This is Who I Am: Tahoe 200 Endurance Run Race Report

“There is something magical about running; after a certain distance, it transcends the body. Then a bit further, it transcends the mind. A bit further yet, and what you have before you, laid bare, is the soul.” – Kristin Armstrong “Repeat after me,” the Race Director of the Tahoe 200 Endurance Run, Candice Burt called through the megaphone. “If I get lost… hurt… or die… it’s my own damn fault.” We dutifully repeated her words, half laughing, half hoping we didn’t get lost, hurt or die. I don’t remember how the race actually started—a word, a sound, a collective heart beat—I …

NJ Trail Series One Day: Just Put One Foot in Front of the Other

The orange-yellow glow from the street lamps turned us into a sepia-toned tableau. The air from our mouths froze into a cloud. It was as if we were each frozen in time and space. And, yet, with each moment that passed, we moved – even if imperceptibly – just putting one foot in front of the other, along the 1 mile course that wound through the Sussex County Fairgrounds as part of the NJ Trail Series One Day race. It was O’Dark:Thirty. We had been going around for some time now. How long? I don’t know. I had long ago …

Survival of the Fittest: Silver Rush 50 Race Report

When I signed up for the Silver Rush 50, which starts in Leadville, Colorado, I had one goal: Survive. Don’t believe me? Here’s how I entered it in TrainingPeaks: I usually have somewhat more ambitious goals, but when it came to Silver Rush 50, survival sounded about as ambitious as it comes. I ditched all thoughts of competition and kept my focus simple: don’t die and cross the finish line. Silver Rush 50 treats the runners to about 7600 feet of climbing. But, it’s not the elevation gain, it’s the altitude, which includes 4 trips up to 12,000 feet altitude – …

Dealing with Disappointment: Black Canyon 100k

The cold air nipped at us, and I struggled to stop shivering as we waited for the start of the Black Canyon 100k ultramarathon. Luckily, it was only a few moments of shiver-waiting, before it was time to cross the starting line. I tucked inside of my jacket a bit and put one foot in front of the other. Those first 3 or 4 miles were rough. I shivered and tried to ignore the sound of my heavier-than-typical breathing. About 9 days before this moment, I woke up with a chest cold–a deep, dark, slimy and furry organism had burrowed …

Dig From the Bottomless Well: 2017 Javelina Jundred Race Report

We were about 4 miles out from the finish line with about 45 minutes to spare in order for me to finish under 21 hours at the 2017 Javelina Jundred. I was in a dark place. John, my husband and pacer, was trying to pull me out of it. “Dig deep, Maria,” he said. “Your well of reserves is bottomless. Keep pulling from it.” Ms. Cranky-Pants wasn’t really feeling the guru session. “I’m at mile 96 of a 100 mile race. I AM digging deep,” I pouted. I might as well have stomped my feet, but at that point, I …

The Gift of the Present: 2017 Ironman Lake Placid Race Report

Feet up and resting the day before Ironman Lake Placid, I scrolled through Facebook and saw this post from my friend and fellow coach Mary: The next morning, I stood on the beach of Mirror Lake, waiting for the 2017 Ironman Lake Placid to begin. In that moment, I lived a different present than the last time I raced an Ironman, 3 years ago. When I first registered for IMLP 2017, I wanted to chase my Ironman past. I felt like I had unfinished business with Lake Placid. I had goals for Ironman – back in 2013 and 2014 – that …

Crono Vino Time Trial: Fake it until I make it – or just keep faking it

On April 10th, I received this text from Karl, an athlete that I coach: I clicked the link. I read through the event description.  And, I realized: 1) Karl would do this event, and 2) I should probably hit the “register” button as well. If I’m going to think of myself as a “real” cyclist, then I need to do “bikey” things. But, the thought of showing up at an event for really real cyclists scared the crap out of me. Mostly, I was certain one or more of the following things would happen: 1) I would greatly humiliate myself, 2) I would get my ass …

I’m Back: 2017 HITS Naples 70.3 Race Report

I’m back… I’m back from the edges of overtraining. I’m still pushing my edges – just not tipping over them. I’m back into the thrill of the chase, and working that line between getting enough oxygen and going as fast as I can. And, with my first 70.3 in almost 2 years, I’m back to races that begin and end on the same day. I’m back, baby. I. AM. BACK. You know what? I kinda missed the shenanigans.  Okay, I definitely missed it. A lot. While I did a few shorter races in the Fall, I didn’t really consider myself “back” until I did HITS Naples 70.3 …

Philadelphia Freedom

As I ran the final 10k of the 2016 Philadelphia Marathon, the wind swirled, but thankfully at this point, mostly in a tailwind direction. A smile snaked its way around my face. I felt ah-maze-ing. My careful pacing paid off. I felt the strongest I had ever felt in the final 10k of a marathon. Truthfully: it was the best I had felt running in a year or so! I ran the first half of the marathon with a fair bit of discipline – which is challenging when you feel fresh, and the spectators that line the city streets entice you to push …

Lessons from a Hard Teacher: Vermont 100 Race Report

“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lessons afterward.” ~Vernon Law My Vermont 100 experience was a hard test. I’m trying to decide whether I passed or failed. When I grade my students’ work, I assess it based on what I want them to learn and how well their work demonstrates that they’ve learned those lessons. In the case of racing, these “lessons” come in various forms, and one way to assess a race is to think about the goals I set for the race. For Vermont 100, I had my usual tiered set of goals: A) “super secret” goal, …