FOURmidable Archives ~ TRAILMOMMA

February 23, 2024February 23, 2024

FOURmidable 50k Race Report

I have run this race in 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2022. I was registered for 2023 but broke my fibula snowboarding a month or so before the race and was left cheering at No Hands Bridge instead. I was determined to be at the start line this year, healthy.

Running this 50k is always an adventure. It is early enough in the year that I never quite feel prepared or fit enough but at the same time, I think that is exactly why I love to do this race; to figure out where I am and where I need to go.

This year was the first time I drove myself to the start, alone. Mentally I was going into this with the attitude that it would be a nice long training run with a couple hundred of my closest friends. What also makes this race exciting, is the weather. Mid-February you never quite know what you will get weather wise. 2022 was the first really warm day of the month and many suffered. 2017 was the “mud year” with mud and water just about everywhere – No Hands Bridge was completely under water, it was insane.

This year the temperature was about 45 degrees at the start. I second guessed myself and went with a t-shirt instead of a tank top and I regretted it all day. The forecast was calling for rain but if we ran “fast enough,” we might be lucky to miss most of it, the wind is another story.

I got to ADO at about 7 am. I parked and picked up my race bib and chatted with friends and used the facilities (a few times). Soon it was time to line up. Much like last year, I went with just a pack and my flasks (no hydration bladder) with the plan to stay consistently fueled throughout the race. That was my primary goal. Stick with the fuel plan no matter what and see how I feel the second half of the race. Speed was not the focus.

The start was like normal, Paulo got us off and running right on the dot. The first few miles this year of the course were new to me. I guess last year the race changed and no longer reached the top of Cardiac. Instead, we dumped back onto the road and ran the pavement back towards the Overlook. I’ve run the road before, just not in this race.

When we got near the Overlook, I could hear Paulo starting the next and I think the last of the four races of the day. I knew that the trails leading to No Hands would be muddy and crowded with all the distances combining on these narrow sections.

Luckily, everyone that runs this race is aware and were so kind. The runners of the other distances all ran single file and to one side making it easy/easier for us 50k runners to pass on their left. I tried to cheer everyone on that I passed and I even got to see TiggerT as I ran and Java Joggers David and Tiffany! Which was such a fun and exciting boost to my day to see their smiling faces. 🙂

I really felt like I was flying down to the No Hands Bridge aid-station (mile 9.6) but when I look back at my stats, flying is definitely a stretch! 🙂

Smiling yes, flying…not so much
Photo : Facchino Photography

The climb up K2 was uneventful. I do feel lit was a bit more crowded than years past but again, everyone just moved to the side and let runners pass, cheering them on as they went.

I felt pretty strong going up K2 and my shoes were still dry and not super slippery yet so that helped keep me moving.

One thing I did notice this year is that I think there were more runners with poles than without. Maybe it was the fear of mud and wet that made everyone decide to use poles? It was just something I noticed a lot more of than previous years. I would probably trip myself and everyone around me if I carried them.

I reached Knickerbocker Aid-Station 1 (mile 13.4) and was greeted by the awesome volunteers. I didn’t fill my bottles at No Hands so I took a minute to fill them up here before I headed out.

I have run this race so many times I almost feel like I can do it blind folded. I settled in to what would be a nice steady downhill run to bottom of the dam before making the trek up the switchbacks to head back to Knickerbocker.

Salt Creek was low so I didn’t fall in or get wet as in previous years. 🙂 I was also oddly solo on the climb up the dam I didn’t mind as it was perfect running weather.

Once I got back to Knickerbocker 2 (mile 18) I was ready to get my feet wet. We had been so lucky for most of the race as the course was near perfect with minimal mud and water but crossing Knickerbocker Creek was next and I knew that dry feet would be a luxury from this point forward.

The creek was high but not terrible. The water was about shin level. A few runners were pausing to try and figure out how to hop on the rocks to get across. I have been there and done that and it ended poorly with me soaking wet all over, not just my feet so this time, I just went straight through the creek and embraced the freezing cold water.

This portion of the course is where I will always remember most of the mud and water from 2017. I was feeling pretty good and I felt like I was moving strong. I was alone but I did see runners ahead of me so I just let them pull me forward.

At one point, I looked up and saw the snow capped mountains of Tahoe. It took my breath away so I stopped to take a photo.

I have struggled on this section in prior years and I think mainly it is when the race has been hot because this section is quite exposed and generally if it is hot, it is one of the first hot days of the season so you are just not quite prepared for it. This year it was cool and overcast and I felt really good.

Mile 23.4 brings you to the Cool Aid-Station and mentally what I think of as “heading home.” I stopped to use the facilities here and filled my flasks and then just kept moving.

I love the stretch that leads you back to No Hands Bridge and the final aid-station of the race before the finish.

All smiles all the time.
Facchino Photography

The run down rollercoaster back to No Hands was wet and slippery but again, I felt like I was continuously moving. I was no where near as fast as I have been years past. Having rolled my ankle a few times the last few months I think has made me quite gun-shy on the downhills these days.

Once back at No Hands I took my phone out and texted the family like I do every year. “Four miles to go!” I say and then they text back making me smile.

I will say the last 3 miles I started to feel a little bit tired and depleted. I was ready to be done. The rain had held off but was slowly starting to spit little drops here and there. The worst part was the wind had arrived and when I say “wind,” I mean the kind where you have to hold your hat from blowing away.

I just kept moving, keeping the two runners who I had been piggy backing with some of the race in front of me. They were a power duo and super cute. I just tried to keep them in my sights the last few miles to keep me moving.

I finally reached the infamous fourth and final “FOURmidable” climb and as luck would have it, legendary Tim Tweitmeyer was standing half way up the hill with another guy. “Looks like you made it before the rain came! Good job!” said the one guy. “Man that course can be muddy when it rains.” said Tim. “It had its share of mud.” I said. The guy said, “Well you’re not muddy so you didn’t fall, that’s good!” I smiled and then Tim said, “Well she has a little bit to go yet give it time.” 🙂 That made me laugh out lout. But I did not fall but the wind was relentless as I was climbing ( and trying to run ) to the finish.

The wind was so bad that I crossed the finish and no one was there! The tent had blown away right before I got there and race photographer was helping catch it. hahaha He had me cross the finish line so he could get some photos of me. 🙂

Always smile, it hurts less when you smile.

https://facchinophotography.zenfolio.com/

The storm was definitely on its way. There were very few people hanging around at the finish and for the first time ever, I had no one waiting for me so I cleaned up, grabbed my post race swag and headed home.

Poster and a water bottle. Time to head home.

Overall, this was my slowest FOURmidable time wise but it was a new (to me) course and time wasn’t my main focus. I do feel like I consistently fueled throughout the race. In hindsight, I wish I had carried one more gel near the end for the last few miles just to see if it would have given me a bigger boost. My legs were toast by the end. My hamstrings were tired and my calves were tired I think from trying to stabilize in all the mud.

Super stoked to have a solid 50k under my belt as the first race of 2024. I am beyond grateful to have been able to run it at all this year after sitting on the sidelines last year. I would most definitely rather run slow, than not at all.

The best part was I got to see some friends out there too. It was so good to see you Kim, Jon, Jessica, Roxie, Cathy, David, Tiffany and Paula! 🙂

Not sure if I will be back next year or if I will try something else. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. 😉

Happy Trails!

~Trailmomma

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022

2022 FOURmidable 50k – Race Report

Two years does not seem like a long time, but when it comes to running and racing it can feel like an eternity.

Photo from Single Track Running

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2020 was not a total bust, I did manage to run the FOURmidable 50k before the world shut down but that was about it in terms of races. Instead I did what everyone did, I ran, played with my kiddos, found other hobbies and let my body heal from a really full and challenging 2019 year of racing (for me).

Then 2021 came along and I started the year with a calf tear that took quite some time to get over. I could have run a 100k but I decided to defer to ensure that my body was 100% and instead focused on some pretty nice trail half marathons that were destination races (my favorite) and then started back with training and racing CIM in December.

VANS drove me to the start which was great. Also great? The start was at 8:00 am which means he did not have to wake up at 0’dark thirty to drive me.

This year, the race held all four events (50k, 35k, half-marathon and 13k) all in one day which meant I would be able to see my friend John before he started his race!

It was a nice boost to see and laugh with him before my race because for the first time in probably forever, especially in Auburn, I did not see anyone else that I knew. In a way, this was nice as I needed the mental time to think about what I wanted from the day. Finish time was not my priority at all. I had other things I wanted to work on … like trying to remember how to run an ultra!

Race Director Paulo gathered us at the starting arch and went over the race details (course ribbons, cupless race etc). The energy was pretty palpable as I think a lot of people were excited to be back running and racing again. It was also windy and chilly at the start (about 43 degrees) but the “veteran” in me knew that I would not need anything more than a tank top because it would warm up quick and believe me, it did!

The first three or so miles are basically downhill to the river and the base of Cardiac (the first of the “four”-midable climbs). In past years, I’ve been caught up here and would always “fly” super fast (again, for me 😉 ) down hill totally exhausting myself so that by the time I got to Cardiac, I was already tired.

This time, I had a plan. First and foremost, I trained quite a bit on this hill in preparation. I ran down and up quite a few times in training. Second, I did not go all out at the start. I kept my pace pretty steady the entire time. Looking at my stats, I ran almost the same pace for each mile and I was not out of breath.

Another thing to note, the course start was different than it was in 2020. In 2020 we ran the fire road after the single track portion all the way down to the base of Cardiac but this year, we meandered through some more single track trails staying off the gravel road which was nice and kept us spaced out a bit more.

When it came time to climb Cardiac, I felt good! There was no conga line of people, we were spaced out nicely and I just power hiked. I was between a nice group of men who I think were from out of town (or at least one or two were) who joked about the climb. I ran the flatter sections when I could and before I knew it, Cardiac was over!

Photo by Facchino Photography – after climbing Cardiac

The first aid-station (Gate 142) is at mile 5.4 and is essentially back near the starting area. I had every thing that I needed so I did not stop. I could hear Paulo on the loud speaker starting the runners for the 13k race which I knew would intersect with us 50k runners soon.

Sure enough as we were running down the single track, I heard the pitter patter of super fast feet and it was the lead runners of the 13k. I yelled, “Runner back!” and the 50k runner in front of me waved a thank you as we both moved over letting the 13k leaders pass. Trail etiquette at its finest. The leaders all said or waved thanks.

When I made it to the No Hands Aid-Station (mile 9.6), I was feeling pretty good. In previous races I’d have to stop to use the restroom here but my stomach felt great. I did not stop at the aid-station, instead taking a sip of some fuel and made my way towards the second of the “four”-midable hills, K2 (aka Training Hill).

Another one of my favorite hills to train on and climb. Again, everyone was pretty spaced out despite there being four different races happening at once. When I got to the top of K2, I was all alone so I ducked off the trail and used mother nature. My first and only pee stop of the race, which is a new record for me. 🙂

Mile 13.4 brings you to Knickerbocker Aid-Station #1. I did stop and refill a bottle here with water and dumped another packet of Unived drink mix in. For the first time ever, I ran without my hydration bladder and instead relied on water bottles which was something new for me.

Back on the trail I started running and realized there were some runners close behind me, it kind of made me pick up the pace a little. Then we came to a mini-stream/creek crossing and in classic Pam fashion, instead of going slow and just hopping on the rocks that were there to get across, I panicked I would slow those behind me and totally tripped and bam, my left foot submerged into the water. 🙂 Newbie move! I laughed, the runners behind me laughed but they stayed dry. 🙂

The gravel road down to the third “four”-midable hill, the Old Auburn Dam was rough on my legs. It was here that I started to feel like my legs were heavy and not turning over well. It was also getting pretty warm and the climb is in some sun.

Up until this point, I had been fueling pretty well using a new-to-me method and new(er) fuel that I’ve started in training runs. However, on this climb after taking in some fuel, I felt a twinge of nausea which is not something I experience typically in races. I didn’t panic, I just continued to climb and think about what I had done so far.

It was then I realized that I had not been taking in any extra sodium. This was definitely the first warm run in a long time and I am sure my body was thinking, “WTF?!” I dug through my pack, found some salt tabs and took one.

After a little while, I started to feel better. I made a mental note of the time and decided that I would do better at keeping track of sodium intake in addition to my regular fueling.

I was excited to be back at Knickerbocker Aid-Station #2 (mile 18). I cannot recall but I do not think I refilled my bottles here. I grabbed some aid-station fuel, thanked the volunteers and headed down toward the creek.

This creek was fresh in my brain from my 2020 race. It was here that I fell into the creek by accident. Like FELL IN! 🙂 This time, I knew better. I figured out the best way across and stayed dry. I saw other runners sitting in the creek which was a smart move in this heat! By now, my left foot had dried completely and ironically, getting it went in that creek earlier actually made what I thought was a blister forming, totally disappear so yay!

I rarely train on this side of Cool and I often wonder why when I am out here during this race. It is absolutely beautiful. It’s warm, sunny and exposed a lot of the time, but the trails are gorgeous.

The distance was longer than I realized though. In my head I miscalculated the next aid-station but luckily, all the aid-stations are imprinted on your race bib, so really, I have no excuses. 🙂

Mile 23.4 brings you to the Cool Aid-Station. When I came through the gates the volunteer checking bib numbers told me to grab some ice and stuff it down my shirt. How have I forgotten that piece of amazing advice!? Hello newbie!

I got to the aid-station and filled up both of my bottles with water and then fought stuffing them into my vest. I know it is easier to stuff them back in with the vest off, but I hate doing that so instead, I stood there stuffing, fighting and shoving them in. While I was doing that however, I did ask the volunteer about ice down my shirt!

She whisked me aside and totally made life amazing. I overheard another runner who looked like she was having a rough time say, “Can I also have ice down my shirt?” I am hoping it brought her back to life too.

When I was back on the trail I decided to add another Unived drink mix packet to my now newly filled water bottle that was IN my pack. Too stubborn to remove the bottle, I thought I would be amazing and just unscrew the lid and dump the mix in. Any guesses on what happened? 🙂

A geyser of water and drink mix shot up and out of my bottle and straight into my face! Drenching me from head to toe and because of the pressure of the pack on my body, it did not-would not stop. I could not stop laughing at myself. I finally got everything under control but was a pretty sticky wet mess from that point on. Ah, the newbie lives on!

The miles down rollercoaster are some of my favorite in all of Auburn/Cool. In previous races I have bombed this section, feeling invincible, feeling like air, feeling like I could fly to the moon! This year? I felt like I was wearing cemented moonboots trying to run through quick sand.

I did pass a few runners so I was actually running but I flat out laughed at myself, out loud too at how awkward I felt, how just impossible it seemed to make my legs turn over.

It took a good couple of miles for me to feel like I was running normal down this section and before I knew it, I was arriving at the No Hands Aid-Station #2 (Mile 27). I came down the trail and the volunteer said I had one of the biggest smiles yet.

There were only four miles to the finish and my bottles were (almost) full so I just grabbed some fuel from the station and walked myself across No Hands taking in fuel and texting Vans that I had four miles left and that more than likely, it would take me about an hour.

That is when I found out that he’d gone to the hospital to get x-rays of his shoulder (minor biking incident earlier in the week) and that he was trying to make it to the finish. I knew once he was at the hospital, there was no way he would make it in time.

Despite doing a great job on fueling and a mediocre job at taking in additional sodium, I was feeling the miles on my legs but my head was in a good place. I saw some female runners up ahead running strong and they were in good spirits so I just kept running.

When we were in the final miles before the finish and the last and fourth, “four”-midable climb (Overlook Hill), I noticed a runner up ahead that looked like she was struggling.

To be honest, the only runners I could see between me and the miles ahead were all female! It was a flock of strong running females and it was awesome. When I got to the girl who was struggling, I stopped and gave her some salt tabs. She was drenched in sweat but in good spirits.

When it came time to go up Overlook Hill, I just channeled all the time I have spent training on this hill. I passed two ladies and encouraged them to keep going, one step in front of the other. When I could see the finish arches in sight, I started to run (the term run is used loosely here as it probably didn’t look like running to those watching). I heard some cheers and from the looks of it, all the women I encouraged followed suit and were right behind me pushing it on that climb! I love it!!!

I crossed the finish line with a huge smile. After two years and lots of ups and downs, I had finally finished an ultra and a tough one too.

I had accomplished all the things I had set out to do. I wanted to finish ignoring the clock, I wanted to try some new fueling techniques and I wanted to remember what it feels like to be comfortable being uncomfortable and to problem solve along the way. For me, I succeeded in all of it.

Vans and Squeaker eventually showed up to the finish. Vans did not break any bones (yay) and Squeaker had a blast building little villages in the dirt. 🙂

Overall, I am happy with how things transpired out there. I need to work on sodium intake I guess or maybe my legs were just not remembering how to work properly in races like this. 🙂

Her shirt!!!! It was a hit at the hospital with the doctors. 🙂

Grateful to my family for being there for me and to Higher Running for getting me to the starting line.

Now, to rest and recover so I can get back out there. It feels good, normal almost, to be back doing things like running ultra races and trails again.

Happy Trails!

~Trailmomma

I’d like to thank the companies that continue to support me and whose products I stand behind and use:

Topo Athletic – I ran this race in their Ultraventure model. I love the company and this shoe and I was super stoked to see a lot of runners wearing Topos on the course.

Unived – The Wild Watermelon drink mix is my absolute favorite but I do use and enjoy all of their drink mix flavors and I used their Salt Tabs as well. I also really love their Recovery Mixes – Chocolate Turmeric being my number one favorite.

Picky Bars – Their Fudge Nut Bars save me so many times when I am running to coach practice after a long run or race. My kids also love them and usually eat them before I can get to them.

Spring Energy – new to the line up, their Awesome Sauce (vegan) gel is pretty darn good (and I am not a gel person typically).

February 20, 2020February 20, 2020

2020 FOURMIDABLE 50K RACE REPORT

“pssst! Honey, wake up. I kind of had an accident in the kitchen. I tried to clean it up but I have to leave for my race now … I am SO sorry!” Not the best way to start a race but it sure added some excitement. 🙂

Photo from: Single Track Running

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I have run the FOURmidable 50k twice before. Once in 2017 before it was a USATF race and then again in 2018 when it was a USATF race … and it was insanely muddy that year. I love this race because it really gives you a test of where you are training-wise on some beautiful familiar trails.

The attempted clean up of my early morning disaster.

While the house was quiet and I was waiting for Not Chris to pick me up, I started putting together my race pack which means sticking my soft-flask that was filled with Unived Wild Watermelon drink mix into my race vest. I love using soft-flasks for the lightness of them but man, the same thing that happened to me at Canyons, happened in the middle of my kitchen.

This is how it went down: I try to gently squeeze the full bottle into the pack while covering the nozzle with my mouth so that the liquid wouldn’t shoot out when I squeeze it. Well, the nozzle on my soft-flask popped off in my mouth and the bottle became more or less a fountain shooting up, out and everywhere! You can’t really stop it either because the pressure from the vest is so much that it really just looks like a hose in your face. Needless to say, my kitchen floor was a sweet sticky mess. Sorry Vans!

I am normally a solid food runner when it comes to ultra races but I’ve been trying to experiment more with gels lately and this race, was going to be my gel race test. It also helps that I am a Unived Ambassador . I absolutely love their drink mixes and their recovery mixes but the gels are something I am not entirely used to using but I am working on it.

What is awesome about FOURmidable is the start time … 8 am!!! That’s later than when we normally run so it took some getting used to when it came to timing my breakfast (Picky Bars Can’t Beet Chocolate oatmeal for the win as usual). It was super chilly at the Auburn Overlook race morning because of the wind, but I knew it would warm up so I went with a tank top and shorts to start.

The race bibs are distributed right before the start of the race. I was lucky enough to see and say “hi” to a few friends I haven’t seen in forever when I was picking up my number. Soon enough though, it was time to line up and get ready to run.

The plan going into this race for me was: Treat this as a long training run – practice fueling and work on form. I’d say part of that held true. 🙂

At 8 am we were off and running down to the bottom of Cardiac. The trail meanders around a little bit but I noticed quite early on that my legs felt a little stiff. I had battled all week with a stomach/gluten contamination issue so I had not run much all week and I was feeling that in the beginning. Luckily gravity helped so I just let it pull me.

Not Chris took off like he stole something and was never seen again. He had been looking forward to this race and had trained pretty well with intentions to beat a certain time. Needless to say, he crushed it … and I just let him go.

The climb up Cardiac was brutal as always. That is never an easy climb for me for some reason. My breathing took some time to get under control and for 3/4 of the climb, I was leading a pack of runners who didn’t want to pass. I offered, they declined. Finally near the top, a little annoyed at the closeness (and my inability to breathe), I moved aside and let three or four of them go ahead of me.

The first aid-station is mile at mile 5.4 at Gate 142. I had decided that I’d take a gel but not stop. I smiled and thanked all the volunteers who were cheering for us excited to make the descent down to No Hands Bridge which has been our training ground the last month.

The gel I took however, a different flavor than I had taken before the start of the race, just hit my stomach the wrong way. I immediately felt some stomach discomfort. I quickly wondered if maybe I should consume the same flavors during a race (total gel newbie here)? There was nothing I could do and it wasn’t hindering my running that much, just a little uncomfortable.

You run up and around Robie Point, one of the historic sections on the Western States Trail and then you make your way to No Hands Bridge.

When I reached No Hands Bridge (Mile 9.6) Aid-Station, I battled internally if I should stop and use the porta potty here. I went for it. Prior to this moment, I had been solo on the trails for quite some time but while taking care of business, I heard runners coming in and it kind of defeated me for a minute.

I quickly shook it off. I felt 100 times better for having stopped. I then grabbed some fuel and made my way up to K2 (aka Training Hill) for another brutal but familiar climb. When I was training for last year’s Broken Arrow Sky race, I spent a lot of time on this hill. I know every nook and cranny inside and out. I just put my head down, engaged my glutes like I’ve been told and motored up. I passed a few runners on this climb.

The next aid-station is Knickerbocker 1 at mile 13.4. Still feeling pretty good, I took another gel and had zero problems. Maybe it was just that one flavor after all? I didn’t waste any time at the aid-station as I was eager to get to the downhill that leads to the old dam and another familiar climb.

I felt pretty good on the switch back climb up the dam. The old giant bird’s nest that was pointed out to me in 2017, was still there though no longer occupied. There were no runners near me this year for me to point it out to them. It is really a sight to see.

When I reached the top and the tiny bit of paved section of the course, I decided to run. I was feeling pretty good and it was getting warm.

You come back to Knickerbocker Aid-Station again from a different angle at mile 18 and when I did, I was greeted by two of the nicest guys! One of them was a fellow Topo Athletic Ambassador! Finally we get to meet face to face. Nice to meet you Chris!

Once again, barely taking any time I was off headed to the dreaded stream crossing. I’d been dry the whole race and while normally I don’t mind stream crossings, I just wasn’t thrilled about getting wet at that moment.

When I got to the bottom, I quickly looked at the crossing. It was considerably lower than in years past but definitely above the ankles. I noticed some rocks off to the side, decided against trying to balance on them. Knowing me, I’d slip and crack my head open so I waded in. Suddenly right behind me some dude comes by and just dances across the rocks.

He looked me and I said, “Show off!” He laughed he said he really didn’t want to get wet! I said, “I didn’t either but I would have totally fallen in if I had tried that.” We laughed and then made our way up the hill.

The back side of this race is absolutely beautiful but it was sunny and getting warm. I typically really enjoy the sun and the heat but this was the first ‘warm’ day of the season so it took a little out of me I think initially.

I had to pause for some horseback riders at one point, they were super gracious and nice and told me that I did not have to pull to the side but that “horse has the right of way” etiquette is ingrained in me.

Once again, I found myself relatively alone this entire time. I ran into a set of hikers who said, “Wow! You have the biggest smile we’ve seen yet!” That made me feel great and totally gave me a boost. I’d been slowing slightly through this section, I think the heat partially getting to me and I started thinking about my mom. 26 years ago to the day, she passed away from a massive and unexpected heart attack. She was 47 years old. I am 43 and it just hit me that I was running a 50k race something she’d never been able to do and I knew, that my two girls were at the end waiting for me to cross that finish line. Some how, my mom gave me a boost from above and I started running. Thanks mom.

Mile 23.4 is the Cool Aid-Station. I dropped some trash here and continued on. I was eager to get to the roller-coaster trail, one of my favorites in Cool.

As soon as we entered the start of roller coaster I took off. I felt like I was moving faster than I probably was but I managed to pass 4 runners here and made my way back to No Hands Aid-Station (mile 27.2). Once I was there, I knew in my head that there were only 4 miles to the finish and I was eager to get there.

I walked across the bridge fueling and trying to recover a little from the downhill push. Earlier in the day, I had met a nice guy from Reno who was running his first FOURmidable. I ran into him again on No Hands, his stomach having taken a turn.

Together he and I yoyo’d down the trail chit chatting when we were close enough. He was super nice and remained positive despite not feeling very well. I loved that.

When we finally made the sharp left to head down to the river, I was on fire. I could smell the barn and once again, I took off. Reno stayed close and asked some questions about the finish hill … like “Are you going to run it?” I told him, “I never have but my kids are there today and I am going to try!”

We soon separated and I just kept motoring on. The finish line seemed to never want to appear. Finally, I knew I was on the last long final climb of the race. I passed a few dudes, one guy was hiking down and cheered us on. I knew I was close to my 2017 time but I wasn’t sure I was going to make it but I was however within distance of beating my 2018 time (which happens to be the same course – 2017 had a slightly different course).

Then, I saw my girls racing down the hill to greet me! They cheered me on! I told them I was going to run so my 11 year old (Peanut) joined me.

Seriously one of the happiest moments ever and I am so grateful Vans caught it. She ran and said, “Woah, this is tough!” 🙂 I just said, “Just keep going. No stopping!”

She left me at the finish shoot but cheered me in all the way from the sideline along with her sister.

Happy to be done but even more happy that my girls were there to watch me finish.

Not Chris was there too. He’d been done a while as he kicked butt like I knew he would. He had a great race and I am so proud of him.

Post race, I enjoyed a Sufferfest beer (thanks Michael!) and cheered on all the other runners finishing the race. It was such a beautiful sunny day. I even cheered on Reno has he made his way to finish and I gave him a nice high-five. He came back from the dead and finished strong.

Overall, I am happy with my race. I didn’t execute as planned – this was supposed to be a training run and I guess I pushed a little harder than I thought that I would but I felt good and went with it. I did set a new PR for myself (on this course) and I finished 11th female overall which surprised me but hey, I’ll take it.

Clearly I have some things to work on. Perhaps that one flavor of gel just isn’t for me? I also think a combination of gels and solid food may help too. I do like the ease of taking gels and my Unived drink mix continues to work in my favor – minus when it shoots out of my bottle. 🙂 By the way, I have found the solution to that problem since the race . Fingers crossed my new locking soft-flask works. Vans was pretty understanding about the mess he woke up to and in turn, cleaned ALL the floors in the house while I was racing. Win win. 🙂

Thanks for reading this monstrosity. It has been a while since I’ve blogged and being brief is not my strong suit. 🙂 Oh and a special thank you to Single Track Running & The Aid-Station in Auburn for a great race.

Happy Trails!

~Trailmomma

I’d like to thank the companies that continue to support me and whose products I stand behind and use:

Topo Athletic – I ran this race in their Ultraventure model. I love the company and this shoe and I was super stoked to see a lot of runners wearing Topos on the course.

Picky Bars – Can’t Beet Chocolate Oatmeal is my pre-race go-to and their Fudge Nut Bars save me so many times when I am running to coach practice. My kids also love them and usually eat them before I can get to them. I have been a long time Picky Bar fan and now I am one of their AmBADASSadors. 🙂

Unived – The Wild Watermelon drink mix is my absolute favorite but I do use and enjoy all of their drink mix flavors. Pre Fourmidable, I took a Black Cherry gel and one of my other favorites is the Orange Twist! I also really love their Recovery Mixes – Chocolate Turmeric being my number one favorite.

Sage Running – My coach, my friend and my sounding board. Always supportive and encouraging. They have helped me tremendously over the years.

February 20, 2017February 20, 2017

FOURMIDABLE 50K (Lessons Learned)

Well the first race of the season has come and gone and boy was it a ginormous MUD-FEST!

I ran the FOURmidable 50K last year for the first time and had an amazing race. In the days leading up to this year’s race however, I noticed that my race recap from 2016 generated a lot of traffic (and a few emails). FOURmidable this year was a USA Track & Field 50K trail national championships and therefore garnered a lot more interest and entrants (almost double in the 50K alone). Quite a few top names and elites showed up which was pretty amazing to watch.

My day started with an awesome comment from elite runner (and blogger) Jean Pommier on my last year’s report. That put a nice smile on my face.

Then I found a little present from Vans while I was chilling in my car pre-race. I love his simple, but wise advice: Keep Running. Watch your step. 🙂

The weather leading up to the race was definitely something to contend with this year. I have been running on these exact trails for weeks now so I knew what to expect … and I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it.

I’ve spent the last few weekends running with Pigeon, Not Chris and Grumpy. Not Chris and Grumpy were making their Auburn trail race debut! Not Chris ran the 35.5K and Grumpy the 13K.

Watching the excitement on their faces in anticipation of the race was awesome. I love seeing new found trail love and joy.

Pigeon and I saw Not Chris and Grumpy off at their start since all the races (50K, 35.5K, a half and 13K) had a staggered start.

After the 35.5K and 13K left, it was time for the 50K runners to line up.

One thing to note, is that the start of this race was completely different than last year. We started and ended IN the overlook parking lot. Last year, we started down by Gate 142. This is important to note mostly as it pertains the finish … and we’ll get there I promise.

Cute Heather Morris with her hands up. Me behind her. Photo courtesy: Nelson Medeiros — Cute Heather Morris with her hands up. Me behind her.
Photo courtesy: Nelson Medeiros

Similar to last year, the 50K runners had to run down to base of Cardiac. This year however, the route to get there was different. We were on trails a bit more than pavement, which was nice.

As we descended down, I noticed that my pace was in the low 8s. That didn’t unnerve me much because I did the same thing last year (although this year I was faster).

Photo Courtesy of TrailTaylor — Photo Courtesy: TrailTaylor

When we hit the base of cardiac, I first saved a runner who somehow did not see ALL the pink ribbons and was on his way towards the river. He was pretty grateful I stopped him.

The climb up Cardiac hit me like a ton of bricks. Very similar to last year and that is what I kept telling myself – which was a huge mistake and my biggest lesson this race.

I let quite a few people pass me on this section. My legs just felt heavy and my lungs not quite ready for what I was about to ask of them.

Happy to be at the top finally, I shook off any bad feelings and just kept moving.

We hit the first aid-station at Gate 142 and I ran right by. I had enough fuel in my pack that I didn’t feel the need to stop. The trail then brought us around and below the overlook and popped us out right by the horse staging area.

A girl standing on the side of the trail said, “You are in the top ten for female.” Ugh, don’t tell me that! It’s way too early for that kind of info and, to be honest, I think she clearly must have miscounted!

MUD Photo Courtesy by TrailTaylor — MUD (not me)
Photo Courtesy: TrailTaylor

From this point on, the only competitor that I fought with ALL day, was the mud. The above photo doesn’t even do it justice, that section was nothing compared to what was ahead.

I ran the section down to No Hands Bridge, still not feeling like I was “in” this yet. I had stepped into a mud pile that went up to my knee and was trying desperately not to throw my back out on these slippery sections.

It felt good to finally reach No Hands Bridge and then see that it was almost completely under water.

Me on No Hands Photo Courtesy of TrailTaylor — Me on No Hands
Photo Courtesy: TrailTaylor

After swimming through that puddle, we reached the aid-station. I climbed the trail towards K2 fueling as I knew what was ahead.

K2 believe it or not, seemed like it was in better condition this year than last year. Last year there was a stream running down the hill.

Normally I love K2. I do. I am a hills kinda girl, but I still wasn’t finding my mojo yet and I was beginning to get frustrated.

I kept comparing this race to last year’s race and how I felt at each point last year. BIG MISTAKE. NEVER compare yourself to other runners and NEVER compare RACES. So much can change in a year. Clearly the trail conditions were a separate competitor this year. I also have a lot more going on in my life.

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However, I would not come to this realization until later in the day. I kept battling with myself that I was not doing what I thought that I was capable of doing.

Needless to say, the muddy conditions only got worse as the day wore on. I was done with dancing around mud and puddles. A lot of people were running off course to try and avoid it, only to be hit with a section where there WAS no way to avoid it. Forget it, just run straight down the middle. Simple as that.

Oh just a abnormally large puddle! Photo courtesy of: Rob Schmidt — Oh just a abnormally large puddle! (again, not me)
Photo courtesy of: Rob Schmidt

I finally reached Knickbocker Aid-Station #1 (mile 13.4) and stopped. I grabbed some stuff and refueled and walked at the same time.

The next section took us down to the Old Auburn Damn. I ran that section pretty well, just letting it all open up.

I hit the damn hill and settled into a hike. I was beginning to feel a little bit better but again, was still comparing myself to last year.

At the top of the damn, we made our way back to the single track and I just focused on moving. I was finally beginning to feel like my old self.

The trail took us back to the Knickerbocker Aid-Station (mile 18) and I grabbed more fuel and continued on my way. My spirits were beginning to finally come around.

The section through Knickbocker Creek (um, it was more like a raging river) was awesome. The whole section of trail on the Cool side was one giant mud puddle.

There was no getting around it. You’d cross a bridge and be grateful there was a bridge only to have it “T” into a giant mud puddle that went up to your shorts anyway.

I hit the Cool Aid-Station (mile 23.4) and was eager to get moving. I knew that my favorite “roller-coaster” section was coming up and best of all, that would lead me back to the finish!

I flew down roller coaster much like I did last year. I think I was tad slower and then out of no where, I ran into some horse back riders and had to stop dead in my tracks to let them pass.

When the trail dumped me onto No Hands (mile 27.2) I knew we only had 4 miles to the finish. I fueled as I walked through the lake sitting on top of No Hands and I texted a few people telling them I was 4 miles from being done with this $hit!

I ran/walked the next section staying close to a guy who seemed to be following the same plan that I was which was: Let’s get this over with!

When we finally made the sharp left that took us down to the river, we both said, “Here we go!” Having run this last year, I KNEW what was in store. Paulo, our Race Director, makes your work HARD to get to the finish line.

I ran the down as well as I could. Then I ran and hiked some of the other sections. Then, you are hit with an uphill climb that will blow your mind.

Remember earlier when I said the new location of the finish would come into play? Moving the finish arch to the overlook added ONE MORE steep climb to finish … and believe me it was a doozy!

Luckily, I saw two little blonde girls standing there with huge smiles on their faces!

I wanted to hug them but if I stopped, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep going.

Way up there is the finish! But you still have a smidge more to go!

I saw the finish arch, heard some voices cheer my name and ran.

I finished! Wow, what a crazy race. I ended up running 15 minutes slower than last year and considering the conditions, I guess that wasn’t so bad. I still didn’t feel 100% like myself out there but I learned my lesson. I won’t compare races or seasons anymore. Life sometimes has other plans and I have to learn to go with the flow.

Although unofficial, I may have gotten 5th in my age group (though remember I am bad a math) – not entirely sure yet as the age division results are not up.

Once again. Single Track Running and Paulo put on a stellar event. The course was extremely well marked. The aid-stations were stocked and the volunteers amazing.

Having Vans and the girls surprise me at the finish was awesome.

The post race festivities were great as well. Massages, beer, and some awesome swag!

I am happy that I ran it. It was a great indicator of where my fitness may or may not be. I love the trails and I love that course, despite how grueling it is but that’s what makes it so special.

In the end, the sun came out, Vans gave me a hug and we waited and cheered for Pigeon to come in. Could not be a luckier girl right now.

Happy Trails!

~Trailmomma

February 22, 2016February 22, 2016

FOURMIDABLE 50K RACE REPORT (What a freaking race!)

Saturday was my first race of the 2016 season and it definitely was a race to remember. So settle in and grab a drink, this is doozy of a report. 🙂

I chose Single Track Running’s FOURmidable 50K because I thought it would be a good indicator of where I am in my training so far. It touted a high elevation and a tough course. I have never run one of their races before but I knew the general area where I would be running … or so I thought.

If you’ve been following me, you know that I spend almost every weekend in Auburn and/or Cool running these trails with my friends. Up and down K2. Up and down Cardiac. Up and down the hill to the Overlook. I’ve done it all countless times but when you string so many climbs together in one single day? Woah, talk about a death march!

I am truly a lucky girl because I have two amazing friends who offered to drive me to the start of the race and send me off with laughter, hugs and positive vibes.

I honestly don’t think I could have had a better start to a race. It meant more to me than they will ever know. I was calm, I was happy and I had no stress because of their generosity and friendship. Pigeon was texting me all morning as well, sending advice and good juju too.

The start was chilly but I could tell it was going to be a warm day. I was worried that I should have gone with a tank top instead of a t-shirt, ah well, too late to worry about that now.

The starting area was gorgeous. A beautiful fog was layering over the valley making for the most amazing views for the start of a race.

Or very cool Ninja poses by Stonegate — Perfect for very cool Ninja poses by Stonegate

There was a bit of confusion at the start as it was hard to hear Paulo, the Race Director talk over the loud speaker. There were four distances to this race and they started at different times. The 50k and half marathon started at 8 am and the 35.5k and 13k started five minutes later. I know that some of the 35k people didn’t understand that (despite countless emails detailing the day’s starting times) and they ended up starting with some of us 50k runners.

Off and Running! Thanks Stonegate for the photo!

Paulo counted us down and I was off and running. I didn’t really look around me to see how large of a crowd it was because it was combining two distances (remember I started with the half marathoners too).

Off we ran DOWN the Damn Hill, the same hill that I have had to run UP for the American River 50 mile race so many times. As I was running, I realized I was going at a pretty good clip. It was downhill after all. A girl came up next to me and told me that she really liked my hat. 🙂

I said thanks and just kept running. My watch buzzed and I looked down, Mile 1 = 8:46 pace. Woah. That’s pretty fast when I have 30 more miles to go … I told myself to be careful. I just felt good. Everyone was flying granted most were probably doing the half marathon. Whoops.

Watch buzzes a mile later … 8:45 …. um…what are you doing!? Then we get thrown onto some single track trails that wind us down towards the very bottom of Cardiac and that’s when it all came to a halt.

My legs felt like jell-o when I started climbing. My breathing was labored. My body felt tired. All I kept thinking was “What in the heck?! See! You went out too fast!” But I just kept climbing. I didn’t push the pace. Luckily I was solo on the climb most of the way so no pressure from behind or in front.

Eventually though, a few people caught up to me and I let them pass … that deflated me a little but I just kept telling myself, you have miles and miles to go.

When we reached what I thought was the top of Cardiac, the spot where my friends and I usually stop, catch our breath and continue on down the canal..but instead, we kept climbing. Cardiac apparently, goes even HIGHER than I knew was possible. Geez. But it was gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous!

That was the first of the “FOUR”midable climbs in the race. That is what I kept telling myself. Just count the climbs and you’ll be fine.

After cardiac we wind our way back to the starting area for the first aid-station. I was in and out in about 15 seconds. I didn’t need much. I threw out some trash and that was it.

Then we dipped onto some trails that I have never run before that take you down and under the Auburn Damn Overlook. It was beautiful. I was just beaming!

Then we were dumped back onto the Western States Trail and were on our way to No Hands Bridge. I found myself behind this girl who was flying whooping and hollering down the trail. Her energy was infectious! I latched onto her tail and flew down to the bridge running a 9 minute mile. She of course, was only running the half.

No Hands Bridge, mile 9.2 aid-station – in and out less than 20 seconds. Instead I hiked up towards K2 eating what I brought in my pack.

The climb up K2 (the second of the FOURmidable climbs) was not nearly as fast as it had been last weekend but it was steady. One foot in front of the other. At the top, where I normally stop with my girls and take a breather, I realized I couldn’t stop. I had to keep going. There was one girl who literally ran up K2. I was floored.

I texted my friends … and they texted me back with this … causing me to crack up while climbing K2, thanks girls!

Again when I thought we would go one way, the course had us going a different way. What fun! I was trying to figure out where the heck we were and if I had been on these trails before. I was definitely by myself. Some guys had passed me and then kept going. Finally I reached the Knickerbocker Aid-station (mile 13.0). I asked the volunteer (who was super nice) which way the 50k runners go because at this point, we had some 35k runners with us (the ones who started at the wrong time).

The volunteer pointed across the street and said, “Well, you’re going to do a little four mile loop and then come back to us here and then go that way.” Inside I laughed, “a little four mile loop?” … I knew what that meant … the third of the FOURmidable climbs, Old Auburn Damn Hill … another brutal climb.

It was getting warm and fast. The girl from the first mile had caught up to me and we ran together for a while chatting. I also ran into TrailTurtle Shannon who I haven’t seen out on the trails in a long time. Always a pleasure seeing her.

Hat Girl started telling me that she is out here twice a week climbing Damn Hill and K2 while her daughter is in school. She said she saw a “nest” out here a few weeks ago that was HUGE. I was like, “What kind of nest?” Thinking it was going to be a bees or wasps.

Nope, she meant a bird’s nest that was SO large, a couple of humans could actually fit inside. What in the hell?! I stopped to take a photo when she showed me, and she took off! ha Sneaky sneaky. 🙂

She was quite a ways ahead of me up the climb. When we reached the aid-station (mile 17.6), I think she saw that I didn’t really stay long. Less than 20 seconds and I was out, walking and eating. She was quick to join me.

She ran off up ahead while I was content to eat and hike some. Eventually I caught up to her and another girl (the one who ran up K2) and they moved to let me pass. So I did.

But Hat Girl was quick to stay with me. She left the girl she was with and was behind me. I have to say, I have never been on these trails before. I knew we were in Cool but I had no idea where we were. Some of it was the Way Too Cool course but some of it took us off where I don’t think I have been before. I could see highway 49 and it felt like I was in the backyard of the homes that lined the highway. Crazy!

This was the LONGEST stretch between aid-stations and I had no idea at the time, that it was that far. Seeing that aid-station tent off in the distance at the fire-station in Cool was a HUGE relief. Thank goodness.
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I had a burst of energy. Not only because of the aid-station, but because I knew that I was on my way to the finish. I’ve run this route (again, or so I thought) a million times and I was anxious to get to that downhill section that leads back to No Hands Bridge.

At the aid-station (mile 23) this girl dressed head to toe in pink came up behind Hat Girl and I and said, “You two are hard to catch! I ‘ve been chasing you girls forever!” I laughed and then she took off! I probably stayed the longest at this aid-station, mostly because they were so chatty (really it was probably 30 seconds). Off I went and Hat Girl was right with me.

When we reached the section where we normally turn right to head back down towards No Hands, the course had us going straight. WHAT??!! My heart screamed inside a bit. Noooooo! I wanted to turn RIGHT! Whhhhyyyyy! Straight we went. We eventually came back around but man, that was a hard detour to swallow.

Pink Girl was gone. Hat girl was with me. We reached the downhill section that I have been bombing lately and I turned to her and said, “This is the section I have been waiting for!” Poof, I was gone. I had a enough juice in the legs and I just motored. My average on this section was an 8:50 mile (and it was muddy).

I caught up to Pink Girl who was not backing down as she took off even faster. We were both talking as we were running about how awesome this section is!

We reached No Hands and the aid-station (mile 26.8) and I threw away some trash. Pink Girl I noticed didn’t even stop. She handed a water bottle to her family and left without grabbing anything. I grabbed a cup downed it and then started eating and walking across No Hands. I texted Vans to tell him that I had 4 miles left and that it would take me an hour.

I put my phone away and started running. I eventually passed Pink Girl who it looked like was finally taking a moment to eat. I passed her and said that I’d probably see her again soon.

I just felt, good … so I kept running on all the flats. I’d stop and power hike when I’d feel like my legs were about to fall off, and then the sensation would pass and I’d start running again. The trails were FILLED with people hiking and carrying strollers and they didn’t quite know trail etiquette.

Run walk run walk up and up and up I climbed. I heard a noise behind me and I turned and there was Pink Girl! “Girl!” I said, “You just come out of no where! Man you are killing it today!” She laughed and said she had no business trying to keep up with me but this girl was strong. We talked for a bit.

She said that the downhill section we had just bombed took a bit too much out of her. She was also a mom of 3 and had been up all night the night before with her youngest who was sick and that all 3 of her kids had been sick during the week. Geez, I can’t imagine how she runs when her whole family is healthy!

I took off running and she said she wasn’t there yet. I thought for sure I would see her again. Back towards the Overlook we were climbing but just as we were supposed to go right, the course had us go left onto a trail that I have never in all my times running out there noticed before! Where are we going!?

It was an awesome single track and there was a guy in front of me. Trying to take advantage of the down again I picked up the pace. I joked that while I loved this course change, it scared me … what goes down must come back up …and we were going very steeply down towards the river.

The guy let me pass him and then finally, I turned a corner and saw it, the massive climb with various runners sprinkled way up high. Holy moly. We have to climb that to get to the finish?!

At first I felt strong and then my legs started to shake and feel weak. I kept thinking about the guy behind me but eventually I think he even stopped because I no longer heard him. One foot in front of the other I told myself. I remembered Vans’s note to me this morning ….

Just keep going! So I did. Hands on knees hiking – I kept trying to stay up right to help my breathing be better but dang was this a climb! Then, I heard it … someone yelling!!! That means we were close. We had to be close!

Boom, a little boost of energy and I was climbing a bit harder …. I knew my family was there, I knew it and I wanted to get there fast. The guy behind me had mentioned earlier that we were on track to be sub 6 hours. I refused to look at my watch when he said it but I glanced down while climbing and knew it wouldn’t happen, not with this climb.

Finally I reached the top, saw my girls and Vans and almost melted. I had to run a few more yards to the finish. Everyone was cheering and my legs just felt unattached to my body! I finished! From my watch, it looks like I PR’d with 6 hour and 8 minutes (Official Results say 6 hours and 9 minutes).

I was handed a very cool wooden medal and told to go pick out a hat or a beanie … how cool!!!

As I was doing that, I saw Paulo, the race director. When I got near him I said, “I don’t know whether to hug you or hit you!” 🙂 But he got a hug and he said, “Congrats! Third female!” and he handed me this cool wooden award.

“What? No!” I said, “You have to be mistaken.” He said they just checked and I was third female! After all that battling with Pink Girl and Hat Girl, I ended up being third. So many times when they got ahead of me I just said to myself, “Forget it, let it go, just run your race.” And you know what, I did. I did run my race and it apparently worked! I was also first in my age group. 🙂

My cool trucker hat, wooden medal and wooden award. Very creative.

This race was incredible. Definitely one of the hardest, if not THE hardest 50k I have done. Mt. Tam 50k is probably the next closest but I do think FOURmidable may have been a smidgen harder.

Course Profile

The course was well marked. There were sections where you really had to pay attention otherwise you might miss a turn but overall, it was extremely well executed. I am a little bummed because there was a ton vegan food at the finish and I didn’t have ANY of it. 🙁 I completely forgot and was busy with my family.

I worked my butt off training for this race knowing there was a lot of climbing. I also know that I need to keep up that amount of climbing if not double for what lies ahead.

As always, I will post my recovery meal but know that post race is always an exception in my world. Our fridge is on empty in terms of food this weekend and since Vans and the girls were at the finish, Vans had a little something up his sleeve … with a little help from me too …

Cafe Nectar to go while sipping some wine from Casque on their patio.

Two vegan tempeh tacos and one vegan chorizo taco (for Vans) complete with two wonderful glasses of Syrah as the girls played off in the distance as the sun was setting. Perfection. #goodhusband

Sorry, I know this was the longest race report ever. Hey, it was the first race of the season, give me some slack. 🙂 It is not every day when I PR in a 50k AND get 3rd female. I am still blown away and completely blessed by all the wonderful people in my life. Thanks for reading!

Happy Trails!

~Trailmomma

Full Disclaimer: I am not associated with Single Track Running at all and was not paid or compensated at all for writing this report. They truly put on a stellar event.

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