of mental fatigue and things not going well in a way I wasn’t familiar with. Deep down, I knew I was doing great and even still had a great shot at sub-24hr, but I left the halfway point nearly in tears carrying a Ziploc baggie full of pb&j sandwiches that didn’t really sound any better to eat than gels at that point.

The next 10 miles were a combination of walking and jogging. This was especially brutal as it was a pretty flat portion of the course where even a slow run would have been 4-5 min/mi faster (I was averaging about 16:30/mi here I believe). I was still having trouble drinking and this was the least shade I would have through the middle of the day, compounding my issues. Somewhere in here I also realized that, in my funk at the halfway point, I failed to re-apply Vaseline and get some Tums to see if those might help me.

Around mile 55 the aid station was run by the Cleveland Triathlon Club and I knew some folks volunteering. Their energy was a big mental boost and, when I asked about Tums, a volunteer must have dumped half a bottle into my pb&j baggie. I would munch on those periodically for a while and the helped a little.

At the mile 60 aid station I was surprised to run into a former coworker volunteering. We had a little chat, I got some Vaseline to apply (it was too little too late), and this was the first aid station with GRILLED FREAKING CHEESE!!! This was the first real food I was able to take since mile 45 (over 4 hours ago). I managed some pickle juice as well and went on my way.

On my way to the mile 66 aid station, I got a text that my first pacer, Sean, who had planned to meet me at mile 72 had been following me online and saw I was in trouble, so he drove out to pick me up 6 miles early. The Tums had been helping a little bit, but I was still in rough shape. Knowing that I would have a pacer soon helped me run a little bit more to mile 66 and I had decided there was one last thing I hadn’t tried to help my tummy. I was going to move on to Coke and see if the cola would help.

I rolled into 66 a little bit stronger. I explained to Sean what I was going through and what I had been eating. He suggested that I may have been low on salt as the chewables I was using were much less potent than caplets. I took more salt, had some grilled cheese, ramen, and coke (the most calories in a long time!) and we headed out. It took a little while, but I started feeling much better. Not great, and I was still having trouble eating on the run, but it was the best I had felt in quite a while. We ran more than I had been and I came into mile 72 feeling stronger.

The coke and ramen had gone down best, so I went back to those options again. The grilled cheese wasn’t working for me any more, so I doubled down on what was. I also had pickle juice and green grapes. Over the next 4.5 mile section, I started to feel really strong. I don’t think I realized till later, but I believe the caffeine in the Coke gave me a huge boost. Toward the end of this section, I even ran down a relay runner. As good as I was feeling, Sean and I decided maybe I was going a little too hard with 25 miles to go.

I was a little quicker through the mile 77 aid station. Coke, ramen, pickle juice, grapes. This would pretty much be my go-to at every station from here on out. It was also time to trade in my sunglasses and cap for my headlamp. I also tossed a light wind breaker in my pack and grabbed a Payday bar, which I had packed as a special, salty treat for later in the race.

The sun set between 77 and 82 and it got pretty chilly outside of the woods. It was pretty surprising how much heat the woods retain after sundown! I managed to eat half the Payday bar in this stretch (very slowly) which was my first time taking calories between stations in a long time (and the last, I think). I was also extra motivated to get to the next station as the captain had promised me a beer prior to the race. Chafing became a really big problem around this time.

As we rolled into the next stop, I put my wind breaker on to keep myself warm, which helped a lot and stopped in the bathroom to wedge some TP between my cheeks. It was a last-ditch effort to help the chafing, but it worked perfectly! That problem was completely solved the the rest of the run at least. At this station, I got coke, ramen, pickle juice, a cold Coors Light, and tried grilled cheese again (nope). The beer was a great moral boost going into a hilly 5 mile loop, but I also knew this would be the last really hilly section and I had trained on it a lot so I would know what to expect even when fatigued and in the dark. After some prodding from my pacer we were off.

Early in the race, there were some relatively steep downhills on road that I tried to take easy but ended up using a short choppy stride that I wasn’t used to. By mile 20, I had some discomfort in my right shin that I thought felt like shin splints. It stayed with me all day, so I tried to focus on good form without heel striking. By mile 82, it was starting to really hurt. The hilly section between 82-87 really took it’s toll and I had to be really careful on downhills for the first time. I also started to legitimately worry about serious injury. I had almost 20 miles to go and was in significant pain. I wasn’t sure how it would hold up (though I knew I was well-enough along that I could finish as long as I could walk). With my increased pace since mile 66, I had a decent shot at 23 hours, which Sean kept telling me to stop thinking about. All in all though, my attitude was really positive at this point.

The station at 87 came and went. I had my routine down now: 4 small cups of coke, ramen, pickle juice, some grapes, and go. This 5 mile section was mostly road and then one good hill in the woods. The road was easier on my shin, but just keeping my foot from dropping and dragging on the ground really hurt now. As we entered the wooded section, we heard a coyote. Sean remarked on how cool that was and then we heard another and another and another… Suddenly, up the trail ahead, we heard maybe a dozen coyotes howling… and then fighting. It sounded really vicious. Sean and I were silent for a bit and I had visions of running into some injured, pissed off coyotes on the trail. Luckily, that didn’t happen, though it was an unnerving 2 miles through that section of woods.

Back out on the road, I knew the next aid station was getting close. Now walking hurt about as much as running with the shin pain, so I picked up the pace. I was running people down that I hadn’t seen since mile 60 or before and leaving them in my tracks. At mile 92 I exchanged pacers (my younger sister, Brittany, tagged in) as well as shoes (back to more padded road shoes for the last ~10 miles). This was my only time sitting down the entire race. I did my nutrition routine and we took off. I definitely wasn’t getting the hydration and calories I needed, but I figured I could make it to the end. I needed to average 12/mi to finish under 23 and we headed down the path at a 10/mi pace out of the aid station.

I still had nausea, but the shin pain was getting REALLY bad. A wrong step here or there would result in me crying out in pain and stopping in my tracks. It was even worse trying to get started again after a short break. I was having to crouch down and bounce a little to stretch out my hips, knees, and ankles and then start running as soon as possible to avoid tightening up. I decided at this point that I wouldn’t be able to run for about 8 weeks, so I might as well make the most of this race. I also wanted it to be over as soon as possible. We hit mile 97 and had just 4.3 miles to go.

There was one more section of trail with some small hills and some stairs, but I could taste the finish line already. My watch died around this time and Brittany didn’t have her distance/time worked out to know what we needed to do to get in at 23 hours, so I was just going as hard as I could. We hit a nice, smooth downhill on a road an I had to walk. The pain was searing. I hobbled through the woods and had to use the hand rails to get down the stair cases. When the path ahead flattened out for good, I decided I needed to run the rest if at all possible. Each time I stopped to walk, getting started again hurt more and more.

We were then out on road for the last 1.5 miles. Every step hurt so bad, whether it was walking or running, so I told Brittany that I was going for the finish as fast as I could. Pretty soon she couldn’t keep up and continued to cheer me on from behind. That last mile and a half felt like a sub-8 pace. I was passing other runners on my way in and, when I saw the finish, I was in a dead sprint, crossing the line at 22:50:02.

I was exhausted. I congratulated a few runners that crossed behind me and then sunk into a chair. A volunteer brought me my buckle and Brittany grabbed me a ginger ale. I’m not sure how long I sat there; maybe 20 minutes before I started to get cold and decided to head over to the hotel. I got a hot bath, drank some water, ate a little something, and tried to sleep. I was way too uncomfortable to sleep. My hips ached and my shin burned, so I tossed and turned for about 4 hours. I decided to get up and grab some breakfast before heading back to the finish for the last hour before the cutoff. It was great to see 3 runners beat the cutoff in the last 30 minutes and the runner that came in 15 minutes after clearly wasn’t worried about the official time, she had covered 101.3 miles under her own power and the joy in her accomplishment was clear.

It’s been a week now and I can’t believe how well I’ve recovered! A physical therapist friend took a look at my shin later on Sunday and suggested that I probably just had a strain of the tibialis anterior (a much less serious injury than shin splints), which has proven true as it feels almost 100% 8 days later. I ran 5 miles on Tuesday (which was too much) and then 5 more on Thursday (still too much but manageable). After 2 more days off I ran 20 on the Sunday following my race and felt really strong. I’m excited that I’ll be able to do some more racing this summer and fall!

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“This one is a bit long…”

“At this station, I got coke, ramen, pickle juice, a cold Coors Light, and tried grilled cheese again”

AKA what you’d get from me for dinner if you dated me between 1998 – 2009.

“and stopped in the bathroom to wedge some TP between my cheeks. It was a last-ditch effort to help the chafing, but it worked perfectly!”

“4 small cups of coke, ramen, pickle juice, some grapes”

My Friend Derek would marry a mason jar of pickle juice if it were socially acceptable, and I don’t think he’s ever talked about pickles as much as you have here.

“A physical therapist friend took a look at my shin later on Sunday and suggested that I probably just had a strain of the tibialis anterior.”

Well yeah, I coulda told you that!

All joking aside, congrats Adam! Despite what the wise souls at LetsRun may type out during their refractory period, running 100 miles will never not be an insane accomplishment that you’ll be able to take with you forever (just not to work; no one at your work will *ever* sincerely care). Though after reading that, I’ve never wanted to run a 100 miler any less than I do right now.

Also, welcome to Seattle! I have a feeling you’ll like the trail running out here.

Katelen Phelan

Member #: 1578
Race name: White River 50
When was this race? July 28th 2018
How did you place?! I made it in before the 14hour cut-off!
Race website: whiteriver50.com
Race report:

This race started at 6am, meaning I woke up at 4:30 am to drive down to the starting line. Already sleep deprived, but excited for the adventure, I started out strong and optimistic, but smart enough not to push too hard at the start. The first stretch is rolling hills for ~5 miles until the very steep ascent for the next several miles. I ran/hiked by fellow SRC memebers Ellen Lavoie and Jack Rosenfeld (Jack was racing uphill in sandals?!) and saw Uli at an aid station ~10 miles in. The climb continues with breathtaking views along the way. My spirits were still high even as the sun started to peak out and speed racers like SRC runners Keith, Olin, Amon and Martin were breezing past the opposite direction. Their descents looked dicey, especially over loose rock and near steep drop offs. But boy was that decent a treat. Given this day’s total elevation gain of 8,700ft, my technique was to run the flats, manageable downhills and rolling hills, while hiking the steep uphills. I rolled into the Buck Creek Aid Station (mile 27.2) with the joy of running my a hill decent I mostly hiked up and seeing friends. The service was incredible! 3 different SRC volunteers asked what I needed and got right to it! I swapped out my socks, sat down for a bit, then eventually was told to carry on with my race- now or never. The next stretch felt bad. I needed a restroom and ended up using Mother Nature for that. I had minimal desire to run the flats for a bit. The temperature was rising and This part was more exposed than before- just as Herb Sitz told me. I made a push to the next aid station, comforted by the many other miserable runners I met along the trail. From this aid station to the next -Sun Top Mountain (~37.2 miles) I enjoyed the rolling hills, flats, descents, and meeting a new SRC member- Daisy. I saw Aaron and Glen out taking pictures and the view before Sun Top was incredible! Sun Top Mountain was great- Kat treated me with different savory food options (too kind), Andy was out of snow cones (I’ll hunt him down for one later), Ian tainted me by drinking a beer, Brian had great jams to liven the spirits, and there were full bathroom facilities- a great place to explore how bad my chafing situation was! The next 6 mile gravel stretch sucked. By the time I got to the last aid station- Skookum Flats, I was almost in tears from pure misery (chafing, foot pain, knee pain, back pain, boredom). When asked how I was doing, my response was; “I feel terrible”. Aid station folks assured me I had 6.6miles to go and only ~300m once I hit the gravel road. I started walking the flats, then got bored and kicked it up. The hills are rolling and I ran every descent, flat and gentle hill from then on. Once at the road I pushed it out of pure enthusiasm to be done. Then I was! I was handed a finisher’s glass of ice cold water, I waddled over to a chair, learned my time was under the 14 hour cut off, but after my 12 hour goal- 13:22:01 hours. Food tasted great, sitting felt great, a beer was great, my ability to walk like my normal self felt permanently broken. But hey, I just ran my first 50 miles in one go!

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No
Race image(s):

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“and saw Uli at an aid station ~10 miles in.”

#wellactually, it’s about 18.33 kilometres</uli>

“just as Herb Sitz told me”

Herb Sitz gave you advice, huh?! He advised me I would have more success with this feature and maybe get more Pie and 5K finisher reports if I posted these as they came in rather than monthly. Right after he said that (at an FLB Monday group run), my credit card was declined.

“Andy was out of snow cones”


ANDY!

“…and only ~300m once I hit the gravel road.”

#wellactually, it’s about 702 metres</uli>

High five, Katelen! May there be many more 50 milers and 100 milers and race report submissions in your future!

Archived Member Race Reports

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Club News Featured Member Information Race Reports Uncategorized

SRC Member Race Reports – April 2018

Once a month we’d like to showcase the races for members courageous enough to spend a few minutes filling out a Google Form, and until the boxes or $ starts rolling in, we would like to *NOT* promote Run Gum!

First-placers, mid-packers, sweepers, we want to hear all the tales of heroism, zeroism, and everything in between. Let’s celebrate the old fashioned written word to combat this sport’s descent into selfies, IG stories and GoPro madness (that said, selfies, IG stories, and GoPro madness are all happily accepted as part of your reports). I’ll try to provide incisive commentary on races if I feel the urge. #SorryNotSorry if it’s not very witty or informative or useful in any way.

You racing this May?

Submit Your Race Report!

Let’s hear from our inaugural reporters, who raced like BOSS HOSSES this April of 2018!
🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻

Martin Criminale

Martin Criminale Yakima Skyline 50k 2018
Member #: 1348
Race name: Yakima Skyline Rim 50k
When was this race? 4/21/18
How did you place?! 2nd – Men 50-59
Race website: Link
*Your* website URL: Link
Race report:

Okay, so this race is not 100% up and down, it’s just about 90% up and down. But luckily most of that flat 10% is rocky. I got what I wanted, a hard 50k. This course took me a little more one hour longer than the Chuckanut 50k for reference. This really fast (because, you know, anyone faster than me must be REALLY, REALLY FAST) guy from MT beat me by 12 minutes. He has beaten me before and I didn’t like it this time either. Amazing views, you could see Mt Adams, Mt Rainier, some mountain that I forgot the name of, and lots of rocks. The tallest plant on this course is about 3′. I fell three times and broke one trekking pole. There is no shade. But there was wind, strong enough to move me sideways on the last descent when both of my feet were off the ground. But there was pizza and beer at the finish. And each time I fell some nice person stopped for a minute to see if I was okay. Each time I lied and carried on. The overall winner ran in a button down shirt. I’m sore today. I should buy more button down shirts.

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No
Race image(s): Martin Criminale Yakima Skyline 50k 2018Martin Criminale Yakima Skyline 50k 2018 Martin Criminale Yakima Skyline 50k 2018 Martin Criminale Yakima Skyline 50k 2018

Shoeless Joe Sez!

Well, he was #FIRST! so I guess we should start this whole thing off with the club president huh?

“The tallest plant on this course is about 3′.”

I’ve always been kinda interested in running this race, but I’m always wary of reg’ing for races like 9 months in advance when I can’t be sure I’ll ever be healthy for more than 2 weeks at a time. But 3 feet tall plants? COUNT ME IN FOR 2019!

“But there was pizza and beer at the finish.”

This put a smile on my face. I fondly remember back when I was 16 years old, my dad gave me my first sip of beer when the waiter’s back was turned. And I was all “NO THANKS lol 🤢🤮😂” Once I hit my 30s though, something flipped in my brain and now I can easily split a beer with my dad with relatively few problems at reasonably-priced eateries.

😋Flavorful Race of the Month!😋

Spencer Gaddy

Member #: 1874
Race name: Boston
When was this race? 16/4/18
How did you place?! I lost
*Your* website URL: Link
Race report:

I spent the winter gearing up for the Boston Marathon by running cold, dark, and wet ovals during SRC Wednesday Workouts, then logging steady miles by the waterfront on weekends. Fortunately the weather for the race was just as shitty as during the training, so I was ready. As I sheltered from the rain during my morning duties (doodies) in the porta-john on marathon Monday, I thought to myself “It’s nice and dry in here, how long can I stay?”

I shed my warmups and rain cape just minutes before the start as the rain came down, looking forward to running if only for the warmth.

I settled into my rhythm in the first few miles and used the first 6 mostly-downhill miles to easily run at race pace. Through 15 miles I focused on hydrating, eating and running steady but to not expend any unnecessary energy. At mile 16 I was expecting a big downhill and used it not to go faster but to rest for the upcoming ‘Newton hills’.

When the rolling hills came around mile 17 I felt strong, but was careful not to immediately expel all the energy and strength I had worked to save. Over the top of the hills around mile 21 I put in a bit of effort to get back up to speed over the hills. At this point of the race I was reacquainted with my marathon legs, the legs that will not go faster, the brain and heart say “sub 6 minute pace” but the legs say “I don’t know how to do that”. As I struggled to find the speed I knew my legs had, I was snapped back to the moment by another runner yelling ferociously at himself as if vocalizing his motivation would help. A crowd member yelling “F#CK Yeah Seattle!” at me renewed my focus on the race as I drained the rest of the fast out of my legs to push through downtown Boston and cross the finish line in 2:44:58 (chip).

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“duties (doodies)”

Nice 😎

“I drained the rest of the fast out of my legs to push through downtown Boston and cross the finish line in 2:44:58 (chip).”

Full disclosure: I’ve run workouts with Spencer a few times. He’s a former competitive cyclist, so naturally much of our conversation during rest periods is me making spectacularly-broad negative generalizations about PNW cyclists and him politely going “……yeah, I guess” til the next interval starts. All that to say (no offense Spenc), I had *no* idea this guy could run a 2:44:58 in those atrocious conditions. Until I can manage to beat that time, I will shut up (to him, on Wednesdays, at the Garfield High School track) about idiot cyclists.

A performance this strong simple *has* to be my first-ever Flavorful Race of the Month!®™©, even though he lost.

Joe Kelly

Member #: 1938
Race name: Oiselle Tenacious Ten Mile
When was this race? 4/21
How did you place?! I won
Race website: Link
Race report:

I decided two days before the race to sign up for the ten miler (there was also a 10k) because I wanted to do a nice long tempo. I got to Gas Works Park about 45 minutes before the start and immediately had to use the facilities. Those were the cleanest port-o-potties that I have ever seen (I guess that’s what happens when a group of women organize the race – nice work Oiselle!). After a quick warm up, I headed toward the start line to be greeted by Aid Station #2’s Olin Berger who was there cheering on his girlfriend.

Because the 10k had some decent prize money, there were quite a few elite women and Club NW dudes (one of those jokers decided to go shirtless on the 45 degree morning) so I grabbed a spot about 5 rows back. The 10kers were blazing form the start (a couple of sub 31 dudes and a sub 34 female – damn fast!) so I settled in just under 6 minute pace with what seemed to be a mixed pack of 10 milers. At 5 miles, where the two courses split, our pack was down to two – 2 time Olympian Kara Goucher and me. According to her Wikipedia page, all of her PRs are faster than mine except for the 1500. We clipped off a couple 5:50s while passing the dude in second and closing the gap with the leader. I started pulling away at the first hairpin turn around mile 7, much to the dismay of the predominately female field who wanted to see the Oiselle star take the overall W. I overtook the lead with a little over a mile to go and cruised into Gas Works with an 18s victory. Goucher ended up in 5th overall about 30s back. She thanked me for my 3 miles of “pacing” and gave me quite the high five.

I had friends running the Yakima Skyline 50k so I couldn’t stick around for the awards. I Irish goodbye’d out of there and hightailed it to Ellensburg.

Oiselle did a great job organizing the race and I felt pretty great for most of the run. Definitely a win-win.

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“I got to Gas Works Park about 45 minutes before the start and immediately had to use the facilities.”

When I proposed this feature for the site about 3 years ago, this is more or less the exact example sentence I used for what people could be telling us about their races.

“…and a sub 34 female”

Mel Lawrence. On my interview bucket list. (‘sup, Mel.)

“At 5 miles, where the two courses split, our pack was down to two – 2 time Olympian Kara Goucher and me. According to her Wikipedia page, all of her PRs are faster than mine except for the 1500.”

Oh man, I *really* hope you told her this at some point during the race.

“Goucher ended up in 5th overall about 30s back. She thanked me for my 3 miles of ‘pacing’ and gave me quite the high five.”

Right right, congrats on the hand contact, but did you hand her an SRC membership form or not? I still don’t see her name on our member list.

“I had friends running the Yakima Skyline 50k…”

Nice #humblebrag about having friends. 😒

Max Ferguson

Member #: 1247
Race name: Yakima Skyline 50k
When was this race? 4/21/18
How did you place?! 4th
Race website: Link
Race report:

Regret is not a meal best served cold. Thats revenge. However, regret could be a tex-mex dish served in a curiously expensive food emporium adjacent a Yakima winery. This is a story of the latter.

5:00 am 4/21/18. I awake without the grogginess of pre-evening drinks at The Brick, or of the reefer the cooks at the bar were smoking that evening. The air is cold in Roslyn, the drive to Yakima is longer than I’d like, and the gas station coffee is sufficient. No regrets have yet to occur.

7:00 am 4/21/18. The Italian rimpiangere phase of the race. I manage a nice pre-race constitutional. As does Grete. I regret not bringing more poop bags.

8:01 am 4/21/18. The Albanian keqardhje phase of the race. The race starts. I regret somehow being in the front. For some ungodly reason it is holy ultrarunning scripture to run a near army crawl pace from the gun. I regret this is the only sport I’m half decent at.

8:03 am 4/21/18. The French katua phase of the race. We hit the first uphill. I start walking, the rest of the field behind me does not. I regret taking a prerace dump wishing I could instead crop dust these sand baggers. I do not regret not running more section line repeats. This portion of the race blows goats.

8:35 am 4/21/18. The German bedauern phase of the race. The lead group hits the ridgeline. I begin running. The rest of the leaders seamlessly transition from running up a 60% grade to picking wildflowers at a pace befitting a 90 year old. I do not regret making up all the distance they put on me on the climb with near zero effort. This pacing is Donald Trump-level consistent. Oscillating wildly between extremes.

9:15 am 4/21/18. The Welsh yn ofid phase of the race. After completely destroying ourselves for no reason, then erasing all forms of competitive pace on the flats once more. The lead group hits the first climb. For the first time all day I am running some uphill. I think to myself I am going to “wreck some fools” in an hour or so. I might regret this line of thinking.

9:45 am 4/21/18. The Polish zal phase of the race. I notice my legs are already sunburned. I regret not wearing sunscreen. This will not get better in future phases.

10:15 am 4/21/18. The Spanish lamentar phase of the race. The descent into Buffalo Road has completely decimated what feeling my feet never had. I regret believing any rockplate is worth a damn.

10:25 am 4/21/18. The Dutch betreuren phase of the race. The lead group hits the Buffalo Road aid station. My plan is to run the entire climb out of the aid, then coast on good good good vibrations to a victory. I regret bringing my Nathan softflask, it literally takes multiple people and several minutes just to put the cap on.

10:27 am 4/21/18. The Cebuano ikasubo phase of the race. The cap is not on the softflask. I dont regret the moisture from the leaking bottle at this point in the race. It is nice and cooling. I blame Rob Krar.

11:00 am 4/21/18. The Scottish Gaelic aithreachas phase of the race. I just successfully ran nearly that entire climb. Somehow I’m farther behind Mike Wolfe than when I started the climb. I am also in a world of hurt. I regret that my race plan only had one step to it.

11:30 am 4/21/18. The Corsican rigrettu phase of the race. I am yet farther behind Mike Wolfe. Catching second now seems a desperate proposition. I trip no less than 4 times on this descent and still to this day don’t know how I didnt eat a face full of tumbleweed. I regret not picking my feet up better. This is going to be a very VERY long next hour.

11:55 am 4/21/18. The Afrikaans spyt phase of the race. I am staring up at the final climb. 2nd and 3rd are not far away. They are walking. I however am in full cramped leg lock mode. I am walking sideways up the climb. This is not as efficient. In fact, one could say it’s both stupid, and stupid looking. I am regretting not doing like ONE additional section line repeat.

12:40 pm 4/21/18. The Sudanese kaduhung phase of the race. I have made it to the top of the final climb. I leaked time to both remaining podium positions like a colander. I dreamt of running this final ridgeline with Walmsley-esque form. Unlike Letsrun.com, those dreams are not a reality.

12:20 pm 4/21/18. The English regret phase of the race. I finish the descent back to Umtaneum Canyon. My feet are hamburger. Thinking of this makes me wish I’d eaten a hamburger since the last aid station. Or a gel. Or anything. I arrive at the parking lot and realize we now need to run a quarter mile around it to the finish. To be clear here, my legs cannot move. Running is as much an option for me now as Joe Creighton modeling for L’Oreal. Attempting to hobble to the finish line I regret checking over my shoulder for anyone hot on my tail. I think my best race strategy at that point would be to throw my leaky soft flask at them.

12:27 pm 4/21/18. Finish. I somehow do not regret running the race.

12:28 pm 4/21/18. I regret not bringing a glass for the keg.

6:32 am 4/22/18. I awake. Instantly I regret trail running being the only thing I’m passably competitive at. I should have focused on something less painful like competitive oil painting, or poetry jams.

8:00 am 4/23/18. A friend emails me a link to a race in Idaho. I spend 2 hours investigating it. I have yet to learn from all the phases of these damn races.
“

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“As does Grete”

You still trying to get this dog over?

“Running is as much an option for me now as Joe Creighton modeling for L’Oreal.”

Another crack like that and next time I’m not gonna spend 20 minutes fixing all your formatting/grammer/spelling issues!,

“Instantly I regret trail running being the only thing I’m passably competitive at.”

“Most Burner Accounts on the LetsRun Message Board” not a competition anymore?

“I regret not bringing a glass for the keg.”

Their post-race keg was “cupless”?? Allow me to use this opportunity to promote the Cougar Mtn Summer Series, which includes Flying Lion Brewing kegs (made-specifically-for-us Cougar Mountain Kolsch available May 12th, post-race!) and hands out drinkin’ hardware when you cross the finish line.

I love Max enough that I read most of his report, but I understand if many of you just don’t have the time. So, tl;dr: he took a nice pre-race dump and got 4th overall.

Martin Criminale

Martin Criminale Chirico 10 Peat 2018

Member #: 1348
Race name: Chirico Tenpeat
When was this race? 4/25/2018
How did you place?! 2nd Overall
Race website: Link
*Your* website URL: Link
Race report:

This race is a challenge by choice. You can do 1-10 laps of the Chirico Trail up to Poo Poo Point on Tiger Mt. I tried to do all 10 in 2014 and failed, this time I made it and surprised myself with 2nd place. It’s always on a Wednesday to avoid the weekend hiker traffic. This year it took me TEN HOURS to finish, but on reflection, it would have taken me over 10 hours back in 2014 if I had been able to finish…the event is put on by the Seattle Mountain Running Group Facebook Group (Jess Mullen specifically) and is a massive community effort. Officially there is no aid, no timing, no nothing; but we had the best aid station I have ever experienced, digital timing and loads of support including two event photographers. Wow.

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No
Race image(s): Martin Criminale Chirico 10 Peat 2018 Martin Criminale Chirico 10 Peat 2018 Martin Criminale Chirico 10 Peat 2018 Martin Criminale Chirico 10 Peat 2018

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“Martin Criminale”

You again?

“This race is a challenge by choice. You can do 1-10 laps of the Chirico Trail up to Poo Poo Point on Tiger Mt.”

As someone who once ran back and forth on Madison St from Lake Washington to Puget Sound like 4 times, and then shuffled through the world’s saddest “cooldown” just so I could be closer to 35 total miles, I am officially forbidden from snarking on how dumb this sounds. We’re all equally sad and bored with life.

“It’s always on a Wednesday to avoid the weekend hiker traffic.”

And look at that start line photo! How do all these people get off work?! If I tried to pull a stunt like this, I’d be fixing typos on my LinkedIn by noon pm.

Ryan Parker

Member #: 1548
Race name: Top Pot 5k
When was this race? 4-29-2018
How did you place?! 11th place overall
Race website: Link
*Your* website URL: Strava
Race report:

This was my first race since Thanksgiving so it was painful! My only goals were to run hard, show Samir Rahman who’s the boss, and eat some donuts after. Mission accomplished!

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“who’s the boss”


Get it? 😀

(Thanks for this paragraph Ryan. Your dollar is in the mail.)

Trisha Steidl

Member #: 328
Race name: Whidbey Island Marathon
When was this race? April 22
How did you place?! 3rd woman overall, 1st masters woman
Race website: http://runwhidbey.com/run/
Race report:

I didn’t want to run it because I had been dealing with a hamstring injury since Chuckanut and my left leg hasn’t worked normally since, but I knew I could and you never know, maybe today my L leg would surprise me and finally feel ok.

Warmed up, got to the start line, saw there were three fast women there (prizes only go to top three), and almost asked the race folks to drive me to the finish (it’s a point-to-point course). Note: In the past 6 years, the winning time has only been “fast” the two years I’ve run this race.

Gun went off, we ran across the bridge (beautiful), my L leg reminded me that it didn’t like to move normally, but it was just fine enough to not drop out on the other side of the bridge where my friend was standing, taking photos.

L leg finally felt warmed up somewhere between mile 6 and 7, giving me a glimmer of hope.

11 miles in I was 3:30 behind places 1-3 (they were all together). I did some in-race math (not usually a good idea)…That meant that by the end I would be at least 10 mins behind. That was a frustrating prospect.

Most of the rest of the race was spent feeling discomfort and pain move from area to area of my L leg and trying to get it to move with some semblance of normalcy (that glimmer I felt earlier was truly just a glimmer). I also learned that my L leg had zero ability to push off going uphill. The course is very hilly. These two things are not a good combo. (Running an easy effort up a hill in a marathon because your leg doesn’t work and not because you’re dead tired is excruciatingly frustrating.)

Around mile 15 a lady passed me near the top of a hill. That was irritating. Fortunately, there was a downhill right after and I “took off” (taking off is a relative term). Around mile 19 she passed me near the top of another hill (the 5th of 5 in a row). Fortunately, again, there was a downhill soon after and I, again, “took off.”

At mile 20, I figured I only had a little over 6 miles left, so I might as well finish the darn thing (this decision was made harder every time I saw my friend driving by in her van…I really wanted to get in that van).

A little later I could see the 3rd place lady far in the distance and was determined to catch her. I still had 5-6 miles to catch her and since she had been so far ahead, I though I had a pretty decent shot. I caught her with a few miles to go and then was determined that “hill lady” wasn’t going to catch me since I was now in 3rd place.

My L leg felt terrible and I continued to use all the mental strength I had to get it to move into the strong headwind we were now running into.

I could see 2nd place’s (and fellow SRC teammate’s) pink calf sleeves up ahead. Unless she died hard, I wasn’t going to catch her, but you never know what might happen in the last 1.5 miles of a marathon, so I had to stay on it (and I was sure hill lady wasn’t too far behind).

I finished in 3rd place, not that the announcer mentioned anything as I came in and crossed the finish.

It was probably the most mentally taxing race of my life and also high on the list of the most disappointing. What I was proud of was a) how mentally strong I stayed despite all the discomfort in and lack of my leg working and b) to work my way up to 3rd on a bad day made the experience sting just a little less.

Yep, some rough days are really rough. We’ve all had ’em. They’ll make us stronger, even though they suck donkey balls in the moment (especially when that moment lasts a few hours). Keep at it!

Did iRunFar interview you before or after the race?: No

Shoeless Joe Sez!

“I had been dealing with a hamstring injury since Chuckanut and my left leg hasn’t worked normally since…”

I feel like my left leg/hamstring hasn’t worked normally since about 2013!

High Five

“It was probably the most mentally taxing race of my life and also high on the list of the most disappointing. What I was proud of was a) how mentally strong I stayed despite all the discomfort in and lack of my leg working and b) to work my way up to 3rd on a bad day made the experience sting just a little less. Yep, some rough days are really rough. We’ve all had ’em. They’ll make us stronger, even though they suck donkey balls in the moment (especially when that moment lasts a few hours).”

As my ankles cry and gray chest hairs threaten to clog up my drain during my Tuesday and Friday night baths, I’m reminded that I might agree to suck on a donkey’s balls if it meant I could pull off one more 3rd place in a marathon! Never don’t be proud of fighting to the end!

Categories
Race Reports Uncategorized

Cougars, Coozies, and Cookies

Volunteering may be something I *have* to do to fulfill my legal obligations as a famed member of the #SRCBrooks team for 2014, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve dreaded any of my duties this year on Cougar Mountain. Well, aside from that one awful wheelbarrowing task back in July which only reminded me that my oven mitts are probably better suited for getting manicures than manual labor. All in all it’s been rewarding and fun and dare I say pretty easy at times!

A couple days ago I found myself yet again pulling into the Sky Country trailhead parking lot with no intention of racing. I was there to work the “Finish Line” at the fall Cougar Mountain races, which includes 8mi, 20mi, and 50k distances. I had actually already fulfilled my volunteer hour requirement, so “Finish Line” sounded like a nice & effortless victory lap of sorts after a summer of wheelbarrowin’, aid-stationin’, and John Wallace-ignorin’. I would high-five finishers and hand them socks and beer coozies and they would thank me and hug me and maybe ask me out on a date (to which I’d decline because I have a girlfriend and she might read this post but probably won’t).

The following is a running diary I kept during the day on my phone.

*****

8:19am: I’m here! Parked, almost on time for my 8:15 shift start!

8:30am: Megan the volunteer coordinator just asked if I’d be willing to run to the mile 6.5 fork in the road and direct 8 milers to the right towards the finish line and the 20 milers and 50kers to the left and far away from the finish line. I really want to say no because I could see them setting up the food tent (with cookies!) like 20 ft away, but Erik Barkhaus, my 22 year old #SRCBrooks teammate and Finish Line co-worker today, hasn’t showed yet. So off I’m going.

8:33am: I’m slightly lost, not sure how I got off track so quickly.

8:47am: Ok I asked a nice old couple and they helped me find the right trail, and I’m here at the 6.5 mile fork.

9:35am: Lots of cool and happy people have run by! I am hearing a lot of British accents actually, which is kind of weird. Are they all related? I have been called “mate” three times too. Yeah, that’s the punchline to that anecdote, by the way.

10:10am: By and large the racers are much happier to see me than people usually are, especially QFC employees. If I’m being honest. I mean, I would literally eat garbage off their sticky floor if a QFC employee looked at me like this:

cougar8mi

10:35am: I went off trail twice but I’m back to the finish line to start doing what I originally signed up for. Eric Sach (owner of The Balanced Athlete and apparently now *not* the owner of razors at home) directed me on how to size runners for socks. It all sounded really complicated and I hope Erik can handle that specific task. I threw away my application to work at The Balanced Athlete while walking by the food tent for a cookie.

11:04am: Our first 20 mile finisher just arrived, #SRCBrooks teammate Martin Criminale! Addy Davis, the 2nd place finisher, was only 45 seconds behind! Erik and I were immediately thrown in “rush hour” and I’m sure one of them got the wrong size socks 🙁 Erik’s fault though 😉

11:15am: Beth Steen finishes 3rd overall and first for women! I think on the spectrum of “amazingly happy to see me” to “pretty damn miserable to see me,” Beth was squarely right smack dab in the middle. I’ll take it!

11:25am: The conversation with my coworker is currently kind of weak so I showed Erik a SICK youtube video of this guy’s awesome energy drink can collection, trying to see if we have any similar interests besides running and wearing Brooks running clothes and shoes. He’s probably a smart guy but I gotta say I’m not impressed with Erik’s knowledge of the energy drink culture.

11:40-11:50am: Big rush of finishers, I think I’m developing a callous on my left hand from picking up beer coozies and recklessly throwing out high-fives, so I took a cookie break. I’ve run the 50k at this race before and I have to say so far I’m impressed with the composure of the finishers. While most don’t laugh much at my jokes, they seem coherent and happy to have raced and finished.

12:05pm: Fellow #SRCBrooks’er Evan Williams has come over from the food tent and he bears gifts! By which I mean a cup of soup, which looks really good as I’ve started to get pretty cold standing mostly still at the rainy finish line. Well, he brings a cup for soup for himself and says I’m free to go get my own. So I get one…and why not, a cookie for dippin’.

12:12pm: When I got back the three of us brainstormed the best unusual pizza toppings. Everyone laughed at mine though I’m not sure what’s so funny about tortilla chips.

12:16pm: One of the afore-mentioned British racers just finished and wasn’t receptive to my high-five. He left me hanging in front of what was probably tens of people. I think it was a culture thing, not malicious. Unfortunately Evan and Erik were among those tens and are having a good laugh about it.

12:30pm: Spent 5 whole minutes explaining to Erik about this drink from my day (Erik is only 22 I think, did I mention that?) called “Caffeine Free” Pepsi that was like regular Pepsi but only drank by your middle-aged relatives at family reunion picnics and I think was only sold in the summer. Erik confuses me by saying “cool” but with not much enthusiasm.

12:40pm: Olin Berger is the 50k champ, and wearing a beautiful SRC singlet to boot! Some may recognize Olin as the 2014 Fat Glass 50k champ (see below) but ironically he was dirtier after that race than today’s muddy mountain run. I just said to him something like “A performance like that deserves a cookie!” (but more witty in the moment, I swear) and I went to get him one but then I forgot to give it to him and accidentally ate it.

1:10pm: I can’t decide if I’m more impressed with the racers or with their friends and family patiently waiting at the finish line in this windy, rainy weather. I think they deserve at least a beer coozie too if not a pair of dry socks. They don’t even seem to be partaking in the cookies at the food tent. Heroes.

1:15pm: I found an app for my phone and Erik helped me figure out that my eyebrow hair is growing an average of 1/16″ per day! I’ll just say he didn’t not seem impressed. Phones these days!

1:25pm: Ugh, kind of embarrassing. I made a really funny joke (IMO) and Erik I think pretended not to hear me even though it was pretty obvious he did because I said it plenty loud so to get the upper hand I decided to retell the joke but then I mispronounced the word “Nantucket” and the whole thing was ruined so I did the first thing I could think of and that was to go to the food tent and get another cookie. Damnit!

2:20pm: Erik’s friend and ride and fellow SRCBrooks’er Matthew McClement has showed up after his volunteer gig at the Highway 900 aid station and now Erik is threatening to leave any minute. :\ Also I’m pretty sure they’re talking about me.

2:58pm: Erik is still here, still talking about leaving.

3:12pm: Uh oh, I just realized I gave two women *last year’s* Cougar tech shirt. I am already thinking of ways to blame John Wallace.

3:16pm: Erik finally left. It was fun getting to know him but I just don’t think we share enough life interests to really take our friendship to the next level. Unless he changes my mind. I’ll email him tonight.

4:37pm: It’s been 20 minutes and there are still three people out there. And their friends are waiting and it’s apparent that the friends are nervous. Two of them arrive though, separated by only a minute. You can almost see the breath of relief leave their friends’ mouths.

4:43pm: Nancy is the latter of the two recent finishers and after skillfully receiving my gift of socks and beer coozie, she more or less immediately turns around and heads back out. “Where is she going?! Doesn’t she want a cookie?!” I ask her friend who’d been waiting patiently the past hour. “She’s crazy!” she replies. Fifteen seconds later, Nancy re-emerges from the woods with Sherrard Ewing, the final finisher in 8:41.

This is what happens during muddy and wet and windy and arduous trail runs. You meet people you’d otherwise never meet and you suffer together and then you separate. Maybe you’ll see each other at another suffer-fest. Maybe never again. Who knows where these two met on the course and how long if at all they ran/hiked/ate/swore together. At some point and somehow they bonded enough that Nancy, rather than luxuriating with hot soup and cookies and warmth that she’d definitely earned over the course of 8.5+ hours today, headed back out into the muck to help bring in her new compadre.

*****

All in all, it was a great day for racing, especially those well-versed in late-October weather here in Seattle. Many other volunteers were working a lot harder than me Sunday to make this race happen, but it always feels good to at least lend a small, delicate hand. I know from experience that the course is pretty brutal and how happy it can be to finally cross that finish line and be done with it all. Seeing it from the other side, up close on so many people’s faces, was a joy that more than made up for the wet and the cold and the fact that the food tent eventually ran out of cookies.

You won my heart years ago, Cougar Mountain, and I’ll see you in 2015!