Author Archives: runbirdierun

Spokane to Sandpoint Relay Women’s Ultra Team Winners

I have an extraordinarily overwhelming amount of feelings and details to share about all the madness that occurred this past weekend. Unfortunately, the time and care I need/want to put into it isn’t quite available to me currently. So for right now, I’ll just give a quick overview.

In a word, it was incredible. Incredible, in the very all-encompassing sense of the word. Incredible difficulty. Incredible fun. Incredible heat. Incredible women. Incredible support. Incredible scenery. Incredible inspiration.

The list really goes on and on. And while I’m kind of still in the midst of unraveling from the adventure itself, I’ve already realized the biggest takeaway I learned this weekend: It’s the hardest things, the most trying events, that make the greatest and most lasting impact.

I’m sure you can guess, then, that this race was not easy for me. Not that I expected a fun run, of course, but for a multitude of reasons—this was perhaps the hardest race of my entire life. It was humbling, and I learned a lot about myself as a runner. All the details will be saved for later, and believe me—there are lots of ugly ones.

But, pain and fatigue and chafing and discomfort aside, the thing I feel more than anything right now is pride. My team wowed me the entire time, and it was truly an honor to run alongside such strong females.

We finished the race in 33 hours, 13 minutes, and 21 seconds, and finished as the first women’s ultra team. Every single one of us was beyond thrilled to see that finish line.

A true race recap will follow soon, and I hope I can try to convey the grit shown by these badass chicks on my team, not to mention to professional-level driving and general race support done by our awesome driver.

And the best news is (thanks solely to my teammates) there are tons and tons of photos.

Stay tuned…

Deja Vu: Ultra Relay Take 2

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So, on Friday I’m running another ultra relay…my second in a month.

“Hmm….how can I do this again as soon as possible?”

I know, I don’t understand either.

My only excuse for this binge on intensive relay running is that I’m easily peer-pressured into running events. I’m also a little intoxicated with that summertime euphoria that makes you blindly agree to any and all activities that involve being outside with fun people.

The race, Spokane to Sandpoint, starts in Spokane, WA and traverses across Eastern Washington and finishes in Sandpoint, ID.

To top it off, thanks to a certain baby being born a little too close to this race, I’ve assumed the captain role. It certainly adds a different element to race day prep, and while it’s a little stressful, it offers a great distraction from actually being stressed about the running. Should be a nice wake up call when I start the first of my four legs on Friday night, huh? 🙂

On that note…the way I’ve arranged our legs is definitely different than typical ultra relay fashion, and I’m hoping it’s not a horrible flustercuck. Essentially, breaking down mileage into 3 legs per person (with each runner assuming two 12-man team legs at a time) wasn’t giving an even distribution of miles. One runner was going to need to do an 18+ mile run in the middle of the race, and it just wasn’t very fair overall.

So, I did some recalculations, and now we’re each doing 4 legs, and ALL of us have our longest leg first. I was proud for figuring that part out. I’m hoping it should be alright…four legs is a lot, but the distances gradually get fewer and fewer for everyone, so that should help.

I’m runner number 6 again, and here’s how my legs are going to break down:

Leg 1, 5:00 pm: 13.92 miles

Leg 2, 1:00 am: 7.56 miles

Leg 3, 8:15 am: 8.89 miles

Leg 4, 3:50 pm: 4.79 miles

Barring any casualties, I’m counting on those last 4.79 miles to feel like heaven. Not that my legs will feel good, but I’m thinking that only running 5 miles will be some good motivation to get to the finish line fast.

So, while I’m a little stressed with logistics, I’m truly really excited. After I crossed the finish line at Ragnar, I instantly knew I wanted to do it all again. Be careful what you wish for, right? This race will be much warmer than Ragnar (scary) BUT it will be much flatter and hopefully just as scenic.

This is where I get to run to the finish line…not bad.

And most importantly…my team! Our team name was originally “Awesome Bloggers,” but through several substitutions and roster changes, it turns out that only two of us actually have blogs (shock! I know).

Our new name is “Girls Just Wanna Run,” and we’re planning on blaring some Cyndi Lauper more than once while on the course. We are a motley crew that came together through random running connections, but I can’t wait to get to know everyone better. The best part of relays, in my opinion. This super fast chick is on the team too, and with her mutual love for relays and running, I’m predicting an enthusiastic van (well, at least between the two of us :))

I’m hoping to drop in before we head off to Spokane on Thursday night, but if not…you can expect delirious 2 am van tweets and plenty of pictures along the way from me.

The summer of racing and running continues! And really, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Has anyone ever run Spokane to Sandpoint? Has anyone ever run a relay where they ran more than 3 legs?

The Birdie Turns Into a Bird

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My blog pseudonym is not just a fun wordplay on my name (Robyn). In fact, the origins of the “Birdie” nickname date back to when I was a scrawny and awkward freshman in high school.

I had just made the basketball team after a nerve wracking three days of tryouts. Almost immediately on the first day of practice, I was bestowed the nickname “Birdie” by the older gals. It stuck like glue, and from then on—in all the sports I played—I was rarely called by my actual name. Some old friends still call me Birdie, and thus it became the inspiration behind my blog title.

I’m the pig-tailed one on the bottom right.

Back in my high school days, the only place I really felt completely comfortable and like myself was on the court (and the softball field and the track). Being a three-sport athlete was how I matured in those years, and to this day I’m grateful for all the lessons I learned and friends I made along the way. No surprise— I still associate the “Birdie” name with all those experiences that built me up, helped me feel strong, and fueled my athletic endeavors. Birdie was my athletic alter-ego in a way; the person I became when I was given the chance to train and compete. I’ve carried this title into my current life as a runner (see: blog URL, header, twitter handle, etc.), and it’s become a happy reminder of the days when my ambitions as an athlete really started to blossom.

It is no wonder, then, why the cute clothes with birds on them first caught my eye in Seattle running stores. I soon discovered the brains behind the fabrics were a small, local group of women, operating under the all-too-appropriate name, Oiselle. As a former François student, I knew this meant “bird” in French—and was tickled by the triple-threat combo of the running, the French femininity, and the bird icon.

Being a Seattle runner, it didn’t take long before the internet (namely Twitter) connected the dots, and I quickly began to learn what this company was all about. That initial jolt of giddiness soon turned into an insane level of respect, admiration, and inspiration for all the great things this company was bringing to women’s running. Of course, the clothing speaks for itself; comfort, looks, performance, fit— it really has it all. I constantly find myself either “saving” my Oiselle clothes for long runs or key workouts (look good feel good, right?), or avoiding wearing my Oiselle gear as I love to wear it for everyday use. It’s a great problem to have and speaks to the expertise put into the design.

However, while fashion is all well and good, the thing that ultimately struck me about Oiselle was their advocacy for female runners. From the professional track stars to the novice age-groupers, Oiselle seemed to be rooting for women in all levels of running. Their passion helped me to recognize the potential in my own running—that it could be a sport, a lifestyle, and not just a “way to stay in shape.”

Running, to me, has become a means of building my external and internal strength as an athlete and as a woman. As it turned out, I discovered that this was exactly the ethos of Oiselle’s racing team— a group of women who support Oiselle’s mission and subsequently represent all the goodness that exists in women’s running. I had to be a part of it.

Patience was necessary when I first expressed interest in being on the team. Not only were there several Seattle gals interested in Oiselle, but there were hundreds of runners all over the country vying for a spot themselves. Oiselle was intent on maintaining a sisterhood within their team, understandably, and while I was anxious to be a part of it all—I could respect that this camaraderie was imperative in Oiselle’s overall mission. I supported their mission, so how could I not support this decision?

So I waited, but my interest never waned. After a few nudges to try once more, I gave it another shot, and I’m so proud to announce that I am now one of the newest members of Oiselle’s Volée Racing Team!

I cannot begin to explain how excited I am about this opportunity. I’m honored and ecstatic for this development in my career as a runner, and it feels like the beginning of something very good. The idea of contributing to a team again—especially a team of such strong women and runners—is so exhilarating, and I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that this is exactly what I need. I intend to wholeheartedly represent the brand and it’s mission while reaching toward my own running goals, and I look forward to cheering on and learning from all the other incredible women involved.

I never really considered that, as an adult, I could feel like that same enthusiastic and motivated athlete that I did back in my Birdie days. I figured that those days of competition and being a part of a team were behind me, and I could silently play the part by being an amateur runner.

Suddenly, it feels like that first day of practice again. It’s exciting, humbling, a little scary, and perhaps more than anything—motivating. The Birdie has turned into a Bird, and it seems there are endless, open skies ahead.

Volée!

Ragnar Ultra Relay- The good, the bad, and the ugly

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Such an original title, no?

Oh well…it is very appropriate in describing how this post details what went well and what did not go so well this past weekend.

Something that went well: tattoo application.

Overall, I would give the race and my experience two big thumbs up. The memories I know will stick are all the happy ones, and that’s really what’s important in the grand scheme.

However, there were certain dark points this past weekend, some of which could have been avoided, some of which were inevitable. At any rate, I thought I’d give you a look at the behind-the-scenes footage, besides elevation charts and mileage.

And a fair warning, there’s a lot of honestly coming up, some of which might be an over-share. But, my hope is that perhaps some of my experience can help others in their own relay experiences, and sometimes that requires getting a little bit nitty-gritty. And let’s be real…modesty doesn’t really exist in a running relay, especially in an ultra. So, sorry I’m not sorry I guess.

The Good

The thing that surprised me the most on this adventure was that the running actually was—dare I say—the easiest part? Well, not necessarily that it was easy, because it certainly took a lot out of us. But much to my surprise…I felt the best all weekend when I was out on my runs.

I attribute this to a few things:

1) Fresh air—after sitting in the van for hours, it felt really good to spend time outside.

2) Moving! I would get restless sitting for so long. And, as runners, I think we both consciously and subconsciously get jealous when we’re witnessing others running. Basically, it really just felt good to do what we came for—to run.

3) Endorphins, runner’s high, etc.—when you’re desperate for energy, even these physiologically-created sources do wonders for a person in a depleted state. I felt much more awake after my runs than I did while chilling in the van.

For example, after my 5:30 am hilly 15.5 miler, I got in the van, exclaimed I felt “so great!” and everyone in the van said that positivity wasn’t allowed because they were all grumpy (okay, it was mostly a joke). But, just goes to show that while I was definitely as exhausted as all of them, running really helped offer a boost.

The Bad

Don’t I look like I’m having fun?

In my opinion, the hardest part of Ragnar/an ultra relay is the lack of sleep. I’m a runner who really loves her sleep; I try and get as much as I can, and I can almost always attribute a bad run to being sleep deprived. That said, I knew running 35 miles on “van sleeping” would be interesting.

I think I underestimated just how little sleep there would be…and by little, I mean “none.” I was definitely warned about this, but I figured a half hour nap here and there was bound to happen.

Nope, nada. The best we could all hope for was a few minutes of eyes closed and feet up. I did manage to do this for a little while around 3 am, and it was definitely helpful, but obviously it didn’t make up for a full night without sleep.

To make matters worse, on Thursday night before Ragnar, I think I slept 5 hours or so as prep and race excitement got the better of my normal in-bed-by-9 schedule.

The most zombie-esque point of the race was between 11 pm- 4 am or so. I felt foggy, cranky, and my head hurt from being awake for so long. Luckily, as stated above, my early morning run woke me up and gave me enough energy to crank through the rest of the day. It’s weird how that works; it’s like your body forgets you haven’t slept and somehow generates enough energy to keep going.

Of course, this would end immediately after crossing the finish line. We were all zonked on the drive back to Seattle, and while it’s a petty thing to be upset about…I feel like the fatigue takes away a little bit from the glory of finishing. It took until the next day for me to really internalize just how awesome the race was, and I’m certain it was because I was too tired to process it beforehand. I guess this is the same thing that happens after a marathon, and it’s kind of like wanting your cake and eating it too. But, you know, it would be nice to actually feel up for a beer with your team after the race, right? I don’t think that’s too whiny.

But, of course, the fatigue is all part of the experience and makes the craziness of running 200 miles all the more crazy. I have a feeling 50 and 100 ultrarunners would be laughing in my face right now.

The Ugly

So those stomach issues I’ve been mentioning over the last couple of months? Yea, so, turns out…digestive diseases really, really, really don’t like straight-through-the-night relay races. And in fact, they will punish you cruelly for thinking that you can take them on one.

Basically, from about 9 pm through 5 am, I couldn’t stop using the bathroom. Thank goodness there were so many port-a-potties everywhere, because at every stop we came to I would need to beeline for those life-saving Honey Buckets. And once I’d be done, more often than not, I’d have to turn around and go right back in.

It sucked. And while stomach issues seemed to be a theme for our van, I think that my colitis just had a raging fit and amplified to uncontrollable levels. I think it also didn’t help that I was so hydrated (something that tends to fuel my issues). It was a catch-22; I needed to stay hydrated because of all the running and all the “going,” but it was one of the causes of all my ailments. I also really wanted to try and drink more coffee for the aforementioned fatigue, but I couldn’t handle anything that would be a diuretic.

Fortunately, things seemed to calm down after my second run (and thankfully nothing went wrong during the run), but this was definitely the worst part of Ragnar for me. I’m going to try and figure out exactly what fueled it (besides the off-hours and the excess water) before Spokane to Sandpoint so I can try to avoid these issues a little bit.

…

But ultimately? The good parts far outweighed any of the less-than-stellar parts. I’d do again in a heartbeat (and obviously I will be doing it again…:) ) and I think that some experiences need to have a little grit and grime in them to really bring to light the awesome parts. Running down that finishing chute probably wouldn’t have felt as good if I didn’t suffer a little bit to get there.

Just like running in day-to-day life, it’s the bad runs that make the good ones that much better, and I think it’s the tough parts of Ragnar that make the whole experience so memorable. And hey…if you can’t bond with people while having uncontrollable bathroom issues, when can you, right?

What do you think are the BEST and WORST parts about relay races?

Ragnar Ultra Relay Race Recap

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I’m still having a hard time wrapping my brain around exactly what happened from 9:30 am Friday morning to 4:40 pm Saturday afternoon. As a former relay virgin, I think I can now make a blanket statement that relays are a whole new type of running animal. The no sleep, the random fueling, the mismatched mileage…it’s all very different than your standard running race.

An ultra relay though? I’m willing to bet that this takes all those things to a whole new level.

Ragnar was ridiculous in so many ways. Ridiculously fun, tiring, entertaining, hard, and inspiring. All of those emotions kind of morphed together throughout the hours of running and driving, but now that hindsight is kicking in…I can say that more than anything, this was one of the most fun things I’ve done in a while. I was out of my comfort zone in so many different respects (meeting new people, first time relaying, longest mileage in a single race by far), but it felt so good. I’ve wanted to rattle my chains this year and shake the homebody, antisocial part of me up a bit. Ragnar fit the bill perfectly, and I’m so glad I got to be included.

Instead of breaking up my Ragnar run recaps into three separate posts per standard blogger procedure, I’m going to do a 3-in-1. Mainly because I’m lazy, but also because there is a lot that happens during 35 miles of running, so I think it would suit my readership if I stick with more big picture details. Cool? Cool. Buckle up kids, this is a long one.

And the best news is that there are a ton of photos, thanks to my teammates 🙂 Most are courtesy of Lauren and Rebecca.

Run #1- 6:43 PM, 10.93 miles

As Runner #6, I was feeling pretty antsy to get out on this run. I’d been waiting all day, watching all my teammates complete their distances and runners-highing all over the place…and then there was me, chilling. I was partially thankful for this as the temps were HOT that day and I knew that an evening start would be much cooler, but still…I was restless.

This is how restless I was…I actually did warmup drills.

Needless to say, as soon as I received that first hand off, I was off like a light and flew down the hill that kicked off my run.

Rira handing off to me, here we go!

This run was fine, almost completely flat, and like I said— I was so happy to be out there I would have been pleased with just about any scenery. The second portion was essentially a giant square among corn fields, which got a little boring, but I was still happy to be running. I got to see my team twice too—once when they handed off a headlamp and taillight to me and once when I got temporarily stuck at a crossing train.

Mid-run, happy camper. Photo skills of Rebecca, she’s up for hire.

I kept reminding myself the whole time that it was a run, not a race. Running too fast would only bite me in the butt the next day, and I did my best to stick to my self-proclaimed 8:30 pace.

This was also my first taste of tallying up “kills” (relay talk for other runners you pass) and—much to no one’s surprise—this was so fun! I couldn’t help but keep the number in my head, and it made the corn fields a lot more bearable.

Running into my exchange with Bethany was exciting, and it felt great to have a check mark next to my first run.

Go Bethany go!

And the only thing better than being done with 1 out of 3 runs was having a footlong sub waiting for me in the car when I was done. After a day of pita chips and Picky Bars, this was heaven.

Leg one, done!

Run #2- 5:20 am, 15.46 miles

Oh man, this one took some big time pumping up. After a night of driving, 45 minutes of “sleeping” (closing my eyes), and some severe stomach issues—more on that in another post, get pumped—this run was a little nerve wracking.

Jessey and me in the middle of the night, delirious.

BUT, the good thing about relays vs. races is that your pace is one of the least important parts. For someone who ordinarily focuses a great deal of their energy on pace, this was a treat—and I decided to just take it easy and enjoy the run. I would get the privilege of running all through Whidbey Island, and I knew going into it that it would be one of the most scenic parts of the Ragnar course. And it was COLD! Seriously, like actually chilly, which most of you can guess I was thrilled about.

I’m so excited to run, can’t you tell? I also don’t look tired or annoyed at all.

Did you HAVE to show up Rira? Fine, I’ll go now.

Basically, as soon as I started, I was so happy. Mostly happy to be out of the car, but also happy to be doing something so insane and so hard as well. I admittedly love things that are difficult, that test your limits, and running up and down steep hills on the highways of an island at 5:30 am on zero sleep is certainly something that qualifies.

I got to see my wonderful team off and on throughout the run, both on drive-bys and once to get my water bottle filled. A lot of this run was unsupported, though, as Ragnar designates certain portions of roads as “no stop zones” for teams. So, for the most part, it was me and my thoughts and my tunes.

Running euphoria. Photo by Lauren...capturing my childlike glee. Also, this was on a downhill...explains a lot.

Running euphoria. Photo by Lauren…capturing my childlike glee. This was also on a downhill…explains a lot.

My absolute favorite part of this run was running over Deception Pass. Holy adrenaline!!! I’d never been to this pass before, but essentially it’s a narrow bridge that traverses over Puget Sound from Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island, and it’s the only way to get to Whidbey by car. And although I knew I’d be running over it, I had no idea A) how beautiful it would be, and B) how HORRIFYING it would be. The sidewalk between the road and the edge of the bridge is really narrow, and it was essentially only a few loosely hanging ropes between me and the ledge. As someone who is terrified of falling off of high places, this was a bridge I would have a hard time walking over or simply standing on. You can imagine my shock/surprise/mild panic attack, then, when I bolted out onto the bridge to discover this.

But it was awesome! The fear combined with the cold wind blowing up from the water and the runner’s high I was already feeling was the perfect recipe for euphoria, and I haven’t felt a jolt of adrenaline like that in a long time.

Okay, Run #2 is getting long. Essentially, other than the beauty of Whidbey and the scary/awesome Deception Pass experience, this run was great—hilly, long, but overall really fun. I was jazzed to finish, and it was really fun to send Bethany off on her LAST run.

My face is beautiful. Last leg for Bethany!

Run #3- 3:31 PM, 8.55 miles

Somehow, the fatigue that I was feeling the night before/going into my second run was gone, and my body seemed to be running on a combination of nerves and excitement. I was ready to get this crazy experience over with and finish strong for our team.

How I’m pretending to feel…

…how I actually feel.

My ankle/foot/right leg in general was feeling angry after my second run, so I decided to try switching to my old shoes for the third run, just to mix it up. We were running right on target with our projected times, and we’d made up some ground after being about a half an hour behind previously. I was trying to feed off of everyone’s “We’re already done!” energy as I mustered up the guts to get through my final 8.5 miles. And at that point, 8.5 sounded SO easy, relatively speaking. However, I knew there was a beast of a hill, which would test my already depleted energy stores even further.

Last exchange!

After forgetting to start my watch for about 1/3 of a mile (dangit Robyn!), I clocked in, and immediately felt cooked. Yikes…this was going to be a long run. Everything felt heavy, and it was getting warmer by the minute (the day, otherwise, had been overcast). But now, the sun was out and threatening to drain all remnants of strength I had left.

But, I pressed on, and somehow after 2 miles or so, I started to feel great! Somehow, I was passing people fairly consistently, which I’m sure subconsciously gave my competitive self a mental boost. More than anything though, I tried to internalize that this was it…we were almost done. It felt like teamwork to a certain extent; all of us grinding it out, trying to make our respective teams proud.

So, this happy feeling lasted for a while, and my team passed by exclaiming they were going to the finish line because I was going too fast (sorry…). Around mile 4, though, shit got real.

I knew we were gradually climbing, and everyone seemed to be slowing, but at one point I looked up, and saw the most horrifying sight any runner in my position could face: the steepest, un-shaded hill I’d seen all weekend—without any end in sight. I almost laughed out loud at the sight of it, but…like the rest of the race, I had no choice but to keep moving forward. When I first saw it, I briefly thought that this would be the first time I would need to walk during the whole race, but somehow…the higher I climbed, the more resolved I was that I would keep running. I’d come this far, and ultimately it would be better to get up and over it than to let it defeat me. I was passing people the whole time, and by the good graces of runners—there were several teams along the way cheering on every runner. It was awesome, and despite how bad it hurt and how much bargaining with myself I had to do, I somehow made it up without walking once.

I don’t think I need to point out where the hard part was.

After that, it was all a party. I had about 2.5 miles to kick it into gear (whichever gear I had left, that is) and finish strong. There was a nice gradual downhill for a while, which I used to pass people, reclaim some energy, and get excited for the finish.

Seeing the “One Mile to Go” marker was a huge boost, and I am certain I had a smile on my face throughout that whole last mile.

Approaching the finish was one of the most memorable moments of the weekend, if not throughout my running career. Teams were lining the sidewalk, cheering, making tunnels, and generally just showing so much run love to every runner coming through.

One of the happier moments of my life.

I was elated, and as soon as I saw my team every feeling of fatigue was immediately wiped away and replaced with pride and joy. They all jumped in with me so we could cross the finish line together, and it was incredible to hear our team name accompanied by “Ultra” over the loud speaker. We’d done it! 31 hours, 10 minutes, and 59 seconds.

Add .3 miles, thanks to my delirious lack of turning on my Garmin.

After a little whooping and hollering, we gathered our medals, took some photos, and set of on the long trek back to Seattle. We were ridiculously exhausted, smelly, and drained, but so happy as well. We all kind of basked in the satisfying fatigue of knowing that we’d done something great—even if it hadn’t totally registered yet.

Second place women’s ultra team for Six Pack with Racks!

The Blizzards in the ferry line were also one of the best ideas of the weekend/ever.

Excited for ice cream!

It was an incredible weekend. After 12 hours of sleep on Saturday night, a nap on Sunday, and two full nights of sleep since, I’m still tired, still sore, and still feeling the general Ragnar hangover. But it was all so worth it, and I feel like I’ve found a whole new appreciation for this sport and the people who do it through this experience.

And that’s a good thing…because I get to do it all again in less than a month 😉

And just in case your curious…I had 34 total “kills” for the weekend, 15 of which were in the final run. C’mon, you had to know I’d keep track.

Thanks Six Pack with Racks! Each and every one of you made my first relay experience one for the books.

If you’re interested in reading the incredible running done by my team, you can read recaps on their blogs (some may still be pending…):

Jessey—doesn’t have a blog, but basically she had the longest, hardest legs and kicked ass. Oh, and she’s a 2:54 marathoner, nbd.

Thanks so much ladies, you are all incredible!

Go Time, Ragnar Northwest Passage

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It’s finally here, Ragnar!

I’ve wanted to do a relay ever since I started hearing about them last year, and I’m actually kind of excited that my first will be an ultra. Go big or go home, right? I suppose if I ever do a 12-man team, I’m going to be thinking…wait, that’s it?

I’m really, really excited for this. I love the idea of taking on a whole new kind of challenge/adventure…especially since it involves running! As someone who loves new experiences and equally loves to run, this is right up my alley—and I truly can’t wait.

In case you’re just tuning in, here’s the dirty details:

A team of 6 of us will be tag-team running nearly 200 miles starting tomorrow morning and ending on Saturday afternoon. Yes, that’s straight through the night running. And you thought running a marathon was crazy? 😉

The thing I’m most excited for though is hanging out with a bunch of awesome gals. I don’t especially know anyone very well, which makes it that much more fun. And there will be plenty of time for conversation, given the 10 hour gaps between runs.

We’re starting tomorrow morning at 9:30 am, and since I’m Runner 6…well, I’ll basically be chilling all day until my first run. Despite the fact that I’ll probably be feeling a little restless tomorrow afternoon, I’m actually pretty pumped about my projected running schedule. Here’s what my (projected) run times and distances will look like:

Run #1, 6:30 PM- 10.7 miles

My first run is near Burlington, and it starts on a long downhill, followed by flat-as-a-pancake terrain. Lovely. I’m also thinking that temperatures will be cooling a little bit around this point as the sun will start to set. I have a feeling I’m going to be itching to get out on this run given that I will have been in the van all day, so I’m hoping that translates into happy running.

Run #2, 4:30 AM- 15.4 miles

At first glance, this looks kind of brutal. And it probably will be, but it’s actually a perfect time to have a long run. It will be cool, the sun will be rising (pretty scenery!), and I already get up to run at this time of the day during the week anyway. Obviously that will be different given the lack of sleep that is inevitable, however at least I’m not too phased by the 4 o’clock hour.

This run is hilly, but not too daunting. It’s also on Whidbey Island, which I’ve heard is quite the spectacle to run on. I’m really excited for this run, needless to say, including the challenge of it. Teammates, it is certain that I will need to be reminded of this when the time comes 🙂

Run #3, 3:30 PM- 8.5 miles (aka: the last leg for our team!)

It’s going to take some patience to get to this run. Everyone will be thrilled to be finishing while I’m twiddling my thumbs, waiting to carry in the caboose. But, it will definitely be fun to finish things up for the team. Oh, and there’s a ton of climbing on this leg…thanks Ragnar.

And team, be warned, despite how tired I’ll be, I tend to gun it when I see a finish line…so there’s a chance I’ll make us all sprint for it 🙂

Are you tired yet thinking about this? Me too.

But I’m SO excited! We’ll be sure to post updates along the way via Twitter, Instagram and #sixpackrack. Oh, and our team name is Six Pack with a Rack. I have neither of those things…but you get it. I can certainly supply a six pack of microbrews at the end, so hopefully that will count.

Let’s do this!

See Jane Run Half-Marathon Race Recap

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Never before in my running career (except in high school) have I raced as much as I have this summer. It was 100% unintentional, but somehow I have found myself at several start lines (with more to come…). It helped that two of these races were free. Actually who am I kidding…that’s more or less the reason I’ve done so many. But free or not, I love racing, and I’m really happy to get the chance to do more of it.

As I wrote in my last post, I like to have intentions behind my races—even if those intentions have nothing to do with time. So with the See Jane Run half-marathon on Sunday, I definitely had some “guidelines.” Including (roughly):

1) Save your energy—conservative start

2) Fast finish

3) Make it hurt (a little)

I’m really trying to use the chance to race in the heat to my advantage, despite how much I dislike it. I’m 100% a cold weather racer, always have been, and I have always felt defeated a little when the temperatures rise and my speed and energy decline. But, I’m trying to turn this into a positive and hopefully by doing the hot work now, it will make the cooler temps all the more luxurious.

So let’s get this race recap started already, shall we?

Pre-race mirror selfie + dirty room.

I did something I have never done before a half before this race—I warmed up. Not far—just a little half mile jog with a couple of strides to get my legs warm and my turnover going. I was a little wary of not storing all my energy, but I actually really liked this and I started the race feeling more ready to go than usual.

After said warm-up, I scuttled my way to the first corral and right at 8 am, we were off.

I immediately felt really happy to be racing a half on such a beautiful day with a bunch of runner gals. Despite how competitive I am (which would be proven later on), there was something great about racing among a (primarily) all-female group. There’s this unspoken sisterhood between ladies who run, and I could definitely feel it crossing the start line on Sunday.

Moving onto the nitty gritty:

Miles 1 and 2:

7:39, 7:40

Well, my “guideline” number 1 was kind of blown, but I figured that this would just make guideline number 2 even tougher and thus make guideline number 3 a success. I couldn’t help starting this way—I felt so good! But eventually, once reality settled in, I dialed it back a bit and focused on getting into a groove.

Miles 3 and 4:

7:48, 7:44

The beginning miles of this race are all along Lake Union and the canal, so there was a lot of shade and a nice breeze. It was very comfortable running, and once the crowds thinned a little I really felt in a groove. There was an out-and-back after mile 3 or so, and I quickly realized that the mile markers were very off. I verified this when I heard some gals around me comparing their own measurements, but I figured it would all settle itself eventually.

Miles 5, 6 and 7:

7:45, 7:50, 8:10

These are the miles where a half-marathon starts to get more real for me—kind of like miles 14-18 of a marathon. The middle miles. The miles you forget about until you’re in them and you realize you’ve already run for an hour or so but you still have the harder stuff left. Luckily, I was still feeling good—a little hot, but luckily we were still reasonably shaded. I was also having a grand ole time targeting and leap-frogging with other runners. I knew I was in the top 30 or so women, meaning that it was safe to assume that everyone around me was down for some racing. I definitely noticed a little sass between runners during this race, especially when I would pass someone— but in a good competition kind of way. Anyway, it made it fun and offered some distraction. Around mile 7 I felt like I was primarily passing people as opposed to getting passed, which gave me some hope that all my goals going into this race weren’t lost. Around mile 7 was the dreaded “super steep” hill on the course. It was definitely steep and slowed me down, but it wasn’t awful.

Miles 8, 9, and 10:

8:10, 7:42, 7:53

This is where the only hills in this race were, but they didn’t bother me too much. With every uphill comes a downhill, and as much as the uphills can drain my energy, I always gain momentum on the way back down. We passed back by Gasworks and the finish line on the way to the final out-and-back, which was a little deflating, however I was prepared for it and didn’t actually mind as much as I anticipated.

I should also note that the mile markers were still off, and I was pretty certain around this point that the course would end up short. Kind of a bummer, although ultimately we would all be running the same distance. Good thing I wasn’t going for a personal best, but this seems like something that should definitely be fixed next year.

I was getting warmer and my stomach started to squirm a little around mile 10. Heat does this too me—especially if my fuel isn’t sitting properly (which it wasn’t). I tried sucking on a Honey Stinger gel packet around 8.5, and despite my best efforts it wasn’t going to happen. I need to get better at fueling somehow.

Nearing mile 11, I was dreading my self-proclaimed “fast finish,” but I was also excited to try and gut it out with a few of the girls around me. This part was also exciting because we were able to see the lead ladies coming back by us, and the first gal (who was crushing everyone) was SO YOUNG. I think she may have been 14-16 years old? Ridiculous. I gave her an obligatory, “You go girl,” as she sprinted by me.

Miles 11, 12, “13”

7:52, 7:31, 6:17 (final .86 mile)

I was happy I was able to punch it up a little in the end. I didn’t feel great, but I didn’t feel completely depleted. It was right where I wanted to be—a little pain, but not all out. The final mile was fun as we entered back in Gasworks with lots of people watching and a nice final path to run down. About 200 meters from the finish line, I was around 1:39:30, and I did all I could to keep that 1:39 on the clock. It was probably the fastest sprint I’ve ever done at the end of a race. Seeing BF and high-fiving him right before crossing the end was fun too 🙂

My watch read 1:40:06 when I finally finished, which was too bad, but since I was sure the course measurement was wrong anyway, it didn’t matter too much. Also, duh, this wasn’t a goal race, so I was mainly just happy to be done and to have (mostly) accomplished what I wanted to.

Half-marathon number #8, check!

The finishing area was fun, with lots of samples and not enough hands to hold it all. My stomach was still waging war, so after one failed attempt at a donut hole I had to refuse all the other goodies. I felt better after two bottles of water, but I just don’t think my system will ever get used to racing in warmer temps.

It’s all part of the training though. And this race was exactly what I wanted in terms of race practice and getting into a manageable pain place.

Oh and I started wearing sunglasses when I run. LOVE.

Final results:

Time: 1:40:08

Overall: 26/975

Age Group: 6/171 <— homegirls are FAST! The next closest girl to me ran a 1:34.

Pace: 7:38 (if the course was 13.1, if it was 12.86 like I clocked, pace was 7:47)

Overall, I was happy with this race. It felt challenging but not too hard, and while the thought of averaging a pace 30 seconds faster than this in just over two months is still horrifying, I’m thankful for the opportunity to practice racing the distance.

I also know there’s lots of time before Bellingham, and I have some strategies up my sleeve to help my 1:35 goal become a reality. More to follow later on. See Jane Run will, however, more than likely be my last half before that goal race, which I’m hoping will help to kindle some necessary race-day fire.

Special thanks to RoseRunner for my entry to this race!

And now…let’s run some ultra relays!

Did you run See Jane Run? How did it go??

The Races Are Coming, The Races Are Coming!

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Happy Friday!

We are officially one week away from Ragnar NWP, and I’m actually getting really excited!

I didn’t really mean for that to sound like I’m surprised, but I suppose I’ve just been feeling a little more daunted by the idea than jazzed for it. Part of that stems from the fact that I’ve never done a relay before, so while I know all the hearsay about how awesome they are—I don’t really have a good concept of what to expect.

All that seems to be going away, though. Now that the final details are getting sorted and we have an established start time, drivers, runs times, etc., it’s all becoming more real and super exciting!

I’ve accepted that there really isn’t a “right” way to prepare for an ultra relay, and I feel like I’ve done everything I could have. I’ve also accepted that it’s going to be hard, no matter what, but it’s the hard aspect that makes the whole experience memorable.

Plus, my team is pretty awesome, and I’m excited to hang out with these ladies for over 24 straight hours 🙂

Team Six Pack with a Rack

(in running order, because why not, right?)

Bethany

Lauren

Rebecca

Jessey

Rira

We’ve got a great mix of personalities, experience, ages, and all with one big thing in common: a lot of run love. I can’t wait!

But, there’s business to tend to before Ragnar. And so continues my summer of endless activity and racing…

This Sunday, I’ll be running the See Jane Run half-marathon as my final long training run for Ragnar.

I have had this race on my radar for a while, and luckily won an entry to it, but I’m finding myself a little lost when it comes to my approach to it.

Full discretion: I am physically incapable of “fun running” a race. I don’t always all-out race, but even in cases where I don’t have an A-goal, I still like to have a race plan or some sort of structure as to how I’ll try and run. Racing is a really important part of running for me, and I like to try and take it seriously whenever the opportunity presents itself. Even if the opportunity is to practice pacing, practice racing, or practice going slow.

Back to See Jane Run. I’m in a weird limbo between wanting to work hard and wanting to hold back. This will not be an all-out effort, as I’m saving that energy for my actual A-race this fall, but I still want to try and practice racing a half.

So, although I’m not entirely sure of my exact plan, I know I do want to practice finishing strong. I have never really had the opportunity to tap into stored energy for a great finishing kick at the end of a race (seeing as I normally go out too fast). So, I’d like to give this approach a try. I suppose it will be a practice in patience more than anything else and trying to hold back in the beginning so I can let it rip in the last 2 miles or so.

I’m trying really hard to not let the races I run now affect my confidence for attempting a 1:35 in a few months. Slowly I’m getting it into my head that it’s a BIG goal, and just because I’m not ready now doesn’t mean I won’t be ready then. So, I’m going to try my best to not let numbers on Sunday take away from the experience. I’ll be happy with a solid effort and enough juice left to start building the energy and excitement necessary for some Ragnar miles.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Who’s running See Jane Run this weekend? Who’s racing? Who’s doing something summery/outdoorsy/exciting?

Saying Yes to the Shorts Tan

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I think most of us can agree that July has already turned out to be pretty spectacular in the Pacific Northwest. The sun has been shining amply, and the heat has stuck to a reasonable, summery level.

Sorry, rest of the country…

In all the years I’ve spent in the area, I can’t really remember there being a more beautiful summer – and I’m trying to do everything I can to take advantage of it.

In running terms, you can’t get much better than June-August. Sure, I personally prefer winter/fall running, but the freedom to run without rain (mostly) and with so much extra daylight is hard to beat. The heat makes us stronger too, and really, who doesn’t love a good sweat-soaked run?

However, there is one part of summer running that has haunted me for years, and which sticks around much longer than the lemonade stands and barbecue smells:

Shorts tans

Oh that beautiful ombre fade, we meet again. I’m pretty certain that through all my years of playing sports and being a runner, I’ve never fully gotten rid of the discoloration between the top and bottom of my quads. No matter the sunscreen or the time that passes, I seem to have a chronic and noticeable shorts tan for all months of the year. And it all stems from the summer months, when the passing of time is shown through the darkening of my lower thighs, and subsequent whitening of my upper thighs.

Now, ordinarily, I’ve sort of bemoaned the shorts tan. Not that anyone consistently sees the full effects, but it’s still a little embarrassing to wear a swimsuit and look like you’re wearing a pair of white shorts.

But not this year.

After probably 15 years of fighting a losing battle with the shorts tan, I’m not only waving my white flag – I’m switching camps. This year, I’m embracing the shorts tan as a stamp of summer; a “running tattoo” that will remind me of all the time I got to spend outdoors, enjoying both the weather and the run. It’s kind of silly that it’s taken me this long to really embrace it, especially considering I wear a swimsuit less than 10 times a year, but I suppose it just required a change in perspective.

And don’t worry, I’m all about sun safety, but we all know that no matter the precaution, summer running comes with some inevitable UVs. And given that somehow my quads tend to soak up more sun than any other part of my body, I seem to have no choice but to give into it. Also, when you only really wear the same style of shorts (Rogas), the ability to really fortify a specific line between white and tan is really heightened.

Bring on the tan lines, because it’s time to rename the farmer’s tan. The runner’s tan is where it’s at this summer, and personally I’m going to take advantage of every opportunity to show my devotion to this endeavor.

Maybe if you’re lucky I’ll share the final product come the end of summer, but I’m guessing not too many people want to see that…

And not to brag you guys, but it’s already something truly special.

So long live the shorts tan! May it be forever a sign of embracing the outdoors, embracing the run, and embracing all the potential our bodies give us.

Who’s with me??

Fast Finishes, Scavenger Hunting, and Mayhem

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Life, as I know it, has gone a little haywire. In a good way—but the days of lazing my days/nights away seem to have disappeared completely, along with the rain and gloom. Essentially, summer has become playtime x 1,000. Not that I’m complaining, it’s all fun stuff, but man—being social is tiring.

Unrelated photo from the 4th of July. But I did make this for a party and was ridiculously proud of it.

This past weekend was the essence of how busy life has been, and I feel like getting to Monday was more of a relief than how I normally feel on Friday afternoons. But that’s how it should be sometimes, right? It makes the time go by quickly, but that was going to happen anyway—right? Might as well fill ‘er up.

As I wrote on Friday, Mr. BF joined the big and bad 25 club, and we had a small celebration just the two of us that evening. No pictures were taken, but pizza was had and presents were opened. You can imagine it, it was lovely.

But the celebrating didn’t stop there. We had a whole banaza planned for Saturday, involving lots of beer and lots of raw fish.

But first, I had to get a long run in. I wasn’t too concerned about mileage for this weekend, considering I had already logged 38 miles by Friday, but I still wanted to take advantage of the beautiful day. My plan was for 14 miles, and to start slow and finish fast. I wanted to negative split the whole run and also practice this whole “fast finish” idea with my last two miles being the fastest.

This picture doesn’t demonstrate much (and I’m sure you’ve never seen one exactly like it before), but overall the run was a success. The second half was 3 minutes faster than the first, and my last two miles clocked in at 7:24 and 7:26. And let me tell you…fast finish is no joke. Fatigued legs + rising heat + increased speed= a nice kick in the bum right at the end of a run. Trust me, if you want to really feel the effects of a long run, try it out. I liked it though…great practice for race conditions.

After some reading, coffee-ing, and sunscreening, it was off to the International Beer Festival where we met up with several friends. As if I wasn’t dehydrated and sweaty enough that day already…

I had so much sunscreen in my hair and was being SUCH a diva about it. I don’t know what got into me. I can deal with unwashed, sweaty hair multiple times during the week—but heaven forbid my just-blow dried hair gets a little grease in it? I don’t understand.

Anyway, it was awesome. Tons of sun, tons of tipsy/happy Seattleites, and tons of delicious international brews. I’m trying to hold off on drinking for the most part these days thanks to my super pissy intestines, but I made an exception this day and scouted out how I could get the most bang (>8%) for my bucks (10 tickets total). It was successful.

We ended the night with pounds of sushi at Umi in Belltown. Again, no photos unfortunately. But we got to sit on the floor and ended the night playing credit card roulette (BF and I didn’t lose!)

Despite knowing everything that was going down on Saturday, I had it in my head that I would get up Sunday morning and go for a long bike ride. I knew that wasn’t happening on Saturday night (mostly due to fatigue…not beers), so I decided to go to spin instead. Also wrong…I woke up Sunday morning and it took all of 1.5 seconds to decide I needed more sleep. I blame 4th of July for all of this lingering tiredness. And Belgium dark hefs.

Eventually, after watching Andy Murray reinstate British reign at Wimbledon, I got myself to the pool for a nice long swim. I swear, sometimes swimming does the same—if not more—for me as yoga. It can be super meditative when I’m in the mood, which apparently I was yesterday, and I finished with a little over 2 miles total. My legs loved me afterward.

But not for long. Around 1 it was time to head to an Urban Scavenger Hunt birthday party for one of my oldest friends. Seriously, how fun does that sound? It was such a good way to get out in the city and enjoy the day. Three teams of four people broke out with our lists of things and people to find, and we spent 4 hours traversing all over the city hunting down our clues.

“Ride a duck boat”

“Reenact a scene from 10 Things I Hate About You”

It was all ridiculously fun. We had no trouble filling the four hours with exploration and list-checking, and it ended up being a race to the finish line. After all the excitement, I couldn’t inhale a plate of fries or drink enough cold water fast enough. Finishing an adventurous day at a delicious restaurant is brilliant.

Happy birthday Hannah!

And to cap of what was a magnificently tiring and fun weekend, Seattle decided to pull this out last night:

This picture doesn’t even do justice, but I did drive out of my way (and prolonged going to bed) in order to try and capture the glory. All the people standing around should be a good indication of how freaking beautiful the setting was.

So now it’s Monday and I am a little bit happy to be sitting in my desk for 9 hours. That feeling is bound to pass by tomorrow, but for now I’ll be regaining my strength for all the other festivities that are coming up in the next few weeks. Spoiler…one of them involves running 35 miles in a little over 24 hours. Fun stuff folks, and despite my ever-present fatigue, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

And somehow, amidst all the mayhem, I managed to run 52 miles last week…easily the most since before Eugene. Slowly, those ultra relays are starting to get a (little) less scary.

Now, tell me about your weekend!

Run Birdie Run

…because it's the only way to fly.

Author Archives: runbirdierun

Spokane to Sandpoint Relay Women’s Ultra Team Winners

Deja Vu: Ultra Relay Take 2

The Birdie Turns Into a Bird

Ragnar Ultra Relay- The good, the bad, and the ugly

Ragnar Ultra Relay Race Recap

Go Time, Ragnar Northwest Passage

See Jane Run Half-Marathon Race Recap

The Races Are Coming, The Races Are Coming!

Saying Yes to the Shorts Tan

Fast Finishes, Scavenger Hunting, and Mayhem