SweatyShe Monday: Glory Days

By: Susan Farago

While I was standing in my chiropractor's office this morning waiting to check out, I was looking at his "wall of fame" - all the people he has treated over the years. There are some very accomplished athletes including pro cyclists, Olympic champions, football players, weight lifters...you get the idea. As my eyes were scanning the wall, I saw a photo of a cheerleader in a shiny sparkly outfit with a big smile on her face. Written on the photo in black pen, it said:

Thank you so much for all your help. You're the best! Christa (In my glory days)

In my glory days?!?

I stood there thinking about this statement over and over. And it made me sad. How does she know those were her glory days? Maybe the best is yet to come? But it seems she's already thrown in the towel and just knows that from here on out, things are going to get progressively worse.

Ye gads how depressing!

I will never utter the words, "In my glory days" because I live too much in the future - planning the next great adventure or anticipating the next whirlwind event. In fact my biggest challenge is being in the moment and enjoying what is happening NOW. I even bought a book to help me with this called "The Presence Process" which turned out to be 180 pages of telling me to breathe. My desire to live in the now appreciated this approach - my patience did not.

Sometimes my future thinking is merely hours ahead. I have caught myself wondering what to eat for dinner as I'm walking down to the swim start of an Ironman - as if I've mentally breezed through the gruelling hours that lay ahead. Even as I type this post, I've already done today's swim workout, put mulch in all my gardens, and I've showered and am now sitting on the couch. And this future self is probably imagining my future-future self already in Minnesota visiting family over Christmas. Now I know why my husband says it's hard to keep up with me. I can't even keep up with myself!

My mom once told me that people are generally lumped into three categories: people who live in the past, people who are firmly grounded in the present, and those of us who dream of the future.

Maybe Christa lives in the past. If so, I hope she has more glory days.

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Need a way to jump start your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.

SweatyShe Monday: Good Books and Train Wrecks

By: Susan Farago

Combining my love of reading with epic tales of adventure and sport is like Saturday morning coffee and scones – the two just go together! Below are some of my recent reads – some good, some not so much.

“Ultra Marathon Man – Confessions of an All-Night Runner” by Dean Karnazes
I just finished reading this book and quite frankly, I wish Dean would have kept his confessions to himself. The book was about how Dean got into ultra running and some of his epic runs including Badwater, the South Pole Marathon, and a 199 mile relay run he did solo. I have met Dean on two occasions and he is an extremely nice and humble guy so I really thought this book would have the same vibe as the man. Not so much. Actually, not at all. With comments like, “I really slowed down and could only hold a 7:30 minute mile pace”, or “My resting heart rate hovered in the 30’s, about the same as Lance Armstrong”, or “I don’t know Sports Illustrated Women’s ‘Sexiest Men in Sports’ issue got my name”, I felt myself rolling my eyes more and more as the stories unfolded. I’ve been told his other two books are better. I hope so!

"The Immortal Class - Bike Messengers and the Cult of Human Power" by Travis Hugh Culley
Ever wonder what it would be like to have the bike skills to zip through traffic, bunny hop over curbs and stairs, and survive seeing your life flash before your eyes on a daily basis? This book is a great account of the crazy, scary, back alley world of bike messengers in downtown Chicago and takes a philosophical look at power, wealth, and the value of human life. Truth be told, I wanted to become a bike messenger after reading this!

"The Extra Mile" by Pam Reed
This book had the potential to tell a great story but either the author is just a bad writer and/or seems to be pretty angry in general (or at least at the time when she wrote the book). Between her train wreck relationships, her kids ”getting in the way” of her training, and her battle with eating disorders, the entire book is just exhausting. If you can wade through the quagmire that is her life, it's worth reading to find out about ultra events such as  the Badwater Ultra Marathon. I gave a copy of this book to two friends before I read it. I have now been banned from giving them any more books. (Sorry Richelle and Michelle!)

"Swimming to Antarctica" by Lynne Cox
Hands down by far my favorite sports-related book because it's inspirational without trying to be. Lynne Cox got her first taste of cold water swimming when she was in the local swimming pool and it started to snow on her. She grew into an amazing ultra distance swimmer and she recounts all her swims including her first swim from Catalina Island to California, English Channel, Baring Straights, and finally Antarctica. Two images from her stories stick in my mind: her hand punching through a rotting dog carcass while she swam the Nile, and her chopping pan ice with her forearm during her near freezing swims. Whether or not you are a swimmer, these extremely crazy and jaw-dropping stories will make you want to go out into the world and do something amazing! She is a straight forward writer and provides enough detail to make the stories interesting. I am probably responsible for the spike in her book sales at one point because I have purchased at least 10 copies of this book for friends. However I have no desire to swim the English Channel - it's too cold!

Go.Do.Be.

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Need a way to jump start your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.

 

SweatyShe Monday: The Vitamix Cult

By: Susan Farago

Papa Bernard - the original Vitamix salesman

I was recently in the Whole Foods produce department when my eye spied a big display of fruits, veggies, cookbooks on juicing, and boxes and boxes of THE WORLDS GREATEST juicer/blender/mixer/slicer/dicer -- The Vitamix. As my brain was reeling from the possibilities of a juice-based existence, I made eye contact with a guy who was standing in and on this display. His name was Jason and he was the pitch man. So I marched right up to him and said, "OK, convince me." He smiled and said, "With pleasure."

For the next 5 minutes my husband Leary and I got a steady stream of information about what the Vitamix does, how juicing benefits everyone's life, that children are overweight because of how much processed juice they drink because all the fiber has been stripped out, how people don't get enough fiber to begin with, and then he whipped up a chocolate almond frappa-something for us to sample (which also had cabbage, avocado, and carrot - but who would know?!)

Then I  asked the magic question, "How much?"
$450 for the plain version and $499 for stainless. This was quite the departure from my little $90 Black and Decker blender from Target which would have completely blown up by this point in the demo. Then as if to read my mind, Jason launched into something that sounded similar to the recent presidential debates on foreign policy. "The Vitamix is all American made in Cleveland, Ohio and has been since 1921. It comes with an eight year warranty and if you need anything fixed, they will pay for shipping and it will be sent to a facility here in the United States. No Chinese parts or labor here!" Sir you have my vote. Then I said, "OK, now convince him" and I pointed to my husband who missed the good old "Made in America" speech because his brain was still trying to register $450.

The newest addition to our family!

At this point people were starting to gather around us and Jason sensed his moment. A customer had just walked by and told the group, as if on cue, "I have a Vitamix and I LOVE IT!" With that, Jason and the Vitamix machine went into overdrive. Before we knew it, we were being treated to tortilla soup, mocha chocolate frappachino, berry smoothie, and chocolate ice cream (again, with cabbage and avocado - and the first time I've ever seen Leary voluntarily eat anything with avocado). Jason looked over to an older woman standing to his left. He said, "You're a Vitamix owner aren't you." She said, "Yes! How did you know?" He said, "I could tell. There's a certain arrogance and pride that owners have when they stand and watch my demos. You have that." Wow. He's good.

By now two people had a Vitamix blender box in hand. They were sold! I looked at Leary and he knew what was coming. I said, "OK, if I cash in Christmas, my birthday, and a few anniversaries, can we get one?" I think I saw a tiny tear form in his eye as the thought of parting with $450 was more painful than a root canal. Then I said, "Wait. I have to test something first." So I turned to Jason and said, "Will it make almond butter?" "Yes it will", he said. "OK, prove it." I ran to the bulk foods section and bought about a pound of raw, unsalted almonds. I returned a few minutes later and handed him the bag. "Go for it."

He poured the almonds into the machine and flipped it on high. The almonds went from crumbs, to meal, to flour, and then slowly...slowly...to almond butter. He was jamming the spatula into the machine to push down the almonds and at one point Leary and I looked at each other - we smelled the heat from the motor! But the Vitamix and Jason kept at it. After about 4 minutes, voila - almond butter. Without consulting Leary on his final decision, I walked over to the display, picked up a red Vitamix blender, and plopped it into the cart.

I spent the next 15 minutes running around the produce department like a woman posessed - looking for anything and everything I could juice! I ran back over to Jason with more questions: Could I juice beets? What happens if a pit gets stuck? Can I grind dried beans or seeds? Always the same answer, "No problem. No problem."

My Vitamix machine is in its new home and ready to juice away. I am very hard on kitchen equipment but something tells me the Vitamix is up to the challenge. I look forward to a very long, happy, American made relationship.

Go.Do.Be.

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Need a way to jump start your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.

SweatyShe Monday: Ode to Wandering Nipple Tape

Wandering Nipple Tape

By: Susan Farago

There once was a man named Leary
Who was a runner quite cheery
His nipples he did tape
To prevent the almighty chafe
But finding tape everywhere was quite a query

_______________________________________
I dedicate this ode to my husband, Leary. He is a very precautious athlete, carefully applying body glide so he won't rub in the wrong places, wearing toe socks for extra comfort, and he also tapes his nipples to prevent chafing from his shirt when he runs. I can understand this last measure of protection as there is NOTHING worse than seeing a guy running with two wet red spots soaked through his shirt. OUCH!

But what I CANNOT figure out for the life of me is how Leary's nipple tape ends up everywhere else after he's used it. I'm not exaggerating here. I've found pieces of tape on the inside edge of my sock drawer, stuck to the center console in the car, on our bedspread, on the entryway floor, in a milk glass in the kitchen sink, and adhered to my swim goggles hanging in the bathroom shower. But the latest place took the cake. I opened the pantry door to get a gel flask before a run and lo and behold, there it was. That little white fuzzy piece of tape staring back at me while stuck to the flask itself.

I finally confronted Leary about his crazy, wandering nipple tape and he instantly blushed red. (Those of you who know Leary can imagine his embarrassment despite the fact that we've been married for over 20 years.) I'm not mad. I'm just amazed! It's like an ongoing game of "Where's Waldo" and I never know where or when a piece of nipple tape is going to appear out of nowhere and say SURPRISE! I can only imagine how many rogue pieces are hiding in the house as we speak. Maybe I should go check the cat just to be sure.

I would much rather deal with rogue nipple tape than have Leary suffer the consequence of bloody nipples. But if this continues, maybe I can persuade him to wear a bra instead? Yeah, probably not.

Go.Do.Be.


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Need a way to jump start your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.

SweatyShe Monday: Plant Power for Endurance Athletes

By: Susan Farago

Being a card carrying member of the Austin Herb Society for many years, I have always believed in the power of plants. Sore throat? Add some monarda leaves to tea -- the thymol agent in the leaves has very good anti-bacteria properties. Flying somewhere? Take along a little tea tree oil and put a few drops under your nostrils to help capture those nasty "who knows what" germs flying around in the cabin. So why not use plants in our sports?

Here are my top five favorite medicinals that help keep me going workout after workout:

1. Oil of Oregano

My number one "go to" is Oil of Oregano. Taken in caplet form, these little babies pack one heck of a whalloping boost to the immune system -- like little mini anti-bacteria bombs. Why is this important? The immune system is one of the areas most impacted by long and/or intense workouts and when the immune system is compromised, an otherwise benign bug can turn into a full blown cold or flu. I only take half the recommended dose (1 capsule) and that's enough on a daily basis. The capsules should smell like an Italian restaurant when you open the lid. No smell? The oils have lost their volatility. Return it for your money back or opt for another brand (I have good luck with Gaia Herbs).

2. Floradix Iron Supplement

While iron is not a plant, the elemental iron in Floradix is supplemented with plants such as nettle wort, quitch roots, spinach, angelica roots, fennel, and african mallow blossom which aid in the body's absorption of iron. Iron is a mineral found in the body that transports oxygen to blood cells (2/3 of iron in the body is found in the blood). Low iron can cause severe fatigue and body weakness. This is NOT helpful when you are trying to do hill repeats or a track workout! Additionally, women are more likely to suffer from anemia and low blood iron due to menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. If you're not sure where your iron levels are at, a lab or your doctor can run an iron test.

3. Peppermint
When I go on a long run, my stomach usually gets to the point where it does NOT want another *^@#% gel. It only wants one thing - peppermint. My not-exactly-from-mother-nature source comes in the form of Clif brand Luna Bar, Chocolate Peppermint Stick flavor. Peppermint is known to soothe the stomach and aid in digestion. If you don't want to carry around springs of peppermint to chew on, other portable sources of peppermint include: Altoid Curiously Strong Peppermints and even the old fashioned red and white striped peppermints. A side benefit: eating a peppermint after a salt water swim helps clear out the mouth and gets rid of any salt burns on the tongue.  

4. Eleuthero Root

Eleuthero Root (ER) is known as Siberian Ginseng - even though it is not a true ginseng according to the U.S. Ginseng Labeling Act of 2002. Cited benefits include the prevention of adrenal burnout cause by ongoing physical/mental stress, boosts concentration and focus, boosts immunity. There are also many documents citing enhanced athletic performance and it was used extensively by Olympic athletes in the former Soviet Union. This alone would make me NOT want to use it but I was reassured by a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic master herbalist that for my overactive lifestyle, ER would definitely help my immune system. I ordered a one pound bag of this stuff from mountainroseherbs.com and when it came, I was staring at what looked like a plastic bag of straw. I make a tea out of it and now drink it fairly regularly. It tastes like it looks (like straw) but it's a nice alternative to tea or water and helps me stay hydrated throughout the day.

5. Holy Basil

Holy basil (HB) has become my husband's best friend. One of the key benefits of HB is to calm the nerves and provide balance, harmony, and to even out the high and low swings in mood and energy levels (think anti-depressant on a mental and physical level). I started taking HB capsules a few years ago and after about three months, I felt more physically balanced and mentally steady and focused. So when I stopped taking it, my husband got nervous. And every now and then the bottle of HB mysteriously reappears on our kitchen counter top - a hint that maybe I should start taking it again. HB also comes in tea form (called Tulsi) and my favorite brand is Organic India. It is not a true "tea", which only comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant, so it doesn't have caffeine. And on a related note, historical texts indicate it is used to treat snakebites and scorpion stings so maybe I should start carrying HB when I trail run!   

Plants provide unlimited resources for us when it comes to our health and are frequently a better alternative to laboratory-made pills and concoctions. Do I feel overly energized and ready to conquer the world when I take these supplements? No. But I can certainly tell when I DON'T take them.  

As with many plants and herbals, they do not magically work overnight and must be taken in steady doses over time to receive the full benefit. If you are taking any medication, check with your doctor first before embarking on any herbal/plant supplementation (for example, the Eleuthero Root may cause problems for people with high blood pressure). We already use the Earth as our playground for our sports, why not use the plants as well?    

 Go.Do.Be.

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Need a way to jump start your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.

SweatyShe Monday: Bikram Yoga and Beer

Danny and I in Corpus Christi

By: Susan Farago

I blame my friend Danny for this and he knows it. When I curse him for it he just smiles and says that it’s good for me. I’m referring to having a nice cold beer after a really, really hard workout.

It started a few years ago when Danny and I, along with a group of eight other people, ran the Capital to Coast relay -- 223 miles of running starting in Austin and finishing on the beach in Corpus Christi. It took us two days of non-stop running relay-style and by the time we got to Corpus, we were very tired but very excited to have finished the race. They offered free beer at the finish line and Danny handed me a glass before I could even refuse . I have never been a beer drinker and on the rare occasion I would indulge, I would order a beer based on color, not on name (“I’ll have a medium colored beer, please.”) But Capital to Coast was cause for celebration and after the team toasted our achievement, I have to say that medium colored beer tasted AWESOME!

Bikram beer of choice



After that something clicked in my system: hard sweaty workout = beer craving. I am able to resist the urge most of the time. And then I started taking Bikram yoga last week.

If you are not familiar with Bikram, it goes like this: Walk into a yoga studio where the thermostat is cranked up to 108 and the room smells like a combination of hay, melted yoga mat rubber, and sweaty feet. Then take off as much clothing as possible and get ready to sweat like never before. Proceed to stay in this room for 90 minutes as you are verbally guided through a series of 26 postures, each one done twice. I sweated through two beach towels and five bandanas during my first class. And as we laid there “cooling down”, my mind drifted to one thing. Ice cold fizzy medium colored beer.

I got home and cracked a Victoria - what has since become my beer of choice - and it tasted fantastic! Then I realized I was probably defeating the benefits of Bikram detoxification with Victoria intoxication. But my liver was just going to have to get over it.

I have taken two more Bikram classes since then and each one is followed by a beer chaser (and a small cursing at Danny for even starting this whole habit). The beer chaser cravings are coming earlier and earlier in the workout and I now find myself thinking about the beer reward even before class begins. I have two more Bikram sessions scheduled for this week. They would probably frown if I rolled a cooler into the yoga studio and cracked a cold one before the workout. So I’ll just have to get through the 90 minutes and look forward to my post-workout rehydration fix.
Go.Do.Be.

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Need a way to jumpstart your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.

SweatyShe Monday: Swollen Leg and Eternal Optimist - The 2013 Race List

Susan is very excited (and a little scared)
about her 2013 racing schedule!

By: Susan Farago

Sunday was a rainy day and I was having a hard time getting motivated to finish some work-related projects. I glanced over at my "race pile" - an ongoing, never ending stack of papers, postcards, brochures, and magazine tear-outs that contain various bits of information about events that I think would be fun to do. There are trail running races, standup paddleboard events, mountain bike adventures, long distance bike races...some event you can do with your dog (I don't have a dog but I have a very accomodating cat). So I decide that now's the perfect time to draft up my 2013 race calendar.

I haven't been training much lately since the hematoma on my calf is still swollen and very visible thanks to a mountain bike race crash over three weeks ago! Not to mention that the rest of me is also feeling very swollen (more like bloated) since "that time of the month" just hit and I feel about as fit and in shape as an Umpa-loompa from Willie Wonka. My body may be bloated and hematoma'ed but my mind is ready to train!

I start out with my ultimate wish list - which means I am independently super wealthy and I have all the time in the world to do nothing but train and race. Oh, and I also enter into a somewhat delusional state and imagine myself being in a super fit, super "lean and mean" shape (which means I'm about 8-10 pounds lighter than my current weight and I could keep up with Lance Armstrong on my bike or Dean Karnazes trail running on Austin's greenbelt). So taking all this into consideration, this is what 2013 looks like:

January - Big Bend 50K Trail Run
February - Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Trail Run
March - RAAM Challenge 200 Mile Bike Race (solo)
May - Jemes Mountains 50 Mile Trail Run
July - California Death Ride Bike Ride
August - TransRockies 6 Day Trail Run
October - Furnace Creek 508 Bike Race (2 day)
December - Coyote Moon 100 Mile Trail Run

My philosophy with choosing races is that they should always give me an excited feeling in the pit of my stomach. The excitement can come from the venue itself or, more frequently, because the event scares me a little bit. I think it's good to get pushed out of my comfort zone when I start getting too "comfortable" (or lazy) with what I'm doing. Fortunately for me (or unfortunately for those around me), this usually means doing longer and longer events or going to some crazy part of the world. So as I sit back and look at my 2013 ultmate wish list, I get butterflies in my stomach. And those aren't the menstral cramps talking either.

If I proceed with even part of this list, 2013 will have several firsts - my first 100 mile trail race and my first solo 200 mile bike race. There come the butterflies again!

I'll sit on this list for a few days and then make my final selection, which will probably mean cutting the list down by half. If I'm serious about 2013 then there's no time to wait - training officially starts back up again on Monday (that's today)! Someone better tell that to my hematoma.

Go.Do.Be.

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Need a way to jumpstart your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.

SweatyShe Monday: The Power of the Catalog

By: Susan Farago

Stylish Yoga!



If you're like many of my active female friends, you look forward to getting the latest fitness apparel catalogs in the mail like Title Nine, Athleta, and Terry Bicycle. My ritual goes like this: I make a cup of French pressed coffee and go sit outside on the back deck and turn each page with complete rapture and interest. I look with longing desire at what the women are doing, I wonder where they are going, or what crazy exciting adventures they are about to have. Then I visualize my friends and I taking the day off to go paddle boarding like the two women on page 3, or heading to the local farmer's market after a yoga class - our yoga mats fashionably in tow while we are wearing yoga-approved long dresses and flowing scarves...our hair just slightly tousled but still looking good.

Ahhh.



Then I go through the catalog again and actually look at the clothes - that cute flaired skirt or that fantastic pair of boots or the dress that can go from the bottom of the gym bag to dinner at a five star restaurant. After mentally spending $2700, I close the catalog and relish my happy place for just a few more minutes as I finish the last of  my coffee.



Fashionable Trail Running

Then I return to reality.

Truth is, I have never gone trail running wearing a fur hat with coordinated skirt and leggings. Or walked out into the middle of the woods and sat on top of a rock on the Hill of Life in Sukhasana (Easy Pose). I have never commuted via my road bike while wearing a dress, or walked down to Townlake carrying my standup paddle board while sporting a crocheted hoodie dress. But the catalogs give me hope that somehow, some day I can combine fashion AND function.

Sometimes the wardrobe/activity combination is so rediculous that I tear out the page and drop it in the mail to my friend Richelle with a note that says, "Why don't we look like this when we trail run?" But the last time I did that she went out and actually bought one of the entire outfits and wore it to our next trail run. Oh the power of the catalog!



Reality - mismatched, muddy gear...
 just the way we like it! (Bunny ears optional.)



As summer turns to fall and the weather finally gets cooler, I look forward to the next catalog and seeing what I "should" be wearing for my next outdoor adventure. Hey, a girl can dream!

Go.Do.Be.



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Need a way to jumpstart your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.

Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 6 (Final) of Volunteering (and Racing)

Day 6 (Last!): Vail to Beaver Creek


Finish line in Beaver Creek.

The Dark Before The Dawn

Today marks the final stage of Transrockies and excitement was in the air! At least that's what I woke up to when my van, parked at the start line, slowly became surrounded by volunteer crew and early bird athletes...with me still sleeping in the back! In 15 minutes I was up, dressed, teeth brushed, and on my mountain bike heading to the athlete camp ground just a half mile up the road for breakfast. I barely made it in time to grab what was left of the scrambled eggs and oatmeal with berries.



Anything for shade. It was HOT out there...
if you're not from Texas anyway  ;-)



There was no grocery shopping to do for today. Finish line catering's main goal = GO THROUGH ALL REMAINING FOOD! We provided water at the start line and saw the athletes off one last time. By 8:00am runners were making their way under the ski lifts and heading to Beaver Creek.

We got in our cars and after a few missed turns on the bazillion round-abouts (I hate those things!), we made it into the very chi-chi private area of Beaver Creek. Cam was right - Vail looked like a ghetto by comparison.



THANK YOU Play Green Events for keeping
up with all the recycling AND the cute puppy dog!



We set up under another set of ski lifts at the base of a mountain and by 10:30am we were ready to welcome the first runners. On a side note, I have never been in such a rats maze as Beaver Creek with the hotels, parking garages, and bathrooms! I think I covered more distance just walking to/from my car than I did the entire day of working the finish line.



Runners started arriving around 11:00am all the way through 4:45pm. We kept going through the food we had on hand and at one point a few volunteers from check point 2 drove up and said they were out of supplies. So we loaded them up with chips, melon, oranges, Cokes, gels, and anything else we could spare. Turns out the check points had it pretty rough because this was a new route this year and not only did some people get off course, the course was actually 4 miles longer than the originally posted 19 miles. And it was HOT!



What keeps Drew the announcer going all day? One guess.



Carnage ensued throughout the afternoon but sure enough, runners continued to cross the finish line. We had to shoo kids away from the food because they would just come up and eat, eat, eat (I'm not even going to comment about how parents should bring snacks for their kids). The course time cutoff for the day was 5:00pm and some athletes had been shuttled in from various check points on the course.

We broke down the finish line catering tents and tables for the last time and packed up all the non-food items in the grey bin for storage until next year. We threw out the striped table cloths that had somehow survived 6 days of spills, cuts, wipes, and dirt yet still managed to look bright and cheery. And when we were done, we helped the finish line folks break down the banners and fencing and loaded everything up into the two huge Budget rental trucks that I had followed around for the better part of a week.

Was I sad it was over? No. I was tired and glad for the end. And with sporting bandaids on two left fingers, I don't think my hands could take much more. At the awards banquet it was great to chat with the runners and say final "good byes" to everyone. When I asked the group of runners I was sitting with (Kristi, Greg, Theresa) if they would do Transrockies again, I was given a resounding "YES" from the ladies. Greg said to ask him when his feet stopped hurting. Until next year! Maybe.

Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 5 of Volunteering (and Racing)

Day 5: Red Cliff to Vail - 23 miles
Back to civilization & cell phone coverage!



Finish line catering crew!



I actually overslept this morning and did a "holy-crap-what-time-is-it" jump out of my sleeping bag. I had 15 minutes to dress, put my eyeballs in, stagger down to the food tent, eat, and meet Cam and Roxanne out in front of the catering van. Believe it or not, I made it. And I discovered that rushing around took my mind off of how flipping cold (40 degrees) it was outside. What made this day feel colder is that it was very damp outside due to the rain showers from last night.



On a side note, I am glad for my van and van camping is working well. Last night I was woken up by a bunch of howling and yapping coyotes who were having some type of party outside near the lake. It was amazing to listen to them but I was glad I had steel between me and them rather than just a nylon tent wall. I made sure the doors were locked too...just in case.



Future runner "carbing" up!

The runners seemed excited for today's stage and we sent everyone off running at 8:30am to the tune of "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC. We headed to the finish line in Vail and my car did not overheat so I was VERY happy about that. 8,500 feet seems to be the tipping point between smelling antifreeze in the car or not.



Vail is a beautiful little town and sits around 8,000 feet. The air actually feels a little thicker "down" here. Since we did grocery shopping yesterday we were able to take our time getting to Vail and settting up without the usual rush. We found the finish line area and set up literally right under a ski lift. By 10:30am we had everything set out and the start line had been torn down in Red Cliff and magically reconstructed on the ski slopes of Vail.



Altitude is not only affecting the runners. One of the crew members was having issues with altitude and had to go to the hospital. The race director was talking to him while we were setting up the food and was telling him to really take it easy. I added to their conversation, "Yeah, you don't want to die up here and then be THAT guy who died during Transrockies." Thankfully everyone laughed after I realized what I had actually said. As my friend Richelle calls me -- over fourty and unfiltered!



Quick run in the mountains - LOVE it!



Runners started coming in and we were there to feed them. Today's "different" foods included skittles and Doritos and we also brought back Peanut M&Ms -- all of which were a hit withs the runners.



Hedgehog? Porcupine? Cute!



I actually got in a 90 minute run today which was FANTASTIC! I ran up the mountain to the top and en route took photos and cheered on the runners as they came barreling down the mountainside. As usual I got off course and ended up running along "Berry Patch" single track trail where I came upon a sculptured wooden hedgehog (or porcupine - not sure which). Those who run with me know that I have a tendency to say, "Hey, I wonder where this goes" and I end up either bush-whacking or in a completely different place. It only took me 30 minutes to descend and I had a real sense for how beat up the runners must feel because my "fresh" legs were tired from all the downhill pounding to the finish line. As one runner put it, "I'm SO over downhills!"'



The runners were definitely looking beat up today and many of them lost the twinkle in their eye they had at the day's start in Red Cliff. 23 miles of mountain running will do that.



A couple of runners got pulled at the last check point at mile 19.1 (didn't make the time cutoff) so we were able to start packing up food a little earlier than we intended and by 5:15pm we were pretty much done for the day. The big concern was packing up all the food because of bears. I made extra sure there were no scraps of food or empty bottles left sitting around the van since I would be sleeping in it and didn't relish the thought of waking up with a bear on the roof, even if the doors were locked!



Finish line in Vail.





Tomorrow is the last day of Transrockies and the runners and crew alike are ready for it to be done so we can celebrate at tomorrow night's banquet AND sleep in beds not on the ground or attached to four wheels. At tonight's post-dinner meeting and video show, all the volunteers were called up on stage and all the runners cheered and applauded us. It felt nice.

Tomorrow: Vail to Beaver Creek - 19 miles



Some of the amazing Transrockies volunteers.



Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 4 of Volunteering (and Racing)

Day 4: Nova Guides to Red Cliff - 14 miles

Red Cliff = the coolest little dumpy town!


Start line at Red Cliff



After yesterday's crazy finish line rushing around, we started out EARLY this morning. We met at 5:45am, loaded up the catering van with ice and 2 huge plastic bins and were en route to Leadville for another grocery run by 6:15am. Leadville was 20 minutes in the exact opposite direction of where the finish line would be but there is no grocery store anywhere remotely close to the finish SO...back to Leadville.



Red Cliff is on the other side of this bridge.



Today would be the first day without the "3 day runners" so there would be approximately 120 fewer people crossing the finish line and in need of snacks and drinks. So we got our usual chips, beef jerky (we cleared out the store, including the box of jerky the manager had in the back), coke, and a few other things. One thing I was specifically looking for was Starbucks coffee shots in a can. I asked one of the runners a couple of days ago what he would like at the finish line. He said, "Coffee". So I said I would see what I could do. We have no power at finish line catering so Starbucks in a can would have to do.



Washing oranges.



We made good time in the store and were in and out in about 20 minutes. That meant we had time for a quick coffee run at the same Leadville coffee shop as the day before. A triple Americano and berry scone later...we were back on the road headed to Red Cliff.

Needless to say we got there early. Way early. We sat in the car for 45 minutes before the finish line setup crew arrived and told us where to set up. Cars that were parked on the street had to be moved. That meant banging on people's doors and getting them to move their cars. I figured this was a recipe for getting axe-murdered but luckily everyone was accomodating...except for one guy who was a little miffed. Tough.



Red Cliff is pretty much parked at the bottom of a gorge. It's a quaint little town that looks like it used to do quite well for itself but now is in much need of a facelift. The new multi-leveled hotel that sits on the corner across from the post office welcomes visitors and Mangos restaurant boasts the best fish tacos. Then the town quickly shifts into old houses, cars on blocks, and dogs. The saying goes there are 300 people who live in Red Cliff, and 600 dogs.

Setup went very quickly and smoothly this morning and we were set as the first runners crossed the finish line. Today's new "food treat" was bite sized brownies (we bought over 300). We try to provide slightly different food each day at the finish line so the runner's don't get bored. The brownies went over OK...but the beef jerky, chips, and watermelon continue to be the finish line favorites.



We support ALL runners!



Near the end of the day, I saw my "coffee guy" cross the finish line. I ran to the van and got out the 4-pack of Starbucks shots and walked over to him. I said, "Hey, how was your run?" He said, "It was really beautiful - just great!" Then I asked him if he wanted a coffee. He looked at me sideways and then I produced the Starbucks shots. I thought he was going to cry! He gave me a big hug. I told him he could only have these on one condition - that I could get a picture taken with him. DONE! Turns out his name is Greg and his running partner Theresa. He asked me to hold on to the remaining 3 shots for tomorrow and the rest of the run days. No problem.



By 2:00pm we were starting to tear down the finish line food area as there were only a handful of runners left. By 3pm we were on our way to the grocery store in Vail to get a jump on tomorrow's food AND a chance to sleep in.

I didn't get a chance to run today but I will tomorrow - assuming the van makes it up and over the crazy mountains we have to cross to get to Vail (insert fingers crossed here).

Mango's Margaritas! A welcome break!

Tomorrow: Red Cliff to Vail - 23 miles





Transrockies: Today's Blog Post -- Day 3 of Volunteering (and Racing)

 

Getting ice for the day.

Day 3: Leadville to Nova Guides (Camp Hale)


The Scenery is Breathtaking

Sort of a "lather-rinse-repeat" day on stage 3 of Transrockies. The setup crew were on mainstreet in Leadville setting up the start line while shuttles were already transporting runners to breakfast at 6am at the Mining Museum.



While the runners were eating breakfast, we were at the back door near the catering truck stocking up on 20 watermelons, a ton of ice, water, and sack lunches for us.



Caravans of support crew arriving at Camp Hale/Nova Guides.



The race started with a BANG and runners were heading out of town at 8am. A quick stop for coffee (to go) at the local coffee shop and we were on our way to the big Safeway at the edge of town. Four huge shopping carts of food later (approximately $450 worth of Coke, chips, hand sanitizer, sunflower seeds, candy, watermelon, bread, peanut butter, and other odds and ends).





We were running late and had to make a dash for Nova Guides 20 minutes away. There's really no "dashing" in the mountains at 10,000 feet AND we were met with a little road construction to boot. So we came flying into Camp Hale and had about 20 minutes to set up before the first runners would cross the finish line on the longest race stage - 23 miles. We made it. BARELY.



Extra volunteers for finish line catering.
These kids were AWESOME! Taking a break with bubbles.





Another very long day of filling bowls, chatting with runners, filling water jugs, cutting fruit, and constantly reminding people to use cups, use hand sanitizer, and stop eating directly out of the bowls!!!!



By 5:00pm the last runner was in and by 6:00pm we had the three tables broken down, all food and bins consolidated, grocery list ready for tomorrow (back to Leadville since there is NOTHING in Nova Guides), and our day was offically done.





Not a bad way to end the day-scenery and mountain biking!



Needing some "quiet alone time", I put on my cycling gear and went mountain biking for about an hour on the old dirt/rock trails that used to make up Camp Hale - a military camp in the 1940's. As I rode around, I would stop at placards alongside the trail that would indicate what used to be "at this spot". This camp was predominantly used for military winter training and some alpining. Amazing that all these buildings (even a movie theater) used to be where there were now just massive fields and streams.

 

It's the last day for the 3-day runners so we should have about 100 less runners to support tomorrow. It's also the "volunteer run day" where volunteers can do some trail running.

Tomorrow: Nova Guides to Red Cliff - 14 miles.

It's going to be another very quick turn-around time for us at Finish Line Catering!