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 VertNext 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!