Owls!!

This afternoon, my husband and I decided we would once again go "owling". Owling is a word we made up for wondering around whatever military base we are assigned, and try and take pictures of owls of various sorts. Although we created a bit of a stir with some well meaning MP's, who took their job of keeping the base and its secrets secure very seriously, ( a big thank you to them for doing such a great job and serving their country))they seemed amused that an "old couple", (hey, Tim's 40, and I almost am. Old to those in their early twenties) would actually go out and take pictures of owls. The following pictures of cute, little burrowing owls, who couldn't wait for Tim and I to leave them alone.

Every Foot Step is a Blessing......

It has been a while, but here are some photos of some of the races I have run since that 100km in April. Most of them have been training runs for the fast approaching Leadville Trail 100, but despite having a 50 miler on my legs just one week earlier (Squaw Peak 50 in Orem, UT), and a fast 15 mile run the day before, I managed to take third place female overall at the Estes Peak marathon. The Estes Park marathon is one of my favorite marathons to run. It is so beautiful, with great support from the whole community from start to finish, and a friendly race director who loves running.

If you haven't run the Joe Colton races, you are missing out. It is absolutely beautiful, with races of various distances for all runners, and their families. A series of folk music bands played great music out along the course, in the background was the sound of a very spirited Rocky mountain stream. Snow capped mountains, blue birds, and swallows greated the runners too. Great food, a raffle, and more music greated the runners and families at the finish. I ran it on June 13th, taking 6th woman, a slight improvement from last year, and my husband ran it with me.

The next morning I ran the Estes Park Marathon. It is very hilly, with some very prolonged climbs at over 7000 feet in elevation, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. For the women's field, it ended up being a 26.2 mile cat fight between the four leading ladies. Although I was in second place for the first 17 miles, my tired legs just couldn't keep the pace, and I dropped to third. When my husband shouted out to me that the fourth place woman was gaining on me, and she was in her twenties, I was like, "hell no!" and took off, beating her by less than a minute, coming in third. All four of us were less than 2 and 1/2 minutes apart.

A big thank you to the Marshall family for their hospitality, and Tim's family for being there along the course to cheer me on, and for being there at the finish, at one of the most competitive and intense marathons I have run.

Here are some pictures of the past few weeks races:

WSU 100km

The WSU 100km, (and relay) was my first 100km race. I am so glad I chose this race as my first 100km. Not only was it safe, friendly, well marked and absolutely beautiful, but it was low key and low stress. No noisy, long and dragged out pre-race meetings, just a quiet, peaceful race in the verdant, rolling farmland outside of Washingston State University with a kind and personable race director. Although it was a very hilly course, it was quite runnable, and any physical discomfort could be comforted by the ever changing geology and farmland. The addition of a relay added to the fun, as the relay runners were fresh and enthusiastic, full of support for the solo division.

This race was held near the Washington - Idaho border, in and around Palouse. It started and ended at Washington State University. Running a 100km was a lot different than running a 50 miler, ( of which I have run nearly 50) or a 100 miler. Hitting 50 miles, (in 8:28) knowing I had nearly a half marathon to go was mentally quite challenging. But I managed to run the last 12 miles in just over 2 hours, with a finishing time of 10:35:15. A 1st place female finish, 2nd overall, albiet not a lot of competition. It was a bitter sweet finish, however. My goal was to run sub 10:30:00, to meet two of the qualifications of the 153 mile long Spatathlon in Greece.

Here are some great pictures of some of the beautiful horses and farmland that greeted the runners at every turn. A big thank you to all who helped make this great event take place!

Bataan Memorial Marathon

Out of the nearly four dozen marathons I've run, the Bataan Death March Memorial Marathon has got to be one of the most moving and memorable. It is run in memory of the World War II veterans who were forced to march for days in the terrible heat and humidity of the Philippine jungle in 1942. Some of the surviving veterans were there at the start and finish, and one even shared his story with my husband and I.

Bataan is an incredible event. There are several catagories you can run in. Civilian light, civilian heavy, ( carrying at least 35 pounds) military light, and military heavy. Thousands come out to run or march this unique event, held every march on White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The attention to detail in the race race organization is to be both admired and appreciated. Hopefully I will be able to make it out once again next year for this extraordinary event.

Pictures are of my husband and I after the race, another of the marchers as they climb up one of the many long and often sandy hills on the course, and one of a very happy, fat cat after the race.

Carl Touchstone 50km and 50 Miler

There's something about the way southern men talk that keep drawing me to this great race I discovered in 2007. Anyone who talks with a southern accent can pace me any day!

At any rate, I decided to give the Carl Touchstone 50 another go, this time with my husband Tim, who ran the 50km ,as his first ultra. The women's field was tough, and I didn't think I would finish as strong as I did in 07, and with hotter temperatures in the mid 80's with humidity to match, this course definetly ate its young fast, as nearly a third of those who signed up for the 50 miler opted to wimp out and do the 50km. Can't say I blame them, as I wasn't sure I coud even come in under 9 hours.

After nearly ten years of living in the desert, I was looking forward to the greenery of the course. Unfortunaly the forest service had other plans, and had done a controled burn, forcing the RD to change the course. The new course had numerous mud bogs, and stream crossings, slowing times even further. But one things stands out in my mind about this years race more than anything else: THE WOMEN KICKED ASS! I was 13th overall, and half of the top ten places went to women.

My husband, who quickly found out that runnng ultras is MUCH easier than being married to me, won his first ultra, coming in ahead of the second place guy by over 20 minutes. I am so proud of him. Coming in 6th woman, it's time to work cut back on the Little Debbies and get serious for the LT100.

You Can't Win Then All

After a miserable attempt at a 100 in Florida last May, The Keys 100,the ROAD KILL 100, as I have named it, due to all the traffic which you encounter the entire length of the Florida Leys, with no safety signs or markings put out by the incompetent RD, I decided to give Florida one more chance, opting for a 100 miler outside of Jacksonville, on an old, unimproved rails to trails path.

Having run on just about every survace imaginable on this planet with the 100+ ultras I have done, I thought, "piece of cake!" Flat, out and backs, and not all the horrible traffic that I encountered at Road Kill.

Indeed, the RD of the Iron Horse was first class all way. A retired Marine, he truly cared about the runners. Unfortunately for me, the well water they served didn't agree with me. No problem, I paid a volunteer a few bucks to get me some water from a gas station, and although slightly weakened from not keeping anything in or down for 30 miles, I began to feel better. Until the cramps started, forcing me to slow my pace, making it impossible to maintain a fast enough pace to stay warm. After 2 hours of uncontrollable shivering, I made the tough choice to call it quits at 75 miles. I hate DNFing a race, but sometimes it's best to stay safe and save your strength for another race. On to the next race....

Although I didn't take any pictures, and have vowed NEVER to return to Florida again, here is a token picture of my beloved cat, Pricess, feeling like her mommy after a DNF.

Sedona Marathon 2009

Having run dozens of marathons, and upwards of 100 ultra marathons, I can say with confidence that the Sedona Marathon, in beautiful Sedona, AZ, is the best organized marathon I have ever run. Never having won a marathon before, I wasn't expecting to win, but I did want to set a PR, which was 3:43. Being an out and back course, it soon became visibly apparent to me that I was in third. Which was fine with me, given that I train soley for ultramarathons. Even when I caught up with the second place female, I didn't plan on winning. But life doesn't always go according to plan. With less than a mile to go, my husband, who had come along with me, yelled out that I was just 20 seocnds behind the first place woman. Could it be possible for me to win a marathon?! With $1400 dollars in air fare prize money, plus hundreds of dollars in restaurant and spa treatments at stake, I kicked it in, and ended up winning by just seconds. The woman in front of me was tough! I honor her for making me work for that overall win, and for her grace and class at the finish line. Although not a course record, I did manage to set a PR, winning in a time of 3:35:52, 1st female, and 17th overall. A huge thank you to all the amazing volunteers who helped make this race a safe and successful victory!