Grand Slam/ Western States 100-- 1 down 3 To Go!!

Yes this is a blog post....not a photo album but what can I say I like pictures!

Grand Slammers 2015

Timeline for publishing this post was 3 weeks....why? Because Western States 100 is the first race of a series of races referred to as the Grand Slam.  You may have read mention of this in my previous posts.  For those who do not know, the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning consists of officially finishing four of the oldest 100 mile trail races in the U.S. all in the same year.  Might as well call it for what it is...all 4 races actually occur with in 10 weeks!!!
So, added to my excitement of running Western States for the 3rd year in a row is the beginning of an epic adventure.  An adventure that will challenge my mind, body and soul in ways I am unable to even imagine.  Some call me crazy and possibly in need of medication, but for me this is living!

Little WS training!

WS prep consisted of  my now traditional Memorial Day training camp, 3-4 days of quad pounding runs on the WS course while spending time with great running peeps!  The training went as anticipated minus 1 digger,  and I even picked up a new nickname...."Funsize" :) thanks Matt Keyes! 

Photo c/o Joe McCladdie

Additional training included Black Butte repeats, Pilot Butte repeats, Aubrey Butte....I think you get the picture.  This year my focus was quad strength, last year I suffered from quad death and lost what felt like an eternity in time due to this, maybe it was my training or perhaps it was the 106+ temps in the canyons.  Either way, my plan was to eliminate the factor I could control.  Physically, I was looking pretty good for WS, no real injury but rather what had become a chronic piriformus issue (self diagnosed of course) which when irritated extended into my hamstring.  This only prevented me from doing speed work or upbeat tempo workouts (ha, while I know these w/o's would be of benefit...my heart was not broken).  Additional focus was on my core, hiking, and going into WS healthy and fit, knowing that after WS I would be recovering and maintaining between the rest of the races.
5 am start and what a day!  The women's field was stacked; I placed 8th last year in a time of 21:44 and my PR was 20:28...my goal for today was sub 20 hours and a top 10 finish.

Let's do this!

Best crew!

I started out easy, hiking and jogging the immediate 3.5 mile climb up the Escarpment before settling into a steady pace.  I spent some great running miles with Meghan Arbosgast, she knows how to run this race well and I decided she would be safe to stay with in the high country.  Unfortunately Meg's was having a rough go of it and I moved ahead at about mi 22...although half expected her to re appear using her speedy downhill legs.  I saw "Team D" at mi 30..."Team D" consisted of my hubby, my sis in law and some friends from Boise.  Ken and John would be my pacing team and Carrie and Nan my crew.  "Team D" looked like a professional pit crew, spraying me with sunblock, feeding me my chocolate milk and fruit bowl, replacing garbage with new stingers, an ice bandanna and new bladder for my hydration bag and then sending me off.  Yes, sent off, Ken pretty much kicked me out of my pit row.

Enjoying the day!

Before long I was enjoying the trail with another friend, Adam from MN along with another fellow Slammer also from MN, Jordan.  What fun! Seriously, things were going well and I was feeling good.  I think at this point I was 8th F but it was early.  The aid stations came and went; the volunteers were as amazing as ever, cheering us runners in and then giving each of us individual attention.  It was great to get a hug from RD Craig Thornley at Last Chance AS mi 43.3.  I left the AS with the words of "you know what's coming next don't cha"....that's right Devil's Thumb!  With the fire of last year, the swinging bridge had yet to be constructed and so lucky us, a cable was placed across the water to aid in the crossing.

Photo c/o Facchino Photography

This provided a well needed cooling prior to the climb to the top of the thumb.  As I was making the climb I passed Emily Harrison and while I was hoping to find some of the speedy chicks in front of me it is always tough to do so when they are struggling...we were not even to the half way point.  Emily ended up dropping at mi 55.  I next saw my crew at Michigan Bluff mi 55.  As always this puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

Pit Row

Great pace Nan!

More of the great crew support and this time Ken trotted with me a bit as I drank my chocolate milk providing me with some updates.  I would see my team again at mi 62 and so I decided to wait on the flask and I took a few gels for my calories.  Oops, wrong choice.  I should have taken the flask or even more Honey Stinger chews.  As I was needing calories on the climb out of Michigan Bluff I took a gel and it triggered the always dependable gag reflex.  I quickly spit it out but it was too late and within moments I lost all that yummy chocolate milk.  So much for more calories.

Refreshing dip in the river!

Next aid was Bath Road and I was happy to see Nancy waiting to make the short trot into Foresthill with me.  She worried that somehow I would drop her in the 1.4 mile trek, fear not Nan, you were solid! More of the same from my crew at Foresthill as well as Johnny'O joining me for the next 18 miles!  All was going super well, passing Emily had moved me up to 7th F and while for a brief stint I had caught up with Nikki Kimball, the call of nature aka bowels, had me tucking into the bushes while she moved ahead.  I was told both Nikki as well as Kaci Lickteig were 5 to 10 minutes up on me.  The downhill run to the river was uneventful for me which at this point of the race is a super positive thing to be experiencing.  Johnny'O kept me going, reminding me of all those things you start to slip on at this point of the race.  To the river we ran where Ken was waiting on the opposite side.  Meet and greet with my fella and up the road we went.  Feeling pretty good we trotted the majority of the road to Green Gate; almost caught you Nan (she was running in front of us to prep what I would need at the crew spot).  One more weigh in, pit crew attention and Ken and I were off falling into step with Adam Condit and his pacer Joe Uhan, who might I add knows pretty much all the words to every Katie Perry song!  I was running well at this point, Ken was pushing and I was responding.  I was over my 20 hour goal by about 25 minutes and while I was running well, a sub 20 did not look likely....and I was okay with it.  I was having a solid race,  nope no complaints from me.  We came into Browns Bar, the Rogue Valley Runners aid station; love these guys, a lil TLC and they too sent me off. Slower pace than before but still feeling relatively good, I was still tolerating nips off my flask.  Hwy 49, one last visit from my crew and on to No Hands Bridge and up to Robie Point.  We followed the freshly painted foot prints to the white bridge where the rest of my crew joined for the final sprint (jog) to the track.  Nope, no sub 20 hour but I had a solid run.  There are always post race reflections on where you can improve and this race is not different....and lucky me, F7 means I get to come back next year!  But for now I will place my focus on my next race, Vermont 100; July 19th!!

Not sub 20hr but moved up a spot to F7 and had a great day!

Always a huge thank you to my crew and pacing team, you guys rock!

Gear Review:

• Velocity shorts aka bun hugger.....loved them!
• Fore Runner tank
• Patagonia wool socks; performed great in the heat as well as the water.
• Patagonia EVERlong; the toe box with the soft mesh on top was perfect for all the downhills.
• UltrAspire Spry; lightweight with a 1L reservoir
• Julbo Access Zibra lens; excellent for the sun and the shade as well as under a visor!
• Honey Stinger chews: great for about half of the race before they get too sweet.
• Black Diamond headlamp/ waist pack: I used the light only at my waist and it was perfect.

Best partner ever!

Thank you to my sponsors who help support me in what it is that I love to do!