Trailing Along

Possum Kingdom Race Report

2013-04-30T11:00:00.002-05:00

Photo courtesy of: Peggy Wood

When I first heard that Endurance Buzz Adventures was putting on a trail race at Possum Kingdom Lake I thought, WHAT and WHERE is Possum Kingdom? I had never heard of PK, other than the Toadie's song. After a Google image search I knew I had to come run this race. It's beautiful--all of it. The lake, the trails, the beaches and the terrain. All just a short 90 minutes west of Fort Worth, Texas. :)

The race offers a choice of running 52-miles, a 55K or 20K. I initially signed up for the 55K but switched to the 20K when I saw that my recovery from Rocky Raccoon was slower than expected. I was dealing with some nagging little overuse injuries and didn't want to make any of them worse. Next year I'd really like to go back and run the 55K though!

This would be a long weekend girls trip, so Peggy, Nancy, Beth and I took off work on Friday to drive the 4 hours to Possum Kingdom. We stopped in Windthorst, TX at St. Mary's Parish which you can see from the highway to light a candle at the grotto and say a prayer. Beautiful church and grotto, stop if you are ever in the area! We were hoping to find a Texas bluebonnet field and luckily found one and snapped some silly pictures.

Peggy in the bluebonnets

Nancy

Beth

We made it to PK and checked out our cabin we'd rented at Bonita Shores. We were the VERY first inhabitants, they got through with our cabin just that morning and it was perfect! Two bedroom, two bath with big living room and full kitchen. It was up on a high hill with a HUGE covered porch overlooking PK lake and only 2 miles from the race start.

St. Mary's in Windthorst, TX

The grotto at St. Mary's

Nancy and I lighting candles and saying a quick prayer

Our very awesome cabin porch

The view from our porch

After getting settled a bit, we headed over to Bug Beach where the awesome EBA crew were busy getting the start line and tents all set up. We got to chat with David Hanenburg and some of the other race participants and dip our toes in the lake down at the beach. A light dinner at Rockin S Bar and Grill and then early to bed with lighthearted promises of there being a "party on the patio" the following night after racing was over. Ha! Big talk. :)

Bug Beach

Peggy and I at Bug Beach

Sunset from our cabin

We were up at 4:50 the next morning to get ready and take Nancy down to the race start. She was running the 55K and her start time was an hour before ours. She couldn't decide if she would need a light or not for her 6:30 start time, it was just starting to lighten up and she decided against a light and was happy she didn't take it. Peggy, Beth and I started the 20K at 7:30 and after all running together for a few minutes Peggy started moving her way up through the pack and I knew I wouldn't see her until the finish. Beth and I hung together a few miles and then I was on my own. I put my ear bud in one ear and settled in.

The first 4-5 miles were lots of rolling trail with some sandy sections. There was cactus, lots of cedar trees, some rocky up and downs and some beautiful views of the lake. After crossing a road the trail abruptly changes to very technical and rocky which was fun, loved the sudden change-up! I slowed my pace a bit and was extra cautious through this area. Lots of interesting rock formations and the smell of cedar through this area was heavenly! I came into the aid station feeling great and didn't need anything since I'd worn my Nathan Intensity hydration pack, so I kept going. I kept leap frogging with a man named David McCaghren so we eventually just started running together and chatting. Talking with him made the race go so much faster and running behind him worked out perfectly for me because he had a very steady pace. He might hike up a particularly steep hill but then he was running as soon as he hit the top. Sometimes I have trouble starting back up after a walk, so it was nice to have a great pacer getting me going again! We even figured out that we had seen each other at other races and that he was the one that first came upon me after my big fall at Isle du Bois in 2011 that required 11 stitches.

This was one of those races where I never hit any low points, just felt good the whole time and loved every inch of the race course. There are distinct sections and each one was fun! There was sandy sections, rocky sections, flat and fast sections, hilly sections with GREAT views, etc. FUNFUNFUN!!!

Photo courtesy of: EnduranceBuzzAdventures.com

Beth and I after the race, we went out for 6.5 more miles. The course was THAT fun!
Photo courtesy of: Peggy Wood

Photo courtesy of: Peggy Wood

David and I finishing
Photo courtesy of: Peggy Wood

David and I finished in 2:41:07 and this is a race I'll be at every year. The finishers gift was a bottle of Nature Nate's honey (LOVE this stuff!). Peggy finished ahead of me in 2:29 and Beth was right behind me in 2:45. We soaked our legs in the cold lake, then grabbed some of the delicious race food -- soft tacos -- and sat in lawn chairs cheering on finishers and people in the longer races going out for more laps. Nancy finished in 7:32 and we headed out shortly after that. We did get to see the first 52-mile male, Eric Gilbertson come flying in to the finish in 7:45:15. And the first place female, Nicole Studer, was right behind him in 7:47:07! Every single time I saw them out on the course they were smiling and telling everyone they passed "good job." Great people, these trail runners are!

1st Place 52-mile female- Nicole Studer

I'd like to also mention that all of the EBA events are cup-free racing. Runners must bring their own hydration pack or handheld bottle to the event. They also have reusable plates that they use for the food afterwards. The finishers gift is something local and reusable. I love that they put on these great events and keep it as "green" as possible. THANK YOU EBA!

There was no "party on the patio" Saturday night...we were pretty pooped out. We ate a nice dinner at The Cliffs, then hung out on the patio drinking wine (the other girls) and Mike's Hard Lemonade (me) and were in bed by about 9:30.

Of all of EBA's races, this one is now my favorite. And that's saying a lot, because I like them ALL! My ideal course is a varied terrain with nice views and lots of shade and this course has all of that and more.

Full results can be found HERE

Earth Day - 3 Earth-Friendly Things You Can Do Today

2013-04-22T10:18:00.001-05:00

1. Think green when you clean with natural and homemade cleaning products. Vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda will make your house sparkle and smell good naturally and safely. Instructions for a non-toxic cleaning kit here - http://www.care2.com/greenliving/make-your-own-non-toxic-cleaning-kit.html

2. Plant a tree every Earth Day! Trees generate oxygen, provides air pollution control and shade which keeps cities and homes cooler. For $15.00, you get a one-year membership to the Arbor Day Foundation and 10 free trees! If you don't have room to plant all ten on your property, give some away or help plant them in your neighborhood. This is a great activity for kids who love to get their hands dirty and a great learning opportunity for them too.

3. Walk or ride a bike. Rethink those small trips to the store and how you get there. Utilize that bike sitting in the garage or your own two feet and kill two birds with one stone. Exercise AND using less gas.

Just a few quick reminders of small things that add up to big things.

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!

Mountain Running - Oklahoma Style!

2013-04-05T14:51:00.001-05:00

Okay, so there are not many options in central and western Oklahoma when a runner is needing some serious hill training. Eastern Oklahoma has some big beautiful mountains, but for us in central Oklahoma wanting a quick trip on a Saturday for some good hill work, the Wichita's work best. So our bi-monthly training sessions have begun again this year in preparation for Angel Fire! Last Saturday we drove down early and did a quick lap up/down Mt. Scott (3 miles up 3 miles down) and then one lap on Dog Run Hollow (6 mile loop). Great fun as always and it's early enough in the year that there were no rattlesnake sightings, no tarantulas or scorpions on Mt. Scott and no heatstroke. SCORE!

I brought food from home and practiced my Paleo eating like a dutiful patient. (oh-I need to blog about the Paleo part. Doctors orders for the gallbladder and digestive issues. It's having the surprising effect of completely curing my migraines..) I ate a mix of chia seeds, hemp seeds and buckwheat soaked in coconut milk and sliced banana before I ran. During the run I fueled up with homemade date, coconut, almond butter and dried cherry bites. After the run I ate boiled eggs, and orange and an apple. I love healthy eating. :)

Some pictures from our fun day:

On the way up Mt. Scott

Peggy, me, Nancy, Tanya and Amy at the base of Mt. Scott

Peggy flying down

Tanya zipping down the mountain

David and Emerson on the way up

Nancy powering up

Nancy at the top of an empty Mt. Scott parking lot

Having fun on Dog Run Hollow

Amy, Tanya and Peggy

A little cliff-side trail yoga

Amy practicing some trail yoga

Endurance Buzz - Merrell Shoe Reviews

2013-03-14T15:21:00.001-05:00

If you'd like to check out the reviews that Olga and I put together for the Merrell Mix Master Move Glide, Merrell Bare Access Arc 2 and Road Glove Dash 2 - head on over to Endurance Buzz!

Possum Kingdom

2013-03-12T08:39:00.001-05:00

Another great race is coming up that I'm so excited for I had to write just a little bit about it. Possum Kingdom is a brand spankin' new race put on by David Hanenburg of Endurance Buzz Adventures. One of my favorite race directors and good friend, David is creating some fun and awesome races in the north Texas area and it's pretty exciting to have some new, fun races out there. I think Possum Kingdom is going to stand out among the other races for it's unique terrain and trails.

I have to admit that I think the name is cool too, given that I've been listening to Possum Kingdom by the Toadies for almost 20 years. :)

Something for everyone--a 20K, 55K and 52-mile. I'm signed up for the 55K, come run with me! PK is on April 27, 2013 in Graford, TX.

Some course pictures from the Endurance Buzz Adventures Facebook page-

Angel Fire Endurance Run 2013

2013-03-05T22:21:00.000-06:00

Angel Fire 50K, 50 Mile and 100 Mile registration is now online and is set for June 22, 2013. This race in Angel Fire, NM boasts a gorgeous course and the start/finish is in the parking lot of The Lodge at Angel Fire Resort which is beautiful and reasonably priced. Doesn't get much better than that! After a DNF last year I'm ready to tackle it again this year with better training and more determination. And I'll definitely be looking around me more to make sure I don't miss course markings this year!

To join the Facebook group, go HERE

Registration is HERE

Rocky Raccoon 50-Mile Race Report

2013-02-11T13:35:00.000-06:00

About to start our adventure. Excited!

The weeks leading up to my first 50-mile race did nothing to bolster my confidence that I'd be able to have a decent race or even finish. Months of strange medical problems such as hiatal hernia, gastritis and GERD started catching up to me and training was barely even enough for a marathon, much less a 50 miler, and being my first one I had NO idea what to expect with that kind of distance and time on my feet. A week before the race I finally got the diagnosis that I have a low functioning gallbladder and that I needed to have surgery. I think this is probably what triggered all of the other problems that I have going on. Instead of rushing off to the surgeon, I'm treating the gallbladder problem naturally with diet changes and herbs. But that's a whole 'nother post!

Back to the race! Nancy and I left early Friday morning for the 6 hour drive to Huntsville, TX. For once, I was not nervous at all about the race since I had NO expectations at all for myself. I very much doubted I'd even be able to finish, but thought if I could get in a lap or two and get to enjoy the beautiful pine trees there at Huntsville State Park for a few hours I'd be happy with that.

After checking into our hotel and checking out the state park, we decided to while away a few hours at the Texas Prison Museum. We had so much fun! We also learned a lot, especially that I NEVER want to go to prison. They had some handmade confiscated weapons on display that were downright scary!

Fake guard waving from his fake watch tower :)

Ol' Sparky. Real electric chair that has been put to use many times. Gave me the creeps!

Giant Sam Houston

Palm trees!!!

We headed over to the state park to pick up packets and listen to the pre-race briefing at about 4 pm. Our friend David Sooter was camping at the park and had a primo camping spot just a short little walk to the start/finish line so we parked there and headed to the lodge. After picking up packets, listening to the briefing and taking a few pictures we were headed back to town to grab a few things at the grocery store and settle in for the night. Instead of eating out, we each packed healthy meals and ate in the hotel room. We were actually in bed by I think 9 pm! A first!

Up bright and early at 4:30 am, we were on our way back to the park and to our easy parking spot at David's site. The line getting into the park wasn't as bad as we thought it might be and we had about an hour before the race started to visit the restroom, putter around with our packs and set out our drop bags. I went with one drop bag and a small cooler filled with date balls and fruit. The race had the drop bag area set up so conveniently with tarps set out and numbers on each tarp telling you which drop bags went where. The temps were great, low 40's for the start, but it would get warm later with highs in the mid 70's. The 50-mile was 3 loops of 16.67 miles each.

Awards table. SO COOL! Nancy got herself a very cool "Rocky Donkey"

And just like that it was 7 am, and we were off! I started off with my friend Haley and we had a slow but steady pace going. The trails there are wide and it's a breeze to pass (and be passed) there. I had decided on no music the first loop. If I needed the boost, maybe on the second loop and probably definitely on the third loop.

Me, Haley and Haley's friend before the race

Sweet singletrack

View of the lodge from the other side of the lake while running on the dam section

One of the many cool bridges on the course

I made it a point to look around and enjoy the views of Lake Raven. About 99% was very runnable, soft pine needled trails. I hit my first rough spot only 14 miles into the race and couldn't help but think "UH OH." My mind started going to that dark place where I was thinking there was no way I'd be able to complete 50 miles if I was already feeling tired and sore at 14. Haley encouraged me to just keep moving and she went on ahead. I finished the first loop, grabbed a couple date balls from my cooler and headed back out. Haley caught back up (she spent some time at the start/finish aid station) about 3 miles into the second loop. I kept thinking that if I could just push myself through the second loop that I would give myself permission to crawl, walk or wog (walk/jog) the third loop, whatever it took to get through it. So that's what I did and I came through the second loop at about 7 hours. I kept up a steady stream of a date ball once an hour, pb&j squares and oranges at aid stations and water in my pack. Nutrition was working great so far so I didn't mess with it and kept it up the whole race. No bonks or nausea. Hot dog! I do believe I have found the nutrition that works best for me! The aid stations were WONDERFUL. Everything about this race was like a well-oiled machine. No hiccups at all.

Starting the third loop, I was on automatic pilot. I decided that I would NOT think, just grab new supplies and my headlight and get out of that start/finish. I didn't feel too horrible starting that loop (about 33 miles into the race) but after a mile or so totally and completely hit the wall. Even walking felt like a major undertaking! I kept thinking in my head that I needed to just keep chipping away at those remaining miles, no matter how slow and painful so that's what I did. When the rough spot started to get better (as they always do) I concentrated on power walking as fast as I could, and when that started to feel easier I started running again. Slowly running, but running. I stopped at DamNation aid station right as the sun was going down and got some hot potato soup and quesadilla. HEAVENLY! This perked me up tremendously. My IT band and knees hurt so much that I did everything I could do to distract myself. I listened to my favorite songs, talked to other runners and thought about home. About halfway into the last loop it started getting dark. I was looking forward to it since it would be something different, and it would get colder which usually gives me energy. What I discovered though is that running became a lot harder once it was completely dark because of all the little roots. My headlight just couldn't illuminate the trail enough that I was able to run without stumbling so my pace again became the fastest power walk I could manage. Every mile felt like 10 and time started running together in some weird time warp.

Happy tears! Glad to be done.

I finally hit the last section that runs next to the park road and knew I was on the home stretch. I was so emotional, crying one minute and ecstatic the next. I called Dave when I was 1/2 mile from the finish line and sobbed to him that I was 1/2 mile away and was going to make it. He was so excited for me and so proud that it gave me some energy and after I hung up I managed to jog most of the way in to the finish. 13:42:31!! My first 50-miler and although slow, it was the best feeling in the world to have finished.

Nancy finished in an amazing time of 10:42:02 and got first in her age group! So proud of her. Haley finished in 12:38:35 and did great, and David Sooter finished in a smokin' fast 9:21:24.

This was one of the best experiences in my life and something no one can ever take away. I will never attempt this untrained again though! I'm already thinking about the next one... :)

Rocky Recap Coming Soon

2013-02-05T09:06:00.000-06:00

I completed Rocky Raccoon 50-miler and am still alive and kicking! I had a great day and everything came together for me on Saturday. I will write out my race report as soon as I can put my thoughts into words to describe the day. Until then, a few pictures that sum it up.

When Gallbladders Attack

2013-01-29T16:32:00.002-06:00

It's almost here!! Four more days until Rocky Raccoon 50M! To say I'm excited is an understatement. :-)

Photo credit: http://www.minnesotawildanimalmanagement.com/

After months of stomach issues, medical tests and failed training runs I have have the answer I've been searching for. A non-functioning gallbladder. The upper endosocopy in December showed gastritis, GERD and hiatal hernia and now there is the gallbladder problem. I'm thinking it's all gotta be related and some brief internet research seems to say it's possible.

My GI doctor is recommending surgery to remove my gallbladder but I'm not quite there yet. Going to do some research and get a second opinion first.

And cross my fingers that my gallbladder doesn't decide to attack in the middle of RR on Saturday!

To all my fellow 'Cooners, see ya in Huntsville!!

The Ultimate Trail Food - Coconut Date Balls

2013-01-25T13:41:00.002-06:00

I'm a bit of a healthy real food "foodie" and always on the lookout for good trail recipes. What's a good trail recipe? Anything that has 100% real and healthy ingredients, keeps well, packs well and is energizing. I found this recipe on Daily Garnish and decided to try it out. BINGO! Easy to make and delicious. I make up a batch and freeze them. The morning of a long run or trail race, I take a couple out of the freezer and put them in a ziploc bag in my hydration pack. They are thawed and perfect by the time I need one.

I have to warn you, these things are like crack! Sooo delicious. My friend David modified a little bit by adding coffee to his for a little caffeine boost mid-run. I'm going to give that a try on my next batch.

If you have trouble with the link, the full recipe from Daily Garnish is below:

Ingredients (12-14 balls)

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
12 pitted dates, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup water (you might not need quite this much!)
zest of one orange
pinch of salt
extra coconut for rolling (optional)

Instructions

Honestly, it doesn’t get much more simple than this. Make sure your dates are pitted, and then chop them into bite sized pieces.

Add dates, oats, coconut, vanilla, salt, and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to a food processor. Zest one orange over top of the food processor, and then let it spin. The mixture will be dry and crumbly – let it process for a minute just to break down some of the bigger ingredients.

Slowly add about 1/4 cup of water – add just until the mixture becomes wet and a bit sticky. Scoop out tablespoon sized portions and roll into balls. They will have a bit of stickiness to them, so I like to roll them in dried coconut to help prevent them from sticking together.

These can be eaten at room temp, but I prefer them cooled in the refrigerator. Pack for snacks, hikes, bike rides, or any other long day where you might need a quick boost.

Ouachita Switchbacks Trail Race Report

2013-01-22T10:52:00.001-06:00

Yes, Oklahoma has mountains! Big, beautiful mountains. 2013 was the inaugural Ouachita Switchbacks 25K and 50K trail run and lucky me, I got to be a part of it! Tommy Brennan put the race together and did a wonderful job. There wasn't enough time to secure the necessary permit with the National Forest Service to call it an "official" trail race, so this ended up being a Fat Ass style race. It was free but donations were taken to help cover some of his expense in stocking aid stations.

The Ouachita National Forest covers 1.8 million acres in central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma and is where you can find one of the prettiest trails I've ever seen, the Ouachita Trail. The Ouachita Trail is 223 miles long and stretches from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma to Pinnacle Mountain State Park in Little Rock, Arkansas.

View from our cabin before the race

We drove up on Friday night and rented a cabin about 5 miles from where the race would start at the Pashubbe trailhead. The cabin was cozy and it felt great to wake up Saturday morning after a full nights sleep and know that we only had a 5 minute drive to the trail head. Most of the time I arrive at a trail race half asleep after a 3am wake-up and then driving for hours, so this was nice! I could get used to that.

Waiting for the race to start

The 25K race course takes you from Pashubbe trailhead and heads west for about 9.4 miles (according to my Garmin). The entire route is run on the Ouachita trail and is marked by Ouachita trail blue blazes. 25K'ers run an out & back for about 18.8 miles total. The 50K'ers do this out & back and then once back at the start/ finish take off down a different trail running that heads east for an out & back. There were 30ish runners signed up for both races Saturday morning and it was a mellow, friendly atmosphere. After some directions from Tommy we were off! The combination of being in the mountains and smelling the fresh pine scented air, having perfect running temps (38 at the start climbing to 62 degrees in the afternoon with TONS of sunshine) and being healthy had me feeling blessed and I was on a total running high. The first 6 miles or so was a blur of pure happiness. :)

Miles 0-4 were rolling, pine needle covered trails. Pretty technical in spots, but almost all runnable. At about mile 4 is the only road crossing. We crossed over highway 259 and hit the first aid station. After the aid station we had the largest river/creek crossing. I almost managed to cross with dry feet! Ended up with one foot soaked and one dry and realized my Kinvara Peregrine II's and Injinji socks do a great job of draining and dry fast.

Miles 4-7 After the river crossing the trail starts heading up Winding Stair Mountain. The views become more expansive and the trail gets more varied. There are views of the river/creek down below, a rock glacier to traverse, HUGE downed trees to climb over/under, very technical sections and soft groomed pine needle sections. There was even a little snow up here which was fun to see. At mile 7 we descended to a small saddle and I knew this was where it was about to get real.

River/creek crossing after first aid station

View of the crossing while climbing Winding Stair Mountain

Photo courtesy of: Russell Bennett
Yep, that' s the trail!

Cindy crossing boulder field

Cindy working her way up the switchbacks

Miles 7-9.4 The climb up Wilton Mountain is a series of 33 switchbacks (hence the name of the race) and it's a doozy. Cindy and I kept meeting back up during the race and would run sections together which was fun. I like running solo but love the companionship of a good friend during hard sections and it really helped during the tougher sections to be able to run with her. We kept chipping away at it climbing up, up up. Finally at the top, we took a few pictures, ate a few cookies and started to head back down.

Me at the tippy top of Winding Stair Mountain! Halfway through.

View from the top

Snow on the mountain

Miles 9.4-11.8 We made good time going back down Winding Stair Mountain and before I knew it we were back in the saddle again and heading back up. This is where I started to feel my lack of any recent mountain or hill training and began to slow. I was also dealing with some gallbladder pain, probably from eating the cookies at the turnaround. Cindy went on after a few minutes. Once the pains eased, I started running again. Nothing too memorable here in this section, it was just head down, relentless forward progress.

Miles 11.8-14.8 I felt pretty relieved to see the aid station and highway 259. Made it feel more like I was on the home stretch to cross that highway! Ate a few more cookies and headed for the finish.

Descending Winding Stair for the final time. Almost back to the aid station!

Miles 14.8-18.8 Gallbladder pains again. (this is when it finally entered my brain that HEY, cookies are probably causing your struggling gallbladder to freak out so STOP eating cookies!) After only a few minutes of sitting on a rock and breathing through the pain, the right-side ache once again eased off and I was back to running. Knowing I was on the home stretch pepped me up and kept me going. Although tired, I was still enjoying every second out there and marveling at just HOW beautiful the Ouachita National Forest is. (If you haven't been there, GO!) Felt good to get to the finish though and be done and was VERY glad that I was running the 25K and not the 50K. My legs were toast.

I haven't looked at my Garmin data yet to see what the elevation was for the race, but it was much more significant than what I'm used to. I can't wait to start coming here more to train, it's rugged and beautiful. The Ouachita Trail is well-marked with blue blazes and I would love to explore every inch of it.

Tommy had chili, chips, cookies and other goodies after the race and even gave me a shirt for finishing. Great, GREAT race and I hope it becomes an annual event.

The next day, hiking at Cedar Lake with Dave

Hiking Old Pine Trail at Cedar Lake with Dave, Ladybird and Trixie

Old Pine Trail and Cedar Lake

One more Isle du Bois mention

2012-12-13T09:28:00.000-06:00

A Dallas Morning News blogger, Suann "Honeybee" Lundsberg, wrote the following post about Isle du Bois. I even got a mention and my picture so thought I'd share. :)

Dallas Morning News ~ Isle du Bois

Isle du Bois 2012 ~ Look! No Blood!

2012-12-10T15:24:00.003-06:00

Isle du Bois.. Island of the Trees. A perfect name for this beautiful location in north Texas. Isle du Bois State Park is located 10 miles east of Sanger, TX and is on the southern shores of Ray Roberts Lake.

I earned my IDB tattoo last year in the 50K, (read about it here) - so this year was all about being deliberate and careful and keeping falling to a minimum so I ran the 18K. Isle du Bois has some great single track with beautiful views of Ray Roberts Lake. I can honestly say I enjoyed every single second of running! There are no steep long climbs, it is tame in the way of elevation. The tricky part of running IDB is the footing. Lots of rocks. Big rocks, baby rocks, pointy rocks and round rocks. And just when you think you've come out of a rocky section, there are some roots to keep you alert. Have I said yet that I LOVE this trail?!? It's one of my favorites. This year had some great weather - A chilly and overcast 40 degree start, with highs in the 60's and lots of beautiful sunshine later in the morning.

Endurance Buzz Adventures puts on Isle du Bois and does a fantastic job. As always, they give you the option when registering for the race on receiving a shirt or paying less of a race fee and not getting the shirt. My suggestion to anyone - GET THE SHIRT! These are awesome, highly coveted bamboo tasc performance shirts. And this year we even got long-sleeved. Love my shirt!

My lovely trail girls (Nancy, Beth, Peggy and Melissa) picked me up in Norman at 4am for the drive down to Pilot Point, TX and we had a little trail runner train of cars with Matt and Cindy in one car and David Sooter in another all following each other. It's only two hours from Norman and a straight shot down I-35. We arrived early enough to score a close parking place near the start/finish. After picking up and admiring our shirt, we hung around the heaters and talked to all of our Texas trail running friends that we only get to see a few times of year at races. I truly love the trail running community, just good people. :)

Mel, Peg and I before the race

Beth, Peg, Brance, me and Mel

Rex Pace and his beautiful family before the race

We had some time to kill so we sat in the car to stay warm. Soon enough it was time for the 50K'ers to be on their way. Their race started at 7:30 am and the 18K started at 8:00 am. After sending Nancy, Rex and Cindy on their way we got ready for our race to start. Peggy, Beth, Melissa and I all kept pretty close together during the first few miles and I loved getting to joke around with them. Usually we spread out almost immediately in a race so it was fun and felt more like a training run to have them nearby.

On the trail. Deep concentration! :)

This race flew by for me and I think it's because my brain was so occupied with choosing my footing wisely that the miles tick away fast. I love this trail but had forgotten some of the sections from last year, so it was like rediscovering an old friend. I leapt, climbed and hopped over and around rocks for 2 hours and 17 minutes and actually felt sad when I saw the finish up ahead. The RD, David Hanenburg, stands at the finish line and gives every single runner a pat on the back and their finisher award personally. (just one of the many things that make him and his races great) I was so excited to tell him and show him that I was intact so I ran across the finish and said "look, no blood!" :) What a relief. I think I have now beat that scary little demon down that had me scared of running this course again after what happened last year. David gave me my finisher award which was some local honey from Nature Nate's. YUM!

The great part about running the shorter race? Hanging around in lawn chairs eating delicious vegetarian soft tacos, chips and salsa and cheering in all of the inspiring ultra runners. David, Nancy and Cindy all did awesome in their 50K and it was so much fun snapping pictures and cheering them in. All of us that made the drive down from Oklahoma had a great race and so much fun and I do think it will be an annual event for us.

David Sooter finishing his 50K

Oklahoma girl, Lori Enlow winning the 50K womens race!

Nancy Shidler about to start her 3rd and final loop

Nancy finishing her 50K strong

Rocky Raccoon Training (or lack thereof)

2012-11-29T09:26:00.001-06:00

The last month has been physically challenging for me. Not because I'm out running insane mileage, or breaking any land speed records or even spending lots of time at the gym. I've had tummy troubles and it's kicking my butt! Rocky Raccoon 50M training has been sorely lacking and even though I still have 65 days left to train, it's making me nervous. I have an endoscopy scheduled for next week to try to determine what the heck is going on in there--doctor thinks ulcer, hiatal hernia or gallbladder. Hopefully once I know what is going on I can move towards better treating it. Until yesterday, I'd been resisting acid reducers and trying to heal it with natural remedies like apple cider vinegar & honey shots, probiotics and digestive enzymes. I also stepped up the raw veggies since eating raw increases your digestive enzymes. Coffee, chocolate and fatty foods just KILL lately, so only a tiny bit of coffee in the morning and have had to let go of the chocolate for now. : (
I gave in and started taking some prescription meds yesterday. Maybe that, combined with the natural things I'm trying will get me over the hump.

So here is where I'm at.. I'm running when I feel good enough during the week, which is only about 10-12 miles. The past couple of weekends I've just did one long run and ran 15 miles each time. Does anyone have any suggestions as far as where to go moving forward? I am behind in my training and am not sure how hard to push to try to get back on track. My body adapts rather slow to increases in mileage so I need to take is slow. Looking at my training schedule, I feel SO behind! I'm really hoping that the worst is behind me and I can start back to my regular running soon. This weekend is the Chili Trots Trail Run out at Lake Thunderbird and I'm going to run the 30K. I had a great-feeling 5 miles last night, so that's a start! December 8th Isle du Bois 18K (last years 50K race recap) and I can't WAIT to get back on those beautiful trails. A lot of friends are going--some running the 50K so I'll stay and cheer them in. Going to be a fun couple of weeks if my stomach will just calm down. :-)

Because I have no fun running pictures lately, I'll leave you with a picture of my new birthday kayak. Ain't she purdy?!?

Ready to Rumble! Rockledge 30K

2012-11-11T19:47:00.001-06:00

I always look forward to Rockledge Rumble. It's my favorite time of year for running, and it's a great excuse to make the drive to Dallas, TX to stay with one of my best friends Holly and run a fun race with her. It's almost a tradition now after running the 15K in 2009, and the 30K in 2010.

Holly and I made it to Rockledge Park Saturday morning and picked up our packet, which as usual had a great shirt. A long-sleeved Patagonia baby blue shirt that I can't wait to wear on my next run. :) The race has a new race director that just took over this year and she did a great job. I missed the post-race rice & beans that they used to have but the quesadilla and Tecate was pretty darn yummy.

Dallas skyline at 5:45 AM

It was warmish out, about 64 degrees and a little muggy at the start. The forecast called for a high near 80 degrees and strong winds. The start wasn't windy, but we'd certainly see some wind later on.

The Northshore trail is GORGEOUS. I love this trail. It's got a great mix of everything. You start out on a short stretch of pavement, then run along the bluffs beside the lake before ducking into the woods for some tight, twisty single-track. A few more open sections, some cool lake views. Lots of rocks, some roots. It's just a beautiful trail. I somehow end up feeling really beat up at the end, even though it's not extremely hilly..I think it must be running on the rocks that does it.

Holly was dealing with some ITB pain so our game plan was start slow and stay consistent throughout the race and that's what we did. We set her Garmin to intervals. 5 minute run, 1 minute walk. She did okay with the pain the first 14 miles or so but then started really hurting. Trooper that she is, she kept on plugging away! The wind wasn't much of a factor when we were on the single-track in the woods, but the second we popped out onto the bluffs to make our way in to aid station 2/finish line, it made itself known. Crazy strong wind that felt like it was going to blow you right into the lake. I had to hold onto my hat to keep it from flying off for about a 1/2 mile. As windy as it was, it did feel kinda nice since it was much cooler than it was with the humidity that you felt while in the woods. I took one 12 oz. hand held bottle and didn't need much other than that. Just some Sports Beans and I ate some potato chips and brownie bites at the aid stations. We finished in 4:51:41 and had a blast!

The only thing that marred the day was a situation with mountain bikers on the trail. A LOT of mountain bikers on the trail...although most of them were very courteous and nice, there were a few that were riding MUCH too fast and yelling at runners. I was surprised at just how many MTBers there were...it felt like we were jumping off the trail constantly to let them go by. And later in the race there were so many that I was running paranoid because they'd fly up behind me so fast that every little noise had me looking behind me expecting to see another one. I'm sure it was no fun for them either, but not a good situation to have so many bikers on the trail with hundreds of trail runners on the same day and I'm glad no one was hurt. The aid station workers were pleading with them to slow down and the runners were too. As far as I know, there is only this one trail race at the Northshore trail per year..it would be nice for the MTBers to give us this one day to enjoy. I know when I show up to my local trails and see there is a MTB event going on I leave and go somewhere else so that I am not in anyone's way. C'mon bikers.. it's ONE DAY out of the year!
Rant over. :-P

The volunteers were fantastic as always and it was a fun day..I'm sure I'll be back next year. The only thing about this race that might keep me from returning would be the MTBer situation..but the lure of those beautiful trails, spending the day running with my Texas friends and the post-race beer and food will win out I'm pretty sure.. :)

Quesadilla and cerveza time!

Post race

Holly's "trail tan"

Whispering Pines 50K Race Report

2012-10-25T14:03:00.001-05:00

Whispering Pines was my goal race for the year...the biggie in my mind that I really wanted to do well at. I wouldn't say my training was perfect and ideal, but I got most of it done despite the very hot Oklahoma summer and fall. (if you can call temps in the 80's & 90's "fall")

Peggy, Melissa, Beth and I took Friday off to head to Tyler, TX. We stopped in Paris, TX for lunch and to play and take pictures. They have a cool little Eiffel Tower there and lots of cute historic houses. We made it to Tyler and found our very cute cabin we'd reserved at Whispering Pines RV and Cabin Resort. As soon as we threw our stuff in the cabin we headed 10 minutes away to Tyler State Park to check out the park and the trail. Tyler State Park is GORGEOUS! Tall pine trees and rolling hills. The only worrisome thing was the weather...hot and humid. VERY humid! We walked about a quarter mile of the trail we'd be running in the morning and were all pouring sweat just from that. Yikes!

Eiffel Tower...Texas style!

My girls!

Me enjoying the view from our cabin

Our cute lil cabin

American Beauty berries were everywhere along the trail. Pretty!

The beautiful trail preview on Friday night

Love me some tall pines!

After a delicious dinner at BJ's Brewhouse in Tyler was headed back to the cabin and turned in early. Saturday morning we made it to the park early and picked up our SUPER AWESOME Whispering Pines race shirts made by Tasc. LOVE all of the Endurance Buzz Adventures shirts made by Tasc Performance. Soft bamboo, v-neck, women's specific shirt that fits perfectly and the designs are always so cute. We set up our drop bags and chairs and got ready to go. For the 50K the course was three 10-mile loops. Peggy, Melissa and Beth were running the 25K and they ran a modified loop and one full loop.

I struggled a bit from the very first mile. Couldn't catch my breath and felt like I was sweating a LOT more than normal. I had on my Nathan Intensity hydration pack and felt like I did good with staying hydrated (but apparently not..) and eating. I brought some homemade date balls and would eat one every hour, nibbling a little bit at at time. Best trail food I've found yet! They hold together, even with me cramming them in my pocket repeatedly and the taste is perfect. Slightly sweet, but not overly sweet like gels. They have all healthy "real food" ingredients and the dates give you an instant boost of energy. I did bring some potato pancakes in my drop bag and had one before starting my second loop and those worked well too. I'm feel like I made huge progress on figuring out the nutrition aspect of racing ultras for me. Still gotta work on the hydration part...

Can you tell I'm having fun? :)

So the first loop was uneventful other than it was humid and I was working a little harder than I normally do for being that I'd ran less than 10 miles. I came into the start/finish, got a high five from David Hanenburg, the RD and grabbed a potato pancake, filled my pack and drank a few small cups of Coke. I started noticing on the second lap that something didn't feel quite right. I had an overwhelming urge to pee but could hardly pee at all. This went on for a few miles and then I started peeing blood. I called my friend Nancy and asked her what to do...should I go out and walk the third lap and try to drink TONS of water? Should I ask the medic what to do when I got back to the start/finish? Should I stop? She is a very experienced ultra runner and also has a medical background and she said STOP. No ifs, ands or buts. Just stop. That there is no race worth permanent kidney damage over. And I knew she was right but damn it was hard. Although tired and hot, I wanted to finish so bad. I had drank approximately 150 ounces by the time I finished the second loop which is a lot for me, I don't usually have to drink nearly that much for a 20 mile run. So strange that not only was that not enough, but I was peeing blood! I only took one S! Cap and maybe I should have taken more, just not sure. I felt like I was hydrated pretty well going into the race.

When I got back to the start/finish, I asked David for the medic and told her what was going on. Both she and David both said that I was done and needed to hydrate and go into town for some cranberry pills and Azo. We stayed for a few more hours and got to see Cindy Luttrell, David Sooter and Danny Ponder finish the 50K. My friend Katie ran the 25K, her first trail race EVER and WON IT! Everyone was so happy and excited for her. She's our speedster!

The course was beautiful! It's the perfect course to me..sections that had some hills, some flats, some technical, some non-technical...all incredibly scenic and pretty! I really enjoyed every second out there, even with the pain. I loved the race so much that I think it's become my new favorite race. :) It even edged out Palo Duro! I will FOR SURE be back next year for another go around.

The crew--David Sooter, Katie Hudson, Beth McCombs, Melissa Stone, Peggy Wood and I.

EBA had a wonderful post-race meal as usual...veggie or chicken tacos. I had the veggie and it was DELICIOUS! They had crates of fresh plums too.

David Hanenburg and his wife Wendy put their heart and soul into these races and it shows. It's more than just a race, it's an event that you look forward to. And you come away from all of their events with a happy memory, no matter how your actual race went. The aid station volunteers were awesome, every single one of them. David H.'s Mom was helping all day too..hard working family! Thanks EBA for another great event. You guys rock.

If you would like the recipe for the date balls, it can be found HERE.

The Potato Cake Experiment

2012-10-10T10:46:00.003-05:00

This weekend is Whispering Pines 50K in Tyler, TX and I could not be any more excited! A long weekend with friends running through a pine forest for hours on end? The perfect weekend!

I am thinking of trying something a little new with my fueling for this race. As much 'real food' as possible and the least amount of sugar is what I'm aiming for. Nothing crazy-- I know potatoes work well for me in ultra's so I am going to cook up a big pot of mashed potatoes tonight and put them in the refrigerator. Tomorrow I'll mix in some coconut milk and an egg or two and form some potato cakes that I will cook in a sprayed skillet. Tucked into a ziploc bag I think they will work well in my drop bag that I will have access to twice during the race. I'm thinking I can grab one and eat it on the go. Instant carbs and a little protein with the egg.

Potato Cakes. Photo Credit: Health.com

I've already figured out that a banana wrapped in a gluten-free tortilla with almond butter and roasted sunflower seeds works well for me before a long run, so I'm adapting that a little bit and going to substitute a sweet potato pancake for the tortilla. Too much fiber? We'll see... Any thoughts?

There will be oranges, bananas and PB&J's at the aid stations, and I'll take some GU and Sport Beans along in my pack in case I get in a bind and need sugar.

Have a great weekend..and happy running. :)

Amphipod Handheld Review

2012-09-28T15:24:00.001-05:00

If you are in the market for a comfortable handheld with storage then scoot on over to Endurance Buzz and check out my Amphipod Hydraform Thermal-Lite review.

Have a great weekend and happy running!

Rough Creek Trail Marathon Race Report

2012-09-18T11:46:00.002-05:00

The RD, David Hanenburg, warned that the 3 mile section of the course called the "Rusty Crown" was going to be an experience. And wow, he was not kidding! If you were not going straight up, you were heading straight down. But let me start from the beginning..

Rough Creek trail run is held at Rough Creek Lodge which is in Glen Rose, TX. The lodge and surrounding area is just beautiful. We got a big break on the weather because it was overcast the entire day with highs in the upper 70's. Most of the course is exposed with little tree cover so if it had been as hot as earlier in the week with full sun, well, I imagine there would have been some suffering on that course. But it was perfect, beautiful weather and I came ready to run! The options were 40 mile, marathon or half marathon. For the marathon, we would complete two 13.5 mile loops.

Waiting to hear "GO"

Dave and I before the race

Tanya and I at the pre-race briefing

Beautiful church at Rough Creek Lodge

I used my Nathan Intensity hydration vest for the day to minimize aid station time. I packed Sport Beans, a couple Mocha GU's, some S! caps and water.

At 7am (40 milers and marathoners), David H.said GO, and we went. The half marathoners would start at 7:30 am. From the very start I could tell it was going to be a great day! Beautiful scenery, perfect weather, good music on the mp3 player (the new Mumford and Sons song is awesome) and I felt good and relaxed and ready to take on whatever the day brought.

The first mile

The first 2 miles or so were gently rolling hills, nothing crazy, just rollers on wide trails with pretty views all around. Coming in to the first aid station which was the Rusty Crown AS, I saw a hill/small mountain in the distance that looked a little like a ski mountain with "slopes" going up and down and all around. Someone in front of me commented that it was the Rusty Crown and said that they were trying not to look, because if they ignored it that it would go away. :) I passed the aid station, just calling out my number as I went by and headed towards the Crown, not really knowing what to expect.

The first climb was steep and rocky and I started to get an inkling of what the next 3 miles had in store. Here is the Rusty Crown, the trails go all the way around the "mountain", weaving their way up and down it.

The Rusty Crown

I took it very VERY slow and worked my way around the mountain. It was some of the steepest grades I've probably ever tried to run (or even hike) up and down but in a strange twisted way was kinda fun! I dreaded each hill but also felt satisfied when making it up the hill and am pretty sure I had a half grimace/half smile on my face the entire time!

On the Rusty Crown

There was one hill in particular, Tanya and I named it "The Beast" and it was impossible for me to climb with just my legs so I ended up bear crawling up the last 1/2 of it. I'm tellin' ya, the Rusty Crown is NO JOKE! Challenging but has some beautiful views at the top. The climbs and descents are rocky and technical and I recommend taking it SLOW. Fun stuff, though!

People crawling up "The Beast"

Picture looking down The Beast

Straight up!

I was afraid that my legs would be toast after I made it off the Crown but I actually felt quite good. I went back through the Rusty Crown AS, this time grabbing some Fig Newtons. My legs were feeling really good and the smooth flat trail felt wonderful. I made my way back to the dirt road and headed towards House Lake. The trail here was totally runnable and mostly flat so I tried to make up some time since I was so slow on the Rusty Crown. House Lake AS is the turnaround point and I got to see and cheer on a lot of runners on this little out and back section.

As I headed back towards the start/finish (halfway point for me) I did start to feel a little tired and achy and wondered how it was going to feel to start out for that second loop. I tried not to think to much about it so that I didn't mentally bonk. Coming in to the start/finish I beelined for the bathroom and then headed back out quick, before I could think much about the fact that I still had 13.5 miles to go.

The first couple of miles went fast and before I knew it I was back at the Rusty Crown AS. Teresa was there and asked if I wanted some Coke. I said no, just grabbing a few Fig Newtons again and heading towards the Crown. Funny thing happened though, I started thinking about that Coke back at the AS and was craving it so much I couldn't WAIT to get back and ask for some! I never drink Coke during a race but it sounded SO GOOD. I again took it very slow and steady and once again bear crawled up The Beast. It was THE BEST feeling in the world to be on the road heading down off of the Rusty Crown and knowing I would not see her again till next year. The second I came into the aid station I asked Teresa for some of that yummy Coke and downed two cups of it. It was like rocket fuel! I grabbed a couple of Fig Newtons while one of the AS workers filled up my pack with water. I headed out knowing I had 8 miles left and I was determined to run it all since it was mostly flat. Although tired, I really felt pretty good so when I left the AS I turned up the tunes and started running with all my heart.

On the second loop

I kept up a solid pace and when I made it back to House Lake AS I just told them my number and headed straight back out. I think this was about 22 or 23 miles and I knew that the finish line would be about 27.5 miles so I put my head down and kept repeating the mantra "Do the work" and it kept me moving. After I got to 26 miles I could smell the finish line and got a little extra kick. I was really wanting to make it in under 7 hours but I could tell it probably wasn't going to happen. That's my goal next year. :) As I made it onto the paved road and wound my way around to the finish line I could see Dave and I felt choked up for a moment which happens every time I see him at the end of a long race. It only lasted a second and then I felt just purely happy and had a big smile for him. After passing him I could see the finish line and there was Larry Flies and David Hanenburg...I flew through the chute and could finally stop. 7:05 finish time and damn proud of it! Garmin said 27.7 miles. So many times I second guess myself after a race and feel like I could have ran faster or pushed harder and this race I can truly say I left every single thing I had out on the course. It's an awesome feeling. :)

Smiling at Dave..finish line in sight!

David H. waiting at the finish line to welcome in all of his runners

Done!

Elevation profile for the marathon

The post race meal was AMAZING. Vegetarian or meat soft tacos, watermelon and cake. I sat down and ate in the screened in pavilion and cheered in some runners.

This ended up being one of the most memorable and fun trail races I've ran. Endurance Buzz Adventures does a wonderful job and always puts on a race that feels like a great adventure.

Dave and I headed back to town where I rested a bit and then headed out for some BBQ with Holly who drove up from Dallas just to see me. Great weekend! Already excited for next years race!

Thank you to Larry, Teresa and ALL of the volunteers and to David and Wendy Hanenburg. You guys are awesome!

DoWackaDo 25K Trail Race 2012

2012-09-11T09:56:00.003-05:00

Joel Everett (RD)and I after the race

The weekend started out with big gusty bang. Friday afternoon was a balmy 105 degrees until right before I left for the 3 hour drive to Erick, OK for the 3rd annual Do-Wacka-Do Trail Run. A cool front came through (thank God!) and along with it came 55 mph wind gusts, dust storms and some rain. Even though fighting the wind along I-40 westbound was not fun, it was still such a blessing since the cool front would make for a great race for 111 happy runners.

Dust storm on the drive to the race

The plan was to camp at the race start in a tent, but when I heard about the wind advisory and rough weather moving in I decided to book a room in Erick. I got to the Roger Miller museum about 6:30 pm and picked up my packet. It was filled with fun little things! I was checked in to my hotel with feet up watching TV by 7:00 pm and spent a relaxing evening watching TV and playing on my Kindle.

I was up early and fixed my favorite pre-run breakfast: sprouted grain tortilla smeared with peanut butter with roasted & salted sunflower seeds sprinkled on and half a banana in the middle. Rolled it up and put it in a ziploc to eat on the way to the race which was about 10 miles south of town. Stopped at the Love's across the street from the hotel for a huge cup of coffee and was on the road. The temps were lovely!! 58 degrees which was amazing considering it's hardly dropped lower than 80 (even overnight) all summer long.

The race start was buzzing with activity. I found Joel, the awesome and fearless RD, and got to chat with him for a bit before he had to go do his directing duties. My friends that drove up from OKC that morning arrived and we all got ready to run. Weeeeeeeeeee! I love this race. :)

With a big shotgun blast we were off. The sky was gorgeous and the air was cool..I could tell it was going to be a great run. I started off running with Jade and after she sped up I ran for a bit with Melissa and Beth. Most of the time I ran alone and listened to good music and looked around as much as possible at the rugged but beautiful canyons. This race has some VERY steep climbs and steep descents. It's also very exposed, no tree cover at all so in the cool temps it was fun and beautiful but if the cool front had waited another day to arrive it would of felt brutal.

I had everything I needed on me (Sports Beans, GU, water) and didn't stop at any aid stations until the last one where I grabbed half an orange and cup of Gatorade. They were delicious and I was so glad I stopped. The aid stations had great selections of food and even bean burritos that I hear were wonderful!

I ended up finishing in 3:21:23 which almost tied my 25K PR, but actually I guess I bested my PR because Do-Wacka-Do is a 16 mile 25K instead of 15.5 miles. The finisher awards were arm coolers with the Do-Wacka-Do logo on them. COOL!!! I had a GREAT time as usual and after the race we set up chairs near the finish line, ate BBQ sandwiches, potato salad, coleslaw and cake while cheering on the 50K and 50 milers that were coming in. There was some really fast guys out there this year and it was fun to watch them finishing.

Chillin' with my peeps

50K winner Nick Seymour

Brance Graham drove up all the way from Plano, TX for the race. He had a love/hate relationship with the steep hills!

Jack Christian finishing the 50K

Tanya Brown finishing the 25K with a big smile

Beth McCombs and Melissa Stone finishing up the 25K

DoWackaDo arm coolers

This race is an every year event for me--Joel has created a family type atmosphere and although it grows every year it still has that "family reunion" type of feeling. Many thanks to him and Retta and all of the wonderful volunteers!

Results can be found HERE.

Next up- Rough Creek trail marathon September 15th!

Homemade Energy Bars

2012-08-31T11:21:00.002-05:00

I've seen (and made) a couple of variations on this basic recipe and they all turned out great. The main thing to remember is that it's very adaptable and you can add a little more honey or almond butter if it needs to be stickier, or add in some more puffed brown rice if it is too sticky. You can play with the ingredients and amounts to get it where you need it to be.

The cherries are important as they are such a great recovery food for runners. They add a wonderful sweetness to the energy bars. Cherries are considered a "super food" because, like many red fruits, they are a good source of vitamins and minerals as well as anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are antioxidants that are responsible for giving fruits their bright red color. (source) They are also believed to help reduce the oxidative damage that occurs in muscle tissue after a strenuous workout, thus enabling the tissue to recover more quickly. This, in turn, might allow athletes to perform at a higher and more consistent level.

Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, which has an anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefit. Great fuel on the run.

Honey of course provides a natural source of energy. The organic sugars, glucose and fructose, aid in preventing fatigue during athletic activities.

Coconut reduces inflammation and supports tissue healing and repair.

Puffed brown rice is rich in important B vitamins, as well as significant amounts of zinc, magnesium and phosphorus. It is an excellent source of the mineral manganese, which is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and protein and essential for a healthy nervous system

Nut butters provide healthy fat and various vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, niacin, magnesium, iron, selenium and zinc. The healthy fat gives me energy and keeps me full longer which is important in a long race.

Okay, so now that we've dissected some of the ingredients, here is the recipe.

1 cup peanut butter, almond or cashew butter.
1/2 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
2/3 cup dried cherries or 2/3 cup dried cranberries or 2/3 cup raisins or a combination. (I prefer just dried cherries)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/3 cup shredded or flaked coconut
3 cups puffed brown rice cereal
Olive oil spray, to grease pan (you can use coconut butter if you prefer)

Spray olive oil in an 8x8 pan to lightly coat, or rub coconut butter all over the pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract until well-combined.

Add the sunflower seeds, dried fruit, sesame seeds and coconut and combine thoroughly with the peanut butter mixture.

Gradually add the puffed brown rice cereal to this.

Firmly press the mixture into the prepared 8x8 pan; you'll need to wet your hands slightly, otherwise the mixture just sticks to them.

Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours, then cut serve or pack in individual saran wrap or plastic baggies. I wrap in saran wrap and pack in my backpack, running pack or drop bag. These delicious little bars keeps me energized and feeling good while on a long run or out hiking. Cut however small or large you like, but I prefer smaller sizes for easier handling. (about 3in x 3in squares)

Peanut Butter Banana Time

2012-08-27T09:44:00.001-05:00

I admit it..I am obsessed with peanut butter. Cashew butter. Almond butter. Sunflower butter. All kind of nut butters. I came across this slideshow of healthy ways to incorporate peanut butter (or any nut butter) in your diet and knowing how much runners like their peanut butter, thought I'd share. Can't wait to try the tortilla, peanut butter, banana and sunflower seed one! I'm thinking this would be a great ultra snack. Easy to make ahead of time and stow in a drop bag or put in a ziploc bag and carry in my pack. I'll use salted instead of unsalted sunflower seeds and have the perfect snack!

Photo: fitfoodist.com

5 Healthy Twists for Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Ultra Training

2012-08-15T09:01:00.001-05:00

Not much exciting going on here but thought I'd write a quick post about my training lately. I feel like I'm just trying my hardest to maintain fitness and gradually up the mileage while trying to get through another record breaking hot summer. I'm talkin', 85 degrees and humid at 5:30 am hot. Blech. So I've been getting up early or running late and have been hovering around 32 miles per week. This week it goes up to 40 mpw and keeps increasing after that to a peak week of 56 mpw. My training is focused on Whispering Pines 50K which is October 13th, and will then shift to Rocky Raccoon 50 mile in February.

Food is one of the most important components of training for me and I'm eating as many fresh, organic fruits and vegetables as I can get my hands on. Still drinking a big green smoothie every morning for breakfast loaded with hemp & pea protein, greens, carrots and fruits along with some Matcha green tea powder, coconut flakes and chia seeds. My recovery is definitely much quicker now that I've started incorporating the smoothies, maybe I wasn't getting enough of something before? Lunch is typically leftovers from the night before heated up (roasted chickpea tacos, black bean soft tacos, stuffed quinoa peppers etc) and dinner is often poached eggs with toast or an egg sandwich. I also try to eat snack foods that are anti-inflammatory such as pineapple for the bromelain or cherries and a handful of nuts.

Next week I start boot camp and I've also begun doing lunges and squats along with some hand weights daily. I love fall and all of the promise that it brings! Being so close to the fall season motivates me to get my butt out of bed and step up the training. Not that I'm counting or anything--but the autumnal equinox just HAPPENS to be 38 days away...although Oklahoma weather seldom corresponds to dates and times much. BUT, it's coming. :)

Now that I've started running ultras, for me the main thing is getting through the training still healthy and stronger. It's so easy to burn yourself out or get injured during the long months of training and high mileage and I feel like I'm getting better with the balancing act but only by staying very in tune to my body and adjusting when I need to.

Would love to hear from other runners on what they do during training that helps them get stronger and keeps them healthier!

Oklahoma Wildfires And Clear Bay Trails

2012-08-10T11:02:00.001-05:00

Oklahoma is struggling right now..struggling with record breaking heat, drought and wildfires. Last week there was a devastating wildfire just east of where I live that destroyed many homes, killed one person and did a massive amount of damage both to property and to nature.

We were watching the news anxiously because the fires were so close to friends homes and to Clear Bay trails which is where I love to run more than anywhere else. The heroic firefighters managed to save a number of homes that were in danger and they managed to save the Thunderbird Horse Stables as well as all of the Clear Bay area, including my trails. The fire came right up to the edge of the trails on two sides and as much as I love that area out there, I will never take it for granted again! When I was so worried that it might all burn I was thinking about what a precious resource it is and how long it would take to regenerate and regrow the area and knew it would take many many MANY years and so many wild animals would have been displaced. It would of just added to the tragedy if such a great outdoor space had been lost.

Pyrocumulus cloud formed from all of the smoke

My brother was out fighting the fires there and he said that deer were running all over the area wild-eyed, not knowing which direction to go with all the of the fire and firefighters all over their home. I'm happy that they still have the Clear Bay/Little River areas to live and that I still have a place to go to run and to see them...I see more deer out there than anywhere I've ever been, sometimes I see as many as up to 20 deer in one evening!

Dave and I drove as close as we could get to the fire and I wanted to share my pictures here...it was horrific to see, knowing how much damage it was causing to all of the homes and lives out there.

Aftermath.

Donations and volunteers at Noble Fire Department. Great community!

Pray for rain! Earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, ice storms and blizzards...Oklahoman's are tough, but I wish we could have a mild year where we don't need to be tested quite so much.

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Cedar Ridge 18K Race Report

2012-07-31T15:43:00.001-05:00

This race report could be so long that it would take you 2 hours to read if I wrote about my entire weekend of misadventures traveling to and from this race.. so I'll keep it short and leave out the crazy details and stick mostly to the race itself. A quick explanation follows, if you want just the race recap scroll down past the following paragraph.

I will say that I learned several things the hard way. The most important thing I learned? Always...ALWAYS do your homework on hotels if you are not very familiar with the city! Just because it's listed on Priceline doesn't mean that it's in a safe area. Normally I read reviews and do some research but I made the reservation months ago and must have totally skipped doing that. I stayed at a hotel in south Dallas and let's just say it was very scary. After a sleepless night with a desk pushed up against the grimy door, I practically ran down the steps and to my car at 4:45 am to drive to the race for the 6:15 am race start and was hassled by a man that was standing in the parking lot. In my hurry to throw my luggage in the trunk and get myself into the car with the doors locked I managed to throw my car keys in the trunk with my luggage and didn't realize it until I'd shut the trunk. The lobby is locked at night because of the bad neighborhood and high crime rate but luckily for me the very nice night manager saw me out the window and called the guard. They found a guy that for $20 was able to break into my car, turn off the alarm and disable the anti-theft system. Thank goodness! I practically cried when I was finally headed out of that parking lot. I made it to the Cedar Ridge Preserve for the race at 6:14 am. I still needed to pick up my packet with bib number and the race I'd signed up for, the 36K, was already starting. So I dropped down to the 18K which started at 6:30 am and hurriedly got my bib on and my pack ready to go at the car.

Technical? Lil bit!

Loved this sign on the course

On to the actual race! Parking was a breeze..even getting there late I was only about a 1 minute walk to the start. Packet pickup was efficient and took all of about 30 seconds to get my bib and shirt. No lie--Endurance Buzz Adventures has the BEST race shirts I've ever gotten. They are TASC Performance shirts made from bamboo and other natural fibers. So comfortable and soft and they fit great. The shirts wick moisture, dry fast, fight odor and block the sun's rays. All that and so cute!

The race started and I kept reminding myself to let the stress of the past night and morning go and just enjoy the beautiful trail. For the most part I was able to do that but I felt pretty drained and tired. I did not have any of my usual trail race adrenaline..I think I'd already used all that up! I settled into a nice slow pace and truly enjoyed and soaked up every second out there. I got to run with Ben Haizlip for a little bit, then with Ken Gilstrap. After that I ran alone and listened to some music. This course is a loop course of about 5.5 miles and you do multiple laps. Although it was really hot out there (84 degrees at the start and mid 90's when I finished) I never felt bad and did good about drinking lots of water and took in 2 gels. The trail is pretty perfect as far as trails go for me...a nice mix of everything! Sections that were groomed and flat, sections that were hilly, steep and technical and a few tricky downhills. I did pretty good about staying on my feet until the very end..and I do mean VERY END! I was within 2 minutes of the finish line when I tripped over a big ole cedar root and went sprawling. It took the skin off both palms and both knees. It's now 3 days after the race and my knees are swollen and blue and my palms look scabby and bruised. Nothing serious, just the regular ole trail runner boo-boo! Since I was only running half of what I expected to run it seemed pretty short and I was a little bit sad to be done!

When I crossed the line David Hanenburg was there to give me my finishers award. It was a jar of local raw and unfiltered honey with a little wooden medal around the honey bear jar that said "Sweet! You finished!" How cool is that? It's the personal touches with his races that make them so memorable. :) The honey is from Nature Nate's and it's delicious. A little boy walked up with a popsicle for me and there was also watermelon and burritos. Perfect ending to a perfect race.

Awesome finishers award

TASC Performance bamboo shirt

Ouch.

Thank you so much to all the volunteers and to Endurance Buzz Adventures for a great day.