9 Months, 8 Races Later

I'm back! Now before I start making excuses for essentially abandoning this blog, I'd like to say this...I love running again! It's true. For awhile (hmm, like most of 2014-2016) I didn't, which really sucked because running has always been my thing, my go-to happy place. Except when it wasn't. Those times when my hamstring throbbed after every run and my stomach revolted during every race just left me feeling sad, frustrated and empty.

But I kept on running (and occasionally racing) partly out of habit but mostly because I thought I could force happiness. It didn't work - shocking, I know! However, things have finally turned around. My hamstring is nearly back to normal and I am getting some speed back in these old legs thanks to Coach David. (I never expected to be posting some of my fastest times at almost 40!!?)

I've done eight races since my last blog entry and as I have neither the memory nor patience to write that many recaps, I'm going to be lazy and simply add a few pics and words about some of them.

Sun Mountain 25km
I think my face says it all: I love this race! This photo was taken just past the halfway point of one of my all-time favourite trail running events. Put on by Race Director extraordinaire James Varner of Rainshadow Running, the Sun Mountain 50km was my first ever ultra (and blog post!) and will forever hold a special place in my heart. I have been to this race four times now, having also run the 50-mile and 100km distances, and always had a blast. I thrive on these trails and this course has been kind to me. This year, I was second woman and sixth overall. So much fun!

Photo credit: Glenn Tachiyama Photography

Leona Divide 50km
My first big race of 2018 and the kick-off to our California road trip. I lucked out with great weather and a beautiful course, consisting mostly of the Pacific Crest Trail. My favourite takeaway from Leona Divide is running almost 40 kilometres with this amazing gal. Not only an incredibly talented runner, but also an absolute sweetheart and it was wonderful to share the trails with her. We were both aiming for a sub-5 hour finish and decided to work together to make it happen. Even if my stomach hadn't started turning during the final 5 miles of the race forcing me to drop back, I would still have been rooting for Emma to take the win. She's just that nice. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to catch the 1st place lady but finished strong in 2nd and I was about 5 minutes behind her in 3rd. (Three ladies in the top 10 - woo hoo!!) We both easily broke 5 hours and made the list of top 10 fastest times ever.

Photo credit: Rudy (Emma's man)

Interior Running Association (IRA) Races
I'm pretty sure at some point I said (with a sneer) there's no way I'd ever go back to road racing. Well, never say never. I've done two IRA road races this year (the Oliver 10km and Blossom 10-miler) and enjoyed them way more than I was expecting. Shifting focus from 50-plus mile events to mostly 25- and 50-kilometre races means racing shorter distances more often and at a faster pace. I find both of those things kind of scary, but that's probably why it's good for me to do them. It's also nice to occasionally be social (as an introvert I struggle with this) and to support the local running community. Plus, there are good prizes like wine!

Photo credit: Vlad Zamecnik

Dirty Feet 20km Tunnel Run
This is always a fun end-of-year race to do. Phil and Grace Hiom of Dirty Feet have it dialed in terms of putting on a well organized and attended event with a fun, low-key vibe. I've done this race at least three times and what makes this one memorable is that I decided to run to and from the race, almost doubling the distance. My intent wasn't to be heroic. Quite the opposite actually. As you can see from the photo below, conditions were not ideal and since I hate winter driving, I decided it would be safer to run to the race.

Photo credit: Phil Hiom

Frosty Mountain 27km

I don't know why I didn't do a write-up for this one - it was my best race of the year! Maybe that's why. I think bad races are easier to write about because inevitably something funny and/or embarrassing happens that you're going to want to share with a bunch of random strangers on the Internet. Good races are just plain boring. On this occasion, though, I'll take boring.

A former coach used to encourage me to "go Kamikaze" in races, but it's just not in my DNA to go all out. My self-preservation instincts are too strong. I've probably done more than 100 races over the past two decades and can recall exactly three times when this crazy competitive drive kicked in and it was both terrifying and exhilarating. Anyway, Frosty was one of those times when I decided to go for it. I had a perfect race, winning outright and setting a new women's course record. (My father-in-law is still in disbelief that I, a girl, could beat ALL the boys. Every time he brings it up, it makes me smile.)

Photo credit: Daryl Spencer

Mighty Quail 100km

Frosty might have been my best race of 2017, but the Mighty Quail 100km was by far my favourite. I didn't run it, but instead helped organize it, along with Dave and our friends Andrew and Magda. It was probably one of the most stressful and satisfying things I've ever been involved with and I am so proud of what we created. Find out more at: www.mightyquail.com.

Photo credit: Aaron Barry Photography

Since the theme of this post seems to be love, friendship and gratitude, I'm going to wrap things up by thanking my husband Dave for his support through all my racing highs and lows. I think my struggles with running and injuries have often been harder on him as I have a selective memory and forget the really bad times. I'm pretty sure all he wants is for me to retire from racing and yet he knows how happy it makes me when things are going well so he's willing to stay up late scrolling through event calendars with me and planning all our holidays around my race schedule. What a guy!

I'm also grateful for my wonderful friends who put up with me even though I often can't do anything with them because I'm going for a run, recovering from a run or going to bed early because I have to run in the morning. And they refrain from making piggy noises when I eat twice as much as everyone else at the table!

Waldo 100k Race Report

Where's Waldo? Well, he's not hanging out in my GI tract because I emptied it on the course and didn't find him there. I didn't realize that when I added the Waldo 100k to my bucket list of races, that I would literally need a bucket during the race for all the puking I'd do, but perhaps that was short-sighted of me. Based on previous long-distance race experience, a bucket should be on my mandatory gear list. When will I learn??!

I can make light of it now because I fully get that in the grand scheme of things, having a shitty race doesn't matter, like, at all. Still, I'm disappointed. My training for Waldo went really well and I'm healthy and uninjured for the first time in years so I was expecting good things. Maybe even great things if I'm being completely honest.

Since joining the SWAP (Some Work, All Play) training group in February and working with coach David Roche, I've been logging some of the biggest mileage weeks I've ever done and instead of getting sick or worn down like I have in the past with larger training loads, I'm feeling strong, fit and happy and that in itself is a huge accomplishment.

Earlier in the year, I made the conscious decision to race less with the hope that I would enjoy racing more. I only did one 50k event (Slay the Dragon) leading up to Waldo and I can see now that that was probably a mistake. While my stomach held for 50k at Slay the Dragon, it was starting to go off by the end of the race which is about the same point things went sideways at Waldo.

And I think I took for granted that I didn't have any nutrition issues on my long training runs. But then again, I never do! It seems there's something about racing that triggers a seriously leaky gut and I have yet to find a solution for it. The other possibility is that I've developed a psychosomatic aversion to racing that manifests itself in severe and prolonged vomiting episodes in events over 50k. Either way, it blows...chunks - ha, ha.

Race week was dreamy. I slept well, ate well and even gave up beer (mostly). I couldn't have asked for a better lead up to a big race. I was so excited to run this one. Having seen a lot of the course beforehand, I knew it was totally up my alley - non-technical, cruise-y singletrack trails with lots of climbing. It's like a roller coaster made for running.

The first half of the race flew by uneventfully. I was pacing well and staying on top of my food and hydration. I had a minor fall descending the rocky summit of Mt. Fuji leading to a bloodied knee and shoulder which the aid station volunteers wanted to clean up, but I politely refused because A. it didn't hurt and B. I thought it looked badass.

My only photo from Waldo

Coming into the Charlton Lake aid station at mile 32, I was on track for a sub-12 hour finish (my goal) and sitting comfortably in 4th place amongst the women. Then I started getting queasy. I decided to slow my pace considerably in the hope that I could settle my stomach, but it was too late. Within half an hour of leaving the aid station, the barf fest started and the party didn't stop until I rolled into the finish many looooong hours of slow walking - and puking - later. (Total time 14:22, 12th woman.)

It was an absolutely miserable 8+ hour period of my life that I would love to get back. I probably should have dropped out earlier but quitting is no fun either and I was pretty sure I could make the cut-offs even in my compromised state. Plus, I really needed another trucker hat for my collection...

Fortunately, there were some lighter moments. In a failed attempt to win a booby prize (not real boobies), I decided to go for the Show Us Your Waldo (also not what you're thinking) contest which is a spirit award voted on by the aid stations. Lacking any real talent, the best I could come up with was to Prancercise in and out of the aid stations. Yes, Prancercise. Based on the blank - and often confused - stares I received, it seems not a lot of people are familiar with Prancercising. If you're one of them, I suggest you check out the video below. It's kinda awesome! (But didn't win me the prize.)

I also met my doppelganger at Waldo and she's a lovely wife and mother of one from Bend, Oregon, and her husband and daughter were very excited to point out that not only do we bear an uncanny resemblance and race day fashion sense, but apparently we also run the same and share a fondness for stopping to pets dogs at aid stations.

And then there were the amazing ladies running the med tent at the finish who were able to give me a wonderful prescription strength anti-nausea medication that fixed me up well enough that within a couple of hours of staggering across the line (with Dora by my side!) I was up and actually able enjoy some of the post-race festivities that Rainshadow Running is known for - like pizza!

It was sweet how many other racers who had seen me struggling on the course stopped by after the race to tell me they were happy that I finished. Apparently, I looked as bad as I felt out there!? This sense of community created out on the trails - in good times and bad - is one of the best things about ultra racing.

Sun Mountain 100k Race Report

I saw a funny card lately that said: 99% of getting older is wondering how the hell you hurt your back. That’s certainly been true for me lately.

About a month ago, I woke up with an inexplicably tight lower back. Instead of resting it, I foolishly decided to run a 50k race thinking that might loosen it up. (Being new to back pain, I didn't really know what the protocol was and lacked the foresight and common sense to figure it out.) The race did not go well and my back pain got worse, putting me out of commission for most of the next 2 weeks.

Fortunately, after visiting my coach/RMT, “we” (mostly Andrew – I just chilled on the massage table) were able to work through some issues upsetting my back/hips/pelvis and many of the things connected to them. With a few treatments, the pain started to subside and I felt like we were making progress.

Obviously, that was the goal and I was happy about it, but it was happening only a week out from the Sun Mountain 100k, which was intended to be a trial run for the Bryce 100 – one of my “A” races this year. Having lost a significant chunk of training time in May to deal with this back thing, my confidence to immediately jump into another race wasn't high.

In the week leading up to Sun Mountain, I was really struggling with whether or not to race. I love the Sun Mountain event having done the 50k and 50mi distances there in the past, but knew it might not be the best thing for my body at this point. It took me right up until the day before to decide that I would start the race and drop out if my back started to seize up.

My first ultra - the Sun Mtn 50k (2010)

Back for the Sun Mtn 50mi (2013)

Race Day

My alarm went off at 4am. It was still dark and I could hear rain falling outside. I downed my oats and coffee, made a few last minute gear and clothing decisions based on the weather, and then Dave and I drove to the race start, about 25 minutes away.

With fewer than 80 participants in the 100k distance, the check-in process was quick and there were no line-ups at the porta potties (hey, you gotta appreciate the small victories in life). The first people I saw when we arrived were Suzanne and Geoff from Vancouver whom I had spent time with in Wales at the World Trail Running Championships in 2013. Suzanne was also racing the 100k and Geoff was there as her crew. It was great to see them again, especially during the race when a familiar face and a few words of encouragement can do wonders to lift your spirits. 

By the time the race started at 5:30am, the rain had nearly stopped and it was actually a very nice temperature for running. I fell into an easy pace to test my body and see if there were any unhappy bits. Surprisingly, everything felt pretty good and I was moving well so I picked it up a bit. Starting the first big climb, I was running alongside a lovely woman from Seattle named Kaytlyn (who would go on to win the women’s race in a phenomenal sub-10 time) and enjoyed having someone to chat with as we plugged along the steady uphill grade.

Knowing that I had to take care of my body and not push too hard early in the race, I encouraged her to go ahead. I would've loved to have tried to stay with her, but when my back started acting up later in the day, I was sure glad that I hadn't!

There were several other runners that I was back and forth with over the next few hours and it was nice to get out of my head and enjoy some bits of conversation here and there. Overall, things were going quite well pace, body and nutrition wise up until about 40k when my lower back started tightening up. 

By 50k (the halfway point and end of lap 1 of this 2 lap course), I had convinced myself that my back was only going to get worse if I continued and that it would be better to drop out now. I was totally at peace with this decision and the knowledge that I was doing the right thing.

Then I got to the aid station and there were lots of people there cheering, telling me that I was doing well and that I was second woman. Before I could tell someone that I was dropping out, a helpful volunteer was refilling my bladder and Dave was handing me my snack bag. Geoff asked me how I was feeling and I whispered back, “not great, I'm thinking of dropping out”. Without missing a beat, both he and Dave basically told me that I was not dropping out. So I didn't, and that’s how I ended up back on the course for my 2^nd 50k lap.

I left the aid station a bit bewildered by what had just happened. I’d already made plans for the rest of the day…that did not include reliving the past 5 hours of my life. I quickly came up with a new game plan – drugs! Nothing illicit, just ibuprofen. I try to avoid ibuprofen while racing, but I needed something to settle my back if I was going to continue.

The second part of my plan included walking. Not that I didn't walk parts of the first lap ‘cause I did, but I knew I’d have to back off the pace and walk more if I was going to get through this thing without triggering another injury setback. Being conservative seems to have helped because my back pain did ease up some during the second half of the race. Or maybe that’s just the drugs working. Either way, I was glad that I hadn't dropped out earlier. (Thanks Dave and Geoff!)

At around 6 hours into the race, my stomach went off. Again. Same old story with me. Up until that point, I had managed to take in about 150 calories/hour. Not great, but not terrible either. For the final 5 hours, the best I could do was about 50 calories/hour mostly in the form of Sprite or Ginger Ale at aid stations. It was frustrating because I could feel my energy levels dropping and I actually felt hungry, yet when I tried to eat, my throat closed up and I couldn't swallow. Grrr, what a ridiculous problem! I love food so to be unable to eat when I need to is very upsetting.

It may not have been my strongest finish, but I finished and even managed to hang onto 2^nd place (full results here). Mainly I'm just happy that I got to run with some cool people on trails that I love and that I didn't further upset my unpredictable body. Strangely, my back actually feels now than it has in weeks. And no, I don’t know how that’s possible!?

Now I've got a month to focus on getting fit, healthy and strong for Bryce  – the race, not the person.

Thanks James and Rainshadow Running for designing a race that is challenging and beautiful, and for bringing together the kind of people who appreciate that sorta thing! Feeling generally crappy at the finish kept me from enjoying more of the post race fun – pizza, beer and live music – but now that I'm the proud new owner of my very own growler, I'm sure I'll make up for it. ;)

Post-race (second) breakfast!

I’d also like to thank The North Face Canada for the sweet new race kit. I used some of it at Sun Mtn and was very happy with both the fit and comfort of what I wore including: the Better Than Naked rain jacket, shorts and tee, and especially the Ultra Endurance shoes, which kept my feet happy for 100k! 

Double Feature: The Gorge & The Rattler

Since I've been too lazy to update my blog in a timely fashion, I now have two race reports to write. Crap! Because of said laziness -- as well as an irrepressible desire to do anything but sit in front of a computer right now -- I'm going to keep these reports brief...

Put on by Rainshadow Running, the Gorge Waterfall 50k in Oregon promised scenery, climbs and technical trails and it delivered. The course was beautiful, a little too technical for my liking (especially after a winter of mainly treadmill running) and hilly, which I'm okay with, but, man, did that last climb hurt! It was a point-to-point race, which is my second favourite kind of course after the beloved loop.

My awesome road trip buddy for the weekend, Alison, dropped me off at the start and then met me at various points along the way to cheer, collect the extra layers that I tossed at her and provide me with splits for the woman ahead of me.

I was second woman for most of the race but then got passed with maybe 6 miles to go. I know that should have bothered me, but it didn't. I tried some ass-kicking self-talk: "Come on, Butterfield, pick it up...don't let her get away" etc. (And yes, I use my maiden name when I talk to myself.) It just didn't work. As much as I want to be a "competitive" runner, I'm just not competitive by nature and I don't think that's going to change so I've decided to just accept it.

I finished the race in third and I'm satisfied with that. (Results here.) Overall, it was a really fun weekend filled with so many things that make me happy: friends old and new, great trails, and plenty of post-race beer, pizza and live music!

Here are some pics from the race:

Photo credit: Paul Nelson

Photo credit: Paul Nelson

Photo credit: Glenn Tachiyama

Photo credit: Glenn Tachiyama

And a post-race interview I did with the nice people at uphillrunning.com. (I'm afraid to watch it so please let me know how it went. Unless I sound like a total idiot, then I'd rather not know.) 

Now onto the Rattler Trail Race in Winthrop, WA. This is a great, low-key event organized by Alison and Sam of Methow Endurance. The course winds its way up, down and all around Pipestone Canyon with fast double track sections, sandy single track and a few quad and lung busting climbs. And views of the snow-capped Cascade mountains that will blow your mind.

There are three distances to choose from: 4mi, 9mi and a half marathon. I decided to do the half marathon along with my Dirty Feet friends Grace and Phil. We decided to use the race as a training opportunity as we had a long run planned the next day at Sun Mountain. I was also getting over a week-long head cold so didn't want to overdo it.

I've run the race loop many times in training so knew what to expect. I tried to keep my output at around 80% which is easier said than done sometimes but knowing that I had a big run to do the next day helped prevent me from getting carried away. I finished second woman in 1:39. (Results here.)

For both races, I wore The North Face Single-Track Hayasa II trail shoes and was very pleased with how they performed on both wet, slippery, rocky trails (Gorge) and dry, loose, sandy trails (Rattler).

Ready to Race

My first real race of the year is next weekend in Oregon at Rainshadow Running's Gorge Waterfall 50k and I'm ready for it...at least I hope I am. I'm definitely excited about it. I haven't raced since my explosive performance at the Run for the Toad 50k in October. (And by explosive, I'm referring to my GI problems, not my speed!)

I've logged a lot of miles this winter albeit mainly on the treadmill with little bits of road, KVR, track and snowshoe running thrown into the mix. Fortunately, the snow has all but disappeared here in the valley so I should be able to get a few runs on dirt in over the next week before I leave for the Gorge. I'm a little concerned that I won't have my "trail legs" quite yet and that could result in a suffer-fest if the course is technical.

Still, it'll be a fun road trip and I get to spend the weekend with my friend Alison and probably drink some tasty Oregon microbrews so there's really nothing to worry about.

In other news...my spring order from The North Face arrived and, of course, I had to try everything on immediately. Dora approves of all my new gear. She knows that when I'm dressed to run, she gets to run too so everyone is happy.

On March 8th, I ran a full marathon on the treadmill. Why would I do that? Well, I was supposed to run a marathon in Arizona the weekend before, but those plans fell through so I just decided that since I'd already done all the training anyway, I might as well go for it. So I did.

My time was 2:58:51 - my fastest marathon to date! Would I do it again. Never say never...

 

I had this crazy plan to submit my treadmill marathon for a world record so I've got the whole 2:58:51 run on video if anyone wants to borrow it. Guaranteed not to go viral and may even cure insomnia!?

A Return to Sun Mountain

What a weekend! Dave and I celebrated our fifth anniversary on Saturday, which is pretty amazing especially considering that we were "living in sin" (as my dear Grannie B would say) for over four years before getting married and because my previous relationships were more likely to be counted in weeks rather than months or years so hooray for us and hooray for love. Marriage is the best endurance event ever! Okay, enough of the mushy, gag-inducing stuff...


Gettin' hitched at the finish line of the Peach City Half Marathon.

Dave and I also had the opportunity to run Rainshadow Running's Sun Mountain trail races in Winthrop, WA this weekend. Sun Mountain was my first ultra way back in 2010 so it holds a special place in my heart. (It also prompted my first ever blog entry.) That year, Dave and I both ran the 50k race and had planned to again. However, after a quick recovery from the Vernon Dirty Feet 50k two weeks ago, I made the last minute decision to run the 50mi this year. (Dave ran the 50k again and not only shaved over 17 minutes off his previous time but also took first place!)
 

From 2010: Nervously awaiting the start of our first ultra.

Having just re-read my 2010 race report, the most striking differences between the races would have to be the weather (cold and wet in 2010 and hot and sunny in 2013) and my attitude towards walking hills. I seemed really bummed out about it three years ago coming from a road running background when you just don't walk...ever. Now that I'm a trail running veteran (ha ha), I actually look forward to some power hiking breaks as it's a good time to get in nutrition and stretch out the hamstrings.

It's also interesting to note that I'm still using the same Nathan hydration pack which now is stained and has holes in the mesh pockets where hungry mice have nibbled through to get at my gels, but is still totally functional.

Tiptoe through the tulips...or lupins!
Photo credit: Glenn Tachiyama

I've done five 50 milers now and Sun Mountain has been the best one for me by far. I felt calm, relaxed, strong, in control and happy the entire race. I'm kinda a spazz so for me to achieve any one of those emotions for more than five minutes at a time is remarkable but to experience them simultaneously for seven hours and 19 minutes is virtually unheard of.

My stomach didn't act up. Heck, I didn't even make a single pit stop in the bushes. Everything just went really smoothly. Within 15 minutes of crossing the finish line, I was downing pizza and beer - a pleasant and welcome change from my usual post-race nausea and vomiting. 

The only negative thing I can come up with (and it wasn't easy to do) is that I felt a bit lonely out there. I didn't see another runner from the 50mi race after about 35k in and, other than a handful of 50k runners who passed me late in the race, I was alone out there. Fortunately, the course and views were exceptionally beautiful and there were plenty of bright and cheery volunteers and wildflowers along the way to distract me.

She'll be coming 'round the mountain (Patterson) when she comes...
Photo credit: Glenn Tachiyama

Huge thanks to James Varner and Candice Burt of Rainshadow Running for another memorable day on the trails (and for the post-race East 20 pizza and kegs of beer)! Full results for the Sun Mountain races can be found at Ultra Signup. And check out the official Sun Mountain race video by Steven Foreman and photos by Glenn Tachiyama.

I'm taking a bit of a break from running now before I begin my preparations for the IAU World Trail Championships in Wales. Bring on the bon bons and soap operas! :)

Going, going, gone!
Photo credit: Glenn Tachiyama